There are many plants that can inadvertently take over our gardens, particularly weeds, but there are some beautiful plants on sale that you can wonder why you ever planted. These are my own experiences and everyone will have a different gripe, says R&A gardener Cathie Welch
Houttuynia cordata ‘Chamaeleon’ (pictured)
A beautiful plant often sold for ponds and waterside planting now rampaging in my edible border. It is edible but not very nice. It spreads underground by rhizomes and pops up everywhere gathering momentum after its winter sleep.
Bamboo
This is where it is essential to do your homework. There are bamboos and there are bamboos. Avoid at all costs the running away ones that can colonise gardens and invade those of your neighbours as well as lift up paths, destroy foundations and puncture pond liners. I tend to choose Phylostachys aurea and nigra which are clump forming with beautiful stems but they are quite high maintenance needing to be thinned and trimmed constantly. Occasionally an unwanted shoot pops up but it is important to cut it off. You are in charge of your plants and not vice versa.
Helianthus
Helianthus is the Genus which includes the annual sunflower. There are several perennial varieties that spread indefinitely if you don’t keep them in check. They also spread by underground tubers and as anyone who has grown Jerusalem artichokes on their allotment will know.
Sorbaria
This is a very pretty fern-like spreading shrub colonising the whole of Thursley common and the surrounding gardens. It is readily on sale in garden centres but never plant it in your garden unless you have the room.
Anemone japonica
I mentioned these in my last article and have battled with them in many a small garden. There are tall invasive varieties but also delightful cultivars like ‘Frilly Knickers’ which I can’t grow at all. They need a regular cull so just choose carefully.
Others
There are many other invasive garden plants like Hypericum calycinum which spreads like mad but is great for banks as is Vinca major or periwinkle. There are many Buddleias and Ivies that do not seed and are not invasive. All plants have their right place. Choose your plants and their location carefully and do a little research on your soil type as one person’s thug plant may not even thrive in your garden.
CGS Courses
Please ask for details as I am now meeting potential students for Spring Courses as well as bespoke workshops and volunteering. I can also come and teach you in your own garden and am happy to chat over a coffee at Ashdene.
Discover a different style of Rioja wine. Round & About’s wine columnist Giles Luckett recommends 8 Riojas that offer a new perspective on this classic region…
I was sharing a bottle of Rioja with a friend of mine a few days ago, and he asked, ‘Don’t you ever get tired of Rioja?’ I made to reply, ‘Oh no, I love Chilean wines’ (a sommelier once asked him which Rioja he’d like, and he said ‘A Chilean one’), but he gave me pause for thought. I do drink a lot of Rioja, and I never get tired of it. Why? Because there’s an amazing diversity of styles and flavours on offer. You could drink nothing but Rioja for a week and twice on Sundays without repeating the experience.
So, for all you Rioja wine lovers – Chilean and the more commonly seen Spanish ones, sorry, Ed! – here are eight expressions of this majestic wine that I would urge you to try.
I’ve mentioned my love of white Rioja before. Once something best avoided, it’s now one of the best value white wines you can find, with the top wines – Contino Blanco (Noble Grape £23.99) or Viña Tondonia Blanco Reserva (£115 Berry Bros & Rudd) – fit to rank with the world’s finest whites.
My current favourite is the Muga Blanco (Majestic £12.99). This is a modern-style white Rioja in that it’s fermented in steel and then sees only three months of oak ageing. The result is a fresh, tangy wine that offers barrel loads of peach, spiced pears, grape and grapefruit flavours with just a hint of cream.
Rioja isn’t famous for its sparkling wines, which is a shame as some of the best Spanish sparkling wines I’ve ever had have been from here. Take the Azabache Brut Metodo Tradicional Rioja, Fincas de Azabache (Corks £22.95). There are only 8,500 bottles of this beauty made each year, and it’s a once-tried, never-forgotten experience. Produced from white Tempranillo (who knew? I didn’t) in the traditional method, this is a wine that combines vibrancy with complexity. The nose is fruit-driven, with all manner of yellow berries jostling for your attention, while in the mouth, citrus mingles with yeast against a backdrop of baked apples. This is a great aperitif or works equally well with smoked fish.
Rosé Rioja, or rosado to give its proper title, is almost always great fun but rarely serious. A big exception to this rule is the Alegra de Beronia (Majestic £11.99). It’s worth buying just for the bottle, which is just as elegant and refined as the wine inside. Blushing amber pink, this Garnache-Tempranillo blend offers a rose and cheery nose, while the soft, generous palate combines strawberries and red cherries with notes of peach and nectarine. Gentle as a summer breeze, try this on its own or with fresh seafood or lightly cured pork.
Rioja is big on value for money, and if you’re looking for a lighter style with more personality than the Groucho Club on a Saturday night, look to the Cune Ciranza (Sainsbury’s £10). I was introduced to this when I was at Harrods’ wine department, and it blew my young palate away. More years than I care (or can) remember, it’s still a firm favourite. Mid-red, it’s bouquet is of crushed black and red berries with a hint of vanilla and smoke. Fruity and forward on the palate, it has all the classic Rioja elements of berry fruits, spices, orange zest, and cream but is presented in an easy-going, rounded, gentle style.
Another wine that shows Rioja’s eminent affordability is the Wine Society’s Rioja (£8.50). This is a very traditional style of Rioja, with plenty of spicy American oak, plenty or extraction, and a goodly quantity of stewed black fruits, given a lift by highlights of Seville oranges and cranberries. Smooth as silk and rich as Bezos, this is another great wine to keep to hand, and at £8.50, it’s worth joining the Society to get it.
Up to now, the wines I’ve recommended have been produced from classic blends, such as Tempranillo and Garnacha or Viura and Malvasia. My next recommendation is both a varietal, made from a single-grape type, and made from one of the less well-known Rioja varieties. It’s the Beronia Graciano (Vinissimus £20). I warn you now, this is not for the faint of heart; this is a Rioja for those looking for power and intensity. Red black, the nose is a dark, brooding affair with stewed black fruits, earthy spices and woodsmoke. The palate is weighty, concentrated, and broad. Prunes, blackberries, herbs, boysenberries, vanilla, charcoal, and a lift of lavender make for a fascinating mouthful. This is a wine that’s capable of long ageing but is sensational now with roasted meats, strong hard cheeses, and pâté.
My next wine is a Riojan legend, the Imperial Reserva 2018 (Waitrose £26.99). Imperial is a wine that blends tradition with modernity and offers one of the great Rioja wine experiences. A blend of Tempranillo, Graciano and Mazuelo, aged in a combination of American and French oak, freshness and depth combine here in a wonderfully stylish way. The nose brims with zesty red and black berries, which are pinned back by smoke, cream and violets. At first sip, it comes across as clean, delicate, light even, but the blackcurrant and bramble fruit’s piercing intensity is soon backed up by notes of roasted meat, minerals, dried cherries, sandalwood, orange zest and green herbs. A fine wine by anyone’s definition, this too will develop over decades.
I’ll finish with a flourish, with the Coscojares Vindedo Singular Rioja, Fincas de Azabache (Corks and Cru £47.50), which shows how Rioja’s Garnacha (France’s Grenache) can play the starring role. Made from a tiny parcel of vines on a 1.9-hectare vineyard, all of which were planted before 1955 at high altitude, the results is a wonderfully subtle, complex wine that oozes class and complexity. Mid-red, it offers a combination of red cherries, dried strawberries, and damsons, with intriguing touches of aged balsamic vinegar, pepper, caramel, and raspberries. Ideal with everything from belly pork to goats’ cheese, it will develop beautifully over the coming decade.
Well, that’s it for now. I do hope you’ll try some of these fantastic wines so you can enjoy the many faces of Rioja.
Next time out, Chile. No, really, it will be Chile!
Celebrated singer-songwriter Charlie Dore will perform at Chequers Folk Club in Great Kingshill on 20th September and Abingdon’s Unicorn Theatre on 21st September as part of her biggest tour for five years.
Charlie Dore has penned hits for Tina Turner, Celine Dion, George Harrison, Lisa Stansfield & Jimmy Nail. On this tour she will perform songs from her own impressive and acclaimed back catalogue.
Known for her observations of human nature, exquisite sense of melody and impeccable storytelling, Charlie has always performed and released music on her own terms, earning cult-like status among fans new and old.
As ever, she will be joined by her multi-instrumentalist co-pilot Julian Littman of Steeleye Span.
“Applying ourselves to this longer Short Circuit tour also gives us ample opportunity to feature some of my lesser-known (but often secretly favourite) songs,” says Charlie. “It’s great to have the freedom to experiment and rework these songs and have them share the spotlight. I’m always excited to see what the response will be.
“So far, Short Circuit has taken us from Scotland to Somerset and it’s been gratifying to share the music we’ve discovered – there’s an exclusivity about it. We enjoy taking risks, and renewing the sets in this way feels like the perfect way to conclude our Short Circuit adventure.”
To book tickets and more details please visit Charlie Dore.
All the stars aligned to make Mucky Weekender the best small festival on Planet Earth this summer…
A short time ago (last weekend) in a galaxy not very far away… the stars of jungle, dub and more came out to shine.
Four thousand rockers and ravers took off from Vicarage Farm near Winchester on a two-day mission to explore Mucky Weekender created by intrepid Dub Pistols frontman Barry Ashworth.
And this summer’s highlight did not disappoint with four star-spangled stages for 2023. As promised, The USS Seanie T spaceship boldy went where no MC had gone before, and the Crazy Diamonds Club Stage dazzled bright. Leeroy Thornhill (ex Prodigy) and DJ Format were two of the many highlights blowing minds at The Shack while The Ashworth Mad House provided the perfect base for astronomical sets from Goldie MBE, Charlie Tee, Stereo MCs, general Levy, Krafty Kuts, Bez’s Acid House and many many more.
This was my first trip to Mucky Weekender, and the fourth event spreading the love thanks to hedonist and helper Barry, who is patron of Tonic Music for Mental Health who offer free support and recovery programmes for the vulnerable people within the music and arts community.
The intimate capacity crowd of all ages, roaming a stunning 28 acres of private parkland, make for a community feel, with great vibes and everyone taking care of each other – especially important on this scorcher of an end-of-summer weekend.
Top marks must also go to the weird and wonderful creatives who added their own sprinkles of spacedust, such as Jethro & Tom with their sonic instrument experience in The Stump. Also, everyone who got involved with this year’s intergalactic theme outdid themselves, with outfits and props of stellar proportions.
If any of this means anything to you, and you miss the old days and spirit of drum and bass, Mucky is for you. Coming back to reality might be a bumpy landing, and your legs might not work the same way for a couple of days afterwards, but this is a price worth paying to leave the home planet for a few days.
Next year’s shindig will have a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party there, so make yourself a brew, happy recovery and hope to see you next September!
From 9th to 17th September, in an experience like no other, more than 130 events will take place across the country to show the public what life as a racehorse is really like.
Racehorse training yards, studs and retraining centres will open their doors and invite everyone to get up close to the equine stars of horseracing, providing family-friendly demonstrations, exciting displays, and a unique day out with something for everyone. Most events are free of charge, with more than 13,500 spaces available.
TV personality Chris Hughes, who is a racehorse owner and ambassador for National Racehorse Week said: “The impact of getting up close to a horse cannot be underestimated. And racing has created a unique opportunity through National Racehorse Week to help people meet these incredible animals, experience the life of a thoroughbred and talk to the dedicated teams who care for them 365 days a year. There is nothing quite like this is any other sport. It is fantastic that the events are free to attend with everyone welcome to join.”
Eve Johnson Houghton is a leading racehorse trainer, based high on the Berkshire Downs – a perfect setting for training thoroughbred horses. Alongside a hosted yard tour and chance to meet the racehorses at Woodway there will be a charity raffle, cake sale and guess the winner competition with proceeds going to Racing Welfare and Air Ambulance.
Kim Bailey has trained over 1400 winners and is lucky enough to have achieved the magical “Big Three”, The Grand National (Mr Frisk), The Cheltenham Gold Cup (Master Oats) and The Champion Hurdle (Alderbrook). He will welcome visitors to meet the stars of his yards and see horses exercising.
Run by Great British Racing, with principal funding from The Racing Foundation and The Horserace Betting Levy Board, National Racehorse Week is the sport’s biggest campaign to bring people across Britain behind the scenes of racing to show the incredible work that goes into the care of thoroughbreds, and give real-life insights into the lives racehorses lead.
Our wine columnist Giles Luckett explores the harvest of a magical region of Australia
Hello. A few years ago I was fortunate enough to go on a press trip to Australia. Over the course of three weeks, we toured many of this amazing wine country’s regions, visited some extraordinary wineries and met some of the most passionate, innovative, and creative winemakers I’ve ever encountered.
While I discovered the weird (Lucy Margaux’s ‘natural’ wines) and the wonderful (BK Wines’ Savagnin, one of my abiding memories was our trip to Yalumba. This historic, family-owned producer is Australian wine royalty and our extensive tasting was fantastic, revealing a winery that did things its way and one that wasn’t afraid to take risks in the pursuit of excellence.
I recently had the opportunity to taste a range of Yalumba’s wines again (highlights below), some of which I knew and some of which were new to me. I was delighted to see their innovative spirit continue – the Roussanne was a lovely surprise – and I asked Yalumba’s winemaker Louisa Rose to tell me a little more about their wines…
Louisa Rose – head of winemaking at Yalumba
Q. You make a wide range of wines – from unoaked dry whites to fortified wines – what’s the uniting philosophy behind them?
“We seek to sustainably craft wines that reflect a thoughtful interpretation of grape, terroir and house style. Wines of individuality that are both timeless and contemporary. Wines of conviction and provenance. This philosophy spans our full offering, but there is a tailored approach to meet market requirements. We focus on natural appellation, a long view of the wine-style evolution, akin to a slow wine philosophy. At the same time, we are responsive to market opportunities by way of ‘new’ varieties, styles and fashions, whilst still holding true to our legacy and beliefs, raising the bar, and building value.”
Q. Your wines span the classics – Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache etc. – but I’ve seen new Mediterranean varieties coming through such as Tempranillo and Pinot Grigio. Are you producing these as you have the right sites for them or is there another reason?
“Shiraz, Cabernet and Grenache are varieties that came to Australia early in the history of white settlement. The Barossa is home to the oldest vineyards of all three of these varieties in the world – still growing and producing wines, (Shiraz planted 1843, Grenache 1848, Cabernet 1888). This says something about the suitability of the sites we have to those varieties. At the same time Australian winemakers like to trial new things and experiment. Much of this work does not result in new wines necessarily, but it all helps influence our thoughts and practices. At Yalumba we are fortunate to have a wonderful nursery; a world-class nursery that grows healthy vines for vineyard expansions and is set up to propagate ‘new’ varieties when they come out of quarantine. We have trialled many varieties over the years, and some we like enough to take to the next stage after experimentation. Viognier, Pinot Grigio and Tempranillo are examples of this. Ultimately, they do well as they are suited to the sites we plant them, but the only way to find out what the right sites are is trial and error. It’s probably not surprising that many of the varieties we are looking at in the nursery are particularly suited to warm climates.”
Q. The recent vintage was one of the most challenging of recent years for many. How did you find it and aside from being of high quality, how would you describe the vintage’s character?
“2023 was challenging in the Barossa due to the wetter-than-usual spring conditions, which resulted in a later-than-usual start to the season, and ultimately a later-than-usual vintage. As the ripening gets later in the season, the days get shorter, and the ripening slows down even more. This can be a challenge then to get the grapes growing in the later ripening sites fully ripe. Luckily the season was kind to us and we had good warm weather into Autumn that got most of the grapes to their ideal place. We are very happy with the quality, across the varieties and styles. The whites loved the cooler season retaining good acidity and aromatics, and the reds had plenty of stress-free ‘hang time’ to get flavour and tannin ripeness.”
Q. Are there any vines you’re thinking of adding or would like to add? I had some excellent Pinot Nero, Nero d’Avola, and Arneis the last time I was in Australia.
“We are always thinking! There are a few things in our minds and vineyards, but from thinking about importing a new variety to having something ready to drink is at least a 10-year process… so patience really is a virtue.”
Q. How are you dealing with climate change? Some of the winemakers I’ve spoken to have expressed concerns about conditions becoming more difficult and growing seasons significantly shorter. Are you ‘going up or going south’ or are you trying to deal with the changing conditions with things like more canopy management and other vineyard techniques?
“Australia and the Barossa is used to extremes of climate, and we have many management techniques in our vineyards to mitigate, particularly against heat. Not that we are not concerned about climate change, particularly when it comes to water availability, but we know that we can make wines that are great expression of our region(s) in the cooler (like 23) and warmer seasons.
“Some of the things we do in the vineyards to buffer them against temperature changes include, using mulches under vine, growing grasses between the rows to keep the environment cooler and stop reflection of heat, increasing biodiversity in the vineyard, changes in trellis design and canopy management to keep grapes shaded by the leaves, and even using ‘sunscreen’. The sunscreen is kaolin clay, mixed in water and sprayed on the leaves. It is very effective in stopping burning of the leaf tissue in heat waves. Our old vines, which have so much of their biomass under the ground, are also buffered against day-to-day weather events more than younger vines maybe. Increasing biodiversity in vineyards and surrounds, and increasing soil carbon and microflora should also help the vines increase their natural resilience.
“One of the very tangible things we are doing to combat climate change is actively measuring and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions as Silver Members of the International Wineries for Climate Action (IWCA) is a collaborative working group of wineries committed to reducing carbon emissions across the wine industry. Currently over 40 wineries from nine countries are working together on this, in partnership with the United Nations Race to Zero campaign.”
Q. You still make a range of of fortified. Is this a heritage thing or do they find a ready market?
“We do still make a little bit of fortified wine. There is certainly a market for it, but it is also a heritage thing.”
Q. If you had to pick one of your wines to drink which would you choose and why?
“This is an impossible question without context… where am I… who am I with… what am I eating… how do I feel? Maybe I will just have a glass of our Tricentenary (planted 1889) Grenache while I wait for the answer!
GL: Thanks, Louisa. On the basis of my recent tasting, I’m with you on the Tricentenary.
Yalumba wines you must try
While I’ve never had a bad wine from Yalumba, there are some that have consistently stood out for me, or, in the case of the Roussanne, which were new and head-turning. So, here are my current loves from an impressive Yalumba’s range.
I’ll start my recommendations with the Y Series Chardonnay (winedirect £11.30). I always think it’s a bold move to make an unoaked Chardonnay. Partly as I think most consumers expect Chardonnay to be wooded – especially when it comes to New World examples – and because you need to be sure your fruit’s got the character to pull off a solo performance. The Y Series pulls it off in style. The nose combines freshness with tropical fruit and a subtle touch of vanilla, while on the palate the flavours of red apple, peach, pear and grapefruit are lively, intense, and mask of oak, seem more focused, and pure. Try this with oily fish, pork and seafood.
Yalumba have a reputation for creating great wines from Rhône varieties, and while their Viognier and Grenache garner much of the critics’ applause they have other wines that are equally exciting. Their Eden Valley Roussanne (winedirect £15.75) is a fascinating wine. Straw green-gold, the bouquet offers camomile, rose petals, herbs and (to me at, least) green wood. The palate is fresh and clean, but has an underlying richness as flavours as diverse as white peach, vanilla, orange peel, citrus and almonds come together to give an intriguing whole. This is a wine for the mind, one to sip and savour either on its own or with mushroom risotto, baked white fish or roasted artichokes.
The Virgilius Viognier (London End Wines £36) is acknowledged as a bright star in Yalumba’s firmament. The 2018 is a jaw-droppingly good wine, one that’s fit to rank with the Rhône’s finest Condrieu. Pale gold, the nose is a riot spiced apricots, cardamom, ginger, lychees and nose-tingling kumquats. This mighty mouthful’s creamy, unctuous body delivers wave after wave of apricot and dried pear fruit, mixed spice, orange peel, and honey, balanced and restrained by a fine, cleansing acidity. It’s big, bold, and beautiful, and has a long, golden future ahead of it.
And so to the reds. Australia makes some of the greatest varietal Cabernet Sauvignon in the world, with its Coonawarra wines being perhaps its finest of all. The Cigar Cabernet 2018 (Laithwaites £25) is certainly one of the best Cabernets I’ve had this year. Inky and brooding, the nose is piercing, full of fresh blackcurrants, green peppers, spices, cigar box, and raspberries but, as in the mouth, the more you investigate, the more you discover. Tones of the undergrowth, stewed plums, blackcurrant conserve, mint, bitter chocolate, earth and redcurrants all emerge. This powerful wine is lithe and elegant and is a must for red meats, sheep’s cheese, tomato-based dishes or on its own with good friends.
I couldn’t talk about Yalumba’s wines and not mention Grenache. For many years Grenache has been spoken of as having the potential to make Australia’s greatest reds. Alas, as in so many places, this vine’s natural generosity has been exploited leading to the productions of lakes of moderately coloured, moderately flavoured, massively alcoholic quaffing wines. Yalumba clearly respects it, and the Samuel’s Collection Barossa Bush Vine Grenache 2019 (Sarah’s Cellar £20) shows what it can do in the right hands. Mid-red, the aroma is a cheerful, inviting blend of cherries, raspberries and pomegranates, with floral and vanilla touches. The palate is juicy, plump, with all the hard edges of a ball pit. There’s weight to the cherry, strawberry, and blackberry fruit, and freshness is leant by a delicate red berry acidity. I’d serve this with roasted guinea fowl or gammon.
My penultimate choice reflects Australia’s brilliance at blends. Legend has it that winemakers put Cabernet with Shiraz as they had no Merlot, Australian Merlot being in the words of one famous Aussie winemaker, ‘a nice idea’. The Samuel’s Collection Barossa Grenache Shiraz Mataro 2018 (Vinum £16.70) is a Rhône blend (Mataro being France’s Mourvèdre) that delivers a wine with a lightness of touch that you’re unlikely to find in say, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Peppered black and red fruits dominate the nose, while on the palate black cherries, prunes, raspberries, cranberries and spiced almonds come together to produce a wine of harmonious complexity. This is a wine I’ve always enjoyed with lamb and pheasant – the juicy, peppery tone just seems to go perfectly, but it’s great with barbecued foods and Hong Kong-style spare ribs.
I’ll finish on a high with a wine that’s produced from vines that date back to 1889. The Tri-Centenary Grenache (Vinum £40) is a wine like no other, and not just because of the 100-day post-fermentation maceration which (so I’m told) explains its extraordinary fine, velvety mouthfeel. This is undoubtedly one of the world’s great wine experiences. The aged, low-yielding Grenache vines give a super concentrated glassful of red and black cherries, prunes, chocolate, mint, dried strawberries and a lovely, mellow herb butter tone to the finish. Powerful enough to stand up to well-flavoured red meats and herby, softly spiced vegetarian dishes, this should be on every serious wine lover’s must-taste list.
Well, that’s it for now. Next time out I’ll run down my top ten Chilean wines.
Dan Doyle of Stokenchurch tells us about his great new board game Matchday Mayhem which is due to kick off soon, thanks to a Kickstarter campaign. Can you help him reach his goal and share the love?
Football has provided plenty of fun over the summer & another season has begun. But one football fan has also spent the summer honing his own fun strategy card game to enjoy off the pitch.
Matchday Mayhem is a three or four-player game starring a cast of cool characters from the mind of Dan Doyle, including elegant passmaster Egor Monchellet, clinical target man Mo Slider and cast-iron defender Donni Repsteel.
“I have a deep-routed necessity to have creative, personal projects going on to enrich my spare time,” says the Man United fan who grew up locally and went to Gillots school. “In the past, and still sometimes now, it’s been music production and DJing. But I wanted to explore a game that invoked my artistic side, even though I didn’t know I had one!
“I’ve always loved card and board games; as a child, Cluedo was my favourite and I became quite a good chess player. I have two little sisters and I often made up games for them which they enjoyed. As I grew up, the friends I surrounded myself with also enjoyed games – we’d often stay in and compete rather than go out, like true-blooded geeks! So I always knew I had the ability and just tapped into my passion for football to push it forward.”
Once Dan had picked football as the theme, he knew an original concept was vital to set Matchday Mayhem apart from the many tabletop football games on the market. “Traditional football is of course played on a rectangle pitch with two teams head-to-head. Down at Mayhem Meadows, we play on a square pitch with a goal on each side, all doing battle for the ball at once. You use attack and defend cards to play actions and the first player to an allotted number of goals wins. This is the game’s true USP: being able to play three or four-player matches. There are also 36 originally designed players all with unique strengths, weaknesses, style and star quality.”
Dan played homemade versions, with eight & four-sided dice, with friends. “I covered playing cards with stickers and wrote on them,” he adds. “This was a fun, creative part of the project, coming up with rules and solving problems of game mechanics. My friends might tell you I’d bend and change the rules to ensure my victories, although surely this is a perk of being a game creator! The most surprising thing for me was I found out that I could draw. I always thought it was something I wasn’t any good at, but it was important to me that the players were all designed by me, so I just started practising every day and I managed to come up with some brilliant characters that I’m really delighted with.”
Once he knew Matchday Mayhem had legs, Dan invested in a prototype and is looking for support on Kickstarter: see the Insta page for info. “Any venture of this nature is about taking pride in creating joyous experiences, so primarily, I want to share it with as many people as possible. But I hope it could be a success! Perhaps I could look into the possibility of creating a phone app version, but not getting too carried away with that idea just yet. I’m just hoping I can recoup what I’ve invested and then anything after that would be a bonus.
You can pre-order your Matchday Mayhem game which will be available on Kickstarter in the next couple of months. Follow the game’s progress on Instagram @matchdaymayhemgame where details of the Kickstarter link will be posted very soon!
Missed summer? You’re sure to feel the glow with a minibreak at Donnington Valley Hotel, Golf & Spa
Summer this year has offered a bit of a false dawn: a scorching few weeks followed by soggy second half…
But if you weren’t able to jet off to sunnier climes August onwards (like the rest of the world, judging by social media) I recommend a stay at Donnington Valley where the warm welcome is sure to top up your mojo levels.
Backing on to the rolling landscaped golf course (which is even prettier in autumn mizzle) the privately owned four-star hotel and spa has earned rave reviews and several industry awards for its top-notch hospitality and food. No wonder it’s become a popular choice for everyone, from walkers to wedding parties.
I arrived in the middle of a stressful week, fairly frazzled, and within about five minutes of being ushered into the calm sanctuary of the spa, Gabriele had kneaded the tension from my poor shoulders with a Sonoma Aromatherapy Massage. As well as feeling a warm afterglow which lasted days afterwards, the indulgent Germaine de Capuccini skincare products left even my knackered skin feeling peachy and bright.
There are lots of great packages on offer, such as the half spa day including a 25-minute treatment tailored to you, such as a Walkers Leg Therapy massage or an express Royal Jelly De-Stress Facial. You can enjoy a bento box or afternoon tea and plenty of time to relax in (or alongside) the turquoise pool which is a heavenly haven with a jacuzzi, sauna and aromatherapy room – or hit the gym as well if you haven’t melted into total relaxation by that point. If you have opted for a spa break (check out the autumn package deals) you can then float along the corridor and straight into an immaculate room for a totally restful and comfortable sleep in a luxurious kingsize bed, and you can keep the good vibes going the following morning with the best breakfast in Berkshire.
Strictly Pro Dancer Karen Hauer recently checked in to The HangOut, Donnington Valley’s an al fresco dining grill and chill area where she and star chef Darren made their own pizzas hot & crispy from the oven. The HangOut has stayed abuzz all summer and continues to sizzle into September, under the fairylights. You can settle in (under cover if the heavens open) to relax and enjoy a perfectly mixed cocktail or glass of wine or three, with live music on Saturday evenings. Inside (in the huge cosy beamed Bacchus wine bar and restaurant) or out, the food is of epic feast proportions: I can heartily recommend the Donnington Burger with Ogleshield cheese and the trio of Berkshire sausages with bacon bubble and sticky onion jus. Sunday roasts (12-2.30pm) also earn high praise – and all the winter warmers are sure to raise your spirits even on a cold day.
The staff are amazingly kind and helpful and will help you forget your everyday cares and worries – I felt as though I’d been away somewhere far-off for a few days.
Another September beckons and we hope our education special will help you, whether you’re a parent to a SEN child, would like advice about bursaries, want to make maths fun or continue learning whatever your age
Worried about a child’s progress in school? Learning differences consultant, former head teacher & SEN editor Mary Mountstephen offers parents some tips on being proactive
There’s always that moment when, as a parent, those doubts in the back of your mind start to assert themselves more loudly. Or perhaps a well-meaning family member or friend might make comments that add to your anxiety levels.
These might include: “Why isn’t he doing as well as his brother?”, “She should have started talking by now, surely?”, “That’s just not right, he needs to stop having tantrums”. Sound familiar?
Each child is unique. They often develop faster in some areas than in others and comparison with their brothers, sisters, cousins or classmates can be unhelpful and unwelcome. Depending on the type of concern and the child’s age, there are organisations and professionals to support you, such as your GP, your child’s setting (early years/ primary etc). The following information is intended to provide you with some basic tips, plus information about other sources of support and advice which are cost-effective or free.
Types of SEN
There are four types of SEN: communication and interaction needs, cognition and learning difficulties, social, emotional and mental health difficulties and sensory and physical needs. Some children and young people may have SEN in more than one of these areas, but for most children with SEN, they will attend their local, mainstream school.
Don’t delay if you have concerns
There is a significant body of research that confirms the importance of early intervention when a child’s progress is causing concern. Looking back some years, school often operated a ‘wait and see’ protocol when being asked about delays in progress. Children with a dyslexic profile, for example, would possibly only be monitored until the age of seven, as it was a prevailing belief that they could not be identified before then, whereas current research indicates that this is possible from a much earlier age.
Be persistent but polite when communicating with the setting/ school
Parents and carers are not always confident in advocating for their child and in being able to communicate their concerns articulately. They may have had difficulties themselves at school, and this can translate into feeling nervous or hesitant in expressing their ‘gut feelings’, have known parents, on occasion, to become quite emotional or even aggressive if they feel they are not being listened to. So it’s a good idea to be prepared in advance.
Gather evidence using checklists
There are many checklists of child development, depending on where the concern(s) lie. If your child is in a school or early years setting, advice about this may be available. If not, carry on reading!
Check out national charities & organisations
A quick internet search will produce a long list of organisations and many of these can offer free support and resources. The difficulty here, as with self-diagnosis of symptoms, that you may become convinced your child has more complex needs than they might have. For that reason, it’s a good idea to communicate your concerns with the school at an early stage and be-guided by them.
Contact trusted sources
Finding trustworthy online support can be confusing for parents; the sheer volume of advice can be overwhelming and knowing who to trust can be daunting. For the last two years I’ve been working with SENDStation. I provide training about dyslexia and auditory processing difficulties. The company’s mission has always been to provide great quality learning that’s affordable and accessible. Their online courses are live and cost less than £15, including hand-out and certificate. The team cover 40 different sessions from dyslexia to toilet training. Visit SEND-Station. I’d also like to recommend a free newsletter from SEN magazine. You could also point both of these resources in the direction of the school! Please visit Mailing List Subscription – SEN Magazine to sign up.
Mary Mountstephen is a learning differences specialist with a background of working in a range of school settings, including roles as headteacher of two primary schools, and as an SEND specialist in the independent sector. She provides school training, individual assessments and online training. Find out more at Learning Differences| Mary Mountstephen and follow @M_Mountstephen on Twitter.
We chat to author Jacqueline Wilson, 77, who is one of the stars of Henley Literary Festival, 30th September to 7th October
Q. Hello. I hope you’re well?
“I’m well, feeling good and very much looking forward to coming to the Henley Literary Festival.”
Q. Did you enjoy school?
“I liked it at my primary school. I had a marvellous gentle teacher when I was in Year Five called Mr Townsend. He didn’t tease me when I confided that I wanted to be a writer when I was grown up. He actively encouraged me and was very sweet when I showed him my first long story. I wasn’t quite as keen on my secondary school, though I enjoyed my English lessons and much appreciated the friendly art teacher who taught me a lot about paintings in the National Gallery.”
Q. What was your favourite book when you were a child? And who’s your favourite author now?
“I loved Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, a story about three adopted sisters who go to stage school. I wished I could have ballet lessons myself, but had to make do with dancing round our flat in my pink bedroom slippers, pretending I was a fourth sister. My favourite author is Anne Tyler. I’ve read every single one of her books, and do hope she writes many more.”
Q. Can you tell us about your first book, which I believe you wrote when you were nine, is that right?
“It was only about 15 pages long, but it had all my trademarks: it was about a poor family with a wayward teenage girl of 15, an earnest 12-year-old who loves reading, a 10-year-old who wants to act, nine-year-old identical twins, an anxious six-year-old, and a fierce little sister of four who bosses everyone about!”
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