Splashlight - Your local celebrity magazine - March 2012

AMERSHAM

GERRARDS CROSS

BEACONSFIELD

MARLOW

HENLEY

MAIDENHEAD

WINDSOR

ASCOT

WEYBRIDGE

ESHER

APRIL 2012 £3

YOUR LOCAL CELEBRITY MAGAZINE

SUNNINGDALE

We are delighted to announce the Splashlight Spring Review 2012 – the season captured in photographs – to enjoy and to keep the memories.

The great events – life in the Splashlight area – the beautiful people and the fabulous homes, together with features from our Splashlight regulars.

Coming soon.

SPLASHLIGHTspring review

2012

Light on Life – what’s been happening out there? 2

MACMILLAN CANCER SUPPORT AT WINDSOR GRILL 4

The Art of Construction – by Richard Skeoch 8

MARY BERRY AT BEACONSFIELD HIGH SCHOOL 10

Florence + the Machine – talks to Splashlight before her UK tour 14

Business Heroes – the companies that value their top performers 16

BURNS NIGHT CELEBRATIONS AT NEW ROCKSALT BAR 18

Fabio’s Italy – tomorrow is another day 22

FUNDRAISER FOR MARLOW FM AT THE CLAYTONS 24

Come Dine with Me – six of Francesco Beni’s finest dishes 26

PANCAKE RACE DAY IN MAIDENHEAD 28

Boulters Terrace Bar – the in-place to be outside on the riverside 32

SPLAShLIfe And SPLAShLookS 34 check and see who you recognise in your town

Art Works – Lemongrove Gallery’s Rachel Beaver 52

DUCHESS OF CORNWALL ATTENDS SANDOWN MILITARY RACE 54

Sophie Kinsella – Splashlight tries to get her number 58

Karen Waldron – vintage fashion 60

Malik – our celebrity chef’s tandoori recipes 64

FEBRU-HAIRY IN HENLEY 66

Beauty. By Nicole – goodbye for now 72

ESHER RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION BURNS NIGHT DINNER 74

Challenge Hargreaves – self defence with Krav Maga 78

MARLOW TOWN REGATTA AND FESTIVAL COMMITTEE DINNER DANCE 80

BP COLLINS GET TOP MARKS 84

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this month:April 2012

Splashlight is published bykingsdown MarketingPO Box 4503SloughSL1 0UT

www.splashlight.net

PUBLISHER: Tony Light – [email protected]

commercialJulie Turnerfor advertising, features and Business Heroes – 07917 [email protected]

editorialAnn MerryHenry ToddClaire SaulBen [email protected]

eventsEve [email protected]

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picturesAlias PhotographyLife Image Photographystudio/[email protected]

While care is taken to ensure that Splashlight is as accurate as possible, no responsibility can be taken by Kingsdown Marketing for any errors or omissions contained herein. All opinions expressed are those of the editors and not necessarily representative of any other individual or concern. Furthermore, responsibility for any loss, damage or distress resulting from the use of any information made available through this publication, howsoever caused, is equally disclaimed by Kingsdown Marketing.

SPLASHLIGHT

Would you like a copy of Splashlight to take home? See our list of distributors at the back of the magazine.

The past weekend has seen continued unrest on the streets of Great Britain, with the military strengthening their positions in and around key cities, whilst smaller towns and villages have become increasingly lawless. It’s very hard to get accurate data but

unofficial estimates suggest that the death toll is now approaching 300 and injuries are in the thousands. Red Cross teams from France and The Netherlands have been trying to deliver relief, but fuel shortages have been impeding progress.

The speed at which this crisis has taken a grip on the UK is the most surprising aspect of the whole situation. It is barely four weeks since the start of the turmoil, and only now is it becoming possible to piece together the sequence of events that has brought this once great country to it’s current state of chaos.

It seems that the trigger-point of the conflict was the long-term unrest that had been growing, caused by criticism of the banking industry, which had been highlighted through popular media, repeatedly raising the issue of multi-million pound bonuses paid to top executives of state-owned banks, whilst the same banks had been taking an increasingly tough stance on both businesses and consumers. A social media-driven consumer initiative through Facebook and similar sites four weeks ago encouraged people to simultaneously protest through a ‘day of bank action’ – resulting in millions of people attempting to transfer small sums of money on the same day, with the consequent shut-down of electronic banking due to system overload. From that day forward the banking systems have remained closed - a situation that has paralysed the country ever since.

Within 48 hours, the country’s infrastructure collapsed, with the inability for payments to be made - except in cash, which has resulted in anarchy in food supermarkets, and stocks vanishing from shelves within hours. Fuel supplies have also been similarly hit with petrol stations closing to avoid attack, bringing the country to a virtual standstill.

The country’s Prime Minister was forced to resign his entire government just five days after the day of bank action, having to acknowledge that the principles of the capitalist-based system had failed through the banking collapse. His resignation speech blamed the leaders of the banks for causing the crisis due to their intransigence towards inter-bank lending, which was founded in the economic crisis of 2008-9, with trust and confidence all but eliminated from the system. This lack of confidence has been the clear reason for leaders to keep banking systems closed for the past month, for fear of the consequences. In the absence of a viable process to hold an election, heads of military staff assumed control of the country on the orders of the monarchy – a step that had not been seen in centuries.

The military remains in a perilous position, substantially weakened due to commitments in Afghanistan, and also due to the pressures of social responsibility. Unlike the riots triggered in the UK in August 2011, when there was a clearer situation with relative minorities creating the violent protests and consequential looting, the situation today sees all groups of society similarly affected, with sub-groups forming for different reasons and backgrounds – based on social and family rather than religious or ethnic roots.

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SPLASHLIGHT ON LIFEUK inches towards civil warby our overseas correspondent Dominic Schmidt, currently based in Nottingham, UK

There is a new ‘enemy’ within the UK today – known as PMP, which is an abbreviation for ‘Protect my Position’. In the first few days following the start of the troubles, many organisations were accused of PMP practices, with authorised individuals taking a hard-line view, in protection of their own personal responsibilities. For instance thousands of homes have been losing power or telecom connections purely because the banking failure meant that there was no evidence of bills being paid.

The next few days are expected to be increasingly tense. Virtually the whole population of the UK will by now have experienced a month without pay, and even those who are able to attend their place of work are expected to stay at home, as there seems little point in attempting to go about normal business.

The military has ring-fenced London, the capital, by patrolling the M25 perimeter road, and establishing a curfew in the hours of darkness – but the seven-million-strong population of the City is reaching boiling point. Similar tactics are being used in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow, with military control of airports – mainly for relief flights from European countries – but there is evidence that coordination of medical treatment is deteriorating fast, with hospitals under acute pressure, lacking supplies of food, drugs and medical equipment.

The United Nations faces another day of crisis meetings today. The UK banking collapse has already had severe repercussions on the whole world’s financial systems, with Euro-zone countries most affected, although local measures taken by the leaders of France and Germany are

shoring-up the European economy for the time being. However, the US is leading the demand for emergency powers to ‘take control of UK banks in the interest of world stability’. However as yet there is no commitment for US Forces to be deployed within the UK, despite appeals from UK military command.

Here in Nottingham the situation seems to reflect that of many towns across the UK, with local population units trying to create a sense of self-government, taking informal control of local food distribution centres, and supported by local police, often aided by police weapons. However, skirmishes are frequent with opposing local forces fighting to take local control in the absence of real authority.

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SPLASHLIGHT ON LIFE

We watch the turmoil that continues in other parts of the world, and it is perhaps comforting to assume that ‘it couldn’t happen here’ – or could it?

This month’s Light on Life explores the darker side. This is a fictional newspaper report that could be prepared by an overseas journalist – if the worst was to happen.

Confidence, trust and positivity are cornerstones of our society. We need to recognise what we have, and ensure that the system is there to defend, not destroy it.

A ToAsT To The RoAsTFundRAising lunch FoR MAcMillAn

The Windsor Macmillan Cancer Support group are £900 better off

thanks to a Sunday Roast fundraiser held at the Windsor Grill one

mid-January Sunday.

Chef patron David Wilby of the St Leonard’s Road venue cooked up

a tasty treat for 54 charity supporters, who tucked into smoked and

cured salmon, traditional British roast beef and Yorkshire pudding and

apple and blackberry crumble with vanilla custard. Ye-um!

James Clark, Chairman of the Windsor area Macmillan Cancer

Support, said: “Raising £900 was an amazing achievement. Everyone

who attended said how wonderful the food was and how great

Windsor Grill was – compliments go to both David and his manager

Carlos Guerra, for all their hard work. This event has proved

innovative and very productive for Macmillan.”

A further £240 raised by a raffle was added to the funds, which will

assist the Macmillan support groups at Heatherwood and Wexham

Hospitals in Berkshire.

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Above: Executive chef and Antony Worrall Thompson’s right-hand man, David Wilby.

Below left: Three cheers for the Windsor Grill staff: Carlos Guerra, Angela Pop, Eirini Gavaneli, and Bujar Mulaku. Below right: Sally Harcourt and Margaret Driver are just the ticket! Gillian Tomkins helps to swell the funds.

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Continued overleaf…

Above: Ready for a roasting: Nick Hatton, Sylvia Bampton, Sarah Whitaker. Below: David and Antony’s restaurants are well known for their hand cut ‘chunky’ and ‘skinny’ chips.

Above: Judy and Douglas Hill study the wine list. Below: Carlos Guerra of the Windsor Grill receives a plaque from James Clark from Macmillan. Pigling Bland evidently approves.

Below left: Super-speedy starters served by Carlos. Below right: Just what the doctor ordered: Dr Malcolm Smith-Walker (right) with Bruce Cormick.


A ToAsT To The RoAsT continues…

Above left: Michael and Pamela Walker, supporting a great cause. Above right: Fact alert: Bucks Fizz is named after Captain Herbert Buckmaster, founder of Buck’s Club where this cocktail was invented in 1921. Left: Chef David Wilby at work on the starters. Below: Nick Paterson and Jean Smith Walker toast a successful event.

Above: Happy customers with a heart.

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Left: Under starters orders, Dieter and Lesley Losse. Below: Ladies who lunch: June Bicton-Saunderson, Maureen Cronin, Helen Hyman.

Below left: Linda Aiken and Nora Clarke look forward to their lunch. Below right: Thirsty work, this fundraising lark.


The art of construction, with Richard SkeochSo, what is the next big investment?

They say that the second largest investment for most people, after their home, is the four wheels on their drive. What are you going to spend? Somewhere between £20,000 and £50,000? And so the process

begins.

Time to start the research. Check out the latest magazines, and spend the next three months visiting different showrooms. You’re looking at all the options, and trying to decide exactly what style will suit you best and enhance your quality of life.

There is so much to consider! What if something new comes along and you are stuck with the old style? How naff will that look? And what if some fancy new features are about to be launched and you miss out? And colours – that’s a real dilemma! This year’s colour may be white – but what is going to be the height of fashion over the next couple of years? Thankfully there are tons of magazines to read through, with special reports and opinions, and you can talk to your friends, and see what is the most fashionable choice to make.

Yes – it’s a tough and long, careful decision when you buy a new car. You feel the need to do all that research, despite

Due to a production error in the New Year issue Richard Skeoch’s feature was incorrectly printed, so here is the complete article...

A recent Hyperion project on the Wentworth Estate

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Richard Skeoch is Hyperion Tiles, with showrooms in Marlow and Ascot, featuring extraordinary ranges of tiles and engineered wood flooring.

ASCOTThe Old Fire Station, 67 High Street, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7HPT: 01344 620211 F: 01344 620100

MARLOW72 West Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire, SL7 2BPT: 01628 475888 F: 01628 475893www.hyperiontiles.com

SPLASHLIGHT

So, what is the next big investment?the fact that all of the choices are quite easy to find.You have a clear selection of well-known brands, all of which have glossy brochures and option lists, and you can even go on-line and build your own specification and see it from every angle. But for most people it’s months of research and soul-searching before making the final decision. And guess what – if you make the wrong choice you can always trade it in for a new one, because it’s still got a trade-in value – and you will probably only keep it for three years anyway!

Let’s change the rulesLet’s pretend that your next new car purchase is a bit different. There are now over 1000 different car brands, and you don’t know most of their names. You’re not sure where to find them either. You now have the opportunity to build your perfect car – down to the last detail. The styling is unique to you, and you can be as creative as you like. Colours? Limitless. Textures? Even more limitless. And by the way, you have got to choose the engineer that is going to build your car – right before your eyes – on your front drive. But you’re still spending about £20,000-£50,000. Just one catch – if you get it wrong your car has no resale value, and you will probably not be planning to change it for more than ten years. How challenging is that?

Spending money on your home is so much more challengingJust think about it. When you are planning interior construction for your home – be it a new bathroom or kitchen, new flooring or ceramic walls – the 1000-brand limitless choice, long-term commitment is pretty much the situation you find yourself in. A substantial investment - with the knowledge that you need to get it absolutely right, because you will probably have to live with it for a very long time.

Working with a limitless range of floor and wallcoverings I know what a challenging business it can be – but with careful planning and guidance, integrating the right components such as bathroom and kitchen equipment, the result can be stunning – and a pleasure to live with for a lot longer than ten years.

So when the time is right for you to invest in your home, don’t think ‘auto-tile’ and simply follow the crowd – give the decision at least as much time as you spend with Autocar and other similar research books when you are making that temporary vehicle purchase.

Or come and talk to us.

Recipe FoR success

Food And Wine AT BeAconsField high

Prolific cookery book author Mary Berry was a very welcome celebrity

guest at Beaconsfield High School on Friday 24th February. Their

Fine Wine and Food Design Evening was a celebration of students’

achievements in Food Technology, and an exhibition of their creative

talent. Six Year-10 students, chosen for the flair they have shown in their

Food Technology GCSE, worked in the school kitchen, showcasing their

culinary skills and carefully presenting their dishes to be critiqued by the

Great British Bake-Off judge.

Over 200 guests comprising staff, parents and students, enjoyed a

culinary feast prepared by a team of GCSE and A-level students. Food

and beverage stalls set up by a range of local businesses offered samples

of their products, while the BHS Jazz Band ensured the evening started

with a swing and stayed that way.

An all-round recipe for success.

Top left: 10-13 year-old competition winner Katy Elder with her prize-winning cake. Bottom left: Acting Headmaster Owain Johns welcomes the guests. Below: Imogen Scott, winner in the 7-9 year-old cake competition, co-ordinating nicely with her creation.

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Above: Mary Berry just can’t resist helping out in the kitchen.

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Above left: Zoe Baker with her delicious-looking tart. Above middle: Phoebe McDermott works on the fine detail. Above right: Hibah Haider-Rizvi with her cakes and her fantastic cookbook.

Below (top): No pressure there for Holly Ludlow, then! Below (bottom): Mary Berry talks to Chandi Pandya.

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Recipe FoR success continues…

Above left: Acting Headmaster Owain Johns, Mary Berry and Rosie Archer. Above right: Diane Hewett has her cookbook signed by Mary Berry.

Above left: Tracey Mann, face to face with her amazing cake. Above middle: Ben Gentle from Waitrose with his cakes. Above right: Chef Lomax works on her creation. Below left: Who mentioned Pot Noodle? Below right: The BHS Jazz Band entertain.


SPLASHLIGHT

Above left: Susan Buckingham, Fiona Elder and Sue Dunster tuck into the olives. Above right: Bottoms up! Wendy and Chris Spiller of the Fabulous Vodka Company of Marlow Bottom.

Above left: Emma Tagg, Nicola Widgington and Stella Saunders take the taste test. Above right: Karen and Rebecca Crowe give a new meaning to ‘plant food.’ Below left: Claire Priestly, Katrina Lasocki, Nicola Hartley and Alex Hartley take five. Below right: John Phillips of Beaconsfield’s ‘The Wine Cellars’ tops up.

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Florence + the Machine


This tour is a million miles from your early gigs in 2008, which

consisted of you performing backed only by a drum kit.

This is the biggest show we’ve ever travelled with. It all looks quite

professional. I’ve been doing this a while now, so it’s about time!

We’ve giant video screens and projectors. My ‘Machine’, this time around,

consists of a guitarist, bass player, drummer, long-time collaborator

Isabella Summers on keyboards, a harpist and an assortment of backing

singers. They’re more like a gang than a band, all old friends, or, at the

very least, friends of friends.

This tour will be the first time I’ve had backing singers, I can’t believe it’s

taken this long, considering how much singing there is in my music.

How do you like touring?

Touring is an up-and-down business; one minute connected to thousands

of people, alone in a hotel room the next. Everyone gets lonely, I think.

Speak to most people in a band and they’d tell you that. I recently read an

interview with Adele where she said the same thing. When you’re on tour,

you’re in a bubble. Everyone else’s life carries on, all your friends and family

back home, but you’re away doing the same thing and not having a life.

It’s odd to be lonely, surrounded by so many people and feeling so at

one with the crowd, but it all lacks the intimacy of being with one other

person.

Time stands still, and it feels like you disappear for a while. At the same

time it’s my dream job. I’ve always wanted to do this.

Your second album Ceremonials was released in October

last year and immediately went to the top of the album

chart selling almost 100,000 copies in seven days. By

the end of 2011, it had sold triple that, as well as a few

hundred thousand in the United States, where it reached

No 6 on the Billboard album chart. How do you reflect on

this level of success?

I think I’ll always be slightly dissatisfied with my creative output. The idea

of finishing something is terrifying to me, because to say it’s finished

means you think it’s perfect, and nothing can ever be perfect.

All I will say is I’m a control freak, and I’m really proud of this record. It’s

one more step to get where I’m going. You know, chipping away at an idea.

If I’d made the perfect album, I’d never make another one, so it has to be

like this. I’m already thinking about the next one.

Having previously suffered from serious bouts of

depression, not helped by endless touring and the sacrifices

you’ve made to succeed in music, how are you coping with

the responsibility of being a musician?

Well, for example, I’ve stopped drinking on days that I have a show.

Actually, the day after you’ve been out is always an amazing show. You’re

still a bit drunk, you can have one more and feel great before going on

stage, but the show the day after that will be rubbish.

I’ve stopped doing things that are bad for me. I look after myself more

on tour. I have a responsibility to the show, as well as the people that

have worked on it with me. More so than ever before.

We’ve got this big show, big stage sets and costumes, and I feel a

pressure to honour everything that’s gone into that. In the past, maybe I’d

be on first at 7.30 or 8pm, so there wasn’t as much expectation. I could

get drunk and no one would really care. Now people are coming to see

me, so I feel that responsibility. Plus, I worked really hard on the record

and want to give it the showcase it deserves.

It requires a lot of discipline, especially for a singer. The band all work

hard and play well, but their instrument isn’t their body, like mine. The

thing I work with is completely physical, and what I eat and drink, and

how much I talk has an impact. Even interviews have an impact.

Whatever I do matters.

25 year old Londoner Florence Leontine Mary Welch is the stylish frontwoman for award-winning sensation Florence + the Machine. On the eve of her British tour she talked to Splashlight about her live shows and her position as one of the UK’s biggest-selling artists.

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Florence + the Machine will be appearing at The Royal Albert Hall, London on 3rd April 2012. Their new album Ceremonials is out now.

Business Heroes is Splashlight’s special feature that recognises top performing people in different types of businesses. It means that those who make a special effort gain the public recognition that they deserve. It also says a lot about the companies involved in the scheme – those that attach importance to the vital role that their people play in their success.

We are delighted to present our Business Heroes for April 2012.

If you would like to find out more about Business Heroes and how to get involved please call Julie Turner on 07917 877513.

B U S I N E S S H E R O E S


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This month’s Brooklands Hotel Business Heroes are our newly formed Marketing Angels team made up of: Adam – Kitchen; Charlotte, Claire, and Kathryn – Reception; and Vicki – Meeting & Events Sales.

They are an eager bunch looking to learn more about the ins and outs of marketing – helping in bridging the gap between Marketing and Operations and enhancing customer satisfaction within all departments from the Check-in to the B-Spa experience.

This is one of the many avenues Brooklands Hotel is exploring in order to empower team members to play a much bigger role in the company’s future. With the help of the Hotels Marketing Manager Sarah Casciello they are working on projects and coming up with fresh and new ideas.

They are well on their way to making a success of their first task, data capture. Well done on your first task, team, and may it continue into new and exciting projects to come.

We Wuz RoBBied!BuRns nighT celeBRATions AT neW RocksAlT BAR

Wednesday January 25th typically commemorates Robbie Burns, (aka

Rabbie Burns, Scotland’s favourite son, the Ploughman Poet, Robden

of Solway Firth and the Bard of Ayrshire). But the centuries-old

tradition was brought bang into 2012 with the celebration held in the

new bar Rocksalt Roof Garden in Esher.

Champagne and oysters normally take top billing on the menu of the

Church Street venue, along with the best selection of champagnes,

wines and cocktails and fine cuisine. But on the 25th, taste buds were

tantalised with typical Burns fare of haggis! Pipe Major Ian Alexander,

ex Scots Guards, performed the honour of piping in the dish, before

addressing it in the traditional way.

Rocksalt founders Sophia Hooper and a kilted Tai Alvis of Lee were in

attendance, along with Tai’s impeccably dressed father Baron Alvis of

Lee. Fittingly, Scottish-born Tai’s name means ‘the start of something

great’! It seems that the residents of Esher would certainly agree

with that.

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Above: Tai Alvis of Lee, Pipe Major Ian Alexander and Baron Terence Alvis of Lee. And a haggis.

Left: The old meets the new at Rock Salt. Right: Piped at the post.


SPLASHLIGHT


Above: Rocksalt founders Tai Alvis of Lee and Sophia Hooper cuddle up. Below: Sarah Hurse and Lesley Thompson look forward to a great evening.

Above: Cocktails, Rocksalt-style.

Below left: The very stylish Anthony and Athena Draper. Below right: Sophia takes a snap.

Below: Happy Burns night! Eamonn and Vanessa English celebrate with Angela and Ian Marson.

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We Wuz RoBBied continues…

Below left: Gaynor Critchley, Kelly Adair, Helen Braybrook, Susan Mitchell and Michelle Boxhall raise a glass. Below right: Tai Alvis of Lee presents the star attraction of the night, the haggis.

Above left: Willie Mandeville and Lisa Alvis of Lee. Above middle: Skirting round the issue, Belinda Hynes, Menka Lawton, Pipe Major-Ian Alexander and Alex Rogers. Above right: Och aye the Mark Kelly. Below left: Paula Coombes, Caroline Spector, Amanda Meheux and Andrea Grasby. Below right: Baron Terence Alvis of Lee, Pipe Major-Ian Alexander, publicist Max Clifford and Tai Alvis of Lee.


SPLASHLIGHT

Above left: Karen Grace, Pipe Major Ian Alexander and Lisa Alvis of Lee. Above right: Menka Lawton, Belinda Hynes and Alex Rogers work the tartan look. Below left: Karen and Dean Grace. Below right: Pipe Major-Ian Alexander addresses the haggis.

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Benvenuto a tutti! My home country has been in the news a lot since my last

Splashlight column back in November. We have a new prime

minister – or Presidente del Consiglio, as the role is officially titled.

In fact, ‘Super Mario’ Monti heads an entirely new government –

and we didn’t even have to go to the trouble or expense of a

general election to get it.

Whether or not you follow Italian politics, you probably

assume that most Italians take these things in their stride, and

you’d be right. Though I don’t mind admitting I supported the

last government, I sincerely hope that Monti and his team of

technocrats are able to push through enough reforms to prevent

Italy from having to face the sort of problems we’ve been seeing

in Greece. They don’t have to worry about being re-elected,

and there is a lot of popular support for many of the measures

they plan to adopt. Of course, being Italy, politics is never simple,

and there are many vested interests fighting for privileges they

consider to be nothing less than essential.

Thank goodness for food, and footballWhatever his successes, Monti will probably never achieve

quite the profile here in the UK that his predecessor Silvio

Berlusconi did. But, of course, even Berlusconi’s downfall has been

overshadowed by that of another Italian establishment figure

with a questionable record and a lot of money in the bank – my

namesake Fabio Capello.

Taking an Italian attitude to what seems to have happened

recently to both Capello and his much-suggested and popular

TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY

Fabio Terrinoni shares his passion for all things Italian at his two restaurants:

2 Chapel Street, Marlow, SL7 1DD – 01628 472012 18 Thameside, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1BH – 01491 575262www.villadeste-marlow.com www.villamarina-henley.com

Villa d’este, MarlowTwo-course lunch menu, £13.80New decor – new Spring/Summer menu

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possible replacement – Harry Redknapp – means, well… a shrug

of the shoulders, a turning down of the corners of one’s mouth…

How are we to know what really happened? And, anyway, there

must be much worse going on around us all the time.

One of the things Monti’s government has to deal with in near-

bankrupt Italy is a culture in which, if a plumber comes to your

house to fix a leak he’s likely to give you two quotations. One

includes a receipt (and the assumption that he will declare it to

the tax authorities), and the other, considerably cheaper, comes

with no paperwork.

Italians face many difficult choices on the path to a better future,

but what always shines through is our spirit to get on in life and

live well, which is one reason the world turns to Italy for its food

culture, where even the traditional food of the poor is superb.

Here’s my little contribution, made with Sardinian-style pasta.

Buon appetito!

SPLASHLIGHT

TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAYFABIO’S ITALIA

Fabio Terrinoni shares his passion for all things Italian at his two restaurants:

2 Chapel Street, Marlow, SL7 1DD – 01628 472012 18 Thameside, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1BH – 01491 575262www.villadeste-marlow.com www.villamarina-henley.com

‘Cucina povera’ – Italian sausage with gnocchi sardi

Ingredients (serves two):2 Italian sausagesCherry tomatoesChilliSalt200g gnocchi sardi pasta (alternatively, try fusilli or conchiglie)

It’s so simple to create this nourishing “poor man’s” dish:

• Chop the sausages and sauté them in olive oil with chilli, to taste• Add the cherry tomatoes and continue cooking for a few more minutes• Meanwhile, boil salted water for the pasta and cook ‘al dente’• Drain pasta when cooked, toss in the sauce and serve!

Villa Marina, henleyThree-course lunch menu Mon-Sat £17, Sun £18

RAdioheAdsFundRAiseR FoR MARloW FM

It was a green light for glam on the night of Jan 27th when The Claytons

bar in Marlow joined forces with Marlow FM to raise funds for the local

radio station.

Over 150 guests in their best 90s gear hit the dance floor to sets from

Marlow FM DJs, including The Classic Rock Show presenter Michelle

Livings, Jon Granat, Michael James and The Danny Wave Experience, who

broadcast classics from the decade live to the station’s 36,000 listeners.

Launched last May, Marlow FM is totally run by a small but dedicated band

of volunteers.

Ticket sales for the event raised over £600 towards the running costs of

the station, while helping everyone to find their groove was the exclusive

‘Marlow FM Punch’. Say no more!

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Above: Spice Girls? Dr Dre? Britney?

Left: Parteeee! Right: Just what the spin doctor ordered.

Above: Marlow FM presenter Jon Granat in full flow.


SPLASHLIGHT

Below left: Helen and her friends celebrate her hen party, nineties-style. Below right: We salute you, birthday boy Tom.

Above: Marlow FM presenter Michael James presents the fundraising cheque to the station’s founder Tim Ashburner. Left: On the wheels of steel, Marlow FM presenter Danny Wave.

Below: Marlow FM presenters Michelle Livings and Michael James. Right: Flower power, nineties style.

25

My continuous journey to find great dishes inevitably opens a world of possibilities, but when I get into the kitchen there are certain favourites that I always favour (for the flavour!). So this month I decided to do some cooking for you, and I checked with my colleagues in the Don Beni management team – Sarah, Linda and David Wood – to agree which ones we like best – our six of the best – well that’s six starters and six main courses. When it comes to desserts, the list can be very long, so to keep things simple I can’t resist retreating to the Italian classic – Tiramisu (the Don Beni way).

If you would like to try any of these for yourself, you know where to find them. I can’t guarantee to be in the kitchen – but I can be sure you’ll enjoy.

Come dine with me – six of my best…

Francesco Beni is the creator of Don Beni – passionately Italian restaurants in Eton, Winkfield, Crowthorne and Wokingham. The food is inspired from his travels and the atmosphere from his personality. Noisy, friendly and family.

Starters

… and to accompany

Clockwise from top left: Dressed lobster Don Beni-style; Crostino Samuele (home-made bread with crispy bacon, parma ham, mushrooms, mozzarella); Penne Pasticciate (Italian smoked pancetta, mushrooms, green peas, cream and tomato sauce); Affetato Misto (selection of cured air-dried meat); Tagliatelle Don Beni (three kinds of mushrooms in cream tomato sauce); Polpette al Pomodoro (beef meatballs with tomato and basil sauce).

Left to right: For the seabass and swordfish: Frascati Superiore doc Fontana Candida; for the lobster: Sauvignon Blanc Century Hill; for the meatballs: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo; for the chicken supreme: Pinot Grigio Blush; for the pizza: Peroni Beer;


SPLASHLIGHT

Come dine with me – six of my best…

Wokingham: 37–41 Denmark Street Wokingham, RG40 1AY: 01189 795678Crowthorne: Saxham Villas, 1–2 High Street Crowthorne, RG45 7AD: 01344 773393Winkfield Row: Chavey Down Road Winkfield Row, RG42 6NH: 01344 884480eton: 42 High Street Eton, SL4 6BD : 01753 863977email: [email protected]

Mains DessertClockwise from top left: Vitello Milanese – the number one favourite of our polo set – (pan-fried veal escalope with fried eggs); Seabass alla Genovese (sautéed with olive oil and herbs, with pesto spaghetti); Pollo Hawaiian (chicken supreme with ham, pineapple, wine and cream); Quattro Stagioni (four seasons pizza); Bistecca Veronese (sirloin with three kinds of peppercorn, brandy and cream); Pesce Spada alla Griglia (grilled swordfish).

The classic Don Beni Torte Tiramisu – coffee and liqueur-soaked savoiardi biscuits covered with mascarpone cream and decorated with cocoa powder – freshly made at Don Beni every day!

Left to right: For the seabass and swordfish: Frascati Superiore doc Fontana Candida; for the lobster: Sauvignon Blanc Century Hill; for the meatballs: Montepulciano D’Abruzzo; for the chicken supreme: Pinot Grigio Blush; for the pizza: Peroni Beer;

For the cured cold meats: Rosso Delle Venezie; for the sirloin and veal escalope: Atilio Avena Gran Reserva Barlet 1 – only 4000 bottles produced, and exclusive to Don Beni; for the mushroom crostino and pasta dishes: Chianti Classico.

27

Flipping gReAT!pAncAke RAcedAy AT MAidenheAd ToWn cenTRe

Teams pan-ning (ahem!) the local area honed their pancake-flipping

skills and donned their running shoes to participate in Maidenhead

Pancake Madness 2012.

The sixth annual pancake race was held on Shrove Tuesday and saw

thirteen teams battling it out for the Winners Shield and the Best

Fancy Dress title while raising funds for Sports Relief. Three-times

winners Sainsbury’s were tossed (sorry!) aside by the team from La

Roche gym, who took the title with great pan-ache (ker-ching!) having

worked their way to the final slot through the semi-final stages. The

Community Partnership team took second place and Sainsbury’s

finished in third, leaving the rest of the racers feeling as flat as a p…

ok, enough already.

The Best Dressed prize was awarded to the pancake beard-wearing

Promote PR who no doubt won by a close shave. Boom Boom!

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Above: The frypast.

Below left: Keeping their eyes focussed on the trophies, the Specsavers team Asfan Jamil and Pauline Siddons. Below right: Helen Taylor and Jenni Howells of the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead get some practice in.


SPLASHLIGHT


Above left: The Maidenhead Advertiser team were Mad for it.. Above right: Specsavers Asfan Jamil flipping well means business!

Left: Dan Moore, Jamie ‘The King’ Townsend, Ben ‘Tornado’ Thompson and Tarnjit Singh of La Roche limber up. Above: Nina Lenton from the Rotary Club presents the plaque for first prize to La Roche.

Below: The fancy dress prizewinners take to the podium. Right: Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead’s Helen Taylor makes a frying finish.

29

Flipping gReAT! continues…

Above left: Pan-demonium on King Street. Above right: Pan-ic stations! Jamie Townsend rises to the challenge. Below left: Today I was chased by a lady wearing a pancake beard. Jozif Robinson of Sainsbury’s team has a Dear Diary moment. Below middle: Tuesday afternoons aren’t normally this much fun! Below right: Brenda Pope (l) and Grace Trotman go head to head.

Left: In the bag! Third-placed Jozif Robinson and Grace Trotman of the Sainsbury’s team. Below: Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead take on Noodle Nation.


SPLASHLIGHT

Above: Pantastic effort, guys and gals! Below: Promote PR’s Katie Halliday, Brenda Pope, Rhianon Williams and Alison Bledge appear to be expecting a point to point race.

Below: Ben ‘Tornado’ Thompson of the La Roche team looks understandably nervous at being chased by two Mad women.

31


Boulters Terrace Bar is situated on Boulters Lock Island half a mile upstream from Maidenhead Bridge. Boulters Lock first became a popular tourist attraction at the turn of the 19th century when Londoners would catch the train from Paddington to Taplow so they could see the rich and famous messing about on the river.

The aquatic entertainment still exists, but the opportunity for the crowds to refresh themselves was never as good as it is today with Boulters an attraction in its own right.

With a weekday happy hour from 5pm to 6pm, live music on the last Saturday of every month, as well as regular drinks promotions –

if you haven’t discovered them yet it’s time to head to Boulters.

BOULTERSthe in-place to be outside on the Riverside

Boulters Terrace Bar is open 7 days, starting with Brunch at 10am then a menu of homemade pub favourites is available for lunch and dinner.

33

MAKE IT AT HOME

Boulters Terrace Bar has a growing reputation for its cocktails and here is how you can make a classic Boulters favourite – a Singapore Sling.

You will need:

A cocktail shaker, a fine strainer and a tall glass50ml gin (we use Bombay Sapphire)50ml pineapple Juice15ml benedictine25ml cherry brandy25ml lemon juice½ teaspoon castor sugar

Fill your glass and a cocktail shaker with ice cubes; add all of the ingredients to the shaker and then in true James Bond style give it a shake not a stir!

When the shaker sides have developed condensation, pour the contents through a fine strainer or sieve into your glass. This will catch all the ice crystals, preventing you having a crunchy drink.

If you have any trouble, be sure to pop in and have one of Boulters bar guys do the hard work for you, otherwise add a Maraschino cherry, a couple of straws – then sit back and relive the 80’s

SPLASHLIGHT

EASTER WEEKEND LIVE MUSIC

Since the re-opening of Boulters in 2009, Easter Bank Holiday weekend has been a highlight in the Terrace Bar calendar as it signals the arrival of summer. Great music, fantastic food and drinks are all the order of the day and this year is no exception. Fingers crossed for a repeat of last year’s spectacular weather, which will make Boulters a great place to see the summer arrive in style – bring it on!

Roger Styles – Saturday April 7th @ 8pm in the Terrace BarPlaying sets of upbeat modern classics, Roger is a Boulters regular and has been the backbone of the New Year’s Eve Celebrations for the last two years.

Straight Up – Sunday April 8th @ 8pm in the Terrace BarThese guys were a smash in the Riverside Brasserie, so they’re back, as their five-piece versions of classic floor fillers is a must-see.

Dan Bowley Duo Bank Holiday – Monday 9th @ 1pm in the Riverside BrasserieLive music on bank holidays in the Riverside Brasserie is a regular fixture, and not just reserved for Easter. Bring the whole family and enjoy some smooth jazz and a fantastic meal from Boulters great locally sourced menu.

Pub Quiz @ 7.30pm in the Terrace BarNormally held every Sunday evening in the Terrace Bar, the pub quiz always moves aside for the live music on Sunday and slips into Monday as the final way to enjoy your Bank Holiday weekend.

As well as offering a great music line up, all Cocktails will be £5* throughout the weekend. (Starting Friday evening and ending Sunday night).

BOULTERS... for Cocktails

£5 Cocktails all Easter weekend

* Offer subject to limitations

Boulters, Boulters Lock Island, Maidenhead, Berkshire SL6 8PE Tel: 01628 621 291 or visit www.boultersrestaurant.co.uk

BOULTERS... for Easter

SPLASHLIFEin Amersham and Gerrards Cross

01753 890672

01494 728070

Thai Rack

Seasons Cafe Deli

If you have a great people shot from your bar, hotel or restaurant please e-mail to [email protected]. We will publish the best images we receive.

Carla and Georgia. 01753 892566 Fego Caffé

Laura and Mark 01753 889197

Luna Rossa

Jungs

01753 889071

Wildwood

Phani and Ashwini. 01753 880888Maliks

01753 893071


SPLASHLOOKSin Amersham and Gerrards Cross

Wet shave. 01494 729010

If you have a great people shot from your hair or beauty business please e-mail to [email protected]. We will publish the best images we receive.

Barbershop Group

01753 883116

Vision Hairdressing

35

SPLASHLIFEin Beaconsfield

photo by Philip Maynard; www.philipmaynard.com. 01494 677808

Revolution

photo by Philip Maynard; www.philipmaynard.com. 01494 677808

Revolution


Nicola and Livia. 01494 673305

Ruby Boutique


SPLASHLOOKSin Beaconsfield

Francesca - hair by Phill Hughes. Photography by markdearlove.com 01494 676180

Oxygen Hair & Beauty


37

SPLASHLIFEin Marlow

Steven, Matt and Jane 01628 483389

BurgersJohn and Colin 01628 475333

Pizza Express

Fiona and Andrew 01628 488544Marlow Bar and Grill

Zizzi 01628 890200Keith and Sandra. 01628 478737

Slug & Lettuce



01628 477292Di Donna Italian Hair

SPLASHLOOKSin Marlow


Renee. 01628 477998Leightons Toni & Guy

O’NaturelleJade O’Linn and Sarah Gwozdzicki. 01628 476860

01628 473888

39

SPLASHLIFEin Maidenhead and Cookham

Rob and Jo. Cookham 01628 530667

The Kings Arms


Alex and Louise. Cookham 01628 530667The Kings Arms

10 www.splashlight.net40 www.splashlight.net

SPLASHLOOKSin Maidenhead and Cookham

Amber. 01628 624848

Eloise Hardy. 01628 626966Salon Fresh

Toni & GuyIf you have a great people shot from your hair or beauty business please e-mail to [email protected]. We will publish the best images we receive.

Raffles HairSarah and Charlotte 01628 671888

41

01491 410138 Dog friendly cafe. 01491 414070

SPLASHLIFEin Henley

SPLASHLIFEin Henley

Isla. 01491 411966Bloc

The Three Tuns Hot GossipJohn and Mallory. 01491 413274

Sienna in Pastry room with Roy 01491 411412 - photo by Wrightee.

Starbucks

Chocolate Theatre Café


Loch FyneCallum, Brian and Nick. 01491 845780Eki and Alex. 01491 412220

The Green Olive


SPLASHLOOKSin Henley

Rajdeep. 01491 412265Lindsey. 01491 576337 Becci. 01491 576737

Ryan. ([email protected]) 01491 410626 Hannah. 01491 572056

Marc Antoni Hair

Henley Nails& Brows

WIGG Rudi Kartal

Planet Nails


Gemma. Stewart. 01491 413671 Hypoxi

Rebecca. 01491 577732

The Strand

43

01753 855576

Mango Lounge

01753 860720

Spice Route The River HouseJoelle & Paul. 01753 620010

01753 856993

Nando’s

SPLASHLIFEin Windsor



SPLASHLOOKSin Windsor

01753 831000Moe’z


45

SPLASHLIFEin Ascot, Sunningdale and Virginia Water

01344 876887Sunningdale Lounge


01344 875123Bar 1


01344 626026

SPLASHLOOKSin Ascot, Sunningdale and Virginia Water


Smile Hair

47

SPLASHLIFEin Weybridge

Julia Beswick, Jane and Mark Bissix. 01932 850222Red Bar & Restaurant

01932 850545Sullivans Wine Bar



SPLASHLOOKSin Weybridge

01932 853995Orabella

Hair by Peter Mangold. 01932 842473Collections Hair Club

Laura. 01932 856667Toni & Guy


49

SPLASHLIFEin Esher and Cobham

01372 777777

01932 860601

Rocksalt Roof Garden

NY Bar & GrillIf you have a great people shot from your bar, hotel or restaurant please e-mail to [email protected]. We will publish the best images we receive.


or visit: facebook.com/rocksaltroofgarden8 Church Street, Esher, Surrey KT10 8QS

www.rocksaltroofgarden.co.uk

Smart dress code applies at all times. For bookings and more information call: 01372 77 77 77

25% off your bill between 5 -7pmif you become a Rocksalt fanon facebook

Use your smart phone to scan this QR Code >>

for Bookings &information call: 01372 77 77 77

Our QR Code

CHAMPAGNE & OYSTER BAR WITH PRIVATE DINING - OPEN LATE

R E S TA U R A N TCHAMPAGNE BARC O U R T Y A R DAVAILABLE FOR PR IVATE H IRE A N D PA R T I E S

E S H E R

SPLASHLOOKSin Esher and Cobham

Sami. 01372 468282Hair Associates

Please e-mail ypur pictures to [email protected]. We will publish the best images we receive.

Simone. 01372 468282Hair Associates

Henley-on-Thames10 Duke Street,Henley-on-Thames, RG9 1UP Tel: 01491 577 215

ReadingMinster Street, Reading, RG1 2JBTel: 0118 959 0900

Chiswick255A Chiswick High Road,Chiswick, London, W4 4PU Tel: 0208 987 0400

MarlowThe Brewery House,74 High Street,Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AH Tel: 01628 477 785

ART WORKSRadiant Bay I

This month I’d like to talk about two of our most popular artists. Not that I can make much claim to John Swannell, who is perhaps Britain’s most sought-after portrait photographer. Philip Gray is an Irish painter specialising in landscapes, particularly fascinated by those places of boundary where the land meets the sea and mountain meets the sky.

Philip Grayextreme art

Born in Cork in 1959, from the age of five Gray knew he loved art. One of his earliest memories is being tutored in figurative drawing by a family friend, Trevor Scott, the founder of the renowned College of Art and Design in Dublin. At the age of 16 Gray left school to join the Irish Navy. This event proved to be a great awakening and gave a disillusioned young man a new sense of purpose and destiny. Once he had established himself as a naval diver, he began to paint at sea and soon became prolific. He had the great advantage of having a unique perspective on Irish landscapes and seascapes as viewed from the Atlantic Ocean.

Willingly dubbed an ‘extreme artist’ for his forays into challenging environments, eg, the Himalayas, the Borneo rainforest, even underwater in the Bahamas to paint sharks (yes, oil paints work underwater), Gray’s pictures may depict extreme environments but they are always inviting, even comforting. A favourite of ex-leaders including Bertie Ahern and Bill Clinton, Gray invites us to discover the natural splendour of the world around us. He possesses a unique ability to identify those rare moments where the beauty and grandeur of a scene makes us stop and look – that instant before the sun drops a little further in the sky, and the clouds drift past.

Come and meet Philip Gray at our Marlow gallery, 24th March, 2pm-4pm (call in in advance for an invitation). As well as a breathtaking exhibition, the event will include a live painting demonstration and a charity auction.


SPLASHLIGHT

ARTWATCHJohn Swannellalways in vogue

John Swannell has a formidable reputation as one of the biggest names in British photography. His consistently inventive work and unerring professionalism have kept him in demand by press and public for over 35 years. After successfully photographing the Queen for her golden jubilee in 2002, Swannell was again the first choice for the official diamond jubilee portrait.

Born in 1946, John worked first as an assistant at Vogue Studios and then assisted David Bailey for four years before setting up his own studio. He worked for magazines including Vogue, Harpers & Queen, the Sunday Times and Tatler while developing his distinctive, individual style, which resonates with character and originality.

John has photographed numerous members of the British Royal Family and a huge array of celebrities from all walks of life. The National Portrait Gallery in London has over fifty of his photographs, and The V&A, The National Portrait Gallery in Edinburgh, The Museum of Modern Art in New York and the Royal Photographic Society now have many of John’s works in their permanent collections. At The Lemongrove Gallery, Swannell is our favourite photographer too and we always have a range of high-quality framed prints available.

ART WORKSwith Rachel Beaver

Nude Asleep 1984

The Top of the World

Nude Behind Silk Series No.1 2004

Sapphire Seas III

53

RoyAl pResenceThe duchess oF coRnWAll ATTends sAndoWn’s MiliTARy RAce

HRH The Duchess of Cornwall made her first official visit to Sandown

Park racecourse mid-February to watch the 129th running of the

Royal Artillery Gold Cup, one of the oldest events in the Racing

Calendar. It is one of the Royal Artillery’s flagship days, only open

to amateur jockeys who are serving in the armed forces and hugely

popular with the Regiment and the racing public alike. This year’s

event supported the Help for Heroes charity and was preceded by

a military parade from Esher High Street to the racecourse, where

patriotic crowds cheered troops newly-returned from a six-month

operational tour in Afghanistan.

The highlight of the day, the Royal Artillery Gold Cup, was won by

Bradley, ridden by Richard Spencer, a serving member of the armed

forces, whose grandfather also served with the Royal Artillery. In

addition to making the official presentations the Duchess of Cornwall

also enjoyed a performance by The Military Wives Choir and met

the acclaimed author Michael Morpurgo, author of War Horse. The

puppet ‘Topthorn’ from the hit theatre production of the book was

also on hand, even taking a cheeky swipe at Mr Morpurgo’s red beret

courtesy of his three equally cheeky puppeteers.

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Above: The Duchess of Cornwall meets the Military Wives of Devon.

Below left: Furry nice to meet you, your Royal Highness. The Duchess of Cornwall arrives at Sandown Park. Below right: The fabulous Military Wives who have raised over £500,000 for the Royal British Legion and the Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Families Association.


SPLASHLIGHT


Above left: Royal Artillery Cup winner, Bradley. Above right: Bradley steams up alongside the frontrunner. Below left: Winning horse Bradley was leased for the day to Colonel Robert Symonds, seen here collecting his trophy from the Duchess of Cornwall. Below right: The Duchess meets the chart-busting Military Wives.

Below left: Topthorn horses around. Below right: Her Royal Highness realises too late that a handshake is not the solution to greeting every loyal subject.

55

RoyAl pResence continues…

Above left: HRH The Duchess of Cornwall presents the trophy to jockey Richard Spencer. Above right: Michael Morpurgo meets two of his young fans. Below left: Michael Morpurgo: Top author of War Horse meets Topthorn. Below right: Horse power.

Below: May the stars shine all around you, may your courage never cease.


SPLASHLIGHT

Above left: A chorus of approval from the Military Wives… Above right: …and the Royal seal of approval from the audience. Below left: Help for Heroes takes on a new recruit. Below right: Watch your hat, sonny!

Top left: We’ve heard of getting up someone’s nose, but this puppeteer takes the bit-scuit! Bottom left: Late night, was it sir? Right: You can lead a horse to water but… he’d prefer a bar.

57

Sophie Kinsella


In December you had your fifth child, a daughter Sybella,

sister to your four sons. Do you plan to take some time off

now that your latest novel has just been published?

In principle, I’d always liked the idea of a big family. But I couldn’t have had

five close together. It’s been more of a case of realising that our first two,

who are close in age, were growing up really quickly and so there was a

bit of, “Are we done with being parents? No, we’re not” involved.

In many ways writing is the ideal job for motherhood because you can

do it from home and have your own flexible hours. If there’s a drama,

most of the time I can drop what I’m doing for them, although writing

a novel is a full-on, all-consuming thing. There are times when I might be

present but my head’s not there, it’s with my characters. But my children

have got used to that.

Do you rely upon your family to help maintain a trouble-

free home?

Of course I’m not superwoman, I have a lot of help from my nanny/

housekeeper, husband and wider family. My husband is a really hands-

on father and my mother comes round every day. If I didn’t have that I

would probably find it impossible.

But I never hesitated about having another baby, even though I was 41

when I fell pregnant with Sybella. Having a daughter will add a completely

different dynamic to the family. When I was told it was a girl, I either

got the reaction of, “How lovely, friend for life, you can go shopping”, or

those who said, “You don’t know what you’re in for”. It’s a challenge, but

bring it on!

The story of how you met your headmaster husband, Henry

Wickham, at university, has a touch of the chick-lit about it!

He used to be a singer and I saw him in a concert. I knew of him, I’d seen

him around and when he started singing, that was it. I thought, ‘I have to

have him’.

To meet him properly, I did all the things you do. I bumped into him

‘accidentally’ all the time, I fabricated reasons to go and ask him stuff.

I wheedled my way into his life, so he didn’t really have a choice. I felt

absolutely certain he was the one, but I didn’t have much to go on. I got

married at 21, which these days seems ridiculously young. I’m just quite

lucky it worked out.

When we got married I had no idea what I was going to do and Henry

was a singer. Now, here I am a novelist and he’s a headmaster. Like a

roller coaster, you have to think, ‘We’re in this together’. While one

person is screaming, the other is holding their hand.

You also write under your real name of Madeleine

Wickham, but they are different types of novels. Your

Kinsella work seems to more reflect your own happy

persona.

I’m a romantic. I love a happy ending – it makes you smile and feel good.

It’s an optimism. When I’m writing I feel like it’s an escape from real life,

where everybody can say the right thing, make the right decisions and it

can all work out for the best.

At the age of 24, you wrote your first novel The Tennis

Party, which did well. Other successful Wickham novels

followed but you later submitted your first Sophie Kinsella

manuscript, The dreamworld of A Shopaholic, to

your publishers without telling them it was actually by

Madeleine Wickham.

When I came up with the idea for the Shopaholic book, the

misadventures of Becky Bloomwood, a financial journalist who cannot

manage her own finances, I knew how I wanted to tell the story. It had

to be first person, it had to be funny and present tense, seeing the world

from her eyes in a confessional way.

The Madeleine Wickham books are much more like an ensemble piece,

told in the third person, going backwards and forwards with different

elements.

Confessions of A Shopaholic was adapted into a film

and released in February 2009, with Isla Fisher playing an

American Bloomwood and Hugh Dancy as Luke Brandon.

The film’s never going to be the book magically turned into a movie with

nothing changed. I thought pragmatically – the book was mine, the film

was not mine – just enjoy it. And Isla Fisher was brilliant.

I hadn’t been involved until they started shooting and invited me out

there. Then eventually I was associate producer. It was a very unreal time

of my life. Suddenly it was about red carpets, paparazzi, outfits and talking

to TV cameras. It was an amazing experience.

Will there be any follow-ups, do you think?

The first film took ten years to make, so I haven’t bought the première

dress yet!

It does take over your life, so it’s making the decision whether you

abandon a book for that, or not. But we’ve just

done a deal with an Indian company to make a

Bollywood version of Can You Keep A Secret? That

would be hilarious and you wouldn’t keep me off

that set. I’d have to be there!

I’ve Got Your Number by Sophie Kinsella is published by

Bantam, priced £18.99. Available now.

Bestselling novelist Sophie Kinsella, author of Confessions Of A Shopaholic, which was made into a film starring Isla Fisher, talks about fitting her writing around her ever-growing family and her hopes of having more of her work brought to the screen, as her latest novel, I’ve Got Your Number, is published.

SPLASHLIGHT

59

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Hello! My last Splashlight column was just a month after opening our fantastic shop in Old Beaconsfield. It’s a boutique that offers a very big difference to other pre-owned clothes stores, because of the

amazing pieces of luxury designer couture clothing and accessories that we have in-store and on-line.

Once upon a time ‘vintage’ was only used to describe a garment if it was over 25 years old. However today in our fashion-obsessed society, where we are now routinely re-inventing and revolving each decade – as well as trying to always be a bit individual – vintage is now anything from 8-15 years old.

In fact I personally would say that if you’ve had it more than a year, worn it once (or maybe never) for whatever reason, and the clock has struck midnight, it’s now officially heading towards the prized ‘vintage’ label! And should it have been an amazing Alexander McQueen, for example, it became even more so on his sad death in 2010.

The other thing that I love about vintage is that it is the antithesis of trendy – so a 70s leather Escada jacket teamed with an 80s Hervé Léger and a sweet 60s Dior cardigan, is always in fashion.

Mim GreyWe have had some fun with the singer Mim Grey shooting her new album cover in the shop using our clothes and some of our clients’ clothes as well. Her first album was entitled Grey Matters with its lovely soft dulcet tones and accompanied by her guitar playing, and I had it on permanent repeat in my car. Her new album is called Chasing Tigers, and all the clothes she is modelling are in our store now.

continued overleaf…

VintageFashion

with

Karen Waldron

Dress by Dolce & Gabbana, £180; Red hat by Zadig Voltarre, £40

Isabell Kristensen pink fox fur couture coat, £995

61

Karen Waldron owns Vintage and Couture in Old Beaconsfield. The shop is managed

by Kamilla, Hazel, Sharon and Dee, who are guaranteed to make you feel welcome

and comfortable. You can also telephone for an out-of-hours shop with your

girlfriends, with help to put together looks that complement any occasion. Vintage

and Couture is an online business as well as a walk-in store.

11 Windsor End, Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 2JJ www.vintageandcouture.com

Tel.: 01494 671150 / 07785 771781

SPLASHLIGHT

Coat by Jamie Mascaró, £190. Belt by Roberto Cavalli, £150; Ring with feather, £45; Turquoise ring, £15.

Roberto Cavalli sunglasses, £80

Tiffany earrings, £70. Tiffany bracelet, £149


It has also been a pleasure to see Shirlie Kemp, one half of Pepsi and Shirlie, and the lovely wife of Martin Kemp. Shirlie is a huge fan of vintage fashion, vintage furniture and, in fact, anything vintage – it’s her passion! She has a great blog at www.shirliekemp.com. She bought from us this stunning petrol blue, soft velvet Ralph Lauren jacket from the late 80s. It would have been around $2,000 new, is still stunning and a real head-turner.

Also quite an exceptional piece is the Jean Paul Gaultier dress shown. This was worn on the red carpet in LA. The owner of a very famous worldwide make-up line sold it to me. It’s a statement piece if you want to be unbelievably different! JPG was self-taught and as of 1970 he discovered the skill of Haute Couture. Being part of a new generation of fashion designers he went out on his own starting with a women’s pret-a-porter line in 1976. He designed four collections for this range and two others for Hermes. You can own this piece of his ‘art’ for £390. His Museum exhibition is full of all his amazing and crazy past designs.

We are always looking for lovely designer clothes – of all ages – so please if you have clothes sitting in your closet that you no longer wear, why not share them with somebody else – the pleasure and smiles on their faces is a great feeling, and the money you get can go towards something ‘new’ for you ;-).

See you soon at Vintage and Couture!11 Windsor End, Beaconsfield.Tel 01494 671150

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Summer colours from Pucci, Missoni and Frank Usher

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SPLASHLIGHT

Left to Right:Dress by Jean-Paul Gaultier, £390Dress by Sinha Stank, £280Chanel Jacket, £900

Shirlie Kemp in velvet 1980s Ralph Lauren Jacket

Chanel shoes, £139-£450 Martina vintage polo leather jacket, £350

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the spice of life, with MalikF

or me, fish is a passion – a passion to catch and and a passion to cook. Some of the finest fishing can be enjoyed on the Bangledeshi coast, and during my recent visit I had the opportunity to indulge myself.

The place to go is the coastal district around Cox’s Bazaar and St Martins. Always a perfect fishing experience. I guess it explains why fresh fish has always played a big part on the Malik menu. Combining delicate spice with the light freshness of shellfish as well as varieties such as sea bass, monkfish and red mullet creates a delightful culinary experience. This month’s dish is my core Cox’s Bazaar recipe – Cox’s Bazaar Crab. Enjoy.


the spice of life, with MalikCox’s Bazaar

CrabSoft-shell crunchy crab

served over a bed of aromatic sauce

SPLASHLIGHT

Cookham High Street, Cookham, Maidenhead, Berkshire, SL6 9SF

Tel: 01628 520085

Gerrards Cross 14 Oak End Way, Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire SL9 8BR

Tel: 01753 880888

Marlow 101 High Street, Marlow, Buckinghamshire SL7 1AB

Tel: 01628 482180

Ingredients for the batter2 (heaped) tbspn plain flour½ tspn baking powder½ tspn turmeric powder½ tspn cumin powder½ tpsn coriander powder¼ tspn chilli powder1 (heaped) tspn dried fenugreek1 tbspn fresh corianderSalt and black pepper to taste1 tspn gram flour (for authenticity, but not essential)Ice cold sparkling water3 soft shell crabs

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix to a smooth semi-thick batter. Cover the crabs well in the batter and deep fry in hot oil for approx 3-4 mins, flip over if necessary.

Ingredients for the sauce1 onion (finely chopped)½ small green pepper (medium sliced)½ small red pepper (medium sliced)1 tomato (chopped)½ tspn salt3 cloves garlic (finely chopped)2 tbspn single cream1 tbspn coconut powder1 tbspn dried fenugreek½ tspn sugar½ tspn turmeric powder½ tspn cumin powder½ tspn coriander powder2 tbspn fresh coriander2 tbspn vegetable oil

Heat the oil in a pan and add the onions, and salt and sweat down for approx 3-4 minutes. Stir regularly.

Add the garlic and peppers and cook for a further three minutes until the peppers are tender.

Add the spices, tomato, fenugreek, sugar, coconut powder, cream and cook for approx 5-6 minutes.

Add the coriander.

To servePour the sauce on a plate and place the crab on top and sprinkle some chopped corriander. Serve with mushroom fried rice or a rice of your choice.

Maliks Cox’s Bazaar Crab Recipe

Clean the crab. Remove the eyes and head by cutting behind the eyes with kitchen shears. Remove the yellow jelly like substance from inside the cut. From the top, remove the gills found underneath either side of the crab. From the bottom remove the tail. Rinse under cold water and pat dry.

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FeBRu-hAiRy in henleyFundRAising Bunch geT hAiRy FoR sue RydeR chARiTy

Sometimes fundraising can involve some awfully hairy activities.

Abseiling, skydiving, trekking in far-flung places… But things were

taken rather more literally with the second annual Febru-hairy

fundraising campaign for Sue Ryder.

In Henley, local businesses including Joules and The Strand Salon

organised crazy hair days and collections, whilst staff at Henley Hair

and Beauty were sponsored to dye their barnet different colours. Staff

at the A Step Ahead salon in Wallingford decorated the salon with a

crazy Febru-hairy theme, ran a customer quiz and sold cakes, while

outside, a hairy gorilla and a hairy hippy caused many double-takes

as they collected funds during the month. Three brave customers had

their heads waxed and shaved at the Dolphin Pub.

Staff and pupils from local schools also took up the challenge,

sporting all kinds of wacky hair styles. And as Sue Ryder Community

Fundraiser Vicky Smith, says, it’s not too late to get a wig-gle on and

raise some ‘fringe’ benefits yourself:

“As always, the local support has been absolutely fantastic. It’s not

too late to do something hairy for Sue this year. We’d love for these

events to continue throughout the year… so roll on March Hair

Madness!”

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Above: Nettlebed staff Emma Harpaul, Vicky Smith and Marion Haynes sell moustache-wearing gingerbread men courtesy of Henley-based company Kaffee und Kutchen.


[email protected] you hosting an event that you’d like us to cover?

SPLASHLIGHT


CRAZIES HILL – Above left: Looking beautiful in bunches, Amy, Tia, Lauryn, Georgina and Emily. Above right: Hello thair, Mathilda and India!! Below left: Hairy blokes, Faizan, Joshua and Sean. Below right: Less Crazies, more hair-brained!

SUE RYDER – Left: Monkey business outside Sue Ryder shop in Wallingford. Below: Nettlebed staff (top row) Vicki Collins, Wendy Murgatroyd and Lizzie Sparrow. Seated are Emma Harpaul, Emily King and Marion Haynes.

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FeBRu-hAiRy in henley continues…

THE DOLPHIN – Left: Jonathan Norris suddenly realises that sitting in a bath of baked beans would have been the easier option. Above left: Going… Above middle: …going… Above right: … and almost gone.

STRAND SALON – Above: Wig day –The Strand Salon gets wiggy with it, just another hair-raising way to swell the Sue Ryder funds.

Below: Good on John Rankin for losing his pony tail and gaining a few quid for Sue Ryder. Right: It’s a close shave for Norry.


SPLASHLIGHT

A STEP AHEAD – Above: Have Georgia Wales, Katie Marshall or Chloe Shepard ever mentioned the fate of the customer who didn’t tip? Top right: Looking nervous. Bottom right: Grinning and bearing it. Far right: Braving it out. Below: Well done to Chloe Shepard, Katie Marshall, Samantha Gregory, Daisy Breeze, Hannah Edwards and the newly super-smooth Sam Preston and Jake Clarke. Below right: Hairy flower decoration – Jelly Beans to flowers: “Going anywhere nice this year?”

JOULES IN HENLEY – Above: Cutting a dash with colour – Joules ladies, Holly Austin, Robyn Hibbs and Kim Agostino.


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FeBRu-hAiRy in henley continues…

Well done to everybody who took part in the Henley Febru-hairy fundraising campaign for Sue Ryder. We hope the experience wasn’t too hairy for you. And next year – if a male volunteer is required for the waxing – we could throw some ‘Light’ on a nominee.


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▲ largest value-for-money boutique fashion sale outside London ▲ 115 top companies selling clothes you won’t find on the high street ▲ clothes for leisure, pleasure, work, holidays and evenings ▲ chic boutique clearance collections and ranges direct from Paris and Milan ▲ shoes, handbags, scarves, hats, coats, jewellery, swimwear, sunglasses, belts, make-up ▲ everything priced to sell and all under one roof ▲ first-class restaurant, free parking

TICKETS: £4 online www.ukgrandsales.co.uk £6 phone 01829 270714 £7 on door

We regret pushchairs and pets are not allowed in the venue. Baby backpacks are available free of charge.

Friday 20th and Saturday 21st April 2012The Pavilion, Ascot Racecourse, Berkshire SL5 7JX

9.15am-5.30pm (prepaid tickets) • 10.15am-5.30pm (tickets on the door)

09 Splashlight_Ascot 135x190.indd 1 16/03/2012 09:43

Special InvitationsTHE RESTAURANT AND THE BISHAM BAR

Celebrations or EntertainingA Free Birthday Cake & Glass of Cava Per Person*

This offer applies all week, Monday – Sunday

THE RESTAURANTComplimentary Coffee Voucher*

This offer applies in The Restaurant, Monday – Friday, (expires April 30th, 2012)

*Each offer can only be redeemed when having a three-course meal (one offer may be used per party). Please quote Splashlight magazine.

Monday – Friday

THE RESTAURANTThree Course Business Lunch Menu £19.95

Three Course Dinner Menu £26.95

THE BISHAM BARTwo Course Set Lunch £13.95

Two Course Set Dinner Menu £15.95

Only one offer may be used per party. Please refer to our website for further information regarding our à la carte menus.


Beauty. By Nicole

Take a look at the before and after pictures below, which show the great results of one of our 45-year-old clients who used Obagi products to diminish the appearance of sun damage on her face.

Nicole Robinson is clinic manager at Renew Medica, Weybridge – part of a group of 12 clinics in London and the south east that specialise in skin, body and anti-ageing treatments. Renew Medica can help to reduce the appearance of scars, stretch marks, acne, fine lines and wrinkles and also offers treatments for permanent hair reduction and excess sweating.

W elcome to my final Splashlight article, in which I’ll summarise the most important treatment advice I’ve been giving over the last six months. This will help you to make confident, informed decisions

about treatments in order to get the results you desire.

Laser hair removalLet’s begin with laser hair removal and IPL (intense pulsed light) for hair removal. Both of these treatments are great for a permanent reduction of unwanted hair. It’s important to understand that no claims should, or can, be made on complete removal of all hair on any area of the body, and that any claims made to deliver these results should be approached with caution. A very successful result will give you about 80% permanent reduction on any body area, with the exception of facial hair. This is often caused by an imbalance of hormones and therefore likely to always need top-up treatments throughout the year. This will be discussed with your practitioner during your initial consultation and the frequency of top-up treatments required will be advised. There are a variety of lasers on the market specifically designed to treat a variety of hair and skin types; again your practitioner will advise on the correct laser for your hair and skin type. All consultations must offer you a test patch for their laser or IPL prior to commencement of any courses you decide to undertake. This is essential for safety and also helps the practitioner decide what settings on the chosen equipment will deliver you the most effective results. A detailed treatment plan should also be discussed informing you of the frequency and number of treatments that will be required. You should start with a minimum of six treatments per body area to achieve optimum results. In-growing hairs and six o’clock shadow will be a thing of the past!

Get started on your laser or IPL treatments today, and enjoy noticeably amazing results in time for your summer holidays.Please remember to choose a reputable clinic – one that is governed or registered with the Care Quality Commission or an organisation of similar calibre. These clinics will operate to a high standard of safety and expertise, and you will have the comfort of knowing that you can report any undesired reaction to treatment directly to them.

IPL or intense pulsed lightIPL or intense pulsed light is also a fantastic treatment for removal of unwanted sun damage/pigmentation and facial veins. Dramatic results are achieved in just one treatment but maximum results are achieved after a course of treatments – usually between three to six sessions. Once again, the number of treatments that you may require will be determined at the time of your consultation. This treatment is also fantastic for stimulating natural collagen found within our skin. It is great as an anti-ageing treatment and is excellent when used in combination with skin peels or medifacials as a booster treatment. The correct settings required will be decided

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depending upon your skin condition. This is a great treatment to start with to help create an even canvas to work on, as it will clear imperfections and give the skin an instant boost, thus allowing future treatment results to be enhanced, whether it is from a peel/medifacial or further IPL treatments.

This is a personal favourite of mine, as the results I achieved from just one treatment were amazing! There is usually a small amount of downtime from this treatment, mainly if used for treating facial veins or sun damage. The usual reactions post treatment are localised swelling and minor bruising if treating facial veins, or darkening of pigment if treating sun damaged skin. These side effects will usually disappear within one to two weeks after treatment, though mineral make-up can be used immediately as a cover and usually conceals very well.

Another great combination of treatment is microdermabrasion followed immediately after with soft focus IPL treatment. This is a great resurfacing treatment that will instantly brighten and freshen up any complexion as the soft focus treatment is designed to deliver low fluency light over the skin causing the skin to feel warm without the downtime of conventional IPL treatments, making this treatment combination a good choice before a big event to give your skin a beautiful healthy glow!

Skin peels and medifacialsSkin peels and medifacials are excellent for assisting in the correction of skin conditions, especially when used in conjunction with a prescribed homecare regime. The combination of both will deliver some exceptional results, and allow the skin to begin functioning correctly. Though these treatments are still effective without good homecare, the results will last a fraction of the time. Therefore, using a prescribed skincare regime will give you much longer lasting, noticeable results, making the products a valuable investment. It’s important to understand that aesthetic clinics will offer superior products than those found on the high street, mainly because your chosen aesthetic clinic will have a doctor or nurse prescriber, allowing the practitioner to recommend products usually only recommended by dermatologists. This instantly gives you a better understanding of the difference between beauty salons and aesthetic practices and the treatments they offer. Obagi is one of the most advanced products currently on the market. It is designed to treat a variety of skin conditions and has the ability to treat a multitude all at the same time. It is a prescribed product and requires a high level of commitment from the client using it. We have achieved some dramatic life-changing results for clients from using the Obagi Nu Derm System. It does involve downtime, but this is closely monitored by the clinic and practitioner, and dose adjustments are made to support the client during their use of this system. The average duration of use of this product is between 6-24 weeks, depending on the severity of the skin condition, and regular four-to-six-week skin assessments are required to monitor the results obtained throughout the skin’s journey when using this system. Obagi

Nu Derm is one of the best products I have ever worked with! Dramatically different, younger looking skin is only a few weeks away and the results are life changing!

Anti-wrinkle treatment (Botox) and injectable fillersMany people are put off having Botox treatments as they think it will be painful. In fact, it’s a very quick and relatively pain-free procedure that can be done within a lunch break. Minimal redness or small bumps will occur immediately after the treatment, but this dissipates within 30 minutes, making it a very discreet treatment. All of our clients leave us looking the same as when they came in, mineral make-up can be applied immediately after to conceal the tiny injection sites. Upon returning for their follow-up appointment, all clients’ skin looks fresher, less lined and with a very healthy glow.

It is usual for the full impact and results to take up to two weeks to be seen after the initial treatment. A complimentary follow-up appointment is then offered to enable the doctor/nurse to check the results achieved and administer a slight dose adjustment should this be necessary.

Injectable fillers are the perfect solution for restoring the volume loss around the cheeks and also great for plumping up deeper lines and folds instantly. Fillers can also be used on the back of the hands, neck, and décolletage to help revitalise and refresh the overall appearance of your skin. Once again, these treatments have minimal or no downtime and can be done two weeks prior to a big event. A small amount of localised bruising can occur post treatment, but subsides within one to two weeks. Results are instant, making this one of the most understated treatments currently available.

All licensed practitioners will be registered with IHAS (Treatments You Can Trust) as this governing body ensures safe practice for all injectable treatments including Botox and fillers. Be sure to look out for this when visiting a clinic to ensure you are in safe hands with an experienced doctor or nurse.

I hope this edition has now given you the confidence in and a broader understanding of the treatments that are currently available within the aesthetic industry. Have confidence in knowing that your practitioner is armed with all the information required to help you make the most informed decisions about your chosen treatments. It’s wonderful to know that there are so many advanced treatments available to give you life-changing results without the need for surgery. Should you have any further questions or require any more information regarding any of the treatments I have discussed, then please feel free to come in and see me!

It’s been a pleasure writing these articles and I hope you have all found them interesting.

Take care.

SPLASHLIGHT

NicoleWEYBRIDGE 11–15 Baker St, Weybridge, Surrey KT13 8AE. 0844 576 8311WINDSOR 31 Peascod Street , Windsor, Berkshire, SL4 1EA. 0844 576 8312BARNET 152 High Street, Barnet, Hertfordshire, EN5 5XP. 0844 576 8314MUSWELL HILL 22–24 Muswell Hill,Broadway, London, N10 3RT. 0844 576 8313HOLLOWAY ROAD 258 Holloway Rd, London N7 6NE. 0844 576 8307HAMPSTEAD Oriel Court, 12 Heath Street, London, NW3 6TE. 0844 576 8306

CITY 5–7 Folgate St, London, E1 6BX. 0844 576 8309KNIGHTSBRIDGE 26 Beauchamp Place, London SW3 1NJ. 0844 576 8303OXFORD CIRCUS 28 Maddox Street, London, W1S 1PR. 0844 576 8308NEW KINGS ROAD 291 New King’s Road, London, SW6 4RE. 0844 576 8304RICHMOND 157 St Margarets Rd, Twickenham, TW1 1RD. 0844 576 8302CROYDON 105 High Street, Croydon, Surrey, CR0 1QG. 0844 576 8310

going FoR The BuRn

esheR ResidenTs AssociATion BuRns nighT dinneR

The life and works of poet Robert Burns were celebrated at the annual

Burns Night Dinner Dance held by the Esher Residents Association on

January 20th. Black tie or kilt was the dress code for the event held at King

Georges Hall where a full traditional three-course Scottish supper was on

offer along with a welcome glass of Bucks Fizz and the obligatory tot of

whisky for the toast.

The skirl of the pipes accompanied the entrance of the haggis, which

was addressed in traditional fashion; “Fair fa’ your honest, sonsie face, Great

chieftain o’ the pudding-race…” Tartan-attired guests were later in full sway

with traditional dancing, with music courtesy of the suitably attired Green

Ginger band. Burn(s) the floor? You bet they did!

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Above: Charlie Sim, Piper and Keeper of Ye Coffee Pot.

Above: Ann and Alan McGuinness, dressed to kill(t).


SPLASHLIGHT


Above left: Green Ginger band members Ian Thomson, Simon Wales and Meryl Thomson tune up. Above right: Into the blues, Kathryn Gimm and Caroline Salata. Below left: Chairman of Esher Residents Association Peter Heaney with Anne Heaney and Judy and David Early. Below right: Robert Hawkins and Angela Anderson raise a glass to Rabbie.

Left: Redvers and Susannah Cunningham. Below: Here comes the haggis! Charlie leads the way.

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going FoR The BuRn continues…

Above left: A fine set of pipes. Above middle: Well, a man has to keep his Polos somewhere. Above right: Paul Diss, Catherine Pearson, Jan Diss and Chris Pearson

Below left: Ben Parker and Lindsay Thompson get ready to pay homage to Scotland’s favourite son. Below middle: Nicky and James Smart. Below right: Annette does the honours.

Top left: King Georges Hall, dressed for action. Bottom left: Chris and Isobel Johns with Maxine and John Shaw. Below: Andrew and Jane Bathurst with Jen and Marco Venzelaar-Pelly.


SPLASHLIGHT

Below: His knife see rustic Labour dicht / An’ cut you up wi’ ready slicht

Above: Little black dresses rule for Debbie Cragg, Denise Howells, Moira Ford, Lorraine McKay and Nicky Smart. Below left: (with apologies to Mr Shakespeare)

Is this a dagger I see before knee? Below right: Kiri and Sanjithra Vijayargah enjoy their Bucks Fizz with Sangeetha and Surri Siva.

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Self Defence using Krav Maga

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DIFFICULTY RATING 2/5 Get defensive

Main image: one of the options available using

Krav Maga if being attacked whilst getting into your car.

Image Right: Krav Maga Federation logo.


SPLASHLIGHT

Far Left: Initial attack.

Left: Responding to the threat.

Right: Niki and Tamas demonstrating how the arms

should be used to defend against

an attack.

Above: Me as the attacker.

TNT AcademyKrav Maga – Self Defence Instructors

For those of you who have watched and questioned the likes of James Bond and Tom Cruise with their ability to disarm an attacker in a heartbeat and walk away unscathed then this challenge is for you. I was sceptical at first as the basis of this challenge involved me being in direct contact with trained self defence experts and attempting to disarm them, however my initial contact with both Tamas and Niki from the TNT Academy was very reassuring.

Krav Maga is a self defence system dating back to the mid 1930s and is still used today by the Israeli armed forces, the US SWAT teams and many other government agencies. The basic principles are counter-attacking as soon as possible (or attacking pre-emptively), targeting attacks to the body’s most vulnerable points, neutralising the opponent as quickly as possible by responding with an unbroken stream of counter- attacks, whilst maintaining awareness of surroundings, dealing with the threat in order to look for escape routes, further attackers and objects that could be used to defend or help attack and so on.

This challenge looked at defending against a mugging at a cash machine, whilst getting into a car and basic defensive moves. Initially I was told that the basic rules still apply... if you are unfortunate enough to be mugged then the sensible thing to do is to hand over your wallet or purse, listen to the instructions and let the attacker get away, call the police and live to fight another day.

I attended two sessions at the weekly classes held in Reading which start with a warm-up and an example of a situation that could arise.Tamas would demonstrate each attack and how to defend, the defensive moves were then broken down and we were divided into groups to get a better understanding of the situation and get comfortable with being shouted at whilst deciding how to respond to the attack. At the end of the session I was put to the test.

What do you do if asked to hand over your money at a cash machine? Good question, the moves from the session would need to be pieced together, no problem I thought. I was told to face the wall and await further instruction. Suddenly all the lights went out and panic set in, I then heard the words, “hand over the cash,” and felt a knife (not a real one) pressed into my back, twist on my feet at the same time rotate with my arm to push away the knife, two to three punches at the attacker, push them away and get away, making sure I had a clear escape route. A lot more training required but it was a pass. This was the same routine as with an attack whilst getting into the car, again quite daunting but useful knowledge to have just in case.

Krav Maga training gives you the tools to be able to deal with a situation should you need to use it. In my opinion the fear of being attacked and not being able to react is far worse than making the decision not to fight, knowing that if the situation escalated then you would know what to do and how to protect yourself.

TNT Academy run a variety of courses for every level. The latest classes run by Tamas and Niki are aimed at Women and Children. Niki is a qualified Civilian and Kids instructor and has put together a range of courses focused on giving both women and children the tools to be able to defend themselves should a situation arise.

One-to-one or private sessions can be arranged, check out the TNT Academy website for the latest information via www.tntacademy.net – For a limited time only the first session is free (subject to availability).

Right: Niki demonstrating

an underarm knife attack.

The Challenger:

Learn how to defend against a knife attack in a controlled environment followed by a staged mugging and react accordingly.

Anyone who would like to set a challenge, or get involved please contact the Splashlight team through the website or email [email protected]

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BenchMARk oF successMARloW ToWn RegATTA And

FesTivAl coMMiTTee dinneR dAnce

Olympian Sir Steve Redgrave was in attendance at Marlow Town

Regatta and Festival committee’s annual dinner dance on February

10th. Sir Steve and his wife are Honorary Joint Presidents of ‘MTRF’,

the committee that manages the town’s popular annual regatta and

festival, this year to be held on the weekend of 9th-10th June.

The function was held at the Assembly Rooms which opened last

year, marking a return to the original use for this space in the historic

Market House, as a meeting place and a venue for local events. Fifty

guests enjoyed an excellent meal before dancing ‘til late to the music

of Hedonistic, led by Danny Churchill, who is also MTRF’s Honorary

President. A raffle raised £550 which will go towards a memorial

bench for Major James Campbell, a much loved and respected

former chairman of the committee. Other contributors towards

the bench will be Marlow Town Council, where Jim was also a

councillor and Mayor of Marlow, the Riley Park Trust where he was

a Trustee and the Royal British Legion where he was also President.

Above left: Henning Hammer and Suzanne Brown cosy up. Above right: Debbie Maslen and Craig Kenyon, Secretary of the Regatta Committee. Left: Maureen and Jim Thornton.

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Above: Sir Steve Redgrave MBE, CBE and Mayor of Marlow, Cllr Jocelyn Towns.


SPLASHLIGHT


Above: Back row: Dave Patterson, Chris Campbell, Sarah Campbell, Monique Francis and Nick Campbell. Front row: Sally Campbell, Kerry Campbell and Selena Parmenter. Right: Chairman of the Rowing Club Peter Hunt and Christine Hunt.

Above left: Richard and Veronica Lewis with Trina and Graham Armstrong. Above right: John and Marie Lou Stephenson. Below left: Tables at the Assembly Rooms. Below right: Mayor of Marlow Cllr Jocelyn Towns and David Hooper.

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BenchMARk oF success continues…

Above left: Hannah Tolmie, ready with some of the tools of her tray-d. Above right: Ann and Derrick Southon look forward to their evening.

Above left: Chris and Sally Lenton. Above middle: Linda and Richard Scott at the event. Above right: Ola Ilczuk bottles out. Below left: Suzanne Brown delivers her welcome speech. Below right: Hedonistic entertain.


SPLASHLIGHT

Above: Peter Burn and Doris Wilks with Denise and Tony Lummins.

Above left: There’s a man who can handle his mallets. Above right: Good food and conversation. Below left: John and Maureen Gill. Below middle: Well suited, Graham Lovell and Graham Chalmers. Below right: Here comes Hannah again!

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Top MARkslAW socieTy’s quAliTy MARk AWARded To B p collins

Congratulations to Gerrards Cross-based law firm B P Collins, who

have secured membership of the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality

Scheme (CQS), a mark of excellence in the home buying process.

Partner Chris Hardy, practice group leader for the firm’s residential

property team, expressed his delight at receiving the prestigious CQS

status:

“Buying and selling a home is widely regarded as an extremely

stressful time and people want to ensure they are employing a firm

they can trust to do a good job. Knowing we have this quality mark

sends a strong message to anyone who needs to appoint a legal firm

to handle their property sale or purchase, that we offer a first class

and very efficient level of service.”

And it’s a double celebration since the award comes hot on the heels

of the company’s announcement that it has joined forces with law

firm Fairchild Dobbs, welcoming solicitors David Alldis and Nigel

Spoor to B P Collins’ legal team, along with two support staff. David

Stanning, B P Collins’ senior partner, welcomed the new members of

staff and their clients, saying:

“The long association with, and in-depth understanding of, the local

community which the combined firm has is very important to us, as

it fits perfectly with our ethos of commitment to local businesses,

individuals and the wider Buckinghamshire community.”

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Above: David Stanning (centre), Senior Partner of B P Collins LLP, welcomes David Alldis (left) and Nigel Spoor (right).

Far left: Chris Hardy, Partner at B P Collins. Left: B P Collins, a glass act. Below: The spotlight’s on B P Collins at the moment.


AMERSHAMFeast Café & Bistro, 13 Hill Avenue, Amersham, HP6 5BD, 01494 729055The Lemon Rooms, 51 High Street, Amersham, HP7 0DP, 01494 728248Su Chases Interiors, Red Lion House, Old Amersham, HP7 0HL, 01494 721626SDI-Unistride Ltd, Unit IFI Passfield Mill Business Park, Passfield, GU30 7QU, 01428 752242

ASCOTAscot Butchers, 43 High Street, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7HG, 01344 620481Ascot Carpets, 2A Hermitage Parade, High Street, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7HE, 01344 625112Annie C Designer Boutique, 53 High Street, Ascot, Berls, SL5 7HP, 01344 873526Chancellors, 31 High Street, Ascot, Berks, SL5 0DP, 01344 627101Don Beni, 102 High Street, Crowthorne, Berks, RG45 7AD, 01344 773393Don Beni, 37-41 Denmark Street, Wokingham, Berks, RG10 1AY, 01189 9759678Don Beni, Winkfield Row, Ascot, Berks, RG42 6NH, 01344 884480Fego Caffé, 1 The Hermitage, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7HD Grace, 4 Hermitage Parade, High Street, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7HE, 01344 638600Jaqueline Interiors, Bridge House Brokenhurst Rd, South Ascot, Berks, SL5 9DL, 01344 638867Knight Frank, 59 High Street, Ascot, Berks, SL5 7HP, 01344 624732Swinley Store, 20 Brockenhurst Road, South Ascot, Berks, SL5 9DL, 07828 423077

BEACONSFIELDDavid Shuttle Cookshop, 3 The Broadway, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 2PD, 01494 673501Grace, 6 The Highway, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1QD, 01494 678908Nigel Briggs & Co, The Old Estate Office, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1LU, 01494 671099Old Town Friar, 7 London End, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 2HN, 01494 673056Ricki’s News, 71 Wycombe Road, Old Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1LX, 01494 673506Su Chases Interiors, 11 London End, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 2HN, 01494 730005Tim Russ Estates, 6 Burkes Court, Beaconsfield, Bucks, HP9 1NZ, 01494 681122

COBHAMBuddha & Spice, 15a Church Street, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 3EG, 01932 868934Fired Earth, 87 Portsmouth Road, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 1JH, 01932 867639Maison Blanc, 4 Holly Parade, Cobham, Surrey, KT11 3EE, 01932 868194

ESHERCafé Rouge, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9AD, 01372 465550Club, 83 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9QA, 01372 469262Colours of Esher, 94 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9QJ, 01372 464736Hamptons, 51 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9RQ, 01372 468411Red Peppers, 45 High Street, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9RL, 01372 467241Sandown Park Lodge, Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher, Surrey, KT10 9AJ, 01372 461201

GERRARDS CROSSMaliks, 14 Oak End Way, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 8BR, 01753 880888Roberts Newby Partership, 83 Packhorse Road, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 8PQ, 01753 891188Sweet Sweet Life, 3 Bulstrode Way, Gerrards Cross, Bucks, SL9 7QT, 01753 882771

HENLEYBlandy House Dental Practice, Hart Street, Henley, RG9 2AR, 01491 410058The Chocolate Theatre Café, 13 Thameside, Henley, RG9 1BH, 01491 411412Grace, 21 Thameside, RG9 2LJ, 01491 579999Hubbledays, 43–45 Duke Street, Henley, RG9 1UR, 01491 579016 La Bodega, 38 Hart Street, Henley, RG9 2AU, 01491 578 611Lemongrove Gallery, 10 Duke Street, Henley, RG9 1UP, 01491 577215Loch Fyne, 20 Market Place, Henley, RG9 2AH, 01491 845780Savills, 18 Hart Street, Henley, RG9 2AU, 01491 843000The Boat House, 30 Duke Street, Henley, RG9 1UP, 01491 412030Villa Marina, 18 Thameside, Henley, RG9 1BH, 01494 575262Waitrose, 33 Bell Street, Henley, RG9 2BA, 01491 410 440

MAIDENHEADBoulters Riverside Brasserie, Boulter’s Lock Island, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 8PE, 01628 621291Maliks, 14 Royal Exchange, Cookham, Berks, SL6 9SH, 01628 520885Oliver Lily, 9 The High Street, Maidenhead, Berks, SL6 1JN, 01344 874399Spirit Health Club, Holiday Inn, Monor Lane, Maidenhead, SL6 2RA, 01628 506030The Thames Hotel, Ray Mead Road, Maidenhead, SL6 8NR, 01628 628721

MARLOWBallards, 45 High Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1BA, 01628 477000Dynamite Fashion, 63 HIgh Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AB. 01628 488277Elite Nails, 46 West Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 2NB, 01628 488522 Grace Boutique, 5 West Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 2LT, 01628 475040Lemongrove Gallery, 74 High Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AH, 01628 477785Maliks, 101 High Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AB, 01628 482180Paper Chains, 91 High Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AB, 01628 482186Snappy Snaps, 1 Market Square, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1BE, 01628 898445Tree Nail Spa, 13 Station Road, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1AB, 01628 488200Villa D’Este, 2 Chapel Street, Marlow, Bucks, SL7 1DD, 01628 472012

SUNNINGDALEChancellors, London Road, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0DP, 01344 620163Fego Caffé, 9 Broomhall Buildings, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0DU, 01344 876464Hamptons, 6 Broomhall Buildings, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0DU, 01344 627555Harringtons Dry Cleaners, 12-14 Broomhall Buildings, Chobham Road, Sunningdale, SL5 0DULewis Butchers, 53 Chobham Road, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0DT, 01344 620141Sytner BMW, London Road, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0EX, 01344 630400Vanilla Delicatessen, 7 Broomhall Buildings, Sunningdale, Berks, SL5 0DU, 01344 622320

SUNNINGHILLDragon Shed,40–42 High Street, Sunninghill, Berks, SL5 9NF, 01344 627748Nail & Body Zone, 76 High Street, Sunninghill, Berks, SL5 9NN, 01344 870112Sapphire Estates, 34 High Street, Sunninghill, Berks, SL5 9NE, 01344 870100The Stock Exchange, 1 High Street, Sunninghill, Berks, SL5 9NQ, 01344 625420

VIRGINIA WATERBarton Wyatt, The Estate Office, Virgina Water, Berks, GU25 4DL, 01344 843000Buckinghams Estate Agent, 6 Station Approach, Virgina Water, GU25 4DL, 01344 845050Patsy Blunt Interiors, 7 Station Approach, Virgina Water, Berks, GU25 4DL, 01344 845594

WEYBRIDGEBrooklands Hotel, Brooklands Drive, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 0SL, 01932 335700Curchods Estate Agents, 54 Church Street, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8DP, 01932 843322Dry Cleaning Centre, 14 York Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 9QT, 01932 843755Hamptons, 26 High Street Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8AB, 01932 859933II Sicilino, 1 Balfour Road, Weybridge, Surrey, KT13 8HE, 01932 852047Percy Lambert, 2 High Street , Weybridge, KT13 8ABRenew Medica, 11 Baker Street, Weybridge, Surrey, KT14 8AE, 08445 768311

WINDSORDon Beni, 42 High Street, Eton, Windsor, Berks, SL4 6BDDuchess of Cambridge, 3–4 Thames Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1PL, 01753 864405La Bodega, 4 Peascod Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1DG, 01753 841220McDonald Hotel, 23 High Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1LH, 0844 879 9101Moe’z, 1 River Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1QT, 01753 831000Renew Medica, 31 Peascod Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1EA, 0844 5768312Savills, 3–4 High Street, Windsor, Berks, SL4 1LD, 01753 834600Windsor Larder, 59a St Leonards Road, Windsor, Berks, SL4 3BX, 01753 840272

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Splashlight - Your local celebrity magazine - March 2012