06.09.15

Autumn style essentials

‘Never been

better’

+ BEAUTY GOES COCONUTS

+ CRAFT SHOW

TICKETS

WIN:

INSIDE:+ VINTAGE

INSPIRATION

Fiona Fullerton on family, fame,

and friendship

PLUS:

34

Cover_Sept6.indd 1 02/09/2015 14:01:13

SHOWROOM OPEN MONDAY - SATURDAY.

BRIDFORD ROAD, MARSH BARTONEXETER EX2 8QX T: 01392 677030

WWW.AMOSLIGHTING.CO.UK

CREATIVE LIGHTING FROM THEWORLD’S FINEST DESIGNERS.

AMOSLIGHTING | FURNITURE

DESIGN SERVICE

THE LIGHTINGSPECIALISTS

Exhibiting at the Self-Build and Design Show,Westpoint, 12th/13th September

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6 THE WISHLISTThis week’s pick of lovely things to buy

8 PLEASE, DON’T CRY!Our new mum columnist battles on

9 JUST BETWEEN US...Sh! We have the latest gossip!

12 THE VINTAGE QUEENA treasure trove in Budleigh Salterton

16 FULL OF FUN Lots of laughter with Fiona Fullerton

22 COASTAL CHICThe waterside home with luxury style

26 PERENNIAL CONCERNS Anne Swithinbank’s garden advice

30 BOHO FOR AUTUMNWhat to wear this September

35 YOUR WEEK AHEADCassandra Nye looks into the stars

36 BOOST YOUR WELLBEING Great ways to feel your best this week

39 NO-COOK COOKIESAlly Mac gets creative in the kitchen

42 A WEEKEND AWAYExploring the best of Bodmin Moor

46 NEW IN TOWNChris McGuire is local - ish...

contents[ [Inside this week...

‘I come here as o� en as I can, and I love it. I’m

in Salcombe next week, then I’m o� to Polzeath’

Why Fiona Fullerton loves the Westcountry, p 16

44 SECRET PLACESWhere to go, what to try

22 COASTAL CHICMarvellous decor by the sea in Mullion

HOW TO WEAR ITThe pussy bow gets on trend32

AUTUMN BOHOOur pick of the new looks30

9 KEIRA CONFESSES ‘I’m kinder to my body now’

40 EAT WELL, NOWGreat ways with aubergine

Contents_Sept6.indd 3 01/09/2015 17:42:53

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[[ [[welcome[ [

You’ve got to love September: with peaceful roads, empty beaches and kids back at school, a sense of tranquillity descends as the often-frantic high summer comes to an end. All the more time, then, for savouring the good things we have packed into West magazine this week!

First up, do read Cath-erine Barnes’ interview with the fabulous Fiona Fullerton - if you have ever wondered how to age in style, then Fiona’s story of going from being a Bond girl to becoming a property magnate, while raising three children along the way, is sure to capture your imagina-tion. She sounds like a lot of fun, too - and, best of all, she loves the South West. Quite right too.

Elsewhere in the magazine, we have plenty of autumnal fashion, from cosy jackets (p34) to boho dresses (p30). There’s plenty to eat and drink, too, with Tim Maddams sharing the secret of deli-cious aubergines (clue: it involves a lot of salt),

and Ally Mac making some very cute no-cook biscuits (p39).

You’ll also love our interiors feature on page 22 today, as Sarah Pitt has tracked down some seriously pretty decor in Mul-

lion, west Cornwall. Finally, our garden guru from east Devon, Anne Swithinbank, has wise words on what to plant now, on page 26. Happy reading!

CONTACT: westmag@westernmorningnews.co.ukTel: 01392 442250 Twitter @wmnwest

@OneVoiceTeamLittle bit of styling going

on at today’s @WMNWest shoot in @Princesshay

with @stevenhaywood1 #fashion #pr #aw15

[ [Fiona Fullerton’s gone from Bond girl to

property magnate

Becky Sheaves, Editor

MEET THE TEAM

Becky Sheaves, Editor Sarah Pitt Kathryn Clarke-McLeod Catherine Barnes Phil Goodwin

In season right now

Tweetof the week

[

FULL OF FUNWe meet Bond girl Fiona Fullerton in Devon 16

COVER IMAGE: Steve Haywood

Ed’s note: Thank you One Voice.Great work as always! M

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We have � ve pairs of day tickets for The Stitching, Sewing and Hobbycra� s Show, worth £20 a pair, to win. To be in with a chance, email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk with your name, address and phone

number, with ‘Hobbycra� s show’ as the subject, by September 14. Normal terms apply.

one thingIf you do

this week...Bag your tickets for The Stitch-ing, Sewing and Hobbycra� s Show where the stunning costumes from the recent movie Far From The Madding Crowd will be on display. Carey Mulligan (who has a farm near Exeter with her musician husband) plays Bathsheba Ever-dene in the ­ lm, and you can see her gorgeous costumes, and many more, at the show. This event is also a great place to get inspiration for your own cra� and sewing projects, with stalls, displays and demonstra-tions. It’s at Westpoint show-ground near Exeter, September 24-27. See www.ichfevents.co.uk or call 01425 277988 for tickets.

Win

EdsLetter_1thing_Sept6.indd 5 02/09/2015 12:03:13

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the

West’s picks for spending your time and money this week

wishlist

Lauren BrowneLauren is a 27-year-old

hairdresser from Exeter

Lauren says: “I’ve always shopped in River Island. I am

obsessed with Frankie Sandford from The Saturdays at the

minute, I just love everything about her. I used to have the same haircut as her and she is roughly

the same age as me. I just love how she dresses.”

Burgundy top: River Island £22

Black jeans: New Look £24.99

Shoes: Dune £49

Necklace: Primark £4

STREET STYLE STAR

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Beeswax from Dorset features in this lip balm kit £9.99 www.fi lbertsofdorset.co.uk

Set of four tealight holders in berry colours, £14.95 www.annabeljames.co.uk

Cafetiere £35 House of Fraser

Twinkle

Go for gold

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Wishlist

This gi� shop stocks unusual items from near and far. There’s furniture made from old timbers from Indonesian � shing boats (ethically traded) and some of the wittiest and most original greetings cards we’ve seen in a long while, made just a few miles away at Lympstone. With a slightly ethnic feel, the range is genuinely original. Just the place to � nd a unique and special gi� . Moko is at 17 Gandy Street, Exeter 01392 278800

adoreStore weMoko, Exeter

Have the world on your sleeves with these Australian map cuffl inks £24.95 www.thekeepsakeshop.co.uk

Edworth the dog doorstop £12 B&Q www.diy.com

Geometric teal bowl,£18, House of Fraser

Add a touch of opulence with the Bonne Nuit chest

of drawers £659 www.newtonsfurniture.co.uk

TRUE BLUE

Wishlist_Sept6.indd 7 01/09/2015 12:31:10

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talking points

stealherstyle

OR MAKE IT YOUR OWN

OPTION BChicTeal jersey dress£55 White Stuff

OPTION ACosyRollneck knitted dress £35 M&Co

was warned. About never being able to-drink a cup of tea again while it was actually

still hot. But not about the fact that I would now have to do every-thing I ever took for granted (like eating, dressing, or tidying up) in a rush, with one hand. I am surprised I don’t have chronic acid re-fl ux and am not addicted to Rennies by now, con-sidering how fast I neck down my food these days. My hair is often unkempt (luckily the just-got-out-of-bed look is very AW15) and my mascara is usu-ally smudged.

As for shower-ing, this process is a far cry from the relaxing break from the world it once was. Instead it too is conducted as if Armageddon was upon us.

Each morning, after Woody’s second breakfast, it’s nap time again, which occasionally means I can read a couple more para-graphs of Saturday’s paper (even if it’s Friday, as it takes me all week).

Then, I try to take a shower. Sometimes, I leave Woody in his basket, which means every few seconds muffl ing the fl ow of water and turning the shower off, thinking I heard him, when

in fact it was just my overactive imagination. Then I turn it back on again and get assailed by a torrent of cold water. Serves me right for being an over-neurotic mum, perhaps?

Other times, Woody chills in his bouncy chair in the doorway, sometimes asleep, sometimes awake. Either way, there’s no chilling for me.

Once, I ended up manically wiping the steam off the door every few seconds watching his

dummy, aka ‘paci-fi er’, gradually fall-ing from his lips, in my head scream-ing “noooooo!”.

But a few more seconds passed and I indulged in a few more warm droplets when sud-denly, my angelic son gave a piercing wail, in baby-speak meaning: “Where’s my dummy?!!!!”.

In baby world this is a pretty big drama. So, water still running, hair drip-ping, I stepped out and put the dummy back in its rightful place, and there is peace at last. I steal a few more precious moments in the shower before calling it quits.

But guess what - just as I think my efforts have paid off, and I’m fl ailing about trying to reach si-lently for my towel, I catch his attention – and my cherub wakes up. Again.

Story of my life...

Fran McElhone

Our new mum tries to have a shower

Fran McElhone and her husband Mike live in east Devon with their new son Woody. Next week: Gillian Molesworth on family life in north Cornwall

I

Woody chills in his bouncy

chair in the doorway...

but there’s no chilling for me

American actress Emily Ratajkowski looked stunning in this long-sleeved tunic dress on the London leg of her promotional tour of new � lm We Are Your Friends. She stars with Zac Ephron. You too can get cosy this autumn with these chic knits.

SimplyWHITE

Tunic dress £40 River Island

MoleyGossip_Sept6.indd 8 01/09/2015 12:33:33

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Justbetween us!Gossip, news, trend setters and more – you

heard all the latest juicy stu here � rst!

06.09.15

Bear Grylls has been at it again. The Chief Scout, who once turned up at a scout jamboree at Pencarrow House in Cornwall to meet the youngsters there, has a new American TV series out. In it, he pushed American actress Michelle Rodriguez to her limit by

insisting that she ate mouse stewed in urine in the Arizona desert. Bear claimed there “wasn’t enough water” to make a decent quantity of soup for their dinner. But even he had to admit the results were disgusting. He confessed: “I’ve

� nally found the thing that has broken me.” Doesn’t sound like our

idea of family viewing… we’ll stick to Bake O� , thanks!

If you don’t do the ‘Twitter thing’ you’re not alone: Comedian Sandi Toksvig doesn’t either, but says it’s accounted for some very strange moments in her life. The Fi� een to One presenter reveals: “I was on a train and my sister, as I got o� , rang me and said I had eaten a cheese sandwich. I said,

‘How the hell did you know that?’ Someone had taken a picture of me eating a cheese sandwich and Tweeted it. What is wrong with the world that people have got the time to do that? Thank goodness I wasn’t doing anything outrageous.” More’s the pity, say us.

NOT

SO GLAM

New mum Keira Knightley says that becoming a parent has made her appreciate her body much more. The Imitation Game actress gave birth to baby Edie in May and is married to musician James Righton. She says: “As a woman, you hate certain parts of your body. You go through those

periods where you look in the mirror and you think, Oh, if only I had di� er-ent legs or arms or whatever. You go through pregnancy and labour and then feeding the kid and you go, Wow, my body is totally amaz-ing. I’m never going to not like it again, because it did this.” Wise words.

Mum’s the word

Say cheese!

MoleyGossip_Sept6.indd 9 01/09/2015 12:33:55

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in pictures

Quirky: Bride and groom scarecrows at the Chagford Show on Dartmoor

Bounty: Emma Gunn goes foraging at The Eden Project in Cornwall

Acrobatics: The X-treme

Brothers show off their skills

at the Circus of the Streets on

Paignton Green in south Devon

Six pack: There are three pairs of twins now at Bishopsteignton pre-school

WIP_TOP10_SEPT6.indd 10 01/09/2015 14:00:28

10 male celebs who’ve posed naked for charity:

1 Michael Eavis

2 David Haye

3 Louis Smith

4 Dave Navarro

5 Calum Best

6 Gareth Gates

7 Adam Levine

8 Simon Webbe

9 Rylan Clark

10 Gavin Henson

11

Starry skies

10 constellations visible in September skies:

1 Aquila (the eagle)

2 Capricornus (the goat)

3 Delphinus (the dolphin)

4 Cygnus (the swan)

5 Equuleus (the foal)

6 Indus (the Indian)

7 Microscopium (the micro-scope)

8 Pavo (the peacock)

9 Vulpecula (the fox)

10 Sagitta (the arrow)

talking points

Whodunnit?

Baring all

Agatha Christie stories set in Devon or Cornwall:

1 Sleeping Murder2 The Sittaford Mystery3 Evil Under the Sun4 The Big Four5 Peril at End House6 And Then There Were None7 The Blood-Stained Pavement8 The Mysterious A� air at Styles9 The ABC Murders10 Dead Man’s Folly

School: Jack went to Mount’s Bay School in Penzance, then went to Truro College to study Sport Performance and Excellence. “I never thought I’d make it as a professional rugby player,” he says. “All through school I didn’t know what I was going to do.”

Early days: He joined the Exeter Chiefs’ academy system straight from college, and was promoted to the Chiefs’ � rst team midway through the 2012/13 season.

Success: Jack’s � rst full season for Exeter Chiefs is described as “brilliant” by the club. He won the national LV Cup Breakthrough Player of the Year award.

England: England coach Stuart Lancaster is a huge Jack Nowell fan, saying: “He makes very few errors, has a kicking game, an ability to beat defenders and his defence is very, very good. He brings a no-fear mentality.”

Support: Jack Nowell is an ambassador of the Penlee Lifeboat Station in west Cornwall. His dad

Mike says he is glad his son is not following him into the family � shing business: “I’ve seen men lost at sea. It’s not for the faint-hearted”.

Family: Jack’s mum Louisa is responsible for starting him out playing rugby: “I hated it to start with.” Jack says. “I was about six years old when mum � rst took me along to rugby training but I wouldn’t play. I’d cling on her legs and refuse

to go out. There were a lot of tears and tantrums.”

Inspiration: Jack says: “Dad used to bribe me by paying me a quid for every try I scored but he stopped when I scored 12 in one game against Redruth. He said ‘You can play on your own now, son’.”

Siblings: Jack has two younger brothers, Henry and Frankie, who are also talented rugby players.

DID YOU KNOW?

Jack Nowell’s family

have been � shermen in Cornwall for

two centuries, and his dad

Mike is a trawlerman.

This week:

Famous faces with links to the Westcountry

ONE OF US

Jack Nowell, 22, grew up in Newlyn, Cornwall and plays for Exeter Chiefs. He is in England’s Rugby World Cup squad

Jack Nowell

The happy list

10 things to make you smile this week1 Lighting the � re it’s get-

ting chilly out

2 First day at school - proud!

3 The sea’s still warm time to brave it

4 New fashion in shops now

5 Love ya, tomorra Annie at Plymouth’s Theatre Royal

6 Makers Market Penzanceon Saturday

7 Dreams of Manderley Rebecca at Hall for Cornwall

8 Bude Pirate Run next weekend, me hjearties

9 Red hot ripe chillies

10 Bubble baths time for a soak

WIP_TOP10_SEPT6.indd 11 01/09/2015 14:01:05

12

Katy Gooding in her Buidleigh Salterton vintage store

Feature1_Vintage_Sept6.indd 12 01/09/2015 11:52:24

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The vintage

queen

KaTy gooding

aty Gooding is a compulsive treasure hunter and a “vintage snob” (said with a giggle). She loves mid-century modernism, art deco and the colours and patterns of the 60s, but hates shabby chic and retro, or what

she calls “pretend vintage”. The upshot is that her shop, What Katy Did, in east

Devon’s Budleigh Salterton (you can’t miss it – the col-ourful wares of bygone days spill out onto the pavement outside) is quite an experience, with customers “amazed” by what they find inside.

Katy opened her eclectic store three-and-a-half years ago. When I visit I find myself completely distracted by the timewarp that is her shop’s interior. My eyes wander, and I’m gawping over her shoulder instead of at her. She totally understands. “I see people’s faces when they walk in and they’re like, ‘Oh my goodness! I don’t know where to look first!’”

With her keen eye for authenticity and originality, and the confidence to set up shop in a recession while fight-ing the rising tide of internet shopping obsession, Katy’s hard work has begun to pay off. The 41-year-old was one of five finalists in the 2015 UK Vintage Awards for the category of Best Vintage Shop, thanks to stacks of votes from enthusiastic shoppers. What Katy Did was the only shop in the Westcountry to clinch a place in the final.

Katy says she’s shocked at the “incredible” achieve-ment of being in the top five vintage shops in the whole country, even though she knows people love what she’s doing. Indeed, enthusiasts have been known to book visits to east Devon just to see her store. The Brighton and London set keep telling her she’s better than her counterparts in their neck of the woods: “It’s either all

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Tucked away in Budleigh Salterton, Fran McElhone finds a very special

shop, and shopkeeper...

Feature1_Vintage_Sept6.indd 13 11/09/2015 15:58:43

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clothes or too pricey,” she says. “There was this girl from Brighton who came in with her mum,” she tells me. “They were staying in Budleigh for a few days. Her mum ended up going swimming in Topsham while she stayed here for three hours,” Katy says bursting into laughter. “She said, ‘Please open a shop in Brighton!’ – I’m obviously up there with the cool crowd!”

Last November Katy also made it into The Sunday Telegraph’s Top 50 Vintage Boutiques list - a sterling effort for someone who does “zero” marketing and has relied solely on word of mouth to spread her cheer.

When I visit, I spot everything from teapots and picnic hampers to fl ouncy dresses, pointy shoes and Anglepoise lamps. Not to mention Katy’s dog Marvin, who is in most days.

We soon get on to the subject of her favourite items over the years and Katy almost becomes overwhelmed, briefl y putting her face in her hands and glancing around. “There’s just been so much,” she says. “I do get absolutely gutted sometimes when things actually sell and I have to part with them. Like this tea cloth,” she con-tinues prodding at the air in its direction. “I might never see again! And these chairs, they’re so happy!”

Indeed, Katy tells me that an-other favourite item was a pair of 1920s cinema chairs. In the end, she could only bear to sell one of them, and kept the other: “My mum likes sitting on it”.

“There are certain things I’m passionate about,” she concedes. “I have to be careful not to buy just the things I love, but also consider what

customers are after. Sixties fl orals are really back in but that’s OK, as I love all the bright col-ours of the 1960s.

“I have an eclectic mix in my own home as I’m not very good at sticking to one era. If I’m honest though, we’re in 21st century and should be

making our style our own from the past and the present, not just doing what someone decides is on-trend.”

Remarkably, What Katy Did was born out of what could have

been a career disaster, she explains. Four years ago, she hurt her back and couldn’t continue life as a special needs teacher. This health issue coin-cided with her moving in with her partner, who doesn’t share the same enthusiasm for things of old as Katy.

“My partner’s more of a minimalist, so it was a bit of a shock for him moving in with me,” she giggles. “I’ve had to streamline my obsession at home, which is partly why I opened the shop.”

Above all, Katy loves the stories behind the items she sells, almost as much as she loves seeing the look on people’s faces when they fall for something. “There was a woman who came in and spotted an Art Deco photo frame. Believe it or not, the picture in it was of her great aunt who was a photography studio model in Exmouth in the 1930s and 40s.

“What is incredible is that I had bought the frame over 10 years ago back up in Derby, where I used to live. Then the brother of the old lady came in and we put the photo up to their faces to see if there was a likeness!

“Another customer of mine designs fi lm sets for movies including The King’s Speech. He bought a 1940s desk top radio microphone from me. We have fascinating characters here in Bud-leigh - you wouldn’t believe some of the stories I hear.”

‘People are going back to wanting to be individual

again and not having a room full of John Lewis’[ [

Katy’s shop is packed with treasures from the 20th century

People

Feature1_Vintage_Sept6.indd 14 01/09/2015 11:53:19

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A good vintageWestcountry businesses going back to the future

Teas Maid, DevonEmma Elliott of Upton Pyne rents out crockery for parties and weddings Why we love it: Emma has 40 teapots, none of which match

Katy also recently sold a rather jazzy catsuit and 1930s boating jacket to a local resident who was the first ever buyer for Topshop, back when the store first opened in the 1960s. “I have also sold James Bond film posters and Dior dresses to a local lady who was a model in the 1960s. She knew people like Brigitte Bardot and partied with David Bowie,” she reveals.

The shop is arranged into recognisable zones. There’s a gallery, complete with old film post-ers, a kitchen area, a music room, a boudoir and a play room. We’re sat in the lounge on a 1950s G Plan sofa, next to a Fidelity box record player emitting sounds of the 60s.

So why the surge in vintage glee? “People are going back to wanting to be individual again and not having a room full of John Lewis or Ikea, with everyone’s dining room or kitchen looking the same,” muses Katy. “And there’s the nostal-gic part of it. People remember their granny’s larder unit - and are ripping out their fitted kitch-ens for a more individual and adaptable look.”

She adds, “I love vintage because of the good

design, but also its usefulness – look at this larder unit,” she says gesticulating to our left. “You could use that in any room in your house. I have CDs and cookery books in mine.”

There are some things Katy won’t, or can’t, let go however: “I’m just worried I’ll never see any-thing like them again,” she admits. Luckily, she has plenty of gems that she is prepared to part with, to the delight of her many customers.For more details see www.whatkatydid.biz

Mimi’s Vintage Diner, St AustellReclaimed 1949 American diner trailer, parked up and serving food in Cornwall Why we love it: The beautiful diner comes all the way from New Jersey

Social Fabric, TotnesFabulous craft cafe, wool shop and fabric emporium in the town centre Why we love it: Great courses, from crochet to cushion making and more

The Real McCoy, ExeterThe place to go for one-off vintage clothing and repro frocks Why we love it: There’s just so much to choose from, over two floors

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Fiona on one of her many visits to Devon

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Xxxxxx

Full offun

FIONA FULLERTON

[[ello,” says the lady in the brown dressing gown, proffering a hand. “I’m Fionaah.”Gosh. The former Bond girl ap-pears slightly, um, different since

she I saw her on Strictly Come Dancing two years ago. Can a chocolate terry towelling gown really do that? What to say?A door opens and the actual Fiona quietly pads in, bare-footed, but otherwise fully dressed in black, looking slightly quizzical as pal Cherry erupts into gales of laughter. The minx!“Hi, I’m Fiona,” she smiles, looking unmistak-ably Fiona Fullertonish. The actress, 58, and pals Cherry and Geraldine are making a weekend of it with their very good friends the hoteliers Sonia and Brian Meaden, at their Chagford home. They’ve all been fi rm friends since they met when Fiona and Sonia’s daughter Deborah Meaden tripped the light fantastic together on Strictly in 2013.Up close, Fiona looks as familiar as she does on screen, with an attractive softness to her features. She’s wearing Zara - “I’m a high street girl” – and looks amazing, despite cheer-fully confessing to a raging hangover from last night’s revels.

By Catherine Barnes

On one of her regular visits to the Westcountry, the former Bond girl turned property developer Fiona Fullerton, 58,

explains why she is at her happiest, right now

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Interview

“We were playing six degrees of separation last night and I LOVE that game,” she says, cosying into the sofa. “I can get to Bill Clinton in two steps [through London theatre impresario Sally Greene]... so you can get to him in three, because you know me, now! Of course, there’s a second version of the game, too...”Warm and easy in manner, Fiona is a lot of fun. Think the kind of mum you instantly click with at the school gates. Which, in part, is why she gave up fi lm and the West End stage to become a property developer – and parent.A famous face since her childhood, she was just 13 when she landed her fi rst fi lm role in Run Wild, Run Free with Oliver! star Mark Lester. Fiona then became a cinema legend in the 1980s, when she starred alongside Roger Moore as Pola Ivanova in classic Bond movie A View to a Kill. Her stellar acting career was wonderful while it lasted, she says. It came about by accident but ended by design when her daughter Lucy, now 19, was born. “I had no qualms giving acting up,” she says. “The children have never known me as an ac-tress. To her friends, I’m just Lucy’s mum. If people come up to me at the supermarket, she just rolls her eyes.”Having lived in Gloucestershire with second hus-band Neil Shackell since their children James, 27, and Lucy were small, Fiona, now a successful property developer, often spends time in Devon

and Cornwall. “I come here as much as I can and I love it,” she says. “Lucy and I were in Salcombe the other week – and we have also great friends in Topsham. We’re often down this part of the world and are off to Polzeath on Monday.”Fiona always wanted to give the children the kind of home she never had. She’s the daughter of an Army father, who followed the call of duty around the world. “I wanted the children to have

the stability that I never had, the complete an-tithesis of my childhood.”Born in Nigeria, she attended boarding school in England from the age of nine and was already a successful actress when she left at 16. Three years later, she married glamorous actor Simon MacCorkindale but they divorced in 1981.“On July 10 this year, Lucy was exactly the same age as I was when I married,” she says. “I thought

I was so grown-up, but I really wasn’t nearly so worldly-wise as Lucy’s generation.”Lucy’s off to university this autumn and Fiona says she regrets that she herself had no further education, saying: “It makes you feel inferior to everyone else.”Yet she’s never considered taking on a degree, confessing she’s a “terrible” student. Despite that, she had 10 successful years as a national

newspaper property columnist and has written several books, including the touch-ing memoir Dear Fiona: Letters from a Sus-pected Soviet Spy, the true story of her 22 year correspondence with a prisoner who was wrongly convicted of crimes he did not commit. After giving up acting, she began to focus on property, letting out houses she’d bought and done up in London and Oxford. It’s a career that’s also fulfi lled a childhood ambition.“My dad always instilled in me to save for a rainy day and I started investing in prop-

erty back in the seventies – way before Bond. Some actors and actresses are not good at saving, let’s put it that way, but I’m an investor, not a spender,” she says. “If things had been different, I would have been an interior designer – I have a strong creative streak and am far more comfort-able designing than acting.”Now she’s turning her hand to writing fi ction, too and drawing on chilling personal experiences

‘I come here as much as

I can, and I love it. I was in

Salcombe the other week,

now I’m o� to Polzeath’

As a young actress with Peter Sellers

Playing Guinevere opposite Richard Harris

as Arthur

FionaFullerton_Sept6.indd 18 01/09/2015 11:59:17

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With Roger Moore in the Bond film A View to

a Kill

FionaFullerton_Sept6.indd 19 01/09/2015 12:03:45

20

Interview

in what will be her fi rst novel. “It’s a contemporary piece about obsession and loosely autobiographical. It has a very messy ending. Ha ha!”But more seriously, she can’t help but look back on a frightening encounter with a criminal called Rodney Barnes, who came knocking at the door of her former family home in 1996, requesting a photograph.James was at school, but Fiona had baby Lucy in her arms at the time. She po-litely sent Barnes on his way with her agent’s con-tact details. Yet something about him had struck her as odd. Fiona contacted the police, who, after the man’s arrest, revealed he’d been armed and in the midst of a violent rape and robbery rampage. Terrifyingly, she found out that she’d been on a list of celebrities he’d intended to kill.Following his conviction and committal to Rampton high-security psychiatric hospital in 1997, Barnes wrote to Fiona, telling her: “I came to do you that day.” “I’m lucky to be alive,” she

says, still clearly haunted by the experience. “I had Lucy in my arms and he said that’s why he couldn’t attack me – I was holding my baby.”Earlier on in her career, she’d received a death threat while she was playing Cinderella at the London Palladium. “When you’re on stage, you’re out of control, as people know exactly where you are,” she says. “It’s a very uncomfort-

able feeling and another reason I gave up show-business. I’d never wanted to be an actress in the fi rst place – I fell into it as a child. I don’t regret it, though. I’ve had an amaz-

ing career.”As anticipation builds ahead of the release of latest Bond movie, Spectre, Fiona’s excited about her new role - she will be compering the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Music of Bond show at the Royal Albert Hall next month. “The whole iconic imagery surrounding the Bond fi lms seems to have grown up around the internet,” she refl ects. “Back in the 1980s it was already wonderful but now, it’s like being a

‘I’d never wanted to

be an actress in the rst

place – I fell into it’

member of an elite club.” She reveals that her time acting in the fi lm wasn’t glamorous – “that comes when you are promoting it”– but credits her role as Pola Ivanova for her most sparkling appearances in the spotlight to date. Yes, you’ve guessed it, Strictly.“I owe a great deal to Bond,” she says. “Strictly’s probably the most glamorous show I’ve ever done. Each dance each is very intense – you only have three days to learn them – and I’d get very frustrated, but poor Anton du Beke was very pa-tient with me.” So has she kept it up? “No!” she laughs. “Although I’d like to say I do the salsa every week.”Dear Fiona: Letters from a Suspected Soviet Spy is published in hardback by Waterside Press, £19.95

In 2013 Fiona dazzled in Strictly, with partner Anton du Beke

FionaFullerton_Sept6.indd 20 01/09/2015 12:04:12

21

interiors22 fashion 30

explore42 trend32

Untitled-1 21 02/09/2015 10:20:19

22

Interior designer Anna Hart tells Sarah Pitt how she brought the coast into luxury holiday apartments beside the harbour in Mullion Cove

Coastalretreat

Interiors_Sept6.indd 22 01/09/2015 12:06:55

here’s no better spot to watch a storm blow in from the west than beside the little fi shing harbour at Mullion Cove. And when interior

designer Anna Hart was asked to renovate and refurbish four apartments overlooking the pic-turesque harbour on Cornwall’s Lizard peninsu-la, she took inspiration from the stunning view outside the window.

Today, a shoal of silvery fi sh crafted from metal feature on a sitting room wall, a reference to the pilchards once landed in this little harbour. And on the sofa in the same room there are linen cushions featuring, variously, an octopus and a ship under full sail.

“The apartments defi nitely have a nautical feel, I

T

23

Interiors

wanted to embrace that, but in a playful way,” says Anna. “In one of the bedrooms, for example, the wallpaper I’ve used features a technical drawing of ships. So there are lots of references to the location, without going down the obvious route of blue and white stripes everywhere.”

The linen octopus and sailing ship cushions were created by Cream Cornwall, a partnership between design duo Rebecca Heane and Allison Hughes in Falmouth. The iridescent fi sh sculptures – a differ-ent confi guration in each apartment – are the work of a craftswoman Anna tracked down on the craft-ing website Etsy.

The sofas and other upholstery, meanwhile, were made by the company run by Anna and her business partner John Miller, MARK (standing for

Interiors_Sept6.indd 23 01/09/2015 12:07:29

24

Interiors

Made and Realised in Kernow). Anna sourced the blankets in the bedrooms from the Atlantic Blanket Company near Wadebridge. Elsewhere, there are baskets of fl eece blankets to hand, “because it is not always balmy in Britain”, to take to the beach or curl up in while having a barbecue outside overlooking the harbour.

Anna has made every effort to source handcraft-ed elements from craftspeople in Cornwall.

“I didn’t want to go down the route of fi nishing it in too many off-the-shelf products,” she says. “Having little touches like Cornish blankets and locally-made cushions means that everything looks really thought-out. We could have just chucked in some sofas from just anywhere, but that wasn’t the experience the owners wanted for their guests. They wanted to make it feel a lot more special.”

Her biggest challenge was work-ing out how to reconfi gure the three fl oors, already being used as holiday accommodation, to make better use of the space.

“The ground fl oor had a garage and a very strange layout, so that was completely reconfi gured,” says Anna. “All the windows have stayed where they are, but we have put in one porthole window and blocked up a doorway to make better use of the space.”

“We had amazing builders who worked like crazy,” she adds. “They completed the work in eight weeks, which is phenomenally fast. My part of the work only took a couple of months in terms of get-

ting things together and organis-ing them. The biggest challenges were creating a luxurious feel and making the best use of the space.

“The owners are very keen for this to be an all year round let, so we have tried to create pockets

which feel cosy within the open plan aspect.”Within her budget, Anna splashed out on granite

worktops in the kitchens, crafted by local company Duke on the Lizard, which lift the Howdens fi tted units to a new level. “I have spent very wisely on the things that people will notice and enjoy,” she says.

“We were able to go and pick out the granite, which was fantastic.”

Anna has suceeded in creating a spacious feel in the apartments, named after Cornish literary hero-ines, including du Maurier’s Rebecca and Demelza from Poldark.

“I really like the bedrooms, because they feel very light and airy and they feel generous,” she says. “I’d be happy sitting in bed drinking a cup of tea look-ing out of the window. They have a very relaxed vibe about them.” See www.mullion-cove.co.uk or call 01326 240328, and visit www.annahartdesign.co.uk

‘We were able to pick out the Cornish

granite for the worktops, which

was fantastic’ [[Interiors_Sept6.indd 24 01/09/2015 12:08:00

25

Shopping

GET THELOOK

Add luxury coastal touches with nautical art and cool shades

Jonah armchair, £399, www.made.com

Octopus cushion, £60, designed and screenprinted by Cream Cornwall

in Falmouth, www.cushionsbydesign.

co.uk

Colours premium silk emulsion, ciel,

2.5 litres £13.94, B&Q stores and www.diy.

com

Cornish pilchard bowl, £99.95, made

in Launceston by glassmaker

Jo Downs, www.iapetus.co.uk

Ship’s helm mirror, £26.95, www.

melodymaison.co.uk

Colours harbour wallpaper, £10 a

roll, B&Q stores and www.diy.com

Interiors_Sept6.indd 25 01/09/2015 12:08:46

26

ANNE SWITHINBANK

Lastingappeal

Gardens

Devon’s Anne Swithinbank, panellist on Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time, says the time is right to move perennials to ensure they thrive in years to come

ain and moist soil towards the end of August means I’ve already start-ed moving herbaceous perennials around. A large clump of spring fl owering epimedium has been

forked out and divided into small sections ready for planting into a shady border, between camel-lias and contorted hazel. Books tell us to carry this job out in October but if conditions are right, I’ll start with spring fl owering kinds, move on to summer fl owerers like echinacea and astrantia as autumn progresses and leave late bloomers like Michaelmas daisies until spring.

By defi nition, an herbaceous perennial is a non-woody plant which dies down in autumn and grows again the following spring. Good, reliable ones such as heleniums, phlox, inula and mon-arda have the potential to last almost indefi nitely as long as they are well looked after.

In a mixed border, there might be a few small trees or large shrubs set at sensible spacings so they have room to grow. Between them, gaps are fi lled by smaller shrubs and then groups and drifts of herbaceous perenni-als. These are a very moveable feast and do better when lifted, divided and replanted every few years. A recent trend has been to mimic wild communities of perennials and grasses in natu-ralistic or prairie plantings, rich in nectar for insects and low maintenance. Stems are gener-ally left on for winter outlines and everything is cut back in late winter or early spring ready for new growth.

The main hindrance to boun-tiful beds and borders is size. On

moving into a property, you gen-erally fi nd a rectangle of grass with mean strips of border hug-ging walls and fences. Some of ours were barely 60cm/2ft wide which doesn’t leave much room to play. We’ve been gradually

widening them, sometimes by moving paths, or cutting into lawn so that now most are at least 1.5m/5ft wide and in a few parts up to 3m/10ft.

After thinking about aspect and soil type, in order to choose the right plants for sun, shade, well drained or moist soil, the fi rst step is to stock up. This could be expensive, as to fi ll an empty

R

A recent trend has been to mimic wild

perennials in naturalistic

or prairie plantings [[

Gardens_Sept06.indd 26 01/09/2015 12:35:09

I’ve grown some mini corn for the first time. So far, the plants are just tall and haven’t flowered yet. I’m not sure what to expect.

Some growers are rather scathing about mini corn but I rather like it, for texture as much as flavour. The ideal cob size will be about 10cm/4in long and after being cleaned as normal, they can be eaten raw, in stir fries or even pickled. You don’t need to worry about pollination, because we don’t want the grains to swell. In fact the male tassels at the top of the plant can be removed to prevent this. Watch for cobs to form, harvest them while they are still tiny with the silks just showing and aim to get at least three per stem to make the project worthwhile. You can grow these at closer densities than normal, with plants 15cm/6in apart in rows 45cm/18in apart.

27

My rosemary bush is only about five years old and about 1.2m/4ft tall. This summer, half of it has turned yellow, then brown and started to die off but the other half, nearest

the path, seems ok at the moment. What has gone wrong?

Rosemary can be prone to honey fungus. Take a look at the affected trunk or stem base, peeling back the bark to see if there is any white fungal growth there, accompanied by a mushroomy smell. But unless you have had honey fungus on other plants, I doubt this is the culprit. An expert in plant problems I once knew would have called it ‘faulty root action’ which is not as evasive as it sounds. Near the path, there is better drainage and the roots may be healthier. In the border, there could have been waterlogging which killed roots and this can be reflected in different sides of the plant. I would take cuttings of the healthy shoots now. Trim back dead parts and leave the rest until spring, before giving the whole plant a prune into young growths only, not into old stems.

Q

Question time with AnneWest reader queries answered by Anne Swithinbank

Send your questions to Anne at westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

This week’s gardening tipsAnne’s advice for your garden

Q

• Get on with moving herbaceous perennials and clearing and weeding, then digging or mulching veg beds is important especially on heavy clay soils. There may only be a small window of opportunity this month and next before they become wet and unworkable until spring.

• Prune out fruited stems of hybrid blackberries and

tie in the fresh new ones. Parallel wires attached to posts or held away from fence or wall are the usual methods of support.

• Order or buy new herbaceous peonies to plant out next month. Move peonies now if necessary.

• Start a new strawberry bed by planting them 40cm/15in apart in rows 74cm/30in apart. On wet, heavy soils, make generous ridges 8cm/3in high.

Sownew lawns onto weed free, prepared soil. Give poor lawns a rake to remove thatch and moss. Spike to let air into the roots and brush in a top dressing.

Lift potatoes still in the ground, especially if they are likely to be attacked by slugs. Store only the sound ones in a paper sack or cardboard box, cool, dark and safe from rodents.

border so it will look great the following summer would require three-four plants per metre and could run into hundreds of pounds. Most of us, therefore, do it the slow way and buy single speci-mens over the years, to try them out. Successful ones are then propagated by basal cuttings, the shoots that arise in spring, and by lifting and dividing the clumps after they’ve grown large enough. Cheap routes to plants include stalls at fairs and cadging from neighbours.

Now, we have Sedum ‘Matrona’ all the way through one border and our original plant of Salvia nemorosa ‘Caradonna’ will soon be joined by five more struck as cuttings from side shoots. A very good (unnamed) Michaelmas daisy has been spread about for autumn colour and in a moist, shady spot the creamy flowers of actaea now rise from six plants made from the original one. This is, admittedly, slow gardening but it is satisfying to fill spaces with plants raised our-

selves and in the meantime plugged gaps with cheap, seed-raised annuals.

Favourites include pulmonarias for spring, liquorice scented anise (agastache) for summer colour and the amazing Geranium ‘Azure Rush’ whose flowers keep opening for weeks. This sea-son’s winner has been Lysimachia clethroides. The tall spikes of long-lasting, starry white flow-ers often turn up in florists shops but it is equally good in a border from July to September, where spikes tend to arch at about 1m/3ft.

When you decide to deal with a clump of plants, trim it back first, lift it out and then divide by pushing two forks in back to back, to prise the clump apart, or cut through with an old kitchen knife before using your hands to pull sections into manageable pieces. Always condition the soil with well-rotted compost or manure before replanting and afterwards add a few bulbs for spring colour.

Gardens_Sept06.indd 27 01/09/2015 12:35:27

28

Beauty

Tried& tested

We present the beauty treats and cheats of the week, picked by West magazine’s Catherine Barnes, with help from daughter Tilly, 18

Tried

From The Body Shop’s new Secrets of the World range, this African Ximenia and salt body

scrub promises to leave your skin silky smooth, £15 for 350ml, www.

thebodyshop.co.uk

SCRUB UP

ROSY CHEEKS

REVIVE

Keep your complexion rosy with this limited edition Rose Face Mask in

pretty packaging designed by artist Jo Ratcli  e, £46, www.fresh.com

Get glowing with Daily Reviving Concentrate from esteemed brand Kiehl’s of

New York, £36 for 30ml, www.kiehls.co.uk

LAVENDER’S BLUEBATHING BELLE

Go for a squirt of nostalgia with this Yardley’s English lavender Eau de Toilette,

£9.99 for 50ml, www.yardleylondon.co.uk

Add some old-time glamour to bath-time with Penhaligon’s Artemisia bath oil, £39,

www.amara.com

Beauty_Sept06.indd 28 01/09/2015 15:13:35

29

the review

Want a review? Send your request to westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

Going coconutsCoconut has fast become one of the most popular ingredients in beauty, with endorsements from supermodels like Gisele and Miranda Kerr, who swear by their benefits. Lisa Haynes tries and tests some tropical treats

With scents of tuberose and jasmine, this lip gloss comes in fun Kellogg’s

vintage packaging, £4.95 for two pots, www.prezzybox.com

Kiss Kiss

The jet set scent

Great escape

The wonder oil

Exotic factor

Get your exfoliation fix in the shower, with Treaclemoon’s

My Coconut Island Body Scrub, currently reduced to £2.49 from

£2.99 (Tesco.com). It even comes complete with inspirational

message on the bottle for some bathroom escapism.

Cold pressing is the process used to bottle Liha’s Idan Oil, from £16

(lihabeauty.co.uk). Infused with a tuberose flower, this divine smelling coconut oil is a multi-use potion you

can use from top-to-toe.

Transport yourself to the Caribbean and envelop

skin with the warm, sweet smell of Lavera’s Exotic

Dream Body Lotion, £8.45 (naturisimo.com). Boost the feel-good factor by using the

matching Body Wash first, to layer up the coconut and

vanilla scent.

Feel exotic even in mundane places with The Library of Fragrance’s Fresh Coconut, £15 (thelibraryoffragrance.com). This cologne has that just-picked-off-the-beach freshness. Just try not to eat it...

Beauty_Sept06.indd 29 01/09/2015 15:14:01

Tanzi boot£169 Dune

30

ippy chic has gone all grown up in shades of turning-leaf and autumn fruits. Embrace the change and go from beach babe to beech nuts: the summer may

be fading, but fashion’s on fast-forward. Don’t dig out your winter woollies, yet - wear it loose and layered and enjoy the season of September sunshine.

H

Gold and silver sun ray pendants £88 each

www.in-spaces.com

Rochelle Humes off the shoulder top £29 www.very.co.uk

Longline cardi£65 www.elvi.co.uk

Fringed bag£79 East

Autumn Boho

Fashion_Sept06.indd 30 01/09/2015 12:46:48

31

Aztec print waterfall knit

cardigan £16 George at

AsdaOxendales print tunic

£34.99 JD Williams

Arlys maxi £39 by Valley of the Dolls at www.joythestore.com

Silver Karma bangle £65 www.in-spaces.com

Silk blouse £79 and skirt £59 Monsoon

Navajo wrap cardigan £75 and jeggings £35

Long Tall Sally

Shoulder bag £130 Lands’ End

Fashion_Sept06.indd 31 01/09/2015 12:47:17

t’s not a plain black outfi t, can’t you see the bow? I’m basically French!” Convincing my other half that I need more items in inky hues is no mean feat. So I’m revelling in the

latest AW15 trend to take over the high street rails – the pussy bow.

I am not quite eclectic enough to embrace this trend in a geometric pattern or bold shade howev-er, so I have decided that a) I want one in black and b) I’m not leaving Exeter’s Princesshay until I get it. I spent way too much time on the Vogue website over the weekend and I am now channelling eve-rything mademoiselle. Think unrelentingly styl-ish, all in black, partial to Gauloises, sunglasses as staples and a red lip. I want to be this woman. There is also the practical angle that a black blouse won’t show the marks when I drop toothpaste/lunch/makeup on it for the thousandth time. (Something I bet my muse never has to deal with.)

The joy of this season’s pussy bows is that there is nothing prim about them. Pre Guc-ci’s AW15 show, I might have thought them the domain of Miss Moneypenny, worn with a demure pencil skirt and a tight bun. But my studious perusal of Vogue means I know that the pencil skirt is best kept out of sight for now. The overall look is bohemian, devil-may-care and feminine, with a hint of Victoriana. If you must wear a skirt, make it a pleated midi, and trouser favourites in-clude wide leg. Olivia Palmero is a leader in this fi eld - her soft white bow shirt looked outstanding paired with wide camel trousers at a recent fash-ion event.

I can accept that not everyone wants to look French and forbidding every day. If you’re dip-ping your toe into the trend (and you’re not a messy eater) then you can consider white. Look for one with ample ties, these look great just left

to lie loosely down the front. Wear it with light blue jeans, tasselled burgundy boots and a grey chunky longline cardigan for an instant nod to the 70s, which are still having a major moment.

Want something that can take you from the farmers’ market to a ladies’ lunch? Then con-sider adding a cape to the equation. Houndstooth works a treat and the ensemble looks devilishly good with a fedora. There is also the option of buying a pussy bow top in the boldest print you can fi nd. I’m talking bananas and palm trees and maybe even sequins. Wear it with simple black

skinnies and ballet pumps. Donning something that jazzy, that also has a bow, makes you look instantly put together.

“I suppose I could go for something a bit more cheerful,” I say, grabbing the a banana print blouse off a rail. “It’s bold and is sure to get peo-ple’s attention, defi nitely a conversation starter, I’ll wear it to your colleagues’ dinner next week!”

“Just get the black one,” comes the resigned reply. Triomphe!All fashion in these pictures is from Princesshay Shopping Centre, Exeter, www.princesshay.co.uk

32

Trend

Pre Gucci’s AW15 show, I might have

thought them the domain

of Miss Moneypenny

Kathryn Clarke-Mcleod tries out the latest look for autumn

HOW TO WEAR IT:

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Pussy bows

Top, River Island, Princesshay, £32

Jeans, Next, Princesshay, £20

Boots, River Island, Princesshay, £50

Bag, River Island, Princesshay, £45

“

Trend_Sept6_Pussybow.indd 32 02/09/2015 12:01:16

33

GET THE

look

NEW LOOK crepe blouse £17.99

MISS SELFRIDGE cream lace ribbon neck tie dress £45

TOPSHOP shiny shirt £60

NEXT patterned blouse £30

MISS SELFRIDGE black floral blouse £35

NEXT pussy bow blouse £28

Trend_Sept6_Pussybow.indd 33 02/09/2015 12:14:03

34

+

£28 Dorothy Perkins

£24.99 Ravel

£49 M&Co

£19.99 New Look

£28 Primark

The editYour straight line to style: This week, new season autumnal out ts, all in faux fabrics

£59 Dorothy Perkins

+

£15 Dune

+ + +

+

£38 JD williams

Fashion

£18 BHS

GRID_STARS_Sept06.indd 34 01/09/2015 16:38:47

3535

Stars

Your starsby Cassandra Nye

LIBRA (September 24 - October 23)Brimming with ideas and confi dence? That certainly seems like you this week,

Libra. Someone who inspires and makes you see the lighter side of life is a tonic. Now that a big negative infl uence has gone, life takes on a brighter hue. Be prepared to have some fun and leap out of that social rut.

SCORPIO (October 24 - November 22)No one can break your heart if you do not give it, but you could break your

own by not accepting the love offered. Time to be honest with yourself, Scorpio. The future can be so different from the past. Brief sparks in time can be captured if you are quick enough.

SAGITTARIUS (November 23 - December 21)You may hop from foot to foot and become frustrated with others. It won’t

help. What will help is telling them the right way to go about things. Will they listen? Most likely. The chances are they are as con-fused as you are by the situation.

CAPRICORN (December 22 - January 20)Brace yourself for a confession. This may not be eagerly awaited, but could

be very amusing. However, choose your response very carefully. Much may depend on your words being the right ones. Love can be a minefi eld at times, can’t it?

AQUARIUS (January 21 - February 19)The promise of a treat has you licking your lips. You are so good at being good,

Aquarius, but don’t deny yourself a little fun. Children have the right idea. Your bright and charming character needs to shine through a bit more.

PISCES (February 20 - March 20)You have a sneaking suspicion that someone is not telling you everything.

They are, but the feeling can persist. Rather than ask if someone else is being honest, fi rst ask if you are being honest with yourself. Who knows, the answer could clear your head.

ARIES (March 21 - April 20)A romantic meeting midweek can mean a fresh start. A New Moon at the week-

end appears to confi rm this exciting meeting of minds. You are inspired to make some changes to your appearance, perhaps adding more colour and glamour. Although work may be taking a back seat, the chance to add to your knowledge comes along. Changes to your lifestyle and diet will boost energy levels.

TAURUS (April 21 - May 21)A meeting early in the week confi rms something you have known for a long

time. Will you make the changes that are necessary? Be brave. As long as you are practi-cal in your approach, expect success. Someone you admire may seem unresponsive at the

moment. It is all a matter of timing. Right now they have something pressing on their mind.

GEMINI (May 22 - June 21)Love and luck seem to be coming your way this week. Indeed, the New Moon at

the weekend seems especially good for you. In the meantime, aim to be at your best. Certainly don’t let standards slip midweek, when there is an important meeting. There is inspiration around every corner although it seems that someone is being inspired by your recent activities.

CANCER (June 22 - July 22)There is sometimes a long road be-tween meeting someone and getting to

really know them. With one particular relationship you have only just begun this journey. What is at the end of the road for this liaison? Do your best and, if that does not seem enough, this person is not for you.

LEO (July 23 - August 23)Some realities can throw our lives into disarray. A current recurring dream

is firing your imagination in strange ways. Is a revised version possible? You are writing your own life story, Leo. Bar someone leaping in and tearing up the pages, it should go smoothly. You are on the way to getting that rise or promotion you want. What will bring you the most success, do you think? Knowledge or charm?

Pippa Middleton

This week’s sign: Happy birthday to...To the world, Virgos present a calm and collected exterior but on the inside they are always trying to improve everything, analysing and thinking. Virgos can tire themselves out without even moving! Virgos have a constant drive to improve and perfect, this can lead to extreme pickiness and � nickiness. But they are pure, their motives are honest, never mali-cious and they want to accomplish great things.

born September 6 1983The nation’s most famous maid of honour was in our part of the world just weeks ago at a soci-ety wedding in Thurlestone. Sporty Pippa’s an ambassador for a number of charities, includ-ing the British Heart Foundation, and took part in its fund-raising 54-mile London to Brighton bike ride in June. She’s dating stockbroker Nico Jackson but, despite speculation over a possible engagement, there’s no ring yet. Virgos celebrating on September 6 are said to have a love-hate relationship with routine, so perhaps Pippa was born to live a jet-set lifestyle.

VIRGO (August 24 - September 23)A crazy kind of romanticism grips you

this week. Your gestures can be bold and even overpowering. What has brought about this sudden rush to the head? An inspir-ing event or person is certainly to blame. The question is, have they done you a favour? Take the chance at the weekend to be with someone special.

GRID_STARS_Sept06.indd 35 01/09/2015 16:39:04

36

Wellbeing

the boost

Life just got better. We’ve handpicked the latest wellness trends,

best-body secrets and expert advice to help you be your

best self, everyday

TAKING IT

steady

Get ready to Glow in the Park at Boconnoc Country Estate near Lostwithiel on October 17. The 5k night time fun run is open to anyone over the age of eight, and you can walk,

dance or run your way through its Glow zones wearing high-viz clothing, head torches, glow sticks and anything

else that shows up in the dark. The course has guide lighting and marshals to help you steer the right course. It will raise money for charities - Marie Curie and Unseen. Entry from

£18.50, see www.glowinthepark.co.uk

‘Saving up’ your daily alcohol intake for a night out could pose a big risk, and health

chiefs are concerned that many of us are doing just this. They recommend the equivalent of a 175ml glass of wine in a 24

hour period limit – any more poses the risk of problems including cancer, heart

disease and reduced fertility. Emily Robinson, deputy chief executive

of Alcohol Concern says: “People o� en see the guidelines as an allowance as to what they can drink in a week. But the point is, it doesn’t take much alcohol all at once to

lead to a risk of developing health prob-lems.”

New research suggests that some types of arti cial lighting could

have an impact on our health, causing headaches and eyestrain. The Building Research Establish-ment (BRE) Trust says poor light-ing can also disrupt the circadian rhythm, upsetting body functions

such as alertness, co-ordination, blood pressure, and cardiovascu-

lar e� ciency. As the days get shorter, BRE is urging employers to consider

more natural forms of lighting in the workplace.

GIRL

are ripe now and boast an impressive nutritional pro� le, including vitamins A, B1, B2 calcium

and iron

Figs

YOU GLOW

LIGHT UP

Wellbeing_Sept6.indd 36 01/09/2015 16:35:45

37

What’s coming up? Tweet us your wellbeing diary dates @WMNWest or email westmag@westernmorningnews.co.uk

NOT ALL FATTY ACIDS are the same. Omega 3, found in � sh oil, can reduce in� ammation. But Omega 6, found in vegetable oils, may actually increase it and cause skin conditions such as psoriasis to � are up. To help keep the symptoms under control,

nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville advises replacing vegetable oil-based spreads with alternatives such as olive oil, coconut oil, butter or ghee. You should also aim to eat oily � sh such as

sardines, salmon or mackerel at least three times a week, or try an Omega-3 � sh oil supplement such as Natural Health Practice

Omega 3 Support in your diet.Ever get that sinking feel-ing when someone starts a

sni� e? According to Potter’s Herbal, 34% of us think suf-

fers should carry on at work regardless but more than half reckon that the best place for a head cold is at home. While some sympathetic souls say this will help colleagues get

better soon, more of us say it’s to avoid being infected. What

do you think?

Atchoo!

IGGY: ‘YES, I’VE

HAD SURGERY’It’s rare for a celebrity to owe their perfect looks

to anything but nature, but singer Iggy Azalea has busted the taboo. Opening up about having

a nose job, she says people should never be “ashamed” of using plastic surgery if that’s what

they want to do. According to whatclinic.com, breast implants, liposuction and nose jobs are

currently the most popular surgical procedures in the UK. Iggy, who’s also had her breasts

enhanced, says: “I don’t think you should be ashamed if you made a change to yourself,

which is why I’ve spoken about the changes I’ve made.”

Wellbeing_Sept6.indd 37 01/09/2015 16:36:08

Wellbeing

I’ve made a real effort to stick to the kind of diet that helped me shed

pounds in my 20s. I’m being so good! So why haven’t I lost any weight? I’m 45 - is it an age thing?

HG, Falmouth

Weight loss expert Dr Sally Norton says: For the vast majority of us, losing weight is a real uphill battle. While there’s no one-size-fits-all answer, there are a number of reasons why your weight loss attempts may not be working. Firstly, you may not be getting enough sleep. Sleep can have a bigger effect on your weight than you might think. Studies suggest that when we have a bad night’s sleep it decreases the body’s hormone that regulates appetite – leaving our hunger levels at an all-time high. Then we reach for high-calorie/high-fat foods, in an attempt to boost our dwindled energy levels. Make a good night’s sleep a priority and your weight loss could be boosted as a result. Remember, we naturally lose muscle mass as we get older. Combine this with a naturally slowing metabolism, and it makes it much harder for us to lose weight. Increasing our protein intake and amount of exercise we do could help us to drop the pounds.

Q

While we think of protein as something that will bulk us up, research shows that increasing our intake, plus exercise, can help tone our muscles,

leading to a more svelte frame.We usually want results fast, so often try a quick fix diet in the hopes of losing weight as quickly as possible. But we only end up failing at the diet and putting back all (if not more) of the weight we lost. Sounds familiar? It’s a vicious cycle and only leads to you feeling depressed and dis-appointed every time you fail. But it’s not your fault. Real, long-lasting weight loss doesn’t happen overnight and instead, it takes time, hard work and a change in your habits and mentality. So, remember, it’s a

marathon, not a sprint. And relax – we reach for fatty and sugary foods when we are under stress because they trigger those pleasure zones in the

38

brain and make us feel better. What’s more, cor-tisol (one of our “stress hormones”) encourages weight gain around our waist, which is very bad for our health. Often in mid-life, we’re under more and more stress, struggling to meet deadlines, juggling roles and working longer and longer hours. Try to manage your stress to keep you feeling in control – and less likely to binge on junk foods that will only leave you feeling worse in the long-runFinally, stop thinking about WHAT you eat and in-stead consider when, where and why you do it. Do you tend to eat well at home, then raid the vending machine at work? Or perhaps you reach for a mid-afternoon sugary treat to give you an energy boost, or comfort-eat when you’re stressed? Figur-ing out where your problem lies, means you can start working on these issue to create a change in your eating habits, with long-term results.

Dr Sally Norton is an NHS Weight Loss Surgeon and the founder of www.vavista.com – lose weight, live life, diet free!

Mid life midriffs

Stress hormones encourage

weight gain around our

waist, which is very bad for our

health [[Help! How can I stay trim and keep the pounds off as the years advance?

Wellbeing_Ally_Sept06.indd 38 01/09/2015 15:03:49

39

Eat

Method:

Natural food expert Ally Mac lives and cooks in South Devon. Ally specialises in devising good-for-you recipes that are easy to prepare at home. She also sells several of her own delicious healthy products online at www.allyskitchenstories.co.uk

Blend the cashews, almonds, dates, coconut oil, salt and vanilla into a sticky paste in your blender.

Add oats and pulse the mixture slightly, so that you keep the texture of the oats but the mixture is amalgamated enough to form a thick cookie base.

Roll the mixture into little balls and press a thumbprint into the middle of each cookie (a little dent so you can add your scrummy jam).

Cool the cookies for a couple of hours in the fridge.

You will need: For the cookies:2/3 cup organic cashews 1/4 cup almonds3/4 cup gluten free raw oats a handful of medjool dates2 tbsp coconut oila pinch of Himalayan salt1/2 tsp vanilla pod For the jam:1/2 cup of berries (I used blueberries and rasp-berries)1 tbsp chia seeds3 medjool dates, chopped1-3 tbsp water (I used three, you can also use co-conut water instead)

ally mac’s

@AKitchenStories@allyskitchenstories

Raw oat and cashew thumbprint cookies with a chia-berry jamAlly says: This recipe will blow your mind and your mouth will be crying out for more! It is just yummy and, what is more, it is 100% raw, so super easy to make!

Meanwhile time to make your jam! Mix your berries, water and dates in your blender to form a nice jammy paste. Then stir in the chia seeds and refrigerate for an hour.

You’re nearly there. Take your golden goodies out the fridge and spoon in your chia jam onto each thumbprint cookie.

That’s it! Now take a mouthful of heavenly cookie with your fresher-than-fresh berry nice jam.

Wellbeing_Ally_Sept06.indd 39 01/09/2015 15:04:11

40

Eat

Tim Maddams is a Devon chef and writer who o� en appears on the River Cottage TV series

s a seasonal eater, I tend to get a little overexcited by things that most people consider mundane. One of my favourites is the aubergine. I know, I know, everyone

has had a God-awful experience with the black beauties. Undercooked, unsalted and in the wrong hands they are frankly revolting. But handled in the right way, they can be out of this world. First, select your fruits with care. Look for out-of-the-ordinary examples, rounder than the traditional elongated teardrop, with dark, deep purple and smooth (but not necessarily unblemished) skin which are fi rm, not spongy and a little heavier than you might expect. Once you’ve selected a decent aub, you need to fi gure out how to extract its earthy sweet tomato-pumpkin fl avour without ending up with a mouthful of

cotton wool and a gutful of disappointment. You need plenty of good oil – I like to use a good

virgin (not extra virgin) olive oil. Secondly, your aubergine will need salting, however you intend to cook them. The thicker you slice aubergines,

the more salt and more time this stage needs, but the golden rule is to wait until moisture gathers on each slice then drain them off and get cooking.

Imam Bajaldi is a traditional Middle Eastern favourite of mine. This involves cooking chunks of aubergine in lots of oil until they are brown and soft, dressing them in a richly spiced tomato ragu topped with raisins and dates, served them with wholemeal couscous and a little fresh mint and garlic yoghurt. Or you could fry slices of aubergine until they

are soft and brown and then layer them with with cheese, tomatoes and herbs like a lasagne al forno and cook in the oven in the same way.

AAubergine pureeCut in half lengthwise and salt your aubergines, brush skins with oil, and place a coating of oil in the bottom of a tray with coriander seeds, cumin, garlic and a whole chilli. Roast the aubergines cut side down for about 15 mins. Turn the oven off, cover with foil and leave in the oven for 15 mins. Scoop out the fl esh and blend with olive oil, lemon juice and smoked paprika.

@TimGreenSauce

Ingredient of the Week

Auberginewith Tim Maddams

You need to work out how to extract the earthy sweet

� avour without ending up with

cottonwool [[TIM_BEER_Sept06.indd 40 01/09/2015 15:06:19

Drink

Healey’s Cyder, which has just launched a new brand, Cornish Cloudy Farmhouse Cider for M&S, is staging its Little Cyder and Music Festival next weekend, September 11-13, at its Penhallow farm home near Newquay. As well as the cider, there’s live music to suit all tastes. Find out more at cornwallciderfestival.co.uk

Back from the deadA barley variety from Victorian times, Chevallier, has been resurrected by maltsters Crisp Malting. Crisp’s own maltster and master brewer (the former Sharp’s head brewer Carl Heron) has used the variety to create a new beer, Govinda, with the Cheshire Brewhouse. More Chevallier, which is incredibly disease resistant, is now due to be sown.

IN CYDER INFORMATION

41

Darren Norburytalks beer

ou’ve got to have a dream, if you don’t have a dream, how you gonna have a dream come true? For St Ives’ Marco Amura the answer lies next to the North Atlantic rather

than the South Pacifi c and it’s an ambitious dream. But next year his St Ives Brewery, currently a cuckoo or gypsy (homeless) brewery will fi nally have its own base.As I write, Marco is recovering

from his second Summer Beer and Cider Festival, staged in the St Ives Guildhall. The event was packed for three days with drinkers sampling 60 or so beers, mostly from the Westcountry, as well as several ciders, including local tipples from David Berwick’s St Ives Cider.Marco told me: “The festival was a bigger

success than we could have dreamed. Over 2,000 people came through the door over three days. The beer fl owed fantastically with almost 30 selling out completely by the close on Sunday. We had to re-stock cider twice just to

keep just to keep up with the demand.”I was fascinated that there didn’t seem to be

much crossover in terms of audience with the Cornwall CAMRA beer festival held in the same venue at the start of summer. It seems the beer audience is widening in west Cornwall, although

there were, undoubtedly, quite a few holidaymakers too.Standout beers included

American Pale Ale, from Dark Star Brewery in Sussex, smooth as an APA should be with lovely fruity hops, and Exmoor Brewery’s Fox, a 4.5% malt-driven bitter with spicy and citrusy hop notes. A festival debut, too, for Penzance Brewing Co’s smooth, malty, chocolatey Liberty. By the time of next year’s

festival, Marco’s new brewery in St Ives will be open, housing

a ten-barrel brewplant with spectacular views over the port. It will be good to see the St Ives beers fi nally come home.

Darren Norbury is editor of beertoday.co.uk @beertoday

Y

I’ve always been a fan of Harbour Brewing Co’s IPA but

at 5% ABV you can’t really treat it as a session beer (despite

what other drinkers tell me). Far better for my middle-aged

alcohol tolerance is their Session IPA, coming in at 4.3%,

which was an unannounced guest at the St Ives Festival. Big,

big hop aromas of grapefruit and tropical fruit, although the palate was more subdued and

balanced than I’d expected. Perhaps a bit more bittering hop next time? Ideal for late summer sessioning, though.

Beer of the week

‘The festival was a bigger success

than we could have dreamed...

2,000 people came over three

days’ [[TIM_BEER_Sept06.indd 41 01/09/2015 12:22:20

42

Enjoy

teeped in history and with stunning countryside, this wild granite landscape is great for walking and riding, but also home to some terrifi c pubs and places to stay.

Stay: Hengar Manor has a host of holiday lodges and caravans to book in its grounds as well as apartments in the old house itself and in its old converted coachhouses. A weekend apartment stay in its garden view Butler’s Quarters currently costs £379. Or book a room at the beautiful 15th century St Benet’s Abbey, now a family-run guesthouse, with double rooms from £76 (October to May).

Eat: Pop into the centre of Bodmin to Bosvena, open from 9am to 9pm for breakfast, lunch and dinner six days a week (closed Sundays). There’s

Sa downstairs café and courtyard for lighter bites and a restaurant upstairs, with a private dining area on the second fl oor. Try vegetarian eggs Benedict with portobello mushrooms (£6) for brunch or Cornish monkfi sh wrapped in pancetta with saffron mash (£18) as a main, www.bosvena.com.

Just visiting: Get into Poldark mode with a visit to the fascinating (and slightly spine-chilling) Bodmin Jail, open 364 days a year. Discover how life behind bars was for prisoners centuries ago, and their grisly fates. Surprisingly, the jail’s also a hit with couples seeking an alternative wedding venue. And if you’re brave enough to spend the night here, the jail holds regular ghost-hunting events led by psychic medium Mark Rablin which go from late evening until 7am and conclude with a cooked breakfast (the jail has its own restaurant

Visit Bodmin Jail, above and below

A WEEKEND 0N...

Bodmin Moor

Lanhydrock

A Weekend In Sep06.indd 42 01/09/2015 12:44:18

43

and boasts the Witness Box Wine Bar). The next ghost walk (£75 per person, book in advance) takes place on September 26. Family day tickets to the museum cost £34 for four, www.bodminjail.org.

Do: Visit Bodmin Nursery if you’re a plant lover, or know someone who is. Besides an amazing selection of garden perennials, it’s the place to stock up your herb beds. There are more than 200 kinds of interesting medicinal and culinary herbs, including unusual types of mints, parsleys, thymes and rosemary. Pick out some tasty salad plants too and don’t miss its farmers’ market on the third Saturday of every month.

Go for it: Stately Lanhydrock is packed with history and this is a great time of year to enjoy its grounds and gardens. The National Trust has how-to workshops led by its gardening team on the events calendar this month, with places costing just £5 each. Or hire a bike and explore its cycling trails, suitable for all levels of energy and profi ciency. You can also get your Saturday off to a healthy start here, with a run - www.parkrun.org.uk. It’s free to sign up and join others for an at-your-own pace 5k. Many runners head for a tasty treat at the Park Café afterwards.

See: The Smugglers Museum is to be found at at Jamaica Inn, the tavern on Bodmin Moor that inspired Daphne du Maurier’s famous novel. A family ticket costs just £9.95. The inn’s dining room offers food until 9pm, including cream teas from 11am to 5pm. If you’d like to stay, book a double room with breakfast for £89. Or if you’d prefer to be up all night, explore ‘never open to the public’ areas on weekend ghost hunts taking place later this month and at Halloween. Visit www.jamaicainn.co.uk for more details.

Wow factor: Father and son metalsmiths Gary and Thomas Thrussell create stunning sculptures on their farm at St Neot on the moor. Their giant iron insects have been on display at the Eden Project this year and as well as undertaking commissions the pair also hold workshops for groups and members of the public by prior arrangement, www.thrussellandthrussell.com

The Cheesewring on Bodmin Moor

Go for it:history and this is a great time of year to enjoy its grounds and gardens. The National Trust has how-to workshops led by its gardening team on the events calendar this month, with places costing just £5 each. Or hire a bike and explore its cycling trails, suitable for all levels of energy and profi ciency. You can also get your Saturday off to a healthy start here, with a run - www.parkrun.org.uk. It’s free to sign up and join others for an at-your-own pace 5k. Many runners head for a tasty treat at the Park Café afterwards.

See:at Jamaica Inn, the tavern on Bodmin Moor that inspired Daphne du Maurier’s famous novel. A family ticket costs just £9.95. The inn’s dining

Spider sculptures created at St Neot

Jamaica Inn

A Weekend In Sep06.indd 43 01/09/2015 12:44:37

44

My favourite...

Walk: I love the circular woodland walk around Fingle Glen along the River Teign by Castle Drogo. My family and I often take my friend’s dog Lucky, a very energetic collie who loves the exercise and water. It’s perfect for paddling in the river on a hot summer day, but on a bitterly cold winter day, the walk does me good and there’s a pub at the end for a portion of chips or a hot drink.

Venue: Escot House at Ottery St Mary hosts so many events. I particularly love the Beauti-ful Days festival held in August. It’s somewhere I went a lot growing up, as it’s really good fun for children.

Food: I enjoy sushi and my favourite is prawn nigari. My brother Sam (18) and I often try and make it. Despite tasting delicious, we haven’t yet mastered the technique to make ours look as presentable as the professional ones!

Kitchen cupboard essential: Golden syrup or a good chocolate as I like making and eating desserts. Golden syrup’s key to a classic delicious sticky toffee pudding. No matter how many times I cook it, my family never becomes sick of it!

Melissa Johnson Melissa Johnson is the current Junior South West Chef of the Year. This year’s competition – co-founded by celebrity chef Michael Caines – is hotting up to � nd her successor. Melissa, aged 16, lives in the east Devon village of West Hill and goes to The King’s School in Ottery St Mary. She works part-time cooking at the Salty Monk, Sidford

My Secret Westcountry

Budleigh Salterton

MSW_Sept06.indd 44 01/09/2015 12:36:57

45

People

Activity: I run a lot. During my GCSEs it was an amazing stress reliever and I’d go on a run before every one of my exams to get my mind cleared and focused. Now that exams are over I jog three or four times a week. I want to become healthy and fi t enough to do a charity run in the future.

Restaurant: The Salty Monk in Sidford. I’ve been working there about a year now and I love it. The owners Andy and Annette Witheridge have been so supportive, allowing me to create my own dishes and serve them on development Mondays. They also give up their time to help the catering department at my school, also al-lowing the pupils to run an annual dinner from the restaurant which has so far raised £10,000 for local charities. I did work experience there in Year 10 which led on to them offering me a job. They’ve taught me so much about the catering industry.

Cafe: The Rusty Pig in Ottery St Mary. They do a wonderful breakfast and use really good local produce, such as the pancetta that I used in my

winning competition dish for Junior Chef of the Year. I cooked poached chicken breast with chicken leg tortellini, served with an onion puree, a creamy white wine sauce, spinach and mushrooms.

Lazy Sunday: During the summer after work, my family and I will often go for a barbecue on Budleigh Salterton beach. My grandad and I share the cooking duty. We cook burgers, sausages, chicken, ribs (Darts Farm in Topsham do a selection pack of these meats for only £10) and halloumi.

Grocery store: Greendale Farm Shop near Farringdon which sells local fresh produce. At home, my mum cooks dinner most nights and I learnt from just watching her in the kitchen. We buy what looks good and of value, then any recipes we have will be based around what’s in the fridge.

Gi� shop: Darts Farm sells all kinds of things such as cakes, toys for all ages and unusual gifts that you wouldn’t normally fi nd on the high street.

Treat: I have a trip planned to New York with my auntie and mum later in the year. It is a group birthday celebration and we plan to do a lot of shopping while we are out there as well as hopefully fi nd some new recipes and ideas from some of the restaurants we visit. We’re all very excited!

The Junior South West Chef of the Year competition will culminate in a cook-o� between � nalists at Ashburton Cookery School on October 10

Beautiful Days

Castle Drogo

Greendale Farm Shop

The River Teign

MSW_Sept06.indd 45 01/09/2015 12:37:20

46

NEW IN TOWN

Local life

My life

should have seen it coming. “I’ll tell you what!” said my

friend, Westcountry born and bred. “You buy the next round and I’ll throw you a party.”

He had my attention. “A party?”“To celebrate you offi cially becoming a

local.”It seemed like a good

deal. The cost of a couple of pints was a small price to pay against the expense of a party.

“OK, when are we having this party?” I asked, on re-turning from the bar.

“February…” he replied. “2110.”

I regard myself as an opti-mist, but even I could see that living into my 130s seemed unlikely.

“Wait a minute, I’ll be 131.”“Exactly.”Then I realised, in his

totally unsubtle way, that my friend was letting me know I’d never be considered a local. It was a crushing blow.

For a few minutes I drank in silence, taking it all in. It looked like I would have to add ‘being a local’ to the (ever-growing) list of

things I’ve grudgingly accepted I’ll never do. Yet I was determined not to be beaten.

“Is there really nothing I can do?”He shook his head. “So I’ll always be a grockle, then?”“Oh you’re not a grockle. They leave.”With this clarifi cation my determination with-

ered. That was that. Yet, at fi rst, I found being a perpetually non-

local person permanently resid-ing in the locality a diffi cult role to master – let alone pronounce. It was like being a nomad, but one who only wandered as far as the kitchen and back. When asked if I was local by tourists in search of directions, I was never sure how to answer. Usually I’d try something along the lines of: “That’s an interesting philo-sophical and anthropological question…”

This usually resulted in tour-ists looking bemused, then wor-ried. After that they’d walk away (quickly). You see, I was terrifi ed of replying “Yes” to the local

question, in case the person asking wasn’t a tourist at all. What if they were a real bona fi de local, secretly testing me on my response?

“Oh no you’re not,” they might cry. “You only moved to the Westcountry last year!”

This, I imagined, would have led to me being put into the stocks for misrepresentation of my ‘local’ status – a bit like impersonating a policeman but far more serious.

I continued in this state for some time, until I chatted to another non-local resident of the locality. He had the perfect solution to my quandary.

“I tell people that I’m local-ish!”It was the perfect solution. I don’t know why

I hadn’t thought of it before! Soon I was meet-ing scores of other local-ish people. In fact, it seemed to me that there were more local-ish types than actual locals. I can’t describe how much more relaxed describing myself as local-ish made me. I began to spend time at the seafront, wearing my best local-ish expression and hoping tourists would stop and ask for directions.

It has worked so well that I have taken the ‘ish’ suffi x to other elements of my life. I can tell you that I now describe myself as slim-ish, fi nancially solvent-ish and keen-ish on health-foods. But I plan soon to drop the ‘ish’ element when talking about health-foods, as part of my new healthy lifestyle. You see, there are only 95 years until I’m offi cially considered to be a local and I’m determined for my friend to cough up for the party he promised.

Chris McGuire is a writer who lives in Devon with his partner. Phil Goodwin is away.

I

Chris McGuire’s on a quest to become a proper Westcountry boy

‘So I’ll always be a grockle, then?’

He shook his head.

‘Oh, you’re not a grockle. They

leave.’ [[ChrisM_Sept6.indd 46 01/09/2015 14:09:11

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