Indie film highlights the forgotten trailblazers

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Happy Retirement Mr Pickering reveals ‘the ongoing taboo of LGBTQ+ baby boomers’

Reading Biscuit Factory is premiering a new independent film on Thursday, 22nd September, Happy Retirement Mr Pickering, taking on an often taboo subject.

Happy Retirement Mr. Pickering revisits the important conversations of the largely forgotten baby boomer LGBTQ+ community and how many individuals are left behind or isolated by the modern gay rights movement.

Ascot-based independent filmmaker Keshav Shree’s film follows Freddie Pickering as he begins his retirement having played by the ‘rules’ for much of his life. He has worked hard, has a three-bedroom house and a long marriage to a strong conservative wife who has made sure they conform to society’s expectations.

Is Freddie now prepared to put all that at risk to be who he really is? Will he risk losing his social network to start afresh or will he keep his sexual orientation hidden?

Writer and director Keshav says: “These are a few of the battling decisions which baby boomers LGBTQ or the ‘Gayest Generation’ have to consider as they age in retirement. In fact, over 32% of older LGBTQ people fear ‘being lonely and growing old alone’ compared to 19% of heterosexuals in a recent study by MetLife (in conjunction with American Society on Aging and Lesbian and Gay Issues Network).”

The Happy Retirement Mr Pickering production team have worked with the LGBTQ community through interviews and focus groups and have cast Kevin West in the lead role – a gay actor who identifies with Freddie’s journey, having been in a heterosexual relationship before coming out as gay. The events, dialogue and setting are based around research of individuals in this demographic and the troubles they have had to face.

Keshav explains: “I wanted to portray this delicate story as authentically as possible. Having spent two years researching the project, I think we are finally at a place that does it justice and in the most palatable form – a dark comedy.

“Let’s ignite conversations about the generation that struggled most for this movement, yet seem to reap the least benefits from its achievements and progress.”

Find out more

After the screening there will be a Q&A with Keshav https://readingbiscuitfactory.co.uk/whats-on/happy-retirement-mr-pickering-cast-and-crew-qa

The film will also be showing at The Boileroom Guildford on 24th November 24th and at The Old Court Windsor on December 8th.

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Join Tom Kerridge’s Pirate Ship

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There’s working in the hospitality industry and then there’s working for Michelin-starred chef Tom Kerridge in the hospitality industry, if you’re looking for an opportunity to work alongside one of the best in the business then hop aboard the pirate ship!

The Tom Kerridge Group includes The Hand & Flowers, The Coach, Lush by Tom Kerridge and The Butcher’s Tap & Grill all in Marlow, as well as Kerridge’s Bar & Grill and Kerridge’s Fish & Chips (both London) and The Bull & Bear (Manchester), and with vacancies ranging from bartender through to front of house and all manner of chef and kitchen roles available you’re sure to find one that will help you in your career.

When you join the ‘pirate ship’ you’ll be joining a band of pirates all contributing to the success and growth of the Tom Kerridge Group. Clear lines of progression mean some of the team have forged thriving careers over 20 years and with a policy of promoting from within and nurturing talent you can be assured you’ll get all the support you need.

Tom says: “Working in hospitality is a way of life. At the top level it’s hard work, but the rewards you can get out of it are huge. It’s not just a job, but the chance to learn new skills, travel the world, meet amazing people and be involved in amazing events, for us, it’s a long-term career. Come and join our pirate ship!”

To find out more about the opportunities on offer visit https://careers.tomkerridge.com/

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A touch of luxury every day

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Touch of Soap Luxury wants to give you just that – hand and body soaps with a touch of luxury and they’re not just good for you but they’re good for the planet too.

The range of vegan, vegetarian and cruelty-free produced soaps are all made in Great Britain and allow you to spoil yourself while being kind to the earth.

The range of products currently includes Wild Hare solid shampoo in Tutti Frutti to leave your hair silky and glowing; Happy Scrub soap in bubblegum is a loofah and a soap in one, the unique fibres mean it will leave your skin beautifully smooth.

Hand crafted from sustainable palm oil, age-old botanicals and pure aromatic oils, the hand-made soaps will make cleansing a sensual joy; Wild Rose guest soaps are a colourful addition to your bathroom while rejuvenating aromatherapy hand and body lotion can help with a variety of skin conditions.

And if you’re looking to pamper yourself, the aloe vera body butter will repair your skin and actively regenerate it for several hours after application.

These sumptuous products are all available from touchofsoapluxury.com

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Protection from flooding with Rainscape

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Rainscape supply and fit demountable flood barriers to domestic and business properties to provide agile, self-assembly flood protection

Flooding is a natural phenomenon that is increasingly affecting the UK, creating serious problems for home-owners in high-risk areas. You can protect your home with the help of a flood protection system from Rainscape.

Their lightweight, robust aluminium profiles protect doors, gates, windows and entire surfaces against flood water, offering you and your home maximum security.

As an existing PREFA license holder, they offer their high-quality flood protection systems, imported direct from PREFA in Austria and with rapid installation and easy assembly your home can be protected in a matter of minutes.

Mounting profiles (for Door Barrier) or ground sleeves (for Wall Barriers) are permanently attached in advance so that the system can be easily assembled in the event of a flood. This ensures that you can react at lightning speed when the storm comes.

Check to see if your home is at risk: UK Gov long-term flood risk.

Rainscape also offer a range of roofing solutions including advanced flat-roofing systems, metal roofing and cladding systems, traditional and heritage roofing and energy efficient, eco-friendly solutions too, all for both residential and commercial purposes.

To find out more about Rainscape could help you and to take advantage of the 20% discount on off-the-shelf residential and commercial flood systems until September 6th, please visit
rain-scape.co

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Music & food, the perfect combo

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There’s more than just food on the menu at Thame Food Festival on September 24th and 25th

Music & food, the perfect combo

A wonderful celebration of live music magic, sponsored by local company Adactus, is promised at Thame Food Festival where an eclectic line up will span eras and genres.

The dedicated stage will be hosted and presented by the Thame Music Academy where through-out the weekend the Adactus stage will host a variety of local and national musicians. The mix of artists has been carefully choregraphed to appeal to many of the visitors to the festival and gives an opportunity to enjoy true music while soaking up the atmosphere. So, expect a unique blend of blues, rock, pop, reggae, beats, folk and soul.

Based in Thame, Adactus have been helping restaurants to figure out which tech solutions add value for their guests and their employees for over 20 years. A successful hospitality business offers great experiences through their food, service, and the environment they create.

Adactus MD Scott Muncaster said: “Being based in Thame, we love the food festival. So, we are really pleased to be sponsoring the music stage at this year’s festival, with loads of talented musicians performing. See you there!”

Lotte Duncan, Patron and Organiser of Thame Food Festival also said: “People just love the opportunity to chill out and enjoy the live music at Thame Food Festival. The stage is perfectly sandwiched between the FestivAles Pop Up Pub and the Children’s Activity areas, with an area of covered and uncovered seating alongside all the delights of the Artisan Food Market. So, the ideal spot to stop, have a drink, tuck into some food, relax and enjoy the music.”

This year’s event aims to have more than 130 artisan producers alongside demonstrations from many leading chefs and bakers. The event naturally attracts a number of high profile celebrities from both the chef and baking world including Master Chef and Great British Bake Off stars.

The festival is easily accessible from Thame town centre with plenty of free parking if coming from further afield. Entrance in advance is £12 per day (until the 16th September) and all accompanied children under 12 go free.

Find out more

See Thame Food Fesatival’s website for details thamefoodfestival.co.uk

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Make-up with spectacles

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Make-up with spectacles? Yes, you read that right! Feel Good Contacts have come up with a perfect guide for you! Spectacles aren’t a hindrance to highlighting your eyes. In fact, you can make your eyes appear even bigger with glasses.

Tips & tricks!

• Neutral eye shadows: Fill your make-up palette with neutral eyeshadow shades like beige, brown or ivory shade. If you are wearing glasses due to myopia, you will notice that your eyes look smaller due to concave lenses. Dark and heavy makeup will shrink them further while neutral colours brighten up the eye socket and make the eyes appear more prominent. For an evening look, you can opt for shimmery or sparkly eyeshadow which also helps by giving more light reflection.

• A soft eyeliner: A soft eyeliner in brown would be the ideal pick to define your eyes without making them look small. Also, make it a point to blend the lines in order to prevent them from appearing too harsh.

• A white pencil on the waterline: This will help boost that wide-eyed look and make your eyes appear even larger. Just what you need for a glam look!

• Don’t forget a coat of mascara: Mascara always helps to add definition to your eyes, even whilst wearing spectacles. In fact, if you want to give your eye area an extra lift, grab your eyelash curlers and curl your lashes before applying mascara.

• Concealer for the under-eye area: A good quality concealer will help you brighten up the under-eye area in addition to covering dark circles. It will give you the appearance of larger eyes and a more awake look, especially if your eyes are looking tired from a lack of sleep.

Make sure you choose a frame that's the right size and shape for your face

• Keep your brow game strong: You don’t want your brows to disappear behind your frames, so remember to fill in your brows with a brow gel or pencil. It will also help to frame your face and draw more attention to your eyes.

• The right frame: Make sure you choose a frame that’s the right size and shape for your face. Smaller, thinner frames are ideal if you wish to enlarge your eyes, while large, thick frames will make your eyes appear smaller.

• Foundation only where it is needed: It is recommended to apply foundation only on the areas where you need it to prevent transferring foundation from your nose bridge to the nose bridge of your frames. Foundation should be as close a match to your skin colours as possible. If you like to wear your foundation all over, then try to go for a product which is designed for long-lasting wear and set it with a powder.

• Dewy and natural: For the rest of your makeup, it is advised to keep it dewy and natural. A light blush for a fresh-faced look can be paired with a bold lip colour.

• Match the thickness of your eyeliner to the thickness of your frames: Keep liner more delicate on thin frames and go a little chunkier if your frames are bigger. A great trick indeed!

So get glam with the right make up, pick the most stylish frame and don’t forget your mask while heading out. Remember, precaution is better than cure!

Find out more

Established in 2008 by qualified optometrists, Feel Good Contacts (feelgoodcontacts.com) is one of the UK’s leading online suppliers of contact lenses, spectacles, and sunglasses. It is a one-stop-shop for all eye essentials including contact lenses, prescription glasses, designer sunglasses and eye care products across UK, Ireland and France. At Feel Good Contacts, customers enjoy up to 50% off compared to high street opticians. In fact, Feel Good Contacts is the only UK company to offer a discounted service via a mobile app as well.

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October recipes: Rice up your life!

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We’ve teamed up with The Rice Association to offer you some seasonal inspiration to jazz up a store-cupboard ingredient.

National Rice Week is back this September (12-18th September), and to help you Rice Up Your Life we have some delicious and easy new recipes to tempt you to try a new rice dish.

From bomba rice in Arroz De Marisco, Basmati rice in Turmeric Garlic Rice, long-grain rice in Middle Eastern Green Rice with Tofu Kebabs, risotto rice in Risotto Soup and to using leftover rice in Vegan Rice Pudding with Roasted Plums, there’s a new recipe that everyone can enjoy.

All types of rice offer equally good value as they are convenient, full of nutrients, easy to cook and versatile. In fact, rice is one of the few foods that can be enjoyed sweet or savoury, hot or cold and for every meal of the day, even snacks.

To find out more ways to make the most of rice and to discover what’s happening during the week this National Rice Week, visit riceassocation.org.uk and for even more tasty rice recipes, visit riceassociation.org.uk/recipes

Vegan Rice Pudding with Roasted Plums by Samantha Hadadi

Prep time: 5 mins | Cooking time: 15 mins | Serves: 2

For the plums:

• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 300g ripe plums, stoned and sliced
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

For the rice pudding:

• 180g cooked leftover cooked or pouched Basmati rice
• 180-250ml plant-based milk e.g. cashew
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• Pinch ground nutmeg
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 2-4 tbsp plant-based cream
• Optional: Flaked almonds to serve

Method

Start by preheating your oven to 180C / gas mark four and then prepare the plums. Whisk together the vanilla and maple syrup. Arrange your sliced plums on a lined baking tray, then drizzle with the maple syrup. Sprinkle over ground cinnamon, then toss to coat. Roast until juicy and oozing (around 15 minutes but check at 12 minutes). Set aside.

In the meantime, make your rice pudding. Add the cooked rice to a medium pan, then pour in 180ml of milk, as well as the vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Stir well, then heat (on a low to medium heat) until thickened, creamy and the rice is soft (around 10 minutes) – add a splash more milk, if needed. Stir in the plant-based cream until you achieve texture desired.

Serve warm with flaked almonds and the plums and their juices.

Turmeric Garlic Pilaf by Your Food Fantasy

Ingredients:

• 350g Basmati rice
• 2 tsp turmeric
• Two star anise seeds
• Five or six black peppercorns
• Two or three cloves
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• Two black cardamom
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• Two bay leaves
• Six or seven cloves garlic (sliced/chopped)
• Large onion (thinly sliced)
• 20g cashews
• 45g green peas
• 15g raisins

Prep time: 5 minutes | Soaking time: 30 minutes | Cooking time: 20 minutes | Serving: 4

Method

Wash and soak rice in water for minimum 30 minutes. Bring 1.2L of water to boil in a large saucepan, add soaked rice, turmeric powder, star anise seeds, black peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon stick, black cardamom, and 2 tablespoons of oil. Gently stir, then let the rice boil for 5-7 minutes.

Once rice is cooked (rice should soft) switch off the heat and drain in a colander. Let it sit for 5 minutes. Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add cumin seeds, bay leaves and stir. Add sliced garlic and onion to it and sauté till they are golden in colour. Add cashews and sauté again.

Now add peas and sauté again. Cover the pan with lid and let peas cook for 3-4 minutes. Add raisins and sauté. Add cooked rice and mix well. Cover the pan again and let rice steam for 3-4 minutes.

Switch off the heat and serve the rice hot. Enjoy!

Enjoy our recipes? Show us your creations on social media with the tag #RArecipes

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Guildford Design Awards Exhibition in Surrey

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Interested in good design? Interested in exciting new buildings in the borough? Interested in sustainability?

The Guildford Design Awards Exhibition concludes its travel round the villages at West Horsley Place on Saturday, 29th October, 10am-4.30pm.

The exhibition will then have two days at the Guildhall in Guildford; on Friday 18th & Saturday 19th November, 10am-4.30pm.

The Guildford Design Awards were established to encourage and recognise; good design in new buildings and external spaces; restoration and conservation projects which ensure the legacy of our heritage buildings; projects which demonstrate sustainable energy principles and exemplary environmental awareness. The Awards help to establish a sense of civic pride in our built environment and improve our awareness of the importance of good design and the benefits it brings to our daily wellbeing.

Make sure to catch the travelling exhibition of the 2020 and 2021 award-winning projects to coincide with the Heritage and Architecture Open Days. Admission is free. Learn about some the excellent quality of commercial, public and community buildings, individual houses, multiple housing, conservation and regeneration projects and public art

Exhibition locations, dates and times:-

The Guildford Design Awards is a joint project between the Guildford Society and Guildford Borough Council, applications for the 2023​ Awards ​​(which as 2022 awards were postponed because of the pandemic, will include projects completed between June 2021 and June 2023), will be open next spring.

Submit an entry...

Potential entries are welcome over the next 12 months – email [email protected]

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Louis Likes… The Crazy Bear Stadhampton

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In the first in a series of dining out reviews, ten-year-old Louis Savage samples the hospitality on offer at The Crazy Bear in Stadhampton.

My driver and I arrived at The Crazy Bear and it was busy. Outside were two bears and the reception was a London bus. We decided on the Thai menu which meant we had to eat inside. This was a shame we couldn’t eat in their extraordinary gardens.

A waiter took us downstairs where there were mirrors on the ceiling. We were seated in the corner of the restaurant on a table with a sofa as my chair, which I thought was cool. We had some Thai prawn crackers to start with which had plenty of spice.

There weren’t loads of drink choices for kids, but there was Coke, lemonade and apple and orange juice. But my driver had a beer and he said there were lots of choices for wines, champagnes and beers.

For starters, we shared some Cotswold chicken satay. My driver had some crispy rice paper and duck spring rolls. I ordered some crispy salt and pepper king prawns which turned out to be very very crispy!

For mains, I had a dim sum – this type of dough which is wrapped around lots of things such as prawn, pork, prawns and pork and fish. My driver had some chargrilled lamb cutlets that were super nice (a bit better than my dim sum to be honest) as well as some egg fried rice.

For dessert my knickerbocker glory had delicious strawberries on super-smooth whipped cream, then more strawberries in a delicious puree with strawberry ice cream under it and then vanilla ice cream.

Food: 6.5/10 Style: 9/10

Find out more

crazybeargroup.co.uk

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Hogs Back celebrates 30 years

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Hogs Back Brewery marked its 30th birthday with a special ’30 at 30′ celebration, inviting 30 local loyal drinkers to join them for a celebratory pint

The 30 at 30 celebrations, held at the brewery in Tongham, brought back happy memories for guests, as they recalled where they had enjoyed their first pint of Tongham TEA.   

For Nigel, his first pint at the King William IV at Mickleham, was ‘love at first taste and it has been an enduring love story!‘.  Martin was ‘lucky to taste the first brew of TEA, with the original Hogs Back brewer’ and John remembered drinking it “with my father, explaining to me what real beer tastes like.”  Several guests had enjoyed Tongham TEA at weddings and birthday parties. 

Hogs Back Brewery managing director Rupert Thompson said: “We wanted to celebrate our 30th birthday with thanks to loyal customers who have supported us for 30 years – as without them, we wouldn’t be here today. 

“Over the years, TEA has been requested as the beer at many weddings and other celebrations, so for a whole generation of local people, it has a special place in their lives.  

“Many also spoke about coming here with their parents to collect a barrel of Tongham TEA and are now doing the same with their own adult children. We’re of course delighted to see this tradition continue, and by inviting some of these younger drinkers to join our celebrations, we hope that they too become lifelong Tongham TEA drinkers!” 

Ready for harvest

The ’30 at 30′ gathering was one of the last to be held in the Hogs Back hangar this summer before it switches from being a bar and event space to become the hub of the hop harvest, which starts at the end of August. Hop bines cut in the hop garden just yards away are brought back to the hangar where they are sorted, then dried and vacuum packed that they can add flavour and aroma to the brewer’s beers all year. 

Bringing in the hops from the 8.5 acre field is expected to take several weeks and will be celebrated at the Hogs Back Hop Harvest weekend on 24th and 25th September. The Hop Harvest Festival on the Saturday offers a fantastic musical line up including top Queen tribute band Majesty, while the TEA Party on the Sunday is more family-focused with a range of children’s entertainment. The full range of Hogs Back’s beers, including Green TEA, brewed with hops freshly-picked in the hop garden, will be available on both days: https://hogsback.co.uk/products/hop-harvest-party-2022 

The biggest event on our calendar

Thompson said: “The Hop Harvest festivities are the biggest event on our calendar and were attended by 2,500 people last year. And as we’re the only brewer of any size to have our own hop garden, it is a uniquely Hogs Back celebration. 

“Hops, like all crops, need water to thrive and the recent drought will have an impact on this year’s harvest.  We’re not expecting to repeat last year’s bumper crop, but we will still harvest a good quantity of our own home-grown hops, which contribute to the distinctive flavour of our beers. And, as they are grown just yards from the brewery rather than imported from afar, they are reducing our food miles and helping us achieve our goal of being an ever more sustainable brewer.”   

Hogs Back will harvest three hop varieties this year: Fuggles, used in Tongham TEA; English Cascade, used in its Hogstar lager and Surrey Nirvana Session IPA and Farnham White Bine, a traditional local variety that the brewer saved from near-extinction. 

Contact Hogs Back Brewery

Visit their website

Give them a call: 01252 783000

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