Abingdon Living Jan - Feb 2021
Our first issue of 2021 - we are celebrating the good things COVID has brought - an appreciation of local businesses, a better sense of community, and more time to work on our homes. We have a real-life room transformation, plus the usual dose of recipes and interviews. Our first issue of 2021 - we are celebrating the good things COVID has brought - an appreciation of local businesses, a better sense of community, and more time to work on our homes. We have a real-life room transformation, plus the usual dose of recipes and interviews.
- Page 3 and 4: Contents A Note from the EDITOR 08
- Page 5 and 6: COMPETITION Time To enter any (or a
- Page 7 and 8: The Green Homes Grant: the basics Y
- Page 9 and 10: MISO MUSHROOMS WITH SWEET POTATO Pr
- Page 11 and 12: Thinking of a new kitchen? Our vegg
- Page 13 and 14: TONIQ On Demand ADVERTISING FEATURE
- Page 15 and 16: MAXIMISING f you’ve never venture
- Page 17 and 18: Specialist Designers & Makers of Cu
- Page 19 and 20: “We were just desperate for some
- Page 22 and 23: image from Studio McGee DECOR HOW T
- Page 24 and 25: NOTES FROM THE GARDEN PLANTING FOR
- Page 26 and 27: CAPTURING THE BEAUTY IN EVERY DAY A
- Page 28 and 29: Stowford House Care Home Your Futur
- Page 30 and 31: we have to be patient. We are in a
- Page 32: Waitrose & Partners No.1 Dry Aged S
Contents<br />
A Note<br />
from the EDITOR<br />
08<br />
Comforting<br />
A Culinary Journey recipes through ready in<br />
Northern 30 minutes Ireland or less<br />
The competition<br />
page returns<br />
05<br />
The New Year issue always brings<br />
with it a certain level of recollection<br />
and introspection, but gosh, we’ve<br />
never had to look back on a year like<br />
the one we’ve just experienced have<br />
we! I wonder at what point I’ll be able<br />
to stop sending off emails sounding<br />
like a <strong>Jan</strong>e Austen character, ‘I trust<br />
you and your family are in good<br />
health and prospering’!<br />
Putting my inner Elizabeth Bennet<br />
aside, I know we aren’t out of the<br />
woods yet, but this edition we have<br />
decided to focus firmly on all the good<br />
that has come from COVID, alongside<br />
the hopes for a brighter, better and<br />
perhaps more compassionate <strong>2021</strong>.<br />
We very much enjoy creature<br />
comforts here at Minerva HQ, and<br />
in that vein, we’ve included a big<br />
serving of ‘hug-in-a-bowl’ type<br />
recipes that can be made in under 30<br />
minutes - for those nights when you<br />
want something tasty but don’t have<br />
the time or inclination to slave over<br />
the stove.<br />
14<br />
A real-life before and<br />
after cellar renovation<br />
Editor Katie Thomson<br />
e katie.thomson@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
Publisher Sally Thomson<br />
Pre-Press Manager Kate O’Connell<br />
Contributors Rebecca Rose, Peter Thomson, Sue Cooke, Matthew Biggs<br />
Angela Cave and Pete Lawrence. Front cover courtesy of Lydia Booth Photography<br />
Key Account Manager Marcus Hawke<br />
e marcus.hawke@minervapublications.co.uk<br />
d/l 01225 984505<br />
twitter: @<strong>Abingdon</strong><strong>Living</strong>1<br />
We interview<br />
Dr Hilary Jones<br />
29<br />
MINERVA PUBLICATIONS HQ<br />
Unit 21c, Paxcroft Farm, Hilperton<br />
Trowbridge BA14 6JB<br />
t 01225 984 550<br />
w www.minervamagazines.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 />
Then, if you’re considering<br />
a renovation, we look at a really<br />
unusual space - a Georgian vault -<br />
and how it was transformed from a<br />
damp and dark hovel into a luxurious<br />
snug - hopefully it inspires you to<br />
re-examine your own spaces that<br />
could be overdue a face lift - we can<br />
guarantee that can’t be much more<br />
challenging than this one!<br />
We had the chance to speak to TV’s<br />
favourite GP Dr Hilary Jones about<br />
the virus, looking after people as they<br />
get older and generally finding ways<br />
to keep as healthy as possible in the<br />
autumn years of life.<br />
We are also welcoming back a very<br />
popular addition to the magazine -<br />
our competition page! This edition<br />
has a bevy of fantastic new prizes to<br />
be won - make sure to check it out!<br />
Next time we see you it will be<br />
nearly spring - a new beginning<br />
many of us are hoping for. See you<br />
in March!<br />
Katie<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 3
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COMPETITION<br />
Time<br />
To enter any (or all!) of our competitions, head to<br />
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Find the competition and enter on that post,<br />
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Two winners will<br />
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www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 5
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travavel@barnescoaches.co.uk<br />
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The Green Homes Grant: the basics<br />
You may have heard homeowners in England can<br />
access vouchers worth up to £5,000 to help fund<br />
energy-efficient home improvements under a new<br />
Government scheme which launched at the end of<br />
September.<br />
Under the scheme, homeowners and landlords in<br />
England can apply for vouchers worth up to<br />
two-thirds of the cost of upgrading the<br />
energy-efficiency of their current home – such<br />
as double glazing to replace single glazing and<br />
low-carbon heating systems. The maximum<br />
contribution you can claim is £5,000, however,<br />
households on low incomes will have access to<br />
claim £10,000.<br />
So, what do you need to know?<br />
There is a time limit: Although originally<br />
planned to run for 6-months, the scheme is now<br />
available until 2022 with the Government<br />
stating that all work must be completed by the<br />
end of March 2022. You will receive a separate<br />
voucher for each measure you wish to install.<br />
Work can begin once you have received your<br />
voucher as work prior to this cannot be claimed.<br />
The grant is suitable for most – but not all:<br />
you may be eligible if you live in England and<br />
own your property (including long leasehold and<br />
Shared Ownership), own your own park home on a<br />
residential site and if you’re a residential landlord.<br />
Renters will not be able to access the scheme. New<br />
builds which have not been previously occupied<br />
and non-domestic properties do not qualify for the<br />
scheme.<br />
Only specific home improvements are eligible:<br />
to qualify for the grant, you’ll need to install what<br />
the Government calls “primary” measures. These<br />
include insulation improvements and installing<br />
low-carbon heating systems.<br />
If you invest in at least one primary improvement,<br />
you’ll also be able to claim to for “secondary”<br />
measures such as replacing single glazing with<br />
double or triple glazing, draught proofing your<br />
home, installing energy-efficient doors and<br />
connecting heating controls. It’s worth noting the<br />
amount you get towards the cost of secondary<br />
measures cannot exceed the amount you received<br />
for primary measures.<br />
Ultimately, managing your energy use will not only<br />
improve the efficiency of your home, but you’ll be<br />
contributing to a lower carbon future. What’s more,<br />
there are specific ‘green’ mortgages which can<br />
help fund any changes. Newbury Building Society<br />
have a Green Further Advance mortgage available<br />
for our existing mortgage customers which can be<br />
used for this purpose and in conjunction with the<br />
grant.<br />
If you’d like to talk to a qualified mortgage adviser<br />
about your options, contact us today.<br />
<strong>Abingdon</strong> branch: 1 West St. Helen Street,<br />
<strong>Abingdon</strong>, OX14 5BL. Call: 01235 527750<br />
email: abingdon@newbury.co.uk<br />
Julie Harris<br />
<strong>Abingdon</strong> Senior Branch Manager<br />
YOUR MORTGAGE IS SECURED ON YOUR HOME. THINK<br />
CAREFULLY BEFORE SECURING OTHER DEBTS AGAINST<br />
YOUR HOME. YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO<br />
NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE.<br />
Newbury Building Society is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority<br />
(Financial Services Register number 206077). English Law applies and we will communicate with you in English. We are participants of the Financial Ombudsman<br />
Service. We have a complaints procedure which we will provide on request. Most complaints that we cannot resolve can be referred to the Financial Ombudsman<br />
Service. 8202<br />
Newbury<br />
Building Society
SPEEDY<br />
Comforting meals ready in 40<br />
minutes or less, when you want a<br />
hug in a bowl with minimal fuss.<br />
All courtesy of Waitrose<br />
CITRUSSY AVOCADO,<br />
PRAWN & LENTIL<br />
SALAD<br />
Preparation time: 20 minutes<br />
Cooking time: 5 minutes<br />
Total time: 25 minutes<br />
Serves: 2<br />
Suppers<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
½ small red onion, sliced into thin rounds<br />
3 essential Waitrose Easy Peelers (sweet<br />
mandarins or clementines), 2 juiced, 1<br />
sliced<br />
1½ tsp red wine vinegar<br />
250g pouch Waitrose & Partners Puy<br />
Lentils<br />
180g large raw king prawns, patted dry<br />
1 tsp ground cumin<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
2 tsp sunflower or vegetable oil<br />
1 ripe avocado, ¼ diced, ¾ sliced<br />
28g pack coriander, leaves only<br />
1½ tbsp low-fat natural yogurt<br />
Chilli flakes (optional), to serve<br />
METHOD<br />
In a bowl, toss the onion in ½ of the<br />
citrus juice, plus 1 tsp vinegar and a little<br />
seasoning; set aside. Heat the lentils<br />
according to pack instructions and let<br />
them cool a little. In another bowl, toss<br />
the prawns with the cumin, ½ of the garlic<br />
and 1 tsp oil; leave to marinate for a few<br />
minutes.<br />
To make the dressing, put the chopped<br />
avocado, 1 tbsp water, the remaining<br />
citrus juice, vinegar, garlic and ½ the<br />
coriander leaves into a jug. Use a hand<br />
blender to whizz until smooth (or use a<br />
jug blender). Stir in the yogurt; season.<br />
Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in a frying<br />
pan and sear the prawns on a high heat<br />
until fully cooked, opaque and pink<br />
throughout – about 3 minutes. Spoon the<br />
warm lentils onto plates, follow with the<br />
sliced mandarins or clementines, sliced<br />
avocado, prawns, dressing and the onion<br />
with a little of its juice. Serve scattered<br />
with the remaining coriander and a few<br />
chilli flakes.<br />
COOK’S TIP<br />
The avocado dressing in this dish is also<br />
a great match for roast chicken or grilled<br />
halloumi.<br />
SPICY YUZU MISO<br />
RAMEN WITH PRAWNS<br />
Preparation time: 5 minutes<br />
Cooking time: 10 minutes<br />
Total time: 15 minutes<br />
Serves: 2<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
100g buckwheat soba noodles (or your<br />
favourite variety, prepared according to<br />
pack instructions)<br />
1 tsp toasted sesame oil<br />
2 tbsp white miso paste<br />
150g shiitake mushrooms, sliced<br />
2 salad onions, white and green parts<br />
separated and chopped<br />
1 pak choi bulb, stem shredded, leaves<br />
left whole<br />
150g pack raw king prawns<br />
1 tsp Yuzu Juice<br />
1 red chilli, sliced (deseeded if liked)<br />
METHOD<br />
Bring a large pan of water to the boil, add<br />
the noodles and simmer for 4 minutes<br />
(watch carefully as buckwheat noodles<br />
can overboil easily). Drain and rinse under<br />
cold water, then toss with the sesame oil<br />
and divide between 2 bowls.<br />
Rinse out the pan and pour in 500ml<br />
just-boiled water. Whisk in the miso<br />
paste. Add the mushrooms and white<br />
parts of the salad onions; simmer for<br />
3 minutes. Add the pak choi stem and<br />
prawns; simmer for 3-4 minutes until the<br />
prawns are fully cooked, opaque and pink<br />
throughout, then stir through the pak choi<br />
leaves and yuzu juice.<br />
Ladle the soup over the noodles and<br />
scatter with the salad onion greens and<br />
sliced chilli.<br />
COOK’S TIP<br />
Yuzu is a Japanese citrus fruit with hints<br />
of mandarin and lime. Its juice is a great<br />
match for all types of fish and is lovely<br />
drizzled over salads and noodles.<br />
8 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
MISO MUSHROOMS WITH<br />
SWEET POTATO<br />
Preparation time: 10 minutes<br />
Cooking time: 20 minutes<br />
Total time: 30 minutes<br />
Serves: 2<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
2 tbsp oil, plus 1 tsp extra<br />
2 tbsp Clearspring Organic Brown Rice Miso<br />
1 garlic clove, crushed<br />
15 sage leaves, 5 finely chopped<br />
4 portabella mushrooms, stalks trimmed<br />
2 sweet potatoes (about 640g), peeled and chopped<br />
6 tbsp single cream or cream alternative<br />
300ml vegetable stock<br />
1 tbsp maple syrup<br />
1 tsp arrowroot or cornflour, mixed with 1 tsp cold water<br />
Swiss chard or other seasonal greens, to serve<br />
METHOD<br />
Mix 1 tbsp oil, 1 tbsp miso, the garlic and chopped<br />
sage; brush over the mushrooms. Boil the potatoes in<br />
a covered pan of salted water for 10-12 minutes, until<br />
very soft. Drain and mash to a smooth purée. Stir in the<br />
cream alternative; season. Preheat the oven to 140˚C,<br />
gas mark 1.<br />
Meanwhile, fry the sage leaves in 1 tbsp oil for 2-3<br />
minutes until crisp. Drain on kitchen paper; keep warm.<br />
Wash out the pan, then boil the stock, the remaining<br />
1 tbsp miso and the maple syrup for 10 minutes, until<br />
reduced to 175ml. Set aside.<br />
Heat the remaining 1 tsp oil in an ovenproof non-stick<br />
frying pan. Fry the mushrooms, stalk-side down, on<br />
a medium-high heat for 2 minutes, pressing now and<br />
again with a fish slice, until deep golden. Turn, cook<br />
for 2 minutes, then put in the oven for 10 minutes.<br />
Reheat the gravy, add any mushroom juices and whisk<br />
in the arrowroot or cornfl our. Simmer until glossy and<br />
a little thick. Season and serve with the veg, sage and<br />
mushrooms.<br />
COOK’S TIP<br />
Arrowroot is really useful for vegetarian or vegan gravies,<br />
as it adds body without making the gravy cloudy. Avoid<br />
re-boiling once it has thickened.<br />
PORCINI BAVETTE STEAKS<br />
WITH MUSHROOMS<br />
Preparation time: 10 minutes (once meat is at room<br />
temperature)<br />
Cooking time: 15 minutes<br />
Total time: 25 minutes<br />
Serves: 2<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
275g pack 2 beef bavette steaks, taken out of the fridge<br />
30 minutes ahead of cooking<br />
1 tsp Cooks’ Ingredients Porcini Mushroom Powder<br />
2 tsp sesame oil<br />
400g pack mashed potato<br />
200g sprouting broccoli, thick stems halved lengthways<br />
1 tbsp unsalted butter<br />
1 tbsp light soya sauce, plus more to serve<br />
200g mixed exotic mushrooms<br />
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 9
METHOD<br />
Preheat the oven to very low, warm 3 plates and<br />
prepare all the ingredients. Rub the steaks with the<br />
porcini powder and 1 tsp oil; season and set aside<br />
to marinate for 5-10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the<br />
mashed potato according to pack instructions.<br />
Steam the broccoli for 4-5 minutes until tender.<br />
Put a non-stick frying pan over a high heat. Sear<br />
the steaks for around 2 minutes on each side,<br />
depending on thickness, flipping after each minute.<br />
During the last 30 seconds, add 2 tsp butter to the<br />
pan, let it melt, then spoon over the meat a few<br />
times as it cooks. Lift the steaks onto a plate and<br />
splash with the soya sauce. Cover loosely and<br />
transfer to the oven.<br />
Add the remaining 1 tsp oil and butter to the hot<br />
pan, then toss in the mushrooms and garlic; season.<br />
Fry over a high heat for 2 minutes until golden; toss<br />
but allow the mushrooms to catch some colour.<br />
Slice the steaks across the grain, put on the warm<br />
plates and serve with the mushrooms and some of<br />
the resting juices, the mash and broccoli, and a dash<br />
more soya sauce, if liked.<br />
COOK’S TIP<br />
Try serving with fresh egg noodles, tossed with the<br />
cooked mushrooms and garlic, instead of the mash.<br />
KIWI LIME PIE<br />
This easy dessert recipe uses juicy kiwi fruit to top the<br />
creamy lime filling and crunchy ginger nut base. An<br />
ideal get-ahead pud. Whilst technically not ready in<br />
30 mins, it can chill whilst you eat your main meal.<br />
Preparation time: 20 minutes, plus chilling<br />
Cooking time: 10 minutes<br />
Total time: 30 minutes, plus chilling<br />
Serves: 8-10<br />
INGREDIENTS<br />
200g ginger nut biscuits<br />
75g unsalted butter, melted<br />
200ml double cream<br />
200g condensed milk<br />
4 unwaxed limes, zest and juice<br />
5 mint leaves, finely shredded<br />
2 Waitrose 1 Perfectly Ripe Kiwis<br />
METHOD<br />
Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4. Line the<br />
base of a 23cm loose-bottomed tart case with a<br />
circle of parchment. Whizz the biscuits in a food<br />
processor until crushed. Add the melted butter and<br />
whizz again. Tip into the tart case and press in the<br />
base and up the sides with the back of a spoon.<br />
Bake for 10 minutes, then set aside to cool.<br />
Put the double cream, condensed milk and lime<br />
zest and juice into a mixing bowl and whisk together<br />
lightly with a balloon whisk. Stir through the mint<br />
then pour into the tart case. Chill for at least an hour.<br />
Top and tail the kiwi fruit, then use a vegetable<br />
peeler to remove the skin. Slice the kiwis, then<br />
tumble over the tart.<br />
COOK’S TIP<br />
Left over condensed milk is brilliant for making<br />
iced coffee, or it can be simmered down to make<br />
caramel. It also freezes well.<br />
10 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
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www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 11
Animal Families and me... with Gordon Buchanan<br />
Join Gordon Buchanan, the highly<br />
acclaimed television wildlife cameraman<br />
and presenter of the popular BBC ‘Grizzly<br />
Bear Cubs and Me’ series for a unique<br />
opportunity to hear personal recollections<br />
of his globe-trotting travels as Gordon<br />
delves into his world of wonderful wildlife<br />
- all illustrated with his own film footage<br />
and photography.<br />
Angela Cave was fortunate to have<br />
the opportunity of talking with Gordon<br />
Buchanan, the man the Daily Telegraph<br />
believes to be the one to step into David<br />
Attenborough’s shoes.<br />
I vividly remember watching Gordon<br />
Buchanan’s ‘close up and personal’<br />
moment with a polar bear and wanting<br />
to hide behind the sofa as the bear<br />
did its best to break into the specially<br />
constructed pod where Gordon was<br />
sitting to film. It is one of those omg tv<br />
moments one does not forget!<br />
I caught up with him as he prepared to<br />
head off to Australia to capture more<br />
amazing footage and spoke to him about<br />
his work and his forthcoming projects…<br />
Many people will watch your<br />
programmes and dream about doing<br />
what you do - perhaps without the polar<br />
bear moment - how did it come about?<br />
Well, as with many things I suppose, it<br />
was serendipity. I was washing pots in a<br />
restaurant and thinking about what I wanted<br />
to do. The owner’s husband was a wildlife<br />
cameraman and needed an assistant, and I<br />
was there, loved wildlife and available so, at<br />
17 I found myself in Sierra Leone and West<br />
Africa having never been abroad before!<br />
You were there for a considerable time<br />
with very little social life or interaction -<br />
what was that like for a 17 year-old?<br />
Well, if I am honest it was tough and quite a<br />
difficult time, in a way it was a time of two<br />
halves, the wildlife and the huge amount I<br />
was learning was amazing but I also longed<br />
to be down the pub with my mates. I spent<br />
all of my birthdays from 17 - 22 in amazing<br />
places but also isolated places. I spent my<br />
21 birthday in the Amazon, but I learnt so<br />
much and was so lucky to be there that it<br />
outweighed any other issues.<br />
The past year has been such a difficult<br />
one, how has it affected you?<br />
In one way I have been so lucky to spend<br />
time with my wife and children instead of<br />
galavanting all over the world, but in other<br />
ways it has put so many projects on hold.<br />
Not just for me but important environmental<br />
initiatives have been shelved and so I really,<br />
really hope that <strong>2021</strong> will see us all back<br />
on track.<br />
We will have seen you in a wonderful<br />
programme over the Christmas period<br />
and we will shortly see you on tour, do<br />
you have any unfinished business from a<br />
travel prospective?<br />
Yes! I have not been to Antarctica and the<br />
wildlife there is so incredibly special so that<br />
is a box I have yet to tick - but watch this<br />
space!<br />
Gordon will be touring UK theatres<br />
in <strong>Feb</strong>ruary and March <strong>2021</strong>. Social<br />
distancing measures will be in place and<br />
tickets are available at www.jsmlive.co.uk’<br />
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fo4hizO9FF8<br />
TW: @gordonjbuchanan<br />
FB: @gordonjbuchanan<br />
IG: gordonbuchanan_wildlife<br />
Suitable for all ages<br />
12 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
TONIQ On Demand<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
We caught up with personal trainer Arron Collins-Thomas to find out about his new<br />
online fitness offering, expanded from his very successful gym TONIQ...<br />
Your gym, with its fully-rounded approach to health and<br />
lifestyle, has made national news for its incredible client<br />
results – what will the app offer?<br />
At TONIQ we recognise that good health is more than just<br />
regular workouts, it encompasses taking care of every aspect<br />
of your body. We have created a solution where everything from<br />
nutrition, mindfulness, amazing workouts, yoga and more is<br />
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Not only this, but as part of TOD you have access to your own<br />
coach, ensuring that you have someone you can speak to, to<br />
keep you on track and accountable as well as supporting you<br />
throughout.<br />
We have had some incredible results over the past few years at<br />
TONIQ and we want to be able to bring those results to more<br />
people. With the app we aim to give anyone, anywhere in the<br />
world, a taste of the TONIQ-life.<br />
As a TONIQ On Demand member you get to join the incredible<br />
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well as live workouts, Q&As and educational talks. We have an<br />
incredible coaching team with a huge array of skills to bring to<br />
you including yoga, qigong, nutrition and mindfulness.<br />
The main workouts are written based on what we are up to at<br />
TONIQ in any given training block and a new phase of workouts<br />
launches every 6 weeks on the app as well as regular bonus<br />
content to keep the training varied and inspiring.<br />
Can you get a good experience with online coaching?<br />
Are you accountable and is it personalised?<br />
With TOD you have a designated TONIQ coach who you speak<br />
to on a one to one basis. When you first sign up with us you<br />
will have a call to help you set up your accountability sheets,<br />
help you curate your workout schedule and set you on the<br />
right nutrition plan for you. Then every month you get another<br />
call with your coach to help keep you on track and answer any<br />
questions you may have. Accountability is key if you really want<br />
to get results and that is one of the reasons why TONIQ has<br />
been so successful.<br />
Are the classes accessible no matter your fitness level?<br />
Some of us are self-conscious about going to the gym or<br />
nervous in COVID times.<br />
No matter what your levels of fitness we can help you. Our<br />
expert coach will advise what level to start at for you and<br />
how hard to push yourself in the first consultation you have<br />
with them. It will be based around your fitness and any health<br />
concerns, so you can feel secure in the fact that you won’t be<br />
over training or causing yourself any harm by taking part in our<br />
programs.<br />
For people who aren’t ready for the gym again yet or who are<br />
self conscious TONIQ On Demand is the perfect choice. You get<br />
personal trainer support and expert written workouts, all from<br />
the comfort of your own home.<br />
You also get to join a great online community who share their<br />
experiences and help support each other to get the results they<br />
desire.<br />
TONIQ ON DEMAND<br />
MORE THAN A WORKOUT<br />
Join our community from anywhere, at anytime with<br />
TONIQ on Demand, our app gives you access to:<br />
Personalised plans developed with expert coaches.<br />
Nutrition plans based on your needs and goals.<br />
Monthly 121 check in calls with an expert coach.<br />
Extensive library of classes including SWEAT, STRONGER,<br />
BURN and CHILL.<br />
Visit TONIQLIFE.COM to find out more<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 13
With more of us working from home or putting<br />
off a move, we need to maximise every inch of<br />
space in our homes. This issue, we look at a<br />
real-life vault conversion which has given the<br />
homeowner ample new living space and room<br />
for guests...<br />
WORDS Katie Thomson<br />
PHOTOGRAPHY Lydia Booth Photography<br />
The side table is both practical and allows for cosy<br />
candlelight. Table and vase, jysk.com; candle, Pecksniffs<br />
Aromatherapy; Cushions, hauslife.co.uk; Tray, Homesense<br />
14 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
MAXIMISING<br />
f you’ve never ventured into the belly of a Georgian<br />
building, the term ‘vault’ might be an unfamiliar one to<br />
Iyou. During what was a hugely prolific building period,<br />
Regency architects created many of their characteristic<br />
town houses with an interconnected series of rooms below<br />
ground level, with vaulted ceilings. All houses except the<br />
poorest had basements containing a kitchen, scullery and<br />
other stores such as a pantry and larder. More generally,<br />
these allowed for the services of the household to operate<br />
without needing to use the front door.<br />
In the intervening years, many of these properties have<br />
been converted into flats and remedial works have<br />
been started on these vault spaces - so was the case<br />
with this room. Before work commenced (with relevant<br />
permissions), the vault was dark and the previous<br />
tanking system had failed entirely, leaving blown<br />
patches of plaster on the walls. The flooring was a thick<br />
carpet laid over a concrete substrate, only adding to the<br />
issues with damp.<br />
Unlike some spaces, this room had the benefit of a<br />
window, so for owners Dan and Kate, it made sense<br />
to be able to make it more habitable as a ‘snug’ with<br />
an option to accommodate guests. “The project was a<br />
daunting one, but the damp issue was getting worse and<br />
I knew we needed to take some action” explained Katie,<br />
“we wanted to make the space both dry for storage and<br />
somewhere we could actually use - but as you can see,<br />
the shapes of the walls made sure it wasn’t a standard<br />
project. The number one priority was getting it dry.”<br />
The first steps were removing the failed tanking and<br />
applying a new membrane. Where possible, Kate was<br />
very conscious not to harm the fabric of the building “I<br />
was adamant that I didn’t want wires channelled into the<br />
walls or any harm done to the building itself, so together<br />
with our builder we devised the panelling - the batons<br />
are secured to the walls and hide the myriad of cables to<br />
supply socket points and the LED up-lighting. The power<br />
for these comes from the original power source already in<br />
place in the room.”<br />
Once tanked and rendered, the next big challenge for the<br />
couple was the flooring. Even with all precautions taken,<br />
this is an underground space and the flooring needed<br />
to be able to withstand moisture but also be able to be<br />
laid in a space with such an unusual shape “there is not<br />
a single right angle in this room!” says Dan, “aside from<br />
making it challenging to plaster, the flooring had to be<br />
really easy to cut to size. We couldn’t go with laminate<br />
Space<br />
“The project was a daunting one,<br />
but the damp issue was getting<br />
worse and I knew we needed to<br />
take some action”<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 15
ecause it doesn’t cope well with moisture, so<br />
the more obvious choice were luxury vinyl planks.<br />
We chose a product from the Colosseum range<br />
at Lifestyle Floors (lifestyle-floors.co.uk - you can<br />
find your local supplier on the website) which we<br />
had installed through a local fitter - the 7” plank<br />
width was perfect and the colour was exactly<br />
what we needed.”<br />
Before<br />
The colour of the flooring in a space like this is<br />
crucial too, “if you were to stand looking straight<br />
down the wall, you would see the floor undulates<br />
back and forth, like a wobbly line! We couldn’t<br />
have a dark coloured floor as this would highlight<br />
this - we went for the finish Limed Oak and it is<br />
perfect - it looks like real wood and gives us that<br />
nice Scandi look we love. I can’t recommend<br />
this flooring enough - whether your space is<br />
straightforward or tricky! It looks spectacular, is<br />
so cost effective and feels great underfoot. We<br />
finished it with this beautiful Savannah rug from<br />
Rug Love (ruglove.co.uk), which is the plushest,<br />
loveliest rug we’ve ever had! The colours really tie<br />
in well together and it’s handwoven.”<br />
Another challenge presented by this project was<br />
furnishing. Due to the huge curve and narrowness<br />
of the staircase down to the room, the owners<br />
knew most sofas and sofa beds would not fit<br />
into the room. Thankfully the answer was found<br />
with Snug Sofa (snugsofa.com). These ingenuous<br />
sofas arrive in their constituent parts in three<br />
“These ingenuous sofas<br />
arrive in their constituent<br />
parts in three boxes and<br />
are then assembled in<br />
under five minutes.”<br />
16 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
Specialist Designers & Makers of<br />
Curtains & Soft Furnishings<br />
“Come and see our fabulous new fabric collections or<br />
arrange a free home consultation”<br />
at 1 Mill Street, Wantage.<br />
T: 01235 799914 | www.hazelinteriors.co.uk<br />
haus<br />
HOME | LIFESTYLE<br />
ARTISANAL SOFT<br />
FURNISHINGS<br />
FOR THE MODERN<br />
HOME<br />
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USE CODE<br />
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AVAILABLE TO PRE ORDER NOW<br />
FREE UK P&P ON ALL ORDERS<br />
www.hauslife.co.uk<br />
• Bespoke made to measure<br />
Plantation Shutters<br />
• Free Installation<br />
• Varying louvre sizes<br />
• Huge colour selection<br />
• Colour matching<br />
• Choice of Hardwoods<br />
• UPVC for moist areas<br />
(kitchens, bathrooms)<br />
• Aluminium<br />
• Tilt Mechanisms to<br />
suit all situations<br />
Contact us today!<br />
07787 648062<br />
robert4d@tiscali.co.uk
IMPORTANT NOTE:<br />
Today, renovation can only being<br />
with prior consent in the case of<br />
historically significant buildings<br />
and it is likely only granted if<br />
previous works have been started -<br />
it is important to check the details<br />
with your local planning authority<br />
before starting any works.<br />
Product Information:<br />
• Cushions, throw and floor<br />
cushions from hauslife.co.uk<br />
• Luxury bed linen set from<br />
riseandfall.co<br />
• Savannah Rug in Grey (160 x<br />
230cm) £319, from ruglove.<br />
co.uk<br />
• Prints and frames from<br />
desenio.co.uk<br />
Lydia Booth Photography -<br />
lydiaboothphotography.com<br />
lydia@lydiaboothphotography.com<br />
18 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
“We were just desperate for<br />
some extra space with us<br />
both working from home,<br />
and this has given a new<br />
lease of life to a space we<br />
hadn’t been using.”<br />
boxes and are then assembled in under five minutes. What’s more, Snug can usually<br />
deliver within a week - gone are the days of waiting eight weeks for a sofa to arrive, only<br />
to realise it won’t fit through the door. The other sofa options include modular elements,<br />
helping your sofa grow with your family - and they come in a whole host of stain-resistant<br />
(coffee, wine, small hand prints, paw prints) colours.<br />
Owner Dan was also sceptical about ordering a sofa online - Snug Sofa have UK stores to<br />
try out the products, but these were not in his locale. Though, he admits he needn’t have<br />
worried “the sofa is amazingly comfortable - my expectations were low as it was a sofa<br />
bed, but amazingly it’s even more comfy than my normal sofa upstairs. That, combined<br />
with lightning fast delivery, made something I was dreading incredibly easy. Because of<br />
lockdown, we haven’t had guests yet, but they’ll be able to sleep on a queen sized bed,<br />
which is pretty impressive for a sofa bed! It was a good opportunity to inject some colour<br />
into the room too!”<br />
Did the couple have any regrets from the project? “Only that I wish we’d done it sooner” says<br />
Kate. “Working on renovations this size are intimidating, but having a good plan of each step<br />
and executing it are the key points - you do have to consider the unique challenges of your<br />
own project and try to plan ahead to a degree. We were just desperate for some extra space<br />
with us both working from home, and this has given a new lease of life to an area we hadn’t<br />
been using. It feels like a natural extension of our home and I love all the products we’ve<br />
used - so much so that we are thinking of changing up some rooms upstairs!”<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 19
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
willowbrook park, didcot<br />
Located in the Oxfordshire town of Didcot, Willowbrook<br />
Park is an exciting new development of 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5<br />
bedroom homes, including apartments, with a carefully<br />
designed neighbourhood park...<br />
Willowbrook Park is a vibrant, growing<br />
community in keeping with Didcot’s<br />
Garden Town status, achieved by<br />
holistically blending traditional,<br />
inspirational architecture with specially<br />
selected landscaping. The beautiful<br />
neighbourhood park is designed to<br />
encourage inhabitation by local wildlife<br />
and provide a safe environment for<br />
families to explore and enjoy, creating a<br />
unique space that mixes the traditional<br />
with the contemporary and the rural with<br />
the residential to promote greener living<br />
and inspire active lifestyles.<br />
The neighbourhood park is a<br />
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turfed central area and wildflower-rich<br />
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that provide additional habitation for<br />
other wildlife, with bat and bird boxes<br />
positioned in trees and minimal lighting<br />
throughout the garden to support<br />
nocturnal fauna.<br />
An expertly designed, tree-lined avenue<br />
links each phase to the neighbourhood<br />
park, with lush green corridors containing<br />
cycle routes and footpaths that interlink<br />
with existing public rights of way,<br />
providing residents with alternative routes<br />
to neighbouring villages, the town centre<br />
and the Science Vale UK Enterprise Zone<br />
campuses nearby.<br />
Known as the gateway to the largest<br />
‘scientific cluster’ in the UK, Didcot is<br />
part of the Science Vale UK Enterprise<br />
Zone. A number of important scientific,<br />
research and development and high<br />
technology campuses are based in<br />
nearby villages, including Milton Park, the<br />
Culham Science Centre and the Harwell<br />
Science and Innovation Campus.<br />
Didcot was the first existing town to<br />
be declared a ‘Garden Town’ when it<br />
was awarded the status in 2015. In<br />
keeping with the requirements Garden<br />
Town status affords, Willowbrook Park<br />
balances the natural environment with<br />
energy efficient new homes and carefully<br />
planned communal areas.<br />
The idea of garden cities was first<br />
introduced by British urban planner<br />
Ebenezer Howard in his book<br />
Garden Cities of To-morrow (1898)<br />
which described a utopian city that<br />
harmoniously blended nature with urban<br />
landscapes. This started the Garden City<br />
Movement, which proposed this new<br />
idea as an alternative to cramped, overcrowded<br />
industrial cities and could also<br />
solve the issue of rural depopulation.<br />
Croudace Homes is a well-established,<br />
family owned residential developer that<br />
was founded in 1946. An award winning<br />
house builder, Croudace is known<br />
for building high spec homes to an<br />
exceptional standard and has received<br />
the HBF 5 Star Award for Quality and<br />
Customer Service for eight years in a row.<br />
A familiar presence in Didcot, Croudace<br />
built over 1000 homes and a number of<br />
community facilities, including schools, a<br />
neighbourhood centre and Didcot Town<br />
football stadium, in the Ladygrove area<br />
between 1987 and 2003.<br />
Didcot is a thriving town that is popular<br />
with commuters and offers a variety of<br />
things to see and do. Willowbrook Park<br />
is a stunning new addition that provides<br />
space for individuals and families to grow<br />
and thrive.<br />
Willowbrook Park has excellent transport<br />
links; Didcot Parkway Station can be<br />
reached in 15 minutes on foot or in<br />
just three minutes by car. The station<br />
is well served, with regular trains to<br />
London Paddington, Reading, Oxford,<br />
Cheltenham, Bristol and a number of<br />
destinations in the Southwest and South<br />
Wales. Junction 13 of the M4 is under<br />
15 miles away from Didcot and the M25<br />
can be reached in an hour via the M40.<br />
Heathrow Airport is an hour’s drive away.<br />
The Marketing Suite and Show Homes<br />
at Willowbrook Park are currently open<br />
on an appointment only basis. Contact<br />
our Sales Consultants today to arrange<br />
your visit.<br />
20 | www.abingdonliving.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 />
22 | www.abingdonliving.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.abingdonliving.co.uk | 23
NOTES FROM THE GARDEN<br />
PLANTING FOR THE FUTURE<br />
Garden lovers amongst us will appreciate the advice<br />
from our gardening expert Matt Biggs. Matt is a regular<br />
on Radio 4’s GQT’s expert panel, here he advises us to<br />
appreciate the landscape around us and perhaps invest in<br />
the future of our world by planting a tree.<br />
2020 has been a year many of us will wish to forget. One of the very<br />
few positive things to come from it however has been the appreciation<br />
so many of us have developed for our gardens and open spaces, parks<br />
and woodlands, places we can wonder at the natural beauty on our<br />
doorstep and that we may have looked at with fresh eyes.<br />
Trees are so important to our landscape and to our world and there are<br />
many tree planting initiatives that you can get involved in. Imagine the<br />
National Trust gardens and landscapes minus their majestic trees - and<br />
yet the people who planted them knew they would never live to see<br />
them in all their glory.<br />
With that in mind it is an idea perhaps for as many of us as can to plant<br />
for the future, and our children’s and grandchildren’s futures too.<br />
There are many initiatives, some local, some national and some<br />
international with which to get involved. His Royal Highness Prince<br />
Charles has given his support to Plant Britain, Trees for Climate, the<br />
World Land Trust and many others are also ongoing initiatives to green<br />
our planet and if you don’t want to get involved in that way then plant<br />
a tree where you live. It doesn’t have to be a mighty oak, there are so<br />
many trees, slow growing or otherwise that we can plant to enhance<br />
where we live - for ourselves and for others and indeed in memory of<br />
others, winter is still the best time to plant trees and lots of people have<br />
been busy - why don’t you plant some, too?<br />
Find out more from Matt Biggs by visiting his website<br />
matthewbiggs.com
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CAPTURING THE BEAUTY<br />
IN EVERY DAY<br />
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
We catch up with Photographer Lydia Booth to find out what<br />
inspires her when capturing those perfect moments...<br />
Your website is filled with the most<br />
spectacular imagery – from British<br />
flora and fauna, amazing architectural<br />
shots and really personable portraits<br />
– to say your work is diverse is an<br />
understatement! What inspires you?<br />
I’m inspired by beautiful things! And<br />
there’s beauty in most things when you<br />
look at them in detail; which is part of<br />
why I love what I do. It’s an opportunity<br />
to really connect with the essence of the<br />
subject - be that the care and history<br />
that’s evident in someone’s face, the<br />
love and playfulness in a family pet or<br />
the atmosphere in a scene. There are<br />
so many things we can take for granted<br />
because we see them all the time. I try<br />
through my photography to look at the<br />
subject anew and I suppose ask ‘What<br />
makes me feel something here?’<br />
Your photographs seem very natural<br />
– like transient moments? Is that how<br />
would you describe your style?<br />
I think so, yes! For me, it’s very much<br />
about staying natural, capturing what’s<br />
happening in the moment, in a look or<br />
in the energy of the subject, whatever<br />
that may be. That’s what helps people<br />
to connect with what’s in the frame,<br />
particularly for people and animals – the<br />
idea that you are getting a little insight<br />
into what makes them tick. I love being<br />
able to find and capture that often brief<br />
moment that allows the viewer to really<br />
experience something; to empathise.<br />
Not everything is moving of course -<br />
if the subject is a block of cheese for<br />
example, it’s unlikely I am going to be<br />
able to get you to empathise with it!<br />
That’s why for plants and food, I like<br />
to get in very close with a view to<br />
getting the taste buds watering, in<br />
essence once again asking the<br />
viewer to experience something.<br />
26 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk
ADVERTISING FEATURE<br />
It seems you like to really understand<br />
your subject – be that a business, a<br />
person or a farm animal! Is that true<br />
of your process for each project?<br />
There’s a huge benefit to taking time to<br />
listen to and/or understand the subject;<br />
that’s what brings it to life and gives it<br />
longevity. For businesses, this ties into<br />
branding and marketing so it’s really<br />
important to understand what they<br />
want from the outset, as well as get a<br />
personal often less corporate feel to the<br />
images. Capturing people doing things,<br />
not posing is key to this I find. Humans,<br />
at least adults, generally find this<br />
concept more challenging than animals,<br />
which is why the ‘never work with<br />
children or animals’ adage doesn’t ring<br />
true for me… I love them! Weddings and<br />
parties are also quite fun, as people tend<br />
to be more, shall we say ‘relaxed’.<br />
“There’s a<br />
huge benefit to<br />
taking time to<br />
listen to and/or<br />
understand the<br />
subject; that’s<br />
what brings it to<br />
life and gives it<br />
longevity.”<br />
So, do you have specific packages for<br />
pet portraits?<br />
I do – and I love to take photos of<br />
animals of all shapes and sizes. Animals<br />
will always be happiest, and more<br />
natural, in familiar surroundings and I<br />
can usually capture some great shots<br />
within a couple of hours. As I treat<br />
every shoot as a bespoke session, it’s<br />
best to get in touch with me to discuss<br />
requirements in more detail.<br />
We live in an image-saturated world,<br />
and marketing through imagery is<br />
really important. Do you work on<br />
commercial projects for<br />
businesses?<br />
Absolutely yes – there’s a strong ethical<br />
theme running through my work,<br />
and I especially love working with<br />
organisations that share that ethos, and<br />
particularly those making a difference.<br />
The common thread is about what<br />
they’re doing – and how they’re doing it;<br />
how they make a difference to our lives<br />
in some way.<br />
Do you offer COVID-safe family<br />
portraits?<br />
Subject to restrictions yes and for<br />
obvious reasons, it is likely to be better<br />
to do these sessions outside at the<br />
moment, though that’s no bad thing as<br />
natural light really and activity are often<br />
very beneficial to this kind of shoot.<br />
If you’d like to find out more about<br />
Lydia’s work visit her website:<br />
www.lydiaboothphotography.com<br />
and to enquire about her services, email<br />
lydia@lydiaboothphotography.com<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 27
Stowford House Care Home<br />
Your Future Matters
DOCTOR DOCTOR<br />
We talk to one of the UK’s favourite doctors Dr Hilary Jones<br />
Dr Hilary Jones is one of best known TV<br />
doctors and has been ITV’s Health Editor<br />
on Good Morning Britain since 1989. Sally<br />
Thomson had the opportunity to have a<br />
discussion with him following his early start<br />
on the programme.<br />
Thank you very much for taking my call.<br />
Dr Hilary, have you had a long day?<br />
It’s been a fairly long day but I’m getting<br />
used to that at the moment.<br />
What time do you start in the mornings?<br />
4 o’clock starts usually 5 days a week for<br />
the last few months so, yeah it is what it is<br />
and it’s a challenging story.<br />
It certainly is. Most people know you<br />
from the breakfast programme you are<br />
on, but a lot of people don’t know why<br />
you actually chose to become a doctor?<br />
My dad was a doctor so I had an insight<br />
into what was involved and I think I was<br />
always a people person so I suppose in a<br />
corny way I wanted to do something that<br />
would make a difference. Whilst I had to<br />
change from Art A levels to science which<br />
was a struggle the clinical work was very<br />
satisfying, so it was an easy decision.<br />
Was there a particular field that you<br />
wanted to specialise in?<br />
No, I’ve always thought a specialist is<br />
someone who knows more and more about<br />
less and less until they know everything<br />
about nothing. I wanted to be a jack of<br />
all trades and have a broad spectrum of<br />
knowledge and the challenge of general<br />
practice is you never know what’s going to<br />
come through the door.<br />
How long ago did you enter it, when did<br />
you become fully qualified?<br />
1976 so 44 years ago.<br />
Would you recommend a young person<br />
goes into the profession?<br />
Yes, it’s a fantastic career still. It has its<br />
challenges and I think in the UK it’s not<br />
particularly appreciated enough by the<br />
doctors patients but I would say that its<br />
challenging, interesting, satisfying and<br />
nobody does it for the money but I think<br />
in terms of job satisfaction and going to<br />
bed at night thinking my goodness I’ve<br />
think I’ve made a difference it is a fantastic<br />
career.<br />
I guess it must be quite challenging at<br />
times, the other side of it that is quite<br />
difficult I should imagine.<br />
Of course, they are long hours and you<br />
have to impart bad news sometimes and<br />
you deal with death and dying as well as<br />
making people better.<br />
Is that a major part of the syllabus? How<br />
you handle those unpleasant and really<br />
heart rendering times when you have to<br />
give somebody bad news?<br />
What you learn in training is fairly superficial<br />
and it’s what you pick up through the<br />
experience of practice that makes the<br />
difference and you never stop learning in<br />
medicine.<br />
How did you get into TV? There appears<br />
to be a lot of doctors now on the box, but<br />
you have been there for a little time, now<br />
haven’t you?<br />
I was lucky enough to have gone to a<br />
school with a very good drama society<br />
and it was not unusual for us to perform in<br />
front of an audience and I think that when I<br />
was in general practice I realised we could<br />
reach a lot more people rather than dealing<br />
with one person in the surgery. Public<br />
health messages were capable of reaching<br />
hundreds of thousands of people in one hit<br />
so I wrote to TV AM asking for a job, then I<br />
got a letter back saying we like your ideas<br />
come and meet us and that was in 1989.<br />
I understand that you have been working<br />
on topics regarding keeping well during<br />
the wintertime and in light of the awful<br />
year we have had in particular, what<br />
advice would you like to give our<br />
readers?<br />
I think patience and perspective would<br />
be two words that come to mind. I think<br />
everyone is very impatient to get on with<br />
www.abingdonliving.co.uk | 29
we have to be patient. We are in a society<br />
that is used to having instant gratification<br />
and if we want something, we want it now,<br />
unfortunately we can’t do that. The National<br />
Health Service is distracted by the worst<br />
global pandemic for over 100 years with<br />
very serious repercussions and we have to<br />
be grateful for what we have, make some<br />
adjustments, be patient and get through<br />
this by helping each other out as much as<br />
possible as well as looking after ourselves.<br />
It is quite scary and most of us are on<br />
tenterhooks with what’s going on and<br />
naturally if you go back to April when<br />
the weather was lovely and warm, but<br />
now rain, cold snap, bit of wind and<br />
the dark days it’s rather gloomy so is<br />
this a concern with you in the medical<br />
profession?<br />
Of course, and people are feeling down<br />
and tend to, get Seasonal Affective<br />
Disorder in the Winter anyway with the dark<br />
days and not much daylight “What is there<br />
to look forward to?” people might say.<br />
Mental Health Charities are being kept very<br />
busy, much more so though than in the last<br />
few years. It’s always been a challenge, but<br />
I think a lot of people are feeling particularly<br />
anxious even if they weren’t before or more<br />
anxious if they were before and feeling<br />
depressed, not sleeping very well. I think<br />
we have to be able to manage we have<br />
to be able to give people the support so<br />
they can reach out to mental health apps,<br />
counsellors, doctors and just talking to<br />
friends and family about our concerns<br />
as I think everybody has this degree of<br />
apprehension at the moment but that’s<br />
normal it’s a sort of protective mechanism<br />
but if we can share our fears and concerns<br />
that really helps.<br />
It’s worrying on so many levels for<br />
instance whether you are an employee<br />
and people you have worked around for<br />
years are being made redundant or the<br />
business you are working in is at threat,<br />
it’s going to make people very jittery<br />
and it really brings it home and makes it<br />
difficult for most of us and knowing how<br />
to keep above it?<br />
I think it’s choosing the things we can do<br />
despite it being Winter, we can still exercise<br />
as much as possible in daylight hours, we<br />
can cheer ourselves up with a good book,<br />
a good film or some uplifting music. We<br />
can talk to the people that we trust and we<br />
love, so there are many things that we can<br />
still do, there are some things we can’t do<br />
but there are still plenty that we can do and<br />
we need to hang onto those and spend as<br />
much time enjoying life as we possibly can.<br />
What’s concerning, and I have heard<br />
this from a lot of people is that they are<br />
worried about Christmas, worried about<br />
their families and the whole thing moving<br />
forward is unsettling. Christmas time<br />
is usually when we can see and spend<br />
time with our elderly relatives, and you<br />
would maybe notice any problems or if<br />
something is developing that you could<br />
help with?<br />
I suppose it’s the time of the year that<br />
30 | www.abingdonliving.co.uk<br />
families get together after a long busy<br />
year so the thought of having to forego<br />
that is distressing for a lot of people but<br />
at the same time we don’t know where<br />
we are going to be in a couple of months’<br />
time. I think for me as a doctor health<br />
is paramount and we need to protect<br />
our elderly and people with pre-existing<br />
conditions but there are ways of connecting<br />
and communicating which are safer than<br />
others. If we care for our parents, then we<br />
are already caring for them however if we<br />
are in different households and there’s any<br />
risk of transmitting the virus then talk on<br />
the phone or online. It may be that we just<br />
have to wait a little longer and have what we<br />
would normally have at Christmas a couple<br />
of months later.<br />
Do you have faith in a vaccine being<br />
beneficial?<br />
Yes I think it’s likely that amongst all the<br />
hundreds of vaccines that are being worked<br />
on at the moment that we will have several<br />
that have a good protective effect it may be<br />
that we have to use a combination or use<br />
a combination several times a year. There<br />
are some very clever people working on this<br />
and we have created vaccines against all<br />
sorts of diseases that we couldn’t master<br />
before like meningococcal meningitis C and<br />
A and respiratory in situ virus in children. We<br />
are developing vaccines all the time which<br />
are effective and safe, and I do have faith<br />
that a vaccine would be the answer.<br />
With the measles jab, people stopped<br />
having it done and am I right in saying<br />
that rose again and more children were<br />
getting measles and it’s a very serious<br />
illness in children?<br />
Yes, before we had a measles vaccination<br />
hundreds of children died of complications<br />
of measles and of rubella and occasionally<br />
mumps so MMR has saved thousands of<br />
lives and whilst people were worried by a<br />
study from one just man that was dismissed<br />
the coverage for a vaccine is back up to<br />
where it was before, thank goodness.<br />
People have forgotten that a hundred years<br />
ago 1 in 4 children died before their 5th<br />
birthday of disease.<br />
We mentioned the care for our elderly<br />
relatives and I think it’s an opportunity<br />
when we don’t see them from year to year<br />
to see how they are getting on and we<br />
might as the middle aged children of elderly<br />
parents recognise changes in them that<br />
have been gradual that nobody else has<br />
noticed. We might find for example that<br />
their cognitive function is a bit slower, that<br />
their concentration is less, and they can’t<br />
find the words that they were looking for.<br />
They might be forgetful or hard of hearing. If<br />
they can’t hear you on the phone or online,<br />
then they are going to miss out on activity.<br />
We know that loss of hearing is the leading<br />
preventative cause of dementia. If we can<br />
correct peoples hearing, then they are less<br />
likely to develop dementia.<br />
34% of people aren’t aware that there are<br />
things that you can do to prevent or delay<br />
the onset of Dementia and top of the list is<br />
making sure that people can hear well. If<br />
people have a mild hearing loss it doubles<br />
their Dementia risk but if they have a severe<br />
hearing impairment the risk is 5 times that of<br />
someone that can hear normally. Checking<br />
on the elderly checking their hearing making<br />
sure their vision is good, making sure they<br />
are not too isolated, eating & drinking<br />
properly and keeping their mind busy<br />
with crosswords, books that sort of thing<br />
physical activity all of these things help.<br />
These are things you can discuss on the<br />
phone and you can encourage people to<br />
get their hearing checked for example.<br />
So if somebody does have bad hearing can<br />
a specialist visit them at home or do, we<br />
have to take them to a specialist?<br />
There are NHS services but they are very<br />
much under strain at the moment but there<br />
are some good high street outlets such<br />
as Hidden Hearing where you can go and<br />
have a free hearing test. You will be given<br />
advice about what level of hearing loss if<br />
any you have and what could be done. It<br />
may just be something simple such as wax<br />
removal is needed but it could be a degree<br />
of hearing loss caused by increasing age<br />
that could be corrected with a hearing<br />
aid. This can change people’s lives almost<br />
overnight and can have a dramatic effect.<br />
It reconnects them with the world, they can<br />
understand conversation, share jokes, they<br />
can socialise. It makes a huge difference<br />
and that means no more isolation or<br />
depression and happiness again.<br />
Finally, everybody has different things<br />
that they have missed since this has all<br />
happened. What have you missed most<br />
during this difficult year?<br />
I’ve got 5 children, 3 grandchildren and an<br />
elderly mother whom I look after. I would<br />
love to invite my children round or go to<br />
stay with them, but I haven’t been able to as<br />
it’s just too risky, I don’t want to put them at<br />
risk and vice versa. We speak on the phone<br />
a lot and I miss them terribly, but I look<br />
forward to the time when we can all meet<br />
up again.<br />
The interview took place before we<br />
had the news that a vaccine had been<br />
approved, and until fully implemented<br />
everyone should continue following the<br />
Government’s advice. Go to www.gov.uk<br />
for more information.
Your hearing is as<br />
important as<br />
your vision...<br />
Isn’t it time you<br />
got your<br />
ears checked?<br />
WE CAN<br />
HELP WITH:<br />
• Ear wax advice and removal<br />
• Full audiological assessment<br />
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• High specification hearing instruments<br />
• Personalised Hearing Healthcare<br />
• Custom made noise reducing ear plugs<br />
• Bluetooth connectivity/transmitting systems<br />
contact directly to smart phones and TV.<br />
TO FIND OUT MORE CALL: 01865 861861<br />
Email: info@oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk | oxfordhearingcentre.co.uk<br />
Oxford Hearing Centre, 5 Farmoor Court, Farmoor, Oxford OX2 9LU<br />
Open Monday - Friday, 9am to 5.30pm FREE PARKING
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