cotswold essence sept-november 2014

8/11/2019 Cotswold Essence Sept-November 2014

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Inspiring life inthe Cotswolds

Issue 40September/October

/November

THE MAGAZINE AT THE HEART OF THE COTSWOLDS

FOOD&DRINK | HEALTH&BEAUTY | HOTELS | HOMES&GARDENS | LIFESTYLE | MOTORS

www.cotswoldessence.co.ukFree

WHY ACELEB

MEET THEWOMAN

THEACTOR

WOULDNT WANT

A RED CARPET

WHO SWAPPED

CORPORATE FOR

CAMELLIAS

FOLLOWINGIN HIS

BROTHERSFOOTSTEPS

TICKETS TOTHE FESTIVEGIFT FAIR

WIN


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4 COTSWOLDESSENCE|September - November 2014 www.cotswoldessence.co.uk

AdvertisingSales ManagerDean AmosCotswold Essence Magazine74 Dyer Street, Cirencester, GL2 2PW.01285 [email protected]

Advertising SalesHelen Perry 01285 [email protected] Tandy 01285 [email protected] Gray 01285 [email protected] Baker 01453 [email protected] Shipton 01453 [email protected] Green 01453 [email protected] Advertising SalesWendy McCafferty 01285 [email protected]

Editor

Sue Smith 01453 [email protected]

Whats OnTonia Stratford 01285 [email protected]

COTSWOLDESSENCEMagazine

Issue 40

Sue SmithEditor ~Cotswold Essence Magazine

PublisherJulia LancettEditorSue Smith

Advertising Dean AmosDesign Katie AdamsPhotographyTom Wren, Steve RichardsRichard 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

CoverpicturebyTomWren

Enjoy!

EDITORS

Welcome

WE might have got off to a dreadfulstart with the weather at thebeginning of the year but mygoodness we have more than madeup for it.

These past few months ofseemingly endless, glorioussunshine, somehow make the entryinto autumn a little easier to face,dont you think?

It will soon be time to startputting the garden to bed and doingall those end of summer jobs suchas cutting back and finding cover

for anything delicate that needsprotecting from the frost.

If gardening hasnt become yourpassion yet it soon might if you readthe article on Caroline Tatham whoruns the Cotswold GardeningSchool.

A high-flier in the corporateworld, Caroline decided to go backto nature and now runs courses onhow to plan and design your outsidespace, not matter how big or small.

But if you are heading indoors fora make-over before the winterappears, you might like the chanceto gets some tips for colour in yourhome from colour consultant JanePeckitt from Strouds independentretailer Baileys Paints.

We seem to be tripping overourselves in this issue withgo-getters from secretary by day andauthor by night, Paula Coston,

young actor Mike Beckingham whodespite having a famous brother in

the business is determined to do ithis way and action man Kenton

Cool who seems to take the view,why scale Everest once when youcan do it eleven times.

Theres also young entrepreneur

Harriet Wilson who bought an oldice-cream maker from a car bootsale for 12 and has now sells ice-cream in one of the trendiestburger bars/farm shops in theCotswolds. Her distinctive silvericonic Airstream caravan isunmissable on the A419 fromCirencester to Stroud.

While we hate to mention the Cword this early, we also have tenpairs of tickets to give away to theFestive Gift Fair held at the NEC

where you can scoop up all yourChristmas shopping under one roof.

Sue Bradley

Tonia StratfordLottie KebleCaroline PeytonCarrie RoseKate Wilson

Megan Archer

Brendan McFaddenElliot CassRebecca JonesSkip WalkerBeth Whittaker

Nicola Walton

Simon Thomson


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www.cotswoldessence.co.ukContentsIssue 4043, 44

FEELING HOT,HOT, HOTMost people prefer to lie on asunlounger when the temperaturereaches 40 degrees but at the Ella &Fleur Hot Yoga studios, thats thetime to start stretching.

WHATS ON

69, 70, 71, 72Dinosaurs and butterflies. Yourguide to whats happening near you.

HOMES19 - 42Caroline Tatham describes herself asa pit pony born to work which isjust as well having taken onGossington Hall which she isrenovating while running theCotswold Gardening School and herown garden design business.

COTSWOLD

FEATURES53 -68HRH The Princess Royal travels tothe Isle of Skye to unveil the SkyTerriers created by Wiltshire artistGeorgie Welch and cast by PangolinEditions, Europes leading sculpturefoundry based in Gloucestershire.Actor Sean Peggs brother MikeBeckingham is following in hisfootsteps but determined to do it hisway and action man Kenton Cooltakes on Everest for the eleventhexpedition.

FOOD

75 85Pop into the Jolly Nice Cafe and youwill find that it is, well, jolly nice.Why Prosecco is taking centre stageand rustle up a caramelised and redonion pastie to keep you warm whenthe nights start to draw in.

43

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PROPERTIESSOME OF THE BESTCOTSWOLD PROPERTIESTO BUY AND RENT

Buying&Letting


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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 sheshould 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 supplementtheir 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 areaor 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


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COTSWOLD

Properties

PROPERTIES

TO BUY

SOUTH Farm at Castle Eatonon the Gloucestershire/Wiltshire border occupies avery private setting, amidstopen countryside. The nearbyvillage of Castle Eaton has apub, church and village hall,whilst Cricklade (about 3 miles)has a good range of everyday

shops and services.The house is approacheddown a long drive and is builtin the vernacular Cotswoldstyle with attractive gabledelevations. The accommodationis ideal for both entertainingand modern family living andunlike many houses of thisstyle, there are plenty ofwindows which flood the roomswith light. A large receptionhall immediately gives a goodfeeling of space, whilst thedrawing room is an impressive37 feet in length. This room

has windows on three sides, astone flagged floor and a largestone fireplace. The cosy sittingroom also

overlooks the gardens andhas an open fireplace. On theopposite side of the hall is thedining room, again withwindows on three sides andwith space for a large diningtable.

The kitchen is well-equippedwith an extensive range of

Mark Wilkinson paintedwooden units having graniteworktops, an Aga, electric hob,oven and microwave. A widearchway leads through to thebreakfast room which has anexcellent outlook over thegarden. There is also a walk-inlarder, large utility and bootroom. Beyond this is the indoorswimming pool which has aglazed roof and sliding glazeddoors onto the terrace andgarden.

A handsome staircase leadsfrom the reception hall to the

firstfloor. The master bedroom is

first class, with two dressingrooms, a bathroom and a large

A BEAUTIFULLYpresented Grade II Listedfamily house with planningpermission to extend and alarge garden, quietlysituated in an elevated

south facing setting on theedge of this popular village.In all about 1.25 acres.

Penn House is situatedon elevated ground on thesouthern edge of thepopular village of OakridgeLynch, overlooking theGolden Valley. The house isthought to date back to thelate 17th Century withmore recent additions andis Grade II Listed. The

current owners have madeconsiderable improvementsto the house within the lastfew years, includingre-wiring, re-plastering,plumbing, replacing the

bathrooms and extendingand refurbishing thekitchen. They have alsoobtained planningpermission to add asubstantial single storeyextension to the side andrear of the house, as well asconverting an unused atticto provide a 6th doublebedroom with an en-suitebathroom. Planningpermission has also been

A perfect family house, privatelysituated in the middle of its land

Delightful Cotswold stonefamily house in a lovely location

granted for the erection of a newdouble garage with a studio spaceabove. The house stands centrallyin its plot and there are areas ofgently sloping lawn to the front andback. A spring fed stream runsdown the side of the garden andcascades down a grassy bank to anatural pond with a magnificentGunnera. A gravel terrace in frontof the house is flanked by lavender

and a Cotswold stone retaining wallfrom which a short flight of semi-circular stone steps lead down tothe lawn. Glazed double doors leadfrom the terrace into the kitchen,making this an ideal area foroutside dining. Planning permissionhas been granted for the erection ofa new double garage with a studiospace above. Contact KnightFrank 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


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HOME&

GARDENS

COTSWOLD GARDENING SCHOOLMALVERN AUTUMN SHOWA COLOUR CONSULTATION FORYOUR HOMETHE FESTIVE GIFT FAIR

ON THE CARPET WITH MARK CANE


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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 officesand 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 designlecturer 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 practicein the Cotswolds.


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21Inspiring 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 withHighgrove 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 somedesigns with her students


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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 dowith 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 fewerchemicals, 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 7DNTel : 01453 899018

www.cotswoldgardeningschool.co.uk


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Post all entries toCotswold Essence (name of competition) 6 Lansdown, Stroud, Gloucestershire GL5 1BE

#

COTSWOLD

Comps

tickets to theFestive Gift FairITS 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 whichtakes 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 presentsfor 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 FAIRHELD IN NOVEMBER?

A ..........................................................................................................................

Name ..................................................................................................................

Address ..............................................................................................................

..............................................................................................................................

Daytime tel no ..................................................................................................

WIN!


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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 ourShowroom 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 orsupply & 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 StoreHere at The Stove Store Cirencester, alocal family owned business we areproving very popular with the localresidents of Cirencester and the Cotswolds.


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COTSWOLD

Home

Colour your life

TRANSFORMING a large, rambling

completely beige Cotswold farmhouse intoa 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 tochallenge 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


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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 theCotswolds 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 trulyexpress 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 rightanswer 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


30/92

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, varnishesand 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


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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 returnsfor 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 BritishRabbit 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 planedisplays.

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 Bradleylooks at whats coming up and theres a chance for Cotswold Essence readers

to win free tickets for this years event.


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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.


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MASTER RUGCLEANER

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 gonecrazy.

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 thisis 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 inwar-torn Kosovo but these days Mark Cane isenjoying a new career which takes him into the

homes of the rich and famous.

COTSWOLD

Home


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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 excitingexperience.

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 himon 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 saidthank 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


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HEALTH

&FITNESS

HOT YOGATHE PICTURE OF HEALTHCRYSTAL SPRINGSNUTRITION AND EXERCISE


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A LONG-COLD gin and tonic in the garden

sounded infinitely more appealing to me, butI 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 10years 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 itnaturally 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 HotYoga studios in Cheltenham to take part in a class held in temperatures topping 40 degrees.

HOT YOGA

l-r) Ella Guildingwith seven-month-old Rocky Wroath,

Roman Wroath andFleur Guilding withsix-month-old Rosie

Richardson andOscar the dog

COTSWOLD

HealthFitness&


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Cotswold Essence

columnist, Lottie Keble

COTSWOLD

Fitness

TAKING ITOUTSIDEWITH the sun seeminglybecoming more of a permanentfixture of late more and more ofus are becoming inspired to takeour exercise off the gym floorand outdoors. Going back tonature is such a wonderful wayto shake up your exercise routine.Indeed, the uneven terrain andwind resistance all adds to a

more challenging and mentallystimulating workout. Not tomention, the simple pleasure ofsunshine on skin and the soundsof nature (minus a few cars orso), and the whole experience canbe fuel for the soul as well asbeneficial for the body.

However, there are some riskswe should factor into ourworkout when the temperatureheats things up. Firstly, in hottertemperatures performance can beadversely affected, demonstratedin the 2011 journal Experimental

Physiology whose findingsshowed cyclists to be five minutesslower over 40k when exercisingin 35 degrees compared to 20degrees. The body just has towork that much harder to keepeverything pumping thatsomething inevitably has to besacrificed in the process. As theheart rate increases the bodystruggles to keep the bloodflowing to the muscles which inturn can lead to a greater risk ofdehydration.

Lack of fluid is a severelyoverlooked consideration when itcomes to working out. Themajority of us dont evenconsider the negative effects,namely, reduced performance,nausea, collapsing andpotentially worse. Did you knowthat as little as two per centdehydration can reduceperformance by 10-20 per cent?It might not seem a largepercentage but if training for aspecific challenge this can reallymake all the difference. A good

guide to follow on how andwhen to hydrate is The ACSM(American College of SportsMedicine) who recommend youdrink around 500ml of water at

least four hours before exerciseand 200-300ml of water 10-15minutes before.

Other strategies to keep bothcool and hydrated in the heat aretimings... Try to opt for earlymorning or evening sessions toavoid the hottest part of the day.Also, dress correctly, obviouslywearing heavy or dark coloured

clothing will just lead to anuncomfortable and unpleasantwork out, whereas light, sweatwicking items will keep yougoing for longer, and smelling alot nicer too! Another key pointis to acclimatise, it takesapproximately 10-14 days foryour body to adjust to a newclimate, so give it a chancebefore doing the usual hard workout you would do in an airconditioned environment.Instead, opt for a series of slowor short workouts treating your

body with the respect it deserves.Finally, whilst it might seemglaringly obvious, if you feel sick,dizzy or disorientated... stop...these are all key indicators of aheat related illness.

However, after all thisnegativity, research from theUniversity of Oregon actuallyshows that, if exercise andenvironment savvy the outdoorheat can actually boost cool-weather performance by up toseven per cent. So, lace up those

trainers, open the door and takea well hydrated step outside.


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COTSWOLD

HealthFitness&

OFFE

R!


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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 whoruns 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 vesselsand 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 VitaminC.

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 mightypower 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

[email protected].

*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 hisfather through multiple strokes, Jeremy Townsend has had a long-held interest in healthand in particular in ways to prevent rather than cure disease.


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COTSWOLD

HealthFitness&

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 ofwhat 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 thename 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 morerelaxed, 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 healthand 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 lookfor 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


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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 headdrifted 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 [email protected]


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Cotswold Essence columnist,

naturopathic nutritional therapist

Caroline Peyton gives seasonal

tips on how to improve our health

and well-being.

COTSWOLD

Nutrition

SUGAR is considered asdangerous to health as alcoholand tobacco. Britainsobesity crisis could be reversedwithin five years if foodcompanies reduced sugar inproducts by 30 per cent.

These are the warnings byhealth experts who havelaunched a new campaignAction on Sugar to cutintake. (www.actiononsugar.org)

Led by Robert Lustig,professor of paediatricendocrinology at University ofCalifornia, San Francisco andauthor of Fat Chance: TheBitter Truth About Sugar; theyare calling on food producersto dramatically reduce levels ofsugar in everyday products

and asking companies to stopadvertising sugary drinks andsnacks to children. They arealso calling on the governmentto fine those who do not meetreduction targets or impose aSugar Tax.

The obesity epidemic isgenerating a huge burden onthe NHS. 25% of adults inEngland is obese and thesefigures are set to climb to 60%of men, 50% of women, and25% of children by 2050. Threein every 10 children agedbetween two and 15 areoverweight or obese. Obesityand diabetes already costs theUK over 5billion every yearwhich is likely to rise to 50billion in the next 36 years.

The problem is that theaverage Briton consumes overa kilo (238 teaspoons) of sugareach week often withoutknowing it. Although sugarydrinks are known to be aproblem many people areunaware that other foods such

as flavoured drinks, soups,ketchup, ready meals and low-fat meals also contain largeamounts of hidden sugars.Very few of us are making

conscious decisions about thesugar we eat, Lustig says.Sugar is deeply andthoroughly embedded in ourfood supply.

A can of tomato soup cancontain the equivalent of four

teaspoons of sugar while amug of drinking chocolate cancontain six teaspoons and avanilla yoghurt may containfive teaspoons.

And then there is fructoseanother type of sugar. It isbelieved that fructose fools ourbrains into thinking we are notfull, so we overeat. Moreover,excess fructose cannot beconverted into energy so thebody turns excess fructose intoliver fat and this may start acascade of chronic metabolic

disease which may includediabetes and heart disease.

Fructose is found in fruitssuch as apples and pears.These fruits do not contain toomuch, but you still shouldrestrict fruit intake to 2 piecesa day and keep very sweet fruitlike grapes, bananas andmelon to occasional treats.Fruit juice though is puresugar!

The real cause for concernis the increasing use of highfructose corn syrup (HFCS) inmany processed foods. Thefood industry loves HFCS as itmakes products more palatableand its cheap to produce.

Its no surprise when youstudy the facts that low-fatdiets which rose to popularityin the Seventies have coincidedwith a rise in obesity andrelated illnesses. It isnt fat butsugar that we really need to beconcerned about today.Consuming a wholefood dietof natural meats, fish, eggs,

vegetables with a little fruitshould be our focus ratherthan our reliance on packagedfoods.

IS SUGARAFFECTINGOUR HEALTH?


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COTSWOLD

FEATURES

PRINCESS ANNE ANDTHE SKYE TERRIERS

MOUNTAIN CLIMBER KENTON COOLAUTHOR PAULA COSTONACTOR MIKE BECKINGHAMSOUL MIDWIFE CAROLINE WHITTLE

LIFE COACH CARRIE ROSE

HRH The Princess Royalunveils the statues


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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 withhis 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 hopethat 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 atArmadale 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


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MR COOLMost people in the world would think of climbing

Mount Everest as a once in a lifetime experience, but forKenton Cool 11 times was not enough.

COTSWOLD

Feature

By Elliot Cass


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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 astoundingachievements 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 Everestthis 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 artworkto 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 inthe Winter Olympics 2012 for his EverestExpedition.


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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. Ivelooked 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 forEducation 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 atwww.boywoman.wordpress.com.

ON THE FAR SIDE, THERES A BOYAs a day job, Paula Iley works as secretary to the School of Business and

Entrepreneurship at the Royal Agricultural University, Cirencester...


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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 SimonPegg.

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 hisnew film Subconscious, a thriller due for release this summer in which he playsthe part of a paranormal investigator set in a Second World War submarine.

COTSWOLD

Featureprofile

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 inthe 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.


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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 atRendcomb, 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 HEADHe may have only been headteacher of Rendcomb College for

three years but he is already tasting huge success.


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JUST KIDDINGRebecca Jones meets farmer Lizzie Dyer and her comical Billy kidsCOTSWOLD

Farming JUST Kidding is the producer ofkid meat from the Cotswolds.

Lizzie was born and raised in

North Somerset where her father

among other jobs milked 150head 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 withLizzie 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 Iwas 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


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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 theirinvolvement 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 sh

cotswold essence sept-november 2014

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