Disraeli delights at Hughenden Manor

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls

Myths & Mythmaking, the new exhibition at Hughenden Manor until autumn, explores how Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli created his own living legend. Katy Dunn of the National trust tells us more

A new exhibition at Hughenden Manor has opened which explores how Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli carefully curated his own image and used Hughenden as stage and backdrop for creating his own legend.

Benjamin Disraeli was described as ‘the most potent myth-maker in British history’ by his biographer, Lord Blake. New interpretation at Hughenden Manor explores how Disraeli carefully cultivated his public identity and used the Manor as the setting for shaping his personal narrative.

Despite humble beginnings, Disraeli boldly claimed grand Iberian and Venetian ancestry. He went on a Grand Tour to the Mediterranean and Ottoman Empire and styled himself as a Byronic figure when he returned. Then, as his political ambitions increased, he remodelled himself again to join the ‘squirearchy’. Owning land was essential to his rise within the Tory party.

Hughenden was more than just a home, it was a country seat to bolster his political image, allowing him to present himself as a member of the establishment and serious political thinker rather than an opportunistic dandy. When he was finally ennobled in 1876, he chose as his title, Earl of Beaconsfield, the name of a fictional character in his first novel, Vivian Grey, written 50 years earlier.

Rob Bandy, House and Collections Manager at Hughenden said: “Benjamin Disraeli was Queen Victoria’s favourite prime minister. He was probably one of the wittiest, most engaging, most human, most fascinating characters of the Victorian period. He curated his own public image and became his own creation. His political climb was stratospherically successful and when he became Earl of Beaconsfield, it was poignant for him as after half a century, it was a literary destiny fulfilled.”

As an author, politician and public figure, Disraeli was both comfortable and accomplished at storytelling. He was an avid reader, immersing himself in literature from ancient Nordic myth to the Classics. This is reflected in his library and writings, but also extends beyond the page to Hughenden’s manor, garden and parkland.

As visitors explore, the myths Disraeli wove into fabric of the estate are revealed. From the Aesops fables depicted on the library ceiling to the German Forest he created in the grounds, every manipulation was designed to contribute to his personal image. The exhibition also explores contemporary parallels in the way that we curate our own story on social media.

Myths and Mythmaking is now open at Hughenden 11am-4.30pm

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Towersey Festival Q&A with Billy Bragg

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls chats to singer songwriter and activist Billy Bragg who will star at the last ever Bucks highlight Towersey Festival – the 60th highlight – from 23rd to 26th August, and urges you to book your tickets

Q. Hi Billy, how are you?
“Not too bad thank you. I wish the weather was a bit better! As we’re into festival season and it’s a bit worrying. The likes of Glastonbury [where Billy helps curate the Leftfield stage] is always fine as they’re sort-of recession-proof but it’s the smaller festivals like Towersey which are hard hit. Near me where I live there’s the Tolpuddle Martrys festival in Dorset and it was cancelled because of torrential rain. The damage that does to the logistics of a small festival run by people who love music like Towersey is huge. I feel for the volunteers and audience too. I’ve been doing festivals for 40 years and it has to be climate change. The folk audience are generous, and the ones that have a tradition going, you’re coming together with people who maybe only see each other once a year. The nice thing about a folk festival is you can wander round, get a pasty and a beer and people are groovy about it. It’s not like some mad festival where people are charging around to the next mosh pit: the worst thing that can happen to you is you might get knocked over by some Morris dancers… but you generally hear them because they’ve got bells on. Let’s give Towersey a great send-off, shall we?!”

Q. What’s your first memory of music?
“We went to Blackpool for a holiday and stayed with a cousin of my dad’s, this has to be 1963/64 judging by the photos, as my brother was a baby. They had a record player which we didn’t have at home, and a record called The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen, which I was obsessed with, and played over and over again! It’s a dreadful old song but it kind of connected with me in some deep emotional place, and from then on I was really into music and my parents recognised this. When I was 12 they bought me a reel-to-reel tape machine for Christmas so I could tape stuff off the radio.”

Q. You read a poem out at school didn’t you?
“Yes, I read a poem out in English language and got called out of class by the teacher: they asked my parents if I’d copied it out of a book! So I wrote to a local radio station and it was the first time I thought ‘this is something I could actually do’.”

Q. What’s your favourite lyric…
“And take me disappearing through the smoke rings of my mind, Down the foggy ruins of time, Far past the frozen leaves, The haunted frightened trees, Out to the windy beach, Far from the twisted reach of crazy sorrow, Yes, to dance beneath the diamond sky, With one hand waving free, Silhouetted by the sea, Circled by the circus sands, With all memory and fate, Driven deep beneath the waves, Let me forget about today until tomorrow... Yeah Mr Tambourine Man [by Bob Dylan] really brought me into the idea that poetry and songwriting was the same thing. That stayed with me for a long time.”

Q. You love Woody Guthrie too don’t you?
“Yeah, he was a massive influence on Bob Dylan. Until I was 14 or 15 you couldn’t really find Woody’s records… in Barking anyway. Eventually I picked up a cassette. It wasn’t until I went to America 40 years ago that I was finally able to really connect with Woody and hear his voice clearly, rather than second hand from people who covered his songs.”

Q. Do you have a big vinyl collection?
“I have loads of vinyl but no record player. It’s a terrible thing to admit but my son took the record player when he moved out which is fair enough. But if I get the urge to listen to a song I can usually find it online, on one of the streaming services. I’m never without music!”

Q. Do you and your son share any musical tastes?
“Yeah, he does turn me on to people like Jamie Webster. And he and I shared a lot of musical loves when he was younger. When we went to college in Yeovil and came back and said ‘Dad, tell me, why has nobody at college heard of The Skids?’ And I thought oh, damn, I wonder if I’ve given him a musical education that’s not quite age-specific for him, the poor lad! He’s a huge Ramones fan, and because he’s out on the circuit he sees a lot of brands and he does trip me up to some of that.”

Q. Who was your hero growing up?
“In those times it was music that had the ability to articulate the ideas that could bring about change. The people I was listening to were people like Marvin Gaye, the Clash, the Jam to some extent… That seemed to be a time when change was very much in the air. Are there bands like that now? I’m not sure but then again music is no longer the vanguard medium of youth culture. Back in the late 20th century music was the only medium available to us if we wanted to talk about the way the world was. It allowed us to talk to our parents’ generation as well, let the world know how you feel. Now, if you want to let the world know how you feel there are social media platforms, you can make a film with your phone. I don’t think people now immediately think of writing songs as the route to get their voice heard. I don’t think music has that dominant role any more. It still has a role to play but it doesn’t sum up the feelings of an entire generation the way it used to.”

Q. Do you have a favourite book?
“Yeah, I do: The Lion and the Unicorn by George Orwell. It was written during the second world war, and Orwell struggles to reconcile his left-wing beliefs and socialism with the patriotic necessity of winning the war. He has to come to terms with that and ask himself what he loves about England. The subtitle of the book is Socialism and the English Genius and I first read it in the 1980s and since then I’ve gone back to it many times. 1984 is another book that you can keep going back to. Every decade I have a run-in with it and realise it’s about something else. Is it really about spin rather than dictatorship? Is it about fake news? It is isn’t it!? The way that truth has become untethered from fact, which is what we’ve seen in the last few years, with the Johnson premiership and Trump in America. It resonated with me in a way it hadn’t before. A great novel can do that, it can change with the times.”

Q. If you had a magic wand what would you wish for?
“I’d like to see Arsenal relegated. I’d like to live long enough to see that, yeah! That would really cheer me up.”

Q. Haha! What would you do if you were education minister?
“Pay teachers more. They do a great job, teachers. For some reason I get a lot of them at my gigs. Young people, if they recognise me, which they seldom do, they say ‘oh my teacher says you’re great’. I much admire teachers. I think they have a much greater chance of changing the world than I will ever have as a musician. So investment in teachers is an investment in our future, in our young people. Teachers now are not only having to deal with education, they’re also having to deal with helping young people with their anxieties or mental health problems. They’re almost like glorified social workers. We need a much greater social care regime. The police the same, they spend so much time doing things that we as a society should undertake, looking after people who’ve fallen through the gaps of the system. The police should be able to be out chasing criminals instead of helping people who can no longer cope in our society. Those people have always been there but there are more now. I do a bit of work sometimes getting guitars into prisons. Prison is the last place that can’t say no. Hospitals can say no, schools can say no and expel you. Social care can say no. Prison can’t, that’s why they’re over-full. That’s not a society that’s healthy. It needs a lot of thought about how we do something about that to help.”

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Enjoy later life

Karen Neville

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Later life gives much to embrace and much to consider but it can also be a worrying time, help is at hand whatever your needs

With a variety of options available how do you choose the care which is right for you and yours? Broadly speaking there are three main options: domiciliary, live-in and residential.

Domiciliary care allows you to stay in your own home with visits from a carer. The intensity and frequency of domiciliary care visits will be determined by your needs, it maybe that short-term ‘dom care’ will suffice after a hospital stay for example, but it may be that more regular care is needed albeit for relatively low-level care needs. You may find that just an hour or two a day is sufficient to meet your needs which may include just daily care and essential tasks.

Dom care allows you to maintain easy contact with family and friends and grants a degree of independence where possible.

If your care needs are more acute but you would still like to stay in your own home then live-in care may be suitable. You’ll benefit from one-to-one care from a professional caregiver focussing on your needs and giving you and your loved ones peace of mind. This increasingly popular option is more financially viable than residential care. Some care assistants live in all the time whilst others work on a rota system.

There are a wide number of residential care homes providing comfortable living specifically for elderly care. Many are purpose-built to account for a wide range of circumstances with one of many people’s key deciding factors being the social aspect they offer with the chance to live alongside others on a day-to-day basis and enjoy a variety of activities.

Residential care is designed for those needing round the clock care and can also provide practical, emotional and personal support. Residents can keep their independence but also enjoy help with tasks such as bathing and house keeping.

Whatever your living circumstances in later life, staying in touch with friends and family are essential for your wellbeing. According to the Campaign to End Loneliness, half a million older people go at least five or six days a week without seeing or speaking to anyone. Technology can help connect people and provide access to essential services online.

Two devices are tailor made for seniors. GrandPad is an eight-inch tablet which has a touch sensitive screen and includes simple one-touch buttons to access video chats. Families can create a secure social network that only includes approved contacts who can communicate with the GrandPad and share photos and emails. They can also be customised to suit the user’s needs.

KOMP is a one-button computer designed by No Isolation specifically for video chats with loved ones. Looking like an old-style TV with a large screen it has just one button.

KOMP is a receiving device and loved ones will need to download an app to start a video conversation.

The Amazon Echo Show also allows video calls. The latest version includes an interactive screen that rotates with you as you move or interact with it.

There are many kinds of smart devices that can make a big difference to quality of life and help keep you connected with essential services and loved ones.

Smart heating controls can help ensure the home isn’t being heated when it needn’t be and will help save money. Most devices can be fitted to a boiler or heating system and linked to an app. Smart lighting and plug controls can also be activated automatically. Voice activated devices can also help control heating and lighting and can be set up with a ‘trigger word’. Most devices can also make voice phone calls with just a command, vital in an emergency or if not near a phone. Camera doorbells are also worth considering for added peace of mind, especially if you live alone.

How to spot and prevent scams

It’s a sad fact of life that as you age you are often more susceptible to cruel scams and ruthless fraudsters trying to trick you out of your money. It’s perfectly normal to feel worried about these scams but there is plenty of advice to help you spot and avoid scams.

On average, four people aged 50+ are scammed in England and Wales every minute. Age UK has embarked on the Scams Prevention and Support Programme with the aim of helping older people be more aware and to help avoid them.

There are various methods of being scammed to be aware of: Phone scams and cold calls, postal scams, doorstep scams, email scams, investment scams and pension scams.

In all cases, the old adage “if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is” should be paramount. Being scammed can be very distressing, and the impact is often emotional as well as financial. There is support available.

Call the police on 101 if it’s not an emergency or 999 if you feel threatened. If you notice any unusual activity on your bank account get in touch as soon as possible, you’ll find a contact number for your bank on the back of your card.

There are various other support services out there too – Action Fraud: Action Fraud or call on 0300 123 2040. Victim Support provides 24/7 free and confidential support to victims and witnesses of crime. Find out more at Victim Support or call 08 08 16 89 11.

Contact Citizens Advice for information and advice about how to avoid scams and fraud. Their consumer services also provide information and advice on consumer issues by telephone and online, Citizens Advice.

For more advice and support visit Scams advice – How to spot and avoid scams | Age UK or call the free advice line on 0800 678 1602.

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Giant inflatable Labyrinth challenge at Leonardslee!

Liz Nicholls

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As mentioned in Spotlight: A Diary for the South East

Are you looking for a bit of family fun with more bounce to the ounce?! Check out the Labyrinth Challenge at Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens at Horsham, 8th to 11th August

The Labyrinth Challenge, an exhilarating four-day festival of summer fun returns to Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens this summer.

This year’s event promises to be bigger and better than ever, featuring one of the UK’s largest inflatable obstacle courses, spanning 1,000 feet in length.

The Labyrinth Challenge is divided into five action-packed zones: Lava, Jungle, Toxic, Combat, and Ocean. Thrill-seekers of all ages can conquer more than 34 unique challenges and obstacles, including jump-offs, hurdles, biff n’ bash sections, slides, giant balls, corkscrews, and more. Participants dodge swinging blades, leapfrog over hurdles, and sprint to the finish line in this adrenaline-pumping adventure. 

“We are delighted to host The Labyrinth Challenge at Leonardslee once again and invite visitors to experience the thrills of the largest inflatable obstacle course in the UK,” says Adam Streeter, estate general manager.  

“It’s going to be a summer to remember, and we can’t wait to see families, friends, and adventure-seekers of all ages taking on this incredible challenge.” 

In addition to the main Labyrinth Challenge, which is suitable for those over 1.2m in height, there is also a Mini Labyrinth Challenge for younger children. This 200ft inflatable obstacle course brings storybook and video game adventures to life, creating a fantastical world of bouncy fun with four themed zones: Arctic, Jurassic, Egyptian, and Jungle. The event also offers quiet sessions on 8th August for those who prefer a more relaxed experience. 

Leonardslee offers an ideal setting for this exciting event, with its 240 acres of Grade I Listed woodland gardens. Visitors can explore the estate, where wallabies and deer roam free, visit the ‘magical world in miniature’ dolls’ house museum, and the play park. The newly opened play park is designed to blend recreational play with the natural beauty of the Grade I Listed woodland gardens. This 2,500 square metre park offers immersive installations for children of all ages.  

For more information and to book tickets, visit www.leonardsleegardens.co.uk/all-events/labyrinth-challenge-leonardslee-2024    

• The Labyrinth Challenge takes place from 8th to 11th August 2024 at Leonardslee Lake and Gardens, Horsham, West Sussex.

• Tickets for the main Labyrinth Challenge are priced at £22.50 per adult and £12.50 per child for non-members. Leonardslee Members receive a 50% discount of ticket prices.

• Tickets for the Mini Labyrinth Challenge are priced at £12.50 per child, which includes one free accompanying adult. Additional adult spectators can join for £7.25 each.

• All Labyrinth Challenge ticket holders receive all-day entry to Leonardslee Lakes and Gardens, allowing them to explore the estate’s beauty and attractions.  

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Ready to give padel a bash?

Liz Nicholls

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As featured in Spotlight: A Diary for the South East

Padel is a fun and exciting sport that’s rapidly gaining popularity around the world, with stars such as Antonio Banderas, Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Rafael Nadal and Serena Williams all fans. Want to join them?

Padel’s an innovative form of tennis that’s fun, easy to learn and extremely sociable. Played on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, groups of mixed ages and abilities can play together.

Padel is a sport for anyone and everyone – it’s easy to pick up and once you get started, you’ll find it difficult to stop!

There are more than 450 padel courts in Britain ready and waiting for you, with even more on the way. There are also padel clubs across the country that you can join as a member. You don’t have to have played tennis – or any other sport before – just grab a bat, a doubles partner, and away you go!

One of the newest kids on the block is PadelStars, Bracknell which is due to open very soon!

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Lidos with the lah-de-dah factor!

Liz Nicholls

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Here comes summer! We have a whole host of lidos to enjoy here in the South East…

Often featuring Art Nouveau (and Wes Anderson vibes), few summer settings could be more quirkily, quintessentially British that a lido (that’s an outdoor pool, by the way!)

There are lots of amazing public outdoor lidos here in the South East, with many being built in the 1930s. What’s your favourite?

A real stunner is the gorgeous Wycombe Rye Lido in the heart of High Wycombe, with its fabulous heated outdoor main pool, heated children’s pool, new café plus grass and terraced sunbathing areas. Adults can swim for just £9 and juniors for £4.50 and you’ll also find all the latest gym & fitness equipment, group exercise classes such as yoga and Pilates, indoor cycling studio and football pitches.

Another beauty is the Thames Lido, the result of a painstaking and sensitive three-year restoration of the disused King’s Meadow swimming pool by the river Thames on King’s Meadow. Until 29th September, the bar and restaurant will be open on Sunday evenings for you to enjoy the longer days and hopefully warm evenings, so why not book a table in the restaurant or indulge in the Swim and Tapas package? There’s also a spa, so you can book in for a massage, too!

Northcroft Lido is a newly refurbished 50m heated outdoor pool set in the grounds of Northcroft Leisure Centre in Newbury, which opened last year. It is now open for the 2024 summer season.

One of Hampshire’s largest outdoor swimming pools, Aldershot Lido features a huge leisure pool with flumes, lane swimming space and picnic areas. You can even enjoy a dip with your doggie, thanks to dog days on Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th September!

These are just a handful of our favourites – and we have competitions coming soon – what are your favourite lidos & why?

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Q&A with Dizzee Rascal

Liz Nicholls

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Liz Nicholls shares a chat with Dizzee Rascal MBE who headlines Party In The Paddock at Newbury Racecourse on Saturday, 17th August

Q. Hi Dizzee… What shall I call you: Dizzee, Dylan…?
“You can call me whatever you like. I’m the only one on this call.”

Q. What do your mates call you?
“I dunno! Haha!”

Q. How are you?
“Yeah good. Sorry I’m late I’m in the studio with Turno. It’s going to be a bit of a drum and bass banger. It’s got slap, yeah.”

Q. You’re starring in Northampton as well as Newbury. What’s on your set list?
“Bangers! Ebbs and flows but bangers. The classics, some old some new, maybe a few exclusives. High energy, that’s what I like. The more I’ve gone along in my career the more I’m running and jumping – it works for the crowd. The whole point of doing the show is to bring the music to life, otherwise people will just stay at home and listen. It’s quite a dynamic set. I know that every time I step on stage, that might be the one time that people get to see me, what I’m about, and it’s supposed to be a celebration. And then you get the few people who are regulars: one girl told me she’d seen me 16 times. Which is another good reason to freshen up the show sometimes. It’s a bit of a different venue, Newbury, but I’ve done a couple of racecourses before,”

Q. Do you have a flutter?
“No I don’t. I rode a horse once, though. In some country manor, I think it was New Year’s Eve. I woke up with my girlfriend at the time and I’d booked horse riding, because I thought it would be romantic and fun. I turned out to be really good at it! I was at one with the horse that morning – I was a natural! I never did it again, though!”

Q. What do you have on your rider?
“Honey and lemon for my throat, as I shout a lot, and some fruit. There’s always some beers for everyone else. Nothing crazy – my rider’s the most basic, nothing too mad. No all blue M&Ms or any *** like that! I’ve managed to be around this long by not being a prick with the festivals and to the people involved. It helps!”

Q. What’s your first memory of music?
“Whatever was on telly, Top of the Pops. And the first live music I would have seen was in church – the church band. I was always into music. I used to lock into pirate radio. If it weren’t for pirate radio I wouldn’t be here now.”

Q. Do you listen to radio now?
“Yeah sometimes. My go-to is Spotify or whatever I’m making. But the radio does pop on sometimes when I’m in the car: Radio One Extra.”

Q. Who were your heroes growing up?
“Well, my mum – now I’m older I understand all the sacrifices she made for me. Snoop Dogg, Tupak, Kurt Cobain; I love Nirvana and I was a massive Guns N Roses fan growing up. Bruce Lee, too.”

Q. Your new album Don’t Take It Personal – are you proud of it?
“As proud as I am of all my albums. I did it all independently in the studio here, at home. It was nice to go back out, do pop-ups and shows. Every time I put an album out the game’s changed a bit so it’s navigating that as well. Overall it’s been so positive, number one in the independent charts and the hip hop & R&B charts. Which was a nice touch, well received by the fans as well.”

Q. Do you have any surprising fans?
“I guess when really young kids seem to like my music, especially Bassline Junkie. Mad, as it was made in 2011! Overall I don’t make a lot of music for little kids, I just try to put a positive vibe out there, that’s all. Music doesn’t have an age range except for the obvious stuff like Barney The Dinosaur or whatever which I am not! But it’s not like kids don’t understand rhythm and melody, they just decide what they like.”

Q. Who would be your dream collabs?
“That’s a good question. Jack White would be an interesting one to be in the studio with; he’s a genius. I was riding around Brixton listening to Tale Impala yesterday, thinking I missed the boat on that one, unlike Rihanna! Properly well written, well produced music. I watched a documentary thing he put out a little while ago where he was making the album, I didn’t know anything about him until Rihanna covered that song.”

Q. Have you ever been starstruck?
“A few times! When I met Dave Grohl, he was amazing. Jay Z. Anthony Kedis from Red Hot Chilli Peppers, I toured with them, great people. I met The Undertaker once. I was hassling him for an autograph in the gym, Berlin I think it was. That was a fun moment!”

Q. How about Snoop?
“Ahh yeah, how could I forget Uncle Snoop? That’s my first hero, before everyone. I met him twice and was able to tell him how much he’s inspired me over the years, and then I rapped one of my favourite Snoop songs to him. Then I did what you’re supposed to do with Snoop Dogg, obviously, haha!”

[Gets attacked by a giant hornet in the studio]

Q. Apart from bees do you have any animals in your house?
“I’ve got some koi. A couple of sturgeon. I don’t really do pets.”

Q. Are there any acts of festivals you’re looking forward to this year?
“Without sounding like an arse**** I don’t really go to festivals unless I’m working there. I usually just pull up before, I don’t hang around too long because I don’t want to get distracted. I don’t like waiting around.”

Q. Any up-and-coming acts you love worth a shout out?
“Yeah I just did another track with Turno, with a girl called Queen Mills and Rose. Also LZEE, he’s doing his thing right now. Kwengface, he’s in prison at the moment but he’ll be home at some point – I really like him. And obviously Turno!”

Q. I love a bit of drum and bass, don’t you?
“Yeah, to be fair that’s how I started. I started DJing when I was 13 or 14, jungle records. Then I started MCing, which is so hard with drum and bass. Then I started MCing over garage a bit. Then I started making my own stuff which is what ended up being called grime with the likes of Wiley and Terra Danger who doesn’t get mentioned enough actually.”

Q. Have you been enjoying the sport this summer?
“I watch boxing whenever it’s on. I usually watch it with David Hay which is always good! You’ll start saying s*** thinking you’re an expert and then every now and then you get reminded, he’s the expert. What’s funny is he’ll be watching it, we’ll be talking and everyone trying to chime in, then he’ll get the phone out and go to Stories and putting his two-pence in, so everyone just shuts up. But it’s amazing because he’s a legend, former heavyweight cruiserweight legendary boxer, and he’s sitting with us!”

Q. What invention would radically improve the quality of your life?
“A money machine! Does everyone say that?! No? Is that just me? God damn, I might be on to something. Maybe a device that brings the song I’m hearing in my head, as I hear it, and it’s just out, done, bang! But then that would probably take the fun out of it, right?”

Visit Horse Racing At Newbury Racecourse UK | Newbury Racecourse

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Emily Kerrigan’s Gluten-Free Kitchen & competition

Liz Nicholls

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We share some fuss-free food inspiration from The Gluten-Free Kitchen by registered nutritionist Emily Kerrigan from Thame, published by Vie, £10.99

Summer rolls

Rice papers and rice noodles are two fantastic staples in a gluten-free kitchen. These summer rolls might look tricky but once you make the first one or two, you’ll realise they’re actually pretty straightforward. Pack in a lunchbox or make a big batch and serve to a group as finger food.

Makes 12 | Takes 30 minutes
Ingredients:
• 100g (3½ oz) vermicelli rice noodles
• 1 carrot, julienned
• a handful of coriander, finely chopped
• a handful of mint leaves, finely chopped
• 12 large rice paper wrappers
• large lettuce leaves
• a few handfuls of cooked chicken, shredded
• lime wedges, for squeezing over
• gluten-free sweet chilli
• dipping sauce, for serving

Method
• Cook the noodles according to pack instructions then drain and set aside. Mix together the carrot and herbs in a bowl and set aside. Fill a dish wide enough to fit your rice paper wrappers with room temperature water.
• Immerse a wrapper in the water until it softens then lay it on a clean chopping board. Take a lettuce leaf and fill with a little each of the noodles, carrot, herbs and chicken. Roll up the filled lettuce leaf – this keeps the filling in place and makes the rolls easier to eat. Place the rolled lettuce cup on the wrapper towards the centre left. Fold the top and bottom of the wrapper inwards, then roll it up lengthways. Slice in half if you like.
• Repeat for all 12 rolls and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over plus sweet chilli dipping sauce.

Lemon drizzle cake

Polenta and ground almonds are gluten-free baking staples, providing bite to this fluffy cake and keeping it lovely and moist. The lemony, syrupy pistachio nuts on top make it extra special.

Makes 1 cake | Takes 1 hour 10 minutes
Cake Ingredients
• 175g (6 oz) gluten-free self-raising flour
• 1½ tsp gluten-free baking powder
• 50g (2 oz) ground almonds
• 50g (2 oz) polenta
• 2 lemons, zested
• 140g (5 oz) golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 225g (8 oz) natural yoghurt
• 75ml (3fl oz) rapeseed oil

For the topping
• 60g (2 oz) caster sugar
• 2 lemons, juiced
• 50g (2 oz) pistachios, chopped

Method
• Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C fan/350°F/gas mark 4 and grease and line a deep 20 cm (8 in.) round cake tin. Put the flour, baking powder, ground almonds, polenta, lemon zest and golden caster sugar in a bowl (keep the lemons to juice for the topping). Beat the eggs together with the yoghurt until smooth and add to the dry ingredients with the rapeseed oil. Fold everything together. Spoon into the tin, level off with a spoon and bake for 35-40 minutes. If it is looking a little brown in the final 10 minutes you can cover it loosely with foil.
• Towards the end of baking, make the topping by heating the caster sugar and lemon juice in a saucepan over a low heat. Once the sugar is dissolved, remove from the heat and stir in the chopped pistachios.
• Cool the cake for 15 minutes in the tin then remove from the tin and sit on a wire rack set over a baking tray (to catch any drips). Poke holes in the surface of the cake with a fork or skewer then spoon over the nut syrup, letting it soak in a little between additions. Leave to cool completely before slicing.

Read about how Emily’s daughter’s experience with Coeliac Disease inspired this book here.

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Giles Luckett’s European wine tour

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Our resident wine columnist Giles Luckett recommends his selection of European fine wines on his European wine tour

Hello! Summer’s here and the sun is shining… all over mainland Europe. This summer will see the highest number of British holidaymakers head for European destinations since before the pandemic. Frankly, I find this hard to understand. I mean why go all the way to Tuscany to bask in 29C of sunshine while enjoying marvellous food and wine when I know for a fact that there are still vacancies in B&Bs in Skegness where there’s only a 60% chance of drizzle. Hmm, I think I can see the logic now. Anyway, if you’re jetting off to European climes this summer, allow me to recommend some wines to look out for while you’re on your travels.

I’ll start in northern Italy with a Prosecco from Veneto, the Casa Canevel Extra Dry (Oakham Wines £18.49). This is the finest Prosecco I’ve ever tasted. It’s medium-bodied with a lovely nose of melons, peach stones and yeast, but the intensity and complexity of the palate is quite something. Alongside the usual melon and sweet pear fruit, there’s yellow plum, white berries, creamy yeast and a touch of white pepper to the finish.

If you find yourself in Portugal and are looking for something refreshing but characterful, then track down a bottle of the Quinta do Ameal Loureiro Vinho Verde (Eton Vintners £13.95). I remember my first encounter with a vinho verde. Manny, a Portuguese cellar hand at Harrods, gave me a glass as he enthusiastically introduced me to this ‘green wine’. It made such an impression on me that I avoided it years. Modern vinho verde can be fantastic, though. Improved winemaking and site selection give us wines like this one which offers wonderful quality for an affordable price. Pale green-gold, the bouquet is bright, fresh and citrusy with an undertow of flowers. On the palate it’s crisp, packed with green and yellow citrus fruit with nectarine, peach stones, and green herbs adding depth and balance. Enjoy this with seafood or bola de carne (meaty bread).

France has its holiday charms, and if you know where to look (i.e. outside) you may see a vine or two too. If you’re in the Loire Valley you’ll be spoilt for choice. From the crisp, saline-tanged Muscadet – France’s best value white – to the smoky, ‘flint’ wines of Pouilly Fume, great wines are produced along the length of this mighty river. My choice is the Sancerre La Graveliere from Joseph Mellot (Vinatis £19.63). For me, Mellot is Sancerre’s finest producer. Their wines capture the elegance and style for which Sancerre is famed, but offer power, complexity and longevity. I re-tasted the 2022 a couple of days ago and it was excellent. The nose combined leafy blackcurrants, gooseberries, rhubarb and grass with dusty mineral notes. These are continued onto the palate where they are joined by grapefruit, greengage and green pepper flavours to give an intense, complex, beautifully refreshing glassful that has a distinct savoury edge. Sip this with freshwater mussels.

Slip southwest and you’ll find yourself in Bordeaux. If you haven’t considered Bordeaux as a holiday destination, do. Aside from swimming in fine wine, it’s a stunningly beautiful city with amazing restaurants – La Tupina is a must – and you can visit one of the largest subterranean churches in France is Saint Emilion, so there’s something for the kids too! My recommendation is a white wine, the Mouton Cadet Blanc 2020 (Slurp £10.50). Mouton Cadet Blanc was my introduction to white Bordeaux, and my passion for it burns to this day. What I like about this is that a little bottle age has given it a peach, apricot and honey tone alongside the usual citrus, gooseberry and green peppers. This gives it a rich mouthfeel and extra weight. Try this with fois gras (when in Bordeaux…) or with a fish cassoulet.

Keep going southwest and you’ll end up in Spain. Like most wine lovers I tend to associate Spanish wines with reds such as Rioja. Speaking of which, do your cellar a favour and get some Beronia Reserva Rioja 2020 from Waitrose while it’s on offer (£12.99 from £15.99) – it’s tremendous. In the heat of the 28C sun of Rioja, you’ll probably want something white though. So ask the waiter for a bottle of the Valenciso 2022 Blanco (Highbury Vintners £25) and relax in the company of this exceptional white Rioja. To me, this has the precision of a fine white Burgundy with the passion of a Rioja. Made from a traditional blend of Viura and Garnacha Blanca aged in American and Russian oak, it’s full-bodied, fresh, spicy and hugely enjoyable. Layer-upon-layer of white and green-skinned fruits are interspersed with vanilla, honey, and earthy spices. With a little air it becomes weightier, and the steeliness of the Viura is balanced by the richness of the Garnacha to give a wine that’s harmonious and satisfying. Lunch in Haro’s old town square with this and a plate of melon and Jamon Serrano and you’ll be very close to heaven.

No European wine tour would be complete without a couple of stops in Italy. Italy is by some margin the world’s largest wine producer and also is home to some of the greatest regions and producers on the planet. Wind up in Veneto and you can sample the excellent 2020 Campofiorin Rosso del Veronese (Waitrose £14.99) from the renowned house of Masi. This rich, full-bodied red is produced using a double fermentation method, the second utilising semi-dried grapes to add even more weight and texture. Deeply coloured with a nose of cherries, prunes and spices, the palate is decadently rich with masses of sweetly toned black and red cherries, plums, black and red berries and a soft, spicy finish. Savour this mighty wine with roasted red meats, mushroom risotto or hard Italian cheeses over dinner in the shadow of Marmolada.

Tuscany has more than its fair share of incredible wines. Ancient superstars such Chianti and Brunello di Montalcino have been joined by a raft of newer wines, the so-called ‘Super Tuscans’. These have often blended native varieties like Sangiovese with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot or just use these international vines to startling effect. While the most famous of these wines – Tignanello or Sassiciaia – can cost several hundred pounds a bottle, others are producing wines that remain affordable. Take the Bulichella Rubino (Terravigna £17.49). This blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese shows how exciting this new meets old approach can be. Invitingly deeply coloured, the bouquet combines blackcurrants, plums and cherries with green peppers and violets. In the mouth it’s generous and full, but with a firm structure and a lean edge that keeps it food-friendly. Crushed blackcurrants, damson conserve, bitter chocolate, sweet and sour cherries, and a twist of herbs make for a wine that’s as much about the mind as the mouth. Sit and watch the cypress trees turn black as the evening descends while you enjoy this with bruschetta and tomato and basil pasta.

Like all good things, holidays have to end, but if you’re in eastern France then make a pit stop in Burgundy and enjoy a bottle of two of the Domaine Decelle Nuits Saint Georges 1er Cru Aux Bousselots 2017 (Perfect Cellar £51.56 down from £73.65). Domaine Decelle is a young domaine – re-established in 2008 – with roots dating back 1880. The wines are made in a modern way to exacting standards. This is a silky, seductive style of red Burgundy that offers that unique combination of red berries, cherries, flowers and beetroot that makes the region’s wines so special. Pretty incredible now, you get the sense that over the next 5-10 years even more will come from this show-stopper.

Well wherever you may roam this summer, I hope you’ll find some wines to raise a smile. I’m off to plan my summer wine tour. It goes something like this: cellar, hammock, repeat.

Salut!
Giles

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Winning gardeners don’t hedge their bets

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We love these award-winning topiary designs – what do you think?

Garden ladder expert, Henchman has unveiled the winners of its 2024 inaugural Topiary Awards. The competition, honours the centuries-old tradition of shaping living sculptures from plants.

The entries from across Britain were evaluated based on a comprehensive set of criteria designed to assess their creativity, craftsmanship, and overall impact, by an esteemed panel of topiary experts and horticulturalists including; Elizabeth Hilliard, Editor of European Boxwood and Topiary Society (EBTS) magazine TOPIARIUS; Michael Buck, Head of Horticulture at Creepers Nursery; Andy Bourke, professional topiarist better known as The Hedge Barber; and Owen Simpson, Managing Director at Henchman. 

Taking home first prize in the Professional Gardener Category is Harrie Carnochan from West Sussex. Harrie maintains this topiary garden, the immaculate symmetry wowed the judges, with Harrie’s expert attention to detail and skill evident in the high-impact finish. Small topiary balls sit atop perfectly sculpted columns to welcome visitors to the garden, with rounded trees standing proudly around the lawn.

In second place is Suffolk-based Chris Reeve, whose topiary creation brings a touch of magical enchantment to any garden. The design features a carefully crafted frog that seems ready to leap into life. Its intricate details include rounded eyes, a pronounced mouth and gracefully arched limbs, showcasing exceptional skill, creativity and a keen eye for detail.

Recognised for his charming and lifelike depiction of two dogs, the highly commended award goes to Simon Newman from Worcestershire.

The winning entry in the Home Gardener Category goes to David Hawson from Aberdeenshire, whose design features a whimsical scene featuring countryside animals and marine creatures carefully sculpted into a continuous hedge, resulting in a high-impact horizon.

In second place is Petra Hoyer-Millar from Oxfordshire, whose design features a series of perfectly clipped hedges crafted into large, rounded shapes that flow sinuously to create a cloud-like effect, guiding the eye along their length with artistic precision and skill.

The Henchman Choice Award, voted for by the Henchman team, goes to Bedfordshire-based Keith Miles for his impressive life-size tractor sculpture crafted from densely trimmed shrubs.

The winners were announced at this year’s RHS Hampton Court Flower Festival, where they received a trophy, a bundle for Henchman products, an annual membership to the European Boxwood and Topiary Society and a day trip for two to one of the EBTS UK’s day-long garden trips. Well done to all!

For more information about Henchman, visit Henchman | Tripod Ladders & Safe Working Platforms

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