Cotswold Essence Sept-November 2014

Inspiring life in
the Cotswolds
Issue 40
September/October
/November
THE MAGAZINE AT THE HEART OF THE COTSWOLDS
FOOD&DRINK
|
HEALTH&BEAUTY
|
HOTELS
|
HOMES&GARDENS
|
LIFESTYLE
|
MOTORS
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk
F
r
e
e
WHY A
CELEB
MEET THE
WOMAN
THE
ACTOR
WOULDNT WANT
A RED CARPET
WHO SWAPPED
CORPORATE FOR
CAMELLIAS
FOLLOWING
IN HIS
BROTHERS
FOOTSTEPS
TICKETS TO
THE FESTIVE
GIFT FAIR
WIN
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COTSWOLDESSENCE
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September - November 2014
Advertising
Sales Manager
Dean Amos
Cotswold Essence Magazine
74 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL2 2PW.
01285 642642
dean.amos@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
Advertising Sales
Helen Perry 01285 627304
helen.perry@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
Darren Tandy 01285 627310
darren.tandy@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
Helen Gray 01285 627312
helen.gray@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
Tracie Baker 01453 544000
tracie.baker@gazetteseries.co.uk
Linda Shipton 01453 769413
linda.shipton@stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk
Nathan Green 01453 769412
nathan.green@stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk
Property Advertising Sales
Wendy McCafferty 01285 627306
wendy.mccafferty@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
Editor
Sue Smith 01453 769411
sue.smith@stroudnewsandjournal.co.uk
Whats On
Tonia Stratford 01285 627327
tonia.stratford@wiltsglosstandard.co.uk
COTSWOLDESSENCE Magazine
Issue 40
Sue Smith
Editor
~
Cotswold Essence Magazine
Publisher Julia Lancett
Editor Sue Smith
Advertising Dean Amos
Design Katie Adams
Photography Tom Wren, Steve Richards
Richard Pasco
September - October 2014
Published quarterly by:
A Division of Newsquest Media (Southern) Limited.
A Gannett Company.
58 Church Street, Weybridge KT13 8DP.
Reg. Number 1350 England
Contributors
C
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p
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b
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T
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W
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Enjoy!
EDITORS
W
elcome
WE might have got off to a dreadful
start with the weather at the
beginning of the year but my
goodness we have more than made
up for it.
These past few months of
seemingly endless, glorious
sunshine, somehow make the entry
into autumn a little easier to face,
dont you think?
It will soon be time to start
putting the garden to bed and doing
all those end of summer jobs such
as cutting back and finding cover
for anything delicate that needs
protecting from the frost.
If gardening hasnt become your
passion yet it soon might if you read
the article on Caroline Tatham who
runs the Cotswold Gardening
School.
A high-flier in the corporate
world, Caroline decided to go back
to nature and now runs courses on
how to plan and design your outside
space, not matter how big or small.
But if you are heading indoors for
a make-over before the winter
appears, you might like the chance
to gets some tips for colour in your
home from colour consultant Jane
Peckitt from Strouds independent
retailer Baileys Paints.
We seem to be tripping over
ourselves in this issue with
go-getters from secretary by day and
author by night, Paula Coston,
young actor Mike Beckingham who
despite having a famous brother in
the business is determined to do it
his way and action man Kenton
Cool who seems to take the view,
why scale Everest once when you
can do it eleven times.
Theres also young entrepreneur
Harriet Wilson who bought an old
ice-cream maker from a car boot
sale for 12 and has now sells ice-
cream in one of the trendiest
burger bars/farm shops in the
Cotswolds. Her distinctive silver
iconic Airstream caravan is
unmissable on the A419 from
Cirencester to Stroud.
While we hate to mention the C
word this early, we also have ten
pairs of tickets to give away to the
Festive Gift Fair held at the NEC
where you can scoop up all your
Christmas shopping under one roof.
Sue Bradley
Tonia Stratford
Lottie Keble
Caroline Peyton
Carrie Rose
Kate Wilson
Megan Archer
Brendan McFadden
Elliot Cass
Rebecca Jones
Skip Walker
Beth Whittaker
Nicola Walton
Simon Thomson
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COTSWOLDESSENCE
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C
o
n
t
e
n
t
s
Issue 40
43, 44
FEELING HOT,
HOT, HOT
Most people prefer to lie on a
sunlounger when the temperature
reaches 40 degrees but at the Ella &
Fleur Hot Yoga studios, thats the
time to start stretching.
WHATS ON
69, 70, 71, 72
Dinosaurs and butterflies. Your
guide to whats happening near you.
HOMES
19 - 42
Caroline Tatham describes herself as
a pit pony born to work which is
just as well having taken on
Gossington Hall which she is
renovating while running the
Cotswold Gardening School and her
own garden design business.
COTSWOLD
FEATURES
53 -68
HRH The Princess Royal travels to
the Isle of Skye to unveil the Sky
Terriers created by Wiltshire artist
Georgie Welch and cast by Pangolin
Editions, Europes leading sculpture
foundry based in Gloucestershire.
Actor Sean Peggs brother Mike
Beckingham is following in his
footsteps but determined to do it his
way and action man Kenton Cool
takes on Everest for the eleventh
expedition.
FOOD
75 85
Pop into the Jolly Nice Cafe and you
will find that it is, well, jolly nice.
Why Prosecco is taking centre stage
and rustle up a caramelised and red
onion pastie to keep you warm when
the nights start to draw in.
43
28
76
PROPERTIES
SOME OF THE BEST
COTSWOLD PROPERTIES
TO BUY AND RENT
Buying&Letting
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COTSWOLDESSENCE
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Keeping everything rosy in the garden
COTSWOLD
Properties
WHETHER its a haven of peace and
tranquillity, somewhere for the kids to play, a
place for the family to enjoy al fresco dining
or for the adults to indulge in a glass of wine
as the sun sets, a well-maintained garden can
be a real asset to the property landlord.
Landlords in the Cotswolds are fortunate
that land is less of a premium as it is in the
cities. Outside of the market towns, many
rural properties enjoy the benefit of sizeable
gardens, without the added expense this
would incur in built-up areas. In many cases
the size of a garden might seem
disproportionate to the size of the property.
Two bedroom Cotswold cottages with large
gardens and even paddocks are not
unusual.
When letting a property with a garden, the
appearance of the grounds can be as
important as the state of the house. When a
landlord is looking for new tenants, he or she
should ensure that the grass is cut and that
hedges are trimmed back. Gates should be in
good working order and fences and walls
should be upright. Remember: these are the
things a potential tenant will see before he or
she has even stepped foot inside the house.
Before the property is let, it is important to
agree guidelines with the tenant preferably
in writing as to what is, and is not,
acceptable in the garden. Naturally, few
landlords would object to the planting of small
shrubs and flowers, but the digging of ponds,
construction of brick barbeques, water
features or rockeries, erection of sheds and
greenhouses or any other significant
landscaping should be agreed between
landlord and tenant before work commences.
As a bare minimum, the tenant should be
advised again in writing, and ideally as part
of the tenancy agreement that it is their
responsibility to maintain the garden,
including regularly cutting the grass and
keeping bushes and shrubs under control.
Of increasing popularity are landlord-
maintained gardens. The landlord agrees that
they will retain the responsibility to maintain
the grounds, recouping the cost through a
slightly increased rent. This is particularly
attractive to cash-rich, time-poor professional
tenants, and in some cases might prove a real
selling point when a large garden might seem
attractive, but the hours of work in
maintaining it are not so.
Of course, landlords need not push the
mower themselves newsagents windows and
parish magazines usually carry advertisements
from semi-professional gardeners very often
recently-retired people looking to supplement
their pensions who offer mowing, cutting
and even digging and planting at a reasonable
rate.
Employing a gardener also ensures a
continuity of care, something the landlord
may not get with a succession of different
green-fingered tenants.
It is very important that a tenant leaves the
garden in the state that he or she found it. An
inventory is as important in the garden as it is
inside the house, and photographs of the
garden on the day the tenant moves in, as a
supplement to the tenancy agreement, will
hopefully settle disagreements about how long
the grass was!
Finally, for landlords with obtrusive trees or
hedges for example fast- and tall-growing
conifers like Leylandii, legislated for under the
Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003, ancient
trees with preservation orders (Town and
Country Planning Act 1990) or trees deemed
dangerous (Local Government Act 1976) on
their properties, it might be worth taking
advice from a lettings expert before deciding
under whose duty of care these should come.

Moore Allen & Innocent have been
successfully letting and managing property for
years and our reputation speaks for itself. Our
fee structure is simple and competitive whilst
our service is professional, comprehensive and
tailored to the needs of the individual
Landlord. We are experienced in providing
investors with all kinds of information and
intelligence about an area, either prior to
buying or for those who already own
properties, and we know how to make the
most of the selling points of a particular area
or property. Coupled with excellent local
knowledge and a personal, friendly approach,
it all adds up to a quality service and peace of
mind for you.
For further information and a no
obligation chat on letting or managing your
property, please contact Paul Oughton or
Issy McCarthy at Moore Allen & Innocent
in Cirencester on 01285 648 118 or Nancy
Haughton or Lorraine Kyte in Lechlade on
01367 253 138 or email: lettings@
mooreallen.co.uk
A well maintained garden can be a real asset to landlords
16
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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COTSWOLD
Properties
PROPERTIES
TO BUY
SOUTH Farm at Castle Eaton
on the Gloucestershire/
Wiltshire border occupies a
very private setting, amidst
open countryside. The nearby
village of Castle Eaton has a
pub, church and village hall,
whilst Cricklade (about 3 miles)
has a good range of everyday
shops and services.
The house is approached
down a long drive and is built
in the vernacular Cotswold
style with attractive gabled
elevations. The accommodation
is ideal for both entertaining
and modern family living and
unlike many houses of this
style, there are plenty of
windows which flood the rooms
with light. A large reception
hall immediately gives a good
feeling of space, whilst the
drawing room is an impressive
37 feet in length. This room
has windows on three sides, a
stone flagged floor and a large
stone fireplace. The cosy sitting
room also
overlooks the gardens and
has an open fireplace. On the
opposite side of the hall is the
dining room, again with
windows on three sides and
with space for a large dining
table.
The kitchen is well-equipped
with an extensive range of
Mark Wilkinson painted
wooden units having granite
worktops, an Aga, electric hob,
oven and microwave. A wide
archway leads through to the
breakfast room which has an
excellent outlook over the
garden. There is also a walk-in
larder, large utility and boot
room. Beyond this is the indoor
swimming pool which has a
glazed roof and sliding glazed
doors onto the terrace and
garden.
A handsome staircase leads
from the reception hall to the
first
floor. The master bedroom is
first class, with two dressing
rooms, a bathroom and a large
A BEAUTIFULLY
presented Grade II Listed
family house with planning
permission to extend and a
large garden, quietly
situated in an elevated
south facing setting on the
edge of this popular village.
In all about 1.25 acres.
Penn House is situated
on elevated ground on the
southern edge of the
popular village of Oakridge
Lynch, overlooking the
Golden Valley. The house is
thought to date back to the
late 17th Century with
more recent additions and
is Grade II Listed. The
current owners have made
considerable improvements
to the house within the last
few years, including
re-wiring, re-plastering,
plumbing, replacing the
bathrooms and extending
and refurbishing the
kitchen. They have also
obtained planning
permission to add a
substantial single storey
extension to the side and
rear of the house, as well as
converting an unused attic
to provide a 6th double
bedroom with an en-suite
bathroom. Planning
permission has also been
A perfect family house, privately
situated in the middle of its land
Delightful Cotswold stone
family house in a lovely location
granted for the erection of a new
double garage with a studio space
above. The house stands centrally
in its plot and there are areas of
gently sloping lawn to the front and
back. A spring fed stream runs
down the side of the garden and
cascades down a grassy bank to a
natural pond with a magnificent
Gunnera. A gravel terrace in front
of the house is flanked by lavender
and a Cotswold stone retaining wall
from which a short flight of semi-
circular stone steps lead down to
the lawn. Glazed double doors lead
from the terrace into the kitchen,
making this an ideal area for
outside dining. Planning permission
has been granted for the erection of
a new double garage with a studio
space above. Contact Knight
Frank on 01285 659771
bedroom. There are five further bedrooms on this floor and three bath/
shower rooms (two of which are en suite).
South Farm is not Listed.
Contact Strutt & Parker on 01285 6532101
HOME&
GARDENS
COTSWOLD GARDENING SCHOOL
MALVERN AUTUMN SHOW
A COLOUR CONSULTATION FOR
YOUR HOME
THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR
ON THE CARPET WITH MARK CANE
20
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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CAROLINE Tatham has always been
ahead of the field when it comes to
determining future trends.
For 15 years she was at the forefront of
fashion, designing new clothing ranges for
Marks & Spencer and Disney and teaching
at the prestigious St Martins College.
She even wrote a book on fashion design
drawing thats been translated into several
languages, including, as she points out with
a twinkle in her eye, French.
Yet after several years Caroline was ready
to leave the corporate world and, after
having her children, retrained as a garden
designer.
I used to work in air conditioned offices
and didnt notice the seasons changing, she
recalls. I would be surprised when I went
outside and found it was snowing.
Ive always been a passionate gardener;
even in London I used to fill every possible
inch of space with window boxes
I love having my children but I struggled
with being a full time mother. I am like a pit
pony: I am made to work. Creativity is an
important part of me and in the end my
husband practically forced me to do a
garden design course.
Even in the seemingly sedate world of
horticulture, Caroline quickly proved to be a
high flier, graduating as the top student
from the prestigious English Gardening
Schools design course and being named the
runner up in the Society of Garden
Designers student of the year award in 2006.
She went on to work as a garden design
lecturer at the EGS, while simultaneously
studying plants and plantsmanship there.
Subsequently, Carolines reputation rose
to an even higher plane when she took part
in the ITV series Garden for Eden,
presented by Melinda Messinger, on which
she was the runner up.
I got to build a garden at the Eden
Project, Caroline recalls. Doing the
programme got me some nice jobs. As a
garden designer, getting those first jobs
under your belt is quite a challenge.
Carolines approach to garden design is
similar in some ways to the world of fashion,
from which she borrows concepts such as
mood boards to help communicate ideas to
clients.
At the end of the day its still colour,
shape and texture, whether its garments or
gardens, she laughs.
A good garden designer builds up a
relationship with a customer. Designers
cant live in ivory towers, they have to be
sensitive to a clients needs.
Class is in session
COTSWOLD
Garden
From the cutting edge of clothing to the green shoots of new gardens,
Caroline Tatham has long been at the vanguard of fashion. Sue Bradley
caught up with her at her gardening school and design practice
in the Cotswolds.
21
Inspiring life in the Cotswolds
In 2009 Caroline, her husband
Mark and two children took on
Gossington Hall, a property built in
1695 and surrounded by various
outhouses, nine acres of land and a
Medieval stew pond, all of which had
been neglected in recent years.
Its from here that Caroline now
runs her design practice along with
The Cotswold Gardening School,
through which she is nurturing a new
generation of designers and providing
a range of courses to help people to
find an outlet for their creativity.
Her students come from various
walks of life, from young people just
starting out to others who are
retraining after years in another
career as a result of redundancy,
illness or wanting a change. Several
are gardeners looking to add a design
element to the services they offer.
Courses at the Cotswold Gardening
School range from one year
professional diplomas in garden
design, accredited by Bridgwater
College, and 10 week modules on
various areas of horticulture to day
courses in everything from flower
arranging and container gardening to
Christmas Wreath making.
The school is involved in mentoring
the RHS Malvern Spring Festivals
Festival Garden exhibitors, a new
initiative introduced to inspire and
encourage newcomers to try their
hand at garden design.
Just as the Chelsea Fringe is
becoming more important, we want to
capture a bit of that energy and
anarchy and bring it into the festival
gardens, says Caroline, who will also
be working in partnership with
Highgrove to deliver a floral
masterclass at a special lunch later
this year.
Alongside her businesses, Caroline
and her husband, Mark, are busy
renovating their home and developing
its grounds, a project that has already
resulted in the planting of the first
stages of a circular maze, which
provides an intriguing garden feature
and helps to filter noise from the A38
and M5.
I believe a good garden design
should turn a problem into a virtue,
she explains. The more problems
there are, the more creative solutions
there are to find.
Elsewhere theres a meadow
planted with colourful trees such as
crab apples and cherries, into which a
grid of paths have been mown
through the long grasses, an idea
inspired by Le Jardin de Plume in
Caroline looks through some
designs with her students
22
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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Normandy.
Caroline has even created no less than half
a kilometre of borders within a small space,
which she has designed to fit the limited
hours she has out in the garden.
One hundred years ago somebody living
in a house like this would have had four or
five gardeners working for them: now its just
me working one day a month, she explains.
This garden is a study of what you can do
with little effort.
I like the idea of matrix planting; using
one type of plant to keep another at bay. I do
very little weeding: I take out nettles, dock
and creeping thistle and rely on the plants for
the rest. To do that its important to
understand cultural conditions.
Everyone who is creating a garden is
making their own personal Eden. Gardening
is actually about control and I think were
learning to let go of our control a little bit.
This letting go, such as leaving seed heads
to stand during winter and using fewer
chemicals, is better for the environment.
We have gone from the Victorian of box
edges and plants from every corner of the
Empire to actually embracing nature and
realising that plants considered weeds can
actually be reframed as wild flowers and
actually enjoyed rather than being cleared
out.
Now were working with nature and still
creating something beautiful.
Cotswold Gardening School is at
Gossington Hall, Gossington,
Gloucestershire GL2 7DN
Tel : 01453 899018
www.cotswoldgardeningschool.co.uk
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COTSWOLDESSENCE
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Post all entries to Cotswold Essence (name of competition) 6 Lansdown, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1BE
#
COTSWOLD
Comps
tickets to the
Festive Gift Fair
ITS never too early to plan
your Christmas shopping.
Cotswold Essence has 10 pairs
of tickets to give away to this
annual sparkling event held at
the NEC, Birmingham which
takes place between November
20 and 23.
Half the fun of Christmas is
finding wonderful, unusual
and affordable presents. If you
like a lot of choice, then this is
the Fair for you.
So pop along in November,
do all your Christmas
Shopping in one fell swoop,
AND have a fun day out with
friends. There are always
brilliant show offers, fabulous
ideas and affordable presents
for everyone.
Have yourself a good day
out, avoiding the humdrum of
the High Street and experience
the magic of festive Christmas
shopping in comfort, well away
from the cold and wet weather
outside.
Choose from thousands of
affordable Christmas presents
for everyone on your
Christmas list. Shop with your
friends and buy all your gifts,
solve your entertaining
dilemmas for the big feast, as
well as buying treats for
yourself.
All you have to do to be in
with a chance of winning a
pair of tickets to this festive
event is answer the question on
the coupon and send it to:
Cotswold Essence/Festive
Fair Competion, 6
Lansdown, Stroud, Glos GL5
1BE to arrive no later than
noon on Friday, October 31,
2014.
Q.WHERE IS THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR
HELD IN NOVEMBER?
A ..........................................................................................................................
Name ..................................................................................................................
Address ..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
Daytime tel no ..................................................................................................
WIN!
Post all entries to Cotswold Essence (name of competition) 6 Lansdown, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1BE
#
COTSWOLD
Comps
tickets to the
Festive Gift Fair
ITS never too early to plan
your Christmas shopping.
Cotswold Essence has 10 pairs
of tickets to give away to this
annual sparkling event held at
the NEC, Birmingham which
takes place between November
20 and 23.
Half the fun of Christmas is
finding wonderful, unusual
and affordable presents. If you
like a lot of choice, then this is
the Fair for you.
So pop along in November,
do all your Christmas
Shopping in one fell swoop,
AND have a fun day out with
friends. There are always
brilliant show offers, fabulous
ideas and affordable presents
for everyone.
Have yourself a good day
out, avoiding the humdrum of
the High Street and experience
the magic of festive Christmas
shopping in comfort, well away
from the cold and wet weather
outside.
Choose from thousands of
affordable Christmas presents
for everyone on your
Christmas list. Shop with your
friends and buy all your gifts,
solve your entertaining
dilemmas for the big feast, as
well as buying treats for
yourself.
All you have to do to be in
with a chance of winning a
pair of tickets to this festive
event is answer the question on
the coupon and send it to:
Cotswold Essence/Festive
Fair Competion, 6
Lansdown, Stroud, Glos GL5
1BE to arrive no later than
noon on Friday, October 31,
2014.
Q.WHERE IS THE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR
HELD IN NOVEMBER?
A ..........................................................................................................................
Name ..................................................................................................................
Address ..............................................................................................................
..............................................................................................................................
Daytime tel no ..................................................................................................
WIN!
COTSWOLD
Feature
OUR installation team have been very busy
during the month of July with the VAT FREE
offer we did which sadly has come to an end.
We believe this to be due to outstanding
customer service, competitive pricing and most
of all a vast range of Stoves to suit all tastes.
We have a few new manufactures within our
current range, most notably the Di Lusso line
up. These are efficient (79%), sleek and very
stylish. The Di Lusso range are also DEFRA
Approved and British Made! On the
traditional side of stoves we have models from
Avalon, Eco Ideal, Parkray, Cleanburn,
Hunter and Villager.
Those who missed the VAT FREE offer we
did will be pleased to know that we will have a
few offers on selected
stoves for the month of
August. You could save
upto 100 off selected models
from Parkray & Eco Ideal.
We have also been busy expanding our
Showroom to cater for additional display
Stoves and Accessories. We carry spares such
as Firebricks, Door Seal Rope, Glass, Paints,
Polishes and Cleaners to help keep your stove
looking its best. NEW IN FACTORY
COLOUR MATCH STOVE PAINTS.
As a company we are a HETAS Registered
Retail outlet, we also have our own in house
installation team who are HETAS Qualified
Advisors & Installers. The majority of our
installs are led by Jon Risby & Andy
Boyle. The Stove Store Cirencester can offer
you the complete package of supply only or
supply & install. In addition to these services
we also offer Chimney Sweeping, Relining and
Building Works.
We have a live burning display in our
showroom with 3 popular models from
Villager, Cleanburn & Parkray. Come and
visit us at Austins Country Store, 17 Love
Lane, Cirencester, GL7 1YG. Tel: 01285
653258.
The Stove Store
Here at The Stove Store Cirencester, a
local family owned business we are
proving very popular with the local
residents of Cirencester and the Cotswolds.
28
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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COTSWOLD
Home
Colour your life
TRANSFORMING a large, rambling
completely beige Cotswold farmhouse into
a gorgeous family home is quite another.
Business psychologist Caroline Laidlaw
and her family bought their lovely house
near Tetbury to be nearer her parents in
Gloucestershire but she admits she was
stumped when it came to decorating the
place.
It has lots of rooms; it was all painted
beige. I was clueless, admits Caroline. I
had all sorts of ideas, and had seen some
fantastic wallpapers and fabrics; I knew I
wanted amazing strong colour but I didnt
have any confidence that I would get it right,
without help.
One of the top paint manufacturers came
to her rescue by recommending Jane Peckitt,
the highly experienced in-house colour
consultant at Strouds own independent
paint retailer Bailey Paints.
I couldnt believe my luck in finding
Jane, says Caroline. I found it completely
bewildering trying to choose from all the
paints and fabrics out there, but she took me
and the house - completely in hand and I
am absolutely thrilled at the results.
Jane is exactly the right person to help
you through what can be a complete
minefield; she told me it was essential to sort
all the fabrics first for curtains and
upholstery and only then think about paint
colours.
She has such a huge amount of
experience and knowledge, she was able to
find exactly the right colours Bailey Paints
were even able to create a copy of a fabulous,
but discontinued, Little Greene paint colour
which I hankered after.
At the same time, Jane was happy to
challenge me, in the nicest possible way, and
lead me gently towards the right decisions.
Now our home is now exactly how I
dreamed it would be.
There was only one room where I
insisted on the colour in my study I have
Cole and Sons gold monkey wallpaper and I
also wanted dark brown walls. Im afraid the
brown doesnt quite work could even be
described as poo brown - but that serves me
right for not taking Janes advice! she
laughs. All the other rooms are perfect
though!
I cant recommend Jane and Bailey
Paints highly enough; extraordinarily good
value for such huge knowledge and
experience.
Decorating a small London townhouse in your 20s is one thing...
By Beth Whittaker
Caroline and Jane spent
about 24 hours in total
agreeing all the colours for
the house but Janes
expert knowledge and
experience can be put to
equally good use in just a
couple of hours with a
smaller home or even
just one room.
Before becoming Bailey
Paints expert Paint and
Colour consultant, Jane
ran her own all-female
decorating business in the
Cotswolds for 15 years.
During that time, she grew
to value the support of the
team at Bailey Paints to
create the colours her
clients wanted, buying all
paint from the Thrupp-
based business.
Now she is on the other
side of the interiors fence
helping home owners as
well as interior designers
and decorators - choose the
perfect colours and
offering a personal
consultancy service to
those who need it, drawing
on more than 20 years
experience.
Home consultancy visits
from Jane are very
affordable at just 30 for
the first hour, and 15 per
subsequent hour. Clients
also get three free tester
pots and a discount cash
account at Bailey Paints.
Our service saves
people a huge amount of
time if you dont know
your way around the
thousands of paint colours
it can take ages to find the
right one, says Jane. It
also saves the frustration
and cost - of buying lots of
tester pots, none of which
turn out right. After all
these years, I know just
where to look to find the
right colours from the full
range of top brands
including Little Greene,
Farrow & Ball, Dulux,
Paint & Paper Library and
Sanderson. Its about
helping people to truly
express themselves in their
own homes whether in a
mansion or a two-bed
semi.
Acclaimed interiors
company Lewis and Wood,
based at Woodchester near
Stroud, is also happy to
recommend Bailey Paints
and Janes services to their
clients when finding the
right paint to match their
designer wallpapers and
fabrics and vice versa.
And a similar mutual
respect exists with another
much-loved local firm,
Scumble Goosie, renowned
makers of furniture
blanks.
Louise Townsend, who
runs Bailey Paints with
husband Richard, said:
We are more than happy
to work with other local
businesses to help our
customers find the right
answer to their decorating
challenges.
Theres almost too
much choice now in terms
of paint colours, so a lot of
Jane discusses colours with Caroline
Jane Peckitt
our customers really appreciate
the savings they can make in terms
of time, and money, by using our
brilliant Paint and Colour
consultant Jane.
Bailey Paints was first established
almost 120 years ago in Thrupp
near Stroud and continues to be a
family-owned business. Bailey
Paints offers expert, professional
advice and sales of paints, varnishes
and specialist finishes for retail and
trade clients, stocking all the top
brands including Little Greene,
Farrow & Ball, Dulux, Paint &
Paper Library and Sanderson as
well as manufacturing its own
paint.
Home consultations by Bailey
Paints Paint and Colour consultant
Jane Peckitt are charged at 30 for
the first hour, 15 per hour for each
subsequent hour, agreed with the
client in advance.
www.baileypaints.co.uk/ 01453
882237.
#
WIN!
A colour consultation for your
home. The prize consists of a two
hour home consultation with Jane
Peckitt (within a 30 mile radius of
Cirencester). This would follow an
initial phone chat or visit to
Baileys to talk to Jane.
The runner up will win a voucher
for free introduction to Shabby
Chic Techniques workshop in
October or in the New Year.
All Essence readers who enter will
receive a 10 percent discount at
Baileys Paints
The closing date for entry is
Friday, September 29, 2014.
WHEN WAS BAILEYS
PAINTS ESTABLISHED?
A ............................................................
Name ....................................................
................................................................
Address ................................................
................................................................
................................................................
Daytime tel no ...................................
................................................................
I would like to be kept informed
about Baileys Paints products
and promotions
34
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
Its that time again...
COTSWOLD
Garden
VOLUMPTUOUS vegetables were the talk
of the Three Counties when The Malvern
Autumn Show hosted the UK National
Giant Vegetables Championship for the first
time last year.
New records were set by a 54 kilo swede,
an 8.35 kilo carrot and a 5.93 metre-long
parsnip, while a 255 kilo pumpkin was
judged the largest of a row of 10 Halloween
heavyweights.
Soon the monster vegetables will be back
when the Malvern Autumn Show returns
for its two-day celebration of food,
gardening, harvests and nostalgia on
September 27 and 28.
This years competition will include a
class for the largest collection of soup
vegetables, while a giant pumpkin carver
will be creating a jack-o-lantern guaranteed
to scare off the bravest of ghosts.
The Harvest Pavilion will also host the
prestigious Midlands vegetable Society
Championships and competitions for prize
blooms, delicious baking and skilfully made
crafts.
Some 600 entries are expected for the
poultry show, which has been upgraded to a
UK championship event, while the British
Rabbit Council will be holding its own
event on the Sunday.
There will be a new pavilion dedicated to
hops and beer to complement the Orchard
Pavilion celebrating perry, cider, apples and
pears.
Gardening celebrities Monty Don and Joe
Swift from BBCs Gardeners World will be
putting in appearances, the cookery theatre
will host a variety of local chefs and the
Good Life Pavilion will be the location for
three feature gardens.
There will be opportunities to drive
Landrovers, inspect gleaming vintage
motorbikes and vehicles, learn dances from
the 1940s and watch aerobatic plane
displays.
Other attractions include country
pursuits, archery, parades of animals,
demonstrations of forgotten skills, Young
The Malvern Autumn Show promises something for all the family. Sue Bradley
looks at whats coming up and theres a chance for Cotswold Essence readers
to win free tickets for this years event.
35
Farmers Club competitions and countless shopping
opportunities.
The Malvern Autumn Show is a celebration of food,
gardening and nostalgia, says shows manager Doreen
Smillie.
We are delighted to have Monty Don as our headline
guest this year. He will be appearing in the Good Life
Pavilion talking to TV gardener Joe Swift on Sunday
September 28.
Meanwhile our vintage village, which has proved such a
hit with visitors over the past couple of years, will be even
bigger and better this year.
36
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
WIN!
A Pair of tickets to the Malvern Autumn Show
Cotswold Essence has three pairs of tickets to give away for
this years Malvern Autumn Show.
To stand a chance of winning, answer the following
question and send your completed coupon to:
Cotswold Essence/Malvern Show Competition, 6
Lansdown, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1BE to arrive no
later than noon on Friday, September 19, 2014.
Q: ON WHICH WEEKLY BBC TELEVISION
PROGRAMME DO MONTY DON AND JOE
SWIFT APPEAR?
#
A ......................................................................................................................
Name ..............................................................................................................
Address ..........................................................................................................
Daytime tel no .............................................................................................
40
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
MASTER RUG
CLEANER
WHILST serving as a tank gunner in
the British Army, Mark Cane, spent
several weeks in a village on a
peacekeeping mission, where he
watched a craftsman known as Malik
weave a goats hair rug, learning some
of his skills in the process.
After leaving the army in 2000,
Mark felt inspired by Malik and
decided to take on a job at carpet
cleaning firm Grimebusters. Before
long he set up his own oriental rug
cleaning and repairing business and he
has not looked back since.
Today, he often works for clients
across the Cotswolds and in London,
including an array of glamorous names,
such as Liz Hurley and Jeremy
Clarkson. And even now he still uses
some of the same techniques he was
taught by Malik.
He says business is booming and he
largely attributes that to him featuring
as a special guest on Chris Evans
Radio 2 breakfast show in the spring.
I went on the show as a mystery
guest and since then things have gone
crazy.
I just got a phone call when I was
sitting outside my daughters school
from the producers of Chris Evans
show and they asked if I wouldnt mind
going on in 20 minutes. I ended up
doing the phone call in the school
playground.
Now work has progressed from
being in a little workshop into a massive
workshop.
Mark treats his rugs before washing
them in a bath with a specialist
shampoo and then gently brushes them
before leaving them to dry.
A specialist rug cleaner in Burford
who Mark worked with explained to
him how cleaning rugs with a carpet
cleaner is incorrect. It was after this
that he decided that he would set up his
own business.
The risk of putting a machine on it
is that the colours can run, Mark said.
I clean my rugs in a bath and the
colours will float to the surface rather
than spread across the rug.
My USP is that I work on the piece
it until the customer is happy with it. It
is all about repeat business for me.
Although he works most commonly
on rugs, he also clean carpets and this
is a new field that he wishes to develop
in the future.
There are another three areas
which I want to do carpet cleaning. I
By Brendan McFadden
He served as a soldier under James Blunt in
war-torn Kosovo but these days Mark Cane is
enjoying a new career which takes him into the
homes of the rich and famous.
COTSWOLD
Home
41
would like more work on the carpet side
There are three other areas in
Gloucestershire where I would like to do
carpet cleaning, Cheltenham, Gloucester
and Cirencester, said Mark. As part of
his work Mark, who is originally from
South Africa, visits the homes of his
clients, where he provides quotes and
collects the pieces.
He says meeting star studded names
is often a humbling and exciting
experience.
There are some absolutely stunning
houses that I visit. The highlight is
going to these beautiful houses and all
the beautiful things. I do love it, he
said.
Going to Liz Hurleys house was
fantastic. I have had a crush on her since
I was a kid.
Mark, who is one of the few specialist
Sizal and Seagrass rug cleaners in the
UK, explains that he often takes his six-
year-old daughter Paige along with him
on jobs.
He said she is already showing signs
that she will be following him in his
footsteps.
She once told one of my clients that
their rug needed cleaning. They said
how much? and she replied a million
pounds, said Mark.
Singer, James Blunt, Marks former
commander in Kosovo has had a
massive career change since leaving the
forces and Mark was astonished when he
saw his former commander performing
on TV.
He said: I remember seeing him and
being speechless and thinking I cant
believe it. He was a terrible singer. He
has got much better now though.
He was a good type of leader,
probably one of the best that we had. He
was just one of the lads.
During his army days Mark got the
chance to meet iconic British boxer,
Frank Bruno, who was sent there on a
surprise visit to boost the moral of
troops.
In 2003 he got the chance to repay his
gratitude to Frank when he spotted
him in a restaurant in Birkenhead and
Mark paid for his meal.
I spotted him in the corner and told
the waiter I want to pay for his meal. He
spotted me and came over and said;
alright boss.
He remembered me and we had a
good chat. He is such a nice guy. I said
thank you and well done to him for
boosting our moral.
Life may have changed considerably
since Mark left the army but he couldnt
be happier in his current career.
It is just so satisfying for me to work
on these beautiful pieces. I feel very
privileged to have ended up where I am
now from where I was 10 or eleven years
ago as an army soldier, he said.
To find out more about Marks
business visit www.allcleanuk.com
HEALTH
&FITNESS
HOT YOGA
THE PICTURE OF HEALTH
CRYSTAL SPRINGS
NUTRITION AND EXERCISE
44
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
A LONG-COLD gin and tonic in the garden
sounded infinitely more appealing to me, but
I have been curious for a while to try one of
the Hot Yoga classes sweeping the country.
Ella & Fleur Hot Yoga classes opened up in
March in the Gloucestershire spa town.
Sisters Ella and Fleur Guilding have
always had a passion for dance. Ella trained
in India as a Sivananda Yoga teacher and
Fleur trained as an Absolute Hot Yoga
teacher in Thailand.
They began with a mobile business and
with two classes at studios in Swindon where
they still also teach.
Their latest venture in Pittville Street,
opened in March this year after a Dragons
Den-style pitch to an investor while both
women were six months pregnant.
They now offer around 20 classes a week
while trying to juggle the demands of new
babies and family life.
But there isnt a hint of stress or anxiety at
the studios in the centre of Cheltenham. The
only nod to family life are the baby buggies
lined up in the entrance, often guarded by a
curled up family dog.
Classes are based on Bikram Yoga which
has been around for about 20 years. Hot yoga
is relatively new having started around 10
years ago but has been gaining in popularity
recently.
It might sound odd at first wanting to
exercise in 40 degrees but it originates from
hot countries.
Keeping the body warm makes it
naturally more supple. There is less strain on
the joints, less wear and tear and stretching in
high temperatures allows you to push the
body further which means better results, says
Ella.
And all that sweating is good for cleansing
the system and it is very good for weight loss,
adds Fleur.
There is something about it that is
extremely addictive. Once you start it is hard
to stop, she adds.
One young client concurred: I am
prepared to cancel or miss anything in my
week apart from these classes.
There are a series of different classes on
offer from Hot Flow, Hot Chilli, Vinyasa,
Hatha and heated Jivamukti which also
involves breathing exercises and Sanskrit
chanting for deep relaxation.
I tried out Hot Flow with Ella.
This is traditional Hot Yoga with some
Hatha Yoga poses. It wasnt long before I was
struggling to keep up and I realised just how
unfit I was as those around me stretched and
held positions and moved freely from one
pose to another as I wobbled and failed to
touch my toes.
On a couple of occasions I went out of the
room to cool down and I was relieved not to
be the only one to do so.
We welcome everyone of every ability to
our classes, said Ella afterwards.
Dont compare yourself to anyone else,
just go at your own pace and each time will
get a little easier for you. Everyone is
different. Its not a competition.
Driving home having left feeling exhausted,
I was suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of
well-being and for the rest of the evening
remained deeply relaxed which culminated in
a deep, deep sleep that night.
On my way to the next session, Heated
Vinyasa, I was almost light-headed with
anticipation and although it was a hard class,
Ella was right, I was already finding it easier
to cope with the second one.
Ella & Fleur Hot Yoga is at 23A Pittville
Street, Cheltenham GL52 2LN www.
ellaandfleurhotyoga.co.uk Tel 07832 111947
By Sue Smith. Photo by Tom Wren
In one of the hottest summers in memory I found myself walking into the Ella & Fleur Hot
Yoga studios in Cheltenham to take part in a class held in temperatures topping 40 degrees.
HOT YOGA
l-r) Ella Guilding
with seven-month-
old Rocky Wroath,
Roman Wroath and
Fleur Guilding with
six-month-old Rosie
Richardson and
Oscar the dog
COTSWOLD
Health
Fitness
&
46
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
Cotswold Essence
columnist, Lottie Keble
COTSWOLD
F
itn
ess
TAKING IT
OUTSIDE
WITH the sun seemingly
becoming more of a permanent
fixture of late more and more of
us are becoming inspired to take
our exercise off the gym floor
and outdoors. Going back to
nature is such a wonderful way
to shake up your exercise routine.
Indeed, the uneven terrain and
wind resistance all adds to a
more challenging and mentally
stimulating workout. Not to
mention, the simple pleasure of
sunshine on skin and the sounds
of nature (minus a few cars or
so), and the whole experience can
be fuel for the soul as well as
beneficial for the body.
However, there are some risks
we should factor into our
workout when the temperature
heats things up. Firstly, in hotter
temperatures performance can be
adversely affected, demonstrated
in the 2011 journal Experimental
Physiology whose findings
showed cyclists to be five minutes
slower over 40k when exercising
in 35 degrees compared to 20
degrees. The body just has to
work that much harder to keep
everything pumping that
something inevitably has to be
sacrificed in the process. As the
heart rate increases the body
struggles to keep the blood
flowing to the muscles which in
turn can lead to a greater risk of
dehydration.
Lack of fluid is a severely
overlooked consideration when it
comes to working out. The
majority of us dont even
consider the negative effects,
namely, reduced performance,
nausea, collapsing and
potentially worse. Did you know
that as little as two per cent
dehydration can reduce
performance by 10-20 per cent?
It might not seem a large
percentage but if training for a
specific challenge this can really
make all the difference. A good
guide to follow on how and
when to hydrate is The ACSM
(American College of Sports
Medicine) who recommend you
drink around 500ml of water at
least four hours before exercise
and 200-300ml of water 10-15
minutes before.
Other strategies to keep both
cool and hydrated in the heat are
timings... Try to opt for early
morning or evening sessions to
avoid the hottest part of the day.
Also, dress correctly, obviously
wearing heavy or dark coloured
clothing will just lead to an
uncomfortable and unpleasant
work out, whereas light, sweat
wicking items will keep you
going for longer, and smelling a
lot nicer too! Another key point
is to acclimatise, it takes
approximately 10-14 days for
your body to adjust to a new
climate, so give it a chance
before doing the usual hard work
out you would do in an air
conditioned environment.
Instead, opt for a series of slow
or short workouts treating your
body with the respect it deserves.
Finally, whilst it might seem
glaringly obvious, if you feel sick,
dizzy or disorientated... stop...
these are all key indicators of a
heat related illness.
However, after all this
negativity, research from the
University of Oregon actually
shows that, if exercise and
environment savvy the outdoor
heat can actually boost cool-
weather performance by up to
seven per cent. So, lace up those
trainers, open the door and take
a well hydrated step outside.
48
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
COTSWOLD
Health
Fitness
&
O
F
F
E
R
!
49
AFTER spending many years working in
the health industry he had been on the
lookout for a product that would help
people to help themselves to prevent or
stem the degenerative diseases associated
with ageing.
The light bulb went off after I saw the
change in an old friend, says Jeremy who
runs his business, Picture of Health in
Tetbury.
When I first met my friend I could
hardly hide my shock at how awful he
looked, said Jeremy.
He was ashen-faced and his eyes had
lost all their sparkle. I was quite taken
aback.
The next time Jeremy saw his friend he
was shocked again - but this time because
his friend was bright-eyed with rosy cheeks
and seemed to be bouncing with energy.
Jeremy couldnt resist asking him what
the secret to his amazing turnaround was.
He introduced me to a food
supplement, ProArgi-9+ with LArginine
complexers, which when I looked into it I
was amazed at the claims about what it
could do, said Jeremy.
But he was quickly won over and is now
the sole distributor in Gloucestershire for
the product.
Arginine has been proven to increases
the levels of nitric oxide into the blood
stream.
This helps to dilute the blood vessels
and improve blood flow thereby helping to
prevent arteries clogging up and therefore
heart attacks, says Jeremy.
He has followed the work of Dr Louis J
Ignarro who won the Nobel Prize in 1998
for his discovery of nitric oxide.
While nitric oxide is present in our
bodies naturally, Dr Ignarro discovered
how to increase the levels in the blood
stream.
He has published a book, No More
Heart Disease and his work at the time was
hailed as the greatest discovery since Linus
Pauling discovered the benefits of Vitamin
C.
In a study of terminally ill cardiac
patients in America all had their condition
reversed after taking arginine, says Jeremy.
So strong is his belief in the product he
sells, he has written to the Prime Minister
David Cameron suggesting that this
product could help cut National Health
costs considerably by helping to prevent
everything from dementia, strokes, diabetes
and cardiovascular disease.
We are of course up against the mighty
power and wealth of the pharmaceutical
companies, says Jeremy.
But I am trying to make more and more
people aware of this amazing breakthrough
for health and general well-being.
ProActive-9+ normally sells for 45
but Jeremy is offering Cotswold Essence
readers the chance to try the product for
an introductory offer of 39 quoting
code no. CE40.
For more information contact Jeremy
Townsend on 01666 500932 or email
jeremy.townsend355@btinternet.com.
*Do not replace any existing medicines
with this product without consulting your
doctor
A picture of health
By Sue Smith. Pictures by Tom Wren
Having lost his mother to cervical cancer when she was just 52 and later helping his
father through multiple strokes, Jeremy Townsend has had a long-held interest in health
and in particular in ways to prevent rather than cure disease.
50
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
COTSWOLD
Health
Fitness
&
AS a small child growing up in Jamaica
she was fascinated by her grandmother,
Isabella who used to blend her own
aromatic oils.
Joan grew up in a culture where
people turned to natural products to
treat ailments.
We couldnt pop into doctors every
minute, we grew up in tune with nature
and learned how to use nature to heal
the body, she says.
For the past 20 years Joan has also
been offering personalised , therapeutic
and beauty treatments at her Crystal
Springs Health & Beauty clinic which is
now based in Dyer Street, Cirencester
above Goldsworthy Hair salon.
And while pampering is a big part of
what Joan offers - she calls taking time
out for yourself a mini holiday - she is
also an advocate for beauty from
within.
She offers a full holistic consultation
and treatment programme looking at
all aspects of a clients diet and lifestyle.
My philosophy is beauty in the
name of health, says Joan. It has to
come from the inside out.
The skin works like the third
kidney, we can put things on top of it
but it also has to be fed from within.
Joan says a lovely, pampering facial
might help someone to de-stress but
she likes to look deeper for problems
and find out why the body might be
struggling to cope.
People might come to me feeling
tired and wiped out and stressed out
and yes, an aromatherapy massage will
make them feel better and more
relaxed, but it is not getting to the root
of the cause.
If there is any imbalance in the
body, the first thing to look at is food
Its crystal clear!
Beauty practitioner Joan Burke has always
been ahead of the field when it comes to health
and nutrition.
By Sue Smith
intake, says Joan.
The first thing I say is stay away from alcohol and
sugar. With the correct nutrition there should be no
need for medicine.
She says: There are two significant factors that
affect degeneration of the body negative stress and
eating inappropriate food.
This affects the autonomic nervous system leading
to high levels of cortisol the stress hormone, causing
inflammation of the body.
But most people dont really want to be healthy,
they dont seem to want to put the effort in, they look
for quick fixes, she says.
One Joans pet hates is juicing.
Mother Nature never provides three fruits in the
same season but people make smoothies with every
fruit under the sun, this is not natural and it also rips
out all the fibre.
Joan trained in California as an Advanced
Metabolic Typing (AMT) advisor. The theory devises
a diet that is suited to each individual metabolism.
There are various programmes available ranging
from 125 - 1,000 which involve filling in a lengthy
questionnaire and Joan says the success of the
treatments depends on how honest people are
prepared to be.
One of my clients is 90 and she has endless
energy, says Joan.
And she adds: Just like there are different oils for
different skins, there are different foods and nutrition
51
needs for different people, one size
doesnt fit all.
And she adds: A personalised
metabolism nutrition/blood type
programme with supplements will help
the body to rebuild and mature rather
than age.
My own full body and face massage
with Joan started with the tummy.
The bowel has to be stimulated
otherwise nothing will progress, she
said.
Body brushing, all towards the heart
followed and my previous lethargy
disappeared in an instant leaving me
tingling and invigorated.
Now we start putting in the good
stuff, said Joan.
She wrapped my swollen feet and legs
in ice blankets and began applying a
concoction of heavenly smelling oils.
The pervading smell of rose was
intoxicating and the busy list of things to
do fighting for priority in my head
drifted away, as did I for a good few
minutes while the treatment and Joan
worked their magic.
Having had a lot of beauty treatments
in my life I am used to the general
feeling of well-being afterwards but my
skin was positively radiating when Joan
had finished.
I kept trying to look at my face under
different lights and there was no doubt about
it, I was glowing.
My hot tired legs felt as light as a feather
and as we sat and chatted over a detoxifying
tea, I could feel a complete renewal from head
to toe.
Joan is passionate about her treatments and
the testimonials on her website are effusive.
Joan says she wants her clients to leave the
salon as though they have found their own
little piece of heaven.
I have only two words to say to that.
Job done.
Crystal Springs also offers an extensive
programme of waxing, electrolysis, body
wraps, facials, massages and electrolipolysis
fat buster treatments as well as diet and
nutrition programmes.
For more information go to: www.
crystalsprings.co.uk call 01285 641341 or
email reception@crystalsprings.co.uk
52
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
Cotswold Essence columnist,
naturopathic nutritional therapist
Caroline Peyton gives seasonal
tips on how to improve our health
and well-being.
COTSWOLD
N
u
trition
SUGAR is considered as
dangerous to health as alcohol
and tobacco. Britains
obesity crisis could be reversed
within five years if food
companies reduced sugar in
products by 30 per cent.
These are the warnings by
health experts who have
launched a new campaign
Action on Sugar to cut
intake. (www.actiononsugar.
org)
Led by Robert Lustig,
professor of paediatric
endocrinology at University of
California, San Francisco and
author of Fat Chance: The
Bitter Truth About Sugar; they
are calling on food producers
to dramatically reduce levels of
sugar in everyday products
and asking companies to stop
advertising sugary drinks and
snacks to children. They are
also calling on the government
to fine those who do not meet
reduction targets or impose a
Sugar Tax.
The obesity epidemic is
generating a huge burden on
the NHS. 25% of adults in
England is obese and these
figures are set to climb to 60%
of men, 50% of women, and
25% of children by 2050. Three
in every 10 children aged
between two and 15 are
overweight or obese. Obesity
and diabetes already costs the
UK over 5billion every year
which is likely to rise to 50
billion in the next 36 years.
The problem is that the
average Briton consumes over
a kilo (238 teaspoons) of sugar
each week often without
knowing it. Although sugary
drinks are known to be a
problem many people are
unaware that other foods such
as flavoured drinks, soups,
ketchup, ready meals and low-
fat meals also contain large
amounts of hidden sugars.
Very few of us are making
conscious decisions about the
sugar we eat, Lustig says.
Sugar is deeply and
thoroughly embedded in our
food supply.
A can of tomato soup can
contain the equivalent of four
teaspoons of sugar while a
mug of drinking chocolate can
contain six teaspoons and a
vanilla yoghurt may contain
five teaspoons.
And then there is fructose
another type of sugar. It is
believed that fructose fools our
brains into thinking we are not
full, so we overeat. Moreover,
excess fructose cannot be
converted into energy so the
body turns excess fructose into
liver fat and this may start a
cascade of chronic metabolic
disease which may include
diabetes and heart disease.
Fructose is found in fruits
such as apples and pears.
These fruits do not contain too
much, but you still should
restrict fruit intake to 2 pieces
a day and keep very sweet fruit
like grapes, bananas and
melon to occasional treats.
Fruit juice though is pure
sugar!
The real cause for concern
is the increasing use of high
fructose corn syrup (HFCS) in
many processed foods. The
food industry loves HFCS as it
makes products more palatable
and its cheap to produce.
Its no surprise when you
study the facts that low-fat
diets which rose to popularity
in the Seventies have coincided
with a rise in obesity and
related illnesses. It isnt fat but
sugar that we really need to be
concerned about today.
Consuming a wholefood diet
of natural meats, fish, eggs,
vegetables with a little fruit
should be our focus rather
than our reliance on packaged
foods.
IS SUGAR
AFFECTING
OUR HEALTH?
53
COTSWOLD
FEATURES
PRINCESS ANNE AND
THE SKYE TERRIERS
MOUNTAIN CLIMBER KENTON COOL
AUTHOR PAULA COSTON
ACTOR MIKE BECKINGHAM
SOUL MIDWIFE CAROLINE WHITTLE
LIFE COACH CARRIE ROSE
HRH The Princess Royal
unveils the statues
54
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
COTSWOLD
Feature
The Homecoming
APTLY named The Homecoming the
unveiling of the statue of two life size Skye
Terriers, by Wiltshire based artist Georgie
Welch, was witnessed by more than 40 Skye
Terriers and their owners, who had travelled
from all over the UK and as far away as the
USA to join in the celebration of the breed
in its native homeland.
They were also able to see a new display
on the Skye Terrier at the Museum of the
Isles in the grounds of Armadale Castle.
Christian Landolt, owner of Whatley
Manor near Malmesbury is patron of the
Skye Terriers Club and travelled to Sky with
his own two Skye Terriers. The Skye Terrier
is Britains most endangered native breed of
dog. To raise awareness and promote
greater understanding of the breed the Skye
Terrier Club has spent the last two years
raising money for a permanent statue to be
created.
The life-size bronze statue of a prick-ear
and a drop-ear Skye Terrier has been
sculpted by Georgie Welch and cast by
Pangolin Editiions, Europes leading
sculpture foundry based at Chalford,
Gloucestershire.
It now stands at a view point looking
towards visitors as they walk down a
footpath overlooking the water and is
mounted on a granite base hewn from a
local quarry on Skye and gifted to the Club.
The plinth is low to allow visitors, in
particular children, to touch and interact
with the work.
Commenting on the day, Jenny Kendrick,
chairman of the Skye Terrier Club said: We
are delighted and greatly honoured that the
Princess was able to unveil the statue and
took so much interest in the breed. The
Skye Terrier is often called the heavenly
breed and they certainly brought heavenly
weather with them. We would also like to
thank Clan Donald for all their support and
as the dogs are part of the
islands heritage we hope
that The Homecoming
will give the thousands of
visitors, from home and
overseas, who visit
Armadale Castles
grounds and museum
every year a greater
knowledge and
understanding of these
intelligent, loving and
loyal dogs.
Scott Armstrong,
VisitScotland Regional
Director, added: The
addition of this beautiful
Skye Terrier statue,
appropriately named
The Homecoming in
its homeland gives the thousands of visitors
who flock to Armadale Castle each year the
chance to learn more about these loyal dogs
whilst taking in the beautiful surroundings
of the castle, museum and grounds.
Skye attracts thousands of visitors each
year to take in its beautiful scenery, wildlife,
history and culture and the addition of this
unique sculpture at one of its star attractions
can only add to the regions appeal.
For more information on The Skye
Terrier Club go to www.skyeterrierclub.
org.uk and the Facebook page
The largest gathering of Skye Terriers met recently at
Armadale Castle on the Isle of Skye to witness the unveiling of a
statue to this very rare breed by HRH The Princess Royal.
The statues of the Skye Terriers
56
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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MR COOL
Most people in the world would think of climbing
Mount Everest as a once in a lifetime experience, but for
Kenton Cool 11 times was not enough.
COTSWOLD
Feature
By Elliot Cass
57
THE Gloucestershire based adventurer
recently announced his plans for another
expedition to push the limits of his
endurance and to inspire the mountaineers
of the future.
Kentons latest challenge is to scale the
three highest peaks in the world in the
space of just three months.
This mountaineers track record almost
defies belief and, among other astounding
achievements he was the first person to
make a phone call from the top of the
worlds highest mountain.
The three mountains he plans to climb
for the challenge are Everest, Kanchejunga
and the infamous K2, all of which are over
8,000m tall.
The expedition aims to summit Everest
at the start of May 2015, hopefully giving
the team until early August to scale K2
and complete the challenge.
Despite his experience with Everest and
several other legendary peaks Kenton
recognizes that this challenge will be
dangerous and, potentially deadly.
He said: My experience in the
mountains over nearly 25 years means that
I have an ability to calculate the risks and
act accordingly, yes its a dangerous
expedition, climbing in the death zone
always is, but we feel we have the
experience and depth of knowledge to
make the right decisions.
Of course there is always the
unexpected in the high mountains, we
cant control nature, one only needs to
look at the terrible avalanche on Everest
this year to see that the mountains are
unpredictable and dangerous.
Despite all this Kenton showed his soft
side, saying: The hard part with this
expedition will be being apart from the
family for three months or more.
As a way to record the trip he has
teamed up with illustrator John Howe,
famous for his illustration of the works of
J.R.R Tolkien, who will capture Kentons
trip up the mountain and add his artwork
to a series of photographs and videos
documenting the trip.
As well as his usual trail running and
bike riding in the Cotswolds Kenton will
spend time over the winter training in the
Alps to prepare himself for the altitudes he
will be experiencing throughout the trip.
Speaking about the teams he will be
climbing with he said: On the mountains
in Nepal Ill be climbing with my long
term Sherpa friend Dorje, a great man
who is super strong at altitude.
Pakistan is a different beast, Ive not
climbed there since the late 90s so my
relationships are not so strong there.
Kentons plan for K2 in Pakistan is to
use a team recommended by a friend and
fellow mountaineer named Russell Brice.
Kenton said: Russell is a straight
talking Kiwi who I know will provide great
support when I need it.
Kentons final team member is Mr
Stripey, a toy mouse which has joined him
on more adventures than many of his
human companions.
He joked: Ill just need to negotiate his
return from my 4 year old daughter.
Kenton with the gold medal he won in
the Winter Olympics 2012 for his Everest
Expedition.
58
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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COTSWOLD
Feature
BUT outside work, for the last three and a
half years, she has rushed back to her
home computer to tap out a novel half-set
in the beautiful island of Sri Lanka.
Based on her travels and links with the
Asian island, On the Far Side, Theres a
Boy, it tells of a London-based womans
bond with a little Sinhala child through
charitable giving to his community and
their letters.
Eventually she searches for him in the
beautiful Kandyan mountains. No other
English language novel has been set
around Kandy, a stunning town with
central lake, world-famous gilded temple,
and steep, forested hills.
Its based on a similar relationship I
had with a Sri Lankan boy in real life,
says Paula from Stroud - who is known as
Paula Coston, when shes writing. Ive
looked for him, but sadly, never found him.
Now, with the book, Ive even got the Sri
Lankan press fascinated by the case and
theyre asking the locals for help in
tracking him down.
Recently Pauls hosted a big Sri Lankan
buffet novel pre-launch at the Imperial
Hotel, Stroud, which is run by Sri Lankans,
on the occasion of the Sri Lankan New
Year, which always happens in April when
the moon is poya (full). It was attended by
over ninety guests including colleagues,
friends from around the Cirencester area
and distinguished and intriguing visitors
from elsewhere.
Among the guests were Professor Kanes
Rajah, Dean of the School of Business and
Entrepreneurship, RAU; Mr Amaury Blow
of Lypiatt, son of Helga Blow, whose
boutique hotel in Kandy is famed for its
eccentric charm, and brother of Selina, the
famous fashion designer and model spotter;
and Dr Kokila Waidyaratne, Minister for
Education at the Sri Lanka High
Commission, London.
Paula travelled to the island several
times, each time hoping to find her child
to no avail, but falling in love with the
landscape and its people. She was attracted
also to its darker side: a long history of
colonisation, first by the Portuguese, then
the Dutch, then the British; and of course
the civil war, only recently over, which is
the backdrop to the book.
I use this pattern of one people
imposing its will on anothers, often under
the guise of helping and care, as a kind
of metaphor for my own main characters
self-destructive desire to help the boy,
Paula says. I call it the imperialism of
need.
On the Far Side, Theres a Boy is
available from Amazon in paperback and
e-book formats under the name of Paula
Coston. She has a blog on childlessness,
singledom, the older woman and more at
www.boywoman.wordpress.com.
ON THE FAR SIDE, THERES A BOY
As a day job, Paula Iley works as secretary to the School of Business and
Entrepreneurship at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester...
59
A STROUD boy through and through
and proud of it, Mike attended Thomas
Keble School and once played for the
Forest Green Rovers Football Academy.
He is the son of jazz musician John
Henry Beckingham and one of his
siblings is the Hollywood actor Simon
Pegg.
It would be too easy to think he could
call on his big brother to open doors for
him but Mike doesnt want to do that.
He is fiercely independent and
adamant that his success will come from
his own hard work and determination.
I dont ever expect anything from
Si, he says.
We are very similar, both easy-going
and grounded and I am lucky to have
him as a brother.
Sure he has given me lots of advice
and I appreciate that, he is the perfect
role model, a great soundboard.
And I have learned such a lot from
the way he conducts himself.
Make no bones about it, you need all
the help you can get in this business.
Support is crucial and I have been lucky
in having a lot of help from a lot of
people. Its all about getting on the
radar.
Mike says as kids growing up he and
Simon were always making home films
with cam corders.
Mainly police stories with toys and
ketchup for blood, he laughs.
I was always fighting to be the one
in front of the camera the centre of
attention.
Mike did a series of jobs after leaving
school. He worked in a call centre and
as a financial adviser for a banking firm.
But all the while he was pursuing his
acting career on the side, making
showreels and developing concepts for
TV shows.
In 2001, he developed the idea to
interview celebrities, take them out of
their life -style and put them back into
the communities in which they grew up.
The first celebrity he filmed was,
unsurprisingly, his brother, Simon and
the film caught the attention of Agent
Paul Wareing who signed Mike up.
A year later Paul met Georgia Hilton,
the director and writer of the film
Subconscious who was looking for a
Watch this space...
Mike Beckingham. Remember that name. He is going to be a huge star. Without
even seeing him in any film or theatre production it is obvious this personable,
charming young man is going places fast. Sue Smith met up with him ahead of his
new film Subconscious, a thriller due for release this summer in which he plays
the part of a paranormal investigator set in a Second World War submarine.
COTSWOLD
Feature
profile
cheeky character to co-star in the principal role in the film.
She was so impressed with Mike at the auditions that she
rewrote the part to tell the story of an English investigator
being recruited to travel to the US to aid in the investigation
aboard a haunted WWII submarine.
They actually hired a submarine for the film, says Mike.
It was amazing.
It might sound like his route into the film industry was
smooth and trouble-free but Mike has spent years putting in
the work, sleeping on friends sofas and dusting himself down
after rejections.
He once screen tested for a job as an MTV presenter but
was told he was too boyband-ish.
But Mike is not a complainer. You wont find him moaning
about working 18 hours a day on a film set.
Come on, that would be a bit pathetic wouldnt it? I am
doing everything I ever wanted and more.
I am prepared to work hard, and I will do whatever that
takes, because I believe in myself and luckily everyone around
me seems to like me for me.
It is important to just be yourself - as soon as you start
putting on airs and graces people see straight through that,
says Mike.
But you also need a fair amount of luck and I have had a
bit of that too.
Mike says his life now is the happiest he has ever been.
After we met Mike was due to audition for the hit TV
series Luther.
I am blessed, he says.
Every morning I get up and chase my dream. It doesnt
get much cooler than that.
60
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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COTSWOLD
Feature
61
JUST weeks after being named as a one of
the 10 heads to watch by the Good Schools
Guide magazine, Roland Martin sits in his
office inside the grand mansion building at
Rendcomb, with his feet remaining firmly
on the ground.
Roland, a former housemaster at Eton for
13 years, is modest about being thrust into
the spotlight by the magazine, which
provides information on schools, and says
he remains focussed on his job.
You have just got to ride the crest of a
wave. For me it is about this school and this
progress and my part in strengthening that,
said Roland who previously studied at
Rendcomb, which is an independent
boarding and day school for three to
18-year-olds
The job I have been given to do is to
steer Rendcomb to improvement. That is
the onward challenge. We have been
through a good inspection and we have
been given some strategies for improvement.
There has been a huge amount going in
the last three years. Things are very, very
positive here. It is very much a growing
school.
Roland maintains he will welcome with
open arms any positive attention the school
gets after featuring in the guide.
I feel really flattered I know there is
something really good heads on the list it
is a privilege to be on there, especially being
a small school and a rural school.
The news that Roland was highlighted as
a top head came shortly after the school was
visited by representatives of the Good
Schools Guide.
In the guide Roland is described as not
posh, scholarship boy done good, likely to
do much better.
He believes this description was given as
he was an only child brought up by his
Mother who then won a scholarship at
Rendcomb.
He says that his time being immersed in
a community of students at Rendcomb
College, made up youngsters from different
backgrounds, put him in good stead for his
time at Eton.
When I was at Eton I had a whole range
of people in my board. I had members of
the Royal family to people from the East
End of London.
I found out how to mix with different
sorts of people when I was a kid at
Rendcomb I found it a very useful
environment.
Roland believes the key ingredient to
being a successful head is keeping busy and
always striving to know more about his
pupils.
If you are a good head you are a restless
head and always want to do more things.
The thing that makes me restless is
making sure that the people in our care get
the best experience as possible. You do not
get through any day not spending an
amazing amount of time thinking about
people in your care. You always want to
make it better for them. At the moment I
am ploughing through 270 reports which
gives me a good insight into how we are
doing. It gives us an insight into how we are
assessing young people all the way through.
THE HEAD
He may have only been headteacher of Rendcomb College for
three years but he is already tasting huge success.
JUST KIDDING
Rebecca Jones meets farmer Lizzie Dyer and her comical Billy kids COTSWOLD
Farming
JUST Kidding is the producer of
kid meat from the Cotswolds.
Lizzie was born and raised in
North Somerset where her father
among other jobs milked 150
head of friesian cows so Lizzie
grew up knowing how the male
animal is surplus in the diary
industry.
She has long had an interest in
goats as her love of cooking and
travelling gave her an
opportunity to try something
different. After finishing her
degree in agriculture at the
Royal Agricultural University in
Cirencester she spent time with
sheep but then saw the open
market for goat meat.
Lizzie buys the surplus Billy
goats from diary farms in the
area so all the meat can be
traced back to where it was born,
the herds of goats are what is
called a closed herd meaning
there is no buying in from other
farms as this keeps the risk of
diseases very low. The Billy goats
are delivered at a week old and
go straight in to the brood house
where they are fed on ad lib milk
via an automated milking system
where the Billies can have milk
on demand as they would from
their mothers. I found with
Lizzie that her commitment and
nurture to the kids is fascinating,
she tries to make their transition
as stress free as possible.
After six weeks the kids are
weaned and moved to the big
house where they can come and
go as they please in and outside
on the pasture, they are also fed
hay and nuts. Lizzie keeps them
until they are just under 6
months old then they are
weighed to reach a maximum of
30 kilos which is a lot lighter
than a lamb but the meat is so
much different. Then its off to
the abattoir, she takes them the
day before as she says they are
relaxed more which helps the
meat stay stress free.
Lizzie makes every use of the
Billy, she uses the skins too.
When the meat comes back to
her so do the skins where she sets
about salting them ready for a
trip to the tannery. Lizzie sells to
designers of handbags and also
sells the skins as rugs.
I asked Lizzie if she ever got
attached to them ? She replied I
was once told a simple saying,
Everything that is born is dead
! I understood what she meant as
when your trying to make a
living from the animal you have
nurtured for so long then I guess
you do build a relationship up
with them but at the end of the
day you also need to be able to
provide for your family. You
could see the passion she has in
giving a purpose to the Billy
goats as a way of providing a
sustainable red meat product
that has had a very happy start
all the way to the end. Lizzie is
managing to corner the market
with her meat supplying
restaurants up and down the
country as the demand for the
meat grows more and more
popular.
Lizzie's website is www.
cotswoldkidmeat.com
66
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COTSWOLD
Feature
AS a funeral celebrant and soul midwife, she
officiciates at semi and non-religious funeral
services in Gloucestershire and futher afield.
Caroline describes a soul midwife as a
non-medical companion to the dying,
providing emotional, holistic and practical
support for the dying and their families.
She has also ventured into an altruistic
path as an advisor and educator on child
bereavement and she firmly believes that a
childs presence at a funeral and their
involvement in the arrangements builds a
solid foundation for their understanding and
acceptance of death.
Children are very often the forgotten
mourners, she says. I have seen the
detrimental effects of shielding children
from death, dying and importantly the
funeral. Their needs must be met in loss just
as much as adults.
To raise awareness Caroline, from
Malmesbury has been touring the South
West with a series of talks, including one
earlier this month at the Cotswold Care
Hospice, Minchinhampton.
Others will be held later in the year and
into April 2015 for the Cruse Bereavement
volunteers.
Caroline aims to address how we talk to
children about death and dying, a subject
that requires openness and honesty.
She warns of the negative effect of our
avoidance of often awkward questions asked
by children and highlights the benefits of
preparing children for attending a funeral
service by embracing their natural curiosity.
I am an educator and advisor, teaching
through experience of others and of my own
pain. I help children and adults understand
the true essence of death and ensure that the
funeral is an inclusive moment of healing for
everyone regardless of their age, she says.
Carolines plan is to bring an
understanding to the classroom where direct
contact with bereaved children, she believes,
SOUL MIDWIFE
By Lola Harrington
Following her own mothers premature and tragic death in 2006 Caroline
Wilkes recalls feeling an overwhelming sense of a need to help and support
others when they need it the most.
67
is in need of redress.
Adults are not naturally good at talking
about death, even peer-to-peer, Caroline says.
Schools are often unaware that there are
formal and advisory guidelines for dealing with
a child recently bereaved, or providing the
childs classmates with full and frank
information on how to be and what to say.
And she adds: Even in schools, there is a
shut-down mentality that dictates avoidance of
the subject, leaving the child isolated in effect.
As far as I can tell, putting RE aside, there
is no real curriculum inclusion of death and
dying. That is something that needs to change.
As part of Carolines ongoing study, her
recent Facebook request for recollections of
childhood experiences of bereavement was met
with many stories from adults explaining how
they had felt left out of family loss and how, in
some cases, their grief never felt resolved.
There is a huge baseline of adults for whom
death holds fear and finality, says Caroline.
Much of their apprehension began in
childhood with their enforced isolation from
family funerals.
A qualified celebrant since February 2012,
she took professional tutoring as a companion
to the dying. At the recent Clocking Off Festival
in Stroud, she was fortunate enough to meet
bereaved people for whom lending an open ear
and honest conversation was the only thing
needed.
Caroline recently completed a 10km Solstice
Walk for Cotswold Care Hospice. Around 400
people entered and just over 24,000 was
collected for the hospice. Her next venture is a
tandem sky-dive from 12,000 feet in aid of the
hospice for which she has already begun
seeking sponsorship. More details can be found
at www.doitforcharity.com/CarolineWilkes.
Running in tandem with her work on child
bereavement she is writing a series of
informative childrens books inspired by her
experiences.
Caroline can be contacted on 01666
311243.
Strouds Clocking
Off Festival
68
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COTSWOLD
L
ife M
atters
I JUMPED off a cliff the other
day. Well, Im exaggerating a
bit. I jumped off the top of a
very big hill - took a deep breath
and away I went. OK, full story.
I was attached to a wire with a
harness, on the longest zip wire
in the UK which stretches from
the top of said hill across an old
quarry, now a lake. And what an
experience it was! (For those of
you keen to see what on earth I
was doing, do have a look at
www.adrenalinequarry.co.uk).
And as I stood at the top of
the hill getting ready to jump (on
the count of three) I was so
aware of what a parallel there
was between this and any leap of
faith we take.
I had really wanted to try the
zip wire partly because I knew
my son would love it but also
something in me said I would
love it too. However, whenever I
looked at the zip wire video, a
little voice would say thats a
huge great hillwhat a height
youre jumping fromwont you
be terrifiedit would be safer not
to do it. But something in me
persisted. That part of me that
knew Id have great time, that
its important to try new things
and step (in this case leap) out of
my comfort zone, that Id be
somehow the richer for the
experience.
So there I was waiting to jump
and aware that there would be a
moment when that leap of faith
had to happen. The moment
when I jumped not knowing if
Id be terrified, if the harness
would hold me but having to
trust that all would be well.
And of course it was. I LOVED
it. So much so that I went on it
again. My life felt that much
fuller for the experience.
It was also such a visceral
reminder that for many of our
most enriching experiences, that
leap of faith has to happen.
That moment when weve chosen
to jump and simply dont/cant
know if all will be well or well
come a cropper. There is no way
of avoiding or side-stepping it.
Carrie Rose is a counsellor and life-coach
based in Cirencester who specialises in
helping women through change
(relationship, work, starting a business,
midlife, empty nest) In her work, she has
helped thousands of women to have
happier, more rewarding and fulfilling lives,
both personally and professionally. She is
also the author of the best selling book on
happiness How to get from here to there
without going anywhere a simple guide
to living a happier life.
THAT LEAP OF FAITH
Its part of the process of
having new experiences,
expanding our lives in
fulfilling ways.
I think that part of the
problem is that for many
leaps of faith we have to
trust and put our faith not
in a harness or a zip wire
but in ourselves. In our
own ability to carry
ourselves through whatever
situation were in.
How would it be if we
knew that we could
completely trust ourselves
to find the inner reserves
to get through any
situation we put ourselves
in? Im not talking about
climbing Everest (but even
then, that idea could apply)
but the more everyday
leaps of faith we need to
make if were to have a
rich, rewarding and
fulfilling life - both
personally and
professionally.
I absolutely know that
we DO have those inner
reserves. We CAN survive
and indeed flourish after
taking leaps of faith. We
just need to BELIEVE that
we can.
So what leap of faith can
you take today? It might
be physical (youve always
wanted to try sky-diving -
now theres a literal leap-of-
faith), it might be
emotional (being REALLY
honest with your partner),
it might be to do with your
business (you CAN make
those sales calls). I
encourage you to choose
one and then make that
leap. Youll be so glad you
did.
Carrie can be
contacted at carrrie@
onelifeyourlifeloveit.com
or 01285 862158.
www.
Email: carrie@
C
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D
W
h
a
t
s

o
n
DINOSAURS, BUTTERFLIES,
BALLET AND BLUES. CHECK
OUT WHATS HAPPENING AT
A VENUE NEAR YOU.
70
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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ep
tem
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O
ctober &
N
ovem
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CO
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o
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M
usic &
D
ance
Events
Theatre
& Cinema
BATH
Saturday Night Fever. Spectacular new
musical production at the Theatre Royal,
November 12-22. 01225 448844. www.
theatreroyal.org.uk
CHELTENHAM
British boy band The Vamps brings Meet The
Vamps Tour to Gloucestershire. Live concert at
Cheltenham Racecourse on Thursday, October
9. www.cheltenham.co.uk
Vienna Festival Ballet brings Tchaikovskys
enchanting tale The Nutcracker to the Bacon
Theatre on Saturday, November 8, 7.30pm.
01242 258002 www.bacontheatre.co.uk
CIRENCESTER
Dursley Male Voice Choir and MJ-UK Music
and Arts in concert in aid of Sue Ryder and
Cotswold Care Hospice.
Bingham Hall, King Street, 6.45pm for 7.30pm.
Raffle, bar, refreshments.Tickets 10 from the
Hospice shop and Sue Ryder Shop in
Cirencester or Visitors Information in Cirencester.
www.cotswoldcare.org.uk
Kapsetakis Duo - Piano Recital. A selection of
solo, four hands and two piano works of Liszt,
Ziegler, Tchaicovsky, Prokofiev and Brahms,
performed by talented sisters Stephanie and
Marianna Kapsetakis. Sundial Theatre,
September 25. 01285 654228
www.sundial-theatre.co.uk
Oktober Fest. Music, drink and food festival.
Free entry. Ingleside House, Beeches Road,
October 4, 3pm-12am. www.
inglesidecirencester.com
Poppy Concert. The Royal British Legion
Cirencester branch is celebrating its 90th
anniversary in 2014 - the annual concert will
include performances from Glos Police Band,
Cirencester Male Voice Choir and a School
Group. Bingham Hall, King Street, October 25,
7.30pm. Tickets 10 from Pakemans (Market
Place), The Wheatsheaf and Bees Knees pub
or on the door. www.binghamhall.co.uk
Cirencester Operatic Society presents Patience
by Gilbert & Sullivan. Barn Theatre, Beeches
Road, October 20-25, 7.30pm. www.
cirencesteroperaticsociety.co.uk
Cirencester Operatic Society presents an Old
Tyme Music Hall featuring songs, recitals,
monologues and sketches relating to the
period. Barn Theatre, Beeches Road,
November 14-15, 7.30pm. www.
cirencesteroperaticsociety.co.uk
STROUD
Toyah: Up Close and Personal. Pop icon Toyah
performs an acoustic set and recount stories
from her colourful 35-year career. Subscription
Rooms, September 5, 8pm. 01453 760900
www.subscriptionrooms.com
SWINDON
Swan Lake and Giselle from the Russian
State Ballet and Opera House. Wyvern
Theatre, October 28 (Swan Lake) and
October 29 (Giselle). Swindontheatres.co.uk
CHELTENHAM
The Times Cheltenham Literature Festival
2014. Various venues in Cheltenham.
October 3-12. www.cheltenhamfestivals.
com
CIRENCESTER
Giffords Circus 2014 The Thunders.
Ancient Greek myths and gods in a
beautiful, hilarious rip roaring 80 minute
swords and sandals show. Stratton
Meadow, September 4-14. 0845 459 7469
www.giffordcircus.com
Heritage Open Days. September 13-14.
Free displays, talks, events and activities for
all ages. Details of events and places
taking part at www.ccsoc.org.uk
Wedding Fayre. Free goodie bag and
drinks reception. Win the venue for your
wedding. Ingleside House, Beeches Road,
September 28, 11am-3pm. www.
inglesidecirencester.com
Silent Film Show. First World War themed
silent film with a live, improvised organ
score by Anthony Hammond. Cirencester
Parish Church, November 7, 7.30pm. www.
friendscirencesterparish.org.uk
Italian Market. Authentic italian food,
italian products, specialist regional italian
foods, crafts and jewellery. Cirencester
Market Place, November 15, 9am-4.30pm.
Advent Market and Christmas Lights
Switch On, Market Place, November 29,
1-7pm.
GLOUCESTER
BiG Bang Fireworks Festival. Gloucester
Docks for one-night-only. Gates usually
open at 6pm, with all money raised on the
night being donated to Gloucestershire-
based charities.
MINCHINHAMPTON
Autumn Fair. Gifts, accessories, ceramics,
homewares and clothing from more than
20 stalls.
Proceeds to Wiltshire Young Carers.
Entrance 3, and children under 16 go free.
Beaudesert Park School, Minchinhampton
GL6 9AF, Saturday, October 18, 9am4pm.
MORETON-IN-MARSH
Village Fete. Set in the stunning grounds of
Bourton House. Bourton-on-the-Hill,
September 13, 1-4pm Admission 1, children
free.
NORTHLEACH
Northleach Steam and Vintage Show.
Family-friendly day with something for
everyone.
There will also be an ale festival and live
music throughout the day, with food
stalls, childrens fun fair and other
entertainment, including ferret racing
and archery. The Northleach Steam and
Vintage Show, Eastington Road, GL54
3PJ, September 6-7, 10am-5pm
Saturday;10am-4pm Sunday. Tickets 5,
3 for senior citizens. Under 16s free.
07765 692758 northleachsteamshow.
co.uk
WESTONBIRT
Spooky Creatures Day at Westonbirt
Arboretum. Come face to face with the
scarier species of wildlife. Westonbirt
Arboretum, October 18-19. 01666 880220
www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
Enchanted Christmas at the National
Arboretum every Friday, Saturday and
Sunday evenings from November
28-December 21, 5pm-8.30pm (last entry
7.15pm). www.forestry.gov.uk/westonbirt
CHELTENHAM
1984. George Orwells classic novel,
1984, is re-examined in a radical new
adaptation by Headlong Theatre
Company, at the Everyman Theatre,
September 23-27. 01242 572573. www.
everymantheatre.org.uk
Lottys War. A mesmerising, wartime tale
of passion, courage and sacrifice, based
on real life diaries found in Guernsey.
Everyman Theatre, October 13-18. Box
office as above.
The Woman in Black. Stephen
Mallatratts stage adaptation of Susan
Hills best-selling novel. Everyman Theatre,
November 3-8. Box office as above.
Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense.
Award winning comedy starring James
Lance and John Gordon Sinclair.
Everyman Theatre, November 10-15. Box
office as above.
Ruby Wax will be discussing her critically
acclaimed book, Sane New World, in a
one-woman show at Cheltenham Town
Hall, October 15, 7.30pm. 0844 576 2210
cheltenhamtownhall.org.uk
Bleak House. The Pantaloons Theatre
Company present a fog-filled adventure
in Dickens dark and dirty Victorian
London. Bacon Theatre, October 22,
7.30pm. 01242 258002 www.
bacontheatre.co.uk
71
Exhibitions
MEET Rex. Tyrannasaurus Rex
that is a class of three
toed dinosaur, currently
appearing at an exhibition
at The Wilson, Cheltenhams
art gallery and museum.
The family-friendly
exhibition, running until
September, 28 takes up two
floors of The Wilson, and
showcases huge dinosaurs
from the Cretaceous,
Jurassic and Triassic periods
and is a show perfect for
budding palaeontologists
and their parents.
The Meet Rex and Other
Dinosaurs exhibition will
allow visitors of all ages to
learn about the world of
dinosaurs in a fun,
interactive and educational
way. Full size models and
animatronics will allow
people to marvel at the
sheer size of dinosaurs, while
interactive puzzles and
Meet
Rex
games will help younger
visitors reinforce their
learning.
Highlights from The
Wilsons own fossil collection
will complement the
exhibition and for those
buying tickets, theres plenty
more to discover online
before coming to the
exhibition, including a dino
boneyard game and an
accompanying e-book to
help people top up their
dino knowledge before
they arrive. Free family
activities including
childrens trails around the
museum (with stickers on
completion for children,
and voucher leaflets for
Cheltenham shops for
parents), and craft
workshops running
throughout August to allow
people to continue their
involvement with Meet Rex
and Other Dinosaurs across
the summer holidays.
For more details, visit
www.thewilson.org
CIRENCESTER
Marcus Brigstocke: Je maccuse.
Award winning comedian returns to
the Sundial with a new show. Sundial
Theatre, Cirencester College, October
3, 8pm. 01285 654228
www.sundial-theatre.co.uk
Owdyado Theatre present Above
Bored , an original psychological
drama directed by Simon Harvey,
Sundial Theatre, October 22, 7.30pm.
Box office as above.
The Princess and the Pea. Classic
fairy tale by Hans Christian Anderson.
Sundial Theatre, October 25. Box
office as above.
STROUD
Theatre Festival. Over 40 diverse
shows ranging from childrens theatre
and lively comedies to classics and
cutting edge drama taking place at
the Subscription rooms and other
venues in Stroud over three days, from
September 12-14. For further details
visit www.stroudtheatrefestival.co.uk
SWINDON
Black Coffee. Jason Durr as the
famous Belgian sleuth Hercule Poirot
in the first play ever written by Agatha
Christie. Wyvern Theatre, September
1-6. www.swindontheatres.co.uk
Champions of Magic. Join five world-
class magicians for a spectacular
night of trickery. Wyvern Theatre,
November 9, 7.30pm. Box office as
above.
CIRENCESTER
WW1 Commemorative Display,
Royal Agricultural University, until
November 14, 9am-6pm. The Royal
Agricultural College and the War
and Roll of Honour - in the RAU
Chapel (adjacent to Stroud Road
car park) in memory of the many
RAC staff, students and governors
who were killed in WW1. Visitors may
call the Porters Lodge ahead to
check (01285 652531) - all visitors
must sign into the Porters Lodge
reception upon arrival.
Cirencester Places Exhibition.
Exploring some of Cirencesters
historic places with early paintings of
Cirencester and views by Thomas
Wakeman, a 19th century travelling
artist. Brought up to date by more
recent works including local
architect Victor Coverley Prices oil
painting of the Market Place from
1965 and Cirencester artist, Laurie
Plants giant painting of key sites in
the town.
The Bingham Gallery and
Conference Suite, September 13 & 27
and October 4, 10am-2pm. www.
binghamlibrarytrust.org.uk
Colour Forms Thoughts Seeking a
Thinker. The work of Richard Kenton
Webb is rooted in the traditions of
the great English landscape painters
and takes its inspiration from the
Cotswold landscape. Corinium
Museum, Park Street, September
20-October 19.
Crafted for Christmas. An exhibition to
promote selected contemporary makers
from across the UK. New Brewery Arts, meet
any of the artists between 2-4pm and on
the opening day. November 22-January 3.
Free admission. www.newbreweryarts.org.uk
GLOUCESTER
British Wildlife Photography Awards 2014.
Nature in Art exhibits the winners from this
renowned competition. Nature in Art,
Twigworth, September 23-November 16.
01452 731422 www.nature-in-art.org.uk
A FLOWER-STREWN hillside overlooking the
valley made famous by writer Laurie Lee
has been awarded National Nature
Reserve status ahead of its official opening
this summer.
Rough Bank sits in the Slad Valley in the
Cotswolds, a landscape evocatively
brought alive in Lees 1959
autobiographical novel Cider with Rosie.
It is now home to six species of the blue
butterfly family, including the Adonis, Chalk
Hill, Small, Holly, Common and Brown
Argus. There are also more than 30
nationally scarce and rare moths and the
main area of flower-rich grassland is a site
of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), boasting
a wide range of orchids.
The National Nature Reserve will be
officially opened on Thursday, August 28 by
Andrew Sells, the Chairman of Natural
England who helped Butterfly Conservation
acquire the site in 2012.
The Large Blue became extinct in the UK
in 1979 and is threatened across the world,
but painstaking conservation work has led
Award-winning
nature reserve
to its re-introduction at a tiny number of
sites in Southern England.
The butterflies that will eventually be
re-introduced to Rough Bank will come
from Sweden, after Butterfly Conservation
was granted special permission to bring
the species back to England.
72
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COTSWOLD
W
h
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o
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By Sue Smith
S
till life
w
ith
B
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B
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s
SHERLOCK Holmes, Morse and
Wallander are a few of the great detectives
swimming around in his head. Richard is
Programme Leader of the Drawing and
Print Degree at the University of the West
of England in Bristol.
Back in November 2012, he took a group
of his students to Belgium. By the end of
the trip, he had fifteen drawings that felt
like a crime story inspired by English
coastal walks, standing stones, Cotswold
hills, Blackheath and Greenwich all
places he has spent much time.
Richard who lives at Siddington,
Cirencester decided to send his Belgian
drawings to a friend, Joanne Reardon
Lloyd, who is also a writer and associate
lecturer in Creative Writing at the Open
University. She has used these images to
create some short narratives. The viewer is
invited to become a detective by piecing
together the story, finding clues and
matching text to image. Richard has now
transformed his drawings into linocuts,
bringing the stories alive with powerful
graphics.
Richard has won numerous travel
scholarships and residencies, the most
recent of which was the LARQ Residency
in Queenstown, Tasmania where he
investigated the colour yellow.
He has been pursuing a lifelong
fascination with colour. Two pieces from his
yellow series will be on show for the first
time at the museum. The rest of the work
has remained in Australia for an exhibition
next year.
Still Life with Black Birds can be seen at
The Corinium Museum, Cirencester from
September 20 October 18. Richard and
Joanne will be at the gallery between 2pm
and 3pm on the opening day and there will
be a talk from 3pm-4pm. Richard will also
be talking about his work and
demonstrating the art of linocutting on
Thursday, October 17 at 7pm-8pm. For
more information visit http://
coriniummuseum.org or www.
richardkentonwebb.com and www.
rkwprints.com
Artist Richard Kenton Webb of has always enjoyed crime fiction.
74
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COTSWOLD
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SUCH exhibitions have been widely praised
both here and abroad and have been a key
driver of visitor numbers which now total
almost 1 million a year, the highest number
outside London. The museum sector
provides a significant contribution to the
overall UK economy.
Discovering Tutankhamun, the
Ashmoleans current major exhibition, runs
until 2 November. The discovery by Lord
Carnarvon and Howard Carter of
Tutankhamuns tomb in Egypts Valley of
the Kings in 1922 was one of the most
significant archaeological discoveries of the
20th century. It captured the public mood
and sparked a period of Tut-mania.
Objects from Tutankhamuns tomb soon
influenced everything from jewellery and
clothing to dance music and Hollywood
myths of the mummys curse.
All of Howard Carters original notes,
plans, drawings, and photographs from the
excavation of the tomb form the centrepiece
of the exhibition. Other items are on loan
from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in
New York, the British Museum in London
and the Ashmoleans own collections from
ancient Egypt and Sudan.
The other exhibition taking place this
year is, The Eye of the Needle- English
Embroideries from the Fellner Collection-
which runs until 12 October. A selection of
eye-catching, virtuoso 17th century
embroideries from the internationally
renowned Fellner Collection, will be
displayed for the first time in public
together with outstanding examples from
the Ashmoleans own holdings.
That the Ashmolean is in such good
shape is largely due to the current director
Professor Christopher Brown, CBE, and his
team. Professor Brown says together we
have created a museum for the future,
showcasing outstanding collections in
engaging and innovative ways and
delivering a varied and inspiring public
programme, with internationally- acclaimed
exhibitions, for everyone, every year.
A major redevelopment of the museum
space in 2009 saw the display space double
on the same footprint providing 39 new
galleries, a new education centre, state-of-
the-art conservation studios, and Oxfords
first roof-top restaurant.
The pretty Cotswolds village of
Broadway is home to Ashmolean Broadway
which opened in September 2013 on the
main road through Broadway. The museum
is located in the 17th-century house known
as Tudor House, most recently it was the
Keil antiques dealership. Objects from the
Ashmolean in Oxford have been selected to
help tell the stories of the building and the
local area over time. Highlight objects
include portraits by Joshua Reynolds and
Thomas Gainsborough, a Samuel Barrow
long case clock dating to 1700; and groups
of Worcester and Staffordshire porcelain,
and fine English silver.
Professor Christopher Brown is retiring
at the end of September after 16 years.
Incoming director Dr Alexander Sturgis,
currently director of the Holburne Museum
in Bath, has big shoes to fill.
Discovering Tutankhamun exhibition
runs until 2 November. 9 full price/7
concessions. Free for members and
under-12s.
Ashmolean Musuem of Art and
Archaeology, University of Oxford,
Beaumont Street, Oxford OX1 2PH.
The Ashmolean Museum is a charity
and as such is always looking for new
supporters. If you are interested in
becoming a Friend of the Ashmolean,
telephone 01865 278016 or visit: www.
ashmolean.org and click on support us.
What do Cezanne, Henry Moore, Francis Bacon and Tutankhamun have in
common? They have all featured in recent exhibitions at the Ashmolean Museum
of Art and Archaeology in Oxford, Britains oldest museum.
By Nicola Walton
D
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FOOD&
DRINK
JOLLY NICE CAFE
MANOR COURT
CHEESE AND ONION PASTRIES
THE CONVENT AT WOODCHESTER
THE BELL AT LANGFORD
76
COTSWOLDESSENCE
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COTSWOLD
Food
Jolly Nice!
HARRIET, then aged 16, had a passion
for cakes and was a trainee pastry chef at
the Michelin-starred Whatley Manor
hotel near Malmesbury when a friend
presented her with the ice-cream maker
for her birthday. Still living with her
parents on the family dairy farm at
Westonbirt, Harriet had access to a
plentiful supply of cheap milk and cream
and began experimenting with ice-cream
making.
After testing her product on
appreciative family and friends she
gained enough confidence to approach
local restaurants, some of which added
her ice-cream to their menus, and by the
age of 17 she had saved enough money to
buy a Pashley ice-cream bike that she
took to local events and festivals such as
the Treefest at Westonbirt Arboretum.
She remembers staying up until two in
the morning making ice-cream so she
had enough to sell the next day.
A couple of years later, having plied
her wares at local events and developed
an increasingly popular range of ice-
cream, she was able to buy a second
Pashley bike and employ someone to
help her get her product out to an ever-
more appreciative public. As her
reputation spread London events
followed, including the filmset at
Pinewood Studios where Angelina Joli
was filming, although to Harriets regret
the superstar did not buy an ice-cream.
Had she not been watching her figure,
Angelina could have enjoyed Harriets
unique range of flavours which include
Bergamot, Toffee Apple and Cider,
Salted Caramel (the most popular
flavour, made with sea salt from
Anglesea) Honey and Lavender and
Blood Orange and Rosewater sorbet
(inspired by Harriets travels in Turkey
By Skip Walker
The gift of an old ice-cream maker bought for 12 from
a car boot sale set young baker Harriet Wilson, from
Westonbirt, on a course that would literally change her
life and lead to the establishment of one of the trendiest
burger bars/farmshops in the Cotswolds.
last year). A new flavour is added almost every week.
The turning point came when Harriet had saved up
enough money to buy an Airstream, the iconic
American cigar-shaped silver caravan, to provide her
business with a larger retail base in which to store and
sell her produce to a much larger number of customers,
all the while continuing to improve her ice-cream and
develop the range of flavours. In 2012 Harriets
Gooseberry and Elderflower ice-cream won three gold
stars at the national Great Taste awards, the only ice-
cream to do so.
The excitement of the travelling life can, however,
wane after a while and when her mother, Rebecca who
had always wanted to run a farm shop, suggested that
she and her daughter (now aged 25) join forces and set
up a farm shop on the vacant filling station site
between Cirencester and Stroud on the A419 and
provide a year-round outlet for Harriets ice-cream the
Jolly Nice farmshop and cafe came into being.
Anyone who has driven along that road since last
October cannot fail to have noticed the silver
Airstream and the enticing range of fresh local produce
on prominent display in the former forecourt of the
filling station. Fresh fruit and vegetables come from
producers in the Cotswolds and Wiltshire as do the
majority of the meat, fish, cheese, juices, jams and
chutneys on sale in the shop.
Passing motorists have discovered the delights of the
home-made cakes for sale and have made freshly-
cooked Jolly Nice burgers the most popular line in the
77
farm shops range after Harriets ice-cream,
which is available in cones by the scoop as
well as in tubs. Prices compare favourably
with high-end supermarkets. Expansion
plans are already being considered and if
you want to avoid the rush drop by during
the weekday, weekends are hugely popular.
Jolly Nice farmshop, on the A419
Cirencester to Stroud road, is open 8am
6pm seven days a week.

Lily Lucas, Ed McCollum and Harriet wilson.
COTSWOLD
Food
Heart of the Cotswolds
Hidden just off the main road in Painswick, less than 10 minutes from the
busy town of Stroud, is a beautiful manor house which truly makes you feel like
you are in the heart of the Cotswolds.
79
COURT House Manor in Painswick is a
gorgeous Grade I listed home which has been
transformed into a luxury bed and breakfast by
owner Linda Lloyd. It sits just behind St Marys
Church and the iconic 99 yew trees.
Having spent a lot of my time in Painswick
over the past 18 months I am somewhat
sceptical that the pictures on the website will
match up with reality although in this case I
am very glad to admit that I was wrong.
I just cant believe that in all my travels to this
beautiful village I have missed this place it
seems impossible considering its size. But then I
guess that is the beauty of the place.
You only have to travel slightly out of the
centre of Stroud and Cheltenham to reach this
luxury B&B which is tucked away perfectly the
main road.
And as I drive my car through the gate and
into the driveway I feel like I am hundred miles
from the hustle and bustle of the 21st Century
and instead have been transported back to an
age of wonderful simplicity.
Although do not take my use of the word
simplicity as a description of the hotels interior
nothing could be further from the truth.
I am greeted on arrival by Linda and her son
Peter who bought the property five years ago
and transformed it into a slice of tranquillity in
the heart of the Cotswolds.
With a past steeped in history, the manor
house dates back to the 16th Century and I am
taken on a tour through a maze of staircases
and beautifully and precisely decorated rooms.
There are seven bedrooms overall, with some
named after Shakespeare plays, including
Othello and Romeo and Juliet and others for
their history and character.
The Queen of the Cotswolds has amazing
views of the Slad valley and woods and the King
Charles Suite, which was built in 1604,was
named to remember the famous King who
stayed in the manor during the 1643 Siege of
Gloucester.
I am finally shown to the Julius Caesar Room,
an attic room full of both character and comfort
situated on the third floor. It has a spectacular
view of the grounds and the decor has been kept
deliberately in character with the
historical interior of the house.
After a glass of bubbly in the main
living room, which is also available to
guests, Peter books me a table at a local
restaurant where I can enjoy some dinner
before returning to the hotel through the
churchyard.
Unfortunately I had to work the next
day, which meant getting an early night -
something I didnt mind as the bed
looked so inviting.
After breakfast, which was served in
the kitchen I got into my car, went back
through the gate and off to work finally
breaking the spell and back to reality.
The Court House Manor, Hale Lane,
Painswick, GL6 6QE. Call 01452 814849
or email www.courthousemanor.co.uk.
IT is strange that a drink such as wine is
subject to such dramatic shifts in fashion.
From German sweet wines in the 1980s,
Australian oaked Chardonnay in the 1990s
to the all-conquering Pinot Grigio of the 21st
Century, there have been many examples of
drinkers following the flock.
In sparkling wine, we were all drinking
Cava from Spain a few years ago. Cava is
capable with some ageing, of producing a
rich full flavoured sparkling wine. However
the trend was to make greater volumes at
ever lower prices leading to some poor
quality mass produced wine that had
definitely lost its sparkle.
So enter Prosecco, the sparkling wine
made from the Glera grape in north east
Italy. Prosecco is characterised by gentle
apple flavours and is an easy drinking fizz
not too strongly flavoured. The fermentation
takes place in tanks and then the wine is
bottled under pressure. This is important as
it does not improve with age and cannot
develop the depth of flavour of a Champagne
or even Cava.
The relative simple character however is
part of its appeal. There is nothing too strong
to object to, so it is widely popular. There are
ways however of adding a twist to liven up
Prosecco by adding a few drops of a fruit
liqueur. The most popular range from the
traditional crme de cassis or peach to the
more unusual rhubarb or elderflower. It is a
simple inexpensive way of adding some fun
and impressing your guests.
So what will the next trend in wine be?
Sauvignon Blanc continues to be very
popular and the aromatic white varieties
such as Viognier are gaining in popularity. In
terms of sparkling wines however, provided
the producers maintain the quality and do
not chase more volume at lower quality, I
think Prosecco is here to stay for some time.
Simon Thomson, Managing Director,
Talking Wines, Cirencester
NO STOPPING
PROSECCO
COTSWOLD
D
rin
k
By Simon Thomson,
Managing Director
Talking Wines, Cirencester.
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COTSWOLDESSENCE
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By Sue Bradley
COTSWOLD
Food
ITS been a great year on the
allotment for the red onions,
with plenty now hanging up
ready to see us through the
winter.
One of my favourite ways to
enjoy this colourful member of
the allium family is to make a
marmalade to serve with cold
meats or cheese, and it was
while I was knocking up a few
jars that I began to think how
nice the caramelised onions
would taste when combined
with some Single Gloucester.
This cheese stands alone in
Gloucestershire by dint of its
Protected Designation of Origin
mark, which accords it the
same status as the likes of
Stilton and West Country
Farmhouse Cheddar.
This means that Single
Gloucester has to be made in
Gloucestershire using the milk
of a herd that is partly made up
of Gloucester cattle, an animal
that was at risk of becoming
extinct not so many years ago.
Unlike Double Gloucester,
which has long been well
known throughout the UK and
was at one time exported all
over the world, Single
Gloucester doesnt keep for long
periods of time and was
traditionally eaten in its home
county.
This hard cheese, which was
revived by Charles Martell
several years ago, was made
from the skimmed milk that
was left after cream was taken
for butter making combined
with full fat milk collected the
following morning.
This recipe combines Single
Gloucester cheese with
caramelised onions and a dab
of whole grain mustard, such as
that made by Tracklements in
Sherston, in a delicious melt-in-
the-mouth pastry casing that
provides a perfect snack for
autumnal walks, bonfire night
or trips to the allotment.
CHEESE AND ONION IS A CLASSIC
FLAVOUR COMBINATION. HERE SUE
BRADLEY BRINGS THEM TOGETHER
TO MAKE A TASTY PASTY.
For the filling:
Two large red onions (roughly 500g/1lb 2oz)
1 garlic clove
25g/1oz butter
1 tbsp rape seed oil
50g/ 2oz light brown sugar
1 tsp thyme leaf
Pinch of dried chilli flakes
Salt and pepper
2 tsp whole grain mustard
150g/6oz Single Gloucester cheese (or other hard cheese).
One egg.
Heres what you do:
Caramelised Red Onion
and Single Gloucester
Pastries
Ingredients:
For the pastry:
450g/1lb plain flour
160g/6oz butter
160g/6oz lard
Enough water to make a
firm dough
1. Make pastry by
rubbing the fat into the
flour and adding enough
cold water to make a firm
dough.
2. Place pastry in the
fridge for half an hour, or
longer, to relax.
3. Finely chop the onions
and the garlic.
4. Place 25g of butter and
1 tbsp rape seed oil in a
saucepan and heat gently.
Add the onions and garlic
and stir well. Place a cover
over the saucepan and
continue to heat the onions
over a gentle heat, stirring
occasionally, so that they
sweat and become
transparent.
5. Add the sugar, thyme,
chilli and salt and pepper
and cook uncovered for two
minutes.
6. Grate the Single
Gloucester and add this to
the onion mixture, along
with the whole grain
mustard.
7. Leave to cool slightly.
8. Remove the pastry
from the fridge, allow it to
warm slightly and then roll
out to around the thickness
of a 1 coin (3.15 mm or 1/8
of an inch).
9. Cut the pastry into
8cm /3 inch rounds or
larger if desired and spoon
a good teaspoon of the
onion mixture into the
middle.
10. Beat the egg and
lightly brush it around the
edge of each round of pastry
before bringing the edges of
the pastry together to form a
semi circle.
11. Place on a flat baking
tray and brush beaten egg
over each pastry before
placing the tray into an oven
pre-heated to 220.C/ gas
mark 7 for around 15
minutes, or until pastry is
light brown on top and
crispy.
12. Remove from the tray
and allow to cool slightly
before serving.
84
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
COTSWOLD
Food
More than just
great food
LANDLORDS Sue and Clive Vasey say
they strive to serve what people want to eat
and not just what the chef wants people to
eat.
As we walked up to the bar, they
immediately bustled over and made us feel
welcome, trailed by their small Jack Russell
Terrier Bella, who loves to meet any new
guests.
We were shown to a table of our choice
before ordering a chilled bottle of house
white, a lovely crisp Italian wine.
New head chef Laurentiu Laurie
Branisteanu came out to introduce himself
immediately, before suggesting what we
could choose from the extensive menu. It
was instantly clear he was passionate about
his job and seemed happy to make us
anything we wanted.
A table of two could easily enjoy a
delicious three course meal with drinks for
around 30 each at the Bell. Hungry guests
could choose from extravagant risottos,
traditional pasta dishes and even popular
homemade chicken pies.
Chef Laurie said he makes sure that the
food is locally sourced as much as possible.
The meat, fish and eggs are all from
nearby towns and villages.
I was eventually able to choose from a
wide and tempting menu and opted for
langoustine tails with garlic and chilli
sauce to start while my companion chose
the baked camembert.
For mains I was advised by Laurie to
choose his famous special risotto. It took
barely any convincing to get me to say yes
to a delicious risotto dish made with
asparagus, peas, wild mushroom,
parmesan and rocket.
My companion chose a tasty looking
pork tenderloin served with garlic sauted
potatoes and mushroom sauce.
Also on the menu was Cotswold blue
cheese chicken, slow roasted shank of lamb
It was a warm summer evening when we stepped into the Bell at Langford. Set in the
quaint and idyllic village of Langford the traditional 17th century country inn already
seemed ideal for a relaxed evening meal, writes Megan Archer
85
and Kelmscott Farm glazed gammon.
The pies, every different flavour
decorated with its own unique pattern by
Laurie, are extremely popular with both
regular visitors and out-of-town visitors.
The portions were extremely generous
and beautifully displayed. Sue made sure
we had everything we needed and Laurie
did not hesitate to bring us more bread or
even toast if we required.
For dessert my companion picked the
mouth-watering triple chocolate cheesecake
while, after much deliberating, I finally
settled for sticky toffee pudding, toffee
sauce and soft vanilla ice cream. My first
choice, the smooth raspberry and white
chocolate cheesecake was so popular it had
already all sold out.
Clive and Sue treated us like we were
family. They were always there, with a
smile, when you needed them and dished
out friendly, warm comments to each and
every one of their customers, leaving
no-one out.
The restaurant area has a countryside
feel to it wooden tables and quirky
mismatched chairs, made to feel even more
homely with little Bella padding from one
end of the restaurant to the other.
The inn has been run by Sue and Clive
since July 2013 while Laurie was welcomed
warmly into the team in December.
The pub also offers all military
personnel and their families a 20 per cent
discount for food and drink all day on
Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, every
week. The Bell is proud to support the
military and often holds charity evenings
for Help for Heroes.
Contact The Bell Inn on 01367 860249
or visit www.thebellinnlangford.co.uk

86
COTSWOLDESSENCE
|
PAULS culinary pedigree
includes some of Londons most
prestigious kitchen stock,
including The Ivy and
Kensington Place one of
Princess Dianas favourite
eateries.
He also worked as a private
chef travelling the world with
aristocracy and celebrities alike,
including supermodel Claudia
Schiffer and film producer and
director Mathew Vaughn.
After returning to the UK,
Paul decided to settle in the
Cotswolds and soon found his
place at the restaurant in South
Woodchester.
As soon as I saw The Convent
and its fantastic organic kitchen I
knew this was an exciting
opportunity to put my own stamp
on the food using some of the
fantastic ingredients growing
right outside the kitchen, he
said.
The Convent, near Stroud is
the former home of Poor Clares
Convent.
It is a spectacular grade II
listed venue currently undergoing
an extensive 3.5m
redevelopment with plans to
open a luxury boutique hotel,
restaurant and spa to be
completed by 2015.
The development launched at
the end of 2013 with a brand new
jazz club giving members the
chance to enjoy exclusive access
to a completely renovated lounge
and bar area, with live jazz from
international calibre performers
on Friday and Saturday nights.
Previous acts to have already
appeared include Dexys
Midnight Runners Pete
Saunders, Dom Pipkin, Mike
Alexander and more.
Theatre productions and other
special events are staged regulary
and visitors can also expect to see
specialist exhibitions running
along the cloister walls.
With loads of original
architecture and period features
around every corner, The
Convent is a a unique setting
and one of Gloucestershires most
exciting venues for food and
music.
For more information call
(01453) 835138, email info@
theconvent.net or visit
theconvent.net directly.
Top London chef Paul Foster has left the big
smoke behind for more serene surroundings
as the newly appointed head chef of
The Convents Serendipity restaurant.
Heavenly!
COTSWOLD
Food
MOTORS
HOW REGULAR SERVICING
CAN SAVE YOU MONEY IN
THE LONG-RUN. TIPS FROM
THE EXPERTS.
IF you ask James Shaw from A1
Motor Services what the most
important aspect of vehicle
ownership is, he will
undoubtedly reply, regular
servicing.
Most of us have felt the pain
of handing over large sums of
money to repair or replace a
vehicle, says James.
But nearly all major
expenses are avoidable through
regular, planned servicing.
Many drivers overlook the
necessity for regular checks on
their cars engine, gearbox,
suspension and brakes. Regular
checks on oil levels and
consistency, for example, can
save you the hassle of replacing
major engine components- even
a modern engine will not last
long if the oil inside it has
deteriorated or the operating
level has become too low.
And he adds: Many people
think it necessary to have their
car serviced by the dealer from
whom they purchased their
vehicle but this is not always the
case. A local garage with a
suitably qualified technician can
save you unnecessary expense.
Most cars are actually
manufactured to a very high
standard these days. However,
the price of servicing can then
be inflated in order to help
recoup some of the costs
associated with improved build
quality.
But my ethos is to charge a
fair price, coupled with
outstanding customer service.,
says James.
My aim is to provide the
kind of service that people are
happy to recommend to their
friends and family, as well as
coming back to use me next
time they need a service or
repair.
Does your car need a
service? A1 Motor Services is
an Audi, Volkswagen, Skoda
and SEAT specialist however
James and his team are
willing to undertake services
and repairs on all makes and
models.
A1 Motors
89
THE Q3 is currently the
smallest SUV model in the Audi
line up, and ticks all the relevant
boxes for the class; smart,
reasonably practical, high
driving position and car-like
dynamics.
The RSQ3 is essentially the
only high performance compact
SUV in the segment. Under the
stubby bonnet is the five-
cylinder turbocharged 2.5-litre
unit last seen in the TT RS,
combined with big wheels,
beefed up brakes and suspension
with a bodykit to match. Its
quite a heady mix.
The standard Q3 is smart
enough, but the RSQ3 is a
different animal altogether. It
still looks classy but the big front
air intakes, large alloy wheels
and body add-ons give it some
serious menace.
Audis have a strong image,
but the RS badge has its own
kudos over and above that.
Whether youre a fan or not
those two special letters denote
serious performance.
If you want an RSQ3 on your
driveway you need to spend
43,015, but the step up to RS
spec does also secure more by
way of equipment. As well as the
uprated engine, suspension,
brakes and bodykit you get
heated leather seats, 20-inch
alloy wheels, 10 speaker audio
system and Xenon headlights.
You need to pay extra for sat
nav however.
Anyone wanting the compact
SUV layout but with some extra
spice will like the RSQ3 a great
deal. It gives you the
performance edge without much
in the way of compromise as a
result, with only the firmer ride
and increased fuel costs being a
potential pitfall.This car
summed up in a single word:
Surprising
The RSQ3 is a
pleasing mix of new
and still brilliant

Cotswold Essence Sept-November 2014

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