Citylife in Lichfield February 2021

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Welcome to
CITYLIFE
Welcome to CITYLIFE in Lichfield, a monthly magazine
bringing you our pick of the city’s news, events and stories.
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Each issue features heritage stories exploring the rich
history of our area, plus competitions, interviews and the
latest in fashion and style.
Got a story or charity event you want to share with our
readership? Think you’ve snapped an image that captures
the spirit of the city? We want to hear from you!
Our business is bringing you Lichfield’s city life.
CITYLIFE Contacts
Editor - Kristen Lackajis 07885 380632
kristencitylife@gmail.com
Features - Jono Oates 07785 757201 jonocitylife@gmail.com
Advertising -
Steve Brown 07740 166497 stevebrowncitylife@gmail.com
Rebecca Hill 07970 513144 rebeccahillcitylife@gmail.com
Lorraine Hudson 078860 91933 lorrainecitylife@gmail.com
Production -
Helen Smith 07967 154187 helencitylife@gmail.com
Citylife In Lichfield Ltd
PO Box 7126 LICHFIELD WS14 4JS
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Your Local Magazine
Inside...
16 Lovers of Lichfield
Jono Oates looks at some of our historical
Georgian lovers
.............................
28 Fine-Tune Your Immune System
A few tips to help keep the winter bugs at bay
.............................
34 Dine At Home
Our guide to the local restaurants offering
Valentine’s takeaways
.............................
38 Valentine’s Gift Guide
Find that perfect gift for your loved one
From the Editor…
Hello and welcome to the February issue of the magazine!
It’s Valentine’s Day this month and love is very much in the air at
Citylife in Lichfield, as you’ll be able to see from our fantastic
Valentine’s Gift Guide on pages 38-40, where you can find the
ideal gift for that special someone.
It’s going to be quite a different affair this Valentine’s Day due to
current Government restrictions. I’m sure many of you will be
trying your hand at cooking for your loved one so why not take
some inspiration from Simon Smith’s delicious recipe on page
36? You can also do your best Tom Cruise impression and
partake in some cocktail making on page 37!
If cooking is not for you, help is at hand as we’ve put together
our Dining At Home Guide, on page 34. This features our
favourite local restaurants who are offering premium takeaway
dishes so that you can still enjoy your favourite meal!
It’s cold outside, so light the fire, put your feet up and have a
browse through the latest issue!
Stay Safe, Stay Home.
Krissy

5

LOCAL NEWS
6
Staffordshire Firm’s
First Anniversary
Directors Adam and Sally
Outdoor building firm, Roundpeg Outdoor
Buildings, has not only survived to celebrate its
first-year anniversary, but has thrived enough to
expand its operations by tripling its workforce.
Just one year ago two friends took the brave
leap to launch their own business – creating
handmade bespoke outdoor buildings.
But Adam Timmis and Sally Ann Smith could
never have predicted the major obstacles that
lay ahead for their new venture.
While all new start-ups expect to face a few
challenges during their first year of trading, the
duo has not only had to navigate a global
pandemic but also worldwide timber supply
shortages.
Yet, despite all the odds, Roundpeg Outdoor
Buildings survived.
In another impressive highlight, in November it
was also shortlisted in the Staffordshire
Chamber of Commerce’s Business Awards in
the category of Most Promising Start-Up in the
county.
The pandemic has certainly seen Roundpeg
kept busy with a steady ongoing demand for
outdoor buildings for uses including home
offices, self-employed ventures like salons, gyms
and bars for customers across the West
Midlands.
Visit www.roundpegoutdoorbuildings.co.uk or
find it on Facebook and Instagram
@roundpegoutdoorbuildings.
.......................................................................................
Preserving Local
Heathland Habitats
Conservation work to protect endangered
heathland will be starting at Muckley Corner
Common and Pipehill Crossroads Common
soon.
People visiting Muckley Corner Common and
Pipehill Crossroads Common may see
conservation work being carried out this
winter.
Professional contractors will be conducting the
restoration work on areas of heathland under
the supervision of Lichfield District Council’s
ecology team.
Birch specimens and gorse will be thinned out
to stop scrub encroachment that threatens to
invade and reduce the rare heathland habitat
and the wildlife that relies on it. When
complete, the sites will become more open,
improving visibility and access.
These works form part of a £416,409 25-year
biodiversity offset scheme funded by
development, set to restore and manage 9.1
hectares of heathland over three sites within
Lichfield District. They include Muckley Corner
Common, Pipehill Crossroads Common and
Ironstone Road Heaths.
For more information, please contact Lichfield
District Council’s ecology team by emailing
ecology@lichfielddc.gov.uk or calling 01543
308164.
.......................................................................................
Council’s Chief
Executive to Step
Down
Lichfield District
Council’s Chief
Executive, Diane Tilley,
has announced she will
be leaving her role in
May.
The news came on 21st
January in a message
from Diane Tilley to
councillors and staff. Of Diane Tilley
the decision, she said:
“After eight years at Lichfield District Council I
have decided the time is right for me to move
on. I feel incredibly privileged to have worked
with such a great team over the years and I
would like to thank everyone for their support
and hard work through some really challenging
times.
“There is still much important work to do in
managing the response to this latest Covid
wave and running one of our biggest elections
ever in very unpredictable circumstances.”
Councillor Doug Pullen, Leader of Lichfield
District Council, said: “I would like to thank
Diane for the work she has done over the last
eight years, ensuring the council is in a robust
financial position to head off the stormy winds
of Covid.
“I am now in the process of seeking a new Chief
Executive to help lead Lichfield District Council
through the challenging, yet exciting, years
ahead.”
Diane will continue in position until the end of
May, and the council is working to appoint her
successor to start in April.
Local Gin Brand’s
New Edition
The founders of small-batch gin brand The
Apiarist have introduced a new ‘Forager Edition’
of the spirit to market, containing the same rich,
sweet honey base as the original signature
version but finished with a special ‘forager’s tea’.
After being blown away by the initial success of
The Apiarist since its launch in October last
year, husband and wife Alex and Natalie Conti
decided to create a brand-new batch of gin
centred around one of their favourite hobbies,
foraging.
Much like its predecessor, The Apiarist Forager
Edition is infused with raw honey from the
Conti’s very own home apiary and contains
botanicals such as juniper, coriander, orris root
and lemon peel. Inspired by local hedgerows,
the unique forager’s tea consists of blackberries,
elderberries, wild strawberry leaves and apple,
giving the gin its natural pink hue.
The Apiarist Forager Edition is currently
available to purchase directly from
www.theapiaristgin.com.
.......................................................................................
Reflections of Winter
This lovely photograph shows Minster Pool on
a cold, crisp evening, along with a smiley
snowman. Sent in by Brereton resident, Simon
Wilberforce.

Advertising Feature
How are you looking financially?
The new year has started and many of us are thinking about our savings, investments and pensions.
Others are thinking of moving house, taking out life assurance or just what will 2021 bring. You may
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As we start 2021 I would suggest that looking at your life assurance, savings, investments and pensions should be on your list
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your priorities, where you want to be
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speak in clear terms and do my best
to try and help you achieve your
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Our team of Financial Advisers at
Four Oaks Financial Services are
supported by in-house research,
client liaison and administration
teams. I spent most of 2020 working
from home using online meetings to
great effect, keeping in contact with
my clients and advising them during a
very strange year. For the first part of
2021 this is likely to continue but it
shouldn’t be too long before face to
face meetings are the norm.
As an experienced Financial Adviser
I work with clients, at all stages of
their life, to help them achieve their
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It is often said that people deal with
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I hope to hear from you soon.
Robin Place DipFA, CeLTCI, MLIBF
Financial Adviser
0121 323 2070, 07968 504805
robin@fouroaksfs.com
7

LOCAL NEWS
8
Community Project
Receives County
Council Funding
David Moore with apprentices from Dudley
College in 2019
Trustees and volunteers at Sandfields Pumping
Station are celebrating after receiving funding
towards the refurbishment of their community
venue.
Lichfield Waterworks Trust has been awarded
£1,000 from Staffordshire County Council’s
Climate Change Action Fund. The funding will
go towards the costs of refurbishing and
upgrading old lights to new energy efficient
LED lighting.
The Grade II* listed Victorian Waterworks is
currently being refurbished and being turned
into a community and visitor attraction.
The Climate Change Action Fund was delivered
by Staffordshire County Council and accepted
applications from not-for-profit organisations
who wanted to do something to protect the
environment.
More information on the fund along with other
funding opportunities can be found at
https://www.staffordshire.gov.uk/DoingOurBit/
Funding.aspx
.......................................................................................
St Giles Celebrates
TreeCycle Success
Socially-distanced TreeCycle volunteers
St Giles Hospice is celebrating the success of
this year’s TreeCycle campaign after it collected
more trees and raised more funds than ever
before.
The environmentally-friendly recycling
collection picked up 4,428 Christmas trees
during the month of January in return for a
small donation to St Giles, raising more than
£65,000 for the hospice.
Last year’s collection picked up 3,430 trees,
raising £35,000. All funds raised by TreeCycle
help to ensure that St Giles Hospice can
continue to support people and their families
living with a terminal illness.
Despite the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and the
challenges raised by the new lockdown, St Giles
was able to run the popular annual fundraiser
for the sixth year running thanks to collection
teams who followed the latest Government
guidelines as they hit the streets.
Working in same-household bubbles, 76
volunteers took part in a socially-distanced
operation which covered 3,176 miles between
Wednesday 6th and Wednesday 13th January
(2021). They collected trees from Lichfield,
Sutton Coldfield, Tamworth, Burton, Rugeley,
Burntwood, Uttoxeter, Swadlincote, Stafford
and surrounding areas.
.......................................................................................
New Information Panel
in Old Churchyard
Dr. Trevor James, Secretary of the Mid-Trent &
Mercia Branch of the Historical Association
A new information board has been installed in
St Michael’s Old Churchyard to celebrate the
life and work of the Reverend John Louis Petit
(1801-1868), who was Curate of St Michael’s
between 1825 and 1828, and whose family
resided in Tamworth Street from 1823.
The Petits were an immensely wealthy family,
originally Huguenot emigres from France, with
extensive property and business interests on
the edge of the Black Country.
Albeit untrained, John Louis was an
accomplished water-colourist, in the
impressionist tradition. By 1834 he had ceased
full-time ministry and devoted himself to his
painting and his other scholarly activity.
He did not sell any of his water-colours and
only a few were exhibited in his lifetime but
posthumous evidence has emerged which
reveals that, between the 1820s and his death in
1868, he produced about 14,000 water-colours
and sketches. His illustrations are international
as well as British, extending as far as Syria and
much of Europe.
The information panel is located in front of the
Petit family tomb, where John Louis Petit and
his sisters are buried.
.......................................................................................
Tighter Regulations for
Dog Owners
Lichfield District
Council is asking
for residents’ views
on a plan to create
a new dog control
public spaces
protection order.
As part of the
council’s approach to reduce dog fouling and
encourage responsible dog ownership, it is
proposing an order that would require people
to demonstrate they have the means to clear
up after their pet.
As a rule of thumb, dog walkers would be
expected to carry at least two bags that can be
used to dispose of dog mess. If, when asked by
an enforcement officer, someone does not
produce a bag or refuses to do so they could
receive a fine.
The order will require anyone in charge of a
dog to clean up and remove any resulting dog
mess in a public place, such as on a pavement or
in a park or green space.
The proposed protection order would also
create ‘dog exclusion zones’, which would ban
dogs from being taken into playgrounds,
particularly areas designed for younger
children.
To find out more and read the draft dog control
public space protection order, visit
www.lichfielddc.gov.uk/dogcontrolorder. To
have your say on the proposals, email your
comments to pollution@lichfielddc.gov.uk by
5th March 2021.
.......................................................................................
Council Confirms 0%
Precept Rise
At its meeting of 25th January, the City
Council resolved that no increase would be
levied on its portion of Council Tax.
Councillor Mark Warfield, Leader of the
Council said:
“2020 was a year like no other, the challenges
caused by the pandemic have continued into
2021 and will be with us for some time yet.
The parish council element of Council Tax is
relatively small, but in these uncertain times
the City Council wanted to ensure that it did
not place further burden on its residents,
particularly given the budgetary pressures on
the District and County Councils.”

9

LOCAL NEWS
Update Your Details
for Covid Vaccination
Local GPs have informed Conservative MP,
Michael Fabricant, that inaccurate records
could hold up some patients from being called
for vaccination.
The most common way for a GP practise to get
in touch with patients for vaccinations is via
text message using the mobile telephone
number stored against the patient’s name.
However surgeries are finding that many
people have changed their numbers over the
years without letting their local doctor know
about it.
As a result, Michael is urging residents to
“ensure that your GP does have your correct
and up to date mobile number and email
address and that you have authorised them to
use it.”
.......................................................................................
Proposals for New
Leisure Centre
Unveiled
Lichfield District Council has released initial
proposals for its new leisure centre at
Stychbrook Park.
The proposals were reported to the Leisure,
Parks & Waste Management Overview and
Scrutiny Committee on Thursday 21st January.
The proposed new leisure centre will feature a
25-metre swimming pool with a movable floor
to support swimming lessons, a fitness suite and
three group exercise studios/multi-function
rooms. Also included is a 3G artificial football
pitch at the rear of the centre.
The new leisure centre will be built at
Stychbrook Park in Lichfield. This site was
chosen as the preferred location in October
2020 after a review of potential sites across the
city highlighted Stychbrook Park as the most
suitable. Final designs, planning permission and
10
site investigations at Stychbrook Park will still
be required before any construction can begin.
.......................................................................................
Local Business Raises
Money for Charity
M&I Domestic Appliances recently raised £281
for charity Helping Each Other Lichfield by
holding a prize raffle.
Tickets cost just £1 each and the grand prize
was a Hotpoint 8kg 1400 spin washing machine,
courtesy of the St John Street appliance shop.
The lucky winner was a Ms Smetham whose
name was picked at random on the live
Christmas Eve draw.
Pictured is the team at M&I presenting a cheque
to Elaine at Helping Each Other Lichfield.
.......................................................................................
Burntwood Leisure
Centre is Testing
Centre
Symptom-free community testing is now
available at Burntwood Leisure Centre.
Lichfield District residents without symptoms
are being urged to book rapid Covid-19 tests at
a new community testing centre, which opened
at Burntwood Leisure Centre on Monday 18th
January.
People who must leave their homes during
lockdown are being urged to keep getting
tested, as eight new community testing centres
opened across Staffordshire.
The centres, one in each district and borough,
will offer testing seven days a week for people
without symptoms. These will be supported by
community testing pop-ups in hotspot areas
which see the highest numbers of cases.
Tests for people without symptoms need to be
booked in advance online at
https://staffordshire.zipporah.co.uk/TrackAndTr
ace/. People with symptoms or those who have
been asked to self-isolate as a close contact of
a Covid case should not attend.
.......................................................................................
Footballers Back
#TalkSuicide Campaign
Stoke City players are throwing their weight
behind a new campaign to help reduce the
number of suicides in Staffordshire.
Sadly, 10 lives are lost to suicide each month
across the county, with men in their 40s and
50s in the highest category.
Now, the club have partnered with local
councils and health partners to help raise
awareness of the issue and make it easier for
people to talk about it.
Players kicked off the campaign before Friday
night’s game against Watford which included
messages from first team players, Tyrese
Campbell and Sam Clucas
A dedicated webpage on the Club’s website has
information and advice to help people spot the
signs and be comfortable to talk about it.
The #TalkSuicide campaign is calling on
individuals, communities, organisations and
businesses to show their support by signing up
to the campaign and taking action to help
prevent suicide.
People can find out more about the campaign
and sign up for more information on local
sources of support and training at
www.stokecityfc.com/community/campaigns/tal
k-suicide.
Competition
Winner
Congratulations to Mr G
Painter of Rugeley who was
selected as the Just Granite
competition winner!
Well done!

11

12

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This amethyst box sold for £1,300 at auction Amethyst Necklace Amethyst Ring
Amethyst: The
Birthstone for
February
...............................
By Heather Callaway FGA DGA FIRV AMAE
In my opinion amethyst is the most
widely recognised and loved member of
the quartz family of gemstones.
Its intoxicating rich purple colours, life,
fire and sparkle and its spiritual and
healing properties which include balance,
calmness, and peace all combine to have
made this gem highly sought-after by
princes and paupers alike for centuries.
For centuries, fine quality amethysts
have been included in the finest religious
and royal gemstone collections from all
over the world and was once considered to be equal in value to even
ruby, sapphire and emerald.
Amethysts continue to this day to adorn the fingers of bishops and
other religious leaders’ ecclesiastical rings.
Among the several noted biblical connotations, amethyst was one of
the 12 precious gemstones to adorn the high priest Aaron’s breastplate.
The amethyst stones that you find in your precious jewels are cut and
polished from large beautifully formed, natural, deep purple coloured, sixsided,
terminated crystals that have formed over millions of years, deep
underground in molten lava.
The unique conditions that create amethysts result in special spherical
rocks called geodes, that house the crystals therein.
As these geodes are pushed to the earth’s surface, the lava cools
slowly and eventually brings these treasures from deep within the earth.
Amethysts can be found in many locations around the world. Mined in
abundance from the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, they are also
found in North Korea, Austria and much of the modern fine quality
gemstone material is found in Russia.
The name amethyst is derived from Greek origin which may be
translated, according to Greek legend, to ‘not drunken’; wearing this
stone is thought to protect the wearer from the effects of alcohol!
According to legend: “Amethyste was a beautiful young virgin maiden who
was on her way to worship at the temple of Diana and to her great misfortune
her path crossed with Bacchus, the Greek God of wine, who was obsessing over
beautiful Amethyste, relentlessly chasing her and becoming more and more
enraged when she refused his affections. Amethyste cried out in desperation to
the virgin Goddess of Chastity Diana for help. Diana immediately answered her
prayers and transformed her into a pure white Quartz statue. Bacchus was
mortified and humiliated by this act of sacrifice and as sign of acceptance and
respect he poured some of his red wine over the statue, staining and
transforming Amethyste into a glorious luscious purple colour. Converting her
into the beautiful stone we now know as amethyst.”
This story is indeed an only a myth and may not be true – indeed there
are many different variations of the tale.
However, to this day metaphysicians claim purport amethyst to have
great healing properties as it reacts to the earth’s negative energies.
Relieving stress and anxiety, balancing mood swings and alleviating
sadness and grief add to its claim to be one of the most effective healing
stones.
Whatever your belief, amethyst is a uniquely beautiful and sumptuous
gemstone with a longstanding fascinating history and one that should
certainly adorn every jewellery lover’s private collection.
Here at Richard Winterton Auctioneers we have had many exquisite,
beautiful and precious amethyst jewellery treasures come over the
auction house threshold to continue their pre-loved journey to the next
lucky wearer.
With Covid continuing to create challenges for us all, our ‘virtual
valuations’ service is proving very popular.
Available for everything from jewellery and watches to pictures,
furniture and all manner of antiques and other items, all you have to do
is email images of your items and any related details directly to the
relevant valuers as listed on www.richardwinterton.co.uk.
We also offer a free, safe and secure contactless pick-up service for
jewellery, watches and silver.
Furthermore, under the current guidelines, house clearances and
probates should continue so please don’t hesitate to contact us for
advice or to book a free, Covid-secure quotation on 01543 251081 or
by email to office@richardwinterton.co.uk.
14

Phoenix Supports Bereaved
Local Students
Teachers from across Lichfield, Sutton
Coldfield and Tamworth have received vital
training to help young people facing loss
and living with bereavement.
Phoenix, the children and young people’s
bereavement service for St Giles Hospice,
has been working with staff from schools from the Arthur Terry
Learning Partnership (ATLP), which include Nether Stowe
School and Scotch Orchard Primary School in Lichfield.
The session covered the impact of COVID-19 and lockdown
on young people as well as issues around bereavement and
facing loss.
Sue Bailey, Assistant Head at Arthur Terry, said: “We are very
much aware that many families within our community of
schools have lost loved ones during these difficult times.
“Our aim as a partnership is to offer as much support to
these families as we can and the training we received from St
Giles will further enable our staff to do this.
“The training was of a very high quality and left us feeling
better equipped to support families and also how to access the
expert support available from St Giles.
“We look forward to further partnership working and would
recommend this training to others.”
The Arthur Terry Learning Partnership is a growing multiacademy
trust of 14 schools and one teaching school in
Birmingham, North Warwickshire and Staffordshire.
Phoenix offers support for any child or young person under
the age of 18 who is facing loss or who has been bereaved, in
the St Giles Hospice catchment area. Referrals can come from
parents, teachers, healthcare professionals or young people. To
find out more, please call 01543 434536.
15

16
Erasmus Darwin portrait at
Darwin House
The Lovers of Lichfield
By Jono Oates
............................
February is the month of love
and Lichfield’s best-known
figures from the Georgian era
certainly had their share of
romantic liaisons, love affairs and
marriages!
David Garrick was born on February
19th 1717 and so very close to
Valentine’s Day, 14th February. Although
born in Hereford, the Garrick family
home was on Beacon Street, close to
the cathedral, and he was educated and
brought up in Lichfield. As a young
scholar he attended Samuel Johnson’s
ill-fated, and short-lived, school at Edial,
where the two young men became
friends and were travelling companions
to London in 1737.
Samuel Johnson statue, Lichfield
Market Square
Anna Seward sculpture by Peter
Walker at Eramsus Darwin House
Garrick initially worked in the wine trade but took up amateur
dramatics and became one of the leading actors of his day. Although short
in stature at 5ft 4 inches tall, he was a powerful presence, illuminating the
stage with a distinctive style and swagger. His acting career brought him
into close contact with some of the most beautiful actresses of the times,
one of them being Margaret ‘Peg’ Woffington, a feisty Irish actress who
frequently played the leading lady to Garrick’s leading man. The two
shared not only roles on the stage but also had a tempestuous love affair
off stage, however the pressures became too great and the pair finally
separated.
Garrick eventually married Eva Marie Viegel, a strikingly beautiful
dancer from Vienna. Their marriage seemed to be a happy one, although
they never had children, and they lived in a large mansion, Garrick’s Villa,
by the side of the Thames at Hampton. Garrick died in 1779 aged 61 but
Eva Marie outlived him by nearly forty years, passing away at the grand
old age of 98.
Erasmus Darwin, grandfather of Charles, was born in Nottinghamshire
but moved to Lichfield in 1757. Essentially a physician he developed a
highly successful practice in Lichfield, allowing him to build a large
David Garrick as Richard III (photo
Samuel Johnson Birthplace Museum)
Georgian townhouse on the corner of the cathedral close, now Erasmus
Darwin House. In the same year he moved to Lichfield he married Mary
(known as Polly) Howard, with whom he had four children, although two
of them died in infancy. When Polly died in 1770 Erasmus hired a
governess, Mary Parker, to look after the two children. Erasmus had two
illegitimate children with Mary, Susannah and Mary Parker Jnr. Darwin
later met Elizabeth Pole, the wife of Colonel Edward Pole of Radbourne
Hall, Derby. Erasmus became infatuated with Elizabeth and wrote several
love poems to her. When Edward died in 1780 Elizabeth and Erasmus
could finally marry and they had seven children, four boys and one girl,
although one of the boys died in infancy.
With at least 13 children, two marriages and an affair with his children’s
governess, Erasmus, despite not being the most handsome of men, clearly
knew the way to a lady’s heart!
Anna Seward lived in the Bishop’s Palace in the cathedral close and
became friends with her near-neighbour Erasmus Darwin. Anna was a
well-known poetess of the Georgian era and, from the age of 40, had her
work published commercially, which was very unusual for a female author
at that time. She had several lovers but never married. Undoubtedly the
greatest love of her life was John Saville, an outstanding singer in the
Vicar’s Choral and who lived in Vicar’s Close. Unfortunately for Anna,
Saville was a married man with two children – and his wife was not at all
happy about the liaison! Despite this they continued to have a close
relationship, which lasted until Saville died in August 1803, leaving Anna
heartbroken. Anna wrote a poem when he died, which is listed on a
memorial in Lichfield Cathedral.
Samuel Johnson is Lichfield’s greatest son, born in September 1709 at
the family home on the junction of Market Street and Breadmarket
Street. Johnson travelled to London to become a writer, accompanied by
his young friend Garrick, in 1737. Johnson achieved national acclaim in
1755, when he published his Dictionary of the English Language, making
him one of the most well-known and respected men in London high
society. Like Erasmus Darwin, he married a widow called Elizabeth, this
time Elizabeth Porter, late wife of his friend Henry Porter. Elizabeth,
known as Tetty, and Samuel married in July 1735 at St Werburgh’s Church
in Derby. Tetty was 46 when they married and 21 years older than Samuel,
and neither family approved of the marriage. They had no children but
had three step-children from Tetty’s first marriage. Tetty died in 1752,
aged 63 and so never got to witness the acclaim and success that Samuel
achieved with the publication of his dictionary a few years later.
Despite their family’s misgivings Johnson described his relationship
with Tetty as a ‘love-match on both sides’ therefore showing that he, and
the other Lichfield Georgian greats, knew the Power of Love!
Sources: www.erasmusdarwin.org; Oxford Dictionary of National Biography;
www.samulejohnsonbirthplace.org.uk

Is a Greyound
the Dog
for You?
By Lauren Hirst
.......................
Like many homing
centres across
the UK, Greyhound
Trust Hall Green is
receiving an
u n p r e c e d e n t e d
number of enquiries
about adoption.
Getting a dog is a
Dino
big step and getting
the right dog to suit your lifestyle is so important in
making it all work. There’s a new version making the
rounds of the Dog’s Trust slogan ‘A Dog is Not Just
for Christmas’ however this one is ‘A Dog Is Not
Just for Lockdown.’
Dogs are wonderful companions and are a good way
of getting exercise so it’s no wonder people are homing
dogs in record numbers. However, the question arises:
what will happen to your dog when things start to go
back to some sort of normal? How long will the dog be
left when you’re back in the office/gym/socialising with
friends/running the kids around to their various clubs
and activities? Will you have the time or energy to walk
the dog before and after work and/or can you afford a
dog walker? If the answer to all those questions is, yes,
then maybe a greyhound is a dog to consider.
Much to people’s surprise, most greyhounds are fairly
low maintenance in their retirement given they were
once top athletes. They still need regular walking at least
30 minutes twice a day enjoying the mental stimulation
as well as the physical exercise (remember a bored dog
is a destructive dog!). Generally speaking, they have a
calm and gentle natures except for the mad 10 minutes
now and then! Greyhounds can be shy, lively, big, small,
and everything in between.
Greyhounds are funny, quirky dogs who are unlike
other dogs given the way they’ve been brought up. They
have never been in a house, to the park, or seen other
breeds of dogs, but with patience helping them settle
into this weird and wonderful world that they find
themselves in after they hang up their running shoes,
they make the most wonderful pets. What could be
more rewarding than that?
Greyhound Trust Hall Green is allowed to home dogs
under the government regulations. To find out more,
please give us a ring on 0121 426 4810 or email
hallgreen@greyhoundtrust.org.uk. Dogs like Dino
(pictured) need you!
17

New Trustees Bring
Expertise to Local Hospice
.................................
St Giles Hospice has reinforced its trustee board with the
recruitment of four new trustees who bring a wealth of
experience to the charity as it plans for the future beyond Covid-19.
The Board of Trustees is made up of members of the community which
the charity serves. Trustees help to ensure that the community is
represented in decision-making as St Giles meets its objectives while
maintaining its core philosophy and values.
Chair of Trustees Jo Maidment, who has been a trustee at St Giles since
2008, said she was delighted to welcome the new trustees, adding that
they would bring a wealth of experience to the hospice.
The four new trustees are:
Paul Jennings, who is currently Chair of Birmingham and Solihull Clinical
Commissioning Group. Paul has just been appointed Chair of Hospice
UK, having just stepped down after serving ten years as a trustee and
latterly Chair of the ExtraCare Charitable Trust. He is also Chair of the
Gold Standards Framework, which delivers training and education in end
of life care.
Simon James, who has rejoined the Board after first becoming a
St Giles trustee in 2001. He was Chairman of the charity between
2011 and 2015 and Deputy Chairman until 2016. Simon is a
consultant with Ansons Solicitors of Lichfield and Cannock and
holds a number of key roles within a wide range of local charities
and community organisations including Lichfield Conduit Lands
Trust, Lichfield Municipal Charities, The Mary Slater Charity, Michael
Lowe and Associated Charities, Swinfen Broun Charitable Trust and
the HE and CT Robinson Charitable Trust for Lokono Arawak and
Carib Indians.
Cath Finn, who qualified as a doctor in 1982 and worked as a
consultant gynaecologist in the NHS until 2009 and then in the
independent sector until her retirement in 2018. Cath has huge
experience in promoting best practice and excellence in cancer
care in both the NHS and the private sector and was involved in
developing and expanding NHS cancer services at local, regional
and national levels. She is an expert in clinical governance and
medical workforce development, and interacted with St Giles
Hospice during her medical career, driven by a passion for
developing end of life and palliative care services.
For more information about St Giles Hospice and the expert
care it provides, please visit www.stgileshospice.com.
Robin Vickers, who is currently Director of Health and Human
Services, Infrastructure Government and Healthcare at KPMG, based in
Birmingham. Robin has wide experience as a consultant in running and
transforming major businesses in the technology and healthcare sectors,
working across Europe, the Asia Pacific region and Israel. He has worked
as an adviser to governments and industry within the health and life
sciences sector.
Got a story or
charity event you
want to share with
our readership? Think
you’ve snapped an
image that captures
the spirit of the
region? We want to
hear from you!
Contact Citylife at
kristencitylife@gmail.com
18

J HOWELL &
DAUGHTERS
FUNERAL DIRECTORS LICHFIELD
LICHFIELD’S LONGEST ESTABLISHED INDEPENDENT,
FAMILY RUN FUNERAL DIRECTORS.
SECOND GENERATION BUSINESS HERE TO ASSIST YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY.
24 hours a day
We are proud to be Lichfield's longest established family run funeral directors offering a wide range of
choices to suit all requirements. Horse drawn hearse, non religious ceremonies, floral tributes and
memorials are but a few of the services we offer.
Pre-paid funeral plans are also available.
For a truly personal service please call
01543 255776
Private Chapel of Rest 116 Netherstowe,
Lichfield, Staffs. WS13 6TS
19

Mayor John Wilson on the dodgems, Shrovetide Fair 1972
Shrovetide Fair
and Pancakes!
By Jono Oates
................................
Shrovetide Tuesday falls this year on 16th February and,
traditionally, this would be celebrated with the annual Pancake
Races, held on Bore Street. The 2021 event will not take place
this year due to the Covid-19 Lockdown restrictions and nor will
the fun fair, held on the Market Square. Whilst the Lichfield Pancake
Races date back to the 1970s, the Shrovetide Fair has been held for
many centuries.
Lichfield was granted the right to hold a fair in 1154 by King Stephen
and by the early 15th century a fair was held on Ash Wednesday, the day
following Shrove Tuesday. In 1622 the market charter stated that a fair
could be held to celebrate Ash Wednesday, with the fair running from
Tuesday to Friday.
The Ash Wednesday Fair came to be known as ‘The Old Fair’ and was,
initially, predominately a cattle and horse fair. In March 1840 the supply of
horses was said to be of an ‘inferior description’ and the few high quality
horses went for very high prices. Beef was sold at 6d per pound weight
(2.5p in today’s money) and both mutton and bacon sold for 7d per
pound. When the fair had been officially declared open on Shrovetide
Tuesday about fifty gentlemen of the city sat down to a ‘sumptuous’
breakfast at the Guildhall.
In 1903 the newspapers announced an increase in the numbers of
people attending the fair, mainly due to the Lichfield City Corporation
letting the market square out to Pat Collins, a travelling fairground
businessman from Walsall. Collins installed a ‘capital’ lot of attractions,
including the Venetian Gondola, a switchback roundabout, developed by
Collins himself in 1894.
By 1909 the Old Fair had been moved from Ash Wednesday to Shrove
Tuesday and the civic dignitaries started proceedings with the traditional
Court of Pie Powdre, where the regulations of the market were laid out,
along with punishments for those traders who did not follow the rules!
They then enjoyed simnel cake and wine at the Guildhall, with the
traditional toast of ‘Church and King, Weal and Worship’ being drunk
from the Ashmolean Cup, a silver cup presented to the city by Elias
Ashmole in 1666. Pat Collins provided his cinematograph, a basic motion
film camera and projector, showing films about the Tottenham Tragedy,
the Messina Disaster and West Stanley Colliery Explosion. The day
20
finished with a
musical performance
of Handel’s Ocis and
Galatea by the
Lichfield Musical
Company at St James
Hall on Bore Street –
now the Wilko’s
store.
The Old Fair of
1928 was opened by
the first female
Mayor of Lichfield,
Daisy Stuart Shaw.
Daisy had become
Lichfield’s first female
The late Ken Knowles, town crier, with Cityilfe
editor Krissy, Pancake Race 2020
Pancake Race 2020
councillor in 1919 and became the first woman to officially open the fair
in its three-hundred-year history.
Another first occurred in 1940 when, due to World War Two, the
opening proclamation of the Old Fair did not take place on the Market
Square, although the dignitaries did manage to keep up the tradition of
the loyal toast and simnel cake at the Guildhall! By this stage the fair had
become very much filled with amusements and fairground rides, with
very few stalls selling products.
During the 1940s Pat Collins introduced dodgem cars to the fair and
it became the custom for the mayor and town clerk, after declaring the
fair to be open, to take the first ride on the dodgems before allowing the
children to take charge of the controls.
Many countries call Shrovetide Tuesday ‘Pancake Day’ and in March
1976 the first Pancake Race took place in Lichfield city. Organised by the
Lichfield Civic Society, the race took place along Market Street, rather
than Bore Street, and a prize of £10 cash for the winner was put forward
by the mayor, Councillor John Silverthorne. The race was only open to
women, and Mrs Maureen Bailey, of Anson Avenue, was the winner,
despite losing her footing at the end and ‘diving’ over the finishing line!
In recent years, the fairground rides have reduced in size and the mayor
and town clerk have taken the first rides on a small carousel rather than
racing round on the dodgems. The pancake races have increased though,
with races now organised by Lichfield City Council for men, women,
children and those in fancy dress.
The origins of the Lichfield Shrovetide Fair go back three hundred
years and it is one of the most traditional of Lichfield ancient customs.
Let us all hope that the fair, and the tossing of pancakes, will take place
again in 2022.
*Vintage photograph courtesy of the St Mary’s Photograph Collection
Sources: The British Newspaper Archive; British History Online; University of
Sheffield website; www.patcollinsfunfair.co.uk

21

Lichfield Community
Lottery Launches
............................
More than 40 good causes from across
Lichfield District were introduced to
Lichfield Community Lottery, which
encourages local people to support the
causes they care most about.
Lichfield District Council officially launched
Lichfield Community Lottery on Monday 18th
January.
Fifty people from 44 local good causes,
including charities, youth groups, sports clubs and conservation groups, attended the
online event.
Once they have signed up local good causes will be able to set up their own lottery
page and receive 50p in every pound spent by players who choose to support their
cause. A further 10p in every pound will go to other local good causes from across the
district.
Local good causes that want to be a part of the lottery can register now at
www.lichfieldcommunitylottery.co.uk. The website is also where residents can buy
lottery tickets from 2nd March 2021.
Lichfield Community Lottery’s first draw is on 10th April. Players have a 1 in 50 chance
of winning one of the prizes, which range from the £25,000 jackpot to three extra
lottery tickets. To celebrate the first draw there is also an opportunity to win a luxury
hamper, packed with locally sourced treats.
Regular updates on the progress of Lichfield Community Lottery will be posted on
the Lichfield Community Lottery Facebook page and Twitter account (search Lichfield
Community Lottery) as well as at www.lichfieldcommunitylottery.co.uk.
Silver Shines at
Local Auction
By Adrian Rathbone
An elaborate silver table
centrepiece found locally took
centre stage at a recent
auction by selling for £1,700.
The impressive work of the
Birmingham silversmith
Robert, Edkins & Aston was
crafted during the reign of
William IV - 1836 to be
precise - just one year before
Queen Victoria ascends to the throne.
The silver marvel in question would have been
commissioned to grace the table of a grand house. Being
multi-purpose, the piece was adapted from the outset to
provide light via candles as well as being able to be drape
with fruit such as grapes. It would have been a symbol of
power, taste and wealth conveyed to fellow dinner party
guests. It was in fact a presentation piece bearing a
presentation inscription to Reverend John Bradford,
Curator of Woolborough by his parishioners in
appreciation for his involvement in the erection of a chapel
of ease in Newton Abbott in 1836. The piece also bears a
wonderfully charming image of the chapel in question.
Standing on a pyramid plinth, it employs design features
highly fashionable at the time.
Discovered at a local property, it was offered in Hansons
Christmas Country House auction at Bishton Hall in
Staffordshire on 10th December where it sold for £1,700.
22

Make Testing Part
of Your Routine
People who must leave their homes to make essential visits
during lockdown are being urged to get tested in one of
Staffordshire’s Community Testing Centres.
The centres, one in each district and borough are open seven
days a week for people without symptoms.
Being open over weekends will give people having to make
essential visits through the week more options to get tested
regularly.
1 in 3 people do not display any symptoms – getting tested
regularly provides peace of mind that essential travellers are
not unwittingly spreading the virus to the vulnerable.
Dr Johnny McMahon Staffordshire County Council’s Cabinet
Member for Health, Care and Wellbeing, said: “Everyone in
Staffordshire should be staying at home wherever possible.
However, there are some people who cannot work from home
and some people who are making essential visits.
“For these people we are strongly urging to get tested
regularly.”
Getting a test is quick, simple, free and now available seven
days a week. Making it part of your weekly routine may well
protect the people you interact with on a day-to-day basis and
the wider community at large.
Several lateral flow testing sites have been set up in the area
– these give results within 30 minutes.
For anybody in a Covid hotspot area where numbers of cases
are very high, it is especially important to get tested if they have
to leave the house.
These tests are only available for people who do not have
Covid symptoms. You can book a test by visiting:
https://staffordshire.zipporah.co.uk/trackandtrace.
23

Winter Wildlife for Kids
......................................................
Signs of Winter
Many think winter is a quiet time for wildlife with not much to discover but there is actually plenty to see if you know where to look!
The arrival of winter sees flocks of fieldfares and redwings return to the UK. A good place to spot these birds is hedgerows as they go in search of
tasty berries.
Many mammals such as bats or dormice will be hibernating during the winter but snowfall can often lead to encounters with badgers and squirrels
as they go in search of food and of course winter is a great time to spot foxes that don't hibernate!
Although there isn't much light around in the winter and the days seem shorter, getting that daily dose of nature is really important this time of
year and as much as we also need wildlife to lift our spirits it needs us more than ever during the colder months too.
Wild Winter Pack
Staffordshire Wildlife Trust is hoping to keep young people connected to nature during Lockdown 3
by launching its ‘My Wild Winter’ pack.
The ‘My Wild Winter’ pack – which is being aimed for children to take part in - is full of ideas of how
to explore nature and wild places locally, as part of the permitted daily exercise during Lockdown 3.
The pack is completely free to sign up to and gives lots of tips and inspiration on how best to enjoy
and support the natural world during winter.
The pack includes information on what wildlife to look out for, instructions on how to make your
own bird feeders or nest boxes, a wildlife spotter sheet and puzzles and activities.
The Trust is also encouraging people of all ages to sign up for its ‘Get Wild at Home’ virtual classroom
experience, which launched last year at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Get Wild at Home brings some of the charity’s most popular and best attended events and activities direct to people’s homes and features an array
of nature themed resources to enjoy.
They include videos with staff including workshops such as creating a mini-beast hotel, outdoor play, natural art and bushcraft.
People can sign up for a ‘My Wild Winter’ pack via www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/wildwinterpack.
To sign up to the Trust’s Get Wild at Home programme visit www.staffs-wildlife.org.uk/wildathome.
Make Your Own Fat Balls
A great way to encourage birds into your garden during
winter, and to ensure they stay well fed, is to hang up some bird
feeders and fat balls. These high-fat tasty treats are perfect for
birds and are really easy to make at home - it will also give little
hands something to do!
Method
Step 1 – Attach string
to the end of the pine
cones – this will form
the core of your fat ball
and the string will be
used to hang it from a
tree branch.
What you need
Lard (or coconut oil)
Bird seed
Cheese
Peanut/raisons/dried fruit
Pine Cones
String
Step 2 – At room
temperature, mix all
of your ingredients
together in a bowl.
Step 3 – Shape
the mixture into
a ball around
your pine cone.
Step 4 – Tie
your fat ball to
a tree and wait
for the birds to
flock!
24

******COVID UPDATE********
In these testing times we have doubled our efforts to make your life as easy as possible while adhering
to the various restrictions. We can offer a live virtual guided tour of our stock yard and swiftly send
samples directly to your door, subject to availability.
There really is no reason to go anywhere else!
Win a Granite Chopping Board
If you require our services please do not hesitate
to call us on 01785 711096 or email your quote
request to stef@justgranite.ltd.uk
With the largest variety of natural stones in the Midlands, the
solid slabs are kept on-site and are available for a virtual viewing
from 9am-5pm on Monday to Friday. Located at The Stone
Works, Pillaton Hall Farm, Penkridge, ST19 5RZ.
We’ve got a bespoke Chopping Board (in the
colour of your choice) to give away! To be in
with a chance of winning this magnificent prize,
simply answer the following question correctly:
Where does the supply
of granite come from?
a) Spain
b) Italy
c) Germany
To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to Just
Granite Competition at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or post your
entry to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd, PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by
the closing date of 23rd February 2021. One entry per household.
Multiple entries will be disqualified. No cash equivalent. Please note
you must be 18 or over to enter. All entrants’ information is
processed in line with GDPR Data Protection Regulations and our
Privacy Policy (available at citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk).
Full t&cs on page 42.
25

It’s Good to Talk
By Jo Howell
.................................................
As we approach week three of Lockdown 3.0, and with heavy
snow fall all day, it certainly feels like January is pressing all
our buttons. But with vaccines being rolled out and it slowly,
slowly staying lighter a little longer, maybe there is a chink of light
at the end of this dark tunnel.
So, what can we do to keep pushing on towards those better days
ahead?
Communicate: share or exchange information, news, or ideas.
I know I, for one, am really missing social interaction – be that with my
friends over a coffee on a Saturday lunchtime or with my colleagues in
the office, discussing the latest binge-worthy boxsets. But does lockdown
mean we stop communicating with each other?
Absolutely not!
There are so many ways to communicate with each other these days
– text, WhatsApp, Zoom, Facetime to name a few but the question is,
what do you want to achieve by reaching out? By using the right type of
communication, it can make all the difference to both the sender and the
receiver.
Verbal
Obviously, this is something we do every day to define everything from
ideas, emotions, experiences, thoughts, objects, and even people. It’s
about the words we choose and how they are heard. But do we schedule
time with each other to sit and talk with no interruptions? Can you find
one evening this week to switch off the TV, sit opposite your other half
and have a good old hearty discussion? You may just find it very
therapeutic.
Written
Of course, sometimes it’s quick, and timely, to ping a text to a friend or
a loved one and ask ‘how you doing?’. Thanks to technology, we have
many ways to engage in written communication, but it can also be a little
impersonal. You can’t always read, or see, the true emotion with a text or
an email, so it’s worth thinking about backing it up with an actual phone
call to express that feeling. You just might make someone’s day.
Visual
Once again, thanks to technology, we can now see the person we are
calling – be that via phone, Zoom, Teams and many other platforms. And
maybe it’s because I grew up in an era with no laptops or mobile phones,
even now I still find it fascinating to talk to my Dad on Zoom every night.
That small connection, to see his face, his body language, his real-life
emotions, speak volumes and it wins hands down over a text message any
day.
The key point here is whichever way you to choose to communicate,
just keep doing it. Right now, we all need to receive some form of
reassurance, a kind word, a funny joke or some virtual love. Reach out to
your quiet friends, the stressed home-schooling parents, the elderly
relative, the lonely neighbour and the loud and lively colleague.
Because when you do, you may just make the world of difference
between a good day and a bad day.
Read more of Jo Howell’s work on her blog at
www.justanaveragejo.blog.
26

Tatlow Carpets is
Open for Business!
............................
Tatlow Carpets started
life nearly 50 years ago
when Ken Tatlow
opened a flooring business in
1972. Today, his daughter,
Jayne, and grandson, Tom, now
carry on the family tradition
and continue to run this
successful business.
With extensive knowledge and
experience in flooring, Tatlow
Carpets is a name you can trust
and the friendly staff will go above
and beyond in helping to make your house a home.
This has never been as important as it is today. With the country in
lockdown due to the Covid-19 pandemic, more and more people are
making the decision to renovate, update and refresh their interiors. This is
where Tatlow Carpets comes into play.
With an extensive range of beautiful, luxury carpets, featuring top brand
names such as Axminster, Brintons and Cormar, you’re bound to find
something in your style and colour to perfectly suit your home.
One of the latest new additions to the already vast array, is Stainfree
Ultra from Abingdon – a plush, durable, manmade offering which is
guaranteed to remain stain free for life.
Whereas carpet, as the name suggests, is undoubtedly the star of Tatlow
Carpets, the Lichfield-based showroom also offers many other types of
flooring for the home, including laminate, luxury vinyl, and Sisal/flatweave.
Tatlow Carpets is also a purveyor of fine rugs for the home, whether it’s
stair or hallway runners, something large and imposing for your dining
room, or a truly bespoke creation made to measure, it’s all there for you
to choose from.
Despite such troubling times, Tatlow Carpets and it’s dedicated team are
committed to ensuring the safety of their clients and staff at all times. With
this in mind, the showroom is currently closed for browsing, however
Tatlow Carpets is still operating by providing telephone or email
consultations with customers to establish their flooring needs. The firm
will then supply samples you have specified an interest in, and bring them
to your home for you to peruse, while the fitters measure up. This is all
done in a safe and socially distanced way, with full PPE being worn and
Government guidelines being adhered to at all times.
So don’t let the pandemic prevent you from pursuing the carpet of your
dreams – give Tatlow Carpets a call, or drop them an email, today with your
requirements and the experienced, safety-conscious team will do the rest!
Telephone: 01543 264766
Email: sales@tatlowcarpets.co.uk
www.tatlowcarpets.co.uk
27

28
Fine-Tune Your
Immune System
By Charlotte Benton
................................
Whilst no immune boosting supplement or lifestyle
modification is enough to protect us against Covid-19,
there are plenty of small steps we each can take to
strengthen our body’s natural defences.
As a result of the current pandemic, there has never been a
more important time to ensure your body is fighting fit. Simple
dietary and lifestyle changes can naturally boost your immune
system, gradually helping your body to become stronger and
consequently fight off illnesses more easily.
Here are five top tips to naturally boost your immune system:
1. Focus on your diet
Consuming foods that are rich in nutrients and antioxidants helps
to keep your immune system strong. Tweaking your diet to include
foods such as citrus fruits, spinach and healthy fats like salmon, can
help to prevent colds, the flu and other infections. Most people
commonly turn to citrus fruits, such as lemons and oranges, when
they have a cold as these fruits are high in vitamin C. This vitamin
increases the production of white blood cells, helping the body to
fight infection. Adapting your diet to include nutritious foods can
greatly boost your immune system as these foods help to reduce
inflammation and aid the body’s fight against harmful pathogens.
2. Establish a good sleeping pattern
Ensuring you have enough sleep is vital to improving your
immunity, with a minimum of six hours each night being
recommended by experts. Many of us treat sleep as a luxury,
however we must remember that it is a necessity. Making a
conscious effort to improve the amount of rest you get can boost
your immune system. In order to improve the quality of your sleep
you could try limiting your screen time before bed, as well as
establishing a regular time that you go to bed. Both of these
suggestions can help to maintain your body’s natural sleep-wake
cycle.
3. Take part in moderate exercise
Whilst it is known that too much exercise can weaken your
immune system as a result of fatigue, moderate, regular exercise
may help to reduce inflammation, alongside promoting your body’s
immune cells to regenerate regularly. Partaking in activities such as
brisk walking, steady cycling or jogging can all promote the healthy
turnover of immune cells. Over the course of a week, adults should
aim to complete 150 minutes of moderate exercise. Remember to
follow the current Government guidelines when exercising in order
to minimise social contact.
4. Control stress levels
Elevated anxiety and stress can have a profoundly negative effect
on your body, often to the detriment of the body’s natural defences.
We are currently living through a particularly stressful time, hence
a few stress-busting methods could be very beneficial in helping to
reduce your anxiety levels. For example, you could try some
breathing techniques or have a go at yoga, both of which can
naturally help to reduce your stress levels, consequently boosting
your immune system.
5. Hydrate
Although hydration doesn't directly help to protect your body
against infection and viruses, preventing dehydration is crucial to
your overall health. Dehydration can lead to you being more
susceptible to illness hindering the function of the heart and
kidneys, as well as limiting physical performance, focus and mood.
Dehydration can be easily prevented through drinking enough fluids
each day, most favourably through drinking water. It is important to
remember that, whilst other fluids such as fruit juices are hydrating,
they also contain a high sugar content. Ideally, such content should
be limited when seeking to improve your immunity.
These are just a few suggestions of how to improve your body’s
natural defences. A healthy immune system is essential in order for
your body to fight off infection. Start today and strengthen your
immunity naturally!

A Taste of the
Caribbean
......................
Karib Kitchen is a new
and exciting eatery
which specialises in
Caribbean cuisine to bring a
taste of distant shores to
Lichfield!
Having successfully traded at
food festivals around the country
for the past four years, and experiencing the
overwhelming demand for something a little different, the
owners of Karib Kitchen have realised their dream and
chosen Lichfield as their new base in which to operate.
Friendly staff, great customer service and superb food
can all be expected from Karib Kitchen, and diners can
choose from Caribbean classics such as jerk chicken, fried
plantains, and rice and peas, to more adventurous dishes
like goat curry and callaloo. All of which are freshly
prepared to order.
Based under the historic arches of the Corn Exchange
on Conduit Street, Karib Kitchen is available for online
orders, with deliveries available or collection at the
restaurant. The kitchen is open during the national
lockdown and all Government guidelines are being strictly
followed adhered to.
Take a look at the menu online and order today at
karib-kitchen-limited.square.site.
29

How to Stick to
Your Healthy
Eating Plan
................................
If healthy eating plans keep falling through, it can often be down
to five main reasons, according to Dr Rachel Evans - a
psychologist who specialises in eating disorder recovery.
From not setting clear goals, to being too restrictive and having
subconscious beliefs about food, if you’re struggling to keep to a set
eating plan, it’s important to look into exactly why you may be breaking
it.
Dr Rachel Evans (PhD) shares five reasons we often find ourselves
failing our healthy eating regimes and her professional advice on what to
do to stay on track.
She said: “Clear intentions and goals are very important when it comes
to setting out long-term healthy eating habits, and if you start by outlining
targets that are too vague, or too restrictive, you could be at risk of plans
failing right from the outset.
“Based on experiences with my clients, people tend to be much too
vague, so they can’t track progress, or they go the opposite way and are
too restrictive which puts them into a state of psychological deprivation,
and they just end up thinking about food even more.
“Old habits that you may be stuck in and subconscious beliefs about
food can also sabotage healthy eating regimes. I have compiled a list of
the main reasons many break their healthy eating goals, to help those
looking to eat better, decipher the causes behind their failed plans.”
Here are the five reasons you can’t stick to your healthy eating plan:
1. You haven’t set clear goals
Goals can often be too vague and it’s not enough to say that you just
want to eat ‘less sugar’ or ‘more fruit and vegetables’, as it’s then difficult
to know exactly what you’re working towards and track progress.
Without clear, identifiable goals – you could be left feeling unsure about
what action you need to take when eating healthily, which can lead to no
action being taken!
2. The goals you have set are too restrictive
Even with clear goals, if you can’t keep to an eating plan, it may be
because it’s too restrictive, which can lead to a state of physiological and
psychological deprivation. When we don’t consume enough, we often end
up thinking a lot more about food, which is a survival mechanism and can
cause us to become irritable and crave ‘junk’ foods. If you believe you are
meeting your body’s energy requirements, but are still finding it difficult
to stick to your healthy eating plan, then this may be because you are
feeling mentally restricted, as when we cut out certain foods it can
actually make them more attractive, because typically we want what we
can’t have.
3.You think you have ‘blown it’
If you believe you have ‘blown it’, in psychology this is called the
abstinence violation effect; when you have one thing off plan which leads
to total collapse. This cycle of feeling like you have blown it, so you may
as well eat everything you want to and start again with healthy eating on
Monday, results in people often eating more unhealthy foods than usual,
because they believe they won’t be able to eat that food again when they
get back on plan - which can be damaging to long term healthy eating
plans altogether.
4. You are trying to get by on pure willpower
We often believe that willpower is all we need to stick to a diet, but
my own research has found that good self-control did not predict how
well people could stick to their intentions to eat healthily; habits and how
people ate in the past was more important.
5. Subconscious beliefs about food
If you ever feel like you know exactly what you should be doing to stick
to your plan, but something is keeping you stuck in old habits of
overeating, it can often feel like you are sabotaging yourself over and over
again, and this behaviour is likely to be driven by deep subconscious
beliefs about food and yourself which can be difficult to break.
To help get a grip on healthy eating plans, it’s important to be clear on
goals, to ensure that they aren’t too restrictive, and to take small
sustainable steps. Rather than beating yourself up and eating more, try to
learn from slip-ups and form new healthy habits instead of relying on
willpower.
One of the most effective ways to combat negative subconscious
beliefs and bad eating patterns is to recognise patterns from childhood
and when exactly they are showing up in life now. Another way to tackle
these behaviours is to look into hypnotherapy, to directly access the
subconscious mind and find the root of eating issues - through
hypnotherapy, these can be rewired for more helpful thought patterns, to
help healthy eating become more achievable.
Sources *https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0195666316309072

31

Top Ten Health and
Wellbeing Books
................................
Staffordshire County Council’s library service has
revealed its most popular health and self-help e-books,
having seen an increase in borrowing during the
Coronavirus pandemic.
Health and wellbeing, mindfulness and books on improving
mental health are included in the topics.
Amongst the most popular titles is number-one bestselling
book Hinch Yourself Happy by Instagram sensation Mrs Hinch,
renowned for her cleaning tips and hacks, which she shares in her
book.
Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig on coping in the
modern world and The Chimp Paradox by acclaimed Consultant
Psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters were also popular choices.
Since the first lockdown back in March, more than 74,000 e-
books have been loaned and the number of people using the
libraries e-books service through BorrowBox has increased to
over 7,300.
During the current Lockdown from 6th January, Burton,
Cannock, Lichfield, Stafford and Tamworth libraries have remained
open for essential PC use, and the click and collect, and Grab &
Go, services. There have been temporary closures at Biddulph,
Burntwood, Codsall, Rugeley, Stone and Uttoxeter libraries. Many
Community Managed Libraries will offer a service and users
should check directly with them, however mobile libraries will not
be on the road during lockdown.
Further details on library services including the e-book service
is available at www.staffordshire.gov.uk/libraries.
Some of the most popular self-help and wellbeing e-books are:
1. Hinch Yourself Happy by Mrs Hinch
2. Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
3. Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters
4. Art of Making Memories by Meik Wiking
5. Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig
6. Book You Wish Your Parents Had by Philippa Perry
7. Doctor’s Kitchen by Dr. Rupy Aujla
8. Clutter Connection by Cassandra Aarssen
9. Joosr Guide To... the Power of Now by Joosr
10. Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
1. Hinch Yourself Happy by Mrs
Hinch
Hinch Yourself Happy sets out to
help you transform your home, along
with your mindset too.
Mrs Hinch’s own endearing charm
and her enduring belief in the power of
tidying, has taken the nation by storm,
inspiring them to pick up their duster
whilst no longer dreading their chores.
Not only offering tips on how to make
your house a home with her top
cleaning tips and clever organisation
hacks, Hinch Yourself Happy illustrates
how you can create an immaculate home whilst discovering a calmer
you. Inviting you into her home Mrs Hinch seeks to enlighten you to
a world where a spot of cleaning can soothe your soul.
2. Notes on a Nervous Planet by Matt Haig
A follow-up to his international
bestselling memoir Reasons to Stay
Alive, Matt Haig now opens our
minds to the ways in which the
advancements of modern life are
fuelling our worry, rather than
enriching our lives. Encompassing an
urgent yet reassuring tone, Haig
draws on broad phenomena such as
social media, the news, along with
how we choose to exercise and
sleep, examining how we can each
improve our lives. Filled with gentle
reminders and advice on how to
make the most out of life’s simple
pleasures, Notes on a Nervous Planet seeks to help you feel calmer
in this digital age. An enlightening read, that is sure to help you navigate
the modern world.
3. The Chimp Paradox by Steve Peters
As a leading consultant psychiatrist
Steve Peters is conscious of the
detrimental impact that mindset can
have on success in both our personal
and professional lives. In his first book
The Chimp Paradox, Dr Peters shares
his triumphant mind-management
programme, known to have aided elite
athletes like Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria
Pendleton in their pursuit of success.
Alongside the world of elite sport, his
programme has helped everyone from
senior business managers, to hospital
staff and patients, as well as students.
The programme seeks to help us
understand why we act and think in the ways that we do, enabling us
to optimise the decisions that we make and informing how we choose
to perform. Offering all individuals the chance to gain greater control
over their mindset, whilst boosting both their confidence and focus
too, The Chimp Paradox is guaranteed to offer you food for thought.
32

Your Garden in February
By Byron Lewis
Well, we're still all restricted...! Here at the Garden Centre
we've been busy tidying Christmas away and having a very
early spring cleaning session to get us ready for the season
ahead. We're currently closed to customers who want to
browse but if you know what you need, you can call us to
arrange collection or we can deliver to your home - let's hope
we get back to something resembling normal soon!
Nature has carried on, blissfully unaware of the pandemic, and
lots of shrubs and spring patio plants are now looking good.
Starting off with pots and patio tubs, why not fill them with a
selection of primroses, bulbs and spring heather? Instant
colour for relatively little effort and expense. These should
keep going through to the start of the summer season where
they can be replaced with petunia, lobelia and a whole host of
other summer bedding plants.
Don't forget many shrubs are suited to container growing,
including camellias and rhododendrons. These are now
coming into bud and flower and, if you've got a larger pot in a
shady position, it could be a great choice. A range of colours
from pink through to red and white on evergreen hardy plants
will require acid soil to grow - make sure you use 'ericaceous'
compost when planting.
Out in the garden, witch hazel is just starting to bloom with
unusual crinkled yellow flowers and, on sunny days, a good
scent too. Look out for early ornamental cherry trees and
bushes too, with delicate but tough pink or white flowers
which tolerate wind, rain, frost and even snow! It also won't
be long until the first forsythia start to flower, with bright
yellow flowers - a common sight and a sure sign spring is on
the way.
Thinking about all these bright plants gives us all something to
look forward to in the coming weeks, and it's been often said
that gardening improves the mental health and wellbeing. So,
take advantage of any good weather days this month and get
out in your garden - it'll do you good!
Byron Lewis runs Lichfield Garden Centre, located at
Curborough Countryside Centre, Lichfield. Tel: 01543
254306. Visit www.lichfieldgardencentre.co.uk or find
them on Facebook or Twitter.
33

Valentine’s
Dine at Home
............................
This year, the ‘day of love’ is going to be a very different
experience for many of us. With a national lockdown in
place, restaurants, pubs and eateries are all closed to the
public, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still enjoy a meal from
your favourite place!
We’re put together a few of our local favourites which are offering
delicious restaurant-quality takeaway meals to impress and delight your
other half.
34
Cakes of
wonderland
Afternoon Tea for Two -
£20
Includes the following:
12 x finger sandwiches
Quiche
Sausage roll or lamb/veg samosa
Cheesecake-biscoff-brownie and
Valentine's cupcakes
Choc-dipped strawberries
Belgian chocolate hearts
All homemade with local produce
Collections on 13th Feb between 4-5pm
Contact: 07516497165 or
hello@cakesofwonderlandlichfield.co.uk
Also message us on Facebook @cakesofwonderlandlichfield
Los Banditos
Enjoy an authentic and delicious
meal from Lichfield's premium
Mexican bar and grill.
There are so many great dishes
to choose from, including a range
of tapas plates; the typical
Mexican fare of nachos, fajitas,
burritos and tacos; plus a street
food menu featuring gyros kebabs
and quesadillas - you’ll really be
spoiled for choice!
Los Banditos also has gluten-free and vegan options, and a fantastic
Valentine’s Special three-course deal!
Valentine’s Special
• Any two tapas or nachos • Any two mains
• Any two desserts • Any two cocktails
For just £34.95, including free delivery. Deal only vaild on
Valentine’s Day.
Visit Facebook @LosBanditosLichfield for more information or
call 01543 471537 to book!
The Green Door
Local catering business The
Green Door offers a click
and collect service via its
beautiful rustic barn shop –
situated just outside Yoxall
at Woodmill Farm
(www.greendoorcaterers.co.uk).
A popular choice is the
‘date night’ Mediterranean
sharing platter, packed full of
cheeses, cured meats, olives, pitta, houmous, pretzels, figs and more
– a real holiday-inspired treat to share and indulge in together. The
bakery also offers truffles and Italian patisserie through its online
service and more delicious cakes and pastries in-store.
Browse online or in the shop and you are guaranteed some
Valentine’s Day luxurious treats (and Brownie points!), homemade
with local ingredients and lots of love.
Call: 01543 473383 Email: hello@greendoorcaterers.co.uk
Greendoorcaterers.co.uk
facebook.com/GreenDoorYoxall
Otto Pizza
Using only the finest
produce from across the
UK and Europe,
supporting independent
producers and delivering
the best flavours, Otto
Pizzas are freshly cooked
in an authentic
Neapolitan oven.
There’s a fantastic range of classic pizza toppings, plus some
which are a little different, to choose from, and there’s even
vegan varieties too – all cooked to order and collect from its
Lichfield base on Market Street.
Visit website ottolichfield.square.site or www.ubereats.com
to order your pizza, or call 01543 256071.

Win a Bottle of Rhubling
for Valentine’s Day!
What better way to celebrate Valentine’s Day
than with a bottle of fizz? And this fizz, is
quite unlike any other!
Rhubling, a delightful sparkling rhubarb wine,
is the creation of local company Clive’s
Wines, Burntwood. Made naturally, using the
traditional method, by re-fermenting it in the
bottle for three months, Rhubling provides a
light, crisp taste and is the perfect alternative
for prosecco if you’re looking for something
a little bit different
We’ve got one bottle of Rhubling, courtesy
of Clive’s Wines, to give away for Valentine’s
Day. To be in with a chance of winning, simply
correctly answer the question below:
What fruit is Rhubling
made from?
a) Apples
b) Pears
c) Rhubarb
To enter, just send your name, contact details and answer to Wine Competition
at competitioncitylife@gmail.com or post your entry to Citylife in Lichfield Ltd,
PO Box 7126, Lichfield WS14 4JS by the closing date of 12th February 2021. One
entry per household. Multiple entries will be disqualified. No cash equivalent.
Please note you must be 18 or over to enter. All entrants’ information is
processed in line with GDPR Data Protection Regulations and our Privacy Policy
(available at citylifeinlichfieldltd.co.uk).
Full t&cs on page 42.
The Fig & Olive
The Fig & Olive chefs have been busy
creating a delicious lockdown
Valentine’s dinner!
Our Valentine’s Steak Box includes
two grass-fed British steaks dry-aged
for 28 days by our in-house butchers.
These rich and flavoursome steaks are
accompanied by a trio of sides;
macaroni cheese, creamed spinach and dauphinoise potatoes,
and finished with a red wine jus. Why not add a bottle of our
perfectly paired Malbec to indulge in too? This is the perfect
dinner for two this lockdown Valentine’s Day.
For more information visit www.coppicegc.com or call
Forage Food Hall on 0121 308 7197 to place your order.
Collection will be available between 12th-14th February
and last orders must be placed by 11th February.
5 Course
Tasting
Menu for
Valentine’s
Day
Bagot Street
Abbots
Bromley
Staffordshire
WS15 3DB
T: 01283
840008
Pizza By Goli
INFINITII
www.theinfinitii.co.uk
Valentine’s Day is just
around the corner and, at
Pizza by Goli, we want to
help make your lockdown
celebration just as special
as if you were dining with
us. Simply choose from
the online menu and ring
through your order for a collection or delivery (within
Lichfield area). Pre-order whenever you can and card
payments are safer for everyone when possible.
10% discount is still available for NHS staff.
Visit the website and see the menu at
www.pizzabygolilichfield.co.uk then call the restaurant
on 01543 250916 to order.
Stay safe, eat well, be happy!
35

Tastes of the Season
By Simon Smith
Recipe for Romance
Again this year another special occasion will
be very different. There are those who are
struggling to find a partner with social
distancing in place and there are also those
who have never spent so much time with
their significant other and are fed up with
them.
Despite that there still seem to be plenty of
people who are enamoured and want to
celebrate together. When I posted my
Valentine’s menu for delivery it sold out
within six hours so love is still very much
alive and well in many households!
One thing about this time of year is that
lamb prices go through the roof as lambing
has started and that always has a huge effect
on things. Last year’s lambs were large in
January with a great meat to bone ratio but
come this time of year the new lamb’s in the
shops are younger and therefore much
smaller throughout springtime.
Valentine’s and garlic… do you, don’t you? I
think if you both eat it all will be well but if
just one of you eats it you may be looking at
a lonelier evening. There are plenty of other
things to spice a dish up so all is not lost.
The chicken dish I’m doing as a starter is full
of flavour and you may want to put it in
your recipe book under barbecue food as
well. You could also use this recipe as a
filling for sausage roll.
Vietnamese Style Chicken Kebab
3 x chicken breasts
1 x egg white
1 tsp sushi ginger, chopped
1 tbsp chopped coriander
1 tsp chilli flakes
1 x lime, zested
1 x clove garlic (optional)
Salt to taste
36
Method
Roughly dice all of the chicken breasts into
1cm cubes. Put 2/3 into a food processor
with the egg white, ginger, chilli, coriander,
lime zest and salt, plus garlic if you wish.
Whizz together, take out and mix in the
remaining chicken chunks. Form together on
a skewer. To cook you can either grill or
cook in a preheated oven at 190 degrees
Celsius for 10 minutes. I would serve this on
a salad of beansprouts, cucumber and fried
onion with a spicy dressing. I know you will
all have your own favourite Asian dressing
tucked away in the back of the cupboard so
use that!
This can be made two days before and kept
in the fridge so you can have an easier night
of romance rather than spend the whole
day in the kitchen.
Blueberry Eton Mess
1 x pkt fresh blueberries
1 x pkt meringue nests
1/2pt double cream
25gms caster sugar
1 x shot Grand Marnier, or any liquor of
your choice
Method
Put the blueberries in a small pan with the
sugar and Grand Marnier and bring gently to
a simmer. Turn off and cool down in the
fridge
Whip the double cream until thick. Fold in
two thirds of the blueberries, crush and fold
in two meringue nests. Form into a cake
shape in a pastry ring and decorate with the
remaining blueberries and some crushed
meringue, a mint leaf if you have it and any
other red berries.
Simon Smith runs a catering business from his
production kitchen in Lichfield, providing bespoke private
dinners plus wedding, corporate and event catering.
Simon also undertakes cookery demonstrations around
the country and with local businesses such as Arthur
Price and Tippers. During the summer months Simon
works for private clients both on superyachts and in
villas in St Tropez and Europe. If you are looking for
catering or a day of cookery skills go to
www.simonsmith-chef.com
*Please take extra care when preparing and handling
hot foodstuffs. Go to www.food.gov.uk for further details.

Valentine's Cocktail
Love Martini
It's love at first sip with this simple cocktail recipe!
Follow the instructions below to create the perfect
tipple for your loved one.
Ingredients
1/2 shot coconut rum
1/2 shot peach schnapps
1/2 shot citron Vodka/plain Vodka
3 shots cranberry juice
2 strawberries, for garnish
A wedge of lime (optional)
Sugar to rim the glass (optional)
Instructions
- Gently mix the coconut rum, peach schnapps, vodka and
cranberry Juice together in a shaker (over ice if your
cranberry juice is not cold) and pour it into the prepared
glass.
Cocktails with Clive’s Wines
Fruity and invigorating, Clive’s Wines can be drunk on
their own or mixed to make some truly unique creations.
Elderflower & Rhubarb Spritzer
Light and refreshing, this is the perfect pre-dinner tipple!
100ml Elderflower Wine from Clive’s Wines
50ml Rhubarb Tonic
100ml Lemonade
25ml Dry Gin (optional)
Ice to serve
Raspberry Manhattan
Deep and delicious, this twist on a classic
is sure to please!
150ml Raspberry Wine from Clive’s Wines
10ml Whiskey
25ml Raspberry Liqueur
A squeeze of lemon
- To make strawberry hearts for the garnish,
cut a small "v" to remove the stem of the
strawberry. Then cut it into slices.
- You can rim your martini glass with sugar (if
you want) - just use a lime/lemon wedge along
the rim of the glass to get it wet and dip the
glass in a plate with sugar.
*Please drink responsibly.
Recipe and imagery by Noreen Hiskey
(PictureTheRecipe.com)
Takeaway Cocktails
...................................
If you don’t fancy making your
own, you can get cocktails
delivered to your home by Los
Banditos, Lichfield. With an
extensive cocktail menu you can
choose from well-known classics,
experience some great new
creations, or even enjoy a
mocktail if you wish.
Visit
www.losbanditoslichfield.com for
more information.
Visit www.cliveswines.co.uk for more inspiration and
to see the full range of drinks available.
37

Love is in
the Air
...................................
Treat that special someone in your life to a unique
gift this Valentine's Day. Here's a few of our
favourite items from local retailers.
Emily Jane is a creator of handmade jewellery
inspired by nature. She is passionate about
creating her pieces as much by hand as possible;
making each piece truly unique, just like you. Her
tagline is Jewellery With Life because that's what
you're getting.
Discover more and shop on her website
www.jewellerywithlife.co.uk or join her
community on Instagram @emilyjanedesigner
The Apiarist, a gin infused with local honey,
brings the unique character of the sweet golden
nectar into a more ‘adult’ setting. Made using
raw honey from hives near Lichfield with bees
which forage the nearby countryside.
Priced at £39 and available from
www.theapiaristgin.com.
READER OFFER
Enter code beemyvalentine at the
checkout to receive free shipping!
Textured silver, 18ct gold plated heart earrings
with fresh water pearls priced at £52.00
available online from Allen Brown Jewellery
www.allenbrownjewellery.co.uk 01543 481 948
Polished silver and amethyst set drop earrings
on clip hook priced at £239.00 available online
from Allen Brown Jewellery
www.allenbrownjewellery.co.uk 01543 481 948
Add some bling to your keys, or use as a charm
and jazz up your handbag, with this leather
heart-shaped keyring adorned with a stunning
golden bee.
Priced at £8.99 including delivery, visit
www.loveemvy.com, or find on Facebook at
Instagram @loveemvy.
Heart scattered mini photo frames of handcrafted
pewter. Made to last forever, just like your love for
each other. Priced at £15, £17.50 and £20.
Making your life more beautiful is Odonata Studios,
a little golden treasure House for handcrafted,
mostly British gifts and jewellery based within The
Courtyard of Middleton Hall & Gardens,
Tamworth, B78 2AE.
www.odonatastudios.co.uk
Give the gift of luxury velvet this Valentine’s
Day, with a set of two Velvet Phoenix Chairs in
Blush Pink. Available in seven colours. Priced at
£120.00 for a pair, from Peppermill Interiors,
Burntwood. www.peppermillinteriors.com.
38

Create a blushing statement with the Pisa Velvet
Button Back Chair in Dusky Pink. Available in
four colours. Priced at £180 from Peppermill
Interiors, Burntwood.
www.peppermillinteriors.com.
Nothing marks a special occasion quite like a
little bit of bubbly! Why not try something
different this year like this sparkling rhubarb wine,
or Rhubling, as it's known? Made using the
traditional method to create natural bubbles,
Rhubling is the perfect, light fizz to enjoy with a
loved one. Available from Clive's Wines of
Burntwood. Tel: 07972 269 620.
www.cliveswines.co.uk
Fifth Spire Gin - Lichfield’s own craft gin distilled and
bottled in tiny batches in the heart of the city, at The
Spirit Works on Swan Road. A citrus forward
‘London Dry’ style gin made using large quantities of
fresh fruits.
For the perfect serve, add a big handful of ice to
your preferred glass, add a good pour of gin, and
your favourite Indian tonic water, and garnish with
orange and rosemary.
Free delivery in Lichfield available, but also shipped
nationally. Order at TheSpiritWorks.co.uk/shop.
What does your heart desire? An accent chair
for your bedroom? Gift the Turin Chairs in
Malbec Red for a special valentines treat.
Available in six colours. Priced at £95 from
Peppermill Interiors, Burntwood.
www.peppermillinteriors.com.
Whether your loved one is vegan or not, they will
love the goodies on offer from The Vegan Baker.
These homemade plant-based cake creations are
the perfect treats to enjoy with your loved ones.
Find The Vegan Baker on Instagram at
@the_vegan_baker1 or on Facebook at
www.facebook.com/theveganbaker.co.uk.
Say it with flowers such as this fantastic
bouquet from Secret Garden. With a detailed
eye for colour and a passion for design, Rob
and the team will make sure that loved one is
truly won over!
Available from www.secretgardenlichfield.co.uk,
tel: 01543 418710.
Show your loved one that you adore them all
year round with the brightness of a rainbow
heart suncatcher. Ideal to hang in a sunny
window indoors and let the sunlight shine
through not just on one day of the year, but
every day. These beautiful decorations are
available for £5 each +p&p, and you can view
many other bespoke creations at
www.thecraftyhoarder.co.uk or follow The
Crafty Hoarder on Facebook or Instagram.
This beautiful double heart necklace is
handmade in Wales using silver and upcycled
tin. The perfect sustainable gift for your loved
one. Priced at £28, and with matching earrings
ranging from £20, visit Whynot Gallery to see
more unique creations.
www.whynotgallery.co.uk
Handmade in frosted glass and sterling silver,
this necklace (priced at £25) and earrings
(priced at £20) are just two of the items
available from At The Cedar’s range called ‘A
Little Trinket’. Visit the online shop at
www.atthecedars.co.uk to see more
Valentine’s Day gift ideas.
39

Enchanted Hibiscus Tea - These premium petals can
create a magical pink, scarlet red or deep burgundy
tea. Full of vitamin C and antioxidants this tea is
the perfect way to show you care. Loose leaf
(100g) priced at £6.
Available from The Enchanted Apothecary.
www.gettea.co.uk
Instagram: @t.e.a_uk
This small Butterfly Heart Bowl, by Sarah Taylor,
was designed using Sarah’s fascination with the
entomology collections at the natural history
museum. Priced at £16.
Find more handcrafted pieces from over 30
Staffordshire artists, at
www.thefoxandcrowgallery.co.uk.
Born and bred Lichfield florist, Jemma Jukes, studied at
The Covent Garden Academy of Flowers where she
was accredited a gold standard BCA Diploma in Floral
Design. Jem has an affinity and passion for flowers and
natural materials which has been with her since a
very young age.
See more of her work at www.jemsfloralstudio.co.uk,
or on Facebook and Instagram @jemsfloralstudio.
Say it with penguins this Valentine's Day! This
stunning card is made from original artwork by
Molly Doodle Dandy, and is blank inside for your
own message. Eco friendly & 100% recyclable.
Priced at £3.50 and available from
www.mollydoodledandy.co.uk.
Gorgeous coasters by local artist and
illustrator, Molly Doodle Dandy, are the perfect
way to brighten up your coffee table and the
ideal gift for any mug! Various designs available.
Priced at £4 each.
Order now, and see more of Molly's work, at
www.mollydoodledandy.co.uk.
Agra Heart Trinket Box and Hanging Wooden
Hearts. from £3.99 Available from Paul Martyn
Furniture, Heart of the Country Shopping Village,
Swinfen, Lichfield, WS14 9QR –
www.paulmartynfurniture.co.uk
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She Is offers beautiful and affordable jewellery
for whoever 'she is' that day. A new, limited
number of pieces are released every day and
are available on the website
www.sheisjewellery.co.uk. The Valentine's Day
collection ranges from £5 to £12 and will be
released from 1st February. Follow on
Instagram and Facebook to see daily releases
@sheisjewellery
Perfect for all Tea Lovers - A selection of loose
leaf teas from traditional Black Assam to floral
Enchanted Hibiscus. Premium and luxury leaves
ranging between £6 - £8.
Available from The Enchanted Apothecary.
www.gettea.co.uk
Instagram: @t.e.a_uk
Give your loved one your heart this Valentine’s
Day, such as this gorgeous creation handmade
in Wales using silver and upcycled tin. Priced at
£26 (with matching earrings from £20) and
available from Whynot Gallery at
www.whynotgallery.co.uk.

Anew and exclusive honey-infused gin has
buzzed its way into bars and restaurants
across the West Midlands, after a local couple
were left with a surplus of honey following an
expansion of their apiary during the initial
Covid-19 lockdown.
Aptly named ‘The Apiarist’, the popular gin has been
produced by keen beekeepers, Alex and Natalie Conti,
who commissioned a local craftsman to extend their
apiary as part of an early lockdown project, which enabled
them to spend more time in the garden with their two
young children.
As a result of the expansion, the family were left with a
few kilos of surplus honey, which inspired them to embark
on the production of a small batch of honey-infused gin.
Partnering with local award-winning Greywood
Distillery, makers of Fifth Spire gin, the debut batch of
unique, full-bodied infused Apiarist gin delivers rich, sweet
honey notes balanced with vibrant lemon and dry tea
flavours and has been well received by direct customers
and hospitality establishments alike.
Having worked together for years, the Lichfield based
couple usually run a business that specialises in making
travel arrangements for international art institutions,
however, due to the government-imposed travel ban
introduced earlier this year, the company is undergoing
a brief hiatus in its operations.
In discussing the early success of The Apiarist gin, Alex
said: “We couldn’t be more thrilled to have developed a
gin that is infused with our own raw honey, bringing the
unique character of that golden nectar into a more
‘adult’ setting. As our bees forage around the Lichfield
countryside, we are proud to know that some of that
goodness is going towards making the perfect gin and
tonic.”
Due to the ongoing success of The Apiarist, which was
voted one of the ‘best flavoured gins of 2020’ by The
Independent, Alex and Natalie have plans to create a
brand-new batch of gin in the spring, which will be
inspired by another one of their hobbies, foraging.
Although bars and restaurants are currently closed,
The Apiarist is stocked in multiple Lichfield locations,
including The Spirit Works, 55 Wade Street, Swinfen Hall,
The Boat Inn, and The Trooper. It is also available to
purchase directly from the website at
www.theapiaristgin.com.
READER OFFER
Enter code beemyvalentine at the
checkout to receive free shipping!
Local Beekeepers Launch
Exclusive Honey Gin
........................................
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