Cotswolds Lifestyle Sep - Oct 2020
We celebrate the best of autumn, with delicious recipes from James Martin plus a host of interiors inspiration to make you love home again.
We celebrate the best of autumn, with delicious recipes from James Martin plus a host of interiors inspiration to make you love home again.
You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles
YUMPU automatically turns print PDFs into web optimized ePapers that Google loves.
Contents<br />
A Note<br />
from the EDITOR<br />
A Culinary ingredients Journey and through recipes from<br />
Northern 08Hero James Martin’s Ireland Islands to Highlands<br />
14<br />
Transform your<br />
home, inside and out<br />
Editor Kate Thomson<br />
e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
Publisher Sally Thomson<br />
Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell<br />
Contributors Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs, Angela Cave,<br />
Front Cover courtesy of Lights4Fun.co.uk<br />
Key Account Manager Steve Davies<br />
e steve.davies@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
d/l 01225 984506<br />
twitter: @<strong>Cotswolds</strong>Live<br />
w www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk<br />
Planning for spring<br />
and summer colour<br />
30<br />
06<br />
Celebrating<br />
harvest time<br />
MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ<br />
Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton<br />
Trowbridge BA14 6JB<br />
t 01225 984 550<br />
w www.minervapublications.co.uk<br />
Disclaimer: The publishers shall not be held liable for any loss occasioned by failure of an<br />
advertisement to appear, or any damage or inconvenience caused by errors, omissions and<br />
misprints. No part of this publication may be reproduced without prior permission from the<br />
publishers. The opinions expressed within are not necessarily those of the publishers.<br />
Don’t tell the other magazine<br />
issues, but the <strong>Sep</strong>tember/<br />
<strong>Oct</strong>ober is often one of the most<br />
fun editions to pull together in<br />
the year, and that must have<br />
something to do with <strong>Sep</strong>tember<br />
being a favourite month. Perhaps<br />
it is my love of watching the<br />
changing of the seasons in full<br />
swing, with the leaves turning<br />
burnished shades of gold and<br />
amber as summer makes way for<br />
autumn. Or maybe it is autumn’s<br />
bounty of produce filling the<br />
farm shops and the menus of my<br />
favourite local spots. We try to<br />
make this edition evocative of this<br />
lovely time and hope this one is<br />
no exception.<br />
Good food is usually top of the<br />
list in this magazine, and we’ve<br />
been spoiled with some wonderful<br />
recipes from James Martin. You<br />
might have caught his latest<br />
series, Islands to Highlands, on<br />
TV and this selection of recipes is<br />
straight from the accompanying<br />
book. These were so tasty that<br />
I went out to buy the book and<br />
have been happily cooking up a<br />
best of British menu ever since.<br />
We’ve all gotten to know the four<br />
walls we call home rather well<br />
over the last six months, and<br />
maybe we’ve discovered that<br />
things aren’t as we’d like them. If<br />
you’ve decided to stay put, we’ve<br />
got a lovely piece on making<br />
your home work better for you,<br />
through extensions, glazing and<br />
even using the garden as an extra<br />
room.<br />
Finally, lockdown might have<br />
given you a new perspective on<br />
retirement - we get our resident<br />
later life representative (aka my<br />
dad Peter) to give his reflections<br />
of life after lockdown.<br />
Next time we see you it will be...<br />
*whispers* the Christmas issue!<br />
Until then, stay safe, stay well!<br />
Katie<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 3
Upgrade your<br />
kitchen worktops<br />
from £2000*<br />
* Terms and conditions apply - call for details<br />
Unit 3, Cheney Manor Industrial Estate,<br />
Swindon SN2 2QN<br />
Tel: 01793 695110<br />
anythingstone.co.uk<br />
enquiries@anythingstone.co.uk
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 5
BRITISH FOOD FORTNIGHT <strong>2020</strong><br />
Why there’s never been a better time to support the British<br />
food industry and buy seasonal, local produce<br />
British Food Fortnight will take place<br />
this year from 19th <strong>Sep</strong>tember - 4th<br />
<strong>Oct</strong>ober. The campaign was created by<br />
Love British Food, the leading national<br />
promoter of British food and the only<br />
organisation that encourages retailers<br />
and the caterers responsible for sourcing<br />
food in our schools, hospitals and<br />
food outlets to make British food their<br />
preferred supplier of choice.<br />
British Food Fortnight is THE<br />
opportunity for everyone to come<br />
together and promote the benefits of<br />
buying and eating from our homeproduced<br />
British larder.<br />
WHY CHOOSE BRITISH?<br />
Choosing British means supporting<br />
British farmers whose work helps to keep<br />
the British countryside the way we want<br />
it to look: no sheep, or cows, or fruit, or<br />
vegetables – no countryside!<br />
• You will be supporting the economy<br />
– everyone from the farmer, to those<br />
who work in food processing and<br />
the retailers selling the food.<br />
• British food travels less far from<br />
farm to shop so has a lower carbon<br />
footprint than most imported foods.<br />
• British meat is produced to some<br />
of the highest welfare standards<br />
in the world: no growth-promoting<br />
hormones are allowed and any<br />
antibiotics are administered only<br />
under veterinary direction.<br />
• Britain’s pig farmers operate by UK<br />
law to standards of welfare that are<br />
some of the highest in the world.<br />
• Britain’s beef and sheep industries<br />
are the envy of the world; breeding<br />
livestock and genetics from our<br />
native breeds are much sought<br />
after by farmers in other countries.<br />
Protect our great native livestock<br />
industry by buying the real thing,<br />
not an imported substitute.<br />
• Britain’s cattle passport system<br />
means that each animal can be<br />
uniquely traced to its dam (mother)<br />
and place of birth.<br />
• British chicken is reared to some of<br />
the highest standards in the world.<br />
EAT SEASONALLY<br />
Eating British fruits and vegetables in<br />
season is good for you. Foods in season<br />
contain the nutrients, minerals and<br />
trace elements that our bodies need at<br />
particular times of the year. British food<br />
travels less far from farm to shop so<br />
regardless of how carbon footprints are<br />
calculated it self-evidently has a lower<br />
carbon footprint.<br />
Storming into season over the coming<br />
months are:<br />
AUTUMN<br />
Meat: Chicken – Grouse – Ham<br />
– Heather-fed Lamb – Pies Pork –<br />
Sausages – Venison<br />
Vegetables: Field Mushrooms – Lettuce<br />
– Marrow – Potatoes – Pumpkin – Rocket<br />
– Squashes – Sweetcorn – Watercress<br />
Fruit: Apples – Blackberries – Damsons –<br />
Elderberries – Pears – Plums – Sloes<br />
Fish: Brill – Dabs – Dover Sole –<br />
Flounders – Oysters – Skate<br />
WINTER<br />
Meat: Chicken – Gammon – Goose<br />
– Partridge – Pheasant – Sausages –<br />
Turkey – Venison – Wild Duck<br />
Vegetables: Bay Leaves – Brussels<br />
– Sprouts – Cabbage – Carrots –<br />
Cauliflower – Celeriac – Curly Kale<br />
– Fennel – Leeks – Parsnips – Potatoes –<br />
Red Cabbage – Swede – Turnips<br />
Fruit: Apples – Pears – Quince<br />
Fish: Grey Mullet – Mussels – Scallops<br />
“British food travels less far from farm<br />
to shop so has a lower carbon footprint<br />
than most imported foods.”<br />
It’s easy for anyone to take part in<br />
British Food Fortnight, whether in your<br />
community, online, or simply your own<br />
home. Even the smallest thing makes a<br />
big difference. Visit lovebritishfood.co.uk<br />
for lots of inspiration.<br />
6 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
ISLANDS TO<br />
CHEF JAMES MARTIN WAS KIND<br />
ENOUGH TO SHARE SOME FABULOUS<br />
RECIPES FROM HIS BOOK ISLANDS<br />
TO HIGHLANDS, CELEBRATING THE<br />
BEST OF THE BRITISH ISLES<br />
highlands<br />
CLAM VONGOLE<br />
Good clams can be found year-round on<br />
the coast all around Britain, but are at their<br />
best in the colder months. Clam vongole is<br />
simply the best pasta dish, in my opinion,<br />
but when made properly like Francesco<br />
Mazzei showed me, it’s on a different level<br />
entirely. Serves: 4<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
3 garlic cloves, chopped<br />
1 shallot, diced<br />
100ml dry white wine<br />
1kg clams, cleaned (see tip)<br />
sea salt and freshly ground<br />
black pepper<br />
1 red chilli, diced<br />
zest of 2 lemons, plus juice of 1 lemon<br />
small bunch of parsley, chopped<br />
50g parmesan, grated<br />
METHOD<br />
Bring a large pan of salted water to the<br />
boil and cook the pasta, following the<br />
packet instructions, until al dente.<br />
While the pasta’s bubbling away, start the<br />
sauce. In a large saucepan with a lid, heat<br />
the oil over a medium heat, add the garlic<br />
and shallot and cook for 2 minutes, stirring<br />
often. Pour in the wine and clams, season<br />
well, then put the lid on the pan and bring<br />
to the boil. Reduce the heat a little and<br />
cook for a further 4 minutes.<br />
Resting a colander over a bowl, use a<br />
large slotted spoon to lift the clams out of<br />
the sauce into the colander, then bring the<br />
sauce to the boil and simmer, uncovered,<br />
until reduced by half.<br />
Drain the spaghetti and add it to the pan<br />
with the sauce and cook for a further 2<br />
minutes. Add the chilli, lemon zest and<br />
juice and parsley and season well.<br />
Stir everything together, then pop the<br />
clams back into the pan along with any<br />
of the juices caught in the bowl. Give<br />
everything a really big stir again to mix it<br />
all in, then scatter over the parmesan and<br />
drizzle in a little more olive oil, if you like.<br />
Serve immediately.<br />
JAMES’S TIP<br />
Fresh clams need to be alive before you<br />
cook them. To clean the clams of sand or<br />
grit, soak them for 20 minutes in a bowl<br />
of cold salty water. Drain, then transfer<br />
to a bowl of clean cold water to soak for<br />
a further 10 minutes, so they don’t taste<br />
too salty.<br />
STEAK WITH<br />
WHISKY BRAISED<br />
ONIONS<br />
and mustard sauce<br />
Every chef becomes obsessed with certain<br />
ingredients at some point in the year and<br />
right now, my obsession is onions. These,<br />
combined with steak and a simple mustard<br />
sauce, were a favourite dish of Johnny on<br />
Camera Two when we were filming the<br />
show. Serves: 2<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
4 onions, peeled<br />
50ml whisky<br />
600ml beef stock<br />
100g salted butter<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
a few pine sprigs, washed and patted dry<br />
1–2 tablespoons olive oil<br />
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper<br />
400g rump steak, 5cm thick<br />
150g long-stem broccoli<br />
FOR THE SAUCE<br />
2 tablespoons Scottish grainy mustard<br />
½ teaspoon English mustard<br />
2 tablespoons salted butter<br />
25ml whisky<br />
75ml double cream<br />
METHOD<br />
If using, light your BBQ. When the coals<br />
are silvery in colour, it’s ready to cook on.<br />
Place the whole onions in a pan with the<br />
whisky and beef stock.<br />
Cover and bring to the boil then reduce<br />
the heat slightly and simmer for 40<br />
minutes. Use a slotted spoon to lift the<br />
onions out of their cooking liquor and set<br />
aside to cool a little. Reserve the liquor.<br />
Meanwhile, place the butter, garlic and<br />
pine sprigs into a separate pan and place<br />
over a low heat to melt the butter. If not<br />
cooking on the BBQ, preheat a griddle pan<br />
over a high heat.<br />
Cut the onions in half horizontally, then<br />
drizzle over the oil and season well. Cook<br />
on the griddle pan or on the BBQ, flatside<br />
down, for a couple of minutes until<br />
charred. Lift onto a plate and set aside.<br />
Season the steak all over, then brush with<br />
some of the melted pine butter. Cook on<br />
the hot griddle pan or on the BBQ for 2<br />
minutes, then brush with more butter, flip<br />
over and cook for another 2 minutes.<br />
Add the long-stem broccoli to the pan or<br />
BBQ for the last 2 minutes of cooking,<br />
again brushing with pine butter. Lift the<br />
steak onto a board and rest for 4 minutes.<br />
To make the sauce, put both types of<br />
mustard in a pan with 1 tablespoon of the<br />
butter and 200ml of the reserved onion<br />
cooking liquor. Pour in the whisky, then<br />
flambé to burn off the alcohol, tipping the<br />
pan gently and carefully to ignite. Place<br />
over a medium heat and simmer until the<br />
liquid has reduced by half, then stir in<br />
the cream and season well. Whisk in the<br />
remaining 1 tablespoon of butter to finish.<br />
Slice the steak into 3-cm thick slices and<br />
place on a platter with the broccoli, then<br />
spoon over the sauce. Pull the onions into<br />
petals and dot around before serving.<br />
TARRAGON AND<br />
WILD GARLIC<br />
RISOTTO<br />
with mushrooms and baked<br />
kombu potatoes<br />
In essence, this is of course two separate<br />
dishes. I wanted to serve the potatoes<br />
separately on the show, but little Sammy<br />
8 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
Recipes and words from<br />
James Martin’s Islands to Highlands:<br />
80 fantastic recipes from around the<br />
British Isles. Published by Quadrille<br />
Publishing Ltd. RRP £25 and<br />
available from all good book shops<br />
and online<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 9
Head – the legend of the food team – couldn’t be bothered<br />
to walk back down the mountain to get another bowl, so it<br />
became one dish! A great, simple risotto should be packed<br />
full of flavour; watch the seasoning as it usually needs more<br />
salt than you think and, whatever you do, don’t make it too<br />
thick. Serves: 4<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
50g salted butter<br />
1 garlic clove, chopped<br />
1 shallot, diced<br />
200g risotto rice<br />
50ml dry white wine<br />
500ml vegetable stock<br />
200g wild mushrooms, roughly torn<br />
50g mascarpone<br />
25g parmesan, grated<br />
small bunch of tarragon, chopped<br />
a few wild garlic leaves<br />
sea salt and freshly ground<br />
black pepper<br />
FOR THE POTATOES<br />
150g new potatoes<br />
1 parmesan rind<br />
1 tablespoon kombu dried seaweed<br />
pinch of sea salt<br />
TO SERVE<br />
2 tablespoons crème fraîche<br />
a few micro herb sprigs or<br />
a few chives, chopped<br />
METHOD<br />
If using, light your BBQ. When the coals are silvery in<br />
colour, it’s ready to cook on.<br />
Heat the butter in a deep non-stick pan over a medium<br />
heat. Once the butter is melted and foaming, add the garlic,<br />
shallot and rice, stirring until the rice is well coated in the<br />
butter. Stir in the wine and around three-quarters of the<br />
stock, bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring<br />
occasionally. Stir through the mushrooms and cook for a<br />
further 5 minutes until the rice is cooked and just tender.<br />
Put the potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water, then<br />
add the parmesan rind, kombu seaweed and pinch of salt.<br />
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes. Drain the<br />
potatoes, then put them directly onto the grill bars of the<br />
BBQ and cook for 2–3 minutes, turning occasionally, until<br />
charred. Carefully lift out of the barbecue and set aside.<br />
To finish the risotto, stir in the mascarpone, parmesan,<br />
tarragon (reserving a few sprigs for garnish), wild garlic<br />
and remaining stock, then season to taste. The texture<br />
should be slightly runny.<br />
To serve, spoon the risotto onto 4 plates and garnish with<br />
a few extra sprigs of tarragon and micro herbs. Split the<br />
potatoes, top them with crème fraîche, micro herbs or<br />
chives and either serve on a separate plate alongside or<br />
place directly on top of the risotto.<br />
BLACK BUTTER AND APPLE<br />
BAKEWELL TART<br />
In the Channel Islands, I went to see how Jersey black<br />
butter was made. It’s not actually made with butter – to be<br />
honest there’s none in it at all. In fact, it’s a preserve made<br />
with top quality apples, liquorice, spices and sugar, which<br />
is cooked in the traditional way over a firepit and stirred<br />
10 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
all the time to prevent it from burning. As<br />
it slowly cooks it develops an amazing,<br />
caramelised, sweet flavour. It is not only<br />
great in this tart, but also fabulous served<br />
on its own, spread on toast or scones.<br />
Serves: 6-8<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
FOR THE PASTRY<br />
225g plain flour,<br />
plus extra for dusting<br />
pinch of salt<br />
2 tablespoons icing sugar<br />
100g cold salted butter, cubed,<br />
plus extra for greasing<br />
1 egg, beaten<br />
1 tablespoon iced water<br />
FOR THE FILLING<br />
4 tablespoons black butter preserve<br />
225g softened salted butter<br />
225g caster sugar<br />
4 eggs, beaten<br />
175g ground almonds<br />
50g plain flour<br />
2 English apples, cored and<br />
thinly sliced<br />
FOR THE GLAZE<br />
1½ tablespoons caster sugar<br />
1½ tablespoons boiling water<br />
TO SERVE<br />
Jersey cream, whipped<br />
METHOD<br />
To make the pastry, sift the flour and<br />
salt into a bowl. Stir in the icing sugar,<br />
then add the butter. Use your fingertips<br />
to rub the butter into the flour mixture<br />
until it resembles breadcrumbs. Mix in<br />
the egg and water using a round-bladed<br />
table knife, then gently bring the mixture<br />
together into a ball. Wrap in clingfilm and<br />
pop in the fridge for 30 minutes. Preheat<br />
the oven to 180°C (160°C fan)/350°F/gas<br />
4. Grease a 23-cm fluted tart tin lightly<br />
with butter.<br />
Dust a little flour over a clean work surface<br />
and roll out the pastry into a large round<br />
big enough to line the tart tin. Lift into the<br />
tin and press into the edges gently. Trim<br />
away the excess pastry, then spoon the<br />
black butter preserve for the filling into the<br />
base. Use the back of the spoon to spread<br />
it out to cover the pastry dough.<br />
Make the filling by beating the butter and<br />
sugar together in a large bowl. Mix in the<br />
eggs, then fold in the ground almonds and<br />
flour. Spoon the mixture evenly over the<br />
black butter and layer the apple slices over<br />
the top.<br />
Bake for 35–40 minutes until golden, then<br />
remove from the oven and leave to cool to<br />
room temperature in the tin.<br />
Meanwhile, make the glaze. Pop the sugar<br />
and boiling water into a small pan and<br />
heat, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.<br />
Brush the tart with the glaze, then carefully<br />
remove from the tin to a serving plate. Slice<br />
and serve with the cream.<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 11
How has<br />
covid<br />
changed<br />
education?<br />
What positives can<br />
we take from this<br />
pandemic?<br />
Teaching during these<br />
difficult times has created a<br />
blended learning approach,<br />
meaning a school has had<br />
to develop a multi-faceted<br />
approach to education.<br />
Andy Perryer, Digital<br />
Learning Adviser for<br />
Cognita, reflects on how<br />
teachers and pupils have<br />
embraced online learning<br />
during the pandemic in this<br />
piece for the Independent<br />
Schools Council.<br />
Last week, a teacher at Breaside Prep,<br />
one of the Cognita schools just outside<br />
London, showed me how her class had<br />
taken to using collaborative documents.<br />
It sounds ordinary but is anything but. It<br />
started with a blank screen. Then a sprout<br />
of an idea appeared, followed by one<br />
branch and another; images were added,<br />
giving life and colour to the initial thinking,<br />
and a stream of comment boxes popped<br />
over the screen. All within the space of a<br />
minute: an explosion of creativity.<br />
Online teaching under Covid-19<br />
restrictions has been a hothouse for<br />
EdTech in the independent sector.<br />
Sometimes painful necessity has seen<br />
schools’ digital wizardry advance two+<br />
years in mere weeks, as online tools once<br />
viewed as ‘nice to have’ additions become<br />
everyday necessities. So the future has<br />
arrived early, with lasting implications for<br />
what it means to be a teacher.<br />
But the story of the last few months is not<br />
a chronicle of the wonders of technology<br />
– rather the value of good teachers who<br />
are flexible, adaptable and committed.<br />
Evidence has shown that just giving<br />
children digital devices and software<br />
leads nowhere. The technology is an<br />
engine of education, but it’s the quality<br />
of the teacher’s guidance, motivation,<br />
feedback and interaction that are the allimportant<br />
wheels.<br />
Our schools in the UK were able to learn<br />
key lockdown lessons early on due to<br />
experiences shared by our sister schools<br />
in Asia, where the pandemic hit first.<br />
Chief among these was that well-being<br />
and a sense of security had to be the<br />
initial foundation. Pupils had to see their<br />
teachers and classmates, albeit virtually,<br />
and have time to re-establish feelings of<br />
being part of a community - before the<br />
impetus for learning was unlocked.<br />
There’s no doubt it’s been a trial by fire.<br />
Before Covid-19, teachers tended to<br />
fall into two camps: those who were<br />
comfortable with IT anyway, and those<br />
who couldn’t wait to turn off their<br />
laptop and get back into the classroom.<br />
Either way, the transition to online has<br />
prompted an incredible groundswell of<br />
teacher collaboration as peers share the<br />
challenges they’re feeling in this brave<br />
new world - along with ideas, support<br />
and handy hacks for overcoming them.<br />
Out went normal routines and mindsets<br />
as the realisation soon set in that an<br />
element of freewheeling agility is what’s<br />
needed. For example, as soon as we<br />
learned how to set up outward-facing<br />
webinars on Microsoft Teams in April, we<br />
had live online events up and running for<br />
parents from the following week on how<br />
to support children through lockdown.<br />
Before, this would have likely involved<br />
months of planning.<br />
We’ve been fortunate at Cognita in that the<br />
UK pandemic restrictions came towards<br />
the end of our national initiative to refresh<br />
how EdTech was being used, introducing<br />
mobile technology and wireless screen<br />
sharing as standard in the classroom. We<br />
were already encouraging teachers to be<br />
more mobile around classrooms, making<br />
their teaching practice more flexible and<br />
intuitive. They could take a snap of a<br />
student’s piece of work for instantaneous<br />
sharing and peer feedback, and teach<br />
from where they were needed rather than<br />
be tethered to the corner of the room<br />
where the tech used to sit. We showed<br />
them how digital tools could transform<br />
learning, not just substitute what is done<br />
without them. That’s what lockdown<br />
brought into sharp focus.<br />
As per the opening example of children<br />
using collaborative documents,<br />
we’ve seen how difficult times have<br />
opened eyes to how learning can be<br />
enhanced: the limits to collaboration<br />
and participation while working on<br />
paper in a classroom; the benefits of<br />
personalisation and student agency,<br />
when students get to choose how and<br />
when they study and who they learn<br />
with. Feedback has been transformed.<br />
Teachers have more options, from the<br />
simple text box, to a short piece of<br />
audio or a fully interactive video that<br />
encourages more depth and variety in<br />
responses; if a group of students are<br />
experiencing the same issue, they can<br />
provide group face-to-face feedback;<br />
and most importantly the feedback is on<br />
record, something that can be returned<br />
to rather than advice in a classroom that<br />
can’t always be remembered.<br />
The <strong>2020</strong> pandemic won’t be remembered<br />
as a blip for education but a step change,<br />
the opening up of the box to genuinely<br />
blended learning - the best of both online<br />
and face-to-face. And that will mean<br />
more flexibility and freedom for teaching<br />
professionals, no longer rooted in the<br />
classroom but able to move between the<br />
physical and virtual<br />
worlds, marshalling<br />
stores of resources<br />
and collaboration in<br />
ways that provide<br />
a more engaging,<br />
innovative education<br />
experience for our<br />
children.<br />
The Independent Schools Council (ISC)<br />
brings together seven associations and<br />
four affiliate associations to represent over<br />
1,300 independent schools. These schools<br />
are amongst the best in the world, and<br />
educate more than half-a-million children.<br />
12 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
HELP BABY STAY<br />
ASLEEP<br />
ewan the Dream sheep makes the<br />
perfect gift for all new parents and it is<br />
no surprise given its intelligent features<br />
including MoonMode smartCRY, that<br />
ensures ewan automatically activates<br />
when baby stirs in the night. Sleepy<br />
parents won’t need to get out of bed,<br />
as ewan will already be playing their little<br />
ones favourite white noise – you can<br />
never go wrong with the gift of sleep!<br />
£39.99, Sweetdreamers.co.uk<br />
EARLY YEARS<br />
Essentials<br />
If you are about to welcome your first child or<br />
you’re looking for some lovely gifts for a mummyto-be,<br />
we’ve brought together some practical ideas<br />
ALL-SEASON CARRIER<br />
KEEP BABY SAFE IN THE SUN<br />
SnoozeShade® is the<br />
original breathable, blackout<br />
sun and sleep solution for<br />
prams, buggies, car seats<br />
and travel cots – a simpler,<br />
easier, lightweight and secure<br />
alternative to a draped coat<br />
or blankets – the perfect<br />
solution for keeping your<br />
little one protected on your<br />
daily walk, or even whilst<br />
snoozing in the garden! It<br />
blocks 97.5% of the sun’s<br />
harsh UV rays. From £19.99,<br />
snoozeshade.com<br />
The team at Infantino, the brand<br />
famous for creating smartly<br />
designed products for happy<br />
parenting, are thrilled to unveil<br />
the all-new In Season Carrier.<br />
The unique ergonomic carrier<br />
supports 4 carrying positions<br />
and has been thoughtfully<br />
designed with 5 integrated<br />
layers to allow families to<br />
carry throughout the whole<br />
year. The revolutionary allweather<br />
carrier will keep you<br />
and your little one prepared<br />
to brace the elements - from<br />
frosty winter days through<br />
to sizzling summer . £74.99,<br />
available at Smyths Toys & Argos<br />
Open Evening<br />
Thursday 17 <strong>Sep</strong>tember<br />
<strong>2020</strong><br />
Burford School<br />
Founded 1571<br />
An outstanding day and boarding school<br />
for students aged 11-18<br />
Boarding: 2.30-4.30pm<br />
Day School: 4.30-7.30pm<br />
Unlocking potential Inspiring futures<br />
Visitors are also welcome by appointment on any normal school day.<br />
01993 823283 (Boarding) www.burford.oxon.sch.uk 01993 823303 (Day)<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 13
LOVING<br />
home<br />
With holiday plans scuppered and moves delayed, we<br />
look at the ways you can transform your home into the<br />
perfect, functional family space you need<br />
Image from Lights4Fun.co.uk<br />
14 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
STYLE TIP<br />
Looking to replace your French doors?<br />
Crittall-style aluminium doors look wonderful<br />
in a whole host of properties - including<br />
period rooms where they complement the<br />
grandeur and scale of the space.<br />
Image from Ideal Glass<br />
CONSERVATORY CONVERSION<br />
Replacing a glass or polycarbonate conservatory roof with an insulated<br />
solid composite roof will match it up to the house and make it look like<br />
a natural extension with a sense of permanence. There’ll be no more<br />
problems with sun glare, leaks or a build-up of condensation, transforming<br />
your old conservatory into a more usable living space that is<br />
also more sound-proof. Composite roofs are also ideal for home office<br />
spaces, home studios, garden rooms, and orangeries.<br />
Image from Ultraframe<br />
16 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
Image from Herringbone Kitchens<br />
EXTENDING LIVING<br />
SPACE<br />
If a move is off the cards but your house is bursting at<br />
the seams, first consider where you can make the most<br />
of unused space - it’s generally the most cost-effective<br />
way to gain those extra square feet.<br />
Loft conversions will require professional drawing plans<br />
and, in some cases, planning permission too. If you live<br />
in a flat, a semi-detached, or terraced property, then a<br />
party wall agreement will also be needed. And if you<br />
live in a conservation area as well, there are additional<br />
hoops to jump through. Lastly, loft conversions need to<br />
adhere to building regulations. As a rule of thumb, you<br />
need a minimum height of 2.1 metres over 50% of the<br />
room after the new floor has been put in.<br />
Image from Ideal Glass<br />
There are many different types of loft conversion<br />
available including: skylight, rear dormer, double dormer,<br />
mansard, double mansard and hip-to-gable. So, giving<br />
an estimate of costs is tricky as it also depends on<br />
where you live in the UK. But once you’ve decided<br />
to invest and upgrade your loft space, you can take<br />
comfort in knowing you’ve created that<br />
beautiful extra room you and your family<br />
have been looking for. And, of course,<br />
you’ll have added several thousand<br />
pounds to the value of your home.<br />
STYLE TIP<br />
Indecision costs! Before starting your conversion of any space, make sure<br />
your plans are fully spec’d out. Make the most of all storage space - that’s<br />
often at a premium in smaller homes. The addition of a bathroom is great in a<br />
loft conversion, but don’t add one at the expense of making the bedroom too<br />
small. Keep decor light and breezy and invest in roof insulation to help control<br />
temperature in the space, as well as sufficient wall coverings.<br />
If a loft conversion won’t satisfy your<br />
needs, then you might want to consider<br />
a reconfiguration or extension in your<br />
living space. Rules, known as ‘permitted<br />
development’ rights, allow you to extend<br />
a house without needing to apply for<br />
planning permission if specific limitations<br />
and conditions are met - check your local<br />
authority website to find out the specific<br />
details. Usually, even an extension of<br />
a few square metres can make a huge<br />
difference to how you can use and<br />
configure living space - creating more<br />
convivial, conversational zones which<br />
appeal to modern ways of living.<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 17
KITCHEN REDESIGN<br />
The kitchen is the undeniable powerhouse of the home,<br />
the hub around which most of family life swirls. If you<br />
only have the budget to change one space, this will<br />
probably be the one that will have the single biggest<br />
impact to your life.<br />
Many houses, typically period properties, don’t allow for<br />
larger kitchens without some reconfiguration of space -<br />
either in the form of opening up walls between reception<br />
rooms and the kitchen, or by adding an extension. The<br />
former is obviously the more cost-effective, requiring<br />
the advice of structural engineers if load-bearing walls<br />
are removed.<br />
If you do add an extension, either side return or larger,<br />
to make space for a larger kitchen, be aware of the<br />
light you are taking from any other spaces and try to<br />
compensate for that with your other glazing choices.<br />
Mereway Kitchens<br />
Brayer Design<br />
STYLE TIP<br />
When it comes to choosing<br />
a kitchen, it’s best to go for<br />
what you like over following<br />
‘trends’. These are substantial<br />
investments and first and<br />
foremost the space must be<br />
functional - there is no point<br />
in having an island if there is<br />
not sufficient space to move<br />
around it, nor for marble<br />
worktops if your counters have<br />
to stand up to the rigours of<br />
family life.<br />
That does not, however, mean<br />
you should eschew interesting<br />
developments - kitchen tech<br />
constantly evolves, from<br />
extraction hoods, ovens,<br />
worktop technology. Cabinet<br />
design has come a long way<br />
too - deep drawers replace<br />
hard-to-use cupboards and<br />
the larder is coming to the fore<br />
again with inbuilt electric points<br />
- with many of us looking to<br />
hide all our products and small<br />
appliances from sight.<br />
STYLE TIP<br />
Tom Howley<br />
Open shelving, either on<br />
the base or upper units can<br />
help increase the feeling of<br />
space in a smaller kitchen,<br />
and be a great way to show<br />
off some of your treasured<br />
cookery books or favourite<br />
tableware. Try to keep<br />
open shelving away from<br />
the cooker though - it will<br />
minimise fat splatter onto<br />
the items.<br />
18 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
REDBROOK KITCHENS<br />
& THE TILE BARN<br />
We Specialise in Bespoke Kitchen Design & Manufacture,<br />
Bathroom Design & Installation, Bespoke Wardrobes.<br />
British Made Kitchens in the Heart of the <strong>Cotswolds</strong><br />
We have a wide selection of Tiles including Ceramic, Porcelain & Real Stone<br />
Kitchen Show Room<br />
Working Men’s Cottage,<br />
Vineyard Street,<br />
Winchcombe<br />
GL54 5LP<br />
01242 621177<br />
www.redbrookkitchens.com<br />
www.thetilebarn.com<br />
paddy@redbrookkitchens.com<br />
Tile Show Room & Factory<br />
Unit 1 Park Farm,<br />
Evesham Road,<br />
Winchcombe<br />
GL54 5BX
Collection from bridgman.co.uk<br />
Large Antique<br />
Brass Lantern, £95,<br />
ellajames.co.uk<br />
GARDEN ROOMS<br />
Those blessed with larger gardens have probably<br />
made the most of a lockdown in the sunshine...<br />
but larger gardens can also house garden rooms.<br />
These purpose-built structures can be fully<br />
plumbed in and have electricity installed, making<br />
them a viable space if your new work from home<br />
regime looks likely to stay in place - anyone who<br />
has been working balanced on the edge of the<br />
dining table with the family running riot around<br />
them will know it is not conducive to a happy<br />
working environment, so utilising space outside<br />
of the house is an excellent solution which<br />
causes no major interior upheaval. Unless you<br />
live in a conservation area or your home is listed,<br />
you will generally not need planning permission<br />
for these structures.<br />
Even with a smaller garden, utilising the space<br />
and making it feel like one homogeneous zone<br />
will make your living space feel amplified.<br />
Consider using matching or tonally similar<br />
flooring from the kitchen out to the patio, and if<br />
budget allows, opt for large panes of glazing or<br />
bi-fold doors to really allow the spaces to flow<br />
between each other.<br />
When setting up your outside space, the key is<br />
layering soft furnishings and lighting to make the<br />
seating area feel inviting. Use similar tones and<br />
textures in the adjoining room to make the spaces<br />
flow between each other. Al fresco entertaining<br />
will never have been so stylish!<br />
STYLE TIP<br />
Light and dress your outside space with the same care and<br />
attention you would your dining table when hosting. Will<br />
there be enough light after sunset, from the side, the table<br />
and maybe overhead like these fabulous string lights form<br />
lights4fun.co.uk. Dress the table too with lovely linens and<br />
have provisions like small throws over the backs of chairs<br />
just in case the temperature drops.<br />
Turkish Cotton<br />
Throw, £26,<br />
hauslife.co.uk<br />
Antique Brass<br />
Tray, £75,<br />
ellajames.co.uk<br />
Hampstead Bench, £290,<br />
gardentrading.co.uk<br />
Savannah Grey Liftup<br />
Garden Daybed,<br />
£649, danetti.com<br />
Ennial Outdoor Rug, from<br />
£49, escapologyhome.com<br />
Mai Cotton<br />
Cushion Cover,<br />
£40, hauslife.co.uk<br />
20 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Our Coronavirus<br />
Journey<br />
Flooring and furniture specialists of<br />
Cheltenham, is now open for business<br />
to provide a Covid-19 secure customer<br />
experience<br />
On the 20th of March this year and for the<br />
first time in our history we had to close<br />
our doors to the public.<br />
For the health and safety of our<br />
customers and staff we decided this was<br />
the only course of action open to us.<br />
Fast forward to June 1st and we are back<br />
open for business. We would like to take<br />
a moment to thank all our customers for<br />
their patients through out this time.<br />
Things are a little different here at<br />
Winnens now but its working and we<br />
“We would like<br />
to take a moment<br />
to thank all our<br />
customers for their<br />
patients through<br />
out this time.”<br />
think will provide you with an even better<br />
customer experience.<br />
All business is now directed through our<br />
Cheltenham store and showroom visits<br />
are by appointment only. This means you<br />
get the run of the store to yourself and<br />
one to one help advice if you need it.<br />
All necessary precautions are in place<br />
to keep us Covid secure and more<br />
information can be found on our website.<br />
Our fitters are out getting new floors<br />
down and working individually in order to<br />
maintain safe social distancing.<br />
Our surveyers our conducting surveys via<br />
video call to minimise visits to your home<br />
or work place and when this isn’t possible<br />
we are still making site visits whilst<br />
adhering to all the safety guidelines.<br />
So if you are looking for a new floor, email<br />
info@winnens.co.uk us today to book an<br />
appointment or visit us at our website.<br />
www.winnens.co.uk<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 21
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
SUSTAINABLE HOUSING<br />
DEVELOPMENT IN<br />
GLOUCESTERSHIRE REACHES<br />
KEY MILESTONE<br />
A highly anticipated development<br />
of new, sustainable homes in<br />
Gloucestershire is set to open its show<br />
home for viewings in <strong>Sep</strong>tember...<br />
This marks a significant stage in progress<br />
on the site, which is already proving<br />
popular with potential purchasers despite<br />
the Covid-19 pandemic.<br />
With a restored and converted Victorian<br />
school building at the heart of the site,<br />
‘Lime Grove’ offers a striking selection<br />
of thoroughly modern homes with a<br />
traditional core, sympathetic to the<br />
historic surroundings. Designed in<br />
collaboration with leading architects,<br />
each property has been meticulously<br />
thought out to reflect and complement<br />
contemporary living, all within easy reach<br />
of local amenities, leisure facilities and<br />
leading schools as well as the <strong>Cotswolds</strong><br />
countryside.<br />
The development is the latest in<br />
an impressive portfolio by property<br />
developer, MELT Homes, providing<br />
customers with a choice of apartments<br />
and 4 and 5-bed homes with<br />
sustainability at the forefront. All of the<br />
homes at ‘Lime Grove’ are heated with<br />
a ground source heat pump meaning<br />
lower heating bills, easier maintenance<br />
and a lower carbon footprint. They are<br />
well-ahead of the government’s Future<br />
Homes Standard 2025, which will require<br />
all new build homes to be built without<br />
gas boilers.<br />
CEO at MELT Homes, Evan Maindonald,<br />
said: “We believe that designing<br />
sustainability into our homes is important;<br />
however, it isn’t easy. This requires a lot<br />
of hard work, imagination and creativity.<br />
As a relatively small, more bespoke<br />
property developer, we can exercise<br />
that creativity in a way that larger,<br />
mainstream developers can’t. Lime<br />
Grove is benefiting from this in multiple<br />
ways, including through the introduction<br />
of ground source heat pumps and the<br />
restoration, rather than demolition, of the<br />
historic school building on the site.<br />
The homes here have already attracted<br />
substantial interest and we are looking<br />
forward to being able to show interested<br />
buyers the level of quality in finish and the<br />
setting that we have created here. Virtual<br />
viewings using 3D modelling have been<br />
possible up until now, but it is never quite<br />
the same as seeing the property ‘in the<br />
flesh’ and getting a feel for the place.”<br />
The first phase of homes is due to<br />
complete in autumn, followed by the rest<br />
of the development in Spring.<br />
01452 346 174<br />
sales@limegrovegloucester.co.uk<br />
www.limegrovegloucester.co.uk<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 23
UNDERSTANDING THE CLIENT AND THE SETTING<br />
Perfecting your design involves teamwork, it is important to understand a client’s style<br />
and approach and sympathetically guide them in a way that suits the property and its<br />
architecture. During client centred meetings they will talk through your initial ideas,<br />
direct you through the process and include the correct designer for your needs. Possibly<br />
the single most important aspect of your design is ensuring it fits the local planning<br />
requirements in your area. Building Restorations have a wealth of experience and the<br />
necessary professionals on hand to guide you along the most suitable route to gaining<br />
the appropriate permissions.<br />
As a customer focused company, Buildings Restoration always strive to match up client<br />
budgets with expectations, understanding that every design is unique and individual. So,<br />
should you have a desire to embark upon a project and require help throughout the journey<br />
they can help, advise and oversee the entire process for you. If you have not chosen an<br />
architect, they can recommend a suitable one!
MODERN SOLUTIONS<br />
FOR HERITAGE PROPERTIES<br />
Building Restorations Ltd specialise in a<br />
range of building and restoration services<br />
for listed buildings, older properties and<br />
even large scale new builds...<br />
CAPABLE, EXPERIENCED BUILDERS<br />
Building Restorations Ltd is a family run company who<br />
operate from a base in Cambridge, Gloucestershire,<br />
where they are ideally located to serve the <strong>Cotswolds</strong><br />
and beyond.<br />
They are a well-established business with the<br />
capabilities to exceed the expectations of even the<br />
most demanding of projects. The knowledgeable<br />
and conscientious work force have the skills and<br />
experience to undertake listed building conversion<br />
and restoration, property alterations, extensions and<br />
large, bespoke new build projects. Whilst they pride<br />
themselves on their attention to detail and a high level<br />
of traditional construction skills, they also embrace<br />
new technologies and trends.<br />
BUILDING RESTORATIONS LTD<br />
Unit 5 & 7, Cambridge Mills,<br />
Cambridge GL2 7AA | 01453 890055<br />
www.buildingrestorations.co.uk
image from Studio McGee<br />
DECOR HOW TO:<br />
THE MODERN RUSTIC AESTHETIC<br />
What do you get when you mix<br />
mid-century modern furniture with<br />
rustic materials and accents? A<br />
perfectly modern rustic look! Kate,<br />
the founder of online homewares<br />
company Haus, delves into how you<br />
can achieve the look in your home.<br />
New to modern rustic style? You’ve<br />
probably seen it before and just<br />
didn’t know what to call it. It involves<br />
comfortable but streamlined furniture,<br />
natural elements, earth tones, and<br />
reliance on rustic materials and decor.<br />
This style is all over Instagram and<br />
Pinterest, and brilliant designers like<br />
Amber Interiors and Studio McGee often<br />
design rooms that you could easily say<br />
are of this style.<br />
Comfortable foundations<br />
Comfort is key with this look. So, the<br />
largest pieces of furniture in any modern<br />
rustic room should be streamlined<br />
but never skimp on comfort. In living<br />
rooms, start with cosy oversized sofas.<br />
In bedrooms, opt for plush, upholstered<br />
beds. For a dining room, look for an<br />
oversized, rustic wood dining table<br />
around which big groups can gather.<br />
But, while prioritizing comfort, make sure<br />
the furniture lines are clean and simple to<br />
keep the look modern.<br />
Add Mid-Century Modern<br />
Accents<br />
Once the comfortable foundation is<br />
laid, introduce a more mid-century or<br />
eclectic vibe. At first it may seem odd<br />
to mix these styles—but the contrast<br />
they create is what makes this look so<br />
dynamic and fun.<br />
An easy place to do this is with your<br />
accent furniture. Think of an eclectic<br />
woven leather armchair or a coffee or<br />
bedside table with an antique flair. In<br />
dining rooms, pair your farmhouse dining<br />
table with more modern seating, like<br />
Wishbone or Eames shell chairs.<br />
Create Conversational<br />
Layouts<br />
A family-friendly style by nature,<br />
modern rustic interiors often have more<br />
symmetrical layouts that are geared<br />
toward large gatherings and facilitate<br />
conversations. (Hence the huge, rustic<br />
dining table we suggested above.) This<br />
is where the look leans more rustic and<br />
formal rather than modern and eclectic.<br />
Layer on Natural<br />
Textures<br />
When bringing the modern<br />
rustic style to life, we love<br />
the opportunity to play<br />
with textures and different<br />
materials. This keeps a<br />
room looking liveable and<br />
approachable. Look for natural<br />
materials like seagrass, jute,<br />
ceramics, leather, and liveedge<br />
woods—then mix and<br />
match them together in one<br />
space, incorporating them<br />
in furniture, lighting, and decor accents!<br />
This helps the room feel dynamic and<br />
visually interesting<br />
We love introducing lots of texture with<br />
soft furnishings too - think of fringing<br />
and tufts plus artisanal products like the<br />
gorgeously tactile mudcloth cushions,<br />
with their handwoven texture and<br />
abundance of prints and patterns.<br />
Introduce Industrial<br />
Lighting<br />
With modern rustic, light fixtures are<br />
often industrial with sleek, streamlined<br />
forms that are sculptural in nature. Look<br />
for matte black or antique brass options,<br />
or even rattan and include multi-level<br />
light sources.<br />
Shop the range of artisanal<br />
homewares at www.hauslife.co.uk<br />
Fox Club Chair,<br />
£870, limelace.co.uk<br />
Tray, £40, sweetpeaandwillow.com<br />
26 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
image from modsy.com<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Cosmia Tassel Throw,<br />
£58, hauslife.co.uk<br />
Anouk Pillow Cover<br />
(also available in coral),<br />
£35, hauslife.co.uk<br />
image from One Affirmation<br />
image from Studio McGee<br />
SHOP<br />
THE<br />
LOOK<br />
Layer these<br />
items in your<br />
home to nail the<br />
modern rustic<br />
look<br />
Anouk Pillow Cover,<br />
£56, hauslife.co.uk<br />
Wells Bubble Vase<br />
Wide, £40,<br />
gardentrading.co.uk<br />
Lines Mudcloth<br />
Pillow, £58,<br />
hauslife.co.uk<br />
Boston Reclaimed Wood<br />
Coffee Table, £314,<br />
modishliving.co.uk<br />
Extra Long Calliope<br />
Lumbar Cushion, £75,<br />
hauslife.co.uk<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 27
Later life...<br />
Let the fun begin !.?<br />
Here Peter Thomson takes stock of time during lockdown and how<br />
many older people benefitted from their time at home<br />
The past few months have been<br />
remarkable in mainly a bad way but<br />
thankfully with a few positives thrown in.<br />
Wishing to avoid adding to the negative<br />
bombardments we have been receiving<br />
daily, I am going to concentrate on some of<br />
these positives and how they might interact<br />
with ‘later life’.<br />
Enforced lockdowns have afforded many<br />
of us the ‘luxury’ of decoupling from the<br />
daily grind and given us a time to take<br />
stock. With no workday commuting nor<br />
competing activities to get in the way we<br />
have been able to undertake projects<br />
that have remained on the back burner<br />
or indulge ourselves with new hobbies or<br />
fitness regimes.<br />
It has in effect been a form of preretirement<br />
when people approaching<br />
their golden age get a chance to taste<br />
the future without having to make the<br />
big decision. Retirement used to be at<br />
a fixed age whereby a suitable present<br />
was bought and a venue booked so that<br />
everyone could give their soon to be<br />
former colleague a good send-off. If you<br />
are having to make this decision yourself<br />
do you soldier on whatever or call it a day<br />
28 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk<br />
half dreading a retirement with nothing to<br />
do. You can only bake so many cakes and<br />
the garden is not a 7 day a week job. At<br />
this point anxieties can be awakened in as<br />
the old adage ‘use it or lose it’ cuts in and<br />
people become fearful for their future.<br />
But what has the lockdown taught us?<br />
Without getting on an ecological soapbox,<br />
we have all had time to appreciate the<br />
environment we live in. With much less<br />
travel and industry taking place the world<br />
gently began to heal itself. Seemingly bluer<br />
skies and more birdsong have been truly<br />
gladdening. Hopefully all this good will<br />
not be undone as we begin to return to<br />
the new normal. There has been a huge<br />
upswing in the amount of walking and<br />
cycling that has been taking place. People<br />
have discovered some beautiful locations<br />
within a short distance of their homes as<br />
well as getting exercise.<br />
It has also taught that the business of living<br />
is very important for people of all ages.<br />
If you do not nurture these processes<br />
and realise their importance you will<br />
miss out on many uplifting and enriching<br />
experiences. In a funny way it should not<br />
be called’ later life’, but just ‘life’!
At Calida Care, we know that one size does<br />
not fit all and support with personal care,<br />
dementia care, ill health, physical frailty and<br />
even just companionship. We also provide<br />
short term respite care.<br />
Our managed Live-In Care includes:<br />
Holistic and bespoke care planning<br />
A dedicated Care Manager who will<br />
personally manage your care<br />
One to one support from a dedicated<br />
Calida Carer<br />
24/7 support available for you and your<br />
loved ones<br />
We are here to help. Please contact us to<br />
discuss your Live-In Care requirements.<br />
t: 01256 700991<br />
e: enquiries@calidacare.co.uk<br />
Live-In Care is the preferred option for those<br />
wishing to remain in the comfort of their own<br />
home.<br />
Read more about us at<br />
www.calidacare.co.uk<br />
10 top foods for eating well as we get older<br />
As we age it is vitally important to eat<br />
certain foods which offer a huge benefit<br />
to people as they age. The correct foods<br />
help in maintaining their health and<br />
memory if they’re consumed as part of<br />
a healthy lifestyle.<br />
Eating a certain type of food won’t help<br />
you cure a disease or prevent dementia,<br />
but a healthy diet packed with nutritious<br />
foods does have its benefits. Specific<br />
products can benefit those in elderly care<br />
homes and help them maintain their health<br />
and memory if they’re consumed as part<br />
of a healthy lifestyle. Not sure which foods<br />
should be on your or your loved one’s<br />
grocery list? Here are the top 10 foods<br />
that senior citizens should be eating.<br />
1. Apples<br />
Apples are wonderful fruits for those who<br />
are struggling to maintain their blood sugar<br />
levels or who have high cholesterol. The<br />
soluble fibre they contain can help lower<br />
cholesterol and slow the uptake of glucose.<br />
Apples also provide potassium, antioxidants<br />
and vitamin C.<br />
2. Shellfish<br />
Shellfish like crab, oysters and scallops<br />
contain vitamin B12, iron, magnesium and<br />
potassium, all of which are beneficial for<br />
brain function.<br />
3. Leafy green vegetables<br />
Leafy greens like spinach, kale, and turnip<br />
greens, as well as vegetables like broccoli,<br />
have been linked to lower levels of cognitive<br />
decline as people age.<br />
4. Fish<br />
Salmon, halibut, tuna, mackerel, sardines<br />
and other cold-water fish have high<br />
omega-3 fatty acid levels, making them<br />
good for the heart and brain. If seafood isn’t<br />
your cup of tea, beans, nuts, flaxseeds and<br />
healthy oils can be good substitutes.<br />
5. Eggs<br />
Eggs are easy to incorporate into a<br />
meal and full of protein. They also<br />
contain choline, which is a B vitamin that<br />
benefits memory and encourages stress<br />
management.<br />
6. Asparagus<br />
Asparagus is full of nutrients that benefit<br />
seniors. Lycopene, for example, can protect<br />
against prostate cancer. Vitamin A boosts<br />
the immune system and eye health, while<br />
fibre aids in cholesterol reduction and<br />
contributes to heart health.<br />
7. Berries and dark-skinned fruits<br />
Berries and dark-skinned fruits have plenty<br />
of antioxidants, which help fight damaging<br />
free radicals in the body. Blueberries,<br />
blackberries, strawberries, raspberries,<br />
plums, oranges, red grapes and cherries are<br />
all good options.<br />
8. Dark chocolate<br />
You will be pleased to know that your<br />
chocolate habit might be good for you!<br />
Dark chocolate is full of antioxidants, and<br />
may help prevent heart attacks, lower blood<br />
pressure and decrease the risk of stroke.<br />
9. Coffee<br />
If you drink coffee, you’re in luck. Drinking<br />
coffee can reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s<br />
disease, heart and respiratory diseases,<br />
stroke, diabetes and infections.<br />
10. Greek yoghurt<br />
Greek yoghurt is full of protein and<br />
digestion-friendly probiotics, and it’s low<br />
in sugar. It’s also got plenty of calcium for<br />
bone health.<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 29
NOTES FROM THE GARDEN<br />
PLANNING next year's springtime<br />
Matt Biggs is our resident garden<br />
advisor. Here he gives us advice<br />
on how to prepare our garden for<br />
next year. Matt trained at The<br />
Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and<br />
has presented numerous television<br />
programmes including Channel 4’s<br />
Garden Club.<br />
There is no doubt that this year has been a<br />
year like no other. It has changed so many<br />
things in so many ways, and one of those is<br />
the time that some of us have had to spend<br />
in our gardens. Whether you are a true<br />
‘son of the soil’ or someone who wouldn’t<br />
necessarily know a daffodil from a daisy, we<br />
have had time to contemplate that space<br />
outside of our window, be it a window box,<br />
courtyard or garden.<br />
Gardening offers us so many benefits - the<br />
opportunity to exercise, space to think,<br />
space to grow new plants, delicious edibles<br />
and fabulous fruit, play with the kids, count<br />
butterflies, feed birds, and there is another,<br />
really important thing that it offers us - the<br />
opportunity to plan for the future.<br />
With so much uncertainty in life there is<br />
something very life affirming about planning<br />
our gardens for next year - and now is the<br />
time to do that. Ornamental bulbs are in our<br />
garden centres now - bulbs are amazing!<br />
They require very little care, takes almost<br />
no skill at all to plant - even if you plant it<br />
upside down it will still appear - kids love to<br />
help choose and plant them and then there<br />
is that wonderful day when a green shoot<br />
spikes its way out of the ground heralding<br />
the beauty to<br />
follow. So this<br />
month get out<br />
to your garden<br />
centre or<br />
nursery, take a<br />
pen and paper<br />
and make a list<br />
or check put<br />
a bulb catalogue<br />
and start planning for a new year filled with<br />
colour and optimism - and bring some<br />
excitement and colour into your life next<br />
spring - all from a little brown bulb!<br />
To find out more about Matt’s love of<br />
gardening please visit www.matthewbiggs.<br />
com where you will discover some<br />
inspirational material.<br />
Image Hypnos Beds<br />
LEADING BRANDS AT<br />
AMAZING PRICES<br />
“Over 25 Mattresses to try from leading<br />
manufacturers such as Hypnos, Kaymed,<br />
Mlily, Dormeo and many more...”<br />
FREE LOCAL DELIVERY<br />
FREE ONSITE PARKING<br />
OLD BED / MATTRESS DISPOSAL AVAILABLE<br />
New shop now open!<br />
Unit 1, 23 Salisbury Road, Amesbury, SP4 7AW<br />
www.elitebedsandmattressesdirect.co.uk<br />
Thatcham: Unit 9, Wyvale Garden<br />
Centre, Bath Road, Thatcham,<br />
RG18 3AN • Tel : 01635 897665<br />
Devizes: l & 2 Windsor Drive, Devizes,<br />
SNlO 2TH • Tel: 01380 887943<br />
30 | www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk
Is now the time<br />
to consider equity<br />
release?<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
Your home could be the key to<br />
unlocking your later life<br />
retirement plans...<br />
The family home represents a significant asset in many<br />
people’s portfolio, but the money tied up within its walls is often<br />
untouchable without having to downsize. With equity release<br />
however, this is no longer the case. A Lifetime Mortgage is an<br />
equity release product which will allow you to access a portion of<br />
this value as a tax-free cash lump sum.<br />
Why consider equity release?<br />
Whether you want to release equity to clear your existing<br />
mortgage, improve your home, or even to gift an early inheritance<br />
to your loved ones, the choice is up to you. Many of my clients<br />
have found that by boosting their finances with a Lifetime<br />
Mortgage, they have been able to meet their long-held retirement<br />
goals.<br />
How can your local adviser help?<br />
My name is Ian Akeroyd, a fully qualified equity release adviser<br />
based in Cheltenham and the <strong>Cotswolds</strong> who services customers<br />
in the surrounding area. I am passionate about providing clear<br />
and professional advice to our local homeowners aged 55 and<br />
over.<br />
As your local adviser, I will be available to answer any questions<br />
that you might have and, when I understand your needs, I will<br />
be able to illustrate how equity release works and why it is<br />
increasingly popular. I recommend seeking my professional<br />
advice as releasing equity could affect the value of your estate<br />
and your entitlement to means-tested benefits.<br />
If you would like to find out more about releasing equity, then<br />
please get in touch with me today. I will review all the financial<br />
options at your disposal and only recommend equity release<br />
if it is the best option for you. Our 5/5 ‘excellent’ rating on<br />
Trustpilot is testament to the priority we place on our customers’<br />
happiness.<br />
For a free, no-obligation chat call today on 01242 303 213 or<br />
email me at ian.akeroyd@responsiblelife.co.uk<br />
Responsible Equity Release is a trading style of Responsible Life Limited.<br />
Only if you choose to proceed and your case completes will Responsible Life Limited<br />
charge an advice fee, currently not exceeding £1,490.<br />
www.northcotswoldslifestyle.co.uk | 31