M&S Food collaborate with Tom Kerridge

Karen Neville

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M&S Food has joined forces with Michelin-starred chef, and father, Tom Kerridge on an exciting new partnership, kicking off with a brand new meal planner to help customers serve up delicious, pocket-friendly family meals this summer.

M&S Food has joined forces with Michelin-starred chef, and father, Tom Kerridge on an exciting new partnership, kicking off with a brand new meal planner to help customers serve up delicious, pocket-friendly family meals this summer.

Tom’s meal planner is packed full of products from the M&S Remarksable Value* range and includes a shopping list full of great value, quality ingredients with easy-to-follow recipes that’ll give you five mid-week meals for a family of four, with handy tips for any leftovers.

Each of the recipes comes in at under £2 per person – giving customers an M&S-quality meal, created by a Michelin-starred chef, for less than the price of a cup of coffee and all prices of the ingredients in the meal planner will be locked for the whole summer.**

Developed around ‘ALL taste, less waste’ the planner includes recipes such as Chipotle Chicken Thighs with Herby Rice, with tips to turn any leftovers into a burrito bowl for lunch the following day, and Sweet & Spicy Sausage, Carrot & Broccoli Bake, with an amazing hack for turning the leftover broccoli stalk into its very own pesto.

Tom knows a thing or two about how to create delicious family meals on a budget

Following the success of his recent Full Time Meals campaign with footballer Marcus Rashford, Tom knows a thing or two about how to create delicious family meals on a budget. He told M&S Food Magazine: “One of the big things is having a shopping list and an understanding of menu prepping and meal planning, knowing what you’re going to cook over the next five or seven days. Build together the recipes you’re going to cook, and only buy what you need – a little bit of structure works really well.”

As well as being famous for his Michelin-starred ‘pub classics’, Tom is well known for his stances on sustainable farming, supporting British farmers and reducing food waste.

M&S won’t compromise on quality

He said: “I think people are always surprised when they realise prices at M&S are much more competitively priced than they’d expect, especially on most of the things you’d buy on a weekly shop like milk, butter, cheese, bread, pasta and veg. And I think the quality behind those products is still absolutely top notch. The eggs are still free-range, the mince is completely traceable. M&S won’t compromise on quality even with its Remarksable Value ingredients, and that’s something really important to me.”

All taste, less waste

Pick up the shopping list in store and scan the QR code to find the recipes and meal planner online, or find it on the Marks & Spencer website

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New theatre company Moonhawk stage Frankenstein

Karen Neville

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Abingdon’s Unicorn Theatre is the stage for inaugural production 

Catch new theatre company Moonhawk in action from Wednesday, 30th March until Saturday, 2nd April when they’ll be performing a new version of a classic tale. 

The fledgling company will be staging Nick Dear’s version of Frankenstein based on the Mary Shelley original at the Unicorn Theatre full of all the Gothic and romantic elements that have made this tale popular still more than 200 years later. 

Victor Frankenstein (Nick Kovari) constructs a creature from recovered body parts. When his creation comes to life he runs away in horror and abandons it. The creature wanders across Europe, trying to escape violence and hunger. When he is taught to read and write by a blind teacher he learns about his creator and begins a new journey to find Frankenstein and to get answers. 

This is the first production from Moonhawk who will perform a wide range of plays, old and new and welcome anyone and everyone with an interest in all aspects of theatre production, either on stage or behind the scenes. The new theatre company has been created to give opportunities to actors and technicians of all ages with the aim of supporting those wanting to go to drama school. 

Moonhawk founder Leon Witcomb said: “I caught the drama bug over 10 years ago and have been acting, directing and stage managing ever since. More recently I’ve entered the world of producing, hence Moonhawk Productions.  

“We’re based in Abingdon-on-Thames and we use several locations to put on our diverse types of 

drama. We operate an “open door” policy meaning that anyone can be part of Moonhawk – on stage, back stage, production and front of house.” 

Leon added: “My mentor and the catalyst for my drama career is my old drama class teacher, Andrea Mardon. She taught me from a very early age and directed me in many shows and inspired me to take acting and producing seriously. Thanks Andrea! 

“Moonhawk have some really amazing plays, as they say in politics – shovel ready and raring to go! Watch this space!” 

Tickets £10, age 14 & upwards on the door or from www.wegottickets.com/moonhawk

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Pizzeria Campana: A taste of Italy

Karen Neville

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A truly authentic pizza restaurant and take away opens on March 19th at The Shed, Bordon

Pizzeria Campana is not another pizza chain outlet but a real family business bringing the taste of Campania (the Italian region where Naples is located) into the heart of Bordon with traditional Italian pizzas.  

Gareth Turner, one of the Pizzeria Campana team is thrilled to be opening: “It started as a simple dream – to create a truly Italian style pizza oven stocked with wood, fired up and ready to bake a pizza, which has been lovingly handmade from a carefully crafted authentic recipe and topped with the finest, freshest ingredients.” 

“Open 7 days a week, for lunch and evening service, Pizzeria Campana will take you on a culinary trip to Italy. Our friendly family team members will be ready and waiting to bring the authentic Italian style pizza restaurant (collection and delivery) into the heart of Hampshire.” 

Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company is delighted to announce this new opening on Saturday, 19th March. In recent months The Shed has also welcomed new food restaurants/takeaways The Shack and Stuff’d as well confectioner Sweet Treats to its unique, authentic shared experience. 

With a range of artisan treats, home cooked food, arts & crafts, creative workspaces and great local entertainment The Shed features an array of the best local makers and creators. 

There are Markets every Wednesday and on two Saturdays a month, plus entertainment at The Cube and host of major events throughout the year, so there’s so much more on offer than in your average shed. 

Pizzeria Campana opening times:

Mon – Wed: 11am-9pm
Thu – Sat: 11am-10:30pm
Sun: 11am-7:30pm 

For more information about The Shed, businesses and events, visit: www.theshedwb.com  

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Make Mother‘s Day Lush 

Karen Neville

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From Thursday 17th March, Lush will be offering an immersive pop-up experience in the lead up to Mother’s Day at Oxford’s Westgate shopping centre. 

There will be Lush gift concierges and product experts on-site to help customers handpick the perfect ethical gift for every need and guide them through the Lush Sleepy & Spa Pop-Up. 

Running until Sunday 27th March the activation is just in time for National Sleep Day on Friday 18th March when customers and their mother figures will be able to find a place to relax and unwind.

The Sleepy & Spa pop-up will host a tunnel where visitors can take a moment to immerse themselves into the space and learn practices to help them feel more calm and grounded. The journey will be an introduction to mindfulness including a complimentary hand and arm massage area for visitors to sit and relax with a Lush Spa therapist who will be teaching self-massage techniques. It’s time to slow down to speed up!

Lush Sleepy Range and limited products

Alongside Lush’s popular Sleepy range, customers will have access to purchase a limited amount of the Sleepy Candle, the Sleeping Giant Bombshell that is only available in Lush Anchor shops and Dreamtime Temple Balm, only found in Lush Spa locations. 

Customers will also be able to purchase vouchers for Lush Spa treatments. 

Lush Spa Treatments

Created to transform mind and body, Lush’s luxuriously pampering spa treatments are the perfect way to rejuvenate and revive. With eight Lush Spas to choose from and with treatment vouchers available in Lush shops nationwide, you could say that the Lush Spa is Lush’s best-kept secret.

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Join Twyford Together Charity run

Karen Neville

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Photo: Barnes Fitness’ sports photographer, Chris Drew.

The Twyford Together Charity 5k and Fun Run is one of the village’s best-loved, annual events. It’s a chance to get active for a good cause, run with family and neighbours and perhaps be crowned ‘Fastest Street’… the ultimate accolade!

Put your trainers on this Sunday (10th) at The Piggott School and get running in one of four races, split according to school year groups (pre-school toddle (100m), reception and years 1 & 2 (1km), years 3 & 4 (1km), years 5 & 6 (2km) as well as a chip-timed, multi-terrain, 5K for those aged 11+ (see course map below).

You still have a few days to enter as online entry closes at midday on Saturday, 9th October. Register in advance by filling out the form on Barnes Fitness’ website. Early-bird entry helps us to avoid congestion at registration and to start each race on time. On the day entry is subject to race limits and costs an additional £2.50 for the 5K and £2 for all other races (cash only).

In 2019, the fastest street competition was introduced to the Twyford Together Charity 5K and Fun Run. Chip timing allows organisers to collect race times for individual streets in the 5K race. The street with the fastest cumulative time for three runners wins! So, get training with your neighbours if you want to beat the 2019 winners, Springfield Park! New for 2021 is the option of receiving a medal or ‘dedicating a tree‘. On the entry form, we’ll ask you if you want to plant a tree or receive a medal. After the fun run, you’ll be sent a certificate with a photo, the species and GPS location of your tree. You can even go and visit your tree if you want to! Prizes will go to fastest male and female in the 5K win one month membership to Castle Royle, the next 10 runners over the line earn seven day membership, the ‘Fastest Street’ in the 5K receives a voucher for a Wine Tour & Tasting at Stanlake Park (for three), top three fastest streets get vouchers towards a celebratory meal at either La Fontana, Buratta’s or Haweli (winner gets first pick!) and fastest boy and girl aged 11-15 and 16-18 in the 5K take home Up and Running, Reading vouchers. Plus, there are Decathlon vouchers for the fastest boy and girl in the school year group races as well as ‘Have a Go Heroes‘ (in the 5K, 2K, 1K and toddler dash). It’s the taking part that counts!

In addition to the spectacle of the race, you can enjoy Tash who will be there with Martha the Van aka The Refill Hub so bring some containers to stock up at this wonderful mobile refill shop, My Journey Wokingham will have their awesome smoothie making bike, Polehampton PTA is running a second-hand book shop and Camp Mohawk is bringing a pop-up toy stall. They’ll also be face painting, pumpkin racing and Halloween craft as well as a selection of homemade cakes from Happy Hours and refreshments from The Rural Pie Co. Plus, you can try out your footie skills with Twyford Comets and get in shape with Castle Royle. There is limited parking on site. For those who cycle, there are free bike checks with My Journey Wokingham’s Dr. Bike. And while you’re having all this fun, know you are helping Twyford Charities Together. The group was formed in 2011 to give local charities, often lacking their own fundraising team, a helping hand.

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Ready for take off?

Karen Neville

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The chances are you haven’t taken your passport out of its safe keeping place for quite a few months, but before you start eagerly pulling those suitcases from the loft and getting ready to pack, make sure your passport is as ready to travel as you are.

via GIPHY

Did you know that since Brexit, the requirements for your passport have changed. It is recommended that on the day you travel you have at least six months left on it. This allows for: travelling in Europe for up to three months (you don’t normally need a visa for the first 90 days in every 180 days of travel) and the requirement from most European countries to have at least three months left on your passport on the day after you leave.

Your passport must also be less than 10 years old on the day after you leave. If you renewed your current passport before the previous one expired, extra months may have been added to its expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the minimum period needed.

via GIPHY

These rules apply for travel to and between most countries in Europe: Andorra, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, San Marino, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Vatican City.

These rules do not apply to travel to Ireland. You can continue to use your passport as long as it’s valid for the length of your stay.

Here’s a few essentials you need to know:

→ It costs £75.50 to renew or replace your passport if you apply online or £85 if you fill in a paper form.

→ You must be aged 16 or over (or turning 16 in the next three weeks) to get an adult passport. There’s a different process to get a passport for a child.

→ There are different ways to renew or replace your passport if you’re outside the UK.

→ Allow up to 10 weeks to get your passport. It takes longer to apply by post than online.

→ You may be able to get a passport urgently if you need one sooner.

→ Do not book travel until you have a valid passport – your new passport will not have the same number as your old one.

After so long with being unable to enjoy a holiday you don’t want to get left on the runway at the last minute!

For further information on: Passport rules for travel to Europe and Will My Passport Be Valid After Brexit?

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Wine & mind

Karen Neville

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Learn some simple mindfulness strategies to boost your performance at work and home while you enjoy a glass of wine

Former female RAF helicopter pilot Sarah Furness is bringing Winefulness, a combination of business and mindfulness over a glass of wine, to Henley on 15th July.

Afghanistan veteran Sarah will be presenting her new concept of Winefulness, uniting her unique management experience under fire and mindfulness over a glass of wine to local business leaders at Henley’s world leading Oaken Grove vineyard. She will be joined by the Daily Mail’s wine correspondent, Olly Smith, who will be leading the wine-tasting.

Sarah uses her training in Military Grade Mindfulness to help business professionals use mindfulness techniques and to reach their potential whatever their circumstances. She says that her Winefulness taster day will be the ideal place for busy professionals to learn how to incorporate mindfulness into their routine, whilst doing the things they love.

Sarah also runs Winefulness Wednesdays every last Wednesday of the month at Oaken Grove. This is an opportunity for people to hear about how the brain works and how to apply simple mindfulness strategies into their daily lives …. all brought to you through the experience of wine-tasting.

Oaken Grove Vineyard is a family-run boutique vineyard, nestling in the Chiltern Hills surrounded by ancient woodland, offering a range of award-wining wines. The seven acres of vines produce exceptional still and sparkling wines.

In addition to Sarah’s Winefulness Wednesdays, Oaken Grove also holds pop up restaurants and jazz on a Sunday afternoon. On Friday evenings and Saturdays the terrace is open to enjoy a glass of wine with local cheese and charcuterie.

To find out more and to book click here

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Putting children’s wellbeing first: Inside Out

Karen Neville

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Inside Out is an education charity based in Reading focussed on improving children’s wellbeing.

Children’s mental health and wellbeing have never been so high on the school agenda. Teachers have never been under so much pressure, managing daily change.

To help teachers and parents with the current, flexible approach to schooling, they have developed a ‘Wellbeing Guide’ based on their 5 Keys to Happiness, the equivalent of 5 fruit and veg a day for your mental health.

This is a free resource for schools, teachers and families packed with inspiration and activities to boost children’s happiness and wellbeing. These resources will now help ease the long-awaited transition back to school.

There is a wealth of information and resources out there but it’s often confusing and hard to know where to start. The Wellbeing Guides are full of activities that are simple, fun and quick-to-use, at home or school.

The Guide offers fun, simple ideas and resources for children, whether they are currently being educated at home or in school with a new edition shared each week during lockdown. Please see attached pdf of the latest edition, which includes a 5 Keys to Happiness poster for parents to print out and use at home.

For more wellbeing inspiration, why not follow INSIDE OUT on Facebook and twitter or visit their website www.theinsideout.org.uk for all previous issues of the Wellbeing Guide.

Read about pop icon Billy Ocean and the Young Voices Choir’s charity single to help children’s mental health here.

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Maymessy: Recipe for life

Karen Neville

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Social enterprise Maymessy is helping families learn valuable life skills.

Food shopping and cooking for a family can be a challenge, especially when you’re on a tight budget, but help is at hand from a Wantage-based social enterprise.

Maymessy at Garlands Farm, West Challow, believes in giving marginalised groups and disadvantage young people better wellbeing through cookery classes and wellness activities.

It was launched in 2017 by Anna Richards who turned a disused cow shed into the cookery barn supporting young carers, young people in the care system, families struggling financially, those with special needs and refugee families.

Maymessy works with eight local charities and youth groups helping young people to understand the importance of teamwork, build their confidence and self esteem and enjoy time outside in the shared garden as well as giving them greater knowledge of healthy eating and wellbeing.

Maymessy at Garlands Farm

This year, it has branched out to support adults from charities such as Refugee Resource and Style Acre with those who visit working in the vegetable plot and getting to grips with the pots and pans before sitting down to tuck into a plate of their own yummy and nutritious food.

Maymessy can also offer ad hoc work experience, volunteering and mentorship to the young people who go there.

Anna said: “As a qualified teacher with nutritional accreditation and a mother of twin girls, I know how food shopping and cooking for a family can be a challenge, especially when you’re on a tight budget or using a food bank.

“As a local community interest company, I wanted Maymessy to help these families by providing a safe and comfortable space to learn these essential life skills.”

And this year Maymessy has been supporting the NHS in Oxfordshire with weekly deliveries to around 100 Covid-19 special care staff.

Anna added: “At the end of lockdown, we also collaborated with Ray Collins Charitable Trust to provide care packages to the staff of the John Radcliffe Children’s hospital. It was there that we had the idea that we could partner to provide support to local families in Wantage – providing our cooking expertise to the families using the [Wantage Coronavirus] Support Group.”

The WCSG has been working closely with local families over the last seven months supplying much-needed shopping and over this time realised the difference these classes could make.

Anna Richards: Founder of Maymessy

Ray said: “Shopping and cooking on a tight budget is never easy and in some cases can lead to friction and tension in the home. So the Sustainable Wantage, Ray Collins Charitable Trust and the Coronavirus Support Group want to help out by organising cooking classes for parents and hopefully older children to learn new cookery skills together and how to plan and budget for meals.”

To find out more about the work of Maymessy visit www.maymessy.com

Read about the R&A Good Cheer Awards and nominate who has helped in your community.

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Banff film festival

Karen Neville

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Picture credit: Ben Tibbetts

Celebrate the great outdoors with exhilarating stories and intrepid characters as the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour returns for 2020. 

The tour features two different collections of films from the world’s best film makers, with super-human challenges, inspiring journeys and stunning cinematography from the four corners of the globe.

The tour’s films are chosen from hundreds of entries into the Banff Mountain Film Festival, which is held every November in the Canadian Rockies. The UK and Ireland tour visits 60 locations along the way. As well as thrilling films, each event features a free prize draw for exciting outdoorsy goodies from the tour partners.

UK tour director Neil Teasdale said: “We can’t wait to share the latest inspirational films from the world’s most prestigious mountain film festival on our biggest tour yet.

“As well as exhilarating stories starring intrepid characters and pioneering journeys, an evening at Banff is a celebration of the great outdoors, with a vibrant atmosphere and a real sense of community. And we guarantee audiences will leave inspired to have an adventure of their own.”

For more information about the films and to book tickets visit www.banff-uk.com

The tour comes to G Live in Guildford on 13th March with the ‘red’ series of films and 29th April with the ‘blue’ series of films.

‘Red’ films – Charge, Danny Day Care, The Flip, Home, Up to Speed, The Imaginary Line, The Ladakh Project and Thabang

‘Blue’ films – A Nordic Skater, Return to Earth, The High Road, Spectre Expedition – Mission Antarctica, The Frenchy, The Long Rover Home and The Running Pastor

All programmes may be subject to change.

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