Metroland Spring 2020

SPRING 2020 

Living and loving life in Zones 8 & 9 

Chesham | Amersham | Chalfont

Comfort, Luxury, Beauty. 

Create special moments. 

Kingston Modular Set with 

New Adjustable Height Table 

Luxury Home & Garden Furniture 

Inspirational design and comfort since 1977 

INSPIRED LIVING 

Founded over forty years ago, Bridgman has a proud heritage of 

supplying quality, luxurious furniture. 

Visit our Old Amersham showroom and pick up a 2020 catalogue 

featuring an exclusive collaboration with The National Trust and 

many new additions to existing ranges. 

7 Whielden Street 

Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire 

HP7 0HT 

01494 723517 

www.bridgman.co.uk 

Enfield Old Amersham Walton on Thames Wilmslow Winchester

METROLAND 

EDITOR'S LETTER 

Welcome to Metroland, the baby brother 

of The Foxy Deer lifestyle blog. 

Tina Reading 

We’re here to provide your 

definitive guide to Bucks life, 

complete with a little touch of 

sparkle! Our content is curated 

to inspire and inform, covering a 

multitude of areas including arts 

& culture, business & finance, 

fashion & beauty, food & drink, 

lifestyle, motoring and travel. 

We’ve been publishing since 

2017, and we love living here. 

The Chiltern Hills offer fantastic 

walks, pubs and adventures. 

And just a little further afield, 

we can enjoy the adventures of 

London, the Cotswolds or even 

the seaside. 

Not only do we get to live in 

one of the most wonderful and 

downright coolest places in 

the UK, but we have a culture 

unique to this area. With a 

sophisticated blend of country 

chic and cosmopolitan living, 

it’s no wonder more people are 

journeying to the end of the 

Met and settling here. From 

cool dining (enough to satisfy 

the most diligent foodie) to lazy 

hotel stays, great days out to 

independent High Street shops, 

there really is something for 

everyone to enjoy. 

Metroland encapsulates 

everything that we love about 

this area and is intended as 

a seasonal print magazine 

aimed at the good townsfolk 

of Chesham, Amersham and 

Chalfont. Now obviously due to 

the fact that we are all isolating 

at home, our launch issue is 

digital. Certainly NOT what we 

intended but we felt it important 

to push forward and get out 

there as we have curated some 

fab articles for you that will 

hopefully help you get through 

the next few weeks. 

Some of the articles were 

originally written when life 

was before we now know 

it. Many organisations and 

businesses are now operating 

online meetings/services 

etc so do check their social 

media and websites! Proof 

that determination overrides 

adversity and never before have 

we experienced life like this! 

Be safe, keep safe and do 

please interact with us on social 

media and let the team know 

how much you are enjoying the 

magazine. Make sure you check 

local Facebook groups as there 

are now Covid-19 support groups 

offering assistance in Chesham, 

Amersham and Chalfont. Have 

courage, be kind and we will get 

through this together. 

See you in the Summer whether 

we be in print or digital. 

003 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SPRING 2020

METROLAND 

CONTENTS OF MAGAZINE 

Family Fun 

Zones 8 & 9 

Eco-saving actions to do from home by WAF iDot 08 

Turn your home into a Superhero lair by Janis Pereira 09 

Visit the British Museum online by The British Museum 12 

Gardening with the Kids by Joe Perkins 13 

Celebrity School by the Metroland team 14 

Chenies Manor House by Ginny Lemarie 28 

Dreamflight Children's Charity by Lisa BIshop 32 

A permament voice for the Chilterns by Emily Culverhouse 35 

Not all Jam & Jerusalem the WI in Metroland 36 

A little gem in the Chilterns by Little Chalfont Nature Park 38 

The arts: on your doorstep by the Metroland team 40 

Bucks Search & Rescue by Sophie Wright 42 

Chesham Town Council Update by Joseph Baum 43 

Astro Collection by Ben Brotherton 44 

A new chapter for Chesham by Pru Murray 46 

Taking River Action by Deborah Wilbee 48 

Crafting as therapy by Louise Chapman 50 

Chesham TUG by Alan Wallwork 53 

Chesham Baby Hike by Lisa Henschen 54 

Buckinghamshire Council Update by Martin Tett 56 

Amersham Martyrs 21 by Sally Alford 58 

Food & Drink 

Panelle, sea salt & salsa verde by Ben Tish 60 

Pesto by Pastificio Al Dente 61 

Tortilla soup with feta & tortila strips by Wahaca 63 

Stay Home Stay Safe 

Soda Bread by AO Live 64 

Duck macro bowl by Gressingham Duck 66 

Duck & mango Wraps by Gressingham Duck 66 

Home Working by Improve Online 16 

New Tricks? by Tic Watches 18 

Shopping Safely Online by Miss A.M Investigations 20 

Books we love by the Metroland team 22 

Engineers Assemble by David Pike 24 

The show must go on by the Metroland team 26 

Duck steak by Gressingham Duck 67 

Quick & easy chana masala by The Vegan Recipe Club 68 

Store cupboard nut roast by The Vegan Recipe Club 69 

Mini banana bread with a hint of chocolate by AO Live 70 

Easter treats by Costwold Gin 72 

"Purpette" by Ben Tish 74 

004 


METROLAND 

CONTENTS OF MAGAZINE 

Home & Garden 

Spring cleaning with Hoover 86 

Over the Rainbow by the Metroland team 88 

Introducing Snug by Snug 90 

My Garden Year by Barry Burrows 92 

Bridgman since 1977 by Bridgman 94 

Garden trends 2020 by Mike Burks 96 

Let there be light by Lights4fun 98 

No place like gnome by George at Home 100 

Fashion 

From us Tu you by Tu clothing 76 

Sueño by Sueño Amersham 78 

{Home} School Uniform with Marks & Spencer 80 

Sustainable Fashion by Monsoon 82 

New denim by Fatface 84 

Chief Editor 

Tina Reading 

info@thefoxydeer.co.uk 

Art Director 

Kathryn Pike 

editorial@thefoxydeer.co.uk 

Advertising Enquiries 

& Media Pack requests 

advertising@thefoxydeer.co.uk 

METROLAND 

encapsulates everything that 

we love about this area and is 

created for the good townsfolk 

of Chesham, Amersham and 

Chalfont who we feel deserve 

a magazine dedicated to them 

with loads of news, articles 

and offers. METROLAND was 

first published in Spring 2020 

as a digital magazine due to 

the Coronavirus outbreak. 

Subsequent issues will be 

printed seasonally. 

Our aim is to feature purely 

Metroland businesses and 

organisations and bring their 

services and products to 

everyone across zones 8 & 9. 

Beauty & Wellbeing 

You're never tutu old for ballet by The RAD 102 

Pregnancy: Lockdown Tips by Siobhan Miller 104 

Your Mind Matters! by Hayley Bennett 108 

Beauty in isolation by Karo Pharma 112 

Keep on tapping by Carla van der Sluijs 114 

Less than fabulash? by Tina Reading 115 

The information in this magazine is intended to provide readers with information which they may find useful and of interest. We take all reasonable steps to keep this information current and 

accurate, but errors can occur. The information in this magazine is therefore provided as is with no guarantee of accuracy, completeness or timeliness. Reference to any specific commercial product, 

process, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by The Foxy Deer or METROLAND. This publication may 

include links to third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided to our readers for the sake of convenience. By using these links, you acknowledge and agree The Foxy Deer / METROLAND is 

not responsible for and does not endorse any advertising, products, or resources available from such outside resources or websites. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SPRING 2020 005

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

P R O F E S S I O N A L A N D D I S C R E E T 

P R I V A T E I N V E S T I G A T I O N S 

2 4 H O U R S A D A Y , 7 D A Y S A W E E K . 

C O R P O R A T E 

I N V E S T I G A T I O N S 

D E B T O R 

L O C A T I N G 

R E L A T I O N S H I P 

B R E A K D O W N 

J U D I C U A L 

S E R V I C E S 

Looking for answers, closure, or 

evidence? I am on your side. 

Just #AskAlison 

For more information: 

Visit: www.missaminvestigations.co.uk 

Email: enquiries@missaminvestigations.co.uk 

Call: 07388925001 

As seen in: 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Family Fun 


METROLAND 

FAMILY FUN 

Eco-saving actions 

to do from Home 

Help the planet from the comfort 

of your own home with help from 

the Wildlife Aid Foundation. 

The conservation charity is providing families with 

free activity sheets focused on British wildlife and 

the environment. Each sheet provides a week of 

activities that families can do together from home 

or in the garden. 

There are three sheets in total and each activity 

is designed to help wildlife, either by raising 

awareness, creating better habitats or improving 

the environment. 

The resources are downloadable and can be shared 

online between friends and families. They form part 

of Wildlife Aid Foundation's iDot campaign, which 

aims to encourage everyone to do small, regular 

positive actions to help wildlife and the natural 

world. 

The activity sheets are available from 

idot-waf.org.uk 

The Wildlife Aid Foundation is based in Leatherhead, 

Surrey and is one of the UK’s busiest wildlife rescue 

and rehabilitation centres. It rescues, treats and 

rehabilitates injured and abandoned wild animals 

with the express mission of returning them back to 

the wild. 

Sow seeds to 

welcome 

wildlife to your 

garden 

08 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE OF FAMILY CATEGORY FUN 

iDot stands for I Do One Thing and it’s really simple… 

Find out about the nature around you and do one small action, each day, to benefit the natural 

world. Upload your iDots to inspire others and the counter at the top of the page will go up. 

If everyone in the UK did one action every day, the counter would show a staggering 

24,500,000,000 iDots – just think what a difference that would make to nature! 

Below are 5 eco-actions you cat take. Visit idot-waf.org.uk for more ideas 

Turn off the tap 

when 

brushing your 

teeth 

Build a house for 

nesting birds 

Help the bees 

by not 

picking 

dandelions 

Turn off lights when 

you’re 

not in a room 


METROLAND 

FAMILY FUN 

Looking for things to do with the kids? This stay-home activity 

combines easy crafts for children of any age and sets the scene 

for weeks on end of imaginative play and family movie nights. 

Without further ado, let’s build a Superhero Lair! The full blog post can be found at 

www.reallykidfriendly.com/2020/03/19/stay-home-challenge-superhero-lair/ 

You’ll need: 

Scissors 

Coloured paper or scraps of wrapping paper 

Blue tac 

Colouring pencils, markers or paint 

Cereal boxes, shoe boxes and cereal boxes 

010 


METROLAND 

FAMILY FUN 

City Skyline 

Start by creating a simple city skyline by sticking 

black paper to the wall with blue tac. The children 

can then cut bright yellow paper into squares and 

rectangles and stick them to the skyline to create 

windows. Children find this surprisingly relaxing 

and can spend literally hours on this, especially if 

you have an audiobook playing the background. 

Educational Bonus: 

Snipping the paper and rolling tiny bits of blue tac 

is also excellent for building the fine motor skills 

needed for handwriting. 

You can also create a daytime skyline for your 

little superheroes using some cereal boxes and 

wrapping paper. This works particularly well for 

photoshoots if you are able to sacrifice some floor 

space. 

resources for kids, not least because it is jam-packed 

with easy drawing tutorials created especially 

for children. The children will love watching other 

children learn to draw their favourite characters, 

and as a bonus will have lots of fantastic characters 

to add to their mural. Here’s a tutorial where kids 

can learn to draw a cartoon Iron Man: https://www. 

youtube.com/watch?v=WnuTigkqwU8 

Sound Effects 

Older children never seem to get tired of 3D writing 

and any excuse to get the Sharpies out. Try your 

hand at creating sound effects to stick around the 

room. In this example we used block letters and a 

simple cloud and lightning bolt line drawing, added 

some light shading, and then added a 3D effect 

with a black Sharpie. 

Superhero Photo Shoots 

Finally, ask your little superheroes to dig out 

their costumes and pose for the camera! If you 

have older children in the house, challenge them 

to create the most dramatic, funny or thrilling 

superhero photos and clips in B612 and they will be 

happily occupied for days. 

Hulk-Smashed Doorways 

During a long lockdown, being in the same two or 

three rooms every day can cause anxiety. A little 

paper and paint can go a long way to making your 

dining room a happier place. Start by painting 

or drawing bricks on a large piece of paper, then 

tape it over the entrance to the dining room and 

either burst through it or cut a jagged hole to look 

as though you had. You can wrap small boxes and 

have them strewn about to make it look as though 

Hulk has smashed through. 

Janis is the mum of two superheroes, founder 

of ReallyKidFriendly.com, and Head of Growth 

and Engagement for MedShr the world's leading 

platform for doctors and nurses. She is currently 

leading a vital project called Let's Beat COVID-19 

(https://letsbeatcovid.net) to help hospitals save 

more lives and getting gloves, masks and other 

protective equipment to our NHS superheroes. 

Characters 

Art for Kids Hub (https://www.youtube.com/user/ 

ArtforKidsHub) is one of our favourite online 


CATEGORY 

Visit the British Museum 

TITLE OF CATEGORY 

...virtually 

When the British Museum first opened its doors 

in 1759, they proudly declared themselves a 

place for ‘all studious and curious persons’. It’s 

a mission they are still dedicated to – even if 

they can’t currently welcome visitors in person. 

With that in mind, they have shared the many 

ways in which you can explore their galleries and 

the collection while the Museum is closed. 

So, here are 10 ways for you to stay curious, keep 

learning, and experience over two million years 

of human history – all without stepping out 

your front door. 

1. Virtual Museum tours with 

Google Street View 

2. Keep exploring with virtual 

galleries 

3. Go behind the scenes with the 

Museum Podcast 

4. Liven up home learning with 

our digital resources 

5. Immerse yourself with audio tours 

6. Get geeky on YouTube 

7. See more on Google Arts & Culture 

8. Eight million objects at your 

fingertips 

9. Bury your nose in the blog 

10. Find out more about 

The British Museum 

For more information and links to everything virtual visit 

The British Museums blog post at 

blog.britishmuseum.org/how-to-explore-the-british-museum-from-home 

012 


CATEGORY 


Gardening with the kids 

Joe Perkins is a multi-award-winning landscape designer, achieving an unprecedented Gold 

Medal, Best in Category and Best Construction at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2019 for his garden 

‘Beyond the Screen’ sponsored by Facebook. www.joeperkinsdesign.com 

“My three boys just love getting hands on in the 

garden with me, it’s a great way for us to not only 

spend time together but pass the time too, 

particularly important during a time like this. 

A great project to do with the kids is creating 

habitats, build bee nests by filling a can or bottle 

with bamboo cut to fit the container, you could 

even decorate the outside to add to the fun. 

can, go on a walk looking for them, that’s part of 

the fun after all. 

Next, make a sandwich type stack using layers 

of brick, tile, planks or cut up scaffold boards, 

whatever you have available to you. Pop all the bits 

you collected in between the sandwich stack and 

finish with a layer of tiles or boards on top to keep 

out the rain. 

My boys, as you can imagine, are a messy bunch, 

so bug hotels and wormeries are great. 

Start by collecting pine cones, plant stems, bark 

and deadwood either from your garden or if you 

To keep the birds pleased, why not make a feeder 

from a milk carton, decorate and hang from a 

branch with strings (top tip – keep to the outer 

branches so that cats can’t reach).” 


METROLAND 

FAMILY FUN 

Celebrity School 

With the UK now in lockdown, it might seem like there is little to keep children entertained, 

as parents and carers across the UK attempt to home school little ones. Luckily, a number of 

celebrities have come forward, offering their talents to teach children stuck at home. 

9:00 PE with Joe Wicks 

youtube.com/thebodycoach 

10:00 Music with Myleen Klass 

youtube.com/myleenesmusicklass 

11:00 Science with Maddie Moate 

youtube.com/maddiemoate 

11:30 Dance with Oti Mabuse 

youtube.com/otimabuseofficial 

13:00 Maths with Carol Vorderman 

themathsfactor.com 

14:00 History with Dan Snow 

tv.historyhit.com 

15:00 English with David Walliams (Live at 11am) 

worldofdavidwalliams.com 

17:30 Food Tech with Jamie Oliver 

channel4.com/keepcookingandcarryon 

0014 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Stay Home 

Stay Safe 


METROLAND 

STAY HOME STAY SAFE 

Home Working 

Advice for home working for SMEs and their staff. 

Six top tips for SMEs embarking remote working for the first time. 

THE rapid onset of the coronavirus globally has 

meant that many small and medium enterprises 

(SMEs) are opting to work from home for the very 

first time. 

Without the necessary support and guidance, this 

could be business critical for many. Steve Walker, 

chief executive of Improve, an online learning 

platform for SMEs, shares his six top tips for 

working remotely. 

Steve said: “There is little guidance out there for 

SMEs which need to mobilise quickly to maintain 

their operations and keep employees engaged. 

SMEs are entering an unprecedented period where 

remote working is necessary given the current 

government regulations around social distancing 

and is essential in order to preserve service levels 

and retain customers. 

“The following tips form part of an SME survival 

toolkit for remote working and further useful hints 

and tips. It also helps to set out how we can deal 

with the challenges and opportunities that this 

enforced period of remote working could bring to 

SMEs that might be new to it. 

1. Develop an online learning focus 

If your workforce is now working remotely, having a 

simple online learning platform that all employees 

can access ensures that the time can be used 

wisely to update and ensure that all staff complete 

vital compliance and policy training. 

It is also a great opportunity to create your own 

training resources around best practice for your 

business and push these to people to learn via 

a learning platform. This could be in the form of 

documents, videos - self-made, or found on the 

internet - or testing of knowledge. 

Embracing learning technology to develop your 

managers is a great way to cost effectively 

enhance the skills of these key people and keep 

them engaged. 

2. Enhance your coaching and connectivity: 

This is an ideal opportunity for SMEs to embrace 

technology and enhance connectivity with 

colleagues. Using online tools, like the video 

conferencing app Zoom, is a great way to stay 

connected and ensure people feel engaged with 

the business and less isolated. 

These tools are relatively inexpensive and can be 

used via any device, so staff can have video calling 

and accessible training through a learning platform. 

3. Ensure remote workers feel supported 

It’s been said that “anxiety moves faster than 

a virus.” So, it’s important to remember that 

businesses have a huge role to play in keeping 

their workforces positive and informed. 

Now is an important time to review how you 

communicate and which technology you use. 

Business owners and senior management need to 

make sure they strike an important tone of support 

and opportunity. Some businesses are going out 

of their way to focus on their employees’ wellbeing 

by providing online training and resources to show 

care and support. 

4. Extend perks to the home 

Make the transition from in-office to home as 

seamless as possible by extending the same inoffice 

benefits for newly remote employees. A 

simple, non-expensive perk could be to allow all 

people at least 30/60 minutes per day for training, 

updating their knowledge around their core job 

role. Other businesses are looking to go that next 

016 


stage further by expensing one meal a day 

and providing vital equipment for their remote 

workspace. 

5. Use it as an opportunity to think differently 

Many businesses are embracing this period 

of uncertainty and ‘forced’ remote working as 

an opportunity to stress test their businesses 

and challenge the current way they work and 

manage their people. Times are changing, the 

millennial workforce entering SME businesses 

in large volumes want flexibility in working 

hours, ‘on-demand’ learning and training at 

their fingertips more than ever before, which is 

why now is a great time to assess how you will 

work in the future. 

6. Encourage your team to share top training 

tips – and tips for home working 

Use tools like Slack and Trello to help your team 

keep in touch with one another. Host daily 

meetings every morning using Zoom – and ask 

everyone in the team to come up with top tips 

for the new way of working. This could include 

elements they have learned from their training 

they have done at home, or perhaps some fun 

recommendations for their teammates. It’s not 

just a time for pulling together, but a time for 

sharing best practice, and preparing for the 

time when business is back on track. 

For more information on Improve 

please visit www.improve.online 


METROLAND 


New tricks? 

With the government closure of bars, clubs and restaurants, many Brits 

will be spending a lot more time at home over the coming weeks. 

Watch and sunglasses specialist, Tic Watches, has put together how long it 

takes to learn six aspirational new skills in the extra alone time. 

Learn a new language 

Train to become a 

yoga teacher 

Learn to code 

The US Foreign Service Institute 

estimates that it takes roughly 

480 hours to become fluent in 

a ‘Group 1’ language, such as 

French, German, Indonesian, 

Italian, Portuguese, Romanian, 

Spanish and Swahili. 

With Brits spending an average 

of 19 hours per week on their 

phone, spending as little as 

two hours a day learning a new 

language will set you well on 

your way towards being able to 

speak it with confidence. 

Experts estimate this extra skill 

could even earn you a 2% pay 

rise. Apps like Duolingo make 

it easier than ever to learn a 

language in your free time and 

allow you to put that screentime 

to good use. 

Teaching the art of yoga can be 

very rewarding and it can take 

less time than you think. The 

first level of certification takes 

a minimum of 200 hours. This 

generally takes three to five 

months on average, however 

it also works out to be six 

hours a day for a month, if you 

wanted it to be more intensive. 

Alternatively, spending two 

hours a day learning yoga 

would allow you to complete 

this course within three months. 

Coding is a well sought out skill 

by employers and it can take 

only 140 hours, to get a good 

grip on the knowledge. 

Putting aside two hours a day 

to learn to code will allow you 

to learn the basics in just 10 

weeks. 

018 


METROLAND 


Learn to knit 

Read a new book 

series 

Train for a marathon 

Spending time learning a new 

skill like knitting is a great way 

to productively pass the time, 

and what’s more, it provides 

several health benefits. 

It takes roughly 20 hours for a 

beginner to learn to knit a scarf 

from scratch, meaning that this 

can be done in just over a week, 

if you swap phone time for 

knitting. 

What’s more, knitting can 

provide you with a sense of 

achievement, and has similar 

qualities to meditation, meaning 

that it can be a great way to 

relieve stress and anxiety. 

For older people, knitting can 

also help slow cognitive decline, 

and improve dexterity. 

Spending two hours a day 

knitting would allow you to knit 

a scarf over ten days. 

Many people love to read, but 

often say they don’t have the 

time to do it as much as they’d 

like. However, now may be the 

perfect time to tick off some key 

titles you’ve been meaning to 

get to. 

It takes around 98 hours to 

read the entire series of A Song 

of Ice and Fire, (the Game of 

Thrones series), 60 hours to 

read the Harry Potter series, 26 

hours to read The Lord of the 

Rings and 20 hours to read War 

and Peace. 

Reading one of these works of 

literature instead of staring at 

a screen allows you to pass the 

time in a much more rewarding 

way. 

Running a marathon provides 

a great sense of achievement, 

but many people may think that 

they don’t have enough time to 

train. 

While it is undoubtedly a huge 

commitment, the recommended 

minimum training at roughly 90 

hours over 16 weeks means that 

by cutting down phone usage 

by less than a fifth (17%), you 

can easily commit to training in 

this timeframe. 

For more useful things 

people can do and how 

long they would take, 

please visit: 

www.ticwatches.co.uk/ 

blog/2019/09/10-usefulthings-you-could-bedoing-instead-of-lookingat-your-phone/ 


METROLAND 


Shopping Safely Online 

Miss A.M. Investigations, Private Investigator, explore a few things to look 

out for and how you can protect yourself when shopping online. 

Online shopping, for many, is an absolute blessing. 

Sometimes it can be too hard or time consuming 

to visit the shops, or perhaps there are other 

reasons why you cannot make it out. With a world 

of products at our fingertips, and often at lower 

prices than you’d find on the High Street, we no 

longer need to venture out into the cold and the 

crowds. Even with these benefits, however, finding 

the right product, sticking to your budget and 

keeping track of deliveries is a minefield! 

However, often people pay slightly less attention 

to their surroundings as they’re in the safety and 

comfort of their own home, which is the perfect 

time for online scammers to take advantage. 

According to a recent Which? article, almost a 

quarter of 18-34 year olds have fallen prey to an 

online shopping scam in the past five years and, on 

average, victims stand to lose roughly £661. These 

sad but true facts illustrate how important it is to 

remain vigilant. 

Fake Emails 

An official looking e-mail address and a random 

‘purchase number’ are often all a scammer needs 

to go phishing, and online shopping inevitably 

leads to an inbox FULL of notifications. Receipts, 

tracking, feedback requests – you’d be forgiven for 

not checking every single one under a microscope. 

But there a few things to look out for! 

• You can contact a company direct to see if 

the e-mail is genuine. Met Police warn against 

‘using the contact details or live chat functions 

on the email received’, instead go through the 

original website and find contact details there. 

• If an e-mail has a link to log into your account, 

NEVER click this! Scammers will use the details 

you enter on their fake website to log into 

your accounts. Instead, go through the official 

site by typing the usual URL directly into your 

internet browser. 

• Logging into your accounts in this way is a 

great way to check order details as well. If you 

receive an e-mail claiming there is a problem 

with your order, check your account first! 

Scammers rely on you being too busy to watch 

out for these things, or simply panicking because 

you think your item might be stuck in customs 

somewhere. It is really easily done, so my advice is 

to check your online accounts for tracking, check 

your bank and don’t rely too heavily on your emails 

to tell you what’s what. 

020 


Fake Products 

Ever see an offer that seems too good to 

be true? Well, very often, it is. This is particularly 

true of auction sites or online marketplaces. 

Sellers will advertise a popular item at a 

bargain price when in fact the product they are 

really selling either doesn’t fit the description 

or doesn’t even exist. While tempting to 

snatch that deal quickly, do your research 

first. Compare the price with other sites to 

see if there is an unreasonable difference. 

Check the image of the item is genuine; again, 

the Met Police warn that ‘Fraudsters often 

use stock images or other people’s images. 

You can check if images appear elsewhere on 

the internet through websites like TinEye or 

reverse.photos.’ 

Fake Sellers 

Be wary of sellers who encourage you to 

pay for your order via direct bank transfer 

or have suspicious sounding reviews (either 

predominantly negative or lots of recent, 

positive reviews that sound similar). They are 

likely to take your money without sending you 

your goods or send you faulty items and then 

not cooperate in the returns/refunds process. 

You may not even be able to reach them again. 

To protect yourself against this always use a 

recommended and official third-party payment 

site, e.g. Paypal, which can often help you 

reclaim your money if something goes wrong 

with your order. Failing that, use your credit 

card instead direct bank transfers, as this also 

offers some insurance against such scams. 

Source: www.met.police.uk/advice/advice-andinformation/fa/fraud/personal-fraud/onlineshopping/ 

Miss A. M. Investigations is a professional and discreet private investigator. Her 

services include corporate investigations, debtor locating, relationship breakdown 

and judicial services. For more information visit missaminvestigations.co.uk 


METROLAND 


Books we love 

A good book and good cake are just the thing right now and we 

highly recommend these books from authors who live right on our 

Buckinginghamshire doorstep. 

Romantic Comedy 

from local author 

Back home, Jen faces a choice. A surprise proposal 

from her boyfriend, ‘boring’ Robert has offered Jen 

the safety net she always thought she wanted. But 

with the memories of her Danish adventure proving 

hard to forget, maybe it’s time for Jen to stop listening 

to her head and start following her heart… 

A fabulously feel-good rom com that will make you 

laugh till you cry and fall in love with the romance! 

This is a must read if you love romantic comedies 

by Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk or Mhairi 

McFarlane! 

Probably The Best Kiss In 

The World 

Pernille Hughes 

Waterstones £8.99 paperback, also 

available as an eBook 

Jen Attison likes her life Just So. 

But being fished out of a canal in 

Copenhagen by her knickers is 

definitely NOT on her to do list. From 

cinnamon swirls to a spontaneous 

night of laughter and fireworks, Jen’s 

city break with the girls takes a turn 

for the unexpected because of her 

gorgeous, mystery rescuer. 

Pernille Hughes is a RomCom author and mum, 

whose debut novel PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE (formerly 

titled SWEATPANTS AT TIFFANIE'S) has now been 

followed by PROBABLY THE BEST KISS IN THE 

WORLD. Previously her writing has been printed in 

The Sunday Times and the fabulous SUNLOUNGER 

summer anthologies. Find out about her new books 

at www.pernillehughes.com 

Pernille studied Film & Literature at uni and took 

her first job in advertising, having been lured by 

the temptation of freebies, but left when Status 

Quo tickets was as good as it got. After a brief spell 

marketing Natural History films, she switched to 

working in Children's television which for a time 

meant living in actual Teletubbyland, sharing a 

photocopier with Laa-Laa. 

Now, she lives in actual Buckinghamshire, sharing a 

photocopier with her husband and their four spawn. 

While the kids are at school she scoffs cake and 

writes RomCom stories in order to maintain a shred 

of sanity. 


METROLAND 


lose yourself in a 

good book and make 

cake this spring 

local chef, 

amazing recipes 

If you’ve ever wandered down a charming 

French alleyway or a bustling Parisian street, 

there are stand out shop displays that 

truly capture the essence of French flair – 

gorgeous patisseries filled with the most eyecatching 

and elegant bakes. Delicately 

detailed with candies, fruits, spun sugar 

and tempered chocolate, it’s hard to resist 

their sweet seduction. However, you don’t 

have to travel far to enjoy these tasty 

treats, you can simply learn how to conjure 

them up at home with this stunning 

collection of recipes. 

With step-by-step instructions, expert 

chef Will Torrent introduces you to the 

basic recipes that make up the foundation 

of authentic French pâtisserie, before 

delving into the superb bakes, each of 

which has its own je ne sais quio! Opt for 

something light and sweet with colourful 

Macarons. If you’re feeling fruity try the 

Pâtisserie at Home 

Will Torrent 

Waterstones £16.99 hardback 

Step-by-step recipes to help you master the 

art of French pastry. 

Perfect the art of French pâtisserie with over 

70 classic recipes from award-winning pastry 

chef Will Torrent. 

citrus-sharp Tarte au Citron. Or if all you 

want is chocolate on chocolate, master 

the rich Coffee and Chocolate Madeleines. 

Whether you’re new to pâtisserie, or have 

dabbled in the art before, these delightful 

desserts are sure to show you how to 

achieve French baking finesse. 

023

METROLAND 


Engineers Assemble 

by David Pike 

It is an unfortunate fact that mankind goes through its greatest leaps of development when it is under 

pressure. The current COVID-19 pandemic is not the first time that the world has faced a global 

challenge, but this time we are connected by technology in a completely unprecedented way. 

Social distance 

Just as we have been adjusting to the new idea 

of social distancing, creative people around the 

world have been finding innovative ways to use 

the technology that we have taken for granted for 

a long time. From ballet schools running lessons 

online to virtual murder mystery parties, the world 

has adapted quickly to the new normal. 

Under these strange conditions, the internet has 

become mankind’s most powerful tool in bringing 

people together and beating the pandemic. 

Families who must stay isolated are kept 

connected with loved ones, health professionals 

can share advice and care with patients, and 

scientists can collaborate on vital research in a 

way that would have been impossible even a few 

years ago. 

Away from the limelight, engineers and designers 

are also playing their part. Engineers do not stop 

simply because they must stay at home – they 

carry on collaborating, innovating and developing 

solutions. The power of the internet still lets them 

work, even when they must work alone. 

This has allowed engineers to devote their talents 

to helping their community. The outbreak has 

created a well-publicised need for expansion 

in the areas of medical research and hospital 

equipment, and industry has responded. The 

British manufacturer Dyson has been able to 

adopt its innovative approach to vacuum cleaners 

and apply it to making medical equipment. In 

a matter of days, Dyson was able to design a 

brand new high-performance ventilator that is 

needed for the care of respiratory illnesses. Even 

more impressive is how quickly Dyson was able 

to collaborate with other manufacturers like JCB, 

who will be making the steel case for the Dyson 

ventilator. 

024 


fighting alone. Recent days have seen all sorts 

rising to the challenge of helping to beat the 

pandemic, from aerospace companies who 

have repurposed their factories to make clinical 

equipment, to fashion houses who have turned 

their talents towards creating protective clothing 

for the medical profession. 

The Mercedes Formula 1 team, a company used 

to thinking in innovative ways, has traded racing 

speed for rapid development. Partnering with 

experts in the medical field, Mercedes was able to 

develop a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure 

(CPAP) device in less than 100 hours. The CPAP 

helps patients breathe more easily without the 

need for intensive care equipment, which helps 

patients recover more quickly and reduces the 

need for specialist beds. This allows precious 

resources to be prioritised for critical patients who 

really need them. 

It is this remarkable flexibility that manufacturers 

have adopted that can bring vital machines 

into existence. In a matter of hours or days, 

companies like Mercedes and Dyson have been 

able to re-purpose their production lines to 

adopt a new role. This is a testament to the 

operational flexibility that is at the heart of the 

latest industrial revolution. 

The huge demand for medical care means 

that doctors are finding some equipment in 

short supply. Those who enjoy the challenge 

of 3D printing can help too. Here is the UK, 

the National 3D Printing Society is asking its 

members to use their printers to support the 

National Health Service by printing some simple 

equipment in their homes. This gives individuals 

the chance to help in a meaningful way, and 

allows large companies to concentrate on their 

key role of manufacturing specialist equipment. 

Superheroes 

Modern superheroes do not wear capes. 

Whether the frontline health workers and 

scientists who are caring for the victims of 

COVID-19, or the individuals who work in the 

utilities and food industries to keep the lights 

on and the world fed, they are deserving of our 

gratitude and support. We should all be doing 

our part to help, from donating to local care 

organisations to staying in and protecting the 

NHS. 

This revolution is being powered by the Internet 

of Things. This is the name for the latest 

innovation in communications that allows 

machines to share data with each other. In 

the home, the most obvious incarnation of 

this revolution is the smart speaker such as 

the Amazon Echo or the Google Nest, but 

the industrial world has adopted the same 

technology. By employing machines that share 

data, manufacturers can build factories that 

can adapt to new demands very quickly. This 

Internet of things for the factory has been 

described as the 4th industrial revolution, or in 

modern parlance, Industry 4.0. 

Stepping up to the plate 

Companies like Dyson and Mercedes are not 

Geeks and engineers are playing their part too. 

The internet is allowing engineers to make a real 

difference on a global scale. There is so much 

information available online, a worldwide network 

of other engineers to share ideas with, and tools 

that might have looked like science fiction a few 

years ago. The modern engineer is just another 

kind of superhero, one who believes in working 

together to win the fight against COVID-19. 

Engineers, assemble! 

David Pike writes as a technical author 

and blogger under the name Connector Geek. 

With 30 years of experience in the electronics 

industry, David specialises in writing online content 

that makes technical topics easy to read. 


METROLAND 


The show must go on 

With the West End and other amazing venues on our doorstep closed, you - like us - may be struggling to 

get your theatre fix. However if you are missing all things show there is hope! Here is a prologue into the 

world of theatre streaming and the incredible shows you can now watch online... Bravo! 

Andrew Lloyd Webber Musicals 

www.youtube.com/theshowsmustgoon 

Andrew Lloyd Webber, will be streaming a 

production of one of his musicals on YouTube 

each week to lift our sprits during the coronavirus 

lockdown. He’s called his mission to entertain us 

'The Shows Must Go On!', and it began with his 

2000 adaptation of Joseph And The Amazing 

Technicolour Dreamcoat. Each show will be 

available for a limited 48-hour period online every 

Friday from 7pm, with Jesus Christ Superstar, 

starring Tim Minchin, Chris Moyles and Mel C 

being the next on the list. 

Shakespeare's Globe 

www.youtube.com/ShakespearesGlobe 

Shakespeare's Globe are streaming Hamlet 

(2018), Romeo and Juliet (2009), A Midsummer 

Nights Dream (2013), The Two Noble Kinsmen 

(2018), The Winters Tale (2018) and The Merry 

Wives of Windsor (2019) for free via their YouTube 

channel, one at a time, on rotation every two 

weeks. 

If you'd like to see even more of The Bard's 

plays you can also rent and buy an even larger 

collection of films (130 to be exact!), to enjoy via 

their on demand Globe Player. These downloads 

are available for a cost – you can also send them 

to others to enjoy as a gift. Using the Globe 

Player (globeplayer.tv) also supports them as 

a charity that receives no annual government 

subsidy, and is need of even more support at this 

difficult and challenging time. 

The National Theatre at Home 

www.youtube.com/ntdiscovertheatre 

At 7pm every Thursday The National Theatre 

will be streaming a play via YouTube which will 

then be available on demand for a further 7 days. 

The series started with One Man, Two Guvnors 

starring James Corden. Sally Cookson’s stage 

adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre will be 

streaming on 9 April, Bryony Lavery’s adaptation 

of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island on 

16 April, and Twelfth Night on 23 April featuring 

Tamsin Greig as Malvolia in Shakespeare's classic 

comedy. 

Their YouTube channel is also full of rehearsal 

footage, interviews and information about the 

Theatre... hours of entertainment for any theatre 

fan. 

Wind in the Willows 

www.willowsmusical.com/ 

Shortly after theatres were forced to close, 

Julian Fellowes, the mastermind behind the 

stage adaptation of the classic children’s story 

by Kenneth Grahame, announced he was making 

this family favourite available to view online. The 

play can be can be streamed for free, although 

the theatre is asking for a small donation to 

support theatrical charities during these unusual 

times. The musical opened back in June 2017 and 

starred Rufus Hound as Toad, Simon Lipkin as 

Ratty, Craig Mather as Mole, Neil McDermott as 

Chief Weisel, Denise Welch as Mrs Otter and Gary 

Wilmot as Badger. Poop Poop!! 

0026 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Zones 8 & 9 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & ( 

Chenies Manor House 

Chenies Manor House is one of the UK’s finest Tudor Mansion 

Houses. Steeped in history, the Grade I Listed building is set in 

Buckinghamshire’s charming estate village of Chenies. 

Situation 

Chenies Manor House is one of the UK’s finest 

Tudor Mansion Houses. Steeped in history, the 

Grade I Listed building is set in Buckinghamshire’s 

charming estate village of Chenies and overlooks 

the Chess Valley, and Chiltern landscape. The 

idyllic rural setting of the manor also benefits 

close proximity to London and London Heathrow, 

situated just outside of the M25. 

History 

The Manor House at Chenies has a rich and 

interesting history, with links to royalty over its 

circa 800 year timeline. 

The parish of Chenies was originally known as 

Isenhampstead, but from the 13th century onwards 

was known as Isenhampstead Chenies from its 

connexion with the Cheyne family, who resided 

there for nearly 300 years. During the 19th century 

the old name was gradually dropped, and today 

the parish is universally known as Chenies. 

The Cheyne family owned the manor from 1180, 

although in the late 13th century the family were 

obliged to surrender the manor to Edward I who 

promptly turned it into a hunting lodge. By 1430 Sir 

John Chaney was able to win back his ancestral 

lands and he built a fortified brick manor house, 

part of which can be seen today in the crenulated 

buildings. 

By 1526, the house passed, by marriage, to the 

Russell family. John Russell was a rising man 

in Tudor England, who from a modest gentry 

background created a dynasty by being a loyal 

servant to Henry VII, Henry VIII, and Edward VI, 

for which he was well rewarded. Sir John Russell 

became the 1st Earl of Bedford, the progenitor of all 

the subsequent Earls and Dukes of Bedford. 

Henry VIII and Elizabeth I were visitors at the Manor 

and would have been accommodated in a grander 

wing, now where the barns stand. Henry VIII is 

known to have visited the manor several times, 

with a court and retinue which might amount to 

1000 persons. In 1534 he attended together with 

Anne Boleyn and Princess Elizabeth, and visited 

with Katherine Howard in 1541. 

Elizabeth I, now Queen, stayed for a month in 

1570, it may have been during this time that she 

lost some jewellery beneath the shade of an oak 

tree in the grounds of the house (Now named the 

Elizabeth Oak). 

The manor house was the Russell’s principal seat 

until the 4th Earl, Francis, decided to move the 

family seat to Woburn around 1627. The house was 

then occupied by various tenants and stewards 

until the death of the 12th Duke of Bedford, Hastings 

Russell, when some of the family estate was sold. 

Not Just Royalty 

The Chiltern Antiques Group, gathered in the 

Long Room at Chenies Manor in 1965, to hear Miss 

D. K. Millington on the subject of ‘Small Antiques 

in our homes’, which described her collection of 

0028 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Victorian teaspoons. The group later became the 

first constituent body of NADFAS, now The Arts 

Society, and has maintained a close connection 

with the house ever since. 

Chenies Manor House was bought in 1956 by 

Colonel and Mrs Macleod Matthews and in the 

1970s, during the course of their restoration 

work, the house was opened to help raise money 

for the repair of the church roof. The experience 

encouraged more regular openings, using NADFAS 

volunteers as guides and a former tractor shed as 

a tearoom. This, a shop and other visitor facilities 

have been improved over time to provide a 

destination well worth visiting, with its house tours 

and five acres of gardens, 

Chenies Manor House, as perhaps is now its 

tradition, remains a family home, Charles and Boo 

Macleod Matthews, continue to open the house to 

the public and make it available for filming, events 

and weddings. 

Gardens 

The gardens set off the magnificent Tudor buildings 

to perfection. 

Winner of the Historic Houses Association & 

Christie's Garden of the Year Award, the five acres 

of garden include various herbaceous borders, 

topiary and a fountain court plus: 

Physic Garden 

Planted with a wide selection of medicinal and 

culinary herbs used medically past and present 

Rose Garden 

Pink is the dominate colour in this garden, with its 

mass of scented flowering shrubs 

Yew Maze 

Created after Sunday Times competition in 1991 

Walled kitchen garden 

A walled, Victorian style garden to supply the 

house kitchen. This area also features a small 

orchard and a turf or labyrinth maze 

White Garden 

This formal garden, is planted with tranquil white 

and silver flowers and large topiary features around 

a central sculpture 

Parterre 

Extensive lawn area with featured topiary, an 

original Ha Ha and our ornate Gazebo 

Sunken Garden 

Tudor style garden, with views to the West wing. 

Inner Court 

The front garden to Chenies Manor, this central 

area has a recently restored Cupid statue 

0030 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Not just Gardens 

Chenies Manor has been the location for many 

weddings over the decades, and its easy to see 

why, with the stunning gardens and fine buildings 

creating stunning backdrops for photography. 

Film makers have also taken advantage of the 

Tudor house’s charm, and many productions have 

been filmed in the house itself, or the grounds, 

including: 

• Me Before You 

• A Little Chaos 

• Little Dorrit 

• Miss Austen Regrets 

• Tom’s Midnight Garden 

And various episodes of The Crown, Midsomer 

Murders, Lewis, Poirot and Rosemary & Thyme 

Most recently Channel 5’s Celebrity Murder Mystery. 

Various business and organisation hold meetings 

at Chenies Manor too, from AGMs to Book 

launches - something that the team at the house 

are experienced to host. 

Public Opening 

As well as private functions and filming, the house 

and gardens are, or will be once the restrictions 

that the coronavirus has placed on us have 

passed, open to the general public. On Wednesday 

and Thursday afternoons, the gardens can be 

viewed, afternoon tea enjoyed, and guided tours 

of the historic house undertaken from April (usually) 

to October. 

There are a number of special events on weekends 

and Bank Holidays too, from the Easter Family Fun 

day to the August Dog Show. But it is the garden 

festivals that are most popular, Tulips in Spring, the 

Plant Fair in July and the Dahlias in Autumn. 

Jewel in Metroland Crown 

Chenies Manor House and gardens really are a 

jewel in the crown of this Metroland area, and a 

destination that more people should make time to 

visit. 

More details: 

Website: www.cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk/ 

Contact: enquiries@cheniesmanorhouse.co.uk 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Dreamflight 

Children's Charity by 

Lisa Bishop 

Since 1987, local Chesham-based charity 

Dreamflight has taken over 6,000 very 

special children for their holiday of a lifetime 

to Florida. Each October, the Charity hires a 

747 aircraft and fills it with 192 children aged 

8 to 14 years: jetting off for 10 days of fun! 

The children are nominated by a medical 

professional and all have a serious illness or 

disability. Parents are not allowed on the trip, 

but instead a huge volunteer team of doctors, 

nurses, physiotherapists and other helpers 

look after the children for the whole duration. 

During their time in Florida the children visit a 

different theme park every day, take part in 

activities each evening and every child gets 

to swim with a dolphin! 

Dreamflight is not just a holiday; it does 

something that medicine can't. The children 

leave their families behind giving them an 

opportunity to discover independence, 

confidence, and a whole new outlook on life. 

Often for the first time, the children realise 

that they are not alone, and they are not 

the odd one out. They see children around 

them who have also suffered, they gain 

perspective, and experience things they 

never thought possible. 

The Charity believes that fun and joy are 

just as important as medical research and 

equipment - especially for children who 

perhaps can't wait long enough for the 

breakthrough they need or whose illnesses 

and treatments have brought pain, distress 

and disruption to their lives. 

The 192 children are made up of 12 regionally 

based Groups from all of the UK, including 

032 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

To get involved and help Dreamflight 

take even more amazing children to 

Florida, contact the team at 

office@dreamflight.org or visit their 

social media pages on Facebook or 

Instagram and Twitter. 

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each Group 

is made up of 16 children plus their volunteer support 

team of medical and non-medical volunteers. 

Many have never been away from parents before 

or even managed to go on a school trip! Whilst on 

the trip the children build friendships and develop 

a real can-do attitude. In all the recent Paralympic 

Games, the medal winners have included former 

Dreamflight children who cite the trip as a turning 

point in their lives. 

Natasha Baker MBE is a 5 times Paralympic 

Champion and experienced the Dreamflight trip as 

a child. She says that ‘Dreamflight totally changed 

my life. I went from such a dependent, shy child, to 

a confident young lady and it is great to see that it 

can happen to so many other people”. 

A few years ago, the Charity was thrilled to take 

local child Jake Stroud on the trip, in The Simpsons 

Group. Jake lives in Chesham and his Mum Jennie 

said ‘Dreamflight gave Jake a fantastic opportunity 

and taught him that – despite his disability – 

anything was possible, and he has memories he 

can treasure for the rest of his life’. 

Dreamflight has just one office in Chesham manned 

by a small team of 8 staff members (only 2 are full 

time!). They rely hugely on volunteer support UKwide 

and need to raise approximately £1million 

each year. This is achieved by encouraging as 

many individuals and companies as possible to 

donate, sponsor elements of the trip or fundraise. 

Their supporters organise social events, bake 

sales, BBQs etc or take part in active sponsored 

events (skydives, wing walks, tough mudders and 

more!). Anything goes, so long as it involves fun 

and fundraising! 


L A T I M E R 

PROPERTY SERVICES

A permanent voice for 

the Chilterns 

by Emily Culverhouse, ChilternVoice 

Huge celebrations at Chiltern Voice FM as 

they have won a coveted 5 year full-time 

FM broadcasting licence to provide a local 

community radio station for the Amersham and 

Chesham area in Buckinghamshire. 

Just over four years ago Chiltern Voice FM burst 

on to our airwaves with a short Ofcom licence 

to test whether a radio station would be of 

benefit to the Chilterns. It was the brainchild of 

community leaders Emily Culverhouse and Mark 

Rann who teamed up with radio professionals 

David Rees and Phill Cannon. Emily said “We 

thought that the local area could do with a 

source of information that was accessible 

to everyone. Many people don’t have or use 

social media and a great deal of residents are 

lonely and isolated so we thought that a local 

radio station would be of benefit to the whole 

community”. The station strives to appeal to 

a wide audience and broadcasts a variety of 

music and chat. 

They are proud to announce that, following a 

second FM outing during the summer of 2018 

and having been gaining momentum online 

since April of that year, they have now won 

this full time FM licence from Ofcom. David 

Rees, Project Director says: “There has never 

been any doubt that Amersham & Chesham 

deserved and needed a local radio station, 

better still, media outlet. We are delighted to 

be the custodians to launch the radio station 

serving the Chiltern District.” 

management team behind us without whom 

we could not have gone forward after the first 

short licence. Writing the application was a 

whole project in itself and we know that we 

can’t function without this strong support. We 

are truly grateful to the whole team and all our 

volunteer broadcasters and technical team. 

This is just the beginning and we are gaining 

volunteers and listeners weekly.” 

One of the Senior management team, Andy 

Hubble, further added “when David approached 

me and asked me to be involved four years ago 

I didn’t think we’d be here now. This licence 

is brilliant news for the whole community and 

now we have up to two years to deliver it.” The 

station is self-financed by way of grants and 

local advertising. If you’d like to be involved 

in any capacity the team would welcome 

your support and you can listen and find out 

more about the project through their website, 

www.chilternvoice.fm. There’s a sign up form 

on the website for the newsletter that will keep 

you informed about their next public meeting(s). 

Are you a regular listener? Do you think a radio 

station is useful for the Chiltern area? Let us 

know what you think of the project. You can 

contact by email, twitter or Facebook. 

Twitter: @ChilternVoice 

Facebook: ChilternVoice 

Instagram: Chiltern Voice 

www.chilternvoice.fm 

The station is run entirely by volunteers 

many of whom, like Emily and David, have full 

time jobs so getting to this point really is a 

labour of love. Emily added “We have a solid 

035 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Not all Jam & Jerusalem 

Amersham Angels WI 

Meet on the first Wednesday of each month 8pm at 

Market Hall, Old Amersham, HP7 7DJ 

Did you know there’s a new wave modern 

Women’s Institute based in Amersham Old 

Town? It’s fair to say that the WI can have a 

reputation for blue rinses, jam and Jerusalem 

but they don’t feature at this local WI! You’re 

more likely to catch the Amersham Angels 

WI doing Zumba, hearing from a local fashion 

influencer or even taking part in clothes 

swishing when they meet on the first 

Wednesday of every month at the Old Market 

Hall in Amersham Old Town. For the uninitiated 

a clothes swish is where everyone brings along 

something they LOVE in their wardrobe that 

they no longer wear to swap it with someone 

else. It’s a genius way to avoid fast fashion and 

be more sustainable with your wardrobe. There 

was so much choice at the swish, items to swap 

included dresses from All Saints, LK Bennett 

shoes, cashmere jumpers and cardies and one 

lucky person walked away with a Louis Vuitton 

bag! 

Fancy joining Amersham Angels WI? You can 

try before you sign up to become a member by 

attending two meetings for just £2 and that 

includes a cuppa and a slice of homemade cake! 

Bargain huh? Amersham Angels have a busy 

and vibrant Facebook Page and you can follow 

them @AmershamAngelsWi 

Meetings are currently virtual and anyone 

can join. Visit their facebook page for details. 

Amersham Angels WI 

The WI have a long history of encouraging their 

members (and the local community) to live a 

more green and sustainable life. The WI were 

instrumental in the set up of The Keep Britain 

Tidy campaign and in February this year the 

National WI federation, together with Friends 

of the Earth, delivered a petition to Number 

10 to end “plastic soup” - the microfibres in our 

synthetic clothes that are shed every time we 

put on a wash. These end up in our oceans and 

can be present in the food we eat! The idea 

for a campaign to challenge the government 

and industry on ending plastic soup originated 

locally by our friends at the Ashley Green WI! 

Why not come along and join? We’ve got some 

amazing guest speakers and hands on crafts 

coming up - visit our Facebook page for details. 

0036 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

For more information on the WI and the work it does visit 

www.thewi.org.uk or the local Bucks WI site at 

www.bucksfwi.org.uk or www.fb.com/bucksfwi 

Little Chalfont Evening WI 

Meet on the second wednesday of the month, 7.45pm 

at Little Chalfont Village Hall, HP8 4UD 

We are very much into recycling and cutting 

down in plastic waste, the WI federation have 

done many campaigns on the environment. 

As well as a monthly meeting we also have lots 

of sub groups. The gardening group design, 

plant, decorate and maintain the village 

triangle. We have a craft group, walking netball 

team, quiz group, book club and story sack 

group (making the characters of a book for local 

schools). We also do the refreshments at the 

monthly Farmers Market (homemade cakes, 

teas and coffee) and we are involved in village 

day, organising a scarecrow competition and a 

village bake off amongst other things. 

Chess Vale Afternoon 

Meet on the third Thursday of the month, 2pm at 

Chess Vale Bowls Club, Chesham, HP5 2PZ 

We have interesting speakers, with plenty 

of chat over refreshments. 

Chesham Evening 

Meet o n the second Wednesday of the month 

7.30pm at The Lowndes Room, Chesham Town 

Hall, HP5 1DS 

Meetings have a variety of speakers plus 

tea/coffee and a good old fashioned chat, 

new members always welcome. 

Chesham Bois Evening 

Meet on the second Wednesday of the month, 

7.30pm at St Leonards Church Hall/Parish Centre, 

Glebe Road, HP6 5ND 

We support local charities and get involved 

in Chesham Bois village activities. Our 

special interest groups in craft, book 

appreciation and gardening meet 

regularly, providing opportunities to learn 

new skills and make friends. 

As you would expect, our members are 

excellent cake and biscuit makers but you 

won't discover how good they are unless 

you join! 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

A little gem in the 

Chilterns 

meadow flowers 

in late spring 

Little Chalfont Nature Park is in 

the heart of the Buckinghamshire 

village of Little Chalfont and within 

the Chilterns Area of Outstanding 

Natural Beauty. It has been created 

from the original preserved natural 

grassland and woodland by the 

village community. It is owned by 

Little Chalfont Charitable Trust and 

run by Little Chalfont Parish Council. 

It opened on 1st June 2016 and is 

open to visitors from dawn to dusk all 

the year round. 

Although a mere 4.6 acres, Little 

Chalfont Nature Park contains a rare 

wild flower meadow, old woodlands 

and relics of its past as a farm, 

cherry orchard and pits for extracting 

clay to make bricks. There's marked 

paths, a place for picnics, and a 

story-telling arena. As well as being 

a tranquil oasis in which to relax and 

contemplate, it's also an excellent 

place for children of all ages to learn 

about the natural world. 

Little Chalfont Nature Park is a rare 

survivor of once common English 

meadow which escaped modern 

agriculture, fertilisers, weed killers and 

insect killers and exists untouched, 

much as it was hundreds of years 

ago. Is a great place for wild flowers 

and grasses and a diverse range of 

bugs, butterflies and birds. You may 

even see a muntjac or a grass snake. 

As a bonus, next to this rare grassland 

is an almost unspoilt survivor of 

natural woodland that once covered 

much of England. 

naturepark.littlechalfont.org.uk 

fb.com/littlechalfontnaturepark 

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ZONES 8 & 9 

The arts on your doorstep 

to meet new people, it’s uplifting, good for overall 

wellbeing and physical health and it’s always 

good to learn a new skill or continue to develop an 

existing one if you are already a singer.” 

www.mytownchoir.co.uk | www.fb.com/mytownchoir 

My Town Choir are currently running online sessions. 

Visit their facebook page for details. 

My Town Choir is a non-auditioning community choir 

which welcomes everyone and anyone who wants 

to come together and enjoy a good sing. 

Founded just over a year ago, the choir sing a wide 

variety of music including classical, musical theatre, 

pop, gospel and world music. Choir Director Jo 

Edworthy says “Singing in a choir is a great way 

Their first choir started in Chesham and they have 

recently added one in Watford. My Town Choir is 

also looking to expand further so please visit their 

website for news of new choirs. 

Jo’s fellow director Bob Allen, who runs My Town 

Choir with her told us “Community is important to 

us and every performance we take part in raises 

money for local charities nominated by choir 

members. Our first concert last Summer raised 

over £1200 for Chiltern Foodbank and The Stroke 

Association and we have enjoyed taking part in 

other local events around the town.” 

Come along and give it a go – they’d love to see you! 

Chesham Friday Evenings, 7-9pm St Mary's Church 

thetheatreshed.co.uk | fb.com/thetheatreshedchesham 

The aim of The Theatre Shed is to inspire, innovate & include through the 

medium of Performing Arts. Our workshops are professionally led and allow 

our young people to explore performance skills such as acting, singing, 

dancing, physical theatre and more in a supportive environment. We do 

not have an audition process, which we believe creates a more accessible 

pathway for all young people to engage in Performing Arts. The workshops 

are member inspired and can be skills based, or focused on working towards 

a production which the members are involved in creating from the very start. 

The Theatre Shed are currently running free online Performing Arts courses and 

activities for all young people in the community. Visit their facebook pages for details. 

You may also be interested in... 

The Damon Singers 

www.damonsingers.co.uk 

www.fb.com/TheDamonSingers 

Chesham Musical 

Theatre Company 

www.cheshammusicaltheatre.co.uk 

www.fb.com/CheshamMTC 

Chesham Museum 

www.cheshammuseum.org.uk 

www.fb.com/CheshamMuseum 

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ZONES 8 & 9 

Amersham A Cappella 

www.amershamacappella.com 

www.fb.com/amershamacappella 

Amersham Band 

amershamband.com | www.fb.com/amershamband/ 

Amersham Band run four bands for elementary, 

intermediate and advanced level players. Our 

group teaching programme for beginners has 

attracted many new players, mostly young 

people, who benefit from the experience of 

playing music in a group. 

Making music is great fun and is good for you. 

As well as musical skills, playing music in a group 

teaches teamwork, perseverance and selfconfidence 

and is a source of social support. 

The band provides instruments on loan and 

has a bursary fund to support those who are 

financially disadvantaged. 

Band Chairman, Fred Harrison said “The band 

wants to extend the accessibility of learning 

music throughout the local community. We have 

ambitious plans for further growth including 

establishing a new Youth Band and launching a 

Brass Academy for teaching. To do all this we are 

building a new purpose designed, accessible 

rehearsal facility, right in the heart of the town. 

We are a fun, dynamic, national award-winning 

ladies chorus who sing in four to eight part a 

cappella harmony. Originally formed some 30 

years ago, we’re still going strong thanks to the 

go-getting, team-spirited women within our 

group. Our members span ages 20 to 60+, and 

come from every walk of life, but with a common 

aim: to create sensational performances while 

having an enormous amount of fun, and to 

spread that joy to every last member of our 

audience. 

We’re always looking for enthusiastic new 

members who love to sing. We meet every week 

on a Tuesday evening from 7.30 – 10.15pm. 

It’s a lot of fun, and definitely a case of the more 

you give, the more you get back – learning 

music, attending rehearsals, competitions 

and performances, taking part in running the 

chorus, and attending extra rehearsals in the 

run up to important competitions. But don’t 

worry – as long as you can sing in tune, you don’t 

need lots of experience or be able to read music 

to join. The only thing we ask is that you commit 

to our weekly rehearsals, and try to attend as 

many performances as possible. 

Interested? We’d love to invite you to our next 

rehearsal – they’re all open evenings, so do 

come along and see first hand the fun, energy 

and sound that we generate! 

They also put on activities to encourage 

people to take up music such as our open, 

free-to-attend workshops run by professional 

musicians. 

Visit their website and facebook pages for more 

details. 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Bucks Search & Rescue 

by Sophie Wright 

We are a team of volunteers trained to help in 

searching for missing vulnerable people, flood 

response and other emergencies. As a team 

we have been finding people, providing flood 

response and county resiliency services for 

free since 1987. 

When we’re not providing aid and support to 

the community, most of us have full time day 

jobs and family commitments, just like you. 

Bucks Search and Rescue is a member unit 

of Lowland Rescue, which sets governing 

standards for its 36 teams. 

We are primarily called out by Thames Valley 

Police to search for high risk, vulnerable missing 

people including those with Autism, Dementia, 

Mental Illness and those who are despondent 

or suicidal. 

Bucks Search & Rescue train every week to 

ensure our skills and capabilities are up to 

date. We are trained in, and able to assist the 

full time emergency services with the following 

capabilities: 

Search Management 

We have qualified search planners and 

managers whose specialised role is to plan 

and coordinate the most efficient and effective 

search possible with the available resources 

and intel. 

Foot Search Teams 

Search Technician teams are qualified and 

experienced in first aid and casualty evacuation, 

navigation, radio operation, search techniques 

and missing person behaviour and can cover 

all terrain types found in Buckinghamshire and 

neighbouring areas, day or night, rain or shine. 

Bike teams 

Our bike team members are all qualified Search 

Technicans with additional training and fitness 

testing to ride bikes offroad over varied terrain 

providing quick and efficient searching of 

routes and paths and providing rapid response 

logistics support to our foot teams, delivering 

supplies and equipment to where they need it, 

fast. 

Bank Seach 

Bank Search qualified Search Technicans are 

able to efficiently and safely search potentially 

hazardous riverbanks and other boundaries of 

land and water. 

Flood First Responders 

Our Flood responder team can assist with the 

evacuation of people from flooded areas and 

deliver flood relief in the form of food & medical 

supplies, warm clothing and other items needed 

in flood-bound areas. 

Water Rescue Team 

Our Water Rescue team are qualified Swiftwater 

Rescue Technicans (SRT) and are able to 

operate search and rescue operations in swift 

flowing water such as swollen rivers and floods. 

As a team we train hard to ensure that all 

our volunteer Search Technicians are safe, 

effective, properly equipped and able to 

perform searches across varied terrain. 

To become operational, and be allowed to 

participate in a search, Search Technicians are 

vetted by the Police, must attend a weekend 

Search Technician training course, and be 

trained and pass assessments in multiple 

areas. 

Below are a few examples of the things a Search 

Technician must be competent in before they 

can attend a live search: 

• First Aid & Casualty evacuation 

• Health and safety & Manual handling 

• Water safety & Approved search techniques 

• Missing person categories and behaviours 

• Controlling incident scene and evidence 

preservation 

• Navigation – BSAR train to 

NNAS silver standard 

• Radio communications 

042 


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ZONES 8 & 9 

With just months to go until a final decision on the draft Local Plan, 

local Councillor, Joseph Baum, outlines the Town Council’s ongoing 

work to develop a Neighbourhood Plan for Chesham 

We are lucky to 

live in one of the 

healthiest, most 

prosperous and 

thriving parts of 

our country. But if 

there's one thing 

that comes up time 

and time again when 

I talk to people, 

it is the sense that Chesham is too often on the 

receiving end of decisions made by others. 

Take the Local Plan. As the Town Council wrote 

in its response last August, no plan is going to 

be perfect and I do believe that it is in the best 

interests of our town that we ultimately adopt a 

Local Plan. But after years of hard work behind the 

scenes, the future for Chesham set out in the draft 

Local Plan is neither compelling nor coherent. Not 

only does it propose to build on yet more green 

belt land, it makes little reference to a credible 

alternative which proposes to develop brownfield 

sites in the town centre and which is still on display 

on The Broadway – the Chesham Masterplan. 

Almost all of us can agree that the draft Local Plan 

has some serious flaws. But it is clear that we have 

not won the argument and we are running out of 

time. 

With less than six months to go until an 

Independent Inspector is expected to make a 

decision on whether this Plan is to be the policy of 

our town, I and a number of colleagues believe that 

now is the time to do something about our future, 

before it is too late. 

Over the last two months the Council, with the help 

of a specialist consultant, have started working on 

a Neighbourhood Plan to present to the Inspector, 

using the Masterplan as the basis from which 

to start. Neighbourhood Plans are not a novel 

initiative. Towns and parishes smaller than 

Chesham have adopted plans for their communities. 

Although we cannot be sure that our case will be 

strong enough to convince the Planning Inspector 

to significantly modify the draft Local Plan, the 

benefits of setting out a plan for our area are 

potentially significant. For the first time in many 

years, this is an opportunity for the Town Council 

to set a vision for the whole of Chesham and 

codify much of what has already been done by 

the Chesham Masterplan; it is also a chance to 

look across the whole town boundary to identify 

opportunities where it makes sense to build the 

homes that we all accept we need. 

In doing this work, Chesham will also be maximising 

the amount of money that is raised from developers 

to fund our local infrastructure. Currently 

developers are obliged to make a financial 

contribution when seeking planning permission, 

known as the Community Infrastructure Levy, 

with 15% going to the local town or parish that the 

application falls within. This rises to 25% for towns 

or parishes that have adopted a Neighbourhood 

Plan. 

But it's not just about development. In setting the 

wider vision for the town, the Neighbourhood Plan 

will also focus on lots of other areas that residents 

deeply care about. The poor air quality on our roads 

and the plight of our precious chalk stream river. 

The fact that residents are already struggling to 

find a place to park, even on their own road. Crime 

and anti-social behaviour. Our empty retail units on 

the High Street. Our Neighbourhood Plan can say 

something on all of these issues and more. 

That's exactly why we need everyone around the 

table. As I've said before the Town Council is not 

the town - we need our local societies, charities, 

businesses and residents all participating in this 

plan to make it the best that it can possibly be. 

That process begins now and in the coming weeks 

more information will be revealed. 

Ultimately, Chesham is the third largest town in 

Buckinghamshire. We should be proud of where we 

live and – if we get the next few months right – 

more people will be too. 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Astro 

Collection 

These astro and deep sky images were shot over 

the last 12 months by Ben Brotherton in his back 

garden in Chesham. All images were taken with 

an off the shelf Canon DSLR and lens along with 

a mount to track the movement of the sky - also 

many cups of tea and frozen fingers were acquired 

in the making of these. 

Ben has been a full time photographer and 

videographer for around 8 years and shooting 

deep sky astro for around 2 years. He has worked 

with clients including McLaren, Virgin Media, Gfinity 

Esports and many artists, promoters and music 

labels across the music industry. 

www.benbrotherton.com 

044 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Andromeda (M31) (opposite top) - One of the 

easiest galaxies to find in the night sky and a 

great late summer / autumn night sky spectacle. 

To our eyes, even under dark skies, it's nothing 

more than a big grey smudge. However, long 

exposure photography reveals all the faint spiral 

details, colours and extra satellite galaxies that 

you wouldn't otherwise see. Located at over 2.5 

million light years away, like all deep sky objects, 

we are looking back in time as they were 2.5 

million years ago. Andromeda is easily visible with 

a pair of binoculars - just remember to let your 

eyes get properly dark adapted for 30 minutes 

and don't look at any lights like your phone! 

The Orion Nebula, Horsehead nebula 

and flame nebula (opposite bottom) - 

This portion of the winter sky is a total treat. 

Absolutely packed full of visible wavelength 

nebulas and vast expanses of hydrogen alpha 

light, this area is every astrophotographers go 

to in the winter months. In Chesham however, 

we are faced with the beautiful rolling hills which 

makes this very difficult to photograph. Trying to 

navigate around tree canopies, hills and buildings 

makes this a real challenge! The Orion nebula (top 

right) is visible to the naked eye within Orion's 

sword, through binoculars it's even easier to see. 

The bottom left features another famous target 

- The Horsehead nebula and below in the left 

corner - the flame nebula. Throughout this image 

there's wisps of faint dust which is very hard to 

capture under our sky conditions, although it is 

possible with enough patience. 

Full Moon (below left) - This full moon image 

showcases a wide range of the colours that the 

moon features. Often we see black and white 

images, or warm white images of the moon, 

however it really is a pinkish orange with large 

blue patches. The most notable blue patch is the 

Sea of Tranquility, where Buzz Aldrin and Neil 

Armstrong took their first steps. The huge crater 

towards the bottom, scaring the lunar surface, is 

Tycho. It's so deep you could fit Mont Blanc in it. 

Pleiades (below right) - This is one of the most 

beautiful winter objects. The Pleiades is an open 

star cluster and commonly known as the 'Seven 

Sisters' although there are many more than 7 

stars that make up this cluster. The Pleiades 

appears to us on Earth as a beautiful blue wispy 

region, however, the dust that's being illuminated 

by the hot blue stars is merely passing through 

the same area of space and not actually part of 

the Pleiades. This is a small portion of a much 

wider image, but this illustrates that the night sky 

isn't a totally black vastness... rather an area filled 

with nebulas and dust. 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

A New 

Chapter for 

Chesham 

by Pru Murray 

On behalf of The Hospice of St Francis 

Chapter Two, a new community bookshop, will 

soon be opening on Chesham High Street, with 

all profits from the sale of pre-loved books 

going to support The Hospice of St Francis 

which supports local people affected by cancer 

or life-limiting illness. 

Chapter Two is an inviting community space with 

a relaxed vibe where all are welcome to pop in to 

browse the ever-changing book collection. 

The name Chapter Two is a nod to Chesham’s 

bookshop heritage with many residents of the 

town remembering the Chapter One bookshop 

over a decade ago. 

The bookshop has sustainability at its heart, 

giving new life to once-cherished books and 

reusing materials inside the shop from donated 

bookcases and shelving to recycled materials 

on the counter and reading tables and chairs. 

Visitors are encouraged to pop in and browse 

whilst enjoying a coffee. They can also take 

inspiration from the curated gift collection of 

stationery, cards, vinyl records and bespoke 

items created by the Hospice’s Creates & Makes 

volunteer team. 

There are plans for workshops in book binding, 

book origami, novel writing plus regular group 

activities including children’s story time and 

reading groups. Locals are positively encouraged 

to pop-in and reveal their favourite stories – 

from sharing details of their most precious 

book to amusing literary anecdotes or favourite 

quotations. 

It will also be a place to find out more about the 

work of The Hospice of St Francis with ‘Meet the 

nurse’ events planned. The Hospice of St Francis 

has looked after people from Chesham for over 

forty years and the services in its Spring Centre 

can be accessed by anyone in the local area for 

free who needs support for cancer or a heart or 

lung condition. 

The bookshop is being run by book expert, Mark 

Jackson-Hancock, who has worked in the literary 

world for over 30 years and whose experience 

ranges from major book chains, independents and 

charities to The House of Commons Bookshop. 

He is writing a weekly blog ‘Mark’s Musings’ which 

can be found on the Hospice’s social media page 

and website and is passionate about reading, 

saying, “One of the biggest favours we can all do 

for ourselves is to read for pleasure, an activity that 

can make us wiser, smarter, happier and healthier!” 

Kate Phipps-Wiltshire, CEO of The Hospice of 

St Francis, comments, “We’re delighted to be 

bringing this new Hospice community venture to 

Chesham. There is a proven link between taking 

time out to read books and wellbeing and this is 

just one of many activities we positively encourage 

at our friendly and welcoming Hospice in nearby 

Berkhamsted. 

“The Hospice isn’t just here for those at the end 

of life as so many wrongly believe but, instead, is 

focused on helping 2,000 people a year, including 

many from the Chesham area who are living with 

cancer or a heart or lung condition, to access free 

wellness activities and clinical support. 

Head of Trading at the Hospice and local Chesham 

Sarah Coles has wanted to open a book shop for 

a long time and is delighted it is in her home town 

saying, “We look forward to welcoming shoppers 

to our new Chapter Two bookshop and encourage 

people to stop by for a coffee, browse the books, 

pick up a recommended read or attend one of 

our workshops. We also welcome ideas from local 

people for using the space for relevant community 

activities. Everyone who gets involved will be giving 

something back to help Chesham’s local Hospice to 

thrive.” 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Chapter Two bookshop will open seven days a 

week and selected books can also be bought 

online via the Hospice’s website. Donations 

of good quality books, particularly classics 

and children’s fiction, will always be welcome. 

Look out for details of the official launch event 

which will take place as soon as possible. 

Find out more about The Hospice of St Francis 

at www.stfrancis.org.uk/chaptertwo 

Instagram: ChapterTwo_Bookshop 

Facebook: ChapterTwoChesham 

Chapter Two Bookshop is currently hosting 

a virtual book club via their Facebook page. 

For more information visit their website. 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

CATEGORY 


Taking River 

Action 

by Deborah Wilbee 

The River Chess has been a prominent feature in 

local news for sometime now; it’s a tale of extremes 

with either running dry or bursting its seams making 

problems for the rivers inhabitants and talking 

points for local residents. Not being someone to 

moan about something without taking action I 

decided to go along to a Chesham Environmental 

Group meetup in July 2018. The group had already 

been going for 4 years and among other things has 

been instrumental in the stopping of the invasive 

Himalayan Balsam along the riverbank. 

We got to work down Moor road; waders on, clearing 

the non-native invasive species and allowing a 

path for the faint river to flow. We actually managed 

to raise the water level by a number of inches 

through the clearing of a channel, also increasing 

river flow. I met other like minded people and learnt 

a great deal from the wealth of knowledge that 

resides within Chesham Environmental Group’s 

membership. I was hooked! 

I have been most Sunday’s ever since and cannot 

recommend it enough. During this time there was 

a media focus on how volunteering can help with 

both physical and mental health; “It can reduce 

stress, combat depression, keep you mentally 

stimulated, and provide a sense of purpose. While 

it’s true the more you volunteer, the more benefits 

you’ll experience, volunteering doesn’t have to 

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CATEGORY 


ZONES 8 & 9 

involve a long-term commitment or take a huge 

amount of time out of your busy day. Giving in even 

simple ways can help those in need and improve 

your health and happiness.” Says helpguide.org. 

I was so inspired by chairman Phil Folly’s continued 

dedication to improving Chesham’s environment 

that I nominated him for a BBC Three Counties 

Radio People’s Award in September 2019. He 

won the Gold Award in the Environment category 

presented at the Grove Theatre in Dunstable. It felt 

great to see Phil gain recognition for the hard work 

he puts in week in week out; I joked in his nomination 

that you’d be forgiven for thinking there are two of 

him as he covers such ground! 

Having been able to keep a regular track of the river 

flow has really helped deepen my understanding 

of it, along with getting to ask questions to the 

knowledgeable members. Did you know that it’s 

bad planning to plant trees over chalk streams as 

when they shed their leaves into the river during 

Autumn this raises the nitrate level of the river? This 

might sound good upon hearing as we associate 

compost and rotting things with providing life but if 

algae grow too wildly, oxygen levels in the water will 

be reduced and fish will die. There are also species 

of fish and invertebrates native to chalk streams 

that will only breed if the stony riverbed is exposed. 

We’ve been busy even when the river was running 

dry, trying to remove the overgrown grass and 

weeds from the riverbed “for when it starts to flow 

again” we’d quip… Little did we know that our work 

was well placed in time for the river to refill and finish 

off the job we’d be trying to maintain for it, a clear 

path with stones visible on the bed. Unfortunately, 

with the good news of the river being full comes 

the sad news that Thames Water discharge 

sewerage from the Chesham Sewage Treatment 

Work, which is well reported on by the River Chess 

Association. They prudently warn residents when 

they get notice of this happening for those that 

allow their dogs or children in the river as well as 

lobby the Environment Agency for change; not 

only for the sewerage discharge but also the way 

in which arable run off water is treated before it 

reaches the river. Currently there is no filtering and 

so the nitrates from farming go into the river, again 

raising the levels. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom now Spring has 

sprung! 

The Chesham Environmental Group 

normally meet every third Sunday of the month 

however due to the current situation please check 

for the latest information. 

For more information please visit their 

website www.cheshamenvironmentalgroup. 

org.uk , Facebook and/or Instagram @ 

cheshamenvironmentalgroup 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

“ Crafting is 

such a therapeutic 

thing to do " 

by Louise Chapman 

M 

y philosophy is simple, 

and that is to make and 

create products that I 

would love to receive 

myself. 

That is the ethos of 

Louise Chapman owner of "Darcey and Woo," a craft 

business nestled in Chesham, Buckinghamshire, 

surrounded by the beautiful countryside of the 

Chiltern Hills. 

Louise's granddaughter Darcey was born in 

September of 2013, and whilst looking for a perfect 

gift on the High Street to celebrate the happy 

arrival, she had little success. So what better way 

to obtain that perfect gift than to make it yourself. 

From this Darcey & Woo was born, named after 

Darcey and her little dog "Buddy," whom little 

Darcey called "Woo" 

Louise says "Crafting is such a therapeutic thing to 

do, making beautiful things from scratch for other 

people to love and enjoy. It's very rewarding. Not 

only for me, but I know from feedback i've received, 

how much a handcrafted gift can mean to others." 

This is understandable in a world of mass 

produced, mainly plastic items and the "throw 

away" society in which we live. Where the condition 

and heath of our planet is very much in the public 

eye. 

Louise is very aware of this and uses as many 

sustainable materials as possible in what she 

creates. 

050 


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METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE OF ZONES CATEGORY 8 & 9 

the day dressed up as fairy's, including the men! 

There was a great atmosphere and over 3000 

people attended from as far away as Norfolk and 

Kent. We actually stopped Chesham in it's tracks, 

quite literally, but everyone had a wonderful day, 

and all for a good cause too." 

"Part of running a small business is networking, 

and it's not as boring as it might first seem. Going 

out and meeting new people to collaborate with is 

a pleasure." 

After another happy arrival of her second 

grandchild, Albie, in October 2017, Darcey & Woo 

marked this happy occasion by introducing "Albie's 

Birdhouse Collection," a range of beautiful, bespoke 

birdhouses to decorate homes and gardens. 

Obviously family is very important to Louise, and 

it's also important, in this tech driven world to 

have family around you. For well being, mental 

heath and sometimes physical health, chasing 

the grandchildren around and sometimes being 

jumped all over by them. But she wouldn't have it 

any other way. 

Louise is very community orientated and is also 

an events manager (Cherry Tree Events) and 

stall holder, supporting local charities including 

"Breast Cancer Now" and the "Thames Valley Air 

Ambulance." The latter of which was held at the 

historic Hazeldene Farm in Chesham. 

Louise says "There is always Tea and cake involved 

when we go out to meet people. Whether it be a 

cuppa with Angie at 'All Things Sugar' in Folkestone 

or visiting Pam at the beautiful 'Tea Darling' in 

Acton, London." 

"It's so important to actually get out there and 

meet people, to talk face to face, rather than via 

the internet, and it's always a pleasure." (When 

there isn't a virus to stop us doing so!) "It's healthy 

for the mind and the soul." 

Looking forward, Louise has a very positive outlook. 

"I find that people love anything that is handmade 

and unique" 

"I take pride in the design and quality in what I 

make, and the happiness and wellbeing it brings to 

people. Not only giving a recipient a gift that they 

will love, but also a gift that they will fall in love with 

too." 

A good ethic to live by. 

Louise continues "I love working for the community 

and giving something back. You get to meet so 

many interesting people, stall holders and public 

alike, and i've made many new friends on my 

journey." 

"The largest event I managed was a Fairy Festival 

that we held at the farm, in support of "Theatre 

Shed", an all inclusive performing arts group based 

in Chesham Bois. Myself and all of my helpers for 

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ZONES 8 & 9 

Chesham TUG 

by Alan Wallwork 

The Chesham and District Transport Users' Group 

(or Chesham TUG as we are known) was set up 

by Chesham Town Council nearly 10 years ago 

following repeated attempts by Transport for 

London (“TfL”) to close down the Chesham branch 

of the Metropolitan Line, which operationally for 

London Underground is something of a nuisance, 

being one of the few single track lines it operates. 

In addition to local train services, we were also 

asked to look after passengers’ interests on local 

bus services and to a lesser extent, taxis, not only 

in Chesham itself but also in the surrounding areas 

including in and around Amersham and Chalfont & 

Latimer Underground stations. 

Given our relatively small size, we have been fairly 

successful in protecting public transport services 

against a backdrop of increasing pressures on 

public finances, especially those of Bucks County 

Council which to some extent subsidises bus 

services to the outlying villages. These services 

are of increasing importance, particularly given the 

huge housing growth contained in the Local Plan, 

of which approx 50% will be earmarked as social 

housing, many of whose occupants will be people 

who rely on public transport to a greater degree 

than most. 

Our successes to date have been relatively 

impressive but the two which stand out are 

that Bucks CC regularly consults us whenever 

fundamental changes to local bus services are 

planned, (we have for example given evidence 

to various of their Select Committees) and the 

latest, which is that after years of badgering, TfL 

has finally agreed to provide Step-Free Access 

at Amersham Station by Spring 2020 to enable 

disabled passengers, together with the elderly 

and mothers with prams and pushchairs to exit the 

Northbound platform via a lift rather than trying 

to negotiate the rickety staircase which currently 

exists. In this project, we teamed up with another 

local organisation – Amersham Action Group – 

with whose help we finally received the go-ahead 

we’ve been seeking for so long and we now have 

ambitious plans for an official opening by well 

known celebrities later this year. 

For more information visit the Chesham and District 

Transport Users' Group website www.cdtug.org 

© ED WEBSTER 

053 


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ZONES 8 & 9 

Chesham Baby Hike 

Fresh air, light exercise and new friends: 

the Chesham baby hike by Lisa Henschen 

I had been living in Chesham for just over a year 

when I became pregnant with my second child. 

Towards the end of my pregnancy I started looking 

for local baby activities and came across the 

Chesham Baby Hike Group. It was exactly the sort 

of group I had been looking to find; one through 

which I could really reap the benefits of living in the 

beautiful Chiltern countryside during my maternity 

leave, gently try to recover my pre-baby fitness 

and meet other parents locally. And it did not 

disappoint. 

The Chesham Baby Hike Group meets up every 

Tuesday morning, walking around 6 kilometres 

across the countryside with babies in slings or 

other types of carriers. Afterwards, the walkers 

and their babies head into town for a coffee (and in 

my case a large slice of cake). 

I first messaged via the Facebook group to say 

that I was keen to attend, receiving a lovely warm 

response welcoming me to the group. My number 

was then added to their WhatsApp group, that 

is used weekly to confirm that the walk is going 

ahead and the meet-up place. 

I had a C-section so had spent the first few weeks 

post-birth recuperating at home. By week 7, I 

was desperate to get out of the house and really 

looking forward to my first hike. 

It is always daunting, even second time around, 

turning up to a group where you do not know 

anyone. I was also a bit worried how my daughter 

would be for this length of time in the sling and 

about whether my body was up to it. I waited at 

the meeting spot and gradually mums carrying 

their babies started to appear from all directions, 

until there was about 10 of us assembled and 

we headed off. My daughter fell asleep quite 

soon into the walk, meaning that I had some 

uninterrupted time to talk with the other parents. 

It felt wonderful having a conversation with new, 

very friendly people without the usual 

interruptions you encounter constantly with small 

children. However, my daughter did wake up after 

about half an hour into the walk, which had been 

my biggest fear! I knew a quick feed was the only 

way to settle her and asked the group if they 

would mind stopping. “Of course not, this is a baby 

walk!” was the response, as I settled myself on a 

log to give my daughter a quick breastfeed before 

popping her back in the sling where she quickly 

nodded off again. 

I have been walking with the group now for about 

8 months. It is my favourite thing to do in the 

week and even though after some tough sleepless 

nights I have been tempted to stay on the sofa, I 

always feel better for going. Since my first walk I 

have seen and encountered many alfresco feeds, 

054 


nappy changes and outfit changes. The group 

always waits supportively and patiently as parents 

navigate through this. I have met lovely people 

who I see regularly around town and meet up with 

outside of the baby walks. I also believe that it is 

a really healthy activity for my baby girl and that 

being out in the beautiful countryside is positive 

for her wellbeing. 

I feel this group offers so much to new parents. 

Doing something positive to maintain good 

maternal mental health in particular is so important 

and this group ticks those boxes on every front; 

getting outside, getting some exercise, talking to 

people and sharing experiences of these hard early 

months that motherhood brings. In many ways it 

builds our resilience as mothers too. Everyone has 

won their own small victory to make it there on a 

Tuesday morning, whether it is pushing through 

the exhaustion, timing the feeds right or managing 

an explosive nappy as you are about to leave the 

house. I can tell that people rightly feel proud of 

being there and I feel pride in walking alongside 

this group of strong women (and the dad’s that 

sometimes come too of course!). 

For more information about the walk and when 

we will be back up and running after Covid-19 

please search "Chesham Baby Carrying Hike” 

on Facebook. 

055

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

New council 

launches in 

‘battle rhythm’ 

says Martin Tett 

The council services you currently use haven’t 

changed overnight, but on the 1st April your local 

council did. From today the five district and county 

councils serving Buckinghamshire residents have 

now been replaced by the new Buckinghamshire 

Council. 

Leader of the new Buckinghamshire Council, Martin 

Tett, said: “As we face the Coronavirus outbreak, 

teams across the council have sprung into action 

to work together to deal with an unprecedented 

national emergency situation and to protect, 

support and inform residents and businesses in 

Buckinghamshire. Over the course of the last year 

or so, specialists from all five councils have been 

working closely together as one team to prepare 

for the new Buckinghamshire Council. Because of 

this, we have been able to step into ‘battle rhythm’ 

and literally hit the ground running. 

I am proud of the hard work and dedication of all our 

staff and councillors that has got us to this position 

and even more so by what I see them doing each 

day throughout this difficult time to support the 

people of Buckinghamshire. We have worked hard 

to come together over the last year and risen to 

the challenges we are now faced with today. 

Whilst the current emergency has meant we have 

had to reduce or even stop some of our services 

we continue to work hard supporting our residents 

especially the vulnerable and keeping essential 

services like our waste and recycling collections 

going. We are also working really closely with 

government and local communities to help those 

affected whether this be through the provision of 

food or other support for people stuck at home 

without any other help. We are also working closely 

with our business community on a number of 

the financial schemes to support employees and 

businesses. 

Life is difficult enough and I know people's 

circumstances will vary tremendously as we all 

056 


"a unified voice 

to champion for 

Buckinghamshire 

at a national level" 

learn to cope as best we can with the effects 

of the coronavirus pandemic. We are doing all 

we can to find ways to help others including 

stopping car parking charges and additional 

support with council tax and other benefits. 

However this will of course impact on the 

council’s own funds as we see our income 

streams reduce. 

Looking to the longer term future, he says: 

“When we are on the other side of the current 

crisis our immediate focus will be on supporting 

our local communities and helping people in 

Buckinghamshire to get back to normality. 

Then, over time, we’ll move to improving and 

building the new council together with our 

staff, partners and local communities. In 

the future, our residents, communities and 

businesses will start to see more and more 

benefits of having one council. More joined up 

local services, one single organisation serving 

them, more investment in local priorities and a 

stronger, louder and unified voice to champion 

for Buckinghamshire at a national level.” 

Martin concludes: “Right now we are responding 

to the challenges that Coronavirus brings us 

and we’re focusing all our efforts on delivering 

the practical support that our residents and 

businesses need to help all of us get through 

this.” 

There are current changes to some of our 

services as we focus our resources on the 

services people need the most. This includes 

making sure that our vulnerable adults and 

children are safe and well, working to support 

communities and continuing to deliver 

essential services like waste and recycling 

collections where we have faced staff 

shortages. We are posting regular updates on 

our website where there is a special section 

about Coronavirus services and support. 

Go to www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/coronavirus 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Amersham marks 500yrs 

of its martyrs by Sally Alford, Amersham Martyrs 21 

The fifth staging of their large 

community play 

Nearly five hundred years ago traumatic events 

occurred in the small market town of Agmondesham 

(Amersham). The Bishop of Lincoln wanted to stamp 

out a group of Lollards who insisted on reading the 

Bible in English and praying to God directly and 

not through their parish priest. He sentenced five 

men and six women to be burned. These events 

are remembered on a memorial high up on the hill 

above Old Amersham. 

To commemorate the 500th anniversary, 

Amersham Museum will be reviving the hugely 

successful Amersham Martyrs Community Play 

from 15-27 March 2021. Each time the play has 

involved more than 150 people of all ages. It is 

presented as a promenade performance – that is, 

the action takes place among a standing audience 

in the town’s historic St. Mary’s Church which, of 

course, was there at the time. We research the 

myriad facets of life in early Tudor Amersham and 

build characters going about their ordinary lives 

until the Bishop rides into town. We imagine all the 

transactions – and arguments and gossip – of a 

normal market day and have huge fun recreating 

the atmosphere of the annual Charter Fair which 

has been held since 1200. 

One of the challenges we will be setting ourselves 

is to reflect the fact that the proportion of people 

under 20 in Tudor times may have been as high 

as 45% (in the UK today it’s 24%). The idea of 

childhood didn’t exist and children of the poor 

were expected to do some work – such as scaring 

birds – as young as three! We have always had 

large numbers of primary school children but this 

year we will be setting ourselves a target to involve 

large numbers of young people from secondary 

schools and colleges. What we would really love is 

to have whole families involved. 

This is your chance to be part of a great community 

event and have an experience that you’ll never 

forget. Currently we’re looking for old, pure cotton 

sheets and blankets that can be dyed and cut up 

to make clothes; and people with sewing machines 

to join a team of costume makers. We are starting 

to add to our existing store of history research and 

looking at old paintings to identify items that can 

be made into props. We are looking for musicians 

and singers because music is an integral part of 

our play. We want to involve as many people as 

possible with a broader outreach into other areas, 

artistic and social. An Art Group is being set up; 

plans are afoot for workshops on medieval cooking, 

the making of tools of the period’s trades, and so 

on. 

Workshops are already underway so NOW is the 

time to get involved, or at least express your 

interest in doing so. There are so many things you 

can do to help us even if you don’t want to appear in 

the play. There is no age, ethnic, or physical ability 

restriction. Indeed, very far from it. The organisers 

wish for total inclusivity. 

Watch out for continuing news on this exciting 

project in following issues. 

Find out more by contacting 

companymanager@amershammuseum.org 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Food & 

Drink 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Panelle, sea salt & salsa verde 

Ingredients Serves 6 

250g chickpea flour 

1 Tablespoon of fennel seeds, lightly crushed 

Sea salt and pepper 

Vegetable oil for deep-frying 

Salsa Verde 

½ bunch flat parsley (with stalks) 

½ bunch mint 

½ bunch chives 

120 ml extra virgin olive oil 

5 g capers- drained 

2 salted anchovies 

1 tablespoon red wine vinegar 

Juice ½ lemon 

Chef Ben Tish has put together a 

collection of recipes to bring a flavour 

of the Mediterranean to the comfort of 

your own home. An expert in the flavours of Italy, Ben 

is the Culinary Director of the Stafford Collection, 

who together opened Norma in September 2019 on 

Fitzrovia’s Charlotte Street to critical acclaim. 

Method: 

1. Place the herbs, capers and anchovies 

into a jug blender with the vinegar, 

seasoning and the lemon juice. Start 

to blend adding the olive oil in a steady 

stream. You should have a thick, green, 

rustic sauce. 

2. To make the panelle - bring 600ml of water 

to the boil in a saucepan and season well. 

Vigorously whisk in the chickpea flour to 

create a thick, smooth paste that comes 

away from the side of the pan. Check the 

seasoning again before removing from the 

heat. 

3. Lightly oil a baking tray or a kitchen 

counter and pour out the mix on top and 

smooth out to a thickness of around 2cm. 

let it cool completely. 

4. Heat the oil to 180°C in a fryer or in a deepsided 

pan- a piece of bread should fizzle 

and turn brown when dropped in. 

5. Slice the panelle into rustic strips or 

triangular shapes and then cook in 2-3 

batches in the hot oil until golden brown, 

lightly puffed and crisp. Drain immediately 

onto kitchen paper, sprinkle with the 

fennel seeds and sea salt and serve 

immediately with the salsa Verde. 

060 


Ingredients 

Pesto 

Serves 6 

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges 

3 cloves garlic, left in skins 

1 heaped tbsp chipotle paste (and/or 1-2 fresh 

chillies (optional)) 

7-8 ripe tomatoes (or 2 tins plum tomatoes) 

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh, or fresh 

thyme) This delicious recipe from 

Pastificio Al Dente in Fitzrovia 

makes 4 portions of pasta 

1.5 litres chicken (or vegetable stock) 

1-2 corn tortillas, blanched in oil (or 1-2 tbsp 

fine polenta) 

Top it off with as many of the below as you 

can find… 

1 ripe Hass avocado 

2 corn tortillas (or 2 flatbreads), cut into skinny 

strips and fried 

Ingredients: 

250g Basil 

2 ancho chillies, 150g seeds Extra and Virgin stems Olive removed Oil 

and torn into walnut-sized 50g Parmesan pieces and fried 

100g feta cheese, crumbled 50g Pecorino (or grated 

Pecorino) 

30g Pine nuts 

A small handful of chopped Salt & Pepper coriander 

100ml Sour cream 

Method: 

Toast the pine nuts in the oven 

at 180C for 4 minutes 

Blanch the basil in salted boiling 

water for 30 seconds then shock 

in ice water. Dry thoroughly. 

Place all the ingredients in a 

blender other than the oil which 

you will add slowly and process 

until you obtain a smooth pesto. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Bringing 

Mexican Vibes 

to Lockdown Britain 

Introducing Wahaca At Home 

I 

n these trying times, with restaurants 

closed and much of the country staying 

indoors for who knows how long, the 

Mexican street food experts at Wahaca 

have launched Wahaca At Home, an online platform 

and ongoing content series created to bring a lively 

dash of Wahaca vibes into the nation’s homes. 

Wahaca At Home will offer an ongoing stream 

of recipes, cocktail ideas, playlists, fun things to 

do with the family and news of the company’s 

charitable initiatives. And that’s just for starters. 

Wahaca At Home is spearheaded by the restaurant 

group’s co-founder Thomasina Miers, who will be 

getting busy in the kitchen of her London home 

to film an ongoing video series of easy-to-cook 

Mexican-inspired recipes that will be shared online 

at wahaca.co.uk/wahacaathome as well as via the 

Wahaca Instagram feed and Facebook page. The 

first, Tortilla Soup with Feta and Tortilla Strips, is 

live now. 

Thomasina Miers commented: “We’re looking 

forward to welcoming all of our taco fans back to 

our restaurants as soon as we possibly can. But in 

the meantime we hope they’ll welcome us into their 

homes to shine a few rays of Mexican sunshine and, 

of course, help satisfy those cravings for delicious 

Mexican food at a time when so many of us need 

to stay indoors.” 

062 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

– Thomasina Miers' tortilla soup with feta & tortilla strips 

Tommi says: “Tortilla soup is a Mexican 

classic and one we’ve had on our menu 

at Wahaca many times. Have a crack at 

making it at home, making it mild or spicy 

depending on who is tucking in and letting 

everyone decide what toppings they fancy 

based on what you can get your hands on… 

Method: 

1. Heat a frying pan and add the onions, 

fresh tomatoes, garlic and whole chillies, if 

using. 

2. Dry roast the vegetables for 10-15 minutes 

until blackened and soft. The garlic will be 

ready sooner – it is done when the cloves 

are soft. Once the vegetables are charred 

and softened blitz them in an upright 

blender. 

3. Now heat the oil in a large casserole and 

when hot add your pureed tomato and 

veg and turn down the heat to medium 

low. Season well before adding the 

chipotle paste, sugar and herbs. Cook for 

5 minutes. 

4. Add the stock and simmer for a further 10 

minutes. 

5. Add the blanched tortillas (or polenta) and 

blitz again with a stick blender until the 

soup is smooth. Leave on a low heat for at 

least five minutes before you eat. 

Ingredients Serves 6 

3 tbsp olive oil 

2 onions, peeled and cut into wedges 

3 cloves garlic, left in skins 

1 heaped tbsp chipotle paste (and/or 1-2 fresh 

chillies (optional)) 

7-8 ripe tomatoes (or 2 tins plum tomatoes) 

1 tablespoon brown sugar 

1 tsp dried oregano (or 1 tbsp fresh, or fresh 

thyme) 

1.5 litres chicken (or vegetable stock) 

1-2 corn tortillas, blanched in oil (or 1-2 tbsp 

fine polenta) 

Top it off with as many of the below as you 

can find… 

1 ripe Hass avocado 

2 corn tortillas (or 2 flatbreads), cut into skinny 

strips and fried 

2 ancho chillies, seeds and stems removed 

and torn into walnut-sized pieces and fried 

100g feta cheese, crumbled (or grated 

Pecorino) 

A small handful of chopped coriander 

100ml Sour cream 

Top if off… 

1. Meanwhile assemble as many garnishes 

as you can get hold of. 

2. Dice the flesh of the avocado, squeezing 

with a little lemon or lime juice to stop them 

discolouring. 

3. Heat the oil in a frying pan. Test the oil and 

when it makes a tortilla strip sizzle add 

the strips and cook until crisp and golden. 

Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon 

onto a plate lined with kitchen paper. 

4. Repeat with the ancho chilli pieces for 

approx. 15 seconds until puffed up – if you 

cook them longer they will burn and turn 

bitter. 

5. Serve the soup in bowls with your choice 

of garnishes laid out in small bowls or 

plates so that people can help themselves 

at the table. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Soda Bread 

www.ao.com/life 

We throw away 6 million glasses of milk every day. If this 

statistic terrifies you, you’re not alone. I always feel a guilty 

twinge of angst every time I find myself pouring sour milk 

down the drain, wishing I’d been better organised and 

managed to use it all up before it curdled and started 

resembling cheese. I feel the same way about yoghurt; a 

small amount always seems to languish at the bottom of 

the carton, and it seems such a waste of such a versatile 

ingredient. Fortunately, there is an easy and delicious 

answer: soda bread. 

Soda bread, unlike normal bread, is made in minutes: there 

is no yeast involved so no proving time; the bread rises 

thanks to a simple combination of bicarbonate of soda and 

acid, usually in the form of buttermilk, once it goes in the 

oven. The resulting bread is delicious, with a moist, almost 

cake-like texture and a lovely nutty flavour. Plus, you can 

have it ready in 40 minutes from start to finish. 

What is less well-known, however, is that you can make 

soda bread with both yoghurt and with sour milk, or even 

with a mixture of both: it’s a perfect recipe for using up 

yoghurt and milk that are past their best. Obviously you 

don’t want your yoghurt to have actual mould growing on 

it (unfortunately there is very little you can do at that stage 

other than bin it), and your milk can be slightly sour-smelling 

but don’t use it after it’s actually curdled (you wouldn’t want 

to anyway). It’s great for milk that you wouldn’t want to drink 

or put on your cereal, but which hasn’t solidified yet. 

You can also make this bread with perfectly fresh milk: 

just add the juice of half a lemon to give it the necessary 

acid to react with the bicarbonate of soda. Essentially, it’s 

a brilliant way to use up any milk products in your fridge, 

whether fresh or a little past their best. It’s a very versatile 

recipe – you can use whatever flour you have lying around, 

especially any little bits let in the bag (I use a mixture of 

spelt flour and malted seeded bread flour, because I love 

the nutty flavour and the crunch), and I like to add seeds to 

mine for extra texture, which is also good for using up odds 

and ends. 

The resulting bread is wonderful: I love it fresh from the 

oven, warm and topped with jam or marmalade. It’s also 

excellent with scrambled eggs and smoked salmon, pâté, 

or with ham and cheese as part of a Ploughman’s lunch; it 

toasts very well and keeps for a few days, and can also be 

frozen. 

So next time you find yourself about to contribute to those 

wasted 6 million glasses, make this bread instead. 

064 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Prep time: 5 minutes 

Cook time: 35 minutes 

Oven: fan 180C 

Serves: makes 1 loaf, around 10 slices 

Ingredients 

100g rolled oats 

500g flour (I like to use a mixture of spelt flour and 

seeded malted flour, but you can also use plain or 

wholemeal flour, granary flour, etc.) 

1 tsp salt 

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

30g cold butter, cubed 

4 tbsp seeds (optional: I like to use a mixture of 

sunflower and pumpkin seeds for extra crunch) 

400-500ml yoghurt or sour milk (or use fresh milk 

mixed with the juice of half a lemon) 

Method 

Pre-heat the oven to 180°C. In a large bowl, mix 

together the oats, flour, salt and bicarbonate of 

soda, then rub the butter into this mixture with 

your fingers until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. 

Stir in the seeds. 

Add the yoghurt/milk, just enough until the 

mixture comes together into a soft, slightly sticky 

dough. Mix with your hands and shape into a 

round, then place on a baking tray lined with 

baking parchment. Use a sharp knife to cut a 

cross through the centre of the dough, then bake 

for 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and leave 

to cool slightly before eating. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Gressingham Duck 

– duck macro bowl 

Leftover roast duck, shredded with a 

fork or 2 duck breasts 

1 small punnet of cherry tomatoes 

100g dry quinoa or 200g cooked quinoa 

Torn leaves from 3 stems of kale 

¼ red cabbage, finely sliced 

Sea salt & black pepper to season 

Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle 

– duck & orange wraps 

2 wholemeal wraps 

Leftover roast duck, shredded or 

2 duck legs 

½ peeled orange 

1 avocado 

¼ sliced cucumber 

2 sliced spring onions 

2 handfuls of rockets 

1. If using fresh duck, heat a griddle 

or frying pan on a medium heat 

and cook the duck breasts for 6-8 

minutes on each side. Allow the 

duck breasts to rest for 5 minutes 

before slicing. 

2. Cook the quinoa according to 

packet instructions, season well 

with sea salt and freshly ground 

black pepper and drizzle with extra 

virgin olive oil. 

3. Divide the kale, finely sliced red 

cabbage, tomatoes and quinoa 

between two bowls. Top with the 

duck and season again with sea 

salt and black pepper. 

1. If using duck legs, preheat the 

oven to 180°C, put the duck legs 

on a roasting tray and roast for 90 

minutes. Allow it to cool, remove the 

skin and shred the meat with a fork. 

2. To assemble the wraps, divide the 

ingredients between the centre of 

the two wholemeal wraps wraps. 

Fold the ends up and roll the wrap 

up tightly. 

3. Secure with a tooth pick or wrap in 

baking paper and tie some string 

around it. 

066 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

– skinny duck steak, sweet potato & pea hummus 

Method: 

1. To make the baked sweet potato, preheat 

the oven to 180°C. Pierce the sweet 3-4 

times with a sharp knife and wrap in 

tin foil. Put them in the oven for 45-60 

minutes or until fully cooked. 

2. To make the pea hummus, boil a kettle, 

put the frozen peas in a bowl, and pour 

over the boiling water. Allow it to stand for 

10 minutes to defrost the peas then drain. 

3. Put the peas, parsley, lemon juice, garlic, 

olive oil, smoked paprika and sea salt in a 

blender or food processor and blend until 

smooth. Season with freshly ground black 

pepper and more sea salt if required. 

4. To make the duck steak, remove the skin 

from two duck breasts. Take a sheet of 

cling film and place a duck breast in the 

middle. Fold the other end of the cling film 

over so that the duck breast is sitting 

Serves 2 

Ingredients: 

2 Gressingham duck breasts 

2 sweet potatoes 

1 red onion 

2 handfuls watercress 

1 pomegranate 

For the pea hummus: 

300g frozen petit pois peas 

10g fresh parsley (stalks and leaves) 

1 small clove of garlic 

Juice of a small lemon 

2 tbsp (30ml) extra virgin olive oil 

½ tsp smoked paprika 

¼ tsp sea salt 

Freshly ground black pepper to taste 

in the middle of two sheets of cling film. 

Using a rolling pin, bash the duck breast 

until it is 1 inch thick. Repeat with the 

second duck breast. 

5. Heat a griddle pan on a medium/high 

heat (alternatively use a frying pan with 

a teaspoon of coconut oil in it). Cook the 

duck steaks for 3 minutes on each side. 

6. To assemble the dish, put a duck steak 

and a baked sweet potato on a plate. Top 

the sweet potato with the pea hummus, 

scatter over the watercress leaves, sliced 

red onion and pomegranate seeds. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Store cupboard Vegan 

Understandably, at a time like this, food, recipes and shopping are at the 

forefront of everyone’s mind. On the positive side, we have the opportunity to 

get creative and spend some time experimenting in the kitchen (even if it is 

using tin cans!). The Vegan Recipe Club have put together some tips, shopping 

lists and top store cupboard recipes to help out during this challenging time. 

– quick & easy chana masala 

30mins, Serves 4-5 

Ingredients: 

2 cloves garlic (use pre-chopped garlic for 

extra speedy option) 

1-2 inches root ginger, grated (optional) 

1 fresh chilli (optional) 

5 tsp ground cumin 

5 tsp ground coriander 

1-2 tsp chilli powder 

2 tsp ground turmeric 

2 tsp garam masala 

6 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped into 

bite-sized pieces or 1 tin chopped tomatoes 

4 x 400g tins chickpeas, rinsed and drained 

2 tbsp tomato paste 

250ml strong vegan stock (add more little by 

little, if the mixture is too dry) 

1 tbsp lemon juice (fresh or bottled) 

2 handfuls of spinach (optional) 

To serve: brown rice, unsweetened vegan yoghurt, fresh coriander, toasted mixed seeds and our 

delicious easy naan bread 

Method: 

1. Fry the (optional) grated ginger and fresh chilli in a little oil for a few minutes. 

2. Add the garlic and fry for a further minute. 

3. Add all of the spices and fry for another minute, adding a little more oil if necessary. 

4. Add the chickpeas, tomatoes and tomato puree to the pan and stir into the spice mix. 

5. Pour over the stock and simmer for 20 minutes until the chickpeas are soft and the liquid has 

reduced down. 

6. Stir through the lemon juice and spinach a few minutes before serving and add a little salt or 

more stock (in a tiny bit of water) if necessary. 

068 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

– store cupboard nut raost 

This is a simple and tasty recipe using ingredients you're likely to have at home in the 

cupboard. If you don't have any flaxseed don't worry, you just might need to squish it all 

together a bit better (as it acts as a binder)! 

45mins, Serves 4 

Ingredients: 

1 tbsp vegetable oil 

1 onion, finely chopped 

1 clove garlic, finely chopped 

½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional) 

3 slices stale bread or 100g ready-made 

breadcrumbs (use GF where necessary) 

200g nuts (use pre-chopped if easier), finely 

chopped 

300ml vegetable stock 

2 tsp yeast extract 

2 tbsp ground flax mixed with 4 tbsp water 

(mix in small bowl and set aside – this is your 

flax egg) 

1 tsp dried basil or mixed herbs 

Salt and pepper 

Method: 

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan) 356°F/Gas 

Mark 4. You will need a small loaf tin. 

2. In a small frying pan, heat the oil and then 

cook the onion until soft and golden. 

3. Add the garlic and cayenne and fry for a 

further minute. 

4. Toast or oven bake the bread until slightly 

crispy, cool, then make into breadcrumbs 

using a food processor. Place the 

breadcrumbs in a mixing bowl while you 

grind the nuts in the same manner. You 

want small pieces, but do not over blend. 

5. Add the chopped nuts into the mixing 

bowl with the breadcrumbs and herbs. 

6. With the stock in a jug, mix in the yeast 

extract. 

7. Pour the liquid and the flax egg into the 

dry ingredients in the mixing bowl and 

combine thoroughly with a wooden 

spoon. 

8. Grease your loaf tin and line it in one 

direction with a strip of baking parchment 

to make the nut roast easier to remove 

when it’s cooked. 

9. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth 

out using a spatula. 

10. Bake in the oven for 30 mins, checking 

after 25 mins to see if the roast looks 

done. It’s cooked when it is a lovely brown 

colour on top and feels firm to the touch. 

11. Allow to cool, before loosening around 

the edges with a pallet knife and 

gently tipping out upside down onto a 

rectangular plate. Delicious served with 

vegetables and gravy! 

This nut roast can be cut into portions and 

frozen. 

For more delicious vegan recipes visit www.veganrecipeclub.org.uk 


Mini Banana Bread with 

a hint of Chocolate 

Something simple but very yummy and comforting which we're certain 

will be a hit with the whole family from www.ao.com/life 

070 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Prep time: 10 minutes 

Cook time: 30 minutes 

Oven: 200°C / Gas Mark 6 

Serves: 12 

Ingredients 

12 mini loaf cases 

4 large, very ripe bananas 

250g self-raising flour 

150g dark brown sugar 

2 large eggs 

100g unsalted butter 

50g dark chocolate 

1/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda 

1 tsp baking powder 

1tsp vanilla extract 

Method 

Preheat your oven to 200°C (180°C fan). Melt the 

butter over a low heat and leave to cool. Sift the 

flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, flour, 

and sugar together. 

Using a sharp knife, slice thin pieces of the 

chocolate – a bit like shavings – and add to the 

flour mix. 

In a second bowl, mash up the bananas with a 

fork, then add the eggs, melted butter, and vanilla 

extract. 

Give it a good whisk until all ingredients are 

combined. Now add the banana mix to the flour 

and, using a spatula, fold until combined. Don’t 

over mix the batter. 

Divide the mix into the 12 cases, place them onto a 

baking tray and bake for about 30 minutes. Leave 

to cool. 

That’s it! All that’s left now it to take one out of its 

case, pour some warm vanilla custard over it and 

enjoy! 

Bon appétit! 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Easter Treats 

Before Lunch - Cotswolds G&T 

The Cotswolds G&T would serve as a refreshing aperitif to your Easter 

Sunday lunch. Cotswolds Dry Gin is non-chill filtered meaning the oils are 

retained in the gin, causing a pearlescent cloud to appear when mixed 

with ice or tonic. 

Fill a Copa glass with plenty of ice and 50ml Cotswolds Dry Gin. 

Top with tonic and ideally garnish with a slice of grapefruit and a bay leaf, 

although a citrus garnish or naked G&T is just as delicious! 

Cotswolds Dry Gin RRP: £34.95 for 70cl. ABV: 46% 

Available from: Cotswoldsdistillery.com, Waitrose, Majestic, Oddbins, 

Laithwaites, Harvey Nichols, Selfridges and Fortnum and Mason. 

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky RRP: £44.95 for 70cl ABV: 46% 

Available from: cotswoldsdistillery.com, waitrose.com, majestic.co.uk, 

thewhiskyexchange.com and Laithwaites 

072 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Cotswolds Distillery cocktails to create a sense of occasion and 

capture the flavours of the season. The perfect pairings to your 

Easter Sunday lunch to enjoy at home. 

During Lunch - Cotswolds Single 

Malt Whisky Highball 

After Lunch - 

Cotswolds White Lady Cocktail 

The Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky Highball, with a 

rosemary garnish is a delicious accompaniment to 

your Easter Sunday lunch of Roast Lamb, infused 

with rosemary. Cotswolds Single Malt whisky is 

rich, fruity and sippable with notes of honey, Seville 

orange marmalade and dark red fruits. 

Fill a highball glass with ice and add in 50ml 

Cotswolds Single Malt Whisky. 

Top with soda water and ideally garnish with a 

sprig of rosemary and a slice of orange. 

The Cotswolds White Lady cocktail showcases 

the botanicals in Cotswolds Dry Gin and has a 

fresh citrus finish. A lovely palate cleanser to 

treat your family after a rich Easter lunch. 

Dry-shake 50ml Cotswolds Dry Gin, 25ml Lemon 

Juice, 25ml Cointreau, 12ml sugar syrup and 1/2 an 

egg white together. Add ice to the shaker, shake, 

and then fine strain and serve into a chilled 

martini glass. Ideally garnish with a twist of lemon 

peel. 

Cotswolds Distillery are currently offering free delivery on all orders 

over £25 on their website (reduced from a minimum spend of £75). 

#BuyOnlineLuxury 

Instagram & Facebook: @Cotswoldsdistillery 

Twitter: @Cotswoldistill 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

"Purpette" 

Sicilian style pork meatballs 

with lemon, bay, pine nuts and 

pecorino with tomato sauce 

Ideally start this a day in advance for maximum flavor. It’s a great 

recipe for using up any leftover bread you may have in the house. 

by Ben Tish 

Ingredients (serves 4) 

minced beef 100g 

minced pork 500g 

eggs 2, beaten 

fresh breadcrumbs (from 2 slices 

good quality sourdough white 

bread, crusts removed and torn 

into pieces) 

zest of 1 small lemon 

150ml milk 

cinnamon sticks, 2 

grated pecorino cheese, a small 

handful (75g) 

salt and pepper 

nutmeg, grated, a pinch 

flat leaf parsley, 1-2 tablespoons, 

sliced finely 

bay leaves, 3 

dried sultanas, a small handful 

(60g) 

pine nuts, a small handful (50g) 

extra virgin olive oil, 50ml 

quality passata 2L 

garlic 2 large cloves, whole 

Method 

1. Soak the bread in the milk. 

2. Mix the minced meat, pecorino, eggs, lemon 

zest, parsley, salt and pepper and nutmeg 

together, add pine nuts and sultanas and 

then add the soaked bread and mix well 

again and shape into balls. I like larger balls 

so you should get 16 from this mix. Place 

the passata, oil and garlic with a little salt 

and pepper, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves in 

a pan and bring to the boil and the turn the 

heat down and simmer 

3. Drop the balls in gently, turn down the heat 

and do not stir or turn them over for at least 

10 minutes (this prevents breakage). I like to 

have the meatballs completely covered with 

liquid. 

4. Poach them on low heat until cooked 

(approx. 30mins). Leave the meat balls to 

cool and then transfer to container and 

leave over night in the fridge. 

5. Next day the flavours will have doubles. 

Reheat the meatballs in the sauce, checking 

the seasoning and serve. 

6. Traditionally extra pasta would be served to 

toss into the remaining tomato-meat sauce. 

074 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Fashion 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

From us Tu you 

Tu, Sainsbury's exclusive clothing range, takes inspiration from both 

ready-to-wear runway and everyday street style to create unique pieces. 

Below are a selection of our favourites from their SS20 collection. 

076 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

Opposite Page, Clockwise from Top Left 

Laser Cut Blouse £20, Jeans £16 

Denim Dungarees £24, T-Shirt £3.50, Plimsols £16 

Pink Dress £22, Pink Shacket £28 

Denim Boilersuit £32 

Floral Dress £22 

Knitted Dress £22, Denim Jacket £28, Bag £16, Sandals £14 

Below, Left to Right 

Jumpsuit £25, Leopard Print Espadrilles £18 

Green Dress £25 

Belted Blazer £25, Belted Trousers £18, Cami Top £10 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

sueno ˜ 

One of our favourite shops in Amersham is Sueno Boutique, we love popping in to see Charmaine and 

Sharon - their collection of clothes and accessories is constantly changing and inspirational. 

Like most High Street shops they have temporarily had to close their doors, luckily the boutique is now 

operating online so we can still purvey their fine fashion and order directly. 

Do please show them some Metroland love and support, follow their social media and support local. We 

might be in isolation but that doesn't mean we can't do it in style! 

Looking forward to seeing the ladies once the boutique and High Street re-open. 

www.facebook.com/SuenoBoutiqueAmersham/ 

www.instagram.com/sueno.boutique/ 

078 


sueño 

Sueño is an independent 

womenswear boutique based in the 

heart of Amersham-on-the-Hill. 

Specialising in stylish and casual 

collections designed to add 

something special to your wardrobe. 

25 Sycamore Road 

Amersham 

Buckinghamshire 

HP6 5EQ 

www.suenoboutique.com 

@suenoboutique

METROLAND 

FASHION 

{Home} School Uniform 

With school uniforms being banished to the drawer for the forseeable future 

Marks & Spencer are on hand to deliver online orders of quality kids clothing that 

will go from home schoolroom to burning energy off in the park with ease. 

Fierce T-Shirt £8 

(6-16 Years) 

Cotton Rich Zip 

Through Hoodie £12 

(6-16 Years) 

Denim Shirred 

Jumpsuit £20 

(6-16 Years) 

T-Shirt £8 

Hat £14 (for 2) 

Sunglasses £7 

080 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

Stripe T-Shirt £8 

(6-16 Years) 

Carpenter 

Trouser £14 

(6-16 Years) 

Midi Tutu Skirt £18 

(6-16 Years) 

top 

T-Shirt £9 Sweatshirt £14 Hat £14 

bottom 

Unisex Joggers £9 (3-16 Years) 

Available in Charcoal, Grey Marl, Black, 

Navy, Indigo and Forest Green 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

Sustainable Fashion: 

Monsoon SS20 

Moving in an exciting direction and changing the script for how clothes are made 

and worn, this season Monsoon continues to create pieces that can be reworn and 

recycled, while staying true to its heritage and tapping into key trends. 

This is our story retold. 

With consumers becoming more conscious of 

sustainable fashion, Monsoon continues to make 

better efforts to create new and current pieces 

which are not only fashionable but also made using 

sustainable materials such as lenzing ecovero, 

recycled polyester and organic cotton. Over 50% 

of Monsoon clothing has been made sustainable 

for ss20 and in addition, pledge to be over 90% 

sustainable by 2023. The ‘clothes for life’ recycling 

initiative will also continue to be a part of the 

brands ongoing commitment to looking after the 

planet. 

Monsoon has gone back to its roots for ss20 and 

drawn inspiration from its heritage, by mixing boho 

shapes with summer prints and luxe fabrics. Picnic 

checks, broderie anglaise and dreamy tie-dyes, 

along with delicate chiffons and summer sequins 

bring a fun yet fresh approach to the season. 

Florals are plentiful and have been manipulated 

into bold geometrics, tropical blooms as well as the 

classic ditsy, adding diversity to the collection. 

With a palette ranging from ice cream pastels to 

bursts of vibrant colour, ss20 is full of easy to wear 

summer shades. Sherbet yellows, mint greens 

and bold blues are found on sumptuous chiffons 

and luxurious silks, while chic monochrome and 

pops of tangerine are perfect for key summer 

staples. Classic crisp whites are paired with raffia 

accessories to take you from beach to bar. 

Mixed textures and new design details are 

prominent this season, from the pie crust collar 

to all-over sequins, as well as the puff sleeve – an 

extension of the ruffle trend redefining femininity. 

Square necklines, a retro favourite, have been given 

a modern update and free-spirited shapes nod to 

the 70s. Inhouse prints add a personal touch while 

standout silhouettes are volumised and billowing 

with pleats, bringing power dressing to a new level. 

Monsoon’s love of florals has led to an exciting 

collaboration with print artist Helen Dealtry. The 

9-piece capsule collection due to launch in May, 

features hand-painted floral prints on a range 

of beautiful dresses, tops and skirts, designed 

exclusively for Monsoon by Helen. 90% of the 

collection is made from sustainable fabrics and 

with a backdrop of sweet sorbet shades, these 

pretty watercolour prints are sure to brighten up 

your wardrobe. 

082 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

top TAFFETA blouse 

£50.00 

CHLOE chunky 

hoop £10.00 

middle SAMIA spot 

organic cotton 

blouse £39.00 

TWIST gold dangle 

earrings £8.00 

bottom OLGA 

blouse £60.00 

top DAFNE tiered 

dress £99.00 

middle HELEN DEALTRY 

sustainable viscose 

midaxi dress 

£99.00 

bottom ERICA pleated 

kaftan dress £120.00 

CHLOE chunky hoop 

£10.00 

left TILLY sustainable viscose dress £60.00 

TWIST gold dangle earrings £8.00 

right PARIS tiered dress £99.00 

RHIANNA rafia earrings £10.00 


FATFACE.COM | SPRING 2020 

NEW DENIM. 

1 st row: Ophelia Denim Popover £42.50 | Chesham Girlfriend Jeans £49.50 | Lewes Dungarees £59.50 | Selsey Bootcut Jeans £52 

2 nd row: Five Pocket Jeggings £45 | Harlow Super Skinny Jeans £49.50 | Harlow Denim Shirt Dress £59.50 | Newham Straight Jeans £49.50 

3 rd row: Mina Denim Dress £52.50 | Lewes Dungarees £59.50 | Westbury Slim Jeans £49.50 | Tasha Denim Jacket £49.50 

AMERSHAM | 73 Sycamore Road HP6 5EQ 

W fatface.com | T 01494 723353 

@FatFace #FATFACEMOMENTS

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Home & 

Garden 


Spring Cleaning 

with comments from Hoover Candy

METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

As the colder weather starts to disappear, it’s 

time to get the cleaning products out and give 

your home a new lease of life. 

Before the sun begins to illuminate those pesky 

areas covered in dust, we have put together these 

handy tips to get ready for spring cleaning season. 

1. Dust away Winter 

The first step in completing your spring clean is 

making sure you have the correct provisions. There 

is nothing worse than getting the motivation to 

revamp your home and realising you don’t have 

the tools to complete it! We recommend keeping 

it simple with rubber gloves, anti-bacterial wipes, 

bleach-based and non-bleach sprays, white 

vinegar, good old-fashioned washing up liquid and 

a fair amount of elbow grease! 

However, you can’t beat some electrical power, 

investing in a cordless vacuum with a long pole 

such as the H-FREE 500 will help you dust away 

those cobwebs in places you cannot reach. 

2. Steam clean the kitchen 

Being one of the busiest rooms in the house, 

dirt and grime can build up in the kitchen making 

it a never-ending task to keep it spick and span. 

Taking time to steam clean will help you get 

deep into places which wipes and sprays cannot 

reach. Steam mops can remove 99% of bacteria, 

using only tap water: no need for any chemicals 

or detergents. For heavy-duty sessions, Hoover’s 

Steam Capsule 2IN1 cleaner has been designed 

with a double floor nozzle, combining a rectangular 

mop with a triangle scrubbing head to remove 

stubborn grease and grime. Steam Capsule easily 

converts from mop to handheld, plus it comes with 

a hose and accessories so you can use it all over 

the house. 

3. Let your fabrics breathe 

During the winter months a typical person spends a 

lot more time indoors which means soft furnishings 

get a lot more use than normal. Fabrics easily pick 

up dust and grime and get embedded into the 

material. To get rid of all the winter build up, strip all 

your fabrics, from cushion covers to bed linen, wash 

them and hang out to dry for as long as possible. 

Airing them out will remove any extra dust and 

dirt. Once dry, use a specially designed vacuum 

such as the UltraMATT which has been invented 

to eradicate dust mites and dry skin. You can even 

use it to deep clean mattresses. Your fabrics will be 

looking brand new in no time! 

4. Utilise your appliances 

Making sure you have the correct appliances will 

make your spring clean more effective. Products 

such as the Hoover AXI dishwasher can be used 

to wash all sorts of items including utensils, vases 

and even crystal. Using a customised washing 

programme, like the steam function, will give your 

items a deep clean. 

Investing in a cordless vacuum such as the H-FREE 

500 will enable you to get to those hard-to-reach 

areas which a corded model would not. The latest 

models are incredibly lightweight, can recline 90° 

and swivel 180° and that combined with their 

impressive run time means you can clean the 

whole house in just one charge. 

5. Defrost your freezer 

Its important to prepare your freezer for its time to 

shine – a hot summer! 

Over the winter months, ice will have developed 

around the elements and it is important to remove 

the thick layers as it can impact on performance. 

Freezers work harder during the summer months 

as the warmer weather can make it difficult to keep 

at the temperature required. 

New products on the market, such as Hoover’s 

HMNB 6182X5WDK Fridge Freezer, offers Total No 

Frost technology. This system produces cold air in 

the freezer section then evenly distributes it in the 

fridge cavity. So, with no build-up of ice, there is no 

need to ever defrost your freezer. 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE HOME OF CATEGORY 

& GARDEN 

Over the Rainbow 

With rainbows appearing in windows up and down the country it would be 

remiss of us not to include our pick of all thing rainbow. 

Jan Constantine - 

Pop Art Rainbow 

Cushion - 48x35cm 

Amara, £110 

Rainbow Stripe 

Kids Straw Hat 

White Stuff, £12.00 

Rainbow Litre 

Water Bottle 

Paperchase, £9 

088 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE HOME OF CATEGORY 

& GARDEN 

Galison Rainbow Hand 

Jigsaw Puzzle & Box, 

750 Pieces 

John Lewis & Partners, 

£30 

Le Creuset 

Stoneware 

Collection 

available from 

John Lewis & 

Partners 

Personalised 

Confetti Filled 

Bubble Balloon 

Getting Personal £29.99 

Rainbow Beach 

Parasol 

Dunelm, £29 

Rainbow 

Children's Table 

Top Night Light 

Lights4fun, £9.99 

Always Be Kind 

Scatter Cushion 

Marks & Spencer, 

£12.50 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Introducing Snug 

The Sofa in a Box Company 

3 Day Delivery, 3 Minute Assembly, No Tools Required! 

Buying sofas can be a difficult process, right? From 

long waiting times and sofas that don’t quite fit, 

to low quality products and confusing instruction 

manuals, it can be really stressful. 

Well, you will be happy to hear that those days 

are gone and times have changed. Thousands of 

people have thrown away the old, broken way of 

buying furniture and are welcoming Snug’s Sofa in 

a Box movement. 

What exactly is the Sofa in a Box? 

With their combined 50+ years in the furniture 

industry, Snug invented the Sofa in a Box with a 

vision to make a change. 

The Sofa in a Box is a high-quality, stylish and 

comfortable self-assembly sofa that comes 

packaged in a box (as the name suggests) and gets 

delivered within just 3 days. It’s super easy to get 

up the stairs, through door frames and into small 

spaces. Then it only takes 3 minutes to assemble - 

no tools required! All you have to do is fit the pieces 

together. 

In fact, the record of the fastest assembly so far is 

2 minutes 47 seconds. That’s faster than making a 

cup of tea! Reckon you can beat it? 

What sofa types are there? 

Snug products include the iconic Rebel Sofa (a 

three-seater), the trendy Rebel Corner Sofa, the 

oh-so-comfy Snuggler and the gorgeous Rebel 

Footstool. All of these high-quality pieces arrived 

boxed up within 3 days of ordering. 

What kinds of fabric do these Snug sofas have? 

Snug sofas are made with quality fabrics that are 

easy-care, stain-resistant and vegan-friendly. They 

also offer velvet options which are more forgiving 

than others of its kind. You can get a Snug sofa in 

an array of different colours such as Blush Coral, 

Teal, Mid Grey, Navy and Forest Green. 

090 

How ‘Snug’ are these sofas? 

Snug sofas are not only high-quality and convenient 

being flat packed, they are SO comfortable and 

made with the best materials. Snug is so confident 

that buyers will love the sofas that they’re offering 

a 30 day trial to give people peace of mind. 

Can I order free fabric samples? 

You sure can! You can order free swatches on their 

website to test out their variety of fabric and leg 

colours so you can mix it up and style it your way… 

What reviews does the Sofa in a Box get? 

Customers give the sofa five stars! One review says 

“The best purchase I have made in the last 10 years. 

The access to my new property is limited and I am 

so happy that I chose this sofa rather than settle 

for a cheap self-assembly one. I managed to carry 

everything up the stairs on my own and assembled 

it in 10 minutes. The colour is vibrant and material 

feels great quality. I could not recommend this 

product enough!!!!” 

Another says, “Just want to say that my new 

sofa is absolutely gorgeous! I love it! I didn’t know 

the company before I ordered but I needn’t have 

worried. Delivery was on time, the sofa fitted easily 

up my stairs and it was easy to put together. The 

quality is amazing, it’s so comfortable and stylish, 

and it looks beautiful! Thank you so much...would 

definitely recommend!” 

Where can I try out these sofas for myself? 

You can experience the snugness first-hand by 

visiting one of their five showrooms. The closest 

showroom is in Whielden Street, Old Amersham, 

Buckinghamshire… and you will find them nestled 

inside the Bridgman Showroom, their sister 

company. (Due to the current situation the 

Bridgman showroom is currently closed however 

you can still order online at snugsofa.com) 


CATEGORY 

PSYCHOLOGY TIPS 

My 

Garden 

Year 

April 

As we enter the warmer months it’s time 

to start thinking about weed control and 

start rolling up your sleeves to tackle a 

host of gardening jobs. Lawns need to 

be mowed regularly as growth starts with 

a spurt, but be careful not to mow too 

short and if you’ve fertilised, then weekly 

mowing is a must. 

Having pruned your climbing roses, you 

will notice them starting to shoot off some 

vigorous new stems, which will need tying 

off neatly to avoid a tangled mess. 

Now is the time to plant your seed 

potatoes. I tend to buy a second early 

tuber in late winter for planting in the 

mid-April. My tip is to leave them to chit 

prior to planting in a dry shed or garage 

on newspaper or in a cardboard box; once 

the shoots are around 2-3cm long they 

are ready for planting. In a narrow trench 

about 15cm deep lined with compost, plant 

the tubers 30cm apart. Once the stems 

emerge reaching 20-25cm begin to earth 

up the exposed foliage to protect from 

late frosts and prevent potatoes turning 

green and poisonous. Do watch for signs 

of blight – rotting stems and foliage and 

if the weather turns damp, harvest earlier 

in late July. 

My April star performers are the Magnolias; 

Magnolia loebneri ‘Merrill’is a great small 

to medium garden shrub with delicate 

white flowers whilst the larger and stately 

Magnolia × soulangeana is covered with 

large pink/white blooms. 

092 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Barry Burrows is Managing director at Bartholomew landscaping 

- passionate about designing and creating stylish, beautiful and 

timeless gardens, big or small in town and country. 

Miscanthus sinensis 

'Grosse Fontäne' 

White tulips planted for impact and a fresh contrast with the box borders 

Magnolia loebneri ‘Merrill' 

Allium caeruleum 

May 

Now’s the time to go mad with your summer 

bedding: introduce an immediate show of colour, 

especially to pots, containers and hanging baskets. 

As May can be dry and hot so it’s important to 

water regularly with growth in full flow. 

In a gravel garden I love to plant Gentianaverna, 

which brings a splash of vibrant blue to the garden 

palette. Allium species are brilliant this month with 

a variety of sizes from the tiny blue A. caerula to 

the towering purple A. giganteum. 

And now a word about grasses – planted in the 

right places perennial grasses can be a main stay 

in a contemporary garden. Miscanthus sinensis, 

is a hugely popular species with a vast number of 

cultivars ranging in height from 30cm to over two 

metres. Long lasting and giving structure from 

May until cutting back hard in March, they have 

attractive plume like flowers from August, turn from 

green to yellow/brown in autumn and provide winter 

structure. Look out for cultivars ‘Kleine Fontane’ – 

small with reddish flowers and ‘Malepartus’, tall, 

elegant with intense wine flowers. 


Bridgman 

...since 1977

METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Due to the current 

situation our showroom is 

closed however you can 

order online at 

www.bridgman.co.uk 

Bridgman Luxury Garden Furniture Since 1977 

Visit the Old Amersham showroom 

For over 40 years, Bridgman has been 

designing, crafting and supplying quality 

furniture. The luxury furniture company has 

five showrooms across the country including 

one in Old Amersham, Buckinghamshire. 

Bridgman furniture gives people the chance 

to create special moments in stress-free 

relaxation. Their beautiful outdoor furniture 

can especially transform the way you use 

your garden. Since 1977, the family-run 

company has offered the perfect balance 

of traditional and contemporary furniture 

designs. Bridgman furniture is timeless with 

uncompromising comfort and unrivalled 

innovation. 

from the many beautiful locales the National 

Trust has to offer. Bridgman worked with 

the charity to design and craft the stunning 

furniture. 

The Cliveden Collection features the unique 

waterproof cushions and has a 10 year 

guarantee. Also, like all Bridgman furniture, 

the sets in this gorgeous collection come 

with fast and free delivery. 

Visit our Buckinghamshire Showroom 

Explore Bridgman’s stunning collections at 

the Old Amersham showroom, 7 Whielden 

Street, and experience the luxury first-hand. 

You will truly be spoilt for choice. 

New 2020 collections feature the industry’s 

only fully waterproof cushions that are also 

virtually stain-proof, even against red wine 

and coffee spills. This means you can spend 

more time enjoying your garden without 

worrying about spills or the unpredictable 

English weather. 

National Trust Collaboration 

Bridgman collaborated with the National 

Trust to create the new Cliveden Collection. 

The collection, which features all-weather 

dining and lounging sets, takes inspiration 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Garden Trends 2020 

Mike Burks, Chairman of the Garden Centre Association, which represents 

nearly 200 garden centres nationwide, says: “Gardening has become more 

important than ever in improving our health and wellbeing and this will 

continue in 2020. It’s a great way to get outside into the fresh air and to do 

some physical exercise that connects you with the natural world. 

Wilko Fibre 

Plant Pots, 

£1 a pack 

Matalan Tall 

Cactus Outdoor 

Planter £25 

John Lewis 

outdoor living 

Oliver Bonas The 

New Plant Parent 

£17.99 

096 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

“It’s also a tremendous means of getting fit as you 

can burn up to 250 k/cal for every 30 minutes of 

vigorous digging you do, 195 k/cal lawn mowing 

with a push-along electric or petrol mower, 105 k/cal 

weeding and 100 k/cal raking. 

“But the psychological benefits are just as marked. 

Quietly tending your veg plot or garden is a definite 

stress-reliever, helping you shed feelings of anxiety 

and giving you a rest from the hustle and bustle of 

life, and the burdens of the 21st century. 

“As well as our minds and bodies, we all know we 

should be looking after the planet as well and the 

importance of reducing plastic will still be a hot 

topic in 2020. 

“The future of garden centre catering will see cafés, 

coffee shops and restaurants fully embracing the 

need for alternatives to plastic straws, bottled 

drinks, coffee cups and lids and packaging on food 

items. Also encouraging people to bring their own 

re-usable cups. 

“It’s not just outdoor gardening that is having 

positive effects on our mental well-being, 

houseplants have become a huge hit with younger 

generations and those that don’t have much or 

any outside space. Houseplants departments saw 

the biggest increase in sales during 2019 at our 

member garden centres. Demand for them has 

been phenomenal and doesn’t look set to slow 

down in 2020. 

“The need for reducing plastic use is key across 

all departments, not just in restaurants and 

cafés, we’ll also start seeing a bigger shift in the 

transition from using non-recyclable plant pots to 

using recyclable ones and the reduction of plastic 

across other items such as gifts, decorations and 

homewares. 

“Peat Free April is organised by gardeners & 

writers campaigning to stop the sale of peat-based 

compost and I predict this year that we will see 

many more garden centres making the transition 

to offering peat alternatives to customers. 

“The major compost manufacturers are already 

producing much better-quality peat-free composts 

than ever before and there will be much more 

promotional activity surrounding peat-free compost 

this year. 

“We need to wean gardeners off peat in a managed 

and supported way, so they can build up the skills 

needed with gardening in peat free composts. 

Being peat free is a learning curve and while our 

members are moving towards being peat free, we 

need to keep people gardening because gardening 

is very good for the environment. A cold turkey 

approach to peat would be detrimental.” 

“Research has shown that people like to have 

something to nurture, love and care for. We also 

see houseplants having a resurgence with the 

older generation in 2020, especially for those who 

live alone, who would like something to look after. 

Through sharing information and its inspection 

programme the GCA helps members to achieve 

high standards in customer service, plant quality 

and reliability. 

To find a GCA member garden centre in your area, 

please visit www.gca.org.uk/find-a-garden-centre 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Let there be light 

"Our images reflect the natural extension of our homes into our outdoor space, 

creating relaxing and tranquil sanctuaries to recover from the daily hustle & bustle. 

Unplug, unwind & reconnect with nature!" 

Jo Naughton, Co-Founder, Lights4fun 

The season of glorious sunshine and long summer evenings is 

upon us. As the years have passed, the love for summer garden 

lights has continued to grow, transforming every space instantly 

and creating an inspirational summer ambiance. 

As solar lights are continuing to increase in popularity, and with 

Pinterest searches for solar light crafts increasing by 427% last 

year, it is now more than ever the time to adorn your outdoor space 

with some solar sparkle. 

We look forward to decorating for all occasions, cosy nights in spent 

in courtyards, bringing the outdoors in and impromptu alfresco 

gatherings as soon as the sun comes out. 

This year, our Spring/Summer collections are inspired by the four 

corners of the globe, with Moroccan inspired designs, vibrant 

Mediterranean touches and traditional English garden wildflowers. 

Shop online at www.lights4fun.co.uk 

098 


METROLAND 

FASHION 


No place like Gnome 

If you are finding ways to add a little colour to your life right now 

then these fun gnomes and cute garden pieces may be just what 

you are looking for. All available online from George at Home. 

George Home Urban Nature 

picnic set £15 

George Home Giant Grandma 

Gnome with Baby £6 

George Home Discovery Geo 

Outdoor cushion £7 

George Home Ceramic 

Leaf Lantern £10 

George Home Giant Grandpa 

with Baby Gnome £6 

George Home Kid Connection 

Giant Bowling Set £10 

0100 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Beauty & 

Wellbeing 


METROLAND 

BEAUTY & WELLBEING 

You're never tutu old 

for Ballet 

Royal Academy of Dance to inspire over 55s at home with free online ballet classes 

Whilst isolation isn’t an issue we can dance around, 

the Royal Academy of Dance is on a mission to help 

older audiences keep active indoors. The global 

dance education organisation has launched a 

weekly series of online ‘Silver Swans’ ballet exercise 

classes, designed to get the older generation 

moving to the music at home. 

on Wednesday 1 April, with subsequent sessions 

being released every Wednesday at 1pm for nine 

weeks via its website and social media channels. 

The series of classes will provide the over 55s, 

whose restless feet may already be twitching, with 

the knowledge to unleash their inner dancer, with 

new sequences to learn and remember each week. 

From experienced dancers to those that don’t 

know their plié from their pointe, older learners of 

any ability are invited to try out free Silver Swans 

classes. Shared in manageable bitesize videos, 

viewers can work on these during the week before 

moving onto the next exercise. 

As if the Silver ‘Swanabees’ would need any more 

encouragement, the RAD also celebrated World 

Party Day on Friday 3 April with a global dance off. 

All ages and abilities participated to put on RAD’s 

specially curated Spotify playlists and share their 

best moves on social media. 

Championed by journalist, television presenter and 

RAD’s Silver Swans Ambassador Angela Rippon, 

Silver Swans classes have formed part of the RAD 

programme for over three successful years. Proven 

to ensure a complete mind and body workout by 

improving mobility, posture, co-ordination and 

energy levels, audiences can remain mentally and 

physically active while in isolation – even if the 

kitchen counter or the bathroom sink is serving as 

a makeshift barre. 

RAD teacher and Silver Swans expert practitioner 

Sarah Platt brings her motivational classes directly 

to people at home. The RAD released the series 

Angela Rippon, Silver Swans Ambassador says: 

“The great thing about Silver Swans ballet exercises 

is that you don't have to go leaping around the 

room like Carlos Acosta. You can do them in one 

place - using a solid surface as a barre, and work on 

your core, balance, flexibility and strength. It's the 

perfect way to stay fit, in a small space while giving 

your mind and body a full work out". 

Dame Darcey Bussell DBE, President of the Royal 

Academy of Dance says: “The Royal Academy of 

Dance is committed to promoting a love of dance in 

everyone, regardless of age, ability or background 

or wherever you are across the globe. As the 

0102 


METROLAND 


world-renowned home for dance, what a perfect 

way to bring our ballet expertise right to your front 

door. Ballet is such a creative, artistic activity that 

helps tap into inner emotions and boost positive 

wellbeing as well as keep physically fit.” 

Sarah Platt, RAD teacher and Silver Swans Licensee 

says: “Ballet has been a huge part of my life since 

I was a child, and I can’t imagine a week without it. 

Inspired by the determination of the Silver Swans 

to keep dancing, I have come up with these classes 

with all abilities in mind – enabling even the most 

experienced octogenarian to practice their plié – 

so I really hope you can join in with our dancers 

from across the world”. 

Gerard Charles, Artistic Director, Royal Academy of 

Dance says: “With such an amazing community of 

dance enthusiasts across the globe, what better 

way to remind people of the healthful benefits and 

connections that dance can offer people of older 

ages and differing abilities. Whether you’ve danced 

for decades or think you’ve got two left feet, join us 

to get moving and let us bring the home for dance 

directly to your home. We are also supporting our 

teachers worldwide so that they too can offer 

materials to their communities online.” 

The RAD will continue to release a series of online 

content for a range of ages and abilities over 

the coming weeks. The RAD will also keep the 

performance going with interactive online quizzes 

about ballet and the RAD, as well as advice from 

leading ballet dancers, and live Q&A’s with famous 

dancers including Steven McRae, Alexander 

Campbell and Anna Rose O’Sullivan. 

The RAD ballet exercise classes are free to all 

participants taking part. Classes started on 

Wednesday 1 April and run weekly, all viewable on 

the Royal Academy of Dance website and social 

channels. 


METROLAND 


Pregnancy: 

Lockdown Tips 

eat well and exercise 

R 

emain calm and relaxed 

It's vital during such uncertain 

times to find ways to remain 

calm and relaxed. Whether it's reading a book, 

taking a bath or practising mediation, taking time 

out each day to unwind and give your mind and 

body the rest it needs during this stressful period 

will go a long way in helping reduce any anxiety you 

may be experiencing. 

Eat well and exercise 

During the enforced lockdown, it's important to 

keep yourself and your baby healthy and well. 

Eliminating foods that have been influenced by 

hormones, pesticides, added preservatives and 

chemicals and avoiding foods that are rich in sugar 

will go some way to helping you feel better in 

yourself. Exercising, whether it's yoga practice or 

a home workout that's safe for you to do, or even 

a walk outside when you can, will leave you feeling 

brighter and happier thanks to the endorphins you 

release when moving your body. Regular exercise 

has been proven to boost circulation to your 

reproductive organs and your immune system, and 

helps you maintain a healthy body and mind. 

Stay safe and follow the guidelines 

It’s important to ensure you regularly wash your 

hands for 20 seconds in line with the government 

advice and avoid touching your face. If you need 

0104 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

BEAUTY TITLE OF & WELLBEING 

CATEGORY 

With many expecting mothers being advised to stay indoors during this 

Coronavirus pandemic Siobhan Miller, founder and CEO, of the Positive 

Birth Company gives us 7 helpful tips for pregnant women during lockdown. 

connect with other 

mums online 

to go out for essentials or if you're a key worker, 

ensure you're following the recommendations for 

social-distancing, otherwise self-isolate at home as 

far as possible. When you need to travel to hospital 

for an appointment or for anything else, avoid 

public transport if you can. 

Utilise online resources 

With a lockdown in place and antenatal and 

postnatal classes and baby groups cancelled, 

online courses and live Q&As are a great way to 

access the same level of support but from the 

comfort of your own home. 

For example, The Positive Birth Company's online 

hypnobirthing course (the 'Digital Pack') can easily 

be completed at home and is a comprehensive 

program of antenatal education, which teaches 

women about how their body is designed to 

work perfectly in birth from a physiological and 

psychological perspective. It also equips them 

with relaxation tools and techniques that facilitate 

a quicker, easier and more comfortable birth, and 

helps them to understand why it is important to 

remain calm and relaxed and how best to achieve 

this, even when things don't go to plan. These tools 

can be used at any point in life to reduce anxiety, 

stress and panic. 

Social media can also be a great way of accessing 

expert advice and guidance. The Positive Birth 

Company regularly host online workshops which 


METROLAND 


connect women with experts such as midwives 

and qualified breastfeeding practitioners, and 

provide them with the information and support 

they need via their social media. 

Use a virtual birth partner 

With some women being advised that their 

partners are no longer able to be present at 

the birth due to the coronavirus, a virtual birth 

partner app can be a great resource and ensure 

you don't feel like you're going it alone. 

The Positive Birth Company's Freya app will 

coach you through each surge with a simple 

breathing technique and then play guided 

meditations, positive affirmations and relaxing 

music in between to keep you calm and relaxed. 

The app will also keep track of your progress and 

even let you know when it's time to call a midwife. 

The app can be used in pregnancy and the lead 

up to birth as a meditation tool. 

Connect with other mums online 

With the internet at our finger tips, it has never 

been easier to talk to other mums-to-be or new 

mums around the world. Connecting with others 

who are in the same situation as you will help 

you feel less alone and also provide you with 

some welcome advice and reassurance. We 

recommend joining The Positive Birth Company's 

Bump Clubs on Facebook, these are free groups 

where you can connect with other women, share 

advice, receive support and read tons of inspiring 

and positive birth stories. 

For more information and case studies visit 

The Positive Birth Company website at 

www.thepositivebirthcompany.co.uk 

0106 


CATEGORY 


“There is a secret in our 

culture, and it’s not that 

birth is painful. It’s that 

women are strong.” 

Laura Stavoe Harm 


Your Mind Matters! 

by Hayley Bennett 

Hayley Bennett Wellbeing provides 

'Tools to help you through Life' 

www.hayleybennettwellbeing.com 

0108 


METROLAND 


Discover a few simple steps to look after your mental health. 

Everyone knows that feeling, when life 

gets on top of us. We feel overwhelmed, 

stressed, anxious and sometime low and 

have trouble sleeping. 

Life affects us all differently. We all go 

through difficult times, and negative 

emotions can be a healthy reaction to the 

challenges we face. But for many of us, 

things can become more serious, and each 

year as many as 1 in 4 of us experience a 

mental health problem. 

Being aware of what can affect our mental 

health can make it easier to understand 

when we, or someone we care about, are 

struggling, and it helps us think about what 

we can do to improve things or where to get 

support. 

Things that affect our mental wellbeing 

include: 

• personal life and relationships 

• money, work or housing 

• life changes 

• health issues 

• traumatic life events 

• smoking, alcohol, gambling and drug 

misuse 

But there are steps we can take to turn things 

around! 

Things that affect our mental health include 

our: 

• upbringing and environment, which 

shapes our brain development when 

young and opportunities throughout life 

• experiences, like our relationships, how 

we are treated, our financial situation, 

work, where we live, physical health, life 

events and the changes we go through 

It may be everyday events, one-off 

experiences or several things building up. 

Even experiences that are positive can be 

difficult to cope with sometimes. 

How we feel is often a completely natural 

reaction to challenges. But for some of us, 

these feelings can become more difficult to 

manage, especially if they do not go away 

– after a while, what we're experiencing 

affects our daily life. 

Here are my Live Better – Feel Better tips: 

Mind - Body - Spirit 

Mind - Think Better 

Body - Look after yourself Better 

Spirit - Believe Better 

The key to managing mental health is to have 

a balanced life, this doesn’t mean a perfect 

life, it doesn’t mean everything has to go to 

plan or you need to be good and perfect all 

the time. It means having the things around 

you that help you get through life, it means 

learning to understand what you need for that 

day, week or month. 


METROLAND 


Sleep 

Not enough sleep is the same as being drunk. 

There have been studies showing that if we 

don’t have enough sleep we are not functioning 

properly, we function the same way we do when 

we are drunk. 

Sleep is important 

• We need it to relax the body 

• Repair any damage and rebuild the immune 

system 

• Calm the adrenals and the brain 

If we don’t get enough sleep, we can 

• Gain weight 

• Knock our hormones out of balance 

• Lose focus and concentrate 

• Make poor choices 

• We are quick to snap at others 

Exercise and Movement 

• Have more than just one way of exercising, 

so when the weather changes you have 

something else to do. 

• Make sure you do some sort of movement at 

least 3 times a week for 30 mins or more. 

• Gentle exercise is also good for you, stretching, 

yoga, Tai chi, swimming 

• Do exercises at home, go for a walk, even if it 

cold – wrap up 

Relationship, Family, Friends and 

Community 

All of these play a big part in our health, support 

from others and helping others are great for our 

mental health. 

It easy to shut down and not see many people, 

which is OK but don’t shut down completely 

Try to wind down before going to bed and follow 

a regular sleep routine to help regulate your body 

clock. 

Good nutrition 

We all know we need food for energy but do we 

think about the food we are putting inside us and 

how that affects us? 

Caffeine and sugar spike - Bread and Carb 

coma 

• Caffeine and sugar spikes – We have a high 

then we drop 

• Bread and Carb coma – We start our day with 

toast, two slices then a sandwich at lunch 

time, home for a bowl full of pasta, a pizza, etc 

we been filling ourselves up with heavy foods 

that take a lot of energy to break down so we 

become tired and struggle with our day… and 

need another cup of coffee. 

I’m not saying we can’t eat it, if we eat healthy 

most of the time the caffeine, sugar and carbs 

won’t affect us as much. 

Work 

Try not to take your work or your worries home 

– I know it sounds hard but giving the problem/ 

worry some space can help sometime solve it - A 

fresh way to look at it when you go back. Keeping 

work and home life separate is also good for your 

personal life. 

Intellectual stimulation, Creativity and 

Play 

• Using our brain helps stimulate not just the 

mind but the body as well 

• Avoid just sitting in front of the TV watching 

endless programs, change things up 

• Reading, listening to podcasts, talks - Ted 

talks and videos 

• Learning something new, courses, workshops 

– online, night school, weekend 

• Do something creative - write, draw, make 

something, photography 

• Go and have some Fun, Play, Laugh! 

0110 


METROLAND 


Spirituality and Sense of purpose 

Spirituality and sense of purpose come in many 

ways. 

• Having this can help to get through the bad 

times and stops us being a Victim to life. 

Your Mind Matters 

Remember: - your mind matters and what we think 

is what we become! 

Words are more than just words, they are energy, 

they are tools that create the world we live. If we 

are saying negative things about ourselves, we 

create that energy and environment. For example, 

If we say ‘I’m no good, I never finish anything’ we 

have just created this to happen, as we have 

told ourselves (reinforced our mind/subconscious) 

we are no good and what we are about to start 

we will never finish. – Try: ‘I can sometime find it 

hard to stay focused, but if I find new tools and 

techniques, I will achieve my goals and dreams’ 

If we say ‘I’m always stressed or I have anxiety’ 

we are telling ourselves we have a problem and 

it can’t be changed. But if we identify that we 

can get stressed or feel anxiety, we have taken 

ourselves out of the problem and now find a way 

to deal with it. 

Sit and breathe 

Begin by sitting comfortably and close your eyes. 

Take a few deep breaths 

• Take a deep breath in and feel your lung fill up. 

• As you let out all your breath, make a noise - 

loud and long, allow all your tension, worries, 

fears and negativity out with the breath, see 

them all leave your body. 

• Feel your shoulders drop. 


METROLAND 


Beauty in isolation 

Self-Isolation: The Ultimate Guide to Looking Good & Staying In 

It’s Spring 2020 and we Brits are currently in the 

midst of some uncertain and unprecedented times. 

9-5 routines are being turned upside down, salons 

are temporarily closing their doors and we are all 

spending large amounts of time at home. Whether 

self-isolating or working at home as a precaution, 

we are all suddenly faced with lots of free time, and 

some of us are struggling to fill it. 

We might only be stuck at home, but the sun and 

the Summer are still approaching! Who says we 

have to let our beauty routines go when we’ve got 

ample time for summer prep and pampering? Our 

back gardens are calling, and in these uncertain 

times, it is nice to indulge in a bit of fun and frivolous 

self-care to keep ourselves positive and pass the 

time while we stay in and do our bit. 

Luckily, those in the know have compiled the 

ultimate head to toe guide for how to maintain your 

beauty routine while passing the time at home: 

Hair hydration 

Relax! For once you don’t have to make do with a hasty 

10-minute shower before rushing off to work in the morning. 

Why not take this time at home to replenish and re-hydrate 

your hair with a luxurious deep conditioning hair mask? 

After just one application, hair masks can visibly improve 

the appearance of your hair and over time can banish frizz, 

dullness and lacklustre tresses. After your shower, towel dry 

your hair before applying the mask root to tip. Leave on for a 

few minutes while you set up your home working station, before 

rinsing well. This will leave you with gorgeously saturated hair 

without the salon price. 

Keep coloured and carry on 

Now your hair is fully hydrated, many of you will be panicking 

about keeping those greys at bay. Welcome to the world of 

at-home hair dye, which can be just as effective (and kinder 

on your purse) as going to the salon. In this modern age of 

innovation, keeping your roots in check is hardly a hassle. 

Root touch ups are all the rage, and it’s not hard to see why. 

Applied with a quick and easy brush, sponge or spritz, these 

handy products will keep you calm and confident about your 

hair for the foreseeable future. 

0112 


Brows on fleek 

It might be time to say TTFN to our monthly eyebrow wax 

or threading, but don’t fret – you can keep those brows just 

as fleeky at home. Girls, it’s time to embrace the tweezers. 

The precision of the pluck can help you achieve the perfect 

arch, and as you’re pulling from the root, the hairs take longer 

to grow back. If you’re used to having your brows tinted, 

there’s plenty you can do at home to achieve the same look. 

Try an eyebrow pomade for a stunning colour which you can 

apply lightly for a natural look or build up for some serious 

brow-factor. 

Skin salvation 

Self-isolation or not, good skincare is essential at all times. 

Why not use this time to bulk up your usual routine? As well 

as the regular cleanse, tone and moisturise, be extra kind to 

your skin. Think hot cloth cleansers and face masks galore 

– who needs the spa when the spa can come to you? Hot 

cloth cleansers are fab on two fronts: the hot cloth gently 

exfoliates the skin while the hot water opens your pores to 

eradicate excess oil. Face masks have a multitude of benefits 

including increased hydration, evening out the skin tone, and 

diminishing fine lines and wrinkles. 

Get the glow 

You can still achieve that sun kissed golden glow you’ve 

been dreaming about since December with easy use selftan 

products. If you’re after a natural look, try a gradual tan 

moisturiser and watch it develop steadily over a week or two. 

If you’re a real sun junkie and want a more intense bronze, 

we recommend a self-apply express fake tan product. They’re 

easy and convenient to use, and your tan will develop over 

approximately 8 hours for a striking bronze glow. This will give 

you the confidence to lay out in your back garden in your best 

bikini as if you were lounging by the pool on holiday. 

Be sweet to your feet 

Worried about foregoing your regular pedicure? Don’t worry – 

products like Footner Exfoliating Socks bring the experience 

and the results of a pedicure to your home. Pop the socks 

on for 60 minutes while you get on with some work or watch 

some Netflix, and within 7-10 days any hard, dead skin will 

actually peel off your feet, revealing a layer of soft, smooth 

and rejuvenated skin underneath. As we’ve all got some spare 

time, this is the perfect time to show your feet some love. You 

can still rock your favourite sandals in the garden or round the 

house as we head into summer. 


METROLAND 


Keep on tapping 

Returning to Tap Dance as an Adult by Carla van der Sluijs 

Maggie Monk School of Dance www.maggiemonkdance.com 

Along with piano and swimming, enrolment in the 

‘Great British Ballet Lesson’ is often a parent’s top 

choice of after-school activity for their offspring. 

Early dance classes teach punctuality, poise and 

posture, long before a child can pirouette without 

crashing into the nearest wall. And yet, the lessons 

fail to become a lifelong habit for most people. 

There’s huge passion for dance in the UK, whether 

it’s watching Strictly on a Saturday night or taking 

a trip to the West End, but the gaps in participation 

rates between adults and children are huge. Why 

do we stop moving our feet when, clearly, we love 

dance? Asking myself this exact question, I laced 

up my tap shoes to take to the stage again, as an 

adult. 

From the age of seven, tap dancing was a great 

love of mine. Athletes talk about basking in 

‘runners high,’ and tap dance releases a similar 

rush of dopamine thanks to its speed, style and 

syncopation. Beating the floor to make that 

signature ‘tap’ sound feels immensely strong and 

satisfying. I eventually quit ballet classes (the 

smooth, elegant dance form didn’t agree with 

my angsty teenage temper) but there no was no 

question of dropping tap. After school on a Friday, 

I’d pick up my metal-soled shoes and head down to 

Chesham Youth Club to stamp out my frustrations 

over A-Level Economics. 

Along with the children’s classes, our adult group 

danced in the school’s biannual show in front of a 

couple of hundred people. It was nerve-wracking, 

but parents in the audience loved us ‘putting 

ourselves out there.’ We got one of the biggest 

cheers of the night! 

In addition, it might surprise you to hear that 

tap is strangely meditative. The fast, intricate 

movements are both a physical work-out and 

mental check-out. With so many steps to achieve 

so fast, there’s no time to worry about life’s dayto-day 

dramas. It’s a welcome break from those 

repetitive thoughts that can really drag us down, 

even if my A-Level days are long behind me. 

There’s been a few surprise benefits too. For 

instance, tap dancing has left me with a lifelong 

love of jazz. Furthermore, in job interviews I like to 

mention my dance hobby when asked about freetime, 

knowing its unusual nature will set me apart. 

I have, however, refrained from giving the panel a 

demonstration. 

In short, tap is fast, fun and fabulous, and certainly 

not just for kids. It doesn’t let you hide away or 

blend into the background, no matter how much 

you might try. 

Having moved back to Chesham after university, in 

search of evening activities, I returned to Maggie 

Monk School of Dancing. Back in my old stomping 

ground (literally!) that little rush of dopamine once 

again shot from my shuffling feet to my tired 

brain and, crawling up from the depths of selfconsciousness, 

I discovered the many benefits of 

returning to tap dance classes as an adult. 

Firstly, if there’s one thing that sets tap apart 

from the others, it’s noise. Tap doesn’t let you 

sit unnoticed from the safety of a comfort zone; 

its loud, boisterous style forces you to be heard. 

114 


Less than Fabulash? 

Eyelash extensions are very popular but what happens now you are in isolation? Your 

salon is closed and your lashes are starting to look a little unhinged. You can wait 

for them to shed but this can take up to 6 weeks and the urge to pick at them can 

become overwhelming. Below is a handy guide to remove them at home (obviously not 

something we would usually recommend but these are not usual times). 

So what now? 

Your poorly extensions are no more - well at least for the time being - 

yet you are missing your luscious lashes. We can highly recommend 

Younique's MOODSTRUCK EPIC 4D one‐step fiber mascara. This amazing 

product combines Y‐shaped fibers and a specially engineered two-sided 

brush to interlock fibers for lash volume, length, and lift. Just one coat 

gives you unreal - yet totally real - lashes that pop! 

With a 14-day no quibble full refund guarantee why not give it a go? Visit 

www.youniqueproducts.com and click on the purple BUY EPIC 4D link 

(just a little scroll down the homepage) to find out more. Dont forget to 

shop with your local Younique presenter when you checkout and help a 

small local business in your quest for EPIC lashes. 

TOP TIP: Sign up for a mascara subscription for free shipping to your door. 

The subscription can be cancelled foat any time! 

1. Gently remove any make-up, be as careful 

as you can as you don’t want to cause any 

damage to your natural lashes. Try using 

micellar water on a cotton pad and gently 

wipe away. 

2. Once you have removed all of your makeup 

fill a bowl with hot water and place your 

head over the bowel with a towel. Giving 

your face a steam will help losen the 

extensions plus the additional benefit of 

cleaning those pores! 

3. This next step is a bit tricky! Grab some oil 

(preferably olive or coconut oil). Put some 

oil onto a cotton pad and gently wipe the 

lashes (make sure you don’t get any in 

your eyes!). The oil will help to breakdown 

the extension adhesive. Keep wiping 

gently until the extensions start to fall off. 

4. Most important step, having removed 

your lash extensions is to give your eyes a 

good rinse with water to ensure you have 

removed all traces or oil and adhesive. 


In these extraordinary times, for the 

amazing and difficult work you do, from 

the bottom of our hearts, we want to say... 

THANK YOU 

NHS STAFF 

& KEY WORKERS 

STAY HOME . SAVE LIVES. 

METROLAND 

SALUTES YOU

Metroland Spring 2020

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