Bedded bliss

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Liz Nicholls goes undercover to help you create your dream bedroom and get a good night’s sleep in National Bed Month.

Creating the perfect boudoir is a labour of love. And this month is the perfect time to lavish love on your bedroom, and yourself, to get a better kip…

Delightfully for fans of 1970s decor such as myself, one of the hot trends of the year is a celebration of retro shapes, especially the lozenge, with glitz points ramped up even higher if it’s in velvet. For a sumptuous example, check out Danetti ‘s Rene king size bed in navy blue (pictured above right) or Living It Up’s Harmonia platform bed in emerald green (above). If you want to go “full princess” (I mean, who doesn’t?!), also check out the chic hotel-worthy beds and accessories from French Bedroom Company, including the plushious throw (jewel-hued velvet again). See our competitions page, too!

March is National Bed Month when bed brands, including many based in Chelsea’s buzzing design quarter, are offering advice and deals on new beds and bedding, to encourage us all to sleep more soundly and deeply. Check out And So To Bed, Sweetpea & Willow, Original Bed Company, Button & Spring, Button & Sprung, Feather & Black, Darlings of Chelsea and Made.

For all you fellow insomniacs out there, Matthew Walker’s Why We Sleep: The New Science of Sleep and Dreams is well worth a read. The bestselling author’s latest tome is helping debunk unhelpful sleep habits. Notably; keeping a regular bedtime routine (including evening meditation if possible, Calm and Headspace apps are well worth checking out) and avoiding caffeinated drinks after 12noon and naps after 1pm.

Don’t underestimate the power of a dark, cosy bedroom interior to lull your body into healthy circadian rhythms – this encourages REM-rich sleep to replenish energy levels. As you can see from the range of bedroom inspo pictures here, dark and moody colours are hugely on-trend at the moment. I’ve gone for Farrow & Ball’s Inchyra Blue on my boudoir walls, set off with a soft Middleton Pink on the ceiling and copper accents. It’s not as mad as it sounds – the effect is gentleman’s-club-meets hotel getaway. I can’t recommend a bold, dark hue highly enough – check out Annie Sloan’s new range.

Switching off electronic devices, especially blue-light emitters, is a must for a good sleep, as is avoiding clocks or looking at the time during a wakeful night. If our brains are over-saturated with artificial light, this disrupts the release of melatonin, so echew overhead lights in favour of lamps; we love the infinity star (£9.99) and more by Lights4Fun and dimmable options.

Research shows, too, that most of us set our bedroom temperature too high to help you drop off soundly – 18C is ideal for most people.

Finally, don’t underestimate the power of great bedding to help you get a good kip! Senso-Rex, the company behind www.gravityblankets.co.uk, was founded in 2013 and its products have recently been winning rave reviews for easing stress and anxiety. State-of-the-art gravity blankets are tailored to your height and body weight to provide the sensation of being hugged or embraced and ensure a dreamy sleep. The Snoooze travel pillow has also been designed to give you perfect comfort and convenience when travelling. This revolutionary travel pillow, with zip compartments which enable it to expand and create a soft, bouncy luxurious feel, comes with a 100% cotton pillowcase and its own bag for easy transport .

Sweet dreams! @LizxNic @randamag

Visit www.snooozeworld.com

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RHS:Dig For Victory

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Share photographs of Second World War vegetable plots with the RHS Dig for Victory campaign.

This year marks the 80th year since the outbreak of the Second World War and the Royal Horticultural Society is asking people to submit pictures of wartime vegetable gardens remembering the Dig for Victory campaign. 

The RHS is compiling material for exhibitions at four of its gardens across the country including RHS Wisley near Woking.  

The displays will include material and wartime propaganda that inspired people to grow more food and to help supplement the allocation from their ration books, it will also include photos of families’ own gardens and allotments. 

When war broke out in 1939, the RHS began working with the Ministry of Agriculture on the Dig for Victory campaign. Advice was given out via leaflets and exhibition packs touring the towns and villages across the country and included guides on how to cultivate vegetables all year round, storing of produce and making a compost heap. 

Shortages meant veg plots had to be created in unlikely places such as those made by employees at Wolsey Motors in Birmingham. Staff there made cloches out of scarp car windscreens for an allotment at the factory. 

By 1943 it’s thought around 55% of households were growing fruit and veg and their efforts helped contribute to the nation’s health. 

Fiona Davison, head of libraries and collections at the Royal Horticultural Society, said: “RHS information and advice helped get a nation growing at a time when food supplies were at an historic low. Many are likely to recall parents and relatives turning previously unloved plots into efficient and prolific green spaces. 

“We’re asking the public to share those pictures and memories with us so we can celebrate the contribution of gardening to our wartime history.” 

Dig for Victory will be on display at RHS Wisley from 14th October to 17th November. There will also be displays at Rosemoor in Great Torrington, Devon; Hyde Hall in Chelmsford, Essex and Harlow Carr in Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

  Send photographs and any additional information for the exhibit to [email protected] 

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Newbury Civic Awards

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Picture credit: Colin Lewis.  From left, last year’s winners Sandra Goodyear, Ellouise Greenall and Wendy Berkeley with last year’s Mayor David Fenn and town crier Brian Sylvester

It’s time to nominate who you think deserves to win a Newbury Town Council Civic Award 2019.

If you think someone deserves to be praised for their good work and contribution to the local community in Newbury now is the time to speak up about it. 

The town council has launched its annual civic awards and wants to hear from you with your nominations – but you’ll need to be quick, nominations must be submitted by Friday, 8th March. 

The categories are: 

Newbury Town Civic Award – now in its 22nd year 

Young Person’s Civic Award – now in its 11th year 

Newbury Town Business Civic Award – the second year 

Mayor of Newbury, councillor Margo Payne says: “Nominating someone for the civic awards is a wonderful way to thank them for the work they do. 

“We probably all know someone who volunteers or goes the extra mile for a neighbour, and while they don’t expect recognition it is an opportunity to let them know they are appreciated.” 

Leader of the council, cllr Adrian Edwards is particularly hoping to garner entries for the business category, now in its second year. 

He says: “After the successful launch of the Newbury Town Business Civic Award last year, we are hoping for even more applications in this category this year. 

“We now need you to tell us who deserves to be recognised for making a significant contribution to our community.” 

Last year’s winners, pictured, were Sandra Goodyear, Ellouise Greenall and Wendy Berkeley from Empire Café. 

Sandra was honoured for her service to the girlguides, the pre-schools learning alliance and CRUSE.  

Ellouise received her award for being a good neighbour – helping a sick neighbour and looking after the young children of a neighbour and helping with shopping and other chores for elderly neighbours. 

Wendy who runs Empire Café in Cheap Street, was given her award for the assistance, care and concern shown to members of the community. 

But you’ll need to be quick – nominations must be submitted by Friday, 8th March and winners will be presented with their awards on Monday, 18th March.

  Nomination forms are available from the website at www.newbury.gov.uk or paper copies can be collected from the Town Hall or call the council on 01635 35486. 

Neighbouring Thatcham Town Council will be presenting its civic awards on Monday, 11th March. Each year a maximum of three gold awards are given to individuals or groups in recognition of the work they do for the benefit of the community. Nominations are now closed but we’ll tell you about the winners later in March. 

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Thames Valley Hospitality Awards

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Picture credit: Dijana Capan, DVision Images
Picture caption: Organisers Marc Allridge and Hilary Scott

 

Nominate your favourites for 2019 Thames Valley Hospitality Awards.

The 2019 Thames Valley Hospitality Awards are open for nominations celebrating excellence and outstanding staff in the sector. From hotels to B&Bs, bars to restaurants, it’s time to share who you think deserves to be honoured. 

In addition to last year’s categories, there are three new ones – Achiever of the Year, Wedding Venue of the Year and Outside Caterer of the Year. This is the second year of the awards and the organisers are delighted to be building on the success of last year. 

Co-organiser Marc Allridge of Cherubs Floral Design said they were very excited about the new categories. He added: “We would love people from managers to brides to nominate in the Wedding Venue of the Year category. And we want to hear form all those caterers who work away behind the scenes and often don’t get recognised for their efforts – winning Outside Caterer of the Year would fix that. 

“We also want to see lots of entries in Achiever of the Year – this is for a youngster who has overcome physical or mental issues to shine in the trade.” 

The gala awards dinner this year is being held at the De Vere Wokefield Estate on Sunday, 28th April and hosted by leading chef Daniel Galmiche. Fellow organiser Hilary Scott encouraged entries for this year, saying: “We had so many entries in our first year it was amazing. I hope that we can get more this year now we are a bit better known. And remember if you missed out last year you can enter again.” 

This year’s categories are: 

Hotel of the Year sponsored by TVHA 

Independent Hotel of Year sponsored by Newsquest Berkshire 

Bar of the Year  sponsor Matthew Clark 

​Restaurant of the Year 

​Hotel Manager of the Year sponsored by Cream Design 

​Front of house star sponsored by H&D Food Solutions 

Back of house star sponsored by Cherubs Floral Design 

Warm welcome  

Best breakfast 

Apprentice of the Year 

Three new categories for 2019: 

Achiever of the Year – a youngster who has overcome physical or mental issues to shine 

​Wedding Venue of the Year – in a competitive market who stands out for their venue, service and professionalism 

​Outside Caterer of the Year – in a growing market, we want to find the best 

  For full details and to nominate visit www.tvhawards.co.uk and don’t forget to share with us who you are nominating and why!

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Ronald McDonald House

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Martin Keown kicks off building with twins, Finley and Billy Kearns, and mum and dad, Laura and Robert.

Former Arsenal and England star Martin Keown has helped kick off building at the new accommodation for families with seriously ill children in Oxford. 

The footballer from Oxford broke ground at the new 62-bedroom Ronald McDonald House on the John Radcliffe Hospital site on Wednesday, 6th February. The house will provide families with free accommodation while their children are being treated to save them having to go to and from the hospital. 

Among those at the ceremony were two-year-old twins Finley and Billy Kearns, whose parents Laura and Robert spent more than four months at the current house after the twins were born prematurely. Billy needed surgery to reverse a stoma. The £14million facility is due to open in summer next year with 62 en-suite bedrooms and communal living facilities, including kitchens, lounges, playrooms, laundry rooms and a garden. 

The current 17-bedroom house has experienced a rise in demand over the last 15 years and while last year it accommodated 600 families, it had to turn a further 300 away. 

Ronald McDonald House Charities has raised £9million, Oxford Hospitals Charity has added £2.5million, Children with Cancer UK is donating more than £280,000 and McDonald’s employees and customers has raised £1.5million. A further £1million is still needed to fit and furnish the house and the charity is looking to the local community to help them in this fundraising effort, as well as for volunteers to help get the house ready and provide support.

CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities Jon Howard said last week they were delighted to begin the expansion work. Thanking all those who have helped, he added: “We know from research it is beneficial for the health of family members and their child to keep them close together, and that comfortable and supportive accommodation nearby is a key enabler in this process.” 

Head of the paediatric psychology department Dr Karen Steinhardt with the range of services available at Oxford, families are increasingly travelling from further afield for treatment. She said: “This new accommodation at Ronald McDonald House Oxford will allow more families to be close by in the hospital grounds. 

“It will allow them to get more rest and sleep, eat properly and lead as normal a life as possible ad importantly, feel able to make the best decisions about their child’s health.” 

The new building will be open to families with children being cared for at Oxford Children’s Hospital as well as Children’s Critical Care and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit on the John Radcliffe site. 

Picture credit: Richard Cave

  Read more about the Ronald McDonald House Charity

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Birthday HuMP: Hurst Morris People

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Help Hurst Morris People (HuMP) celebrate their 30th birthday with a barn dance on Saturday, 2nd March and more…

Great live music from Chris, Patsy and friends and an easy-to-follow caller Howard Ballard are key ingredients for a night of celebration.

The barn dance will take place at Hurst Village Hall in School Road from 7.30pm (doors open at 7.15pm) and everyone is asked to take along a plate of finger food to share – and your own drink. HuMP will supply tea, coffee, squash – and a birthday cake! Tickets sold out quickly last year so do buy yours soon; they’re £7.50, with under-12s free; to buy please email [email protected]
There’s also a May Day celebration, on Sunday, 28th April, from noon at Hurst Village Hall. A maypole dance expert will show everyone easy dances to join in and you can take your own picnic. HuMP and other visiting morris dancers will perform and invite everyone to join in with a simple dance. Tea, coffee and light refreshments will be on sale and entry is free.

HuMP’s 2019 charity is Hurst’s own inspiring good cause, registered charity Just Around the Corner in Forest Road. More than 100 young people aged between six and 25 use JAC’s services every week. They are referred by Wokingham and Bracknell schools, social services, parents and by self-referral.

    Visit www.hump.org.uk and www.facebook.com/hurstmorris

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Underwater wonders

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Journey deep into the ocean with Blue Planet II – Live in Concert – a feast for your eyes and ears…

The wonders and mysteries of our oceans will once again be centre stage when Blue Planet II – Live in Concert comes to London’s O2 Arena offering a visual, audio and spectacular concert experience.

Due to popular demand, an additional matinee show has been added to the diary and Blue Planet II – Live in Concert will share showstopping moments from the BAFTA award-winning BBC One series.

The natural wonders of our blue planet will be highlighted in breath-taking detail, projected on to a giant 4k Ultra HD LED screen all to the accompaniment of the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra.
The concert, which will be hosted by BBC presenter Anita Rani, will feature such memorable moments from the TV series as the crab and eel rock pool chase and the sea lion tuna hunt.

And Anita admits she can’t wait to part of it, she says: “The penny hasn’t quite dropped that I’m hosting it because I will be standing there in front of 12,000 people at The O2 and all the various arenas that we’re going to and holding the show together. It’s such an honour to be asked to do this show.”

To be precise, Blue Planet II was more than a show on TV she adds, calling it a moment of television history. “If you watched it, and loved it, then you cannot afford to miss this live tour because it’s a fully immersive experience.

“You’ll be able to see those iconic moments – surfing dolphins on a huge screen with an 80-piece live orchestra playing that incredible soundtrack by Hans Zimmer,” she enthuses.

But Blue Planet II goes further than even that, showing the power of TV and the way in which it changed people’s attitudes towards single-use plastic. Anita adds: “It made us aware of the damage we are doing to our beautiful planet and our oceans.”

During the filming of Blue Planet II, crews embarked on 125 expeditions, travelled to 39 countries and spent more than 6,000 hours of deep sea diving armed with the latest state-of-the-art equipment.

She is full of praise for the four years it took to film the show saying it “opened our eyes to an alien world”, adding: “It was the talking point for everybody at work the next day. It tells you something about humanity, it tells you something about our planet. It’s something that is embedded, it’s not like watching an entertainment show that is fun and entertaining, watching Blue Planet II hasn’t left me. Those scenes are with us forever.”

Join the voyage of discovery and enjoy an experience like no other with Blue Planet II – Live in Concert on Sunday, 17th March, at 3pm.

 Tickets are available from www.AXS.com, www.eventim.co.uk, www.seetickets.com and www.blueplanet2live.co.uk

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Maths = fun!

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Ping Woolley of Mathnasium in Summertown explains how you can help your child subtract stress and add confidence!

Maths seems to induce more stress than any other subject, leading to anxiety which can have a huge impact on overall learning.

Many parents will opt for the traditional one-to-one tutor when extra help is needed but many experts believe that children working alongside their peers often work better.

This is where Mathnasium can help – children need an environment in which they feel secure and where learning maths can be challenging but fun, children will realise they are not alone in needing extra help or indeed enjoying maths.

Mathnasium students take a customised assessment which pinpoints their individual learning needs then a customised learning plan is designed which can be shared with your child’s school maths teacher for continuity.

Children learn best by understanding what they are doing. Mathnasium’s expert instructors look at different ways of approaching the same problem to develop this understanding along with independent thinking.

One mum of a seven-year-old boy who has been attending Mathnasium since it opened commented: “My son has benefited greatly from his twice weekly sessions, gaining in confidence and ability. As his parent I feel relief that he is beginning to be happier around maths and that someone else is doing the teaching! It’s an easy venue with regards to location; welcoming and friendly. Ping and her team seem to really care about the children using the service.”

Mathnasium North Oxford Centre on South Parade, Summertown offers maths learning support for children aged 6 to 12.

Contact 01865 655968, email [email protected] or visit www.mathnasium.co.uk/northoxford for details.

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Gardening: Veggie patch

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Another year beginning and I can’t think of a better task than to sit in front of a roaring fire scanning the new seed catalogues! I am often asked what veg can I grow NOW?

Make a Plan

Each season is a challenge and often very different from the year before but certain veg need a long growing season whereas others only take a few weeks to reach maturity. It’s important to grow what you like to eat and if you have never grown veg before go with the tried and tested cultivars from seed or buy some already started for you from your local garden centre.

Consider whether you wish to grow in the ground, raised beds or even pots, all are very effective with a little know how.

There is nothing more satisfying than picking and eating your very own produce.

Brassicas If you want your very own sprouts for the Christmas table it is important to start now. Seeds germinated in a heated propagator is ideal but a window sill will do. Brassicas need a long growing season. If you sow the seeds in the next few weeks you are well on your way to picking your own next Christmas! Try to prick out when large enough to handle and then pot up into individual pots before planting out in the Spring. The bigger and more robust your plants are the less they will succumb to pest and diseases. 

Salads There are many varieties of lettuce and radish available, some of which are totally hardy. They do need a little warm to start them off but if you are clever you can have them all the year round.

Onions There are sets for Autumn or Spring planting and seed for Spring sowings. Leeks can be started early and can give you a fabulous winter crop next year.

Roots Need a slightly sandier soil but Spring sowings of Parsnips can be left in the ground to be lifted after frosts, another one for the Christmas table!

Beans and peas This year I have grown pea shoots in the greenhouse which would work just as well on the kitchen windowsill in shallow seed trays or pretty pots. Broad beans are good to go in the ground shortly but you will have to be patient before starting the runners and French because they don’t like the cold!

Potatoes Consider growing these in large pots of multi-purpose compost, can be started early inside or Spring outside.

Sprouted seeds and micro greens So many available to grow on the windowsill all year round!

 

Cathie’s Gardening School Services now taking bookings for Spring

Email [email protected] for more info on Cathie’s Gardening School

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Magic for Maggie’s

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Maggie’s cancer charity invites everyone from the local community to enjoy its pop-up Christmas events here in Fulham.

Maggie’s West London centre is a haven of peace and support based on the grounds of Charing Cross Hospital on Fulham Palace Road, offering a wide variety of activities and support groups for anyone living with, or affected by, cancer.

This Christmas the Maggie’s team are holding two exciting festive events in Fulham, encouraging local residents to get involved with supporting their Maggie’s Centre. On Thursday 29th November at Fulham Library, an exciting “pop-up” fair will offer visitors an enticing range of crafts, gifts and artisan products, perfect for present ideas and stocking fillers. From 11am – 2pm the hall will be transformed into an arts and crafts haven, featuring Etsy suppliers and local London crafters, with donations to Maggie’s, and even mulled wine on offer!

Shortly after, on Monday 10th December, the charity is holding its second Carols by Candlelight concert at All Saints Church, from 6.45pm. This wonderful evening concert features not only The London Chorus, conducted by Ronald Corp, OBE, but also the wonderful Francis Holland School Choir – performing all of your festive favourites, as well as some more modern interpretation of Christmas classics.

Both events are generously sponsored by TWM Solicitors, and you can buy tickets for the concert at www.maggiescentres.org/westlondon (‘fundraising and events’). For more information call 020 7386 1750.

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