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Chesham | Amersham | Chalfont<br />
METROLAND<br />
metroland.life<br />
VOL. 10/<strong>SS24</strong>
05<br />
WHAT’S ON<br />
18<br />
FAMILY FUN<br />
40<br />
METROLAND FOOD<br />
55<br />
LOCAL PEOPLE<br />
71<br />
HOME & GARDEN<br />
As we welcome the warmth of the spring sunshine, we are thrilled to present<br />
to you our Spring/Summer issue, filled with stories that capture the essence<br />
of the season. We have all the info on Chesham Fringe Festival, Chillfest and<br />
what is showing at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre.<br />
If you are looking for somewhere to enjoy a family day out we have details of<br />
the new Harry Potter exhibition at the Warner Bros Studio Tour and the Dolls<br />
House Exhibition at Windsor Castle, plus the latest from Soccer Aid which this<br />
June will be played at Stamford Bridge. Plus many more family fun days!<br />
This issue we have the Queen of Fake Bakes, Reshmi Bennett with us<br />
showing how to create a show-stopping cake at home using just supermarket<br />
ingredients for under £10!<br />
Our local people include the incredible Ruth Spur who is a local entrepreneur,<br />
an inspiring article from Chesham Museum on women who made a difference<br />
locally, local resident Warren and his amazing health journey plus Anthony<br />
Cherry who wowed the Dragon’s Den team!<br />
We also have some fab gardening tips from Dobbies to help you get get<br />
Spring/Summer ready!<br />
Enjoy & warm regards,<br />
The Editorial Team of <strong>Metroland</strong> Life<br />
hello@metroland.life metroland.life metroland.life
Phil Martin 07790903364<br />
RAISING MONEY FOR LOCAL CHARITIES<br />
BANK HOLIDAY<br />
WEEKEND!<br />
25th - 27th MAY<br />
SAT 25th MAY SUN 26th May MON 27th May<br />
TONY MOORE<br />
– AWAKE<br />
SARAH GILLESPIE • KIRSTY NEWTON<br />
JORDAN NASH • DEATH INGLORIA<br />
MY TOWN CHOIR<br />
MUSIC<br />
THE CHRIS SLADE<br />
TIMELINE (AC/DC)<br />
SARAH JANE MORRIS • LET LOOSE<br />
HEIDI BROWNE • GARY ALBERT<br />
AMERSHAM A CAPELLA • ENSEMBLE INSPIRE<br />
ODYSSEY<br />
FORE FIGHTERS<br />
TWOMANTING • SHE BURNS RED<br />
MATTED • CROSTPATHS • SOUL VIBE BAND<br />
SUNRISE SUNSET<br />
TERRY ALDERTON & FRIENDS<br />
ROBIN INCE • NINIA BENJAMIN<br />
THE RAYMOND & MR TIMPKINS REVUE<br />
LARRY DEAN • ADAM BLOOM • GLENN MOORE<br />
JOE BOR • TIFF STEPHENSON • SOL BERNSTEIN<br />
MARY BOURKE • PAM FORD • STEVE OWEN & STU<br />
TURNER • LAUGHS AND TRICKS • MADAME CHANDELIER<br />
COMEDY<br />
ANDY ZALTZMAN • DOMINIC HOLLAND<br />
MARCEL LUCONT • THE ULTIMATE SOPHIE DUKER • ARTHUR SMITH<br />
ROAST CHAMPIONSHIPOLAF FALAFEL<br />
TOM WARD • IAN STONE • DARIUS DAVIES<br />
NICK DOODY • STELLA GRAHAM<br />
JUSTIN PANKS • DEE ALLUM<br />
PIERRE NOVELLIE • GARRETT MILLERICK<br />
SAMANTHA DAY • JENNY LAVILLE<br />
ANDREW WHITE<br />
AD LIBRETTO<br />
ROB LEHANE ROCK SCHOOL<br />
PHOENIX PLAYERS • AMERSHAM SCHOOL<br />
P.S. THEATRE • THEATRE SHED<br />
EMMA HUDSON<br />
OOBERFUSE • THE SHANTLYS<br />
THE BARNSTORMERS • VULGARITHM •<br />
SCUMBUS • POLLY PHLUID • CHARTAHOLICS<br />
LOVE & SQUALOR • JOHN BICKLEY INVISIBLE<br />
FOLK CLUB BAND • LOU’S SEXTET • TON50<br />
ELLEN KRETSCHMER • HARKER<br />
DIANA SHAKTI BLISS • YAN MELVILLE<br />
THEATRE, KIDS SHOWS, MAGIC<br />
MARCEL LUCONT<br />
LES ENFANTS TERRIBLE<br />
DEE RILEY<br />
KIDOCRACY • THE LAST BANTAM (MICHAEL HUGHES)<br />
P.S. THEATRE<br />
FREE FRINGE<br />
THE DOG ROSES • RUBY LEIGH • MATILDA<br />
FLORENCE • LAUREN RICH • CHILTERN GATEWAY<br />
CLUB • LAMA CANYON • THE CHILTONES<br />
DAVID JACKSON • LYN JENKINS<br />
RICHARD STARK • GARDENBACK<br />
DAVID WORLOCK • CHESS POETS<br />
ENJOY THESE ACTS FOR FREE OR PAY WHAT YOU LIKE - BRING CASH!<br />
OLAF FALAFEL SUPER<br />
STUPID KIDS SHOW<br />
HARVEY GREENFIELD IS<br />
RUNNING LATE (PAUL RICHARDS)<br />
CHRYSTEL ARTS THEATRE • CHILTERN HILLS<br />
ACADEMY • IAN WAINWRIGHT<br />
ALL THAT SOUL (DIVAS SHOW)<br />
THE GLEEMAN • NICK BYRNE • ZML<br />
HAYLEE, MADI C • TOM GUARENTE<br />
KEVIN MACK • NJAMBI MCGRATH<br />
DR NIGHAT ARIF<br />
WITH THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS & SPONSORS<br />
BUY YOUR TICKETS AT: WWW.CHESHAMFRINGE.COM
LOVE LOCAL<br />
LOCAL EVENTS
Experience a cultural extravaganza at Chesham Fringe Festival this late May bank<br />
holiday weekend.<br />
Chesham Fringe Festival will showcase over 100 acts across ten central venues from the<br />
25th to 27th of May 2024. Whether you enjoy music, comedy, poetry, cabaret, or theatre,<br />
this Fringe Festival has something for everyone.<br />
The inaugural festival supports the innovative Chesham community by hosting shows at<br />
local venues, including Chesham United Football Club and the Elgiva Theatre, along with<br />
independent cafes and pubs. Funds are being raised throughout the festival for<br />
Chesham-based charities and organisations, such as Rotary Club of Chesham Valley,<br />
The Theatre Shed, Love Lowndes, and The Not Forgotten.<br />
Modelled on the world-renowned Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Chesham Fringe Festival<br />
welcomes a vibrant array of local, national and international talent. The festival serves as<br />
a platform for acts preparing for Edinburgh, offering festival-goers a sneak peek into<br />
some of the finest performances of 2024.<br />
Enjoy a broad selection of talent, with musical acts ranging from disco/soul legends<br />
‘Odyssey’, renowned Foo Fighters tribute band ‘Fore Fighters’, and 90’s pop icons ‘Let<br />
Loose’ celebrating the 30th anniversary of their hit summer anthem “Crazy For You”,<br />
which reached No. 2 in the UK charts. For the Jazz-lovers, Sarah-Jane Morris (of<br />
Communards fame) is performing after recently headlining her “Sisterhood” show at The<br />
Alexandra Palace Theatre. Confirmed comedy acts include Andy Zaltzman from Radio<br />
4’s The News Quiz, Dominic Holland, Olaf Falafel, Marcel Lucont, and Robin Ince,<br />
promising a weekend full of laughter.
If that wasn’t enough, there are ‘Edinburgh Fringe’ quality theatre productions, kids’<br />
shows, improv, magic and cabaret. Tickets are on sale and selling fast, with Ninia<br />
Benjamin’s show selling out in record time.<br />
A member of the Chesham Fringe Festival Organising Committee, Mark Rann, said,<br />
“Bringing a fringe festival to Chesham is about high street regeneration and establishing<br />
Chesham as the arts and entertainment centre of Buckinghamshire by showcasing the<br />
best of local, national and international talent.”<br />
Fringe Committee member Ian Slack said, “We’re aware that people aren’t flush with<br />
money right now, so we’ve included ‘Free Fringe’ events where people can enjoy some<br />
cracking performances for free, with the option of donations. We also have a secret<br />
megastar confirmed who will busk for their chosen charity.”<br />
He added, “One of the unique things we wanted to do was make the festival ‘family<br />
friendly’, so selected venues will be open to all ages up to 9pm. We love that families can<br />
introduce their kids to live music and theatre this way.”<br />
Chesham is a bustling market town on the end of the Metropolitan Tube line, surrounded<br />
by parks and farmland in the Chess Valley with great local attractions. Its combination of<br />
creative facilities and innovative talent makes Chesham a prime creative hub in the<br />
Chilterns, which the festival is dedicated to showcasing.<br />
Find out more information here: http://www.cheshamfringe.com
LOVE LOCAL<br />
CHILFEST 2024 - LINE UP<br />
Marc Almond tops another fantastic line-up for the much-loved independent familyfriendly<br />
festival in Tring, Hertfordshire, on Friday 5th & Saturday 6th July.<br />
The crowd will be in heaven with a visit from Heaven 17 with their mega crowd-pleaser<br />
“Temptation”, which always goes down a storm.<br />
Go West will be bringing a dose of Californian sunshine to Hertfordshire with their<br />
classic feelgood hits “King of Wishful Thinking”, “Call Me” and “We Close our Eyes”.<br />
Nik Kershaw hopes to keep the sunshine going with his die-hard hit “I Won’t Let the<br />
Sun Go Down on Me” & many more.<br />
Scouting for Girls whose sing-along favourites, including “You’re So Lovely”, will appeal<br />
to all ages.<br />
Ska royalty The Selecter are guaranteed to get you on your feet with all their classic<br />
hits.<br />
Other acts include The Farm, East 17 & Baby D.<br />
Friday gets the party started with our “Totally Tribute” Night.<br />
Headliners Rule the World, an exceptional Take That tribute band.They will be joined<br />
by acts paying homage to iconic 80s and 90s artistes, including I’m Every Whitney,<br />
Rogue Minogue, Badness, and The Smiths UTD.<br />
For more information about Chilfest 2024, please visit chilfest.co.uk.
DAYS OUT<br />
COOPER’S ARTISAN MARKETS<br />
Cooper’s Markets are delighted to<br />
bring you a selection of markets,<br />
showcasing some of the best food &<br />
drink produced in and around The<br />
Chilterns. Creating an opportunity for<br />
the community to come together in<br />
support of local businesses and to<br />
appreciate everything that the area<br />
has to offer from inspiring<br />
independent retailers to eateries and<br />
outstanding restaurants.<br />
The markets have been created in<br />
conjunction with the local councils and<br />
community boards, for each market<br />
we are supporting a different local<br />
charity to put even more back into the<br />
local community.
FOODIE<br />
AFTERNOON TEA<br />
AT WARNER BROS. STUDIO<br />
TOUR LONDON<br />
Creatively designed and beautifully crafted<br />
by our talented pastry chefs, Afternoon Tea<br />
at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London<br />
features an array of indulgent sweets,<br />
savoury treats, and delectably delicious<br />
baked scones, served with an assortment of<br />
loose-leaf teas. You can also add some<br />
sparkle to the occasion and upgrade your<br />
Afternoon Tea to include a glass of<br />
champagne.<br />
Afternoon Tea at Warner Bros. Studio Tour<br />
London is available as an add-on when<br />
purchasing your Studio Tour tickets and<br />
cannot be booked separately. Dine<br />
underneath the enchanted ceiling in our<br />
Food Hall, before or after your tour. Each<br />
table is allocated a 90 minute timeslot, so<br />
please ensure you book your tour entry time<br />
with this in mind. Please also select the<br />
same day as your admission ticket when<br />
booking.<br />
If you have any food allergies or<br />
intolerances please contact them at least 48<br />
hours prior to the date of your visit.<br />
Book here - studio tour tickets are required<br />
also. Vegan & gluten free menus also<br />
available!
Everybody should see Nobody amongst the incredibly eclectic programme of shows<br />
taking place at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre over the coming months.<br />
A show like no other is first up as Motionhouse presents Nobody (Tue 30 Apr). Not<br />
familiar with the brand? Motionhouse produces high quality dance-circus productions<br />
rooted in dance but that draw on theatre, acrobatics, circus and film. Gripping audiences<br />
from start to finish, the dancers use every bit of the set, and each other – moving up,<br />
over, on and even through the set. No prior dance knowledge is needed and with the use<br />
of film, music and costume, as well as the wide variety of physical disciplines, a whole<br />
new element is brought to the performance.<br />
More for music than dance? Look no further as some of the best tribute artists are on<br />
their way with Rob Lamberti celebrating the life of George Michael (Thu 30 May), Luther<br />
Live bringing the timeless songs of Luther Vandross (Fri 31 May) and The Illegal Eagles<br />
(Thu 13 Jun) set to play a huge back catalogue of Eagles’ hits including Hotel California,<br />
Take It Easy, Life in the Fast Lane and many more…<br />
Norman Bragg Studio - Not many know the Waterside also boasts a studio space, full to<br />
the brim with screenings, performances and events with a difference. This summer the<br />
studio has screenings of musicals Titanic (Thu 22 May) and Kinky Boots (Wed 12 Jun),<br />
alongside NT Live’s Nye (Thu 6 Jun). The space also hosts regular comedy and gig<br />
nights alongside burlesque evenings. And a must for fans of drag and bingo is their very<br />
first Fanny Galore’s Big Bingo Party (Sat 1 Jun).<br />
Book now for your favourite shows and enjoy the Waterside Experience. Visit<br />
www.atgtickets.com/aylesbury
LOVE LOCAL<br />
THE GRIFFIN, OLD AMERSHAM<br />
LAUNCHES NEW EVENT SPACE<br />
The Griffin Bistro & Bar has recently added a beautiful new events space on the first floor of<br />
its historic building. After undergoing an extensive restoration project, The Assembly Room<br />
was opened at the start of the year.<br />
An elegant gallery room overlooking Old Amersham’s award-winning memorial gardens, the<br />
venue has already been host to a number of special events including engagement parties,<br />
birthday celebrations, christenings and corporate workshops. It is a stunning and versatile<br />
space - with tailored events such as wine tastings and cocktail making masterclasses also<br />
possible as part of the offering. The Assembly Room has its own bespoke bar and sound<br />
system, with cosy chairs and high ceilings, creating an atmosphere that is both grand and<br />
personal. Best of all, guests benefit from the infamous Griffin food and service experience!
EXCITING NEWS: CHESHAM MOTOR<br />
SHOW TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE!<br />
Get ready for an exhilarating showdown between the Best of British and the Best of<br />
Italian Cars and Bikes, happening on Sunday, June 30th! We're thrilled to announce that<br />
car display tickets for this spectacular event are now up for grabs. Public come for free!<br />
Prepare to be dazzled by a stunning array of supercars, featuring the likes of Ferrari,<br />
McLaren, Lamborghini, Lotus, and Bentley. But that's not all – we've got some<br />
extraordinary show cars in store, including iconic models from Mini, Lancia, Abarth, and<br />
Alfa Romeo. Plus, don't miss out on our electric stand, where you can explore and<br />
discuss the latest in environmentally friendly vehicles.<br />
But wait, there's more! We're delighted to welcome some fantastic stands to the day,<br />
including our main sponsor, Warranty Solutions Group, as well as Rotary of Chesham,<br />
Bentley of High Wycombe, Palmers of Hemel Hempstead, Impulse Audio, and Car Gods.<br />
Don't miss your chance to be part of this unforgettable automotive extravaganza. Grab<br />
your tickets now and join us for a day of unparalleled excitement!<br />
Don't miss out on your chance to shine! In addition to the thrilling display, we'll be<br />
awarding three prestigious prizes on the day: Best British Car, Best Italian Car and<br />
Overall Best Car in Show<br />
Plus, prepare to be inspired by a special guest speaker – stay tuned for more details!<br />
This truly is an event not to be missed. To showcase your British or Italian vehicle, simply<br />
click on this Eventbrite link.
DAYS OUT<br />
FAMILY FUN
This summer, Harry Potter fans are invited to visit Warner Bros. Studio Tour London to<br />
discover the filmmaking magic behind Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, as fanfavourite<br />
moments from the film are celebrated 20 years after the cinematic release in<br />
2004. Brand new for 2024, the Studio Tour is inviting visitors to broaden their minds and<br />
cast themselves into the future by exploring the noble art of Divination.<br />
For the first time ever, the Divination classroom set will be on display and ready to<br />
welcome visitors. First seen during Harry’s third year at Hogwarts in Harry Potter and the<br />
Prisoner of Azkaban, the Divination classroom plays a key role in the film’s plot, revealing<br />
omens of the imminent danger Harry faces. During Divination classes, Hogwarts students<br />
are encouraged to broaden their minds and cast themselves into the future and are seen<br />
in the film performing Tessomancy, the magical art of reading tea leaves, and looking into<br />
crystal balls to divine their futures. To some eagled eyed fans, the Defence Against the<br />
Dark Arts and Divination classrooms may feel familiar. During filming Harry Potter and the<br />
Prisoner of Azkaban, filmmakers re-dressed the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom<br />
to become the lush, fabric-covered Divination classroom we see on-screen.
When designing the look and<br />
feel of the set, filmmakers<br />
started with the idea of a<br />
traditional tea shop, with<br />
students sitting in pairs at round<br />
tables surrounded by<br />
mismatched teacups stacked<br />
high around the set. From there,<br />
the room was draped in rich red<br />
fabric and decorated with jeweltoned<br />
velvet pouffes, numerous<br />
patterned rugs and Arabian-style<br />
lanterns, creating a classroom in<br />
which eccentric Professor<br />
Trelawney would feel at home.<br />
For the first time, fans are invited<br />
to discover the set up-close and<br />
take in the hidden details. Fans<br />
will remember the iconic moment<br />
Professor Trelawney discovers<br />
the Grim, an omen of death, in<br />
Harry’s cup. During the feature,<br />
the original teacup will be<br />
displayed at the Studio Tour and<br />
visitors are invited to interpret<br />
the tea leaf sign themselves.<br />
Additionally, the grand teacup<br />
tower holding over 500 vintage<br />
teacups will be on show as well<br />
as original costumes worn by<br />
Harry, Ron, Hermione and<br />
Professor Trelawney.
A new year at Hogwarts means a new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor, and<br />
visitors will find a new section of the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom on display,<br />
complete with the Art Nouveau-style Boggart wardrobe and sinister Boggart jack-in-thebox,<br />
as seen in the third film.<br />
Also new to the Studio Tour, visitors have the chance to discover the interior of the Knight<br />
Bus as a full cross-section of the set will be displayed. To create the Knight Bus,<br />
filmmakers welded a third deck onto a traditional London bus before painting it the now<br />
iconic shade of purple. Fans will see the Knight Bus in action as the set rattles and the<br />
beds move, just as they did when bus driver Ernie made his bumpy ride through London.<br />
Other highlights of Return to Azkaban include stepping foot into the magnificent Great<br />
Hall under an enchanted ceiling filled with over 100 floating candles, before being regaled<br />
by the Hogwarts Frog Choir and seeing The Monster Book of Monsters go on a rampage<br />
in Harry’s room at the Leaky Cauldron.<br />
Return to Azkaban will run from 1st May – 4th September<br />
and all new features are included in the ticket price.
MYTH AND MYTHMAKING:<br />
NEW EXHIBITION AT<br />
HUGHENDEN MANOR<br />
A new exhibition at Hughenden Manor has opened which explores how Victorian Prime<br />
Minister Benjamin Disraeli carefully curated his own image and used Hughenden as<br />
stage and backdrop for creating his own legend.<br />
Benjamin Disraeli was described as ‘the most potent myth-maker in British history’ by his<br />
biographer, Lord Blake. New interpretation at Hughenden Manor explores how Disraeli<br />
carefully cultivated his public identity and used the Manor as the setting for shaping his<br />
personal narrative.<br />
Despite humble beginnings, Disraeli boldly claimed grand Iberian and Venetian ancestry.<br />
He went on a Grand Tour to the Mediterranean and Ottoman Empire and styled himself<br />
as a Byronic figure when he returned. Then, as his political ambitions increased, he<br />
remodelled himself again to join the ‘squirearchy’. Owning land was essential to his rise<br />
within the Tory party.
Hughenden was more than just a home, it was a country seat to bolster his political<br />
image, allowing him to present himself as a member of the establishment and serious<br />
political thinker rather than an opportunistic dandy. When he was finally ennobled in<br />
1876, he chose as his title, Earl of Beaconsfield, the name of a fictional character in his<br />
first novel, Vivian Grey, written 50 years earlier.<br />
Rob Bandy, House and Collections Manager, Hughenden said: “Benjamin Disraeli was<br />
Queen Victoria’s favourite prime minister. He was probably one of the wittiest, most<br />
engaging, most human, most fascinating characters of the Victorian period. He curated<br />
his own public image and became his own creation. His political climb was<br />
stratospherically successful and when he became Earl of Beaconsfield, it was poignant<br />
for him as after half a century, it was a literary destiny fulfilled.”<br />
As an author, politician and public figure, Disraeli was both comfortable and<br />
accomplished at storytelling. He was an avid reader, immersing himself in literature<br />
from ancient Nordic myths to the Classics. This is reflected in his library and writings,<br />
but also extends beyond the page to Hughenden’s manor, garden and parkland.<br />
As visitors explore, the myths Disraeli wove into the fabric of the estate are revealed.<br />
From the Aesops fables depicted on the library ceiling to the German Forest he created<br />
in the grounds, every manipulation was designed to contribute to his personal image.<br />
The exhibition also explores contemporary parallels in the way that we curate our own<br />
story on social media.<br />
Myths and Mythmaking is now open at Hughenden 11am – 4.30pm
A SHEAR DELIGHT FOR<br />
VISITORS TO ODDS FARM<br />
PARK THIS MAY HALF TERM<br />
There’s a woolly welcome in store for visitors to Odds Farm Park, near Beaconsfield, this<br />
May half term (25 May – 2 June).<br />
The rare breeds farm is hosting a Half Term Hoedown where visitors can look forward to<br />
sheep shearing demonstrations, welly-wanging competitions and the chance to Do-Si-Do<br />
with Farmer Oddsocks and his family in the interactive country dancing sessions.<br />
There will also be the opportunity to meet all the new spring babies who’ve arrived on the<br />
farm including lambs, kid goats and piglets.<br />
Louise Winslow, assistant general manager, says: “Sheep shearing is a key event in the<br />
farming calendar. Our sheep need to be sheared over half term to relieve them of heavy<br />
wool that might cause them to overheat in the summer. We have over 140 sheep on site<br />
with shearing taking place everyday of the half term holiday. It’s quite a spectacle and<br />
we’re looking forward to sharing it with our guests!<br />
“We will also have our arts and crafts marquee open with cowboy headbands and sheriff<br />
badges for little ones to enjoy making.”<br />
In addition to a packed programme of half term entertainment there is also plenty of<br />
weather-proof fun at Odds Farm Park in the indoor soft play barn, while outside there is<br />
the outdoor adventure play, Marmalade’s Mini Golf course, Tractor and Trailer ride,<br />
H2Odds water play area and Marmalade’s Mini Rovers.
The Half Term Hoedown at Odds Farm Park takes place from 25 May – 2 June 2024 and<br />
online pre-booked tickets are £17.95. Children under 2 years old are free of charge. It is<br />
not essential to pre-book and walk-up admissions are always welcome.<br />
For more information, call 01628 520188, visit www.oddsfarm.co.uk, or like and follow<br />
@OddsFarmPark on Facebook and Instagram for all the latest news and updates.
SOCCER AID FOR UNICEF 2024<br />
COMES TO STAMFORD<br />
BRIDGE THIS JUNE
Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2024 will take place on Sunday 9 June at Stamford Bridge,<br />
London with England taking on the Soccer Aid World XI FC in the world’s biggest<br />
celebrity football match.<br />
Watch international sporting legends come together with top celebrities to battle it out on<br />
the pitch this summer. Returning fan favourites Usain Bolt, Jill Scott, Tommy Fury, Robbie<br />
Williams and others will be joined by exciting new signings including Eden Hazard, Theo<br />
Walcott, Ellen White, Stuart Broad and Sam Thompson as Soccer Aid returns to London<br />
for 2024.<br />
WHAT IS SOCCER AID FOR UNICEF?<br />
Created by Robbie Williams in 2006, Soccer Aid for UNICEF brings the nation together to<br />
help children worldwide have the best possible start in life. Once a year, England take on<br />
their opponents, the Soccer Aid World XI FC. Supported by passionate fans in an iconic<br />
stadium and broadcast live on ITV and STV, the event harnesses the power of football to<br />
help make sure that children can grow up happy, healthy and able to play.<br />
Stamford Bridge, London SW6 1HS<br />
Sunday 09 June 2024<br />
Gates Open: 17:30<br />
Kick Off: 19:30<br />
Book tickets here
A DIDDLY RETURN TO<br />
SILVERSTONE FESTIVAL’S<br />
FOODIE FEST<br />
The monster hit show Clarkson’s Farm has made a welcome return to our television<br />
screens and the show’s Diddly Squat Farm Shop will be back on pole position at this<br />
summer’s Silverstone Festival over the August Bank Holiday weekend (23-25 August).<br />
Since being opened by the series’ larger-than-life presenter Jeremy Clarkson to sell a<br />
surfeit of potatoes, the little barn shop near Chipping Norton has achieved cult status<br />
attracting huge crowds to the Cotswolds, often to the well-publicised irritation of local<br />
councillors!<br />
With the third Amazon Prime series already receiving rave reviews, the world’s most<br />
famous farm shop is gearing up for an even more exciting involvement with Silverstone<br />
Festival’s Foodie Fest.<br />
After its successful debut in 2022, the Diddly Squat ‘Pop-Up’ Shop expanded and moved<br />
to a more central location last year and its popularity surged thanks to the addition of a<br />
bar selling Clarkson’s very own Hawkstone lager to thirsty visitors.<br />
The good news is that the Hawkstone Bar will be back, together with the rustic store<br />
selling a range of Diddly Squat Farm produce and merchandise bearing the outlet’s iconic<br />
flaming Lamborghini tractor motif.<br />
“It really is an infeasibly good day out,” enthused Clarkson who was at the Festival with<br />
his partner Lisa Hogan in both 2022 and 2023. “You have literally acres and acres<br />
festooned with incredible cars all with nice sensible dials on their dashboards, a pop-up<br />
Diddly Squat Farm Shop selling lots of our stuff all washed down with lashings of my<br />
really rather refreshing Hawkstone beer – what more could anyone want!”
Now, celebrating its third summer at Silverstone, there will be plenty of Diddly activities<br />
for the kids to get involved with plus – for the grown-ups – Diddly Tasting Tent sessions<br />
are new to the menu offering daily masterclasses on how to mix the best cocktails fuelled<br />
by Diddly Squat gin, rum, whisky and vodka. Places are strictly limited so booking in<br />
advance is essential; slots can be added when buying tickets (existing ticket holders can<br />
add a booking by logging in to their Silverstone account).<br />
Other Tasting Tent sessions are on offer, too, from BBQ secrets to a history of British<br />
Cheeses, a trip through the world of chillies to Moldovan winemaking artistry. There’s<br />
something to suit every palate and booking in advance is highly recommended to avoid<br />
disappointment.<br />
Silverstone Festival’s Foodie Fest also features an artisan market with the best of local<br />
‘Made in Northamptonshire’ produce and celebrated chefs on the Silverstone Kitchen<br />
Live stage.<br />
Providing exceptionally good value, all tickets also include entry to both racing paddocks,<br />
open trackside grandstands plus an incredible programme of energy stunt shows in the<br />
Shift & Drift Zone, classic car displays, live music courtesy of Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Busted<br />
and Olly Murs, a Fan Zone featuring F1 team show cars, and entertainment for all the<br />
family over the Bank Holiday weekend.<br />
A wide range of tickets – including camping, hospitality options and Car Club Display<br />
Packages – are available with best prices for those booking now. Full details of all tickets<br />
can be found here.
CELEBRATIONS AT WINDSOR<br />
CASTLE MARK 100 YEARS OF<br />
QUEEN MARY’S DOLLS’ HOUSE<br />
Throughout 2024, Royal Collection Trust will celebrate the 100th anniversary of Queen<br />
Mary’s Dolls’ House at Windsor Castle, the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the<br />
world.<br />
Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House was built between 1921 and 1924 as a gift from the nation<br />
to Queen Mary following the First World War. It is a perfect 1:12 scale replica of an<br />
Edwardian residence, complete with electricity, working lifts and running water. Its<br />
scaled-down rooms range from a fully stocked wine cellar and ‘below-stairs’ spaces to<br />
grand entertaining salons, and feature contributions from over 1,500 of the finest artists,<br />
craftspeople, and manufacturers of the day. The house went on display at Windsor<br />
Castle in 1925 and has been delighting visitors ever since.<br />
This year, visitors to the Castle will see a special centenary display of items usually<br />
contained within the Dolls’ House, staged in the magnificent Waterloo Chamber. These<br />
range from a tiny concert grand piano, fully strung and with functioning keys, to<br />
miniature Crown Jewels inset with real diamonds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds and seed<br />
pearls. Items from the kitchens and servants’ quarters include a vacuum cleaner, which<br />
was a relatively new innovation in the 1920s; a sewing machine, complete with thread<br />
and minuscule scissors that can actually cut; and a copper kettle made from a coin, with<br />
the King’s head still visible on its base.<br />
The display, open from Thursday, 18 January, allows visitors to get even closer to these<br />
tiny treasures and appreciate the extraordinary attention to detail that the craftspeople<br />
involved lavished on every miniature item. Kathryn Jones, curator of the special display,<br />
said: ‘Queen Mary's Dolls' House is a constant source of fascination for visitors to<br />
Windsor Castle, as irresistible to adults as it is to children. We are thrilled that we can<br />
bring the tiny treasures of the Dolls' House to a wider audience in this anniversary year.’
The room at Windsor Castle that was created to house the Dolls’ House almost 100<br />
years ago has also been re-presented to mark the anniversary. Designed by the house’s<br />
architect, Sir Edwin Lutyens, it features murals by the decorative landscape artist Philip<br />
Connard together with the artists Dorothy Cohen and Winifred Hardman.<br />
These murals have been expertly restored and re-lit, so that visitors can appreciate the<br />
fine-detailed scenes of elegantly dressed figures promenading and relaxing in the<br />
grounds of a series of royal residences, including Windsor Castle, Buckingham Palace<br />
and Hampton Court. The Dolls’ House itself has been relit to simulate daylight rather<br />
than moonlight, and the room’s ornate corner niches have been restored and filled with<br />
miniature plants and flowers, which were originally created as part of a seasonal scheme<br />
for the Dolls’ House Garden.<br />
On Royal Collection Trust’s website, new content will allow as many people as possible<br />
around the world to discover the house’s miniature marvels and join the centenary<br />
celebrations. For the first time, the house has been filmed from a ‘dolls’ eye view’<br />
perspective, giving viewers the chance to explore rooms including the Queen’s Bedroom,<br />
Library, Kitchen and Day Nursery in closer detail than ever before.<br />
One of the great wonders of the<br />
Dolls’ House is its Library, which<br />
captured the literary culture of<br />
the 1920s through miniature<br />
books penned by the era’s<br />
foremost writers, from Sir Arthur<br />
Conan Doyle and Vita Sackville-<br />
West to A. A. Milne and Thomas<br />
Hardy. The new publication The<br />
Miniature Library of Queen<br />
Mary’s Dolls’ House by Elizabeth<br />
Clark Ashby, available from<br />
today, explores the stories<br />
behind the creation of the Dolls’<br />
House Library. The book<br />
includes a foreword by Her<br />
Majesty The Queen, as well as a<br />
excerpts from selected works –<br />
some of which are reproduced<br />
for the first time. In addition,<br />
Lucinda Lambton’s authoritative<br />
history of the Dolls’ House, first<br />
published in 2010, has been<br />
redesigned
with newly photographed images to mark the anniversary. The books join a new Queen<br />
Mary’s Dolls’ House souvenir range that is available in Royal Collection Trust’s shops.<br />
Anniversary events and activities throughout the year will include a Dolls’ House-themed<br />
family trail for visitors to Windsor Castle, as well as family activities during the Easter<br />
holidays. An online evening event in April will see Royal Collection Trust curators<br />
revealing behind-the-scenes details and sharing how the house is conserved for future<br />
generations to enjoy. A series of courses held at the Castle in collaboration with the<br />
Royal School of Needlework will include a private tour of the Dolls’ House and handembroidery<br />
workshops inspired by the intricate motifs found on upholstery throughout the<br />
house. As Duchess of Cornwall, Her Majesty The Queen became Patron of the Royal<br />
School of Needlework in 2017.
DISCOVER THE ENCHANTING<br />
WORLD OF AUDLEY END<br />
MINIATURE RAILWAY<br />
This summer Audley End Miniature Railway will celebrate 60 years of creating family<br />
memories. Lord Braybrooke began the railway in 1964 due to his passion for steam<br />
trains. He opened the miniature railway to the public to provide entertainment for visitors<br />
to Audley End House next door, which is now run by English Heritage. The past 60 years<br />
has seen the Woodland develop its offering from picnics under the trees and spotting<br />
teddy bears in the woods from the train to adding seasonal wonder along with fairies and<br />
elves to entertain children of all ages.<br />
This Half Term, from Saturday 25th May to Sunday 2nd June, families will be welcomed<br />
for a wonderful day out filled with excitement! Hop on board a train ride into our magical<br />
woodland. Children can unleash their creativity by crafting a nature crown by using<br />
natural materials sourced from the forest – regal headdresses with leaves, twigs and<br />
grasses! And what’s a crown without a wand? Each little magician can craft their very<br />
own wand to cast spells and add a touch of magic to their day.<br />
Our 60th Anniversary over Father’s Day weekend, 15th - 16th June, at the railway will<br />
welcome visitors to commemorate the occasion with the launch of a brand-new electric<br />
train, and Father’s go free!<br />
Our Enchanted Summer Adventure will run 20th July - 1st September. Embark on a<br />
magical journey of discovery! Encounter the enchanted creatures who inhabit our<br />
woodlands, and stage show to meet our special dragon, Nibbles!<br />
Families can explore the Fairy and Elf Walk, which winds through the enchanted woods<br />
where children can spot tiny fairies living happily and in harmony with nature. These<br />
magical creatures also tend to our sensory nature corner, ensuring the wellbeing of the<br />
wildlife.
For more active adventures, children can let off steam at our adventure playground and<br />
enjoy the ever-popular bubble time!<br />
Owner, Amanda Murray said, “We’re proud to be a location for families to spend time<br />
together, playing, exploring and make memories which we hope will last a lifetime. As we<br />
celebrate our 60th year this year, come and join in our special magic and wonderment.”<br />
Don’t forget to refuel at the Woodland Café which will be offering delicious locally sourced<br />
and homemade food throughout the day. We have everything you need for an<br />
unforgettable family day out, filled with enchantment and fun!
STONOR PARK & GARDENS<br />
Stonor Park is one of the oldest stately homes in the UK and has been home to the<br />
Stonor family for 850 years – as well as the beautiful house which the public can visit on<br />
selected days, it has a huge deer park, spectacular grounds and an ancient stone circle<br />
from the Neolithic age.<br />
Located in its grounds is Tumblestone Hollow, a beautiful adventure playground that<br />
opened in 2021. Made from sustainably sourced chestnut to harmoniously sit within the<br />
glorious parkland, Tumblestone Hollow has high level walkways, climbing nets, look-out<br />
decks and bridges, all connected by a quirky, gnarled central tower – it’s certainly no<br />
ordinary playground!<br />
In the playground, a spiral of steps takes adventurers from ground level to the top lookout<br />
deck, where they will have views across the whole playground and access to the<br />
connecting bridges and towers - perfect for the kids to burn off some energy while family<br />
have a seat and watch on from the giant wooden benches surrounding it. Created to<br />
spark imagination and encourage exploration, the exclusively designed playground<br />
highlights the stories of the magical creatures that call the play area home, and who take<br />
centre stage in Stonor’s children’s books, The Legend of Tumblestone Hollow and The<br />
Moon Witch and The Thief, written by award-winning children’s author Amy Sparkes and<br />
illustrated by Steve Pearce.<br />
After working up an appetite, guests can enjoy Tumblestone Hollow’s pizza eatery, The<br />
Rumble Hut, serving authentic Italian pizzas cooked in a wood-fired Gozney oven. The<br />
menu includes Pepperoni, Napoli and other favourites, and offers gluten-free and vegan<br />
pizza options too. Handmade burgers, made from local organic longhorn beef, and softwhip<br />
Italian ice cream are also on the menu.
Tumblestone Hollow has also has annual memberships, which provide unlimited access<br />
to adventure days, selected events including Easter and Halloween Trail and Stonor<br />
gardens.<br />
For details on days/times https://www.stonor.com/plan-your-day/opening-times/
STEP INTO ROYALTY:<br />
EVAN EVANS TOURS UNVEILS<br />
FIVE NEW LONDON ITINERARIES<br />
FOR THE CORONATION<br />
ANNIVERSARY
As the nation gears up to celebrate the anniversary of King Charles' coronation, Evan<br />
Evans Tours, London's oldest tour operator, invites history buffs and travel enthusiasts to<br />
embark on a regal adventure through the city.<br />
Their meticulously curated selection of five new royal tours offers a captivating journey<br />
into the rich tapestry of the British monarchy, blending iconic landmarks, a touch of<br />
opulence, and a dose of tradition as you delve into the fascinating world of the Crown.<br />
These meticulously curated experiences cater to a variety of interests and time<br />
constraints, offering unforgettable encounters for every visitor.<br />
Royal London with Optional River Cruise: This half-day tour, led by an expert Blue<br />
Badge Guide, introduces visitors to the grandeur of London's most recognisable<br />
landmarks. Witness the time-honoured tradition of the Changing of the Guard ceremony<br />
at Buckingham Palace before concluding the day with a delightful Thames River cruise,<br />
offering breathtaking panoramic views of the city.<br />
Crown Jewels & London with River Cruise (Sunset): Delve into the captivating history<br />
of London with visits to two of its most iconic landmarks. Expert guides will bring the<br />
stories of these celebrated sites to life, followed by a scenic cruise along the River<br />
Thames at sunset, providing a unique perspective of the city's storied skyline.<br />
Royal London with Westminster Abbey & Afternoon Tea: Experience the charm and<br />
elegance of Royal London on a relaxing tour led by a knowledgeable Blue Badge Guide.<br />
Witness the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace before indulging in<br />
an exquisite afternoon tea at the prestigious Westminster Abbey's Cellarium Café &<br />
Terrace. The tour concludes with an immersive exploration of the iconic church, steeped<br />
in history.
Royal London & Windsor Castle Full Day Tour: Embark on a comprehensive royal<br />
adventure with this full-day journey through London's most significant royal sites.<br />
Immerse yourself in centuries of royal history, from Buckingham Palace and the Tower of<br />
London to the grandeur of Windsor Castle, offering a glimpse into regal life.<br />
Private Royal London Chauffeured Tour: Discover the best of London's royal<br />
landmarks in style and comfort with a private, half-day chauffeured tour. Led by expert<br />
guides, experience the grandeur of Buckingham Palace and witness the Changing of the<br />
Guard ceremony at your own pace.<br />
"These captivating royal tours offer an unparalleled opportunity to experience the<br />
grandeur and rich history of London's royal heritage," says Tom Macklin, Managing<br />
Director at Evan Evans Tours.<br />
"Whether you're a history enthusiast yearning to delve deeper into the traditions of the<br />
monarchy, or a curious visitor seeking a glimpse into the lives of British royalty, our<br />
expertly curated tours cater to a range of interests.”<br />
“From witnessing the awe-inspiring Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham<br />
Palace to exploring the magnificent Crown Jewels and unravelling the secrets of iconic<br />
landmarks like Westminster Abbey and Windsor Castle, these tours offer a truly<br />
immersive journey through time.”<br />
“As we commemorate the one year anniversary of King Charles' Coronation, we invite<br />
you to join us on these unforgettable journeys and create lasting memories in the heart of<br />
London's regal history."
FOODIE CORNER<br />
FOODALICIOUS
Reshmi Bennett!<br />
Whilst during the day I'm busy making luxury cakes at Anges de Sucre<br />
(www.angesdesucre), in my spare time I'm either baking with my son, very often one of<br />
our StoryBakes recipes (www.storybakes.com), or fake baking. You can find fake bake<br />
tips, tricks and hacks on our StoryBakes website :)<br />
How-to for the 2-tier Carrot Cake Fake Bake - £10 Sainsbury's!<br />
Ingredients<br />
2x Ready-made carrot cakes<br />
1 tub of cream cheese style frosting<br />
2x mini Lindt chocolate bunnies<br />
Sugar carrot cake decorations<br />
Method<br />
1. Smear a dollop of frosting on a plate or cake board and place one of the carrot cakes<br />
on. Pick off the walnuts and reserve. Smooth frosting over the top and sides with a<br />
palette knife scraper.<br />
2. Unbox the second cake. Use a 4inch cookie cutter to cut out the top tier from it and<br />
place on top of the frosted cake. Cover the top and sides with buttercream using the<br />
palette knife and scraper. Crumble the off-cuts and sprinkle along the base of the tiers.<br />
3. Reserve some cake crumbs aside. Knead the rest of the cake crumbs into a smooth<br />
cake pop mixture. Roll into small truffle-sized balls. Coat the balls in the reserved crumbs<br />
to make carrot cake truffles. Use the truffles, chocolate bunnies, sugar carrot decorations<br />
and reserved walnuts to decorate the cake.<br />
It's really as easy as 1-2-3!
FOOD<br />
AFTERNOON TEA AWARDS<br />
2024 WINNERS<br />
ANNOUNCED
The best places in the UK to enjoy a sumptuous afternoon tea have been named in the<br />
Afternoon Tea Awards 2024, sponsored by AfternoonTea.co.uk<br />
Three main category awards were presented:<br />
Best Traditional Afternoon Tea – The Beaumont Hotel, Mayfair<br />
Best Contemporary Afternoon Tea – COMO The Halkin, London<br />
Best Themed Afternoon Tea – The Waldorf Hilton, London<br />
A team of independent judges looked at all aspects of the Afternoon Tea experience,<br />
from making a booking, to paying the bill, with a strong focus on the presentation and<br />
service.<br />
An ‘Award of Excellence’ was also presented to 19 venues that the judges considered to<br />
have delivered the highest standards in Afternoon Tea service.<br />
Keith Newton, managing director of AfternoonTea.co.uk said: “The award winners have<br />
demonstrated that they can offer customers a fantastic Afternoon Tea experience, and<br />
value for money, during challenging economic times.”<br />
The Beaumont Hotel, Mayfair - Best Traditional Afternoon Tea<br />
The judges said: “This is an Afternoon Tea which does not disappoint, with high quality<br />
service and excellent food, all in a cosy and relaxing environment.”<br />
COMO The Halkin, London - Best Contemporary Afternoon Tea<br />
The judges said: “A very contemporary take on the traditional Afternoon Tea affair, which<br />
was executed well, and certainly felt almost guilt-free. The food was beautifully presented<br />
and the staff were welcoming and friendly.”<br />
‘Be Our Guest’ Afternoon Tea at The Waldorf Hilton - Best Themed Afternoon Tea
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The judges said: “The theme was carried through the whole experience, which was lovely<br />
and set a great mood in the tearoom. Our table looked impressive on arrival, the food<br />
was presented beautifully and didn't lack in originality.”<br />
The ‘Award of Excellence’ was presented to the following venues:<br />
Twenty Princes Street, Edinburgh<br />
Hotel Café Royal, London<br />
The Langham, London<br />
The Tea House, Pavilion Road, London<br />
Brown's Hotel, London<br />
The Ampersand Hotel, London – ‘Science Afternoon Tea’<br />
The Milestone Hotel, London<br />
The Carlton Tower Jumeirah, London<br />
Rosewood London<br />
The Stafford London • Sofitel London, Rose Lounge<br />
Park Corner Brasserie, Hilton Park Lane<br />
Corinthia London<br />
L'Oscar London<br />
The Ampersand Hotel, London - Jurassic Afternoon Tea<br />
The Lanesborough London<br />
Coworth Park, Ascot<br />
The Grand Hotel Birmingham<br />
Ugly Butterfly, Cornwall<br />
AfternoonTea.co.uk is the UK’s premier Afternoon Tea guide, featuring more than 500<br />
venues across the UK & Ireland.<br />
More information about the award winners can be found at afternoonteaawards.co.uk
TRAVEL<br />
THAT’S AMORE
MAPPING ITALY'S MOST<br />
INSTAGRAMMABLE ROUTES<br />
The five-day journey from Rome to Florence claims the title of Italy's most Instagramworthy<br />
road trip, with 6,787,677 hashtags on Instagram<br />
The Northern Italy 10 day route, which takes travelers through the Veneto and<br />
Trentino regions takes second place, with 5,230,054 hashtags<br />
The findings consider Instagram posts tagged with popular stops across each road<br />
trip route to determine the most shared online<br />
In a new study conducted by travel experts amalfi-coast-tours.com, the most<br />
Instagrammable Italian road trip route has been identified.<br />
The findings are based on the total number of Instagram posts with hashtags for each<br />
stop among popular road trip routes highlighted on reputable travel sites, to determine<br />
how picturesque the average sight on each journey is.<br />
As summer draws closer, Italy remains a top choice for European getaways. This study<br />
helps social media-savvy travellers in planning their Italian h based on where holds the<br />
most visual appeal – and where will make the perfect photo backdrop.<br />
Claiming the title for the road trip route with the most Instagram appeal is the five-day<br />
journey from Rome to Florence, with an average of 6,787,677 posts uploaded per stop<br />
along the route.<br />
Coming in second is a Northern Italy route that takes travellers through the Veneto and<br />
Trentino regions of the country. This route boasts an average of 5,230,054 posts across<br />
all stops.<br />
The third most Instagrammable route is a Southern Italy and Sicily trip starting in Naples<br />
and ending in Palermo- 3,252,421 posts were created for each stop.
The road trip circling from Milan through Northwest Italy secures its place as the fourth<br />
most popular route on Instagram. It boasts an average of 3,068,671 posts per stop<br />
along the journey.<br />
Ranking as the fifth most Instagrammable road trip route is one that travels through<br />
the Northern Italy Lakes - it boasts an average of 2,991,062 posts per stop.<br />
The most Instagrammable road trips in Italy<br />
Route Average Instagram Posts per Stop<br />
Rome to Florence (5 days) 6,787,677<br />
Northern Italy: Veneto and Trentino Regions: Circular starting in Verona (10 days)<br />
5,230,054<br />
Southern Italy and Sicily: Naples to Palermo (10 days) 3,252,421<br />
Northwest Italy: Lombardy, Liguria, Piedmont: Circular from Milan (7-8 days)<br />
3,068,671<br />
Northern Italy Lakes: Circular starting in Milan (7 days) 2,991,062<br />
Tuscany: Circular starting in Florence 2,982,932<br />
Sardinia: Circular starting in Olbia (5-10 days) 1,765,556<br />
Puglia: Circular starting in Bari (7 days) 1,626,603<br />
Southern Italy: Circular- Start in Naples (15 days) 1,538,231<br />
Bologna Apennines: Circular starting in Bologna (2-3 days) 1,461,644<br />
Western Sicily: Circular starting in Trapani (7-10 days) 1,299,660<br />
Eastern Sicily: Circular starting in Catania (10 or more days) 904,975<br />
Northwest Italy: Turin and Aosta Valley: Circular from Turin (7 days) 656,489<br />
Dolomites: From Ortisei to Cortina d’Ampezzo (4-5 days) 237,944<br />
t
THE CHANCE TO SLEEP WITH HISTORY ON<br />
A GRAND SCALE BUT WITH TOUCHES OF<br />
MODERN LUXURY - HARTWELL HOUSE IS A<br />
GRADE-1 LISTED STATELY HOME<br />
Now owned by the National Trust and filled with antique treasures, Hartwell House in<br />
Buckinghamshire is no ordinary hotel. It’s part of living history. Once the ancestral seat of<br />
some of England's most illustrious families, it has been home to an exiled French king,<br />
and a Chancellor of the Exchequer.<br />
As you wander the grounds of the Grade I-listed historic house, with its avenues of trees,<br />
croquet lawn and church, it’s easy to imagine constitutional documents being signed<br />
here, witnessing key moments in history. Presidents have stayed here as well as underthe-radar<br />
stars.<br />
But Hartwell also offers every contemporary comfort to guests. Restored by Historic<br />
House Hotels, it features 48 superbly appointed bedrooms and suites, award-winning<br />
dining, a spa with state-of-the art treatments, and 94 acres of gardens and parkland. No<br />
wonder it has been awarded 4 Red Stars: The AA's supreme accolade for hotels.<br />
The present building dates to the 17th century, but its history stretches back nearly a<br />
1,000 years to Edward the Confessor. Hartwell House was first mentioned in the<br />
Doomsday Book as belonging to William Peverel, a natural son of William the Conqueror.<br />
And today every inch of this stately home has a story to tell.<br />
Behind the Jacobean facade, it has fine Georgian interiors, with rococo marble chimney<br />
pieces, decorative ceilings and a great hall in baroque style. The grand stairway features<br />
a brilliantly eccentric mix of carved figures including Sir Winston Churchill and G K<br />
Chesterton.<br />
You can take afternoon tea in The Great Hall (the oldest part of the house) with its open<br />
fireplaces; or unwind before dinner in The Library, and admire the rococo frieze and<br />
chimneypiece and original bookcases with gilt-brass wirework.
The principal dining room is designed in the style of eminent early-19th architect, Sir John<br />
Soane, and based on a room in 11 Downing Street, home of the Chancellor of the<br />
Exchequer, with elegant arches and delicate detailing.<br />
Awarded two AA rosettes, Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson has been at Hartwell<br />
House for 30 years and works closely with local suppliers and the hotel's gardening team<br />
to ensure the menu's ingredients are fresh and seasonal. The impressive Hartwell cellar<br />
won the AA' s Notable Wine List award for 2023.<br />
Restoration work has stayed true to the integrity of the house. But modern luxury is the<br />
byword. Hartwell’s spa, with its mosaic-lined indoor pool, offers cutting-edge facials by<br />
111SKIN Harley Street London Treatments, the luxury anti-ageing skincare range created<br />
by aesthetic surgeon Dr. Yannis Alexandrides. Hartwell has just been nominated for the<br />
new AA Spa Awards – as a Recommended Spa Hotel. There’s a sauna, steam room and<br />
gym, plus all-weather tennis courts in the old walled garden. Clay pigeon shooting and<br />
archery can be arranged in the grounds.<br />
Hartwell's magnificent gardens were landscaped by a contemporary of Capability Brown.<br />
There's a private lake and bridge (created from the central arch of James Paine’s Kew<br />
Bridge, built in the 18th century), a romantic Gothic Tower, a classical Italianate Ionic<br />
Temple, an obelisk and a mile-long double avenue of lime trees.<br />
Situated within the Vale of Aylesbury and on the edge of the Chilterns, in an 'Area of<br />
Outstanding Natural Beauty’, the hotel is just 40 miles northwest from London. Yet it’s so<br />
peaceful and secluded, the stresses of city life quickly fall away.
And this is a chance to sleep with history on a grand scale. Hartwell was built as a family<br />
home in the 1600s (for the Hampden and Lee families, from whom the Confederate<br />
General Robert E. Lee was descended). But then it became a regal residence in 1809<br />
when it was leased to the exiled King Louis XVIII of France and his Queen, Marie<br />
Josephine de Savoie.<br />
King Louis remained at Hartwell until 1814 when the constitutional document, confirming<br />
his accession to the French throne, was signed in the Library by the King. ‘Why wouldst<br />
thou leave calm Hartwell’s green abode?’ marvelled Lord Byron of Louis’s departure.<br />
Why indeed?<br />
It still feels like a royal retreat today, thanks to painstaking restoration work on the Royal<br />
Suites and Rooms. You can stay in the Duchess d’Angouleme room, once occupied by<br />
the daughter of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, which features a sumptuous four-poster<br />
bed and window seats overlooking the parkland.
Afternoon tea daily, dinner daily and lunch at the weekends.<br />
Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson has created wholesome<br />
flavoursome and imaginative dishes in a style dinner<br />
guests are able to select not only by choice but also by budget.<br />
Daniel endeavours to source local produce wherever<br />
and whenever possible to enhance flavours and freshness.<br />
Two Courses - £64 per person<br />
Three Courses - £79.00 per person<br />
19:00hrs - 21:00hrs daily
The house remained in the possession of the original families until 1938, when it was<br />
purchased by the grandson of Thomas Cook, founder of Cook’s Travel Agency.<br />
Part of the fascination of a visit to Hartwell, of course, is the way the building has evolved<br />
over the centuries, thanks to its eminent residents. When the French court arrived, the<br />
roof was converted into a miniature farm, where birds and rabbits were reared in cages,<br />
and vegetables and herbs cultivated in densely planted tubs. Shops were opened in the<br />
outbuildings by the French émigrés short of money.<br />
Since then, it’s been a temperance hall, a museum and an astronomical observatory.<br />
During the Second World War, Hartwell served as an Army billet for British and American<br />
troops. It even functioned as a girls’ finishing school at one point.<br />
But then in July 1989 Hartwell House opened as an hotel. One of England’s finest stately<br />
homes had been saved for the nation to enjoy. In September 2008, the hotel was<br />
donated to the National Trust to ensure its long-term protection. It continues to be<br />
managed by Historic House Hotels, who believe passionately in investing in staff and the<br />
UK hospitality business.<br />
In 2023 the hotel celebrated the achievements of several younger members of the team.<br />
Ben Mabley started working at Hartwell House in 2017 as an apprentice and now holds<br />
the position of Senior Chef de Partie under Executive Head Chef Daniel Richardson. He<br />
recently competed in the National Young Chef of the Year and was awarded third prize at<br />
the World Young Chef Young Waiter in Monaco (representing England). While Ellie<br />
Smith, who began her Hartwell journey as an apprentice at hotel reception in 2019, has<br />
just graduated from her MIT programme and now holds a full-time position as an<br />
Assistant Manager at Hartwell House, supervised by Kevin Hughes, Director, and<br />
General Manager.<br />
After playing host to royals and dignitaries for centuries, Hartwell continues to extend a<br />
warm welcome to guests, combining the very best of ancient and modern hospitality.<br />
Book in now, and become a part of living history.<br />
Hartwell House welcomes families with children over six years of age and selected rooms<br />
also welcome dogs by prior consent.
METROLAND LOVES<br />
LOCAL PEOPLE
Introducing Ruth Spurr<br />
Creator of WilloRoo<br />
My name is Ruth, I am 29 years old, (less than six months away to turning the big 30!<br />
Which is a huge milestone for me and you will understand more about why that is as you<br />
read more of this article). I live in Buckinghamshire, in Amersham and I once had a little<br />
dream and now after a year of hard work it is becoming a reality and a small business,<br />
called WilloRoo I am so incredibly proud of!<br />
WilloRoo was born from a tiny dream and now after months of hard work it’s coming true!<br />
Everything I do is handmade, designed and made and packaged by me, I love what I do<br />
and I love spreading awareness, passion and my love of life and finding the joy in what<br />
we can however small.
My website explains my story in more detail but to explain, I live with very complex health<br />
conditions, I have since I was young but unfortunately they’ve deteriorated a lot, I am a<br />
full time wheelchair user, I have multiple tubes and lines in my body and I am fed into my<br />
heart by TPN, IV nutrition. I was planned to go to Uni and do nursing and at 19 years old I<br />
was working as a support worker and the biggest childrens hospital in London, Great<br />
Ormond Street and unfortunately that’s when my health took a real decline.<br />
I have a genetic connective tissue disorder called EDS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome and for<br />
me it’s not only affected my joints, skin and bones but it’s gone on to affect my internal<br />
organs causing bladder failure, intestinal failure and an autoimmune disease as well and<br />
with all the daily risks it brings it’s ultimately shortening my life now so we are just doing<br />
everything we can to make the most of well, everything! But I will not let this prognosis<br />
bring me down, we only have one life and its extremely precious so I want to make the<br />
most and soak up every bit of this beautiful life I can!<br />
A big dream and one I was always staring at on my bucket list not completed was to set<br />
up a small business and to be able to leave a positive legacy behind. This is when<br />
WilloRoo was born and it’s all about finding the small goods in every day no matter how<br />
small they may be. I still can’t believe it’s real, it’s still small but if I can just make one<br />
positive change or difference through my story and business then that is what it’s all<br />
about and the products are made to the highest quality, all made in England, sustainable<br />
and longevity to last.<br />
ORDER<br />
HERE
Passionate about plants, biodiversity, &<br />
community well-being? Join Chiltern<br />
Rangers as a Community Nursery<br />
Volunteer and make a positive impact<br />
on the environment.<br />
Why Volunteer?<br />
Expert training in wildflower and tree<br />
care & cultivation.<br />
Nature immersion for stress relief and<br />
well-being.<br />
Forge connections within your<br />
community.<br />
NO EXPERIENCE NECESSARY, ALL WELCOME!<br />
info@chilternrangers.co.uk<br />
01494474486<br />
www.chilternrangers.co.uk
I may not have as many years left as everyone else but it’s not about how long you have<br />
it’s about the life in your years and I try to make every day count and share what I’ve<br />
learnt along the way and that links to WilloRoo and the motto I’m trying to spread.<br />
Like my logo, you will see how its pieces all fit together, broken but beautiful and I believe<br />
that we are not defined by one sole identity or one particular aspect of our lives. Instead,<br />
we are a combination of many different parts that evolve and change over time. Our<br />
strengths and weaknesses, hobbies and passions, beauty and flaws, they all contribute to<br />
who we are as individuals. Whether it’s something that can be seen or not, we are so<br />
much more than just that “one thing.”<br />
I make homemade T-shirts, workout vests and tote bags with positive WilloRoo slogans I<br />
regularly use (which is all about positivity and embracing the little things) but I can also<br />
make any custom slogan or design you want on any coloured tshirt just click the “custom<br />
order” form on the website shop page or message me directly! This is available to both<br />
children and adults and I am inclusive to all sizes from XS to 5XL. I also do ship<br />
internationally too.<br />
If that wasn’t enough I also manufacture my own WilloRoo embroidered hoodies,<br />
colourful sweatshirts, pyjamas, beanie hats and the coziest blankets! As well as WilloRoo<br />
accessories like our classic water bottle, lanyards and stationary! I would absolutely love<br />
to spread more awareness of my positive message where I can and as I say to those who<br />
know me, every new order I get I do an actual happy dance because of the huge joy it<br />
brings me so thank you in advance if you do make an order and any queries or questions<br />
please don’t hesitate to contact me at willoroo@ruthsbucketlist.co.uk<br />
ORDER<br />
HERE
SOME OF THE WOMEN FROM CHESHAM<br />
WHO HAVE MADE A DIFFERENCE LOCALLY<br />
by Eleanor Phillips<br />
Since March was International Women’s Month, Chesham Museum decided to tell you<br />
about just a few of the local women whom they think have made a significant contribution<br />
locally, nationally and even internationally, and who have also made a difference to the<br />
standing of women.<br />
MARGARET MEE (nee BROWN)<br />
Margaret Mee was born Margaret Ursula Brown in Chesham in 1909. Margaret became<br />
deeply involved politically in the Spanish Civil War. Her risky travels to Berlin and France<br />
both before and during the Second World War testify to her adventurous free spirit. After<br />
the war she went to the Camberwell School of Art where she met Greville Mee. In 1952,<br />
Margaret and Greville went to live in Sao Paulo.<br />
By 1960 exhibitions in Sao<br />
Paulo, Rio and London had<br />
established her as a brilliant new<br />
botanical artist. She and Greville<br />
developed a deep concern for<br />
the Amerindian peoples, the<br />
Amazon Forest and its wildlife.<br />
She lived among the tribal<br />
peoples of the forest and<br />
endured tremendous hardships.<br />
She was awarded Brazil’s Order<br />
of The Southern Cross. In<br />
November 1988, Mee’s Amazon<br />
Exhibition premiered at Kew and<br />
a collection of her diaries was<br />
published. She returned to<br />
England and was killed in a car<br />
accident in Leicester in 1989.
MILDRED WHEELER, B.E.M.<br />
Mildred Frances Wheeler was born in<br />
1897 and went to Townsend Road School<br />
and White Hill Girls School. She trained<br />
as a teacher and was teaching at<br />
Townsend Road School by 1918.<br />
By 1924, she had joined the St. John<br />
Ambulance Brigade and from 1932<br />
onwards she was on the Chesham<br />
Hospital Workers’ Committee. In 1944,<br />
she and Nancy Haslehurst obtained a<br />
grant for £10 from the Brigade and started<br />
the Chesham Medical Comforts Depot,<br />
designed to offer people the necessary<br />
equipment to nurse the severely ill in their<br />
own homes. This service was entirely<br />
funded from voluntary donations and<br />
operated for at least 60 years.<br />
In 1969 she was awarded the British<br />
Empire Medal “for service to the<br />
community, particularly with regard to the<br />
St. John Ambulance Brigade in<br />
Chesham”. Mildred ran the Medical<br />
Comforts Depot until 1971 and died in<br />
1986.<br />
BESSIE BANGAY<br />
Bessie (Elizabeth) Bangay and her twin sister Evelyn were<br />
born in 1889. Bessie became a Sunday school teacher at<br />
St. George’s Church in Tylers Hill. In 1917, the Church of<br />
England found itself with a serious shortage of ministers<br />
due to WW1 and turned to women to take up the shortfall.<br />
These women could not be ordained but were given<br />
special status as “Bishops Messengers” and licensed to<br />
preach and conduct services.<br />
Thus Bessie was licensed by the Bishop of Oxford to take<br />
over and run St. George’s Church, and she carried out<br />
these duties for nearly 70 years. Most Bishops<br />
Messengers gave up their duties when WW1 ended, and<br />
all those remaining had done so by the 1960s. But Bessie<br />
continued as a Bishops Messenger until 1985. She died at<br />
the age of 97 in 1987.
LADY SUSAN TRUEMAN, O.B.E. (nee<br />
BYNG)<br />
Lady Susan Byng was born in 1854 and<br />
married Colonel Thomas Trueman in 1905.<br />
She lived at White Hill House. During WW1,<br />
she worked for the Queen Alexandra Field<br />
Force which provided comforts for soldiers<br />
on the battlefields.<br />
Whilst living in Chesham, she was connected<br />
with the Girl Guides, the Scouts, the Order of<br />
St. John, the Red Cross, Chesham Hospital<br />
and the Chesham Motor Ambulance Service,<br />
the Mothers Union, the British Legion and the<br />
Women’s Institute. In 1920 she became the<br />
first President of the Bucks Federation of<br />
Women’s Institutes and she was the founder<br />
of both the Women’s Institute and the<br />
Women’s Fellowship in Ley Hill. Lady Susan<br />
campaigned to get women into the police<br />
force and was Chairman of the Bucks<br />
Nursing Federation. She was awarded the<br />
OBE in 1920 and in May 1921 became the<br />
first woman JP in Buckinghamshire.<br />
REVD. MARGARET HALL (nee PHILLIPS)<br />
Margaret Phillips went to Dr Challoner’s<br />
Grammar School in Amersham and then to<br />
the University of London. She married Brian<br />
Hall in 1961 and they had three children. She<br />
decided to train for the Ministry and started<br />
by training as a Lay Worker in the Parish of<br />
Great Chesham in 1972 and became a<br />
Deaconess in 1980. In 1987 the Church of<br />
England voted to allow women to become<br />
Deacons and Margaret was ordained as a<br />
Deacon by the Bishop of Buckingham.<br />
By 1992 Margaret was Deacon of St. John<br />
the Evangelist in Ashley Green. The Church<br />
of England voted to allow women to be fully<br />
ordained as ministers in 1992 and Margaret<br />
was finally ordained in April 1994 at All<br />
Saints, High Wycombe. She retired at 60 and<br />
joined St. Michael’s Church, Amersham-onthe-Hill.<br />
She died in February 2008.
AVIS JOAN PARSONS (nee HEARN), M.M.<br />
Only six Military Medals were awarded to women in WW2. Avis Joan Hearn was born<br />
1916 in Waterside. She worked as an upholsterer at Brandons department store in<br />
Chesham Broadway. She joined the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) in 1939<br />
and after training to be a radar operator, was posted to the radar station at Poling, West<br />
Sussex. On August 18th 1940 Leading Aircraftwoman Hearn was operating the telephone<br />
system passing radar plot information from the operators to Fighter Command HQ at RAF<br />
Bentley Priory, Stanmore.<br />
Around 2pm the air raid sirens sounded and the staff were told to take cover. Hearn<br />
refused and carried on passing information from the plotters onto the control room. For<br />
the next 20 minutes Poling was bombed by Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers. Hearn<br />
remained at her post even though the telephone lines were cut.<br />
The officer commanding Poling, Flight Lieutenant Bayley recommended Hearn for the<br />
immediate award of the Military Medal. The recommendation was endorsed by Air Chief<br />
Marshal Dowding (AOC-in-Chief Fighter Command) and Hearn was invested with her<br />
medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace in March 1941. Avis died on March 27th<br />
2008.<br />
Chesham museum is now open upstairs at<br />
The Town Hall, Chesham Saturday and Wednesday 10am – 4pm.<br />
www.cheshammuseum.org.uk https://www.facebook.com/CheshamMuseum<br />
https://www.instagram.com/cheshammuseum
Claire Richard runs the local Slimming World and she is trying to raise awareness of the<br />
partnership between Be Healthy Bucks (commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council &<br />
the NHS) and Slimming World in the local area. There have been a number of new<br />
groups launch since October 23 across Amersham & Chesham and local residents may<br />
be eligible for a free 12 week referral.<br />
To inspire you on your weigh-loss journey, Claire shared Warren’s story with us, a local<br />
Chesham resident, who since joining last year has lost almost 10 stone!<br />
My weight loss journey has been on and off for the last 20 years, mostly increasing,<br />
although through various diets and exercise with a personal trainer, I did manage to lose<br />
some weight. Although I did manage to get some results they did not last. I got bored with<br />
the exercise, the food was just the same old thing, and I would eventually give that up. I<br />
would then start to gain weight.<br />
I always fantasised about being 12st and possibly less and thought that I would never be<br />
able to get there without the help of surgery. I would always make excuses about what I<br />
was eating and not losing weight. I was not in a great head space and really was not<br />
ready to lose weight as I did not want it enough.<br />
The lowest point for me happened when I lost my first pet and that hit me very hard, and I<br />
ate my feelings and of course the consequence of that was a huge weight gain.<br />
I started to speak to my friend Sue about Slimming World at the back end of 2022, as she<br />
was going, and I could see that she was getting results. I was skeptical and was not<br />
ready to take the plunge.<br />
I decided in April/May 2023 that I wanted to make a change and thought to myself what<br />
have I really got to lose, other than weight of course. I came across Be Healthy Bucks<br />
and initiative commissioned by Buckinghamshire Council and the NHS and through a<br />
self-referral was given a free 12 week subscription to Slimming World.
I went with Sue to my first meeting at the beginning of May and although very skeptical<br />
and nervous, I grabbed the bull by the horns and got through it. I met Emily, a consultant,<br />
who kindly took me through every aspect and was very supportive (and still is) and I<br />
never looked back.<br />
My first few weigh-ins, where I was losing larger amounts of weight, I thought to myself ok<br />
lets see where this goes as I knew the first loss with me always happened like this.<br />
However, the weight just kept coming off and with every meeting I was getting lighter and<br />
healthier. Most importantly I was looking at food in a different light and was learning so<br />
much about food in general.<br />
With these continual weight losses, I was so energised and enjoyed going to every<br />
meeting to see what the scales would say as well as making some new friends. I was on<br />
cloud nine, there is no stopping me. Emily is great and certainly a big part of my weight<br />
loss journey; she is definitely part of the reason that I am sticking this out.<br />
Aside from weight loss, I was starting to get excited about other things, like clothing. I<br />
could see all of my clothing was becoming far too big for me and I had to start buying<br />
smaller clothes and in a shop off the rack to boot.<br />
Have gone from a 46” to a 34” waist and that may drop a bit more. My tops were XXXL<br />
and are now MEDIUMS, which I never imagined in my wildest dreams would I be wearing<br />
anything with the medium moniker on it. That spurred me on even more.<br />
Friends and family who had not seen me in a while were astonished, I even got a friend<br />
to join as he wanted too lose some weight himself.<br />
My blood pressure and cholesterol have both come right down and I am not diabetic nor<br />
pre-diabetic. My joints feel great, I can move around much more easily and in fact do. I<br />
make a conscious effort to walk where I don’t really need the car and feel much better for<br />
doing so. My confidence has really shot up and is pushing me to do things I would not<br />
normally. Becoming scuba certified is an example. My life has changed for the better and<br />
is continuing to change.<br />
I started with Slimming World at 23.1 Stone and in 44 weeks I am sitting at 13.5 Stone.<br />
My journey is not ever yet and I have now set a target I would like to get to, although I<br />
may adjust this slightly.<br />
What this tells me is that anything is possible with some persistence, will power and the<br />
want to change. Knowing when to seek help is key and Slimming World has helped me<br />
no end. I have Sue and of course Emily to thank for being with me on this Journey.
Slimming World is not about a diet, every human being is on a diet of some sort, the word<br />
diet is used in the wrong way and so will have a negative connotation. It’s about a change<br />
in lifestyle and how we look at food. Slimming World gives you the freedom to make the<br />
right choices and is not about what you can’t have.<br />
I hope that I can help and inspire others to take that next step and become the person<br />
that they want to be.<br />
Slimming World has groups in Amersham and Chesham 6 days a week, including both<br />
morning and evening groups. If you want to see if your eligible for a free 12 week referral<br />
then call Be Healthy Bucks on 0333 230 0177.<br />
What do you have to lose?
Discover, Nurture, Grow<br />
Step into our nurseries, where we’re on a<br />
mission to nurture biodiversity and foster<br />
resilient ecosystems. Our mission? Growing<br />
strong trees & wildflowers from locallysourced<br />
seeds to plant out in our<br />
community.<br />
Tree Nursery<br />
Winchmore Hill, Amersham, HP7 0PQ<br />
Wildflower Nursery<br />
Hammersley Lane, High Wycombe, HP10 8HF<br />
Can't Volunteer? Sponsor a Tree! Your<br />
Donation Fuels Community Nursery Sessions.
Landlord Thermostat turns up the heat<br />
on popular television programme<br />
Timeeostat Ltd, a thermostat company, founded by landlord and entrepreneur Anthony<br />
Cherry, turned up the heat on Dragons’ Den last night. He took on the dragons, to pitch<br />
for investment, to launch a new model of his landlord thermostat.<br />
The appearance marks a significant milestone for Anthony, who was seeking investment<br />
to help launch new models of the Time:o:stat.<br />
Anthony showcased the success and potential of Time:o:stat to the formidable panel of<br />
Dragons, who are well-known for their impressive business acumen.<br />
Anthony shares his experience:<br />
‘Being a huge fan of Dragons’ Den, walking through the lift doors was both exciting and<br />
terrifying! It is every entrepreneurs dream to be pitching in front of the entrepreneurs, but I<br />
was definitely very nervous.’<br />
The Time:o:stat has rapidly grown to be a leading solution to high heating bills in rented<br />
accommodation. Anthony, an experienced landlord himself, noticed spiralling heating bills<br />
in his shared student houses (HMOs). Tenants would often leave the heating running<br />
when whey went out to work or university, resulting in wasted energy. As landlords are<br />
often responsible for the bills in HMO properties, these high heating costs would<br />
ultimately be passed on to tenants in rent increases.<br />
Anthony explains the problem:<br />
“Whilst carrying out routine maintenance at a property, I noticed a big problem. It was a<br />
hot summer's day, the tenants were out, the heating was on full blast, and the windows<br />
were wide open. When I spoke to the tenants, they said the thermostat was too<br />
complicated. They had no idea how to set the different heating times, so they just left the<br />
heating running continuously.”
A thermostat was desperately needed to help landlords reduce their heating bills, while<br />
allowing tenants to easily turn on the heating whenever required.<br />
The first Time:o:stat was initially intended just for use in Anthony’s rental properties. After<br />
seeing 40% savings on heating bills and positive feedback from tenants, Anthony decided<br />
to refine his invention, so other landlords could benefit. Since launch, Time:o:stat has<br />
garnered a loyal customer base among over 10,000 HMO and student landlords and can<br />
also be found in Airbnbs, holiday caravans and other serviced accommodation.<br />
The current model, the Time:o:stat Classic, is manufactured in the UK and recently won<br />
an award at the HMO awards. The Time:o:stat Classic is aimed at the student and<br />
professional HMO markets. The new Time:o:stat One, available for pre-order, is perfect<br />
for the guest markets of Airbnb and holiday caravans.<br />
Anthony grew up in Chesham and attended Chesham Grammer School. In addition to<br />
being a property developer and inventor, he is a qualified podiatrist. Anthony has run a<br />
popular podiatry clinic in Aylesbury for the last 15 years called Cherry Feet. He now lives<br />
with his wife and 3 children in Chesham Bois, close to his friends and family.<br />
Dragons’ Den Series 21, Episode 11 aired on BBC One at 8.00pm Thursday 14th March<br />
and is available on BBC iPlayer.
HOME & GARDEN<br />
NO PLACE LIKE HOME
Your ultimate spring gardening<br />
checklist - Dobbies Garden Centres<br />
As our gardens prepare to shake off the frost and welcome the vibrancy of spring, so<br />
begins the busiest season in a gardener’s calendar. Whether you’re a gardening pro, or<br />
you’re just starting your planting journey, Dobbies’ Horticultural Director, Marcus Eyles,<br />
has outlined his top tips on how you can get the most from your outdoor space, beginning<br />
in early spring and continuing through to later in the season.<br />
Marcus’ spring gardening checklist includes:<br />
1. Clean and tidy<br />
2. Design your beds and borders<br />
3. Plant for colour<br />
4. Grow your own<br />
5. Refresh your pots<br />
6. Lawncare<br />
7. Welcome wildlife<br />
8. Collect water
Clean and tidy<br />
Spring cleaning your garden is an essential first step when it comes to preparing for the<br />
year ahead, and if you have been maintaining your garden throughout the winter months,<br />
this will be an easy job.<br />
One of the simplest ways to tidy up your garden is by neatening your beds and borders<br />
for the growing season, removing weeds and applying a good layer of mulch over the<br />
surface with organic compost. Marcus notes that not only will mulching help tidy up the<br />
appearance of your garden, but it will break down into the soil and give your plants a<br />
nutrient boost for spring. There is a whole new range of Dobbies own brand gardening<br />
tools landing in store from February, priced from £4.99, which will really help with those<br />
spring cleaning sessions.<br />
Deciduous grasses that have been left over winter to protect wildlife can be cut back now<br />
to make way for new season growth, and Marcus recommends raking growth of<br />
evergreen grasses to remove any dead foliage. Design your beds and borders Spring is<br />
the ideal time to get your beds and borders in shape for the warmer months. In early<br />
spring, once you have removed weeds, the next step is to trim back any winter flowering<br />
plants where blooms have started to fade and prune summer flowering shrubs like<br />
Buddleia, Lavatera and hardy Fuschias to allow room for new growth. In later spring,<br />
Marcus recommends pruning early spring flowering shrubs once flowering has finished.<br />
Wisteria can be pruned to encourage strong flower buds by cutting side shoots back to<br />
just a few buds.<br />
To give your garden structure, Marcus recommends planting deciduous shrubs. You<br />
should also tend to your evergreen trees, shrubs and hedges by feeding them with a<br />
slow-release general purpose fertiliser.
Plant for colour<br />
One of the most enjoyable spring gardening jobs is planting, however, Marcus notes that<br />
the time to do so will depend on weather. As such, gardeners in southern parts of<br />
England will likely be able to start their spring planting earlier than those up north and in<br />
Scotland, as planting summer bulbs should be done when all risk of frost has passed.<br />
Marcus says that when soil warms up in late spring, most gardeners across the UK will be<br />
able to enjoy planting summer flowering bulbs like Dobbies’ new-in Dahlias, Lilies and<br />
Gladioli. Dobbies has a brand new range of summer flowering bulbs which are in store<br />
now, priced £4.99. There is even an exclusive bulb, Dahlia Bright Eyes.<br />
Early spring is the perfect time to plant new Roses for a blooming summer display in<br />
June, but Marcus advises ensuring you prune existing Rose bushes back before the new<br />
season leaves begin to unfurl. In late spring, Marcus also suggests thinking about the<br />
next growing season and planting out the likes of Petunias and Impatiens, also known as<br />
Busy Lizzies. These can be grown indoors from seed or buy young plants ready for when<br />
the soil has warmed up and will put on a colourful display from summer through to late<br />
autumn. Grow your own 3 / 5 Marcus says that now is a wonderful time to plant fruit and<br />
vegetables for a summer harvest and that a lot of produce can be grown inside from seed<br />
and then planted outdoors in spring once temperatures warm up. Dobbies’ new grow your<br />
own seed range includes Spinach Medania, Basil Serrata, Chinese Cabbage, Spring<br />
Onions and Radishes can be bought now and grown indoors, in a greenhouse or on a<br />
windowsill, before being planted outside in late spring, with prices from just £1.99. Marcus<br />
notes that getting your crops accustomed to outdoors, or ‘hardening off’, is vital to their<br />
growth. Once the risk of frost has passed, Marcus suggests planting your seeds outside<br />
during the day in a semi-sheltered position and bringing them back indoors at night. Keep<br />
an eye on the weather and if you think the elements might harm your plants, lay frost<br />
fleece over top creating an air pocket and peg down properly to ensure the fleece stays<br />
put during windy spells. Frost fleece also comes in handy when planting soft fruits like<br />
apricots, peaches and nectarines as cold temperatures can cause damage to their<br />
blossom and prevent fruit from setting.
Refresh your pots<br />
To enjoy instant colour in your garden this spring, Marcus recommends refreshing your<br />
pots, hanging baskets and window boxes with early season Primroses, Pansies and<br />
spring flowering Heathers. Bluebells in pots and Ribes Sanguineum, or Flowering<br />
Currants, can also be planted in late spring for a country garden effect. One of Marcus’s<br />
favourite ways to make an impact with your containers plants is to focus on colour themes<br />
in concentrated groupings. Hot colours and shades of red, orange and pink are favoured<br />
in the warmer months but displays of yellow Daffodils and blue Primroses, Pansies or<br />
Violas can be effective in spring to welcome the new season. To give your pots a<br />
makeover for spring, Marcus suggests taking stock of what you already have and<br />
reorganising them for a fresh look. Sets of three work well and will allow you to create an<br />
impactful display with small, medium and large plants of different heights beside your<br />
door.<br />
Lawncare<br />
Depending on the weather, early spring is the time to get your lawn ready for sowing by<br />
cultivating soil and making sure the area is level and firm. Marcus says before you do<br />
anything you should make sure any debris is cleared from your lawn. As we get into<br />
spring and the weather heats up, you can begin to rake out moss and dead grass. If<br />
you’re looking to feed your lawn, Gro-Sure Fast Acting Lawn Seed, £9.99, can be used<br />
for early sowers and germinates in as low as 7 degrees. Other lawn treatments should<br />
only be used in late spring once temperatures rise, as during the colder months, grass is<br />
still quite tender and this can damage it. In terms of when to first mow your lawn, Marcus<br />
recommends keeping an eye on the weather. When you see the grass growing and<br />
there’s no more frost, you can give it the first light cut of the season, making sure the<br />
blades are kept on their highest setting so as not to scalp the lawn.
Welcome wildlife<br />
Spring is the perfect time to welcome wildlife into your garden as small animals come out<br />
of hibernation and new birds hatch into life. To ensure your garden is a safe space for<br />
wildlife, Marcus suggests dedicating a small section of your garden to creating a wildlifefriendly<br />
habitat with pollinating plants and places for small animals and insects to shelter.<br />
You can create a safe space for them by stacking branches in a shaded spot to help<br />
protect them from the elements. Dobbies has a fantastic range of bird seed to welcome<br />
new birds into your garden this spring, and Marcus advises in addition to this, in early<br />
spring, you should keep an eye on bird baths to make sure they have not frozen over,<br />
and top up with fresh water daily.<br />
Collect water<br />
Marcus says that spring is a fantastic time to collect rainfall in water butts for use in the<br />
warmer months, and Dobbies has a range of interconnecting water butts so you can<br />
maximise rainfall in your garden. Any shed, greenhouse or garage can be used to collect<br />
water and conserve it for next summer as long as it has gutters and a down pipe to a<br />
drain at ground level. Doing this will help you reduce water usage in the event of a long<br />
dry spell in the summer and Marcus notes that rainwater is actually better for young<br />
plants and seeds as it has a low pH and no chemicals, unlike water from the mains.<br />
Marcus’ spring gardening toolkit Dobbies Garden Spade, £22.99 Dobbies Border Fork<br />
£22.99 Dobbies Soil Rake £22.99 Dobbies Lawn Rake £22.99 and Lawn Edging Shears<br />
£32.99 Dobbies Stiff Brush £9.99<br />
For more spring gardening advice, and to find your nearest Dobbies store, visit<br />
www.dobbies.com.
HOME TRENDS<br />
BRIDGERTON<br />
Dearest Gentle Reader,<br />
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HOME TRENDS<br />
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