‘Shoellery’ – jewellery for your shoes!

Liz Nicholls

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Nadine invites you to lead a charmed life with her 4KIX footwear accessories range

So Nadine, tell us a little more about 4KiX… 4KiX is a British accessories brand that encourages self-expression through fashion, flair and fun! Our mission is to celebrate what makes each of us unique. Inspired by street wear and pop-culture, our “shoellery” personalises the look of any footwear as well as lending itself to accessorise other aspects of an outfit. It’s mindful and versatile with the quality and flair of high end fashion, at more inclusive pricing. 

What exactly is shoellery? Shoellery is basically jewellery for your shoes! We accessorise all the other parts of an outfit, and it’s so much fun to be able to add that touch of personalisation to our shoes as well. The way they attach is our creation and is completely unique to the brand. It’s comfortable, durable and attaches without the need for undoing your laces or straps.

What was your inspiration to start the brand? I’ve had a passion for trainers and jewellery since the moment I could speak and point at sparkly things. In more recent years, I had been obsessing over the trend for sparkly trainers, but hesitant about the high price tags, so I started buying simple trainers and embellishing them myself. I wore them everywhere, even on holiday and wherever I went, I was stopped in the street by people saying: “I love your kicks, where can I buy them?” That was my lightbulb moment where I was initially inspired to design a line of trainers, but then I realised that what I truly loved was accessorising them, and that’s how the idea for the product started to form. 

Who can wear 4KiX? Anyone and everyone. While we seem to have a sweet spot among pre-teens and tweens, we have a broad age range of customers comprising teens, mothers, mothers matching daughters, grandmothers and even some boys. 

When did you hit the U.K. high street? We hit the UK high street this past Christmas 2023 with a very successful pop up at John Lewis on Oxford Street. We featured in their Christmas Shop for the last week before Christmas. It was an honour and a pleasure to make our high street debut with such an iconic retailer on one of London’s most prominent streets for shopping and trends. 

What are your best sellers? We genuinely have so many bestselling styles that we struggle to keep in stock. Among them are: Yummie Gummie, Over the Rainbow, Murakami Me, Say Cheese, Loved Up, Grin-a-bling, all of our evil eye styles, Pucker Up, and Cloud 9. 

Has anyone famous worn 4KiX? Yes, sports presenter & broadcast journalist Kiri Bloore has worn our Evil Eye bracelet and MVP charms. We also have some high profile celebrity customers whose names we can’t reveal out of respect for their privacy, but we can share that they ordered our Loved Up and Eyes on You bundles, which come in our branded boxes that look like candy and make great gifts. 

And what’s your background? My background is PR, but when I moved to the US, I had started pursuing a health coaching certification because I have a passion for helping people. On a visit back to the UK, I stumbled upon my Art History sketch pad in the back of my closet and remembered how much I loved everything artistic. In an effort to deal with the stress of my coaching coursework, I began drawing, designing and crafting. I posted photos of my creations on Instagram and received calls from family and friends saying, “Drop everything and do this!” That’s what planted the seed towards developing the idea for 4KiX. 

What does luxury mean to you? To me luxury is about joy. The joy of discovering pieces that make you smile, feel good, bring out your sparkle. It’s about making you feel pampered and seen. Everyone deserves to feel celebrated. Luxury is about connection, quality and self-expression. Ultimately, it’s our goal to make people smile and help them express what makes them unique. 

You started from a kitchen table, what are your plans to expand in 2024? We currently have a few stockists in locations including USA, Monaco, Bahrain and Holland. Our goal for 2024 is to continue growing with more stockists in more locations throughout the world. We’d love to reach as many audiences as possible, and most importantly, to spread as many smiles as possible.

Check out 4KiX here.

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Zone out!

Liz Nicholls

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Summer beckons, so why not think how you can best enjoy your outside space, come rain or shine? We speaks to some Bucks specialists who can help you

Picture the scene… The Euros have kicked off and you’re relaxing with friends, a chilled drink in your hand, as the action unfolds on the big screen…

And all of this (delete the hypothetical footie and replace with Wimbledon, the Grand Prix or the Olympics as you wish) in your own back yard. It’s an enticing prospect isn’t it? Well it’s not beyond the realm of possibility, thanks to a lightbulb moment Bob Best had last summer.

While Bob, who runs Herts Pergolas, was with his team admiring their recent handiwork, he noticed that the flat, white surface would make a perfect screen so a projector could be fitted opposite. “Suddenly the penny dropped,” says Bob, who has years of experience across the home counties building conservatories before switching to pergolas in 2022. “I thought: this is the perfect way to make the most of the space, watching the Euros. That’s the dream, in your own garden! You could add a hot tub or whatever floats your boat as well.” 

It’s a popular trend to create outdoor zones to suit a particular purpose which can make a huge difference, even in smaller gardens, where two or three areas work well. Outdoor structures such as pergolas are a great way to define a space and are often easier to achieve than extensions because they usually don’t require planning permission. That’s why pergolas are a fashionable choice with Bob’s customers, taking gardens to the next level.

“The bulk of our team’s work is now pergolas, led by our customers, which is great,” says Bob who lives in Kings Langley. “Our pergolas are made of aluminium, have a polyester powder-coated finish and are available in white or grey, which looks really elegant. They come in three sizes, 3 x 3m, 3 x 4m and 8 x 4m. The roof is fully adjustable, and they come with a full-height blinds and LED lighting with optional remote-controlled heaters and USB sockets to charge phones or devices. What’s genius, too, is they have internal drainage so that inevitable rain drains on to your patio area. It’s the way forward!” Visit hertspergolas.co.uk

Garden rooms have increasingly become an extension of your home and not just for those who work from home. If you’ve been coveting a beautiful hand-crafted bespoke oak building in your garden or adjoining your home, you’re not the only one! The Artisan Oak team work with clients across Bucks to help you design your dream bespoke space. The company, based just outside Stoke Bruerne, believe oak to be one of the most beautiful materials to use, with raw textures and uncompromisable strength. They also offer a landscaping service and incorporate materials such as glass, stone, brick and other wood, working along side sub-contractors for a hassle-free project. Visit artisan-oak.com

Seating is also a must, anything from a cute stylish bistro set for a smaller space to a full on comfy garden sofa next to a fire pit.

But, before you start planning your garden layout, you might come across an unsightly stump blocking your way. This is where the Wycombe-based Simply Stumps team step in. Led by owner Scott Howfield, a fully qualified arborist with 25 years of experience and a vast array of five-star reviews, they offer a convenient Whatsapp or online quote system at simplystumps.co.uk/free-quote/. Scott emphasises the challenge of removing tree stumps due to their extensive root systems, making digging them out nearly impossible. Instead, he recommends stump grinding, which produces fine woodchips that are easy to move and make excellent mulch for the garden. It’s a clean and efficient solution that avoids the hassle of dealing with a leftover stump. Scott also highlights the risk of honey fungus, which can use old stumps as a food source to attack living trees. As he aptly puts it, “it’s most definitely a case of better out than in!”

One thing that’s bound to be a godsend in this country is some sort of shade or cover. The experienced team at Verdec will help you create a fantastic outdoor area with bespoke timber garden structures and buildings, such as summerhouses, offices, adventure playgrounds, decking, hard landscaping and patios. Find out more at verdecfencing.co.uk

If you’re looking for high-quality long-lasting outdoor furniture covers or gazebo side panels check out family-run, UK-based Kover-it. The team manufacture all types of covers, including for sofa sets, BBQs, pool tables and gazebos. All are bespoke and manufactured to ensure the best fit. Visit kover-it.co.uk

Metal Gates Ltd are manufacturers, fabricators and installers of quality metal gates, railings, garage doors, balustrades and staircases. The family business has over 30 years’ experience in the metalwork industry, they can guarantee quality craftsmanship and a professional service from planning to installation. Contact them on  01628 621974 for a free no obligation quote. More at metalgatesltd.com

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The Money-Saving Gardener Anya Lautenbach

Liz Nicholls

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Self-taught Bucks “garden fairy” Anya Lautenbach’s new book can help you create your dream garden on a smaller budget, thanks to her hard-won experience

Standing amid a drift of beatifully  blooming narcissi, Anya Lautenbach has a smile as radiant as the blooming half-acre garden she has nurtured.

And this positive, sunny sight is even more miraculous because Anya is the first to admit that her self-taught gardening skills have helped her dig her way out from a dark place.

Anya grew up in Poland and was inspired by her grandparents who knew how to grow and forage for their food, having survived WWII. She arrived in the UK in her late twenties to learn English, leaving behind a career in business development. But while working on Mohamed Fayed’s Balnagown Castle estate in the Scottish Highlands, she felt extremely homesick and, on her mother’s advice, she bought a plant, which helped her feel “rooted”.

From this tiny plant baby, a strong passion grew, with Anya growing and propagating new plants, channelling the knowledge she’d absorbed as a child. Once her English had improved, she moved to Buckinghamshire to return to her corporate life, getting married and having her first son before moving to her current home in Marlow in 2012. She loved the natural beauty all around her but nonetheless felt herself sliding into a mental health crisis.

“Propagation can connect us to previous generations.”

“I never asked for any help in terms of mental health,” she says. “I felt trapped and lost and I couldn’t even go for a run because I had a newborn.” Anya also struggled to process her shock and pain when close relatives back home in Poland were struggling with long-term illness. “It was like storm after storm after storm, and I was so overwhelmed, constantly in tears, struggling with what was happening back home,” she says. “Since then I’ve been diagnosed with ADHD, which I now see as my superpower, but before then it was hard.”

Thanks to her mother-in-law’s encouragement, Anya began taking cuttings and her passion for the life-changing magic of plants grew, “almost like a positive dose of medicine. Propagation saved me from a serious mental breakdown.”

Anya, who lives with her husband and two sons, started posting short, easy-to-follow gardening hacks on her Instagram @anya_thegarden_fairy which went viral, especially as the cost of living crisis began to pinch. Today, she has more than a million followers across social media channels, including 690,000 on Facebook, almost half a million on Instagram and 60,000 on TikTok, where her tutorials include splitting clumps of “Rozanne” geraniums and other tips.

Dorling Kindersley published her first book, The Money-Saving Gardener: Create Your Dream Garden at a Fraction of the Cost in February, and it has become a Sunday Times bestseller. The book is a mine of helpful, creative tips to help save your pennies, the planet and maybe your sanity. “Propagation can connect us to previous generations – and to future generations too,” says Anya. “I’m delighted by the response!”

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Bucks book shops worth a visit

Liz Nicholls

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Our independent bookshops welcome readers young and old as well as connecting authors to loyal audiences. Liz Nicholls chats to some of the people behind the local treasures which deserve your custom, thanks to face-to-face, tangible magic in an increasingly online world

Don’t underestimate the pulling power of your local bookshop! Recently Joan Borreli travelled from the USA to Gerrards Cross Bookshop to collect a signed, limited-edition copy of Sir Paul McCartney’s book, 1964: The Eyes of the Storm.

“There are only 175 signed copies of this book worldwide, and we were thrilled to be selected by Penguin Random House to receive one copy to sell,” explains Sheryl Shurville. “As you can imagine, we were inundated with phone calls and emails from interested customers, but Joan got in first! We had a lovely celebration for her and Joan combined her visit with a trip to Liverpool as she’s a huge Beatles fan. It’s moments like these that really bring home how much joy people get from books. It’s a fantastic memento that Joan and her family can treasure, and we were delighted to play our part in that.”

The GX shop has been cherished by locals for more than 30 years while its glam older sister, Chorleywood Bookshop, has clocked up 50 years. Both are now part of the same company, Chiltern Bookshops Limited, co-owned by Sheryl Shurville and Martin McKean, but the Chorleywood shop was originally set up by four women in the early 1970s. Both are cultural hubs for their respective communities, as Sheryl adds: “Individuals and families love visiting for pleasure and inspiration. They’re the lifeblood of the local cultural communities, inspiring the readers of today and tomorrow, connecting authors and their potential audiences. Our friendly, knowledgeable booksellers offer customers personalised advice on what to read next. These human conversations are so important. Customers really value these face-to-face interactions – it’s something they simply cannot get from shopping online!”

The shops also host about 90 author events a year, with recent highlights starring the likes of Rick Stein, Lorraine Kelly, Alastair Campbell, Victoria Hislop &Clive Myrie. “Our schools programme is extensive and expanding too, from large-scale author events, book fairs, supporting children’s literacy, and library restocks. It’s a vital part of what we do to inspire an interest in reading from a young age.”

“Use your independent shops or lose them! We aren’t museums.”.”

Spring and early summer is always a busy time for book releases. On Monday, 15th April, 7.30pm at Chorleywood Memorial Hall, the Chiltern Bookshops team will welcome the writer and comedian Helen Lederer to discuss her powerful, frank, moving new memoir, Not That I’m Bitter. Tickets are £12; call 01923 283566 or email info@cwbookshop.co.uk

Women’s heath expert Liz Earle will star at King’s Church in Amersham, HP6 6LX, for an evening celebrating the publication of her new book A Better Second Half (tickets from £15).

Gardeners’ World presenter Frances Tophill will be at Chorleywood Memorial Hall, on Monday, 29th April to talk about her new book, A Year in a Small Garden which features photography shot throughout the year, as well as Frances’ own journal and garden notebooks documenting how she built her small oasis.

Highlights beyond this include former PM Theresa May, bestselling novelist David Nicholls, writer & journalist Clover Stroud and historian and writer Max Hastings. For this & more please visit chilternbookshops.co.uk

Young readers were also front of mind when Thame Book House opened in 1972, exclusively as a children’s bookshop… “Hence the gift of our wonderful Fat Puffin who stands outside (in opening hours) from publisher Puffin Books,” says Luise Pattinson of the shop. “We started in Cuttlebrook House – auspiciously WB Yeats had lived in that house a short while and his son was born there. As our business grew, we needed to expand; we were essentially in the main downstairs room of the owner’s home so we moved to our current position, 93 High Street, which allowed us to add books for grown-ups to our shelves!”

A few years later the same team opened a shop in Summertown, beloved by Morse author Colin Dexter…  “We had to close that branch exactly 40 years after opening,” adds Luise with a call to action for us all: “Use your independent shops or lose them! We aren’t museums.”

Among the many authors whose burgeoning career was nurtured by their local bookshop is bestselling writer and barrister Tony Kent. “I first came to know the team at Chiltern Bookshops when I moved to Bucks in 2018, which coincided with the release of my first book,” he tells us. “Despite being very early in my career at that time, Sheryl, Martin and their staff were incredibly supportive. They invited me to appear at a host of events throughout the first few years and made a big difference to my profile locally. As things have progressed and my books have become more well-known, that same support has been maintained, including a launch event for my fifth thriller The Shadow Network and our partnership with them at the UK’s newest major crime writing festival, Chiltern Kills.” For more on this October highlight, visit chilternkills.com

Anya Lautenbach’s new book, The Money Saving Gardener, is thriving as heartily as the Bucks garden she planted from seeds and cuttings. Her book was recently named a Sunday Times bestseller and featured in The Telegraph. But it’s her local Marlow Bookshop which helped tend this blossoming success… “I love supporting local businesses and was thrilled the shop wanted to stock my book and invite me to talk,” she beams. “It’s a wonderful place, with 25,000 books in stock. Since they know I’m local, they have been so kind to me and I have also supported them on social media. I love the fact that my passion, and now my book, have allowed me to connect with so many people.”

With its hotchpotch of characterful buildings tucked under wonky rooftops, Great Missenden High Street will forever be the BFG’s stomping ground in my mind thanks to Roald Dahl, the famous son of the village. It’s also home to St Andrew’s Bookshop which has served readers of Christian books for more than 65 years.

Real Magic Books opened in the heart of Wendover High Street in 2022. Co-owner Carl Gosling says: “Independent bookshops celebrate real books, showing people of all ages how beautiful, exciting and important they are. Booksellers work tirelessly to bring authors to our towns and villages, to share ideas and culture that hopefully bring us joy through art and the written word, and ultimately inspire us. Amazon does none of this; Amazon just believes in profit. Our motto is ‘good books for bad times’. Our highlight guests since we opened have included Irvine Welsh, Jeremy Deller, Salena Godden, Cold War Steve, and many more. There has been an event almost every week with lots of author events coming.”

l Please visit booksaremybag.com

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Paloma Faith April music star Q&A

Liz Nicholls

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Musician Paloma Faith tells us about her new break-up album The Glorification of Sadness ahead of her UK tour which starts this month

Q. Hello Paloma; congratulations on your album, your best yet! Are you happy with it?

“Thank you. Well, yes but it’s difficult! I’m the sort of person who takes any sort of success with a pinch of salt… When people say ‘oh it’s really great’ you never know whether that’s going to translate into popularity or streaming figures.”

Q. Do you have imposter syndrome?

“Yeah and I think it’s part of what drives me. We live in a real era of isolation; it’s all internet or social media-led and quite confusing. I’m not quite sure what’s real and what isn’t. I look at my following of 800,000 and then I look at peers of mine, who have 2 milllion and they don’t sell as many records. So I tend to be a bit blinkered and just go: ‘oh I’m gonna give the best show that I can’.”

Q. Do you think women have to play a role to win popularity?

“It’s funny, I didn’t announce my break-up but when the press reported it all the comments underneath were either ‘she’s a bloody handful’ or ‘I’m sorry he cheated on you’. It’s so weird that people think in those two narrow-minded terms and neither one is correct. As a woman either you’re a victim, and if you’ve got kids with them you’re expected to stay and suffer, or you’re perceived as this nightmare femme fatale character. I don’t think I’m either! So it’s wrong on both counts. There’s the expression of sadness [on this album] and remorse and vulnerability but also there’s a lot of empowerment, standing up for myself and saying this isn’t for me. In this way society needs to catch up. Quite often I listen to songs by women and they’re celebrated when they express vulnerability or victimhood but not so much when they express their strength.”

Q. You were moved by something Madonna said…

“Yes, Madonna says the most controversial thing she did was to stick around & I relate! A woman’s longevity is always under attack more than a man’s. I’m lucky; I’ve always looked quite young for my age, partly because I don’t do the injectables that, I think, make people look old. I hope to stick around!”

Q. Who would be your dream collaborators, alive or dead?

“I think I’d like to stick with the people who are still alive, please! I would love to work with SZA and Miley Cyrus.”

“Performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious”

Q. How do you take care of your mental health?

“I do exercise and I go to therapy. I’ve done EMDR [eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing] and think it’s really good. One thing I’m learning more recently in my life is that avoidance or distraction mean your issues just come back to bite you in the bum. You can choose to address & face your issues and own up to who you are or else you’re just prolonging the agony.”

Q. Do you like being on tour and will you take your children on this one?

“I’ll take my youngest but the oldest is in school so she can only come for the dates in the Easter holidays; she’s gutted about it and has real FOMO! I love touring. I get a bit nervous beforehand but performing is my favourite thing to do and the only time I’m not anxious.”

Q. Are you looking for love?

“I tried dating for a bit and it just feels difficult to navigate when you’ve got children. The last time I was single I didn’t have any kids and I wouldn’t ever put anyone before my children. And I just don’t have the tolerance I used to have. When we as women are looking to pursue relationships and we don’t have kids, we compromise a lot. People keep talking to me now about compromise but I think ‘oh f***  off with your platitudes, I don’t have to compromise, I’d rather be on my own’. Maybe I am a nightmare woman after all, haha! You know better than you did when you were younger that you can do it without anyone.”

Paloma Faith is on tour including the Hexagon in Reading on 3rd April and New Theatre Oxford on 14th May as well as starring at Southampton Summer Sessions on 28th June. Visit palomafaith.com

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My Secret Closet event style saviour

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls visits Jan Parkinson whose new My Secret Closet in Benson offers beautiful dresses & accessories for hire, plus a pep talk!

Dressing up can be one of life’s greatest pleasures.

But if you’ve lost your confidence (in your body shape or your style) an invitation or ticket to a special event can trigger a hot thought that just makes you panicky… what on earth to wear?!

Jan Parkinson understands this all too well. The mum of two grown-up twin daughters has spent her life traversing the globe working in luxury aviation. Her globe-trotting life includes time living in Florida working in hair & beauty, and so she’s naturally impeccably turned-out (while being modest and camera shy!).

Jan has collected some stunning occasionwear on her travels, some of which has barely been worn. This prompted a brainwave: why not hire out dresses and accessories? That’s how My Secret Closet was born. Jan’s outfit rental is perfect for mothers of the bride or groom, wedding guests, regattas, balls… or how about hiring something to give you that extra boost of confidence for an all-important job interview?

“With Jan’s help you shall go to the ball!”

From mid-March you’ll find high-quality/designer outfits and accessories in various sizes and colours to suit any style. We all feel a bit clueless sometimes (imposter syndrome, too) when we have to dress up, but Jan is the perfect fairy godmother to guide you to an outfit that might even make you feel like a princess. If you’re scared of colour, don’t be: Jan can show you how to build the perfect outfit, head to toe.

Her wardrobe has a fabulous range of accessories, including handbags, jewellery, pashminas and more along with dresses from Veni Infantino, Ted Baker, Karen Millen, Reiss, Hobbs and Coast to name but a few. Jan’s aim, by renting outfits, is to reduce fast, disposable fashion and offer an affordable and fun long-term or short-term rental solution. With Jan’s help, you shall go to the ball!

Email mysecretclosetco@gmail.com and see My Secret Closet on Facebook for info.

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Ruby Wax at Oxford Literary Festival

Liz Nicholls

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We chat to the bestselling author, comedian, actress and mental health campaigner Ruby Wax OBE who stars at Sheldonian Theatre with Buddhist monk, Gelong Thubten on Monday, 18th March.

I wholeheartedly recommend you read I’m Not as Well as I Thought I Was, Ruby’s latest book. It grabs your attention from the first page, where Ruby documents her recent breakdown. She is writing from a mental institution where she is undergoing RTMS, likening herself to Frankenstein’s monster.

She eloquently describes how this recent episode of “depression, the black hole of diseases where you sit helpless as your mind hammers you with accusations and it’s hard to stay alive and listen” took her down.

“These days, trying to stay sane in a completely chaotic world makes life incredibly difficult,” she says. “Thank you for your comments about my book. I haven’t read it back but I’ve taken all my books on tour and this is the most pleasurable so that’s a clue.”

“For those readers who are deep in the darkness of mental illness, I hope my book makes you feel less alone.”

In Hard Times and Fearless Living she will star with fellow author Gelong Thubten for a conversation, following a group meditation, on Monday, 18th March, as part of Oxford Literary Festival. Book your tickets here.

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Spring into Easter

Liz Nicholls

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Easter comes early this year, March 29th – April 1st, which gives us an opportunity to enjoy the glories of spring as well of course, as eating chocolate!

There’s so much more to Easter than just choccy eggs, for many it has the deepest religious significance, for others it affords a long weekend of spending time with your loved ones hopefully with some bright cheery spring sunshine then and beyond.

This Easter pop along to a National Trust property near you for a family trail. Jam-packed with outdoor activities, games, riddles and crafts, every Easter celebration is different and ends with a chocolate egg.

Spring has sprung at Widmer Farm Park in Princes Risborough, with lots of cute babies due to be born in March and April, including lambs and kids.

“It’s definitely the season we all look forward to after a cold winter,” says Alice Paterson. “At Easter our focus is on new beginnings. We support rare breeds and are very proud to be contributing towards the conservation of Bagot goats, Golden Guernseys and Cotswold Sheep with our breeding programme.”

The farm opened more than 30 years ago and in 2022 the family business decided to reopen the farm park which sits alongside the pet and equine shop and horse riding school, making it a haven for all animal-lovers. A café is being built with an indoor soft play area in the pipeline. Right now there’s an Easter Trail included in ticket prices; all participants will receive a treat. Visit widmerfarmpark.co.uk

The Gruffalo is celebrating his 25th birthday at Wendover Woods and to celebrate, everyone is invited to take part in a brand new forest adventure. The family trail features all sorts of party-themed activities and games, along with fun facts to teach you about life in the forest for the Gruffalo and other creatures. Follow the trail to help find the missing party items to give the Gruffalo a birthday to remember.

Thomas the Tank Engine – a real steam locomotive – is offering rides at Buckinghamshire Railway Centre in Quainton. Plus, meet Sir Topham Hatt, Rusty & Dusty, Percy and Trevor the traction engine! (If you’re away at Easter, don’t worry; Thomas will be back in Quainton in May, July and October!).

Hughenden, near Wycombe, will welcome your little bunnies for an Easter trail, 10am-4pm from 23rd March to 7th April. Encounter life-size mythical creatures, solve riddles, discover hidden treasures and conquer Medusa’s snakes and ladders or engage in a playful game of Cyclops Eye Spy on the parterre (normal entry plus £3 per trail, including a chocolate egg). With its natural playground for climbing, balancing and make believe, picnic tables in the orchard, walled garden and exhibition about Hughenden’s secret WWII map-making history, a trip to Hughenden is always a great day out.

And there are more National Trust treasures worth visiting in Bucks, of course. Cliveden’s Easter trail will run 29th March to 16th April, 9.30am-5pm (and the Storybook Play Den is always a hit). Claydon near Winslow (former home of Florence Nightingale) will offer the Easter trail 29th March to 1st April and wonderful Waddesdon (whose popular Woodland Playground has just been refurbished) offers eggstra (sorry) fun, games and creative activities as well as the choccy trail, 27th March to 7th April. For more info please visit nationaltrust.org.uk

Peterley Manor Farm in Great Missenden, HP16 0HH, is a cherished local treasure and a great place to buy spring produce. Highlights this month include candlemaking & a Mother’s Day market. Visit peterleymanorfarm.co.uk

We love Kew Little Pigs in Old Amersham where you might be so smitten with the little porkers that you look into homing a micropig yourself! You can book a pigkeeper day for children aged between seven and 16 years on 1st, 2nd, 8th and 9th April.

Awesome Odds Farm at Wooburn Common, HP10 0LX, wins rave reviews for good reason with its super slides and indoor zone as well as livestock including goats, sheep, cows, ponies, donkeys and bunnies to meet.

Tot-friendly beauty Bekonscot model village & railway, HP9 2PL, the world’s oldest original model village, has reopened to visitors after the winter. Visit bekonscot.co.uk for more info.

Bucks Goat Centre in Stoke Mandeville, HP22 5XJ, is a bucolic animal paradise with a cafe and the Bunny Brunch on Saturdays at 10.30am offering a chance to feed and cuddle the smaller animals. Also, Fox Cubs is a popular group for SEND children up to 15 years every Thursday. Visit thebucksgoatcentre.website

Hogshaw Farm & Wildlife Park in Claydon, MK18 3LA, is a wonderful space to recharge with animal and farmer encounters and a cafe. Find out more at hogshawfarm.co.uk

Families can explore some of the wonderful details of Amersham old town with a town trail created by the team at Amersham Museum. This has been beautifully illustrated by artist Livi Gosling, with the support of the Rothschild Foundation, the National Lottery Heritage Fund and Chilterns AONB. For this & more highlights, visit amershammuseum.org

How about getting some fresh air with a Go Ape treetop adventure in Black Park or Wendover Woods offering a bird’s eye view of the forest. Ropes, zip lines, nets and walkways will take you on a magical journey through the tree canopies. Visit goape.co.uk for more.

The One World Animals team offer hands-on encounters with exotic animals including insects, arachnids and reptiles. Enjoy a workshop at Bourne End Community Centre, SL8 5SX, on 5th April; oneworldanimals.com

Happy Easter, and have a cracking time! LN

Image: National Trust/Paul Harris

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Art & soul

Liz Nicholls

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John Vardon raises a toast to Arts’ Society Farnham Evening who have been meeting for 20 years this month

Venice was the subject of the inaugural lecture given by Douglas Skeggs to the Cobbett’s Wey Decorative and Fine Arts Society on 14th January 2004. 

Eight months earlier, in April 2003, a group of like-minded ladies got together with a view to setting up a Decorative and Fine Arts Society (DFAS) that would meet in the evening, complementing the existing society meeting in the daytime, and giving an opportunity for working Farnham people to attend lectures.  There was much to do, from finding a suitable venue, through procuring audio visual equipment, creating a programme of lectures, finding a name for the nascent society, drafting a constitution and preparing publicity material to establishing a membership.  In the intervening period, the steering committee worked hard and with success; the society was born.

From the beginning, refreshments were served before the lectures, allowing members and their guests to socialise and the society’s meetings rapidly gained a reputation as friendly as well as informative events.  In the beginning, nine lectures were presented each year but, after only two years, this was increased to ten. The range of lectures has been extremely wide; topics covered have been as diverse as gardens, silver, furniture, tromp l’oeil, architecture, music, bricks and much else.

The society also arranges visits and study days for members, often related to a the subject of a lecture. Members have also been active participants as Church Recorders and Heritage volunteers. Church Recorders ensure that the contents of a church are meticulously described and fully recorded whilst Heritage Volunteers work to conserve artefacts in museums, archives, gardens and historic houses.  Another aspect of the society’s activities was the Young Arts Bursary designed to assist promising young students in their studies to support artists of the future; more recently, the Society has provided financial support to the Woodlarks Centre, specifically in support of the on-site Activity Centre.

In 2017, the National Association of Decorative and Fine Arts Societies rebranded as The Arts Society so, as an affiliated organisation, Cobbett’s Wey DFAS became The Arts’ Society, Farnham Evening (ASFE) but it still retained its reputation as a welcoming and friendly society offering an excellent series of lectures.  The COVID pandemic presented further challenges to the Society which went on-line enabling its programme of lectures to continue with only minor interruptions.  However, it was a real joy for Members to reconvene to socialise over a drink and listen to excellent lectures. Over the years, a hard working and cohesive committee supported by enthusiastic volunteers has ensured the success of the Society.  And so at the end of 2023, the Society celebrates the completion of twenty years with the return of Douglas Skeggs, speaking this time on the topic of James Whistler: The Gentle Art of Making Enemies

New members are most welcome or come to a talk as a visitor. Free parking and a glass of wine are included! For further information visit theartssocietyfarnhamevening.org.uk

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Heart felt with author Teri Terry

Liz Nicholls

Posted on

Teri, whose psychological thriller The Patient will be published by Bookouture on 13th February, tells us about her local life & loves

Teri is no stranger to writing, having previously published 14 young adult novels. She was inspired to write The Patient after following the tragic news of the parents of a young boy who went to court to stop his life support being withdrawn.

This and other previous cases got her thinking about what life and death mean, both medically and legally, and how it might differ from how most lay people would view this…

“When I was a law student I was fascinated at the difference between ethics and a lay person’s gut reaction of what is right or wrong,” she says. “An action could be considered ethical even if many would consider it wrong; conversely, it could be unethical even if most might think it was right.”

Teri, who has worked as a scientist, a lawyer and an optician; managed her own business, worked for a charity and in schools and libraries, has been writing full-time for a dozen years, mostly thrillers for teens, starting with the Slated trilogy. She was born in France, going to school in Canada, and living in Australia before settling in south Bucks which has been home for almost 20 years and where she lives now with her husband and six-year-old cockapoo Scooby. “Bucks is very much home,” adds Teri. “We got engaged at the top of Coombe Hill… Then I slipped over in the mud. Scooby is much loved and full of life and mischief. Having her made such a huge difference to our lives during lockdown. Tommy the trainer is one of her very favourite people, now located at Pegasus Unique Pets in Whitchurch [pegasuspets.store].

“I love that we have easy access to canal and countryside walks here, but are still being able to get to London in under an hour: the best of both worlds! I love Black Goo in Tring and Thame is a favourite haunt. Also, The Bell in Aston Clinton and Rumseys in Wendover for getting together with other writers, eating chocolatey treats and having a good natter. I’m also very pleased there is a new independent bookshop in Tring, Our Bookshop.”

The Patient is a psychological thriller about a heart transplant recipient who becomes obsessed with her donor. You can order or pre-order before that date on Amazon.

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