Metroland Winter Spring 2021

WINTER / SPRING 2021 

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METROLAND 

EDITOR'S LETTER 

Welcome to Metroland 

A very warm welcome to the Winter/Spring issue of 

Metroland Life! Well, what a year it has been since 

we launched! We have been locked down, let out, 

locked down, let out and now we find ourselves still 

deeply embroiled in this terrible virus. 

The community has risen up and embraced the 

recent challenges with covid support groups in 

all three areas. Charities stepping forwards and 

up to support and new groups beginning like the 

Big Friday Night Takeaway Project so help those 

in need. 

For our part we wanted to create a virtual high street 

so we could do our own to help and keep shops 

open albeit online. This quickly became a Christmas 

market enabling many artisans, independents etc 

to continue trading via click and collect or delivery. 

A small group became 4500 members within a 

month with 250 sellers and we want to thank each 

and every one of you for making it such a success. 

As we move forwards into 2021 we are still here, 

once again as a virtual shopping platform so you 

can keep supporting #shoplocal. We have even 

introduced vouchers so you can purchase through 

our website and redeem with participating shops 

etc. #shoplocal is the future! 

We stood and clapped for our NHS, and now again 

we cheer our key supporters and network who 

are again called upon to keep the country going. 

Acts of kindness are abundant and it has been so 

heart-warming to live in an area where love and 

neighbourhood care has been overwhelming. 

Our Winter/Spring issue is full of fabulous articles 

for you to read and digest from the comfort of 

your sofa, which is essentially where we have all 

been for the past 10 months. Recipes, fashion, local 

people, this issue is wrapped up in big fluffy socks 

and anticipation of a brighter future. 

As Captain Tom said, 'the sun will shine again', just 

not quite yet. As you were people, as you were! 

Love from the Editorial Team at METROLAND xx 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020 003

METROLAND 

CONTENTS OF MAGAZINE 

A lookback at 2020 Tina Reading 06 

Zones 8 & 9 

History of Theatre Shed Sally Alford 12 

Tackling the issues that matter Community Boards 14 

A Personal Profile by Joseph Baum 16 

From Agatha Christie to CSI by A.M. Investigations 18 

Chapter Two - 2020 The First Chapter by Pru Murray 20 

The Lieutenancy Fund by Heart of Bucks 23 

London Underground Caricatures by Simon Ellinas 24 

Just the Ticket by Eleanor Garth 26 

Sustainable Chesham by Emma Child 28 

Fashion 

The Beauty of Vintage with The Vintage Ring Co. 56 

Spring 2021 with FatFace 58 

Comfy Casuals with M&Co 60 

Stay Home, Stay Safe 

Stay safe & protect Bucks by Buckinghamshire Council 64 

#ShopLocal 

Supporting your Wellbeing at Home with Bucks Mind 68 

What's love got to do with it 72 

What is #ShopLocal all about by Metroland Life 32 

Introducing Suzanne Raffelini by Suzanne Raffelini 34 

Adaptation & Determination by Malt The Brewery 36 

A stage for over 100 years by Amersham Auction Rooms 38 

Gifting 

Valentine's Gift Guide with #ShopLocal 77 

Mother's Day Gift Guide with #ShopLocal 78 

The Artful Menders by Emma Child 40 

Cocktails: How do you like yours? by Cocktailmaker 42 

#ShopLocal Feedback by Metroland Life 44 

We Need You: Corporate Social Responsibility 45 

Product Photography Crash Course by Kathryn Pike 46 

004 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / SPRING 2021

METROLAND 

CONTENTS OF MAGAZINE 

Home & Garden 

Spring Cleaning Tips 98 

This Seasons looks by Wilko 100 

My Garden Year by Bartholomew Landscaping 102 

Grow you own spuds 107 

Food & Drink 

Doing Veganuary? with Riverford 82 

American Pancakes by OGGS 84 

Roasted Califlower Steaks by Munchy Seeds 86 

Duck Stir Fry with Oyster Sauce by Gressingham 87 

Saddle of Vension by Laurie Gear, The Artichoke 88 

Meet the maker with The Great British Porridge Co. 90 

Peanut Butter & Jam Cookies by Nourishing Amy 91 

Raspberry 'Cheese' Cake by Louise Palmer-Masterton 92 

Berry & White Choc' Popcorn Cheesecake by Doughlicious 94 

Vegan Chocolate Mousse by Microplane 95 

Nuts about Coffee drink by Cocktailmaker 96 

New Skills & Fresh Air 

Covid Etiquette for Dog Walkers by Vet's Kitchen 110 

Virtual Anti-Burns Night Event 112 

Knitting is not just for Grannies 114 

A Few Wise Words by Peter Mukherjee 116 

Into The Unknown: Walking Apps with Luggage Hero 118 

Chief Editor 

Tina Reading 

Art Director 

Kathryn Pike 

Advertising Enquiries 

& Media Pack requests 

hello@metroland.life 

METROLAND 

encapsulates everything that 

we love about this area and is 

created for the good townsfolk 

of Chesham, Amersham and 

Chalfont who we feel deserve 

a magazine dedicated to them 

with loads of news, articles 

and offers. METROLAND was 

first published in Spring 2020 

as a digital magazine. Our aim 

is to feature purely Metroland 

businesses and organisations 

and bring their services and 

products to everyone across 

zones 8 & 9. 

Chesham Riverside & Woodland Walk by Chiltern Society 121 

Cotswold Walking Trails with Michael Paul Holidays 122 

2021 at Waddesdon by Waddesdon 124 

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

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

process, or services by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not constitute or imply its endorsement or recommendation by METROLAND. This publication may include links to 

third-party content, advertising, or websites, provided to our readers for the sake of convenience. By using these links, you acknowledge and agree METROLAND is not responsible for and does not 

endorse any advertising, products, or resources available from such outside resources or websites. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / SPRING 2021 005

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

A look back 

at what also 

happened 

in 2020 

Benjamin Wheeler 

GQ Magazine 

It was a year like no other! It started as they 

usually do with New Year's resolutions and 

promises. We had news of a virus caused by a 

wet market in Asia but we thought or assumed 

that this would be contained; none of us could 

foresee how events would unfold which led to 

the most distressing of years. We wanted to 

take a look back over the year and focus on 

other events, a diary solely of C19 would be a 

most terrible reminder of how so many lives 

have been impacted and lost. 

Let us take a more light-hearted look (if that 

is possible) back over the year that brought 

us nothing but gloom and doom. An economy 

battered, a country battered. Being British we 

held ourselves in good stead and put one foot 

forward around our gardens and did our best 

to carry on in the new normal. We have picked 

one event per month that may prove a brief 

distraction to our lovely readers. 

06 


METROLAND 

2020 ROUNDUP 

January – MEGXIT 

Oh my! Well what an announcement but somewhat 

not unsurprising. I wrote a blog a few months ago 

on the effect of the media on the Sussex courtship 

and wedding. I thought at the time and still do 

that they never fully understood or appreciated 

how protective the nation felt over the princes. 

We watched their mother face the scrutiny of so 

many, whilst she was just trying to live her life. We 

were overjoyed that our favourite naughty prince 

was getting his happy ending, or so we thought. 

This fairytale romance was certainly no repeat of 

Prince Ranier and Grace Kelly. Poor Miss Markle felt 

shunned by the British public and never accepted, 

thus taking matters into her own hands and fleeing 

back to her homeland where she could create a 

family home for herself, Harry and Archie. 

The announcement to ‘step back as senior 

members’ of the royal family and divide their 

time between the UK and the USA was the plan 

but it seems this has become a more permanent 

arrangement, hindered obviously by restricted 

permissible travel. Maybe they will once come back 

into the fold, I really hope they do, particularly for 

the sake of Harry’s beloved grandparents. 

February - SUBSONIC 

As an ex-BA girl I am still fascinated and somewhat 

obsessed by these flying crates. On the 9th 

February a British Airways Boeing 747 made the 

fastest ever subsonic flight from JFK in New York 

to London Heathrow in just 4 hours 56 minutes. 

Reaching ground speeds of up to 825mph by 

riding the jet stream bring Storm Ciara to the UK! 

March – COVID 

On the 2nd March the UK Government held a 

COBRA meeting to discuss it’s preparations and 

response to the outbreak as the number of cases 

here jumps to 36. As we watched the news unfold, 

none of us could have foreseen how much this 

would ultimately affect us all. The nation decided 

the best way to cope was rush to the supermarkets 

and buy as much pasta and toilet roll that they 

could carry, well we are British after all! 

Getty Images 

April – CAPTAIN TOM MOORE 

As a nation gripped by fear and the NHS under 

huge amounts of pressure we certainly needed a 

symbol of hope, step forward (literally) Captain Tom 

Moore. This 99 year old war veteran raised millions 

of pounds for NHS Charities Together by walking 

more than 100 laps of his garden. 

Oh how we loved watching him on tv, hearing how 

much he had raised and just embracing his attitude. 

This man was a constant reminder that yes we are 

in a bad situation but we are in it together, and 

in his words ‘the sun will shine again’. He became 

a national hero and quite rightly was honoured 

by HM The Queen for his remarkable efforts and 

candour. 

May – GEORGE FLOYD 

Thousands of people gathered in London, 

Manchester and Cardiff to protest against the 

unlawful killing of George Floyd. The use of force 

against a man who was accused of using a 

counterfeit bill sent shockwaves through not only 

our country but many others. The ugly subject of 

white supremacy came to the forefront and one 

must say, long overdue. It divided us, those who 

understood and those who denied. Such a sad 

loss of life but if it has raised questions as to worth 

and equality then I do hope his family have some 

solace. A very tragic event but a very common one. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / SPRING 2021 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SPRING 2020 

07

Formula 1 

METROLAND 

2020 ROUNDUP 

emerged, the good old BBC do the only sensible 

thing and SCRAP free tv licensing for the over- 

75s. Outrange ensued but as usual, they have 

a perfectly good justification (their words). The 

nation protests but they stand firm. What does the 

money pay for anyway? Surely they could exercise 

a little compassion and not only scrap it but reduce 

the age limit? 

September – MISSING SCULPTURES 

Britain has returned three antique bronze 

sculptures to Indian authorities more than 40 

years after they were stolen from a Hindu temple 

in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. 

A total of four bronzes from the Vijayanagara period, 

which lasted from the 14th to the 17th century, were 

stolen in 1978 from a temple dedicated to the god 

Vishnu in Nagapattinam. 

June – FEELING HOT 

The UK is experiencing a heatwave, and this is 

helping the morale of those confined to home in 

this pandemic. The temperatures reached 33.3’C 

and we relished the heat and all that it brought. 

Everyone bought paddling pools, stocked up on 

ice cream and put a zillion pictures on tik tok. 

July – A ROYAL WEDDING 

Nine in line to the throne and the elder daughter 

of the Duke and Duchess of York, Princess Bea 

gets married! Having moved the date already 

due to the pandemic, Princess Beatrice marries 

Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi in a private ceremony at 

the Royal Chapel of All Saints in Windsor. The 

Bride unexpectedly wore her grandmother’s dress 

much to the delight of fashionistas and nostalgics. 

A somewhat subdued and private ceremony and 

celebration ensued. Yes they could have delayed 

the wedding but being the Royal Family this sent a 

significant message to the nation. If your wedding 

has been downsized to due the pandemic then we 

will do the same. 

The thieves were convicted in India at the time 

but it was only in 2019 that three of the statues 

were found, when the Indian High Commission in 

London discovered that one of them was being 

offered for sale by a UK-based dealer. (Full article 

credit Reuters https://www.reuters.com/article/ 

britain-india-statues-idINKBN267326) 

October – LEWIS HAMILTON 

If you are a Grand Prix fan you would have watched 

as Sir Lewis Hamilton equals the record number of 

91 wins by Michael Schumacher. I am a massive GP 

fan but not a fan of Hamilton alas. I much prefer 

the more relaxed style of driving and personality 

of Daniel Ricardo but there is no denying the 

unbelievable talent that Hamilton has and his 

BBC 

August – BBC SHOCK 

At a time when finances are even more stretched 

and everyone has been checking on their elderly 

neighbours and a new sense of community has 

08 


dedication to the sport. Is he the great British 

driver ever? Not sure he takes the crown but he 

can certainly stand alongside Stirling Moss, Jackie 

Stewart, Nigel Mansell, Damon Hill, and of course, 

James Hunt! 

November – GOING GREEN 

The Government unveil a plan to ban the sale of 

new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, under Boris 

Johnson’s 10-point plan to tackle climate change. 

This is very welcome news but I wonder if they 

should stick to the original timescale of 2040. It 

seems impossible to implement such a change, 

albeit it fabulous in just 9 years. The implementation 

is vast, and as we know the Government are 

hardly the quickest at change even with very good 

intentions. We now eagerly await news on how 

they will introduce this and how the future of car 

design will develop and embrace it as it seems the 

manufacturers have a far better understanding 

than the implementers. 

December – LADBABY 

for their third with a cover of Journey’s ‘Don’t Stop 

Believin’ with of course the infamous sausage 

roll factored in. LadBaby’s ‘Don’t Stop Me Eating’ 

becomes only the third act in the UK chart history 

to achieve three consecutive number ones. 

This year we lost some well-loved stars of screen 

and sport. Not only did we lose Honor Blackman but 

Diana Rigg and Sean Connery too! We mourned the 

loss of Chadwick Boseman and Kobe Bryant from 

across the seas. We lost Bill Withers, Des O’Connor 

and Barbara Windsor plus many, many more. 

Well that was certainly a year we will never forget! 

As we enter 2021 it seems we are still staying at 

home, washing our hands, wearing masks, home 

educating. Our NHS are under increased pressure 

and now at breaking point. We must do what we can 

to help them and take responsibility for ourselves 

and our well-being. Simply put, stay at home! 

Credit Unknown 

If you haven’t seen this couple where have you 

been? For the past 3 years this husband and 

wife blogging duo (Mark and Roxanne) have been 

pranking each other and keeping us entertained, 

along with their adorable kids. They are local and 

are keen supporters of The Trussell Trust (foodbank 

charity across the UK). Having already achieved 

2 Christmas number ones, 2020 saw them going 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

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For more information: 

Visit: www.missaminvestigations.co.uk 

Email: enquiries@missaminvestigations.co.uk 

Call: 07388925001 

As seen in: 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SPRING 2020 010

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Zones 8&9 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

From Shed@ThePark to 

The Theatre Shed 

15 years of Wonderful Inclusive Drama! 

by Sally Alford, Patron of the Theatre Shed 

with thanks to Irene Perrin, Alice Connor and Janice Howard 

At a time when performing arts venues are ‘dark’ 

and struggling to survive I wanted to share the 

wonderful story of a Buckinghamshire based 

Inclusive Theatre Company, with whom I have 

been lucky enough to be involved for 15 years. 

It began in 2004 as part of Chesham Park Community 

College’s bid to gain specialist Performing Arts 

status; led by Irene Perrin, the Headteacher and 

supported by her talented Performing Arts Teaching 

team, they set up an Inclusive Theatre project, 

based on ChickenShed Theatre Company’s model. 

It would be, uniquely, ‘open to everyone’ with no 

barriers, thus demonstrating that performing arts 

belong to everyone. 

Shed@ThePark Inclusive Theatre Company began, 

Shed with the reference to Chickenshed and Park 

as a reference to the school. The company, led by 

professionals, provided weekly performing arts 

workshops for members from 6 to 16 + years at the 

school. 

By 2013 the Company moved from the school, now 

Chiltern Hills Academy into premises in Chesham 

and eventually changed its name to The Theatre 

Shed. 

Continuing the ethos, The Theatre Shed provides 

exciting, accessible, performing arts workshops 

for young people from 5 to 25+; it aims to spread 

awareness of Inclusive Arts Practice and facilitate 

change in the Arts Culture and our community 

by inspiring and nurturing the talents of diverse 

young performers in an inclusive setting. Providing 

accessible, professional training for people of 

all abilities, disabilities and backgrounds from 

a young age will support a future society that is 

both inclusive and enrich. Workshops continue to 

be member-led and professionally guided by the 

Artistic Team. The productions are devised, written 

and designed by the members, insuring that at 

every level of the creative process, their voices are 

heard and they have ownership of their work. 

It proved a real success with many pupils from 

Chesham and from the surrounding area joining. 

By 2005 the company was set up as a charity, 

registered with the charity commission and 

governed by a Board of Trustees, which is when I 

became involved. 

Shed@ThePark held successful performing arts 

workshops every week, that were member led, so 

that everyone had a voice, culminating in yearly 

performances, it performed its 5 year anniversary 

performance of Colour the World at The Wycombe 

Swan to great acclaim 

012 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

original songs with music videos, a Mockumentary 

short film, and an incredible animated short musical 

film which is due to be released later this month. 

All of these amazing ventures have been delivered 

at a distance, online, with members writing, 

devising, designing and recording their material 

with us remotely. 

For seven weeks The Theatre Shed were able to 

have in-person workshops (at a reduced capacity 

for social distancing) whilst simultaneously running 

online workshops for those who continued to shield 

or isolate. The Theatre Shed have found it has been 

of such importance that they continue to connect 

with their members in whichever way possible to 

help reduce social isolation and improve well-being 

during these lonely times. 

Our fantastic Artistic Team are assisted by our 

tremendous team of volunteer Mentors or Purple 

People as they are known. They are there to 

support the young company when needed; they 

perform alongside and bring their own expertise. 

Some have been with the company as long as it 

has existed; Matt Reynolds and Hannah Greenacre 

joined Shed@the Park as students at Chesham 

Park and are now much admired Senior Mentors at 

the Company. 

We have also included many local folk, in our 

splendid Community Drama productions, Sparkling 

Ashes, Baubles know Best and The Snow Queen. 

Our joyous 10 year anniversary show, Lifted was 

performed at the Elgiva Theatre with great success. 

We planned our 15 Year Anniversary Crystal Gala 

celebrations… all to no avail. 

These last months have not been easy, but 

undeterred, over the past 8 months the Team have 

created new ways of working online, using all the 

tools they can to keep creating amazing new work 

with our members. TTS have written 2 new plays, 2 

Currently, during Lockdown 2 we are back to running 

our normal evening online Workshops for members 

and Film club and day time Community Workshops 

for both members and non-members. The Theatre 

Shed are currently working on an Autumn Showcase 

with Children’s Theatre, and Youth Theatre has 

been collaborating with ChickenShed. The Theatre 

Shed has been a lifeline for many of it’s members 

throughout the Pandemic. 

So the Theatre Shed continues to produce splendid 

creative work and provide wonderful workshops, 

despite it all! 

This all comes with a cost, of course, I should give 

praise to the present Board of Trustees and the 

ever working Artistic team led by Alice Connor, for 

their never ending graft to be creative and raise 

funds for this wonderful Company, so if you would 

like to support us in any way that you can. As a 

Patron who is passionate about all that is ‘Shed’, I 

urge you to try to support us. 

Here’s to the next 15 years and beyond! 

Shedlights – sign up to our Shedlight Lottery 

from as little as £5 per month. Support our cause 

whilst being in with a chance of winning £100 each 

month!: https://thetheatreshed.co.uk/support-us/ 

Golden Giving – make a donation to our Save Our 

Shed fundraiser: 

www.goldengiving.com/fundraising/SaveOurShed 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Tackling the issues 

that matter 

- an update from our Community Boards 

Do you want to influence local decisions? Do 

you have ideas on how we can ensure our area 

is a great place to live and work? If so, you’ll be 

interested to hear about the work of our new 

Community Boards - the link between local 

people, organisations and Buckinghamshire 

Council – and how they can give your ideas and 

suggestions a louder voice. 

The boards identify the needs of our communities 

– and find creative solutions to take action on 

local issues, bringing everyone together with 

local representatives from the council. They are 

all about giving people a say in what goes on in 

their local area, through action groups, meetings 

and other ways to get involved. 

For readers of Metroland Life there are three 

boards covering different parts of this area, 

listed below. Find out which Community Board 

covers your area by checking the map at https:// 

bit.ly/2JHEf90, then read on for an update on 

your board. 

All of the boards will play an important part in 

supporting communities in recovering from 

Covid-19, but in addition all have identified 

issues specific to their area, on which they plan 

to focus. 

The Amersham Community Board: reviving 

the area’s village and town centres; addressing 

green issues and the environment and 

supporting the health and wellbeing of young 

people. 

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/ 

community-and-safety/improving-your-localcommunity/amersham-community-board/ 

The Chesham and Villages Community 

Board: the health and wellbeing of residents; 

transport, highways and the environment; 

community safety and resilience and the 

economic development and regeneration of the 

area. 


community-and-safety/improving-your-localcommunity/chesham-community-board/ 

Denham, Gerrards Cross and The Chalfonts 

Community Board: climate change and the 

environment; community safety – including 

CCTV, antisocial behaviour and disruption; 

highways and infrastructure; equalities; mental 

and physical wellbeing and services and facilities 

for young people. 


community-and-safety/improving-your-localcommunity/denham-gerrards-cross-chalfontscommunity-board/ 

You can also find the latest news community 

news and events by liking the new Facebook 

pages for the Amersham Community Board 

and the Denham, Gerrards Cross and The 

Chalfonts Community Board. 

014 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Recognition for award-winning 

community support 

Recently for the Proud of Bucks Awards, the 

Community Boards chose the winners of the 

Local Impact awards to reflect the volume of 

support and innovation in our local communities. 

For Amersham the winner was The Little Chalfont 

Community Food Bank, in Chesham and Villages 

Carl J Pearson took the award and in Denham, 

Gerrards Cross and the Chalfonts area it was 

awarded to James Sebastian Foraye. Find out 

more about the awards and the worthy winners 

and runners-up on the Buckinghamshire Council 

website (www.buckscc.gov.uk/services/community/ 

proud-of-bucks-awards) 

Supporting local projects 

Each of the boards has funding to allocate 

in support of its priorities, and at their most 

recent public meetings the boards allocated 

funding to local projects. Some funding is still 

available– find out the application criteria at 

www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/community-andsafety/improving-your-local-community/applycommunity-board-funding/ 

Denham, Gerrards Cross and The Chalfonts 

Community Board have been busy supporting 

those hit hard by Covid, with funding going to 

South Central Ambulance Charity to ensure 

training is kept up to date; Denham Community 

Support and All Together Community to ensure 

communities have sufficient food; and Chiltern 

Dial-A-Ride, a valuable community service, where 

funding will contribute towards an additional 1000 

rides for those requiring this service, as well as 

helping with the delivery of food parcels and 

prescriptions. Catch up on previous discussions 

at https://buckinghamshire.moderngov.co.uk/ 

ieListMeetings.aspx?CommitteeId=858 

The Chesham and Villages Community Board 

decided to support initiatives including Christmas 

hampers to feed families, installing wifi in Ashley 

Green, volunteers helping those socially isolated, 

the Chiltern Voice community radio station, a 

project worker getting people into work and a 

source of specialist benefits advice. Find 

out more about all of the projects at 

https://buckinghamshire.moderngov.co.uk/ 

documents/s15068/201203%20Chesham%20 

Community%20Board%20Funding%20 

overview%202.pdf 

The Amersham Community Board’s funding will 

support the Voices and Choices organisation to 

help older people, a community-based debt case 

worker for the local Citizens Advice, Little Chalfont 

Community Association’s coordination of help for 

residents during the pandemic and the Chiltern 

Voice community radio station. See the notes 

of the discussions at https://buckinghamshire. 

moderngov.co.uk/ieListDocuments. 

aspx?CId=852&MId=16537&Ver=4. 

If you’d like to get involved with the Community 

Boards, please get in touch by emailing 

localities@buckinghamshire.gov.uk or to find 

out more visit www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk/ 

community-boards. 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

A Personal Profile 

of Joseph Baum 

As a regular contributor to the magazine 

you all know Joseph Baum as a local 

councillor but we thought it would be fun 

and insightful to learn a little more about 

Joseph the person. Look out for future 

issues and more personal profiles! Such 

fun! 

Where did you grow up? 

I am originally from a place called South Woodford. 

I don’t expect readers to have heard of it, but it 

sits on the border of north east London and Essex. 

My brother and I moved to Chesham five years ago 

and I haven’t looked back since! 

which subjects to study and I started to enjoy it 

from that point onwards. 

What was your first job? 

I actually started out working for my grandparents 

at Deptford Market selling hosiery! My first “proper” 

job, though, was working as an Optical Assistant 

at a Specsavers store in north London. After two 

weeks of work experience at the age of 15, I was 

given a part time job on weekends and stayed 

there right through to University. 

What's your biggest pet peeve? 

Any type of littering, but particularly those who 

manage to leave it inches from a perfectly good 

litter bin. That takes some doing! First impressions 

count, and littering is a huge problem for lots of 

towns, not just Chesham. 

Where would you like to visit? 

Anywhere outside of the house at the moment! I 

have family in Israel so I would like to go back there 

as soon as I can. The Colosseum in Rome is also on 

my bucket list. 

What is your favourite movie? 

"A picture of me with my two brothers, sister, 

and dad. I'm in the stripy shorts!" 

Were you a good student? 

That depends on who you ask! To tell you the truth 

I was never particularly focused on subjects that 

didn’t interest me – science was always a struggle – 

but with GCSEs out of the way I was able to decide 

A joint top three of Forrest Gump, Shawshank 

Redemption and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I’ve 

never been able to separate the three! 

What sports do you enjoy watching? 

That one is easy! I used to play tennis to a fairly 

good standard, so definitely tennis - any time, 

anywhere! And if the tennis isn’t on, then golf (as 

long as Tiger Woods is playing) or football are good 

back ups. I’m not saying which team I support as I 

don’t want to lose any votes! 

016 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

"A picture of me, my two brother and sister, 

taken 25 years after the photo with me in the 

stripy shorts on my brother's wedding day!" 

"Visiting my grandma on her birthday this year" 

Which fictional character would be the most 

exciting to meet in real life? 

I’d love to have a pint with Smithy from Gavin and 

Stacey (socially distanced of course). If Del Boy 

from Only Fools and Horses happened to show up 

as well, then I don’t think I’d ever leave! 

Something about you that not many people 

know? 

I can’t ride a bike! 

"Bumping into a resident last year whilst 

knocking on doors. He promised me 

a selfie if he ever saw me again!" 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

From Agatha Christie 

to CSI with Miss A.M. Investigations 

From Agatha Christie to CSI, crime and investigation 

has formed the backbone of entertainment since 

the dawn of fiction. For many investigators like 

myself, our passion for the job started and grew 

from these kinds of stories and we are often 

compared to those on-screen characters the 

audience has grown to love (what a compliment!). 

But in the name of entertainment, the writers will 

sacrifice realism for drama, and this can lead to 

some unfulfilling plot lines! 

Have you ever questioned the convenient clues 

that drop at the PI’s feet? 

Have you rolled your eyes when the bad guy 

literally runs into a dead end? 

Have you seen one too many cases solved by 

sudden, unrelated ‘epiphanies’? 

You are not alone! As a result, we now see a 

surge in the popularity of ‘True Crime’ stories. In 

recent years hundreds of books, blogs, Netflix 

series and Youtube Channels have popped up 

covering the subject, showing people’s thirst for 

real life investigations with a little more substance. 

The trouble is, there is a limited number of ‘true 

018 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

crime’ stories out there! You quickly find yourself 

revisiting the same investigations, albeit from 

slightly different perspectives, and it soon 

becomes tedious. You might even find you spend 

more time searching for something new rather 

than enjoying it! 

What if there was something in between true crime 

and pure fiction, that provided fresh new content 

you don’t have to spend hours searching for? 

I have received so much lovely feedback from my 

blog that I really wanted to expand it, but I wasn’t 

sure what that would look like. I knew I wanted to 

make something interactive for people to enjoy 

together. I also knew I wanted to keep telling my 

story, offering you insights into my work and the 

methods of investigation I use every day. After 

all, these are the things that people really seem 

to enjoy reading about the most! This year I have 

had the opportunity to work with some awesome 

people, fleshing out my ideas and bringing them to 

life. Finally, I am so excited to announce the release 

of my latest project – Mysteries with Miss AM! 

Designed as a fully immersive experience for 

amateur investigators, from solving mysteries 

in game to listening to my new crimes and 

investigations podcast, this community-based 

website and forum takes you from simply bingewatching 

to being right in the centre of your own 

story. Plus, through social media and our exclusive 

membership, you can chat with likeminded mystery 

enthusiasts and join our band of super sleuths! 

I feel so inspired by this project because it gives me 

a chance to apply my knowledge and experience to 

some truly unique storytelling. When you subscribe 

to the Mysteries with Miss AM community, you 

know that whatever you read, listen to or solve 

yourself is genuinely tied in with my own detective 

work and methods. No Hollywood gimmicks here! 

I can’t wait to start interacting with all of you, lead 

you through online puzzles and investigations and 

join in some deep forum discussions. To make sure 

you don’t miss out, make sure to follow Mysteries 

with Miss AM on Facebook. And don’t forget your 

magnifying glass! 


0019

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Chapter Two – 2020 

The First Chapter 

In a way this wasn’t the year to open a shop 

but, despite the interruptions caused by Covid-19 

and its lockdowns, Chapter Two in Chesham - a 

community pre-loved bookshop where all profits 

go to support the work of The Hospice of St 

Francis - is already finding its place at the heart 

of the Chesham community. 

We popped down to have a chat with bookshop 

manager, Mark Jackson-Hancock about the highs 

and lows of opening a shop in 2020, what we 

were reading and his book reading tips for 2021. 

How’s the year been for you? 

We were all gearing up to open at the end of 

March 2020 just when lockdown 1 arrived. Many 

months of planning were thrown into disarray and 

it was very sad to see the shop ready but visitors 

only able to peer in through our windows until 

mid-June. 

However, in the end it turned into a positive as 

people had more time and so they were reading 

more. This meant when we eventually opened we 

were flooded with donations and of course had 

many shoppers coming in to find new material to 

devour! 

What were the most donated books of 

2020? 

I’ve worked in the bookshop industry for over 25 

years and in the last 10 years, JK Rowling remains 

both the most donated, and the most requested, 

author both for her Harry Potter and her 

Cormoran Strike series. We always keep our eye 

out for first editions of these as they’re always 

highly sought after – we’ve had a few this year. 

JK Rowling has a natural gift for storytelling and 

a distinctive style incorporating wit alongside 

compelling characterisation. My personal 

favourite from her works is Harry Potter and the 

Prisoner of Azkaban: it contains the best plot of 

all the series and it was the first book that we 

opened at midnight for (in a previous role) and 

which was later to become one of the highlights 

of the bookselling year. 

After JK Rowling, the second most popular author 

is Enid Blyton (a former resident of Beaconsfield) 

closely followed by Roald Dahl (another local 

author),proving that there is still a huge and everincreasing 

appetite for classic children’s authors. 

How did our reading habits change during 

the pandemic? 

Aside from reading a lot more, particularly fiction 

- presumably as an escapism from the world 

around us – our customers were indulging in 

comfort reading and revisiting old favourites – 

anything by Jane Austen, Steinbeck with Harper 

Lee’s to Kill a Mockingbird popular. We also had 

a lot of requests for George Orwell’s 1984 (!) and 

have found, unsurprisingly, that local Chiltern walk 

books and cookery books were snapped up! 

Our Penguin Classics section with their colourful 

spines have also been flying off the shelves as 

people carefully curate their bookcases, possibly 

to look stylish on Zoom calls! 

What it was like opening a shop in the midst 

of Covid? 

It’s been a huge challenge in ensuring that 

our customers are protected and maintaining 

numbers and social distancing in the shop. 

Customers have been patient and sensible and 

there have not been many occasions when we 

020 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

have asked them to queue outside the shop. We’ve 

put our events programme on hold this year but 

hope to launch a series of book events from spring 

2021. 

What has been the most interesting book that 

has been donated? 

We keep a selection of our rarest donations in a 

cabinet behind the counter and that’s always worth 

a look. We were all excited to receive recently a 

rare and well-loved first edition of The Seven Pillars 

of Wisdom by T.E. Lawrence and a beautiful first 

illustrated edition of The Adventures of Orlando the 

Marmalade Cat. 

What will people be reading 2021? 

There are some new books coming out by acclaimed 

authors like Zadie Smith, Kazuo Ishiguro, Elizabeth 

Strout and biographer Clare Tomalin. We hope 

people buy these and then donate them to us as 

quickly as possible!! 

Gita, nurse at 

The Hospice of St 

Francis, This year I’ve 

loved reading ‘This 

is Going to Hurt by 

Adam Kay’, a funny 

and poignant memoir 

of his eight years of 

working as a junior 

doctor in an NHS 

hospital; and ‘When 

Breath Becomes Air 

by Paul Kalianithi’, the 

story of a neurosurgeon 

who developed level 4 

metastatic lung cancer 

and its impact on him 

and his family. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN / WINTER 2020 

0021

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

We’ve also seen a bit of a trend whereby customers 

enjoy reading a ‘surprise’ book. Our ‘Don’t judge 

a book’ by its cover section where books are 

wrapped up so you don’t know what you’re buying 

is encouraging readers to try something different. 

We’re planning to launch a ‘Books for Good’ 

subscription service in the New Year where you 

subscribe and receive a mystery book in the post 

every month. 

Chapter Two Information 

Opening hours: 

9-5pm Monday – Saturday and 10-4pm Sundays. 

Chapter Two can be found at 10 High Street, 

Chesham. 

The shop provides a book request service so do get 

in touch if you’re searching for something particular. 

Donations are always welcome but please limit 

these to two carrier bags full/one box per person. All 

donations will be quarantined for three days before 

appearing on the shop floor. 

The Hospice of St Francis cares for local people 

in Chesham, Amersham and The Chalfonts, 

helping them to live their precious life well through 

improving symptoms, achieving personal goals and 

helping them to feel safe and has been operating 

throughout the pandemic. Care is provided free for 

people affected by a life-limiting illness or living with 

cancer. To find out more visit www.stfrancis.org.uk 

For further information on Chapter Two or The 

Hospice of St Francis, please contact Pru Murray on 

07780 600180 or prunellamurray@btinternet.com 

Instagram: ChapterTwo_Bookshop 

Facebook: ChapterTwoChesham 

Facebook: Stfrancis.org.uk/chaptertwo 

022 


METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

The Lieutenancy Fund 

Charitable fund established to support the office of the Lord-Lieutenant for Buckinghamshire 

The Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire and 

the Community Foundation for Buckinghamshire, 

Heart of Bucks, are delighted to announce the 

creation of a new permanent fund, The Lieutenancy 

Fund, to support the work of the Lord-Lieutenant 

throughout our county. 

Sir Henry Aubrey-Fletcher retired on the 27th 

November 2020. He has served with great 

dedication and energy since he succeeded Sir 

Nigel Mobbs as Lord-Lieutenant in 2006 and has 

been hugely popular and immeasurably important 

for the county and for Milton Keynes. This fund has 

been established to celebrate his legacy. 

In these days of lockdowns and distancing, it is 

hoped that all people and organisations wishing 

to show their gratitude for Sir Henry’s remarkable 

public service can now contribute to the fund. 

An initial endowment of £10,000 has already been 

donated by members of the county’s Lieutenancy 

and Shrievalty, topped up by other significant gifts. 

The Lieutenancy Fund will become an invaluable 

aid to the work of future Lord-Lieutenants within 

the county, enabling small grants to local charitable 

organisations and community groups. 

“Sir Henry has done so much for so many in the 

county and Milton Keynes. A donation to the new 

Lieutenancy Fund set up in his honour is a fitting 

way of giving thanks for all he has done”. 

Henry Allmand, CEO at Heart of Bucks said: 

“It has been a pleasure working with Sir Henry 

during his time as Lord-Lieutenant. I am delighted 

that his legacy of commitment and dedication to 

the county of Buckinghamshire will be marked 

through the creation of a fund that will no doubt 

make a great impact to local communities across 

Bucks and MK over the years and decades to 

come”. 

Anyone wanting to contribute to the fund or find 

out more can get in touch with Henry Allmand at 

the email addresses listed below, or visit the Total 

Giving page to make an online donation: https:// 

www.totalgiving.co.uk/appeal/the-lieutenancy-fund 

For further information 

Please contact Henry Allmand, CEO Heart of Bucks, 

henry@heartofbucks.org 

The Lieutenancy Fund will create a lasting record 

of Sir Henry’s time in office. A donation to the fund 

is a fitting tribute to his outstanding contribution. 

The Countess Howe, who succeeds Sir Henry as 

Lord-Lieutenant said: 


0023

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

London Underground 

Caricatures 

www.londoncaricature.uk 

I was born with a pencil in my hand and my 

childhood was spent lying on the bedroom floor 

drawing. Schooldays were spent mainly drawing 

my fellow pupils and the teachers and getting 

involved in school and college magazines. Art 

school (Harrow School of Art) taught me the basics 

of painting which I still do, in my spare time, with 

some paintings sold, but it has never caught on as 

much as cartooning and caricaturing. 

While I was magazine graphic designer at such 

places as Marvel Comics UK, The Australasian 

Express and, freelancing, for Abbey National, 

Rolls-Royce and Marathon Oil amongst many 

others, I was always supplementing my income 

with submissions to newspapers and magazines 

such as The Sunday Times, News of the World, The 

Week, Life Magazine, The Sunday Telegraph and 

many more. 

I ran my own cartoon agency for a while, employing 

fellow cartoonists to meet lots of corporate 

requirements for cartoons and caricatures and I 

launched a humour magazine called Ha! (Humorous 

Arts) which was distributed independently and 

lasted for five issues. 

Another project was Chattoon! The Chat Show 

with Cartoons - a series of videos with cartoonists 

drawing celebrities while they talked about 

themselves. We did Neil Innes, Rita Rudner, Tim 

Vine, Reece Shearsmith, Edwina Currie and 

about fifteen more. You can still see Chattoon! 

here: https://youtu.be/k5UVY7btJXc 

Currently I am most often working for the Daily 

Mail City pages as well as continuing to draw 

private commissions. Fortunately, people are 

often commissioning me to draw their friends and 

families as unique gifts and I have been a regular 

on the party circuit, drawing guests live, within 

five minutes each, to provide a unique souvenir 

of the events. When I am not commissioned to 

draw people as gifts to give each other, I am very 

interested in portraying celebrities. 

The London Underground project had its genesis 

in a Christmas gift I was given at the end of 2018: an 

ordinary A5 desk diary. I had the flash of inspiration 

not to WRITE a diary, but to DRAW it by caricaturing 

a celebrity born on each and every date. This 

ended up with 365 drawings by the end of 2019 and 

I wondered what I could do next (as well as fitting in 

paid commissions). As a born Londoner with a keen 

knowledge of the Underground system and a love 

for the trains and the entire network, I decided to 

find out which famous people were associated, in 

whatever way, with each and every Underground 

station. And so the project came to life and ended 

at the end of November with 268-odd caricatures 

drawn, including Amersham, Chesham and the 

Chalfonts. 

The challenge, apart from the volume of drawing, 

was often researching and finding people famous 

enough to attach to particular stations. Out in the 

far-flung suburbs it was often surprisingly difficult 

to find ‘notable residents’ and I would scour the 

area for schools or colleges where such people 

might have attended. 

024 


The project is loosely-designed with a ‘tube line’ 

border half-framing each caricature and the aim is to 

publish the collection or get an exhibition somewhere 

if I am lucky. Former head of the Commission for 

Racial Equality, Trevor Phillips, very kindly bought his 

caricature (Wood Green) and both musician Evelyn 

Glennie and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth have 

theirs, too. 

Aside from the vocational aspect of enjoying 

drawing, the aim is to make a publication or exhibition 

out of it. My next project? Probably The House 

of Commons! Visit savilerowco.com to see the full 

range and enjoy free delivery for orders over £20. 

Simon Ellinas - simon@caricatures.org.uk 

www.caricatures.org.uk 

www.londoncaricature.uk 

Facebook / Twitter: @cartoonelli 


Just The Ticket 

An occasional glimpse behind the scenes of your local theatre 

2020 into 2021 has been an unprecedented 

time for both our theatre and the performing 

arts generally. We'd love to be telling you about 

our Spring Programme right now, which would 

be packed with shows and films, music events 

and exhibitions, and community workshops and 

opportunities. We'd be running a programme 

that would delight you, challenge you and 

above all, entertain you. 

But we're not. 

Like hundreds of other theatres and thousands 

of organisations and businesses, we are closed; 

protecting our staff, volunteers and customers 

is paramount, and although it seems at times to 

be soul-destroying to be away from the special 

place that has the magic to transport us to any 

place in space or time, real or imaginary, we 

have found strength in being apart together. 

So rather than a doom and gloom piece, 

we thought we'd seek out and focus on the 

upside of lockdown. Just what is your friendly, 

neighbourhood theatre up to while the curtain 

is down, and what we have seen in the broader 

landscape... 

Arts for everyone – and everyone keeping it 

going 

How to share an experience when you can't share 

a space? That was the question many people 

decided to answer during the first lockdown, 

and it led to some inspiring moments. Rock The 

Lockdown took Facebook by storm as people 

all over the world spread the joy of live music 

and the concept of the "Front Room Festival" 

started to spread. Symphony orchestras 

released composite videos of beautiful music, 

all played in the musicians' different homes, 

conducted virtually and sounding amazing. 

Theatre was written on Twitter and performed 

on Zoom and the trials of keeping apart and 

staying safe prompted an outpouring of poetry 

and creative writing. 

Running through everything was a thread of 

sharing, performing for others and for oneself, 

a reaching out across a digital divide to touch 

another soul, albeit virtually, and become 

enriched by doing so. Athletes shared warmup 

tips, ballet dancers shared rooftop solos 

and comedians shared jokes. People took the 

opportunity of experiencing new art forms and 

also to donate, realising that when it comes 

to supporting the performing arts during a 

pandemic, every little really does help. 

Virtually there - the democratisation of 

theatre 

Theatre in the UK is perceived to be very Londoncentric, 

or at least city-centric. There is a lively 

rep scene in Britain, but for the big shows, the 

National Theatre, West End musicals, The Royal 

Opera House, &c, London is the place to be. It’s 

not cheap however, especially when you add in 

a meal out and transport. 

Satellite screening of plays, musicals, operas 

and ballets were already well-received at 

cinemas and also very popular with The Elgiva 

audiences. It was a quick hop from streaming 

to a cinema to streaming to homes over the 

internet. Andrew Lloyd Webber launched The 

Shows Must Go On on YouTube making some of 

his top musicals available for a week at a time, 

The Royal Opera House streamed a catalogue 

of popular performances via Facebook and the 

#OurHouseToYourHouse playlist on YouTube 

and has since launched ROH Stream for 

paywalled content. 

026 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE HOME OF CATEGORY 

& GARDEN 

Perhaps most successful was The National 

Theatre’s NT At Home, Screening 17 productions 

to over 170 countries, it racked up more than 15 

million views. Viewers were encouraged to donate 

by luminaries such as Sir Ian McKellan and Dame 

Judi Dench, but essentially this was theatre on a 

London stage, with top stars, and it was completely 

free. The high viewing numbers were maintained all 

through the programme. 

“It was about democratisation really,” says Emma 

Keith, head of The National Theatre’s broadcast 

and NT Live, in an interview with The Guardian. “We 

felt we had to give people some way to keep the 

habit going and entice others to watch it.” 

The Lin-Manuel Miranda Broadway musical smashhit 

Hamilton was originally bound for a cinema 

release by Disney in Autumn of this year. Instead 

they added it to their infant streaming service 

Disney + and the smash-hit became a legend. In 

the first ten days, Hamilton was streamed by 2.7 

million households in the US alone, and with more 

than 74 million subscribers signed up to Disney + 

by the end of 2020, we’re sure than when Disney 

releases its viewing figures, Hamilton will be high 

on the list. 

The streaming industry giveth, but it also taketh 

away. The live action remake of Mulan was the film 

thought of as having legendary powers of being 

able to tempt audiences back to cinema after the 

lockdown. However, heartened by the success of 

Hamilton and worried about cinema attendance in 

a pandemic, Disney execs pulled the plug on the 

cinema release and went straight to streaming in a 

move that disappointed cinemas. 

In October we were delighted to be awarded a 

grant as part of the Government’s Culture Recovery 

Fund (CRF). The money will help The Elgiva face 

the challenges of the coronavirus pandemic and 

ensure we have a sustainable future. We also 

plan to use some of the funding to develop new 

activities and expand our community programme, 

building on our Elgiva for Everyone ethos. 

Behind the scenes, we are ensuring the theatre is 

in tip-top condition for when we reopen and as safe 

as we can make it. The staff are undergoing training 

and getting on with the housekeeping jobs that we 

can’t do with a full and busy building. Our technical 

team are in and out, turning things on and off as 

necessary and doing exciting things with lighting 

decks and sound cables and the Box Office staff 

are helping customers with their queries. 

And there is a lot of planning happening; new 

shows, a new programme, new exhibitions… The 

theatre will be hosting weddings later this year 

(restrictions permitting) and we’ll be showcasing 

local talent and providing a series of workshops. 

Our community plans will start to take shape and 

we’ll be outreaching to schools and companies. 

Something for everyone, as the saying goes. 

We may not be able to answer the “how” or the 

“when” of our reopening, but we can certainly 

answer the “why”. 

Because we must. 

Take care, stay safe, stay home and catch you on 

the flipside! 

What about us? 

Understandably, it’s been a tricky time for us. An 

ever-moving timetable of restrictions has seen 

some shows move back a couple of months, then 

a season, then a year. We had thrown ourselves 

totally behind our pantomime Sleeping Beauty, 

only for restrictions to push it back to February. It’s 

been an emotional rollercoaster! 

Image credit Andy Mahaffey 

Our customers have been amazing; they understand 

our limitations, are patient with our home-working 

and have supported us with donations and letting 

us carry their bookings forward. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / / SPRING 2021 2021 027

METROLAND 

ZONES 8 & 9 

Sustainable Chesham 

There are many wonderful things about living in 

Chesham and one is it's community feel. It has 

numerous community groups formed to make 

connections, share skills and improve our local 

environment. One such group is Sustainable 

Chesham. Formed over 10 years ago Sustainable 

Chesham's aim to encourage and enable our 

community to work towards a sustainable future 

has been at the forefront of all of the volunteers 

who join the group. 

Run by local Chesham residents, they meet 

monthly, to discuss, promote and support local 

sustainable initiatives. 

The current active projects include: 

• The formation of a Community Assembly 

where residents discussed how we can build 

resilience to climate change locally. During the 

successful debate the main themes which 

emerged included Water (supply demand, 

flooding, pollution), Wildlife & community food 

growing and Transport & air quality. 

• Finding homes for over 300 trees from The 

Woodland Trust in and around Chesham and 

surrounding villages. 

• Zone 9 Cycle Group who have been working 

tirelessly to improve the cycle ways and 

pedestrian walkways through the town. 

• The Big Clean Switch Initiative which aims to 

encourage all local residents to easily switch 

to a green renewable energy provider. 

• Setting up a pop-up Repair Cafe in Chesham, 

which has had a welcome boost upon receiving 

a micro-grant from The National Lottery 

Community Fund, distributed by Transition 

Network. 

We also support local lobbying initiatives 

like the Bucks Climate Action Alliance Group 

(bucksclimateactionalliance@gmail.com) set up to 

lobby and support Bucks Council in developing 

and delivering a route map to becoming carbon 

neutral, and are currently supporting a petition for 

our local MP to support the Climate and Ecological 

Emergency (CEE) Bill in parliament in March 

(Dame Cheryl Gillan MP, SUPPORT THE CLIMATE 

& ECOLOGICAL EMERGENCY BILL | 38 Degrees) 

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/supportthe-cee-bill 

028 


If you are interested in getting involved in any 

of these projects, or have something you’d like 

to start yourself you would be most welcome 

at the monthly meetings. The next one will be 

hosted on Zoom at 7.30pm on Wednesday 27th 

January, you can find more details including the 

log in codes on www.sustainablechesham.org.uk 

or follow them on Instagram and Facebook for 

updates. 

https://sustainablechesham.org.uk/ 


029

Coming March 2021 

030 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

#ShopLocal 


METROLAND 

FAMILY TIME 

What is #ShopLocal 

all about? 

032 

METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN / WINTER 2020

METROLAND 

FAMILY TIME 

Denise Williams Designs, The Dark Imp, Alex Vincent Textiles and Closer Crystals (below) - just four of 

over 250 local businesses who are promoting their products and services on #ShopLocal 

The past few months have shown us that when 

times are tough, we must work together to help 

each other not only survive but thrive. 

In October 2020 the Metroland team launched 

a Facebook group to support local businesses 

through these tough times, encourage the 

community back into the High Street, and to buy 

locally from not only bricks and mortar shops but 

also our artisans, solopreneurs and independents. 

We have created a community group and a 

virtual shop for Christmas; if we cannot get to the 

shops, we will bring them to you. As the HUGELY 

successful virtual Christmas market ended, the 

group become a virtual high street! 

gifts that don’t cost a fortune whilst reducing 

our carbon footprint. We are also just launching 

the #shoplocalvoucher so you can continue 

supporting locally by gifting! 

Visit the #ShopLocal Facebook Group at 

www.facebook.com/groups/shoplocal.chesham. 

amersham.chalfont and take a look at what is on 

offer. 

Work with us, support the campaign! As a business 

you can join our #SHOPLOCAL directory, buy 

the #SHOPLOCAL vouchers or by becoming a 

Corporate Sponsor. 

We must thank Bucks Breakfast, Chiltern Voice 

and Radio Christmas for all giving us coverage and 

supporting the campaign. 

#SHOPLOCAL is here to stay and we are on a 

Metroland mission to ensure that our fabulous 

towns all stay alive! With such diverse talent 

across all Chesham, Amersham and Chalfont, we 

want townsfolk to use their local shops, support 

their local businesses and ensure that the High 

Street continues to be vibrant and successful. 

Shops face huge overheads with rates/rent/staff 

etc and it is our duty to repay that investment with 

our custom. Since launching the group we have 

discovered a veritable emporium of artists, all on 

our doorstep. We can buy unique, quirky, bespoke 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Introducing 

Suzanne Raffelini 

Chesham based Suzanne is a freelance glass artist specializing in the 

design and manufacture of stained glass windows, splashbacks and 

sinks. She also makes gorgeous items for the home and jewellery. As 

one of the first artisans to join the Metroland family we thought we'd 

get to know her a bit better... over to you Suzanne! 

Where did you grow up? 

Leeds, W.Yorkshire hence the accent 

What were your best/worst subjects in school? 

My best subjects were Art, Chemistry, English and 

Geography. I hated Physics! 

What's your most embarrassing childhood 

memory? 

Being told off in front of the whole school for 

sticking my tongue out 

Were you a good student? 

God yes! Miss Bloody Goody Two Shoes! Not a 

swot but definitely a rule follower 

What do you like doing in your spare time? 

What’s spare time? I enjoy walking the dog ( I have 

the most gorgeous soppy German Shepherd) and 

being with nature – it inspires a lot of my work 

Who is your inspiration? 

Nelson Mandela because of the way he overcame 

the odds and stood for what he believed in 

Do you speak any other languages? 

Fluent in Italian, school girl French and German 

Where would you like to visit? 

New Zealand 

What is your favourite movie? 

Love actually, an all round feel good movie 

What sports do you enjoy watching? 

Yuk! Olympics sometimes 

What is your favourite song? 

It’s a New Day, it’s a new dawn, and I’m feeling 

good(Nina Simone). That piece is so full of promise 

and its so sensuous 

What's your favourite place to eat? 

Thai or really good modern English like Roots or 

The Tavern. Love food that makes you feel good 

and healthy 

What would be your super power? 

To be able to fly and soar away above the clouds 

What would be a good theme song for your 

life? 

Always look on the bright side of Life ( from The 

Life of Brian) as he’s hanging from the cross. 

What's your biggest pet peeve? 

Liars, and people who over exaggerate 

What's your annoying habit? 

Forgetfulness (I think) But according to my kids it’s 

the tendency to over exaggerate! 

Which fictional character would be the most 

exciting to meet in real life? 

Indiana Jones or Harry Potter 

Something about you that not many people 

know? 

I have 2 birth certificates 

034 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / / SPRING 2021

CATEGORY 

TITLE OF CATEGORY 

Design, manufacture and restoration of stained glass windows. 

Bespoke spalashbacks. 

Decorative household item product line. Workshops. 

suzanne@raffeini.com | 07833 622882 

SuzanneRaffeiniGlassArtist raffeinisuzanne 

METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN WINTER // SPRING WINTER 2021 2020 035 035

METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Adaptation 

& Determination 

Malt The Brewery tell us about 

their new products and innovations 

which mean we can continue to 

enjoy their offerings whilst being 

COVID safe. 

For 8 years Malt The Brewery has been at the 

heart of the community in Prestwood, Great 

Missenden. With a vibrant tasting bar, regular 

brewery tours and super onsite shop it's 

something of a hidden gem. 

The Tasting Bar would be packed out most 

Friday and Saturday nights with locals looking 

for somewhere to meet like-minded people and 

share a top quality, locally made drink or two. 

Malt The Brewery is keen to support other local 

producers such as Griffiths Brothers Gin and 

Twelve Below Tonics so its not just beer on the 

menu. 

Sadly, the bar has been closed since March 

last year due to its size and inability to socially 

distance. Instead fans have been buying online 

to enjoy at home. Malt The Brewery’s home 

delivery and Click & Collect services have been 

doing a storm. 

The most recent addition is a shiny set of Click & 

Collect lockers. ‘Probably the safest shopping in 

Bucks’, the lockers are contactless thanks to a 

QR scanner, which enables shoppers to collect 

their orders anytime of day or night. 

With the ‘COVID’ outlook uncertain there is no 

telling when Malt The Brewery’s Tasting Bar 

will re open or their popular 5 star Tours will 

recommence. However the innovative family 

run business are not letting that stop them. 

036 

METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN WINTER / WINTER / SPRING 2020 2021

Their recently launched ‘Tour in a box’ is a 

superb treat for the beer lover in your life. It’s 

a unique experience that brings to life the 

original brewery tour in your own home. A 

box full of goodies including beer, hops and 

malt, is accompanied by an online video that 

walks participants through a guided beer 

tasting before ’taking you into the brewery’ 

to learn all about the origin of beer and how 

it's made. 

Hopefully come the Spring discerning 

drinkers will be able to visit The Outsiders 

Arms, another novel idea from Nick Watson, 

Founder of Malt The Brewery. This purpose 

built COVID SECURE outside bar features 

online ordering and a socially distanced 

collection point. So it's the perfect watering 

hole for those who are playing it safe even 

when things start to open up. It would also 

look pretty special at your next private event. 

For more information on Malt The Brewery 

visit their website maltthebrewery. 

co.uk or follow them on Facebook 

https://www.fb.com/Maltthebrewery, and 

Instagram, https://www.instagram.com/ 

maltthebrewery. 

www.maltthebrewery.co.uk 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Amersham Auction Rooms 

Still a performer’s stage after more than 100 years 

We began life life back in 1877, when our direct 

forebears founded a land agency in the name of 

Pretty & Ellis, operating in South Buckinghamshire, 

whose activities included auctioning of farms and 

country houses and encompassing all manner of 

furniture and other chattels 

The firm expanded organically over the years; but 

saw dynamic changes in the sixties and seventies 

and in the process, the auction side of the business 

was separated and as a result of that diversification, 

that specialist division was rebranded, to coincide 

with the move to Station Road in Amersham, where 

is has remained and continues to prosper, under 

the control of the current directorship of Jacqui 

Arbery, Simon Knowles, Barrie Twyman and Dick 

Ellis, still trading as Amersham Auction Rooms 

The premises have a history stretching back almost 

as far as that of the present occupiers. 

Limited, they developed the Regent Cinema in 

Sycamore Road, Amersham and upon completion 

of construction in 1928, The Pavilion closed. 

However, it remained open as The Playbox Theatre 

when the local amateur dramatic group rented the 

property – where productions continued until 1934, 

when the professional repertory theatre came to 

the town. 

Yet another re-naming, after a short ‘interval’ The 

Playhouse saw Sally Latimer and her Company in 

partnership with John Penrose, running a repertory 

theatre – later to be joined by Carl Jenner. 

Seating had been expanded to 240 and the 

adjoining premises, formerly International Stores, 

was acquired as a replacement for the basement 

cafe and an enlarged box-office – that lower 

level then became dressing rooms and other 

accommodation for the theatre 

Intended to be a warehouse for the adjoining 

International Stores but never used for the 

purpose; the premises now occupied by Amersham 

Auction Rooms began life in 1907 as the Bijou Hall, 

for light entertainment, dancing and lectures 

In 1922, the then proprietor, Mr Walter Collins, a 

local pianist and composer, re-named the building 

The Pavilion, as a cinema, for the showing of silent 

films with piano and percussion accompaniment 

At the same time, a small cafe was opened in the 

basement and a 3d ticket entitled the holder to a 

seat and a cup of tea or a bag of sweets if you were 

a child! 

In 1926 Mr Collins and local builder, Alfred Woodley, 

saw the development of films with sound as an 

entrepreneurial venture and as Colwood Pictures 

The Wartime evacuation swelled the only 

permanent theatre in Buckinghamshire but sadly, 

by 1945 the increasing popularity of television saw 

attendances fall off and crisis after crisis led to its 

eventual closure in 1955 

038 


METROLAND 

CATEGORY 

TITLE OF #SHOPLOCAL 

CATEGORY 

After a short period, the then empty premises 

were acquired by Pretty & Ellis, already long 

established local Auctioneers, Land & Estate 

Agents, as a permanent home for their emerging 

Furniture Sales Division. Indeed, at the time, 

the firm claimed to be the first to run auction 

sales from dedicated premises, in the South of 

England, outside Greater London 

The Pretty & Ellis business required another 

change of name and as Amersham Auction 

Rooms it has remained and become a nationally 

and internationally respected participant in the 

auctioneering business 

It is regrettable that the ravages of time 

necessitated rebuilding the front elevation but 

much of the original theatre layout has been 

retained and to many, the sense of entertainment 

continues with the firm’s weekly auctions! 


METROLAND 

GIFTING 

METROLAND 

FAMILY TIME 

The Artful Menders 

040 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

The Artful Menders was born out of a desire to 

build a more sustainable approach to fashion by 

repairing and re-purposing preloved garments. 

They intend to give a new lease of life to damaged 

clothing and stop them being thrown into landfill. 

As well as altering, up-cyling or discreetly mending 

the clothing you could chose a technique called 

‘Visible Mending’. This doesn’t hide the fact the 

garment has been mended but rather highlights 

it by using a different coloured thread or an 

attractive pattern of stitching. It highlights the 

repair, celebrates it, continues to tell the clothing’s 

story. 

You could also get your pre-loved clothing turned 

into a beautiful and unique soft furnishing, a 

cushion or a blankets. These keepsake pieces 

create new stories and conversation starters, 

weaving the thread from old to new. 

that seem outdated. An alternative solution is 

attending a ‘swishing’ event where you can swap 

your unwanted good quality clothing for someone 

else. 

We had hoped to host such an event locally, but 

unfortunately with the Covid restrictions we have 

jumped online and teamed up with Metroland and 

local advocate for sustainable living The Shift 

(www.wearetheshift.co.uk/) to create a different 

swapping event in #SwapLocal. 

Rather than swapping physical items, we are 

harnessing the same ‘community giving’ ethos and 

asking people to swap their skills by uploading a 

short video of something they would like to share. 

We would love for everyone to get involved with 

this community skill swap and guarantee you will 

be surprised at how much you have to share! 

In 2021 The Artful Menders will be hosting a series 

of workshops so that you can learn how to repair 

and restyle your own clothing. These will be aimed 

at all ages and abilities, with some online options 

until we can meet in person. 

For more information about this head to their 

website www.theartfulmenders.com and sign up 

for their newsletter. 

You can also follow them on Facebook and 

Instagram or email them at info@theartfulmenders. 

com to discuss any mending projects. 

The fashion industry has been identified as the 

second most polluting industry in the world after 

oil, and when you consider that 60% of garments 

are now made of polyester (plastic) that makes 

sense. The carbon footprint of new clothes bought 

in the UK each month is greater than flying a plane 

around the world 900 times, but still the industry 

is booming and we keep buying more. 

But it's not all doom and gloom and if we follow 

Vivienne Westwood’s advice of “Buy less, choose 

well, make it last” we can start to reverse this 

trend. 

The most sustainable item of clothing is one that 

is already in your wardrobe, so the best thing to 

do is to is repair what we have and restyle pieces 


METROLAND 

GIFTING 

Cocktails: How do you 

like yours? 

When Cocktailmaker was set up in a small London 

back bedroom in 1998 it was to turn David Hurst’s 

new-found passion for cocktails and great drinks 

into a few extra £, alongside his day job in the 

City. In February 2002 David started out as a sole 

trader; by 2005 it was a VAT-registered limited 

company. As soon as their two girls were at school 

Catherine joined the business and is now a vital 

part of its success. 

From David & Georgia Tennant, Tim & Lucy 

Henman, to Ineos Chief Jim Ratcliffe, Calvin Harris, 

Joanna Lumley and the Sainsbury family (their 

last private event before Covid), Cocktailmaker has 

continued to supply excellent staff and service at 

thousands of corporate functions, charity galas, 

weddings and private parties over the last twenty 

years, across the UK and Europe. 

Despite offices and events nationwide “Our policy 

has always been to recruit and buy locally as much 

as possible” explains David “When we moved to 

Bucks. we thought we’d be hard pressed to get 

what we needed locally. Not the case! We had an 

ice factory a mile away, specialist drinks shops 

in Chalfont & Chesham, catering equipment and 

glassware suppliers in Wycombe and Aylesbury 

- and crucially found fabulous staff in local pubs, 

cafes and bars. We take their smiles, great attitude 

and friendly personality, add our mixology training 

and we have an excellent addition to our team. 

In the service industry personality counts for 

everything; we can’t teach that, but we CAN teach 

a new skillset.” 

So to March 2020 and events gradually got 

postponed, so time to think outside the box. A 

variety of new services were created, ranging from 

those possible only locally (Pour@theDoor) and 

(via the wonders on Zoom) Online Masterclasses 

seeing participants from Bahrain to Brazil, 

042 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Moscow to Milan, New York to Newcastle (NSW). All 

participants given expert instructions on mixology 

from their Studio Bar in Bucks! David also speaks a 

number of foreign languages, which helps a great 

deal when dealing with global organisations. 

Choose which way you’d like to have fun: 

“Pour@theDoor” was born out of a desire to make 

sure cocktails are made and presented exactly 

as they should be. “I’d seen cocktails sold in small 

plastic bottles - but with no ice, straw, garnish, 

appropriate glassware or the tools and knowledge 

to serve it properly, it’s only half the drink it should 

be.” Our cocktails are made fresh and bottled in 

our bar, then shaken and garnished at the door, in 

the right glass. Glasses are collected on their next 

round. 

“The Cocktail Box” is an online Cocktail 

Masterclass in various formats. It’s for groups of 

friends, couples or individuals and on a corporate 

level is great for getting staff together and giving 

them fun and a new skill. Decide the cocktails you 

want to be taught how to make; the ingredients, 

straws, garnishes and a menu card are all sent out 

by post or courier. You then all join an online class 

at the same time. Pre-class briefings are sent out 

on how to prep up. Boxes can include shakers or full 

bar sets, or participants use their own drinks/juice 

bottles as shakers. Classes last 45-75 minutes. 

electronic help in quizzes – only your taste buds 

can help you here. Do you know your Merlot from 

your Malbec, can you distinguish a £15 vodka from a 

£30 one and can your palate distinguish 6 different 

ingredients in the mystery cocktail? Not only do you 

get the fun aspect of the quiz, but also the drinks to 

reward yourself with after it. 

There are “No and Low” options to all the above 

so nobody misses out on any aspect of the fun we 

offer. With a number of books on cocktails with and 

without alcohol to his name, David is well versed 

in this too-often-overlooked aspect of the drinks 

industry. 

Contact Cocktailmaker 

01494 786969, WhatsApp 07985 035955 

david.hurst@cocktailmaker.co.uk 

www.cocktailmaker.co.uk 

Instagram: @CocktailmakerUK 

Facebook.com/Cocktailmaker 

“The Video Mix” is a set of video tutorials, made for 

budding mixologists to learn the methods needed 

to make their chosen cocktails, without having to 

join an online class; just follow written instructions 

and the accompanying video tutorial. 

“The Cocktail Party” is for those who want to get 

together with local families and friends. We deliver 

your box of goodies to the door, comprising tasty 

treats and delightful drinks, while you get your 

finery on. Made fresh on the day, it’s a combo of 

edible offerings and marvellous mixes. Join a short 

online class at the start of the evening and learn 

how to present your drinks properly; we leave you 

to enjoy the party and shake your own alreadydelivered 

cocktails. 

“The Taste Test” is a quiz devised by staff at 

Cocktailmaker to combat the growing use of 


METROLAND 

FAMILY TIME 

#ShopLocal Feedback 

"As a seller this has completely revolutionised my thinking. I’ve known I’ve needed an 

online presence and haven’t done anything because I’ve been so busy doing face to face 

selling through fairs. This shoplocal platform is a sort of halfway house between direct selling 

and the anonymity of etsy or ebay/Amazon. Through the #shoplocal initiative there is still the 

opportunity to chat to people discover what they want, make something bespoke etc. And I’ve 

loved doing all my deliveries and chatting to my new customers. It’s been fantastic and quite 

overwhelming with good feeling. This is the way we will get this country back on its feet – by 

communities reaching out and helping each other." 

"As a buyer it’s been great to find all the local talent in the area. I’ve always wanted to buy 

local but never knew where to start. This group has given me gift ideas I never even 

thought of trying to find for friends and family! Well done everyone." 

"I am both a stall holder and #shoplocal buyer and it has changed my perception of the value of 

keeping it local. It feels like you are part of a community of likeminded people all supporting each 

other. My pottery business has taken off like I could have only dreamed of and to support fellow 

small business owners has meant I am meeting lots of new people making and creating beautiful, 

unique products. I really hope that for the future #shoplocal will be the way that people interact 

and buy from each other with the added advantage of making some new friends along the way." 

"I have had more sales this season via online with local people I haven’t met before. 

Usually people meet me at Art Fairs, Bucks Art Weeks, Amersham Art Unlocked etc or word of 

mouth/recommendation. I love to buy handmade and local myself wherever possible!" 

"Before I order anything on Amazon I ask here first. I have spent a little more but the experience 

is so much better, the attention to detail from the sellers brings a certain joy to shopping that 

can't be replicated by Amazon. In addition I feel as if I am contributing to my micro economy which 

is so important right now. It's important to think anout whre your money is going... shopping on 

Amazon is like renting a property, shopping local is like buying, it's an investment back into your 

own surroundings... I don't want my children to grow up and hear stories about the High Street and 

how we used to have shops there. This is too important to lose." 

044 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

We need you... 

We alongside many other businesses have 

seen little or no income this year due to 

Covid-19. This is why METROLAND Life launched 

#SHOPLOCAL to help our local communities. 

Our very successful #SHOPLOCAL campaign 

has enabled many businesses to survive over 

the last few months and we have proven that 

there is a need for the campaign to continue 

into 2021 and beyond. We feel that this need is 

so significant we have committed to make the 

campaign our sole focus moving forwards. But 

we need your help to make this happen. 

We are reaching out to our larger business 

community to get involved and enable us 

to support our artisans, solopreneurs and 

independent high street businesses. Your 

investment will enable us to help raise the 

profile of these smaller businesses and ensure 

that our community thrives. 

Corporate Sponsorship will provide us with the 

resources needed to continue to talk about 

and promote the very essence of the heart of 

our towns and communities. Corporate Social 

Responsibility is about giving back to the 

community and taking part in activities that 

provide positive social value. 

By becoming one of our #SHOPLOCAL sponsors 

you have a unique opportunity to: 

• support the local community 

• raise awareness of your brand across 

South Bucks 

• be recognised as being an invaluble part of 

the #SHOPLOCAL campaign 

• raise your community profile. 

Corporate Sponsor Package 

• Inclusion of your logo on our #SHOPLOCAL 

Directory 

• Editorial/advertising features in our 

seasonal publication 

• Branded #SHOPLOCAL material for 

inclusion in your Corporate PR thus 

enforcing your commitment to the local 

community. 

• PLUS social media PR 

#SHOPLOCAL Payback 

10% of all profit will be put back into the 

community through supporting projects in 

Chesham, Amersham and Chalfont . Not only 

will you be supporting the retailers but the 

wider community itself. 

To get involved: 

Email hello@metroland.life 

or call Tina on 07775 895560 for more 

information 

045 

METROLAND 

MAGAZINE 

AUTUMN / 

WINTER 2020

METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Product Photography 

A crash course! 

Kathryn Pike is the co-owner and Art Director of Metroland. She is a designer, 

professional photographer and home-based mumpreneur running her handmade 

children’s clothing and jewellery businesses. Despite having access to professional 

photography equipment, most of the photographs that Kathryn uses to promote her 

products are taken on her phone. In this issue, she shares how to get your product 

photos from “meh” to “wow!” with just a bit of knowhow. 

So, you’ve created a new product and you are now 

ready to start promoting it on social media and 

add it to your website. You know that you need 

exceptional photographs to stand out from the 

crowd, but you do not have the funds to employ a 

professional photographer or invest in expensive 

equipment. Do not panic! All you need is a bit of 

knowhow and a phone with a decent camera. 

Lighting 

Lighting is THE most important element when it 

comes to taking decent photographs. 

are great as light comes from a single direction, 

creating beautifully natural shadows which help to 

define your product. 

Outside 

If you are able to photograph your images outside, 

then go for it! The ideal times to shoot are in the 

early morning or late afternoon, or when the sun is 

out but not too harsh. Slightly overcast days are 

the best as the clouds act as nature’s very own 

soft-box, giving you beautifully diffused light. 

The aim of product photography is to capture the 

product and the background the way that you see 

it. Your images need to be as accurate as possible. 

If you don’t get your lighting right, your white 

background will look grey and your product’s colour 

will be off too. 

Types of lighting 

There are two types of lighting - natural and studio. 

Both have their uses and each has positives and 

negatives. Of the two, natural light photography 

is my favourite and in my opinion is the best place 

to start. For this guide, natural lighting will be my 

focus. 

Location 

Inside 

The best inside location is a room with a well-lit 

window. The bigger the window, the more natural 

light there will be, so your goal is to position your 

setup next to this window so that you are using 

all the natural light that comes through. Windows 

046

METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Backgrounds 

For the purposes of this guide I am going to be 

working with a plain white background as they 

are timeless and the most versatile. However 

some products, like jewellery, really sing on a 

black background. I have also successfully taken 

advantage of textured backgrounds and subtle 

colours. Once you have the basics don’t be afraid 

to experiment. The best way to learn is by doing 

– the only limit is your phone battery and storage 

space! 

Don’t be tempted to simply use your workbench 

as a background. If your workspace is anything 

like mine, it is covered in tape marks, scratches 

and glue – as any work bench should be! These 

indistinct marks will only detract from the 

product. You want people to be falling in love 

with your work, not trying to work out if they are 

seeing a magical sea creature in the markings 

from your creative process! 

Image Proportion (or Ratio) 

There are many different ratios in photography 

but these are the ones I use the most for products. 

Your decision should be based on what is best for 

your product. 

Square or 1:1 ratio images became popular as 

a result of Instagram. They also look great on 

website shops and help to create a structured 

layout. Other social media platforms have also now 

adapted to work seamlessly with square images. 

Rectangular or 4:3 ratio images are great for 

photographing food and clothing. You can shoot 

in a portrait or landscape orientation. If you are 

shooting for an online shop however, remember to 

keep them all in the same orientation. 

The 2:1 ratio or letterbox images are great for 

hero shots. These are the images where you add 

props and change up the background to put the 

product in its setting. Don’t use these for your 

plain background product shots – unless all your 

products are particularly long and would be best 

displayed in this way. 

When it comes to image proportions, consistency 

is key. You don’t want to be changing between 

rectangular and square images as when the time 

comes to create your online shop, you will have to 

contend with a range of image styles which can be 

particularly confusing when browsing. 

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Product images using various backgrand options 

have been used to mock up this unbalanced shop 

layout as a result of inconsistent image ratios. 


047

METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Equipment 

Smart Phone 

You can use any smartphone with a good camera 

but if can get your hands on a newer model with 

a 12+ megapixel camera, you will be rewarded. 

The higher the megapixel count, the better your 

product photos will be. 

Backdrop 

A white bendable backdrop. A large piece of purewhite 

card is perfect. If you are photographing 

food, you may want to invest in a vinyl backdrop 

which can be purchased in a variety of sizes. 

My favourite vinyl backdrops are from https:// 

clubbackdrops.com/. They also have a gorgeous 

selection of different textures and other colours 

which, if chosen well, can really make your products 

pop. For example, jewellery and glassware can look 

amazing on a plain black backdrop. 

are shooting alone. On these occasions, a sheet 

of white foam board is your friend. Lean it in the 

right place against a tin of beans (always handy) 

and voila! 

You can control the light with bounce boards by 

changing their angle and moving them closer or 

further away. Look at your product closely and 

you will see the board working to reflect light back, 

filling any harsh shadows. 

Mini Tripod 

You can purchase a mini tripod for as little as £10, 

rising to about £50 for a tripod with more features. 

However much you can afford, a tripod is a good 

investment with a great payoff - it allows you to 

create consistent photo layouts and avoid shaky 

shots. When choosing a tripod, you can’t go far 

wrong with Manfrotto. Take a look at the Manfrotto 

PIXI mini tripod kit which can be purchased for 

around £30. 

Diffuser 

For product photography, you need to avoid hard 

light at all costs. Hard light saturates colours and 

will highlight flaws that you wouldn’t normally see 

with the naked eye. 

It is often impractical to wait for perfect light 

conditions, so this is where we need to ‘diffuse’ 

the light coming through the window to soften 

it. The simplest diffuser is a piece of thin cloth – 

such as white cheesecloth, parchment paper or 

even printer paper. You can also purchase diffuser 

sheets online. 

White Bounce Boards 

A bounce board is used to reflect the natural light 

to reduce harsh shadows. The simplest form 

of a bounce board is a piece of paper, but their 

flimsiness makes them difficult to use when you 

Take a look at the images above, neither of 

which have yet been edited. The camera 

settings were identical but in the second image 

048 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

a bounce board was used to reflect light onto the 

left hand side of the item. The apple is brighter and 

the shadows reduced. 

It is also worth considering adding a swivel-stand 

mirror to your kit. Sometimes, just a little ray of 

reflected light can be the finishing touch that your 

image needs. 

Simple Props (optional) 

Once you are happy with your product shot, you 

may wish to add some interest by including a few 

choice props to your photos. For example, I added 

a cute rainbow, wooden fish and little car to this 

picture to provide a bit of fun. I also took a photo of 

the product on its own. 

You probably already have a great selection of 

props around your home. However, if you want 

to create your own collection, charity shops and 

crafting stores are great places to find suitable bits 

and pieces. But be warned – this can get addictive, 

so stick to objects that work with your brand. If 

you are creating natural products, avoid that lime 

green lamé table mat! 

A food /product photographers 

prop addiction! 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Setting up 

You should ideally set up your workspace at a 90 

degree angle to your window. The image below 

shows a quick setup with a vinyl plain white 

backdrop. 

The backdrop has been curved up and over a 

computer monitor. Using a continuous backdrop 

means that there are no pesky edges to deal with 

which makes photographing much easier. 

A defined edge in the wrong position can 

completely throw off the balance of your image so 

it’s best to avoid them altogether. 

Despite an overcast mid-January day, the light is 

still quite harsh so I have diffused it with a sheet of 

white tissue paper. Diffusing also softens window 

frame reflections. 

Things to think about before you start 

shooting. 

It’s all about the angles, baby! 

Don’t be afraid of taking images from different 

angles and distances. Trust me when I tell you that 

it is vital to take all of the images you want at the 

same time, rather than have to try to recreate the 

layout at a later date. 

I am a fan of the ‘flat-lay’ when it comes to clothing, 

but different products will work best with other 

angles. Do not be afraid to try alternative views to 

give dimension and depth to the piece. Shoppers 

love to see what they are buying in advance, so try 

lots of angles and share all those that work. 

Here are a few examples: 

1. Eye level. Take a shot as if you were looking at 

the product straight on. 

2. High angle. Imagine looking down on the 

product from a standing position. 

3. Low angle. This is the view from floor, looking 

up 

4. Bird’s eye. Take an image from directly above, 

looking down. 

5. Slanted. Showing the product from one side. 

Don’t forget the closeups! 

Your product is amazing, so don’t sell it short. 

If you have hand-smocked a dress, one of the 

highlights will be your beautiful needlework, so 

050 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

show it off. Is there a unique texture on that pair 

of earrings that you have forged? Make sure you 

share that detail. Never forget to get in nice and 

close (well, as close as your camera will allow whilst 

staying in focus). 

I recommend that you keep the smartphone 

and tripod in the same place whilst you move the 

product to change the angle. This will mean that all 

of your images will be framed in the same way and 

will provide consistent light and shadow. 

Taking the photos 

Every phone operates slightly differently so 

this is where you need to do some research and 

learn how to set up your camera ready for your 

photography session. A google search linked to 

your smartphone model will give you the answers 

you need. In some cases you may find that using 

a photo app will give you extra functionality not 

included with your phone as standard. 

One of the joys of using smartphones for 

photography is that you can check your work 

and adjust as you go. Once you have taken your 

first shot, look at the image to see if it needs to 

be brightened or darkened in order to achieve a 

proper exposure. If you think the image needs to 

be improved, touch the +/- button below the focus 

button and use the slider function to change the 

exposure by moving it up or down as required. 

There are a few things to avoid when trying to get 

the best shot. 

1. Using the zoom feature will reduce the quality 

of the image, so leave it at 1.0. 

2. Do not use the selfie camera – it has been 

placed on your smartphone for a very specific 

purpose, and is not as good as the rearmounted 

cameras. 

3. Avoid using the flash. All it will do is overexpose 

your image and wash out all of the colour. 

Step 1 

Set up your white balance (WB). White balance 

defines how warm or cool the overall colors in your 

photograph will look. Most of the time, colours will 

look pretty accurate in your photos but its easy 

for your camera to get confused. To be extra sure, 

always carry out this step even if the colour looks 

right. To set the correct white balance touch the 

white background on the screen. 

Step 2 

Check your exposure. Exposure is a crucial part of 

how bright or dark your pictures appear. To set the 

correct exposure, touch the image of your product 

on-screen when in exposure mode. 

Step 3 

Focus. Set your focus point by touching on 

your product so that the camera focusses on it 

correctly. 

Step 4 

Lock your camera settings – this stops the camera 

auto adjusting the settings when you are taking 

your product shot. 

Step 5 

Take your photo! 


Unsplash: Jeroen den Otter 

051

METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Editing the photos 

The thought of editing photos may seem daunting, 

but this is the step that will take your images to the 

next level. The good news is that it is really easy 

when using a smartphone. 

Despite this, try not to rely on editing! It is always 

better to get as much as you can right when you 

take the image in camera. If your background is 

still looking very grey, move your product to get 

more light, add more bounce boards or bring in that 

mirror. The secret of editing images is to give them 

an extra bit of shine, not to try and fix what could 

have been adjusted whilst shooting. 

Your goal is to create an image that accurately 

reflects what you see in real life. Editing is there to 

enhance the image in order to show your product 

in the best possible way. 

If you have any creases, blemishes or fluff(!) in your 

image, now is the time to edit these out. If you 

have used a white background, it is easy to add 

a white background layer to the image. A quick 

Google search will give you instructions on how to 

do this in your chosen editing app. 

Most modern smartphones have basic image 

editing installed, but they often rely on a set of 

pre-created filters. Please try not to use filters 

when photographing products, they will not do 

justice to your hard work. I use and can recommend 

Lightroom, but I have also heard good things about 

Snapseed and Camera2+ (iOS only, $7.99). The 

first two are available for both iOS and Android 

and are free. The best advice I can give is to try a 

few and find a tool with which you are comfortable. 

Download a couple and have a play. Even if the 

apps are not free, they often provide a short free 

trial period so you can try before you buy. 

(Camera2+ has the added ability to take images 

through the app which means you can adjust the 

photo as you are taking it – handy if you are on a 

tight timeline) 

Once you have taken your image and chosen your 

preferred editing app, you can make those few 

basic adjustments to elevate your photos. 

Take a look at 

• brightness 

• contrast 

• sharpness 

• highlights/shadows 

• white balance 

Avoid 

• filters 

• borders 

• tints 

• oversaturation 

Pre & post edit. This flat lay was taken on a 

particularly dull day in December and so I was 

unable to get the white background as bright as I 

would have liked in camera. The edit was achieved 

by reducing the shadows and slightly increasing 

the exposure. 

052 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Taking your images one step further 

Setting the scene 

As well as product-focussed images, you may 

also want to take what are known as lifestyle or 

hero images. These help consumers imagine 

themselves living with your product in their home. 

A perfect example is a sofa advert on TV. We very 

rarely see an empty room with a sofa in the middle. 

Instead, the sofa is shown with a couple having a 

cup of coffee, a teenager sat under a blanket with 

her phone or a dog just nodding off in comfort. The 

same can apply to photographs of your products. 

Let’s look at the example of a leather-bound 

notebook. An image of the book on its own will sell 

the beauty of the notebook and is perfect for your 

online shop. However, an image of the same book, 

placed a vintage desk with a fountain pen resting 

on top at a jaunty angle, accompanied with a 

lovely cup of tea ready to be enjoyed will show the 

product as part of your customer’s lifestyle. You 

will be selling the dream! 

Some more top tips for perfect pics! 

• Polish your product to get rid of finger marks 

and smudges. This is particularly important 

with reflective surfaces and jewellery. A pair of 

white cotton gloves are really handy here. 

• Unless your product packaging is an integral 

part of the product don’t include it in your 

product shots. Photograph jewellery out of it’s 

box and cards out of their cellophane. 

• Avoid busy and cluttered backgrounds. The 

product must always be the star! When using 

props, only include those that make sense 

alongside the product, 

• Don’t be afraid to experiment. Just remember 

to stay on-brand with your background and 

prop choices. 

Happy photographing! 

All images by KLP Photography unless otherwise stated. 

Below Image: KLP Photography for Robin Roadnight 


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054 

 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Fashion 


The Beauty of Vintage 

Did you know that almost 40 percent of 

engagements are expected to happen between 

November and February? Also, globally, there are 

an average of around 12,000 searches each month 

for “how to propose.” in Google but this number is 

almost double during the month of February! 

Whilst some are entralled by the romance and 

draw of popping the question on 14th February 

many prefer to be altogether more unique, if not 

by the date they choose to propose but by the 

ring they choose to do it with. 

The Vintage Ring Compnay is small, friendly 

business founded by ethical jeweller Arabel 

Lebrusan and jewellery journalist Claire Roberts. 

They offer a hand-picked selection of authentic, 

affordable vintage and vintage style engagement 

rings, each accompanied by a certificate of 

authenticity. 

not well made and of good quality, you won’t be 

able to purchase it on their website. 

Each ring goes through a rigorous process of 

checking, cleaning and polishing to ensure that, 

by the time it reaches you, it is looking its best. 

They employ a craftsman in London’s Hatton 

Garden to check the setting of every stone and, 

where necessary, to fix it. Every ring is thoroughly 

cleaned to remove any dirt that may have built 

up over time and polish the gold or platinum to 

a gleaming shine. Only when they have done 

all of this do they take it to the Assay Office in 

London for the creation of a pre-sale report – their 

Certificate of Authenticity. 

To take a closer look at the rings currently in stock 

visit www.thevintageringco.com 

Every ring in their collection is a one off and new 

rings are always being added to their website. 

For a ring to be added to The Vintage Ring 

Company's collection it it must be unique in some 

way. It might be the design, or the gemstones, or 

perhaps how it has been set, but ultimately, if it’s 

All rings showcased in this issue were in stock at 

the time of publishing. If you love them though be 

quick as these rings don't stay in stock for long! 

056 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

Annie diamond 

Victorian engagement ring 

£1,350 

Edie Edwardian sapphire and 

diamond engagement ring 

£1,450 

Daisy sapphire and diamond Art 

Deco engagement ring 

£5,470 

Ada vintage style three stone 

sapphire engagement ring 

£470 

Violette Edwardian ruby and 

diamond engagement ring 

£980 

Olive sapphire and diamond 

engagement ring 

£950 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

FatFace 

Spring 

2021 

Alicia Jumper £52 

www.fatface.com 

Aylesbury Shirt £45 

Slim Coastal Chino £45 

Tasha Denim Jacket £49.50 

Jennifer Crew £35 

Margot Daisy Patchwork Midi Skirt £59.50 

Bee Stud £8 

058 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

top 

Emsworth Crew £35 | Beckley Jogger £35 

Wrap Cardi £46 | Sway Slim Denim Jeans £49.50 

middle 

Harper Tencel Dress £56 | Louisa Sling Back Sandal £45 

Padstow Crew Jumper £42 | Slim Mid Wash Denim Jeans £59 

right 

Exmouth Check Overshirt £69 


METROLAND 

FASHION 

M&Co 

060

METROLAND 

FASHION 

Above 

T-shirt £12.99 

Khost Clothing daisy print blouse £39 (arriving March) 

Khost Clothing turn up jean £45 

Opposite Page, Clockwise from Top Left 

Love jumper £26.99 

Sonder Studio: Jeans £49, Top £29 

Jumper £26.99 

Sonder Studio: Skirt £49, Top £29 

Below 

Khost Clothing at M&Co Dress £49 

Grey hoodie £22.99, Joggers £24.99 

Khost Clothing at M&Co: Jeans £49, Top £29, Coat £65 


CHILDREN’S CLOTHING 

Beautiful handmade clothing Sewn with love 

O A K L E A F D E S I G N S . C O . U K 

K A T H R Y N @ O A K L E A F D E S I G N S . C O . U K 

oakleafdesignsuk

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Stay Home 

Stay Safe 


METROLAND 

STAY HOME, STAY SAFE 

Buckinghamshire Council Leader 

Martin Tett says… 

’Stay safe and 

protect Bucks’ 

As you know, the whole country has again been 

placed into a full lockdown in response to rapidly 

rising cases of Coronavirus. 

This means that we must all now stay at home, 

other than for a few specific reasons. It means 

that schools and colleges have switched to remote 

learning and that everyone should work from home 

if it’s possible to do so. People who are Clinically 

Extremely Vulnerable have been advised to shield 

once again for this period. 

This is really tough for everyone and I fully recognise 

that. Whether you’re a vulnerable person worried 

about your health, someone who might be feeling 

more isolated or anxious, a working parent juggling 

home schooling or a business owner who’s already 

faced months of severe challenges, this is hard 

on us all. But, I want us all to hold onto the fact 

that we are not in the same place now as we were 

last March. We now have a vaccination programme 

which is underway and this means we can look to 

a much brighter future in the months ahead. This 

programme is managed by the NHS, who decide 

when, where and to whom the vaccine is given. The 

council is actively assisting the NHS with project 

management and other logistical support. We 

already have sites opening to provide vaccinations 

and additional sites are expected to open in the 

next couple of weeks. This means we will then have 

facilities available covering the whole county. The 

wider roll out of the vaccine should begin to help 

to ease the burden on local NHS services. Please 

wait to be contacted by the NHS as they will let you 

know when it’s your turn to receive a vaccine and 

what you should do. 

The current situation 

Prior to the new lockdown, we had already declared 

a ‘Major Incident’ due to the current pressures on 

our local health services. Sadly, we know that 

these additional restrictions are necessary as the 

NHS currently faces more pressure from COVID-19 

than during the spring. The new variant of the 

virus is easier to catch and as a result our local 

hospitals are treating more COVID-19 patients now 

than at any other time during the pandemic. Our 

local case rate is around 1000 cases per 100,000 

people in some parts of the county. You can see 

the latest figures for Buckinghamshire on our 

COVID dashboard and the number of new cases in 

the area you live in via the Government’s website. 

While most people who get COVID will recover at 

home, hospital admissions are continuing to rise, 

and while the majority of patients are in the older 

age groups, there are younger people also currently 

seriously ill with COVID-19 in Buckinghamshire. 

While we can look to the future with far more hope, 

at the moment the current situation is grave and 

we must all follow the ‘Stay at Home’ rules to the 

letter to help protect each other and to protect the 

NHS. 

The Stay at Home rules 

The Government has set out what we all can and 

cannot do while England is in its current lockdown 

period. We should not leave our homes or be 

outside our homes other than for a few specific 

reasons: 

• To shop for basic necessities for you or a 

vulnerable person 

064 


METROLAND 


• To go to work if you cannot work from home 

• To provide essential voluntary or charitable 

services 

• To exercise, once a day 

• To meet your support bubble or childcare 

bubble, if you are legally able to form one 

• To seek medical assistance including getting a 

COVID test 

• To avoid injury or risk of harm including domestic 

abuse 

• To attend education or childcare, if you’re 

eligible 

There are some other exceptions where you can 

legally leave your home such as to take a pet to the 

vet or for children to move between households 

where parents don’t live together, so please check 

the full ‘Stay at Home’ advice on the Government’s 

website. In addition: 

• Colleges, primary and secondary schools will be 

open for vulnerable children and children of key 

workers. All other children will learn remotely 

until February half term 

• If you do leave your home you must stay in your 

local area unless you need to travel for a legally 

permitted reason such as work 

• Other than for exercise, you should not meet 

anyone you don’t live with, unless you’re in 

a support or childcare bubble. One person 

can meet another individual from a different 

household to exercise outdoors and you should 

stay 2 metres apart 

• Funerals can still take place with up to 30 guests. 

Weddings and equivalent ceremonies will only 

be permitted in exceptional circumstances and 

with up to six people 

These are some of the main points of the current 

rules; please visit www.gov.uk/coronavirus for the 

full details of what we can and cannot do. 

Council services and how to contact us: 

We are having to make some changes to how we do 

things, but most critical Buckinghamshire Council 

services will carry on as usual during this lockdown 

period: 

• Household bin collections will continue as 

normal (please check our website for your 

bin collection day especially at this time 

following the Christmas period) https://www. 

buckinghamshire.gov.uk/bin-collectionrecycling-and-waste 

• Road repairs and street cleaning will carry on 

• Household Recycling Centres will stay open 

• Libraries will close during the lockdown period, 

but customers will still be able to borrow e-books 

and magazines and use online services; please 

keep checking our website as the libraries 

information is updated. Loans have been 

extended until 1 February and no fines will be 

charged 

• The best way to contact the Council during this 

period is via our Contact Centre either online or 

by calling us on 0300 131 6000 

• Council Access Points at Walton Street and 

The Gateway in Aylesbury, King George V 

House in Amersham and Queen Victoria 

Rd, High Wycombe will remain open for 

‘emergency’ assistance and essential access 

to IT for residents to complete urgent online 

transactions while our libraries are closed. 

Please call the Contact Centre first as they 

may well be able to help you complete anything 

you’re having difficulty with so you won’t need 

to visit us in person 

As ever, please use our website (https://www. 

buckinghamshire.gov.uk) as your first port of call to 

find out the latest information on Buckinghamshire 

Council services. 

Support for businesses 

One of my biggest priorities during this period is 

securing the best possible support for our local 

businesses. I’m pleased that the government 

has announced a £4.6 billion package which 

will hopefully enable us to continue to support 

many local businesses impacted by the ongoing 

restrictions. Eligible firms can still apply to us for 

support from the Local Restrictions Support Grant 

and through the discretionary scheme we put in 

place following the county moving into Tier 4 before 

Christmas. We will need time to review the latest 

announcement to establish how this will become 


METROLAND 


available and whether we need to amend the 

current schemes. Details of how to apply for the 

schemes and any changes that are made following 

the latest announcement will be available on our 

online Business Support Hub. 

People who are Clinically Extremely Vulnerable 

The ‘shielding’ programme is starting again and all 

residents who are classed as Clinically Extremely 

Vulnerable will get a letter from the Government. 

This means there is special advice for people who 

are classed as ‘Clinically Extremely Vulnerable’. 

We will also continue to provide support as 

necessary for our Clinically Extremely Vulnerable 

residents organised through our local support 

hubs. The hubs - which won’t be open to the public 

- will act as co-ordination and distribution points for 

the council’s volunteer support network to help with 

getting food to people, fuel top-up cards and help 

with getting medicines and medical appointments. 

Please call us on 01296 395 000 if you have any 

questions about the ‘shielding’ programme. 

Remember – Hands, Face, Space. I know keep 

repeating this essential message but in terms of 

guarding against catching COVID and stopping 

the spread, it’s critical that we all keep doing the 

following: 

• Wash your hands thoroughly and regularly 

• Keep a distance from people you don’t live with 

or who you’re not in a support bubble with 

• Wear a face covering where required 

If you or anyone you live with develops symptoms 

of coronavirus your whole household must isolate 

and anyone with symptoms must book a test either 

online, via the NHS COVID-19 app or by calling 119. 

Looking after ourselves and each other 

This is a difficult situation for us all but with the 

vaccine roll out now underway, we can look forward 

much better times ahead. In the meantime, if 

you’re feeling low or anxious and want some extra 

help, do use our excellent local support services. 

You can find out more via the ‘Health and Wellbeing 

Bucks’ website. 

It’s never been more important that we make sure 

we take care of ourselves. These free online Live 

Life Well sessions are available from the local NHS 

and Bucks Adult Learning to help you do that, 

giving tips on stress and anxiety, healthy eating, 

and physical activity. 

Keep checking in on each other and above all, 

remember that we will get through this together. 

https://www.buckinghamshire.gov.uk 

066 

 

 


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068 


070 METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN WINTER // SPRING WINTER 2021 2020

CATEGORY 


METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER AUTUMN / SPRING / WINTER 2021 2020 

071

What's love got to do with it? 

Neelam is a local gifted psychic and astrologer with over 30 years experience, this issue she speaks 

to us about love and how important it is, especially in times such as these. 

Today now more than ever love is important. 

Amongst the pandemic’s continued presence and 

also social distancing there is an interesting love 

epidemic going on. Neelam a local, who works for 

herself and three well established companies as an 

astrologer and psychic has been receiving a record 

number of questions about love and relationships. 

Amongst the questions are a huge number of 

women who are dating online. In these instances, 

they are forming deep virtual relationships and 

wanting advice on how to progress during these 

challenging times. Some contact her because affairs 

have been abrupted due to social distancing, some 

may be struggling living with loved ones, and others 

may be struggling with issues related to separation 

and divorce. 

Why is love so important during these times – 

the science? 

Numerous brain regions, particularly those 

associated with reward and motivation, are 

activated by the thought or presence of a romantic 

partner. When these areas are activated, they may 

serve to stop us being defensive, reduce anxiety, 

and increase trust in the romantic partner. Our 

bodies react in a complex way to love; dopamine 

and oxytocin hormones are released to make us feel 

good and happy. Even a hug can release oxytocin 

giving feelings of warmth and security. 

During uncertain times like these feelings of love 

can literally make us forget or feel less threatened 

by what is going on in our environment. This can in 

turn have a positive effect on our immune systems. 

A study uncovered that anticipating a happy or 

funny event increased levels of endorphins and 

other hormones that induce a state of relaxation. 

Chronic stress can suppress the response of the 

immune system and its ability to fight disease; 

therefore, reducing stress may help to prevent 

infections and other disorders. 

On the other side of love – we can get anxious and 

stressed if we are arguing or disputing with our 

loved ones. Talking about this and finding coping 

strategies to manage our relationships can help 

us to cope with stress. Managing our stress levels 

again is key in being able to fight illness or prevent 

illness. 

What can we do to bring more love into our lives? 

In numerous studies of stress, the one thing that 

is said to be key in reducing stress and improving 

our mental health is support. Love comes in many 

forms, but support can be the key. Support can be 

a loved one or someone close. Someone that really 

understands you. This might involve just talking to 

a loved one. It may be getting in touch with Neelam. 

If you believe in astrology and also the psychic 

world, she might be just the right person to contact. 

072 


METROLAND 

#SHOPLOCAL 

Or it may be linking in with community resources, or 

speaking to a professional. It doesn’t matter who 

you believe in but getting help or finding a positive 

distraction during these times is really important. 

Talking to a trustworthy neighbour or linking up with 

a close friend on Facebook messenger might just be 

the right thing to do. 

Keeping in touch with your virtual partner on a dating 

site may prove to be a godsend during these times. 

The gift of feeling loved, supported, and cared for is 

really important. For top tips on love don’t hesitate to 

get in touch with Neelam at www.mysticneelam.com. 

How can astrology and the psychic world help? 

Psychic people are highly intuitive. They follow their 

gut instinct and usually have a wealth of wisdom 

and life experience about them. They address the 

spiritual component of life and offer something 

different to maybe a counsellor or advisor. But 

please note they are not medics, or legal experts or 

counsellors – although some may have counselling 

skills. Psychics tend to believe there is a greater 

divine force that we can turn to for guidance in times 

of trouble. People have always turned to astrology 

during difficult times. Astrology offers a positive, fun 

flavour to life and many people are fascinated to 

know about themselves and their future. 

What do the stars say about love this year? 

Despite the difficulties we face this year, love is most 

definitely in the air for everyone. 2021 is the year 

of love and opportunity. For some it may not seem 

so, but it will bring unexpected blessings to those 

who search for it. The moon’s energy is immensely 

powerful this year and it will bring hidden feelings 

of love to the fore. Do not be surprised to receive 

unexpected declarations of love. 

That which is hidden will be revealed; secret admirers 

will feel ready to come to the fore. This is also a 

year when love affairs become more concrete and 

can also be revealed. Overall an extremely, exciting 

steamy year ahead for some of us should we wish 

to pursue love. If you would like a non-judgmental, 

confidential, astrological or psychic love reading with 

Neelam please do not hesitate to book a reading 

with her at: www.mysticneelam.com/book-online. Her 

readings are intriguing and will definitely put a smile 

on your face. 

Valentine’s Day 2021 

The moon is in dreamy Pisces and Aries on this day. It 

is a day where you can indulge in your fantasies and 

also act on a love interest. With Jupiter joining hands 

with Mercury many will find it easier to proclaim 

their love or express their feelings. It is set to be a 

wonderful day of love for all. 

Jupiter the planet of relationships and love travels 

through Aquarius this year. This means that 

Aquarians will be given an extra lucky time in matters 

of love or forming partnerships. For the rest of us the 

luckiest months for love in 2021 are: 

January – Aries, Leo, Sagittarius 

February – Aquarius, Capricorn, Gemini, and Libra 

March – Pisces, Aries, Cancer and Scorpio 

April – Aries, Taurus, Virgo and Capricorn 

May - Taurus, Gemini, Libra, and Aquarius 

June – Gemini, Cancer and Leo 

July – Leo, Virgo, Aries, and Sagittarius 

August – Virgo, Libra, Leo 

September – Libra, Scorpio, Taurus, and Capricorn 

October – Scorpio, Sagittarius, Cancer and Pisces 

November – Sagittarius, Capricorn and Leo and Aries 

December – Capricorn, Taurus, and Virgo 

To find out more about Neelam visit 

www.mysticneelam.com where you can also 

book a private reading. Bookings can be 

conducted during lockdown via 

Zoom, Skype or WhatsApp 


Feel connected. 

Feel part of a group, 

a pair, a clan. 

Give a gift that lasts, connecting you with 

loved ones wherever you are in the world, 

showing your love forever. 

Our ethically sourced range of crystals can be 

compiled into your very own tailor-made gift sets. 

Select a series of stones and link grandparents with 

grandchildren, husbands and wives, siblings and 

friends. From tumbles to towers, from points to 

geodes, from candles to carvings to keyrings, there 

really is something for everyone! 

Give us a call or send a WhatsApp to discuss your 

personal order, and let us help you give a special 

meaningful gift to remember. 

www.closercrystals.com 

07736 830923 | fb.com/CloserCrystals

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Gifting 


Winter & 

Spring 

Gift 

Guide 

Ideas for Valentine's 

and Mother's Day all 

sourced from #ShopLocal 

sellers - look out for 

the icon! 

076 


METROLAND 

GIFTING 

Valentine's Day 

Gifts ideas for him and her this Valentine's Day all from our #ShopLocal vendors. 

Hand made and unique sterling 

silver jewellery from Erkistyle. Prices 

on application. Contact Erin on 01494 

758079 or Erin_thwaites@yahoo.co.uk 

Glass Heart Pendants from £25 

Suzanne Raffellini Glass Artist 

www.fb.com/SuzanneRaffelliniGlassArtist 

Malt The Brewery Tour in a Box brings to life the tour 

experience virtually. Enjoy a guided tasting with the 

Founders, learn about the history of brewing and see 

more of the brewing process. £40 

https://www.maltthebrewery.co.uk/collections/gifts/ 

products/malt-the-brewery-tour-in-a-box 

Rose aura quartz hearts. Rose quartz is the 

stone of infinite peace and unconditional love. 

These hearts are platinum coated which gives 

them a gorgeous irridescent sheen. £12.50 (boxed) 

www.closercrystals.com, www.fb.com/closercrystals 


METROLAND 

GIFTING 

Mother's Day Gift Ideas 

Mother's Day this year is on Sunday 14th March and so we have put together a selection of our 

favourite gifts from our #ShopLocal community. Our local shops have something for every mum, 

grandmum, step-mum, fur baby mum and more! You can also visit our #ShopLocal facebook 

group for even more ideas https://www.fb.com/groups/shoplocal.chesham.amersham.chalfont 

Textured studs with 24ct gold accent, £40 

Vist website for more designs & ideas 

www.vitrejewellery.co.uk 

Personalised Vintage Cutlery 

by Vintage Candy from £12, 

More designs available 

www.vintagecandy2u.com 

Nursing Necklaces from £7.50 by TwiddleNips. 

Stylish, modern and practical jewellery for parents that is 

safe, tactile and fun for little ones. More designs available. 

www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TwiddleNips 

Cocktailmaker's Pour@theDoor service offers the 

opportunity to order drinks online and have them 

mixed and poured at your door. Their menu can be 

found at https://www.fb.com/Cocktailmaker. 

Email david.hurst@cocktailmaker.co.uk 

or call 07985 035955 for details 

078 


METROLAND 

GIFTING 

Large grooved serving dish, £45.00 

Decorated with stunning shades of Blue Midnight and 

Indigo Float, this large serving dish will make quite a 

centrepiece on the table. More designs available online 

www.bramleypottery.co.uk 

Really Big EVERYTHING canvas bag, £32 

It’s the modern take on Mary Poppin’s bag that looks 

equally as good with just a purse and a phone in as 

they do stuffed to the brim with everyone’s treasures! 

www.haveamooch.co.uk 

Lamy Al-star Fountain Pen 

£25.90 from JPS Stationers 

An evolution of one of the world’s 

most popular pens, the award-winning 

Lamy safari. The AL-star fountain 

pen has an aluminium body and is 

available in 7 different colours. 

https://jpschesham.com/retail/product/ 

lamy-al-star-fountain-pen/ 

Grey and mustard star scarf, £20 

one of a selection of scarfs available 

from Your Local Boutique 

www.facebook.com/yourlocalboutique/ 


STATIONERY 

OFFICE SUPPLIES 

SCHOOL SUPPLIES 

ART & CRAFT MATERIALS 

CHESHAM MERCHANDISE 

AVAILABLE IN-STORE & ONLINE 

www.jpschesham.com 

01494 791112 | info@jpschesham.com 

080 

7 Market Square 

Chesham 

HP5 1HG

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Food & 

Drink 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Doing Veganuary? Don’t 

forget the fruit and veg! 

It’s not all about processed meat alternatives if 

you want to lower your meat intake – simple fruit 

and veg can be more sustainable and offer a 

whole host of nutritional benefits. 

Come January, many people may be thinking 

about reducing their meat intake and joining the 

Veganuary campaign for a month. 

But while there is a dazzling array of processed 

meat alternatives on the market to tempt 

those going meat-free, fresh and seasonal fruit 

and vegetables could offer more in terms of 

sustainability and health. 

Chef at organic veg box company Riverford, 

Bob Andrew, believes fruit, veg and whole foods 

can provide the foundations to a sustainable 

Veganuary. 

“The rush to fill the shelves with new vegan 

products is in danger of repeating the worst 

aspects of the wider convenience food market, 

often with a lack of transparency over ingredients 

and potentially higher air miles,” he said. 

“It is all about balance. Use it as a chance to 

bring a wider variety of veg into your diet and try 

cooking with more legumes, pulses and nuts to 

provide protein.” 

One popular ingredient used to replace animal 

protein in some meat alternative products 

is soy, the majority of which is imported from 

South America where production contributes to 

deforestation. 

To help first-time vegans, and those who just 

want to swap some meat out of their diet and try 

plant-based eating, chef Bob has put together a 

Riverford-style shopping list of ingredients for a 

sustainable Veganuary. 

“Veganuary is the perfect time to discard your 

old vegetable prejudices and find new and 

creative dishes. Use it as a chance to learn some 

new techniques in the kitchen too – roasting, 

fermenting and slow-cooking where you may 

previously have just boiled or steamed – you’ll 

open up new tastes as well as textures,” he said. 

“For those who need a bit of inspiration in what 

seasonal veg is available in January, an organic 

veg box is a helpful and accessible way to start 

your plant-based journey. Enjoy this Veganuary, 

just don’t forget the fruit and veg!” 

CHEF BOB’S SUSTAINABLE VEGANUARY 

SHOPPING LIST: 

Mushrooms: For years, mushrooms have been 

the obvious go-to for a vegan menu option, and 

nowadays they are all too often maligned and 

overlooked. Texturally they are an easy way to 

ape a meat-like bite, without resorting to soya 

or seitan, a meat substitute made of hydrated 

gluten. Mushrooms contain a lot of water so a 

low heat and/or overcrowded pan can make them 

pale, stewed and slimy. A hot wok or fierce oven 

can produce a nice golden colour that adds to 

their natural depth of flavour. 

Sweet potatoes: The darlings of the root world 

in all their various hues. Swift to prep, sweet 

and honeyed in taste and packed with plenty 

of goodness. Keep the skin on for roasting or 

baking, consider peeling for anything that needs 

a smooth texture. They sit somewhere between 

a potato and squash, so use them as a proxy for 

082 


oth with abandon. Bake in their jackets, slice 

pound-coin-thick in a gratin or cleave into wedges 

and roast. They make for a smooth velvety mash, 

silken soups or an ideal backbone for any number 

of curries or stews. 

Brassicas: It is common when switching to a 

plant-based diet to carry a few of your long-held 

vegetable prejudices with you. Learn to love 

your greens, and not by boiling them into slimy 

submission! Sprouts, broccoli, cauliflower and 

even kale can be oven roasted to great effect – 

the florets catch at the edge, making for a deeper 

flavour and texture. The kale will go crispy and take 

on lots of seaweed-like mineral tastes. Cabbage 

heads in all forms are perfect for fermenting, try a 

darkly spiced sauerkraut or punchy kimchi. They 

are even splendid raw; start with a simple slaw 

and move on to a raw kale salad folded with plenty 

of nuts, fruit and a sharp dressing. 

Chickpeas: An oldie but a goodie. Think beyond 

hummus – you can blitz them into falafels, braise 

into stews or cook down into a ‘mash’ as a simple 

side to a veg-heavy dish. You can roast them until 

they crisp up and pop to serve as a bar snack, 

or throw through salads to add texture. You can 

even use the water from the tin as a binding egg 

substitute in baking – it’ll whip up like eggs whites 

to make a vegan meringue. As an alternative, try 

British-grown fava beans or carlin peas to support 

British farmers and cut food miles. 

Black garlic: A much-prized culinary ingredient 

that must be tasted to be believed. The technique 

was developed in Korea: whole bulbs of garlic 

are heat-aged for several weeks, until the cloves 

turn inky black. Far from being burned, they are 

soft, sticky, and fantastically sweet; the flavour 

no longer eye-watering, but deeply savoury. 

Think of them as the ultimate vegan stock cube 

but without all the emulsifiers and maltodextrin. 

Simple pop a few cloves into soups or stews to 

add complexity and depth. 

www.riverford.co.uk 

Image: by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay 


American Pancakes 

You don’t have to wait for Shrove Tuesday to enjoy 

these little beauties… 

from OGGS® AQUAFABA, the all plant, egg alternative for all your favourite recipes 

084 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Serves 12 pancakes 

Prep time 15 mins, cook time 15 mins 

Ingredients 

380g plain flour 

2tsp baking powder 

130g caster sugar 

250ml OGGS® Aquafaba 

7tbsp vegetable oil 

A squeeze of juicy lemon 

150ml dairy-free milk* 

Margarine, for frying 

Favourite toppings… fresh fruit, maple syrup, melted 

chocolate…the options go on and on. 

*We love almond or oat milk in this recipe, but all 

types of milk will work. 

Method 

1. Combine all the dry ingredients together in a 

large bowl. 

2. Next, whisk up your OGGS® Aquafaba in a clean 

bowl for 30 seconds until it’s pale and frothy, 

then add the oil, lemon juice and milk. 

3. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, little 

by little, and fold in until you’ve made a smooth 

thick batter. 

4. Rest the pancake batter in the fridge for 30 

minutes...sorry! 

5. Heat a non-stick frying pan over a medium heat 

and add a knob of margarine. Once melted, add 

a small ladleful of batter into the frying pan and 

smooth into a rough round with the back of the 

ladle. 

6. Wait until the base of the mixture sets and the 

top begins to bubble, then flip it over and cook 

until both sides are golden brown. Repeat until 

all the batter is used up Serve with lashings of 

your favourite toppings! 

Top Tips 

• For the fluffiest of pancakes, and if you have 

the patience, leave the batter in the fridge for a 

couple of hours but don’t forget to stir it before 

using it 

• The first pancake is always ugly. We recommend 

simply eating it before anyone sees it. 

• Keep your pancakes warm while you finish 

cooking by popping them into the oven 

preheated to around 70°C 

METROLAND MAGAZINE AUTUMN / WINTER 2020 085

METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Roasted Cauliflower Steaks 

with Parsley Salsa & Mild Chilli Munchy Seeds 

Serves: 2 

Preparation time: 30 minutes 

Ingredients 

1 cauliflower 

1 bunch flat leaf parsley 

1 garlic clove 

1 ½ tsps ground cumin 

Zest ½ lemon 

Olive oil 

2 tsps capers, a few extra to sprinkle on the 

finished dish 

Munchy seeds Mild Chilli 

Method 

1. Begin by removing the tough leaves of 

the cauliflower. Trim the base. Start in the 

centre of the cauliflower, slice 2 thick or 

4 thinner slices and place them on a tray 

and drizzle with olive oil then sprinkle with 

the cumin. Season well. 

2. Place a large, heavy-based frying on 

the hob on a medium-high heat and put 

the steaks in the pan. If you have 2 thick 

steaks then brown for several minutes on 

one side, then flip over and place in the 

oven on 180°C to finish cooking for 15-20 

minutes. If you’ve cut thinner steaks, just 

flip over once brown on the under side 

and continue to cook for 4-5 minutes. 

3. To make the salsa, finely chop the parsley 

with the capers. Mince the garlic and 

place into a bowl and add 40ml extra 

virgin olive oil and the zest of half a lemon. 

Season with a little salt and pepper. 

4. Place the cauliflower on the plates, 

randomly dollop with the salsa, sprinkle 

with a few capers and Mild Chilli seeds. 

Serve with a seasonal salad. 

086 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Duck Stir Fry 

with Oyster 

Sauce 

Stir fries are a tasty midweek meal, and the rich flavour 

of the duck works perfectly with these zingy oriental 

flavours. 

Gressingham’s range of crispy duck and Bistro meals are 

available from Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Morrisons, Waitrose 

and Ocado. For more information visit 

www.gressinghamfoods.co.uk 

Serves: 2 

Preparation time: 15 minutes 

Cooking time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients: 

300g medium egg noodles 

1 pack of Gressingham stir fry 

strips 

1 tsp sesame oil 

1 tsp light soy sauce 

1 red onion, sliced 

½ red pepper, sliced 

2cm ginger, peeled and finely 

chopped 

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 

1 tbsp oyster sauce 

120ml chicken stock or water 

1 spring onion, finely sliced 

Handful of coriander leaves, 

roughly chopped 

Method: 

Cook the noodles according to 

the packet instructions then 

refresh them in cold water. Strain 

in a colander, lightly toss in a little 

sesame oil then set aside. 

Mix the duck stir fry strips with 

the sesame oil and soy sauce. 

Heat a wok or frying pan with 

a little vegetable oil. When the 

wok or pan begins to smoke, 

carefully add the duck and stir 

fry for 2 to 3 minutes until nearly 

cooked through and browned 

off. Remove from the wok and set 

aside. 

Add a little more oil to the wok 

and stir fry the onion and pepper 

for 1 minute before adding the 

ginger and garlic. Stir fry for 

another minute, then add the 

oyster sauce and 30ml of the 

stock or water. Cook for 2 more 

minutes, adding more stock or 

water when the sauce becomes 

sticky. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Saddle of venison 

by Laurie Gear 

with shallots, salt baked celeriac and venison sauce 

The inspiration for this saddle of venison recipe comes from the Chiltern Hills which are close to 

Laurie Gear's restaurant, Artichoke. Foraged Douglas Fir needles and salt crusted celeriac give this 

dish a festive aroma while Hawthorn berries and rosehips add acidity. Laurie Gear recommends 

substituting the pine needles for citrus peel and cranberries for the foraged berries, if necessary. 

Ingredients 

Venison 

4 venison steaks, each weighing 150g 

50g of butter 

salt 

Salt baked celeriac 

1 celeriac 

1 handful of Douglas fir pine needles 

4 egg whites 

150g of rock salt 

Venison sauce 

150g of venison bones, roasted and browned in 

moderate oven 

500ml of brown chicken stock, or enough to cover 

2 carrots 

2 onions 

2 garlic cloves 

80ml of red wine 

1 celery stick 

olive oil 

Emulsion 

100g of hawthorn berry 

100g of rosehips 

50g of caster sugar 

200ml of orange juice 

To plate 

4 shallots, caramelised and peeled 

2 heads of cavolo nero, picked off the 

stalk and washed 

butter 

salt & pepper 

Method 

1. For the salt baked celeriac, whisk the egg whites to medium peaks and 

incorporate the rock salt to form a paste. Chop the Douglas fir needles and 

add to the mixture 

2. Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4. Pat the salt mixture around the 

celeriac, place on a baking tray and bake for 40 minutes. Remove from the 

oven and allow to cool 

3. For the venison sauce, place a large pan over a medium heat and add a little 

olive oil. Roughly chop the carrot, celery, onion and garlic and sweat in the 

pan until lightly caramelized. Pour in the red wine and reduce by half 

4. Add the roasted venison bones and top up with chicken stock. Bring to the 

boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer for 30 minutes 

5. Use a large slotted spoon or pair of tongs to remove the bones. Pass the 

liquid through muslin cloth over a fine strainer to remove all of the solids. 

Return to a clean pan, bring to a rolling boil and reduce by 3/4 

6. Preheat the oven to 200°C/gas mark 6. Place a pan over a medium heat, 

add the butter, and as soon as it begins to foam, pan-fry the venison steaks 

until caramelised all over. Season with salt and transfer to the oven for 

approximately 12 minutes. Remove and allow to rest for 8-10 minutes 

088 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

7. Blanch the cavolo nero in boiling salted water for 2 minutes and then plunge into ice cold water. 

Drain and squeeze out the excess water. Reheat in a hot pan with some butter and season to taste 

8. For the emulsion, place the berries, rosehips, orange juice and sugar in a small pan and set over a 

medium heat. Cook until tender. Blitz in a blender and pass through a fine strainer - it should have the 

consistency of a thin syrup and can be left at room temperature until serving 

9. To serve, brush a strip of emulsion across each plate. Place the buttered cavolo nero on each plate, just 

off centre, and lay slices of venison on top. Cut the salt baked celeriac into cubes and arrange on each 

plate along with the shallots. Drizzle with the venison sauce and serve. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Meet the Maker 

Jacqueline Barleycorn, The Great British Porridge Co. 

It was ten years ago that Jacqueline Barleycorn 

discovered the benefits of healthy eating. At the 

age of 50, she found herself suffering from poor 

digestive health and menopausal symptoms, and 

decided to make a change. She introduced more 

fresh food and whole grains into her vegetarian 

diet and couldn’t believe how much better she felt 

both physically and mentally too. Porridge was 

a great go to back then – quick, easy and packed 

with goodness. But, after trying a range of instant 

options that were either bland, boring or full of 

refined sugar, flavourings and preservatives, she 

decided to create her own. “It had to be made 

with real ingredients, have no added sugar, be 

completely instant by just adding hot water but still 

taste deliciously sweet and creamy – as you can 

imagine it took a while experimenting before I got 

it right! But, once I did, my friends started asking 

me to make them some and that's when I thought I 

might be onto something,” recalls Jacqueline. 

Despite being officially retired, Jacqueline launched 

her brand in January 2018 and in just two years, 

The Great British Porridge Co. has evolved from a 

kitchen-table startup, to a popular retail brand that 

graces the shelves of Waitrose and Sainsbury's 

and had all five Dragons beating down Jacqueline's 

door when she appeared on Dragons' Den. 

But how has the business gained such success so 

quickly? “I started off originally working with my son, 

filling the car with boxes of porridge and visiting 

small independent shops. The response on our 

very first day was tremendous with 100% success 

rate. I then started directly approaching people like 

Selfridges and Harvey Nichols and again they loved 

it and agreed to stock it. This was about the time 

I joined up with Hayley and Matt Hunt, founders 

of The Protein Ball Co. who helped me to sell the 

porridge to wholesalers. Then it just all seemed to 

snowball, more and more people heard about it and 

shops started contacting me to see if they could 

stock it." 

Continues Jacqueline, “I think my porridge was 

so popular so quickly because it ticked all the 

boxes: vegan, gluten free, no added sugar and 

100% natural. People are fed up with long lists of 

ingredients and want healthy food that contain 

real ingredients that they can understand. Best of 

all, it's so quick and easy to prepare; just pop it in a 

bowl, add boiling water and stir. Simple!” 

The Great British Porridge Co. range comes in 

five delicious flavours: Red Berry & Pumpkin 

Seed, Blueberry & Banana, Strawberry 

& Peanut Butter, Classic Chocolate and 

Caffe Latte and are available from Booths, 

Sainsbury's, Waitrose and Ocado and online at 

www.thegreatbritishporridgeco.co.uk 

090 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Peanut Butter & Jam 

Thumbprint Cookies 

You might be a Peanut Butter fan, but have you tried the Peanut Butter and Jam combo? 

Nourishing Amy (https://nourishingamy.com/ ) couldn't have created a better treat to satisfy the 

all-American Peanut Butter Jelly tradition. Grab a bowl, get-set, bake! 

Makes 10 cookies 

Ingredients 

140g The Great British Porridge Co 

Strawberry Peanut Butter Porridge 

1 tsp Baking Powder 

60g runny Peanut Butter 

100g Maple Syrup 

10g crunchy Peanut Butter 

10g Strawberry Jam 

Method 

Preheat the oven to 160Fan/180*C 

and line a baking tray with parchment 

paper. 

Blend the porridge in a blender to form 

a fine flour. Add to a bowl with the 

baking powder and stir. Pour in the 

peanut butter and maple syrup and stir 

well to form a sticky dough. Divide into 

10 pieces. 

Roll each piece into a ball, place on 

the tray and flatten slightly. Using 

your thumb, make an indent into each 

cookie. Fill 5 cookies with some peanut 

butter and 5 with strawberry jam. Bake 

for 10 minutes, until golden around the 

edges. 

Allow to cool fully on the baking 

parchment on a wire rack. Store in an 

airtight container. 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Raspberry ‘Cheese' Cake 

by Louise Palmer-Masterton, Stem & Glory 

092 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Louise Palmer-Masterton is founder of multiple award-winning 

restaurants Stem & Glory; hip and trendy but accessible plantbased 

restaurants, serving delicious gourmet vegan food from 

locally sourced ingredients, 100% made on site. 

www.stemandglory.uk 

Social Media: 

Web: www.stemandglory.uk 

Twitter: @stemandglory 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/stemandglory/ 

Instagram: @stemandglory 

Linked in: /louisepalmer-masterton 

Makes: 12 portions 

Base 

Cashews 110g (can also use almonds) 

Soaking water 

Desiccated coconut 100g 

Pitted dates 265 g 

Coconut oil (melted) 30g 

Vanilla powder 2.5g 

Water 60g 

Cocoa powder 5g 

1. Soak the cashews (or almonds) in some water 

for 15 minutes. Drain and discard the water. 

2. Add the cashews (or almonds) and all 

ingredients of step 2 to a food processor and 

pulse until a sticky, crumbly mixture is made. 

3. Line a 25 cm springform tin with baking paper. 

Place base mix into the tin and flatten evenly as 

much as you can. Press down well and smooth 

using the back of a spoon. 

Filling 

Cashews 720g 

Soaking water 

Maple Syrup 220g 

Lemon Juice 100g 

Coconut Oil (melted) 220g 

Water 90g 

Vanilla Powder 5g (can also use extract) 

Pinch Sea Salt 

Raspberries (fresh or frozen) 110g 

Soy lecithin – can also sub almond flour, tapioca 

flour or guar gum 

1. Soak the cashews in hot water for 15 minutes. 

Drain and discard the water. 

2. Add the cashews and all ingredients except the 

lecithin into a blender and blend until a smooth 

and viscous liquid has formed. If your blender is 

low powered, this may take 10 mins or more. 

3. Thoroughly stir the lecithin into the liquid, then 

pour over the base. 

4. Leave in the fridge to set, or freeze and leave 

out for an hour to defrost. 

At Stem & Glory we serve ours with some berry 

compote. You can also serve with fresh blueberries, 

or just eat it straight form the fridge! 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Berry & White Chocolate 

Popcorn Cheesecake 

This super-simple no-bake dessert from https://doughlicious.co.uk/ really has the ‘wow’ factor 

thanks to the dramatic layers… think Red Velvet cookie base, sweet vanilla cheesecake swirled with 

berry coulis, crunchy Berry Popcorn and zesty Lemon Raspberry Lite Bites – pls delicate curls of 

white chocolate! 

Ingredients 

For the base: 

12 Red Velvet Doughlicious Dough Balls 

A little gluten-free flour, for rolling 

For the cheesecake: 

325 g good quality white chocolate, chopped 

500 g full-fat cream cheese, at room 

temperature 

3 tbsp g icing sugar 

1 ½ tsp vanilla extract 

300 ml double cream, at room temperature 

Raspberry coulis 

To decorate: 

Popcorn Shed Berry-licious Popcorn 

Lemon Raspberry Lite Bites 

White Chocolate curls 

Method 

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan) Gas 4. 

Grease and line an 8 in | 20 cm round tin with 

greaseproof paper. 

2. Tip the Red Velvet Cookie Dough Balls into a 

large bowl. Bring together, using your hands, to 

form one large ball. 

3. Lightly dust a work surface and rolling pin with 

flour and roll out into a circle just larger than the 

tin. Trim to fit the tin. 

4. Carefully transfer into the base of the prepared 

tin, using the trimmings to press into the circle 

to create a flat cookie dough base (with no 

gaps). Prick with a fork. 

5. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes 

until cooked (make sure it doesn’t burn). Remove 

from the oven and leave to cool completely. 

6. Meanwhile, for the filling: put the white 

chocolate into a heat-proof bowl set over a pan 

of barely simmering water. Stir until melted and 

smooth. Leave to cool slightly. 

7. Meanwhile, in a stand mixer with the whisk 

attachment, whisk the cream cheese, icing 

sugar and vanilla extract until completely 

smooth. 

8. In a separate bowl, whisk the double cream 

until just holding its shape. Stir into the cream 

cheese mix until smooth. 

9. Fold in the melted white chocolate until 

combined – you want to have a smooth 

cheesecake filling. 

10. Spoon over the cooled Red Velvet cookie dough 

base and spread into a smooth and even layer. 

11. Drop teaspoons of raspberry coulis on top and 

swirl to create a marble effect. 

12. Cover with cling-film and chill in the fridge for at 

least 6 hours – ideally overnight – until set. 

13. Remove from the tin, peel off the greaseproof 

and set onto a flat plate. 

14. Decorate with Popcorn Shed Berry-licious 

Popcorn and Lemon Raspberry Lite Bites 

around the border and curls of white chocolate. 

15. Cut into slices and serve with extra raspberry 

coulis. 

094 


Vegan Chocolate Mousse 

Made simple with the 

Microplane® Professional Series Ribbon Grater 

Rustle up this smooth, super-chocolatey mousse 

in minutes and pop it in the fridge ready to serve 

for lunch and dinner, with friends and family. The 

secret ingredient here is the Tonka Bean. The aroma 

is reminiscent of vanilla, cherry and almond. Not 

surprisingly, it’s regularly used by top chefs to replace 

natural vanilla to give a slightly caramel flavour. 

You might assume that chocolate is a no-go for 

followers of a plant-based diet, but there’s a wealth of 

options out there to satisfy even the sweetest tooth. 

Dark chocolate - which has a higher concentration of 

cocoa solids - is often made without milk and there are 

now plenty of “mylk” bars which use milk alternatives 

such as coconut milk or soya to create a milder, 

creamier taste. We’re using both in this recipe. 

Ingredients (serves 6): 

400g silk tofu 

200g vegan chocolate (at least 72% cocoa) 

A grating of Tonka Bean 

Pinch of salt 

1 tbsp icing sugar 

(but you can use more if you like it sweet!) 

Good quality white and dark 

vegan chocolate to garnish 

Method: 

1. Break up the chocolate and melt in a bain 

marie or microwave - whichever you prefer. 

2. Set aside to cool slightly 

3. Using a hand blender, mix together the 

silk tofu with the salt, a light grating of 

Tonka Bean (to taste) and the icing sugar 

4. Add the cooled chocolate slowly 

5. Mix thoroughly 

6. Fill 6 small bowls (about the size of a 

ramekin) and chill for 2-3 hours 

7. Garnish liberally with shavings of 

chocolate 


METROLAND 

FOOD & DRINK 

Nuts about 

Coffee drink 

The nuts in this cocktail sent to us by Cocktailmaker 

are almonds; the almond flavour itself is contained in 

the syrup that goes by the name orgeat. 

www.coctailmaker.com 

Ingredients 

25ml whole milk 

25ml double cream 

35ml strong cold espresso coffee 

10ml caramel syrup 

15ml orgeat 

Grated chocolate to garnish 

Add a Twist: whisky or rum would add extra depth of flavour. 

Method: 

Fill a martini glass with ice to chill it. 

Add all ingredients to an ice-filled shaker. Shake well. 

Remove ice from the martini glass; it should be nicely frosted. 

Fine strain all ingredients into martini glass. 

096 


CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Home & 

Garden 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Spring Cleaning Tips 

With spring fast approaching, households up 

and down the country are gearing up for their 

big ‘Spring Clean’. While spending a weekend 

deep cleaning your home is a great way to start 

the season, regular upkeep is key for preventing 

germs from building up. 

Here are some top germ-busting tips and tricks 

to help you keep your family protected and your 

home looking spick and span and free from germs. 

1. Keep the moths away 

Spring and Summer are the key times moths are 

active. If left untreated, an infestation can lead 

to hundreds of pounds worth of damage to your 

belongings. Zen’sect by Vapona is an effective 

moth proofer for your wardrobe. With soft scents 

of lavender these tiny bags provide long lasting 

protection and eliminate clothing damage caused 

by moths, larvae and eggs. 

If you fancy trying a DIY remedy, try filling a 

few fabric bags with dried lavender and placing 

them in drawers and wardrobes throughout the 

home. Not only will these methods help prevent 

infestations, but they will also keep your clothes 

smelling lovely and fresh. 

2. Think outside the box 

Cleaning outdoor areas are just as important 

as the indoors. When the warmer weather and 

longer days arrive, we’re always tempted to head 

outdoors and spend more time in the garden. 

However, did you know that the average garden 

table has as many germs as a bin lid and 4,500 

times more harmful bacteria ? Experts recommend 

cleaning your table before and after each use 

with a good disinfectant such as Jeyes Fluid 

Multi-Purpose Disinfectant which is safe to use 

on children’s play equipment and garden furniture 

and kills 99.9% of germs. 

3. Keep those floors and surfaces sparkling 

clean 

While cleaning the home, it’s important to pay 

as much attention to the floors as we do to the 

surfaces. As we move through our homes, we 

carry all sorts of nasties from the outside world on 

the soles of our shoes - the average shoe sole is 

covered with 421,000 bacteria with 90 per cent of 

those bacteria transferred directly onto your clean 

tile floor on the first contact . These germs can live 

on surfaces for extended periods of time. 

The next time you give your floors or surfaces 

a good clean, be sure to add a bleach such as 

Parazone to your floor cleaner when mopping 

to disinfect. This can also be diluted with water 

for a sterile solution for surfaces. We would 

recommend mopping your floors once a week 

and cleaning surfaces such as kitchen counters, 

tabletops and bathroom surfaces daily to ensure 

they are clean from nasties. 

4. An eco-friendly loo with Bloo 

Conscious about the environment but still want 

to make sure your loo is sparkling? Bring a bit 

of the outdoors home with Bloo ProNature. This 

eco-friendly rim-block is a quick and effective way 

to keep the loo clean and fresh, and is available 

in two refreshing fragrance variations, Mint 

Eucalyptus and Grapefruit. 

Make sure your toilet remains sparkling and 

germ-free with a ‘Regime Clean’ approach. This 

includes three steps: daily use of Bloo’s rim block, 

weekly use of toilet cleaning gel and frequent use 

of toilet wipes. Wrap it up by cleaning the toilet 

brush by soaking it in a diluted mixture of bleach 

and water. 

098 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

5. Bust through limescale in no time 

During the winter months, those who live in hard 

water areas will see an increased build-up of 

limescale in their homes. Set your appliances 

up for spring by busting through the limescale 

with Oust All Purpose Descaler. From kettles 

to showerheads, you can get your appliances 

sparkling clean in just 10 minutes , making 

descaling quick and cost-effective. Keep on top of 

this every three months and you’ll have sparkling 

clean and longer-lasting appliances all year round. 

If based in a hard water area, you should aim to 

descale your appliances every 3 months while soft 

water areas should expect to descale 

every 6 months. 

6. DIY it 

Although they’re not typically as effective as 

traditional cleaning products, there are numerous 

DIY methods out there that you can incorporate 

into your cleaning regime. For example,lemons 

are great to apply to many areas of the home. The 

acidic properties in lemon juice can be used to rub 

into non-porous surfaces such as glass, plastics, 

metals and varnished wood as a way of sterilising 

them. White wine vinegar and baking soda are 

also great natural cleaning solutions. 


0100 

METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN

CATEGORY 


This Seasons looks at Wilko 

Available online at www.wilko.com 

Urban 

Oasis 

Homespun 

Living 

Refined 

Heritage 

Embrace global cultures and 

create your own Urban Oasis with 

the vibrant patterns, vivid colours 

and powerful textures in this 

dynamic collection. Plush velvets, 

embroidered features, delicate 

trims and shimmering fabrics 

burst to life in a palette of bold 

blues, lush greens and rich reds. 

Warm, earthy colours and crafted 

materials combine to create 

relaxed spaces that remind us of 

sun-soaked days and a carefree 

approach to life. Peach shades, 

sage hues and rich pigments 

sit alongside wicker, straw and 

terracotta to bring a handcrafted 

look to this homely collection. 

Blending elegant design with 

decadent materials to create 

this unashamedly glamorous 

collection. Transport your home 

back to a time where heritage 

patterns, damask motifs and 

classical-inspired floral blooms 

took centre stage. The refined 

colour palette of rich blues, 

crushed raspberry and warm 

nudes is complemented by hints 

of mixed metallic finishes. 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

My Garden 

Year 

My Garden Year by Barry Burrows, Managing director at Bartholomew 

landscaping - passionate about designing and creating stylish, 

beautiful and timeless gardens, big or small in town and country. 

www.bartholomewlandscaping.com 

0102 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

After the madness of Christmas and in the hiatus 

before the New Year I like to pull on my boots and 

take a thoughtful stroll round the garden and hatch 

some plans for the coming horticultural year. At 

this dormant time of year, you can easily see your 

garden’s shape and its points of interest, quirks 

and oddities and plan accordingly. All gardens 

are different and getting to know your garden is 

essential before you undertake any practical work, 

or decide on changing the layout and design. 

January 

I adore a dry crisp January day and have learned 

that there’s always something to be done in the 

garden even when it’s looking bare. One of my 

first tasks is to recycle the Christmas tree, which 

once shredded provides a useful mulch and weed 

suppressor for your borders and vegetable patch. 

Then I’m out with the leaf rake to remove worm 

casts from the lawn to prevent the waste deposits 

being trodden into the surface. 

would be the compact evergreen shrub bejewelled 

with red, purple or black berries which may last into 

the following winter and small fragrant creamywhite 

flowers in winter or early spring, Sarcococca 

hookeriana Var humilis (dwarf sweet box). 

Drab gardens need an injection of winter colour one 

of my favourites with spectacular bark is Cornus 

alba sibirica. Similarly, the bright orange willow Salix 

alba var. vitellina 'Yelverton' will provide a burst of 

vibrant hues. 

Embrace the cold snap and frosty mornings; 

consider building a log store to keep you nice and 

toasty on the inside. 

Winter pruning of apple and pear trees can be done 

now, but climber beware and why not consider a 

fruit tripod ladder to keep you safe and allow you 

to get up close and personal to the branches. 

Before you start, make sure you have checked 

and serviced your tools, which will save you time 

and achieve better results. When tree pruning, 

take a sharp curved pruning saw and clean pair 

of secateurs and consider the form, shape and 

structure, making sure to stand back and keep 

reviewing your efforts. Remember there is always 

the following year, so be careful in not cutting too 

much 

No January can pass without me flaring up my 

fire basket in order to deal with thick stem of the 

Christmas tree, autumn rose and perennial pruning, 

not only does it do a better job than a shredder, it 

also keeps the chill off and provides a lovely smoky 

bonfire aroma. 

My plant of the month for January has to be 

the scented witch hazel, Hammelis x Intermedia 

‘Jelena’ – an excellent cultivar grown for the 

coppery orange flowers in winter and red and 

yellow autumn foliage. Another recommendation 

Galanthus atkinsii - Snowdrop 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

For a dreary spot or just to cure the winter blues, 

why not plant a pretty winter flowering jasmine – 

my pick is Nudiflorum with its bright yellow blooms 

or clematis to liven up a bare vertical space such as 

the white flowering ‘Winter Beauty’. 

I find that the winter months challenge my thoughts 

on how to compensate for the lack of daylight 

we experience in the UK. These days they’re a 

hundreds of ways to light up a garden or outdoor 

seating area. My golden rule is that the lamp should 

not be visible but the light cast is. Another tip is to 

rely on colour in the garden to create atmosphere, 

so not a coloured bulb in sight! Try to use textures 

of from materials and surfaces and even plants to 

evoke drama – low angled lighting across cobbles or 

highlighting shadows from a leafy palm projecting 

onto a wall. Experiment and play around and you 

will be staggered at how your outside space can 

transform into a living theatre. 

February 

February is when things start to happen but be 

careful not to overdo it, particularly any pruning, if 

frosts are forecast. However, this is the month to 

prune winter flowering shrubs to promote vigorous 

growth for the season ahead. Wisteria should have 

its winter prune back to 2-3 buds to tidy the plant 

and allow space for flowers to emerge. Remove 

any winter hydrangea flower heads and consider 

pruning pre-sap rising. 

Now is the time when I suggest a final shaping 

of evergreen topiary and hedges. Evergreens, 

particularly conifers, can be a real winter highlight 

reacting well to a cold snap. Thuja occidentalis 

'Rheingold' will increase the intensity of its orange 

colouring and Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan-sugi’ 

will look amazing as the frosts whiten its already 

pale foliage. 

Tall grasses from the Genus Miscanthus will also 

still look spectacular in frost before being slashed 

to the ground in March to make way for new growth. 

Cryptomeria japonica 'Sekkan-sugi' 

0104 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

March 

Now we sniff a hint of spring in the air and our 

to-do list starts in earnest. If, like me, you are a 

keen allotment owner, then this is the month 

to start turning over your vegetable patch soil; I 

use a spade or a fork to turn over to a depth of 

30cm, incorporating a 10cm layer of compost or 

well-rotted manure. Depending on your soil type, 

adding sharp sand to heavy clay (I also tend to use 

Vitax clay breaker) and composted leaf mould or 

mushroom compost to improve the condition and 

add nutrients. 

March is the nibbling month! Once seedlings or 

vegetables are sown, do protect new shoots from 

the dreaded slug invasion and be mindful that 

some live below ground making it tricky to spot 

the damage the may be doing to your prize potato 

tubers, beetroot or lettuces. My preferred choice 

is Nematodes for biological slug control with best 

results achieved by applying in the early evening 

to moist well-drained soils. 

Amalanchier canadensis 

When it comes to spring showstoppers, my 

favourite March highlights are: Amalanchier 

Canadensis - this small to medium tree is a star 

from bud until the last leaf with swathes of small 

white flowers followed by purple fruits and golden 

leaves in autumn. Amalanchier lamarkii is another 

small to medium tree, displaying pink buds and a 

pinky white blossom in early spring, black fruits 

in summer and a golden halo come autumn. No 

garden in March should be without a Witch hazel 

(Hamamelis), a favourite shared by me and the 

late Christopher Lloyd, who used to cut branches 

off and display indoors for its wonderful scent – 

Hamamelis mollis being the best in scent class. 

Hamamelis - Witch hazel 

Do keep in mind that it is your garden and 

nothing is lost by experimentation. Pick 

something on a whim and try something new, 

but always remember that if it doesn’t work or 

it works too well, then when you plan again at 

the start of the year, learn your lessons and try 

again. Most of all enjoy your garden month by 

month because it will never cease to surprise 

and delight whatever the season. 


METROLAND 

HOME & GARDEN 

Grow your 

own spuds 

0106 


Recent events have got many of us thinking about 

growing our own fruit and vegetables, particularly 

as we’ve been spending more time in our outdoor 

spaces at home since the coronavirus outbreak 

started. But you don’t have to be green-fingered 

or even have a garden to start growing your own 

food. Potatoes can be grown from a sack with little 

to no effort at all. 

Recent events have got many of us thinking about 

growing our own fruit and vegetables, particularly 

as we’ve been spending more time in our outdoor 

spaces at home since the coronavirus outbreak 

started. But you don’t have to be green-fingered 

or even have a garden to start growing your own 

food. Potatoes can be grown from a sack with little 

to no effort at all. 

If the closest you’ve come to growing your own 

vegetables was cultivating some cress on a piece 

of damp cotton wool when you were a kid, then 

potatoes are a great place to start. 

This is because they are one of the easiest and 

most rewarding vegetables to grow and you don’t 

need acres of space, or even a garden to get a 

perfect crop. 

All you need is a grow sack, seed potatoes and 

plenty of patience and you can create a mouthwatering 

harvest on a patio, balcony or even roof 

garden. Not only that, but dedicated spud lovers 

can grow the earliest potatoes possible. 

There are two main types of potato growing 

containers: a barrel or a sack. For those that prefer 

a sack, seed manufacturers Marshall’s sell a handy 

Gro-Sack with carry handles which means that 

unlike potato barrels, you can move it wherever you 

want - freeing space in the greenhouse or balcony, 

just when you need it. 

you along the way Marshall’s have compiled a list 

of helpful hints to ensure perfect spuds every time. 

Six steps to perfect potatoes 

1. Before you start planting your seed potatoes 

place them in a cool, light area to encourage 

strong sturdy shoots to grow before they are 

planted in the ground. For all you non-gardeners 

out there, this process is called chitting. 

2. Find the end of the potato with the most sprouts 

forming (called the rose end), this needs to be 

exposed to the light to promote growth. 

3. Stand the tubers (this is the swollen region of 

an underground root) upright in an egg box 

with the rose end skyward. Keep them in a light 

frost-free place to let the shoots develop. 

4. When shoots are up to one centimetre, plant 

three in the grow-sack or barrel in a layer of 

10-15cm of soil-based compost, burying them 

completely. 

5. As the tubers start to grow keep burying them 

adding another 10-15cm of soil until the growsack 

or barrel is full to within a couple of inches 

of the brim. 

6. When your grow-sack or barrel is full the tubers 

will start to leaf up. As soon as the leaves have 

flowered the potatoes are ready to eat. 

If you’re new to growing your own vegetables, a 

beginner’s kit such Marshall’s Gro-sacks will help 

you get started. For a gourmet crop, try a taster 

kit of three grow-sacks with five tubers each of 

Desiree, Charlotte, and Maris Bard. The packs are 

priced at £10.99. 

So whether you’re an avid gardener or kill every 

plant you own, have a 10 acre garden or no more 

than a balcony, potatoes are a vegetable that 

everyone can grow and enjoy. 

So you’ve got your sack or barrel, you’ve got your 

seed potatoes and you’re ready to start growing 

potatoes. Still feeling unsure? Don’t worry, to help 


L A T I M E R 

PROPERTY SERVICES

New skills 

& Fresh Air 

ALWAYS FOLLOW THE LATEST COVID REGULATIONS 

At the time this magazine was published the gov.uk website 

stated that you should minimise time spent outside your 

home, but you can leave your home to exercise. This should 

be limited to once per day, and you should not travel 

outside your local area.

METROLAND 

NEW SKILLS & FRESH AIR 

Covid Etiquette for Dog 

Walkers 

What a coincidence, January is not only the first 

month of the UK’s second nationwide lockdown, it’s 

also our annual dog walking month! As restrictions 

limit us from leaving the house for more than a 

visit the shops for food and an hour’s worth of 

exercise once a day, some British dogs are finding 

themselves treated to an above average number 

of walkies as their humans take any excuse for a 

breath of fresh air and a stroll around the block. 

In this climate (and we’re not talking about the 

January weather), turns out humans and dogs 

need their walks more than ever. As a way to stay 

healthy and get moving after working long hours at 

home, dog walking can be a saviour for mental and 

physical health alike. According to Vet’s Kitchen 

nutritionist Fiona Firth, the shared activity also 

reinforces the bond between dog and owner, as 

you spend time with your four-legged friend in the 

great outdoors. Plus, everyone knows going to the 

park is fun! 

Did you know that 30% of dog owners say that they 

don’t walk their dog because their garden is big 

enough? 2021 is different though and 90% of dog 

owners have agreed that they are taking their dog 

for a walk more than average, yet only 70% say that 

they are focussed on keeping their dog on the lead 

when walking in busy parks. Turns out smaller dog 

owners are more likely to allow their dog to roam 

free too. While under normal circumstances a freerange 

dog isn’t an issue, with coronavirus infection 

rates on the rise, it’s important that dog owners 

take care to prevent their dog from bounding up 

to strangers to say hello, forcing owners to follow 

their naughty pooch and drag them away. 

Research has shown that dogs aren’t susceptible 

to the same coronavirus strain as humans, 

however, according to Adrian Caunter, the Clinical 

Director at Vet’s Klinic, “If an infected person 

stroked a dog, that virus could persist on the skin 

of that dog for a while and there would potentially 

be a risk from that interaction.” Adrian goes on to 

reinforce the public health advice to regularly wash 

hands after going outside or coming into contact 

with an unknown dog. Canine COVID aside, if you’re 

having to detangle your dog from curious children 

or prevent them from jumping up at fellow parkgoers, 

then you’re coming into too much contact 

with other walkers, as well as their dogs, and this 

can put people at risk from transmission. 

Vet’s Kitchen nutritionist Fiona Firth says, “What 

better way to chase away the winter blues than to 

head out for a walk? The only thing to bear in mind 

is to keep your dog on the lead when there’s a risk 

of them coming into contact with other members 

of the public. This means in residential areas and 

public parks. Only allow your dog to run free if 

you’re 100% confident there’s no one else around. 

Delicious tasty treats such as Vet’s Kitchen® Little 

Stars are a must have to reward your dog for good 

behaviour and don’t worry, there are still loads of 

0110- 

0110 

METROLAND METROLAND MAGAZINE MAGAZINE WINTER AUTUMN / SPRING / WINTER 2021 2020

CATEGORY 


ways for your dog to enjoy their walk while on the 

lead, including sampling a menu of the delicious 

smells our world has to offer!” 

Our advice? Take some time to enjoy January walks 

with your dog. It’s good for your health, helping to 

burn off some of those winter calories; it’s good for 

your brain, helping to get those endorphins flowing; 

it’s good for your dog, helping to keep them in peak 

doggy condition! Just remember to keep Fido on 

the lead in residential areas and parks and, be 

safe, follow the guidelines and enjoy yourselves. 

And if you want to challenge your dog with some 

extra puzzles at home, a list of suggestions can 

be found on the Vet’s Kitchen blog at https://www. 

vetknowhow.co.uk/blog/boredom-busters-for-dogsand-cats-whilst-you-isolate 

Vet’s Kitchen combine natural ingredients with 

their veterinary team’s expertise, and the latest 

advances in technologies and research, to create 

foods designed to give pets long and healthy lives. 

Vet’s Kitchen is available at Tesco, Sainsbury’s, 

Morrisons, Ocado, Pets and Home, Amazon and 

Zooplus. Please visit www.vetknowhow.co.uk for 

more information. 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER / / SPRING 2021 

0111

METROLAND 

GET READY TO TRAVEL 

Virtual 

Anti-Burns Night Event 

0112 

METROLAND MAGAZINE SUMMER 2020

METROLAND 


Made in Chelsea stars host virtual anti-Burns Night Event 

Independent whisky bottler and online retailer 

Heroes and Heretics Ltd is organising a free and 

virtual ‘anti-Burns Night’ party on 25 January hosted 

by Made in Chelsea star Freddie Browne and ex- 

Made In Chelsea cast member and influencer 

Angus Findlay. 

Browne and Findlay will emcee a Zoom Boiler 

Room session powered by their new partnership 

with Heroes and Heretics. “I can promise bottle 

giveaways, a celebrity guestlist and most 

importantly music from the greatest lyricists 

throughout the ages. This will be the ultimate way 

to spend your Burns Night,” said Freddie Browne. 

To sign up for this Heroes and Heretics spectacular 

register on the website www.hahcws.com/antiburns-night-party. 

As numbers are limited a draw 

of the lucky attendees will be made two days 

prior to the event. The Heroes and Heretics Anti- 

Burns Night is on Monday 25 January and starts at 

9.00pm. 

If its Burns poetry readings, piping in the Haggis 

and munching on neeps, tatties (that’s swede, 

turnips and potatoes to you and me) you’ll be in the 

wrong place. But if you’re looking for beats, banter 

and bottles to liven up a very gloomy January, 

register today. 

Freddie Browne - the Hero (Left) 

Freddie, currently on the cast of Made in Chelsea, 

has explored many paths in his life ranging from 

working in tiger conservation in central India to 

driving to Mongolia in a Vauxhall Corsa for his 

19th birthday. Currently making the bold move 

from infront to behind the camera, Freddie has 

partnered with Heroes and Heretics to pioneer his 

career in film, debuting with two YouTube ads he 

wrote, directed and starred in - “A Work of Art” and 

“Horsepower”. 

Angus Findlay - the Heretic 

Angus is an ex-cast member of Made in Chelsea, 

and former beau of Georgia Toffolo. He’s appeared 

on E4’s Celebs Go Dating and ITV2’s Dress to 

Impress. Angus has also had a successful modelling 

career working for brands such as Ted Baker, Pepe 

Jeans and Boots. He is also an active ambassador 

and advocate for men's mental health through the 

charity Mind & has appeared in an episode of Tea 

Talks for National Tea Day to talk about mental 

health. 

About Heroes and Heretics Ltd 

Heroes and Heretics Ltd is an independent bottler 

and online retailer of whiskies, bourbons and rums 

established in 2015. 

Heroes and Heretics and its portfolio of unique 

spirit brands is all about turning the whisky drinking 

experience on its head. With every drop of every 

bottle sold to market traceable to the original cask 

and distillery, the Heroes and Heretics experience 

is second to none. Visit www.hahcws.com to join 

the Heroes and Heretics tribe and receive regular 

benefits, rewards and more. 

The Disciples: 1st Edition 

12 Year Old Craigellachie 

Whisky – 70cl £72.95 

Smoke & Glory 

2007 Ledaig 

Whisky 70cl 

£95.95 


0113

METROLAND 


Knitting is not just 

for Grannies 

Knitting has been linked to help reduce 

stress, anxiety, and depression while 

helping us retain cognitive brain 

function and physical dexterity 

in old age - what better excuse 

to get that wool out and 

have a go! 

For many people, knitting conjures up images of 

old ladies in comfy armchairs doubled up over 

needles and wool, while listening to the wireless. 

However, this couldn’t be further from the truth as 

the craft is now firmly back in vogue with a trendy 

following - including many celebrities. 

So where to start? 

If you’re new to knitting or could use a refresher 

on the basic skills, here are the some easy steps 

to get you knitting and purling again. All you will 

need is a pair of knitting needles and some wool. 

Step one: Casting on 

The very first step in any knitting project, from 

the simplest scarf to the most intricate garment, 

is the cast on. Casting on is simply the way that 

you get stitches onto the needle so that you can 

start knitting. First of all, tie a slip knot and place 

it on the left needle. Then insert the right-hand 

needle through the slipknot and pass the yarn 

over the right needle. Bring the right needle back 

pulling a new loop through with it. Place this loop 

on the left-hand needle. Then insert the righthand 

needle between the two stitches on the left 

needle. Wind the yarn round the point of the right 

needle. Draw a loop through and place it on the 

left-hand needle. Repeat this until you have the 

amount of stitches required. 

Step two: The knit stitch or garter stitch 

The knit stitch is the basis for all other knitting. 

Once you know how to cast on and knit, you can 

start the most basic projects, such as scarves. 

Start with the yarn at the back and insert the 

right-hand needle from left to right through the 

front of the first stitch on the left-hand needle. 

Wind the yarn over the right-hand needle. Pull 

through a loop. Slip the original stitch off the 

left-hand needle. Repeat this until all the stitches 

have been transferred from the left to the righthand 

needle. 

Step three: The purl stitch 

With the yarn at the front of the work, insert the 

right-hand needle from right to left through the 

front of the first stitch on the left-hand needle. 

Wind the yarn round the right needle. Draw a loop 

0114 


METROLAND 


through to the back. Slip the original stitch off the 

left-hand needle. Insert the needle into the back 

of the stitch on the left-hand needle from behind 

and bring the point of the right-hand needle 

through to the front. 

Step four: Casting off 

Casting off is the method used to dispose of a 

number of stitches. It is used during shaping, on 

shoulder seams for example and often forms the 

last row of the work. Always cast off in pattern. 

For example, when working on stocking stitch 

cast off knit-wise on a knit row and purl-wise on 

a purl row and when casting off ribbing, do so as 

if you were continuing to rib. Casting off in knit 

stitch Knit the first two stitches. Using the left 

hand needle, lift the first stitch over the second 

and drop it off the needle. Knit the next stitch and 

repeat the process. Casting off in purl stitch Purl 

the first two stitches. Using the left hand needle, 

lift the first stitch over the second and drop it off 

the needle. Purl the next stitch and repeat the 

process. With these simple steps and a bit of 

practise you should be able to knit anything from 

hats and scarves, to basic jumper and cardigan 

patterns. 


METROLAND 


A Few 

Wise Words 

for everyone 

in 2021 

Released in November last year, A Few Wise 

Words is a remarkable book that offers 

essential advice to young people and young 

adults, on how to plan for their personal 

journeys towards success and purpose in 

life. 

It provides a guiding hand too, for those 

whose journey is already underway, who 

want to uncover the ‘best version of 

themselves’ and to truly excel in their 

careers. While for those of us who are 

parents, this book helps us to understand 

the vital role that we can play to enable 

our children to prepare themselves 

fundamentally for the years ahead. 

Unlike many ‘how to’ and ‘self-help’ books 

that are available, A Few Wise Words takes a 

refreshingly different approach. It provides a 

platform for twenty two highly accomplished 

individuals to speak directly to the reader 

– sharing their own stories of success while 

offering down-to-earth advice on what any of 

us can do to find success in our own lives. 

Drawn from the worlds of sport, business, 

the arts and religious leadership, this book 

includes some hugely respected names. 

These include the late Rabbi Lord Jonathan 

Sacks, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, Sir 

Clive Woodward, Baroness Martha Lane- 

Fox and many others (see footnote for the 

full list of contributors). All offer beautifully 

practical advice to guide any individual, no 

matter what their age may be or at what 

stage they are on their journey. While 

for those that simply want to read about 

interesting people, this book provides a 

fascinating insight into the lives of some 

well-known and extraordinarily successful 

individuals. 

A Few Wise Words provides a timeless 

resource that one can dip in and out of at 

any time for inspiration, answers, and to 

learn what we need to do next. It’s style 

is uncomplicated and non-technical so 

that even young readers can absorb its 

knowledge easily, while adults will find it 

refreshingly straightforward with its focus on 

fundamental values and disciplines. 

We have compiled a few quotes from the 

book to provide a glimpse of what is included 

and to offer a little inspiration for the year 

ahead: 

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

Sir Ben Ainslie – Olympic gold medal-winning 

sailor 

“...In order to be successful at something, 

you’re going to have to work very hard at 

making it happen – and you’re simply not 

going to commit the time or the energy 

to something for which you lack genuine 

enthusiasm. One of the keys to success, 

therefore, is to keep looking until you find 

that thing...” 

----------------------------------------------------------------- 

Ursula Burns – The most successful black 

female CEO in US corporate history 

“...It’s about working hard, being bold, 

speaking up, taking initiative and taking 

responsibility about your future. The more 

you do this, and the more you put yourself 

out there, the further you increase the 

chances of good things happening for you, 

and the more you make your own luck...” 

0116 


METROLAND 

FAMILY TIME 

METROLAND 


----------------------------------------------------------------- 

Stephen Fry – Award winning actor, comedian, 

narrator and media personality 

“...There almost isn’t a child anywhere who isn’t 

enthused by something. It starts with curiosity and 

can lead naturally to a real passion for something. 

When you light a fire, you start with lighting the 

kindling material. But it’s not the kindling material 

that’s important, it’s the fire itself. It’s the furnace 

that builds which matters, and it’s precisely this 

that can make anyone capable of astonishing 

things later in life...” 

------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Dame Katherine Grainger – Olympic gold medal 

winning rower 

“...Being in the right place at the right time will 

often follow a lot of hard work or planning. It will 

mostly involve you putting yourself ‘out there’, 

being brave and talking to other people, and 

getting yourself known....” 

------------------------------------------------------------------ 

Declan Kelly – Leading Irish businessman and 

founder of Teneo 

“...Through the sheer volume of your effort, the 

law of averages will work in your favour. If you cast 

a line in the water, you might catch a fish. If you 

cast fifty lines in the water, you’re going to catch a 

fish...” 

------------------------------------------------------------------ 

A Few Wise Words is edited and compiled by Peter 

Mukherjee. Volume One is available now from 

Waterstones and other leading booksellers. ISBN 

Ref: 978-1-5272-6980-4 

Contributors to the book include: Sir Ben Ainslie, 

Frank Arnesen, Zak Brown, Ursula Burns, Sir 

Roger Carr, Sherry Coutu, Pablo Ettinger, Mikhail 

Fridman, Stephen Fry, Dame Katherine Grainger, 

Tanni Baroness Grey-Thompson, Anya Hindmarch, 

Declan Kelly, Martha Baroness Lane-Fox, Joanna 

Lumley, Dame Carolyn McCall, Sir Keith Mills, Vin 

Murria, Danielle de Niese, Rabbi Lord Jonathan 

Sacks, Shriti Vadera, and Sir Clive Woodward 

Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks – Former Chief Rabbi 

of the Commonwealth (1948 – 2020) 

“...It’s your failures that really make you grow up, 

grow strong and grow to be the person you could 

be. None of us would like to relive our failures, 

of course, but we couldn’t be the person we are 

today without those failures. But if you do not 

have the courage to fail, then you do not have the 

courage to succeed – full stop!...” 


0117

CHESHAM 

COUNCIL NEWS 

Into The Unknown: 

8 Adventure Walking apps 

To Explore Your Hometown 

It’s time to dig out your hat, gloves and scarf for a cosy jaunt in the fresh air, and here are the best 

apps to assist you on your way. luggagehero.com/newyork | luggagehero.com/london 

Walking does more than just get you out of the 

house and into the outdoors. According to the 

NHS regular walks are proven to reduce your risk 

of some illnesses including heart disease and 

stroke. Walking is also a great mood booster that 

can help to reduce your risk of depression. But if 

you have exhausted your list of local routes, don't 

worry as there are plenty more trails to discover. 

Travel experts from LuggageHero have rounded 

up the top 8 adventure walking apps to help you 

explore new trails in your local area. But please 

check the government guidelines on how far you 

can travel before you set off*. 

0118

METROLAND 


#1 Randonautica 

Interested in real-life discoveries? Randonautica 

is an app that encourages you to get out 

and explore, by giving you a randomised set 

of coordinates. All you need to do is set your 

location using GPS, add an ‘intention’ - which 

could be something as simple as ‘find something 

new’ - and then follow the directions to the 

random location. 

Once you return from your trip, you are 

encouraged to share what you stumbled across 

on the game’s forum. Users have made some 

interesting discoveries including large bodies of 

water they did not know existed, old abandoned 

houses, and according to some TikTok users, 

even crime scenes. Check out the app here. 

The geocache will contain a variety of trinkets 

and a logbook. Take a look through the items and 

see if there is anything you would like to take 

with you. Remember, when taking something 

replace it with another item of equal or greater 

value. If you're looking to keep the family 

entertained during lockdown check out the app 

here. 

#3 Star Walk 2 

Star Walk 2 is a stargazing tool that takes you 

on a journey through the sky, but down on 

Earth. The app allows you to identify exactly 

what you’re looking at above just by holding 

your smartphone to the sky. You can learn about 

the stars, planets and satellites, explore their 

internal structure and see 3D models, all while 

discovering new local places to walk at night. 

Simply point your phone upwards and discover 

the world of astronomy around you. Check it out 

here. 

#2 Geocaching 

Providing fun for the whole family, Geocaching 

is an app that allows you to take part in a 

digital treasure hunt. Whether you’re in the city 

centre or remote countryside there are hidden 

treasures all over the UK. All you need is a 

handheld GPS device and a sense of fun. 

A geocache or ‘cache’ is a small treasure 

box hidden outdoors. The app guides users 

to find these hidden goodies using GPS on 

their smartphones or coordinates from the 

Geocaching website. 

#4 The Walk: Fitness Tracker App 

Do you need a bit of motivation to get you 

walking more? The Walk, created with the NHS 

and the UK’s Department of Health, is an app 

that uses storytelling to encourage you to take 

daily walks.

stats, maps and routes, plus videos and images. 

Whether you are walking your usual route or 

exploring somewhere new, Ramblr allows you to 

tell your story in full detail. Check out the app 

here. 

#7 Ingress Prime 

The fate of the world depends on you. For a bit 

more adventure when doing your daily exercise, 

Ingress Prime is a cutting edge adventure game 

not too dissimilar to Pokemon Go. 

The app makes walking that little bit more 

interesting by incorporating a political thriller 

story as part of its tracking. A bomb has 

exploded in Inverness station, and you’re given 

a package that could save the world. To stay 

alive, you need to walk the length of the UK. 

Making the journey more than just a way to get 

fitter, but also a challenge. Check out the app 

here. 

#5 Spec Trek 

Are you a ghost hunter unable to go on 

expeditions to find ghouls at the moment? Spec 

Trek is the perfect app to get your supernatural 

fix while staying safe in your local area. 

The augmented reality ghost hunting game 

allows you to run or walk around while finding 

and catching spirits. At harder levels, it 

can become a fitness game. So if you want 

something to make your walks a bit more 

spooky while enjoying your daily exercise, check 

it out here. 

#6 Ramblr 

A new outdoor adventure is often exciting. 

When you are experiencing something 

incredible that the world has to offer, you’ll want 

to document everything. 

Ramblr is a fantastic app that gives you the 

ability to write a short blog post about your 

expedition. The app also allows you to pull in 

As you explore the world around you, you can 

interact with different landmarks, monuments 

and public art installations to collect valuable 

resources using your Ingress Scanner. As 

part of the app you will be able to strategize 

and communicate with other agents in your 

neighbourhood and around the world to achieve 

victory for your faction. Ready to become an 

agent? Check out the app here. 

#8 Komoot 

Komoot is your best friend when exercising 

outdoors. If you are planning on going for a walk 

to somewhere new in your local area, it can be 

quite daunting not knowing how hard the walk 

will be or where it will take you. 

The app allows users to plan their route, use 

offline mode so they can navigate without the 

internet and even use voice navigation. 

Kamoot also allows you to track your hikes and 

make friends in your local community. By posting 

videos, information or images of your walks you 

can inspire others to follow your adventures. 

If you are ready to find and plan your next 

adventure, check out the app here. 

All images are taken from Instagram. 

*Please ensure you check local rules and 

regulations before you travel - more information 

on this can be found here: https://www.gov.uk/ 

guidance/local-covid-alert-levels-what-you-needto-know 

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Chesham Riverside & Woodland Walk 

By Andrew Clark, Chiltern Society and Chesham Walkers are Welcome 

The Chilterns are well known for their beech 

woodlands. This gentle stile free walk goes 

through some of the best ofthem enabling you to 

appreciate their beauty and take in some lovely 

views over the Chess Valley. Along the route there 

are interesting historical sites and a wide range of 

flora and fauna. 

Length: 2.5miles 

Terrain: Easy walking on good paths some of 

which can be muddy after rain. One moderate 

climb upthrough the woods. Two gates. 

Start & finish: Chesham Moor car Park, Moor Rd, 

Chesham HP5 1SE. GR SP963008 

Food & drink: None on the walk. 

Maps: OS Explorer Maps 172 + 181 and 

Chiltern Society Maps 6 + 17 

Parking: As above 

ROUTE 

Leave thecar park towardsthe swimming pool. 

Waypoint 1 – Walk past the swimming pool and 

tennis courts, turn right along Bois Moor Road and, 

at the bend, stayahead up Hodds Wood Road 

Waypoint 2 - Go under the railway bridge, continue 

uphilland go through a gate on the left. Follow the 

path up through the field to the next gate at the 

top left-hand corner. 

Waypoint 3 – Continue straight ahead up through 

the wood and follow the path for over ½ mile to drop 

down to a lane. 

Waypoint 4 – Turn left downhill, bearright between 

concrete posts and follow the lovely woodland 

path all the way down and under the railway bridge 

to a road. Cross, walk along the pavement, turn 

right into Cresswell Roadand proceed as far as the 

post box on the right. 

Waypoint 5 – Cross the road tothe footpath 

directly opposite and follow the path between 

thelakes to a waterfall and the remains of Canon’s 

Mill. 

Waypoint 6 – Take the path to the left of the 

waterfall, cross a wooden bridge, follow the river 

and go over a concrete bridge to a road(Bois Moor 

Road). Cross it past the tennis courts to return to 

the car parkand the end of the walk. 

POINTS OF INTEREST 

Waypoint 1 - Chesham Moor swimming pool was 

erected in 1912. Upgrades were carried out in 1933 

and 1964. It is spring fed. 

Waymark 2 - The Metropolitan Railway came 

to Chesham on May 15th 1889. It was originally 

planned to extend the route to Tring. In the 1920s 

and ’30s it was used to carry freight from Chesham 

including wooden goods and watercress. 

Waymark 3 - The gate into the woods is theplace 

where Thomas Harding, Chesham’s martyr, was 

arrested in 1532. He was a nonconformist, the last 

of the local Lollards and was burnt at the stake. 

Hodds Wood and Great Bois Wood are ancient 

deciduous woodlands owned by the Woodland 

Trust. In the past,strip woodland, roundalls or 

clumps known as beech hangers were either 

purposely planted or incorporated into the 

landscape and remain today on the hillsides in 

many parts of the Chiltern Hills. 

Waymark 6 - The lakes are old worked out gravel 

pits.Canon’s Millgot its name because it was owned 

by the canons of Missenden Abbey. Last worked in 

1937 and demolished around 1960.The River Chess 

is a chalk stream. These are rare habitats only 

found in southern England, northern France and 

New Zealand. The Chess has some of the purest 

water of any such streams as it emanates from the 

many groundwater springs along the chalk outcrop 

in the slopes of the ‘dry valleys’ that run down into 

Chesham. The Chess is also unusual in that it takes 

its name from the town. 


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The Cotswold Walking 

Trails with the Best Views 

The Cotswolds is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in the south of England. 

Characterised by rolling hills and picturesque medieval villages, it is the perfect place for a 

country walk. And as it’s so good for body and mind to get active in the great outdoors, 

we have put together our favourite 5 circular walking trails in the Cotswolds with the best views. 

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1. BROADWAY AND THE TOWER 

For awe-inspiring views across the Severn Vale into 

Wales, this 4-mile walk leads through Broadway 

and up to Broadway Tower, the iconic 18th-century 

landmark created by the landscape designer, 

‘Capability’ Brown. The tower was designed 

as ‘an eccentric amalgamation of architectural 

components ranging from turrets, battlements and 

gargoyles to balconies’ and is a fascinating piece 

of Cotswold history. This walk follows historic tracks 

and has some steep sections and takes 2.5 to 3 

hours to complete. 

2. CRANHAM COOPERS AND THE 

BEECHWOODS 

For bluebell woods, this is an easy 4-mile walk 

through woodlands that leads you to the iconic site 

of Cooper’s Hill, the home of cheese-rolling, where 

for centuries the foolhardy have risked their necks 

chasing cheese down the hill to cheering crowds. 

The route takes in the picturesque and tranquil 

Buckholt Wood, which is carpeted in beautiful 

bluebells during May. There are a few moderately 

steep sections and it should take around 2 to 3 

hours. 

3. THE CLEEVE HILL RING 

The Cleeve Hill Ring is a beautiful 6-mile walking 

trail that goes through wildflowers leading across 

hilltops over streams and through woodlands to 

limestone grassland. In the summer, it comes alive 

with butterflies. This walk has some steep sections 

and lasts between 3.5 to 4.5 hours. There is a short 

cut that’s an easier and mostly level 4 miles that 

takes 2 to 3 hours to complete. 

5. WINCHCOMBE AND BELAS KNAP 

History-lovers will enjoy this 5.5-mile trail that starts 

at the historic town of Winchcombe and goes up to 

the ancient monument known as Belas Knap Long 

Barrow. This is an ancient burial ground that was 

estimated to have been built around 3,000 BC. This 

walk has some steep sections and takes about 3 

to 4 hours to complete or there is a short cut of 3.5 

miles. 

The Cotswold Way 

The Cotswold Way follows the Cotswold Edge 

escarpment from Bath to Chipping Campden for 

102 miles. For detailed maps of these walks and 

others visit National Trails. 

Please remember to follow the countryside code, 

protecting wildlife, plants and trees by keeping 

to public footpaths, taking your litter home and 

keeping pets under control. 

These life-affirming Cotswolds walks are a glorious 

opportunity to appreciate the natural beauty of 

the British countryside and the history of this 

fascinating area. 

Escape to the Cotswolds 

Escape to the country and book a Cotswolds 

holiday or a short break with Michael Paul Holidays 

today at www.michaelpaulholidays.co.uk 

4. CHIPPING CAMPDEN WALK 

For the most breathtaking views, this 4.5-mile walk 

leads around partly shaded woodlands and through 

Chipping Campden, the archetypal Cotswold market 

town with its characteristic limestone buildings 

against the backdrop of rolling hills. This is walk has 

some steep sections and takes between 2.5 and 

3.5 hours. The easier short cut avoids the climbs 

and reduces the walk to 3 miles which takes 1.5 to 

2.5 hours. 


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2021 at Waddesdon 

Covid-19 restrictions permitting, Waddesdon’s 2021 season includes the second instalment of Nick 

Knight’s Roses from my Garden, a series of superb large-scale still life images with echoes of artists 

like Brueghel and van Huysum, yet wholly contemporary, extended from 2020. Also, from February, 

the history and secrets of the Manor’s kitchen and the people who worked in it will be revealed in a 

fascinating new display, while an exhibition of Gustave Moreau’s watercolours that have not been 

seen in public for 115 years is sure to be a highlight of summer - for all the lastest events and updates 

in relation to Covid-19 regulations please visit http://waddesdon.org.uk. 

LATEST NEWS 

Due to the latest lockdown announcement, 

Waddesdon has taken the decision to close 

its Winter Light trails and interactive features 

scheduled for January, but will open to provide 

local people with an opportunity to exercise in the 

fresh air. 

Opening hours are amended from 6 January to 

10am-4pm (with limited numbers of tickets in each 

hourly arrival slot, last admission slot 2pm). 

All visitors, including National Trust members who 

have free admission, need to book an arrival time 

slot in order to help stagger admissions and provide 

a safe experience for everyone. Waddesdon also 

asks that people follow Government guidelines 

and only visit if you live locally. 

Elephant Family, in collaboration with 

CoExistence. until 31 October 

Half Moon Walk, Waddesdon Grounds 

A family of five Indian elephants – a tusker, 

matriarch, two male adolescents and a female calf 

will be found in Half Moon Walk in the Pleasure 

Grounds throughout the season. These portrait 

sculptures take their names from the real wild 

elephants living in the Nilgiri Hills of Tamil Nadu who 

modelled for them. 

For anyone who lives locally and would like to book 

to visit for outdoor exercise, you can do so here: 

https://waddesdon.seetickets.com/content/ticketoptions 

Simon Wales, Chief Operating Officer, said: ‘We are 

saddened to have to make these changes to our 

opening times, but believe it is important to play our 

part limiting the transmission of the coronavirus. 

We want to thank everyone for their continued 

support, and very much look forward to welcoming 

you to Waddesdon again when it is safe to do so.’ 

Brought to Waddesdon in collaboration with the 

CoExistence campaign, these life-sized elephant 

sculptures draw attention to the loss of biodiversity 

caused as humans encroach on wild spaces in 

the densely populated Indian subcontinent and 

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CATEGORY 

NEW TITLE SKILLS OF & CATEGORY 

FRESH AIR 

across the world. Sculpted from sustainably grown 

dried Lantana Camara stalks wrapped over steel 

structures the elephants have been made by artist 

Shubhra Nayar and a collective of local artisans 

under the creative direction of conservationist 

Ruth Ganesh. 

Placing these sculptures near the Aviary makes an 

important link with Waddesdon’s own conservation 

story. Baron Ferdinand de Rothschild built the 

ornamental Aviary in the 1880s, and stocked it 

with rare and exotic species. Today the Aviary is 

one of Europe’s smallest licensed zoos because 

of its important conservation work to support 

endangered species though a captive breeding 

programme. Many of the species of bird at 

Waddesdon are South East Asian in origin. 

CoExistence will be marking the UN Biodiversity 

Conference (COP15) in May 2021 with an exhibition 

of a further 125 elephants across London’s Royal 

Parks. 

Nick Knight: Roses from my Garden 

13 February – 31 October 

Coach House Gallery, the Stables 

British fashion photographer Nick Knight’s constant 

desire to experiment and challenge his audience 

has led him to take up a new subject, the classic 

rose - but expressed in an entirely new way. The 

resulting series, Roses from my Garden, continues 

into 2021 with newly created images. 

Collecting Stories: 

Private Worlds to Public Spaces 

24 March – 31 October, The Manor 

The Rothschilds were among the greatest collectors 

of the 19th century, seeking objects of the highest 

quality and with a keen sense of an item’s historical 

importance. For as long as the Rothschilds have 

collected they have recorded their collections with 

catalogues, albums and photographs. The houses 

that they built, the interiors they created, and the 

magnificent collections within them became known 

internationally as the ‘goût Rothschild.’ 

This growing body of work is inspired by Knight’s 

fascination with nature in general, and more 

specifically with the rose as an enduring symbol of 

beauty. The series has roots in the work of 16th and 

17th century still life painters like Jan Brueghel the 

Elder and Jan van Huysum. 

Nick Knight cuts roses straight from his garden and 

arranges them, using only daylight to illuminate 

his subject. Photographed on an iPhone, the 

digital images are then enlarged and filtered 

through software that uses AI to infill the space 

between pixels. The resulting images are no longer 

photographs, but rather, digital representations of 

Sometimes these catalogues illustrated a private 

collection for distribution to friends and family; later 

METROLAND MAGAZINE WINTER WINTER / / SPRING 2021 2021 

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Nick Knight: Roses from my Garden 

February - 31 October 

Coach House Gallery, the Stables

METROLAND 


on, they were commercially printed volumes of 

public collections. Along with archive material and 

photographs are shown Ferdinand’s Red Book, a 

privately printed album illustrating the collection 

at Waddesdon, his cousin Alfred’s equivalent for 

Halton House and other examples for five different 

Rothschild collectors and their houses in London, 

Paris, and Buckinghamshire. 

Riesener Furniture and the Rothschilds 

Dates to be confirmed 

Gustave Moreau: The Fables 

12 June – 31 October - The Manor 

Widely regarded as one of the most brilliant, 

yet enigmatic, artists of the French Symbolist 

movement, Gustave Moreau (1826-98) is less well 

known in Britain than he deserves to be. This 

exhibition aims to change that, by displaying 

some of the most extraordinary works he ever 

made but have not been seen by the public for 

over a century. 

In 2021 Waddesdon is celebrating the furniture of 

Jean-Henri Riesener, one of the greatest French 

cabinetmakers of all time. He was renowned for his 

brilliant marquetry and his sophisticated designs. 

German-born but trained in Paris, Riesener became 

cabinetmaker of choice to the court of Louis XVI 

and Marie-Antoinette. His furniture was later prized 

by 19th-century collectors including George IV and 

the Rothschilds – and Waddesdon has no fewer 

than 11 pieces by him. 

Visitors will be able to explore Riesener’s work 

through a trail highlighting the furniture in the 

collection. This marks the end of a collaborative 

research project with the Wallace Collection and 

The Royal Collection Trust, which has produced 

the first major monograph on Riesener, based on 

the extensive collections of the three institutions. 

Also, in a first for the furniture world, there will be 

a dedicated website bringing his work together 

virtually, with digital animation allowing every detail 

of design and construction of to be explored and 

deconstructed. 

In collaboration with Musée National Gustave 

Moreau, Paris, Waddesdon’s summer exhibition will 

reveal for the first time since 1906, 34 watercolours 

created by Moreau between 1879 and 1885, on 

loan from a private collection. 

They were part of a series, commissioned by the art 

collector Antony Roux, to illustrate the 17th-century 

Fables of Jean de La Fontaine (many of which derive 

from Aesop’s Fables). Moreau made 64 works for the 

series, which subsequently entered a Rothschild 

collection; however, a significant proportion was 

lost during the Nazi era. The surviving works have 

not been publicly exhibited for 115 years and they 

have only ever been published in black and white. 

Created at the height of the French 19th-century 

revival of watercolour, their variety of subject 

matter, technique and their colouristic effects, will 

be a revelation to visitors. 

The Fables watercolours form the core of the 

display with additional loans from the Musée 

Gustave Moreau, where a version of this exhibition 

will open in February 2021. 


ENGLAND LOCKDOWN 

STAY AT HOME 

THE NEW VARIANT OF CORONAVIRUS IS SPREADING FAST. 

WE ALL NEED TO PLAY OUR PART TO STOP THE SPREAD. 

LEAVING HOME 

You must not leave, or be outside of your 

home or garden, except for a very limited 

set of exemptions e.g. to shop for basic 

necessities, exercise, go to work if you 

cannot do so from home, or to escape 

risk of harm. 

MEETING OTHERS 

You cannot leave your home to meet 

socially with anyone, except with your 

household or support bubble (if eligible to 

form one). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone 

not in your household or support bubble. 

EXERCISE 

You may exercise on your own, with your 

household or support bubble, or with one 

person from another household (when on 

your own). Stay 2 metres apart from anyone 

not in your household or support bubble. 

BARS, PUBS AND RESTAURANTS 

Hospitality closed aside from sales by 

takeaway (until 11pm), click-and-collect, 

drive-through or delivery. Alcohol cannot 

be purchased through takeaway or 

click-and-collect from hospitality venues. 

RETAIL 

Essential shops can open. Non-essential 

retail must close and can only run click-andcollect 

and delivery. 

WORK AND BUSINESS 

Everyone must work from home unless they 

are unable to do so. 

EDUCATION 

Early years settings open. Primary and 

secondary schools and colleges move to 

remote provision except for vulnerable 

children and children of critical workers. 

Most university students to move to 

remote learning. 

LEISURE AND SPORTING FACILITIES 

Closed, with limited exceptions. 

ACCOMMODATION 

Closed, with limited exceptions. 

PERSONAL CARE 

Closed. 

ENTERTAINMENT 

Closed. 

OVERNIGHT STAYS 

You must not stay overnight away from 

home. Limited exceptions apply e.g. to stay 

with your support bubble. 

WEDDINGS AND FUNERALS 

Funerals of up to 30 people permitted. 

Weddings up to 6 people permitted in 

exceptional circumstances. Wakes and 

other linked ceremonial events of up to 6 

permitted. 

PLACES OF WORSHIP 

Places of worship can remain open and 

communal worship is permitted, but you 

must not mix with those outside your 

household or support bubble. 

TRAVELLING 

You must stay at home. If you do leave 

home for a very limited set of exemptions, 

you should stay local in the village, town, 

or part of the city where you live where 

possible. Do not travel abroad unless an 

exemption applies. 

CLINICALLY EXTREMELY VULNERABLE 

Shielding reintroduced across England. You 

should not travel to work, school, college 

or university and should limit the time you 

spend outside the home. You should only 

go out for medical appointments, exercise 

or if it is essential. 

CARE HOME VISITS 

Visits can take place with arrangements 

such as substantial screens, visiting pods, or 

behind windows. Close-contact indoor visits 

are not allowed. No visits will be permitted 

in the event of an outbreak but end of life 

visits are permitted in all circumstances. 

For more information go to: 

gov.uk/coronavirus

Metroland Winter Spring 2021

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