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THE COUNTY’S FAVOURITE LIFESTYLE PUBLICATION SINCE 1950

CR AFTING A NEW LIFE

9 770037 439654

How accident led to a new career

FIGHT FOR FOUNTAIN Campaign to move monument

NOVEMBER 2023 £3.95

A PASSION FOR WILDLIFE Bid to protect threatened species

ROAD TO RESTOR ATION RETURNING CLASSIC CAMPERS TO THEIR FORMER GLORY

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WIDE RANGE ON DISPLAY

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www.shropshiremagazine.com

NOVEMBER 2023 ESTABLISHED 1950 Grosvenor House, Central Park, Hollinswood Road, Telford TF2 9TW The Shropshire Magazine has a controlled, selected distribution in Shropshire towns, and is available for sale from many retail outlets and by subscription EDITOR Caroline Jones caroline.jones@mnamedia.co.uk 01952 241461

FEATURES EDITOR Vicki Jones vicki.jones@mnamedia.co.uk 01902 319851 NEWS EDITOR Andy Richardson FEATURE WRITERS Heather Large heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk Daniel Morris daniel.morris@mnamedia.co.uk Matthew Panter matthew.panter@mnamedia.co.uk EDITORIAL AND SOCIAL DIARY heather.large@mnamedia.co.uk 01902 319501

ADVERTISEMENT MANAGER Clare Weaver clare.weaver@mnamedia.co.uk ADVERTISEMENT SALES Alison Jukes alison.jukes@mnamedia.co.uk 01952 241339 DISTRIBUTION, SALES & SUBSCRIPTIONS 0800 174064 CONTRIBUTORS Ed Thomas Christina Albom André Berry Megan Howe Richard Williams

FEATURES SELECTION 7

On the cover

Crafting a new life

PUBLISHED BY MNA Media, Telford PRINTED BY Precision Colour Printing, Halesﬁeld, Telford

Daniel Morrris meets the family ﬁrm restoring classic camper vans to their former glory

A talent for woodworking helped Martin Hughes start afresh after a terrible accident. Heather Large ﬁnds out more...

Interiors

Delight in damson as the perfect colour for autumn interiors. Sam Wylie-Harris looks at the latest plummy shades

Up, up and away

Andy Richardson looks at the history of one of the area’s most popular tourist attractions – RAF Museum Midlands at Cosford

Falcon ﬂying high

Megan Howe meets the group of locals who have saved their much-loved village pub from closure

Houseplant haven

With the growth in popularity of houseplants, Heather Large chats to a local expert

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

CONTENTS

55 99 43 47

Fight for Fountain

A group of Shropshire women tell Heather Large about their campaign to return an historic fountain to its original location

Peat cutters

Protecting wildlife

André Berry reveals the fascinating history of the peat cutters of Fenns’s and Whixall Mosses

Matthew Panter discovers more about a project that is helping to safeguard threatened species

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

It’s panto time!

Andy Richardson meets members of the cast treading the boards in one of the region’s biggest pantomimes

Food&Drink

Ed Thomas ﬁnds out more about a group of people with a passion for all things food

Social scene

Members of the WI gather for an annual event and another busy month for Shropshire’s High Sherrif, Mandy Thorn

Travel

Hannah Stephenson enjoys the slower pace of life aboard an island-hopping Croatian cruise

102 Motoring

Ted Welford gives his seal of approval to the latest oﬀering from a new kid on the car industry block that hopes to rival the Tesla

110 What’s On

From bonﬁres to book launches, check out what’s going on across Shropshire this month 5

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Boris the 1972 Bay Window Campervan is one of many classic Vee Dubs given a new lease of life at Border Restoration near Shrewsbury

CLASSIC CAMPERS LOVINGLY RESTORED DANIEL MORRIS MEETS THE BEBB FAMILY WHOSE SHREWSBURY BUSINESS SPECIALISES IN RESTORING VW CAMPERS AND OTHER CLASSIC VEHICLES TO THEIR FORMER GLORY

or decades they have stood as some of the most iconic vehicles on the planet, and these days they are amongst its most beloved. Ever associated with the California surf scene and the free spirit of the 1960s, the classic Volkswagen camper van, or Vee Dub, is a poster child of pop culture that today is one of the most sought-after motors in the land. Yet you don’t have to venture beyond our county to see them in all their glory; they are being given a new lease of life right here in Shropshire. Based on their family farm in Halfway House, Shrewsbury, Marc and Michelle Bebb have been running Border Restoration for over 15 years. Specialising in the restoration, repair and modification of Volkswagen campers, this family-run enterprise prides itself on making all of its

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

customers’ classic dreams come true. For Marc and Michelle the business was born out of a passion and a love for the VW camper. “We bought our first van in 2002 – a 1972 bay window,” said Michelle. “It was painted citrus green – the brightest colour you can imagine. We travelled around Ireland. I couldn’t believe how many people were staring as we drove through the towns and cities, and then I caught our reflection in a shop window! We have had some fantastic trips travelling around in our van.” After owning the old boy for a few years, time came for Marc and Michelle to get some work done on their van. “This proved difficult to get someone to commit to doing the van,” remembers Michelle. “As Marc is a welder fabricator by trade, I encouraged him to do the van himself.

This is when we decided that there is an opening here for a great business.” It was then that Border Restoration began. Marc and Michelle had just had their third child, so setting up a new business was quite a big risk. “Marc set up a workshop suitable to take on our first restorations,” said Michelle. “I remember these vans well. The customers were fabulous, and we remain close friends to this day. Dave bought a van for Jayne for her 30th birthday. He wrapped the door up with a bow and presented her with what was probably the only solid panel on the van. “The van was in a poor state with lots of panel replacement required. We had a conversation with Dave and Jayne and recommended they go and see if they could purchase a better base vehicle

At Border Restoration, near Shrewsbury, are Michelle Bebb, Marc Bebb, Billy Bebb and Connor Woodford

to use to restore. We posted them their payment back along with a note and sent them to one of the biggest VW shows in the UK. After searching the ‘for sale’ area at the show they made the decision to put their money into what they already had and know that they would have a fullyrestored van the way they want it.” Border Restoration soon outgrew its premises and moved to its current base, featuring two large workshops – one for fabrication and one in which to build. “The business has gone from strength to strength, with a waiting time of 18 months for a restoration to come into the workshop,” said Michelle. “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team’ here at Border Restoration. We are only a small business and believe work should be a nice place to be with some fun along the way as well as the hard work.” Along with Marc and Michelle, Border Restoration is made up of two more enthusiastic and driven team members. “Connor has been with us over four years now and is a credit to the team,” said Michelle. “Connor joined us as an apprentice, having not worked in this trade. We got chatting about the vans, and he had a natural enthusiasm for classic cars, so Marc asked him if he’d like a career change as we were looking at putting a young one on. In restoration it is difficult to get someone to do the work the way you want it done. We have

had guys that have worked in mainstream body shops come to us, but restoration is a different skill set completely. Connor took the leap and joined us. He is an asset to our small business and is much more than someone who works for us; he’s one of the family.” To complete the family business, Marc and Michelle’s son Billy has just joined the team. “Billy left school in July and joined us,” said Michelle. “With any apprentice it will be a long time and many hours showing Billy the different techniques required in restoration. Luckily, Connor is also on hand to guide Billy.” Although Border Restoration’s mainstream work is Volkswagen campers from the late 1950s to the late 70s, the team also work on a variety of other

classics. “It’s sometimes refreshing to mix it up and work on a Porsche 911 or a classic mini,” Michelle said. “We currently have a 1959 Beetle in and a Lancia Fulvia.” Border Restoration take vans in from all over the UK and abroad in various conditions. “You must remember that these vans are now of a certain age and most require a full restoration; most have been previously repaired and patched to keep them going,” said Michelle. “Sometimes we have a van in that looks OK from a distance, but once you get to see it up-close and feel the panels you know that you’re going to unearth a can of worms. Once the layers of paints and fillers are removed then we can truly see what we are working with. “When a vehicle comes into the workshop we completely strip it back to a shell, media blast it and then start the fabrication and panel replacement. How long the van will be here depends on the level of work required. We say that you can expect it to be with us for six months, but depending on what we find, and customer’s requirements, it can be with us longer.” The team at Border Restoration pride themselves on working closely with their customers. “Having them from all over the UK and abroad it is important to keep in touch,” said Michelle. “We set up group chats via WhatsApp, sending photos and videos of the progress in the workshop. This gives customers a feeling of being

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

part of the restoration without being in the workshop.” As well as restoring customers’ vans, Border Restoration can also help source a vehicle when a new client comes to them with a project in mind. “We had a guy contact us from London,” remembers Michelle. “He owned a wine bar with his wife. He had always wanted a split screen and wanted a van built so they could drive to France, Italy and Spain, visit the vineyards and buy the wine directly from the suppliers. “We sourced him a van and got it back to the workshop. It needed a little bit of work; most vans do. We completely stripped it back to a bare shell and started from the ground up to restore this van. When we were ready to talk paint, the customer couldn’t decide on what colour to choose. He liked blue but then changed SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

to red but also liked yellow. After getting about 15 samples sprayed out, he decided on yellow. “Within a few months of him receiving the van, they went on their adventure through Europe to source the wine they wanted to stock in the wine bar, sending us photos from the vineyards.” The popularity of classic VW campers is now is huge, with this having accelerated in recent years due to more people choosing to holiday in the UK. “When we first bought our van over 20 years ago, although they were popular they hadn’t got the following they have now,” reflects Michelle. “There has been a noticeable shift in the customers buying the vans as an investment.” With the business having restored lots of vans over the years, many builds have been memorable. “We did a beautiful right

hand drive Samba,” remembers Michelle. “The Sambas are one of the most soughtafter models. With the small windows in the roof and full opening sunroof they come with 21-23 windows.” For Marc, Michelle, Connor and Billy, the only way is up, and the team are looking forward to working with more and more great customers as the future moves forward. “We are very fortunate to have built a solid business with some great suppliers,” said Michelle. “But with any restoration it is the customers that make the restoration, and we have been incredibly lucky to have met some wonderful people and build some interesting projects. To the friends that become family!” n For more information on Border Restoration, visit www.borderrestoration. co.uk 9

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Martin Hughes, from Shrewsbury, turned to woodworking after a bad accident and now puts his newfound skills to use as as a furniture maker

CRAFTING A NEW LIFE AFTER INJURY FORMER HGV DRIVER MARTIN HUGHES THOUGHT HE WOULD NEVER WALK AGAIN AFTER A BAD ACCIDENT. HE TELLS HEATHER LARGE HOW WOODWORK HELPED HIM TO START AFRESH . . .

urniture making has become a way of life for Martin Hughes. When the former HGV driver needed something positive to focus his energy on after a serious accident at work, he turned to woodwork. Now the 47-year-old spends every day in his workshop in North Shropshire bringing his simple but beautiful designs to life. Twelve years ago Martin was making a delivery to a farm in Somerset when he was struck by by a falling load from his trailer. The impact of the two bales of straw, each weighing around 300kg, broke two of the vertebrae in his back and his right leg was broken in three places.

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

“It was catastrophic bad luck,” says Martin. “But I was also lucky because by some quirk of fate, a paramedic first responder was taking her tea break just a few minutes away from the farm. “She arrived within seven minutes of the 999 call being made and was able to stop the bleeding from the compound fracture in my right leg.” Martin was taken by air ambulance to Taunton Hospital where despite the seriousness of his condition, he was to experience more good fortune. “By another stroke of luck, a spinal surgeon was giving a lecture at the hospital and had brought his tool kit with him. He was able to stabilise my spine.” There were fears, however, that the

severity of the injuries to his leg would mean he would never walk again and amputation may be the only option. “I don’t remember much about the first two weeks but I know that a lot of the surgeons I saw in those first few weeks didn’t think my leg could be saved. “But there was one surgeon who believed he could save my leg. I think it was a bit of a vanity project for him, he wanted to see how good his skills were. Turns out, they were very good. “He was able to rebuild the bone, he fitted a piece of metal from my knee to my ankle and I had a skin graft from my left thigh,” explains Martin, who was living in Ellesmere at the time. He was transferred to the spinal unit at The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, Oswestry. Despite the successful surgery on his leg, the medical team remained convinced that he was unlikely to ever walk again and began preparing him for using a wheelchair. “The surgeon feared that I wouldn’t walk again and that I should maybe get used to the idea. Every physio session at hospital was about getting used to being in a wheelchair and lifting myself in and out,” says Martin. “A visiting surgeon from Poland spoke to me one day. She said that positive thinking would help the outcome, as much as how I recovered from my physical injuries would, because the two things are connected. That really resonated with me and I kept it in mind,” he explains. He spent four months in hospital and when he left he had one main goal. “I rented a bungalow in Ellesmere and told myself I was going to learn to walk again.” Martin started building up his strength by using his standing frame which had straps to support his weight. “After a while I could balance without the strap. I thought the next logical move was to try taking a step. I took a step and fell over. I persevered and 18 months later I gave up the wheelchair.” As part of his attempts to stay positive after leaving hospital, Martin had decided to teach himself woodwork, specifically furniture making. “I realised I needed something to focus my energy on, other than the challenge of learning to walk again. I had gone from working long, hard hours as a lorry driver and spending days away from home to having nothing to do. There is only so much TV you can watch. “I had always wanted to make furniture and I’d always had a love of wood. Whilst I was still in a wheelchair I bought a cheap bench and basic tools from B&Q and began to teach myself from books and YouTube videos. 12

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

“My first attempts were terrible. The first thing I made was a wine rack from plywood. I no longer have it, it was so awful. But I persevered and I got better and better. After a while I got to the point where I needed professional training,” recalls Martin. He enrolled at one of Britain’s most respected furniture schools, Williams & Cleal, in Somerset and says it was an invaluable experience. “I left a much-improved furniture maker,” says Martin. “They are superb furniture makers and teachers. I learned a lot about furniture design and how carcasses go together.” Now he has his own workshop based at his home near Shrewsbury and is passionate about making it a profitable business. “It’s a busy market to get into. I know what I make is good so it’s getting the word out there,” says Martin who sells his creations via his website, Instagram account and at a gallery in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. His design influences are largely 20th century, including Art Deco and particularly Scandinavian Mid Century. “I like design to be functional and beautiful in its simplicity. I like curves in wood. I find taking something that grows straight and making it curvy more interesting than straight lines.” SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Martin recently successfully applied to appear on the BBC One programme Make It At Market. It’s hosted by Dom Chinea who works with a team of business and craft experts to help a group of budding entrepreneurs make a living from their crafting hobby. “Furniture designer Bruce Kenneth was one of the mentors and we share a bit of an affinity. He was born without a right hand so he’s had to learn to do everything around his disability. “I have a permanent disability as a result of my spinal injury but I’m not

letting it stop me from doing this thing I have grown to love,” he explains. Furniture making has become an important part of Martin’s daily life and he loves bringing new ideas to fruition in his workshop. “I would hesitate to call it a job. I love it, it’s what gets me up in the morning and what keeps me going. It’s important to have something to focus on that makes you happy.” n To see more of Martin’s furniture, visit martinhughesfurniture.co.uk or www. instagram.com/martin hughes furniture 13

PROPERTY

PENTHOUSE OFFERS LUXURY LIVING

tep into luxury living with this spectacular penthouse apartment in Wellington that offers the epitome of elegance and comfort. The Penthouse, Bowring Hall, is on the market with Prestige by Mannleys for offers in the region of £325,000. Boasting a range of features that redefine urban living, this property is a true gem waiting to be discovered. A “one of a kind” some would say, with its very own private balcony off the lounge, you can experience a tranquil oasis high above the chimney pots, enjoy your morning coffee or evening cocktails while taking in the breathtaking views of the surroundings. This two-bedroomed penthouse features a beautiful dining kitchen that’s a culinary enthusiast’s dream come true. Top-of-the-line appliances, sleek countertops, and ample storage space make cooking a pleasure. The property boasts a unique architectural feature with exposed beams and Parque flooring that add character and charm. Convenience meets practicality with the inclusion of four dedicated parking spaces. 14

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

SOUTH ACRE COLD HATTON TF6 6QJ OIRO £800,000

THE CLOCKHOUSE ADMASTON SPA, TF5 0DJ OIRO £625,000

A fantastic oppor tunity to purchase this stunning home. South Acre is a superbly ex tended 5/6 bedroom detached proper ty and it occupies a fantastic plot of approximately 0.8 acres. I t is located in the highly sought-after Hamlet of Cold Hatton and offers the most amazing flexible family accommodation with over 3700sqf t of living space. EPC D

This stunning Grade II Listed home is situated in the highly sought af ter Admaston Spa development in the village of Admaston and is full of historical charm and charac ter, spaciously spread over 3 floors. Planning approval and listed building consent has previously been passed for conversion of the coach house to provide an additional reception room as well as for an oranger y ex tension to the rear of the k itchen.

HADLEY PARK WINDMILL HADLEY PARK, TF1 6QJ OIRO £685,000

A remark able piece of histor y turned into a modern gem. This Grade II listed landmark offers panoramic 360° views, tracing its roots to a late 18th- centur y tower mill. Meticulously transformed by the current owners, it now stands as a five -stor y family home, seamlessly blending contemporar y living with the charm of its heritage. Original features, including remnants of machiner y powered by both wind and w ater, add a unique touch to this splendid residence.

THE MAIZIES

A truly stunning five bedroom 2 storey detached

35 DULWICH GRANGE BRATTON TF5 0ED

area of Bratton. Beautifully presented throughout

OIRO £600,000

proper ty situated in the ever popular, semi-rural the proper ty occupies a superb tucked away plot and benefits from ex tensive driveway park ing and a detached double garage. EPC C

23a Market Street, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1DT 01952 245064 • prestige@mannleysproperty.co.uk

A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

unique row of eight rural Shropshire cottages, nine miles north of Shrewsbury, all refurbished to a high standard, plus a potential glamping site, has been launched to the market by Balfours. This superb investment opportunity is found in the pretty hamlet of Hopton, just north of Nesscliffe, where local services include primary school, renowned public house, post office and service station. Six of the picture-perfect cottages are finished in local beautiful Grinshill stone, framed with timber porches, achieving

truly pleasing aesthetics. The sixth cottage is a considerably larger property that has a separate dining room and a third bedroom. Close by is a brand-new pair of semidetached cottages. They have the added benefit of roof solar panels and solid oak flooring throughout. Abigail Barker, Balfours associate partner, comments: “This is a unique investment opportunity. All have been recently refurbished, including new appliances, log burners and floor finishes, with carpet upstairs. They have achieved energy EPCs of between B and D.”

“The whole site extends to just over an acre including ample parking and large communal gardens, together with a potential glamping site. Hopton borders the stunning Nesscliffe Hills and Cliffe Countryside Heritage site of 70 hectares, with fabulous walks from woodland to heather ridges with breathtaking views across Shropshire,” Abigail adds. There are excellent road links, both to the North and to the Midlands. Balfours are marketing the cottages with a guide price of £1,650,000. For more information call 01743 353511.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

NEW

Church Stretton Shropshire

NEW

Guide Price £850,000

Welshpool Powys

Guide Price £625,000

An Attractive 1930s Arts and Crafts Style Property, Located on the Foot of Carding Mill Valley.

Chapel House has been sympathetically Renovated and boasts stunning 360° views of the Surrounding Countryside.

AONB Location, Family Home, Four / Five Bedrooms, Lounge and Snug, Large Garden, Sweeping Driveway, EPC: D.

Modern Family Home, Hamlet Location, Landscaped Garden, Utility / Boot Room, Set in 0.16 ac (0.3 ha), EPC: Pending.

NEW

Whitchurch Shropshire

NEW

Guide Price £550,000

Ludlow

Shropshire

Guide Price £1,150,000

A Cottage set in the Heart of the Cheshire Marches Countryside with Land equating to 3.4 Acres (1.37 Ha).

Arguably One of the Most Sought-After Private Residences in Ludlow with Views ccross the Countryside Beyond.

Equestrian, Paddocks, Open-Plan Kitchen with Pantry, Snug with Back Burner Log Burner, Three Plots of Land, EPC: E.

Walking Distance to Ludlow Town Centre, Ideal for Conversion / Extension, Potential Annexe, EPC: Pending.

A GEORGIAN GEM

akhurst House is a handsome Grade II listed Georgian house which retains many original features including sash windows all of which have been fully restored, working shutters and the beautiful staircase. The property in Upper Brook Street, Oswestry, is on the market with Savills for offers in excess of £1,000,000 There is over 5,500 square feet of living accommodation which has been thoughtfully restored and renovated and a private enclosed parking area with parking for at least six vehicles with an EV point. The property is chain free and includes

fitted carpets, light fittings, curtains and blinds. The accommodation has been thoughtfully laid out over two floors with a beautiful entrance hall, off which, is a boot room, a study and the fabulous drawing room. There is also a family bathroom, a games room/bedroom, a fabulous family room, a separate laundry room with a further room. The cellar may be accessed from the inner hallway. The breath-taking kitchen dining room includes solid wood base and wall units, granite tops, double NEFF electric ovens, a large central island with integrated NEFF dishwasher and wine

rack with a curved breakfast island, a separate larder cupboard, an integrated fridge and freezer within a beautiful dresser, a pantry cupboard and French doors out to the courtyard. The elegant staircase rises to the first floor landing where the principal suite is located which includes a free standing bath, an en-suite shower room and a separate dressing room area. There are a further four large double bedrooms, including two which share a Jack & Jill bathroom, and two with their own en-suites. To the rear of the property is a wonderful enclosed and private courtyard with has gated access onto Welsh Walls.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Spectacular views Aston Eyre, Bridgnorth, Shropshire

Fantastic opportunity English Frankton, Ellesmere, Shropshire

Bridgnorth: 4.7 miles (9 minutes).

Ellesmere: 6 miles (12 minutes).

An absolutely superb rural 5 bed family home with a handsome façade. Immaculately presented offering substantial accommodation, pasture land and mature gardens and spectacular views. Fantastic equestrian facilities to include stables manège and outbuildings.

Situated within the heart of the North Shropshire countryside a fabulous and beautifully finished 5 bed family home. With a fantastic studio, outbuildings with planning permission for two barn conversions offering fantastic potential.

Freehold | Council Tax Band = G | EPC Rating = E

Freehold | Council Tax Band = F | EPC Rating = D

About 4.8 acres | Guide £1,400,000

About 1.94 acres | Guide £1,150,000

Peter Daborn

Director Telford 01952 239 500 peter.daborn@savills.com

Sought after location

Modern family home

Lyth Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Oswestry, Shropshire

Shrewsbury: 5.7 miles (17 minutes).

Oswestry: 0.8 miles (3 minutes).

A fabulous house with commanding views over Shropshire, surrounded by wildlife and nature, situated on the beautiful Lyth Hill with footpaths, bridleways and cycle routes. Offering income potential with planning permission granted for two dwellings.

A modern and stylish 5 bed family home within walking distance of Oswestry town centre, with a double garage with music room above, 12 PV panels on the garage roof providing an income. Landscaped garden with a beautiful garden room for outside entertaining.

Freehold | Council Tax Band = G | EPC Rating = C

About 1 acres | Guide £1,150,000

2418 Sq Ft | Guide £775,000

Peter Daborn

Director Telford 01952 239 500 peter.daborn@savills.com

HOME ENJOYS STUNNING VIEWS

airfields is a superior, beautifully designed and immaculately presented, four-bedroomed detached house. The property has been extensively renovated by the current owners to provide superb family accommodation with all rooms presented to an exacting standard. It is on the market with Miller Evans for offers in the region of £1,000,000. In brief, the accommodation includes: entrance vestibule, entrance hall, sitting room, playroom/study, superb open plan kitchen/living/dining room, family room, utility room, cloakroom/WC, master bedroom suite with dressing room and en-suite shower room, further guest bedroom with en-suite shower room, two

further double bedrooms and principal bathroom. The kitchen is a beautiful room fitted with a high quality range of kitchen units with granite work tops over and a range of integrated appliances, a tiled floor and windows to the side and rear overlooking the garden and grounds. The family room boasts a feature fireplace with wood burning stove and bi-folding doors leading out to the rear garden A purpose-built oak outbuilding comprises: double garage, workshop, log store and annex comprising a kitchen/ living area and double bedroom. Outside the property is a large gravelled forecourt approached through an electric gate, attractive and good-sized formal garden and a paddock totalling

to approx half an acre. The property benefits from underfloor heating, double glazing and an oil-fired central heating system. Internal inspection is highly recommended. This property occupies a pleasant position boasting stunning views of the surrounding countryside and towards Haughmond Hill. The village of Uffington is approx. seven miles east of Shrewsbury and provides an excellent range of amenities including the renowned Corbet Arms Public House, a village church, the Shrewsbury Rugby Club, a frequent bus service and the property is also well placed for easy access to the Shrewsbury by-pass proving an M54 Motorway link to the West Midlands.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

PERIOD PROPERTY IN IDYLLIC SPOT

his spacious, three/four bedroom detached period property is situated in a superb rural location with wonderful views and approximately four acres of land. The White House in Hamperley, Church Stretton, is on the market with Miller Evans for offers in the region of £635,000, and is for sale with no chain. The property is pleasantly situated in this superb rural location and boasts stunning views over the surrounding countryside and towards the South Shropshire hills. The property is within easy access of nearby market towns, including Church Stretton, Craven Arms and Bishop’s Castle, where there are an excellent range of amenities, including primary and secondary schools, bus and rail services, shopping facilities, doctors and dentists and supermarkets. The spacious family accommodation briefly comprises: a large conservatory, porch, kitchen/breakfast room, utility room, lounge, living room, study/ground floor bedroom and cloakroom.

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Both the lounge and the living room have attractive brick fireplaces and exposed ceiling beams and doors to the conservatory. Off the landing is the master bedroom with dressing room and en-suite, two further double bedrooms and principal bathroom. A short distance from the main property are two large outbuildings which comprise a stable block with six stables

and a corrugated iron barn. The land is down to permanent pasture and extends to approximately four acres. The gardens offer an extremely high degree of privacy and comprise a paved patio area, enclosed by dwarf brick walling and large gravelled area enclosed by post and rail fencing, floral and shrub borders and an enclosed lawn area. The property benefits from LPG gasfired central heating and double glazing.

Abbey Foregate, Shrewsbury

£500,000

This Grade II Listed, 16th Century timber framed cottage has been restored and extended to a particularly high standard, creating a modern living space whilst retaining the original character to create a truly unique two bedroom property and briefly comprises : utility/wc, kitchen/dining room, living room, first floor bedroom 2, bathroom and second floor master bedroom. Parking for one vehicle with cabling for car charging. Private courtyard garden. Situated within a short walk of Shrewsbury town centre with views across Abbey Gardens, the property is close to local amenities with the full range of shops, fashionable bars and restaurants in the town centre being a short walk over the English Bridge.

Porthill Gardens, Shrewsbury

£875,000

An extremely well appointed and neatly kept, four bedroom detached house, offering flexible accommodation briefly comprising; entrance hall, cloakroom, study, lounge, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room, conservatory, utility room, master bedroom with en suite bathroom, three further double bedrooms and bathroom. Attached garage, side passageway and ample parking. Attractive and secluded good sized garden. The property benefits from gas fired central heating and double glazing. No upward chain. This property occupies a prime location in Porthill Gardens within walking distance of the nearby town centre.

4 Barker Street, Shrewsbury • 4 The Square, Church Stretton

D C E D U R E

Bangor-On-Dee, Wrexham

Malpas, Cheshire

An immaculately presented, former farmhouse with excellent equestrian facilities and views across the adjoining land, all set within 7.1 acres

Beautiful 4-bed family home with immaculate gardens, paddock and stable block.

Spacious 4-bed family home | Double garage with flat above American barn with 5 Monarch stables | 40m x 60m manege with carpet-based surface | EPC rating C

£950,000

E W

£995,000

Shrewsbury, Shropshire

Westbury, Shropshire

A rare opportunity to acquire an impressive barn conversion and become part of an exclusive development in an excellent semi-rural loaction.

A unique opportunity to let a substantial farmhouse with self-contained annexe and excellent equestrian facilities.

Newly converted 3-bed property | Open-plan kitchen/dining/living area, utility & wc | Master bedroom with en-suite, two further double bedrooms & family bathroom | Lawned gardens | EPC pending

£595,000

TO LET: £3,750pcm

AN IMPRESSIVE BARN CONVERSION

iln House offers a rare opportunity to acquire an impressive three-bedroom barn conversion and become part of an exclusive development on the outskirts of Shrewsbury. The newly developed barn coversion in Cruckton is on the market with Jackson Property with a guide price of £595,000. It is located within a ten-minute drive of Shrewsbury, benefitting from far-reaching views over the surrounding Shropshire countryside, and has been finished to the highest of standards. Kiln House forms part of an exclusive development, being the first unit complete out of four dwellings. It is full of character having oak beams throughout and the original brick kiln as an impressive feature within the kitchen. From the parking area, a path leads you through the immaculate lawned garden to the main door. On entering the property, the plant room is to one side and you are immediately presented with the impressive exposed brick kiln. Adjacent to the kiln is the utility room/WC.

The spacious kitchen includes a large central island with units below and a range of base and wall-mounted units with solid quartz surfaces. On from the kitchen is space for a dining table with the living area beyond. The stairwell opens up to a number of sky lights above which allows in ample natural light to create a feeling of immense space. All of the bedrooms and family bathroom are accessed off the spacious landing.

The master bedroom offers stunning views over back of the property through French doors which open onto a Juliet balcony. The master bedroom benefits from fitted wardrobes and a luxury ensuite bathroom. There are two further large double bedrooms. Kiln House has parking up to four vehicles. The garden is laid to lawn with a perimeter fence to the front and side. The garden continues at the front of the house with estate fencing.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

INTERIORS

John Lewis Segment Cushion, Damson, £45, (left and centre), Hew Cushion, Damson, £45, (right), Hexa Geometric Rug, L180 x W120cm, Damson, £150, rest of items from a selection, John Lewis Below: Damson tableware, John Lewis

DELIGHT IN DAMSON...

THIS SUMPTUOUS SHADE MAKES A PLUMMY CHOICE, SAYS SAM WYLIE-HARRIS

f you’re in the mood for an autumn refresh and switching out your soft pastels for something more punchy, the dark tones of damson are where it’s at. Bridging the gap between burgundy and rich, blue-black berry tones, damson is an ode to comfort with its velvety aesthetic – and creates an appealing aspect wherever you style these dark violet hues. Indeed, John Lewis & Partners cite damson as the ‘colour to cocoon’ you – and it’s been unveiled as the shade of the season for autumn/winter 2023 by the John Lewis Colour Council. “Damson is the perfect shade for autumn, both a bold and harmonious colour that can be incorporated effortlessly into the home,” says Melanie Archer, John Lewis colour expert. Opt for cushions or a throw in the autumnal hue for a pop of colour in a living room or bedroom, she suggests, “while open shelving units are a brilliant way to showcase coloured glassware”.

Beyond homewares and accessories, wallpaper and paint designers have also incorporated swish rich purples into their collections. “Deep and rich colours such as damson or plum purple are a go-to for this season as they reflect the warm tones found in nature at this time, and create a cocooning effect in the home,” says James Greenwood, interiors expert at Graham & Brown. For a cosy effect in a bedroom, he suggests plum wallpaper teamed with a similar paint shade for a consistent colour scheme. If these dark colours seem overwhelming, but you’re looking to dip your toe into the damson trend, Greenwood says something a little bit lighter still provides those warming hues, while not overwhelming the space. Here’s how to get the look of the season…

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

African Zebra Purple Cushion, from £62 to £79.50, FabFunky

Fable Plum Wallpaper, Purple/Green, £70 per roll, Epoch Paint, Matt Emulsion, £48, (2.5 litres), Graham & Brown

Little Treasures – Amethyst Optic Vase, £22, Dartington Crystal

Vintage Trellis Wallpaper in Pistachio and Mulberry on Fig, £58 per roll, Lucie Annabel

Aubergine Purple 100% Linen Bed Linen: King Duvet Cover, £179, King Fitted Sheet, £99, Housewife Pillowcase, £22, Secret Linen Store

12-piece Glaze Dinner Set, £50, Next

Emma Bridgewater Blackberry Collection, from left: Blackberry French Bowl, £24, Blackberry Small Cake Stand, £55, Blackberry 3 Mug Teapot, £60, Blackberry Small Teacup & Saucer, £35, Emma Bridgewater

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Philippe Starck for Kartell Masters Limited Edition Chair, Damson, £229, John Lewis

QUALITY Design, construction & performance

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IT’S STRICTLY FOR THE BIRD LOVERS IF YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR MURMURATIONS FROM YOUR MAGPIES, COUNTRYFILE PRESENTER AND STRICTLY STAR HAMZA YASSIN SHARES ADVICE ON BECOMING A BIRDER

hen there’s a tap at the door of Hamza Yassin’s cottage in the wilds of Scotland, he knows that the female song thrush has been visiting. “She comes and collects all the snails and slugs and uses my front doorstep as an anvil. She smacks all the snails on there,” the wildlife cameraman and presenter explains. “I’ll open the door because I think someone’s knocking and she’ll fly away. But now when I open the door she sits there looking at me, going, ‘It’s just me again’.” The Countryfile host and star of Strictly – who recently fulfilled Dame Judi Dench’s dream to see a golden eagle, taking her to a secret Scottish location where they spotted two in flight – likes to keep his garden on the Ardnamurchan peninsula on the west coast of Scotland wild. He confesses he’s not cut his grass for the last five years. He lets the 10sqm plot grow wild for much of the year, until the local crofter’s sheep are allowed in to munch away at it. “They mow it down to absolutely 30

nothing, and once that’s done they get kicked out again and I let it grow wild.” There’s no herbicide or pesticide used but the wildflowers, including wild orchids, which emerge each year are a magnet for insects – and for birds, which remain his passion. He has now written a book – Be A Birder – a guide to how to get started, describing the many birds you may see and signs to look for. A birder is different from a twitcher, he points out. “A twitcher spends their time and money wanting to look at rare birds that come from different parts of the world. A birder is someone who’s happily walking the dog doing the same circuit for the last 50 years, then happens to see something cool on his local patch. It’s not about ticking boxes.” Yassin, 33, who lifted the Strictly glitterball last year with dance partner Jowita Przystal, says his

home is full of wildlife. “There are song thrushes nesting. There are pine martens in the attic. There are starlings nesting in the eaves and I’m getting the fascia boards and gutters replaced but have told the guys I want holes in them, because the house sparrows and starlings are nesting in there.” He may not own a big garden but the view is amazing, with vast moorland at the back of the cottage and the Atlantic Ocean 30 metres in front of it, where corn crakes and reed buntings nest in a marshy area. He has been a birder since he was a child growing up in Sudan, coming to the UK at the age of eight when his parents, both doctors, were invited to work here by the Royal College of Medicine. His inspirations include Sir David Attenborough and the late Steve Irwin. “Sir David and Steve Irwin made it fun for me. You have the passion of Irwin, NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

who made something like the crocodile cool, but a thing of beauty. Then you have the calm demeanour and relaxed, informative voice of Sir David.” He laughs at the suggestion he could be the next Attenborough. “I appreciate the thought, and to have my name and his name in the same sentence is an absolute blessing. He’s an idol of mine, but Attenborough will never be replaced. He’s done so much for nature that no-one in our era could fathom doing, at a moment when nature wasn’t cool. He made it cool for all of us. He lit the spark in me.” In the UK, his favourite birds are the Eurasian starling, the sparrowhawk and the golden eagle. “Starlings are completely underrated. They have such beautiful iridescence. And they have these beautiful murmurations in the autumn. Imagine a million birds flying together and none of them hit each other.” Fancy being a birder? Yassin offers the following tips and tricks…

Use your ears ﬁrst

“Use your ears. Don’t put your ear pods in and listen to music. You’ll hear the birds often before you see them.”

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Look for signs For instance, if a group of pigeons suddenly takes off from a rooftop in the centre of London, the chances are there’s a predator around – most likely a sparrowhawk, as the other contender, the peregrine falcon, almost always catches its prey in flight, he explains in the book.

Buy binoculars

“Buy the best pair of binoculars you can afford. A rubbish pair of binoculars will mess your eyes up.” Invest in a small travel pair that will go in your pocket as a starting point, he suggests.

Don’t worry about location

“Go outdoors if you can and look up. Get off your phone. You can birdwatch from anywhere, from a seventh floor flat in the middle of London. Open your windows and I guarantee you will see birds. They are everywhere.”

Join birding clubs

“You’ll see a lot on Facebook. Go to RSPB reserves. Some of them are free to just go in and ask. The birding community is very friendly and as a result of it, I’m a birder. “My mum took me to my first RSPB

reserve – I had nothing, just a little leaflet. Some old dudes were sitting either side of the hide and I was curious and asked them about the birds I could see. I borrowed their binoculars while they used a telescope.”

Feed the birds

“Autumn and winter are the best times to feed the birds, and regularly put your bird feeder in the dishwasher, disinfect it. Otherwise it could become a hub where infection can start. “There are parts of the year when you shouldn’t feed the birds because they are trying to feed their chicks. Instead of feeding them peanuts, it’s better to feed them grubs and caterpillars, which are better for them.” n Be A Birder: The Joy Of Birdwatching And How To Get Started by Hamza Yassin is published by Gaia, priced £16.99.

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RAF MUSEUM IS FLYING HIGH ANDY RICHARDSON DISCOVERS WHY THE RAF MUSEUM AT COSFORD, WITH ITS MAGNIFICENT COLLECTION OF HISTORIC AIRCRAFT, IS THE JEWEL IN THE CROWN OF TOURIST ATTRACTIONS

r u o y on DOORSTEP

t’s among the finest tourist attractions in the West Midlands, and you don’t have to take our word for that – RAF Cosford – now called RAF Museum Midlands – lifted the crown when judges convened to agree upon the West Midlands Tourist Awards 2022, deciding Cosford was the best in its class. It’s easy to understand the appeal. From jets and planes to tanks and trucks and from a Red Arrows simulator to war planes and helicopters, it has a dazzling array of attractions. Visitors can explore spacious indoor hangars and enjoy learning about flying machines with their kids. Each aircraft and object in the collection at Cosford is special in its own way. In addition to aircraft, visitors can enjoy the the National Cold War Exhibition and get the ‘wow’ factor with its eye-catching architecture and design. They can discover Cold War stories in immersive hotspots and view thrilling displays of aircraft, iconic cars, models

and tanks. Among many precious exhibits are the world’s oldest Spitfire and several other classic aircraft in Cosford’s War in the Air Hangar. A high-tech zone provides an impressive contrast and houses Virtual Reality, Simulators and 4D Theatre shows for guaranteed family fun. Remarkably, admission is free with a small fee for parking, providing a low-cost day out. RAF Cosford itself is steeped in history and the rapid expansion of the RAF in the 1930s required additional aircrew and technicians to fly and maintain the aircraft. The apprentice scheme was expanded and Cosford was chosen as the site for

a new school of technical training. The first trainees arrived at Cosford in August 1938 to commence their training on a building site. Furniture for the barracks had arrived from Halton and put into rooms which were a long way from being finished. Even during the winter months, instruction took place in hangars without the large ‘Eclair’ doors and in classrooms without glass in the windows. Wartime training was intense. Civilian instructors suddenly found themselves in uniform and were trained or ‘refreshed’ in Service duties. Cosford trained armourers, radar technicians and engine and airframe fitters throughout the war and the trainees included French, Poles, Czechs and Romanians. Normal strength of the unit was approximately 9,000 throughout the war. No. 9 Maintenance Unit (MU) was formed on the airfield in 1939. It was responsible for the receipt and despatch of a wide variety of aircraft ranging from Spitfire to Lysander, Hudson to Horsa glider. At its peak the MU was handling

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

400-500 aircraft movements each month. Dispersed aircraft were often three miles away from the airfield and the technical support required to service this vast array of aircraft was enormous. The MU also modified aircraft to be despatched overseas and constructed Horsa gliders from prefabricated components. These gliders played a vital role in the invasion of Europe in June 1944. The RAF had a pool of glider pilots who ferried the Horsas away. The Air Transport Auxiliary (ATA) also played a vital role in ferrying the other aircraft away from Cosford to their operational units. No 12 Ferry Pilots’ Pool, based at Cosford, was one of only two such pools staffed entirely by women. The post-war reduction of the service led initially to a decrease in the training task at Cosford. Engine and airframe instruction was given to National Service trainees and the School of PT returned for the period 1946-1954. As the Cold War deepened, a re-examination of Britain’s defences was made and it recognised a need for modern jet aircraft along with the personnel to service them. Youth training again became the task of Cosford and the Boy Entrants’ Scheme was started. This continued until the 1964 change to the RAF Trade Structure and SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

the Boy Entrants’ Scheme was phased out with the last entry leaving in July 1965. The arrival of three new types of apprentice in September 1964 began a further series of changes at RAF Cosford. The training featured a one-year craft apprenticeship for telegraphers, a twoyear course for electronic fitters and the elite Technician Apprentices on a threeyear course. Technical training dominated the apprentice training programme, but drill, ceremonial, physical and character

training all played their part. Ceremonial duties have included Royal visits, route lining parades for state visits and the Freedom of Wolverhampton ceremonies. These changes also included replacing many of the old wooden buildings with brick buildings. New messes and barrack blocks were built and the domestic facilities improved. The eventual phasing out of one and two-year craft apprenticeships marked the end of another phase of apprentice training. 35

In 1976 a new scheme was introduced; three-year training for Electronic Technicians Air Communications and Air Radar and Flight Systems. Cosford trains technicians for both the RAF and the armed forces of other countries. The Aerospace Museum at Cosford was opened on 1 May 1979 and was born out of a collection of historic ground instructional airframes on inventory at Royal Air Force Cosford. Other aircraft were added to the collection from the RAF’s Reserve Collections of Historic Aircraft scattered about the country. The trustees of the Royal Air Force Museum took over the management of the collection, under a Ministry of Defence Management Agreement, as a museum independent of the RAF Museum at Hendon in London, and employed two staff. The Aerospace Museum was not Government funded directly but enjoyed rent and rates free accommodation at Royal Air Force Cosford. The station commander was responsible for all costs relating to utilities, the maintenance of land and buildings and the conservation of the MoD-owned historic aircraft. The general manager of the site was responsible for all other running costs and funds were raised from admission fees and profits from shop, café and events. The museum continued to grow until 1995 when forward plans indicated that expenditure would overtake income by 1998 if public facilities were not improved and visitor numbers increased. Applications were made to the Heritage Lottery Fund, the European Regional Development Fund and an

appeal was launched to build a visitor centre in which to accommodate first class public facilities and a conference centre. In addition, an art gallery, a temporary exhibitions gallery and two other subject galleries were built making in all, a total project value of £3.6m and the new project was opened by His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester on 21 June 1998. On 13 May 2002, Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Michael Beetham opened a new conservation centre named after him. This centre is the culmination of seven years of planning to move the RAF Museum’s Reserve Collection to Stafford and the Conservation Centre to Cosford, from Cardington in Bedfordshire. The National Cold War Exhibition

was opened by HRH Princess Anne on 7 February 2007. The exhibition is housed in a landmark building and its unique design has resulted in many awards and accolades. The exhibition houses 19 aircraft, tanks, vehicles, models and memorabilia. A number of aircraft are suspended in flying attitudes and this is the only place in the UK where you can view Britain’s V-Bombers: the Vulcan, Victor and Valiant. In 2022, the museum was renamed the RAF Museum Midlands to highlights its links with the local community and the wider Midlands. This was the launch of a new chapter in the museum’s history and future in the form of a twenty-five year Development Programme. RAF Cosford truly is a jewel in the crown. NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Antiques & Collectors’ Fair As Seen On B B C Bargain Hunt

STAFFORD SHOWGROUND 2023 DATES

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February 17th & 18th April 27th & 28th Up to 300 stands in 3 Halls

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Traditional farming methods will be the order of the day at the newly-named Acton Scott Heritage Farm near Church Stretton. Photo: Cpl Lee Goddard

STEP BACK IN TIME DOWN ON THE FARM DAVID TOOLEY REPORTS ON A HOW A TOP ATTRACTION IS CHANGING TO CONCENTRATE ON ITS FARMING HERITAGE AND NEEDS TO EMPLOY SPECIALIST PEOPLE TO HELP ACHIEVE THAT GOAL

much-loved visitor attraction has changed its name and is now searching to fill two key posts as it looks forward to reopening next year. The farm, formerly known as Acton Scott Historic Working Farm, near Church Stretton, has changed its name to Acton Scott Heritage Farm to “look forward and to avoid any confusion with the past.” A tantalising new light has also been shed on what kind of an attraction it will be. One of the roles they are looking for states that it will be on a mission “of demonstrating a working farm through time and raising awareness of the value of historic farming techniques and what they might offer for future generations.” Now it is also looking for a full time £45,000-a-year farm director to develop

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

and implement a business strategy to achieve that. It is also looking for an agricultural contractor who is experienced in working heavy horses, or be an experienced livestock farmer with an interest in historic and rare breeds. A statement on the attraction’s Facebook page said: “Acton Scott Heritage Farm, formerly Acton Scott Historic Working Farm, is offering a unique opportunity for an experienced individual to be at the forefront of the launch of this new farm attraction. “The site has applied for charitable status and we are seeking a director that can help the Trustee Board realise their vision of an inclusive dynamic organisation that will continue to provide a unique tourist and educational attraction.” The new director will report directly

to the chair of the trustee board and will be responsible and accountable for the development and implementation of strategy and business plans and the achievement of the associated income and expenditure targets. The trustees are also inviting expressions of interest for an agricultural contractor. They say it is a “unique opportunity to play a leading role in the relaunch and operation of the farm.” It is expected that the contractor will either be experienced in working heavy horses, or be an experienced livestock farmer with an interest in historic and rare breeds. The venue is one of Shropshire’s oldest and most prestigious visitors attractions, as seen on ‘Victorian Farm’. Shropshire Council’s lease was surrendered back to the Acton Scott Estate in April 2023. The estate is now making repairs and improvements.

Key players of the Save The Falcon committee, Sean Kinson, Richard Parrish, Ian Walker and Mike Thomason, enjoy an opening day pint

CHEERS! FALCON IS FLYING HIGH AGAIN A SHROPSHIRE COMMUNITY HAS COME TOGETHER TO REOPEN A 200-YEAR-OLD PUB THAT WAS CLOSED AND FACING AN UNCERTAIN FUTURE. MEGAN HOWE REPORTS . . .

The way we were – The Falcon Inn in Hinstock

ess than 12 months ago, the 200-year-old Falcon Inn pub in Hinstock faced an uncertain future. It closed its doors in December 2022 and in January 2023, suffered extensive damage to the interior caused by cold weather-induced flooding. But after a remarkable effort from residents, determined to save their muchloved community asset, the pub has been restored – and with it, the promise of a bright, beer-filled future. “Everybody calls it the ‘pub’, but nobody actually thinks it’s a ‘Public House’. To actually have a public house where everybody can go, whenever they want, informally – to treat as their own – is so important. The place now feels like it’s loved by a lot of people and it’s brilliant really,” said Hinstock resident Ian Walker. The Falcon Inn held its grand reopening on October 14, and there to

welcome people were residents Sean Kinson, Richard Parrish, Mike Thomason and Ian Walker. The four men make up the ‘key players’ of the Save The Falcon committee – a group which successfully applied to have the pub listed as an ‘Asset of Community Value’ by Shropshire Council in February. The group then formed a Community Benefit Society (CBS), with support from the Plunkett Foundation, a charity that supports rural community businesses. The group said the Plunkett Foundation had been an invaluable tool in getting the pub under community control. They also paid a visit to the team at The White Lion in Ash Magna – which came into community ownership in 2017 – for advice on how to get The Falcon up-and-running. Sean, Richard, Mike and Ian are now hoping that if any other communities find themselves in a similar boat, they might NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

The impressive exterior and interior of the newly refurbished and reopened Falcon Inn. Its history dates back 200 years. Photo: Save The Falcon campaign

feel confident enough to come to them for support. Richard said: “The fundamental thing is to make sure you’ve got genuine, local support and this is a thing that’s happening all over the country. “But if you’ve got community oomph behind it – and the beauty of things like Plunkett is that they have done it, seen it all, got the T-shirt – and you’re accepting sensible advice from people who know, we found that absolutely invaluable.” There were three pubs in the village of Hinstock at one time, but The Falcon Inn is now the only one remaining. The pub – known then as The Red Lion – was purchased in 1836 by Henry Justice who renamed it ‘The Falcon Inn’ because two falcons were included on the Justice family’s coat of arms. The team went on to say that they SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

have been amazed by the variety of skills people in the village possess and their willingness to utilise these to restore the pub. The team thanked Hinstock Parish Council for their grant, as well as the financial support they have received from local businesses. Some of their supporters include Walker Engineering Limited, Crossland Trucks, Orb Studio, Orb Print, Noble Craft Brewing, SKB Tech Services Limited, BJ’s Garage, A1 Locksmiths and John Richards Surplus. The team are looking to ‘keep things local’ as much as possible, supporting Shropshire breweries, Shropshire produce and Shropshire businesses. Ian added: “At the moment we are in a cost-of-living crisis, we are watching pubs go – two or three a week – but when

everything picks up again you don’t want to be sitting there thinking ‘oh we used to have a pub I’d love to go there now’. “My mum and dad came in here when they were dating. When I was younger, me and my friends would play snooker in the snooker room. You’d sit here, there’d be all sort of folks in – and you just had a good laugh and there wasn’t anywhere else to go. “With pubs, if people run them as a pure business you kind of lose sight of what’s really important. You could do flash food and have a brilliant chef and amazing beers, but loads of people in the village won’t be able to afford to come in here.” For more information visit falconhinstock.com, email hello@ falconhinstock.com, or telephone 01952 550249. 41

A ‘PROUD’ MOMENT FOR RAF VETERAN RICHARD WILLIAMS MEETS CHARLES POWELL WHO TOOK PART IN THE PACIFIC NUCLEAR TEST PROGRAMME

n RAF veteran is “proud” to have received a medal for his service during the British nuclear weapon tests in the Pacific in the 1950s. The Nuclear Test Medal medal has been awarded to those who served in nuclear testing grounds between 1952 and 1967, including scientists, civilians and next of kin, regardless of whether they witnessed a detonation. Charles Edwin Powell, 86, from Queensway in Whitchurch, received his medal in the post at the end of September, and says it has brought back memories of his time as safety equipment assistant during the nuclear tests. Charles, known as ‘Jack’ in his RAF days, was one of 40,000 British personnel across the armed forces who took part in tests in the 1950s and 1960s. He said he was just 17 when he enlisted in November 1954. He went on to become a corporal and was witness to the nuclear tests during Operation Grapple on Christmas Island and Operation Antler in Maralinga, Australia, between 1957 and 1959. “When they sent us to Christmas Island they did not say a thing to us,” Charles remembered. “They sent us by aircraft carrier, HMS Warrior, which was the flagship. I had been 17 and a half when I joined and had just wanted to go abroad and see the world, and there I was.” He said it was not until several weeks of being on Christmas Island that the servicemen figured out what they were there for. “All the time they never actually said what we were doing. We just slowly worked it out,” he recalled. “A couple of weeks before the first test on May 31, around 30 or 40 of us were selected to go on ‘decontamination flights’. “It was our job to decontaminate the planes when they got back after dropping the bombs. They had cameras underneath and these filters that took samples of the atmosphere after the blasts, which would have been radioactive. It was my job to 42

Charles Edwin Powell aged 86 and his Nuclear Test Medal for his work on the tests oﬀ Easter Island

Charles during the nuclear tests

take the filters out, and these were sent straight back to Britain for analysis.” The tests have since proved controversial and campaigns have been run by some veterans over the effects on those involved. However, Charles, who left the RAF and went to work at Rolls Royce in Crewe, then at GKN Sankeys in Telford before becoming a postman until his retirement, said: “It has never bothered me in any way. This is the only medal I got for my service, so I am quite proud.”

The nuclear mushroom cloud billows up from one of the tests held on Christmas Island

A bomber decontaminated by Charles

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

ALL GROWING VERY NICELY FOR NICKY HEATHER LARGE MEETS THE LADY WHO HAS BUILT A THRIVING BUSINESS AFTER A SURGE IN POPULARITY IN THE HUMBLE HOUSEPLANT

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

s a horticulturalist of 35 years, Nicky Fraser knows more than most about helping plants to thrive. Houseplants have surged in popularity over the last few years with more people bringing a touch of the outdoors into their homes. For many, especially those without gardens, they also provided a muchneeded link with nature during the pandemic lockdowns. Nicky runs Loam plants and desirables, based at Maws Craft Centre in Jackfield, and specialises in unusual and hard to find houseplants. Each day is spent surrounded by greenery at the shop where she is able to share her extensive knowledge with customers. “It’s been my love from the earliest age and the reason people like to come to my shop is that they know they will get accurate instructions on how to keep their plants alive,” she tells Weekend. Nicky, who lives in Ironbridge, grew up visiting her uncle’s allotment and says this is where her love of plants, of all varieties, first blossomed. “It was my uncle who taught me how to garden. I was completely fascinated by it,” she explains. “Growing up there were other distractions and I moved to New York and London and then to Leicester. I got married and my husband and I bought our first house which had a tiny patch of a garden. It rekindled my love of gardening. “I was working for an estate agent at the time and I just woke up one morning and thought I don’t want to do this anymore, I want to work in horticulture. I handed my notice in and got a job at a rose nursery, and then I worked for a tree nursery. I decided to get my qualifications and applied to a horticultural college in Leicester. I passed with distinction and then I worked for a gardening magazine as a technical writer.” Although she enjoyed the work, Nicky, who is also an expert in topiary, found she was itching to get back to a more hands-on job. Nicky and her husband Johnny set up their own nursery, woodland management and garden design business which they ran for many years. After moving to Ironbridge in 2017, they decided to take their careers in a different direction, with Johnny becoming a tree officer and Nicky opening Loam in 2018. But Nicky admits running a shop mostly dedicated to houseplants came about by accident. “I had a lot of vintage gardening items and a few houseplants to make it look nice. People kept coming in and asking about the plants so I got a few more and

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Horticulturalist Nicky Fraser tends to some of her houseplants at Loam Plants and Desirables based at the Maws Craft Centre in Jackﬁeld

it turned into a houseplant shop with a bit of vintage,” she explains. “I managed to bring the shop through the pandemic quite successfully because people were doing up their homes and they wanted plants to fill their home.” Nicky also runs workshops above the shop, which include making a closed terrarium, and also plans to invite guest speakers and experts to run a wider range of courses in the future. Over the past few years, she has witnessed the surging popularity of indoor plants, particularly among the younger generations. “Young people have definitely embraced houseplants. I think it’s because a lot of young people live in flats that don’t have gardens and that don’t allow pets so houseplants become their pets and their connection with nature,” explains Nicky. “Younger people don’t just buy a houseplant and take it off a shelf here and put it on a shelf at home, they do their research, they are thinking about interior design and they are sharing their successes on social media.” When it comes to selecting stock for

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

her shop, Nicky says she fills the shelves with a wide variety of plants. “There are thousands to choose from so I think ‘what do I fancy this week?’ and I like to change it every week so I’m offering people something new. “There are plants like String of Turtles that I always stock because people love them so much. Everybody likes String of Turtles because it looks like little turtles. I try to avoid novelty plants, there’s a pineapple plant that’s popular at the moment with a small pineapple plant on top but they don’t do well as a houseplant,” she tells Weekend. Among her favourites in the shop are prayer plants, which include the rattlesnake calathea. “They’re the most active houseplants you can buy. They fold their leaves up at night and unfold them during the day. They are named prayer plants because when the leaves are folded up, they look like hands in prayer,” explains Nicky. For anyone looking to buy their first houseplant, she recommends opting for a sansevieria. “There are hundreds of different species. They are always

good for beginners because they’re very forgiving. If you forget to water them one day, they are not going to suddenly die. They come from a hot place so they know how to survive in hot and dry conditions,” explains Nicky. Her shop sometimes doubles up as a ‘hospital’ as she will get customers bringing in plants which they bought elsewhere that are struggling. “Part of the success of my business is that people trust me. I don’t just sell plants, I also provide care instructions. I use my horticulture knowledge and I tell people how to look after their plant,” explains Nicky. “I love it when somebody leaves the shop with their first plant and they’re nervous because they’ve never grown one before and then they come back several months later and they say: it’s still alive. I often get people sending me photographs of their plants too. “I love that interaction with people and being with the plants.” n For more details about Nicky’s workshops, visit www.facebook.com/ loamplantsanddesirables

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The Fountain Girls, from left, Elaine Rye and sisters Gill Beach, Margaret Roberts, Vicky Jones at the famous drinking fountain. Picture by Dave Bagnall.

‘FOUNTAIN GIRLS’ MAKING A SPLASH HEATHER LARGE FOLLOWS A CAMPAIGN LED BY FOUR WOMEN TO RETURN THE ICONIC BARTLETT DRINKING WATER FOUNTAIN TO ITS ORIGINAL HOME IN IRONBRIDGE SQUARE

t was built as a monument to the determined vicar who brought fresh drinking water to the people of Ironbridge in the 1800s – saving countless lives in the process. Now a campaign is under way to return the Bartlett Drinking Water Fountain to its original home in Ironbridge Square. The fountain can currently be found at the back of the Waterloo Street car park site, where it has stood since the 1960s. But members of the Ironbridge and Coalbrookdale Civic Society want to see the fountain given pride of place opposite the Iron Bridge once again. They are now working hard to raise the £40,000 needed to carry out the work of physically moving the monument to SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

the square. Helping to lead the campaign are Margaret Roberts, Vicky Jones, Gill Beach and Elaine Rye, who are all in their 80s and were all born in the village and who are known as ‘The Fountain Girls’. “The fountain has a very special place in their hearts and in the heritage of Ironbridge,” says Civic Society chairman Viv Moore. “Although the Bartlett Water Fountain is just a small part of our heritage, we hope that bringing it back into use in its rightful place in Ironbridge Square will signal a commitment on our part to protect our heritage in any way we can.” The drinking fountain was originally installed in Ironbridge Square as a tribute to the Rev John Bartlett, who was assigned to the Buildwas Parish, a

mile or so along the River Severn from Ironbridge, in 1822. “He wasn’t in post long before he became aware that the mortality rate in Ironbridge was very high, much higher than for those living further away from the river,” explains Viv. “The reason for this was simple: there was no clean water in Ironbridge, for drinking, washing, or cleaning. “This meant that people had no alternative other than to drink the river water which was contaminated by sewage running from the houses. “Consequently, there were countless deaths from cholera and other diseases. “John Bartlett could see no end to this, as things stood, but he did have powerful and influential friends.

“He was married to Susanna Ball Reynolds, daughter of William Reynolds, and was friendly with John Anstice and Abraham Darby the Fourth. “He managed to convince his friend Abraham Darby of the seriousness of the situation. “Abraham agreed to pump water from a spring in the grounds of his home in Strethill, Coalbookdale, near the Loamhole Dingle, into the centre of Ironbridge. “This act of kindness saved countless lives by allowing the people of Ironbridge and visitors to the area to enjoy clean drinking water.” When John died in 1861, many people wanted a monument to honour this inspirational man in the village, says Viv. The following year, his wife, Susanna, had the red, Aberdeen granite water fountain, created by Samuel Nevitt, installed in the square. It remained in use until the late 1960s when it was moved to Waterloo Street car park by Telford Development Corporation to provide more space for buses to turn around. To raise awareness of their campaign, Margaret, Vicky, Gill and Elaine posed for photographs, which will feature in the Civic Society’s 2024 calendar to help raise vital funds. They were dressed in 18th century dresses, loaned to them by Alison Phillips from the costume department of the Ironbridge Gorge Museums Trust. “The fountain was said to be ‘for our children’s children’, and this is where our four ladies of Ironbridge come in. As ladies of Ironbridge born and bred, they are the ‘children’s children’”, says Viv. “The ladies are at the heart of the Ironbridge community, and understand the strength of feeling about the issue. “The Civic Society provides the vehicle for them to work towards the fountain’s reinstatement in the square. “Margaret is the vice-chair of the Civic Society; Vicky; her sister, is the Civic Society’s historian, and Gill, the third sister, and Elaine, a life-long family friend, are very active committee members. “They all work incredibly hard to raise money to bring the fountain back to the Square and keep elderly residents informed of all fund-raising activities and social events; reducing social isolation for many,” she explains. The quartet have also started a petition calling for the fountain’s return, which has attracted more than 600 signatures. “Margaret has also set up a gofundme page which has raised £1,750 to date. Many elderly local people have each donated more than £100 to the cause. “The ladies have also set up a 48

Residents campaigning to get The Bartlett Drinking Water Fountain back to it’s original site, from left, are Viv Moore, Vicky Jones, Margaret Roberts, Gill Beach and Elaine Rye. Picture by Dave Bagnall

Facebook page – Return the Bartlett Drinking Water Fountain to Ironbridge Square. “This currently has 245 members, and the support continues to grow. “Their one fear is that the fountain will not be returned to the square in their lifetime. “Two of their friends, who donated generously to the cause, died this year, and this is a great sadness.” The campaign has already received support from Severn Trent Water which has agreed to reconnect the fountain to the water supply at the appropriate time, as an in-kind contribution. Support has also come from Harworth, the developer of the former

Ironbridge Power Station, Madeley History Group, the Water Fountain Association and The Gorge Parish Council. Earlier this year, Telford & Wrekin Council carried out its own surveys of the square which confirmed that the plan was possible and could go ahead. The Civic Society is working closely with ward councillor, Carolyn Healy. “I had lived in the Ironbridge Gorge for a few years before I became aware of the Bartlett Memorial Fountain, owing to its hidden location at the back of Waterloo Street car park,” she says. “Old photographs show how wonderful it looked, in the centre of Ironbridge, opposite the Iron Bridge itself. NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

“Telford and Wrekin Council has been supporting the Civic Society in its campaign to return the fountain, through technical and engineering advice and ground investigation works. “The Civic Society is working so hard raise the funds for this ambitious project, and I am very happy to be able to support them.” The photographs that will feature in the Civic Society’s 2024 calendar were taken by one of its members – Dave Bagnall, who is the former chief photographer for the Wolverhamptonbased Express & Star. “When Viv Moore asked me if I would create a calendar to help raise funds for the Bartlett Fountain project, I was delighted to say yes,” he says.

“I was inspired by the four ladies that I like to call the Fountain Girls. Sisters Margaret Roberts, Gill Beach, Vicky Jones and their friend Elaine Rye, I love their determination and refusal to give up on their quest. “I chose Water in the Gorge as the theme for the images because of the water fountain and also due to the fact the Ironbridge Gorge was created by water and ice during a period of climate change thousands of years ago. “As the former chief photographer of the Express & Star, I am used to working to tight deadlines so completing the task in a couple of months was a pleasant challenge. “Although I chose some of the obvious landmarks in the Gorge, I also

tried to select a few hidden gems that not everyone knows about such as the Lyde Brook waterfall, Loamhole Dingle and the Benthall water spout.” Another supporter of the campaign has been author Molly Walton who has written a trilogy of books set in Ironbridge in the 1830s. She had donated two signed copies of her books for the Civic Society to raffle or auction towards the cause. n Anyone who should wish to make a contribution to the campaign, can email the society’s treasurer, Dr Tony Moore on antony259@btinternet.com or visit the online fundraising page www.gofundme. com/f/return-bartlett-fountain-toironbridge-square

The Bartlett Memorial Fountain is pictured in its original location in this photograph thought to have been taken in the 1920s. Left, the memorial to Rev John Bartlett

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

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Peter Knight cutting ‘potting’ blocks on Ray Heath’s turf bank. In the background are several walls of Ray Heath’s drying Dutch peat blocks

STORY OF PEAT RAISES THE BOG STANDARD

Ray Heath hard at work cutting ‘Dutch’ peat block shapes with his specially shaped ‘uplifter’

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

little-known corner of Shropshire, Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses is a key site in the UK’s efforts to combat climate change, but as the landscape historian, André Berry, tells us here, the peat bog reveals a long history of human use. With Bill Allmark, a former peat cutter or ‘moss man’, Andre is co-author of a new book exploring how the local communities around the mosses have used them over past centuries. Together with Wem, Cadney and Bettisfield Mosses, the peatlands of Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses form the third largest lowland raised peat bog in the UK. In their natural state, raised bogs, as their name suggests, grow to form a large dome several metres above the underlying ground surface. In doing so, they become entirely reliant on rain for their source of water. This limits how far south raised bogs are found. Now a National Nature Reserve, Fenn’s, Whixall and Bettisfield Mosses are jointly managed by Natural England and

Natural Resources Wales, in partnership with the Shropshire Wildlife Trust. Our relationship with peatlands has never been an easy one. Today we are coming to value them for their sense of wilderness, their rare and specialised wildlife and, in this time of climate crisis, their ability to capture and store carbon. They are more important than tropical rainforests in this regard. But in the past, we viewed them as wasteland. Nineteenth century references to the ‘winning’ of peat and peatlands reveals the mindset of the time, when it was considered a civic duty to harness the developing scientific thinking and technologies of the industrial revolution to bend peatlands to ‘productive’ use for humankind. Our ingenuity knew no bounds. At the Vienna Exhibition in 1898, one building showcased the uses of peat, from the carpets on the floor to the curtains at the windows and the paper on the wall. A patent to extract the fibres of cotton grass and other plants preserved in the peat was 51

used to make underwear, coats, hats, rugs, blankets, rope, matting and pillows. The fibres were valued for their insulating, absorbent and antiseptic properties. Fascinating though such uses are, their impact on our peatlands was limited. Of far greater significance has been the use of peat for fuel, to provide bedding for animals and, more recently, as compost for nurseries and gardeners. Peat has been used for fuel in the UK since the Neolithic period, some 6,000 years ago; and a peat stack preserved in later peat growth on the Isle of Barra in the Outer Hebrides has been found to be at least 3,500 years old. We imagine that the use of peat for fuel is relatively low impact, but the Norfolk Broads owe almost their entire existence to the cutting of peat for fuel during the medieval period. As peat cutting moved from the drier margins of the peat bogs towards their wetter centres, the removal of the peat and the draining of the bogs enabled conversion of the cut-over land to productive agricultural use. It is estimated that at least a third of the peatlands around Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses have been lost this way over the last few hundred years. The Fens of East Anglia and the area around Doncaster are known today as highly productive agricultural land. The peatlands that survive there are only fragments of the vast, former wetland landscape. Until shortly after the Second World War, motive power was mostly provided by horses for the local transport of goods and people. In towns and cities in the late nineteenth and first half of the 20th century this caused a problem. Horses needed to be stabled, and the large quantities of waste they produced disposed of. Broken up peat, known as peat moss litter, was found to have many advantages. It provided a soft, warm bedding. Horses didn’t eat it, so it reduced the incidence of colic, which could prove fatal. It was highly absorbent and neutralised odours; and when it was no longer serviceable, it proved to be a valuable fertiliser. It was widely adopted as a bedding material and, in Shropshire, also came to be used for housed poultry. At first, peat moss litter was imported from continental Europe, but it wasn’t long before UK peatlands were promoting themselves as a cost-effective, highquality alternative to overseas peat. Dutch companies were to form partnerships with UK companies, and with them came Dutch workers and a new pattern of peat cutting. This pattern of peat cutting and several Dutch workers came to Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses in the early 1920s with the Midland Moss Litter Company. The extensive cutting flats created by 52

this Dutch method, with parallel rows of drainage ditches and wide trackways, known locally as ‘caseys’, are a defining feature of today’s landscape on Fenn’s Moss. The Dutch pattern of cutting largely replaced an English pattern of cutting that dates back to at least the late 16th century on Whixall Moss. The English method was used commercially on the mosses by the English Peat Moss Litter Manufacturing Company from the late nineteenth century until shortly after the First World War. The peat blocks cut by the English method were known locally as ‘Whixall Bibles’ because of their shape and size. By the 1960s, the demand for peat moss litter for animal bedding was in steep decline and the Midland Moss Litter Company went into voluntary liquidation, just before a new surge in demand for peat, this time as a growing medium for nurseries and gardeners. The peat processing works the Midland Moss Litter Company built in 1938, following the loss of their first works in a fire, still stands on Fenn’s Moss

in Wales alongside the former Oswestry, Ellesmere & Whitchurch Railway. It is known today as the Fenn’s Old Works. The 110 brake horsepower National heavy oil engine that powered the works remains, the only one of its type still in its original location. The engine is protected within its shed, but the processing machinery stands in the open, as it has done since the early 1990s, when the protective cladding on the shed was removed on grounds of health and safety. The machinery includes the mills used to tear the peat, together with the elevators and riddles used to sort the milled peat into its various grades. The three peat balers also survive. These compressed the peat, allowing it to be wrapped in wire and wooden laths to form a two-hundredweight bale ready for transport to customers. The balers are of two types and show the evolution of peat baling technology over time. The earliest balers are made by Webster & Bickerton, of Goole, a company better known for ship building and repair, who clearly had an eye for a new market for products for the peat industry. They were based NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Clockwise, from top left: Motor Rail & Tram Company (Bedford) locomotive number 1934; Bill Allmark (left), co-author of The Peat Cutters of Fenn’s & Whixall Mosses, and his late father, Albert, making holly wreaths in their outbuilding at 12 Welsh End, Whixall; The two Webster & Bickerton peat balers at ‘Fenn’s Old Works’; Ray Heath putting on his ‘pattens’; Ray Heath building ‘spragged stools’, the second stage in the process of drying ‘Dutch’ peat blocks; A pair of pattens lean against the base of a peat bank

not far from the extensive Humberhead peatlands around Doncaster. The Fenn’s Old Works is both Grade II* listed and a Scheduled Monument and yet it stands, largely unprotected and quietly rotting. This would, perhaps, be less of a tragedy if the works were not the last of their type to survive worldwide. By the late 1980s, mechanisation and the new techniques and scale of peat cutting for horticultural use were a cause for great alarm amongst environmentalists. In 1990, at the height of a UKwide campaign to stop commercial peat cutting, the nature conservation agency for Great Britain at that time, the Nature Conservancy Council, bought out the commercial peat cutting rights on Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses and started the long process of restoration. At that time, there were still a few small businesses and individuals that continued cutting peat by hand for burning and horticultural use. These peat cutters had continued to cut ‘Whixall Bibles’ until the 1960s, some forty years after that way of cutting had been replaced SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

by the Dutch pattern of cutting on the larger, commercial cutting flats; and they continued the Dutch hand cutting tradition into the mid-1990s when all peat cutting stopped. Mindful that the landscape created by the long history of hand peat cutting would be lost as restoration for nature conservation progressed, the then Clwyd County Council led a project to research the history of the mosses. This brought to light the three bog bodies found on Whixall Moss in the last half of the nineteenth century, believed to date to the Bronze Age or early Iron Age, some 3,000 years ago. There is also evidence of military use, with rifle ranges dating from the First World War, and a practice bombing range and ‘starfish’ decoy site used in the Second World War. As part of this research, a series of conversations were held with those who knew and worked on the mosses. The recordings of these conversations are now held by Wrexham County Borough Museums & Archives. Twenty-five years on and forming part of the recent celebration of the

70th anniversary of the founding of National Nature Reserves in England, the conversations have been revisited. They now form the foundation of a new, limited print run book, published by Natural England, that explores the rich cultural history of Fenn’s and Whixall Mosses. The book is unashamedly a book about those who knew and worked on the peat bog, and a memory of their industry. Perhaps we may hope that the powersthat-be will see fit to properly conserve the Fenn’s Old Works, as a further fitting memorial to those who have helped shape the landscape of this borderland corner of Shropshire? André Berry n The Peat Cutters of Fenn’s & Whixall Mosses book, written by André Q. Berry and Bill Allmark, is now published by Natural England. It can be ordered through local, independent booksellers, priced £15. 53

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CALL OF THE WILD VOLUNTEER APPEAL CHARLIE BELL HAS PASSION FOR NATURE AND HERE SHE TELLS MATTHEW PANTER HOW THE NATIONAL TRUST’S STEPPING STONES PROJECT CAN PRESERVE WILDLIFE UNDER THREAT

harlie Bell has always had a love of wildlife. She vividly remembers being a child, putting on her wellies, heading outside and digging up worms, while looking at other insects. She even goes as far as to describe herself as a ‘wildlife geek’. Charlie, co-ordinating the National Trust’s Stepping Stones project, is not the only one, of course. Wildlife was something of a Godsend for many during those isolating days of lockdown as we got to witness nature at its loveliest and most inspiring. Those of us lucky enough to sit in the garden or walk in a park became more appreciative of butterflies, with their flashing brilliance of colour, floating softly in the breeze. Bees buzzing around flowers, birds

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

singing in the trees and swans, with their young, gliding gracefully across the water, provided special moments of joy and comfort when we needed them most. It’s the public’s passion for wildlife and nature which Charlie is hoping to tap into in the coming months. Volunteers are needed in Shropshire to help Britain’s most threatened species and reduce the risk of extinction. We can all make a difference, Charlie says, as volunteers through the Stepping Stones Project. “Anyone can provide a stepping stone,” she says.”You might not have a garden but if you have a window box and put a pollinating plant in it for a passing bumblebee, you have provided a stepping stone for it to move across the landscape.” Small stepping stones can make a big difference, though the Stepping

Above: A willow tit has been described as the UK’s most threatened resident bird and will be the subject of a National Trust survey; previous page, top: Dormice are a key species the project is aiming to help; bottom: The National Trust’s Charlie Bell

Stones Project has far-reaching aims. The National Trust-led project has been awarded nearly £290,000 in funding to continue its nature conservation work in the Shropshire Hills. Natural England awarded the money from the Species Recovery Grant to the project, which aims to connect and restore patches of wildlife-friendly habitat between the Long Mynd and Stiperstones. Shropshire Hills AONB Partnership, local farmers and landowners and 10 local community groups are also involved. Four key species in the Stepping Stones project area will be supported using money from the grant – the otter, willow tit, small pearl-bordered fritillary butterfly and dormouse. Patches of wildlife-friendly habitat – stepping stones – and wildlife corridors such as hedgerows, verges and streams which used to link areas of habitat are sadly in decline in the Shropshire Hills. As a result, the mammals, birds and insects that use them to move around the landscape are under threat. The Stepping Stones Project aims to reverse that threat. “Over the next 18 months, our teams will be working on a number of projects,” explains Charlie. “Dormice are one of the key species we’re looking to help. “They are classed as vulnerable and The Mammal Society estimate there are

about 930,000 hazel dormice in England and Wales. We don’t have estimates for the number in Shropshire itself. In Shropshire dormice are mainly found in the southwest of the county with records occurring within the Stepping Stones project area, Clun and Wenlock Edge, so we know we are an important hotspot for them in the county. “They need habitat connectivity to survive but sadly, the isolation of broadleaved woodland, scrub and hedgerow habitats has led to a decline in this very cute little mammal. “To remedy this, over the next 18 months, we will be creating or restoring around 7500m of hedgerow. Volunteers can help us plant over 30,000 hedgerow trees on three farms across the project area.” Other planned work includes building three artificial dens called ‘holts’ in local streams to support otters. “We have lost a lot of trees from the landscape and otters use logs for their den habitats so we will build some artificial ones to help. “This is a smaller part of the project but is important to us because otters are near threatened according to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.” Helping the conservation of butterflies also features heavily in the

project, using marsh violet plants grown by local business Robert Lee Wildflower Seeds. “We are growing and planting out thousands of marsh violet plants to help the small pearl-bordered fritillary,” Charlie explains. Marsh violet plants are the favourite food of small pearl-bordered fritillary caterpillars but a lot of the plants have been lost due to grazing and drying out. The butterflies need to have that food source for that side of its life cycle and so we are planting 20,000 of them in wet areas across the landscape to create that food source.” The fourth part of the project will focus on willow tits. It has been described as the UK’s most threatened resident bird, having undergone a substantial decline in abundance and a severe contraction in range since the 1970s. A National Willow Tit Survey has confirmed the species is present within the Shropshire project area with the team estimating there are 54 breeding pairs nearby – or 1.25 per cent of the national population. “We are creating wet woodland and installing nest habitat for the willow tits,” Charlie said. “They won’t use pre-made boxes.They like rotting logs and then use their beaks to dig nests themselves so our plan is to tie logs around the trees so they NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Above: Volunteers planting hedgerows; below: a small pearl bordered fritillary butterﬂy (picture by Stephen Lewis); bottom: otter by the river bank at Croome, Worcestershire

can investigate them and hopefully dig out a nest.” Key to all of these plans is, Charlie adds, support form the public. “We are going to be kept busy for the next 18 months and this will be a real team effort,” she adds.”We will need support of a lot of groups of volunteers. “It is great because we have seen a lot of people wanting to get involved. I do honestly think the lockdowns we had helped people to discover more about nature on their own doorstep. “A lot of nature programmes on television focus on far away places and elephants, tigers and more. That’s great, but we want people to explore our own patches. “Volunteers can make a real difference in this project. It really is worth it because people can get the benefits from the social side as well as the physical exercise. “It’s something that can be so rewarding. I have always been interested in conservation. It feels like you are facing up to concern about the future and doing something about it. We can all contribute to helping these wonderful animals.” n To find out more about the project or to volunteer, email charlie.bell@ nationaltrust.org.uk or search for Shropshire Stepping Stones Project on the National Trust website. SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

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IT’S PANTO TIME! OH YES IT IS! ANDY RICHARDSON MEETS MEMBERS OF THE CAST OF JACK AND THE BEANSTALK AHEAD OF THE PANTO’S RUN AT BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

he starts off in character, which makes life difficult, because Doreen Tipton is essentially an act of laconic one-liners. And that, little does she realise, makes the prospect of writing a 1,000-word interview difficult. When we ask her if she’s looking forward to playing in the West Midlands biggest pantomime, this year, she replies: ‘I am, arr.’ Ahh, you’re in character. “No, I’m in a cow costume if that makes you feel any better.” Ba-dam-bom-bom. Doreen – aka actor Gill Jordan, is back in Brummigem for this year’s Hippodrome panto. She very nearly stole the show last year – and, curiously, it came in a moment when she broke out of character and started singing opera. And so we ask how she made the transition from serious opera singer with phenomenal voice to a Black Country pastiche, who built up a YouTube audience then crossed over to star in front of tens of thousands of goodtime-seekers, at Wolverhampton Grand, then, more recently, at Birmingham Hippodrome. It’s a serious question, that invites a considered answer, though – and both of us know this – it might as well be Michael Parkinson interviewing Meg Ryan, because Doreen is not breaking character. “I hope I’m going to be singing, dancing, and causing chaos. It’s a very special moment for me. I hope it was very special. My background is in opera. We’ve never had a black country opera but I think I might plant that seed. It would be fabulous.” Gradually, Gill loses her appetite to continue as Doreen, and that’s a boon, because beyond the self-professed character as a benefits-scrounging, lazy cow, Dorren has a wide range of talents. She featured in a Shakespeare Festival at Stafford Castle last year while she’s also an accomplished fine artist. “People like to say they know me as Doreen, but they don’t know much about me as Gill Jordan, about how I trained for three years at Birmingham School of Speech and Drama in the 1980s. “I did a three-year acting diploma there, with classic theatre training, then I toured with companies and formed my own for about 25 years and, after 10 years of Doreen, I’m coming back. “A lot of people think Doreen is a real person and they don’t realise that I’m actually a trained actor, so that’s a big part of this. “Singing and acting are different skills. I suppose when you’re a trained actor, you can turn your hand to anything. Look at Meryl Streep.” She finds the Hippodrome panto

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Above: The cast of Jack And The Beanstalk; top left: Alison Hammond; bottom left: Matt Slack; previous page: Gill Jordan aka Doreen Tipton

thrilling and is looking forward to this year’s show, having previously played in it last year, prior to which she starred at Wolverhampton’s Grand Theatre. What, we ask, are the differences between the Grand and the Hippodrome. She snaps back into character: “One’s bigger. And of course it was the same company when I worked at the Grand, I had a wonderful three years at the Grand but it was time to move on. It was time to let the Brummies see Doreen. They welcomed me with open arms. It was like a warm family. With the Grand, it’s a completely different theatre. There’s a big, big difference. “With the Hippodrome, you have more space to let rip, as they say. The audience reaction, I think a lot of Black Country people do go to the Hippodrome and attend the pantomimes. A lot of Doreen fans come and see me.” The character of Doreen was co-created with David Tristram, an exceptional writer who was born in Quarry Bank and who, like Doreen/ Gill, was influenced by such characters as Aynuk and Ayli. Doreen adds: “Doreen didn’t take

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

long to establish. It was co-created. It was a character that people could instantly recognise. When you’ve got that you’ve got them in the palm of your hand and you can take people anywhere. There was a book, children’s books, the movie that aired at the lighthouse in Wolverhampton. It’s 2012, really, when we did the first video on YouTube, and it’s been an incredible journey. It’s all been quite unique in way. “The fact that Michael Harrison, the producer of the panto at Birmingham, has had the trust in me is remarkable. “I’ve loved every single pantomime I’ve done. I’m looking forward to working with Alison Hammond at this year’s panto - that laugh of hers will have us all laughing.” Alison Hammond isn’t the only big name lined up for this year’s panto. The Hippodrome’s production of Jack and the Beanstalk will also feature Hippodrome favourite Matt Slack, playing Jake Trot, who is back for a 10th year. There’ll be a star turn from star of stage and screen Samantha Womack as Mrs Blunderbore, as well as appearances from Andrew Ryan as Dame Trot,

Brummie local Alexanda O’Reilly in the title role and West-End performer BillieKay as Princess Jill. Featuring stunning sets and costumes from The London Palladium, and bundleloads of laughter, Jack and the Beanstalk is the panto the West Midlands has bean waiting for. Doomed to sell his trusty cow, the audience can join Jack and his family as they fight to outwit the evil giant, win riches beyond his wildest dreams. Doreen is itching to get started as she moves on from a role in 2022 as a cat, to playing a cow. “I never make plans, I think that’s very wise. This year I’ve been trying to get into character, so I’ve been a very lazy cow.” Jack and the Beanstalk will run at Birmingham Hippodrome from Saturday, December 16 and will play until Sunday, January 28. n Tickets for Jack and the Beanstalk can be booked at www. birminghamhippodrome.com or by calling 0844 338 5000* *0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

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FOOD&DRINK

IN THE SLOW LANE FOR FOOD HEAVEN THIS MONTH, ED THOMAS’ JOURNEY EXPLORING THE COUNTY’S BOUNTY OF FOOD AND DRINK PRODUCERS TAKES A SLOWER PATH, AS HE FINDS OUT MORE ABOUT AN INTRIGUING INTERNATIONAL GROUP THAT EPITOMISES PASSION FOR FOOD AND PRODUCE

ith members and supporters stretching right across the county, Slow Food Ludlow Marches is the local branch of an international network that was founded in Italy in 1989. For more than 30 years, the Slow Food network has grown to span the globe and includes a vibrant group right here in Shropshire. The central ethos of Slow Food is to promote the greater enjoyment of food through a better understanding of its taste, quality and production. This is the same for all groups around the world no matter what their prevailing local conditions and environment offer. You will find Slow Food supporters keenly discussing nose to tail consumption of animals, preserving methods that preserve traditional craft processes as well as the food actually being preserved. Preserving, from pickling and 64

vinegars to jams and chutneys, are great ways to get people involved in understanding their food and how they fuel their body. Slow Food Ludlow Marches is no different. The group brings together producers, chefs, retailers and those who are simply interested in food and where it comes from for events, to share information and celebrate food that is good for them, good for those who grow it and good for the planet, recognising that the planet and its resources are under more strain than ever before. Under the auspices of Slow Food UK, the Ludlow group, which happens to be the largest group in England outside of London, endeavours to reconnect people with the origins of what they eat and to explore how their choices affect the environment around us. This is achieved through educational programmes and collaborative events

where businesses and producers share their stories and samples of their produce. This includes cheesemakers and distillers as well as charcutiers and brewers. These terroir and quality focused producers are generous with their time as well as their passion, there is always something to learn and there is always something to taste. Events are the main way for members and non-members to find out more and to share their experiences. It really is a vibrant community with plenty of taste-driven relationships created, further improving the fantastic local produce that is on offer. Get-togethers will include tours, talks and masterclasses and will always involve opportunities for friendly conversation. Events take place throughout the year, often reflecting the seasons, and there is a special opportunity for members of the foodie public to get involved in a full NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Preparing the feast: Picture Peter Lowbridge

programme at the Ludlow Food Festival. The programme at Ludlow included a Slow Food Feast, a series of taste workshops and a meet the producer opportunity. The feast, created by local chef, food educator and food waste evangelist, Steve Guy, the Hungry Guy, showcased the spirit of Slow Food to a tee. After a welcome from Slow Food UK Executive chair Shane Holland, multiple courses of high quality ingredients were serviced, all expertly curated in to a delicious menu. Simplicity was king with Steve letting the produce do the talking. Slow Food members, supporters and other foodies attending the food festival were also doing the talking with conversations, consumption and merriment going on well into the evening. If the evenings at Ludlow were reserved for the feast, the daytime programme was given over to a series of taste workshops.

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Running all day, the workshops covered topics as diverse as vermouth and pies. The pie session provided an opportunity for Mr T (not of The A Team fame) to showcase his range which was first created as a lockdown business, with a delivery service run from a van which has its own urn of hot gravy, and is now a bustling brand making, baking and selling pies all year round. The slow cooked treats are filled with premium provenance ingredients. From veggie favourites such a cheese and onion to mutton and a traditional Shropshire fidget pie, they all ooze flavour and are best enjoyed with a slab of dauphinoise potatoes. If that is teasing your taste buds then watch this space for the UK’s first destination pie shop. The packed programmed also included plenty of opportunities to meet the producers away from their main festival trade stands and in a setting amenable to conversation. A key theme

Feast chef Steve Guy. Picture Peter Lowbridge

re-emerges again, it’s the passion of the producers that really comes across. They really are only too happy to share their stories of their produce, their land, their animals and how it all pins back to the Slow Food ethos. Slow Food is not just about events and get togethers, although the social aspects of the community are important, so are the big national initiatives run by Slow Food UK and embraced locally. The Slow Food Chef Alliance and the Ark of Taste are related programmes that promote and celebrate food, produce and how its cooked. The Chef Alliance is a programme that invites chefs who share the Slow Food ethos and who are keen to explore and promote our UK Ark of Taste programme which promotes small scale quality products that are under threat from large scale agriculture and industrial food production. Alliance chefs seize the seasonal opportunity and impart it across their menus and dishes. Feast chef Steve Guy is part of the programme. Steve, like all the Alliance chefs, celebrates small scale local producers, promoting good quality local and sustainably produced food that helps sustain edible biodiversity. Good for people and planet. Slow Food Ludlow Marches actively proposes local food products for the Ark of Taste, with nine products now safely in the Ark. Shropshire is home to several of these products, ranging from rare varieties of heritage apples to the Shropshire Prune and Mortimer Forest Venison from right on the Herefordshire border. All these products are under threat of extinction with the acute risk of their flavour being lost forever. The Ark of Taste aims to ensure products are not lost, and are then bought to market, reinforcing a link between local provenance, taste and quality. Slow Food is ready for you to get involved, find them on social media. Events take place across the county.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

SUAVE SPIRITS TO SIP

ENJOY SOME SPICED RUM, TEQUILA, VODKA AND WHISKY TO AWAKEN YOUR SENSES

hen your weekday merlot has lost its mojo and a G&T ceases to tantalise your taste buds, chances are you’re thirsty for something with a bit more substance… a dark spirit perhaps. With depth of taste from ageing in barrel, these complex flavours are perfect for sipping or mixing in cocktails – and that extra body can be a beautiful thing. To stir your interest, these golden drops are a sure-fire way to satisfy your thirst…

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SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Rocker Rod Stewart has teamed up with Loch Lomond distillery to launch his own whisky – and it’s safe to say it’s destined to be a huge hit. Affectionately known as Wolfie’s, as a nod to “early hell-raising days with the Faces”, the lyrics “Rhymth of My Heart” are etched on the base of the bottle. The result? A beautifully balanced Scotch that’s lightly peated with notes of vanilla, cinnamon, baked apple and oak spice closing the finish.

A British brandy I hear you cry! Released under the banner of “the UK’s first brandy house”, Burnt Faith is exquisitely complex. Distilled from four white grapes including chardonnay and sauvignon blanc, it’s then finished in a combination of four types of casks: Bourbon, Cognac, cherry liqueur and Pineau des Charentes. All of these are wonderful enjoyed alone, so imagine how delicious the

flavours of caramel, dried apricot, tangy marmalade and milk chocolate taste. And no burn.

4. VIVIR Tequila Reposado, £44, 70cl, VIVIR Tequila From the excellent, award-winning makers of VIVIR tequila, this reposado spends six months in American oak Bourbon casks to smooth out any creases – and tastes sublimely smooth. With characteristic earthy notes, hints of vanilla, caramel, butter and black pepper make themselves known with honeyed vanilla on the long, lingering finish. A jewel from Jalisco.

5. Kavka Vodka – Tokaji Cask Aged, £44.95, 70cl, Master of Malt

This limited-release Polish vodka is aged for 18 months in Hungarian sweet wine casks to obtain a superbly honeyed, floral, creamy mouthfeel. Subtle fruit notes, woody spices and vanilla emerge on the palate with a touch of dried fruits on the flourish of a finish. Worth seeking out. 67

GAME ON FOR AN AUTUMN SPECIAL FROM VENISON TO PHEASANT AND WILD BOAR, ANDY RICHARDSON DISCOVERS WHY THE COUNTY’S THRIVING GAME FARMING INDUSTRY IS BOTH HEALTHY AND SUSTAINABLE

or many in Shropshire, there are two seasons that stand-out. Spring is a time of abundance, a blitzkrieg of new produce, green shoots, and fields filled with spring lambs that bounce as though on springs. The more interesting season, however, is autumn, when nature’s harvest is in abundance and when game becomes abundant. Across the county, there are producers and purveyors of a variety of meats. From venison to muntjac, from pheasant to partridge, from quail to guinea fowl, and from rabbit to wild boar, the fields, woodlands, hedgerows, and parklands are filled with a variety of creatures. Such delicious products find their way to local butchers, where skilful techniques are used to break down animals and make them ready for the table. Shropshire has a thriving game industry, with businesses devoted to the dispatch, processing, and supply of venison, wild fowl and more. At Shropshire Game, in Coalbrookdale, there’s an extensive range

for people to buy. And, in the spirit of ensuring nothing goes to waste, even the antlers of deer are processed, so that customers can buy delicious dog chews while investing in a boned and rolled saddle joint, a packet of wild venison and pork sausages, or a wild venison shank. The point is that game is both healthy, humane, and sustainable. Eating game doesn’t degrade the environment – on the contrary, it improves it. A spokesperson says: “Wild sourced UK Venison is a highly sustainable choice. In the UK we have thriving deer populations living in the wild that due to having no natural predators need to be managed to ensure they stay healthy and are kept in balance with their environment. In addition, venison is also widely farmed. “We also have extremely high standards in relation to deer management and food safety, as well as legal protections that ensure that our wild deer are humanely managed. “Consumers can therefore be confident that venison, whether it comes NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

from managed wild populations or farms, is a highly sustainable and ethical source of meat. By choosing venison you are actively supporting the future of both our wild and farmed deer.” “Venison is a great source of protein, incredibly low in fat, and its levels of saturated fat are much lower than in other red meats like beef. It also contains minerals that are good for our health, including iron, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc, as well as vitamins B6 and B12, riboflavin, niacin, and thiamine. It is one of the healthiest meats on the market.” Shropshire’s diverse environment means it is home to a variety of wild fowl, from quail and red grouse, to red-legged partridge, grey partridge and pheasant. Pheasant is the most commonly found. A handsome gamebird, the pheasant is an introduced species that has settled here with little problem. It can be spotted in its farmland and woodland habitats, although you’ll probably hear the loud, croaking call of the male before you see it. During November, those with good quality local butchers will see pheasants hanging as they are readied for the pot. Many people like the idea of eating pheasant because it is seen as a somewhat

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

exotic dish. Pheasant is fairly similar in texture and taste to chicken, or turkey. Just like chicken and turkey, it has a combination of both white and dark meat. Pheasant has very little natural fat, so cooking it requires skill as home chefs are careful not to let it become too dry, which results in dishes that are bland, tasteless, and tough. It requires TLC and skill, to ensure the pheasant tastes delicious and is as juicy and tender as a perfectly cooked roast chicken. DW Wall and Son, in Ludlow, displays birds in the window of its shop each year. The business opened a shop in Ludlow generations ago, before opening a second in 1969, at Craven Arms. Dave and Jean Wall were the original openers, commencing trade in 1952, while the Craven Arms branch was so successful that it had a slaughterhouse attached. Over time, the businesses were taken on by different owners but the heritage and tradition remain, with high-quality local meat available year round – and with great game on display throughout the present month. More recently, the county has welcomed a population of wild boar, with The Shropshire Boar Company being the foremost purveyor. A spokesperson

said: “At The Shropshire Boar Company, we’re passionate about ethical farming and believe in raising our animals as closely as possible to the life they would lead in the wild. “ Our boars are free to roam an expanse of deciduous Shropshire woodland, with plenty of space to forage for roots, berries, insects, and various wild plants. We provide them with an allnatural diet of seasonal grains plus organic seasonal fruit, vegetables, and potatoes. “Everything our boars eat is grown and harvested on our Shropshire site; even the spring water they drink comes from our site, supplied by an underground borehole. “Wild boar are not farm animals; as keepers, we hold a Dangerous Wild Animals license (DWA) and conform to strict set of regulations. These animals are not domesticated and can be incredibly dangerous, especially when nursing young.” And so, as we head deeper into winter, and spring and summer crops become a distant memory, it’s heartening to know that there are still plenty of ethical, localproduced sources of great food to tuck into, brightening the dark winter months.

DELIGHTS OF THE BEAUTIFUL SOUTH TANNERS MARKETING MANAGER CHRISTINA ALBON TAKES A LOOK AT TE WAIPOUNAMU – THE SUN-DRENCHED REGION OF NEW ZEALAND THAT IS TAKING THE WINE WORLD BY STORM

ew Zealand has been a byword for quality cool-climate wines for the last 30 years, but it is one region in particular that has taken the world’s stage by storm. Whilst the North Island has the moniker of Land of the Long White Cloud, the same is not true of Marlborough on the South Island (officially known as Te Waipounamu), where some of the longest sunniest days in all the country can be found. It is in this cool, sun-filled climate that Marlborough’s staple grape variety, Sauvignon Blanc, grows so well. Nearly 80 per cent of the vines planted here are Sauvignon and the world has fallen in love with the passion fruit and lime-filled style, like that of Tanners New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc. Any wine under the Tanners Own label has to offer serious value and punch well above its weight, we also insist on winemakers of international acclaim, who are at the top of their game. Tanners NZ Sauvignon is no exception with the super-talented Ben Glover in charge of winemaking. Ben has made wine for all the top New Zealand brands as well as running his own family winery, so when the idea of a NZ Pinot

Noir cropped up, to complement the Sauvignon, it was a no-brainer to ask him to blend one for us. After 12 months and many tastings, we’re delighted to launch the brand-new Tanners New Zealand Pinot Noir. This is the epitome of New World, cool climate Pinot – all juicy red fruits and savoury elegance. Another top Marlborough grower is Churton, owned and run by Sam and Mandy Weaver, who need little introduction here as we, and you, have been strong supporters since its inception more than 25 years ago. Along with the classic varieties of the region, they also make a Viognier, with time on lees in demi-muid barrels, there is plenty of texture and body to this wonderfully aromatic wine. Sam and Mandy’s sons, Ben and Jack, are in the process of taking the reins and their first project was the Natural State range. These wines look to showcase the region by using hands-off vineyard and winemaking techniques, the Field Blend is an alluring, rarely seen blend of Viognier, Petit Manseng and Sauvignon Blanc. If you are looking to branch out beyond Marlborough, Nelson is just a

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short hop along the north coast. The town itself sits right on the Tasman Bay just across from the Abel Tasman National Park, a very picturesque region with sandy beaches, deserted coves and coastal walking path – a great place to spend a week or two. Outside New Zealand, the Nelson region still hasn’t found the fame it deserves. It’s a place of boutique, familyrun wineries, one of the most established being Greenhough. Run by Jenny and Drew Greenhough, they carefully craft organic wines with an emphasis on gloriously pure fruit. With more restraint than those from neighbouring Marlborough, the River Garden Sauvignon Blanc will appeal to those who lean more towards the elegance of a Loire Valley style. In line with their pure fruit ethos, the Apple Valley Riesling is something even the Germans would be proud of. Made in a lighter, fruit-driven, off-dry style, this is comparable to the best of Mosel’s Kabinetts. When it comes to reds, Pinot Noir is still the champion. Greenhough’s ‘Stone’s Throw’ combines fruity poise with umami allure.

THE REMARKABLES

Down in Central Otago, Pinot Noir is the favoured grape too. This is the adventure sports capital of NZ, the mountains of the Southern Alps make

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for great Alpine-style skiing on The Remarkables, whilst Lake Wakatipu and its main town of Queenstown are a summer playground, with inland beaches, water sports and bungee jumping. This makes for a great base to explore the wineries of the region, whatever time of year! Felton Road is widely recognised as one of New Zealand’s leading growers and represents the pinnacle of Pinot Noir in the southern hemisphere. Having farmed organically and biodynamically since the beginning, their focus is on sustainability through biodiversity. It was set up by Cornishman Nigel Greening back in 2000 with winemaker Blair Walter

whose passion for Burgundy certainly shows in these Central Otago wines. Sauvignon Blanc is also grown this far south, where order and restraint are very much the name of the game. Graeme and Gillian Crosbie at Domain Road, based in the old mining town of Bannockburn, have been working very hands-on since 2002 when they uprooted an old apricot orchard and planted vines. Their Sauvignon has a more subtle, slightly creamier texture that oozes sophistication. Whilst their Riesling is enticingly dry, aromatic and mouthwatering. So, whilst we would never dissuade you from picking up a bottle of your favourite Marlborough Sauvignon, perhaps it’s time to branch out and try a new variety or region from Te Waipounamu. n Tanners Wines is delighted to announce they have been named the ‘Judges’ Choice’ in the recent Decanter Magazine Retailer Awards, as well as sole runner-up in the category for Best National Wine Retailer. Decanter Magazine state that “the Judges’ Choice is awarded at the judges’ discretion to highlight a retailer who is doing something different, innovative and creative. As one judge put it, “Tanners is ‘a great family business, a traditional merchant but with a modern twist – well worth discovering.”

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ROUX’S LIFE AFTER LE GAVROCHE AS HE PREPARES TO CLOSE THE LONDON RESTAURANT, TOP CHEF MICHEL ROUX TELLS PRUDENCE WADE HOW FINE DINING DIFFERS FROM FRENCH HOME COOKING

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nown as one of the hardestworking people in food, chef Michel Roux has a well-earned break on the horizon. London’s legendary French fine dining restaurant, Le Gavroche, established by Roux’s father and uncle (Albert and Michel Roux Snr) in 1967, is shutting its doors. Roux, 63, has been at the twoMichelin star restaurant since 1985, and he’s committed to his role of chef patron. “Most people who have dined at Le Gavroche will know that I’m very handson – if Le Gavroche is open, then I try and be there every night,” he says. “So to free up a little bit of extra time would be wonderful.” With the building’s lease coming to an end, Roux felt like it was the “appropriate time to turn the page”. Looking back at the restaurant’s legacy, Roux suggests it “massively” changed the culinary landscape in the UK. “My father and uncle – when they opened it in ’67 it was a huge leap. It was the beginning of the culinary revolution in the UK, and I never take it for granted. It was something of a momentous moment and here we are, nearly 57 years on – we’re still going very, very strong.” Roux mentions the chefs and frontof-house staff who have worked at Le Gavroche over the years – somewhat humbly refraining from naming any names. Alumni are a who’s who of the food industry, including chefs Gordon Ramsay, Marco Pierre White, Marcus Wareing and Monica Galetti. Despite the success, Roux accepts it’s “a tough industry” to be in. “It’s one where, to do it properly, you have to be 100 per cent committed,” he says – but that’s not to say Roux’s

Tagliolini with Seafood “I love seafood, and pasta and shellﬁsh are always a great combination,” says Michel Roux. Ingredients: Serves 2 400g clams 500g mussels 2tbsp olive oil 1 shallot, chopped 1tsp fennel seeds 2 garlic cloves, chopped 50ml pastis 150g shelled raw prawns 4tbsp crème fraiche 300g fresh tagliolini or 180g dried tagliolini or tagliatelle Handful of herbs, chopped Juice of 1 lemon Salt and black pepper Method: Wash the clams and mussels

well in cold water and discard any that are broken or don’t close when tapped. Remove any beards from the mussels. Heat the olive oil in a large pan, add the shallot, fennel seeds and garlic and sweat until they start to colour. Add the clams, then the mussels. Pour in the pastis, cover the pan and cook for ﬁve to seven minutes until all the shells have opened. Take care

not to overcook the shellfish. Tip everything into a colander placed over a bowl, then pass the cooking liquid through a fine sieve or a strainer lined with muslin. Pick the flesh from the mussels and clams, leaving a few in the shell to use as a garnish. Tip the cooking liquor back into the pan, bring it to the boil and boil for five minutes. Add the prawns and crème fraiche, then, when the prawns have turned pink, add the picked mussels and clams. Bring a pan of water to the boil and add two tablespoons of salt. Cook the pasta until al dente, then drain. Add the drained pasta to the pan of shellfish and stir well. Add the chopped herbs and garnish with some mussels and clams in shells. Season with lemon juice, salt and pepper.

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Almond and Raspberry Frangipani Tart

Michel Roux at London’s Le Gavroche restaurant. Picture: Jodi Hinds

about to go on holiday. He still has three restaurants in Scotland to run, consultancy work to do, TV shows to present (Five Star Kitchen: Britain’s Next Great Chef just wrapped up on Channel 4) and cookbooks to write – like his new offering, dedicated to French home cooking. “I remember mum cooking at home for us when we were kids and it was very similar to the stuff I’m putting in the book now and still cook,” he says. French cuisine has something of a reputation for being fancy and complicated – the reserve of fine dining restaurants like Le Gavroche. And yet Roux argues this is very different to what French people actually cook at home. “It’s genuinely wholesome, it’s not complicated, it’s not complex,” he notes. “It’s got complex flavours – definitely. But it’s not complex in the making.” He describes the type of cooking he does at home as “convivial – it’s very much sharing dishes”. This is what he describes as “true French cooking”. “By that I mean it’s not overly fanciful and fine dining. It’s real homely food that I truly believe everyone can achieve. It also gets rid of the myth that French food is complex, heavy, rich, and difficult to cook. It’s not. At its very essence, its very heart, French cuisine is quite simple, and it’s very similar to Italian cuisine.” Pasta might be synonymous with Italian food, but it was a staple for Roux growing up. “If you go to the south of France, the whole Mediterranean basin, pasta was influenced by the Italians there,” he explains. “And if you go to the north

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of France, they have their own version of pasta as well – pasta is consumed immensely in France.” Pasta dishes in the book include creamy onion tagliatelle and linguine with olives, artichokes, sundried tomatoes and herbs. There’s also a big focus on seasonality in the book. “Seasons play a very big part in French cooking, like Italian cooking,” he says. “When I’m in France, I very rarely go to the supermarket, other than for washingup liquid and stuff like that every other week… [In my village in the south of France] every day we go to the market and we buy fresh food and we’re influenced by what we see.” Roux comes from a long line of French cooks, and remembers how his father, Albert, “jumped for joy” when he said he would follow in his culinary footsteps – and his daughter, Emily, has done the same. “I’m immensely proud of her – she’s a very, very talented chef, and so is her husband Diego [Ferrari, with whom she runs the Notting Hill restaurant Caractère]. They make a great team.” One of the things he’s most looking forward to? Being fed for once – he plans to head to Caractère to “eat their wonderful food”. n Michel Roux At Home s published by Seven Dials, priced £26. Available now.

“I adore almond puddings and this French version of a Bakewell tart is one of my favourites,” says Michel Roux. Ingredients: Serves 6-8 For the pastry: 150g butter, softened 90g caster sugar 2 free-range eggs Pinch of salt 240g plain flour 75g ground almonds For the almond cream: 200g butter, softened 200g caster sugar 200g ground almonds 2tbsp plain flour 4 free-range eggs 1tbsp dark rum or Ratafia For the jam and fruit: 60g raspberry jam 250g raspberries To serve: Icing sugar Ice cream or chantilly cream Method: For the pastry, mix the softened butter with the caster sugar until combined. Mix in the eggs, then add the salt, flour and ground almonds and bring together into a dough. Wrap the pastry in cling film and chill it in the fridge for about two hours. Dust your work surface with flour, roll out the pastry and use it to line a 24cm tart tin or flan ring. Chill again until needed. For the almond cream, whisk the butter and sugar until pale, then add the ground almonds and flour and whisk to combine. Whisk in the eggs, one at a time, then add the rum or Ratafia. Preheat the oven to 180°C/Fan 160°C/ Gas 4. Remove the tart case from the fridge and spread a thin layer of jam over the pastry. Add the almond cream and arrange the raspberries evenly on top. Bake for about 45 minutes until the tart is golden and cooked through. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with ice cream or cool with chantilly cream. Don’t put this tart in the fridge.

DANCING QUEEN SHARES HEALTH BATTLE STRICTLY JUDGE SHIRLEY BALLAS TALKS TO HANNAH STEPHENSON ABOUT FADDY DIETS AND HER 40-YEAR STRUGGLE WITH GUT HEALTH

way from the glitz and glamour of the ballroom, the TV judge has suffered bloating and haemorrhoids. While viewers see Strictly head judge Shirley Ballas looking fit and glamorous, the ballroom queen has fought a battle with poor gut health for much of her life. The world-beating Latin American dancer, teacher and charity ambassador has suffered with constipation, haemorrhoids and bloating intermittently since she was a teenager. “It’s always been a struggle since I was a young girl. Constipation? I thought going once a week was the norm. It wasn’t till I got much older that I realised it wasn’t. “When you don’t go to the bathroom you get headaches, you feel nauseous, you just feel under the weather. When your body is functioning like a well-oiled machine, which is what you want it to do, you feel much better and lighter, and your day is easier,” she continues. Ballas, 63, who lives in London with her 86-year-old mother, Audrey, says she just learned to live with poor gut health. She has a hectic schedule – teaching, judging on Strictly and has recently written her first novel, Murder On The Dance Floor. She is also hugely excited about the imminent arrival of her first grandchild later this month, as her only son, Dancing With The Stars professional Mark, is expecting his first baby with his singer songwriter wife BC Jean. “I’m very excited. I’ve just enrolled in pottery classes because I want to make his first cup and saucer, and mum and I have just enrolled in crocheting because we’re going to make him a blanket.” She wants to remain super-fit for her grandchild, she agrees. “I’ve got more energy than anybody put together really. I’m a goer, not a sitter. I want to be able to up and go.” 76

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She’s tried various remedies for her gut problems, she says. n How do you alleviate the symptoms? “I discovered Symprove (a waterbased live and active bacteria for the gut) through a social media platform. I ordered it, tried it and rather liked the results. I take it first thing in the morning and it stops the bloating. And no haemorrhoids. “It goes hand in hand with other things I’m trying to do, like drinking more water, doing yoga and having a good diet. I try to make sure I get the fruits and vegetables I need.” n What foods do you eat now to alleviate the symptoms? “I met Jason Vale (a lifestyle coach also known as The Juice Master), who has a juicing farm in Portugal. I have been out there several times and he has shown me how to do the juicing. It’s good for me, when I have time, even if it’s just two or three times a week. I use two packets of celery, six apples, a bag of organic carrots, ginger, a spoon of protein powder, spirulina and some other vitamins, and anything that I think could be on the turn, like a pepper or broccoli. I put it in the mixer with an avocado and banana.” “I hardly eat any white bread,” she continues. “One thing I’ve learned is that if I have to read the label, that means it’s processed. I’m not vegetarian. I eat fish and chicken. I just have smaller portions and try to eat things that are fresh. My mum has never been a ‘processed’ cook. SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

No crisps, no biscuits. I wouldn’t say I never have a piece of cake but it’s not an everyday part of my life anymore.” n What exercise do you do? “I do yoga when I’m travelling, I do an hour and a half in the gym every day, religiously. I was given certain exercises at the juice bar that also helped with the bloating. I’m in a better place now than I ever have been, even when I was competing.” n Does your hectic work schedule interfere with your routine “I don’t think I’ve ever really had a routine. I do intermittent fasting. Today, I’ve only had a banana since yesterday at 6pm, so I eat if I’m hungry. If I’m not hungry, I don’t eat. “The tummy is very small and I’ve had a tendency over the years to eat too much of the wrong foods. What I have learned is, everything in moderation and each person is different. You have to do for your body what you feel is healthy. “If I’m stodged down

with packets of biscuits or crisps, which I have had in the past, and cake, or toast and sandwiches late at night, or mayonnaise, my body can’t filter or function quick enough.” n Have you tried faddy diets in the past? “I’ve done them all. My husband (now ex) used to make this grapefruit drink and we’d live on a grapefruit for three days. He’d give himself all the pulp, so at least he had something to fill his tummy, I just used to get the juice. “I’ve done just vegetable diets, I’ve done soup diets, cabbage soup. They are not sustainable. You lose a few pounds and you think you’re doing well. But everything is about sensible eating.” n You’re now 63 – how old do you feel? “I don’t feel 63 because I still get up and dance and do different things and challenge myself. I’m trying to rest more if I can and am starting to realise that perhaps I push myself too much, seven days a week.” n Symprove is a water-based formula packed with live, active bacteria to help maintain a healthy gut. 77

ANTIQUES

A PRINCELY SUM FOR ROYAL FURNITURE HALLS AUCTIONEER ALEXANDER CLEMENT TAKES A LOOK AT TWO RATHER SPECIAL CHAIRS WITH CONNECTIONS TO KING CHARLES III, INCLUDING ONE THAT REMAINED IN ITS ORIGINAL BOX

n our auction of modern design on October 4, we had not one but two chairs from the Investiture ceremony for the Prince of Wales, now King Charles III. Both did extremely well for their respective vendors, demonstrating the increased interest in these very particular mementos. The investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales, now King Charles III, took place at Caernarfon Castle on 1 July 1969. The ceremony formally conferred the title of Prince of Wales to the then 20-year-old Charles, eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II. The investiture was a revival of a ceremony which had first been used for the previous Prince of Wales, Edward, in 1911. The 1969 event was watched by 500 million people worldwide on television. Created for the ceremony, a special armchair was designed by Antony Armstrong-Jones, Lord Snowdon, assisted by Carl Toms and John Pound. They formed an integral part of the event at Caernarfon Castle, overseen by Snowdon, which combined pageantry and modern design. A total of 4,600 chairs were made at the Remploy factory in Bridgend, then dismantled after the event and offered in flat pack form for £12 each, with guests having priority over their assigned chair. Famously, Lord Snowdon bought six of these for his own collection, two of which were offered for sale at Christie’s in 2020 and sold for over £40,000 including fees. The chairs themselves are red painted ash laminate with the motto ‘Ich Dien’ and Prince of Wales feathers to the back highlighted in gilt. Each was fitted with a red linen covered cushion. The design is, as one might expect from the period, very modern and quite striking but not jarringly so. They were the perfect blend of traditional heraldry and post-war style and indeed are quite comfortable.

Prior to 2020, when Investiture chairs appeared at auction, they would typically realise around £200. However, more recent results have been steadily climbing with examples in good condition realising around £500-700. Unsurprisingly, then, the first of our two examples surpassed its estimate to achieve £708 (including fees). The second chair was a different story. This one had been purchased by Councillor Harold Taylor who was one of the invited guests at the ceremony. He was there representing Denbighshire County Council and, like all of the guests, had the opportunity to purchase one of the chairs. Evidently, he kept the chair in its original packaging, un-assembled, and it had never been taken out. It was, as they say, ‘box fresh’. In addition to the chair, there was a small archive of ephemera from the event including programmes and brochures but also a ‘behind the scenes’ itinerary of the Royal Family’s progress through Wales which was not publicly available for obvious reasons. The combination of provenance and the fact that the chair was in its original box as supplied – which must be almost unheard of – made this a very special prospect for collectors. Consequently, bidding was fierce on the sale day, racing away to a hammer total of £1,450 excluding fees. Interest in the Investiture chairs has clearly increased and one can only speculate how many of the original 4,600 remain intact. Some have not survived as well as the examples in our auction and condition is an important factor in their value. Clearly, though, there is a strong demand for them, perhaps because of the ascension of Charles to the throne. But for me they remain an icon of modern design and a stylish solution to the brief which makes them very special in my eyes.

The original box from Remploy containing the un-assembled chair.

An Investiture of Charles, Prince of Wales, painted ash laminate armchair, 1969

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FREE VALUATIONS OF ANTIQUES, FINE ART & JEWELLERY Our valuers are available every week for free valuations and advice about selling at auction. To book your appointment:

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SOLD £11,500

Walter Hunt (English, 1861-1941), Otter hounds giving chase, with huntsman behind and a river in themiddle distance, signed and dated ‘1912’

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LOTS OF QUALITY AT TWO-DAY EVENT

wo-day auctions used to be a rarity here at Trevanion Auctioneers, but such has been the interest in our auctions that September turned out to be our second two-day sale in a row. As a result, our buyers have been even more spoilt for choice than usual, with fantastic lots in all categories. September saw some great results for jewellery, with an early 20th century sapphire and diamond ring attracting worldwide attention, selling after a fierce battle between multiple interested buyers for £6,000 plus fees, more than four times the low estimate. Another star lot was a large and impressive bronze eagle in the manner of Japanese sculptor Genryusai Seiya, who worked in the Meiji Period (1868-1912). Although modelled in three pieces, the bronze was still extraordinarily heavy and took three people to move. Not surprisingly, it sold for four times its low estimate at £6,000 plus fees. One of the best things about working in an auction house is when something

Top left, A Tiﬀany and Co sterling silver tea caddy sold for £3,400; above, the Guy Wilthew portrait sold for £3,200; bottom left, Genryusai Seiya sculpture sold for £6,000; bottom right, an early 20th century sapphire and diamond ring sold for more than £6,000

truly unique comes through the door. This was the case with a Tiffany & Co sterling silver tea caddy, designed by Edward C Moore in around 1889. The piece depicted the historic Boston Tea Party, in which protestors angry at the imposition of taxes threw an entire ship’s cargo of tea into the Boston Harbour. The caddy may well have been made to order by Tiffany, making it a true one-off, and much sought after, particularly by American bidders. However, after strong bidding it eventually sold to a local bidder for £3,400 plus fees. Art was also a big feature of the September auction, the star of the show being a stunning portrait by Guy Wilthew, a British artist working in the early 20th century. The work, a large half length oil on canvas portrait,

depicted Miss Cicely Moon dressed in a gorgeous red velvet coat and magnificent hat, staring directly at the viewer with a wise but reserved expression. It perfectly captured the air of self confidence in that period, just before the First World War swept it away. The picture now has a new home in Canada, selling for £3,200 plus fees. With September a big success, we’re now looking forward to our final auction of 2023, which will offer our buyers the chance to acquire over one thousand lots, with beautiful, rare and intriguing pieces on offer in all categories. The auction will take place on 22nd November with public viewing being held on Monday 20th & Tuesday 21st November. Full details can be found at www. trevanion.com NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

EDUCATION

HAPPY, CURIOUS, CONFIDENT GIRLS

n its ISI report earlier this year, Shrewsbury High School was recognised as “excellent in all areas”, the highest rating obtainable. The ISI report key findings are that the quality of pupils’ academic and other achievements, and the quality of pupils’ personal development are excellent. While many things from the report stand out, Shrewsbury High School Head, Darren Payne is particularly proud that the pupils demonstrate a deep respect and great empathy for one another and pride in their inclusive community, with the report noting “The strong community ethos means that pupils are excellent at looking after each other and confident to speak to a trusted adult should they have concerns”. He added: “I was delighted to see the many comments relating to the outstanding development of pupils social and collaborative skills through all aspects of our school life, not only does it show that our students are flourishing academically, confident to take risks with their learning, it also testifies to what resilient, confident and collaborative young women they are, demonstrating moral integrity, respect for self and others, social responsibility and ambition.” In his first term as Head, Mr Payne is excited to build on the success of the school as recently recognised in the Inspection Report. 82

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He commented: “I am delighted to be given the opportunity to lead Shrewsbury High School in the next stage of its history. The school is in excellent health, with an outstanding recent inspection report, successes in all areas of school life and a strong and supportive community. “We are fortunate to have a dynamic and ambitious staff body, talented students of great character and a beautiful school site that sits at the heart of the town of Shrewsbury. “It is perhaps no surprise that my top priority is to continue to ensure that our pastoral care is second to none because from expert pastoral care flows everything else. An excellent school must provide

first-rate teaching and learning, broad cocurricular opportunities, produce brilliant results and add value but it can only do this if it first takes care of the wellbeing of all of its students. “At the High School we encourage close communication between home and school and we seek to build relationships with our pupils and parents so that they can raise issues with us at any time and know that we will listen to and address their concerns. I want our parents to trust our care, to be guided by it and to be confident in the knowledge that the wellbeing of their children, our pupils, is our chief driver. If you have a daughter, come and visit the High School for yourself and find out how we educate girls for a world without limits.” On 29th November, Dr Kevin Stannard, the GDST’s Director of Innovation and Learning will be speaking at the school and exploring the value of an all-girls education through the lens of the recent GDST Girls’ Futures Report – this is a free event and open to all. In February the school will welcome Professor Alice Roberts in a sold-out event where the anatomist, biological anthropologist, author and broadcaster will discuss her inspirational career. To find out more about events at Shrewsbury High, to apply for a place or arrange a tour, visit www.shrewsburyhigh. gdst.net NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

READY STEADY GIRL

Empowering successful, confident and adventurous girls. All-through, all-girl ages 4-18 Junior School Open Day Thursday 23rd November 11+ and 13+ Entrance Assessments Saturday 20th January Arrange your visit and apply online at shrewsburyhigh.gdst.net

Herefordshire, Ludlow & North Shropshire College

Hereffordshire, Ludlow and North Shropshire e Colleg ge group is made up of five colleges coverring Herefordshire and Shropshire. We workk together to boost skills and improve knowledge right acrross the region, contributing to increased econom mic prosperity, innovation and inspiration. From A Levells to apprentiicesh hips, vocatiionall courses to higher education – there’s somethiing for everyone.

Call 0800 032 1986 or visit hlnsc.ac.uk for more information.

Day and Boarding Prep School for girls and boys aged 4-13

Email: admissions@packwood-haugh.co.uk | Tel: 01939 260 217

Excellent in all Areas

ISI Inspection 2023

Visit Packwood packwood-haugh.co.uk/admissions admissions@packwood-haugh.co.uk | 01939 260 217

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PREPARING PUPILS FOR THE FUTURE

ick Robinson, Head of Prestfelde School in Shrewsbury, meets and welcomes many new families to the school each term. The decision to move to a new school often comes with much deliberation, particularly when looking at a school, such as Prestfelde, that educates children up to the age of thirteen (Year 8). Bucking against the trend of a Year 6 end to primary school, ready for a Year 7 start in senior school, many parents ask about the best age to transfer. Believing that Prestfelde’s traditional model is the right one, Nick gives his opinion on the benefits of keeping children in a prepschool setting until the age of thirteen… “Prestfelde is a preparatory school that educates children from three to thirteen years old. On reaching thirteen, the children move on to a wide range of senior schools. This model is different from most children educated in the UK, who will normally move from a primary to secondary education at age eleven. This might beg the question as to why Prestfelde still regards thirteen years as the ideal time to start senior school? Firstly, it is important to recognise that there is a big difference in size, development, knowledge, confidence and maturity between eleven and thirteen year olds. Transitioning into secondary school

at the age of eleven can be daunting for many children. Years 7 and 8 in a prep school environment offers the chance to grow up before the full impact of adolescence, two crucial years where a great education ensures that by thirteen, they are ready for anything that senior school could throw at them. A key feature of a Prestfelde education in Years 7 and 8 is developing the pupils’ understanding of responsibility, independence and for them to explore their passions before pursing their interests further at their next school. Typically, Year 8s at Prestfelde become role models. All of them take on leadership roles, whether as Mentors,

House Leaders, undertaking leading roles in orchestras, choirs, plays and sports teams. This year, in an initiative suggested by pupils, Year 8s regularly read with our Nursery and Reception children and will lead play-based games for them during their break times. And it is not just socially and emotionally that we see the benefits at Prestfelde. Year 7 and 8 pupils also experience teachers who are experts in that age group in typically smaller classes. This allows for more one-to-one time with teachers, individualised feedback and a greater understanding of strengths and areas to improve. They learnt how to learn. They acquire the confidence and work habits to be able to engage with independent study. By the age of thirteen, Prestfelde children will have learnt the right habits and attitudes, the requisite skills and knowledge to thrive wherever they move onto. It is not just preparation for senior school, is preparation for life. For Prestfelde that sense of preparation in all aspects of the words remains our primary purpose. We are proud to be a three – thirteen school. The reason why, is that we still believe it is the right thing for our pupils…and making decisions based on what’s best for children is what great schools do best.” Visit www.prestfelde.co.uk NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

“Throughout the school, pupils’ behaviour is of the highest order. A natural respect and politeness is evident in all ages.” “Pupils make outstanding progress in the development of their knowledge, skills and understanding.”

“Excellent in all areas” INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS INSPECTION REPORT 2023

Come and see what makes Prestfelde one of the UK’s leading prep-schools for 3-13 year old boys and girls

www.prestfelde.co.uk

To view Prestfelde’s ISI Report 2023 Executive Summary, please scan.

VALUING A DIVERSE COMMUNITY

GS is an inspiring and inclusive community built on respect, individuality, equity and kindness. Students at Wolverhampton Grammar School took ownership in creating this values statement to celebrate their diverse community, which is 41% Asian, 30% white, 9% mixed, 8% black and 12% other ethnicities or unknown. A group of students known as Diversity Champions regularly work with staff to improve the visibility of every member of the school community. Their work includes a diverse range of activities and events. Just last month there were big celebrations around Black History Month including an historic visit by the Right Honourable Stuart Lawrence, brother of Stephen Lawrence who was tragically murdered in a racist attack in 1993. Stuart spoke to students on the importance of young people displaying empathy, tolerance, equity and fairness – values which resonated with WGS students. Other activities have included celebrating religious events such as Eid and Diwali, raising awareness of events such as World Mental Health Day, LGBTQ+ History Month and South Asian Heritage Month, getting involved with charity fundraising or highlighting topical issues that might affect young people such as discrimination, online safety, sexism and much more. Many of the Diversity Champions are

members of the Sixth Form. The school has created a collegiate culture where their most senior students are encouraged to lead clubs and societies. Student Voice is another Sixth Form-led initiative, bringing together students from all year groups to discuss issues relevant to all. Sixth Formers regularly deliver Pudding Lectures to a packed seminar room about a subject that they are passionate about. (Yes, pudding is provided as the name suggests!)

Top: The WGS Diversity Champions (group) and above, the Diversity Mural designed and painted by students

One of the favourite things that current Sixth Formers highlight about their time at Wolverhampton Grammar School is the support from their teachers. They value being treated with kindness and respect and being encouraged to excel both personally and academically. Currently, the Sixth Form team are helping with personal statements and choices about future study. Head of Careers, Miss Kailey, also ensures that through work experience and workplace visits, all students are made aware of a variety of prospective career paths. The Class of 2023 leavers are settling into university life and studying subjects as diverse as Aerospace Engineering, Anthropology, Fine Art, Medicine, Dentistry and Sports Journalism, at 27 different universities nationwide, including two at Oxford University. Wolverhampton Grammar School’s A-level results far exceeded the prepandemic levels that were being used as the benchmark for a stricter marking scheme. 74% of students gained the top grades A* to B this year, higher than those published by some other local schools. At GCSE too, 83% achieved the equivalent with grades 9 to 6. Those considering post 16 options are invited to attend a Sixth Form Options Evening on Thursday, November 16 to find out more about the 20+ A-level and Cambridge Technical courses and the benefits of joining Wolverhampton Grammar School for Sixth Form. NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Sixth Form Options Evening Thursday 16th November 6.30pm – 8.30pm Register with our Admissions Team T: 01902 422939 E: admissions@wgs-sch.net Scholarships and help with school fees available

Wolverhampton Grammar School Compton Road, Wolverhampton, WV3 9RB Registered charity (England and Wales no. 1125268)

20+ A Level and Cambridge Technicals to choose from

74% A* – B grades at A Level this year

www.wgs.org.uk

SOCIAL SCENE

Shropshire WI Climate Team Gilli Booton, Sue Lasseter and Valerie Woodmansey

From Hodnet WI is Sarah Jones, and holding her decorated stone are her children: Poppy Jones 10 , William Jones, 5, and Emma Jones, 7

SHROPSHIRE WI DAY Shrewsbury Abbey

With her Brixham-inspired stone is Barbara Cooksey from Loppington WI

WI members at the Shropshire WI Day

Shrewsbury Abbey was the venue for Shropshire’s WI Day with a host of the county’s groups exhibiting as part of the event. As well as showcasing the talents and activities on offer, the event also included a competition judged by the county’s High Sheriff, Mandy Thorn. Gilli Booton, a trustee of the board of Shropshire WI and a member of the Bicton and Oxon group, said they had been thrilled with the turnout and support for the day. She added that the event had been about celebrating what the thousands of members across the county do, and showcasing the activities as a way to inspire more women to join. “It offers all kinds of opportunities to all kinds of women. The WI is pretty diverse and we want to encourage more members all the time to carry the WI on.” Photos: Steve Leath

Carnival was the theme of some of the displays. Veronica Pryce from Cressage WI

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Frankwell WI members Sharon Sinclair, Judith Moss and Tina Carser

Carol Wolfe (Trustee), Bridgette Thurgood (County Treasurer) and Glenys Wheeler (County Chair)

Carol Wolfe and Annie Owen with a display for the clean river campaign

Hodnet WI’s Jeanette Miller and Jane Jones with their creation

Members gather at Shrewsbury Abbey for the Shropshire WI Day

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

With Dog’s Trust assistant manager Sue Bromley and Yorkshire Terrier Poppy

Reopening the refurbished village hall in Picklescott

HIGH SHERIFF’S DIARY MANDY THORN MBE DL

Opening of the Fort Boxing Club in Whitchurch with Liam Davies

Meeting fundraisers at Clun Memorial Hall

At the Women’s Wellbeing Roadshow in Telford

Variety is the spice of life – and this month has provided plenty of it, taking me right around the county to meet some truly wonderful people and see some fabulous examples of community work, writes Mandy Thorn. I had the great pleasure of meeting Shropshire boxing hero Liam Davies at an event in Whitchurch, spending time seeing the fantastic work which goes on at the Dogs Trust’s Shropshire base at Roden and meeting the amazing team at West Mercia Search and Rescue. Celebrating community volunteers is very much a theme of my year, and I was able to pass on my thanks to the volunteers at Clun who had raised the money to equip the Memorial Hall with a deﬁbrillator and celebrate the reopening of the refurbished village hall at Picklescott. Photos supplied

Meeting the Search and Rescue team at West Mercia Police’s Community Day

Meeting Abby and her assistance dog Pepper at DogAid

With Healthwatch Hero George Rock

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Claire Brentnall, Margaret Buckingham, Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner and Steph Eddies-Davies

Rob Hatts, Christine Holmes, Kathy Hatts and David Holmes from Shrewsbury Drapers

AFTERNOON TEA RAF Cosford More than 250 people gathered for a special afternoon tea as Shropshire’s High Sheriﬀ recognised volunteers, charities and community groups from across the county. The event, at RAF Museum Cosford, was hosted by Mandy Thorn MBE to celebrate the amazing work delivered in Shropshire’s communities by the voluntary and third sector. From street pastors working throughout the night to ensure the safety of revellers to guide dog trainers and a life-saving leisure centre team, the event heard about the strength, commitment and resilience of the people of Shropshire. In a speech to guests, which included the Lord-Lieutenant of Shropshire Anna Turner, as well as former High Sheriﬀs, Mandy said it was important during her shrieval year to recognise the work of Shropshire’s ‘unsung heroes’. Mandy said: “I wanted to do something which allowed me to say thank you to the volunteers I’ve meet so far this year.” Photos supplied

Karen Pardoe, Sue Chalk, Bev Baxter, Hugh Strickland, Mark Thorn and Amy Bould

Steph Eddies-Davies, Charlotte Arnold, Saira Varghese and Heather Tudor

Zeze Sohawon, Mandy Thorn and Tamara Thomas

Sophie Taylor, Victoria Charnley, Julia Morgan

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Sallie-Anne O’Byrne, Mark Cuthbert-Brown and Bethan Davies

Robin Glover, Mayor Arnold England and Ruth Giblin

Xue Han, Grace Tong and Gareth Williams

Val Kirton, Jenny Wynn, Mark Thorn and High Sheriﬀ Mandy Thorn

Dane Crane (bottom left), Chris Turner, Ash Forster, Lloyd Giles Peter Morris, Max Picken (bottom right) and Dawn Ball (Hope House)

Tony Walker on the green

HOPE HOUSE GOLF DAY Wrekin golf club Golfers took to the course at Wrekin Golf Club for a charity day in aid of Hope House. It was organised by Peter Morris, the owner of The Huntsman of Little Wenlock in Telford. The golf day, which attracted 25 players and was won by Ash Forster, raised £1,050. There were 18 holes, with nine of them sponsored by local businesses. There was also a silent auction and raﬄe at The Huntsman. Photos: Jamie Ricketts Peter Morris and Dawn Ball (Hope House Area Fundraiser)

Steve Walker, James Good and Jeremy Good

Aaron King, Neil Irving, Adrian Smith and David Cattell

Clive Nutting, Paul Goode, Peter Morris, Robbie Nutting and Jamie Hammond

Tony Walker, Michael Wood, Grant Trainer and Lyndon Walker

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

RSH LEAGUE OF FRIENDS TENNIS TOURNAMENT shrewsbury The League of Friends of Royal Shrewsbury Hospital served up its annual ladies doubles tennis tournament. The popular competition, held at Shrewsbury Town Walls Tennis Club, raised £1,800 which included some sponsorship from Lloyds Bank. League of Friends Organising Secretary Sue Hurdiss said: “It was one of the hottest days of the year yet the players all played wonderfully and with such enthusiasm. “After the tournament a delicious summer lunch was served which had all been prepared by members of our fundraising committee.” Photos: Jamie Ricketts

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Thelma Foster (chair of the group), Carol Danby (event organiser), David Brown (group president).

SOCIAL GROUP TOUR Pitchford Hall

Tour guide Stephen Winwood

Jenny Green

Members of the Shropshire National Trust Social and Supporter Group enjoyed a tour of Grade I-listed Pitchford Hall, near Shrewsbury. Described as one of England’s ﬁnest Elizabethan halftimbered houses, it is being given new life by its current owners, Rowena Colthurst and her husband James Nason. The group visited many of the key rooms including the Great Hall, the Drawing Room and Library, with tour guide Helen Hall. David Brown, group president, of the National Trust Social and Support Group, said the members enjoyed getting a closer look at the restoration work taking place in the house. The group promotes the work of the National Trust but also provides people with opportunities to share their interests with like-minded people in their area. It also hosts monthly talks, organises social events, day trips and longer holidays, and produces a newsletter. For more information, visit shropsnattrustcentre.chessck. co.uk Photos: Steve Leath

Lynne Cannon

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Pamela Turner

John Tisbury, Sue Fitzmaurice

Dave Elliott Helen Hall, John Long, Elizabeth Wicks, Stephen Winwood

Tour guide Helen Hall

Les Jones, Mary Williams, Elaine Bradley

Pitchford Hall, on the outskirts of Shrewsbury, where the National Trust Social and Support Group were having a guided tour

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

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TRAVEL

CRUISING IS ALL PLAIN SAILING HANNAH STEPHENSON DISCOVERS THAT THE SLOWER PACE OF SMALLER SHIPS WITH FEWER PASSENGERS ON A CROATIAN BREAK WAS SO MUCH BETTER THAN PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES

Top: Jelsa, Hvar, at sunrise; above a street in Korcula

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

’d never really been a fan of cruises, having been on two large liners years ago, with not enough time to explore each port, a fight for sun loungers on deck and a daily programme of activities which left me feeling a bit overwhelmed. So, the only way I would be tempted on to another cruise was on a smaller scale – smaller ship, fewer passengers, slower pace, less formality. With this in mind, island-hopping on a small ship along the Dalmatian coast of Croatia sounded like a good fix, starting in Split and ending in Dubrovnik. The voyage promised a very different experience – a maximum of 38 passengers, sunbeds and seating areas galore and a feeling of space. “There’s been a big shift since Covid to people wanting to do small ship cruises,” says Graham Carter, chief commercial officer for leading luxury travel specialist Unforgettable Travel. “People love the intimate nature of how it works.” In the busy harbour at Split, a few minutes from the Diocletian Palace, one

of the world’s best preserved monuments of Roman architecture with its maze of streets heaving with tourists, bars, shops and restaurants, we board the Bellissima, which is to be our home for the next week. It may be pint-size compared with the multi-decked giant liner shadowing ominously nearby, but it offers luxury on a grand scale. It’s how I imagine stepping on to a superyacht would be. The Bellissima is a family-run ship with a crew of 11 Croatians. We are greeted by Betty, the matriarch of the family, Lucca, the captain, and his brother, first officer Nikolai. There’s the charismatic maitre’d and sommelier Maté and the efficient, knowledgeable cruise director Marina, fixer of all things, from guided tours to restaurant reservations. All are Croatian, and it’s clear it’s not just a business, there is passion and pride in everything they do. In no time at all, we know their names, their jobs and how they can help make the holiday one to remember. Maté soon becomes familiar with our

favourite tipples and loves a bit of banter with the guests. The ship itself is pretty new, built in 2020, with spacious air-conditioned cabins, some with balconies. There’s a plethora of luxury sun loungers on the top deck – no need for early morning towel placings here – along with a Jacuzzi, while the intimate bar and dining room houses five tables of eight on the main deck. You can sit where you like and have a chance to get to know each other better. “This ship gives you enforced down time,” says Australian Terry on the empty deck when we set sail on the first morning. “You feel like you’ve got the boat to yourself and there’s no rushing around.” On board, I’m soon chatting with a party of fun-loving Australians and an extended American family, as well as a Croatian heart surgeon who operated on Betty’s husband. Unlike larger cruise ships, which on our route are only able to dock at the quayside of the major ports of Split and Dubrovnik, our vessel can dock at islands including Mljet, Vis, Hvar and Korčula, so we can just walk off the boat, while larger ships anchor out to sea and ferry passengers in on smaller boats known as tenders. We sail down the Dalmatian coast by day, the ship weaving its way past rocky outcrops and terracotta-roofed villages and through the Pakleni islands archipelago which is awash with secluded bays. The voyage lacks the urgency of getting to port to disembark to see the sights and rush around in the heat. Marina is always on hand to give us factual information about the islands and their inhabitants. I feel myself winding down as my FOMO subsides. Every day we anchor at a different cove, away from all the hustle and bustle, and descend to a wooden platform where we swim off the boat, making use of the inflatables, goggles and snorkels, paddleboards and kayaks which Nikolai and other crew members distribute as desired. This, for me, is a huge highlight – no crowded chlorine pools, just the crystal clear Adriatic Sea, a handful of swimmers and an area far wider than any average lido. Each day, guests can do an excursion – most are included in the price. We learn about Croatian rulers and UNESCO treasures in guided tours, go wine-tasting CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Hannah swimming oﬀ the Bellissima; a spectacular waterfall at Krka National Park; The Palace of the Diocletian in Split; Hvar Town; Trojir

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in Hvar and oyster-tasting in Ston, visit the giant cascading waterfalls at Krka National Park before the big cruise ship crowds arrive, and swim in one of the peaceful inland salt lakes of Mljet. Each stop-off has its own charm – the quaint cobbled streets of the medieval town of Trogir, the peaceful haven of Jelsa, away from the bustling main town of party island Hvar, the scent of Aleppo pine in the peaceful forests of Mljet, the mini-Dubrovnik that is Korčula, with its pretty cobbled alleyways, artisan shops and sophisticated dining experiences. Specialities range from octopus, mussels and clams to Croatian prosciutto, truffles and Italian-influenced dishes enhanced with lovingly pressed olive oil. On board, unlike the all-inclusive eatas-much-as-you-can mentality of many cruises, ours offers breakfast, lunch and

selected dinners, so for some of the time you are left to find your own restaurant, with the help of a restaurant guide on your arrival, and Marina, who can book whatever you fancy. This gives passengers a chance to take time out to explore the ancient cobbled streets, nooks and crannies of the islands on their own. There are olive oil, wine, cheese and cured meat tastings on board during the week, along with surprise treats of warm, herby flatbread, so no one’s going hungry. When we do dine on board in the evening, dressing for dinner is thankfully informal. The relaxed environment may all seem a bit tame for the youngsters who want a bit more of a party vibe – ages on our cruise range from early 20s to late 70s – but I discover that younger element have done their homework re nightlife.

On the day we dock at Jelsa, at the quieter end of Hvar, they head for the lively hub of the Hula Hula Beach Club for the afternoon and the night party at the famous Carpe Diem Beach, a club on Marinkovac, one of the Pakleni islands, a 10-minute boat ride from Hvar. Marina only asks that they’re back by 5am, an hour before we set sail. Bleary-eyed, the youngsters rise late the next day with entertaining tales of their night’s escapades and we’re all familiar enough to want to hear. It’s got to the stage where the Australians now call me ‘H’ and high-five me when they’re at the bar. But that’s the intimacy of a small ship. Long after disembarking in Dubrovnik, we’re still exchanging pictures and news of our travels through our WhatsApp group, me posting images of the pouring rain in the UK, others posting the glorious skies of southern Europe. On reflection, I’m now happy to sail away into the sunset – as long as it’s on a small ship.

FACTFILE Cruise Croatia (cruisecroatia.com; 020 3950 9613) oﬀers a seven-night Split to Dubrovnik cruise on the MV Bellissima, calling at Split, Trogir, Vis, Hvar, Korcula, Slano/Ston and Dubrovnik, from £1,575pp (two sharing), including private transfers, half board, guided tours and free Wi-Fi. Flights extra. Departures from from May to October 2024.

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

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MOTORING

SEAL OF APPROVAL FOR NEWCOMER CHINESE CAR FIRM BYD IS EXPANDING ITS LINE-UP WITH THE NEW SEAL SALOON. SEEN AS A CHALLENGER TO TESLA, DOES IT MATCH UP? MOTORING WRITER TED WELFORD FINDS OUT

here have been some terrible car names over the years. The Vauxhall Adam comes to mind, as does the Mitsubishi Carisma – the latter being utterly void of its name. There’s now a new entry for cars with questionable names – the Build Your Dreams Seal, or as it will be better known, the BYD Seal. Joining the Dolphin (you can see what BYD is doing with its marinethemed names) and Atto 3 crossover, the Seal is this Chinese firm’s answer to the Tesla Model 3, a car that has dominated the electric saloon market since its introduction. Does the Seal stand any chance next to the competition, however? BYD is fairly new to the UK market, having only introduced its first model, the Atto 3, earlier in 2023. You’ll likely have never heard of this manufacturer, but it’s a big deal globally as it’s the largest maker of ‘new energy’ vehicles, which includes plug-in hybrids and EVs. More than Tesla, in fact. 102

With BYD starting out in life in 1995 as a battery manufacturer, it’s almost unique in the automotive world in the fact it makes all its EV batteries itself, and therefore isn’t restricted by parts shortages in the same way other car firms are. You’ll be able to choose the Seal in two guises – a rear-wheel-drive model or an all-wheel-drive. Both share the same 82.5kWh battery too. With the rear-wheel-drive model, known as the Design, it comes with a single motor producing 309bhp, and with a 0-60mph time of 5.7 seconds, it’s hardly slow. But the headline-grabbing version is the all-wheel-drive ‘Excellence’, which gets a second motor and takes the power up to an impressive 523bhp. That allows for a 0-60mph time of just 3.6 seconds. In terms of range, that big battery brings a range of up to 354 miles in the rear-wheel-drive model, reduced to 323 miles if you choose the all-wheel-drive car. When it comes to charging, the Seal

can DC rapid charge at up to 150kW, meaning a 30 to 80 per cent charge can take just 25 minutes. Rivals like the Tesla Model 3 and BMW i4 are able to charge quicker, however. Things get off to a relatively conventional start in the BYD Seal. Unlike some rivals, there’s a typical starter button, a relatively conventional gear selector and there’s even a normal key. It’s easy to get comfy, with plenty of electric adjustment for the seats and steering wheel. Our drive was primarily in the all-wheel-drive model, known as the ‘Excellence’. This rides on semi-adaptive suspension, and it’s generally quite comfy, though can it feel fidgety over certain road imperfections. What can’t be faulted is the refinement. Even by EV standards, the Seal is unbelievably quiet. We didn’t get much chance to push the Seal as the weather on our German route was definitely more suitable to seals of the sea than the car world, but it NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

AT A GLANCE BYD Seal Excellence AWD Price: £50,000 (estimated) Powertrain: Dual electric motors with 82.5kWh battery Power: 523bhp Torque: 670Nm 0-60mph: 3.6 seconds Top speed: 112mph Emissions: 0g/km Range: 323 miles Max charging rate: 150kW

seemed to handle tidily with little body roll to report. With more than 500bhp, it’s suitably brisk as well, though has a very smooth pick-up, and doesn’t physically launch you back into your seat like other EVs with this kind of power do. Given BYD is a new brand for the UK, at first the Seal can look a bit like a mash-up of other products, albeit not deliberately. The rear looks quite similar to a Model 3 (a passer-by on our drive asked if it was the new Tesla, in fact), while the front definitely has a bit of the Hyundai Ioniq 6 about it. It’s overall a smart-looking car to our eyes, though, with good proportions and stylish lights giving it a noticeable presence. One thing worth noting is that all of BYD’s products so far have been emblazoned with ‘Build Your Dreams’ lettering across the rear, which wasn’t well-received in Europe. This has been taken off now in response, but it does look a little odd with no central brand emblem at the back. Head inside this BYD and it’s clear this Chinese tech firm’s influence – as a side note the firm manufactures half the world’s iPads. There’s a huge 15.6-inch touchscreen in the middle, which has a party trick of being able to rotate. It might seem gimmicky at first, but it works remarkably well both ways around, with certain features (navigation for example) working best in the portrait position. Due to the sheer number of elements and

controls that the screen manages, it can take time to adjust to, however, The cabin quality is generally very good, and certainly feels a notch above the Tesla Model 3, with soft-touch materials largely used throughout the cabin. In terms of space, treat the Seal as a four-seater and there’s more than enough room for four adults, but because the middle rear seat is raised, many adults will find themselves resting their heads uncomfortably against the glass roof. You’ll find more space in the back of the Tesla. BYD’s cars that are already on sale are very generously-equipped, and the Seal is no different. You’ve got plenty of high-end features included, such as quilted leather seats that are both heated and ventilated, large 19-inch alloy wheels and the stunning glass roof we’ve already touched on. There’s also a great deal of driver assistance technology on offer, though this is perhaps our biggest

bugbear with the Seal. While working fine on motorways, it’s downright annoying on more ‘normal’ routes, with traffic sign recognition constantly saying ‘you’re over the speed limit’ when it’s relying on road signs you’ve already gone past several hundred metres ago. The aggressive lane assist is bordering on dangerous too, almost swerving us into an oncoming car at one point. We’d be defaulting to turning this all off as soon as you jump in the car. BYD is yet to confirm pricing for the Seal, but we’ve been told it will be ‘very competitive’ next to the Tesla Model 3. Given that starts from £42,995, we’d expect it to marginally undercut that and cost north of £50,000 for the flagship allwheel-drive model. The Seal is without a doubt the best car we’ve seen from BYD yet. Unlocking a new level of quality and performance we’ve previously seen not from the Chinese newcomer, it’s a car that brings real promise. Challenging a car as good and popular as a Tesla Model 3 will always prove a challenge, especially with BYD not having that firm’s network of EV chargers on its side. But with a similar level of tech to the Tesla, as well as a higher-quality interior, we suspect it might make a few think of choosing something different. But it will ultimately come down to the price in a segment that is dominated by business customers.

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NOSTALGIA

Just two and a half minutes of screen time would be the result of a day’s recording by a Walt Disney film crew at Telford’s Blists Hill museum on November 4, 1975. The 60 film crew members, who moved into the Prince Rupert and Lion hotels in Shrewsbury, were shooting a sequence for a new Disney production, Pit Ponies. The film, set in a north of England mining community in 1909, was to feature the museum’s restored winding-engine room.

Students of Bridgnorth College of Further Education took part in a football match, a Students’ Union eﬀort to promote student involvement and unity at the college on November 13, 1974. From left, standing, Margaret Davies, Nicola Turtle and Bonnie (surname missing), with Julie Gough and Susan Croydon kneeling.

A BUSY AUTUMN ACROSS COUNTY BY HEATHER LARGE

e’ve dipped into the archives to take a look at what was happening around the county during the month of November in past decades. There were celebrations for Shrewsbury Town fans as the club beat Brierley Hill Alliance 3-0 in a FA Cup tie in 1961. While in 1974, football was being used as part of a Students’ Union effort to promote student involvement and unity in 1974

Heraldry students made these Salop coats of arms, displayed by Mr George Trevelyan, warden of Attingham Adult College, at the village hall committee’s conference in Shrewsbury on November 26, 1955

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at Bridgnorth College of Further Education. Residents in Wem were looking forward to the opening of a new swimming pool as construction work got under way in 1971. Violin players were also excited in 1977 ahead of dedicated octagonal music room being built at Ludlow School. Meanwhile cameras were rolling at Blists Hill in 1975 as film crew descended on the Victorian town to shoot a sequence for a new Disney production, Pit Ponies.

The control room Shropshire Fire Brigade headquarters at Shrewsbury on November 15, 1973. The old HQ has since been replaced and it’s now Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Work was in progress on Wem swimming pool on November 26, 1971

Trying out a few bars beneath the girdered framework of the octagonal music room being built at Ludlow School were 14-year-olds Angela Morley and Sarah Cheadle on November 2, 1977.

Pupils of St Martins Modern School art class at work on the giant mosaic of the new Buildwas power station, Ironbridge, on Thursday, November 10, 1966.

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Shrewsbury Town took on Brierley Hill Alliance in the FA Cup at Gay Meadow on Saturday, November 25, 1961, with Shrewsbury winning 3-0.

A Grandfather clock at Cranmore House Farm, near Wem, started again when Norma Reishus returned from America in November 1964. The 200-year-old clock hadn’t let out a tock since Norma left home two years earlier after her wedding. But when Norma and her husband Gerry came home – the family heart the familiar tick tock tick tock.

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BOOKS

MYRIE’S SUCCESS IS MARRED BY HATRED

uring a career spanning over 30 years, BBC News presenter Clive Myrie has dodged bullets and bombs in war zones and reported on horrific scenes, from mass shootings in America to the front line of the Covid wards, writes Hannah Stephenson. In a Zoom call the journalist, newsreader and presenter of BBC News and Mastermind is looking relaxed as we meet to discuss his memoir, Everything Is Everything. He has seen the worst of humankind on assignments at home and abroad – death, destruction and devastation, both emotional and physical. One wonders how he sleeps at night. “Images stay with you. They’re in your head and there might be a moment of crisis and those images come back and can impair the way that you function, which is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. And I haven’t had that yet. The images come back, but they don’t stop me being able to do my job or to function day to day.” Myrie, 59, has been married to Catherine, former editor of a publishing house, for 25 years. They met at the launch of a book on Swiss cheese in 1992. During his career he has had postings in Tokyo, Los Angeles and Washington, and reported from more than 80 countries. Race is a dominant theme throughout the book, and there is anger and incredulity about personal and professional episodes as he analyses how being black in a whitedominated society has affected his perspective. Myrie’s parents, Lynne and Norris, are Windrush generation who came to England from Jamaica in the early 1960s and settled in Bolton. She was a teacher

BOOKCASE

Cahokia Jazz by Francis Spuﬀord is published in hardback by Faber & Faber, priced £20.

Francis Spufford sets this noir-ish mystery in the fictional US city of Cahokia, in a violent but strangely familiar version of 1922, where ‘takouma’ – Native Americans, ‘takata’ – Europeans, and ‘taklousa’ – African-Americans, share an uneasy peace. A grisly sacrificial murder of a Klansman seems engineered to set these tribes against each other, and ‘takouma’ detective Joe Barrow, also an aspiring jazz pianist, and his wisecracking partner Phin Drummond, are at the heart of the action.

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A Stroke Of The Pen: The Lost Stories by Terry Pratchett is published in hardback by Doubleday, priced £20.

A Stroke Of The Pen contains 20 short stories written by Terry Pratchett in the Seventies and Eighties under a pseudonym, which have since been unearthed and collated, eight years after his death. This delightful collection is inventive, entertaining and a little quirky, often with a twisty end. The comedic fantasies that shape this book make for a fun read. The wit, wisdom and intelligence are interspersed with a lively dose of naivete, with entertaining results.

in Jamaica, but her qualifications weren’t recognised in Britain, so she became a seamstress. Norris, who had been training to be a skilled shoemaker in Jamaica, ended up assembling car batteries in the local factory. They are divorced and Norris moved back to Jamaica. Myrie has also suffered racial hatred over the years. He’s received racist letters, emails and messages. In 2017, he received a death threat which investigators found to be serious. He says he’s still subjected to racism from people who think there’s too much whingeing about race in what is now very different world. “(They think) This guy’s done OK, he should be grateful that Britain gave him and his family an opportunity. No suggestion at all that I might have worked my butt off for this. That is racism because the assumption is that it’s been given to me through some box-ticking exercise.” In recent years he’s taken on lighter roles, appearing in Have I Got News For You?, hosting Mastermind, venturing to Italy to make the BBC travelogue series Clive Myrie’s Italian Road Trip. But he’s not giving up hard news, he says, laughing at any suggestion of retirement. n Everything Is Everything: A Memoir Of Love, Hate And Hope by Clive Myrie is published by Hodder & Stoughton, priced £22.

A Haunting On The Hill by Elizabeth Hand is published in hardback by Sphere, priced £16.99.

Divine Might by Natalie Haynes is published in hardback by Picador, priced £20.

This suspenseful and gripping read follows the playwright Holly Sherwin, who is close to getting her big break. On a weekend away, she stumbles upon Hill House – an ornate, yet crumbling gothic mansion, which beckons her and her actors in. Soon enough, the group discovers the dark and unnerving secrets that Hill House has been harbouring for all these years. The intriguing and complex characters, and beautifully written (yet sinister) descriptions make the novel an irresistible page-turner.

You’ve likely heard their names – Hera, Demeter, The Furies – and you may think you know their story. But Natalie Haynes’ Divine Might will shed a new light on the goddesses whose stories have been told countless times, but perhaps never in this way. Haynes manages to give these well-known Greek goddesses a new voice by telling their story from a diﬀerent perspective. It’s a powerful read that really opens a new dialogue and will leave you feeling like you understand their stories in a way you haven’t before.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

PUZZLES

SUDOKU 9

3 6 2 1 2 3

9 1

8 4 6

1 8 8 3

1 6 9 3 5 1 6 3 9 2 7 2 5 8 6

7 5

3 9

REMEMBER WHEN THE FOLLOWING EVENTS ALL OCCURRED IN A YEAR IN LIVING MEMORY. CAN YOU GUESS WHICH ONE?

1. Eric Cantona was banned from playing football for nine months after attacking a fan 2. Take That had a UK No.1 single with Back For Good 3. Babe was a huge hit at the cinema 4. Rogue trader Nick Leeson was jailed for six years

FOUR WS 1

WHO… was Cobi at the 1992 summer Olympic Games in Barcelona? WHAT… is the name of the chief wolf in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book who is succeeded by Phao? WHERE… was the first FA Cup Final played in 1872? WHEN… did the US humorist Ogden Nash die? WHO… played the title role in the 1977 TV series Jesus Of Nazareth? WHAT… is the name of the promontory at the west end of the Gower Peninsula? WHERE… in the US is Lake Iliamna the largest in the state? WHEN… was the Curtis Cup, a team competition for amateur female golfers, first held?

WHO… was Labour Minister of Health from 1945-51? WHAT… is in the centre of the flag of Argentina? WHERE… is Schiphol Airport? WHEN… were Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker shot and killed?

WHO… won the 1984 Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his play Glengarry Glen Ross? WHAT… was the nickname of Chicago White Sox baseball player Joseph Jackson? WHERE… is the Australian soap Neighbours set? WHEN… did Shergar win the Derby?

WHO… wrote A Farewell To Arms and The Sun Also Rises? WHAT… country did the footballer Marcelo Salas represent? WHERE… in Europe is the region of Wallonia? WHEN… did the rock group Deep Purple release the album Deep Purple In Rock?

WHO… wrote the autobiographical novel La Fanfarlo? WHAT… sort of creature is a rudd? WHERE… in South America is Mount Cotopaxi? WHEN… in 1936 did the Jarrow March begin?

1. Julie Christie starred in Darling 2. The Beatles had a UK No.1 with Help! 3. Actress Elizabeth Hurley was born 4. Edward Heath became leader of the Conservative Party 1. Margaret Thatcher’s son Mark was reported missing in the Sahara desert 2. ET The Extra-Terrestrial was a box-office smash 3. The Jam had a UK No.1 single with Town Called Malice 4. Michael Fagan broke into Buckingham Palace

1. YMCA was a UK No.1 single for Village People 2. Dudley Moore and Bo Derek starred in 10 3. Former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe was cleared of attempted murder charges 4. Actress Kate Hudson was born

1. Violinist Yehudi Menuhin died 2. Fatboy Slim’s Praise You hit the top of the UK charts 3. Australia voted against becoming a republic 4. Tory MP Jonathan Aitken was jailed for 18 months

1. (How Much Is) That Doggie In The Window was a UK No.1 hit for Lita Roza 2. Vincent Price starred in The House Of Wax 3. The Duke of Edinburgh qualified as a pilot 4. Tony Blair was born SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

5 6

WORDWISE THE WORD MAY SOUND FAMILIAR, WHAT DOES IT MEAN? 1. THWAITE A Transverse. B Piece of reclaimed land. C The staff of Bacchus 2. ARCHIMAGE A Great magician. B Cloth collage. C Rounded doorway 3. BOREEN A Fat around the liver. B A lane or narrow road. C Chestnut flour 4. CHERSONESE A A peninsula. B Umbelliferous plant. C Type of bran 5. DAVENPORT A Part of a ship. B Safety lamp. C Type of writing desk 6. EIDENT A Express an inquiry. B Diligent. C Glandless 107

CROSSWORD QUICK CLUES Across 1. Be depressed (4) 3. Disrespectful (8) 9. Blame (7) 10. Sum (5) 11. Warring (12) 13. Scored (6) 15. Forefather (6) 17. Unfriendly (12) 20. Depression (5) 21. Expiating (7) 22. All (8) 23. Network (4) Down 1. Dying (8) 2. Scholar (5) 4. Raised (6) 5. Rotting (12) 6. Item (7) 7. Speak (4) 8. Noisily (12) 12. Power (8) 14. Perplex (7) 16. Wrench (6) 18. Sea water (5) 19. Competent (4)

CRYPTIC CLUES Across 1. Keep going at the back of the field (4) 3. Fish to be all at sea! (8) 9. A reform, maybe, close at hand (7) 10. Come in to put on record (5) 11 & 1Dn. Unique opportunity for a healthy new-born infant! (3,6,2,1,8) 13. To some degree, Sir Walter fails to finish ‘The Talisman’ (6) 15. Goes in search of flower-holders (6) 17. Sponsor after money for metal worker (12) 20. State I had sent back the ring (5)

A musician, I was born in Melbourne in 1947. I learned to play the piano aged five, and later studied at the Royal College of Music in London. A sufferer of acute neurosis, I was portrayed by the actor Geoffrey Rush in the 1996 film Shine.

An R&B singer, I was born in New York in 1981. I wrote my first song at the age of fourteen, and later recorded it for my debut album. I have won fifteen Grammy awards, and my hit albums have included Songs In A Minor and Girl On Fire.

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21. Ancient ruler of the Sun and Moon, maybe (7) 22. Designated spot for pitchers (4-4) 23. Not repeated in the initiation ceremony (4) Down 1. See 11 Across 2. Almost cover up the debris from the cliff (5) 4. Keen to restyle a mantle (6) 5. How the sports meeting with no races taking place progressed? (12) 6. Observing moral obligations when

there’s no rebate on excise tax? (7) 7. Not often found in polar areas (4) 8. There are working models at these exhibitions (7,5) 12. Gets near to what those who cause disaffection do (8) 14. Sam’s car could produce contemptuous remarks (7) 16. Compensated for being removed from the film scene? (6) 18. A devil of a fellow holding me up (5) 19. Record field event America fails to complete (4)

WHAT’S MY NAME?

and I trained at the prestigious Juilliard School. I made my first film appearance in Lorenzo’s Oil in 1992, and went on to star in films such as Love Actually, The Exorcism Of Emily Rose and The Squid And The Whale.

A publisher, I was born in Prussia in 1801. I began a publishing company in 1827, and named it after myself. My self-titled travel guides became famous all over the world in the 1800s for their distinctive red binding and depth of information.

An actress, I was born in New York in 1964. My father is a playwright

A comedian, I was born in Leeds in 1959. A keen birdwatcher, I worked as a farmer and a factory inspector before finding fame. I had a No.1 single during the 1990s, my real name is Jim Moir and my comedy partner is Bob Mortimer.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

WORDSPIRALS STARTING FROM 1, FILL IN THE GRID IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION WITH FOUR-LETTER WORDS. THE LAST LETTER OF EACH WORD BECOMES THE FIRST LETTER OF THE NEXT WORD. IF YOU HAVE CORRECTLY FILLED IN THE GRID THERE SHOULD BE A SEVEN-LETTER KEY WORD READING ACROSS FROM 8.

1. Beach grains 2. Prima donna 3. As well 4. Portent 5. Unguis 6. Dense metal 7. Demonstration, in short 8. Hop-drying kiln 9. Mexican snack 10. Of the ears 11. Horse-drawn vehicle 12. Snare 13. Paratrooper, informally 14. Insects 15. Ditty 16. Acquire Key word clue: River

IMPOSSIPUZZLES

Ben studied the list. “There’s something wrong here,” he exclaimed. “We’ve never sold even 300 of those books in a month.” Fred checked. “You’re right,” he admitted. “I’ve got the figures down in reverse order, and that makes it about three times what it should be.” “Eleven less than three times, to be exact,” Ben told him. What was the correct number?

Dan spread out the cards face down on the table. “Far from a complete pack, but they’ll do,” he said. “Draw four cards and let me see them.” Yevgenny complied. “That’s funny,” he exclaimed. “All the same suit, all clubs.” “A coincidence, but nothing to do with the trick,” Dan told him. “However, it was exactly a fifty-fifty chance that you’d pick four clubs.” How many clubs did they have there?

“So you have a little brother, eh?” said Duayne. “That’s nice. How old is he?” “He’s only a baby,” Fatima replied. “If you multiply our ages you get three times what they add up to.” Hardly a straight answer, but how old were Fatima and her brother?

Sandra looked at the 20p pieces in her brother’s hand. “Is that all you’ve got?” she asked. “You had well over a pound this morning.” “That’s right, but I spent the rest,” Stevie told her. “A quarter of what I spent is exactly a third of what I’ve got left.” How much had he spent?

1. An entrance 2. Ridge of coral 3. Notable achievement 4. Story 5. Nefarious 6. Final 7. Rip 8. Bring up 9. Paper quantity 10. Very small 11. Plant type 12. Mortuary table, informally 13. Tolerate, endure 14. Impolite 15. Recedes 16. Painful Key word clue: Type of dish

1. Slightly wet 2. Fruit seeds 3. Swing to and fro 4. Spun thread 5. Pleasant 6. Nobleman 7. Jump 8. Smoke hard 9. Gradually disappear 10. Verge 11. Resound 12. Gemstone 13. Plant part 14. Unwanted fat 15. Lost blood 16. Podium Key word clue: Place in Scotland

ANSWERS ON PAGE 112 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

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WHAT’S ON

Enjoy a sparkling night at Weston Park on November 5 at their Bonﬁre Night and Firework Display and puppeteer and America’s Got Talent winner Paul Zerdin will appear at Shrewsbury’s Theatre Severn with a brand new show for 2023

NOVEMBER

Chef, restaurateur and author Rick Stein is heading to The Holroyd Community Theatre in Weston Rhyn. He’ll be at the theatre from 1.30pm to talk about his new book, in the event being promoted by Oswestry’s Booka Bookshop. Rick Stein’s Simple Suppers features over 100 of his recipes and is packed with inspiration for midweek meals and casual get-togethers with friends, paired with stories that celebrate the simple things in life. For all the details of upcoming Booka events in Oswestry and Chester, including talks from many authors, visit bookabookshop.co.uk/future-events

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Following their successful Spring show, “And Then There Were None” by Agatha Christie, Abbey Foregate Church Drama Group is excited to announce that their next production will be Enchanted April by Matthew Barber. Director Helen Bryant knew that she wanted to stage the play several years ago but Covid intervened. She said: “It’s a gentle, romantic comedy of manners set in 1922 which sees a disparate group of ladies leave their downtrodden lives in England for an adventure in Italy with entertaining consequences.” Starting at 7.30pm, the venue is St Nicholas’ Hall, Shrewsbury. Tickets: £12 for adults and £6 for those aged under 16. More details from 01743 247450 or 07951 862881 or email info@abbeydrama.com

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Direct from the West End and after two sell-out tours, the fairytale of New York is the ultimate feel-good Irishinspired Christmas show that is coming to Shrewsbury for the very first time. From the producers of Seven Drunken Nights: The Story of The Dubliners, a sensational cast of singers, musicians and dancers perform all of your favourite Christmas songs including Driving Home For Christmas, Silent Night, White Christmas, and The Fairytale of New York, alongside some of the greatest Irish sing-along songs of all time. Venue is Theatre Severn at 3pm and 7.30pm.Tickets are £28.50 from www. theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/ fairytale-of-new-york/

The World’s biggest Country Music Tribute Touring Show is coming to Telford Theatre in Oakengates. This truly unique show is hosted by the star of The Show “The Dolly Parton Experience” TV and West End Dolly star Sarah Jayne. She has been performing as Dolly Parton for more than 28 years. Joined by award-winning TV vocal impersonator Andy Crust, prepare to be taken on a journey back through time to meet the most influential icons to have shaped country music history. The show features award-winning impersonations of Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, Billie Jo Spears, Kenny Rogers, Willie Nelson, Tammy Wynette, Garth Brooks, John Denver, Glen Campbell and Canadian country

superstar Shania Twain and includes The Country Superstars Band. Prepare for an evening of millionselling hits drawn from a repertoire that includes 9 to 5, The Gambler, Islands in the Stream, Annie’s Song, Stand by Your Man, Ring of Fire, Crazy, Always on my Mind, Blanket on the Ground, Jolene, Lucille, Here You Come Again, That Don’t Impress Me Much, I Walk the Line, Take Me Home Country Roads, Man! I Feel Like a Woman, Coward of the County, Standing Outside the Fire, The Dance and Rhinestone Cowboy. Tickets are £25.50. For more details visit www.telfordtheatre.com/whats-on/ music/country-superstars/4877/#details

A Victorian fireworks extravaganza will be held at Blists Hill Victorian Town from 6pm. Soak up the carnival atmosphere as you explore the Victorian streets after dark. Steam will billow from the foundry at a casting demonstration and steam engines will be in action around the town. Purchase drinks and nibbles from the New Inn Public House, and explore some of the most popular exhibits to see what Victorian life was like after dark! The astonishing 18-minute firework display will be timed to music, and begins at 7.45pm. Visit www.ironbridge.org.uk/events/

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With a wide selection of handmade crafts and

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

Musicians from Shrewsbury School perform in a charity chamber recital at Shrewsbury Abbey on November 12, while comic Sarah Millican is on the bill at Telford Theatre on November 22

Christmas gifts from talented Shropshire craftspeople, you’re sure to find that special gift for family and friends at the Frost Fair in Shropshire Hills Discovery Centre. The event is on from 10-4pm and entry is free.

refreshments. Gates open at 3pm, with the bonfire due to be lit at 5pm, The first firework display will take place at 6pm with the second display 90 minutes later. Tickets must be bought in advance from www.weston-park.com/bonfirefireworks-night/

America’s Got Talent winner Paul Zerdin is back with a brand-new comedy show for 2023. Join Paul and an array of ‘funny and sharp-tongued’ (Observer) creations including Sam, Albert, Baby, Roger the bodyguard and an urban fox, as he takes to the road with a show which promises that ‘when you are not laughing, you will simply be left in awe’ (Three Weeks). As seen on Lost Voice Guy’s Christmas Comedy Club (ITV), Michael McIntyre’s Big Show (BBC1), The Royal Variety Performance (ITV), and Tonight At The London Palladium (ITV). Tickets cost £22 and more details are available at www.theatresevern.co.uk/ shows/whatson/paul-zerdin/

A spectacular Bonfire Night display at a stately home on the Shropshire/ Staffordshire border is promising families double the fun – with two fantastic fireworks displays for the price of one. Weston Park’s bonfire and firework night on Sunday, November 5 will feature two dazzling fireworks displays, a giant bonfire and traditional fun fair, as well as a great selection of street food and

SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE NOVEMBER 2023

Celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, Shropshire Music Trust is bringing a host of performers to Shrewsbury. On November 10, The Onyx Brass Quintet will take to the stage at Shrewsbury United Reform Church. Organisers said: “The group’s musical and technical virtuosity is matched by the accessibility and vitality of their presentation. “They play a wealth of music, from original compositions to religious works, ceremonial fanfares and Broadway tunes.” The concert will begin at 7.30pm.

T.Rextasy are the world’s only official live tribute band dedicated to Marc Bolan & T.Rex, and have been performing around the world for over 25 years. They are the only band endorsed and approved by Marc Bolan’s family, estate, original ex-members of T.Rex, and Bolan’s catalogue management. The band has been described by many as beyond the boundaries of tribute. Truly a rock ‘n’ roll concert for all ages. If you would like to know exactly what a Marc Bolan concert was like in the

1970s, this show at Theatre Severn is for you! For £28 tickets visit www. theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/ trextasy/

Musicians from Shrewsbury School perform in a charity chamber recital at Shrewsbury Abbey. Starting with Evensong at 3pm, followed by refreshments at 4.15pm and the recital getting underway at 5pm. The free event will have a retiring collection to raise money for Macmillan Cancer Support in Shropshire. Visit www.eventbrite.co.uk or email shrewsburymacmillanfundraising@gmail. com

Edinburgh Comedy Award winning comedian and ARIA award-winning broadcaster John Robins embarks on his first stand-up tour since 2019. If you’ve seen him before you know what to expect; rage, anxiety and a lot of laughs. The venue is Oakengates’ Telford Theatre. For tickets visit www. telfordtheatre.com/whats-on/comedy/ john-robins-howl/4803/#details

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Ghostly happenings will be manifest as Pattingham Drama Group present the mysterious tale of…. The Ghost Train, coming to a platform near you.

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A Victorian ﬁreworks extravaganza will be held at Blists Hill Victorian Town on November 4, and chef, restaurateur and author Rick Stein is heading to The Holroyd Community Theatre in Weston Rhyn on November 1.

The Ghost Train sees six people stranded at the remote, run-down Fal Vale train station in rural Cornwall in the middle of the night when a silly buffoon, Teddie, pulls the emergency stop cord after he loses his hat out of the window. By missing their connection, the passengers find themselves in the waiting room of a railway station late at night. This chilling comedy thriller will be performed at Pattingham Village Hall. Tickets cost £10 and are available from Chris Lyon on 01902 700748 or drama group members.

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Oswestry Antique & Collectors Fair will be staged at Oswestry Showground. You can except to find an array of outdoor and indoor stalls selling an eclectic mix of antiques, vintage,

collectables, architectural #salvage, midcentury or simply that decorative items. The fair is dog friendly with free parking and free entry for children. For more information visit www. jos-events.co.uk

When Sarah Millican was a bairn, she wouldn’t say boo to a goose. Quiet at school, not many friends, no boobs til she was 16. Now? NOW she is loud, with good friends and goose booing all over the shop. In Late Bloomer, Sarah’s brand-new stand-up show, she explores how one became the other. Venue is Telford Theatre in Oakengates. For tickets, costing £34.50, visit www. telfordtheatre.com/whats-on/comedy/ sarah-millican-late-bloomer/4799/

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BHADS (Bayston Hill Amateur Dramatic Society) is performing the comedy ‘Lathered Up’ by Lynn Brittney at Bayston Hill Memorial Hall, Lyth Hill Road, SY3 0DR. Magenta Place, a prime-time TV soap is in trouble. Ratings have fallen like a stone and the writers can’t come up with any new plots. After some advice from Natalie Thorpe, leading lady of a rival soap Grovers Avenue, they decide to take action and hire Sasha Martindale, a notorious Production Consultant. Sasha turns out to be an eccentric genius whose drastic actions turn around the fortunes of the failing soap, but not without some casualties along the way. Tickets £10 from www.ticketsource. co.uk/bhads, email: bhadsdrama@gmail. com or phone 07814177540.

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES ON PAGES 107-109 REMEMBER WHEN: 1. 1995. 2. 1965 3. 1982 4.1979 5.1999 6. 1953 FOUR Ws: 1. The mascot, a dog; Akela; Kennington Oval; 1971. 2. Robert Powell; Worm’s Head; Alaska; 1932. 3. Aneurin Bevan; A yellow sun with a human face; Amsterdam; 1934. 4. David Mamet; Shoeless Joe; Erinsborough; 1981. 5. Ernest Hemingway; Chile; Belgium; 1970. 6. Charles Baudelaire; A fish; Ecuador; October. WORDWISE: 1. B 2. A 3. B 4. A 5. C 6. B CROSSWORD: QUICK SOLUTIONS: Across: 1 Mope; 3 Flippant; 9 Reproof; 10 Total; 11 Belligerence; 13 Nicked; 15 Parent; 17 Inhospitable; 20 Blues; 21 Atoning; 22 Everyone; 23 Mesh. Down: 1 Moribund; 2 Pupil; 4 Lifted; 5 Putrefaction; 6 Article; 7 Talk; 8 Vociferously; 12 Strength; 14 Confuse; 16 Sprain; 18 Brine; 19 Able. CRYPTIC SOLUTIONS Across: 1 Last; 3 Flounder; 9 Forearm; 10 Enter; 11 The chance of a; 13 Mascot; 15 Stalks; 17

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Brassfounder; 20 Idaho; 21 Solomon; 22 Camp-site; 23 Once. Down: 1 Lifetime; 2 Scree; 4 Lament; 5 Uneventfully; 6 Dutiful; 7 Rare; 8 Fashion shows; 12 Estrange; 14 Sarcasm; 16 Offset; 18 Demon; 19 Disc. WHAT’S MY NAME?: 1. David Helfgott 2. Alicia Keys 3. Karl Baedeker 4. Laura Linney 5. Vic Reeves WORDSPIRAL 1: 1. Sand 2. Diva 3. Also 4. Omen 5. Nail 6. Lead 7. Demo 8. Oast 9. Taco 10. Otic 11. Cart 12. Trap 13. Para 14. Ants 15. Song 16. Gain Key word solution: ORINOCO WORDSPIRAL 2: 1. Door 2. Reef 3. Feat 4. Tale 5. Evil 6. Last 7. Tear 8. Rear 9. Ream 10. Mini 11. Iris 12. Slab 13. Bear 14. Rude 15. Ebbs 16. Sore Key word solution: RAREBIT WORDSPIRAL 3: 1. Damp 2. Pips 3. Sway 4. Yarn 5. Nice 6. Earl 7. Leap 8. Puff 9. Fade 10. Edge 11. Echo 12. Opal 13. Leaf 14. Flab 15. Bled 16. Dais Key word solution: PAISLEY

1 Easy 3 9 8 2 5 4 7 6 1

6 5 1 3 7 8 4 9 2

4 2 7 6 1 9 5 8 3

7 4 6 9 2 1 8 3 5

9 8 3 4 6 5 2 1 7

2 1 5 8 3 7 9 4 6

8 6 2 7 9 3 1 5 4

5 3 9 1 4 2 6 7 8

1 7 4 5 8 6 3 2 9

9 5 1 2 7 4 8 6 3

K k IMPOSSIPUZZLES: 1. The number was 154. 2. Seven clubs, only 8 cards altogether. 3. Fatima was 12 years old, her brother 4. 4. Stevie spent 80p, leaving 60p.

NOVEMBER 2023 SHROPSHIRE MAGAZINE

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HAMMONDS FURNITURE RESTORATION

High Standard Garden Maintenance

JAMES: 07729233709 01743 724877

25 years of quality service

js-gardendesign@outlook.com

Do you have tired or damaged furniture and don’t want to replace? I offer a full restoration service for all furniture items such as;Repolishing damaged surfaces, repairs and reglueing, spring replacement, recovers.

Call John on

EST 1841

A Caring Family Business

We are here to help...

• New memorials • Additional Inscriptions • Restoration and renovation work • Skilled craftsmen - traditional methods Call us to discuss any of your memorial needs on 01384 566958 or visit our website

Head Office 56a Station Road, Old Hill Cradley Heath B64 6NU Tel: 01384 566958 All areas covered 1 Park Street, Kidderminster DY11 6TN Tel: 01562 822106 www.davismemorialsltd.co.uk

CASH PAID NOW!

WANTED OLD TOOLS!

Woodworking and Engineering Hand Tools, Anything considered Following Covid Guidelines

01922 2 410028/ 07539 340307

BLINDS

SCRAP VEHICLES

Local Family Run Business

A1 AUTOBREAKERS J.M.S TOP PRICES PAID Payment on collection CARS-VANS | MOT FAILURES Skips Supplied FOC Collection Service FERROUS & NON FERROUS METALS WANTED 01952 580736 | 07931 996955 Licenced to take your end of life vehicles Certificate of Destruction Issued T&C’s apply

• Verticals • Rollers We are • Wooden Venetian Blinds now doing • Faux Wood Blinds pleated • Venetian Blinds bifold doors • Vision Blinds • Remote Control Roller Blinds

Now manufacturers of

PERFECT FIT BLINDS

No drilling! No screwing! Child safe Easily removable for cleaning

Available in a huge range of fabric colours and designs

STORAGE

DRAINAGE PIPE SALES

Call Phil on 01952 240 222 email sales@telford-blinds.co.uk www.telford-blinds.co.uk

HAWKINS ")%' DRAINAGE "!#($&) PIPE SALES

01952 511 942

MONUMENTAL MASONS

• Lawns, weeding, pruning, hedges, leaf clearance and more • 20 years experience

ITEMS WANTED

LF DI3 KEH61IHH .L+4: 1ID HF+IIF: DI3

LOGS

DRIED HARDWOOD LOGS READY TO GO Cut and Split p to length also Garden Hedge Cutting

$ **)% 201!)0.&( $ 201)#3" + /'-.)&.3" + -11'-3 )&.2,

J/1FLJF KL++C

&$=!= #!!#O? &A?M& !?!=!=

FLOWERS

• Perforated Coil • Twin Wall • Sewer pipes and fittings

Weddings, Birthdays, Anniveersaries, Funerals etc.

Barry Hawkins Wem

01743 241133

Contact for delivery: 01939 233248 M: 07860 383939 bhwem@live.co.uk

Spring Gardens, Shrewsbury SY1 2TF

www.theshrewsburyflorist..co.uk

DOUBLE GLAZING

EDUCATION & TUITION

ENGLISH AND MATHS PRIVATE TUITION

QUALIFIED TEACHER COMPETITIVE RATES

Tel: 07985 790850 or 01743 632811

FLORIST

www.tailoredtutoringforall.co.uk tailoredtutoringforall@outlook.com

Suppliers and Installers - Composite Doors - Aluminium Bi-folds - Aluminium Bi-folds - Plastic Windows & Doors - Plastic Windows & Doors - Glass Repairs

01952 541119 Town and Country Shropshire 07545 396661 Email: Townandcountryshropshire@yahoo.com

ANTIQUES

New Building “THE CABIN” now open for LEATHER FURNITURE, SOFAS, WINGBACKS, DESK CHAIRS, with REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE

THE MIDLANDS’ LEADING ANTIQUE FURNITURE AND CLOCK SPECIALIST NOW

BAROMETERS 25% OFF Mercury and Aneroid

ITEMS IN STOCK

200 Clocks, 100 Longcases, Grandfathers,

5,000

Grandmothers, Wall, Mantle, Bracket, Lantern etc.

VIEW OUR WALK AROUND VIDEO

Open 7 days. 10am - 5pm. 01952 691543 A41 WESTON HEATH, Nr NEWPORT, TF11 8RX Professional restoration service for Furniture, Clocks & Barometers, French Polishing, Clock Repairs & Servicing

“Quality German Kitchens at Affordable Prices”

Kutchenhaus Shrewsbury Unit B, Vanguard Way, Plot 7 Vanguard Trade Park, Shrewsbury, SY1 3TG E: showroom@shrewsbury.kutchenhaus.co.uk T: 01743 466 372

Live in luxury - because you deserve it Roden Hall is a luxurious care home surrounded by the picturesque Shropshire countryside, offering award-winning Residential and Nursing Care for the older generation.

Book a tour today & meet our dedicated team: Call: 01952 743 159 Visit: Roden, Telford, TF6 6BH WWW.RODENHALL .CARE

BUY NOW NOTHING TO PAY FOR 9 MONTHS 10% Deposit Only APR 13.9% representative

Over 20 beautiful kitchens and bathrooms on display and hundreds more to choose from.

Check out our amazing 3D planning service

Chartwell Park, Stourbridge Road, Bridgnorth, WV15 6AN T: 01746 788032 E: kitchens.bridgnorth@tggroup.co.uk Maesbury Road, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 8HA T: 01691 672596 E: kitchens.oswestry@tggroup.co.uk www.tgkitchensandbathrooms.co.uk

Open: Mon-Fri 7:00am-5:00pm, Sat 8:00am-12:00pm, Sun Closed Credit is subject to status and affordability. Terms & Conditions Apply. TG Builders Merchants Ltd is registered in England and Wales, VAT no. 310 435411, FRN: Register no. 825759. TG Builders Merchants Ltd, Wood Lane, Ellesmere, Shropshire, SY12 0HY trading as TG Dream Kitchens & Bathrooms is an appointed representative of TG Builders Merchants Ltd which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority as a credit broker, not the lender. Credit is provided by Novuna Personal Finance, a trading style of Mitsubishi HC Capital UK PLC. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

HOW WOULD YOU MAKE USE OF THE EXTRA SPACE CREATED IN YOUR HOME?

Shrewsbury Showroom

...... a dining room, sitting room,kitchen, oﬃce or even a playroom for the kids.

AND NOW GET UP TO 23% OFF JANUARY INSTALLATIONS

Shrewsbury Showroom: 86, Wyle Cop, Shrewsbury. SY1 1UT

FREEPHONE 0800 085 8518

*Termsandconditionsapply.Ordersmustbetakenattimeofquote.Authorisedandregulatedbythefinancialconductauthority.Weareacreditbroker,notalender.Weoffercreditfacilitiesfromonelender.