Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // March 2026 by Active Magazine

ISSUE 152 | MARCH 2026

Spring is here

Make plans for Mother’s Day and Easter

Class Q; from start to ﬁnish with the planning and building process

Meet the owners of Incline campers who are busy converting vans to camper vans

Most people don’t have a clue. The Liberty Partnership talks ﬁnancial planning Travel; spring in Seville

Editor and Publisher Mary Bremner mary@theactivemag.com

Deputy editor Kate Maxim kate@theactivemag.com

Art editor Matt Tarrant

Contributors

Will Hetherington, Jeremy Smithson-Beswick,

Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com

Advertisement Sales

Emily Stillman

Production assistant Gary Curtis

Accounts accounts@theactivemag.com

Front cover credit georgia orist

Active magazine, Eventus Business Centre, Sunderland Road, Northﬁeld Industrial Estate, Market Deeping, PE6 8FD

If you have information about a club then please get in touch by emailing editor@theactivemag.com.

If you would like to stock Active magazine please email distribution@theactivemag.com.

Active magazine is published monthly 10 times per year.

ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

Disclaimer

Copyright (c) Triangle Publishing Ltd (TPL) 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, or be stored in any retrieval system, of any nature, without prior permission from TPL. Any views or opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the views or opinions of L or its afﬁliates. Disclaimer of Liability. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information contained in this publication at the time of going to press, TPL and its afﬁliates assume no responsibility as to the accuracy or completeness of and, to the extent permitted by law, shall not be liable for any errors or omissions or any loss, damage or expense incurred by reliance on information or any statement contained in this publication. Advertisers are solely responsible for the content of the advertising material which they submit and for ensuring the material complies with applicable laws.

L an its afﬁliates are are not responsible for any error, omission or inaccuracy in any advertisement and will not be liable for any damages arising from any use of products or services or any action or omissions taken in reliance on information or any statement contained in advertising material. Inclusion of any advertisement is not intended to endorse any view expressed, nor products or services offered nor the organisations sponsoring the advertisement.

EDITOR’S LETTER

‘I think many of us feel a sense of calm when we drive into our town or village and I suppose it is because we feel we belong.’

I always feel a sense of peace when I come off the A1 and drive down St Martin’s. The beauty of this way into Stamford is undeniable and, to me, very calming. I am so lucky to call this town home. I think many of us feel a sense of calm when we drive into our town or village and I suppose it is because we feel we belong. Feeling we belong is what this magazine is all about really, being part of our community, knowing people, giving back and taking part. We are lucky to have that. any of our features re ect this feel of community too as we are usually interviewing local businesses, something I love doing. The three I’ve visited this month - Class Q, The Liberty Partnership and Incline Campers are all run by local people - most of whom grew up and were educated in the area too - and that means a lot. Strong roots in your community mean you care for it and are putting something back; that sense of belonging again.

We are now well into February and the evenings are noticeably drawing out, mornings too I’ve noticed in the last couple of days (at last). So that means spring really is knocking on the door and Mother’s Day and Easter are a matter of weeks away. So, we’ve been talking to some local businesses about days out and adventures for all the family.

And of course, the garden is coming alive. My snowdrops are now in full bloom and one solitary daffodil is in bud much to my delight. houghts are eﬁnitely now turning to gar ening an gar en visits. The NGS are opening gardens imminently and many places are now open showing off lovely isplays of snow rops. ’m eﬁnitely visiting some of them.

Enjoy the issue,

Mary - Editor

33 CAMPERVAN HEAVEN Meet the owners of Incline Campers

36 FROM START TO FINISH Class Q, planners and architects in the same business

39 MOST OF US DON’T HAVE A CLUE

Let a company like the Liberty Partnership help with your ﬁ nancial planning

42 WILL’S WALK Oundle, Cotterstock and Ashton are on Will’s radar this month

56 THE ROUNDUP Jeremy tells us what’s going on in

ActiveLife

Camper van heaven. Mary meets the owners of Incline Campers

From start to ﬁ nish; Class Q can be with you from planning to completion of your building project

Most people don’t have a clue. The Liberty Partnership can plan your ﬁ nances with you A brand new performing arts academy has opened in Market Harborough

Spring is knocking on the door p26

New in Mill Street

An exciting new venture for the family-run business, Coles for Fires - suppliers of wood, multi fuel, gas an electric ﬁres is the recent opening of their new Oakham showroom in Mill Street. This is a new one stop shop for all your heating needs offering an extensive collection of wood burning, gas and electric appliances. They offer a bespoke in-house installation service, with 35 years of experience, and maintenance with their own sweeps and gas engineers.

he newly establishe fireplace specialist in the area has seen huge interest in all types of appliances an fireplaces so the showroom displays were recently expanded by adding the Diamon lu ury electric fireplace range from leading British manufacturer, Be Modern. This adds the cutting edge iQFX intelligent eFire to the portfolio to meet demand, particularly popular for new homes which are often featureless.

his new generation of electric ﬁres can be easily controlled via an app or with the easy-to-use thermostatic remote control so you can enjoy the enchantment of mesmerising ames. t will change your opinion of electric appliances, for sure.

They have also added some made to measure ritish ﬁreplace surroun s in carrera marble which perfectly set off the appliance of your choice be that a traditional style or a more contemporary one. This made to measure service offers you lots of choice to match your interior design.

They are also now stocking the latest appliances from British manufacturer

‘They offer a bespoke in-house installation service, with 35 years of experience, and maintenance with their own sweeps and gas engineers.’

Charnwood Stoves that has developed and patented the amazing i-Blu air delivery. This allows for an ultra-clean automated burn that can be controlled with the intuitive smart E-controller to help you run your stove automatically. he beneﬁts of having a new intelligent micro-processor controlled stove are numerous, ranging from using less wood to a cleaner burn ensuring optimal performance every time. f you are thinking about a new installation or an upgrade, why not pop into the showroom to have a chat to them.

t is vital to have your chimney swept every year so there is never a wrong time to book a

sweep. Coles are registered members of NACS (The National Association of Chimney Sweeps), a professional trade association that promotes high standards for the sweeping, inspection and maintenance of chimneys. Their engineers are Gas Safe and HETAS trained and registered and offer a safe and professional service to help you maintain your warranties.

Finally, they want to remind you that they install chimney liners, chimney pots and do chimney stack repairs as well. Anything to do with installing and maintaining, Coles are here to help you.

colesforﬁres.com

It’s a Meadow Desk

Founded by Angus Norriss, Meadow Desks was created as a thoughtful alternative to working in noisy open plan ofﬁces or from cafés or pub back rooms. After years of juggling to focus on creative work amid constant interruptions Angus set out to design calm, mindful workspaces where people can do their best work.

ea ow Desks now operates two beautifully locate ofﬁces in Stamford, one directly opposite The George and another overlooking the Meadows. Both locations combine natural light, ergonomic adjustable desks and fast, reliable broadband as well as something members consistently praise in reviews: soundproof meeting rooms at no extra charge.

embers beneﬁt from a e icate esk in familiar surroun ings creating routine and focus, along with 24/7 access that allows early starts, late ﬁnishes an e ible working patterns.

What truly sets Meadow Desks apart is balance. Step outside for a mindful stroll across the Meadows, or wander into town within minutes for coffee, shops or lunch - a rare blend of tranquillity and convenience. Add in impromptu, member-led socials that spark real friendships, and it becomes clear: this is more than just desk space.

It’s not just a desk, it’s a Meadow Desk. meadowdesks.com

Celebrating thirty years

CTB Installations Ltd is a well-established family run home improvement company, proudly celebrating 30 years in the industry. Established in 1996 they have built a strong reputation for quality workmanship, reliability and personal service, helping homeowners improve their properties for three decades.

Quality is at the heart of everything they do. From the materials recommended to the

care taken during installation they believe outstanding results come from doing things properly, without compromise. The experienced team takes pride in delivering consistently high standards ensuring every project is completed with precision and attention to detail.

Warm roofs and conservatories are their speciality. They design and install beautifully crafted conservatories and high-performance

warm roof systems which transform existing spaces into comfortable, usable rooms all year round; tailored designs combine style, efﬁciency an practicality.

They also offer a comprehensive range of home improvement solutions including windows and doors made from timber, uPVC and aluminium, composite doors, porches, fascia, sofﬁts an guttering, glass replacements, garage conversions and glass balustrades. You can view samples in their small showroom and discuss ideas in person, helping to make informed decisions with conﬁ ence.

CTB Installations Ltd remains committed to providing honest advice, skilled installation and results that stand the test of time. Their long-standing customer relationships and recommen ations re ect their e ication to quality craftsmanship and customer care from consultation through to completion. ctbinstallations.co.uk

‘The experienced team takes pride in delivering consistently high standards ensuring every project is completed with precision and attention to detail.’

Joatno40 High Street East Uppingham

Upholstery workshops

Upholstery Workshop Dates

9.30-4pm each day £70

9.30-4pm each day

£70

January

January 6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 28th

6th, 7th, 11th, 12th, 14th, 15th, 18th, 19th, 21st, 25th, 26th, 28th

Learn traditional upholstery, breathe new life into old pieces, in a fun environment with like minded people

February

February 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd,

March 4th, 8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd

Learn traditional upholstery, breathe new life into old pieces, in a fun environment with like minded people

April

8th, 9th, 11th, 12th, 15th, 16th, 18th, 22nd, 23rd,

WOMEN’SRETREAT

aspaceforgentlehealing&powerfulre-awakening

8-10THMAY2026

1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th

40 High Street East, Uppingham 07415767826 joatno40@gmail.com www.joatno40.co.uk

April 1st, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 12th, 13th, 26th, 27th, 28th, 29th

Experiencearestorativeweekendinarural sanctuaryjustoutsideOakham,makingspaceto connectwithandnurtureyour‘innerchild’and releaseself-limitingpatterns.Thisisyour opportunitytoslowdownandpause-toembarkon a journeythatwillbesoftbutdeep,nurturingaswell asenergising,asyouleanintobeingseenforwho youtrulyare.

GARDEN CENTRE

9am - 5pm Monday to Friday 10am – 4pm

(0116) 2792754 @KibworthGardenCentre

Welcome to Market Deeping

Spring is on its way and the evenings are stretching out so the perfect time to refresh your outdoor living space with a visit to Ernie’s Outdoor Living, now open in Market Deeping.

Billed as ‘a fresh new hub for premium outdoor living,’ Ernie’s has arrive at the orthﬁel s n ustrial state with an impressive two level showroom. isitors will ﬁn an e tensive an thoughtfully curated range of high-quality garden furniture and outdoor living essentials - from stylish seating and dining sets to pergolas, barbecues, pizza ovens and everything in between.

ith more than years’ e perience in the in ustry rnie’s has built a strong reputation for combining contemporary design with

Rotary in Rutland

For over 75 years, the Rotary Club of Rutland has been quietly making a difference to the lives of others and is the world’s largest service organisation committed to supporting those in nee locally. otary nternational was instrumental in setting up the United Nations in 1945 and initiated the worldwide campaign to eradicate polio, all achieved by ordinary people working together.

alf of their club now consists of krainians eeing the war who are making a huge difference. Their motto is ‘Service above Self,’ which drives their initiatives but the aim is also to have fun and form strong friendships.

Meetings are held fortnightly at the Admiral Hornblower in Oakham where they discuss club business and also welcome guest speakers. This year, these have ranged from building organs to wildlife conservation.

f you live in utlan , an want to make a ifference in your community, please get in touch. This is a great opportunity to make new friends and be part of something meaningful. ntereste all into the miral orn lower at pm on the ﬁrst or thir hurs ay of the month, they woul love to see you.

rotary-ribi.org/clubs/homepage.php?ClubID=437

practicality and durability. Every product is carefully selected to offer long lasting uality, comfort an e ibility, all at competitive prices, making it easy to create an outdoor space that works beautifully for entertaining, rela ing or family life. t rnie’s we focus on offering premium, practical outdoor living solutions that blend modern design with uality, comfort an e ibility,’ says commercial manager pencer Harnwell.

Since opening its doors the new store has already attracted a strong response. ‘People really appreciate being able to see, feel and e perience the pro ucts in person an to talk through their i eas with our knowledgeable team.’

With longer days ahead Ernie’s Outdoor Living is set to become a go-to destination for anyone looking to elevate their garden, patio or terrace this spring and beyond. ernies.co.uk

‘Sensitively restored, this historic cottage has been strikingly designed with exquisite furniture and drenched in earthy tones.’

Thyme to slow down

Tucked away in the village of Bulwick, Northamptonshire at the heart of Bulwick Estates, sits Thyme Cottage, a 17th Century abode that has been slowly re-imagined and brought back to life by interior design and furniture studio Brother Archival in collaboration with garden designer Studio Bouwhuis.

Sensitively restored, this historic cottage has been strikingly designed with exquisite furniture and drenched in earthy tones. A masterclass in slow renovation; nothing is rushed, everything perfectly placed, garden included.

This humble cottage has only one room downstairs with an open-plan kitchen, dining area and cosy living space. A steep, winding staircase leads you to a master bedroom, looking onto the garden, bathroom and separate reading room with views to the church.

Thyme Cottage is a dream escape from the 9-5 and focuses on time to slow-down (whilst being in striking distance of a great pub and award-winning village shop).

Simple, yet elegant - a cottage and garden that speaks a thousand words.

bulwick.com/stay-with-us

What’s On!

Paul Atterbury from the Antiques Roadshow is giving a talk on ‘a life with antiques’ at Cotterstock village hall on Friday April 17 at 7.30pm. He’s a great raconteur and will have some good stories to tell. Tickets are £15 (cash only) to include a glass of wine and nibbles, available from Stu Pots in Oundle from March 2 onwards. All proceeds go to Dementia UK to help fund the training of Admiral nurses for Northamptonshire.

The For Rutland good and new clothes sale takes place on Friday 27 and Saturday 28 March at The Rutland Hotel. This annual sale of pre-loved clothing and accessories raises money for Citizens Advice Rutland supporting people in Rutland. Friday night is ticket only at £30 and Saturday is £5 entry and open to everyone. forrutland.org.uk

he arch tamfor ower club meeting has Jayne Merriman giving a emonstration. here will be a raf e, light refreshments and social time giving opportunity to meet members an ﬁn out more about the club. Arrive 6.30pm for 7pm at Barn hill Methodist Church. Membership is not required, entry £8 and no need to book.

Enjoy a night of comedy at Stamford’s corn exchange featuring Milton Jones on March 27, starts at 7.30pm. stamfordcornexchange.co.uk

5 Spring means the NGS gardens are open again. This month why not visit the Old Vicarage at Holbeach Hurn which is open on March 29.

For more details of gardens and opening time go to ngs.org.uk

6 The Sigma Sports Rutland International women’s Cicle classic and junior men’s takes place on Sunday March 22 based around Melton Mowbray’s town centre with the men’s the following month based around Oakham. cicleclassic.co.uk

7 Rutland Spiritual Centre meets on the second and fourth Thursday each month at the Quaker Meeting House in Oakham. Entry costs just £5, and includes Mediumship/Spiritual talk, and refreshments afterwards. Lucky Tickets are also included, with chance to win a gift. All are welcome, and no need to book. Doors open shortly after 7pm for a prompt start at 7.30pm. Development Circles are held in six week blocks - ask at any meeting. Want to know more? Contact Alison via WhatsApp on: 07557 226759.

This really is vegetarian comfort foo at its best. tra itional ritish vegetarian pie made with potatoes, leeks an cheese. t became popular as a vegetarian ish in the si ties when restaurants started to offer veggie options but actually has strong links to Lan irls in Devon during war time in the 1940s when meat was har to get hol of in this country. t is a hearty, vegetarian an ration frien ly ish as well as easy to make, elicious an nutritious.

Homity Pie

Recipe

I cheat and use shop bought shortcrust pastry but do make your own if you have time.

or the ﬁlling

• 500g potatoes peeled and cubed

• 30g butter

• 2 leeks, sliced onion, ﬁnely choppe

• 180g grated cheese ml whole milk

• 200ml double cream (or I use crème fraiche) alt an pepper

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard RECIPE

Method

• Make the pastry if you are doing so.

• Boil the potatoes until just tender and drain well.

elt thebutter in a pan an cook leeks an onions gently together until softene but not coloure . hen a potatoes, cream, milk an cheese an mi together with salt an pepper.

• Line an ovenproof dish with the pastry and then add the filling evenly. ook in the oven until gol en an set, about 40 minutes, but keep an eye on it.

• Either serve with a different vegetable such as purple sprouting or a crisp salad.

King Alfred’s cakes and other inedible things

Natural ﬁrelighters anyone? Rowan Grifﬁths tells us what to use and explains the cake connection

All of you will know the legend about King Alfred being asked to mind some cakes that were beingbaked, but being preoccupied with how to fend off the horrid hairy horn-helmeted hordes from Scandinavia he forgot; the cakes were burned and he got into trouble.

In fact, King Alfred’s cakes(or to give them their other name, cramp balls) are a species of common fungi that have the appearance of, well burnt cakes. They are usually found growing on dead ash trees, are roundishin shape and between two and 10 centimetres across. When young they are a pinkish brown colour but become black and brittle with age. Broken open they are formed into concentric rings of black and grey which are the growth rings similar to those in trees.

Cramp balls are inedible but make e cellent natural firelighters, especially if they are gathered fromthe underside of the fallen host tree where they are more likely to be drier. Once sparked (even weakly) they will glow, smoulder like charcoal an can become a fire starter for kin ling. f sufficient are gathere they will provide enough heat to cook food with little smoke.

nother goo natural ﬁrelighter is birch bark which is e tremely ammable. here is no need topull it from the living tree; it can easily be gathered from peelings that have naturally fallen to the ground. Fir cones too make a goo ﬁre starter being full of resin and, when gathered in the autumn and allowed to dry, take little effort to get a blaze going.

Why ‘cramp ball though?’ In folk medicine it was believed that if you carried some around in your pocket they would relieve muscle spasms.

GARDENING

Introducing Nicola Oakey

Nicola has the perfect name for a garden designer and is going to be oﬀering us a few tips and tricks over the next few months

Nicola Oakey is an award winning garden designer based in Rutland who creates thoughtful, bespoke gardens across Rutland, Stamford and the surrounding counties. She grew up in Devon but moved to the area ten years ago and it now very much feels like home. When she’s not esigning gar ens, you’ll ﬁn her paddle boarding, enjoying coffee and cake at a local café or out walking her little rescue dog, Maple.

One of the highlights of her career so far was creating a show garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show last year. She collaborated with the charity SongBird Survival to design a garden that raised awareness of the declining population of UK songbirds. Taking part in Chelsea, the most prestigious ower show in the worl , was a signiﬁcant personal an professional

milestone and a powerful reminder of how gardens can communicate ideas, tell stories and inspire change. She is also a RHS gold and silver-gilt medal winner.

What Nicola loves most about designing gardens is helping people reconnect with, and fall back in love with, their outdoor spaces. Many clients come to her knowing their garden has potential but are unsure how to make it truly work for their lives.

icola enjoys bringing clarity an conﬁ ence to that process, translating ideas, emotions and everyday needs into a cohesive design. Whether it’s a space for entertaining, unwinding, or simply enjoying the changing seasons her aim is always to create gardens that feel calm, considered and deeply personal, places people are proud of and genuinely love spending time in. nicolaoakey.com

Image:Britt Willoughby Photography

Spring in Seville

Kate and her husband visit Seville and discover what their friends have been raving about

Practically everyone I talked to about my trip to Seville had already been there, and loved it. And now I understand why. What a beautiful place and everything is so accessible. If you want to eat and drink well, visit beautiful historic buildings, wander around plenty of green spaces and soak up warm sunshine even in winter, Seville is the city for you. The heat is intense there in the summer so I’d probably avoid it then, but spring time was perfect and as an added bonus, if you time it right, you get to enjoy the orange blossom.

ou can y there in less than three hours an epen ing on your arrival time, head out immediately for an evening of tapas or start your sightseeing, and don’t worry, there is plenty to see. We arrived in the evening so we headed for the Bar Alfafa, recommended by my daughter’s friend who had studied in Seville. What an introduction to authentic Seville! Just one room, packed with students and serving the most delicious, fresh, simple bowls of tapas which quite frankly I then chased all weekend. With a smattering of Spanish and Google Translate, I thought I knew what we were ordering but in each bar or restaurant we had a few surprises. The food in the oldest tapas bar in Seville, El Rinconcillo, was also delicious but the slightly jaded staff were nowhere near as fun and friendly as many restauranteurs we met elsewhere. The locals were incredibly welcoming, full of advice of where to visit and telling us about the city’s famous romantic characters Carmen, Don Juan and Figaro.

Much of the city is a combination of Moorish and Christian architecture and shows the incredible level of wealth which poured in over time and particularly after the discovery of the New World. The Guadalquivir river with access to the Americas transformed Seville into the main commercial port in Spain in the 1500s.

Three in one

n our first full ay, we took a tour to see the eal lca ar, the gothic Cathedral and the Giralda tower. You do not want to miss these and having a gui e efinitely enriche the e perience. he tol us about the four different organs in the Cathedral, its 180 stained glass windows and that it has the largest gothic altarpiece in the world. But more interestingly she brought to life the pu le of hristopher Columbus’ tomb (is he or isn’t he buried there?) And she regaled us with the story of a presumptuous art theft during a major earthquake. he eal lca ar is stunning with its three separate sections the original Moorish palace; the Mudéjar palace (blending Islamic and Christian styles) and the later gothic and renaissance addition all with e tensive gar ens. n finally, we were taken to the iral a which was the minaret to the mosque originally standing on the site of the cathedral, now the bell tower. The story that stayed with us here was the fact that the ue in who ha to call the people to prayer five times a day ordered ramps to be built instead of steps so he could ride up on his donkey and save his legs. Whether that’s true or not, the view of the city from the top is tremendous. We could also see plenty of rooftop bars from up there which must have an even better view as they would see the tower and the cathedral.

'You can ﬂy there in less than three hours and depending on your arrival time, head out immediately for an evening of tapas or start your sightseeing, and don’t worry, there is plenty to see. '

•

“The ﬁnished bathroom is wonderful,” Mrs Childs, Trustpilot, September 2025

I thoroughly enjoyed seeing la Plaza de Toros de la Maestranza, the bull ring, but as I was such a fan of The Story of Ferdinand when I was a chil , about a pacifist bull who refuse to fight ’m uite gla wasn’t there uring an actual fight. he season runs from aster ay to mi ctober, but the ring itself was fascinating as was the museum. he ol mata ors must have been tiny ju ging by their suits. earby is the twelve si e l orre e ro which became a gol repository, and the Nao Santa María, the replica of Christopher olumbus’s ship which travels roun the worl as an historical an e ucational e hibit. he anta ar a was home for about men for months at a time in perilous con itions an was absolutely tiny. he two river cruise ships moore ne t oor which motor up the river for a few hours at a time completely warfe it.

Las etas is a fascinating honeycomb structure ma e of woo an concrete, so name by the locals as it resembles mushrooms. t takes up the whole la a e la ncarnaci n an is metres high, so having climbe to the sky eck you look over the rooftops of the beautiful surroun ing town houses that were uietly min ing their own business before, to incre ible views of the city.

The perfect sanctuary

La la a e spana is well worth a visit. t’s a vast, semi circular buil ing esigne as the centrepiece of the panish mericas fair in . roun the si es are scenes an maps of each panish province. e t to it is the ar ue e ar a Luisa onate by the princess an is e tremely popular with both locals an tourists as the tree line avenues an ornamental pools are the perfect place to escape the city’s heat. Like the la a ne t oor it is esigne in the style of rt Deco an mock u jar.

'The energy on the streets and parks is infectious with ﬂamenco dancing, band processions and everyone sitting outside cafés and restaurants whatever the weather.'

here are more bri ges, pla as, towers, churches, theatres an museums than you can count. n this is the main pleasure to e plore the city on foot an see what you happen upon. ou coul get a hop on hop off bus or a horse rawn carriage which is a goo i ea if mobility is an issue, but as many of the barrios are pe estrianise , walking is the best bet.

an er along any street or along the river an you’ll walk past row upon row of orange trees. hey weren’t ripe when we visite but bet the , trees in the city look stunning when they are. n imagine the smell of the blossom which we sa ly just misse . oo bitter to eat raw off the tree, eville oranges are most renowne for marmala e, an tonnes of them are shippe to ritish factories each year.

he energy on the streets an parks is infectious with amenco ancing, ban processions an everyone sitting outsi e caf s an restaurants whatever the weather. he evillians are pretty har y, so they’ll eat outsi e even in the rain. hich brings me back to tapas an our search for bo uerones to rival those on our ﬁrst evening...

Spring is knocking on the door

The nights are drawing out, the sun is setting later and later every day. Even the mornings are slightly lighter; winter is beginning to loosen its grip on us at last. It’s grabbing its coat and slinking out of the back door whilst we ing the front oor open to welcome the spring in.

Spring has sprung and Mother’s Day and Easter are upon us. Mary suggests it’s time to poke our head out of the front door and live a little

Spring to me means the countryside coming alive after being dormant for so many months. Everywhere you look there are signs of life; buds are on the trees, daffodils starting to show their heads, snowdrops everywhere you look, crocus and celandines popping up, hyacinths too and thoughts are turning to servicing the lawnmower. But it’s not just plants that come to life. Bugs and insects reappear, birds are pairing up and singing their hearts out and starting to get busy making nests. Lambs are appearing in the ﬁel s, tractors too; we are back in business, the sap is eﬁ nitely rising.

Spring also means that Mother’s Day and Easter are upon us and this is when many businesses come to life again too. Country houses open their doors to welcome visitors. Garden centres are fully stocked with plants and, after the lean winter months, hospitality businesses are beginning to see more customers. It’s time to get the bike out of the shed, start a new hobby or embark on some exercise. The world is our oyster so it’s time to look for that pearl and bring the whole family along at the same time to enjoy the adventure. And of course, we all need to enjoy an Easter egg hunt…

We’ve been having a look around and there’s lots going on this spring. There are always lovely things to do on Mother’s Day, including delicious lunches and lovely days out; for Easter too. And then of course there are the Easter holidays to enjoy. Have a look at what we’ve found.

Historic houses and antiques

Two of my favourite things: antiques and historic houses, and Lamport Hall (above) combines the two over Easter so I know where I’m going that weekend. Stags Head Events are holding an Antiques and Vintage Fair at Lamport Hall on Sunday 5 and Monday 6 April from 9-4pm.

Spanning two days and featuring over 80 stalls of antiques, collectables, furniture, vintage, jewellery, coins, retro, militaria, clocks, toys, vinyl, china, glass, radios, tools, posters and much more. Housed in the Edwardian stable block and with additional outside stalls, visitors will ﬁ nd items priced from 50p to £5,000. There really is something for everyone.

There will be delicious food and drink available to purchase from Saul’s of Spratton and The Stables Café. Free onsite car parking and friendly dogs are welcome on short leads. Purchase tickets on the day at the entrance (last entry 3pm) for £5; under 18s free.

stagsheadevents.co.uk/lamport

Deene Park (right) is another house worth a visit and has been home to the Brudenell family since 1514. This beautiful Grade 1 listed building dates back to the 14th century and is packed full of beautiful furniture and paintings. There’s lots of history to learn about too including the Crimean War and the charge of the light brigade. As well as the house to enjoy the gardens at Deene are stunning and a particular favourite of mine.

deenepark.com

Garden centre heaven

Always popular at this time of year, why not visit a garden centre? Mums love doing this! You will ﬁ nd so much more than plants nowadays - although they are obviously the main attraction. But you can usually ﬁ nd gifts, homeware, clothing and food as well. Easter and spring are the perfect time of year to get out in the garden so a visit to the garden centre is a must to gather inspiration. I guarantee you won’t come home empty handed. And most garden centres in our area normally have a café so you really can make a day of it, or, at the very least treat your mum to a piece of cake, that’s compulsory!

bosworthgc.co.uk

thebarngardencentre.co.uk

wellandvale.co.uk

tandeenursery.co.uk

Kibworth garden centre

Launde Abbey is open throughout Holy Week (Monday 30 March through to Saturday 4 April) for guests to join the Launde Abbey Community. They are welcoming both residential and day guests to stay for as little or as long as they want.

Guests are welcome to join the daily pattern of worship with each day taking a particular theme through the Easter narrative. On certain days they have Holy Week themed activities and guests can book themselves on to these via the website or by phone.

Guests’ time at Launde Abbey is their own to choose to do with how they wish. There will be no led sessions by the clergy team so time can be structured however people feel the need with no expectation for them to join in with a ﬁ xed programme.

Pricing starts from £37 for a day guest and £109.10 for residential guests.

laundeabbey.org.uk

Virtually every historic house and garden in the area will be throwing open their doors at Easter - if not before – so, once again, we can get our ﬁll of beautiful buildings, fabulous furniture and fascinating histories. The National Trust is the obvious institution to join to access some fabulous properties but as there are not many of their properties in our area I would recommend joining Historic Houses which offers free entry to members to many houses in our area; the list is long and illustrious.

Eating out is a treat

Many of us like to eat out over Easter and many more of us like to treat our mother on her special day. We are spoilt for choice as we can go to a high end restaurant, enjoy quality pub food and, equally, really good food at garden centres. Most of it will be locally produced – if we choose wisely – and delicious. Here are some to try…

The Hatton Arms, a 14th century inn in Gretton, offers you the best of British home-cooked food, well kept real ales and fine wine. On Easter Sunday they will serve their delicious Sunday lunch as usual between 12.30 and 2.30 pm with the addition of roast lamb, an Easter tradition. thehattonarms.com

The Queen’s Head in Bulwick serve traditional, homemade pub classics and their famous two or three course roast meat carvery on Easter Sunday. They are renowned for their excellent food so do book in advance. thequeensheadbulwick.co.uk

Also in Bulwick is Bulwick shop where you can eat on the pretty terrace behind the shop and enjoy a delicious breakfast, lunch or afternoon tea. You can shelter under the gazebo whatever the weather and it is an oasis of calm in very pretty surroundings. After you’ve eaten you can also pick up all your supplies and indulge in some of Camille’s renowned pickles, chutneys and marmalades. They even do hampers. bulwickvillageshop.com

One on my list to try is the newly opened Jorge café at Jorge’s Deli which can be found at Eastwell between Grantham and Melton. You can enjoy delicious, freshly prepared local and Mediterranean inspired food. They have a new menu and freshly prepared small plate and sharing dishes. Afterwards visit the deli to take some delicious offerings home with you. jorgedeli.co.uk

March 2026 / theactivemag.com

Home cooked

Equally enjoyable is having the family around for Easter lunch or for Mother’s Day. We have excellent butchers, farm shops, village shops and bakeries so we can really pick and choose what we want. Spring lamb is always a favourite at this time of year and, of course, it needs to be British. Somewhere new to try is Rectory Farm Shop in Great Easton, also home to Eyebrook Wild Bird Seeds. They stock local bread, meat and milk, in fact virtually everything they sell is produced within a 30 mile radius of the shop, apart from the newspapers. You can also order meat and bread in. And, of course you can pick up some birdseed at the same time.

rectoryfarm@eyebrookwildbirdfeeds.co.uk.

Waterloo Cottage Farm at Great Oxendon just outside Market Harborough is an award winning farm shop and butchery committed to regenerative farming with 100% pasture-fed livestock so no grains or pesticides are used. Their Highland cattle are raised naturally outside on the Bulwick estate and the bulls run with the cows. Buy your beef, lamb or local Fosse Meadows chicken for Easter and you will know exactly what you’re eating. There’s home delivery within 15 miles of the shop or you can click and collect.

waterloocottagefarm.co.uk

'Somewhere new to try is Rectory Farm Shop in Great Easton, also home to Eyebrook Wild Bird Seeds.'

Get moving

If you really want to get moving, let’s get ready to Rumble! This is an Easter holiday adventure that gets everyone outdoors and off screens, and fun is guaranteed for all the family!

Rumble Live Action Gaming is back with its eggstra special action-packed woodland laser tag missions at Rutland Water (open weekends, bank holidays, plus Wednesdays and Fridays during the holidays) and Grafham Water (weekends, bank holidays, plus Tuesdays and Thursdays). Expect epic team games, next-level kit and plenty of fresh-air fun for ages six and over. And to dial up the egg-citement, Rumble has hidden chocolates throughout the arenas, adding a bonus treasure hunt e perience for all players. t’s high energy, laughter ﬁlle fun in stunning parkland surroundings. Perfect for families, friends and holiday meet-ups. Advance booking recommended.

*The great team at Rumble are offering a 10% exclusive discount code for Active readers for the Easter Hols, ACTIVE10, which is valid between 28 March and 19 April so do make the most of it. I promise you will have fun! rumblelive.co.uk

For all you budding cyclists it’s time to either go and buy a new bike, drag it out of the shed or hire one as there’s nothing better than being out on your bike enjoying the countryside and getting ﬁt at the same time. f you’ve always wante a bike now is the time to do it so you can enjoy riding it for the rest of the year. Oakham Cycles and George Hall in Market Harborough are both excellent retailers who will help you with your purchase. Both are very experienced and they will make sure your bike ﬁts, give you lots of tips about ri ing an will make sure you know how to maintain it too, which, of course, is vital. oakhamcyclecentre.co.uk georgehallscycles.co.uk

If you prefer four wheels to two and have a yen for getting on the wide-open road what about a camper van? Incline Campers are your go-to for this. They can convert a van for you, you can buy one from them or hire one. If you’re new to the camper van life hiring one is the perfect way to see if it’s something you will enjoy. inclinecampers.co.uk

And relax…

A real treat for Mother’s Day would be a trip to the theatre, an Easter treat too. You can see Sister Act by Rutland musical Theatre at The Core at Corby Cube from April 8-11. Certain to be a rousing evening, this little theatre has some great productions on their programme. thecorecorby.com

Or why not try a wellness retreat? These are becoming very popular, where you can enjoy a day of yoga, wellness and relaxation. One we’ve found nearby is Sophie Young’s SENSE wellness retreat at Thetford Farm Barn on March 21. You will enjoy yoga, Pilates, a sound bath, soulful snack making and a grounding wellness walk; sounds fabulous. sophieyoungyoga.co.uk

Learn something new

You are never too old to try something new and something that’s been on my radar for a long time is learning how to reupholster. This really is upcycling at its best and just think of how much money you can save picking the fabric and doing it yourself, the sense of achievement would be immense.

Jo at no 40 in Uppingham tells us about her workshops. ‘My fun and quirky upholstery workshops are open to all. Come and explore the wonderful craft of traditional upholstery. Bring your own chair or project and over a course of workshops learn, and then apply, the techniques to strip out and reupholster your chair. You will be creating something beautiful you are proud to have in your home. All my workshops are small groups and are held in the lovely and historic town of Uppingham, with tea, coffee and cake to enjoy.

‘This year I am also running a group of soft furnishing workshops teaching you to make your own cushions, curtains and roman blinds, starting with a simple drawstring bag. Come along to all or just pick the ones you fancy.’ joatno40.co.uk

What about the kids?

And it’s important the kids are occupied too. As well as the activities we’ve suggested to do as a family, there are plenty of childrens’ holiday clubs and camps. What about some of these?

Get ready for a splash this Easter at Tallington Lakes. Whatever the weather has in store they’ve got fun covered for everyone. Make waves at their watersports centre with a whole range of action-packed activities or slide into the school break in style with skiing or tobogganing. Feeling brave? Test your limits on the climbing wall and enjoy the thrill from the top. And after all that e citement there’s only one way to ﬁnish. hy not kick back, warm up, and treat yourself to a well-earned hot chocolate at the bar.

tallington.com

Churchill Summer Camps is a family run business which takes great pride in offering high quality childcare throughout all of the school holidays in Stamford and Peterborough –something they have been doing for over 35 years, and they love what they do. Easter holiday dates are April 7-10 and 13-17 with two venues, Stamford Junior School and The Peterborough School.

Some activities on offer include quad biking (during summer), bouncy castles, ball pit, cooking, arts/crafts, crossbows, orienteering and various sports. They pride themselves on the quality of childcare and excellent staff ratios, allowing children to try new activities in a safe environment, surrounded by supportive and experienced staff. They are able to accept payment by the government tax-free childcare scheme and childcare vouchers. Their Ofsted registered camps offer a wide range of indoor and outdoor activities to help children gain conﬁ ence, make new frien s an just have a go’ at as many activities as they can ﬁt into the week the emphasis at the camps is very much on enjoyment! churchillsummercamps.co.uk

'Some activities on

offer include quad biking (during summer), bouncy castles, ball pit, cooking, arts/crafts, crossbows, orienteering and various sports.'

And last but not least, Easter is not Easter without a visit from the Easter bunny and an Easter egg hunt. One we have found locally is Laxton Junior school Easter egg trail which takes place between Saturday March 21 and Saturday April 12 in Oundle town centre.

Get ready for some eggcellent Easter fun with your little ones. New for 2026, Laxton Junior School is launching their fabulous Easter Egg Trail. Download your map from their website then hop your way through the beautiful Georgian streets of Oundle’s historic market town keeping your eyes peeled for hidden eggs! Tick them off on your map as you go, collect the letters and piece together the secret clue that leads you to the ﬁnishing point where you’ll be able to collect your aster gift. laxtonjunior.org.uk

Witham Hall school are also having a charity Easter egg hunt on March 21, from 10-12pm for children aged from 1-10 and everyone is welcome. Join them for a morning of egg-citing fun. Follow the bunny trail through Witham Hall’s historic grounds, collecting clues as you go, to complete the trail sheet and be rewarded with a tasty treat.You will meet the Easter Bunny, create some cracking Easter crafts, and have lots of hopping fun on the bouncy castle and games.

Then enjoy a delicious coffee and cake in the pop-up café. All proceeds support the school’s charity, the Willoughby Foundation, the charitable arm of Willoughby Academy - a specialist academy in Bourne for pupils with a diverse range of Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. Tickets are £5 (adults free) and you can book online. withamhall.com

bosworthgc.co.uk

bulwickvillageshop.com churchillsummercamps.co.uk deenepark.com

eyebrookwildbirdfeeds.co.uk georgehallcycles.co.uk historichouses.org inclinecampers.co.uk joatno40.co.uk

jorgedeli.co.uk

Kibworth garden centre laundeabbey.org.uk laxtonjunior.org.uk oakhamcyclecentre.co.uk

rumblelive.co.uk

sophieyoungyoga.co.uk

stagsheadevents.co.uk/ lamport tallington.com

tandeenursery.co.uk thebarngardencentre.co.uk

thecorecorby.com

thehattonarms.com

thequeensheadbulwick.co.uk

waterloocottagefarm.co.uk wellandvale.co.uk withamhall.com

Camper van heaven

Ryan Hutchinson spent much of his formative years travelling the UK and Europe in his parent’s VW camper van. There was a reason for this as he was a professional cyclist racing all over the country and continent. He was spotted young by the GB team and started on BMX before transferring to a track bike and racing in velodromes as man 1, moving to Manchester to be with GB cycling. But, as is the case with many a professional athlete, he didn’t quite make the grade and in September 2017 was dropped for being 2/10th of a second off his target. Harsh, but reality in the world of cycling.

Ryan was accepting of this and not surprised saying, ‘it came to its natural end and was a great phase of my life.’ He went back to college to ﬁnish his carpentry course which he had jettisoned when he moved to

Manchester to join the cycling world. And he had very fond memories of touring in the camper van with an ambition to have one of his own; he didn’t have to wait long.

During the Covid lockdown with time on his hands he acquired a VW T5 – a panel van – and got to work. With the help of his dad he used his carpentry skills to convert the van, and what he didn’t know he taught himself from YouTube videos. The van was supposed to be for him and his partner Emily. They managed to go out in it, half converted, before he sold it. And then the next one he converted as well, it turns out he was rather good at it. After the second van was converted on his parent’s drive it was time to ﬁn new premises an ncline Campers was born.

Initially the business wasn’t about converting camper vans though. Ryan is a

bit of a dab hand at mechanics and manufacturing and put this to good use by initially starting to make the poptops (elevating roofs) you get on camper vans. He and Emily were in Cornwall in their second conversion but whilst making a cup of tea and putting the poptop roof up (not one of his) it broke. ‘It was really irritating so I spent ages studying it and said to Emily, ‘I can make a better one than this,’ which is what he did. Initially the business was going to be just poptops as what he had manufactured was ‘bomb proof’ and very popular. You need a reliable poptop roof as, ﬁrst of all without it you can’t stan up in the van, and secondly there is a double bunk in it; so vital. He was busy doing the poptops but he wasn’t using his carpentry skills and missed it; and also kept getting asked to do a full conversion.

Mary meets Ryan and Emily who are busy converting VW camper vans

‘Most people who hire the van either head to Scotland to do the NC500, Wales to enjoy the fabulous coastlines or, the most popular, head to Norfolk. You can leave your car when you pick up your camper van and dogs are welcome too.’

Ryan quickly realised there was a gap in the market for bespoke camper van conversions and, because of Covid, people were crying out for camper vans; remember those days? So, he started converting vans fitting them out as campers along with his own designed poptop. And it’s fair to say they’ve gone great guns since. Ryan offers a fully bespoke service of sourcing the VW van – and he only works on VW T5, T6 and now T7 High lines (top of the range with air conditioning, LED lights, cruise control and Apple play) - and then converting it to his customer’s specification. ou can choose your colours too. ‘It can be quite emotional for the customer as this is often fulfilling a lifelong dream.’ Ryan can offer three specifications classic, a venturer an weekender, which all have slightly different specs. All the work is done in-house by Ryan, his father and mother, who does the carpeting.

Roll on a few years and they are still converting vans on a bespoke basis, which take ﬁve to si weeks to o, but uickly realised they should convert and sell as well and this has proved very popular. All vans are offered with a warranty and all electrics and gas checked as well. Vans sleep four people. Ryan and his team can do a lot of enhancement work on your bog standard T5 panel van as well. Bumpers, wheels and springs can all be changed. Side bars added an two tone paint work. ou can have a

sporty or swamper (off road) revamp. They don’t do vinyl wrap rounds though as they don’t last that well.

Now it was time for Emily Veness, Ryan’s partner, to join him on a full-time basis. She gave up her marketing job in Cambridge and brought her skills to Incline Campers and since her arrival the business has grown again. They are now doing bespoke conversions, selling camper vans and have introduced a hire service as well. This started last summer and they now have two vans that can be hired all year round (there are heaters don’t worry).

This means that you can try before you buy – and if you do you get a refund off the purchase price of your hire fee. It also means that younger enthusiasts who can not necessarily afford a camper van can enjoy the thrill of a few nights on the road and then make sure one is on their wish list. Most people who hire the van either head to Scotland to do the NC500, Wales to enjoy the

fabulous coastlines or, the most popular, hea to orfolk. ou can leave your car when you pick up your camper van and dogs are welcome too.

Ryan is converting about two vans a month now and in total has done over 50. The team are now regular attendees at the Warner’s camping shows throughout the country and are picking up a lot of business doing this, as well as becoming well known. I was very impressed when he showed me round the vans and his workshop. He uses high tech equipment to make the kitchens and some sort of very clever joinery bits rather than nails – beyond me but it works well.

What started out as a lifelong love of VW camper vans has grown into a great business for Ryan. And it’s a family business with his mum, dad and partner Emily all involved making this business grow and grow.

inclinecampers.co.uk

From start to ﬁnish

Mary chats to Katie and Alice from Class Q and ﬁnds out more about the business

Class Q is a Stamford-based planning and architecture practice specialising in strategic land promotion, large-scale development and consultancy-led planning, alongside bespoke residential and commercial architecture. Founded in 2018 by two directors, the practice has grown rapidly to a team of nine, re ecting a strong an consistent project pipeline. With a proven track record across complex planning and delivery-led schemes, Class Q continues to expand its offering and team, with further growth planned through 2026. I was catching up with Katie and Alice to talk about the two si es of the business. here is a signiﬁcant cross over between the two sides and because Class Q employs architects and planners they can manage everything in-house.

Katie Webster is the land manager at Class Q, and it is her job to help develop the business an ﬁn sites. er backgroun is in law and commercial property. She is new to planning so ‘learning all about it very quickly.’ Katie has good contacts with several land agents and landowners so is always on the lookout for larger sites, usually on the edges of towns or large villages with good amenities including schools, transport links and shops. These could be anywhere in England, but are usually within a couple of

hours of Stamford.

Where land is considered suitable for development, the company can offer a promotion agreement, under which it funds all costs up to the point of sale. This includes preparing and submitting the planning application, commissioning and managing all necessary surveys and technical work (including ecological surveys such as bats) and, where required, pursuing the application through the appeal process.

The in-house planners and architects will draw up outline plans and take everything through the planning process. The landowner will sign up to this with the proviso that once planning has been obtained the site has to go to market. Class Q can obviously recommend suitable agents as they have such good contacts with many.

While many of the sites promoted are initially contrary to adopted local planning policies, the company will not enter into an agreement with a landowner unless there is a strong, evidence-based prospect of securing planning permission. As a result, Class Q has an extremely high success rate, including on schemes that have required determination at appeal.

The planning process seems to be, in my view, unnecessarily complicated and slow moving so you need a company that knows

what they are doing; and are dogged and patient. Class Q obtained permission for 225 new dwellings last year, their biggest year yet, and has another 535 across the country in the planning system at the moment, with another 130 under promotion and ready to submit imminently; so they are very busy and growing rapidly. Landowners need to be patient though as an application may take up to a year (although it shouldn’t) and even longer if it goes to appeal.

Something else to consider is that planning laws are always changing, particularly if there is a change of government, so businesses like Class Q have to keep on top

of this.

o how oes atie i entify suitable lan n many cases, lan owners approach the company looking to iversify, often with a view to obtaining planning permission on an agricultural buil ing. hat they are fre uently unaware of is that, in a ition to the buil ing they are en uiring about, they may also own lan on the e ge of a village or town that is well positione for evelopment. lass has evelope an online mapping tool that allows lan owners to input their etails an receive an initial in ication of suitability. he tool ﬁlters sites against key constraints, such as oo risk, reen elt esignation, national lan scapes an other protecte areas. nce this initial sift is complete, the assessment moves from basic constraints into full planning analysis at which point it’s very much over to lass . he company will then get in touch an take it from there. atie will target certain areas where she knows there is a shortage of housing but with goo amenities an then run a marketing campaign. n we always want the best outcome for the village as well as the clients as we often live locally an care about elivering optimum planning outcomes.’

ecause lass are architects an planners the smaller sites will be one

in house. Larger sites of over houses only nee outline planning because a eveloper will usually have their own architects an housing styles.

maller sites are architect lice aylor’s forte. fter nine years of stu y, she will ualify ne t year an alrea y plays a key role across a wi e range of projects many of them one off, bespoke homes create for clients buil ing their ream property.

lice works on schemes from the earliest esign stages, taking projects through planning an etaile esign to the technical buil ing regulations phase, overseeing the process throughout. orking irectly for the client, she is closely involve at every step. er portfolio inclu es farm buil ing conversions as well as small resi ential evelopments of three or four homes.

t’s the bespoke projects that lice enjoys most, largely because of the close relationship she buil s with clients. hey’re emotionally very investe ,’ she says. he often visits clients in their e isting homes, talking through how they live now an what they want from their new space. farmer, for e ample, will almost always want a generous boot room others may nee a home ofﬁce, a large kitchen, a playroom or e ible family spaces.

rom there, lice works with clients on the

'Class Q has developed an online mapping tool that allows landowners to input their details and receive an initial indication of suitability.'

ow of the house, the choice of materials an how the buil ing sits within its setting consi ering views, light an outlook as carefully as the layout itself.

rchitects at lass work very closely with the planning team (for obvious reasons an the crossover is constant. lice is often pulle into planning meetings to offer architectural a vice, just as planners are regularly consulte on esign ecisions. t’s a genuinely integrate way of working.

ou might assume that smaller sites move through the planning system more uickly an in theory they shoul . t’s meant to take eight weeks but in reality takes closer to on average,’ says lice. hat oes vary epen ing on the authority an scale of the site.’ n practice, timescales are also heavily in uence by how well councils communicate with agents. his is where lass ’s strong working relationships with nearby local authorities make a real ifference.

ne notable success story is he Dingle, just outsi e tamfor . he scheme was not compliant with any a opte planning policy, yet the local planning authority escribe it as a mo ern esign with varie buil levels above an below groun , using a combination of slope an at roofs that break up the massing of the buil ing, resulting in a scheme that is earthy, aesthetically interesting an visually pleasing. n a ition, it integrates well into the lan an treescape within the site.’

Deﬁnitely one for lice to be prou of.

aving both planners an architects within the same company is still relatively unusual, particularly for a practice of lass

’s si e an they are the only ﬁrm in the area to offer this fully integrate service. or clients, whether large or small, the beneﬁts are obvious one point of contact, imme iate internal ialogue an no isconnect between planning strategy an esign intent. nstea of separate consultants working in silos, ecisions are joine up an informe from the outset.

t’s a mo el that works an it’s a big part of what sets lass apart.

classq.co.uk

“I STARTED MY PERSONAL TRAINING JOURNEY WITH LIV, AND SHE’S THE REASON I COMPLETELY FELL BACK IN LOVE WITH THE GYM. HER GUIDANCE, STRUCTURE, AND ENCOURAGEMENT HELPED REBUILD MY CONFIDENCE AND MADE TRAINING ENJOYABLE AGAIN.”

TRAIN WITH PURPOSE THIS NEW YEAR

Experience Personal Training+ at Equilibrium. Performance Redefned.

Complimentary Personal Training+ Session*

A one-to-one session with an Equilibrium Personal Training+ Coach. Redeem your session using code: EQAMPT26 in the Equilibrium App

Book your club tour to unlock your trial. Scan or Visit equilibrium.ft/tour

Most people don’t have a clue

When did you last really think about your ﬁnancial affairs and planning? Mary meets Richard Ash from the Liberty Partnership to talk about this and why we should all be enjoying our ‘golden years.’

Let’s be honest, most of us don’t have a clue when it comes to our finances. e might be iligent savers, shop aroun for the best mortgage eal an have a pension but are we getting the most out of our money, are we investing wisely, or even investing at all n why woul we know, unless you follow the an business pages iligently. n as for ta , o any of us really know if we are utilising our full allowances or coul make consi erable ta savings if we planne properly. e pay for a plumber to come an sort our boiler out, an electrician to o the wiring an a hair resser to cut our hair. o why on earth on’t we pay someone to look after our finances t makes perfect sense when you look at it that way. n just think how much more comfortable, knowle geable an confi ent about our futures we coul be with this a vice rather than slightly scare an confuse . ea s in the san anyone

ichar is one of the partners of Liberty artnership an the other half of the business, Liberty state lanning. e foun e the business with Davi regg in an they are both hartere inancial lanners an ellows of the ersonal inance ociety. hey are base in arket Deeping an have recently opene another branch in ourne at the ol Lloy s ank hambers, so Liberty is growing, now with staff. he business offers chartere ﬁnancial planning an estate planning a vice.

he team at Liberty are prou of their chartere status, it is wi ely regar e as the gol stan ar in the profession. his ensures that their ﬁnancial planning is elivere to the highest stan ar s, regulate by the inancial on uct uthority, ethical, an e ucational re ecting the principles an e pectations that come with this status.

ichar e plaine that he feels there is a ifference in the Liberty approach as they are ﬁnancial planners,’ an not the tra itional usual a visor’ service. e set out that they have tra itional values an that our goal is to buil long term relationships with each an

Richard Ash and David Gregg of Liberty Partnership

Joseph Ash and Matthew Biggs of Liberty Partnership

‘With extensive knowledge, years of experience and a professional yet friendly approach, clients are supported every step of the way.’

every one of our clients. We get to know our clients and understand their objectives an priorities. e know that the worl of ﬁnancial services is complex and can sometimes feel daunting. We will work to simplify the process and we will always communicate in terms that our clients understand.’ You will see your planner at Liberty annually to make sure you are keeping on track. They will cover what life throws at you such as an inheritance, retirement, marriage, divorce, ill health or someone dying and how this will affect you.

And you will do this for years, depending on your age and circumstances. Basically, you are building a long term relationship to have conﬁ ence an trust in each other an , as ichar says, you nee to make sure you enjoy working with each other,’ an most of our clients come to us via word of mouth and our existing client relationships.’ Clients are from all over the country, but most are within Cambridgeshire and Lincolnshire and are aged between 30 and 90. Liberty can provide advice to personal and business clients.

To put it into a nutshell, the idea is that you tell Liberty your ﬁnancial reams, goals an objectives an your planner will then create a plan for you. But you are not going to hand your money, life and future over to someone you don’t know or know anything about; well, I wouldn’t.

e always meet prospective clients in person, an carry on oing this when they become clients,’ says ichar . he initial meeting is free of charge and a relationship building exercise for both of us, trust and faith are critical.’ You will discuss your family and personal circumstances, your finances inclu ing pensions, future retirement plans, your tax position and your estate etc and they will work towar s creating your own financial plan. hey will, if appropriate, tell you if you don’t need their help as your plans, pensions an finances are on track (lucky you . or most of us they can usually fin many ways in which we can invest more wisely, save better, be more ta efficient an have better pension plans.

At this stage you have not paid a fee or parted with any money. As you progress ichar e plaine that all costs will be set out clearly before you proceed with any recommendation. The advice should be

clear an you shoul only procee if you can see the clear benefits to oing so. e both agree , me in particular, that the financial worl is comple an often ifficult to un erstan , so why on earth wouldn’t you go to someone who does really understand it; it really is a no brainer.

pparently, most of us get to a goo point ﬁnancially much sooner than we think so that might mean fun and early retirement. n this is vital. he gol en years’ aka the gol en perio of our lives is usually between 60 and 75. We’ve accumulated some capital so accor ing to ichar we shoul spen some of it an enjoy it whilst we have the ability to do so. And he is exactly right, we need to make the most of the time we have.

And then we come to the second part of the Liberty Portfolio, estate planning. ou’ll be nee ing this after the gol en years (an before to be fair . ost people want to leave something to their chil ren as efﬁciently as possible so nee a vice about inheritance tax planning and trust work. That’s what Liberty Estate Planning is for. Every client is offered a will writing service free of charge. And along with this will writing comes really efﬁcient ta planning an advice. Powers of attorney are discussed and again are vital; business ones too.

ichar is confi ent in the team’s e pertise an believes that clients will truly benefit from the a vice provi e . ith e tensive knowledge, years of experience and a professional yet friendly approach, clients are supported every step of the way. Businesses like Liberty are very much based on word of mouth. If they do a good job for you, obviously you are going to tell people about them. I imagine it must be quite a relief to hand everything over to someone who knows what they are doing and just sit back and reap the benefits. s sai , you pay other professionals to work for you, so why on earth wouldn’t you pay someone to look after your finances. aving spoken with ichar am certain we shoul all be doing so.

liberty-partnership.co.uk

WILL’S WALK

Oundle, Cotterstock and Ashton

The banks of the Nene, the pretty village of Ashton and charming Oundle make for a lovely route.

By Will Hetherington.

Difﬁculty rating

The route

Take the footpath on the eastern side of the Nene at North Bridge in Oundle. Initially you will go between a couple of buildings which are part of Oundle School Rowing Club and then the path follows the river for about a mile to Cotterstock. You will pass a couple of weirs on the way and when you get to Cotterstock Lock cross the lock and then turn right to reach the road in the village. Turn right here on to the road, and right again in a couple of minutes and look out for the left turn almost immediately at Cotterstock Crossing.

From here it’s a straight line for 10 minutes to the A605, where you cross and take the path to the right of Tansor Lodge. There’s a slight uphill here but otherwise follow the path with the hedge on your right for 15-20 minutes until you come to the junction with the Nene Way. Turn right here on to the established vehicle track and you will soon pass through the i e ange (look out for re ags an signs of activity . After the range keep going until you come to the impossibly idyllic Entrance Lodge to Ashton Wold estate nestled into a spinney on the left. It’s a dreamy house and immediately conjures images of cosy log ﬁres an hot chocolate on a winter’s night.

Turn right here and you will soon come into the equally idyllic model village of Ashton, which was built in 1900-1901 by the Rothschild family for the workers on the Ashton Wold estate. It’s a charming insight into a different world and the Chequered Skipper pub might tempt you to stay awhile.

To continue the walk turn right into the churchyard and then follow the fenced-in path which winds down to the main roundabout on the eastern edge of Oundle. Cross the road and you will soon be back where you started.

Images: Will Hetherington

The river Nene at Oundle.

There is plenty of open country between Cotterstock and Ashton.

GCSE SPORTING FUTURES PATHWAY

A personalised GCSE pathway for Ye ar 10 & 11 pupils passionate about sport. Combining strong academics, elite-level coaching , performance development and future sport ing pathways.

Book your place at our next Open Event, Saturday 7 March 2026

ACTIVE INFO

The World Conker Championships were founded at Ashton in 1965 when a group of anglers held a conker contest at the Chequered Skipper pub when the weather was too bad to go ﬁshing. The event was held in Ashton for 45 years before moving to a larger venue in nearby Southwick.

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK

Somewhere responsible in Oundle or Oundle Wharf if you are going to be using one of the businesses there.

DISTANCE

Four and a half miles

HIGHLIGHTS

The river Nene, the Entrance Lodge to Ashton Wold estate, Ashton village and some lovely open countryside.

LOWLIGHTS

The Nene does ﬂood so it might not always be viable.

REFRESHMENTS

The Chequered Skipper in Ashton.

DIFFICULTY RATING

Two paws; it’s pretty ﬂat with few obstacles but is a good distance.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

Your dog will love this walk – there is plenty of open country and when we did it this winter there were no livestock in any of the ﬁelds we walked through.

For your own safety and navigation make sure you have an OS map with you when you go out walking. You won’t regret it.

part

This

of the Nene Way makes for lovely walking, whatever the season.

Active Kids

Inspiring confidence through dance

Girls in years 7–9 from Leicester High School for Girls have taken part in a six-week dance outreach programme using dance to build confidence, creativity and a love of movement among younger pupils in local schools.

Working in small teams the girls planned and delivered engaging dance activities adapting choreography to suit different abilities and age groups. Supporting the host schools’ physical education provision the programme also played an important role in developing the Leicester High pupils themselves. By leading sessions with younger children they strengthened their confidence and communication skills while gaining valuable experience in leadership and teamwork. Through the medium of dance they acted as positive role models, encouraging younger pupils to express themselves and enjoy being active. The initiative forms part of the school’s wider commitment to leadership and community engagement.

Extension plans approved

Oakham School is pleased to announce that planning permission has been granted for a major extension to its sports centre. The state-of-the-art facility will include a dedicated performance gym, a spacious first-floor fitness suite and a purpose-built spin studio, complemented by flexible studios for yoga, Pilates, boxercise and high-intensity interval training.

Thoughtfully integrated into the existing sports centre the extension will improve accessibility and circulation for pupils, staff, spectators and visiting groups ensuring the building serves as a vibrant hub for school and community activity.

Oakham Pupils Power Ahead

Oakham School’s young engineers are making outstanding progress as they take on the national STEM on Track racing challenge, developing impressive technical and collaborative skills along the way.

Since last September, nearly 40 pupils in Years 7–9 have been designing and building three go-karts that they will race at the STEM Prix national final in June. Adam Sirett, cofounder of STEM on Track, recently dropped in and spent an afternoon guiding the pupils through the next phase of their racecar build and reviewing the progress they have already made.

This ambitious project is made possible thanks to the generosity of Oakham School’s sponsors.

New head for Peterborough School

The Peterborough School has announced the appointment of Sam McCormick as its new head from September 2026. Sam brings extensive experience across both the independent and state sectors and shares Peterborough School’s deep commitment to values-led education. He is passionate about nurturing ambition, character and excellence within a strong school community.

Stamford First XV retain the Robert Wills

Memorial Cup

Stamford School’s First XV delivered a superb performance in a hard-fought, muddy annual encounter against Uppingham securing a 10–0 victory to retain the Robert Wills Memorial Cup in what was the final First XV match for their Year 13 players. The match remained tight until a decisive last-minute try sealed the win and reflected Stamford’s ability to stay organised under pressure and execute at key moments. It was a complete squad performance. The group looked confident, connected and tactically assured despite the challenging conditions.

Success for Oakham at Nottingham Young

Musician of the Year Final

Oakham School is delighted to celebrate the outstanding success of Form 6 pupils Nicola Chotrani and Olivia Stran, who delivered exceptional performances at the Nottingham Young Musician of the Year 2026 final.

Nicola and Olivia were selected as two of just five instrumental finalists who performed at the Djanogly Recital Hall, University of Nottingham. On stage, both musicians impressed adjudicators and audience members alike, delivering performances marked by professionalism, confidence and a compelling musical presence.

The school is very proud that Nicola has been named Nottingham Young Musician of the Year (Instrumental) 2026. Her achievement marks a significant milestone in her musical journey. Nicola also triumphed at the Rotary Young Musician Competition district final in Uppingham where she won in her instrumental category and was also named the overall winner. She now progresses to the next round of the competition where a strong performance could see her compete at the National Final in April.

Stamford School Ski Trip to Pila, Italy

Year 8 and 9 students have recently returned from a highly successful ski trip to Pila in Italy, an experience that combined physical challenge, personal achievement and plenty of shared enjoyment. Over the course of the week, students made excellent progress on the slopes supported by expert instruction and favourable conditions.

The ski trip remains a valued part of the school’s co-curricular programme, offering students a memorable and enriching experience that extends learning well beyond the school day.

World Record for old Stamfordian

Stamford School is celebrating an exceptional achievement from Old Stamfordian Bruce Dee (OS 25), following a landmark performance at the National Winter Championships in Sheffield. Already named para swimming emerging athlete of the year by Aquatics GB, Bruce delivered a world-class display in the S6 100m Breaststroke. He broke the world record in the morning session with a time of 1:20.35, before returning later the same day to lower it again to 1:19.80. In doing so, he became the first S6 para swimmer to complete the event in under 1 minute 20 seconds.

From representing Great Britain at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games while still a student at Stamford to continuing to redefine standards on the international stage, Bruce’s journey is a powerful example of what can be achieved.

£235 per week (£195 for Easter week 1)

9.30am-4.30pm (8am-6pm available)

Stamford Junior School & The Peterborough School

Ofsted registered with excellent staffratios

The Pauline Quirke Academy

A brand-new performing arts academy launched in Market Harborough in January and is welcoming budding performers

The Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) offers confidence-boosting training for children and young people aged six to 18 and is offering a free taster session for locals to explore all that is on offer.

The main academy runs every Saturday morning from 9.45am to 1pm at Robert Smyth Academy on Burnmill Road and delivers expert training across PQA’s unique three-class programme, musical theatre, film and television and comedy and drama. Young performers and filmmakers have the chance to build skills both on stage and behind the camera, exploring acting, scriptwriting, screen production and more.

As well as the main academy PQA Market Harborough also offers a Poppets class for younger performers age four and five. This session runs from 10 to 11.30am, again at the Robert Smyth Academy and is an exciting introduction to all elements of the performing arts.

PQA Market Harborough is led by its principal Marcus Scimia who brings extensive experience from both professional performance and education. Trained in musical theatre, Marcus enjoyed an impressive performing career on cruise ships, UK theatre tours and worked as a production singer, dance captain and resident director. He has performed internationally, led cabaret shows and starred in many UK pantomimes, including roles as Peter Pan and Dandini.

Alongside his performance career Marcus has spent more than 12 years teaching a wide range of ages and in different settings. He has taught singing, acting and vocal technique at colleges across the East Midlands, Liverpool and Birmingham and worked within the PQA network delivering comedy and drama. His broad experience across many genres made PQA’s training model a natural fit.

Principal Marcus Scimia, says: ‘Opening PQA Market Harborough feels like a natural next step for me. Having spent years performing professionally and then transitioning into teaching I’ve seen first-hand how powerful the performing arts can be in building confidence,

communication and self-belief. What drew me to PQA is its ethos. It’s not just about singing, dancing or acting in isolation, but about developing well-rounded young people through creativity. I’m incredibly excited to bring this opportunity to Market Harborough and to create a supportive, inspiring space where young people can explore their potential and grow.’

Principal Marcus and his team of professional teachers are dedicated to providing a safe and inclusive space for young people to discover themselves whilst learning the latest techniques in performing arts. It’s not just about singing and dancing, there are also opportunities for all young people to explore comedy, story writing, TV and filmmaking.

For those interested in booking a free session at PQA Market Harborough do get in touch.

pqacademy.com/academies/marketharborough/

About Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA)

Pauline Quirke Academy of Performing Arts (PQA) is a family-owned nationwide performing arts academy for children aged 4-18. It offers training in comedy, drama, musical theatre, TV and filmmaking, focusing on nurturing individual talent and building self-belief. There are now more than 250 academies nationwide teaching young people technical performing arts and life skills. A professional talent agency for PQA students, Quirky Kidz, launched in 2009 to help young people develop a performing arts career whilst safeguarding welfare.

Quality garden birdseed at farmgate prices

Stock up on your bird seed and visit our farm shop. Enjoy a walk and abundance of wildlife in our conservation farm bordering the Eyebrook Reservoir.

All of our products are also available to purchase online, visit our website for more details.

Open Mon-Sat 9am - 3pm, Sun 9am - 12pm, or purchase online!

Rectory Farm, Great Easton, Market Harborough, LE16 8SN

www.eyebrookwildbirdfeeds.co.uk | 01536 770771 |

GEORGE HALLS CYCLE CENTRE

10-12 Northampton Road, Market Harborough, Leics, LE16 9HE. 01858 465507

www.georgehallscycles.co.uk georgehallscycle@aol.com Pashley Kingsman: handmade bicycles from Stratford upon Avon

The latest RoshiWave device is now available in the UK.

This simple, portable device, small enough for a pocket or handbag, can help deliver the inner peace you seek. Achieve peak mental and physical performance

Exclusively from Octopus Psychology.

Roshi devices have been used by mental health clinicians, Olympic athletes and others invested in achieving peak physical and mental performance in the USA since the 1990s.

Find it hard to meditate?

RoshiWave can help you gain the lasting beneﬁts of meditation even if you ﬁnd it hard to switch o your chattering mind.

• Induce calm and enhance sleep

• Help with pain management

• Enhance sporting performance

• Optimise brain performance

• Protect your brain health

Octopus Psychology, 4, The Courthouse, Mill Road, Oundle, PE8 4BW

E: enquiries@octopuspsychology.com

T: 07771 732104

Safe and easy to use, for young and old alike. Whether in a steady state of ‘ﬂow’ or winding down to relax, RoshiWave helps your brain be at its best even during times of stress.

For more information, visit octopuspsychology.com/shop/roshiwave/

ActiveBody

EDITED BY KATE MAXIM

Training for now and the future

Physiotherapist Sarah Babbs suggests ways to make sure we keep exercising and the beneﬁts of it

Many of us started the new year with resolutions for a new life/ exercise regime/body plan, but it has lost its shine. Being disciplined and building a routine is important when this happens so let us look at ways to make the most of exercise. After all, the best exercise is the one that gets done.

Barriers to exercise

Physiotherapists often hear that patients have been asked to do 10 or more different exercises, two to three times a day. This is generally unnecessary, in recovery from injury, surgery or to get ﬁt for an event. The gym suits many but others are overwhelmed by it. Some people prefer to exercise alone and struggle with their fears about body image, think everyone else knows what they are doing and don’t really know how to get started.

Finding a gym or class that suits us is so important. There are a number of great gyms at different prices. Some are larger, noisier and more geared to individuals doing heavy weights while others have more classes including Pilates, reformer, yoga and breath workshops. There are classes that work towards events such as Cross Fit and HYROX where you can work individually or in teams to compete at national events. Other spaces can be for training for triathlons where groups work with swimming, cycling and running techniques.

Trying out different settings and classes is a good idea before signing up for expensive memberships. Keeping a particular time in the diary to go can be helpful. Being accountable to someone else can be good. I

struggle to keep up with exercise at home so attending boot camp and classes works best for me.

Exercise recommendations

These are a few great exercises for home which work the whole body, using strength an e ibility an ai ing bone ensity. am often surprised by how many people have weights at home but if not, ﬁlling bags or backpacks with tins of food, bags of sugar etc or holding bottles (wine will do nicely!) are a good alternative with which to start.

All are best done with enough repetitions to feel that you could do a couple more before you’d want to stop. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat twice. You only need to do two to three sessions a week along with more aerobic or Pilates/yoga type exercise. Exercise should never cause pain and discomfort should settle within 24 hours, although muscle soreness may last a little longer.

• Squat to overhead press Hold a weight in each hand at shoulder height and stand with feet parallel or turned out. Drop down with the bottom pushing backwards as if to sit, rise and as you do so, press the weights up towards the sky then return to the starting position.

• Farmer’s carry Hold a bag or weight of a couple of kilos (or more if you can comfortably do so). Walk from one end of

the room to the other, turn and repeat.

• Calf raises with a forward lean Stand on a soft surface, lean very slightly forward and lift up the heels to full height and back down. Working with a metronome or clock tick at 60 beats per minute helps maintain speed and endurance. Most of us should be able to do 15 repetitions in a minute but many will need to build up to this.

• Press/push up - a classic but a good one. Lie on the oor, han s un erneath the shoulders and raise the body, keeping it straight. It sounds simple but to start with this may be very ifﬁcult. ptions are to raise from the knees but a better one is to start more upright. Leaning with the hands on the wall and gradually moving feet away is good while keeping the body straight, progress to leaning on a work top, sofa arm an gra ually towar s the oor.

A great lady on Instagram (‘This woman lifts’) recently posted about the irony of squatting to enable us to get off the loo when we are old not being lost when we can’t do it the day after a squat session! But even then, at least we know we are working our bodies to the best of our abilities, making life easier and healthier for the next day, and forever after.

To contact Sarah ring 07780 900201 or 01780 480889.

Screen my bones

Kate has osteopenia. What can she do to improve her bone health? She heads to MBST Health to ﬁ nd out

Two years ago, I was having terrible pain in my feet, so I was sent for a D scan an was horriﬁe to learn ha osteopenia – the precursor to osteoporosis. Why? I’d grown up on Kellogg’s cereal with plenty of milk! I eat a healthy diet including masses of dairy products, I exercise and I’m an average build. Could my early menopause have deprived me of oestrogen, a protective factor in maintaining good bone density?

I needed advice on how to improve or at least maintain the health of my bones so that as I grow older, I’m not paranoid about falling and breaking one of them, or ﬁn my spine starts to crumble as o innocuous tasks like carrying heavy boxes.

The timing couldn’t have been better. Enter Liz Clare, managing director of MBST Health in Tinwell, who had just embarked on a revolutionary Screen My Bones campaign in association with M&S and Holland & Barrett to enable men and women around the country to ascertain the health of their bones and to take steps to look after them. As we know, breaking a bone as we get older can lead to frailty and other major health complications. But impaired bone health is not something we are normally aware of until we fracture one. Half of all women over an one in ﬁve men will e perience a fracture ue to osteoporosis. Early diagnosis of problems is key to preventing further bone loss, as there are steps we can take whatever our age to improve matters.

Bone density and fragility scores

MBST Health supports clinics all around the country and has been using magnetic resonance therapy for years to treat patients with damaged tissue in the body, including cartilage, muscles, tendons, ligaments and also bones. I attended Ann Clare Physiotherapy in inwell for my cholight scan where ealth ﬁrst invested in Echolight REMS technology, which gives bone density and fragility score readings unique to each patient using ultrasound. This means there is no lengthy wait or the radiation exposure of a DEXA Scan. You also get a near-instant result.

‘MBST is a safe, non-invasive medical technology that supports the body’s natural repair processes at cellular level. It’s designed to enhance the quality and quantity of bone density and structural integrity.’

Once you have a reading, you know where you’re starting from, and then can move on to treatment options such as MBST, if it’s necessary. MBST is a safe, non-invasive medical technology that supports the body’s natural repair processes at cellular level. It’s designed to enhance the quality and quantity of bone density and structural integrity. It therefore addresses the condition, not just the symptoms. There are various devices in the clinic for targeting different areas such as spine, legs and arms. But the most recent investment has been an OsteoSpin full-body device which can address systemic conditions such as osteoporosis. And I was lucky to be offered this.

In contrast to the more traditional osteoporosis medications, there have been no reported side effects from MBST. In fact, one huge upside for me was the requirement to lie down for an hour every day for ten days to read, listen to music or sleep; trust me, that in itself is rejuvenating!

Lifestyle advice

Alongside the magnetic resonance therapy, the health care professionals at the clinic, backed up by GPs and an orthopaedic surgeon, give you lifestyle advice including diet, what supplements to take and exercises to do to improve your bone density. If I’m being brutally honest, I was very diligent initially about taking the recommended supplements like algae-sourced calcium, obviously vitamin D, K3 and bovine collagen to help improve my connective tissue. But over time that tapered off.

Also, the weight-bearing exercises I embarked on started well, and I was really enjoying kettlebells and body pump classes. But because of quite a few injuries I stopped doing some of those too. Despite that, my results have shown either an improvement or, at least, maintenance of the same level of bone density everywhere apart from my left femur. I was scanned over a year and was given T-scores which compared my results with a 30-year-old and a Z-score that measures you against your peers. Also, an overall bone density and fragility score. Mine showed small incremental improvements, which I’m really pleased about; it’s all positive progress. Scores for some other people have been much more dramatic, but they were, I’m sure, more diligent in following all the advice. Did you know that standing on your tiptoes and dropping own onto your heels ﬁfty times a ay can improve your bone density? And hopping on each leg. Simple habits I do now intend to keep up.

This scanning technology, in combination with MBST, hasn’t been available before. There are now Echolight scanners servicing multiple MBST Health locations around the country, and they can even be taken into ofﬁces to scan entire workforces. thletes also use to help them get back playing much more quickly after an injury. Regular screening helps you to track the changes and respond by making timely improvements to your lifestyle. Every one to two years is recommended, or if you’ve recently had a fracture.

If you are showing signs of deterioration and you don’t take steps to improve your bone health, it will only be a downward trajectory. As they say at MBST: health starts in the cell, and regular screening, together with a technology designed to support the body’s natural processes at a cellular level, can form part of a broader, proactive approach to bone health.

mbst.health

Jeremy Smithson-Beswick talks local rugby and football

As I write the Six Nations are in full ow an e pect many of you are enjoying it just as much as am. nless you happen to be elsh, in which case you’ probably prefer to hibernate with the uvet pulle over your hea for a few weeks. areth, an arry will be turning, no spinning, in their graves. f it’s any consolation, remember when nglan were not very goo to say the least an hope your glory ays will return. e nee you.

hatever your national afﬁliation, o remember that although this is an international event it’s also ﬁnancially important to our own clubs who’ll be showing all the games in their clubhouses.

f you’re going to watch a match ’ encourage you to o so at whichever groun is closest to you an help by putting your money across the bar an maybe having a bite to eat. heaper than the pub too. fter all, what coul be a more appropriate venue for your viewing than your local rugby club o boot, you’ll ﬁn yourself surroun e by knowle geable, clubbable, sociable people who really know the game whilst you’re oing your bit by putting something back into your community. hat’s eﬁnitely a win win. ea on for more etails .

t’s been a largely successful month for most of our local si es results wise.

akham ( i ations on the big screen at

a ticket for a reserve seat, with ﬁrst rink free an a all you can eat barbecue, as you ask have move out of the relegation slots an will also count themselves unlucky to have lost at home to Leicester Lions’ secon string by . heir opponents that ay are one of the league’s stronger si es yet it was only two basic errors’ by aks that limite their half time lea to . hey fell behin in the secon perio espite some heroic efensive work but, with the match almost over, uppe the tempo which le to n rew oyle scoring un er the posts with the simple conversion to follow looking to be enough to win it for them.

hat rarest of events then intervene ,

Image:

Kerri

Mellor

‘Talking of Market Harborough the men’s side still sit atop Regional Two by seven points after a whopping 61-0 win over Daventry (even with several ﬁ rst choice players out injured) which was preceded by an equally emphatic 57-5 defeat of Wellingborough.’

alas, with the kick charged down and although Oaks came close again from the resulting anarchy it was not to be. The club’s Malcom Craig called it ‘a performance full of encouragement. For a young Oakham side, this felt like a statement. Identity, belief and a clear way of playing are emerging, and with it the genuine sense that this group has the potential to beat anyone in the league.’

Oundle (enjoy the Six Nations with a burger and a pint for £10 and/or with a pie and chip van on site as they celebrate their 50th anniversary) continue their march towards yet another promotion with recent wins against Barnes and Henley. Already playing at a level somewhat above our other local sides it’s remarkable to think that next year they could be facing rugby aristocracy like Blackheath and Rosslyn Park, but I doubt they’ll be daunted by that as they remain undefeated since October. The women’s side are no mugs either, beating Market Harborough away by 53-0.

Talking of Market Harborough (‘All Six Nations are broadcast on new larger screens and professional audio system’) the men’s side still sit atop Regional Two by seven points after a whopping 61-0 win over

Daventry (even with several ﬁrst choice players out injured) which was preceded by an equally emphatic 57-5 defeat of Wellingborough. They look nailed on for promotion. Despite the women’s side setback against Oundle mentioned above, women’s rugby there looks to have a bright future too as their under 16 girls beat Lutterworth 56-5.

Deepings (who are running a never-toolate-to-join Six Nations fantasy tournament and rightly point out ‘it’s better with friends and a burger’) have made the brave decision to step away from the RFU league structure to concentrate on player development. They comment: ‘The Freedom to Play philosophy removes the pressure of league points allowing coaches to focus on individual growth and creative rugby.’ Those with long memories will know that, before the mid-1980s when the national league structures were ﬁrst put in place, this was how all clubs at similar levels operated so there’s no reason why The Bridge shouldn’t continue to be a place to watch competitive entertaining rugby.

Stamford (such a good place to watch the Six Nations that they haven’t even bothered to put anything on social media and I wrote

this too late to phone up and enquire) continue to push for a play-off spot – the ‘Fight for Fifth’ as they’ve dubbed itbuilding up quite a head of steam with consecutive wins over Peterborough, Ilkeston and Oadby after a somewhat nervous start to the season following promotion last term. Although there was then a reverse away at Northampton Old Scouts they remain close to their objective in sixth place.

Football now and across the town at the Zeeco Stadium Stamford Daniels would gladly swap positions with their rugby side. They remain in a relegation battle but are at least improving and, after a period rooted to the bottom, they’ve now moved ahead of Sudbury and Royston after victories against the former, Worcester and Needham Market and a draw with Bromsgrove. A loss against Quorn in snowy conditions followed leaving them ﬁve points from safety but still hopeful for survival as at least they’re now scoring goals which had been the weakness all campaign, but Manager Graham Drury has been rebuilding the squad. As reported last month, proliﬁc striker Leon Lobjoit has joined and that signing was followed by the return of some trusted stalwarts returning to the club, including Jack Duffy, Mickey Armstrong and Jack Keeble.

Harborough Town are a full twenty places above the Dannies in second place, four points off the top but with four games in hand over leaders Spalding. Automatic promotion is limited to the league winners so they’ll be ﬁghting all the way.

On your bike

This month Gary Waterfall starts at Great Bowden for a 22 mile ride climbing 1,400 feet

ROUTE

Distance: 21.59 mi

Elevation: 1,393 ft

This is essentially a northern loop from Great Bowden’s village green. Head north from Great Bowden and follow the road to Thorpe Langton. Turn right in the village to Welham. Turn left at The Old Red Lion and up a steep hill before bending left and enjoying the brief downhill.

From here it is all undulating with a few steep climbs. Head into Glooston and keep north through Goadby before a left turn at the T junction to head west. Keep following the road past Carlton Curlieu until you hit the very outskirts of Kibworth Harcourt. Turn left again and follow the road to Tur Langton. Then right again through Church Langton and south to the outskirts of Market Harborough, taking care over the busy A6 roundabout. Turn left, and it’s the road to home - all downhill – back into Great Bowden for well-deserved coffee and cake or something stronger from one of the pubs.