Star Q&A: Gok Wan

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Television star Gok Wan, 47, talks to us ahead of his dazzling star turn as the Man In The Mirror in Snow White at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre from 4th December to 2nd January

Hi Gok! How did you get involved in pantomime? “I’ve dreamt of being on stage forever. I first began to think about panto some years back. I was fascinated… Then one evening, maybe 2012 or 2013, I was with Lionel Blair and the very naughty Louie Spence. They said I really should give it a try. I spoke with my agent and Channel Four got involved. I first met Snow White then. There have been other pantos since then but it’s really great to be back with Snow White.”

Q. What’s your character The Man In The Mirror like to play? “Man In The Mirror sounds like a piece of furniture! I’m not and it isn’t! The script is amazing. I finished re-reading it again this morning – the tradition has again been tweaked for the 2020s and I’m excited. The mirror has messages. The mirror motivates. The mirror is magic.”

Q. And your costume… do you have a professional opinion about it? “Do I have an opinion? Oh yes I do! I like it. I was encouraged from the start to contribute input, although the designer anticipated so much that my suggestions could be called incidental. There’s a vital aspect, though, and one I insist on. An aspect that’s seen and unseen – the fit! My costume has to fit and over the Christmas period that could mean adjustments… It’s gotta be done.”

Q. Do you have any pre-show dressing room rituals? “Haha! Not only in the dressing room! Yes, I’m superstitious and my rituals – as you call them – go on throughout the performance; I don’t leave them to lurk alone in the dressing room. What can I tell you? Ahh, there’s ‘first on stage.’ Of course there is going to be stage crew but I like to be the first cast member on stage before a performance. What else? This year in Snow White I am required to fly and when I’m up high, without fail, I whisper a hello to my Mum. I love the flying bit. Love it, love it!”

Q. What is the secret to a great pantomime? “Three ‘secrets’: the first is definitely the audience; the second is likely to be the audience and the third, in my experience, is probably the audience. I like to open the show, to greet and welcome everyone and I can predict within 20 seconds
just what sort of evening it will be. People
have probably had tensions at work, frustrations with traffic, delays or hold-ups – it’s important to me that everyone feels wanted.”

Q. We’re enjoying your new TV show Bling… “I believe you can get a lot from the series. Jewellery can mean so much more than ‘an accessory’ – so often there is special significance attached to a piece. The series sparkles with stories, memories and emotion, as well as amazing technical skills and explanations. It is fascinating. I learned a lot.”

Q. Do you know this part of the world well? “Not really. My home’s London so I’ll commute. I like town and city life. The hustle, the bustle, the noise, the rush, the dirt, energy, sweat, the crowds. I am a absolutely a city boy! I was brought up and lived over a restaurant so it’s what I’m used to.”

To book, call 0333 009 6690 or visit atgtickets.com

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Make it a Turquoise Friday!

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Treat yourself to a luxurious holiday in the Maldives or Mauritius and enjoy some fabulous Black Friday deals with Turquoise Holidays

Turn Black Friday Turquoise with 50 per cent off selected holidays to the Maldives and Mauritius booked from November 26th to 29th.

Turquoise Holidays is offering guests exclusive deals with fabulous prices on spectacular hotels for 2022.

The idyllic Indian ocean paradise of the Maldives and Mauritius offers holidaymakers glorious tropical sunshine amid breath-taking natural beauty, not to mention endless sunshine.

Choose from Constance Moofushi and Constance Halveli in the Maldives both including flights and seaplane transfers.

Travel in May and seven nights in a beach villa at Constance Moofushi, all-inclusive, will cost £2,649 per person, saving £3,100 per couple.

Holidaymakers can enjoy 50 per cent off water villas for travel from April 1st to December 26th, 2022 and 50 per cent off beach villas between May 1st and October 31st, 2022.

Constance Halveli offers seven nights in a water villa, bed & breakfast, from £2,499 per person for travel in May, saving £2,750 per couple. Water villas enjoy a 50 per cent discount for those holidaying from January 4th to December 26th, 2022 and the same amazing saving on beach villas from May 1st to October 31st.

Mauritius invites you to sample the delights of the Constance Prince Maurice and the Constance Belle Mare Plage at prices reduced by 50 per cent for the accommodation.

Junior suites are available at the Constance Prince Maurice for travel from January 7th to December 22nd from £1,549 per person (based on travel in June). Stay for seven nights on a bed & breakfast basis and enjoy return private transfers and flights included in the price, a saving of £1,500 per couple.

Constance Belle Mare Plage has stunning deals for both couples and families. Couples will love benefiting from 50 per cent off prestige rooms, prestige beachfront rooms, junior suites and beachfront junior suites for travel from January 7th to December 22nd, 2022. Spend seven nights half board in a prestige room with return private transfers and flights from £1,449 in June, saving £1,180 per couple.

Treat the family (two adults & two children under 12) to seven nights in paradise staying in a junior suite for £4,600 when travelling in August, saving £2,400 per family.

These exclusive offers and savings are only applicable to bookings made between Friday, 26th November and Monday, 29th November for the Maldives and Mauritius.

Visit www.turquoiseholidays.co.uk or call 01494 678400 to find out more and to book.

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Long-term help with your short-term rental

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The Short Term Rental Company offers a complete hands-free hosting experience for owners.

The Short Term Rental Company is a specialist property management company. We maximize cash flow using short-term rentals for higher returns.

Our goal is to not only bring amazing homes to our guests but to provide a seamless and profitable, hands-free hosting experience for our owners.

We provide a fully-managed service, which means 100% hands off for you. We handle all the marketing and day-to day operations. This includes housekeeping, guest communications, calendar and revenue management. We can also handle your property’s maintenance so there are no complaints from guests!

Our guests have changed and we are ready to welcome them

Post-Covid the opportunity for flexible living is attractive to professionals. They have embraced the opportunity to live and work from anywhere with a strong wi-fi signal.

The priority for business travellers is now the level of cleanliness and the short-term rental sector is well positioned to meet this demand.

We are re-discovering the excitement of going on holiday for both mini-breaks and longer stays. And short-term accommodation is perfect for this.

There are a range of short-term properties to choose from. These rentals are an opportunity for both a holiday and for those who are wary of travelling abroad.

There are so many reasons people choose short-term rentals and this high demand is why you need to get started in the Short Term rental sector.

Try our FREE no-obligation consultation and make an informed decision on whether short-term rentals are right for you. For more information or to get in touch click here www.thestr.co

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Plans for homes at Valley Park

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Taylor Wimpey is inviting Didcot and Harwell residents to see the latest plans for the first phase of new homes at Valley Park during a public exhibition in November.

Valley Park will comprise up to 4,254 new homes, south of the A4130 and west of Great Western Park. The development will include 1,489 affordable homes as well as community facilities including two new primary schools, a Special Education Needs school, shops, sports facilities, playing fields, allotments and open spaces.

Outline planning permission for Valley Park was granted by the Vale of White Horse District Council in July 2021. The first phase, to be known as Primrose at Valley Park, will comprise 293 homes, of which 103 will be classed as affordable housing.

Taylor Wimpey is holding a public exhibition at the District Community Centre at Great Western Park from 12.30pm to 7.30pm on Friday, 12th November. People will be able to see the latest plans for Primrose ahead of the submission of a reserved matters planning application in the new year.

Gary Needham, Land and Planning Manager for Taylor Wimpey Oxfordshire, said: “Valley Park is a major development for the Didcot and Harwell area and we are excited to be able to show off our detailed plans for the first phase of new homes, which will be known as Primrose.

“We’ve seen through our neighbouring Great Western Park development, which is almost sold out, that having a range of great facilities on the doorstep creates a brilliant community, and we know that Valley Park will be no different. We’re eager to meet people in person, talk them through our designs for Primrose and give a real feel for what this new development will be like to live on.”

The public exhibition for Primrose at Valley Park will take place in the Apple Room at the District Community Centre, 1 Gentian Mews, Great Western Park, Didcot, Oxfordshire, OX11 6GR, between 2pm and 7pm on Friday 12th November 2021. People can also visit www.taylorwimpey.co.uk/new-homes/didcot/valley-park to find out more about the plans and register their interest in a new home.

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My Journey as a Belly Dancer

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Elizabeth Gordon’s book details the extraordinary moves that took her from legal secretary to belly dancer

From legal secretary to belly dancer may not sound like an obvious career move but for Elizabeth Gordon it proved to be the perfect one.

Her moves as a belly dancer set her off on a path that would change her life forever and one which she has captured in her book My Journey as a Belly Dancer.

After the breakdown of a relationship in Barrister’s chambers, Elizabeth took herself off to the more exotic climes of Morocco, keen to get away from her broken heart and feeling rather uncertain about her future. Not knowing which direction to take other than to board the plane and bring about a break from her daily routine, she became inspired having watched an Arabic belly dancer perform in a hotel.

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From that moment, Elizabeth says she knew “that I would be in her shoes one day” and on her return home she signed up for classes. Her true story “delves into the glitz and dangers of a world she found herself caught up in, when she began dancing at a Turkish Cypriot restaurant in London”.

Elizabeth features in the book as Shariffa, highlighting her experiences as a dancer in Northern Cyprus in the late 1980s for a couple of months. Here she met Mr Bedis at his taverna and danced for soldiers in the barracks.

Fascinating and insightful, she hopes it will be “an inspiring tale of how anyone can find something new within themselves when they believe all is lost”.

Her book is available to buy on Amazon.

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Jack & Beyond

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Send some sweetness & light to loved ones with Jack & Beyond’s Christmas cakes & goodies available for delivery across the UK

Is it ever too early for the first mince pie of the year? We have decided that this year, most certainly not! We love food here at Round & About, which we’re showcasing in our jam-packed November & December magazines. So we have been trying to take the repeated warnings about food shortages in the run-up to the festive season with a pinch of salt!

Luckily, thanks to all the dedicated food & hospitality stars out there, we have found that there is much to celebrate… and tuck into! The bakers & makers at creative cake shop Jack & Beyond have wowed us, as well as the Great Taste award judges with their handmade artisan mince pies, generously filled with an immediate aroma of Christmas, earning them a two-star billing. They can be sent as gifts with a personal message or just as a treat for yourself (hey, we’re not judging!). There are also gingerbread mince pies and chocolate mince pies for the non-purists looking to shake things up.

The London-based Jack & Beyond team have expanded their Christmas range for 2021 – all available to order from their online shop for delivery nationwide. In addition to their divine mince pies, they have Christmas macarons, gingerbread and moreish truffles which make tasty Christmas gifts or simply a luxurious way to entertain your guests this Christmas.

New for 2021 are Christmas Macarons hand-decorated with quirky festive designs with four flavours raspberry, salted caramel, chocolate and lemon & elderflower all presented in a beautiful gift box. The new Christmas Gingerbread Cookies are packed with flavour and the fun decorations make them popular with adults and children.

For chocolate fans, Jack & Beyond’s range of smooth gooey brownies are made with luxurious dark Callebaut chocolate and finished with beautiful patterns, they achieve the perfect balance of sweetness and intense chocolate. Choose from white chocolate and pistachio; red velvet; salted caramel; peanut butter; and vegan chocolate and raspberry brownies and new for this year Bailey’s chocolate brownies fans – a classic chocolate chip brownie topped with a generous layer of indulgent Bailey’s & chocolate ganache. Ideal for gifts for colleagues, clients or teachers, Jack & Beyond has attractive gift bags of brownies, shortbread, fudge and new for 2021 Chocolate Truffles  – Champagne, Dark Chocolate, Gin & Tonic, Raspberry & Champagne and  Salted Caramel Truffles

For cake lovers, Jack & Beyond’s Christmas Yule Log and Fruit Cake Loaf are perfect treats or gifts and can be delivered nationwide. The Yule Log is an indulgent chocolate sponge cake roll with a swirl of spiced chocolate ganache, while the Fruit Cake has a lovely soft texture and packed with flavours of mixed dried fruits, spices and ground almonds.

JACK & BEYOND 606 Fulham Road, London, SW6 5RP • Web: Jackandbeyond.com/ • Instagram: @jackandbeyond  • Facebook: /jackandbeyond

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November recipes: Passage to India

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We’re sharing a taste of From Gujarat With Love – 100 Authentic Indian Vegetarian Recipes by Vina Patel

There is a very special story behind this dish and I must share it. It was one of the first dishes I ever learnt to make (I like to call it the Bachelor’s Dish!) and one of very few I had in my culinary arsenal when I got married and moved to the States. I was an inexperienced cook and served it to my husband’s friends for dinner one night along with fresh hand-rolled roti. I watched them wolf it down, thinking it was typical of hungry young men – but later realised they truly loved it! I shared the recipe with them and was (and still am) delighted to hear they often make it for their families. As a tradition, I serve it every time they visit us, some 30 years later. I love how food connects people, creating lifelong friendships.

Potato and Pea Curry

Ingredients:•

• 3 tbsp oil
• 3⁄4 tsp cumin seeds, slightly crushed or roughly ground
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1⁄2 tsp ground turmeric
• 1 1⁄2 tsp chilli powder
• 570ml/20fl oz/21⁄2 cups water
• 2 potatoes, peeled and cut into 2cm (3⁄4-inch) cubes
• 250g/9oz/2 cups shelled petits pois or peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 1⁄2 tsp Coriander-cumin Powder
• 3⁄4 tsp Garlic Paste
• salt, to taste
• 3 tbsp chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 1 tbsp chopped garlic scapes (optional)
• Roti, to serve

Method

Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over a medium heat and add the cumin seeds. Once they begin to crackle, add the asafoetida, ground turmeric, chilli powder and water. Bring to the boil, then add the potatoes, peas, coriander-cumin powder, garlic paste, and salt to taste.

Cover partially with a lid and cook for 12–14 minutes over a medium heat. Uncover the pan and add the chopped coriander.

Reduce the heat to low and cook for another two minutes, stirring occasionally. Add another 60ml/2fl oz/1⁄4 cup of water if needed.
Stir in the chopped garlic scapes, if using, and remove the pan from the heat. Serve with roti.

SPICY PEA CROQUETTES KACHORI

Every recipe tells a story, and this one is no exception. When I was pregnant with my youngest, my mother-in-law would make kachoris for breakfasts at the weekends. We feasted on them until we couldn’t eat any more. Here, the coconut adds a lovely Surti element. A food processor speeds things up, if you have one.

Ingredients:•

For the filling
• 5cm (2-inch) piece of fresh ginger
• 3 green chillies, stems removed
• 450g/1lb/3 1⁄2 cups shelled petits pois or peas, thawed if frozen
• 1 tbsp oil, plus 700–950ml/24–32fl oz/3–4 cups oil, for deep-frying
• pinch of asafoetida
• 3 tbsp raisins
• 3 tbsp cashew nuts, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp grated fresh coconut or sweetened coconut flakes
• 10g/1⁄3oz/1⁄4 cup finely chopped coriander (cilantro)
• 3⁄4 tsp garam masala salt, to taste
• 2 tsp fresh lime juice 1 1⁄2 tsp sugar

For the dough
• 200g/7oz/1 1⁄2 cups plain (all-purpose) flour
• 3–4 tbsp oil
• 5 tbsp plus 2 tsp warm water
• chutney, to serve

For the filling, peel the ginger and blitz with the chillies in a blender or food processor for 1 minute. Add the peas and blitz for 15–20 seconds to a coarse consistency.

Heat the tablespoon of oil in a non-stick frying pan or skillet over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida and cook for 5–7 seconds. Add the pea mixture and cook for 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Reduce the heat to medium-low.

Add the raisins, cashews, coconut, coriander, garam masala and salt and cook for 10 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and sugar and mix well. Remove the pan from the heat. Allow to cool slightly so the mixture is easier to handle. Shape into 12 balls, approximately 4cm (11⁄2 inches) in diameter and set aside.

For the dough, combine the flour and oil in a bowl. Mix well and add the warm water. Knead for 2–3 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft. Add a little more water if needed. Divide the dough into 12 equal portions. Roll each portion into a disc, about 10cm (4 inches) in diameter.

Take the filling portions and arrange one in the centre of each dough disc. Bring the sides of the dough together like a parcel and pinch the top to seal. Trim off any excess dough from the pinched end.

Heat the oil for deep-frying in a deep saucepan over a medium heat.

To avoid overcrowding, carefully lower in half the kachori and deep-fry for 2–4 minutes, using a slotted spoon to move them around, until they are golden all over.

Using a metal slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a tray lined with paper towels to drain. Repeat with the remaining kachori, then serve hot with your favourite chutney.

 Extract credit: From Gujarat with Love: 100 Authentic Indian Recipes by Vina Patel (Pavilion Books). Image credit to Jonathan Lovekin.

We have two copies of Vina Patel’s From Gujarat With Love –
100 Authentic Indian Vegetarian Recipes to giveaway this month!

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Star Q&A: Samantha Womack

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Actress, singer, model & director Samantha Womack tells us about festive feelings as she stars as the White Witch in The Lion, The Witch & the Wardrobe at Aylesbury Waterside Theatre as part of its UK tour

Q. Hello! We’re celebrating Christmas shows. Did you go to many of these as a youngster? “I loved all shows as a child. My grandmother was a choreographer and often had friends in shows. She was a great friend of the theatre manager at the Palladium and so I remember going to see Michael Crawford in Barnum countless times which was an incredible performance.”

Q. What is it about this production of the CS Lewis play that will really make Christmas sparkle? And why should we all book a seat? “This production of The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is directed by Michael Fentiman whose work I’m a massive fan of. With this production he brings a similar vibrancy and originality that he created with his award-winning Amelie. It is a magicial, spellbinding show with Narnia being revealed in earthy pagan magic and musicians on stage whose physical talent is breathtaking.”

Q. Any favourite hang-outs or places to visit while you’re in town? “Aylesbury is an area I’ve performed in over the years, in South Pacific, Guys & Dolls… so I have many fond memories of here. I always bring my dogs with me as there are so many beautiful walks around Thames Valley.”

Q. What’s your go-to snack or food or drink you could never live without? “I try to eat healthy food as I eat a lot. Avocados and kimchi is my current craving and homegrown veg. Having said that, Lidl does dangerously good ice cream…”

Q. What’s the best meal you’ve ever had & choice for a last supper? “The best meal I’ve ever had? Tricky! Anything my grandmother cooked. She did a mean Welsh rarebit and roast tatties.”

Q. Who would be your six dream dinner party guests, alive or dead, real or fictional? “My six dream dinner guests would be Oliver Reed, Richard Burton, Nick Drake, Edith Piaf, Sidney Poitier and Kathryn Hepburn.”

Q. What’s your first memory of music? And your favourite song or album? “My first memory of music was my Dad playing Cat Stevens on acoustic guitar. I miss that sound.”

Q. Do you love Christmas, and what especially are you looking forward to this year? “Christmas is special to me. My father Noel was born on Christmas Eve so that feels bittersweet but I always have a house full of people and music over the Christmas break.”

Q. What other highlights are on your horizon? “I have just bought a retreat business with my partner in Valencia in the mountains and so we will be working on that next year.”

Q. If you could be a real white witch for a moment and make one wish for the world, what would it be? “My wish for the world would be environmental awareness so we stop any more species and plants from being wiped out. And it sounds corny but… to be kind and love one another.”

For tickets please visit atgtickets.co.uk

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October recipes: Sweet spot

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Ravneet Gill’s Sugar, I Love You: Knockout Recipes to Celebrate The Sweeter Things in Life, is out this month.

For your eating pleasure, I spent weeks testing variations of chocolate cake. I knew what I wanted: something wonderfully moist, a touch bitter, light, quick-to-make and beautiful. The perfect lazy person’s cake. It had to be a gleaming beauty!

Lazy Person’s Cake

Ingredients:
For the wet cake mix
• 175ml light olive oil & extra
• 2 eggs
• 175ml buttermilk
• 170ml boiling water
• 5g/1 tsp instant coffee

For the dry cake mix
• 125g caster sugar
• 125g light brown sugar
• 80g cocoa powder
• 230g plain flour
• 5g/1 tsp sea salt flakes
• 10g/2 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 5g/1 tsp baking powder

For the malt chocolate ganache
• 150g 70 per cent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped
• 50g 55 per cent cocoa solids chocolate, chopped
• pinch of sea salt flakes
• 300g double cream
• 1 tbsp malt extract (alternatively use black treacle, maple syrup or honey)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan/180°C/gas mark 4. Grease two 20cm (8in) cake tins with oil, then line with baking paper. Weigh all the dry cake mix ingredients & stir with a whisk (if the sugar is lumpy, you’ll have to sift it.).

2. Weigh all the wet cake mix ingredients, except the water & coffee, into a large bowl and whisk. Make the coffee in a cup, pour it into the wet ingredients bowl and stir. Add the dry mix to the wet mix and whisk to combine. Divide the mixture evenly between tins. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before flipping on to a wire rack (allow to cool fully before ganache).

3. To make the ganache, put both the chocolates and the salt in a large heatproof bowl. In a saucepan, heat the cream with the malt extract until steaming but not boiling. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and leave for 1 minute. Use a whisk to stir from the middle outwards – so as not to whisk in any air – until silky & beautiful. Let ganache sit for 10 mins.

4. Take a large plate with a lip. Place a cooled cake on the plate and spoon over enough ganache to cover the top. Don’t worry if it spills over the edges, we kind of want this. Place the next cake on top. Pour the remaining ganache all over, without a care in the world. Use a spoon to guide it over, making sure plenty of ganache is falling down the sides. Put the cake in the fridge for 20–30 minutes.

5. Remove from fridge and, using a small offset palette knife, scoop up the set ganache from the edges of the plate and spread over the sides to create a smooth finish. It really is that easy and effortless.You’ll have your friends thinking you really care…

This cake keeps best in an airtight container at room temperature for three days. If kept in the fridge, allow to come to room temp before eating – it’ll be nicer! I recommend mircowaving a slice for 20 seconds & pouring cold cream all over it.

We have two copies of Ravneet Gill’s Sugar, I Love You to giveaway this month!

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The Divorce Revolution

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New business launched to help separating and divorcing couples save money and stay out of court

Divorce rates are increasing and relationship experts warn the pandemic-induced break-up curve may not have peaked yet. Some law firms are seeing over a 100% increase in enquiries based on the same period last year and courts are struggling to keep up with the new demand.

Claire Colbert and Rachael Oakes have set up their own business called “Family Mediation and Mentoring” because they want to work with individuals and couples in a way that law firms cannot.

Most people know someone, a friend or family member, who talks about the nightmare of their divorce, the conflict, stress and what seemed like never-ending legal fees.  Well, separation and divorce no longer need to be like this anymore.

At Family Mediation and Mentoring LLP the focus is to keep people out of court, save them money and facilitate the resolution of any issue involving family breakdown, separation, divorce and its financial consequences, arrangements for children and any other kind of family dispute.

We will be supporting couples to achieve an amicable divorce using the skills we have as accredited mediators and drawing on all the knowledge and experience we have each built up working as specialist family lawyers for more than 20 years. We are leaving the world of litigation behind to focus on supporting individuals and couples in a way that will reduce acrimony, legal fees and stress.

Our aim is to become the go-to business for people who find themselves considering separation and divorce and want to know what all their options are and gather as much information as possible about the process before going to lawyers. If the couple wish, we can then mediate to discuss and sort out all the issues that need to be resolved, meaning that they may only need a lawyer at the very end of the process to receive legal advice and draw up a legally binding agreement.

Lawyers cannot meet with a couple together. They are prevented from doing so because it is regarded as a conflict of interest by the rules that govern how lawyers’ practice.

One of the unique services Family Mediation and Mentoring LLP will be providing is a fixed price Family Law Information Meeting.

Whilst working as family lawyers we were conscious that many couples wanted to meet with us together to obtain an understanding of the steps and options involved in divorce situations. Law firms cannot offer this service, they are unable to meet with couples together, but we can.

This is a great first step for any individual or couple wanting to receive as much information as possible about how the divorce process works and enables couples to make joint decisions about next steps. This service can reduce the risk of conflict, help keep legal costs down and assist people who are already representing yourself in the family court.

We can use these meetings to answer all the questions people have that they often think they must go to lawyers to get the answers to. In our experience, once lawyers are involved, many cases are then on the litigation pathway and options to consider and resolve issues amicably have been lost.

In speaking with us people may decide that Mediation is the process that they want to use to reach an amicable agreement about their family dispute. If they do, then we will then provide that extra support and put in place the necessary meetings to take things forward. If mediation isn’t right for any reason, then we can provide recommendations about other professionals who can help.

We are the only local business who are able to provide all of the following services to help and support people resolve their family dispute;

• Traditional Family Mediation where a couple meet with a mediator to facilitate resolution of the practical and financial consequences of separation and divorce.

• The new Hybrid Mediation model where both lawyers representing the couple are involved in meetings so that they became part of finding the solution and stop litigating. Having the lawyers at meetings means that they can provide legal advice to their client as and when it is needed, when discussing proposals for reaching an agreement, and then a binding legal agreement can be drawn up on the day. This significantly reduces the time it can take to reach an agreement with lawyers involved, hand in hand with the costs.

• Meeting with children to ascertain their views about future arrangements so that they have a voice in the process and so they feel they have been consulted about important decisions that are going to impact on their future.

• Mediating for couples to facilitate what might be included in a pre-marital agreement, post marital agreement or cohabitation agreement.

• Coaching people who are having to prepare for or go through the court process. This is a very stressful process and one we know inside out. We can offer real and practical tips that people can use to help them cope.

• Resolving other types of family disputes by mediation.

• Mentoring lawyers who work in the field of family law. This service is led by Rachael who also sits as a Deputy District Judge.

Our business came about after much reflection about the way we wanted to work moving forward and wanting to help couples find a better way to separate and divorce. As Alice Walker said – “Look closely at the future you are constructing. It should look like the future you are dreaming”. We have dreamt the dream, now we are creating our future and a better future for those we will work with.

Our website contains lots of information about all the services we provide and explains all the above options in more detail so please do have a look –  www.familymediationandmentoring.co.uk

Here is a video we have put together to explain a little more about our new business. We very much hope that we can help people and their friends and family find a better way to separate and divorce.

If we can help you or anyone you know, call us on freephone 0800 206 2258 or email us at [email protected] or [email protected]

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