Hale&Bowdon Magazine Apr|May 2015

PEOPLE | FASHION | SHOPPING | BEAUTY | FOOD | TRAVEL | HEALTH | INTERIORS

APRIL/MAY 201 5 • ISSUE 75a publication

MARTIN COCKXfrom lawyer to lifestyle

THE BODY CLINIC

Expert physiotherapists in the heart of Hale

CAROLYN MELLOR

25 years ofHOMES 4U

WIN a BoConcept chairworth over £2K

10year

anniversary

issUe

2005-2015

1

Editor’s letter

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Established 2002

One of the great pleasures of working

for a magazine is that we get invited

to lots of lovely launches, and the

past couple of months have been no

exception.

February saw the reopening of The

Whitworth, the first gallery in a park.

The £15million redevelopment has

doubled public space and created

state-of-the-art facilities. The blank

brick wall at the back of the building

has been opened up with two new

wings projecting into the park. It’s like

the gallery is opening its arms and

welcoming the people of Manchester,

which is exactly what they aimed to

achieve.

Beechwood Cancer Care celebrated 25

years with the Butterfly Ladies Lunch

and Fashion Show at The Mere Golf

Resort and Spa with some well-known

faces, including Leanne Brown and

Tanya Bardsley from Real Housewives

of Cheshire, who promised us an

interview.

We were proud sponsors of The Eat

Sleep and Drink Awards, nicknamed

The Drinkies, and saw the cream of

Manchester’s hospitality industry

receive their awards at a glitzy event

at The Mercure Piccadilly Hotel. We

were also more than happy to award

The Lime Tree and Neighbourhood

their awards for Best Premium Dining

and Best Premium Casual Dining

respectively.

Our company was privileged to be

invited by Sky News to question

George Osborne and Ed Balls at the

stunning Facebook HQ in central

London. Salim, along with 29 other

businesses, questioned the Chancellor

and Shadow Chancellor – so now

we’re all waiting for a pay rise!

Thanks to everyone who supported

our Charity Balls in 2014. We raised

more than £12,000 for the Royal

Manchester Children’s Hospital’s Many

Hands Appeal. This resulted in us

being finalists for The Many Hands

Campaign, which encouraged

north-west businesses to support the

charity by signing up to a fundraising

target of £1,000 each over the course

of 12 months. The finale saw five

short-listed companies pitching to

a panel of judges with the aim of

becoming champion of Many Hands

2015.

The evening, which included a Q&A

session with Theo Paphitis, was hosted

by former BBC presenter Andy Johnson,

best known for presenting Inside Out,

and the judges included Maurice

Watkins CBE, Chairman of RMCH

Charity, and ex-dragon Theo Paphitis.

This year’s Christmas Ball is on 28

November. Full details soon to be

revealed! So with longer days, warmer

temperatures and sun on its way,

enjoy the Easter holidays.

Jens Hallman

General Manager

Radisson Blu Airport HotelImage: Stephen McGowan

Martin Cockx

The Hale Plan

Hale Karate ClubImage: Martin Hambleton

The Brasserie

Alderley Edge Hotel

Imola Chair

BoConcept

48

Beverleye: [email protected]

WELCOME

2

01 EDITOR’S LETTER

News from the editor

05 / 07 / 08 / 10 / 12 / 14

NEWS

What’s happening in your

area?

15 CHARLOTTE’S

DIARY

Exam fever

16WOMEN’S FASHION

Festival folk

18 MEN’S FASHION

Holiday heroes

20TRAVEL

A mini-break in the

Languedoc-Roussillon

27 WE LOVE…

These are a few of our

favourite things

INTERIORS

48 Garden-time

50 Brighten up your garden

49 GARDENSTYLE

Sitting pretty

51 LADY MUCK

Grow your own

Lady Muck style

Established 2002

EVERYISSUE…

55 FOOD REVIEW

Michael Caine’s

Abode Manchester

56 DINING GUIDE

Eateries & bars in and around

the area

68TABLE FOR TWO

With Paul Wolfgang Webster

At Piccolino, Didsbury

74THE BUSINESS

With Vikas Shah

77 / 81 / 83 / 85 / 86

EDUCATION NEWS

News and achievements

from the schools

79 SPOTLIGHT…

Martin Dunn

New Head, Moor Allerton

School

90 REVIEWS

Music, books and films

92WHAT’S ON

The city is full of drama, song

and dance this spring

94 GADGETS

We’ve got you covered

with our gadgets round-up

96 MOTORS

High Swede impact and

Supercar beats Hypercar

57

93

22

90

27

94

3

Established 2002

GROUP EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Beverley Uddin-Khandakar

GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR

Salim Uddin-Khandakar

GROUP RESOURCE DIRECTORJoanne Price

E: [email protected]

Tel: 0161 445 2883

SALES

Michelle Atack, Nigel Reed,

Selma Horsefield

ART DIRECTION & DESIGN

www.twistedgifted.com

CONTRIBUTORS

Anne Britt, Catherine Reed,

Fay Wertheimer, John Waddington,

Oliver Chesher, Mark Kureishy,

Dr Jill Nash, Julie Neville,

Helen Lawson, Charlotte Batra

and Catherine Saunders

HEAD OF DIGITAL

Philip Valentino

PHOTOGRAPHY

PR Shots, Bigstockphoto.com,

Press Loft, Martin Hambleton

and Stephen McGowan

DISTRIBUTION

Avanti

This Magazine is published six times a year by Salutions Limited.

The contents may not be reprinted or reproduced without prior

written permission. The publishers are not liable for statements

made and opinions expressed. While every care is taken, prices

and details are subject to change and the publisher can take no

responsibility for omissions and errors.

The Old Bank, 99 Palatine Road, Didsbury,

Manchester M20 3JQ.

Tel: 0161 445 2883 | E: [email protected]

visit us online www.salutions.co.uk

CONTRIBUTORS

15 28 30 62 71

WIN

22 A 5-night stay at the

luxurious Columbia Beach

Hotel

46 An Imola chair from

BoConcept

worth over £2K

87 An evening at Haydock

Racecourse and a pair of tickets

to see Madness or the Kaiser

Chiefs

24 SOUTH MANCHESTER

CAMERA CLUB

This historic club embraces

the digital revolution

28 EMMA O’REILLY

Owner of The Body Clinic

30VERITY SILVA

MD of Sri Tea

53 CAROLYN MELLOR

Celebrating 25 years of homes4U

and Supporting the Maggie’s charity

58THE EAT DRINK SLEEP

AWARDS

The best the north west has

to offer

62 SUE CRIMES

CEO of Gusto Restaurants

66 KIM KAEWKRAIHOT

Owner of Chaophraya

72WENDY MORAN

Senior PR Lecturer at Manchester

Metropolitan University

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5

Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital

Charity (RMCH) recently held

its Many Hands Campaign finale

at the Midland Hotel, Manchester.

The Many Hands Campaign, which was

first launched in 2008, encouraged

north-west businesses to support the

charity by signing up to a fundraising

target of £1,000 each over the course

of 12 months.

The campaign, spearheaded for the

third time by renowned businessman

and long-term charity supporter Theo

Paphitis, has raised £52,000 from 52

participating companies since last year’s

launch. We are happy to report that

Salutions were short-listed as winners

for Many Hands champion 2015.

The finale saw five short-listed

companies pitching to a panel of judges.

Salutions held two balls in support of

Many Hands; the first was in the

summer of 2014, which was hosted by

Key 103’s Darren Proctor and attended

by 130 people. The second was hosted

by Chelsea Norris and RMCH Charity

patron, John Thompson. Both events

raised more than £12,000.

Money raised by this year’s campaign

will support the enhancement of the

hospital’s Burns Unit, which last year

celebrated its 60th anniversary.

Finalists Salim and Beverley Uddin-Khandakar

with Theo Paphitis. Image: Martin Hambleton

A new cafe for Didsbury, which hopes

to nourish both body and soul, is set

to open in April. Home Community

Cafe is the centrepiece of a redesigned

space at the front of Emmanuel Church

on Barlow Moor Road.

“I’ve always looked at that space and

thought there was an opportunity to

build something really good,” says

Home's Creative Director Hannah

Heasley. “Something that was exciting,

creative, and enabled the church to

express something of itself, and its

vision and values to the community

in a fresh way.”

Home is at the heart of St James and

Emmanuel’s ethos that “everyone is

welcome”. Vicar and cafe trustee

Reverend Ben Edson welcomed its

arrival. “It’s a new way for all the

community of Didsbury to find a place

where they know they belong,” he said.

“We want to build a community at this

cafe around the values of welcome and

belonging, and enable people to engage

with that in a way that feels

comfortable to them,” says Hannah.

“But if you just want a coffee and

catch-up – then that’s great too!”

The values and vision of Home will

also be reflected in its food and drink.

“We’re going to work with suppliers

who care about the planet and pay their

workers well,” adds Hannah. “We’re

supporting local businesses where

possible; we’ll serve barista-made

coffee, teas, cakes and other sweet

treats throughout the day, as well as a

small but perfectly formed lunch menu

between 12 noon and 2pm.”

Home opens on 29 April, initially from

10.30am to 6pm, Wednesday to Friday.

“We’re starting small while dreaming

big,” says Hannah. “We want the people

of Didsbury to really take ownership of

Home, and we have free space to offer

for non-profit groups that want to do

something good for the community.

“Essentially, Home respond to a belief

that we are at our best when we are in

the community.”

FINALISTS AT MANY HANDSEVENT WITH THEO PAPHITIS

CAFÉ

LOCAL NEWS

Hannah Heasley

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7

NEW PRESIDENT ZEE HUSSAINIS WELCOMED AT ASCC

LocaL NeWs

Bringing the perfect consultations,

personalised colour and individually

tailored cuts that ensure HOB Salons

deliver the incomparable hair that

you deserve, current Leeds Franchisee

Shabaz Hussain will take the reins of

the second HOB Salon in the North.

Shabaz’s CV includes television work

for programmes including Coleens Real

Women, styling the hair of footballers’

wives and celebrities such as Jade Jagger

and even Lady Gaga, as well as fragrance

campaigns and working backstage at

London and Milan Fashion Week.

The sumptuous salon surroundings and

the carefully selected team bring the

hottest trends and techniques to Hale,

while the salon décor is for those who

enjoy luxury interiors and five-star

customer service.

The salon also offers a full range of

beauty services with renowned therapist

Natasha Filippidi and is on hand seven

days a week to help you look and feel

beautiful.

To celebrate the opening of HOB Salons

in Hale, enjoy 50% off your first cut,

colour and styling service until 30 April

2015. (With selected stylists, subject to

availability.)

For further info Tel. 941 4777

Sue Aldridge, retiring President, said:

“When I was elected I promised to

‘review and improve the communications

and image of the Chamber’. It was a big

promise and one that could not be

achieved by one woman alone. The

Chamber team has been fantastic; we

have all pulled together to work through

difficult times financially and to shape a

successful Chamber our members can

be proud of. The Breakfast events

schedule has been remodelled and

upgraded to include informative and

relevant business-focused content,

formal lunches have been reduced in

number, and we have reintroduced the

famous ‘mixer’ events. The Business

Academy was successfully launched

with the support of members sharing

their skills, and it will now be a regular

feature in our calendar with a focus on

supporting start-up businesses this year.

“I would like to thank everyone who

has given their time, enthusiasm and

commitment over the past two years

to help and support the Chamber. While

I still have items on my ‘wish list’ that

I have not even started to bring to

fruition, I know new President Zee

Hussain will commit to the ongoing

revitalisation and progress we have

made to date. Best wishes for

continued success.”

Zee Hussain, incoming President, said:

“It is an honour and privilege to take

on the role of President and lead this

historic Chamber. I believe there is lots

of potential to further enhance and

grow the Chamber, not least given our

location and the development taking

place in the area. Sue and chairman

Tony Collier have done exceptionally

well to steer the Chamber through a

turbulent period, and I am confident

that with the help of our members we

can build on this success. I am delighted

that the Chamber has retained the

services of both Sue and Tony – we

all look forward with optimism to a

successful 2015 and beyond.”

For more information about how you

can join the Chamber or come along

to one of the events, visit

www.altrinchamchamber.co.uk or

follow us on twitter: @altichamber

AWARD-WINNING HAIRDRESSING COMES TO MANCHESTER!

Gorgeous colour and exceptional cuts are the standard for award-winning

hairdressing group HOB Salons, and the quality of the renowned salon name

will now be available to the people of Manchester as they opened their

25th salon in Hale!

The Altrincham and Sale Chamber of Commerce celebrated the success of

Sue Aldridge’s two-year reign as President and welcomed new President

Zee Hussain at their new year annual lunch at the Belmore Hotel in Sale.

8

FOODIES FESTIVALTENTH ANNIVERSARY 17-19 JULY

LocaL NeWs

TONY’S TOUGHEST CHALLENGE

After a record-breaking 25,000 visitors

attending Tatton Park’s Foodies

Festival last summer for the tenth

anniversary celebrations, organisers

are extending the festival with new

food and drink theatres and longer

opening hours.

This year, a New Tasting Theatre will host

masterclasses with local experts, inviting

visitors to try the latest foods and learn

new skills including oyster-shucking,

bee-keeping, cheese-selecting, foraging,

preparing raw and vegan foods, and herb

cocktail-making.

Summer cooking inspiration comes from

the Aga Rangemaster Chefs Theatre,

with top chefs including MasterChef

winner Tim Anderson and finalist Jackie

Kearney.

A Wine and Champagne Theatre will

host tutored tastings with experts Neil

Phillips and Charles Metcalfe, who will

guide visitors through this season’s best

British bubblies from the UK and around

the world, and beer expert Melissa Cole

will host masterclasses in the New Craft

Beer Theatre, matching foods with

locally produced craft beers.

Chocolate addicts should head to the

Chocolate Theatre for an instant hit of

cocoa in ‘How to Sniff Chocolate like a

Rockstar’ masterclasses with Coeur de

Xocolat, while the Cake & Bake Theatre

offers masterclasses in 3D cake-

modelling, pastry, chocolate-making and

sugar-craft with the north west’s best

bakers and pâtisseries. A complementing

Chocolate, Cake and Bake Village will

sell bakes, jams, gadgets and baking

essentials.

Delicious smells wafting from The Street

Food Avenue will tantalise visitors to

feast on the huge selection of hot and

cold dishes from around the world. Two

hundred producers will be selling award-

winning cheeses and wines, breads and

bakes, jams and condiments, while cured

meats will be available at the Artisan

Producers Market. There will also be live

music from the entertainment stage.

Little foodies can explore their taste buds

and learn basic skills with Picnic in the

Park-themed masterclasses in the

Children’s Cookery Theatre, where Kiddy

Cook will show them how to make finger

sandwiches, jellies and chocolate bugs.

After a day of feasting and fun, foodies

can relax with a spot on the grass and

soak up the atmosphere with a

refreshing cocktail, glass of bubbly, or a

Pimm’s from the giant Pimm’s teapot or

Galleon Mojito bars.

Tickets are on sale now at

www.foodiesfestival.com or by

calling 0844 995 1111

Good luck to MBL Director Tony Collier

who’s participating in ‘The Comrades’,

the biggest and one of the toughest

marathon road races anywhere in

the world. Originating in 1921 to

commemorate the fallen heroes of

WW1 (the Comrades), 31 May 2015

will see its 90th race.

The race is from Durban to

Pietermaritzburg in South Africa –

a distance of 54 to 56 miles with

6,500 feet of climbing, 4,000 feet of

descending and temperatures in the

thirties.

Tony said: “Although I now consider my-

self a reasonably experienced marathon

runner, having completed 12 marathons

including all six of the World Marathon

Majors, the 26.2-mile distance of a

marathon is one hell of a long way. How

on earth do you do more than double the

marathon distance, climb 6,500 feet and

cope with the heat? One thing’s for sure:

I’m going to find out!”

You can make a donation by sending a

cheque payable to CAFT to MBL House,

16 Edward Court, Altrincham WA14 5GL

or via www.justgiving.com/tonycollier4caft

CHEESEMONGERDELICATESSENBUTCHERFISHMONGER BAKERYWINE MERCHANTGROCERCAFÉ

Booths Hale Barns The Square, Hale RoadHale Barns, Altrincham WA15 8ZN

YOUR NEW STORE IN HALE BARNS OPENS WEDNESDAY 15TH APRIL

www.booths.co.uk

Twitter @boothscountry

Facebook /boothscountry

Instagram @boothscountry

10

Business networking group Moxie

Mingle ventured into Didsbury with an

event at Thyme Out on Nell Lane. It was

the first collaboration between Moxie,

run by Bramhall-based Wendy Green,

and Thyme Out, owned by Didsbury

couple Ben and Kate Hayes.

The team at Thyme Out treated the

networkers to a selection of delicious

canapés to showcase their outside

catering, including goats’ cheese

and beetroot mousse crostini, mini-

Yorkshire puddings, silverside beef

and delicious home-baked brownie

bites, all washed down with prosecco

and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Kate from Thyme Out commented:

“We’ve wanted to host a networking

event for a while, so we were delighted

to get this evening in the diary. We

really enjoyed hosting and welcoming

some lovely people. Hopefully, this will

be the first of many similar events in

the future.”

Find out more and book onto the next

Moxie Mingle event

www.moxie-mingle.com

LocaL NeWs

COLLABORATION BETWEENBRAMHALL AND DIDSBURY BUSINESS

Following last year’s hugely successful Brazilian

Carnival, the Bramhall Together Trust have

decided that the 2015 Festival will be a

nostalgic one, with a Step Back In Time

theme promising to bring a touch of vintage

style to the village this summer.

The Trust – a group of volunteers who put a

great deal of time and effort into such events

– are now looking for support to make this

year’s Festival as successful as the last one.

Local authority cost-cutting has contributed

to the demise of several festivals, but last

year’s Bramhall Carnival went ahead thanks

to resolute fundraising and the generous

support of sponsors. Once again, such

support is being sought to make the event

viable and as spectacular as possible.

However, as co-organiser Sue Day of Modiste

explains, there are many other areas in

which people can get involved: “We are

putting a call out to anyone who thinks they

might be able to add to the Festival. They

might have a vintage car they would like to

show off, or perhaps they could take a stall

at the Vintage Market & Vinyl Fair, which is

being held in the Village Square.

And we’re always looking for groups that

would like to take part in the parade on

Saturday – last year 1st Bramhall Scouts won

the Festival Cup and £200 by ‘water skiing’

down Bramhall Lane South!”

The call is out for community groups,

schools and businesses to get in touch and

get involved. Be a helper, a supporter or an

entertainer!

To find out more please contact

[email protected]

The organisers of Bramhall Festival are on a recruitment drive.

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THE VILLAGE GOES VINTAGE FOR THE 2015 BRAMHALL FESTIVAL 12–14 JUNE

11

Property – boom and bust days aside

– has rarely let investors down in

terms of investment. Growth may at

times stagnate or be slow, but on the

whole, financial returns have ranged

from good to significant.

Founded by experienced property

investment director Peter Kiely,

Harewood Associates construct

bespoke high-quality family homes in

desirable north west locations and

provide investment opportunities for

those wanting high yield for their cash.

Peter explains: “We can offer investors

between 20% and 30% return on their

investment, and that would take some

beating if you were looking at putting

your money in an ordinary or even

high-performing savings account.

“More than 400 people have invested

with us and we have a 100 per cent

client satisfaction rate, which is

something I am extremely proud of.”

It is a simple concept too. Investors

can own shares in a residential

development owned by a single-

purpose vehicle (SPV) which is a

private limited company established

by Harewood Associates for the

specific purpose of buying and selling

properties on the site.

Share certificates are issued at the

start of the build, and once the last

house is sold, investors are asked for

their share certificates back and they

receive their original stake and

subsequent profit back as a lump sum.

The transactions are all subject to

the legal process and managed via an

independent firm of solicitors.

Peter’s extensive experience in

relation to property investment is

more than matched by his passion

and hands-on approach to Harewood

Associates’ residential development

schemes.

Peter continues: “We are ultimately

investing in the UK, creating beautiful

and high-quality homes, as well as

employment for local people during

the construction phase.

I wouldn’t build in an area I wouldn’t

want to live in myself and I am proud

to have created new family-centred

communities where people want to

live and invest.”

All Harewood Associates’ residential

developments are in the north west.

Shares can be bought for a minimum

stake of £5,000 and developments

generally complete within a year.

The high-quality homes are built to

industry standards and regulations,

and investors are given the

opportunity to visit the sites during

the construction phase.

Peter concludes: “It is important that

our investors feel confident they will

get the return they have been assured

of receiving. Our 100 per cent

satisfaction rate is a clear testament

to our success in achieving that.”

Smart move for investors

For those with money to invest these days, knowing what product or service will deliver the

best return can be tricky. However, Harewood Associates, Bolton-based property developers,

have found a niche in the market that not only offers a safe and high rate of return for

property investors, but also creates local jobs, high-quality housing and new communities.

12

LOVE YOUR HEALTH

LocaL NeWs

EBOLA ORPHAN APPEAL3 PEAKS CHALLENGEJoin Street Child’s team and compete to scale Ben Nevis,

Scafell Pike and Snowdon within 24 hours on 10 to 12 July

to raise money to support children orphaned by Ebola in

West Africa.

Juliet Appleby, local fundraiser for Street Child, said: “This

is a tough but magnificent event and participants should

be prepared to do it without much sleep! If you’re up for

the challenge, join us and help raise enough funds to

support 200 orphaned children.” More than 10,000 people

have died of Ebola in the recent outbreak in West Africa

which has left 30,000 children orphaned. This 24-hour

challenge will help Street Child provide a sustainable future

for some of the world’s most vulnerable children.

For further info

please email [email protected]

The Great Kathmandu Tandoori RestaurantAward winning Nepalese & Indian CuisineWinners of the Hardens Observer Readers Choice for Indian Cuisine in the UK

www.greatkathmandu.com | T: 0161 445 2145 or 0161 434 6413

*(ex Bank Hols not valid with any other offer) just mention Salutions when booking!

140-144 Burton Road, West Didsbury M20 1JQ

Open 7 days a week. Lunch 12 noon - 2.30pm & 6.00pm - Midnight

Function room available for hire.

20 %OFF

Total food billMon-Weds*

Hayley was able to discuss how

hypnotherapy can help according

to the person’s needs, covering how

to eradicate an unwanted habit or

behaviour, how to gain relief from

a specific emotional issue, or simply

how to have more self-belief to make

those all-important changes in life.

Hayley told us: “I use a solution-

focused model to help clients reach

their goals in a positive way.” Health,

fitness and lifestyle companies got

involved and the event grew and

became a mini-health and fitness

event with the emphasis on the

Twitter #loveyourhealth.

Inhale Yoga discussed the benefits

of yoga, Hale Fitness spoke about

personal training, and Mam from

The Chandra Healing Centre treated

guests to a luxury 15-minute Thai yoga

massage. There were delicious juices

on offer from Juicelife and delightful

organic canapés from The Garden in

Hale. Guests were truly pampered

with special offers, give-aways and

goody bags, and went on to enjoy

Bellini cocktails and sushi at the

fashionable bar/restaurant Victors

In Hale.

The concept was put together by

Lynette Cutler, who runs The Edge

Events. Lynette told us: “Several

meetings later it was agreed the Love

Your Health event was a great way to

increase awareness.”

Precious health was the venue for the Love Your Health event that took

place recently, where Hayley Kiemel of Insight Hypnotherapy gave people

an outlook of what hypnotherapy is all about.

13

MEMBERSHIP OFFERS: on production of this magazine, the Northern is offering 10% off Full or Fitness and Health rates.

Discounts for off-peak, families and students. Terms and conditions apply. Come along for a tour of our facilities,

or contact us for a free trial at [email protected] and quote Salutions Magazine.

Put a spring in your step at the Northern

What’s on at Come along and see what theNorthern has to offer you and

your family. Open Day Saturday 25 April 1–4pm

COME ALONG AND JOIN IN:

Adult and junior, tennis and squash

taster sessions: Introduction to Body

Control Pilates. Physiquipe physio-

therapy, physical rehab and

conditioning facility. Children’s craft

sessions, face painting, bouncy castle

(weather permitting) and barbecue

DISCOUNTS:

Membership, tennis and squash

camp promotional rates available

FITNESS:

At the Northern, we are fortunate to

be able to offer an excellent gym and

studio facility to complement our

racket sports. Excellent instruction

available from our Personal Training

team, giving sport-specific

programmes, or support for

whatever your goal – a 10K race,

marathon, triathlon, or even to

improve your fitness and keep up

with the kids!

We have a varied range of fitness

classes and running club sessions.

FREE to members. Discounted

regular-user rate or pay as you go.

Online bookings required to ensure

your place up to a week ahead.

For full details go to

www.thenorthern.co.uk/fitness

We have extensive tennis and

squash coaching programmes for all

ages and abilities. These include

holiday and summer camps.

For further details go to

www.thenorthern.co.uk/sports

Or email [email protected]

ATP men’s international tennis returns to Manchester, with the Aegon

Manchester Trophy to be played at the Northern Club, West Didsbury.

CALENDAR OF

EvENTS:

APRIL

8 Christie Support Group

11 Race Night

18 Private Function

MAY

11 First Aid Course

17 Family Tennis

Tournament

23 Bronze Sanctioned

Squash Tournament

30 Aegon Tennis

Tournament Qualifying

(see main text)

REGULAR SOCIAL EvENTS

Tuesday

Zumba Kids, Baby Ballet,

Tennis Club Night,

Speciality Food Night

Wednesday

Squash Club Night

Thursday

Talking Tots

Friday

Stories and Sensory Babies

Family Evening with Films

Saturday

Tennis and Squash Junior

Squads

Sunday

Wisemove

TO BOOK THE CLUBHOUSE [email protected] To see images of the Northern, go to the club website www.thenorthern.co.uk and look at our galleries.

THE NORTHERN

Sunday 31 May – Sunday 7 June 2015.

This men’s €42.5K ATP Challenger,

which takes place in the second week

of the French Open, will be the first

opportunity of the season for the men

to compete in a professional event on

grass. Traditionally, this has been a

popular week on the calendar, with

a number of players world-ranked

between 50 and 100 seeking to sharpen

their skills on grass. The equivalent

event in Nottingham last year saw

former top 10 player and Australian

Open finalist, Marcos Baghdatis

capture the title, while the following

week an emerging Nick Kyrgios won the

title before going on to beat Rafa Nadal

at Wimbledon. Spectators can look

forward to seeing a great mix of

emerging young players on the verge

of breaking into the big time, plus

established stars on the ATP Challenger

circuit.

Ticket information.

Entry is free for the general public

Sunday and Monday, with tickets from

Tuesday through to the men’s singles

final on Sunday 7 June.

For tickets visit:

https://int.theticketfactory.com/

ltacm/online/ or call 0844 581 6902.

Email [email protected]

Twenty-one-year-old Northern member,

Liam Broady, current British number four,

a member of the club, who has reached a

career high of 184 in February 2015. Successful

junior career, reaching a career high No. 2 in

2012. Won two junior Grand Slam doubles

titles (2010 Wimbledon and 2010 Australia

Open) and reached two junior Grand Slam

singles finals (2011 Wimbledon and 2012

US Open).

14

Booths, the north-west-based food

retailer, will open its 31st store in

Hale Barns on 15 April. Edwin Booth,

Chairman of Booths, said: “We’re

very excited to open our state-of-

the-art store in Hale Barns in a prime

position in the heart of south

Manchester.”

The brand-new 30,000-square-

foot Booths food store will be one

of the retailer’s largest, and is part

of the redevelopment of The Square,

Hale Barns’ 1960s shopping centre.

Containing fresh food counters,

including a butcher, fishmonger,

delicatessen, hot food-seller and

cheesemonger, it will play a key part

in the reinvigoration of the Square.

The new store will create over 90

new jobs in the region, ranging from

management roles to flexible part-

time employment. New store manager

Matthew Welsh started working for

Booths 20 years ago. He has worked

in nine Booths stores and became a

manager in 2008. In the weeks before

the opening, he’s spending time visiting

the store’s local suppliers, including

Burt’s Cheese, Cheshire Farm Chips

and Tatton Brewery.

Booths is renowned for top-

quality food and drink and sourcing

fresh, local produce in season. The

vast majority of their fresh food is

sourced within this region due to their

commitment to working with

suppliers in the four counties Booths

operate in: Lancashire, Cheshire,

Cumbria and Yorkshire.

Chairman Edwin Booth said:

“Booths is a supermarket retailer like

no other –proudly Northern, family-

run and independent. Our regional

roots and relative small size help to

forge close relationships with our

farmers and producers. We’re able

to source exceptional food and drink

from small-scale producers that would

normally avoid supplying the super-

markets.

We’re deeply committed to giving

producers a fair price and shoppers

great food and we’re very excited to

be opening in Hale Barns.”

BOOTHS COUNTRYCOMES TO HALE BARNS

Bringing meat, mayhem and music to

the city, Grillstock Manchester will be

headlined by legendary New York DJ

Grandmaster Flash, as well as purveyors

of sexy music, riotous comedy, and

sensational dancing – the Cuban Bros.

Grillstock favourite the inimitable Levi

Roots will also be on hand, delivering

some lunchtime reggae and soul,

while indie rock band The Heavy

headline the Sunday in Albert Square.

Festival-goers can expect a smouldering

hot US-style low 'n' slow BBQ

competition, chilli-pepper and hot-dog

eating competitions, as well as bands

and DJs playing on two music stages.

The competition puts the teams

through their paces as they show off

their culinary skills over the smoky

coals and battle it out to be crowned

King of the Grill.

The competition allows festival-goers

the chance to interact with the teams,

taste the food and experience their

passion for authentic barbecue.

Increasing the heat, US BBQ veteran

Dr BBQ aka Ray Lampe will oversee

the judging.

Food fans can also check out the

Weber BBQ Academy, imported

craft beer in a New York Dive Bar,

bourbon dens and village of BBQ

traders serving pit-smoked meaty

treats and Grillstock’s very own pale

ale, which was created especially for

BBQ.

Tickets are on sale now

www.grillstock.co.uk/tickets. Follow

www.facebook.com/grillstockBBQ or

@grillstock for further line-up

announcements and meaty goodness.

GRILLSTOCK MANCHESTERGrillstock has announced the music bill for Manchester’s big weekend of meat, music and mayhem with

Grandmaster Flash, The Heavy, Levi Roots and Cuban Bros all confirmed to play on 30 and 31 May.

LocaL NeWs

15

I find myself comparing my 16/18-

year-old self to my two children and

remembering all the blood, sweat and

occasional good grades from my days

of revision. I was very diligent, not that

it did me much good, but when the

stress levels were raised, my solution

was to head straight to the stationary

section of a reputable shop and stock

up on different coloured pens, paper

clips and a robust ruler. This meant I

had all the tools for an organised

approach to revision. I can’t tell you

the joy I had in creating a colour-coded

chart of when my revision would take

place, the topic, the length of time - all

accurately listed with perfect straight

lines that would be the envy of – well,

actually no-one – but I was chuffed to

bits. Not much revision took place

though.

I always thought I would do my best

to help my children revise – test them,

ask questions, and make time to

understand the topics under discussion.

But I soon discovered I was pretty much

useless to them. For instance, they

overtook my knowledge of maths

before high school. I knew when I was

beaten, so walked away, head held

very low indeed.

There is so much more noise and

distraction these days. I am incredulous

at just how many flat screens a child can

sit in front of while supposedly revising.

I express my ‘admiration’ for one child’s

ability to do all this simultaneously and

he looks at me with that confused face

(Am I in trouble? Has she spotted that

I am not revising? Is this praise?) and

smiles wryly before skipping off to

the fridge to forage for yet more food,

perhaps even in the belief that he has

got away with it.

All is not lost though. I spot one of

them at the kitchen table apparently

revising. Admittedly, there is a flat

screen around, but there would also

seem to be a file, some pens and

writing happening. As I meander over

to offer refreshment, I glance down

to see copious notes having been

made, but closer examination reveals

elaborately drawn doodles too, which

have nothing to do with the topic in

hand. Ah well, I think to myself, perhaps

this means a good mark in art.

I always thought I woulddo my best to help my

children revise – test them,ask questions, and maketime to understand thetopics under discussion.

t’s exam fever in our house. The age gap between offspringhas led to the delightful double whammy of GCSEs and A levels during the months of May and June, which has already resulted in my hair turning grey (nothing to do withmy age of course) and an ever-increasing level of anxietyover what actual revision should be done over the comingweeks.I

Charlotte’s Diary

By Charlotte Batra

Step in to the new season with ease this Summer

at Next.co.uk. Order by 11PM for next day delivery

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f

tassels & texture

n

Denim jacket, £30

Suede rucksack £62

Glam platforms, £35

Wide leg trousers, £24

Fringed black dress, £60

Suedette tassel jacket, £55

Embellished vest, £18

Mini across-the body bag, £22

Gladiator style sandals, £36

F

Folk tunic, £45

s

T R E N D F O C U S

T

* For full terms and conditions visit next.co.uk/terms

WoMeN’s FasHIoN

16

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newutility

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70’srevival

Khaki jacket, £65D

Folk tunic, £45

F

statement necklace, £20

Dip dye shorts, £22

Crossover mules, £35

Relaxed flared jeans, £26

Embroidered top, £36

Buckle Detail sandals, £50

Trapeze top with silk, £38

Leather fringe sandals, £58

T R E N D F O C U S

*

17

holidayheroes.

Buckle sandal, £30

American freshman cap, £12

Tie Dye t-shirt, £18

Denim shorts, £20 Jute slip-on, £20

Straw trilby, £12

Leaf shorts, £18

Jacquard T-Shirt, £20

Linen shirt, £22

Canvas slip on, £24

Order by 11PM for next day delivery to home or by

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* For full terms and conditions visit next.co.uk/terms

MeN’s FasHIoN

18

To reserve your private appointment at our showroom Tel: 0161 773 0000

Or you can email: [email protected]

F I N E J E W E L L E R Y S I N C E 1 8 9 4

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TRaVeL

20

Château Les Carrasses is a stunning 19th-

century Wine Domaine in the heart of

Languedoc – a restoration project of

Irish duo Karl O’Hanlon and his wife.

The château oozes charm and character

with luxury hotel accommodation and

the freedom of self-catering. The château

is perfect for a girls’ getaway, or a

short-haul family holiday, and children

are made very welcome, with an

on-site Kids HQ, and organised summer

activities run by bilingual staff.

The range, size and options of

accommodation on offer are superb.

Twenty-eight different self-catering

holiday homes have been created,

ranging in size from studio and one-

bedroom suites in the château, to

houses sleeping eight with private

pools. Some suites have terraces, while

most of the apartments have gardens.

A heavenly French château is the perfect setting for sipping

local wine in the spring. Jill Nash enjoys a mini-break in the

Languedoc-Roussillon.

Château

cHâTeau cHIc

21

Each property is designed differently,

but décor throughout is a calming blend

of contemporary tones and traditional

French country flair. All have fully

equipped kitchens, TV and DVD players,

satellite TV, iPod and docking station,

wi-fi, air-conditioning and top-quality

bed linen and towels (including pool

towels) as standard.

There is plenty to keep you occupied

on-site. You can while away the hours

by sipping a glass or two of locally

produced rosé while soaking up the

beautiful countryside scenery on the

stunning terrace, spend a restful day

next to the splendid infinity pool, or

absorb yourself in a good read in the

delightful conservatory. If you are

feeling energetic, there are floodlit

tennis courts, table tennis or French

Boules to keep you entertained.

The reception area doubles up as a

salon, boutique and bistro serving

lunches and breakfasts. The bistro

and bar serve Mediterranean tapas

complemented by the best regional

wines (including their own) and classic

cocktails, which can be enjoyed

throughout the day by the pool, in the

salon, in the tasting rooms, or on any

one of several terraces. During the

summer, dinner can be served alfresco,

and the château occasionally has

wonderful live music to set the

atmosphere.

The area boasts plenty of leisurely

pursuits, including barge trips along

the Canal du Midi and bike rides around

the rolling vineyards and surrounding

villages. The château can arrange picnic

lunches and local wine-tasting trips

(including their own production site).

A trip to the local Pezenas market is

a must; there you can wander around

the historical town and indulge in local

cheeses, bread and local produce

(or take some back to your apartment

to enjoy later).

A short drive from Les Carrasses brings

you to the golden stretch of sand on

the Mediterranean coast near Sérignan.

The historic cities of Narbonne and

Béziers are also close by. The nearest

airport is Béziers, which you can fly

directly to from Manchester airport,

and the château is only 30 minutes by

car, making this a wonderful choice for

a mini-break. Rooms are priced from

€169 per room per night for a suite.

Book via email [email protected]

or visit www.lescarrasses.com

chic

coMPeTITIoN

WIN A FIVE-NIGHT STAY at the luxurious five-star Columbia Beach Resort, Pissouri Bay, Cyprus

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your favourite magazine and Epicure

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Columbia Beach Resort boasts an

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white cliffs of Cape Aspro, vineyards

and orchards. This all-suite resort,

with Hébe Spa at its centre, includes

an 80-metre lagoon-style infinity

pool, two tennis courts, two squash

courts, a traditional Cypriot tavern,

an Italian gourmet restaurant,

watersports on the bay, a cycling

centre run by a Swiss cycling

champion, a nautically themed

cocktail bar, a swimming-pool bar,

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It really isn't surprising to hear that

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22

At Victoria Highfield, we aspire to make every customer feel special whether that be from a simple repair to the procurement

of a diamond ring. Now open on Didsbury high street, we’re adding our own touch of sparkle to the village.

N O W O P E N I N D I D S B U R Y7 3 5 W I L M S L O W R O A D

735 Wilmslow Road, Didsbury M20 6WF T. 0161 434 8111 www.victoriahighfield.com

STORE ALSO IN HEATON MOOR

Didsbury in Bloom

Designed by floodcreative.co.uk

N

N O W O P E 7 3 5 W

N I N D I DO W R O I L M S L

Y D S B U RA D

24

Pursuit of the perfect image has

always been one of the aims of

Didsbury’s South Manchester Camera

Club, and though its name may seem

redolent of Box Brownies and

technically challenging equipment,

the club has eagerly welcomed the

explosion in digital imagery that now

prevails. More media - film and digital

cameras, including the ubiquitous

smartphone - simply mean more

opportunities to capture that perfect

image.

Founded in Didsbury in 1952, by Fred

Veal and a group of like-minded

friends, their aim was to encourage

‘good fellowship through photography’,

and it remains to this day the club’s

motto. With some 80 members, it‘s

one of the largest in the region and is

highly regarded by other competing

clubs. It’s a progressive club with

an excellent website and a well-

maintained social media presence,

courtesy of the club’s Publicity

Secretary, Emma Finch.

Creativity is the spur for SMCC, and

though technical expertise is clearly

evident in some of the club’s more

practised and experienced members’

works, it’s certainly not a prerequisite

for membership. Members are very

proud that the club contains a wide

and diverse range of photography

enthusiasts holding a wide range of

abilities and experience. The same

applies to the club’s demographic

make-up; men and women of all ages

are all equally welcome. The only

requirement is the desire to take

photographs.

The club offers a varied programme

of activities, including monthly

competitions for both print and

digital images. These competitions

are voluntary and present a great

opportunity for members to have

their work critically appraised. The

standards are high but creativity is

always encouraged at the club and

the members are all highly supportive

of each other’s endeavours.

Renowned and prominent practitioners

are regularly invited to come and

address the club on all aspects of

photography. These presentations

are greatly informative and interesting

and present tremendous opportunities

for developing skills and techniques.

The club has a great social aspect

to it too, with regular day trips to

interesting photographic locations

organised for the members. Exotic

foreign excursions are also arranged

(eg. Venice last year), so there’s plenty

of scope for the keen photographic

eye to take in!

The club will be exhibiting a selection

of its diverse photographic art at the

Didsbury Parsonage as part of the

Didsbury Arts Festival. The exhibition

will run from 20–28 June and members

will be in attendance to talk about all

aspects of the club’s activities.

If you’re interested in photography

and would like to meet like-minded

people, the South Manchester Camera

Club would like to extend a warm

welcome to you; all you need is a

camera!

Go to smcc.org.uk for more

information, or pop along to the club.

Members meet every Monday evening

at 8pm at Barlow Moor Methodist

Church, which is located on the corner

of Wilmslow Road and Sandhurst

Road, Didsbury, M20 5LR.

To celebrate the digital explosion and

its potential benefits to photographers,

the club is running a competition that

is open to all. To enter, simply email a

jpeg image that is original and was

taken by you. There are no restrictions

on the image subject, and any kind of

camera is eligible, especially smart-

phones. The winning entry will be

judged on its creative merits. The

winner will receive a fabulous prize of

Dinner for Two, courtesy of the kind

people at Didsbury’s Croma

restaurant.

Only one entry per person is

allowed and it must be submitted to

[email protected] by 30 April.

Get focused and good luck!

By Mark Kureishy

Click! Historic South Manchester Camera Club embraces the digital revolution

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26

Sassoon Salon

1 Marsden Street, Manchester M2 1HW

Phone: 0161 827 7140

The art of beautyFrom Salvador Dali to Man Ray

and Horst P, this seasons beauty

trends take their cues from

surrealist art.

The New Natural

Fresh, subtle and tousled waves

– the secret to working SS15

beauty trends. There is some-

thing irresistibly seductive

about perfectly textured hair.

“Loose movement and soft

textures instantly make a short

style look feminine and flattering,”

says Bruce Masefield, Sassoon

UK Creative Director.

Try It… Use a medium-sized

barrel tong and alternate the size

of each section for a more natural

result. Ruffle the hair through

with a texturising product.

Colour Lustre

Take your cues from a surrealist

approach and refresh your hair

colour this season.

Dreamlike shades of beautiful

colour are the essential choice.

The key to mastering the

palette? “Colours are diffused

together elegantly from dark

to light and back again,” says

Edward Darley, Sassoon UK

Colour Director. This creates

a subtle flow of colours to

enhance shine and incredible

fibre-optic iridescence.

Try It… Book the ultimate

holistic three-tier colour service:

Bespoke Colour, Seal Colour

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Colour. Save £20 when you

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The New Short

The bob has been the haircut of

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Try it… This look can be worn

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by tucking one side behind your

ear,” says Bruce Masefield,

Sassoon UK Creative Director.

SASSOONPRESENTS UMBRA SS15

Everyone’s welcome at Virgin Active– young or old, fit or unfit. We setout to create a health club that’s

different from all the rest. We lovehelping our members to be active

but we’re not uptight or overly serious about it - that’s just the way

we do things around here.

At Virgin Active Didsbury, we’ve created a game-changing

new club following a £1.1million investment. As well as

existing luxuries such as red-hot classes, awesome

innovations and heated pools, we are now starting to serve

a range of fantastic, fresh facilities to offer you a whole

new level of refinement. From innovative gym floors,

upgraded lounge facilities and spruced-up studios, we are

doing everything we can to make sure you put some more

wow into your workout.

So why not work up a sweat in style with the newly

refurbished studio and gym floor spaces, which feature

the finest equipment to make sure you get the most out

of your workout.

Or why not try The Grid – The Grid will push you, pull and

squat you. It’ll lunge, bend and twist you, and move you

the way you were meant to. You will be able to choose

from four new intense classes: Grid Active, Grid Lean, Grid

Strong and Grid Fit. Every intense class is based around

flexibility and motion. We’ll teach you to move the tough

way and will get the best out of you. It’s all part of your

Virgin Active membership.

So step inside and you’ll experience a health club that’s

actively different from all the rest. You’ll be encouraged,

inspired, and made to feel right at home.

Come and try out our

brand-spanking-new facilities at

our Family Fun Day in June.

For more information about what’s on offer, please call 0161 249 5600 or

get in touch via email at [email protected]

27

GOOD NIGHT

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AROMATHERAPY ASSOCIATES

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Love

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These are a few of our favourite things…

We

MY OWN FAIRYBrings children’s Imagination to life.

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perfectly packaged alongside a bottle of fairy

dust and a miniature key, designed with the

idea to ‘capture the magic in a box’.

The handcrafted, hand painted doors can be

placed in a special place or secret corner of

the house with the miniature key. When the

key is gone and the fairy dust appears the

next morning, the fairy has been to visit and

has moved into their new home.

My Own Fairy is aimed at children aged 3-9

years, but is also loved by fairy fans of all

ages. The doors come in a range of colours

including red, blue, pink, yellow and purple,

and the fairy shop also stocks accessories

such as stepping-stones, wall stickers and

bottles of fairy dust. The magical visitor can

secretly come and go at night, and find the

letters and presents left for them.

The My Own Fairy website also features a

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28

Ten years ago Emma bought and took over the running ofThe Body Clinic in Hale. She was determined to build on its success and sought to growand expand the business’s offer to the local community.

Emma’s skills and experience as a sports therapist working

with the World’s No. 1 cycling team, means she has a vast

knowledge and understanding of the treatment of sports

injuries, and the benefits sports massage and physiotherapy

can bring following major sports events. Indeed, The Body

Clinic’s expertise attracts a range of professional sports

patients, including among others, Olympic Gold medal-

winning cyclist Victoria Pendleton.

However, The Body Clinic’s eight-person team of

physiotherapists means it also provides a comprehensive

range of treatments to suit a variety of problems for all

ages.

Emma explains: “It is important to me and the team at

The Body Clinic that we treat the source of the pain or

discomfort by providing the treatment regimes that best

suit the patient. We have a range of physiotherapists with

different skills so we can offer a solution that is right for

the patient. We have worked with children as young as six

and elderly patients as old as 96. Their individual needs

will differ enormously so we ensure we have the right

person working with them right from the start.”

Initial consultations at The Body Clinic last an hour and

give the physiotherapist the chance to make a thorough

assessment so that a treatment programme is put in

place that will deal with the injury successfully.

Emma O’Reilly, owner of The Body Clinic, is probably best knownfor her previous role as sports therapist for former cycling world

champion Lance Armstrong.

Expert physiotherapists

in the heart of Hale

29

By Charlotte Batra

“The initial assessment is vital for us to get to know exactly

what the patient needs,” says Emma. “We can then ensure

that they are treated effectively and efficiently. Staff are

friendly and approachable and do their best to put a person

at ease.”

With a vast client base it is clear that The Body Clinic’s

ethos works. Its comprehensive range of services includes

physiotherapy, a back pain clinic, women’s health physio,

sports massage and accupuncture, prenatal and postnatal

massage, office injury prevention, and medical legal

services. There is also the opportunity to arrange exercise

classes in your office.

Emma continues: “One of the many reasons I like working

here is that patients work with us. They listen carefully to

our advice and tend to play their part in their recovery by

doing the recommended exercises and taking our advice,

so they can go back to living their normal lives.

“It is also vital that our team of experts get the diagnosis

right from the very start and recommend a treatment plan

that is both bespoke and realistic. Taking the whole person

into account is an important part of our treatment.”

Treatments available at The Body Clinic now include

acupuncture and reflexology together with general

physiotherapy techniques, including mobilisation,

electrotherapy and, of course, massage. The Body Clinic

team is a highly skilled, motivated and professional one,

which combines its vast experience with a welcoming feel

for patients so they feel relaxed the moment they walk in

the door.

The publication of Emma’s book, ‘The Race to Truth;

Blowing the whistle on Lance Armstrong and cycling’s

doping culture’, was published last year and put her

back in the media spotlight.

This time, however, she was in more control. Having

set their differences aside, Lance Armstrong wrote the

foreword for the book and it will soon be published in

America.

“It was a tough time for me personally,” she remembers,

“The media attention was fast, furious and persistent but

I somehow managed to negotiate my way through it, and

The Body Clinic was my haven. My treatment room and

my patients allowed me to escape from the media glare

and I could really focus on what I wanted to achieve, which

was to create a physiotherapist service in the heart of

Hale that employed highly skilled staff but also created

an environment that was warm, friendly and relaxing.”

Emma concludes: “The book was my chance to set out

the facts of what happened. I am really excited about its

publication in America and it will be out in paperback in

the UK this spring.”

THE BODY CLINIC | 1 Victoria Road | Hale | Cheshire WA15 9AF www.bodyclinichale.co.uk

30

When Verity Silva took a tour of a Sri Lankan tea plantation, one rainy day back

in 2011, little did she know how closely this unassuming, yet universally

popular, beverage would intertwine with her life. The humble cuppa, second

only to water as the most consumed drink in the world, is too often regarded

as the old-fashioned matron to coffee’s bright new thing but Sri Tea are

infusing new vitality into the grand dame’s long and fascinating history.

TIME TO PUT THE kETTLE ON!

SRI TEArefreshing and reviving new flavours

from the home of Ceylon Tea

Originating in South East Asia, tea was, according to legend,

first drunk by the Chinese in 2737BC. Its herbal medicinal

properties saw its popularity spread rapidly throughout the

rest of Asia.

Despite its inextricable and profound cultural links with

Britain, tea only arrived here in the 17th century, after its

European introduction by Portuguese traders. Catherine

of Braganza’s marriage to Charles II in 1662 popularised tea

as the national drink; arriving in Portsmouth after a rough

sea crossing, she had asked for some tea, but as none was

available she was offered a glass of English ale instead,

which promptly aggravated her sea sickness. From that

moment on she made it her business to promote tea as

the drink du jour!

The mid-18th century saw the British East India Company

establish tea plantations in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) as a

replacement for the ailing coffee crops. The island’s climate

and soil conditions are ideally suited for tea cultivation and

soon Ceylon Tea became synonymous with high quality

and an exceptionally delicious taste. This reputation for

excellence endures and Sri Lanka remains at the forefront

of the leading tea-producing countries of the world.

Sri Tea can be found at: www.sritea.co.uk | Telephone: +44 (0) 191 551 7020 | Email: [email protected]

Nova Trading (UK) Ltd. PO Box 1343, Sunderland SR5 9LT

31

• Yogi Tea (immune booster)

• Tulsi Herbal Tea (rejuvinating)

• Sapphire Oolong Tea

(weight loss)

• Player’s Club Blend

(tea infused with cognac)

• Lapsang Souchong & Tulsi

(promotes inner wellbeing)

• Lapsang Souchong &

Lemongrass (detoxifies

liver & digestory tract)

• Green Tea and Lemongrass

(weight loss, detox)

• Green Tea & Earl Grey

(calming, weight loss)

• Green Tea & Chamomile

(aids sleep, anti-inflammatory)

• Flowery Small Leaf

(strong morning tea)

• Flowery Medium

(everyday all rounder)

• Floral Green Tea

(weight loss, detox)

• Cinnamon Tea

(lowers cholesterol)

• Blue Pekoe (aids digestion)

By Mark Kureishy | Photographer: Stephen McGowan

Verity’s familial links with Sri Lanka saw her grow up with

an appreciation for the island’s fine teas and its significant

relationship to the country’s cultural and economic

wellbeing. So, it was perhaps not surprising that her outing

to the tea plantation would spark the catalyst and inspire

her to import Sri Lanka’s highest quality teas to the UK.

Within a year of her visit she had established Sri Tea as an

online and phone order company, designed the modern

and visually striking packaging;, and last, but certainly by

no means least, developed a small but highly distinct range

of speciality teas that were not only delicious but also had

very definite health benefits for modern stressful lives.

She works closely with the estate, the very same plantation

that originally inspired her, and together they produce her

unique range of teas. All of her teas are vacuum-sealed and

packaged at the plantation, thus ensuring that the taste and

aroma remain fresh throughout the teas’ long journey from

Sri Lanka’s fertile soil all the way to our teacups.

Sri Tea’s initial range of four original and distinctive loose

leaf teas-Cinnamon, Floral Green, Sapphire Oolong and

Yogi-has now been expanded to fourteen, with ten new

exciting additions. Amongst these are Green Tea with

Chamomile, Blue Pekoe, Lapsang Souchong and

Lemongrass, and even a black tea blended with cognac,

the Player’s Club Brand, which is faintly evocative of the

smoky after-dinner lounges of the Raj.

Of course, tea’s long recognised health benefits are also

present in Sri Tea’s range. Among these are:

• Floral Green Tea, which increases fat oxidisation and

metabolic processes

• Tulsi Herbal Tea, which can be an aid to minimise colds

and reduce fevers

• Green Tea and Chamomile, which has anti-irritant and

anti-microbial properties.

Naturally, all Sri Tea’s specialist health teas are organic and

herbicide- and pesticide-free.

Sri Tea’s rapid success has inspired Verity to expand into

cafes, restaurants, hotels and, of course, afternoon tea

shops. With this in mind, five of her teas are now available

in teabag form too. A small, but soon to be extended, range

of attractive infusers to complement the loose teas is also

available online.

A retail shop in the Durham area, close to their head office,

is currently being planned and Manchester-born Verity has

our city, naturally, in her sights, too!

Sri Tea’s subtle infusions of delicious new flavours are the

perfect pick-me-up to revive and restore us through our

busy lives. Sri Tea are deliciously reviving our minds and

bodies and reminding us that tea, now more than ever,

is the best antidote to our modern stress-filled lives.

We’ll drink to that!

32

PR

O S

PIN

to

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io

It seems that celebrities can’t get enough ofspinning. The Beckhams, Lady Gaga andBradley Cooper can all be spotted working outin the indoor cycling studios of Los Angeles andNew York, where the lights are low, the beat isstrong, instructors are motivational, and where500 calories can be burned off in just 45 minutes.

Now Pay As You Go Spinning has

arrived in Manchester and Cheshire

thanks to Pro Spin, spoiling us with not

one but two new exciting studios. The

first to open is in Ashley, close to both

Hale and Alderley, and the separately

branded Spin Factory will follow

shortly in – appropriately enough –

Spinningfields, where it will house

Europe’s largest spinning operation.

Cheshire residents can have guilt-free

PAYG access to the same experience as

the LA and NYC fitness scene with the

newly opened Pro Spin Club, where

two dozen of the best Spin Bikes and

a handful of pro-cycle Wattbikes mix

with the Allstar Spinners to bring

daytime, evening and weekend

classes to thronging life.

Master Spinner Ross and his team

ensure that nobody leaves without

a sweaty smile, no matter what their

level of fitness. Whether you’re a

cyclist or a spinner, or you’re looking

for something new like Family Spin -

weekend mornings are all about the

kids, when mum and dad can spin

with their children to the latest chart

music.

The latest Wattbikes used by team GB

are available, and GB medallist coach

Ross Edgar puts road cyclists of all

levels through simulated rides. There

are also races to be won on the big

screen in the training studio. The

signature 60-minute Pro Spin class,

defeats most outdoor climbers.

The booking process is equally slick,

and riders who have downloaded the

app for either location (Pro Spin and

Spin Factory each have their own

separate apps) can book classes up

to 52 weeks in advance. Prices start

from £5 per session with multi-ride

packs also available. One tap, and

that’s it, your bike is booked, meaning

that gym goers now have more choice,

and non-gym-goers can train without

the burden or guilt of a contract.

Charity organisers are also making a

beeline to use the studios for long-

distance endurance events, news of

which readers should look out for in

this magazine. No doubt we will be

people-spotting there soon, but we

wanted to be the first to coin

#spinface and #spinselfie

3, 2, 1 Go! Contact Pro Spin on 0161 924 0293 or email [email protected] the Apps:

ProSpin | Spin Factory

If you have a knee

problem, consult one

of the Uk’s leading

knee Specialists

Consultations now available at 52 Alderley Road

Consultations available at:

• BMI Alexandra Hospital Cheadle

• Bridgewater Hospital Manchester

• Ramsay Oaklands Hospital Salford

• Spire Hospital Manchester

• Spire Hale Clinic

Contact details:

For further information or to book a consultation:

• Telephone: 0161 445 4988

• Web: www.thekneedoc.co.uk

• Email: [email protected]

Professor Sanjiv Jari,

Consultant Knee,

Lower Limb & Orthopaedic

Sports Medicine Surgeon

The knee Doc Consultant:

• US and UK trained Consultant Knee and Orthopaedic

Sports Medicine Surgeon who has worked with NBA

and NFL teams

• Professor Faculty of Engineering, Science and Sports,

University of Bolton

• Honorary clinical lecturer at the University of Manchester

• International and national speaker on knee problems

and sports injuries

• Treats international, professional, elite sportspeople

and weekend warriors playing many different sports

• Team Surgeon for GB Olympic Wrestling Team

• Sports Medicine Consultant for 2002 commonwealth

games.

Treatments available:

• Bespoke Personalised Knee Replacement Surgery

• Arthroscopic (keyhole) surgery

• Ligament reconstruction (anterior cruciate ligament, ACL)

• Minimally Invasive Personalised Knee Replacement

Surgery - which can allow you to leave hospital rapidly,

often within 2-3 days and the surgery is designed

specifically to your knee using the latest cutting edge

technological innovations

• State of the art Arthritis treatments available.

The knee Doc... it’s all you need to know

knee Injury? For quick effective treatment

contact the kneedoc... it’s all you need to know.

Dr Bruce Jobling

The Private GP& Night Doctor Service

4 Covering Hale, Wilmslow, Didsbury

and their surrounding areas

4 Night and weekend home visits

4 Early or late same day appointments

T: 0161 980 2626 | [email protected] | www.NightDoctor.co.ukThe Surgery, 96 Church Road, Gatley, Cheshire, SK8 4NQ

If this service is of interest to you or your family, please contact us to register.

• Registration fee from £15 per month plus consultation fees

• You can remain with your NHS GP• Additional surgery in Hale opening soon

4 24 hrs a day

4 7 days a week

4 Personal and confidential

“Peace of mind for you

and your family,at all times”

35

Glaucoma is a common eye condition often called the ‘silent

thief of sight’; it has no symptoms in its early stages but is

a potentially blinding eye condition. An estimated 500,000

British adults suffer from the disease and yet a further 50

per cent of glaucoma cases are currently undetected. Local

eye health specialist Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital has

launched a bespoke new monitoring service to help detect

and treat the disease.

It is available at Didsbury-based Optegra Manchester

Eye Hospital, and at Optegra’s outreach clinics in

Altrincham and Macclesfield. Caroline McHugh, Hospital

Director at Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital, explains:

"This is a completely new service for the region. Patients

can simply attend the clinic with a referral from their GP or

optometrist. We truly believe this is a way of reassuring local

people and helping to treat this terrible condition before it

has progressed."

Designed to support patients who are at risk, or

concerned about glaucoma, the service offers regular

in-depth assessments with a leading glaucoma specialist

Optegra ophthalmic consultant.

The new service includes:

• A 12-month diagnosis and monitoring service to identify

and capture conditions early

• Continued care with direct access to a leading

glaucoma ophthalmic specialist

• Expert examination with state-of-the-art diagnostic

equipment

• Two to three assessments during the year

• Imaging of the optic nerve with OCT

• Peace of mind, comfort and support for patients and

their families

• Advice on any necessary treatment.

Mr Dan Nguyen, Consultant Ophthalmic Surgeon at Optegra

Manchester Eye Hospital, says: "Glaucoma is a disease that

damages the optic nerves, which connect the eye to the

brain. There are different types of glaucoma, and in the early

stages most of them do not cause any symptoms, but if they

are left untreated, they can cause vision loss and blindness.

If we can identify, help and support patients, we can then offer

treatment to prevent it affecting their vision.”

At Optegra we offer expert eyelid surgery to help correct a wide range of eyelid issues all within our dedicated eye hospital with one of our expert eyelid surgeons.

Come to our open evening at Optegra Birmingham Eye Hospital on 26th February at 6.30pm to fi nd out more. Call 0808 252 3878 or visit optegra.com/eyelid

Dedicated eye hospitals,personalised care

• Hooded eyelids• Eyelid lifts & Bags• Blemish & Cyst removal

Turn back the clock with Optegra eyelid surgery

To enquire about upcoming open evenings at

Optegra Manchester Eye Hospital or to find out more

Call 0808 252 3878 or visit optegra.com/eyelid

Optegra Eye Hospital:

Manchester experts launch attack on the ‘silent thief of sight’

To find out more. Call 0808 252 3878 or visit optegra.com

36

For those not in the know, MAMIL is

an acronym for ‘Middle-Aged Men in

Lycra’ principally aimed at those men

who decide that cycling is the sport to

get their physique back in shape – and,

if they’re going to do it, they should

invest in not only an expensive bike

but also in-vogue cycling gear. Possibly

more to the point is the investment

they should make in ensuring their

equipment fits their personal needs.

An estimated 2.1million adults are

regular cyclists and when occasional

cyclists are added to this number, it

rises to 3.1million people riding a bicycle

each month, and while cycling is one of

the easiest and most effective ways to

exercise, problems can occasionally occur.

A large number of cyclists who seek

medical help for cycling-related problems

complain of generalised aches and

pains. Phil Burt, Lead Physiotherapist

at British Cycling and Consultant

Physiotherapist to Sky Pro Cycling

Team, believes that most of these

common problems can be addressed

through selecting the correct

equipment and expert bike-fitting.

Len Funk

Consultant Shoulder Surgeon

T. 01625 545 071

Mike Hayton

Consultant Hand & Wrist Specialist

T. 0845 838 7766

CY Ng

Consultant Hand & Peripheral

Nerve Surgeon T. 0161 495 7766

Nick Phillips

Consultant Shoulder & Elbow

Surgeon T. 0161 495 7745

Matt Ravenscroft

Consultant Shoulder & Elbow

Surgeon T. 0161 495 6803

Adam Watts

Consultant Elbow, Hand & Upper

Limb Surgeon T. 01625 545 073

UP

PE

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IMB

SU

RG

ICA

L S

PE

CIA

LIS

TS

GET ON YOUR

BIkE!

Phil Burt, Lead

Physiotherapist

at British Cycling

How many MAMILs do you spot in

a day? According to British Cycling

it should be quite a few!

37

Hand and wrist problems tend to

present as tingling, numbness, pain

or weakness in the hand. These

symptoms are most often caused

by pressure on a nerve overextension.

Elbow problems may be due to

inflammation or small tears around the

tendons; these are commonly known as

tennis or golfer's elbow and cause pain

on the outside and inside of the elbow.

Phil suggests two main courses of

action - get your bike checked to make

sure it’s not set up to throw more

weight onto your hands and arms (eg.

saddle too high, handlebars too low or

an overly stretched cockpit), and seek

exercise advice from a physiotherapist

to resolve the current problem.

Foot soreness can be resolved by

wearing the right footwear, correct

cleat set-up and ensuring the correct

bike fitting. In addition to wearing stiff-

soled cycling shoes, Phil recommends

the simple process of marking shoes

in line with the bony prominence at the

base of the big toe, in order to position

cleats in a neutral set-up position.

Saddle soreness can be the most

invasive and embarrassing of all cycling

related conditions. In addition to

considering good-quality cycling shorts,

cleanliness and a gradual increase in the

time spent in the saddle, Phil advises

a well-fitting bike and saddle. Incorrect

saddle height or handlebar reach can

contribute towards rocking in the

saddle or poor weight distribution.

Phil recommends that, among other

things, cyclists look at the angle of the

saddle to the ground and the height of

the saddle in relation to heel pressure

on the pedal, when the knee is fully

extended.

Safety is of paramount importance

and some injuries can be avoided by the

use of high-visibility clothing, effective

lighting and, of course, helmets. Riding

responsibly will also reduce the risk of

accidents and avoid antagonising motor

vehicle drivers.

Broken collar bones and elbow, hand

and wrist fractures all result from a

tumble – as does ‘road rash’, which

is bad grazing to the skin. OrthTeam

consultants regularly treat fractured

bones of elite and non-elite cyclists.

Many fractures do not need an

operation but some need fixing

surgically. The benefit of fixation is

that it often enables a faster return

to cycling; however, it doesn’t confer

bionic status, as unfortunately further

fractures can occur in the event of

a fall!

More details on

bike fitting and

the use of other

equipment can

be found within

the Insight Zone

on British

Cycling’s website

(www.britishcycling.org.uk)

or in Phil Burt’s book ‘Bike Fit’.

OrthTeam are a group of 12 super-

specialist consultants who are highly

experienced in the care and surgical

management of people with

orthopaedic problems associated with

the shoulder, hand and arm, hip, knee,

foot and ankle. The consultants’ super-

specialist status has been gained as a

result of intensive training and clinical

experience in specialist Centres of

Excellence both in the Uk and abroad.

It is rewarded by invitations to speak at

international conferences and requests

to treat elite athletes from a spectrum

of different sports. OrthTeam

consultants treat a wide range of

upper and lower limb problems,

including those associated with

long-term wear (eg. arthritis) and

short-term acute sports-related injury.

Tel: 0800 328 2975

Fax: 0161 667 4499

Emergency: 07732 247 247

Email: [email protected]

www.orthteam.com

Twitter: @OrthT

Sanjay Anand

Consultant Knee Surgeon

T. 0161 495 6803

Tim Board

Consultant Hip & Knee Surgeon

T. 07713 451339

Jon Borrill


T. 0161 495 7726

Tim Clough

Consultant Foot & Ankle Surgeon

T. 0161 495 7028

Adam Hoad-Reddick

Consultant Hip & Knee Surgeon

T. 0161 904 0434

Philip Turner


T. 0161 495 6869

LOW

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OrthTeam consultants are proud to have provided care for local

cyclists and members of elite cycling teams over the past ten years.

Ovarian cancer is currently the

fifth most common cancer among

women in the UK – after breast,

lung, bowel and womb – with

approximately 7,100 females in

Britain diagnosed every year with

the disease.

Most cases of cancer of the ovary

develop in women over the age of

50, are often due to gene changes

that develop during a woman’s life,

and are not inherited. However, 1 in

10 ovarian cancers (10%) are caused

by an inherited faulty gene. Faulty

inherited genes that increase the risk

of ovarian cancer include BRCA1

and BRCA2. These genes also

increase the risk of breast cancer.

Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month

is a great time to let women know

that they can do really positive

things to improve their health, and

that early detection can also make

a massive difference to the success

of their treatment.

It is really important that women

are aware of what is ‘normal for

them,’ so that they recognise any

changes. If you know your body,

then you can act early if something

out-of-the-ordinary happens. Mr Richard Slade

SYMPTOMS TO BE AWARE OF

and bloating

full quickly

(diarrhoea or constipation)

Anyone who experiences the

symptoms associated with ovarian

cancer, or who is worried that they

may have the inherited faulty gene,

should visit their GP, who can then

refer them to a specialist if necessary.

Your GP will arrange a number of

tests, which will include:

If these tests suggest that you may

have ovarian cancer, then your GP

will refer you to a specialist for

further investigations to confirm if

this is the case.

Mr Richard Slade is a Consultant

Gynaecological Surgeon at The

Wilmslow Hospital at 52 Alderley

Road and at The Christie Clinic. He

specialises in gynaecological cancers.

The private Wilmslow Hospital at

52 Alderley Road has a dedicated

Women’s Health Unit. This not

only offers patients access to an

experienced multi-disciplinary team

of leading consultants and specialist

nurses, but also provides women

with additional convenience and

privacy as the unit has its own

reception and seating area. This

unique bespoke service offers

patients routine investigations and

surgical procedures across a wide

range of conditions, from breast care

to gynaecological issues.

For more information or to book a

consultation with Mr Richard Slade,

please call 01625 545 036.

What women need to know about Ovarian Cancer

38

~ ~

~ ~ ~~ ~ ~

~ ~

52 Alderley Road, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK9 1NY www.52alderleyroad.co.uk ~ Open 7 days a week, 7am–10pm

WORLD-CLASS PRIVATE HEALTHCARE IS

CLOSER THAN YOU THINK

Feel the benefitsSri Tea offers a selection of fourteen of the finest loose-leaf teas, each produced

using only the highest quality, responsibly sourced and traditionally prepared leaves.

Ceylon teas are an excellent source of anti-oxidants and have been linked with

the treatment of many conditions including diabetes, obesity and lethargy.

Only loose-leaf teas are used in our products as this allows the leaves to release

their full aroma thus maximising their potential health benefits.

Order yours now just click www.sritea.co.uk or call 0191 551 7020

The finest loose leaf tea now being served here in the UK

Order

3 teas and get 4th

free

41

It’s all about the lifestyleThere’s more than one side to Martin Cockx – from lawyer to lifestyle

Martin Cockx launched Injury Lawyers4U

in 2002. Just over three years ago he

decided he had gone as far as he wanted

to go with law and retired. Retirement

wasn’t all that he expected and he

decided there had to be more to life

than just sitting on a beach.

Having enjoyed karate on and off for

many years, Martin decided to rekindle

his passion and launched Hale Karate

Club. The club has since attracted

children from age 5 to adults in their

60s. Karate’s unique blend of the physical

and the mental means it is challenging in

many different ways, thereby keeping

the mind active and reducing stress

while also providing a great workout.

Recently, Martin launched a Ladies Only

Beginners’ Class in order to appeal to as

many different groups of people as

possible.

Eighteen months after setting up the

club while training on the west coast of

America, Martin discovered an eating

programme that he believes has totally

changed his life and complements the

karate he enjoys. Martin explains: “Life

is for living, so seize the day! Many of us

go through life striving for more – a

better salary, a new car, more holidays –

but my experiences in life have taught

me that our health is undoubtedly the

most important factor, and I strongly

believe we should do everything possible

to maintain that.”

After his USA trip and the incredible

‘eating programme’ he enjoyed, Martin

returned to the UK and tried to find

something similar. Sadly, nothing

matched what he had experienced.

Martin continues: “What I found in the

USA literally changed my life. It was far

more than just a diet with the temporary

results they entail. My main way of

eating (with the odd lapse because we

are all human!) became gluten-free,

dairy-free and sugar-free. That had a

profound effect on how I looked and

felt. I did lose weight but it was so much

more than that. The feel-good factor

returned to my life and I was desperate

to keep it.

“I met with celebrity chef David

Vanderhook, who has prepared specific

meals for the likes of the Aga Khan, the

Sultan of Brunei and the Rothschild

family. We discussed my findings and

together set about producing meals and

capturing all I had experienced in the

States. Here we are 12 months later

and I think we have found it.

“The Hale Plan is based upon an under-

standing of how the human body has

evolved to extract necessary nutrients

from particular types of food, and how

it has not yet evolved to effectively

process other food types. By following

the specially prepared nutritious meals,

your body will adjust, meaning that not

only do you lose weight but you feel so

much better too. The delicious meals are

delivered to your door and come with

details on storage and how to reheat.

“The Hale Plan is available for just one

week, although to achieve the best

results we recommend a four-week

programme. The boost The Hale Plan

provides really does highlight the

benefits of sticking to this type of diet,

and customers are finding that their

future eating habits are greatly improved.

“It goes without saying that a fitness

programme alongside The Hale Plan will

further add to the positive results. The

choice and level of exercise is up to you,

but for me the link to karate has been

significant. I honestly believe 60 will be

my new 30. Join me and start to ‘Feel like

you again’.”

Like to find out more?

The Hale Plan

www.thehaleplan.co.uk

Telephone 0800 817 4820

Hale karate Club

www.halekarateclub.co.uk

Telephone: 07753 244 638

Martin Cockx, founder of

The Hale Plan And karate teacher,

features on the Front cover of this

month’s Hale&Bowdon Magazine

Hip pain

Mr Simon Ghalayini, Consultant

Orthopaedic Surgeon with Manchester

Orthopaedic Group, discusses some

causes of hip pain.

There are many causes of pain around

the hip. The pain can come from a

variety of sources, including hip joint,

structures around the hip, or elsewhere.

The symptoms of many hip problems

consist of pain around the hip joint. It

can be felt towards the front of the hip

in the groin or on the side or back of

the hip. The pain can also be felt in the

thigh and on occasion be felt as far as

the knee.

If symptoms are present around the

hip and are troublesome, they can often

be effectively assessed by your GP,

who can advise on treatment. There are

times when a referral to an appropriate

specialist such as a hip surgeon or other

appropriate specialist may be needed.

Some orthopaedic causes of pain

around the hip in adults are listed below.

Arthritis

Arthritis of the hip is one of the most

common problems seen by a hip

surgeon. The commonest cause is

osteoarthritis, which can develop

primarily or secondary to other problems,

including fracture, problems with the

blood supply to the hip joint, and hip

problems from infancy or childhood. Pain

is often felt in the groin. It can also be

felt in the thigh and knee. As well as pain

there is often stiffness felt in the joint.

Diagnosis is commonly confirmed with

X-rays that show the hips. On occasion

it may be necessary to consider other

investigations – such as CT scans and

MRI scans – to look for more isolated

areas of arthritis or other problems.

If troublesome, non-surgical treatment

of symptoms should generally be trialled.

These consist primarily of measures to

control the pain and activity modification.

Commonly used strategies include

pain-killers, physiotherapy and the use

of walking aids. Weight loss can also

help. Early on, most will manage their

symptoms effectively this way and this

may be all that is needed.

If these measures are not effective,

surgery may be appropriate. Surgery

for hip arthritis traditionally consists

of replacing the worn joint with an

artificial one. The hip is referred to as

a ball-and-socket joint and surgery

involves replacing the two sides of the

joint – the socket or acetabulum and

the ball or femoral head. Hip replace-

ment surgery is very common, and in

2013 more than 80,000 patients

underwent hip-replacement surgery in

England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Impingement

This problem arises when separate

sections of the hip joint come into

contact during hip movements. Pain in

the groin is worsened when the hip is

in certain positions. There can also be

a clicking or catching sensation felt.

Further investigation in the form of

X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans are

often needed when symptoms are

problematic. When non-surgical treat-

ment fails surgery may be considered.

Soft tissue problems

The soft tissue around the hip joint

can also be a source of pain. Problems

can include:

Trochanteric Bursitis – a common

diagnosis given to pain and tenderness

felt at the side of the hip. It can be a

difficult problem to settle but can be

helped by physiotherapy and activity

modifications. Injections can be

considered and, rarely, surgery may

be discussed.

Adductor strain – causing pain, ache

and stiffness, which are felt within the

inner aspect of the upper thigh. It can

develop in those who participate in

with Mr Simon Ghalayini, Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon Manchester Orthopaedic Group

DO I NEED HIP SURGERY?

Find out more about our spinal surgeons on our website www.manchesterorthopaedicgroup.co.uk

42

Simon Ghalayini

43

competitive sports such as football and

tennis. The treatment is generally non-

surgical and recovery could be helped

by physiotherapy.

Iliopsoas Tendonitis – a problem that

can develop in those participating in

activities such as football, running and

rowing. Pain is felt at the front of the

hip and may travel into the thigh.

Sometimes, a snap or a click can be

felt in the groin. Ultrasound and MRI

scans can aid the diagnosis. Treatment

is predominantly non-surgical with

physiotherapy, and injections may

sometimes be considered.

Fractures

Acute fractures occur after an injury

and are more common in older age

groups. The nature of the injury and the

immediate symptoms that follow often

cause the patient to attend A&E. These

require an urgent assessment and

surgery.

Stress fractures can also occur. These

can happen after repeated loading of

the bone and can occur at the hip and

elsewhere. If suspected an orthopaedic

surgeon should review as an urgency.

High-impact activities can be the cause,

particularly if they are taken up with

vigour after a sedentary lifestyle. They

can be diagnosed with X-rays, but

further imaging such as an MRI scan

will often be needed. Surgery is often

required after a full assessment.

Other causes

Infection within the hip joint is a

serious cause of hip pain. If it occurs,

it generally results in severe pain felt

at the hip, with difficulty moving the

hip, weight-bearing and walking.

A fever and general unwellness can

also be present. If suspected, this is

an emergency that needs an urgent

medical assessment.

Spinal problems can cause pain around

the hip and it is important that the

spine is assessed in those with hip pain

to ensure that this is not the source of

the pain.

The following Surgeons are members of Manchester Orthopaedic Group:

Spinal Surgeons

Vik kapoor –

MBBS MS(Orth) FRCS(Tr&Orth)

Spinal Surgery

Brian David Todd –

MB ChB FRCS(Orth)

Spinal Surgery

Upper Limb Surgeons

Jochen Fischer –

MD FRCS (Tr&Orth)

All aspects of shoulder, elbow, wrist &

hand surgery including arthroscopy,

arthroplasty and trauma

Steve Royle –

MB ChB MD FRCS(Orth)

Hand, wrist & elbow surgery, including

fractures, soft tissue & sports injuries

Mohammad Waseem –

BSc MB ChB FRCS(Tr&Orth)

Comprehensive Upper Limb & Trauma.

Hand, Wrist, Elbow & Shoulder.

Mark Webber – BSc, MB ChB, FRCS

Arthroscopic Procedures to Upper Limb

Lower Limb Surgeons

David Bamford –

MB,ChB,FRCS,FRCS(Orth)

Total Hip Replacement, Revision Hip

Surgery & Hip Arthroscopy, Total Knee

Replacement & Knee Arthroscopy

Richard Samarji –

MCh FRCSEd FRCS(Orth)

Foot, Ankle, Knee, Trauma, Sports

injury & Hand Surgery

Pankaj Sharma –

MBBS FRCS(Orth)

Knee Replacement, ACL Reconstruction

& Arthroscopy, Sports Injury & Trauma

Simon Reuben –

MB ChB FRCS(Tr&Orth)

Hip & Knee Surgery, Trauma

David Johnson –

BSc(Hons) MB ChB FRCS(Tr&Orth) MPhil

Knee Replacement, ACL Reconstruction

& Arthroscopy, Sports Injury & Trauma

Mike O’Connor –


Hip & Knee Replacements,

Arthroscopy & Trauma

Arun kumar –

FRCS(Tr & Orth), Dip Sports & Exercise

Medicine, FRCS, MSc (Trauma), MS Orth

Lower limb surgery, Hip and Knee

replacement, Sports Injury,

Arthroscopic Surgery of Hip & Knee

Steven kershaw –

MB ChB(Manc) FRCS(Eng)

FRCS(Tr&Orth)

Primary hip & knee replacements,

knee arthroscopy, foot & ankle surgery

& trauma

Simon Ghalayini –


Lower limb surgery including Hip &

Knee Replacement and Arthroscopy

of the Knee

Sanat Shah –

MB BS MS(Orth) MCh, FRCS(Orth)

Hip & Knee Replacement, Revision,

Re-surfacing, Arthroscopy & Trauma

Tahir Mahmud –

BSc(Hons), MBBS, FRCS(Tr&Orth)

Lower limb surgery including Hip &

Knee Replacement, Knee Arthroscopy

& Trauma

Amer Shoaib –

BSc(Hons) LMSSA FRCS(Orth)

Specialist Foot & Ankle Assessment &

Treatment, Limb Deformities & Trauma

www.manchesterorthopaedicgroup.co.uk

Manchester

Orthopaedic GroupManor Lodge, Mill Lane, Cheadle,

Cheshire SK8 2NT

Tel: 0845 437 9663

Tel: 0161 495 7783

Fax: 0161 610 1755

Email:

[email protected]

Stunning new Manchester Showroom

open now...

Bespoke, classic, beautiful handmade to ordersofas, sofa beds, beds and chairs in any fabric...

With thousands of house and designer fabrics to choose from,

Alwinton in Walloon Stripe Red

Prices start from £1196

40 Dearmans Place, M3 5EW

Call us on 0161 393 7140

Camden in Cerise VelvetPrices start from £1574

ComPETITIon

46

Winan Imola chair fromBoConcept to thevalue of £2,065Henrik Pedersen graduated as a fashion designer in 1990 but uses

his education to explore the full range of design. One of Henrik's first

pieces of furniture was the iconic Imola chair for BoConcept, and he

is one of the leading Danish designers of lamps. 'I get inspired by

seeing things up close. Maybe the handle on an old kitchen appliance

or interesting colour combinations as food mix on the plate. Little

details that can evolve into a complete product.' Like the Imola chair,

that is inspired by a close-up of the lines on a tennis ball.

To win simply answer this question

When did Henrik Pedersen graduate as a

fashion designer?

A) 1990

B) 1890

C) 1650

Email your answer to

[email protected] with IMOLA in the

subject field or send a postcard to Imola

Chair Competition, Salutions, The Old Bank,

99 Palatine Road, Didsbury, Manchester

M20 3JQ.

For further info on the Imola chair visit

www.boconcept.com/en-gb/furniture/

living/armchairs/23053

T&C’s

Please see full competition terms & conditions

on the Salutions website www.salutions.co.uk

The value of the prize is for a price group 1 fabric

Imola, although other fabrics and leathers are

available at an additional cost to the winner.

Delivery of the Imola chair will be to UK mainland

only. The prize cannot be exchanged for another

product or cash.

47

BOCONCEPT PRESENTS DANISH ACTOR MADS MIKKELSEN

AS THE STAR IN NEW FILM

A new thrilling film is out with Danish star actor Mads Mikkelsen. The Call features the award-winning actor in very

stylish surroundings created by Danish furniture retailer BoConcept.

Mads Mikkelsen is at the peak of his career, and known worldwide for his roles as Le Chiffre in the James Bond movie

Casino Royale, in the TV series Hannibal and in his latest films The Hunt and The Salvation.

“I am an actor, and I want to act. Of course in the end it is about selling furniture, but BoConcept hired me for my acting

skills, not for me to just go and say BoConcept is great – although I am proud to be working with a Danish company that

is succeeding on an international level with their design” says Mads.

“We wanted to make something watchable. Of course Mads and our designs will be a thrill to the eyes of many viewers

around the world, and Mads will for sure help to increase the awareness of our brand. But the entertainment factor was

important to us as we want people to see the whole film and be left with a good and memorable experience - something

they would like to share,” says BoConcept CEO Torben Paulin.

The Call is the first film of two films. The second film The Guest will be launched later this year.

Watch The Call on www.boconcept.com/en-gb/

For more information visit:

BoConcept Manchester // 109-117 Great Ancoats Street // Manchester // M4 5AG

48

Sophie Conran Galvanised Trug

£19.95 www.occa-home.co.uk

Rowlinson mini Greenhouse

A practical,space saving solution for the smaller garden or apartment balcony,

providing an innovative combination of potting bench, storage unit and mini

greenhouse. With styrene glazing it is pressure treated against rot and has a

natural timber finish. Heritage Gardens www.heritagegardens.co.uk

Personalised outdoor Garden Sign

A unique handmade and perfectly personalised gift for garden

lovers. Can be personalised for gardens allotments, workshops,

sheds etc. This design can have up to 3 Custom lines of text and

a choice of colours. Made from treated, off-white painted timber

suitable for exterior use. Approx. 30cm x 10cm. Comes with a

rope hanging unless otherwise requested. £20

No Ordinary Gift Company

www.noordinarygiftcompany.co.uk

GARDEN TIMEPerfect accessories for the

spring gardener

Sophie Allport Rose Garden kneeler

This lovely handmade, wipe-clean, Garden

Kneeler is made from a Rose Oilcloth

fabric. Filled with a firm supportive foam

inner the Garden Kneeler is both water

repellent & hard-wearing. Matching

Garden Apron available.

Sophie Allport Limited

www.sophieallport.com

Retractable Garden Hose Reel

Also available in white, black and pink.

10 metres. £107 www.cuckooland.com

“Should i buy a seat for my new garden or can i do without?” asked myrather stingy friend. (i suspect she’d rather buy a new bag than a bench.)yes, of course you should have a seat; in fact, i’d go further and say you

should have several, as indeed do i.

Seats in the garden can perform many

functions, from providing places to rest

in both sunshine and shade, to acting

as decorative punctuation marks at the

end of a vista, drawing the eye to the

farthest corner of the garden. What is

important is that they are functional,

beautiful and permanently placed.

Those seats with sloping as

opposed to straight backs are most

comfortable, and those with armrests

feel cosier (they also provide a place to

rest one’s Yorkshire tea and gingernuts!).

But why is it that I frequently walk

through someone’s stylishly furnished

Didsbury home and out into the garden,

only to be faced with a set of four

battered plastic chairs and a broken

bench painted in ‘dog-poo’ brown?

We should furnish our gardens with

the same care given to our homes as,

let’s face it, we spend a huge part of

our lives looking out onto our garden

rooms and the furniture within it.

So which materials are best? I would

stick to wood and metal – leaving

cold stone to stately homes, and plastic

to, well – bury it in the cellar and never,

never admit to having owned any!

Painting both wood and metal is

advisable, to protect it so that seating

can be left out all year round, as it

should be. Having permanent seating

means it will form part of the

architectural bones of the garden, and

is available to use on that first warm day

of the year as well as on the last. And

never paint anything white – we don’t

live in Spain, we live in Manchester,

where the softer light requires softer

colours. I always go for a grey, green or

blue; but if you’re setting a seat against

a dark yew hedge, a soft cream can be

very telling.

A trip to Farrow and Ball is a must

for a perusal of gorgeous paint colours;

my current favourites are both greys -

‘Railings’ and ‘Plummett’.

Finally, position your seating

carefully. A bench just outside the back

door is useful for those few snatched

moments when you don’t want to stray

too far from the phone/cooker/front

doorbell. Another, positioned at the far

end of the garden, tastefully painted

and surrounded by lush planting, with

perhaps a small tree arching overhead,

will draw the eye all year round and

encourage you out on warm days.

Most importantly, remember that

garden furniture should be beautiful as

well as functional – for when it ceases

to be a seat, it becomes part of the

view. Happy loafing!

Anne Britt is a garden designer

working in Didsbury. You can contact

her at [email protected]

Sitting pretty

www.bickhamhouse.co.uk | Green Walk, Bowdon, Altrincham WA14 2SN | Tel: 0161 928 2514

GardenStyle sponsored by Bickham House - Providing Quality Care in Later Life

50

Rustic Metal Garden Mirror with Four Planters

Beautiful rustic feel design with three shutter style windows with four bucket

planters underneath. Each bucket is ideal for a small bedding/potting plant.

Wall mountable - two hooks to the back. £46.95 // Melody Maison

www.MelodyMaison.co.uk

Brighten upyour garden

Living Wall Planter Woolly Pocket Garden House Design

Create your very own vertical living wall in an instance with the Living Wall

Planters, by Woolly Pocket. Like building blocks, you can easily decide how

many Wally's you'll need for your design. Just attach the living wall planters

to your chosen walls (fixings including), fill with soil and get planting.

Wally's felt tongue wicks water to the roots, so don't water the plant -

water the tongue. £29.99-£114.99 // Garden House Design

www.gardenhousedesign.co.uk

Victorian Jardiniere

These cast stone jardinieres are used

by the RHS to enhance the border

of the canal area at Wisley.

£799 // Haddonstone

www.haddonstone.com

Upper (£139) and Lower (£155) plinth

sold separately, making total price

£1093

Personalised Small Wooden Crate

Perfect for outdoor herbs, the

personalised small wooden apple

crate is a replica of the traditional

crate scaled down to make a

wonderful gift for any one of your

family or friends! It makes a stunning

mini garden for your kitchen,

windowsill or patio. £22.95.

Plantabox

www.plantabox.co.uk

Waterspout Flower Pot

Waterspout Set of 2 Hanging Flower

Pots can be bought in 2 Sizes: Small

and Large. They are created with

Antiqued Iron. £20 // IN-SPACES

www.in-spaces.com

with a colourful display of

pots and planters

rabbing the mobile I

called the supplier to sort

out the cock-up, only to

discover that the cock-up

was all mine. Apparently I’d ticked the

‘inches’ and not the ‘centimetres’ box

on the order form. Instead of my

elegant 60cm x 60cm planters, I had

actually ordered the giant 60” x 60”

size. Fan-bloody-tastic.

Clutching the Bombay Sapphire, I tried

to figure out what to do. Lord Muck

wasn’t due back from his conference

till Saturday so I had time to hide my

expensive blunder. All I really needed

was some muscle.

Cue Twitter ad: ‘Fit Man needed

urgently. Must be good with wood.’

Cue fast and furious responses. Most

with x-rated photos attached. I blame

EL James and her damn book. I mean

the ad was innocent enough, but

somehow I’d now become the

go-to-gal for all the Christian Grey

wannabes. Anyway, having weeded

out the weirdoes, I found ten local

contenders and what better way to

spend an evening than with your best

mate, interviewing cute guys, one of

whom was definitely the Diet Coke ad

guy’s twin. And seeing as he would

need strong core muscles to cope with

all that heavy lifting it seemed only

right to ask to see his six-pack – and

snap a photo. For health and safety

records, obviously.

Thankfully, the planters have now

been resized by my buff guy and filled

with compost, all ready for my veggie

plants to go in. And his Lordship is

none the wiser. Or so I thought.

Regrettably, I’ve just discovered he’s

actually one of my followers and has

watched the whole sordid story unfold

on Twitter. Oops

Anyhow, if you fancy growing some

veggies at home, pots and planters

are great. If you’re a newbie, start

with easy-to-grow vegetables like

cut-and-come-again salad leaves,

courgettes, French beans, cherry

tomatoes, rocket and basil. Use good

seed compost such as John Innes No 1

and invest in a Compact Plant Trainer,

which is a boon for beginners (£14.29

from www.gardening-naturally.com).

At this time of year I always bring

my compost indoors to warm

up for a couple of days before

sowing seeds, as this really helps

germination; when your seedlings

start to emerge pot them into

bigger pots and protect them

from frosts if growing outside.

If you don’t fancy starting from

scratch, give ‘plug’ plants a go;

these are widely available from

garden centres.

Last, but by no means least, if you

don’t have a garden – no problem.

Look for mini-veggie seed varieties,

often described as ‘dwarf’, ‘baby’

or ‘bush’, as these grow well in pots

on a windowsill.

Right, must dash – I need

to grab a Diet Coke and ogle

that six-pack photo one

more time before deleting.

Grow your own

It’s official. I am an idiot. i ordered some hand-crafted wooden planters lastmonth to grow some veggies in at home. Six of the beauties – 2’ x 2’ in size.

Just perfect to border our large deck. imagine my horror then when i arrivedhome to find six enormous planters outside the Summerhouse, 5’ x 5’ each.

By Catherine Saunders. Follow Lady Muck on Twitter @LadyMuckStyle

Style

G

52

homes4u celebrates its silver anniversary!Appreciative of 25 years of loyal custom, award-winningletting agent homes4u is celebrating its silver anniversary

with a series of charity, cultural and social events.

homes4u’s success is underpinned by

its attention to detail and provision of

that personal touch. Consequently,

there is low staff turnover within all

four citywide branches and repeat

business is the norm; 30% of the 50-

strong homes4u team have achieved

over five years’ service and 13% have

remained with the firm over a decade.

From the spacious new Fallowfield

offices a half mile from the company’s

original 1990 base Withington, MD

Carolyn Mellor says: “We’re more than

a shopfront with houses and apart-

ments to sell and rent. We’re a team -

a close-knit group of friends as well as

colleagues. It feels more like a family.”

She continues: “Our front-line staff

recognise that technology is key to

speed and efficiency, but they’re

equally aware that people like talking

to people. After all, finding your next

home is a major life decision for

anyone.

For many people renting or buying,

this may be their first time, so we

encourage them to pop in and talk

to us.”

Having recently increased her

executive Team, Carolyn finds time

to diversify and affiliate with causes

such as the Maggie’s Charity, which

provides drop-in centres for anyone

affected by cancer. Since 1996, the

first Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh

has grown to 18 centres across the

UK and abroad.

On 22 April, Carolyn and other

Manchester Board members, will

attend the launch of the Maggie’s

Centre due to open at The Christie

in 2016.

A 20-foot timber truss will be erected

on site and a time capsule buried

there in the presence of hospital and

charity dignitaries, principal sponsors,

architect Sir Norman Foster and

landscape architect Dan Pearson.

Architecture and landscape design

are integral to providing the charity’s

uplifting, caring environment and so

the homes4u commitment to Maggie’s

will be celebrated in July when it

sponsors a Maggie’s Water Garden at

the 2015 RHS Flower Show at Tatton.

Carolyn and her family, like one in

three UK citizens, have been touched

by cancer. In her marketing and

fundraising capacity, Carolyn has been

astounded by public generosity. She

concludes: “In our anniversary year,

it’s wonderful for our local business

to have involvement in the local arm

of a growing international charity. The

Maggie’s Charity is close to me on a

personal level and location-wise too.

I welcome the opportunity to give

back something to this community,

which has supported homes4u over

the past 25 years.”

2015 is young and homes4u has a

number of other events in store

during their 25th anniversary year -

watch this space.

Whether you are looking you to

buy, rent, sell or let, homes4u offers

unrivalled, stress-free service.

Email: [email protected] or visit

www.homes4u.co.uk

By Fay Wertheimer

Located in central Wilmslow, in-toto kitchens provide a tailored

service to each client, mixing award winning German quality

and craftsmanship to each kitchen designed specifically for you

and your lifestyle.

With a wealth of experience, working from either Architects

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t: 01625 530792 | e: [email protected] | w: intoto.co.uk

Wilmslow Green I Station Road I Wilmslow I Cheshire I SK9 1BT

SPECIALIST KITCHEN DESIGN | INSTALLATION | PROJECT MANAGEMENT

OUR PassiOn...

If you’re looking for inspiration,

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54

Associate Artist Noriko Ogawa leads this exploration into the piano music of Ravel & Rachmaninov, aided by Peter Donohoe. The series includes recitals by both performers, plus lectures and family events. It culminates in a Piano

Concerto Finale on Friday 24 April, when Noriko and Peter are joined by Martin Roscoe and Kathryn Stott together with the BBC Philharmonic.

Part of the International Concert Series 14|15Box Office: 0161 907 9000www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Tuesday 31 March - Friday 24 April A series of concerts & events for the piano

at The Bridgewater Hall

A Night at the MoviesDavid Arnold with Manchester CamerataTuesday 14 April 7.30pm

Includes music from the James Bond movies, Independence Day & Godzilla

Jonathan Scott Spring Lunchtime Organ RecitalsDancing FeetTuesday 19 May 1.10pm

Jonathan Scott performs music from the world of ballet & dance

Wayne Marshall organMatthew Hamilton conductor Manchester Chamber ChoirSaturday 23 May 7.30pm

A programme of French20th century organ works

COMING SOON

Box Office: 0161 907 9000 www.bridgewater-hall.co.uk

Food RevieW

55

Manchester restaurants might be

struggling to win a Michelin star but

there is no shortage of Michelin star

chefs coming to cook here. Michael

Caines, a regular on Saturday Kitchen,

winning chef of The Great British Menu

and with two stars to his name, has

been in Manchester longer than most.

His eponymous restaurant at Abode

Hotel on Piccadilly is relaunching its

Amazing Graze lunch menu, so we

went along to enjoy a taster.

Abode is a beautiful Victorian boutique

hotel with a stunning tiled entrance.

Walk down the stairs to the basement

restaurant on a sunny afternoon and it

takes the eyes a moment or two to

adjust. The restaurant had a delightful

buzz with a mixture of suits and ladies

sampling the lunchtime menu, and at

£15 for three small plates, who can

blame them?

We began by ordering two small

savoury plates, saving one small plate

so we could choose a dessert.

It was roasted watermelon with feta

and pickled cucumber for my lunch

guest, and roasted cauliflower bacon

bouillon for me. Naturally, I have to

sample all the dishes and the chilled but

chargrilled watermelon was incredibly

refreshing with the saltiness of the feta

giving the dish some substance.

My cauliflower was extremely al dente

but the bouillon broth had a powerful

flavour. It was a very small portion and

I was glad to have another plate on the

way and the delicious home-made

bread to soak up the bouillon.

My lunch guest had wild mushroom

tagliatelle, which wasn’t a very

imaginative vegetarian option but

wonderfully tasty.

A portion of roasted skrei cod came to

me with a confit of lemon purée and

more cauliflower (which was so well

cooked I wanted seconds), all served

on a bed of tabbouleh. The flaky,

white, well-seasoned cod was divine

and the lemon purée packed a punch.

Beautifully presented, these dishes

are impressive.

For dessert we shared the artic roll

with rich and creamy vanilla ice cream

surrounded by sponge. It looked so

authentic it took me back to fighting

over a portion with my brother and

sister. A dark chocolate cremeux gave

an intense hit and the griottine cherries

were an absolute delight. This great-

value and beautiful lunch was washed

down with one of the creamiest, most

beautiful bottles of Viognier I’ve had in

years. Bravo. When can we go back?

Tickets for ‘An Evening with Michael

Caines’ at the Abode Hotel on 14 May

are now available.

By Helen Lawson

Amazing graze offers amazing food at

Michael Caines’ Abode, Manchester

56

SOuTHeRn eLeVenManchester

neIGHbOuRHOOd eATeRyAnd bAR Manchester

VIneyARd West Didsbury

dInInG GuIde

southerneleven

@southerneleven

neighbourhoodrestaurant

@neighbourhood4 Tel: 0161 222 0984

www.southern11.co.uk

3 Hardman Street | Spinningfields

Manchester | M3 3EB | Tel: 0161 843 0482

www.neighbourhoodrestaurant.co.uk

The Avenue North | Spinningfields

Manchester | M3 3BT | Tel: 0161 832 6334

www.vineyardmed.co.uk

Vineyard Restaurant and Winery

198 Burton Road | West Didsbury

Manchester M20 1LH

To get your business featured contact the Sales Team on 0161 445 2883 or email [email protected]

A new licensed Turkish restaurant and

winery in the heart of Burton Road,

West Didsbury. It’s an inviting Turkish

restaurant that aims for customers to

feel relaxed and comfortable. The great

décor and unique adornment of the

restaurant contribute to a special

atmosphere where anything feels

possible, especially after a glass of

chilled wine. The waiting staff are

friendly and attentive and led by the

ever-jolly manager. The experienced

chef displays his worldly appreciation

of flavour in the varied dishes on the

menu. Vineyard select the most

popular, best-quality Turkish dishes

that they think superbly complement

Turkish cuisine. Well, the only way to

find out, is to go and visit them!

SPECIAL OFFER | Weekend Early Bird

and Lunch Menu. Visit the website for

menu and reservations.

Head to Southern Eleven, Manchester’s

original American barbecue restaurant,

for home-comfort favourites straight

from the Eleven Southern States. These

include hickory-smoked pulled pork,

beef brisket, fried chicken, baby back

and belly ribs – all slow-cooked in their

Oklahoman wood-burning ovens and

served with a selection of home-made

barbecue sauces and sides. If you’re

feeling particularly hungry, Tuesday is

the day for you – all-you-can-eat

chicken and ribs are served from noon

until 10pm for only £14.95 per person,

including one free bottle of beer in the

offer. Open from noon seven days a

week.

A New York eatery and bar inspired by

Manhattan’s definitive neighbourhoods

is honing its unique take on casual fine

dining, luxury ingredients and industrial

chic aesthetics on Spinningfield’s The

Avenue North. The team at Neighbour-

hood Eatery and Bar have produced a

Manhattan execution of international

cuisine. Neighbourhood's flavours

and ingredients are determined by

the borough's diverse gastronomic

experience and distinct European

flourish. Brunch, lunch and dinner are

served daily, and there is an impressive

cocktail, champagne and wine selection.

The restaurant also offers a unique

Mad Hatter’s Afternoon Tea with the

choice of traditional sandwiches and

cakes or Neighbourhood favourites,

including mini-burgers, hot dogs and

lobster tacos. The venue is dressed

to a standard suitable for the Hatter

himself, with giant teacups, grassy

tables and playing cards. Open from

noon seven days a week.

VeLO eSpReSSOAltrincham

FILTHy COWManchester

THe LIMe TRee Didsbury & Bollington

cyclemancuk

@cyclemancuk velo_espressouk


@filthycowuk

The-Lime-Tree-Didsbury

@thelimetreeres @thelimetreeres

Velo Espresso

11–13 Moss Lane | Altrincham WA14 1BL

Tel: 0161 215 2578

www.filthycowburgers.co.uk

10 Tib Lane | Manchester | M32 4JB

Tel: 0161 839 5498

www.thelimetreerestaurant.co.uk

Didsbury: M20 2WS | Tel: 0161 445 1217

Bollington: SK10 5PH | Tel: 01625 578 182

To get your business featured contact the Sales Team on 0161 445 2883 or email [email protected]

Any dedicated epicure will be aware that

more often than not, London over-

whelmingly ‘milks’ the limelight as far

as the hottest restaurant openings and

newest food concepts are concerned.

Well the herd at Filthy Cow are bored of

that and don’t believe the North should

continue to be overshadowed as a foodie

destination. Following months of covert

undercover investigations into the existing

burger scene, Filthy Cow has made it their

mission to indulge the burger connois-

seur’s wildest meat fantasies. They have

gone to great lengths to make sure their

well-hung, prime beef burgers are the

ultimate guilty pleasure and promise

quality and indulgence served up with

genuine passion and an overriding sense

of fun. The menu is deliberately short and

punchy but will satisfy the most carnal

burger desires. The herd at Filthy Cow love

their outdoor action and all their beef is

locally sourced, outdoor reared and from

the best farms in the country. Filthy Cow

will set the benchmark for memorable

dining in Manchester, with creamy milk-

shakes, local craft beers and weekly-

changing wines from small independent

local producers. These will accompany the

main event and are served alongside rustic

‘skin on’ chips, authentic ‘slaw’ and onion

rings. The interior design is farmyard-in-

dustrial crossed with Soho-neon and the

staff have undergone extensive training

to ensure they are the finest burger

connoisseurs in the land, no-one will know

better than them to advise of what goes

well with your Filthy Beast burger.

57

dInInG GuIde

The Lime Tree Restaurant is an award-

winning family-run business established

in 1987 in Didsbury, Manchester by chef-

owner Patrick Hannity. In 2012 Patrick

opened The Lime Tree Restaurant and

Wine Bar in Bollington, Cheshire. Both

restaurants produce a regularly changing

menu focusing on top-quality local

produce, much of which comes from

their own farm at Macclesfield Forest.

Patrick purchased Hardingland Farm with

the purpose of rearing his own rare breed

pork, lamb and other seasonal produce

for a specialist menu in both restaurants.

You can follow the link to their farm here

www.hardinglandfarm.com/index.htm

They also have their own in-house baker

who bakes fresh bread and pasta. Their

front-of-house style is unfussy, efficient

and friendly. There is an extensive wine

list and a regular Wine Club is hosted by

Patrick and a guest sommelier or

producer. An outside catering service to

suit any event or venue is also offered.

In March this year The Lime Tree

was awarded Best Restaurant South

Manchester in The Fine Dining Category

of the Eat Drink Sleep Awards.

A new Altrincham venture is attracting

bike enthusiasts after combining an

artisan coffee shop with a cycle

boutique. Dedicated to celebrating the

history, success and importance of

cycling in Greater Manchester, Velo

Espresso sells cycle-related products,

from sports nutrition to clothing. Run

by Neil Lee and Marie Lee, the Stamford

House Altrincham Velo Espresso is a

25-seat coffee shop featuring cycling

memorabilia. It offers a range of

premium, ethically sourced coffee

along with home-made cakes and

sandwiches, as well as a display of

handbuilt bikes from some of Britain’s

best frame and cycle builders, including

the Classic British brand Pashley.

Neil said: “Velo Espresso and Cycle

Manchester is a destination where

cyclists and non-cyclists alike can relax

over a coffee, enjoy a healthy lunch,

find out about cycling events locally, or

just chill and watch one of the classic

races shown on TV.”

E: Coffee Shop: [email protected]


58

THe eAT dRiNk SLeeP AWARdS 2015

What a night to be part ofManchester's hospitality

industryThe Eat Drink Sleep Awards 2015 saw the

crème de la crème turn out in force for a

glitzy celebration of the best the north west

has to offer.

The event was held at the Mercure Hotel,

where guests tucked into a three-course

meal as they waited to see if their favourite

restaurants and hotels had won prizes at the

inaugural event.

Decided by the greatest and most sought-

after critics on the planet - you, the general

public – an impressive 63,000 votes were

cast across numerous categories pertaining

to Manchester's vibrant offering of dining

and drinking.

Someone who definitely knows what she

likes, Magali Gorre, from ITVBe's Real

Housewives of Cheshire, was on hand to

present awards to winners such as Mottram

Hall and The Lowry, and she added an extra

touch of glamour to the proceedings.

Among the big winners of the evening were

The Alderley Edge Hotel (South) and Great

John Street (Central), which claimed Best

Boutique Hotel.

Almost Famous (Central) received a nod for

Best Casual Dining, while Tim Bacon and

Jeremy Rogers were honoured with the title

of Best Entrepreneurs for Living Ventures

(Greater Manchester).

Love was also in the air for The Mere Resort

& Spa (South), Nutters (North) and

The Midland Hotel (Central), who picked

up Best Wedding Venue.

Reflecting on a successful first year for the

Eat Drink Sleep Awards 2015 (The Drinkies),

founder Paul Kilroe, who is also the man

behind The Grafters and Talk Of Manchester,

said: "Everyone had an amazing night and it

was a fantastic springboard for our Liverpool

and Leeds ceremonies."

He added: "It was really special to see

Tim Bacon honoured for all he does for the

industry. Huge congratulations to all of the

many worthy winners."

Great John Street Hotel

Alderley Edge Hotel

Dean & Magali Gorre with Tim Bacon

The Midland Hotel

Russell Feingold

Tim Bacon

The Limetree

59

THe eAT dRiNk SLeeP AWARdS 2015

Ziara Siddique, Salim Uddin-Khandakar, Dean & Magali Gorre

Paul & Nicola Kilroe with Magali Gorre

The Lowry Hotel

The Botanist

Chaophraya

Neighbourhood

Fazenda

Mottram Hall

ZiyA ASiAN GRiLL

60

I spent the journey from my home near Liverpool looking

forward to the food, as it was a long time since I had enjoyed

a really good curry and I could not wait to see what everyone

had been talking about. I had heard whispers that none other

than the famous boxer Amir Khan had eaten at Ziya recently.

Well, I thought – if it was good enough for him…!

As soon as we pulled up outside the restaurant I could tell we

were in for a treat. Ziya stands out by a mile in comparison to

its neighbours, with its elegant and contemporary design

creating a brilliant impression before you even walk through

the door.

We were warmly welcomed by Olivia, the assistant manager,

and Adam on the bar, who settled us in with an excellent

chilled Pinot Grigio. Before long, Ziya’s lovely co-owner Jane

arrived and we had a good chat about the new menu and

their planned expansion into takeaway and home delivery.

I was given a tour of the restaurant, which is split over three

floors. The third floor is a large private dining room with a

separate bar that can be hired for events. The restaurant is

lavishly furnished, with a well-stocked marble bar, candlelit

lanterns and an eye-catching chandelier. The bathrooms are

modern and immaculately clean, which is definitely one of

the marks of a quality restaurant.

I was lucky enough to go behind the scenes once again,

meeting the chefs, exploring the kitchens and seeing the

amazing Tandoor oven in operation, which was a first for

me. I was soon getting under Chef Ali’s feet and I managed

to capture some great shots of him at work!

We sat with Jane for dinner and drinks, and it was so lovely

to chat about a million different subjects and especially about

how useful social media is for business these days! All that

interesting chat meant we had worked up an appetite for

dinner – and what a meal it was.

After amazing mixed starters of Tandoori Chicken and

Peshwari Lamb Chop, we were treated to the Corn Cheese

Tikki (delicious pan-fried patties made from sweetcorn,

potato, cheese and herbs). I had never tried these before

and they were so moreish and delicious. We were spoiled

with wonderfully sweet and doughy Peshwari Naan, Garlic

Naan and Plain Naan bread.

For the main course we had Pilau rice, Chicken Korma, Makhni

Chicken, Lamb Dopiaza and a Channa Masala (a wonderful

vegetarian curry with tangy cream sauce). Indeed, Ziya offers

many delightful dishes to cater for vegetarian diners, such as

Shani Paneer (a North Indian curry with cheese and cashew

nuts) and Gobi Masala with Cauliflower and Jeera Aloo

(a potato curry with cumin and onions).

After the wonderful main courses, which were delicately

spiced and deliciously moreish, we were quick to protest

at the idea of dessert until Jane told us about the delights

of Mango Phirni, a cardamom-infused rice pudding topped

with mango.

i was lucky enough to sample the delights of the delicious Ziya Asian grill in the heart of the renowned ‘Curry Mile’ in Manchester.

An evening at

ZiyA ASiAn grill

61

There was also the tempting-sounding Jamon o Gull to consider (milk dumplings

soaked in saffron syrup and served with ice cream). We decided to order these two

desserts to share between us and we were absolutely delighted by the wonderful

flavours of both. The Mango Phirni was a light and delicious dessert with exotic

flavours perfect for a hot evening in Mumbai! The Jamon o Gull was sinfully

delicious, with the rich syrupy dumplings providing a perfectly sweet note upon

which to conclude the wonderful meal!

I would recommend Ziya to anybody who loves excellent Indian food, as they offer

an amazing array of wonderful dishes in a chic and sophisticated setting. There is

a great selection of cocktails on offer too, even non-alcoholic ones. We had a

wonderful night meeting Jane and the team and we set off back towards Liverpool

with the feeling of amazing contentment that follows a perfect meal. Thank you so

much to Jane and all at Ziya. See you again soon!

By Camille Allcroft

www.cococami.blogspot.co.uk

Twitter: @cococamiblog

Ziya

65–67 Wilmslow Road Manchester M14 5TB

0161 257 2010 | www.ziyarestaurant.co.uk

62

chance encounter in a Chester restaurant

was to provide the launch pad for a

remarkable woman’s brilliant career

that saw her rise from waitressing to

her current position as one of the

most influential women in Britain’s

competitive restaurant and bar market.

Born and raised in Chester, Sue Crimes,

Chief Executive Officer of Gusto

Restaurants, had had an ordinary life

that gave no indication of the future

life to come. Though she had done well

at school, she was unsure of her next

step until a fortuitous meeting with the

future founders of one of the country’s

leading restaurant groups was to

dramatically change all that.

I met up with Sue in the elegant art

deco surroundings of Gusto’s new

restaurant in Elliot House on Lloyd

Street. The beautifully transformed

building provided the perfect location

for Sue’s recollection of her own equally

vivid transformation:

“After completing my A levels I took a

break from further education, and while

weighing up my options I took a job as a

waitress at Watergates restaurant in the

city centre. It was my first experience

of catering and, like many other people,

I’d really just fallen into it as a stop-gap

measure. After about two years of

working there I was approached by

Tim Bacon and Jeremy Roberts, now

CEO and Group Commercial Director,

respectively, of restaurant group Living

Ventures. They asked me to work for

them as a junior manager at their new

venture, Via Vita, which was about to

open next door.”

Susan had some experience of

restaurant work at this stage, so was

there something that stood out to mark

her potential and invite a potential

headhunt?

Her reply is refreshingly frank:

“I don’t really know what they saw in

me that made them ask me to work

with them. Tim did say that I had a

good eye for detail, but it can’t really

just have been that alone. I did enjoy

working in the restaurant and perhaps

that showed. I honestly don’t know

why they picked me.”

Clearly though, Sue was displaying signs

that marked her out as above average,

as just weeks after starting work at Via

Vita, Tim and Jeremy suggested that

Susan should really jump into the deep

end.

“They fast-tracked me into management

with on-the-floor training, and after a

couple of weeks at Via Vita they asked

me to relocate to Bristol as assistant

general manager of their restaurant

there. I looked around me and even

though my life in Chester was good, I

realised that I did want to see and

experience more of life outside my

comfort zone. I liked Tim and Jeremy

and the ethos and culture of their

fledgling restaurant business, and

wanted to continue working for them.

It just made sense to me.”

Of course, she went to Bristol and was

successful there; so much so, that when

Via Vita was sold off, Sue was the only

restaurant manager to be retained

for their next venture, Life Cafe, in

Liverpool. A pattern had been set and

Sue was now most definitely a part of it.

“I loved my job and worked hard too,

and after proving myself in Bristol,

I alone out of all the managers went

with Tim and Jeremy to Life Cafe. I

was young, had energy and I learned

on the job very quickly. I also found that,

despite not liking maths at school, I had

a good head for business numbers.”

Was she, on reflection, a workaholic

at this stage in her life?

“Yes, I probably was. I wasn’t like that in

any of my previous jobs but everything

just seemed to click into place when I

met Tim and Jeremy; I loved working

with them at Life Cafe and when that

eventually led to the Living Room and

the setting up of Living Ventures I

became a part of the operations team,

which meant leaving the restaurant

floor. I’d grown up and developed my

skills with this company and so it just

seemed natural.”

Living Ventures was formed in 1999 and

soon proceeded to revolutionise the

north west drinking and dining scene.

Sue was there from the beginning, and

after many varying roles – including

concept management and Director of

Training and Development, as well as

many brand launches – she eventually

found herself with the Gusto brand,

which is where we find her today. So far,

so smooth, but surely there must have

been some turbulence along the way?

“Of course there was; I had some pretty

steep learning curves to overcome and

there were tears, tantrums and fights as

the pressures built up. I never seriously

considered walking away as I loved my

job and the company too much, but

there were moments, certainly, when

I might have contemplated it.”

The arrival of her son, Oscar (with long-

term partner Lee) five years ago has

seen a change of pace for Sue but no

lessening of responsibility. A partnership

between Living Ventures and Palatine

Equity has provided a launch pad for

expansion of the group’s Gusto brand.

Sue’s in charge of this and I wondered

how she balances the two competing

demands of home and work?

“I’m in a very fortunate position; I have

a very supportive family, not least my

partner, Lee, and I also have a brilliant

team working with me. I’d always

wanted children but just never seemed

to get around to it, but now that Oscar’s

here he’s my priority. I do have great

responsibility for meeting the

expectations of our new investment

partners but it’s a fabulous opportunity

and I’m learning so much along the way.

I can manage the juggling and enjoy

my family, which is of paramount

importance to me, because it’s what

I’ve always done.”

I believe she can, and one thing’s for

certain: she won’t miss any of the

details.

A

63

GO TO

gustorestaurants.uk.com

for more information on

your nearest restaurant.

Gusto Manchester

4 Lloyd Street

(off Deansgate)

Manchester

M2 5AB

Tel: 0161 832 2866

LIVInG VenTuReS’ Sue CRIMeS

living life to the full withzeal and – gusto!

64

Food & dRiNk

Your wedding is second nature

Terms and conditions apply. Open days and wedding fayre date subject to change at the discretion of the hotel.

It’s about never needing to let your feet touch the ground. Ever.

as consummate professionals handle each and every detail before your very eyes. It’s about nature. We have it. 270 glorious acres of it. Your wedding at Mottram Hall. It’s second nature to us.

01625 828 [email protected]/MottramHallWeddings

CHAoPHRAyA

66

Kim Kaewkraihot’s life might seem

improbable and even too fantastic for

comparison with the tale of Anna and

the King of Siam, but Kim’s voyage of

self-discovery is all the more compelling

because it really is true. As her dream

of bringing the fabulously rich taste

of Thailand to the UK is ever-more

realised, so her tale grows more vivid

and inspirational.

Born in a small village, Kirimart, in

the north of Thailand in 1968, her early

life was marked by events that perhaps

defined her future. “I was only four

when my father died and then we

lost my brother too, which was very

upsetting, and of course a great loss

to me and my family. I then left school

when I was eight with very little formal

education, though it hasn’t really held

me back. I went on to work in garment

factories to help provide for our family.

I always cooked the family meals with

my mum while I was working in factories.”

Clearly, love of family, hard work

and determination were key to Kim

successfully overcoming such sad

events at that very young age, and once

she’d started, there seemed to be no

holding her back. “I set up my own

garment factory in 1988, all the while

cooking the family meals with mum and

cooking for up to 50 factory workers.”

Then in 1993 Kim moved to

Bangkok, and like Anna, it was there

that her dreams started to become very

real. “It was around 1993 that I started

my street stall from a hand-pushed cart

in Bangkok. It was hard to start with,

but I always loved cooking and loved

pleasing my customers. I wasn’t always

good, but I listened to my customers

and always tried to improve. Soon I had

queues for my food cart and even won

an award for my Pad Thai sauce –

the same sauce we still use in our

restaurants now!”

Bangkok also provided her with

her future partner in love and business,

Martin Stead. “I was working on my

street stall in Bangkok when I met

Martin. It was around two o’clock in the

morning and this charming Englishman

and his friends came to buy some food

from my food cart. They were in

Thailand on holiday. Martin was hungry

but his friends were tired and wanted

to go back to the hotel; he managed to

convince them to come and get some

food – and then he met me. He’s lucky,

right? Ha ha!”

So began the next leg of Kim’s

journey: one that would lead her to

the north of England and into success

unimagined from the vantage point of

a Bangkok street food stall. “As Martin

and I got to know each other, he

believed I had a real flair for creative

cooking. He had a vision of bringing

authentic Thai food and genuine Thai

hospitality to the UK, and I realised this

might be possible.

I had always enjoyed cooking, from

helping mum in the kitchen when I was

very young, to going out to market in

the morning to try and buy fresh

ingredients. “So in 2004, after setting

up my home from home in Leeds, we

opened our first Chaophraya restaurant

in the city. Now, here we are ten years

later with 11 restaurants and employing

over 500 people – amazing! I never

once imagined that I would come

from a street cart to owning so many

restaurants that cook for hundreds of

regular customers.”

I asked Kim if she could explain the

secret of her success. “My ingredients

for success are passion and determination,

but you need to have passion!

My family motto, ‘Ow Jai Sai’, which

means ‘care from the heart’, is also

important and we have other core

Thai beliefs that help us deliver superb

service, such as ‘Sanook’, which

encourages you to smile, have fun

and be natural!”

Kim and Martin’s company, Thai

Leisure Group, has recently launched

Thaikhun, which reflects Kim’s former

life as a street food seller. “As it is such

a big part of my roots, I am so proud

of Thaikhun (pronounced ‘tycoon’) as

it celebrates the work of the street

hawkers back in Bangkok; they are the

real foodie entrepreneurs. Thaikhun

is like the younger, crazy and funkier

sister to Chaophraya, ha! Many of our

customers tell me it reminds them of

their holidays in Thailand, which makes

me very happy.

“Within the next five years we hope

to grow the business, opening more

Thaikhun and Chaophraya sites. London

is also in our sights, both for Chaophraya

and Thaikhun, but location is key to

success in the big smoke!”

I asked this remarkable woman

about the future and if it might include

slowing down! “Luckily, I regularly

travel back to Thailand to research new

ingredients and dishes, and shop for

the interiors of our restaurants, some

of which are blessed by Thai monks.

We always visit my mum and some-

times even steal things from her house

to put in our restaurants; her hat’s in

Thaikhun Manchester and her fishing

basket in Thaikhun Aberdeen!

Perhaps, when I’m older, I’ll take some

time to relax and then alternate living

between England and Thailand.” I’d say

she will have certainly earned her rest

by then!

67

The Queen and I

from the streets of Bangkok, Kim Kaewkraikhot brings the

majesty of Thailand’s delicious cuisine to the United Kingdom.

68

Alessandro, our gracious host, started

the ball rolling perfectly with a

deliciously hearty ribollita for Paul

and succulent gamberoni for me.

Paul’s roots are firmly Northern; he

was born in Rochdale but his horizon

broadened when he emigrated to

Australia with his parents on a £10

Assisted Passage ticket. He loved

living in Sydney as a child but his

stay was brief; after seven years

down under, homesickness brought

the family sailing back to Rochdale.

Simultaneously, a double dose of

pneumonia severely debilitated him

and also had the unfortunate effect

of wiping clean most of his Australian

memories.

As we digested this significant event

over ravioli di zucca and bistecca, Paul

told me about how images have since

come to dominate his memories. One

striking recollection of a small white

church atop a hill bedecked in green

and black foliage in Tahiti perhaps

exemplifies his strong visual gifts best.

After leaving school he did a series

of jobs, including a spell in a cotton

mill. It was there that he first met

Fred Dibnah, whom he was to later

photograph. Influenced by the

dominant post-punk scene in

Manchester, Paul was drawn to

creative expression and so, in his

mid-20s, enrolled on a photography

course at Bradford. While there

he met and was influenced and

encouraged by such photographic

greats as Don McCullin. Paul’s

strengths as a portrait photographer

emerged and he slowly began to

compile an impressive portfolio of

renowned subjects.

For the past couple of years, Paul has

been planning his book, Made in the

North, which is a collection of his

impressive portraits. As we savoured

our panettone al cioccolato and panna

cotta, Paul told me that his aim was

to produce a book that was filled with

inspirational Northerners. They’re not

all well-known faces but they are

all significant figures in their own

respective fields. He has a singular

talent for drawing the eye to less

obvious points of the picture; his

portrait of Ken Dodd is haunting

because his aged hands become

the focus of the gaze.

Paul has had his photographs

exhibited in the National Portrait

Gallery; his portraits of Brian Cox and

Fred Dibnah could even be described

as the definitive images of these two

well-known faces. His works are also

exhibited for sale in Sam’s and

Mr Thomas’s Chop Houses and the

Albert Square Chop House, with all

sales contributing a donation to the

Genesis Breast Cancer Prevention

charity. His gallery in Cheadle Hulme

is home to his impressive portfolio of

work, which also includes his equally

detailed pieces on New York and

Venice.

Paul Wolfgang Webster’s portfolio of

great Northerners is a reminder of our

region’s terrific creative drive and how

we’ve harnessed it for our industry for

the greater good. I would nominate

Paul as an appropriate subject for his

own book given the subjects he’s so

brilliantly captured. Only a self-

portrait could possibly do him justice

though!

Our thanks to Alessandro and

Piccolino in Didsbury for their very

kind hospitality.

individualrestaurants.com/piccolino

Wolfgang Webster Gallery

Gill Bent Road

Cheadle Hulme

Stockport

SK8 6NB

T: 0161 488 4889

M: 0781 218 1589

wolfgangwebstergallery.com

By Mark Kureishy

table for two……with paul Wolfgang Webster at piccolino, Didsbury

Fine art photographer Paul Wolfgang Webster has been chronicling the faces of prominent

Northerners throughout his distinguished working life; Tony Wilson, Sir Alex Ferguson, Brian

Cox and Betty Boothroyd are just a few of the 200 or so subjects he’s captured to create a

portrait of the North

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71

How does Manchester compare to

Stockholm?

Manchester is more laid back. People

are friendlier and not as pretentious.

There is a clear sense that people

don’t take themselves as seriously as

us Swedes. This is a side I have really

come to enjoy living in the North,

and of course football is much better

in Manchester. You also have the

modern Mancunian music scene that

is world-class.

Stockholm is very trendy with a strong

presence of technology, food, cars and

fashion. It is a very clean and beautiful

city on the coast with a fantastic

archipelago. However, my favourite

Swedish city is Gothenburg, our second

city, which is more laid back, warmer

and offers far better football.

You’ve worked in various cities around

the world. What’s your favourite and why?

I worked in Salzburg, Austria for a while

and this is a truly amazing city. It is small

and friendly with incredible culture,

good food and drink, and you have the

best of many worlds. You are close to

the Alps, with world-class skiing within

an hour’s travel, and you are equally

close to Italy and the Balkans.

Everything of interest is so close.

Why did you embark on a career in

Hospitality?

Because I like to eat good food and I like

to meet new people. Being a General

Manager is a perfect balance between

administration, being host and getting

to be involved in eating a lot of good

food.

The Radisson Blu at Manchester

Airport has recently had a £10million

refurbishment programme. For readers

who haven’t been, what can they

expect to see?

A full transformation to a modern

first-class hotel. All aspects of the hotel

have been meticulously considered and

planned before the remodelling.

With our new Business Class offer,

which includes a fantastic lounge, and

our new bar we are bringing laidback

luxury to the airport. This did not exist

in the airport before our remodelling.

Rock stars and celebrities are notorious

for wrecking hotel rooms. What’s the

most bizarre thing you’ve witnessed?

I have hosted a range of dignitaries and

rock stars in my various jobs over the

years, including Bill Clinton and the

Rolling Stones, and while demands are

high the celebrities I’ve come across

have been exemplary. I’m sorry I don’t

have anything more exciting to share.

Guests can be demanding. Are there

any unusual requests you can remember?

One guest wanted bin-liners taped over

the windows, and another wanted a

satellite dish installed to watch certain

TV programmes. Most requests are

doable as long as the budget is right.

What’s the best way of getting upgraded?

Throwing in the name of the manager?

Telling the receptionist how often you

visit? Showing your appreciation with a tip?

Be a bit forward and ask for one, but

make sure it is in a pleasant way. If you

don’t ask, you don’t get. Sometimes it

works.

How do you unwind?

I suppose this is where I should say I

listen to opera and sip an expensive

Pinot Noir, but that is not me. My big

passion in life other than my family

and kids is racing motorbikes. I try to

do that as much as I can.

Finally, Sweden means Volvo, Saab

and, of course, ABBA. What’s your

favourite ABBA song?

I suppose being Swedish it is compulsory

to love ABBA. ABBA did a great thing for

Sweden and for Swedish music, which

is now part of our modern culture. I like

Waterloo, as that was the song that

really kicked it all off for the group.

Jens Hallman is General Manager at Radisson Blu Hotel Manchester Airport.

Swedish-born Jens has over 20 years’ experience within the hospitality industry,

having held positions in conference and banqueting, food and beverage, sales and

marketing, and general management; he has worked in Sweden, Norway, Austria,

United States, England, Scotland and Wales.

Jen

s H

allm

an

Photography: Stephen McGowan

PEOPLE

72

Wendy Moran, Senior Lecturer in Public Relations at Manchester Metropolitan

University Business School, turned from journalism to teaching and from

environmental education to public sector communications before co-writing

a practitioners’ manual with Gordon Brown’s brother John, and entering

academia in 2007. Her students reap the benefit because modest, multifaceted

Wendy, Chair of the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Public

Services Group, offers them tried-and-tested advice - not lofty ideals.

Lecturing undergraduates is inspiring. We’re part of theirlaunch. At 21, few people knowwhat they want to do, so myown ‘twisty’ journey reassuresthem. After all, Steve Jobs, whonever graduated, concluded,’You often can’t see any senseat the time but looking back allthe dots join up.’

How’s PR viewed?

For many its Ab Fab: champagne and parties. Forme its public sector PR. My first inadvertent foray into it was in 2002, persuading every Bathand Somerset secondary school,including one utterly averse tothe idea, to recycle. IronicallyPR has a bad reputation, deriving from its origins of propaganda and manipulationof the masses.

PR has been associated withspin. The CIPR was formed bylocal government practitionersto work towards ethical practice.

Could you define PR please?

There are over 500 definitions – on different levels too. IdeallyPR is about creating mutual understanding between an organisation and its publics - aconversation. PR should involvenetworking, engagement andconsultation. PR is not teenagershanding out flyers for night-clubs.

And marketing?

From a PR perspective, marketing is more transactionaland predominantly in retail. But marketeers claim their areaalso includes relationships.

What skills do PR professionalsneed?

Good communication, goodEnglish and a love for people.But the charisma and behaviourto get you to the top can’t betaught.

The first PR stunt?

Bernays launched the controverisal idea of womensmoking through a number ofNew York debutantes lightingup in a statue of liberty pose.

Subsequent smoking campaigns have tried to address this powerful iconography.

Any PR disasters?

At 5pm, after a tricky day handling Kingston’s flooding crisis, I was called by BBC London Tonight about a parking attendant filmed booking vehicles emergingfrom the subsiding waters. Luckily, a quick interventionand hasty apology cleared the air.

Any funnies?

At a CIPR conference, Alastair Campbell refused my politeoffer of a cup of tea, deferred to his own ‘minions‘ and, havingmistaken me for a waitress, took a double take when I satbeside him at the top table!

Wendy Moran explainsPR to Fay Wertheimer

73

The value of investments can go down as well as up. Past performance is no indicator of future returns.

This article is correct at the time of print, and does not constitute advice. Authorised and regulated by

the Financial Conduct Authority.

Kellands (Hale) Limited.24 Victoria Road, Hale, Altrincham WA15 9AD

0161 929 [email protected]

TIME FOR A SPRING-CLEANIt’s the long-awaited Spring-time, apparently! So time to spring clean the

home, and all those other things that we put off to this time..

New tax year6 April marks the start of the new tax

year, making this the ideal time to also

spring-clean your finances! Perhaps

take a look at your budget planning

and update this in line with your

savings, investments and retirement

objectives. To more accurately calculate

these plans, cash flow modelling is just

one of the tools used by Kellands to

further enable clients to understand

their current and future monetary

position, by generating a graphical,

financial planning forecast.

Over the past two budgets, dramatic

changes have been announced for both

ISAs and pensions. There is no doubt

that the improved flexibility on pension

withdrawal after the age of 55 will leave

many with the need to reconsider their

savings strategy.

When reviewing you plans and options

this may again open up the common

question – ‘is an ISA or a pension the

best for building my future savings?’ In

order to help answer this it is important

to fully understand your personal

situation and what the best options

are for you.

MortgagesOne of the largest outgoings for most

households is the mortgage repayment.

With interest rates at an all-time low you

should review the rate you are paying,

maybe consider a fixed-rate deal, or

perhaps become mortgage-free sooner!

ProtectionMany parents have already recognised

the importance of protecting loved

ones through the purchase of critical

illness or life cover, but without reviewing

this they may find themselves

inadequately protected. As with any

other policy it should be reviewed to

ascertain both its effectiveness to achieve

objectives and the competitiveness of

its monthly costs. Often, considerable

savings can be made in this area.

WillsIt’s surprising how few people have

actually made a will, and if they have

they are often out of date. A will is

simply a legal document that ensures

your wishes are acted upon after you

die, meaning that those you would like

to benefit from the proceeds of your

pensions, investments, savings and

protection, actually do so. Your loved

ones will then have the peace of mind

knowing they will receive any legacies

in a timely manner.

So, dust off your existing paperwork

and give them a spring clean to help

ensure they are still in-line with your

objectives for 2015, and beyond.

Kellands Chartered Financial Planners

offer private and corporate clients a

full advisory service on tax planning,

investments, pensions and mortgages.

Call the team on 0161 929 8838.

You may have noticed our Hale office

on Victoria Road is currently

undergoing a full make-over!

We are still hard at work with

BUSINESS AS USUAL in our

temporary office two doors away

at 28 Victoria Road. All numbers

and emails remain unchanged.

74

Before you bring people on

It’s critical that you and your team

have a real understanding of what your

company is all about. I’m not talking

about the tangible here (relating to

your product or service), but rather the

intangible element concerning your

company culture. Unless you know the

personality of your organisation – its

culture, its ethics and its motivations –

you cannot expect a new entrant to buy

into the passion. Many SMEs argue this

is ‘big company’ territory, but I’ve seen

many organisations first hand, that have

grown from start-up to multibillion-

dollar organisations, and believe me –

they had this together from the get-go.

The recruitment process

The mechanics of how you assess

candidates will vary from company to

company, ranging from an informal

coffee, to extreme psychometric

testing. However, one of the most

common mistakes made by companies

of all sizes during recruitment is

managing expectations. We all like to

think we’re the best company in the

world, but candidates will seriously

appreciate an honest and frank view

of the organisation they’re looking at.

Nobody is naïve enough to think they’re

about to enter a wondrous place of

perfection, but balancing the ‘we’re

great because’ attitude with some

honest ‘but we also need to develop

xyz’ can really separate you from others

in the market and show the candidate

that you’re human.

It’s also important to turn this around in

the interview and really get to know

who that person is. For example, most

investors take great pain to explain how

they largely invest in the person rather

than the idea, and this is true of you

investing in new individuals for your

company. Get to know them! Are they

a good fit for you and your company

culture?

The first few weeks

The first few weeks are critical, not just

from a performance perspective but

also in terms of you (as a company)

listening to your gut about a candidate’s

future with your organisation.

Ultimately, you’re doing a disservice to

your company and the candidate if

you’re not honest about keeping them

or don’t base your decision on a healthy

mix of the gut and performance.

TheBusinessThe coaching legend Vince Lombardi once said, “Individual commitment to a

group effort - that is what makes a team work, a company work, a society work,

a civilisation work.” It’s one of my favourite quotes about team-work, and really

summarises the crux of what recruitment is all about.

Got a question? Email: [email protected] | www.thoughtstrategy.com

Recruiting the right teamI’m not going to bore or patronise you with a piece telling you to make sure that your new hire is affordable, bench-

marked against market rates, supported well, given clear job descriptions, incentivised and so on. That’s all pretty much

common sense; instead, I’ll give you three insights into the less-discussed parts of recruiting that have helped me over

the years.

75

What is an ISA?

ISA stands for Individual Savings

Account. ISAs were introduced by

the Government to encourage us all

to develop a regular savings habit.

Everyone over the age of 16 in the

UK can currently save up to £15,240

a year in ISAs, tax-free. Junior ISAs

allow parents or grandparents to

invest £4,080 for children aged

under 16.

Make use of your 2015/16 ISA

allowance. Now is the time to act.

Why should I have an ISA?

Investing in an ISA offers you a tax-

efficient income and capital growth

over the long term. The money you

invest in an ISA is shielded from income

tax and capital gains tax. There are two

types of ISA. A Cash ISA has a fixed

interest rate, which is usually higher

than a normal savings account.

A Stocks and Shares ISA is linked to

the performance of selected funds,

bonds and shares in companies on

the international stock market.

Why should I speak to a financial

adviser about ISAs?

Good financial advisers offer

professional guidance when it comes

to selecting an ISA. The complexity and

range of financial products available

means that even the most informed

investors should seek expert advice.

In my experience there are no off-

the-shelf solutions, as every client is

individual. By meeting face to face I can

assess your personal requirements and

attitude to risk, as well as your financial

concerns, responsibilities and ambitions.

I then use my financial expertise to help

you address the big picture and make

managing your wealth simple and easy.

So once I’m set up with an ISA,

is that it?

Regular review of your investments and

overall finances is the key to successful

wealth management. Over time,

changes in your personal circumstances,

changing legislation and the effects of

inflation will all have an impact on your

financial situation. As your trusted

wealth manager, my role is to ensure

any plans we put in place remain on

course and appropriate, no matter

what changes. Through regular reviews,

I can help you reach your financial goals

and plan a secure future for you and

your family.

The value of an ISA with St James’s

Place will be directly linked to the

performance of the funds selected

and may fall as well as rise. You may

get back less than you invested, as

investment in a Stocks and Shares ISA

will not provide the same security of

capital associated with a Cash ISA.

The favourable tax treatment of ISAs

may not be maintained in the future

and is subject to changes in legislation.

The Partner Practice represents only

St James’s Place Wealth Management

plc (which is authorised and regulated

by the Financial Conduct Authority)

for the purpose of advising solely on

the Group’s wealth management

products and services. More details

are set out on the Group’s website at:

www.sjp.co.uk/products. The title

‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing

term used to describe St James’s Place

representatives.

For all your money matters,

please contact:

Kathryn L Wilkinson

Wealth Management Ltd

Partner Practice of

St James’s Place

Wealth Management

Manchester-based Wealth Management expert Kath Wilkinson

gives us the lowdown on investing in an ISA.

Email: [email protected] | Mobile: 07973 779595 | Website: www.kathwilkinson.co.uk

It’s Time For ActionMoneyMatters-

77

EDUCATION NEWS

Pupils at Manchester High School for Girls achieve some

of the best public examination results in the country.

However, they were recently taught how to cope with

failure and disappointment. ‘Hug the Monster’ week

focused on improving pupils’ emotional resilience and

self-esteem, teaching them to embrace risks and not to

give up when faced with disappointment.

Senior School and sixth form girls gave advice to younger

pupils about how they should respond to disappointments,

and various activities including workshops and assemblies

took place in school to raise awareness of this important

topic.

Mrs Helen Jeys, Deputy Headmistress at Manchester High

School for Girls, said: “This is a serious issue; a lack of

emotional resilience can have a huge impact on our ability to

deal with disappointment and change. We have an important

duty to ensure that the girls we teach are able to develop

strategies that will help them cope with any setbacks they

experience in life.”

Mrs Jeys added: “The monster theme is memorable and

one that will remind them to accept setbacks as potential

opportunities for development. Failure and disappointments

should not stop our students from following their dreams and

aspirations. In the future, Hug the Monster week will become

an annual feature of Manchester High’s broad Wellbeing

programme. It has been fantastic to see how enthusiastically

our girls have engaged with the campaign.”

Eleven-year-old Iman Sheen from Didsbury said: “I have learnt

a lot from Hug the Monster week. It has been really helpful

and I have learnt to embrace any disappointments, hug the

monster and move on. If I get a bad test result in the future,

I will pick myself up and do better next time.”

Mr Alun Jones, president of the Girls’ Schools Association,

said: “It’s great to see another GSA school taking positive

steps to help girls embrace the learning opportunities that

come from failure. To paraphrase Richard Branson, we must

not be embarrassed by our failures, we must learn from

them and start again.”

Twelve-year-old

Iman Sheen and

17-year-old

Sarah Strickland

from Didsbury

MGS CROSS-COUNTRY TEAMSSMASH THEIR WAY TO VICTORY

The event, which saw 167 runners from

11 schools compete at Wythenshawe

Park, was held to select the Manchester

Schools’ team for the Greater

Manchester Schools Championships.

Out of the 33 athletes selected for the

Manchester team, 14 were MGS pupils,

a fantastic achievement for the School.

MGS’s Year 10/11 team won for the

11th time and its Year 8/9 team won

for the 12th time in the past 13 years.

Speaking about the race, Matthew

Webb said: “This year the course was

very muddy, which made the running

really difficult. The Wythenshawe Park

course is quite difficult at the best of

times, so I am really pleased to have run

so well on this particularly wet day!”

Adam Smith, a teacher at MGS, added:

“To have a team that has made history

is an incredible achievement for the

School. We are delighted at the success

of our runners, and that we have such

a strong presence in the Manchester

team this year. Huge congratulations to

our teams on doing so brilliantly; it is a

well-deserved success!”

Manchester Grammar School’s Year 10 and 11 Cross-Country smashed

a 42-year-old record recently at the 69th Annual Manchester Schools

Cross-Country Championships. The MGS team, which included 15-year-

olds Matthew Webb, from Hale; Daniel Shaw, from Todmorden; Mac

O’Malley, from Manchester; and George Rushton, from Macclesfield,

filled the podium at the event, with its runners coming 1st, 2nd, 3rd

and 4th in the challenging 2K race.

PUPILS TAUGHT TO HUG THEIR MONSTERS

78

79

SPOTLIGHT ON

Martin DunnTell us about yourself

I live in Bramhall, with my partner

Helen and our two boys. I'm originally

from near Liverpool, but I've been

based in the south Manchester area

on and off for the past 25 years so I

know it very well. I actually used to

live within shouting distance of Moor

Allerton. I'm a keen sportsman with

fairly wide interests, but tennis is my

current favourite.

Have you always worked in

education?

No. I worked for British Gas as a

Systems Analyst for six years, and at

one point I was even a scuba diving

instructor!

So when did you get into teaching,

and what inspired you?

During some time that I spent away

from the UK, I ended up at one point

doing supply teaching at a bilingual

school in Honduras. I was absolutely

taken in by the influence and impact

that a good teacher could have on

the children. When I returned home,

I spent a year working as a classroom

assistant at Beech Hall School in

Macclesfield, then did my teacher

training at MMU before setting off

on my teaching career proper.

When did you move to your current

school?

After four years working in London,

I moved to Firwood Manor in

Chadderton. From there I moved to

Greenbank School in Cheadle Hulme

in 2006 as their Director of Studies,

and then Assistant Head.

What approach will you be bringing

to Moor Allerton?

I have a deep commitment to bringing

out children's abilities and encouraging

them to reach their potential. I also

feel passionately that a child's

education, especially at the primary

school level, should be a positive and

enriching experience. There are so

many incredible opportunities for

wonder at this age, and children who

are in the right environment can be

given a love of learning and new

experiences that will set them up with

open enquiring minds for the rest of

their lives.

Have you faced any major challenges

in your teaching career?

When I worked in London, I was in a

state school in a fairly deprived part

of north west London. Just getting the

children into school to work was a

daily trial. Getting them to love and

respect their learning was even

harder. However, the change from

that environment to the very

different expectations presented by

independent education was without

doubt the biggest challenge I have

faced.

What are you most looking forward

to in your new role at Moor Allerton?

It is a joy to be joining such a vibrant

and successful school. The confidence

and enthusiasm of the children as

I toured for the first time was very

much a part of my decision to accept

the job. I am extremely excited by the

opportunities presented by the new

building and by the chance it will give

us to widen and further improve the

children's education experience.

80

Inspiring your ChildInspiring your Child

An independent school for girls and boys from 3-18 years

FOUNDED IN 1487

STOCKPORT GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Junior School Open Morning Saturday 9th May 2015, 10am - 12pm

Come and spend a day in the Senior SchoolYear 5 Taster Days 15th May, 20th May or 12th June To book call 0161 419 2408

School day tours also available

Bursaries available at 11+ and 16+

Tel: 0161 456 9000Tel: 0161 456 9000

.www.stockpor

or r.co.uktgrammar.co.uk

EDUCATION NEWS

HIGH FIVECongratulations to five students from The Grange who have

received offers from Oxford and Cambridge.

HARRY POTTER NIGHTFOR SGS PUPILS

For all five it is a well-deserved reward after an arduous process

involving extensive preparation, rigorous testing and demanding

interviews. Three hold Cambridge offers: Thomas Roe to read

Veterinary Medicine at Emmanuel College, and Laragh Harvey-Kelly

and Smriti Ramakrishnan to read Medicine at Christ's and Murray

Edwards respectively. Two hold Oxford offers: Charlie Davies to read

Geography at Jesus College, and Natasha Daly to read Philosophy

and Psychology at Worcester.

81

MORE STELLA SUCCESSPupils at Stella Maris School have been celebrating after

each Year 6 child was offered a place at one or more of

their chosen grammar schools - maintaining Stella Maris’s

100% record of success for grammar school entry across

Manchester, Trafford and Stockport.

Pupils at the Heaton Mersey School were offered places at

Withington Girls’ School, Manchester High School for Girls,

Stockport Grammar School, St Ambrose College, Cheadle

Hulme School, and St Bede’s College, with some children

even offered academic scholarships due to outstanding

performance in the exams.

Headteacher and Year 6 class teacher Mrs Johnson was

delighted with the results and commented: “Our children

deserve this high level of success because they have worked

hard, demonstrating commitment and determination at

every stage in the process. More importantly, they have

enjoyed the journey and never felt under any pressure to

produce these outstanding results.”

Stockport Grammar School Library

hosted their own Harry Potter Night

for pupils across the school – joining in

Bloomsbury Publishing’s first-ever

global event celebrating the hugely

popular series.

After stepping through Platform 9¾,

Harry Potter fans found themselves in a

magically transformed, candlelit library.

The Sorting Hat placed the pupils into

their houses and they chatted excitedly

among themselves about who might be

the biggest Harry Potter expert among

them.

As they listened to an extract from

Harry Potter and The Philosopher’s

Stone the tone was set for an evening

of wizardry.

The four house teams – Gryffindor,

Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin –

searched for objects from the wizarding

world in a treasure hunt and wand-

duelled their way through a game of

Petrified Potters (aka musical statues!)

before feasting on ‘butter beer’,

‘pumpkin’ juice, pasties, treacle tarts,

‘Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans’ and

chocolate frogs.

A wizard-drawing contest and trivia quiz

tested everybody’s knowledge and saw

the houses ardently competing for the

most points, with Ravenclaw steaming

ahead to become the victors of the

evening. After the Junior School’s Year

5 and 6 classes also experienced the fun

the following day, teacher Mrs Joan

Mercer said: “A huge thank you to the

library for the Harry Potter party – the

children from my class absolutely loved

it. They returned completely fired up by

the whole event and haven’t stopped

talking about it all afternoon!”

82

• Independent, school for boys and girls from 3-11 years old

• Excellent provision for Early Years Foundation Stage

• Safe, Nurturing and Stimulating Environment

• Excellent entrance exam results

• Fantastic new facilities currently under Construction.

Moor Allerton Preparatory SchoolFortiter Laborare, Fortiter Ludite

Please come along and see what our school has to offer your child. For further information

or to book a visit: Call (0161) 445 4521, email: [email protected] or visit

www.moorallertonschool.co.uk | 131 Barlow Moor Road, Didsbury, Manchester M20 2PW

EDUCATION NEWS

83

ST BEDE’S PUPIL RECEIVESROYAL APPROVAL FOR HER

PART IN SCHOOL PLAY

St Bede’s pupil Scarlett Gillis was so

excited to be chosen for the role of

Kate Middleton in a school play that

she decided to write to the Duchess

to tell her all about it.

The five-year-old Prep pupil played

the Duchess alongside her leading

man Joshua Rogers (also five), who

played Prince William, in ‘A Tale of

Two Birthdays,’ performed before an

audience of friends and family.

The youngster wrote to the

Duchess telling her about how she

enjoyed being in the play and how her

mum had bought her a lovely new red

dress especially for the part.

But when an envelope with the Royal

crest on it arrived for her at her home

in Didsbury she couldn’t believe it:

“I was amazed. I didn’t really think she

would have time to reply to all those

letters,” said Scarlett.

“I was really happy and glad when

I saw the letter and the photograph.

I thought she was beautiful.”

Claire Hunt, Head of Prep at St Bede’s

College, said Scarlett loves singing and

dancing and was the perfect choice for

the part: “Scarlett played the part very

well and enjoyed every minute of it.

She even wore jewellery that had

been bought from a gift shop during

a visit to the Tower of London.

“We were all very impressed with

Scarlett’s letter. It was beautifully

written and we’re delighted she got

such a lovely response.”

OXBRIDGE OFFERSFOR TWELVE ANDUSA BECKONS FOR

OTHERS

Twelve Withington Girls’ School sixth

form students are holding conditional

offers for places to study at Oxford or

Cambridge University later this year,

and two girls have also been offered

places at prestigious American

universities.

As university offers continue to

arrive for Withington’s Class of 2015,

for the third year in succession twelve

girls have celebrated the new year

by receiving conditional offers from

Oxford or Cambridge. This equates

to nearly one in six of the current

77-strong Upper Sixth cohort.

Seven girls have received offers

(dependent on A level results) from

Cambridge: Ellie Stonehouse – Jesus,

Medicine; Eugenie Yen – St John’s,

Natural Sciences (Biology); Haleh

Taghinejadi – St Catharine’s, Natural

Sciences (Physics); Penny Jones –

Pembroke, Natural Sciences (Physics);

Sabriyah Saeed – Magdalene, English

Literature; Siyang Wei – Newnham,

HSPS (Human, Social and Political

Sciences); and Vidya Ramesh –

Gonville and Caius, History.

A further five students have achieved

conditional offers from Oxford: Anisha

Chopra – St Hilda’s, Medicine; Ellie

Hughes – Trinity College, Medicine;

Jessica Quirke – Exeter, Biochemistry;

Miranda Gold – Hertford, French and

Spanish; and Teneeka Mai – Corpus

Christi, Physics.

Headmistress Mrs Marks commented:

“Competition for places at Oxford and

Cambridge has always been very

closely fought and, since the

introduction of tuition fees, it has

become increasingly international.

We are delighted for our girls’

successes in competition with some

of the world’s most able students.”

With applications to American

universities growing in popularity,

two Withington students are now

holding unconditional offers from the

other side of the Atlantic. Sixth former

Charlotte Pang has a scholarship

offer to read for a degree in animation

at The Savannah College of Art and

Design in Georgia, one of the top

universities for this discipline, and

which has a close association with

Disney and Pixar; and Nadia Al-Amin

(Class of 2014) has had an

unconditional offer from the Univer-

sity of Arizona, also with a scholarship.

Many members of Withington’s sixth

form have also received conditional

offers from other British, mainly

Russell Group, universities.

84

Limited places are available in Years 5 and 6, please call for

more information

“Creativity is contagious, pass it on”Albert Einstein

To arrange a tour call 0161 224 1077Wellington Road, Fallowfi eld, Manchester M14 6BL

wgs.orgMeans -tested

bursaries now available from Year 5

upwards

For more information: 01625 583028 | [email protected] | @schoolforgirlswww.aesg.co.uk | Wilmslow Road, Alderley Edge, Cheshire, SK9 7QERegistered charity number 1006726

A top performing independent girls’ school in Cheshire

AESG achieved the top rankings across the board in the ISI Inspection February 2015

• For girls aged 2–18 years • Located in a safe,

secure environment• Nursery, Junior School,

Senior School and Sixth Form• Scholarships and bursaries

available• Working day tours available• Taster days for prospective pupils• Wrap around care

Dates For Your Diary

Early Years Taster MorningTuesday 12 May9.30am–11.30am

EDUCATION NEWS

85

SGS GIRLS TO CUT THEIR HAIR

FOR THE LITTLE PRINCESS TRUSTTwo Stockport Grammar Junior School girls are having their hair cut and

donating it to the Little Princess Trust, a charity that provides real hair wigs

for children who lose their hair through cancer treatment.

North Cestrian Grammar School’s bid to become a

non-selective, non-fee-paying academy through the

Government’s Free School programme has been approved

and the School will now enter the pre-opening phase.

The new status, subject to public consultation, will take

effect from September 2016, enabling it to open its doors

to non-fee paying students.

North Cestrian will still be able to set its own extended

curriculum, term dates and length of school day. Its governing

body will oversee and operate the school, but pupils will not

have to sit an entrance exam.

Lee Bergin, headmaster at North Cestrian, said: “We’re

excited to have the opportunity to provide the same high

standard of independent grammar school education and

pastoral care we’re known for, but without having to charge

fees. We’re now able to help meet the demand from

parents in the area for a greater choice of educational

establishment.

“Thank you to everyone for their support throughout

the bid process and helping us to achieve free school

status. More than 750 showed their support, including

Graham Brady, MP of Altrincham and Sale West. We’re

pleased to have gained support from Altrincham Grammar

School for Boys and we’re looking forward to working

closely with such an outstanding school.”

Until September 2016, North Cestrian will remain a

co-educational, selective, fee-paying grammar school,

and places for September 2015 can still be applied for.

Full academic scholarships for 100 per cent fee remission

are available. Pupils on school roll at the point of the

changeover to a free school will remain members of the

school and will cease to pay fees.

An Open Day will take place on Saturday 25 April 2015,

11am–1pm and the open week will be held week

commencing Monday 27 April.

www.ncgs.co.uk

Follow North Cestrian Grammar School on

Twitter @NorthCestrianGS or like the School on

Facebook: Facebook.com/NorthCestrian.

NORTH CESTRIAN GAINS FREE SCHOOL STATUS

Year five pupils Talia Zelhof and Lily Amet heard about the

charity from Junior School Headmaster Mr Tim Wheeler,

the charity’s Chair of Trustees, who is also running for the

cause in this year’s London Marathon. The girls will be

having their hair cut on 18 April. Talia said: “It’s sad that

children are losing their hair when they’re so ill, so we

thought it’d be nice to help. We’ve got very long hair at

the moment and so we’re going to have it cut to about

chin-length. We’re excited about how it’ll look, and proud

that we’re able to help children by doing something so

simple!”

Talia and Lily are raising sponsorship as well as donating

their hair, and you can donate to the Little Princess Trust

at justgiving.com/Talia-Lily/

Mr Wheeler became involved with the charity when it

was founded in memory of a child at his previous school

in Hereford, who fought a brave battle against cancer.

Since its inception, the charity has now helped thousands

of children by providing the wigs.

You can sponsor Mr Wheeler’s marathon at

uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LPTman

86

For Smart Schooling

STELLA MARIS SCHOOL

To request a prospectus or book a personal tour call 0161 432 0532 email [email protected]

or visit www.StellaMarisSchool.co.uk

Registered Charitable Trust Number 505848

How does your

Average Class Size - 14 Pupils or Fewer Sibling Discounts Care Available 8am - 5.30pm

Nursery Grant/Childcare Vouchers Accepted

Affordable Independent Education for Boys and Girls aged 3-11 years

100% Success for Grammar School Entry2015 offers include

Stockport Grammar, Cheadle Hulme, St Bedes , St Ambrose, Sale Grammar, Withington Girls School, Manchester High School For Girls

TOP INSPECTION RESULTS FOR

ALDERLEY EDGE SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Alderley Edge School for Girls is celebrating as it received the full

report from the Independent Schools Inspectorate (ISI), a Government-

approved inspectorate responsible for the inspection of independent

schools. Eight inspectors visited the school and the school is delighted

with the outcome. The Junior, Senior and Sixth Form divisions have

been rated on eight criteria for which judgements are awarded.

‘Excellent’ is the highest rating that can be awarded and the school

has achieved ‘Excellent’ judgements across the board –

including achievement and learning, teaching, pastoral care and

welfare to name a few.

The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) is assessed against four

main categories: ‘Outstanding’ is the highest rating and this has been

achieved by the EYFS team in all areas: wellbeing, the leadership and

management of the Early Years provision and the overall quality and

standard of the department. The inspectors’ recommendation for

the Junior School, Senior School and Sixth Form is in line with AESG’s

whole-school target for this year: ‘to develop further the good

practice of intellectual risk-taking throughout the school’.

The recommendation for the Early Years Foundation Stage is to

‘extend the opportunities for the oldest children in the EYFS to take

their planned learning outside, across all areas of the curriculum’.

COMPETITION

The Jockey Club Live presents ‘An Evening At The Races’ returns

with a bang for 2015. Global superstar Kylie, indie rockers Kaiser

Chiefs and the iconic Madness are the first acts to join their 2015

‘Haydock Nights’ season. Having previously played on prestigious

stages such as on top of Buckingham Palace for the Queen’s

Diamond Jubilee concert and at 2012’s London Olympic Games

Closing Ceremony, Madness’s live show is a perfect fit for the

Haydock Park grandstands.

Brit-award-winning, multimillion-selling Kaiser Chiefs – led by

BBC1’s ‘The Voice’ coach Ricky Wilson – will be bringing their

formidable live show to the course on 7 August. The band first shot

to recognition in 2005 for breakout hit ‘I Predict A Riot’, followed

by hits including ‘Oh My God’, ‘Everyday I Love You Less and Less’

and 2007’s #1 ‘Ruby’. They released their latest LP, ‘Education,

Education, Education & War’ last year, smashing into the #1 spot on

the UK album chart on release. The record became their second

#1 long play, following 2007’s ‘Yours Truly Angry Mob’ and became

their fifth top 10 album.

‘AN EVENING AT THE RACES’

MADNESSHAYDOCK PARK RACECOURSE – 3 JULY 2015

KAISER CHIEFSHAYDOCK PARK RACECOURSE – 7 AUGUST 2015

Madness said: “Come see, come see the world’s strongest band

perform incredible feats live! Marvel as Madness lift an enormous

set of polished pop songs high in the air, single-handed! The UK's

biggest open-air tour ever! Rolling into a town near you soon.”

Win a pair of tickets to see

Madness and the Kaiser Chiefs

To enter just answer the following: What is the venue

for the Kylie, Madness and Kaiser Chiefs concerts?

A. Haydock Park | B. Regent’s Park | C. Hyde Park

Email your answer to [email protected] with

Madness or Kaiser Chiefs in the subject field. Closing date

is 31 May 2015. See website for full terms and conditions.

Win

Band La Esencia provided fabulous live music and DJ Martinez

& DJ Royce of Latin Client entertained everyone to the early

hours. There was lots of Salsa and Bachata dancing which

created a truly Latin feel! The Didsbury Lounge provided

Cuban Tapas and a free Mojito for everyone.

Over 100 people came and supported the event and £1500

was raised in aid of Francis House.

Check out www.facebook.com/havanafusionmanchester for

future events. The next event is planned for the end of the summer.

DANCING FOR CHARITYHavana Fusion (Rachel McQuitty and Tara Meeks) organised aLatin charity night at theDidsbury Lounge last month.

87

Ph

oto

s: D

an

iell

e C

oo

pe

r

NORTHERN ARTClark Art Ltd of Hale are the North’s leading

art gallery and are national specialists in

LS Lowry and northern investment art.

A wide range of work is always on display at our Hale

gallery. We also give free valuations.

Theodore Major, Men and Sky, 30” x 37”

Artists include:

LS Lowry, Helen Bradley, Theodore Major, Alan Lowndes, Braaq, Harold Riley,

Harry Rutherford, John Thompson, William Turner, Adolphe Valette, Trevor Grimshaw,

Sheila Fell, Ben Kelly, Liam Spencer, Fred Yates, Reg Gardner, Geoffrey Key, Peter Brook,

Phil George, Stephen Campbell and many others.

Next Exhibition – Liam Spencer one man show,opens on April 23rd. Contact the gallery for details.

155 Ashley Road, Hale, Cheshire WA14 2UW

Tel: 0161 929 5150 email: [email protected]

Opening times: Tuesday to Saturday 10am-5.30pm

www.clark-art.co.uk

Book today0843 208 6010 | thelowry.com

Wed 3 June - Sat 25 July

Mon 14 December - Sat 2 January Wed 13 - Sat 30 January

Tue 4 - Sat 8 August

Tue 28 April - Sat 2 May

Shows that are too good to miss:

Tue 17 - Sat 21 November

Reviews IIIII By John Waddington

Courtney Barnett

Sometimes I Sitand Think, andSometimes I JustSit

Aussie songwriter Courtney Barnett releasesher debut album-proper, following a collectionof her early EPs in 2013 and some heavy radiorotation. One of the best rock and roll recordsof recent times, this album is brimmingwith caustic wit and deft lyricism, marriedwith infectious melodies and Velvets-esque

playing – just the right side of sloppy.

Blur –

The Magic Whip

Britpop stalwarts Blurreturn with their firstalbum in 12 years. Inthe time since 2003’sThink Tank, the band have played a handfulof high-profile live shows, and released thesingle Under the Westway, but held out onthe full album until now. The Magic Whip is slightly reminiscent of Bowie’s Berlin material, but is, of course, unmistakablyBlur.

Laura Marling –

Short Movie

Moving away fromthe intimate folksound of her earlierwork with ShortMovie, Marling goes for a much more expansive, electric, live-band feel. Sailingvery close to PJ Harvey waters at times, this is nevertheless a solid effort with some stand-out tunes - namely the titletrack - and a warm, engaging production.

Anthony Doerr –

All the Light We Cannot SeeThis is a beautiful and ambitious novelabout a blind French girl and a Germanboy whose paths collide in occupiedFrance as both try to survive the devastation of World War II. Skilfully interweaving the lives of the protagonists,Doerr illuminates the ways people can begood to one another.

Jill Alexander Essbaum – HausfrauIntimate, intense, and written precision,the debut novel by poet-turned-novelistJill Alexander Essbaum is a story of marriage, fidelity, sex and morality. AnnaBenz, an American in her late thirties, livesin Zürich with her Swiss husband Brunoand their three young children, but feelsemotionally disconnected and seeks solace in new, exciting experiences.

Graeme Cameron – NormalIn this dark, twisted and compellingthriller, Cameron weaves a darkly comictale from a gruesome and potentially disturbing subject matter. Drawing comparisons with the hugely popular Dexter series, Normal paints a picture of aserial killer who tries to go straight, but thepolice are closing in, and there’s a womanlocked in his basement.

FILMS

BOOKS

MUSIC

Rosewater –

Director: Jon StewartThe directorial debut by successful producerand writer Jon Stewart is based on a truestory, in which the journalist Maziar Bahariwas blindfolded and interrogated for fourmonths in Evin prison in Iran because the authorities believed he was a spy. The onlydistinguishable feature about his captor wassaid to be the distinct smell of rosewater.

The Longest Ride –

Director: George Tillman JrA former rodeo rider falls in love with anartist in this passionate romantic drama inwhich past and present collide. Adaptedfrom a novel by Nicholas Sparks, the authorof the hugely popular book-turned-film TheNotebook, this has all the same passion andromance.

Tomorrowland: A World Beyond –

Director: Brad BirdA young girl is whisked to the incredible Tomorrowland in this mind-blowing sci-fi adventure. When troubledteen Casey Newton finds a strange pinamong her possessions, it transports herbriefly to the fabulously futuristic Tomorrowland. To help solve the mystery,she tracks down ageing inventor FrankWalker (played by George Clooney).

•

••

90

Friday 12th June 2015

In the Marquee, set at

the prestigious Bowdon Club

Three course dinner catered and

served by Francs of Altrincham.

Tables: Of ten £450

or £45 per ticket

Dress Code: Black Tie

For more information:

Contact Steve

at Events in the City on 07585002386

or e-mail: [email protected]

From: 7pm until late

The Bowdon Club, South Downs Road,

Bowdon, Cheshire WA14 3DT

An evening with

England cricket legend

Graham Gooch OBE

Present:

Pre-Ashes Sportsmans Dinner

Charity for the event.

The city is full of drama this spring –

with productions such as King Lear,

The Boy in Striped Pyjamas, The Ghost

Train and To Kill A Mockingbird all

playing out on the stages of Greater

Manchester while HOME, the new

home of Cornerhouse and The Library

Theatre, opens its doors to stage its

first production, The Fun Fair. There is

plenty to sing and dance about too

with Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

returning and the international

hit musical Wicked getting ready

to end its UK tour at The Lowry.

IIIII

What’s

ON

92

Swanhunter

Saturday 25 April The Lowry

An Opera North production for a family

audience based on a gripping Finnish

folk tale with puppetry, opera and live

action.

My First Ballet – Swan Lake

2/3 May Palace Theatre

English National Ballet return with

another enchanting addition to their

My First Ballet series. Featuring a

narrator to help young audiences follow

the story, and a shortened version of

Tchaikovsky’s beautiful score, these

performances make ballet accessible

and hugely enjoyable for children aged

3 years+.

Chicken Licken

Sunday 10 May The Lowry

A show for children aged 3 to 8 years

featuring puppets, clowning, baking and

original music.

The Basil Brush Show

Sunday 10 May at Stockport Plaza

Sunday 24 May at The Lowry

A show for all the family, with fun,

comedy, storytelling and songs, plus

there’s the chance to meet Basil after

the show.

The Octonauts

16/17 May Opera House

Live for the first time in a brand-new

stage show, the Octonauts take families

on a journey through strange new

worlds unravelling mysteries and

finding surprises as they go.

By Catherine Reed

FaMily

Singalong A Frozen

Tuesday 14 April Stockport Plaza

Dress up as your favourite character

and sing along to all the songs with the

help of lyrics on screen, a host and a

magic moments fun pack. Book early –

the recent singalong screenings at

The Lowry all sold out!

Varmints

Tuesday 21 April The Lowry

A poignant tale of one small creature’s

struggle to preserve a world in danger

of being lost forever. For ages 7+.

Musicals

Anything Goes

7–18 April Opera House

This brand-new production of the Cole

Porter classic features a cast that

includes Shaun Williamson and Kate

Anthony, some really entertaining

choreography including a ship load of

tap dancing sailors and a whole host

of wonderful show stoppers such as

I Get A Kick Out Of You and It’s

De-Lovely.

Jesus Christ Superstar

13–18 April Palace Theatre

Glenn Carter stars as Jesus in this

well-loved musical, which has been

entertaining audiences for over forty

years. He is joined by X Factor 2007

runner-up Rhydian as Pontius Pilot,

and Tim Rogers in the role of Judas.

There are some terrific songs here,

including I Don’t Know How to Love

Him and Superstar.

Return to The Forbidden Planet

4–9 May Palace Theatre

The Olivier award-winning musical is

on its 25th-anniversary tour and returns

to the Palace to entertain audiences

with its stunning special effects and

great song list. It also gives everyone

an opportunity to raid their fancy

dress box and dress up for the show.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

20–30 May Opera House

This laugh-out-loud funny, fast-

moving and incredibly slick musical

returns to Manchester following its

highly successful visit last year.

Wicked

3 June – 25 July The Lowry

Wicked winds up its spectacular tour of

the UK with a visit to The Lowry. This

brilliant reimagining of the stories and

characters from the Wizard of Oz is

packed with wonderful songs, technical

wizardry and fabulous costumes. Get a

ticket while you can – this is your last

chance to see it outside London.

93

The Ghost Train

14 May – 20 June

Royal Exchange Theatre

A group of passengers are left

stranded at a remote railway station

facing the prospect of a night in the

waiting room amid spooky goings-on.

Expect a ghostly driver, sudden deaths

and a travelling parrot in this very

funny take on the classic 1920s ghost

story. Director Paul Hunter is looking

forward to the challenge of staging

this play. He said: “Staging action that

would normally happen off stage and

using every inch of that extraordinary

space will be thrilling.”

Expect the unexpected.

The Funfair

14 May – 13 June HOME

HOME’s hotly anticipated first

production features a live band, a big

dipper and an evocative set design.

The Funfair is adapted by Simon

Stephens, who also adapted the

fabulous, award-winning Curious

Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

This exciting production is a reworking

of the 20th-century classic Kasimir and

Karoline, and is a dark, political and

very funny play that sets two young

lovers in the throes of a break-up

against the hypnotic whirl and bright

lights of a funfair.

To Kill A Mockingbird

19–23 May The Lowry

Set in America’s Deep South, Harper

Lee’s much-loved story sees racial

injustice envelop a small-town

community. The Pulitzer Prize novel

is adapted for the stage by

Christopher Sergel and has received

five-star reviews as well as being

winner of the What’s On Stage 2014

Best Play Revival Award.

DaNCE

Dance ‘Til Dawn

21–25 April The Lowry

Transporting you back to the Golden

Age of Hollywood, Vincent Simone and

Flavia Cacace perform glorious dance

routines in this sensational new show.

Circa – Opus

8/9 May The Lowry

Fourteen acrobats tumble, spin and

fly around a string quartet in a

performance filled with jaw-dropping

physical feats.

The Car Man

26–30 May The Lowry

Don’t miss these stunning

performances of Matthew Bourne’s

brilliant Car Man. Described as Bizet’s

Carmen reimagined, it is glamorous yet

gritty, sexy and funny and definitely

thrilling. The Car Man is set to the most

amazing Bizet score and was last

revived in 2007 when the show won

awards for choreography and musical

event of the year.

Drama

Beautiful Thing


Nikolai Foster’s celebrated

anniversary production of Jonathan

Harvey’s modern classic starring

Charlie Brooks, Sam Jackson and

Thomas Law.

The Boy in Striped Pyjamas


A heart-wrenching tale of an unlikely

friendship between two innocent boys

set during World War II.

The Woman in Black

28 April – 2 May The Lowry

The gripping theatrical adaptation

of Susan Hill’s spine-chilling novel

returns to The Lowry. Don’t miss the

chance to see the most terrifying live

theatre experience ever!

King Lear

5–9 May The Lowry

This Northern Broadsides production

is directed by Jonathan Miller and

under his direction we are shown a

Lear stripped back to its heart and

soul – intimate, moving and utterly

believable. Be ready to see Lear afresh

as you have never seen it before, as

Miller brings his remarkable talent for

human observation to the play.

94

Gadgets

By

Joh

n W

ad

din

gto

n

If you’re out and about at a festival this year, or just tucked up nice and warm

at home, we’ve got you covered with our gadgets round-up.

s Nest Learning Thermostat

If you want to take your first

steps in creating a smarter home,

the Nest Learning Thermostat is

a great starting point. This little

gizmo is both a futuristic device

and a familiar one. It’s fully

connected, using a mobile app to

change the temperature and alter

settings wherever you are, but it

still feels like a regular thermostat

so isn’t too scary for technophobes.

£179.95, apple.com

s Pioneer DDJ-WeGO3

If you’re having a house party

and want to be able to seamlessly

mix music on your iPad while

adding the odd creative effect

for your guests’ pleasure, look

no further than the DDJ-WeGO3.

It’s a fun little toy and should

provide hours of entertainment

for the budding DJ, but you

definitely won’t be seeing

Armand Van Helden rocking

out on one of these down the

Ministry of Sound.

£199.95, veho-muvi.com

t Sennheiser Momentum

Wireless Headphones

There are headphones, and there

are headphones. If you’re serious

about your music, you could do

worse than pick up a pair of

these, but beware – at almost

£400 they will create a serious

dent in your wallet. However,

you get what you pay for, as the

build is sturdy and durable, the

materials used are premium,

and clever additions – such as

the foldable frame – are genuine

advances over the previous

wired models.

£379.99, amazon.co.uk

t Casio G-Shock GBA-400

Control the tunes on your smart-

phone using your watch! This

baby does just that, by harnessing

the power of Bluetooth. As we’ve

come to expect from G-Shock,

the watch is tough and the

display is as crowded and difficult

to read as ever. However, while

so many of the smart watches

currently out there try to achieve

too much, the GBA-400 is simple

and satisfying in its remit, making

it a real winner.

£150, amazon.co.uk

s Sony Walkman NWZ-A15

Remember the Sony Walkman?

The large plastic box that played

those cassette tape thingies? Well

here’s the latest addition to the

family. We’re not talking cassettes

here of course, but high-

resolution audio files. Sony are

stepping up to rival the Astell &

Kern AK120 II, which we reviewed

last year. Well, this device is

£850 cheaper than the AK120 II,

making it a less luxurious but

more sensible audiophile

purchase.

£150, sony.co.uk

s Asus ZenWatch

Competing with the Casio

G-Shock for the smart watch

throne this issue is the Asus

ZenWatch. It looks more like a

watch than a gimmick, which is

more than can be said for some

smart watches. It looks good,

is well made, and performs its

tasks well enough, but with only

enough battery juice to get through

the day, you will have to be

prepared to charge it every night.

£169, asus.com

95

Private GP& Night DoctorDr Bruce Jobling

0161 980 262624 Hours | 7 Days

“Peace of mind for you and your family, at all times”

Competitions Terms & Conditions

No purchase necessary. Employees of Salutions Limited and associated companies, promotional partners, their agents and families are noteligible to enter. Entries will be declared void if found mutilated, illegible, altered, reconstructed, forged or tampered with in any way. Inthe event of there being more claims than prizes available in any category, then prizes will be awarded to the earliest claimant. (Whereapplicable, as stated.) All entries are subject to scrutiny. Salutions Limited reserves the right to stop the promotion/ competition at anytime at its own discretion. Winners must accept that their names may be announced on any Salutions related media, including web andprint, and may be used for publicity purposes if required. Rules as published, when applicable to specific joint offers, product discountsetc. All prizes unclaimed remain the property of Salutions Limited. Persons under the age of 18 are not eligible to enter. The prize must betaken as offered and is not transferable. No cash or credit alternatives will be given. Editor’s decision is final. By entering a competition youagree to receive e-letters and mailshots from Salutions Limited. We do not sell our database to third parties and are compliant with theData Protection Act 1998. Should you wish NOT to receive such information, please state NO OFFERS. By entering the competitionyou agree to the above terms and conditions.

Local Services To advertise in the next issue please call 0161 445 2883

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APOLOGY AND CORRECTIONIn our Dec/Jan 2015 edition we included an interview with Mr Sacha Lord-Marchionne that included comments relating to ITV Granada andto the conduct of its journalists at a press conference organised by Mr Lord-Marchionne. We now accept that there was no factual basis forthese comments, and we would like to apologise to ITV Granada and the reporters concerned for any distress the comments caused them.

By Oliver Chesher

MOTORING

96

HIGH SWEDE IMPACT

SUPERCAR BEATS

HYPERCARWhat separates a hypercar from a run-of-the-mill supercar

nowadays? Normally, it’s a matter of an extra few hundred

grand, and a few hundred more horsepower. But now that a

thousand horsepower has been done, and there are plenty

of cars to choose from that cost more than a house in Hale,

it’s all getting a bit silly.

This is especially so when you look at the new Porsche

911 GT3 RS, which wouldn’t even be in the same deck of

Top Trumps. It doesn’t have 12, 10 or even 8 cylinders; it

doesn’t cost a million, half a million or even a quarter of

a million. Horsepower is less than 800, less than 700, less

than 600; it wouldn’t even get noticed in Dubai or outside

Harrods.

And that’s why I want it. This is a proper street-legal racing

car that you can use every day. The most extreme version

of one of the most perfect performance cars of all time,

it has trounced almost every production car ever built

with its lap times around Germany’s famous Nürburgring,

including all the big-name billionaires’ playthings. Modified

to microscopic tolerances, it is a masterpiece of single-

minded, lightweight, intelligent, precision motorsport

engineering.

The first-ever car crash I was in was a memorable affair, in that it was spectacular to the point of being

cinematic, yet nobody was hurt. This is because I was in a 1993 Volvo 240, which was known to be

one of the safest cars in history at the time. Dads like mine coveted big Volvos because they were

second only to the Chieftain tank in terms of occupant protection.

In years gone by, conventional wisdom

was that the safest cars were those

that could simply obliterate anything

they happened to crash into. This

contributed in no small part to the

arms race outside every school gate,

which saw parents falling over one

another to acquire the most

aggressively enormous vehicles.

Thankfully, carmakers today have

demonstrated that we don’t need

to be so selfish in order to be safe.

And still in the lead is Volvo, which

has just won the Safest Car category

in Carbuyer’s Best Car Awards 2015 for

its mid-sized V40 range. This car proves

that even a relatively small vehicle can

excel in all four subcategories: adult

occupant protection, child protection,

pedestrian protection, and safety assist.

The V40 includes a safety world first:

the Pedestrian Airbag. The system uses

sensors in the front bumper to trigger

pyrotechnics to release the bonnet

hinges, allowing it to be raised by the

inflated airbag that covers the lower

part of the windscreen and the A-pillars,

helping to reduce injuries.

With other standard features such as

AEB (autonomous emergency braking)

and options such as Pedestrian and

Cyclist Detection with Full Autobrake

and Blind Spot Information System, Volvo

has set a new standard for protecting

people both inside and outside the car.

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Documents

Hale&Bowdon Magazine Apr|May 2015