Active Magazine // Stamford & Rutland // Winter 2024

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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

Front cover photo Mary Bremner

Advertisement Sales Director Lisa Chauhan lisa@theactivemag.com

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ISSN 2059-8513

Published by Triangle Publishing Ltd www.theactivemag.com

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EDITOR’S LETTER

‘And some good news! Active is expanding and we are looking for an experienced freelance sales person to work on a commission only basis (we supply the leads) with an immediate start.’

CHRISTMAS AND NEW year seem like a distant memory now with only the odd bit of Stilton left to make into soup (not that I’m complaining). And all there is to look forward to is the hard slog of a January that seems to last 10 years.

ut all is not lost. affodils are now appearing in the shops which always cheer me up. We’ve got past the shortest day and the nights are ever so slightly beginning to draw out. And before we know it February will be here with all that it brings including snowdrops and the emerging spring bulbs; there is light at the end of the tunnel.

And some good news! Active is expanding and we are looking for an experienced freelance sales person to work on a commission only basis (we supply the leads) with an immediate start. So if you are interested do get in touch, we’d love to hear from you!

I have always wanted to go on a walking holiday but do not fancy having to carry all my luggage in a rucksack or to have to commit to walk miles every day. So I very much enjoyed chatting to Steve West, the founder of Involved Holidays. He seems to have got the walking/relaxing mix just right on the holidays he offers and he s a local business too which ticks all the boxes.

Spring is coming and that means gardens. Horatio’s Garden is a charity set up under very sad circumstances but which benefits those in hospital with spinal injuries. Patients will be able to enjoy the garden Horatio’s Garden are fundraising for and planning for the spinal unit in She eld which will be their eighth garden. And if you are a group that enjoys visiting gardens, the NGS have plenty of gardens that open for larger groups so book your slot now.

It’s always good to try something new and Kate has had a go at scuba diving which she talks about this month. There’s always something new to try; anything to keep the mind and body busy has got to be a good thing.

Enjoy the issue.

Mary - Editor

Be Inspired

19 GARDENS GALORE

Now is the time to book group visits for NGS gardens

22 GET INVOLVED

Meet Steve West, owner of Involved Holidays

28 SUNSHINE AND SEA VIEWS

Enjoy hiking and cycling holidays in Northern Cyprus

30 THANK YOU HORATIO

This charity was set up to create gardens that hospitalised spinal injury patients can enjoy

32 THE OAKS HAVE IT

Andrew Etherington builds beautiful, sustainable structures from natural oak

34 BECOME AN AQUANAUT

Learn to scuba dive with Dive Rutland

40 WILL’S WALKS

This month Will heads to Bourne Woods and beyond

48 HEALTHY LIVING

TV’s Dr Chatterjee advises how to enjoy a healthier, more balanced lifestyle

55 FUNDRAISING FOR A NEW CLUBHOUSE

Stamford rugby club is on a mission to raise funds for a new

ActiveLife

Learn to scuba dive | Sunshine and sea views, hiking and biking in Cyprus

We meet the owner of The Wood Stop Horatio’s Garden; a charity set up to build gardens in spinal injuries units Enjoy a Will’s walk

Follow that path

Experience ‘holidays with walks’ courtesy of Involved Holidays p22

01858 390 055

susanne.stevens@careuk.com careuk.com/oat-hill-mews

Scan to register your interest. Oat Hill Mews care home, now open, provides high quality care to its residents, as well as a hair salon, café and cinema.

Nominations are now open

RUTLAND CLIMATE ACTION awards are now open for the Climate Change champions who will be recognised at an awards ceremony in une . his will be the first year that Rutland Climate Action will be presenting awards across seven categories for businesses, schools, colleges, community organisations, parish councils and individuals. The awards ceremony will coincide with national Great Big Green Week which runs from 8-16 June. here are five categories open for nomination climate champion 2024, community, business, primary/secondary school and parish council. For more information email bill@rutlandpr.co.uk

Cranial osteopath comes to the area

CRANIAL OSTEOPATH UBHI istry is now offering appointments from The Mill birth and wellbeing centre in Duddington on two days a week. One of Ubhi’s areas of expertise is working with babies, children and pregnant and postpartum mothers too. Cranial osteopathy is helpful for children at all stages of development. Sometimes they come in with re u gastrointestinal problems neck tension or problems with latching for feeds. Ubhi treats the babies in the context of their families, who sometimes mirror their child s issues so that everyone receives beneficial treatment. www.thecranialosteopath.co.uk

The Release programme

GRIEF CAN BRING all sorts of emotions including feeling angry, sad, exhausted and like our world has been turned upside down. Boxing is a great way of channelling these reactions, releasing excess adrenalin and energy, and helping our overall health and wellbeing too.

The Loss Project, RTB Fitness and LOROS Hospice are running the RELEASE Programme, a six week boxing and exercise programme which uses boxing as a way to help us process and acknowledge grief. The programme is endorsed by Dying Matters Rutland.

The sessions are open to anyone over 18, of any abilities, with no previous bo ing or fitness e perience necessary. hey will be taking place at St eorge s arracks in orth Luffenham starting on 25 January 2024 at 6.30pm, and will last around an hour and a quarter.

The sessions are all non-contact and are a great way to try bo ing and get fit along with mindfulness techniques and other ways of exploring our natural and human responses to grief. Those running the sessions are friendly, welcoming and have experienced bereavement themselves.

o register your interest in joining this new group please fill in the following form

https://forms.gle/UWuvZVx9Py84gNfh6

Men wanted

MEN UNITED IN Song is launching in arch in support of Prostate Cancer UK. Become one of 40 men to join the pop-up singing project which culminates after weeks in a live performance at eterborough cathedral in ay. ou ll learn to sing, meet new people, enjoy yourself and raise money for a very important charity. Sign up sessions are on February 20 and arch at ohn ansfield school in eterborough. t s not an audition so don t be shy but please do register so they know you re coming.

www.peterboroughsings.org.uk

Hardship fund for sporty youngsters

ACTIVE TOGETHER AIMS to support young people from Leicestershire Leicester and utland in the greatest fi nancial need, to access physical activity and sport. The Young People Physical Activity & Sport Hardship Fund is aimed at helping young people overcome fi nancial constraints affecting their continued involvement in physical activity and sport as a participant o cial coach volunteer or talented sportsperson

Participant – for young people who are not able to access sport or physical activity due to the cost of membership fees/subs or who may need support with the purchase of kit or equipment.

Coach/Official – for young people who have a passion for coaching or o ciating in sport but are unable to access courses qualifications due to the cost of training.

Volunteer – for committed young people who would like to give their time to volunteer in sport or physical activity, however they may face barriers such as the cost of transport to access the activity.

Talented sportsperson – for young people who compete at a regional, national or international level but cost is a barrier to travelling to competitions, purchasing equipment etc. here will be two windows to apply for funding round deadline is anuary with round on arch.

Further information about the fund and the application form can be found here www.active-together.org/fundingfi nder/1750

What’s On!

HEREWARD HARMONY THE Peterborough-based male barber shop chorus is looking for new members and offering a free si week singing e perience. ou do not need to have singing e perience or be able to read music to join, as coaching is available. he course starts on ebruary and runs until pril . o reserve your place ring Alan Lund on 07850 007057 or 01733 334233 or visit www.herewardharmony.com

A PHOTOGRAPHY EXHIBITION is currently running at erry eadows. t features 12 photos from the winners of the monthly competitions which were held last year as well as other work. isitors will enjoy a year long visual journey showing the beauty of ene ark.

DOGFEST, THE DOG-FRIENDLY festival has a new venue for 2024 and it’s right on our doorstep urghley ouse. eld over the weekend of June 8 and 9 there will be everything for a dog lover and their dog to enjoy and more including a dog walk through ancient woodland with the chance to spot the deer. Early bird tickets are available to buy now www.dogfest.co.uk

RUTLAND SPIRITUAL SOCIETY meets on the second and fourth hursday of each month at the uaker eeting ouse in akham. here is a lucky ticket table for just per ticket and all are welcome. here is no need to book and doors open shortly after pm for a prompt start at . pm. evelopment Circles are held in si week blocks please ask at any meeting. ant to know more Contact lison via hats pp on 07557 226759.

LEICESTER COMEDY FESTIVAL is back for 2024 bigger and better than ever, 12% bigger in fact with over 700 shows throughout the month. he festival runs from ebruary at various venues in the city and features numerous comedians including well known names such as Ross oble and ason yrne. www.comedy-festival.co.uk

INK CONTEMPORARY THEATRE and Casterton College are putting on the moving musical ent from anuary at the college. he cast is made up of talented local performers from Lincolnshire and Rutland as well as some drama students from Casterton College. he performance will be backed by a live rock band of professional musicians, making this production a spectacle not to be missed. . per ticket with all shows starting at . pm www.tickeetsource.co.uk.inkcomtemporary-theatre

SNOWDROP SEASON IS just around the corner so make a note in your diary for Easton alled arden s opening date of ebruary when you will be able to enjoy these fabulous owers in all their glory.

IF YOU LOVE owers or gardening then go along to a Stamford lower Club lower arranging demonstration on ebruary at . pm at Stamford ethodist church on arnhill. Enjoy watching and be entertained by inspirational demonstrator and radio gardening e pert aula. She will tell anecdotes and offer top tips. embership not required . o need to book. karenlelawrie@icloud.com

Cheddar, leek and mushroom gnocchi

It’s mid winter so thoughts turn to delicious, warming comfort food. This gnocchi recipe certainly fits the bill; it’s easy to make and is a great way to use up left over veg and cheese and you don’t need to use Cheddar. I think Stilton would make a great alternative.

Ingredients

• 1 chopped leek

• 125g sliced mushrooms

• 1 crushed garlic clove

• 20g butter

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 75ml crème fraiche (or double cream if feeling decadent)

• 500g gnocchi

• 75g grated Cheddar (or any hard cheese)

• Salt and pepper

Method

• Heat the butter and oil on a medium heat then cook the leeks for about 10 minutes until starting to caramelise. Add the mushrooms and garlic and cook for another 4 minutes.

• At the same time cook the gnocchi in boiling water until they pop to the top of the pan.

• Stir the crème fraiche into the leeks along with the cheese and cooked gnocchi. Stir it all together, season to taste and then serve immediately. Easy, quick and delicious.

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Lightning tree

The holly tree is a gift during the winter with its bright red berries and vivid evergreen leaves standing out from the other trees which are bare. Rowan Griffiths expands on them

HOLLY TREES ARE native to the UK and will grow almost anywhere apart from on poorly drained or very wet sites. Being well adapted for shade they will often grow under trees in open woodland. A specimen can easily grow to around 15m in height and live about 300 years.

A young tree has a green stem or bark which becomes silvery grey as it ages. The leaves are leathery in texture, and a shiny dark green. The leaves are oval in shape and curiously only have the familiar sharp spines up to a height of a couple of metres where they are likely to be grazed by animals. Thereafter, they have smooth edges.

The holly is either a male or female tree and to produce the berries the female ower needs to be pollinated by a male tree. Bees and other nectar loving insects perform this task. The small white four petalled owers appear in ay and the vivid red berries ripen in the early winter and may stay on the tree for the whole of the season.

The holly is surrounded by mythology and lore, such as being a fertility symbol, a home to faeries and as protection against The Devil, goblins and witches (whom as you know like to run along the tops of hedges but get obstructed by the spiny leaves).

Why the lightning tree? There was an arcane belief that if a holly was planted near a house this would deter a lightning strike. It is now known that this is actually true as the spines in the leaves act as mini-lightning conductors, protecting nearby objects. It’s not all just superstition.

The grounds for good design

A

beautiful garden often starts from ideas nurtured in the mid winter. Garden designer TJ elaborates

DESPITE IT BEING the middle of winter we can now look ahead and plan. And our gardens are often at the forefront of these plans. I think with a garden it’s not always about changing everything all at once. It’s important to enjoy the hidden beauty in a garden to nurture it, step by step, through its transformation.

However, there are a few key things to get right first and then everything else can follow at its own pace.

Line of sight, thresholds and desire lines are the heart of garden design unique to the individual space. Good design is invaluable to making a garden feel effortless and create the feeling. It makes all of the space work with its history and the present. Your nurturing will allow the garden to mature and evolve seamlessly.

Tree planting is important to get right. This really is next generation planting and is the make or break of the structure of a garden. Height and spread are obvious considerations, but also the form and shape and the way the light catches and re ects.

Consider the seasonal turn of leaves, where those leaves drop and how they provide a new, temporary focal point which needs capturing. Trees are also one of the main costs so we want to get that right from the start.

Shrubs are also long term, and are often more prominent so are a strong in uence in any garden. They are also notoriously di cult to keep in check so knowing how to prune and fit with the design is very useful indeed! Placing shrubs correctly according to their needs and growth will transform the overall feel of your garden and write the language of the space beautifully.

Planting choices allow for successful growth and site conditions. All of this good placing and correct planting, along with considered design will then give you a palette to build your garden on. This considered planting palette is what brings the senses to the garden - it is what captures the seasons as well as your emotions. This is where the nurturing comes in.

www.tjkennedy.design

Gardens galore

NGS gardens welcome group visits in 2024 and now is the time to book them

SOME LOCAL GARDENS which open through the National Garden Scheme (NGS) also welcome groups of visitors by arrangement. So, if you’re planning events for spring and summer, and your group is keen to have a tour of some of their best gardens, have a look at a few of these options.

The Plant Lovers’ Garden near Bourne. Visits can be arranged between March 4 and September 2 for groups of up to 35.

The owners, Danny and Sophie, include a garden tour and talk about the design and planting in this garden to showcase colour, form and texture in a range of planting combinations.

This unique garden has plenty of inspiration and new ideas on offer and there is a large variety of plants for sale. ing 07850 239393 to speak to Danny or Sophie.

Fydell House, Boston is steeped in history. It was given its name by successful merchant Joseph Fydell who bought the house and garden in 1726; it was about this time that the garden was walled. The house is now run by the Boston Preservation Trust.

Within the three original red brick walls is the formal garden. Created in it shows off yew buttresses arbours and four parterres based on Dutch themes. There’s a mulberry, a walnut tree and an astrolabe installed in 1997. The Victorian rockery was built from slag from ironworks in Boston. Contact 01205 351520 or email info@fydellhouse.org.uk

Home Farm, Ryhall opens by arrangement in June and July for groups of 10 to 40.

This is a garden for rose lovers with more than 100 roses including many old English fragrant varieties. These sit alongside avenues of lavender and brightly coloured herbaceous borders in the formal part of the nine acre garden. his garden has made great efforts to adapt to a changing climate with a thriving Mediterranean border and more drought tolerant plants. wild ower meadow now two years old and a woodland walk are part of the tour of this garden. Contact karent@karenwrightpr.com or 07860 504047

Inley Drove Farm, Sutton St James, Spalding also opens by arrangement for groups of 10 to 30 in June and July. The garden which has been developed over 27 years by well-known archaeologists rancis and aisie ryor combines colour scent and wildlife. his garden has formal and informal areas all framed by hornbeam hedges and a walk through a seven acre wood established by the owners. Contact maisietaylor7@gmail.com or 01406 54088

The Old Vicarage, Holbeach welcomes visits by arrangement between March and September. Highlights in this two-acre garden include the year old tulip plane and beech trees shrub roses and a herb garden in an old paddock. Owner Liz Dixon Spain manages the garden environmentally and has informal areas with a pond and bog garden wild owers grasses and bulbs. Contact 01406 424148.

New for 2024

Three new gardens will be opening this summer.

Ashcroft House in Tallington will open every Sunday from June 2 until uly from am to pm.

his compact garden is unique with mature trees shrubs and screening separating the garden area into rooms. Informal beds over ow with shrubs perennials climbers cottage garden traditionals and bulbs growing alongside tropical specimens. here s plenty of seating to sit and enjoy the secluded spaces and several water features too.

21 Chapel Street, Haconby will open from am to pm on uly and again on September.

he beautiful cottage garden over ows with a wide range of hardy and tender plants within borders and pot displays. It has been extended to include a woodland bed and meadow areas. The newest feature is a gravel garden incorporating a wide range of drought resistant plants.

Greatford Mill, Greatford is opening on May 25 from 11am to 4pm. his one acre village garden has a restored water wheel and open unfenced mill pond. Traditional English country style borders plus wild ower prairie dry shady cutting vegetable and bonsai areas are combined in this interesting garden.

Record-breaking fund-raising

n he ational arden Scheme S donated a record breaking . million to its beneficiaries notably nursing charities including acmillan arie Curie and arkinsons . ost of this was raised from garden owners opening their gates and welcoming visitors.

Details for 2024

etails of open gardens are on the S website www.ngs.org.uk or in the county booklet available on the website or from garden centres libraries and tourist o ces from late ebruary. or more information contact country organiser Lesley ykes lesley.wykes@ngs.org.uk

Get involved

The pandemic changed many people’s lives, Steve West’s too. Mary meets him

STEVE WEST HAD been happily working at a travel company in Kibworth for 17 years describing himself as ‘a steady Eddie’ in his comfort zone. And then the world turned upside down because of the pandemic and Steve’s industry was hit particularly hard as we all know. He spent a while doing the admin and refunds but was then furloughed indefinitely.

‘We’d had a little boy in 2019 so when I was furloughed I spent a lot of time with him. And during this time I, like many, spent a lot of time walking as that was really all we could do. It gave me a lot of time to think,’ says Steve. ‘Many people believed that the travel industry would never recover, but I didn’t agree with them. During this period the owners of the travel company I worked for decided to retire so I was then made redundant. And this was the push I needed.’

Undeterred Steve now had time to plan and utilise his extensive travel experience and contacts. He had worked on guided holidays and escorted tours so decided to set up his own travel company which is something he had always thought about. Inspired by his enjoyment of walking and other peoples’ as well, he decided to set up a travel company which offered holidays with walks.

Steve wanted to focus on the outdoors and getting people together, to get ‘involved’ as the pandemic took so much of this away from people. The idea was that guests would stay in one hotel and then every other day would go on a guided walk. Only local guides would be used so as well as enjoying a lovely walk guests would also learn more about the history, culture and geography of the area they were staying in. Walks would vary in terrain and ascent and would be between five and eight miles. nd every other day guests could either

'The holidays are for anyone who wants to enjoy guided walks and relaxation as well.'

laze by the pool or on the beach or enjoy a trip organised for them. The ethos of the holiday would be to relax as well as enjoy a good walk too. And the best bit is that guests would not have to pack up every day and move to another hotel. Many of the walks would be circular, but not all. Some would start and end at the hotel whilst others would finish in a local town at a restaurant or bar where guests could enjoy refreshments such as tapas and a beer; just perfect! The company was launched in May 2021 with Steve now having twins on the way – no pressure then with three under three!

Steve’s experience as operations manager for a tour operator meant he knew a lot of the hotel owners and had the contacts to find local guides. Holidays are within Europe with some in the UK as well. And because southern Europe can get very hot in the summer his holidays are mainly in the spring and autumn and outside school holidays.

nvolved olidays offers over different destinations and just under different holidays a year. ou can travel to Spain s ndalucia and enjoy a trip to the Alhambra in Granada. Experience the

mountains of Costa Blanca, enjoy the coastline of the Algarve or the Azores, as well as walk in Mallorca. Madeira is a very popular destination; Italy too and the Greek Islands. There are too many to mention but you can go to Transylvania, Tuscany, the Gower Peninsula and Jersey to name a few. Hotels are usually 4* and you will have half board. And most of the UK airports used are smaller ones including East Midlands and Birmingham. As Steve says: ‘Our guests prefer them.’

The holidays are for anyone who wants to enjoy guided walks and rela ation as well. ou can do as much or as little as you like. f you don’t fancy a walk on a particular day you don’t have to do it. Flexibility is the key to these holidays and all the thinking and planning is done for you. What’s special about Steve’s company is that as soon as you get off the plane they take care of you. ou will be met at your arrival airport and looked after until you are returned there at the end of your holiday. Most hotels are within an hour of the airport. Basically, you hand yourself over to Involved Holidays when you arrive.

Holiday guests vary in age and walking ability, but most are active, quite keen walkers. Lots of guests belong to walking groups and many groups of friends travel together. Solo travel is also very popular and growing rapidly. or five of the holidays single

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supplements are not charged on rooms and these holidays are sociable and friendly; well, they all are.

Because the guides are local you are seeing the country from a local’s point of view and this really makes these holidays special. Hotels are not in large resorts so you see the proper countryside and get to enjoy the local culture, cuisine and language. Guides are all qualified and their local knowledge is very useful as well as informative. Groups of walkers range from a minimum of six to up to 25. Two guides will be with the larger groups and no one is ever left behind or made to feel they are too slow. The walks are sociable so you can chat and walk and enjoy meeting people and admire the views.

Steve and his staff pride themselves on their customer service. e started with 61 guests when he launched during Covid in 2021. This year they have accommodated 1,300 and next year are predicting 1,800. The company has grown rapidly and is very successful. What is

most encouraging is the number of repeat bookings they get with many guests booking another trip before they have returned from the holiday they are on; and that speaks for itself.

Steve and his team always make sure they experience the holidays themselves. In fact it is company policy that every employee goes on at least two trips a year (could I have a job?) Because they do this, they meet their clients, chat to them and listen to suggestions about locations. Madeira was one such suggestion which is now sold out. Ten new locations and products have been introduced this year.

The company is constantly evolving and growing. Steve is going to introduce e-bike holidays, based on a similar ethos and is planning a walking tour holiday next year where your bags are moved for you as you walk from hotel to hotel. But don’t worry, the original walk one day, rest the next holidays are going nowhere.

Steve’s inspiration from his long walks during lockdown has borne fruit. ‘It was the push that I needed and I’m delighted I went for it,’ he says. So are his customers.

www.involvedholidays.com

Sunshine and sea views

Enjoy hiking and cycling holidays in Northern Cyprus in an idyllic setting with stunning views

KOZETA SMITH AND her husband Don live in stunning northern Cyprus, up a mountain with sea views and just outside a village with all amenities including bars and restaurants in walking distance (20 minutes down the hill, slightly longer on the way back up). They both also really enjoy cycling and hiking and have some beautiful trails and routes to enjoy around their property. Kozeta decided she should e pand her hobby into a business venture offering cycling and hiking holidays so she could share the beauty of her home and surroundings with other people. And that is just what she did starting Hike and Bike Cyprus in May 2023.

Kozeta and her husband love hiking and cycling as well as enjoying life and as a hospitable couple are happy to welcome guests either to stay in their home, to an Airbnb on a complex or, if people prefer more privacy and independence they’ll happily book them into a nearby hotel. Their dreams of combining hiking, cycling and tourism have now come to fruition and they love showing off the beauty of northern Cyprus, particularly the area around the Kyrenia mountain range which runs parallel to the coastline where they are based, to visitors. They love the countryside, nature and protecting the environment

'The holiday packages offered range in length of stay but all are on a bed and breakfast basis with a packed lunch provided as well.'

and are delighted to welcome like-minded guests to their home.

o eta and her husband have planned a number of different hikes which are a distance of between 8 and 12km inland from the coast up in the mountains. ou can enjoy fabulous sea views local ora and fauna as well as ancient monuments. The walks usually have a climb of 2-300 metres so you can enjoy the fabulous sea views, and that of the mountains too. moderate level of fitness and walking e perience is e pected but walks can be adapted to suit the individual. uests can either hike on their own using the clearly mapped routes provided or Kozeta, or occasionally Don, will happily accompany you. The same applies for the cycle routes as well but obviously distances will be further.

he holiday packages offered range in length of stay but all are on a bed and breakfast basis with a packed lunch provided as well. Dinner is available in the nearby village or further afield if you wish so you can enjoy more of the locality and cuisine. Kozeta will drive guests to

their dinner destination if need be. This also applies to the walks and cycle routes. Some can be started at the house others are further afield but you will always be dropped off and picked up again for these.

You will be able to enjoy Kozeta’s house which, as mentioned, is just outside the village right ne t to a ational ark. here are beautiful gardens a pool and lots of places to sit and read a book rela and enjoy the quiet as well as fabulous sea and mountain views.

ou can either y to the north to Ercan aiport or to the south to Larnaka. f north you will be picked up if south a ta i will be arranged for you. You don’t need to hire a car but if you wish to e plore further afield and visit other parts of the island you will need one. Up to four people can be accommodated by Kozeta, for larger groups she will book you into a hotel.

The best times to visit northern Cyprus for a hiking and/or cycling holiday are from March to May, even up to mid June but by then it is very hot. Mid summer is a no no for obvious reasons. Holidays start again in mid September and continue until ovember. Even December and January can be pleasant for hiking, but the sunny weather is not quite so prevalent.

All you need to bring with you is walking boots, trainers, a backpack, sunglasses and suncream. Lunches, walking sticks and bikes are all provided by the organisers. Cyprus here we come.

www.hikebikecyprus.com

Thank you, Horatio

Months in hospital following a spinal injury, not able to get outside in the fresh air can be detrimental to recovery. The charity, Horatio’s Garden has done something about this

SIF WASN’T ABLE to get out of bed for five months after being paralysed in a road accident and has been in hospital for a year. eing indoors he has felt confined and claustrophobic and misses being outside. sif described his first visit to the small balcony at the rincess oyal Spinal njuries Centre in She eld. o see even the wind blowing in the trees or feeling the sun on his face was breathtaking. e wishes he could be taken out onto the balcony on his bed.

n average patients with spinal cord injuries like sif will spend five months rehabilitating at a specialist centre. fter a spinal injury many people will be isolated from their families often far from home and confined to a ward with little or no access to the the outside world.

oratio s arden is changing this. he charity believes that no one should face spinal injury without the benefits of gardens and outdoor space to support physical and psychological recovery. oratio s arden which was the charity partner at the efender urghley orse rials last September nurtures the wellbeing of people after

'British actor and Stamford-based George Robinson, well known for his role in the Netflix series Sex Education, is an appeal ambassador for the new garden.'

spinal injury in beautiful vibrant sanctuaries within the heart of S spinal injury centres. Leading designers create the accessible gardens where the charity s team alongside volunteers and creatives care for people and plants alike.

oratio s arden She eld East will be the charity s eighth garden and will support thousands of patients like sif their loved ones and S staff every year from an e tensive area spanning orkshire Lincolnshire erbyshire and ottinghamshire as well as orfolk Suffolk and orth Cambridgeshire. he garden is designed by Charlotte arris and ugo ugg of award winning landscape design practice arris ugg Studio. heir distilled version of its design won est in Show and old at S Chelsea lower Show . he charity hopes to relocate this immersive environmentally friendly garden in a significantly enlarged form as its legacy home in She eld.

ritish actor and Stamford based eorge obinson well known for his role in the et i series Se Education is an appeal ambassador for the new garden. e spent seven and a half months in rehabilitation at the centre following a spinal injury playing rugby in South frica in . Early in he visited the spinal injury centre to hear more about the plans for the new beautiful accessible and therapeutic sanctuary as well as visiting the S staff team who so helped him during his time at the centre.

e said oratio s arden She eld East will change the lives of patients and their families at what is a very challenging time. t would have immeasurably improved my personal e perience at the centre. he benefits of being outside immersed in nature and to have time away from the ward are so important both mentally and physically. he profoundly positive impact of a oratio s arden is clear for patients their loved ones and hospital staff. esearch from its e isting gardens show that of beneficiaries see an improvement in their wellbeing with reporting that the gardens have supported their rehabilitation.

nce opened a head gardener will lead regular garden therapy sessions which are assisted by volunteers and organised in collaboration with the spinal centres occupational therapy teams. egular arts and crafts workshops will also encourage patients to discover new skills. he charity s creative sessions offer a wide range of techniques and pursuits with of e isting arts programme participants reporting distraction from pain.

s sif adds f there was a oratio s arden here d be out there every day. t d be ama ing. t would make my e perience in hospital more bearable and it would give me something to look forward to every morning.

Please consider donating to help create Horatio’s Garden Sheffield & East by visiting horatiosgarden.org.uk/donate or calling 01722 326834

The oaks have it

Mary meets Andrew Etherington whose career could almost be described as going full circle

T’S ALWAYS INTERESTING to find out how people start their businesses. nd more often than not many people sort of fall into it and then grow them from there mostly successfully. ndrew Etherington could be someone who fits that bill perfectly.

ndrew is from Esse and to describe him as entrepreneurial would be an apt description. e left school at and started working full time for the firm he d had a holiday job with making rocking horses and this is where he learnt to work with wood. t wasn t long though before he had moved on to work in the City as a bond trader for a Canadian bank. e was now enjoying all the monetary rewards this sort of career offered albeit countered by the long long hours and stress that goes with it as well. en years on and this life had palled. ow with children and the demands of family life including some medical ones it was time to leave the City and start afresh. mber ndrew s wife who is blind stuck a pin in a map of the and after hitting the orth Sea first on her second attempt pinned Lincolnshire. So they upped sticks and moved north to start a completely new life. nitially settling in ewark they then moved to arket eeping and are now in a small hamlet near Colsterworth. Since moving to Lincolnshire ndrew has always worked for himself and until a few years ago had a very successful business in medical sales which sadly came to a dramatic halt after a disagreement with a business partner. nd this is when providence kicked in. y son in law who is a jeweller was going to an e hibition and needed some benches but was

struggling to get hold of any. said to him was sure that between us we could make one which is what we did. e came back from the show and had sold four benches so it went from there really says ndrew.

e started putting the benches on e ay and got plenty of orders. ut this was during Covid when the cost of wood and materials shot up. nd one thing ndrew is very good at is numbers. knew as was working with oak had to start making things of higher value so that s what did.

is first customer was from ewark who he had made a bench for and then made a porch for him. ndrew then put the drawings for that porch on e ay and ood Stop was born. rders started coming in and it has grown e ponentially from there.

ndrew only works with green oak and this really is the S of his business. reen oak is newly cut and very very strong and heavy . s it is freshly cut it is moist and as it dries out it splits and cracks and then turns silver. he beauty of it is that it needs no after care and lasts for ever years easily. nd of course is beautiful. nitial costs might be higher because of the cost of the oak but whatever ndrew builds will last a lifetime so it is more environmentally friendly and sustainable. uality basically.

he oak comes from Limoges in rance via the wood merchant in Corby len. t comes from rance because oak is grown commercially there and grown straight rather than English oak which isn t farmed.

If you want curves or arches you use English oak; French for what Andrew does. The only other material Andrew will use is cedar shingles which are used on gazebo roofs.

Andrew may be self taught but he learnt the basics making those rocking horses all those years ago. here are only five or si joints used throughout the construction; the larger the building the more joints there are but they are just repeated. ails are not used because all joints and timbers slot together you ve just got to make sure that you use the correct ones! This is a very traditional way of working with wood.

ndrew s business has grown well through e ay but it has meant that he has worked all over the country. e often finds that he will go and build a porch for someone and is then asked to do a garage and then a pergola or pool house then something else. his happened with a customer in Shropshire where he ended up being for four months as the job kept growing! e would now like to concentrate more on local jobs as it s easier if need to go back for anything and of course will

'Andrew only works with green oak and this really is the USP of his business. Green oak is newly cut and very, very strong (and heavy).'

be cheaper for the customers as don t have to factor in travelling costs and time.

Andrew will make anything constructed of oak. He does a lot of garages from singles to triples. ne of his constructions now houses a rather nice errari collection won t tell you where that is . ool houses are quite common orangeries and garden rooms workshops too as are pergolas and ga ebos and of course the porches which can range in size and stature.

Andrew usually cuts the timbers and makes the frame in his workshop before taking it to the customer s property and building it. Sometimes if it s quite a complicated build he will work on site. nd he will also deliver frames for the customer to erect themselves but make sure you follow his instructions properly and use the correct timbers in the right place! lso be aware that it takes about si weeks to get the wood from rance and ndrew works on a first come first served basis so you may have to wait for him to honour other work first.

ndrew s life is very different now from running the medical supplies business but he s much happier. get so much more pleasure from actually creating something. I love doing this and get huge satisfaction from starting with a bundle of wood and creating a structure. nd love that have happy clients who are pleased with my work it means a lot.

www.woodstop.co.uk

Become an aquanaut

Kate went on a Discover Scuba Diving session in Oakham School pool with Dive Rutland. Here’s how she got on

IScuba diving

F, LIKE SOME people, you only have hobbies and interests that require good weather, I have an idea for you. Why not spend the winter learning to scuba dive, completing the theory and all pool elements? Then once the weather, and more importantly, the seas warm up, you can put your knowledge into practice on a series of open water dives and hey presto you ll be a qualified independent diver who can walk into any dive centre in the world and use their facilities.

That is the ethos of Dive Rutland, a club based in Ashwell just outside Oakham. Most of us when we are on holiday will have seen the ags ying at ive centres from rofessional ssociation of iving nstructors or SS Scuba Schools nternational . here are thousands of dive centres worldwide and many people do a fast track three-day course on holiday abroad to learn the basics and then enjoy warm seas teeming with brightly coloured fish and coral. ut if you learn that way, you will have limited time to consolidate, practice and truly become e cient. lot of people then always feel they must be guided by a dive professional, which adds extra cost to your diving activities.

n addition to and SS there s S C ritish Sub qua Club RAID and a few other diving agencies in the UK. The instructors at Dive Rutland, a centre owned and run by Tracey Roberts, can teach many programmes from beginner right through to becoming a Dive rofessional and beyond. he ive Centre philosophy is to create a family orientated atmosphere where anyone can drop in and chat in an unpressurised environment and where they train people to become independent, thoughtful divers equipped with the skills to embark on their own adventures.

t could end there with the newly qualified divers never seen again but nothing could be further from the truth. Divers can become club members and join in with the weekly Saturday evening sessions in Oakham School pool, monthly club events and club trips to diving destinations near and far.

Discover Scuba Diving

I decided to give it a go and signed up for a Discover Scuba Diving S session at their classroom in shwell followed by two hours in the pool. With my fellow students Neil and Ollie we met John, our instructor, for a theory lesson including learning how to handle the kit. We learned how pressure increases the deeper you dive, how your ears and nasal cavities are natural air spaces so you must equalise these areas as you go deeper by pinching your nose and gently blowing out. I must have been too busy taking notes as I completely forgot that later in the pool and ended up with screaming ears as a reminder.

'The instructors at Dive Rutland, a centre owned and run by Tracey Roberts, can teach many programmes from beginner right through to becoming a Dive Professional and beyond.'

There’s not less air the deeper you go, it’s just denser and more compressed so equalises the pressure in your lungs to the same pressure as the water pushing on your chest when you breathe in. We were taught to measure how much air we had in our cylinders. The golden rule is to always breathe, never hold your breath and you can always return to the surface in the pool if you’re having problems. The maximum depth is three metres so you’re just seconds away from air. It is quite a strange feeling breathing underwater and every time I put my mask on and broke the surface I wondered if it would work again without me choking. Of course it did, you just have to trust the equipment. nd a well fitting mask is key. ut don t dive if you have a cold or congestion as you could damage your ears. You can tell you have a cold much earlier in the water than on land.

S session is about having fun and finding out if you like diving. It's an introduction which helps to prepare you for what to expect on an open water course should you decide to continue. Normally you would turn up, your kit is put on your back and the instructors let you play in the water to get a feel for it. Neil and Ollie wanted to learn the skills that count as one of the four confined dives of the full open water course, so we worked our way steadily through them. I discovered I’m quite cack-handed and even though I thought I was listening intently, I wasn’t as quick as the lads at remembering the different sequences. hankfully diving is a team effort and everyone looks out for each other.

n the theory lesson we learnt how to put air in our S buoyancy control device and how to let it out how to breathe off the regulator how to fit the mask how to communicate underwater and how to carry out the pre-dive safety checks. One slightly alarming test was

'Dive Rutland tend to train on the first and last Sunday of the month in places like Capernwray on the edge of the Lake District, Eight Acre Lake in Hull and Stoney Cove which is the nearest inland training site to them.'

smelling the air in the cylinder to check for contamination. That had never occurred to me, but I suppose it must sometimes happen.

Open water

On the open water course, the skills build weekly, and, after initial training, everyone is taught how to dive in a dry suit in the pool. Obviously UK diving is not in 25 degree water so they want you to enjoy it at colder temperatures as well and hope you’ll become a UK diver too. According to Tracey the UK has some of the best diving in the world, you just need a little more preparation.

After the pool sessions, you also need to do at least four open water

Scuba diving

dives. ive utland tend to train on the first and last Sunday of the month in places like Capernwray on the edge of the Lake istrict Eight cre Lake in ull and Stoney Cove which is the nearest inland training site to them.

e dive all year round in the but you can t dive from anuary to pril or ovember and ecember in anything other than a dry suit because the waters aren t warm enough racey says. ur warmest months are late ugust September ctober and it starts to drift in ovember. arch is generally the coldest at degrees in inland water.

e don t put new divers in any water less than degrees. e d never see you again if it was lower!

t is considered cold water diving if it s degrees or below. nd according to racey it has a lot to give. n the visibility can be really good it can also be really bad! Scapa low has massive battleships from . n the arne slands you can dive with the seals. e have chalk reefs and hundreds of wrecks along the orfolk coastline. lso lots of wrecks on the South Coast ales and the sle of an.

he club also ventures abroad. n they went to Egypt options for include e ico and the hilippines. Club members get the first chance to go on trips and membership also gives discounts on kit relating to courses. hey also run a dive club for akham School taking students on a dive trip every ctober half term. his year they ran a club trip to the same destination the week after.

e encourage members and non members to increase their skill sets says racey. t s like advanced driving where you bolt on e tra skills. can take you from a beginner all the way up to professional. t depends on what you want to do with your diving. f you want to be a

CHARGE AHEAD

Bourne Woods and Edenham

This five-mile blend of forest and field is well suited to the wetter months, with good underfoot conditions most of the way round.

By Will Hetherington

Difficulty rating

The route

ark in the main ourne ood car park off the A151 Bourne to Edenham road. It’s a big car park and there’s no charge which makes a refreshing change. There is a narrow belt of trees on the eastern side of the car park which separates it from the main track that runs more or less north/south through the whole wood.

Once you are on this track head north for a kilometre until you come to a crossroads with a bench and footpath sign. Turn left here and within 200 metres you will come to a small wooden bridge which leads to the open fields to the west. ollow the path gradually uphill for a couple of fields and then you will come to the gap in the hedge, leading to a lovely view out west over Edenham and Grimsthorpe estate beyond. ake the path down the middle of the field and follow the signs to the pretty wooden bridge over the East len river. ollow the tarmac road across a gra ing field and when you go through the gate carry straight on to Church Lane (you can divert left here if you want to see the church but the main road is quite busy with HGVs so I wouldn’t recommend it).

At the end of Church Lane turn right on to School Lane and stay on the tarmac going gradually uphill for about half a mile until you come to Scoth arm. ollow the footpath signs here across a couple of fields and you will soon return to the wood. Go past the first obvious turn to the right and then take the next one to head south for just over a mile and then turn right back to the car park. There are lots of smaller paths in the woods so it’s great for exploring if you have a bit more time, and there are some ponds in the northern section.

Essential information

WHERE TO PARK

In Bourne Wood car park. Entrance off the A151 just to the west of the junction with the A121.

DISTANCE

Four and a half miles.

HIGHLIGHTS

The woods are great for exploring and it’s a good combination of field and forest.

LOWLIGHTS

It’s mostly good underfoot with plenty of hard track but inevitably some parts of the wood can get muddy/boggy but only for brief sections.

REFRESHMENTS

Head back into Bourne.

DIFFICULTY RATING:

Two paws; there are no stiles and it’s pretty good underfoot with minimal contour lines.

THE POOCH PERSPECTIVE

The woods are good for dogs and it’s mostly arable land out in the open so very little livestock. Not much fresh water around in the drier months of the year.

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.