2022 Vale Life Autumn

Aberdare: Windsors Jewellers, Abergavenny: Nicholls, Aberystwyth: Jewellery House, Ammanford: 925 Treats, Blackwood: Kismet, Brecon: Nicholls, Bridgend: Lizzi Gifts, Brynmawr: D Howells, Cardiff: Christopher George, Carmarthen: 925 Treats, Cardigan: Trizaro, Cwmbran: Jeffries, Haverfordwest: The Silver Lily, Merthyr Tydfil: Bumble Tree, Neath: Baroc, Newport: Jeffries, Pontypridd: Kookoo Madame, Porthcawl: Maple, Port Talbot: Selections, Saundersfoot: The Silver Lily, Swansea: Tyler Jenkins, Talbot Green: Kookoo Madame, Tredegar: Gemtime, Welshpool: The Celtic Company, Ystradgynlais: Kindle House, Ystrad Mynach: Andrew Berry.

Editor Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk

Creative Director Mark Roberts mark@goodlifepublishing.co.uk

Editorial editorial@goodlifepublishing.co.uk www.valelife.co.uk 0845 130 6452

Cardiff House, Cardiff Road, Barry CF63 2AW

Passionate about The Vale of Glamorgan We are a small independent publisher. We are not a large publishing group pretending to be home grown. Vale Life magazine is written, designed and produced in the Vale of Glamorgan for the people of the Vale of Glamorgan.

Our philosophy

We are committed to quality. This quote by William Foster pretty much sums up our thinking: “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives.”

Caveat emptor

Advertisers supply their own copy or artwork, and therefore Vale Life cannot accept any responsibility for disputes between advertisers and their customers. Caveat emptor - let the buyer beware.

Important you read this

We have made every effort to ensure that all information contained in Vale Life or on www.valelife.co.uk (or our social media streams) is correct and accurate. However, we accept no responsibility for any errors or omissions and can offer no compensation should we get it wrong. Please note that the opinions, thoughts, views or ideas expressed in articles contained in Vale Life are strictly those of the authors.

Intellectual property

© Copyright Vale Life 2022. All rights reserved. Nothing in this magazine (including adverts) may be reproduced in any shape or form (in whole or part) without the express written permission of the publishers. We take breach of copyright and theft of intellectual property extremely seriously and will sue at the drop of a croissant. You have been warned (nicely); ignorance is no excuse.

Subscriptions

Apologies, we are not accepting subscriptions at present. However, you can reserve a copy with some of our outlets across the Vale or read articles on www.valelife.co.uk

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Yes it’s free. Priceless actually!

Vale Life is distributed free through a wide variety of outlets across Vale of Glamorgan and beyond and is given away free of charge on the understanding that we are happy for it to be lent, passed on, given to friends and generally read until it falls apart. At which point, you can recycle it and we’d be delighted if you did.

Green is good

The pulp used in the production of the paper Vale Life is printed on is sourced from sustainably managed Scandinavian tree farms and utilises an elementary chlorine-free bleaching process.

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One thing’s for sure, the Vale is full of amazing people. Marina Storina is a perfect example.

She owns her own business, treating people all across the Vale and beyond with hearing difficulties, plus she has just written a book documenting her life in Russia and her time living in the Vale of Glamorgan. You can read all about Marina on pages 8 to 11. We also love her gorgeous girly-girl Pom, Coco!

On a personal note, we celebrated our 25th Wedding Anniversary recently so we took some time out to take a few little trips, one to London, and one to Cornwall. Time is precious but a 25th is a biggie so we thought we’d have a little splurge! You can read all about these in our travel section.

We’ve all been through such difficult times (and we’re likely to go through more) with a war, food price hikes, mortgage and utilities rates. So now, more than ever, we need to support our home-grown tourism, hospitality and independent businesses as much as we can.

We, as a nation, will do what we always do. We’ll have a ‘stiff upper lip’, keep calm and carry on. Like her late Majesty said in her Covid speech “We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again.”

Travel Life

If you love to travel like us, you might like to visit our Travel Life Magazine website. The website’s address is TravelLifeMag.co.uk and it’s becoming quite popular. You’ll be able to read about a few of our recent excursions on pages 100 to 111. #HappyTravels

With Christmas and New Year just around the corner, that sentiment seems more appropriate than ever.

Until we meet again.

Jennifer Hobbs-Roberts Editor 07766 106 701

jennifer@goodlifepublishing.co.uk uk.linkedin.com/in/jenniferhobbsroberts

Our cover stars!

Two gorgeous ladies grace our cover this issue. Author and audiologist Marina Storina from Barry and her beautiful Pom, Coco. You can read all about them on pages 8 to 11.

Autumn, my favourite season, returns again, but winter, as they say, is coming and who knows what that’s going to bring.

Autumn in The Vale

Autumn is a beautiful season in The Vale Of Glamorgan. The countryside is a myriad of reds, golds, and crimson leaves (plus a few brown ones), and our Heritage Coast comes alive this time of the year, especially at sunrise and sunset as the golden hours’ light hits the cliff faces.

If you don’t walk much, perhaps this is the time to get out there and explore the Vale. It really is a beautiful county. Yes, we’re biased, but in a recent survey The Vale of Glamorgan came top in Wales for ‘happiness’ – so there must be something magical about this part of the principality.

A ROUND T HE VALE

Danzii Jewellery

Born from a love of jewellery, Danzii has been created by Danielle, a young Welsh jewellery designer based in Barry. The brand is focused on creating beautiful jewellery that has been inspired by Danielle’s love of nature and all things spiritual.

Each piece is lovingly handmade using only the finest quality 925 Sterling silver and genuine, ethically sourced gemstones.

The whole collection has been designed to be layered, stacked, mixed and matched; so that you can create your own unique style and capture personal meaning through the charm and gemstone combinations that you choose to wear.

Also available are gorgeous crystals, inspirational gifts, cards and spiritual books about astrology, tarot, manifestation, dream interpretation and much more!

Bespoke and personalised jewellery is also available on request.

Danzii Jewellery

The Goodsheds, 1 Hood Road, Barry

Wednesday 11am - 4pm

Thursday - Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday 11am - 4pm hello@danziijewellery.com www.danziijewellery.com Photography Romi @studioloop__

Danzii Jewellery

RHOOSE

Posh Pawz Salon & Spa

Situated in the very popular village of Rhoose in the Vale of Glamorgan, the well-established and much-loved Posh Pawz Salon and Spa offers a whole host of K9 services and treatments.

From traditional washing, grooming and professional styling to Emmi Pet dental teeth cleaning, nail trimming and ear plucking and cleaning.

They have recently added an additional service with the ability to weigh your pets to ensure they keep a healthy weight. With the increase of people buying puppies over the past couple of years, they can also offer individual advice on how to maintain your furry friend’s coat in between grooming.

All breeds are catered for, large or small, in a safe and clean environment with the added benefit of air conditioning.

The salon also has a large range of doggy treats and accessories. Perfect for Christmas.

Posh

Marina Storina, a professional audiologist with nearly two decades experience, grew up in Moscow. Her life and journey to Barry is worthy of a book, so she wrote one.

FROM RUSSIA TO WALES WITH LOVE

You’re originally from Russia, when you did you first arrive in Wales and why did you move here?

I lived in Moscow. I grew up there. I was born in 1966 and moved to Wales in June 1998. I met my second husband in an airport in Istanbul. He was Welsh - hence the move to Wales.

Do you consider Wales, and the Vale, your home?

Yes. I really love the people. It’s safe and the people are lovely. The Welsh are not an aggressive people. It’s a very proud culture. The Vale is a beautiful county - it is very special.

Where do you live and what do you love about it?

I live in Barry, overlooking the water. Barry has changed a lot since 1998. It is a big town. It’s very modern and quite cosmopolitan. It’s great for commuting.

I think people don’t realise how good it is here. There are a lot of hardworking people in Barry. We really need to take care of it. Everything we need is on our doorstep. Cardiff is twenty minutes away and London a mere two hours further. We are so lucky. We do need to look after where we live more though. We all need to pick up our litter!

You worked for the NHS; can you tell us a little more about that?

I worked in the NHS for sixteen years as a Senior Audiologist. It’s a very stressful environment but a great place to learn your craft. It is a good school. Had I not worked there, I would not be so confident in my abilities.

“Hearing loss, if it’s not sudden, can’t kill you. Infection can though, so it’s important to take it seriously.”

However, I do think it needs to look at how it spends its money. If you ran a business like the NHS, you would be bankrupt. There is a lot of waste and it’s simply not cost-effective, I think it has enough funding, but it doesn’t manage it well. After all, it is public money. There is so much waste and too many layers of management. It’s just my opinion. The people in charge are not businesspeople. There’s too much talk and not enough walk.

Why the change from NHS to your private practice?

During Covid, it was very hard to do what I love. The procedures became unbearable, and I just thought I should get out and do it for myself. I really liked the team I worked with, but it was time to go my own way.

Can you describe briefly what Clear Hearing Solution offers?

I offer a range of treatments including micro-suction for infections and blockages, hearing aids, balance rehabilitation, tinnitus as well as specialist glue ear treatment for children.

Helping patients accept hearing loss is an important part of the relationship between audiologist and patient. A pleasing aspect of the work at the clinic is the number of extremely positive comments from patients praising the care and attention they received during their consultations and procedures.

What age range do you work with?

From children to 100 years old of both sexes. Three is about the youngest. I have several clients in their nineties. Quite a mix really.

What do you love about what you do? Finding solutions to hearing problems. That’s why I called the business Clear Hearing Solution. It’s about understanding the issues that affect people and their hearing. I like to explain why clients have issues and how to prevent further issues. No one likes to feel ill. I enjoy teaching people how to help themselves. I’m not a nurse. I believe in enabling people.

What do most patients present with? What brings them to you?

Ear infections, wax build up, tinnitus, poor hearing, and balance problems. Also, assistance with hearing aids.

What do you think patients like about working with you?

I don’t like to blow my own trumpet. I do have reviews on the site which anyone is free to visit. I hope it’s because of my knowledge and because I improve the daily lives of my patients. It might sound strange, but I have to be a little detached. I have to be professional to be objective and give them the correct treatment.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever found in an ear?

I’m not sure about strange, but ear plugs are a huge problem. They get stuck in the ear canal. Some people have had them stuck in there for years!

Cotton buds too. One guy had two stuck in there!

“If hearing is a function, listening is a skill.”

“Finding solutions to hearing problems. That’s why I called the business Clear Hearing Solution.”

We’ve talked about your professional life. What about your personal life? Are you in a relationship?

I am, but I prefer to keep my private life private. Although if you read my new book, you’ll find out more about my life.

We love Coco, please tell us more about her?

She’s a Pomeranian. She’s a star. She also makes an appearance in the book. She’s my constant, beautiful companion. People ask if she suffers separation anxiety when I go to work. I always reply, no, but I do!

You’ve mentioned your new book, what is its title?

It’s called From Russia to Wales with Love.

What motivated you to write it?

I was motivated to write the book by the death of my parents. I couldn’t go to their funerals. It is a message to them and also to people to explain my life and why I live it the way I do. Hopefully there will be some wisdom that may help others with their lives. We all have fears, but if we work with them, gently, we can win through.

In a nutshell, what’s it about?

Life is interesting, we all have a story. And the book is about my story. It tells the story of my life. How I chose not to be a victim but a winner. Hopefully, it will help others to face their fears and succeed. If I can come from Moscow and create a good life, everyone can!

Did you enjoy the writing process? Yes, very much. It was emotional. I dug up a lot of skeletons.

How can readers get hold of a copy? It will be available widely from November, but some copies will be available at the clinic sooner. Anyone interested in buying the book and find out more information on my website or be contacting me in the clinic.

My Vale Life

What do you love about your Vale life? The Vale is a very beautiful place to live. From Cowbridge to Penarth, the coastline is beautiful. There is so much heritage. Personally, and spiritually, I have a good balance.

Do have a favourite eating place?

I really like The Bear in Cowbridge. And Mr Villa’s on The Knap in Barry. Simple, good food.

Where do you shop?

I really like Cowbridge and Barry High Street. I do like John Lewis in Cardiff. I would rather buy fewer, quality items, than lots of cheap things.

What do like about being based at Goodsheds?

It’s local to me. It’s good place to start a business but I do want to expand into a larger place.

Describe yourself in three words... Professional, warm-hearted, strong-minded.

What do you do to relax?

When I have the time, I like to go to the St David’s Spa. I enjoy a swim, sauna, and massage. I like to walk on the beach. I switch off my phone. I enjoy holidays with my boyfriend – it’s a time when we can both can switch off.

What does the future hold?

I am concentrating on developing the business and am also working on providing courses on hearing and hearing aids which I can then share across several platforms for people to buy. I’d like to get the message out not just the Vale but across the planet. I’d like to share my eighteen years of experience across the world. I would also like to write another book focused on audiology. I would also like to spend more time on charity work to provide free hearing care for children. It’s a huge passion of mine. And, of course, I would like to spend more quality time with my boyfriend and Coco.

COWBRIDGE

Still a market town to us

Someone said recently, having lost its Wednesday livestock market, that Cowbridge is no longer a market town. Well, we don’t agree. Cowbridge will always be a market town to us, and still has much history to celebrate.

It has a museum, and the Physic Garden is incredibly popular all year’ round. Just along the way is the Happy Days Vintage Homestore, a sellers’ collective with a welcoming café and a diverse selection of stalls – here all things vintage, retro and antique are celebrated. We can highly recommend the home-made Bara Brith - one of our favourite drop-ins when visiting.

You’ll find some of the best shopping in the Vale on its seemingly endless high street. There are some brilliant boutiques in the Vale and some of the best can be found here along with a selection of restaurants, cafes and bistros. So, this autumn, pop across to the ‘Heart Of The Vale’ and sample a little Cowbridge life. You’ll be glad you did.

COWBRIDGE GEMS

LOCAL INDEPENDENT PHARMACY

Sylvia Williams Chemist

This award-winning pharmacy at the heart of Cowbridge town offers a full range of NHS and private pharmacy services including one off and repeat prescriptions, private prescriptions and more.

Other services available are health checks and advice, chronic condition advice, flu vaccination, over the counter medication, common ailments service, medicine disposal, and supervised drug administration.

The shop section is full of gifts for men, women and children and would make the perfect destination to stock up on gifts for yourself or your loved ones for special occasions and, as it’s just around the corner, Christmas!

34 High Street, Cowbridge CF71 7AG 01446 773588

sylviawilliamschemist@gmail.com www.sylviawilliamschemist.co.uk

Opening Hours

Monday to Saturday 9am - 1pm & 2pm - 5pm Closed on Sundays

Vale Eye Surgeons

Vale Eye Surgeons was established in early 2022. Consultant Ophthalmologists, fully trained in providing diagnosis, medical and surgical management of all ophthalmic conditions offering cataract surgery, dry eye disease care and eyelid surgeries.

In addition, in the private sector they can offer patients surgical options, such as cataract premium lenses with refractive correction and cosmetic facial surgeries, that are not available in the public system.

The clinic has excellent parking facilities, and are usually open every day, and in the evenings, which allows them to provide a fantastic personal service.

AMANDA J ONES JEWELLERY

Amanda Jones Jewellery offers a superb collection of contemporary silver jewellery. Stockist for many fabulous designers such as Anna Beck , Claudia Bradby, Giovanni Raspini and Chlobo. This Christmas Amanda is delighted to introduce British designer, Alex Monroe.

If you’re looking for the perfect present for yourself or that special someone, rest assured there is something to suit all styles and budgets.

A recent large survey indicated that only 11% of UK customers say they might have to cancel their travel plans due to financial pressures. Holidays are increasingly viewed as staples, necessary to ensure we can stay balanced and cope with stressful lives.

Key factors influencing travel decisions are simplicity, security, flexibility and value for money. This is where we, as agents, can make a major contribution. We offer a full spectrum of holidays from budget city breaks to super luxe vacations on a private yacht. We can guide customers towards operators with a strong track record which deliver value within a given class. We do the research and take care of every detail down to checking you in. And if you do have any questions, pick up the phone, write an email or DM, there won’t be any endless automated queues to navigate – and all this customer service at equivalent prices.

There were a few strong trends evident too – some a little counter-intuitive. Despite general uncertainty, a third of consumers are looking further forward in planning trips - into 2024 and beyond - saying they need something to look forward to whilst also believing prices may rise. Tour operators have responded - especially the cruise lines - some of which are already offering 2025 voyages.

And speaking of cruises...

They are a very hot segment of the market. It has also been the busiest launch period in cruise history. They range from specialist discovery (think Galapagos) or foodie cruises on small luxurious boats to huge ships that are almost Vegas-style family entertainment complexes, complete with waterparks. Multi-generational holidays (grandparents, parents and kids all with their own specialist entertainment) are hugely popular on these bigger boats. Cruises offer good value as many include even drinks and tips. More UK departure points are now available including Bristol.

Beach life...

Beach holidays remain the most popular choice for overseas travellers and despite the economic turmoil, luxury breaks are overall the fastest growing segment, up 8% from pre-COVID levels.

Solo travel is also strongly trending. Instead of waiting for friends’ schedules and budgets to align, people are heading off alone to see new places and make new friendships. Operators are dedicating more accommodation choices without charging single supplements.

Overall travel has proven resilient to date, despite a summer punctuated by delays, cancellations and long lines at some airports.

With that in mind I would like to mention Jet2 here. The UK’s third largest airline, they cancelled no flights and got the award as the most reliable package operator. That certainly made our life easier.

Pam has some exciting news to share! The brand is expanding and is opening another agency in the popular High Street in Barry at the end of November. Also, the Porthcawl and Cowbridge agencies will have foreign exchange facilities.

Leaf Kitchens was established by Lee Powell in 2017. Word grew quickly of their

kitchens, so it was a natural progression to open a showroom in Cowbridge.

We chatted to Lee about how well the showroom has been so far.

When was the move to Cowbridge and why did you decide to move to the town?

Our Cowbridge showroom launched on Boxing Day 2021. We chose Cowbridge as the town is steeped in history with real character and charm. We love the sense of community on the High Street and feel it’s a good home for our luxury kitchen brand.

What does Leaf Kitchens offer?

We provide a full kitchen design and optional installation solutions.

What type of kitchens do you offer?

We offer a total of 19 painted door styles in 22 colours, and a further 21 non-painted/gloss door styles, meaning there is something for everyone whether looking for ultra-modern industrial/minimalist or a grand heritage traditional kitchen with all the details.

What about appliances?

We work with premium & luxury/ designer brands NEFF, Siemens, Bosch, Quooker, Caple, Rangemaster, Fisher & Paykel, Elica and many more.

Do you supply to commercial businesses as well as domestic?

We welcome the challenge of both commercial and domestic projects.

How long from order to installation?

Our kitchens are made to order, so building, painting and delivering the kitchen typically takes four to five weeks. Our average kitchen project is three months; from contacting us, to having the kitchen fully installed.

What are the price ranges for your kitchens?

We work to a customers’ budget; looking to give that wow factor but keeping the project reined in. The most cost-effective kitchen sold at Leaf kitchens is £8k and the most lavish £67k.

What makes buying a kitchen from Leaf Kitchens special?

Giving a tailored experience, truly listening to the customers needs and working with them to achieve their vision for their Hub of the Home.

WHAT CUSTOMERS SAY Client testimonial

We had a new kitchen fitted in April. The units are high quality, and the fitter they recommended paid attention to detail, taking care not to damage existing tiles that we wanted to keep. We are very happy with our new kitchen and would recommend them over the large companies to get personal service that they have, for me, delivered.

N&AW

C ROSS F ARM N URSERY

WINTER IS COMING, BUT WHAT TO DO?

Charlotte and the team offer a few golden nuggets of advice from their gardener-friendly, compact and bijou nursery which, thankfully, sells just about everything you need to make the best of the late autumn and winter months.

At this time of year, the key word is ‘protection’

You can use spare bubble wrap to insulate pots. Hessian is also good. Tie with twine. Cross Farm has a magnificent selection of pots. You can plant bulbs ready for spring and summer. Remember to group pots together over winter to protect from frost.

Think of the birds

You can help our feathered friends by putting out seed and ensuring containers are full of fresh water. Always check for ice if it gets too chilly. Birds help keep pests down so the more birds in the garden the better. Cross Farm has a great selection of feeders and wild bird seed.

Windy roses

When the wind blows, roses suffer from wind-rock. Prune them to one half of their height. It’ll stop them swaying as much which will keep the roots healthy. Remove leaves from around the roots to prevent blackspot.

A good clean up

Remember to dead head and cut back as much as possible and pop it on your compost. Composting is an excellent way of recycling fresh veg waste from the kitchen too (no cooked food though, or bread or meat).

Hedging and trees

Winter is the perfect time to plant hedging and trees – especially fruit trees. All the usual favourites will be in stock: apple, plum, pear and cherry.

Great for gifts!

Remember, Cross Farm Nursery sells everything you need to make your garden look its best. If you invest in winter, next year’s spring, summer and autumn will be especially rewarding.

Christmas trees

Live-potted trees will be popular this year as well as the cut trees. Keep in touch on social media for stock arrival but you can put your order in early to avoid disappointment.

Plus the friendliest welcome and great advice from Charlotte, Dave and the team.

CROSS FARM NURSERY

What you love…

We love browsing their poly-tunnels. There’s always a little gem to be had.

They are so helpful. Nothing is too much trouble.

Cross Farm has been a godsend over the years. It’s easy to get to and always has what I need.

Heading into winter, most of us tend to neglect our gardens but there are things you can do now to reap the benefits next spring and summer.

Specsavers, the Cowbridge opticians, has invested a five-figure sum to open a brand-new test room to meet growing customer demand.

SPECSAVERS

INVESTMENT

After a £20,000 investment, Specsavers Cowbridge has increased its number of test rooms from two to three, which will allow the store to offer dozens of additional tests each week and bolsters services.

The extra test room will be used by prereg optometrist Ellie Davies, 24, who has recently completed a three-year optometry degree at Cardiff University.

Off the back of the expansion, the store is recruiting for additional team members to assist with the running of the new room – including a full-time optical assistant.

Andrew Moss, Optometrist Director at Specsavers Cowbridge, said, “We’re really delighted with the expansion of our test room facilities. Our hard working and experienced team in Cowbridge always strive to provide the best customer experience so it’s fantastic that we can now meet an increasing customer demand.

“According to the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB), approximately 4,790 people in the Vale of Glamorgan area live with sight loss. These numbers are only rising on a national scale, so, with the extra test room here at Specsavers Cowbridge, we hope we can do our bit to counter these trends.”

Specsavers Cowbridge is located on High Street (the main road through Cowbridge).

To find out more information, request an appointment or browse the online store, visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/cowbridge

“4,790 people in the Vale live with sight loss.”

SPECSAVERS

CELEBRATES

Specsavers has officially relocated to the former HSBC building at 85 Holton Road, just across from its previous home – more than tripling the store’s footprint following investment worth more than £500,000.

The new-look, two-story store has seven test rooms, up from four, and offers twice the number of audiology clinics. And five new jobs have been created as part of the expansion.

The relocation comes as Specsavers celebrates 20 years of service to the Barry community, and shortly after the store was nominated as a finalist for Employer of the Year in the upcoming Vale of Glamorgan Business Awards 2022.

The staff rallied together on Friday, 23 September to host a fundraising event in store. A Shirley Bassey interpreter, dogs from local charity Hope Rescue and a cake stall were all on display for Barry residents to enjoy. In total, £219.44 was raised for Hope Rescue and £69.05 for Macmillan Cancer Support on the day.

Two members of the team are currently taking on an Independent Prescribing course, which means they can directly prescribe medication to customers that need it, reducing the number of GP referrals the store needs to make, and, in turn, easing the pressure on the NHS. To further expand the skillset the skillset of the team, another staff member is also starting a Glaucoma Refinement course.

Helen Hopgood, Director at Specsavers Barry, said, ‘There’s no better way to celebrate our 20th anniversary than to expand our business to meet the demands of our customers. To celebrate this milestone with our customers, and raise money for two fantastic charities, was an extremely proud moment for us.

‘In the Vale of Glamorgan, there are approximately 4,790 people living with sight loss , and we as opticians need to act fast if we are to help reverse these trends. By having the extra space to invest in additional state-of-the-art kit, we can do just that.’

To book an appointment at Specsavers Barry, call 01446 704910 or visit www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/barry

RUN W ITH T HE FOX

Leila is quite chatty, and we love that about her. We always say people buy from people and Leila is one of the loveliest, funniest and kindest people we know.

Having said that, it’s Leila’s approach to customer service and her discerning choice of brands that we love too. At this very cool Cowbridge boutique you’ll find some great menswear brands available.

Eden Park

Cardiff supported a whole store once upon a time and the brand is still going strong. The iconic Paris based fashion label with rugby at its heart started by Rugby legend Franck Mesnel is available again in Cowbridge. “I would like to get a larger collection in, so if you spread the word, I’ll be able to get more of it. I currently stock up to 3XL,” says Leila.

Giordano

This fun brand is based in Amsterdam and has an Italian designer combining classic styling with a bit of fun.

Think Liberty London fabric shirts, fabulous jackets and great modern everyday pieces with a little tailoring to fit you better. If you’re tall or long in the body, this brand is great for you.

Mac Jeans

This quality German brand has been guaranteeing a perfect fit, aboveaverage quality, and outstanding value for more than 40 years. In an extensive reader survey, Mac, in conjunction with Auto Motor Und Sport magazine, tried to find the perfect trousers for drivers. Some 1,000 readers helped develop the ultimate driver pants. They look like a chino but feel like a super comfortable pair of stretchy jeans. Tailored to be higher at the front and lower at the back so when you’re sitting down the waistband isn’t digging in to you. Super stretchy with a change pocket with zip so you don’t have to dig around trying to pick up items that have fallen out of your pocket. The most comfortable trousers you will ever own.

Comfort is at the heart of this brand and another best seller is their jeans made from jogging bottoms. Their products go up to a 36/38 inch leg and 40/42 inch waist.

S4 Jackets

Specialising in water repellent jackets that are machine washable, comfortable to wear and harmful chemical free.

Saint James

Normandy based brand tipping its beret to all things nautical. Its ethos is centred around authenticity, quality and sincerity.

Other brands you will find here are Falke socks, Van Buck ties, Olymp shirts, Mazzelli sport coats, Brühl trousers and many more quality brands.

And don’t just take our word for it, Leila has hundreds of satisfied customers that keep returning. We love the interior, and the very cool sign outside and blue wall, and especially Leila’s customer focused philosophy –she really makes them feel special.

TESTIMONIALS

What customers say…

Running a business as a Financial Adviser in Cowbridge, my typical working day is spent meeting with clients and it’s important that I look and feel great, and I am comfortable in what I am wearing.

The service I get from Leila every tme

I visit King Fox Menswear is some of the best I’ve experienced. I have never been disappointed with the purchases I’ve made there, and the quality of product is fantastic.

Whether I’m looking for something casual for day-to-day office wear or even for a special event, they’ve got it covered! I can’t recommend them highly enough.

Chris Harries

My husband and son are notoriously difficult to buy for. Style, colour, the fabric – it all has to be right. But I will always find something at King Fox, and Leila is so helpful.

King Fox is great for gifts and stocking fillers too, and I love the cool interior. The neon sign, the little sofa and the very cool artwork. It always has a buzz about it. Everything just feels right.

JHR

It’s the quality brands that King Fox customers keep returning for. Neil Lewis, who runs Maverick Minds, is definitely a fan.

I have to attend lots of events and it’s so nice to come in and find something a bit different, quality made and fits me well.

Many thanks to Rhian at Wild and Fabulous Flowers who supplied the floral and foliage arrangements.

Protecting the family farm during your divorce

Dividing matrimonial assets is often complicated; especially when farming property and other assets are involved. Susan J Williams, Partner and family law specialist at Ince, outlines some of the points to consider when a farming family are looking to part ways.

Reviewing existing agreements

In our initial conversations, our team will look for any formal and informal agreements relating to the farm that are already in place.

Often, farming businesses have been in the family for a number of generations and may have family trusts, multiple family partnerships and businesses operating within the farming structure - and a variety of family members that receive financial support from the farm.

A farming business has unique features that require careful consideration. Often, the farm will provide accommodation for various family members, pay the family’s bills, provide a modest income and any motor vehicles and other useful equipment.

Consider any farming subsidies and tax implications

Other complexities to consider are the farm’s reliance on any government subsidies and the impact of the loss of any EU funding that the farm may have previously been eligible to receive.

Drawing up pre and post nuptial agreements during marriage

If you’re considering entering a marriage and have a farming business, or you have recently married – pre and post nuptial agreements can protect the structure of the farming business – both during your marriage and in case your relationship breaks down.

These agreements can set out arrangements for the farm business and assets in the event of a future relationship breakdown and divorce. They also often provide comfort to other family members, who have seen the farm historically passing down through the generations, and wish to preserve the farm for the next generation.

Seeking specialist advice for complex agriculture issues

Our team can also advise on the difficulty in liquidising assets and what to do when some of the land may be rented, which is particularly common with livestock farms.

From experience, unraveling the tax implications requires specialist knowledge and we can work with our tax team to see how income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax and corporation tax may all feature in settlement deliberations.

We also work in collaboration with other agricultural business experts, land valuers and accountants.

How we can help

Financial settlements involving farming assets is a specialist area, which requires sensitive, expert handling. Our firm has acted for farming families across south and west Wales - as well as further afield.

Our agriculture team can support you through any issues you or your farm may be facing, providing advice fully tailored to your farming family’s needs.

For more information or to discuss your family or farming issues, please get in touch:

Susan J Williams

Partner & Head of Family (Cardiff)

T 07736 969 373

E SusanJWilliams@incegd.com

“Susan Williams is really excellent. She is adept at fighting her client’s corner whilst also being realistic as to the outcomes. Susan has the respect of the local judges and her opponents due to her experience and straightforward approach.”

- The Legal 500, 2022

Forage Farm Shop and Kitchen, situated on Penllyn Estate Farm near Cowbridge, offers premium produce, delicious restaurant food and quality grab-and-go light bites, as well as seasonal and standalone events.

FORAGE AT CHRISTMAS

The celebration of local, Welsh suppliers and its sustainable values are apparent across the businessboth farming and hospitality. With this in mind, Forage invites you to join them this winter for their Christmas Experience, late night shopping, festive food & drink, Christmas lunch menu and of course, to place your premium meat orders from their renowned butchery counter for locally sourced food.

Late Night Shopping, Food & Drink (Christmas Experience Dates Only) No ticket? No problem. Why not join them for some late-night shopping and seasonal food and drink, no booking required. Enjoy a silky hot chocolate or mulled wine in our tent on the lawn whilst you can also browse our gift shop – food, decorations and gifts.

The Forage Kitchen

Christmas Experience at

Forage With their popular elf performance returning, bring your little ones to meet Father Christmas, get up close and feed their friendly and festive alpacas, post your letters in the sorting office, roast marshmallows and decorate Christmas crafts. Make memories with family and friends at this Christmas event.

Forage never fails to deliver a mouthwateringly, delicious Christmas menu, cooked by their talented team of chefs using high quality ingredients and meat from their own farm on Penllyn Estate.

Consider it a great place for breakfast or lunch to celebrate with friends, family or colleagues. Book a table here: https://foragefarmshop.co.uk/restaurant/

Christmas Meat Orders

In addition to their very own Penllyn Estate produce, they’ll be offering Usk Vale turkeys and turkey crowns to make your mealtimes special this Christmas. Order in store or online from October 1st, with last orders to be collected Monday 19th December by 5pm.

Forage Farm Shop

“Scan

CHASING T HE DREAM

CHASE LIVING

Vale Life visited Chase Living’s idyllic location just outside Cowbridge to find out more.

What’s your background?

I am actually a professional Jockeywhich is my “main job”, so to speak. I have ridden horses my whole life and been racing professionally over jumps for nine years now. So, naturally, starting a business selling sofas seemed the obvious next step for someone in my position. Or maybe not!

When was Chase Living established?

Unsurprisingly then, Chase Living was established by accident. This happened during lockdown. Racing had been halted due to the Covid Pandemic and I was looking for something to do with my time - I was not used to having any spare. A contact who owned racehorses, and for whom I had raced previously, had a business selling ex-display SCS sofas. One of the SCS depots where he collected sofas from regularly was in Bridgend (his business is a 3 hour drive from Bridgend, which made collecting sofas from here a nuisance for him). So, knowing that I lived near the SCS depot, he asked if I wanted to collect the sofas myself and have a go at selling them. I said yes, and, like that, Chase Living was born.

Well, not quite. I wasn’t taking this new venture too seriously at the time so I called ourselves “Sofa King Wales” as a bit of a joke (if you say it quickly it sounds a bit rude). I didn’t realise at the time but during the pandemic the market for sofas went crazy.

Everybody was stuck on their sofas at home and “Home and Garden” improvement was where everybody focused their energy. I set up a Facebook business page and started advertising the sofas for sale and was shocked by the instant demand. I quickly decided we needed to change our name to something a little more professional sounding and this is where Chase Living was introduced.

Where did the name come from?

I decided I wanted something linked to horse racing. I racked my brains for words linked to the sport in which I had spent my adult life and decided to start with the word “Chase”. I should explain - in Jump Racing there are two types of obstacles we jump; one is a “Hurdle” and the other is a shaped hedge made from birch and spruce. Races over these obstacles are called “Steeplechases” or, more commonly, a “Chase”! I decided to add the word “Living” to round the name off as we sell “Home Living” products. I also quite like the fact that both parts of our name go well with the words “..The Dream”. First you “Chase the dream” and then, once you find us, you are “Living the dream”. Maybe I’m overthinking this bit though!

Why this location?

We chose this location as Cowbridge is such a lovely part of the world and for simplicity for myself - I exercise the racehorses only 500 yards from our store every morning at 7am.

“We are really proud of the sofas we have available to order.”

What was the motivation for starting the business?

I’ve always been acutely aware that as a Professional Sportsperson you don’t have the same shelf life as in most professions - Jockeys typically retire from the age of thirty to forty years old. So, I have always sought a plan to earn a living after my racing days are behind me. It is a tough industry to make money in so I don’t know if I will remain within the industry once I hang up my boots from race riding. I’ve always had a great interest in business and have always wondered if I could be successful at running my own. To begin with I thought Chase Living would teach me lots of tough lessons about business so even if it failed financially, it would be a worthwhile endeavour.

I have learnt so much more than I could have anticipated during the process of growing the business, but I never anticipated some of the other positives that have come from Chase Living. I have met some wonderful people along the way. None more so than Arwyn and Esme who help me run the store.

So no previous experience of running a business?

No, but I have watched “Dragon’s Den” a few times so feel well placed to run a business.

How would you describe your offering? What can customers expect to find?

We have evolved from our early days selling ex-display sofas and now have a large showroom full of stylish, comfortable, well-made sofas (many of which are built here in Wales).

We are really proud of the variety of sofas we have available to order and all visitors to our store comment on the array of colours in store. Most of the big brand sofa stores are awash with various tones of grey to allow them to sell on these products more easily as ex-display models. We have taken a different view and have colour splashed around our showroom which really breaks up the monotony of each sofa being in the same colour.

As a small business we go the extra mile to ensure a customer’s experience with us is as pleasant as possible. Arwyn, who oversees the day-to-day running of the store, has a laid-back, conversational approach to selling. There are certainly no pushy Salespeople here. Arwyn is more interested in having a nice chat and getting along with our customers than trying to sell you something. We know this approach allows our customers to relax in store without the threat of an over-eager salesperson breathing down their neck. If there are any issues and you ring the business you will go straight to the owner of the business (myself) and we will bend over backwards to help our customers as much as we can. You will not be placed “on hold” while you wait to get through to a Customer Services employee who really doesn’t care about your problems.

What do you think makes Chase Living special?

There are a few things that make Chase Living special. What we pride ourselves on the most is our customer service.

We are also proud of the sheer size of our store. This means we can offer a huge range of sofas and other products which will hopefully make your trip to visit us worth your while. As we are fairly new to the industry, I believe we sell a “fresher” product than some of our competitors. This is because we aren’t sentimental about a sofa that has sold well for us for the last fifteen years. We have come in with a fresh mindset and are particularly proud of the product we stock. This doesn’t mean that all our products are super modern, it just means that our sales floor isn’t stale with outdated stock.

In this day and age, delivery times can be an issue. If a customer places an order, what lead times can they expect? We have a range of sofas that are available for immediate delivery. But the bulk of our best sellers are available in six to eight weeks from purchase date.

Please tell us about your team at Chase Living...

We have a great team at Chase Living. Along with myself, we have Arwyn who is in charge of the shop and tends to deal with customers and sales. Esme, who helps Arwyn in store and who also does a brilliant job of running our social media accounts (search chase.living. cowbridge on Facebook or Instagram to keep up to date with our latest products). Adrian, who owns “The Mouse House” and has an area in store for all of his products. The Mouse House is quickly gaining a great reputation for quality wood-based products at a very affordable price.We have Rob and his team from “RS Removals” who help carry out all of our deliveries. In recent weeks Dawn has joined our team as well. Dawn is an interior designer and has helped improve the aesthetic of our store in recent weeks.

“We have come in with a fresh mindset.”

You’ve undertaken some major works to improve access to the site. A major investment. What are your future plans? Anything exciting in the pipeline?

Yes, we have just had a new access built off the A48 which makes getting to us so much easier. It is a lovely halfmile tarmacked private road and brings you right to our door where you will find ample car parking. We are based just one mile from Cowbridge (on the Cardiff side). Our entrance is opposite the turning for St Hilary on the A48. Our postcode currently tries to bring you via Aberthin up a ‘No Access Road’ so if you are trying to find us using your Sat Nav it’s vitally important you don’t try using our postcode. Regarding future plans we are looking to grow our reputation locally. We are trying to improve the quality and quantity of our stock all of the time. And following the success of The Mouse House in store we are looking to increase the amount of local, independent Artisans & Craftspeople whose product we stock in store in a similar way to Adrian. Come spring time we will have an extensive range of garden products for sale as well. We hope to see you with us in Chase Living soon.

T HE M ENOPAUSE EFFECT

The menopause is a hot topic now and something half the population will go through, often suffering with significant health and wellbeing consequences. Affecting every woman, it’s a topic that hasn’t been discussed in the mainstream very much but with high profile people discussing their menopause journey, it has generated a conversation and helped women become more knowledgeable about what to expect and what can help – The Davina Effect! We chatted to Vale Laser Clinic’s owner, Emma Griffiths to find out more.

With more than half (60%) of UK women confessing to not knowing what perimenopause and menopause is, and with everyone suffering oestrogen-depleted complexions with dry skin causing sensitivity, acne and unpredictability during the change, there has never been a more prudent time to talk about the menopause.

What is the Menopause?

The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age, causing oestrogen levels to decline, marking the end of a woman’s menstrual cycle. Vital hormones – oestrogen, progesterone, and testosterone – start to fluctuate, leading to a number of physical and mental changes.

This nosedive in hormones causes havoc with the body as it struggles to rebalance and it affects absolutely everything – wellbeing, mood, sleep, digestion, sex drive, energy, memory and, of course, the skin.

What is the Perimenopause?

The perimenopause is known as the beginning of the change, which can start as early as thirty-five and last for as long as 10 years. Changes are starting to happen in the body and many clients won’t be aware it’s a perimenopausal state they are in.

During this phase, there can be a surge of reproductive hormones, which fluctuate wildly – “it’s the body’s way of saying, ‘this is your last chance to get pregnant, time is running out.”

With there being a staggering sixty-five different symptoms of perimenopause, listed in Dr Louise Newson’s Balance app. These will affect everyone differently; this is why we personalise treatments and protocols for each individual client.

“The menopause is a natural part of ageing that usually occurs between 45 and 55 years of age.”

“Skincare is always the first step, it’s your daily action that will have the biggest long-term influence on your skin.”

How does menopause affect the skin?

The menopause brings with it many changes, the most common being hot flushes, vaginal dryness, decreased sex drive, memory fog and increased fat in the stomach area, to name a few. However, the skin is heavily impacted too, which is why you need to seek help from a trusted specialist to keep it calm and happy.

The skin gets drier and more sensitive because of the reducing oestrogen levels, and in the first five years of the menopause, you lose around 30% of their collagen. It’s one of the biggest issues, with skin looking thinner and showing more pronounced lines and wrinkles. This is the time look at more advanced treatments like radiofrequency and micro-needling, which are good for skin tightening and boosting the natural production of collagen.

Cell renewal also drops during this time and the sebaceous glands slow down the production of oil, leading to dull, rough skin, meaning that even the most robust complexions can become more vulnerable to irritation. Therefore, it’s not uncommon for you to experience sensitivity to products they’ve been using for years.

The skin barrier, which controls skin sensitivity, becomes more fragile during this time, so you need to increase hydration by choosing products that are a little richer. However, avoid pore-blocking oils and steer clear of abrasive treatments and deep scrubs because they can break down the skin barrier too.

We would always advice the use of vitamin A to normalise and regulate the healthy functioning of the skin cells, as well as hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump.

Peptides will also help to stimulate healthy production of collagen and elastin, and vitamin C will strengthen capillaries. All our treatments use enhanced penetration techniques to ensure these active ingredients reach the deeper layers of the skin.

How can it be treated?

Skincare is always the first step, it’s your daily action that will have the biggest longterm influence on your skin. As I always say, it doesn’t have to be complicated, but it does have to be effective.

Highstreet skincare ranges are realising the raised awareness of the menopause in the media and jumping on this with marketing skincare specifically for Menopausal skin. This is something that gets under my skin. There isn’t a magic skincare ingredient that can replace the oestrogen in your skin. What we need to do is change the formulations of your skincare to focus on protection, hydrating and nourishing.

We would always advice the use of vitamin A to normalise and regulate the healthy functioning of the skin cells, as well as hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump.

Peptides will also help to stimulate healthy production of collagen and elastin, and vitamin C will strengthen capillaries. All our treatments use enhanced penetration techniques to ensure these active ingredients reach the deeper layers of the skin.

Always, always, always SPF. EVERY. SINGLE. DAY.

If you are struggling with any aspects of the menopause we encourage you to book an appointment with their GP to talk about the options available, including hormone replacement therapy (HRT), a synthetic drug that comes in two forms, oestrogen-only and a combination of oestrogen and progestogen; and bioidentical hormone replacement therapy (BHRT), a hormone preparation made from plant sources that are promoted as being similar to human hormones.

3 ways to reduce menopausal symptoms:

n Regular exercise Yoga and tai chi are said to reduce stress levels. Walking and cardio will help with heart health and resistance training will support your bone density.

n Healthy diet Opting for a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and healthy fats, while cutting down on caffeine and spicy food, which the NHS says can trigger hot flushes.

n Self-talk How we talk to ourselves during this time can have a huge influence on how we process the changes we are feeling. If you wouldn’t say it to a friend or relative, why are you saying it to your self? Being kind to ourselves, talking and thinking positively can have a big influence on our self- worth.

If you would like to talk about your skincare or any treatments, we offer to improve any skin concerns you have, book an in-clinic consultation with our training skin therapists in our St Athan Clinic.

Eat Local, Shop Local

Despite the uncertainty in the world, if you didn’t turn on the news, you’d be forgiven for thinking all is well in the Vale. And for the most part it is. We’re a pretty resilient lot in Wales – we do like to moan but, when our backs are against the wall, you’ll usually find us at our finest, and funniest.

The number of people in the hospitality sector we have met who are quite literally staring doom in the face have inspired us with their sheer grit and determination to succeed. Some won’t, that’s for sure. But with your custom they’ll have a fighting chance, so please, get out there and book a meal, buy a takeaway and pop into your local indie café rather than a big chain, you’ll be helping keep that cash in the community.

And if you’re going to roast at home, support your local butcher. In our experience the meat is better quality and you’re supporting local rather than some faceless shareholder. #ShopLocal

E AT I N E AT OUT

HILARY & I AIN’S, OGMORE-BY-SEA OUR SUNDAY, AND CHRISTMAS, BEST

Takeaway

The fish and chips here is especially good. If you’re a local, you’re so lucky.

Christmas

They will be open this Christmas. Check their Facebook page fro up-todate menus and opening times. We can vouch for Christmas there. Great food and a very warm welcome. Their turkey offering is always scrummy. If you do book, tell them Vale Life sent you.

We’ll admit it, we’re big fans, and friends, of this cute and quirky café/bistro in Ogmore. From the first time we sampled their Sunday lunch Lord knows how many years ago, they have delivered the very best lamb and beef Sunday lunch consistently. That’s a rare thing these days, especially with the hospitality sector’s woes with supplies and staff.

If you haven’t been, you really must try it. The lamb (or beef) is perfectly cooked, and the vegetables are simply divine. We always say, if there was no meat it would still be delicious. And the gravy? Oh my, you really are in for a treat. They offer gluten free gravy too - and it’s as good.

There’s more on the menu

There are other options too (Iain’s steaks are fab) if you fancy a change from the Sunday roast but it’s our goto. For this, we rate it five stars

Music to your taste buds

They’re still doing the music nights (last Friday of each month) - but you’ll need to book, they’re very popular.

Lamb is a Welsh staple for Sunday lunch, and we buy ours from our local butchers. But if we’re out for Sunday lunch, there’s one place we head to regularly.

As well as the fresh fish and seafood on offer at Mr Villa’s, The Knap, Barry, Christine and Beppe Villa have now added a variety of additional meat dishes to the menu this autumn/winter.

Christmas

You can enjoy such dishes as roast partridge, beef bourguignon, chicken Milanese, calf liver, lamb chops and ribeye steak. All cooked to perfection with inimitable style! Hand-picked, home cooked, Gower laver bread is also on the menu! Sunday lunch is also recommended with a choice of roasts, fish or pan-fried free-range chicken in lemon and rosemary, plus steaks or Mrs Villa’s famous steak pie.

The plates of food are generous and, if you do have room for pudding, then you must try Mrs Villa’s specials including Hazelnut Pavlova, Caramelised Oranges or the exquisite rice pudding! Light snacks or light meal options are also available. If you enjoy people watching, then there is seating outside overlooking The Knap Gardens, perfect for a slice of cake and a coffee.

GLENN GRIFFITH BUTCHERS

CHRISTMAS, A LITTLE TASTIER

We can certainly vouch for their quality. From steaks to chicken curry, and liver to lamb chops, this brilliant butcher has a reputation for great service and superb products.

“We’ve been doing this a long time,” says Mark, Glenn’s dad, “Our little shop has been trading constantly for more than sixty years! We owe a lot of thanks to a Mr Jones who first established the shop way back in 1957.”

Over the summer, we really loved their steaks and chicken skewers. Hired for events and occasions, their chicken curries, sausages, and hog roasts are almost legendary. But it’s Christmas when the team come into their own. “We love this time of year,” says Glenn. “It’s lovely to see everyone and the sense of celebration give us a real buzz. We love playing our part, helping everyone have a lovely Christmas.

It’s been a tough year but when you get family and friends together, you realise what’s important.”

Deluxe Christmas Hamper

To make Christmas even more affordable, they have discounted their immensely popular Deluxe Christmas Hamper by over £10 to £90. Just look what you get!

n 1.8kg – 2.2kg free-range boneless turkey breast n 1.8kg – 2.2kg stuffed loin of pork joint n 1.3kg – 1.7kg prime beef joint n 1.3kg – 1.7kg lean gammon joint n 12 hand-made pigs in blankets n An oven ready-tray of pork with sage and onion stuffing n 500g sleeve of home-made sausage meat n 8 rashers of streaky bacon to cover the turkey breast

n A jar of goose fat n 1lb pack of thick cut bacon n 12 hand-made thin sausages n Ring of black pudding and 6 eggs.

Glenn Griffiths have some exciting developments in the pipeline too. “Watch this space,” says Glenn.” And please remember, “Christmas meat deliveries will be on 22nd December. There is a £5 charge for delivery.”

Check out the website (you can order online) and their Facebook page for latest offers. And remember to get your orders in to avoid disappointment.

is the one time of the year you deserve the very best meat on your plate and popular Dinas Powys butcher Glenn Griffiths has everything you need.

It’s that time of the year. The days are getting shorter, cooler and the long, hot summer seems a distant memory. Don’t get the blues though, you can bring back the tastes of summer right here in the Vale.

K EYIF A TASTE OF THE MEDI TERRANEAN

Yes we’re fans. Keyif is certainly one of our favourite restaurants in the Vale for two reasons, great food and great service. It’s always consistently good.

We’re not the only ones that love this bijou eatery in the heart of Penarth. But it’s not just Penarthians who love the food here. Keyif has fans from across the Vale and Cardiff – some even come from much further afield. Mehmet tells us he has customers from Swansea, Carmarthenshire and east from Newport and north from the valleys.

Mehmet and his team are pretty passionate about their authentic Turkish offering, and it is always prepared to the very highest standard. “We use the very best ingredients,” he says. “We don’t compromise - the best meats and the freshest salad and vegetables. It’s the only way to ensure everything is perfect for our guests.”

The restaurant has been established for over four years and has become a firm favourite with its loyal customers. On a weekend, Keyif is pretty busy as you can imagine (so best to book) and the kitchen is a buzz of activity turning out some of our favourites like the chef’s specials: Sarma Beyti Chicken (or lamb).

Equally they do a lovely casserole, perfect for chilly autumn and winter evenings. Our favourites are anything from the charcoal grill (Ocakbasi); classically Turkish and packed with flavour - we recommend the Keyif Mixed Grill. Any of the kofte will deliver on taste and every dish is complemented by beautifully fresh salad and rice.

Taking a step back for a moment, our favourite starters are always the flip of a Turkish lira between the calamari or the king prawns (when available) but there are plenty more, and they’re all very, very good.

And don’t forget the drinks. Keyif has an excellent range of ‘Keyif Kocktails’ plus a good selection of bottled beers, red, rose and white wines, plus champagne for that special occasion - to be fair, any visit to Keyif is pretty special, it just has a lovely vibe.

“You can enjoy the warming spirit of the Med even in winter!”

Keyif at Christmas

Talking about special occasions, Christmas will soon be upon us and Keyif will be offering all its usual seasonal favourites – check their social pages for opening times and offers. Their Instagram page is particularly mouth-watering.

Don’t panic though, through November and December Keyif will be busy offering all its restaurant favourites and the legendary Keyif, Klick & Kollect service will be available. To keep up to date or to order, check out the Keyif website.

“We

With thirty years’ experience, Julian Trott has made a name for himself as one of the Vale’s most creative and talented florists. Customers visit from Cardiff, the Vale and beyond.

T HE POWER OF FLOWERS

Julian is in great demand. Not just for the happy occasions, but also at the sad times. And after the last year, no one knows more about sadness than Julian.

It’s been a tough year for you. How did you manage to get through it?

Some days I’m not sure. It has been an incredibly challenging time. The loss of my parents in quick succession and two other close family members who I cared for very much – just awful. At times it was hard to process but we all have tough times, somehow, we get through.

Do you think your work has helped?

Being my own boss, there is no net to fall back into. Family have been lovely, and customers too, but just coming in and getting on with work, and life, I think has helped. I just had to. It wasn’t, and isn’t easy, but that’s life.

Why do customers come to you? They tell me it’s my creativity and good customer service. I offer the products and services most florists do. With funerals, I see people when they’re sad, and with weddings I see them at their happiest. The universe balances everything out.

Do you have a favourite flower or plant? They’re like your children, it’s hard to choose but white tulips – I never grow tired of looking at them. My favourite plant is scented Gardenia.

What’s popular this winter? And for Christmas?

Our beautiful autumn tied bouquet is of course very popular right now with a large number of customers already booking their Christmas wreaths, table displays and mantle arrangements. I’m already receiving Christmas orders - best to book early to avoid disappointment.

TESTIMONIALS

What clients say…

Beautiful arrangements – they really take my breath away. He’s so talented.

Julian is so creative with his flower arranging that it’s sometimes hard to imagine where he gets his inspiration. I ask myself “how does he do it?”

Julian’s just a really sweet guy to deal with. Nothing is ever too much trouble.

“Never underestimate the power of flowers. They are always full of joy but remind us how beautiful, and fragile, life is.”

Apothecary64 started out online over three years ago. The flagship store on Cornerswell Road, Penarth has been open eighteen months and its beautifully designed brand certainly has the scent of success.

A POTHECARY64

HEAVEN SCENT

Forgive the obvious pun, but this uber-cool candle company’s products are hot right now. In Penarth, the range created by Craig ParkerTrott has gained fans not just in the Vale, but across the world. We caught up with Craig to find out what this talented candlemaker and entrepreneur has in store for Christmas.

What products do you offer?

We specialise in Home Fragrance in the form of Candles, Diffusers, Room Sprays, Car Diffusers. After winning a Bronze Skincare Award back in 2021 for our best-selling Lavender + Rosemary Hand Sanitiser, we have ventured into Bath and Body and now make Luxury Soap Bars and a range of five gender-neutral Eau Du Parfum which has been featured twice in TATLER this year in their Beauty Bible. All formulated and lovingly made by us here in the studio in Penarth using high quality and ethically sourced ingredients. At Apothecary64 we believe that Home Fragrance should enhance your space and not pollute it, so we use no additives nor parabens to make all our formulations clean making them family/pet safe, vegan and cruelty free.

Where do your customers come from?

All over, and we mean literally! We have a very loyal local customer base as well as throughout the UK and worldwide - the US in particular.

What are your best sellers?

Within the core range we have Welsh Home Fragrances that include Cwtch, Cariad, Bedw, Penarth Pier and Ynys Y Barri that are really popular. Throughout the year we add in seasonal fragrances too; Sakura (Japanese Cherry Blossom) was popular for Mother’s Day and for Autumn/Winter we have Winter and Fir Tree which are stunning fragrances that perfectly capture the season.

Do you have a favourite product?

Genuinely hard to pick a favourite as there are sixteen Home Fragrances to choose from and all capture and create different moods, and I use all of them throughout the year.

This year I have to say one product I’m particularly proud of has to be the Pride Candle we launched in June for Pride Month with profits being donated to Pride Cymru – we even changed our shop front to celebrate Pride with the rainbow flag colours which looked so fabulous and bright, we kept up the sign right through ‘til September!

What’s hot this autumn and winter?

Bedw is new for Autumn. It’s like an autumnal stroll through a woodland, capturing Birch, Bergamot and Oakmoss. Winter and Fir Tree also make a welcome return this season, both perfectly capturing the mood of the festive season, and, for this year, we have a huge range of new products and gift sets for the Winter and Fir Tree fragrances.

What are your hopes and dreams for the business?

We are super proud of our journey so far, this year we have been featured in TATLER and GQ Magazine, collaborated with Pride Cymru on the Pride Candle and the talented Baldhead Designs – who designed a “love” card for us for Pride Month.

Following on from the success of our work with Matt Jones Ceramics and his wonderful ceramic diffuser pot he designed for us - which was so popular, I’d love to do some more collaborations with talented local businesses in 2023. Last, but by no means least, I would also like to say a massive thank you to all our customers for their love and continued support and for being with us on this awesome journey.

Here, Angharad Evans, Natural Therapist from Penarth, provides a list of key foods that can help you to maintain a healthy mind and body, especially as we enter the colder autumn months.

GLUTEN

Gluten is found in wheat, barley, and rye. Consequently, gluten is found in all manner of foods and drinks including bread, flour, beer, couscous and even in oats.

If you have a gluten intolerance, you may experience a variety of side effects including diarrhoea, constipation, headaches, brain fog, tiredness, abdominal pain, nausea, dizziness, a feeling of loss of balance and indigestion.

However, sometimes, there are no obvious symptoms to eating gluten! If you’re curious to see whether you have a sensitivity to gluten, then avoid it completely for two months. No bread, cakes, biscuits, pasta, beer etc at all for two months. Then, introduce gluten to your diet. How do you feel? Are you experiencing any symptoms now? This will tell you whether avoiding or minimising gluten from your diet would be beneficial to you.

FATS & CARBS

This may come as a surprise but go for low carb and high fat foods!

This would mean cutting down on potatoes, crisps, processed foods and cereals but introducing avocado, almonds, salmon, mackerel, anchovies, seeds, and blueberries to your diet.

FIBRE

Don’t forget about fibre too, foods such as beans, broccoli and avocados are great sources of fibre which should be added to your diet.

FORGET THE SUGAR!

Sugar in its many forms need to be avoided - particularly refined sugar and artificial sweeteners!

Be mindful that there is sugar in all processed food. Cook from scratchknow what it is you’re eating and avoid the hidden sugar content.

RED MEAT

The general consensus is that red meat could be eaten in moderation, 2-3 times per week. However, this should be good quality red meat, organic if you can get it.

DON’T FORGET YOUR EGGS!

Eggs are super nutritious, they contain amino acid, antioxidants vitamins and minerals. They are the super food, quick, versatile, and easy to cook! Eggs help us to stay full for longer periods of time (no snacking needed) and they help to control our blood sugar levels.

SHOPPING LIST

What does this mean on a practical level?

Here’s a list of suggestions which cover the key components of a healthy diet:

Was Sally Edge destined to work at Blu? She has been a very happy client of theirs for fourteen years, so maybe it was destiny.

BLU FOR YOU

Sally says, “When I first entered the Salon, I knew instantly it was somewhere I wanted to be!” We delve a little deeper.

How long have you worked at Blu Hair Design?

For the last four years I have worked as a Salon Coordinator at Blu and have found the dream job that I had always searched for.

What’s your background?

My background is in administration and I’ve spent most of my working life with one company until the opportunity arose for me to join Blu.

Describe your typical day at Blu. A typical day at Blu as front of house always starts with a cheerful exchange with my colleagues - now my friends - a perfect cup of coffee from either Paris or Chloe, and checking the appointment system to see who will be visiting the salon on that particular day.

Our clients arrive and they too are always so cheerful and happy to spend time with us at Blu.

What is your role?

My role is to ensure that our clients have the best experience whilst they are with us, and I will always do my best to ensure this happens.

What do you enjoy about your job?

I so enjoy a catch up with our clients whilst making them comfortable and, at the end of their visit, it’s a delight knowing they have enjoyed their time with us and they are already looking forward to the next time.

The phone will be ringing with eager clients hoping that they can have their appointments on the day that suits them best, I am always in awe that the stylists do their best to accommodate them on their chosen date - nothing is too much for them.

Apart from front of house, I also work behind the scenes carrying out administrative duties ensuring the business runs smoothly and efficiently, a role I enjoy very much.

Every day working at Blu is a different day but always a happy day and it’s the whole team, Alexis, Hayley, Abi, Harriet, Emma, Charlotte, Aysha, Paris and Chloe, that make it a very special place to be.

My day at Blu Hair Design never feels like a working day but a place to catch up with fabulous colleagues and our very, very special clients.

Thanks for the fun, long may it continue!

Research shows that sound financial advice boosts confidence and emotional wellbeing.

PEACE OF M IND

Financial advice is more important than ever. Not only have changes in pensions and financial regulation placed more responsibility for planning retirement income into the hands of individuals, but the coronavirus pandemic has also reminded us all that unforeseen events can rock the foundations of what we had thought was a stable financial footing.

The ILC has undertaken research that shows financial advice could be an important factor in promoting mental health and wellbeing. Its report “Peace of mind: Understanding the nonfinancial value of financial advice” finds that non-financial benefits may be at least as important as the more easily visible financial ones in achieving this.

Participants in the study who had taken financial advice reported that they felt less worried about their future, enjoying the peace of mind that comes from knowing that proper preparation has been made for their later years – and that included those who were already in retirement.

They felt more confident that they would achieve their long-term goals and, through their interactions with an adviser, felt more financially literate and able to understand how those goals would be achieved – and more empowered to make complex financial decisions for themselves. Being in control of their financial future in these ways left them feeling reassured and less worried than they would otherwise have been.

But despite these benefits, there remains a significant ‘advice gap’, with very few people taking advice. This stems partly from a lack of awareness of the benefits of seeking advice and of how and where to find it. Among those who haven’t taken financial advice, some – especially women – were worried that doing so would actually result in a loss of control, and that decisions would be taken out of their hands, but the experience of the advised participants showed this to be an unfounded fear.

However, it remains clear that identifying long-term goals and establishing a financial structure to achieve them results in greater emotional wellbeing. Closing the ‘advice gap’ is a vital next step in giving that peace of mind to all.

So, the ILC is calling on government, the industry and the Financial Conduct Authority to work together to remedy the situation by highlighting both the non-financial as well as the financial benefits of advice, and reassuring individuals that advice will be tailored specifically to their goals.

A financial adviser can help with your own financial planning.

To receive a complimentary guide cover ing wealth management, retirement plan ning or Inheritance Tax planning, contact Bethan Beemer on 07715 940827 or email Bethan.Beemer@sjpp.co.uk

Source Peace of mind: Understanding the nonfinancial value of financial advice, ILC, 2020

A Vale-based gin distillery, located in the cellars of a 400-year-old castle, celebrates its first birthday in September by being listed in the top ten percent of tourist attractions worldwide, after having been awarded a 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Award.

GINVINCIBLE!

Hensol Castle Distillery has been awarded ‘highest honour’ by TripAdvisor. The distillery, situated on the estate of the four-star Vale Resort, scooped the honour after receiving over one hundred 5-star reviews from visitors, which were shared on TripAdvisor over the last twelve months. It is the highest honour that the world’s largest travel guidance platform can bestow.

Hensol Castle Distillery opened its visitor experience in September 2021, following a multi-million-pound investment. As part of the tour, visitors can see the distillery in operation, learn about the history of gin and Hensol Castle, enjoy a gin tasting and a gin and tonic at the end of the tour. In the Gin School, visitors can distil and label their very own 70cl bottle of gin using ingredients of their choice.

Since it launched, Hensol Castle Distillery’s visitor experience has welcomed just under 10k visitors through the door from as far afield as Canada, USA and Germany, who have tasted more than 25k glasses of gin and distilled more than 2.5 million bottles.

Stephanie Metson, marketing manager at Hensol Castle Distillery, said: “We’ve only been open for a year so to be awarded this top honour by TripAdvisor is extremely rewarding.

“Our talented team work tirelessly to offer a great experience to visitors and this recognition is a real testament to their dedication, passion and enthusiasm.

The TripAdvisor award comes hot on the heels of a clutch of other industry awards that Hensol Castle Distillery has secured over the past 12 months. It scooped Silver Medals at the London Spirits Competition in March [2022] for its two flavoured gins - The Wild Strawberry and Hibiscus Gin and the Blood Orange Zest Gin, while the Hensol Castle Welsh Dry Gin also won a gold medal at the Spirits Business Awards in December [2021].

Hensol Castle Distillery is South Wales’s first full-scale gin and spirits distillery and contract bottling plant and is the only distillery in a 17th century castle.

Since starting production in spring 2019, it has enjoyed rapid growth, handling an ever-expanding order book for contract bottling, launching an on-trade collection of gins and vodkas as well as Trulo – its marketdefining range of reduced calorie alcoholic drinks.

Hensol Castle Distillery’s range is now available throughout restaurants, pubs and bars in South Wales, including the Hardwick, Pasture and the Potted Pig restaurants, and it has struck sponsorship deals with Cardiff City Football Club and Glamorgan Cricket to become the official gin supplier of both clubs.

Kanika Soni, chief commercial officer at TripAdvisor, said: “Congratulations to the 2022 TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Winners.

“The Travelers’ Choice Awards recognise the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who matter most. Ranking among the Travelers’ Choice winners is always tough - but never more so than this year, as we emerge from the pandemic. Whether it’s using new technology, implementing safety measures or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps taken to meet travellers’ new demands.”

To see visitor reviews of Hensol Castle Distillery, visit https://bit.ly/3SKYiRT

To book a gin tour or gin-making experi ence at Hensol Castle Distillery, visit: https://bit.ly/3Clcz29

“We’re always working hard to make the experience for guests the very best it can be, and we look forward to seeing what the next 12 months hold.”

Worth over £70, this box contains a step-by-step tan guide for flawlessly glowing skin. Using superior performance formulas and beautifully scented tans, this gift box is for skincare lovers with their derma-approved targeted formulas for clear, bronzed skin

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A unisex, vegan-friendly, cruelty-free and sustainable luxury hairbrush designed for a gentle brushing experience. Made entirely of natural and lightweight materials, the brush is perfect for hairstyling and daily use. Offering a vegan alternative to boar bristles, it offers the same smoothing benefits without any animal-derived fibres

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Blanket/Throw - Duck Egg £29.99

Mens Bowmon Gloves - Navy £14.99

Mens Original Hat - Black £11.99 Mens

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Ladies Alps Hat £13.99 Ladies Lounge socks - Heathfield £12.99 All

SAMANTHA B

Are you excited about the autumn/ winter season Sam?

Yes, I’m very excited. We never know what kind of summer to expect, but autumn winter dressing is much easier and therefore more fun! Cosy knits atop a pair of cords in rich colours, layers to keep you warm! Accessorise with scarves, ponchos, and gilets.

Any exciting news you’d like to share?

Yes, we have a new label called Sonder, a fashion forward brand with a twist. My customers are already loving the fabulous faux fur, lovely skirts, and tops and all at an excellent price point! Our favourites are still here - Marble, Olsen, Bianca, Barbara Lebek, Fransa, Adini and Capri and, this season, they are all offering exceptional design and colours.

What do you love about the brands you have to offer?

What I and my customers love is that they are a very consistent curated collection, put together to make the shopping experience easier and more fun! Marble, Olsen, and Barbara Lebek are all colour coordinated and incorporate colours from past seasons to give longevity to your wardrobe which, when looking at the cost of living, which we all are at the moment, is important. All the labels on offer are also very concerned about fabric and eco issues.

What do you love about what you do?

I absolutely love my job! I’m in my 12th year this year and welcome my loyal and new customers with a warm and engaging experience. We have shared much laughter, tears, and care for each other and have built many friendships. I look forward to continuing the customer service and dressing the gorgeous ladies that shop with me.

What would you recommend customers buy this season?

It would definitely be a great fitting trousers or jeans, a versatile dress, a great coat and, for fun, a faux fur gilet that could elevate any outfit! Samantha

Our local High Street is about more than just retail. It is the face of our local area, its identity. It is a place of work, a place to live; a place for members of our community to meet and socialise. It is the thoroughfare between our great parks, schools, public transport and places of worship.

All of these qualities matter. With what we’ve all gone through over the last couple of years, there’s never been a time when this has mattered more. When our High Streets thrive, it brings greater footfall, and this is felt by shoppers and businesses.

Retail parks and shopping centres are all well and good but it’s the High Street where we meet our neighbours, where we browse and shop, where we like to spend our time, buying essentials, not so essentials, meeting up with the girls or boys, having a coffee and a slice of cake. Catching up basically. You know, the things we can’t do online. We need to keep this going. We need to bring back the fun in our lives, community wise!

Speaking of fun, Barry’s High Street are turning on the Christmas Lights on Saturday the 26th of November. The High Street traders will be switching on the lights across the street, but this year it’s with a twist!

The festivities will run all day, starting at 11am and will include festive cheer such as local choirs, dance groups, Scout groups, festive games and workshops all leading up to the streets’ big switch on at 5:30pm.

There will be special offers, activities such as ‘design a Christmas Eve T-shirt’ ‘ring making’ and ‘wreath workshops’ brought to you by the High Street traders themselves as well as festive food and drink showcasing everything that High Street, Barry, has to offer.

So, head on down to your local High Street and show them your support, but most of all - have fun!

BARRY HIGH STREET

UNIQUE GIFTS & MORE Vale Gift Co.

Rebecca has had a rebrand! Formerly Siempre Aromas, Vale Gift Co. is now offering even more amazing and unique gifts.

“As much as my customers love my handmade fragrances, I wanted to offer so much more and thought that Vale Gift Co. summed up a total gifting experience,” said Rebecca. “I am now offering a range of Personalised Photo gifts along with a design service that you wouldn’t normally find on the High Street.”

“The Photo Slates are so popular, I have customers from all over wishing to buy them. The beauty of the Photo Slates and Personalised gifts is that I do all the design work here instore, just supply the photos, names, dates for the gift and I can design and have it made the same day! I don’t believe you could get that anywhere else in Barry. Perfect for Christmas gift ideas and last minute gifts for any occasion.”

Also popular are the dupe perfumes and plantable cards (plant them and watch them grow!).

Budding Designs Flower Studio

Budding Designs Flower Studio on the bustling, vibrant High Street in Barry are a team of qualified, experienced florists offering all things floral.

From fresh flowers, dried flowers, wedding and funeral flowers, house and garden plants, plus homeware, Christmas and gifts.

With their online shop, it couldn’t be easier to place an order and you can follow them on social media for updates.

Vale Gift Co.

29 High Street, Barry CF62 7EB info@valegiftco.com www.valegiftco.com valegiftco

Budding Designs Flower Studio

1 High Street, Barry CF62 7DZ 01446 404660

www.buddingdesigns.co.uk

Inplico

Inplico Jewellery Workshop has recently opened on Island Road, in the heart of Barry. Roz, the owner and founder of Inplico, offers a range of jewellery services in gold, silver and platinum including repairs, remodelling and bespoke commissions.

Roz graduated from Cardiff School of Art and Design in July 2016 where she specialised in digital fabrication and metal casting. Since graduating, Roz has worked with a variety of small jewellery businesses in South Wales to hone her skills as a jewellery maker and goldsmith. Her sculptural practice informs her designs which she makes by hand in her workshop on Island Road.

JEWELLERY, WORKSHOPS & GIFTS

Crafted Arts

Since moving to High Street in February this year, Crafted Arts has thrived and has opened another part of their business – Vale Jewellery Workshops. Not only does Gemma make her own jewellery, but she also now teaches others.

In her shop you will find a wide range of beautiful jewellery, some can be personalised with finger prints, handwriting and lots more. There is an abundance of unique gifts, greeting cards and bags. Gemma also offers jewellery repairs and creates custom items of jewellery.

Gemma runs her jewellery workshops in the evenings, they are suitable for complete beginners, group bookings

Roz is in the workshop Wednesday to Saturday, 10am to 4pm. Pop in and say hello, you can’t miss the shop (it’s bright pink)

UNIQUE GIFTS FOR ALL OCCASIONS MINT&Feather

At MINT&Feather shop you can find great gifts not only for coming Christmas season but for any occasion!

are welcome, you can find more information by visiting the website: www.valejewelleryworkshops.co.uk

Inplico Jewellery Workshop

4 Island Road

Barry, Vale of Glamorgan CF62 7AR

Thursday - Saturday 10am - 4pm 07988 713981 roz@inplicodesign.com www.inplicodesign.com inplicodesign

They have a wide variety of products made by their own hands and carefully chosen accessories from other manufacturers. Their commissions list is almost full, but if you are looking for unique items for her, for him or for your children, please pop in and have a look.

Crafted Arts

29 High Street, Barry CF62 7EB 07789794248

info@craftedarts.co.uk www.craftedarts.co.uk

MINT&Feather shop

99 High Street, Barry CF62 7DS www.mintandfeather.com

Facebook mintandfeather Instagram mint_and_feather

The Vale Cake Boutique

For the last nine years, VCB have been known for their bespoke wedding and event cakes, winning the Welsh Wedding Awards for the last four years, including best Wedding Cakes in Wales.

They offer bespoke contemporary designed cakes for all occasions and events.

At VCB, they strive to offer a cosy yet modern stylish environment, with high quality coffee, drinks, brunch and a variety cakes and pastries. You can also enjoy watching their bakers creating their cakes and goodies in their glass studio.

Check out their Instagram page for more information on their afternoon teas, and new small brunch menu. Small parties also catered for. You can secure a table or make a cake enquiry by calling the shop on 01446 741511.

8 High Street, Barry CF62 7DZ 01446 741511 07960 405829

zoe@thevalecakeboutique.com www.thevalecakeboutique.com

HANDMADE CARDS, GIFTS AND HOMEWARES

Homemade Wales

Homemade Wales on Barry’s High Street is packed with perfectly curated handmade cards, gifts and homewares from makers and artists from across the whole of Wales and beyond.

Popular with both locals and visitors, Homemade Wales is the place to visit if you’re looking for something special and a little different; including local art prints, ceramics, jewellery, Welsh wool accessories, handmade candles, books and cards.

Owner Fay Blakeley says, “We’ve been a fixture of the High Street in Barry for over eight years now and I still get a thrill when I discover the work of new makers and artists to share with my customers. We are looking forward to a busy winter as the festive season is just around the corner!”

Follow Homemade on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter for Christmas promotions and event details visit www.homemadewales.co.uk or call 07859 776477

Knights Estate Agents

Knights Estate Agents is one of the most established estate agents and letting agents in Barry. For nearly 30 years it has had an office on High Street, selling and renting commercial and residential properties across the whole of Barry and the Vale.

With fourteen members, plus a dedicated freelance marketing consultant, Knights Estate Agents ensures it has a big enough staff to help its clients through every step of the sales and letting process.

In addition, Knights has been exclusively chosen by the award-winning estate agency network The Guild of Property

FOR ALL THINGS BEAUTY

House Of Cocoa Tanning

If ever there was a salon that covered all bases, then this is it! House of Cocoa offer a one-stop shop for all your beauty needs.

Stacey (owner) is a must for your tanning and hair extensions, Molly is the resident make-up artist, Aimie and Tasha are the amazing nail technicians, Tilly can transform your brows and lashes, and Chloe is the answer to your hair cutting and styling dreams.

Bookings are made via each of the girls’ socials as they are all selfemployed. And they very much in demand. So, if you need to get glammed up for the Christmas party season, then we suggest you get in touch as soon as possible.

Zac & Bella joins the High Street

Following a thriving first ten months on High Street, fashion designer Hayley McGhan is looking forward to the first Christmas period in their new home.

Zac & Bella is a unique, practical and ecofriendly baby and children’s fashion brand which is designed and made in Barry. Hayley illustrates all fabrics included in the range before sewing all collections herself in the workshop at the back of the boutique. Personalised clothing and accessory options are also available to order including baby comforters, dog bandanas, Christmas rompers and ‘My First Christmas’ blankets.

Professional, as its only member for Barry. Being a Guild member means that every property Knights work with can be seen by other Guild members opening a UK wide data base to potential buyers and renters.

While it’s reach is huge, Knights is still a family run company. As Carey Jones says, “We’re big enough to make a real difference in the property market but we’re small enough to care.”

Knights Estate Agents

84 High Street, Barry 01446 700222

sales@knights.uk.com www.knights.uk.com

Knights Property Sales

Contact via socials: Molly - ByMollyrose

Aimie - Aimieveebeauty Tasha - Tashamaenails

Dilly - Beautybydills Chloe - Hairbychloedavies

House of Cocoa Tanning 108 High Street, Barry www.houseofcocoasalon.com houseofcocoasalon

Alongside the clothing range you will also find an offering of carefully curated baby and children’s gifts including cards and gift wrap.

For those with a love of sewing Zac & Bella also carries a range of fabrics, haberdashery and sewing patterns. If you’re new to sewing Hayley teaches adults and children the basics of using a sewing machine as well as pattern cutting, dressmaking and a weekly kids after school sewing club.

For a wonderful gift idea why not purchase a Zac & Bella gift card which can be used across the whole boutique.

Zac and Bella

30 High St, Barry CF62 7EB 01446 701926

info@zacandbellafashion.co.uk www.zacandbellafashion.co.uk

zacandbella

“Knights is still a family run company.”

Masfina Jewellery, Gifts & Workshop

Masfina is owned and managed by mother and son, Michele Chambers and Richard Chambers. It has built a fine reputation, which attracts customers both locally and further afield.

Masfina also houses a workshop where Richard carries out repairs. Masfina offer a diverse range of quality, semi-precious stones set in Sterling Silver, as well as quality gifts and crystals. Offering the not-so-common, semi-precious jewellery, which you would typically find on the high street or in premier chains, with a wide selection from across Asia, America and Europe.

“Exquisite jewellery, classy and unique. I’m so pleased with my purchases and the excellent customer service. I also had a watch strap replaced after Dior quoted £470. Richard found a suitable replacement. Definitely worth visiting!”

“My husband is really thrilled with the engraving and resizing of his ring, inherited from his grandfather. Thank you Masfina!”

Offering a diverse range of quality, semi-precious stones set in Sterling Silver, as well as giftware including crystals, decorative ornaments, hand carved wooden boxes and more.

An extensive range of Amber jewellery, as well as the Mojave and Copper Turquoise sourced from Asia, America and Europe.

Great news! Look out for an exciting range of Harry Potter silver jewellery due in November. Sure to bring a little extra magic to Christmas!

On-site workshop available for repairs including claw work, stone resetting, soldering, ring re-sizing and creation of bespoke pieces.

Bridgend is buzzing

We featured Bridgend in our summer issue. There’s plenty to see and do around town and some great shops to do a little gift shopping in.

There are some fine eateries and cafes there too – honestly, you’ll be spoiled for choice. The Rhiw and the Market are also great places to have a browse, and the town centre has an eclectic range of indie shops.

Yes, the chains are here but there are some real gems.

There is also free three-hour parking near the centre so, with budgets tight, that certainly helps a little. The town has great bus and train links too, so even if you’re without a car, Bridgend is certainly accessible.

BRIDGEND

A WEALTH OF EXPERIENCE

Magenta

Magenta Financial Planning is an award winning, bespoke firm of financial planners and wealth managers, based in Bridgend.

Magenta is passionate about helping people feel more confident about their money and what it can help them do in the future, so they can make smart choices and have the freedom to pursue their passions in life.

At Magenta they offer a warm and friendly environment in their office at the newly refurbished Nolton Court, and your first initial meeting is free.

Magenta help people who find themselves facing changes in their lives and financial circumstances, including, for example, deciding to set up a business, going through a divorce, at retirement, or in the event of illness or bereavement.

IF IT SOUNDS GOOD...

Left of the Dial Records

This cool stall inside The Rhiw shopping centre, sells vinyl and CDs from many genres. “We stock rock, blues, funk, prog, jazz and country, but my personal favourites are grunge, punk, indie and alternative,” says Gareth. “But I honestly love all types.”

Gareth can also source albums, singles and CDs. So, if there’s a hard-to-find classic you’re looking for, perhaps Gareth (being tapped into the network) can source it for you.

For more information, call Gareth on 07802 271941 or pop into The Rhiw. He’s usually there from 9am until 4pm, Wednesday to Saturday.

Magenta Financial Planning Suite 5, Nolton Court, CF31 1BX 01656 760670 hello@magentafp.com www.magentafp.com

Magenta Financial Planning

Left Of The Dial Records

The Rhiw, Bridgend 07802 271941

“Your initial meeting with Magenta is free of charge.”

The fourth meeting of the Bridgend Business Network (BBN) was held at Café Huna Bar, hosted by Owain and Scott who are brilliant hosts.

Local councillor David Unwin come along as one of the attendees. He said he was pleased to see a spark being lit in bringing local businesses together. There were twenty attendees in all, from a pretty diverse range of professional services: commercial banking, financial planning, family law,

accountancy, SME finance, mortgage advice and estate agency.

BBN is an open and informal network, and the organisers are happy for those working in and around town. It’s free and on for two hours 4 - 6pm.

There is no pitching or ten-minute story-times involved, it’s just a lowpressure way of saying hello and seeing if you can make great business and/or social connections over a drink.

Christina Slade opened this haven for craft supplies in 2019, initially online and then inside the Rhiw Market later that year.

E MERALD CITY

EVENT PLANNING MADE EASY

Emerald City Events

Christina offers a range of stunning wedding dresses, men’s suits, various décor (chair covers, centre pieces, artificial flowers, candy carts, invites, table plans and various gifts).

A qualified wedding planner by trade, Christina thrives on taking the strain of planning her clients’ weddings or special events which enables the event to go without a hitch and the client enjoying a stress free and enjoyable event – whatever that might be.

Her reputation is growing both from wedding fayres and from word-of-mouth and her client base is increasing daily.

If you have a wedding, funeral, divorce party (very popular apparently) or special birthday on the horizon, give Christina a call.

FOR ALL YOUR CRAFTING NEEDS Emerald City Creations

Christina offers craft supplies including card and jewellery making, mixed media and scrapbooking to the people of Bridgend and beyond.

Customers travel to her because not only does she have a vast range of products, she also has a wealth of experience in the industry. Experience is one thing, but passion is another and this passion shines through as she discusses crafting and what she can offer.

If Christina doesn’t have a crafting item in the shop, she knows where and how it can be sourced. This level of knowledge is unrivalled.

“My interest in all things crafts began when my nan got me into tapestry and cross stitching and then later my friend was given a jewellery making gift set which she didn’t want. She offered it to me, and I fell in love with the process and so my love for crafting continued.” Look out for a new website coming soon.

Find out more about BBN You can find the group on LinkedIn and Facebook by searching for ‘Bridgend Business Network (BBN)’ on either site.

Details of future meetings will be added there, or you can email Jamie Flook directly if you’d prefer: jamie@magentafp.com

GREEN The gateway to the valleys and the Vale Talbot Green sits on the cusp of the Vale and the Rhondda valleys. At its heart is a very busy bus station that sees visitors travel in and out from the Vale, the valleys, Bridgend and Cardiff.

notice a real mix of accents here. You may also be surprised to hear it has a golf course literally a good drive away (not the car type though), and Llantrisant is just five minutes away.

TALBOT GREEN

We’re big fans of massage. The benefits are huge, especially if you’re training or perhaps in a stressful working environment. Sabai Thai Massage Therapy in Talbot Green is certainly an establishment we can endorse.

Owned by the lovely Ann, who is professionally trained and has eight years’ experience, you’ll certainly be in good hands. Ann has been open in Talbot Green for four years and has many excellent testimonials.

The Benefits of a Thai massage

n Increased circulation

n Stimulation of the lymph systempart of the body’s immune system, which helps protect us from infection and disease n Release of endorphins; the body’s natural painkiller n Improved range of motion and decreased discomfort associated with lower back pain n Relaxation of injured and overused muscles

n Reduced muscle spasm and cramping

n Increased joint flexibility n Assists recovery from strenuous workouts

n Pain relief from migraines

n Can help reduce post-operative adhesions and oedema, as well as reducing scar tissue.

Treatments on offer…

n Deep tissue massage

n Sports massage

n Hot stone massage n Thai oil massage n Thai herbal massage n Traditional Thai massage n Back, neck and shoulder massage n Head Massage n Foot massage n Wave stone massage n Pregnancy massage

Beauty and Spa…

To complement her massage therapy treatments, Ann also offers a range of beauty and spa treatments.

n Facial steam massage (Elemis)

n Full body scrub

n Back scrub

n Foot spa n Hand spa n Pedicure

n Manicure.

Massage treatments start at £50 and beauty & Spa from £25. Visit Ann’s Facebook page to find out more.

Special happy hours rates

Monday to Sunday 10am - 1pm £45 for 1 hour, £65 for 90 minutes £85 for two hours

Treatments include Deep tissue massage, sports massage, traditional Thai massage, Thai oil massage, back neck and shoulder massage, and reflexology massage. Join Sabai’s loyalty card scheme After 15 sessions, 1 hour session free!

A

vibrant village community

Pontyclun is a mere ten-minute drive from Cowbridge and just down the road from Talbot Green and the historic hillside town of Llantrisant.

With excellent transport links, it punches well above its weight and is fast becoming one of the most desirable places to live and set up business. Recent years have seen the population increase with Bridgend and Cardiff residents moving out to get more bang for their buck.

It benefits from some very good eateries, a deli, boutiques, hair salons and a particularly good family-run butcher. With a great selection of indie businesses, life is good in Pontyclun.

PONTYCLUN

QUALITY BUTCHERS

John Hughes Butchers

John Hughes Butchers has been serving the community for several decades. Customers come from miles around to buy their meat products from this superb butcher. Yes, they serve Pontyclun and Talbot Green but also see customers from Bridgend, Barry, Cowbridge and even as far as Swansea.

What makes this butcher attract such a wide customers base? It has to be the Welsh St Fagans beef and pork which is so, so tasty thanks to the animals having the luxury of grazing on the nutrient filled soil of the land. All poultry is British and meat across the board is 90% British. Also check out their cooked meats, homemade pies, pasties and faggots and award-winning sausages.

With Christmas just around the corner, customers are booking their turkeys, turkey crowns, chickens, pork and beef. Also available will be a range of game products. Vouchers are also available.

Scissors Pontyclun

Scissors offer all aspects of hairdressing including cutting and colouring. Becky has over thirty years’ experience in the industry. The staff keep up with all trends thanks to the online training courses with specialists L’Oreal.

Helping them to achieve the conditioning and styling of their clients’ hair are the L’Oreal Olaplex products. The salon is proud to be a GHD Premier Partnership Salon, an honour only afforded to salons offering unique GHD Premier styling products. With Christmas fast approaching, Becky suggests clients book in for their cuts and colours in advance to ensure they look gorgeous in the lead up and during the festive break. Christmas gift sets available in GHD (new Unplugged).

Scissors

53

www.scissorspontyclun.co.uk

Scissors Pontyclun

Closed Monday & Sunday

Tuesday 9am - 6pm

Wednesday & Thursday 9am - 7pm

Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 8.30am - 4.30pm

HOP TO T HE SHOP

Opened in 2021, this emporium of gifting goodies is attracting those on the hunt for individual, quality gifts at great prices.

It all started when Leon made a promise to Sara to make her favourite candle; and one starter candle making kit and five years later they are going from strength to strength.

With a great eye for sourcing the most sought-after gifts, sourced locally whenever possible, the shop is host to twenty-eight local crafters from hand crafted jewellery to baby gifts and soaps. For a small shop there is always so much to see.

Favourites include East of India, Roka Bags, Wrendale, plus many more. They also stock the award winning Frenchic Paint!

With Christmas just around the corner (and free gift wrapping) plus excellent customer service, hop on over (sorry!) as soon as you can and treat yourself, your loved ones, colleagues, or friends to a gift they will remember.

Justine Bullock & Lynda Rees established The Tap End in 2017. The Pontyclun based bathroom boutique now attracts customers from across South Wales and the UK because of their creativity and excellent customer service.

MAKING BATHROOMS BEAUTIFUL WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM

Vale Life popped into their Pontyclun HQ to chat to the ladies and find out more.

How would you describe The Tap End’s offering? What sets you apart? What’s the philosophy?

It is our unrivalled passion for creating beautiful spaces which sets us apart from other bathroom stores. For us a bathroom is not just another room, it is a space which requires careful planning and consideration, so that you can relax after a hard day at work, wash away your worries or prepare yourself for the day ahead. It is about so much more than a necessary room.

It is about how form and function meet to create personal and unique spaces that our clients will love for years to come.

Put simply. We love bathrooms!

Where do your customers come from? How far do they travel?

Our typical catchment area is Cardiff, The Vale of Glamorgan and surrounding areas including Bridgend, Caerphilly, Pontyclun, Pontypridd and Newport.

We can however supply goods nationwide and have completed projects in conjunction with clients’ own fitters as far away as Dorset. We’ve delivered to London, Liverpool, Epsom and Halifax! We have even sent tiles to the Outer Hebrides!

What are your most requested products and services?

We specialise in bathrooms and that covers cloakrooms, shower rooms, ensuites and family bathrooms. Our most requested room is naturally an ensuite or family bathroom due to the heavy usage, and the need for them to be updated more frequently than a cloakroom for example.

THE TAP END

Clients typically favour a neutral colour palette as this doesn’t date, we would say this kind of look is still our most requested style. We love to elevate a neutral scheme by introducing some ambient lighting, potentially coloured brassware such as brushed brass or nickel, and some texture in the tiles or vanity unit.

What designs are popular right now?

What’s popular colour-wise?

Whilst neutral is the most requested colour scheme; pattern and colour are the most on-trend in terms of fashion. We love botanical tiles, colours, wallpapers paired with a clashing bright pink!

There are many products that feature greens - we have green vanity units, green tiles, baths, basins and even shower screens!

There is also a call for white brassware; so basin fillers, bath fillers, shower heads etc - this is as a result of black being the go-to for a while. As such, the trend that follows tends to be the complete opposite!

Can you offer solutions for any size room?

We love small space design. We very rarely keep a rooms layout as it is. There is always a better configuration to be explored, even if it is just something as simple as moving a basin from under a window to a different wall to have a mirror above it. Things like this will enhance the usage of a space far beyond what the client would have expected.

What price ranges do you offer?

We carefully select the brands that make our designs come to life, pairing quality and style, and never one without the other - to provide a design-led finish for every budget. We specialise in bathrooms for real homes, and realistic budgets - as such, our projects can range between £4k to £40k plus for design and supply of goods including tiles per bathroom/ ensuite (excluding installation).

Do you work with both domestic and commercial customers?

We work with both. We absolutely love working with domestic clients, this is the demographic that makes up most of our clientele.

For commercial projects, as our product offering is high end, we love to work with unique projects on their product specification. For example, supplying unusual tiles for bars and restaurants. Or supplying quirky bathrooms for Airbnb’s.

Which brands do you work with and why?

For our brand offering we are extremely selective. We work with manufacturers that create timeless products with good features and benefits and, importantly, excellent aftercare. Some of the brands we champion are Laufen, CaPietra, Majestic, AXOR, Hansgrohe and Burbidge.

What makes working with The Tap End special?

We offer and end-to-end service. We design, supply and can either connect you with a recommended fitter or our own installation company, The Tap End Installations. Whilst construction is always stressful, we try to mitigate the effects on clients by dealing with any issues behind the scenes. Being honest and upfront is our policy and we build excellent relationships with clients as a result. Not to mention we are multi-award-winning and nominated for our work.

What do you enjoy most about working in your industry?

Being a contributing factor in a client’s enjoyment of their new/renovated home gives us such pleasure. It is always so rewarding when we go back to take “after pics” and the transformation is huge!

Do you offer full installation with a team of trusted fitters?

We work with recommended fitters, and we have our own fitting team: The Tap End Installations. Clients can opt for either, or, alternatively, we can work with a client’s own fitter/builder.

What excites you about the future in bathrooms? Is there any clever technology on the horizon?

There are some exciting things happening in our industry. There is a big focus, and rightly so, on sustainability and futureproofing so that bathrooms last longer and therefore do not contribute to landfill so frequently. The quality of goods is improving to assist this, and the amount of packaging on goods is reducing. We have been brochure-free as a company since we opened, and we are now seeing others follow suit.

Technology wise the bathroom is becoming more tech-savvy - from as simple as a PIR to control ambient lighting, to an all singing all dancing washlet WC that washes and dries you. We love washlet WCs for hygiene reasons, once you go washlet you never go back!

Does The Tap End have any future plans to expand? If so, can you divulge?

We have big plans for Cowbridge in the new year. We are opening a sister showroom for tiles and flooring. The offering will include specialist products such as encaustic, zellige, hand-painted, real terracotta, as well as large format porcelain, tiles for outdoors, and natural stone. We will have a showroom on the high street and are very excited to welcome clients in to help them with their kitchen splashbacks, hallway floors, hearths and anywhere else a tiled surface would suit!

TESTIMONIALS

What customers say…

Fabulous team and design service from start to finish. Justine could not have been more helpful with queries about the design and products. Customer after care was second to none. Highly professional customer focus business. We cannot recommend enough.

Mr & Mrs West, Radyr

My bathrooms and WC needed a complete overhaul as it had not changed over thirty years ago, and I could not be any happier with the service provided from The Tap End. Daniella did a brilliant job in designing and remodelling the bathrooms and the products that would go with the design. 100% recommend The Tap End and well worth the wait.

Mr Li, Barry

Louise De-Vyliers, owner of Miss De-Vyliers, opened the popular boutique in Pontyclun in October 2018. The boutique’s popularity exploded. So much so, that an additional, larger premises was needed, especially since weddings are now back in full force.

BOUTIQUE BOX AT MISS DE-VYLIERS

The original boutique was split into two separate areas, one for more casual wear and the other for prom and mother of the bride. So, we are delighted to bring you the bigger and dare we say it, even better, Miss De-Vyliers, which is now based across the road from its old home. Here we chat to Louise about the move, how the business has grown and what we see today.

Just to be clear, the original boutique is still there?

Yes, the original boutique still offers stylish clothing that’s a little bit different and great value for money. The range goes from casual to classy, day wear and evening wear for women of all ages, sizes, and purse strings.

The new boutique offers beautiful clothing from prom wear, cruise wear, occasion wear, mother-of-the-bride, and guest wear for all occasions. Our sizes range from 8-24, so every body shape can be catered for. Whatever your size, slim or curvier, every woman has the right to look amazing.

We also offer accessories including bags, shoes, and hats and hatinators (which we can dye according to any outfit), and we have a fantastic range of jewellery which completes any outfit. We also have a range of more expensive hats that can be hired as these tend to be one-off wears and an accessory that a lot of women would rather not spend a fortune on but still want that stunning piece of headwear.

What’s the main concern for most women when buying an outfit for a special occasion?

That’s a good question. Traditionally women spent a fortune on an outfit, especially mother-of-the-bride, only for the outfit to languish in the back of the wardrobe, unlikely to be worn again.

Now, because of economics, the fact that weddings can now be performed almost anywhere, and women want to be able to wear the outfit on more than one occasion, we are offering outfits at more affordable prices and with a more modern feel. Gone is the more formal style and in comes a more laid back, wearable ensemble that can be worn in most environments.

What do women love about shopping with you?

We have always had great feedback from our customers. We strive to make every woman feel comfortable and excited about trying on clothes. They trust us and often leave the boutique with clothing that they never thought they would even try on but, with our honest advice and suggestions, they leave with bags aplenty and heads held high. It’s the part of the job that we love most.

What will be shopping experience be in the new boutique?

I wanted the new boutique to be a relaxed, comfortable, but gorgeous environment. I’m delighted with the way it looks and I hope my lovely ladies love it as much as I do. We want our customers to feel relaxed and not rushed. Shopping should be an enjoying experience. We have a beautiful lounge area with tea, coffee and cold drinks - even a glass of bubbly will be available. We will also have newspapers and magazines available for partners and husbands/ wives to make them feel comfortable.

What makes shopping at Miss DeVyliers special?

I will let my customers answer that one! But what I would say is that we strive to make every woman look and feel special. We are not pushy. We are quite happy if they have a browse, try on and leave with a single item or a bag full, as long as they’ve enjoyed the experience. The stock changes continually so there’s always something new to see. It’s as exciting for us as it is for our customers. We love fashion too!

TESTIMONIALS

What customers say…

Today I purchased a bag from this lovely boutique. It was beautifully wrapped by the friendly sales staff, and at a super price too. I would definitely recommend shopping here. There are so many lovely items of clothing - shoes, bags, accessories, and gifts to choose from.

Helen Quinn

Thank you so much for helping me find the most perfect dress for my son’s wedding. I was struggling so much to find something, but you were all so helpful and as soon as I came into your boutique, I knew I was going to have the perfect dress.

Wendy Jones

Had a great time in Miss De-Vyliers yesterday. It felt like I was shopping with my mate who knew exactly what I should wear and shouldn’t. I had shopped for two hours and found nothing. They were my last shop! From now on, they’ll be my first.

Simone Harding

SNEAKER C ARTEL

All

With

Over the past twenty-five years, sneaker collecting has transformed from a niche hobby to a worldwide phenomenon. “Growing up, most kids had two or three pairs of sneakers. Today, kids and adults alike fill their closets with them. It’s a trend that transcends generations and backgrounds,” says Leah.

The Wish Skin Clinic is now available in Pontyclun offering a range of facial aesthetics. Owned and managed by the highly experienced Robert Howell, whose mantra is “Look better, don’t look treated”.

With an ethos that puts your safety first and foremost, adopting and following protocols that satisfy the regulations of a medical environment, Wish Skin Clinic offers age-appropriate rejuvenation management.

Including options for corrective and enhancement treatments, improvements to facial features that maybe you never quite liked, ‘the nose that’s not as straight as you may like’, ‘the lips that don’t allow you to wear your lipstick as you would wish’.

All these things and more can be discussed in an informed consultation, and the best way forward agreed to suite your individual needs, all assessed and accommodated in your own personal care plan. At Wish your dreams can come true.

Robert is a dentist with three decades of clinical patient management and many years of facial aesthetics experience plus the accolade of Advanced Level Injector in the medical non-surgical facial aesthetics world. He has been treating a select Channel Island patient base for their facial aesthetic needs for ten of those years from his St Helier base, as owner and Clinical Director of Your Smile Jersey Dental Clinic incorporating Robert Howell facial aesthetics.

If you would like a private consultation, then please give the Clinic a call.

WYNNES NETTLE OIL

TESTIMONIALS

What customers say…

Well wish I had taken photos, before I started using Wynnes Nettle Oil. I suffer with dry scalp which gets red & sore, when I spoke to Louise De-vyliers about it she mentioned the oil. Honestly I was sceptical but I can’t live without it now. It’s amazing I rub it in my scalp leave overnight with great results after washing the following morning. It’s also good for nail growth. Would definitely recommend Wynnes �� Helen Parsons

After so many years of damage hair from pregnancy, styling,colours and covid.Wynnes Nettle oil proved to be not only pain free and cost effective but a fast repair hair solution. A simple weekly application gave amazing results within a month.

Mandy Wilkins

When owner of Miss DeVyliers, Louise DeVyliers began losing her hair due to Covid and the menopause, she realised she needed to find a solution - and fast. Not wanting to use products with nasty chemicals, Louise, along with her good friend, Andrew Staddon, an engineer by trade, joined forces to create an oil that could promote the return of healthy follicles.

After months of research and trial and error, they created Wynnes Nettle Oil, named after Louise’s mother Betty Wynne. Louise says, “If you find that you are losing your hair, whatever the reason, Wynnes Nettle Oil has been formulated just for you.”

Louise and Andrew found that the common stinging nettle (urtica dioica) has been used as a staple in herbal medicine since ancient times. Rich in minerals and vitamins, these valuable nutrients are known as one of the oldest remedies for hair loss/damage.

What’s more, nettle leaf extract contains high amounts of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that can help protect our scalps from damage and give our follicles a great boost which can stimulate new hair growth. Nettle leaves are rich in silica and sulphur which also helps in making hair shinier and healthier.

Wynnes Nettle Oil is full of essential vitamins, minerals, polyphenols and pigments to bring back your hair to its former glory – thicker, shinier and healthier. There are three scents: Lavender, Eucalyptus, Frankincense.

Louise has found that since using Wynnes Nettle Oil, she is confident that her own hair has seen dramatic improvements. If you know Louise, she would never promote a product that she didn’t truly believe in and wants to share her and Andrew’s oil with those who are experiencing these issues. After all, our hair is our crowning glory, so it needs to be the best that it can be.

There are many reasons both men and women lose hair. It may be a few strands or something more substantial. It may be from the menopause, medications, stress, hormones and more.

Vale Laser Aesthetics stay ahead of the game by constantly researching new treatments. Their latest treatment, the BTL Emsella urinary incontinence treatment is a revolutionary, non-invasive and comfortable physiotherapy treatment for men or women suffering from urinary continence, mothers with stress incontinence following childbirth, or women with decreased sexual satisfaction. It’s no wonder that the telephone is ringing.

PELVIC T RUST

REGAIN CONFIDENCE WITH VALE LASER AESTHETICS

Vale

What does the treatment involve?

more.

What exactly is BTL Emsella? The pelvic floor muscles support the pelvic floor organs and control continence. However, natural body aging, childbirth and menopause can cause this group of muscles to decondition, resulting in continence problems such as leaking urine when coughing or sneezing.

The BTL Emsella treatment uses High Intensity Focused Electro Magnetic Energy (HIFEM) to stimulate and strengthen all the pelvic floor muscles, not just the subset that can be exercised with voluntary contractions (Kegel exercises). These stronger pelvic floor muscles restore continence and the confidence to enjoy normal daily activities without fear of losing bladder control.

During each 28-minute session, you sit comfortably on the Emsella chair, while it generates thousands of supramaximal pelvic floor muscle contractions. Each session is equivalent to doing 11,000 pelvic floor exercises but without the hard work!

The procedure is non-invasive, and you remain fully clothed throughout. No drugs are required and the most you will feel is a slight tingling during the treatment. With no recovery time needed you can leave immediately after each session and resume normal daily activity.

How many sessions will I need?

The majority of people need a course of six sessions over a period of three weeks to see optimum results, with most people seeing and feeling results after just two or three treatment sessions.

What are the benefits of the BTL Emsella treatment?

n Repairs and tightens pelvic floor helping men and women to regain bladder control.

n Strengthened pelvic floor muscles improve women’s sexual satisfaction and the ability to achieve orgasm.

n Improvement can be observed after a single session with results improving over the treatment period.

n Non-invasive procedure with no recovery time.

n You remain fully clothed throughout treatment.

n Walk in and walk out the same day.

n No pain – you can chat or read a book whilst undergoing treatment.

Who is the treatment suitable for?

If you are struggling with any of the following conditions linked with pelvic floor problems, then BTL Emsella might be the perfect treatment for you:

n Stress incontinence caused by menopause or childbirth.

n Embarrassing urine leakage when laughing, coughing, sneezing, or exercising.

n Inability to control bladder when feeling a sudden, intense urge to pee.

n Intimate health conditions such as vaginal laxity and difficulty reaching orgasm.

How can it help both women and men? It is effective for both men and women in improving bladder control and intimate health.

Where women are concerned, body aging, childbirth and menopause has led to incontinence as the muscles that support the pelvic floor lose strength. Pelvic floor muscles insufficiently support pelvic organs and affect bladder control.

BTL Emsella effectively stimulates pelvic floor muscles with thousands of supramaximal contractions per session. Stimulation leads to regained control over pelvic floor muscles and bladder.

With men, infections, prostate cancer or stress have had a negative impact on incontinence and/or intimate health. Pelvic floor muscles insufficiently support pelvic organs and affect bladder control.

BTL Emsella effectively stimulates pelvic floor muscles with thousands of supramaximal contractions per session. Stimulation leads to regained control over bladder and pelvic floor muscles which can lead to increased intimate satisfaction.

Who is BTL Emsella not suitable for?

Unfortunately, BTL Emsella is not suitable for patients who are currently pregnant, have a pacemaker, metal plates such as hip replacements, defibrillator or if you have a copper coil or IUD. Please contact us for information about different treatment options in these cases.

BTL EMSELLA TREATMENT

Quick Fire Questions

How many treatment sessions will I need?

Your exact treatment plan will be tailored to your needs. For optimum results, most people need a course of six sessions, with 2 sessions per week over a period of three weeks. In extreme cases, further sessions are required, but otherwise, a maintenance session every three to twelve months is enough.

How quickly will I see results?

Most people see and feel results after just two or three treatment sessions. Mild signs and sensations may be noticeable after your first session, but it will take several sessions before you begin to observe the full effect on your symptoms

How long do the results of the Emsella treatment last?

How long the effects of your treatment last depend on the severity of your symptoms at the start. Most people will notice a positive effect on symptoms for up to one year.

What does the procedure feel like?

Treatment sessions are approximately 30 minutes long, and the procedure is not at all painful. You can either bring a friend or family member along to chat to during the treatment or read a book or magazine if you would prefer. During treatment, some patients feel the tensing and relaxing of the pelvic floor muscles which has been described as a similar feeling to doing Kegel exercises.

Is the Emsella treatment better than Kegel exercises?

Better results can be achieved faster due to the intensity and coverage that can be achieved using the Emsella chair.

n The Emsella chair stimulates powerful contractions of the entire pelvic floor musculature. Not just the subset that can be exercised with Kegel exercises.

n Each 28-minute session in the chair is equivalent to doing 11000 pelvic floor exercises.

“The

You also offer the Exilis Ultra Femme treatment. Can you tell us about this?

Many women begin to research vaginal rejuvenation when they notice a visual change in appearance of their labia or an internal dryness or sexual sensation loss.

Exilis Ultra Femme is the only technology of its kind providing complete vaginal rejuvenation including labial remodeling (labia reduction) and vaginal tightening with a single device. The Ultra Femme 360 procedure tightens and raises the labia, decreases the diameter of the introitus (vaginal opening) and the vaginal canal, improves natural lubrication, improves sensation, and can make

orgasm easier to reach. Many patients also experience an improvement in stress incontinence from the treatment.

Ultra Femme 360 causes no pain or discomfort, requires no anesthesia, and has no downtime. It uses the body’s natural processes to stimulate collagen production and restore the vaginal and vulvar areas to a more youthful state.

What areas does the Ultra Femme Treatment target?

Rejuvenation of the vagina and entire vulvar and area including: Plumping of Labia Majora; Lifting and firming of Labia Minora; Tightening of Introitus (vaginal opening); Tightening of Vaginal Canal; Tightening of Perinium;

Increased Blood Flow to Clitoris; Increased Sensitivity and Improved Orgasm and Improvement in Stress Incontinence.

There is no pain or irritation during the procedure, only a warming sensation. Treatment time is short, eight minutes for three treatments.

Who would carry out the treatments? We have a qualified nurse to carry out the treatment

How many treatments are needed? A treatment of three sessions, spaced one to two weeks apart is recommended to achieve the optimal results. Some improvements can usually be seen and felt immediately post treatment, with the full results being achieved four weeks after your final treatment as collagen will continue to remodel. Maintenance treatments may be recommended annually.

How do we book?

If you are interested in the BTL Emsella and/or the Exilis Ultra Femme

Please note. Any medical and aesthetic treatment should be researched thoroughly to ensure it is right for you. You should always consider your own health and wellbeing before undertaking any form of surgi cal or non-surgical treatment. If in doubt, always consult a health professional or your own GP.

LIFE IN T HE FAST L ANE SOFA, SO GOOD!

Suzanne is a bottle of pop. She literally fizzes with energy – she moves quickly, talks quickly, no energy is wasted unless it’s driving her business forward or her family. In fact, family is just about the only thing she’ll take her foot off the gas for.

You’re so passionate about what you do. What drives you?

A Lamborghini! She laughs. So, for those of you that look at that girl who drives that Lamborghini and wonder how I’m driving it, this is why. I just wanted more for my family. I wanted us not to have to scrimp.

What was your childhood like?

So we weren’t able to follow fashion. I couldn’t dress like my friends, but my dad would do the best he could. I vowed when I was older my children would have the best of everything. But, there was a massive but, they have to work for it.

So the work ethic is really important to you?

I make as much time as I can for my children and they all have the best of everything. The reason being, when I was younger, my father always tried to give us the best, but we couldn’t have everything we wanted.

Did you know that you would end up doing what you’re doing?

I knew I was different. There was always that feeling that I wanted more for myself - I wasn’t like everyone else, you know? That was the feeling. I just knew I had to graft.

How old were you when you really started working towards what you have now?

Oh, in my teenage years, I think. I knew I wanted to be successful. I used to say to my children: “If you want it you have to work for it!” So, from the age of fifteen, there is no more hanging around with your friends. There are no more scooters, bikes, you’re working with mum. You’re down here. You’re lifting sofas. You’re up all hours. You’re putting backs on sofas, putting feet on sofas – everything comes to those who try. And I’m a believer of that. That’s why I am where I am.

Do you believe anyone can be successful?

Of course! When people say they are skint, and they have no money I can’t deal with it because if you give me five pounds, I’ll turn it into ten. It’s about selling yourself.

I think you could sell anything!

If I saw someone in a nice pair of shoes, I’d think I could sell them, or if I saw a beautiful necklace, I knew I could sell it. I was always looking for opportunities.

Where do you get the energy?

I don’t know, it’s always been there. I ask questions.

So you always wanted to get on?

Yes! If I saw someone in a nice car I’d want to know what their job was. I was always intrigued to know when people did well, how they did it. I wanted to know their story. How did they get there?

How long have you been in the sofa and furniture business?

I supply the whole of South Wales I’ve been doing it for so long - for thirty years.

As a single mum. When I was bringing up my boy, I wanted to follow fashion and buy nice clothes and the only way you can do it is by working hard.

Being a successful entrepreneur has its obvious benefits, but it rarely comes without hard work and personal sacrifice. Vale life met Suzanne Dickenson of Trade Price Sofas in Pontyclun to discuss, life, the universe and sofas...

Do feel you’ve arrived? Is where you are enough? It must have been stressful over the years. I’m at the time of life where I can relax now, because I have worked hard. I’m at the stage where if I want to work, I can! But if I want to take it easy, I can do that too. Years ago, I was continuously chasing my tail but not anymore. The truth is I love what I do. I have two brilliant managers now. They run my whole store.

I’m being you now, asking questions How did you get started? So about thirty years ago I used to go to Cardiff, and I used to buy second hand oak furniture and pine furniture. They’d have little marks and a few scuffs, and I’d rub them all down – it took hours. I‘d have my little boy with me, and I’d be up into the early hours.

So was this your main job? No, no. I was working as a cleaner. That was bringing in my main income, but I knew I was never going to get rich cleaning – I had to pay the bills. But I was starting to earn real money and I liked it. The harder I worked, the more I earned.

You were starting to enjoy the trappings of what money brings... Yes. My first what I’d call “fancy car” was an Escort convertible. I remember driving to pick up wardrobes and putting them in the back. I’d get them into the house, tidy them up and then sell them on. I was working Monday to Friday cleaning and as soon as I’d take my boy to school, I’d be grafting. Wednesday was AdTrader day.

I’d buy nice items and then clean them up and sell them on for a little more. Might even be twenty or twentyfive pounds but I was always driving around picking up anything I could sell on. That took me to the next level.

If I bought a nice bed for myself, after a few months, if I’d bought a grey one, I’d want a cream one. So, I’d sell it and slowly I got nicer things for us.

“For those who wonder how I drive a Lamborghini, and before this I drove a Porsche, it’s because I work hard and those are the rewards.”

business began?

Yes. I’m buying and selling. I’m flat out. I’d my son to school, go and clean a house, buying up beds in my car. It was nothing for my son to come home and see five dismantled beds in my kitchen. I’d sort them out and reassemble them.

It was taking over your life! Yes, but in a good way. My whole life with my children was just buying and selling. But it was fun. Beds in the kitchen or a double bed or bunkbed being sanded down in the living room. It became normal. As we got on, I wanted a leather sofa. I remember I bought a leather sofa from a lady in Aberdare. I drove up in my car. I couldn’t believe my eyes. I was twenty-three. My first leather sofa was navy blue. I’ll never forget it. I loved it. She wanted £250 - it was a Christie Tyler sofa. I asked her if I could pay £50 deposit and give her the balance when I got paid. Truthfully, I didn’t know where I was going to get the rest from. I certainly left there thinking Suzanne, you make sure you get that £250. I made sure I worked my socks off to get the money. I paid the lady and had the sofa delivered.

I felt like the luckiest person in my street. I felt so posh. I thought how could I afford such a lovely leather sofa? So that reminds me when people come here to buy a sofa and they are trying to afford something special, I know what it’s like.

So you still appreciate that not everyone is flush, and they’ve had to work hard to afford what they’re buying...

Absolutely. I love my customers. I know what it feels like when you buy something lovely for the first time. It’s so exciting. They ask me why I go the extra mile; extra cushions, higher feet - I remember the time when I could barely afford a £250 sofa. Customer have been in today. They love the way I am. I go that extra mile to make them smile and it means the world to me.

Was there a point where you thought ‘I’m a proper sofa company’?

Yes, this really was the start of Trade Price Sofas. So, I continued to clean houses and sell beds and furniture. I’d buy from anywhere, even friends. I was always buying and reselling them on. I was always upcycling things and selling on. I started to get fed up with my navy blue, leather sofa. I wanted a cream one.

So I saved and saved until I got about £750, I bought myself a cream one and straight away I sold my navy one for £500 - it sold straight away! I thought ‘Oh my god, my home is getting really posh.

I’ve got a cream leather sofa in here and lovely wallpaper and cherubs’. People would come to the house and say “Wow, look at your sofa!” It was gorgeous.

So you were always driving things forward...

Yes, but never satisfied, always looking ahead. After about a year, I thought my cream leather sofa was looking a bit tired. I was so house proud, I needed a new cream, leather sofa. So I advertised it! “It’s still lovely, I’ll sell it for £1,000!” That was when things took off. My phone didn’t stop ringing. It seemed the whole of Wales wanted a cream, leather sofa. I thought, my God, forget the beds, forget the furniture, I need to be buying sofas! So I started searching for second-hand leather, cream sofas - buying them, bringing them home and making sure they looked immaculate before selling them on. Before long I had saved £5,000. It was the happiest time. I switched my car to a newer convertible. I still needed the convertible to carry the furniture around in. I was ‘the girl driving ‘round with the furniture sticking up in the air’.

Sofa girl! Lol...

Oh yes, so I sat on my phone for hours, literally, until three in the morning trying to find suppliers of leather sofas. I finally found one in Italy who was supplying someone locally and he said “I can supply you Mrs Dickenson. How many would you like to buy?” I told him £5,000 worth. He said “That’s five sofas.” I sold those sofas for £1,250 each. This went on for about two months.

Are you still running all this out of your house at this point?

Well, eventually I had enough money for some premises. I couldn’t afford a shop but I could stretch to a small unit near where we are based now.

I had five cream leather sofas, then I had some others too and then I had a break in, and I lost the lot. All my hard work, all my stock, all my money, £7,500, had all been taken in one night.

Oh my God, you must have been gutted...

I was young, had no insurance, I lost everything. I thought I had to bounce back. My children know how I am –get on with it – ride the storm. With determination, I picked myself back up. I borrowed £2,500 from a friend and told them I’d give them £3,000 back in a week. I went back to my supplier, bought two sofas, sold those and paid my friend back as agreed. I went back to the supplier, but he said we can’t supply you anymore. My world felt like it was falling apart. I was young, I was a single mum. I was doing everything to set up my business and it was all being taken away from me. He told me that a competitor had complained we were selling too many. I thought that was funny.

It’s not funny if you can’t buy sofas to sell...

No’ but his is the funny part. Bit of a blessing in disguise. After Googling, I soon realised that Italy is full of sofa manufacturers and because I was young, it had never occurred to me there’d be others. I then started importing five sofas at a time, then ten and then, thirty years ago, I opened my first little store down in Llantrisant and we expanded from there.

You and your family must be very proud of what you’ve achieved...

I think it’s a beautiful story, and I’m proud of what I’ve done, and what I do.

It hasn’t come easy though. People see the nice car and the lifestyle, but they probably don’t appreciate what you’ve been through...

It’s an inspirational story and I’ve learned many lessons. After a year I went back to the first company that sold me sofas. The name of my first sofa was called Lydia. I called them up and they remembered me. “You’re the lady that buys five sofas!” I told him I need a container of twenty-six. He was very keen to talk then, in his stumbling Italian voice. He came back to me, but the relationship didn’t last too long because I basically outgrew him.

We’ve expanded though and now we are based in Coed Cae Lane. We also have a showroom in Merthyr and I have a company in Dubai, The London Sofa Company.

Wow! That’s quite a way from Pontyclun!

In fact, I am looking for someone who can take on the role of social media and sales executive, who can work with me in the far east. We are also expanding into New York. We have a big following on social media. Instagram is huge for us. You will see our following there. We’re now manufacturing our own sofas, so have a look and check out all our designs.

You mentioned the bespoke service. Is that popular? Is it worth doing?

Oh yes. Especially with celebrity clients. We also have an interior design company. We can transform your home. You could have a huge, padded bed, or a carriage Princess bed. There’s nothing we can’t do.

You love a challenge...

I do. Never say no. Think first, how can I do that? If you wanted a hundred sofas in a week, I can deliver. My one goal in Dubai is to put one of our sofas in a palace. Watch this space, it won’t be long.

And you like the rewards...

For those who wonder how I drive a Lamborghini, and before this I drove a Porsche, it’s because I work hard and those are the rewards. I work all the hours under the sun, but I am at the stage where I am ready to move to Dubai to expand things further.

So that’s the ultimate goal, sofas in the sun...

I want to move to Dubai with my husband and four children. As he is in construction, we could be building pools and I could be designing interiors and supplying furniture.

So, sofa, so good!

Yes, and I’m not the only entrepreneur in this family. You wait until you see what Kean my son is doing. It’ll blow your mind.

FROM YIANNIMIZE TO K EEZYS CUSTOMS

So tell us about your son Kean. You are obviously very proud of him. Ah, the boy who drives the Lamborghini. “Who is Kean?”

They all ask. “How does he drive a Lamborghini?” Well, he is the nicest, kindest, loveliest kid - even if I say so myself. The truth is he’s worked hard for it. Like, he’s a grafter.

He’s twenty-two now, but when Kean was thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, he was a professional scooter rider. He had sponsorship, he was taken all around the UK. He could do back flips, tricks. He could do it all.

How did he get into the car wrapping business?

When he was young, he started spraying and wrapping his scooters. Kean was always in the garage – always busy. He was a free spirit who just always wanted to be outside. Him and his best friend Tom would always be out in the garden. He’s always loved fast cars. His father had an Escort Cosworth. So that was where the seed was sown.

When he was fifteen, he started working for a company in Cardiff wrapping cars, but he always wanted more - to take it to the next level. Then he wrote to Yianni at Yiannimize in London. He pestered him for years without response.

We’re sensing things were about to change though. They obviously did. How did that come about?

A few years ago Kean lost his nan. We all decided to go to Dubai to give us all a lift. Kean hadn’t seen his brother for three years because of lockdown. He was going to fly on to New York but was told he would have to isolate for two weeks (US Covid rules). Kean was devastated. We left Kean in the room one morning and when we went downstairs to breakfast who walks towards us but Yianni. So, I texted Kean in his room, and he said he’d be down.

He wasn’t going to miss that opportunity...

No chance, he knew where his future lay. From the young age of fifteen, Kean would finish school, come home, save his pocket money, buy and sell cars - rub them down in the garage. He was always saving money. He was selling firepits. He would be outside Costco, buy a load of firepits and he’d advertise them - he was delivering them all through lockdown. He’s learned to graft as a young kid. So no, this was not an opportunity he would let slip through his fingers.

When he met Yianni, he introduced himself. “I’ve been emailing you for the last four years. I can wrap cars.” Yianni said, “If you are as good as you make out to be, then come straight to London.” As soon as Kean finished his holiday in Dubai, he came back home and then drove straight to London where he’s been for three years and built up a reputation as one of the wrappers.

He loved working there as part of the family. He has built up a large clientele of customers from Wales so that’s why he’s decided to come home and start up a business in Wales.

You said Kean’s a total perfectionist! His work is impeccable. He would never be allowed to wrap a car with the slightest bit of hair, fluff, stones or chippings, dust settling or anything. Otherwise, it wouldn’t be allowed to leave the showroom. Being in the celebrity world, his work has to be on point as they wouldn’t accept anything less.

Where will he be based?

Kean will be at Coed Cae Lane Industrial Estate in January - so watch this space. Keezys

You’ve read about Suzanne’s grit and determination to succeed, so you shouldn’t be surprised to hear that her son Kean will soon be opening his new car wrapping business nearby. Suzanne tells us more.

We love Llantwit Major!

Llantwit Major is, in our humble opinion, pretty special. We take long walks along the coast there - sometimes heading east to Rhoose, sometimes west to St Donats. We love the beach with its striking cliffs, and the town centre because it’s jam-packed with history.

If you haven’t visited St Illtud’s Church, you really should, it’s rather beautiful and is truly historically important. A wander around the town reveals several Blue Plaques.

Bordered by beautiful rolling countryside, ‘Llantwit’ enjoys a real feeling of community. It has a railway station and good transport links. At its heart is the Poundfield Shopping Centre which has a wide selection of shops complementing those along Boverton Road. Thankfully, Llantwit still has many indie businesses which create “a pleasurable visitor experience”. It must be true as the town is popular with tourists in the warmer seasons.

L LLANTWIT M AJOR

FRIENDLY, APPROACHABLE & CAPABLE

Calgary Dental Practice

Kate Scandrett took over this practice in September 2017 and, along with her dental care practitioners and hygienists, offer a refreshing approach to dentistry.

Calgary welcomes both NHS and private patients of all ages and offers that personal touch that the team pride themselves on. All aspects of dentistry are ably undertaken, including aesthetics and composite bonding. They regularly make domiciliary visits to the elderly, both at the patient’s home or at nursing homes.

There are plans to expand the practice, so watch this space!

COFFEE, SUPERCARS & COOLNESS P1NK Delivers!

Team P1NK will be open at the coffee shop near Llantwit Major this season, please check their social pages.

Owners Leon and Lisa haven’t been resting on their laurels after a successful summer of events. “The coffee shop will be open for all the usual food, and of course, great coffee,” says Leon. “There’s also cool, new P1NK merch for sale –ideal Christmas gifts for supercar fans!”

Lisa adds, “Great news, we’ll be adding NFTs, watch our socials for updates. We will announce a launch party very soon. We’ll be working closely with Mclaren for exciting customer experiences, plus more car events planned for 2023.”

The P1NK team is expanding too! They’re also working with Vale Eats to deliver food (including the amazing Crazy Baker doughnuts, baguettes and our popular all day breakfast). Website update soon, so keep following for more news.

Opening hours Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm Saturday 9am - 3pm Out of hours appointments available on request

Calgary Dental Practice

p1nk.supercars.coffee P1NK-Supercars-Coffee

1. Morning Security Sweep

As soon as we arrive in the office, we check that everybody is in attendance and that their desks have an ample supply of dog treats. There was a crisis situation recently when Jo Sloper our top Conveyancer ran out of dog treats and had to make an emergency dash to UNO’s pet shop for supplies.

2. Post delivery

We help Sian to sort the post. I deal with deliveries within the office while Paddington is in charge of shredding. Sian is the first person to meet all the clients - everyone knows Sian and she remembers everyone and everything

3. Client Management

Throughout the day we meet all kinds of clients - many of whom ask us to sit with them. The regular clients bring us treats. Jo’s clients are always happy because she works so hard to help them move house. They bring her treats of flowers, wine and chocolate to say thank you. We never get to share those treats.

4. Elevenses

After a busy start to the day, we make our way to Piccolo Blu Coffee where Lucy always has special Puppuccino’s ready for us (frothy milk topped with mini Boneo).

5. Appointments

The morning continues with more clients. We like doing wills with Michael Morgan - some people are kind to remember animal charities (we did notice recently a big donation going to the Hope Animal Rescue Centre.) If you have pets, it is important to make arrangements in you will for their care after you have gone - we don’t want our doggie friends to end up in the dog’s home. Jon Hewitson comes in to see clients who have accident claims or who have marriage problems. We are always available with a sympathetic paw.

6. Lunchtime

Llantwit Major has a lot of places that are friendly to dogs who lunch - we like The Old White Hart where they serve homemade dog biscuits but best of all is the Beach Cafe where we get sausages after rescuing sticks from the sea.

7. Afternoon Nap

Working as office dogs is exhausting and an afternoon nap is essential. No one else gets a nap except us. We are however always alert for clients particularly when Denisa Buciuta, our newest Solicitor, is in the office. Denisa helps people with all kinds of things including powers of attorney and sorting out probate and estates.

8.

Accountancy and Tax

Paddington is also training as a Lab Technician with Isobel Morgan at Bevan Buckland Accountants in Cowbridge (2022 Vale Financial and Professional Service Business of the Year) to whom we can refer clients with more complex tax issues.

9. Zoom Meetings

Sometimes we have Zoom Mediation Meetings to solve problems between people who don’t like one another. We like everyone and we do our zooming up and down the office stairs.

10. Home time At the end of the day, we are chauffeured home and finish with a stroll with our friend Alphie the Jack Russell (he works from home) to The Sportsmans Rest or the Three Horseshoes for pork scratchings. Another busy day over.

T HE H AIR STUDIO A YEAR OF CELEBRATION

When was The Hair Studio established?

This year we celebrated our 25th anniversary! I opened in 1997 and, twelve years later, having outgrown the original premises, I jumped at the chance of taking on this larger space. It was quite a bold move, as the premises needed a complete refit and it was no small challenge, taking nearly four months to complete – but was well worth it.

What services do you offer your clients? We offer a wide range of hairdressing services from the classics to the latest trends, styles, and colouring techniques such as global colours, lived in blondes and Zen hair extensions. With many clients now embracing their natural curls we have just introduced a specialised Curly Hair service.

What would you say the salon is known for?

I would like to think that it is our friendly and professional manner which gives our clients a chance to relax in a welcoming space. Many of our clients have been with us for twenty-five years!

You mentioned sustainability...

We are very conscious of our clients’ needs and, when I opened the salon in 1997, I wanted to offer more natural, cruelty free and sustainable products.

People told me that would not work in our industry, but we stuck to our beliefs and over the years the choice available has increased and we can now offer our clients a wide range of these products, including vegan options.

We are passionate about using less plastic and we offer a refill service where possible.

Where do your clients travel from?

We have a large and loyal client base and, whilst the majority do live locally, we have some clients that travel to us from across South Wales, Cheltenham, London and even France!

What brands do you use and why? We use some of the industry’s trusted leading brands which include Wella, Nioxin, Insight, Affinage, Moroccan Oil, Only Curls and Zen Hair extensions. We like to keep up to date with industry changes and trends and we work closely with our suppliers to make sure that we offer our clients the best products.

Do you have regular training sessions/trips for your staff?

As a team we regularly attend training sessions to expand our skills and keep

current with the ever-evolving fashions and trends. We love learning new styles and techniques and then seeing our clients’ delight when they leave with their new look. As well as face-to-face training we utilise platforms such as Wella Education online which allows us to stay on top of our game with instant up to date training in the latest and current trends.

How many staff do you employ at The Hair Studio?

I work alongside four amazing stylists:

Senior stylist Danielle Trained locally and has been at The Hair Studio for seventeen years.

Senior stylist Shelly

Originally trained and worked in Wiltshire and joined us in 2015.

Senior stylist Amber

Learned her trade at The Hair Studio starting in 2010.

New stylist Robyn

Our newest stylist with a passion for colouring and blow drying.

I learnt my trade in a large salon in Swansea before moving overseas where I went on to own a successful salon in Cyprus, returning to South Wales in 1991.

There is a lot of experience within the team, and we work closely together sharing our ideas and knowledge.

A trichologist is someone who specialises in hair and scalp health. They are experts in Trichology which is the science and study of hair types and hair and scalp conditions.

VALE H AIR CLINIC SCIENCE OF TRICHOLOGY

Vale Life talks trichology with Jacquie Jenkins of the Vale Hair Clinic in Llantwit Major.

Jacqui, we must confess, we’re not familiar with tricholgy. Please tell us more about your role as a trichologist... We look at all types of conditions, such as thinning hair, hair loss and scalp conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, psoriasis and much more.

Why have you ventured into the world of trichology?

Over my forty years in hairdressing, I have seen many clients suffering with hair loss and struggling with scalp conditions, which can be extremely distressing. Often they feel helpless and information is sometimes misleading and confusing! In order to try and help, I began to research trichology. I soon became fascinated with the topic, my passion for it grew, and I soon realised that I wanted to specialise and become a Trichologist.

What qualifications do you hold in this field?

I hold a Level 4 ITECH Certificate in Trichology, and I am a member of ART – The Association of Registered Trichologists.

What can cause hair loss in women and men?

There can be many reasons for hair loss such as hormones, genetics, thyroid issues, illness, nutrition, deficiencies, stress, autoimmune conditions, hair styling, or a combination of these. It is important to have a correct diagnosis in order to treat it correctly.

What can you do to help?

By conducting a detailed consultation we can help get an accurate diagnosis and advise the client on the best treatment for them. If you are experiencing shedding, thinning, hair loss, a dry flaky or oily scalp, don’t wait get in touch, the sooner the condition is diagnosed the better the chance of a good outcome. It is important to see a Trichologist as soon as possible.

What can I expect during a consultation?

During the consultation we will discuss your medical history, medications, diet, allergies, lifestyle, and family history.

We will carry out a thorough examination of your hair and scalp, which may include using a trichoscope. (Scalp microscope).

We may refer you for to your GP for blood tests to check for any deficiencies.

How do you work with a client with hair loss issues? What’s the process?

Once we have established which hair loss or scalp condition the client is suffering from, we will endeavour to answer any questions or concerns they have, discuss the possible treatment options and put together a treatment plan if applicable. This may involve treatments at the clinic or for home use, a nutrition plan or referral to a relevant health professional, such as a dermatologist.

A follow up appointment is advised to monitor the issue and assess progress.

Do you offer a wig service?

Yes, in 2008 I trained with Trevor Sorbie learning to cut and style wigs, and I am proud to be part of his My New Hair group. Choosing the right wig and personalising them for people can make such a difference. I work with a specialist wig supplier, Trendco, and they have an amazing range of both human hair and synthetic wigs for women, men and children.

I work with all forms of hair loss, including medical induced, such as after chemotherapy.

I support and advise my clients before, during, and just as importantly, post treatment where clients are often at a loss on how to manage and treat their new hair growth.

TESTIMONIALS

What clients say...

Jacquie has been a godsend to me as without her knowledge and assistance I would never have known that I was suffering from FFA (Frontal Fibrosing Alopecia) and been able to get it treated properly. She has been a constant support to me in understanding and coming to terms with the condition.

Mrs B, Vale of Glamorgan

Jacquie has supported me throughout my journey with breast cancer. From advising me which wig to choose, cutting it, advising on scalp care during treatment and helping me to manage my expectations with my hair growing back. She is always professional and has a warm caring manner.

Ms J, Llantwit Major

Our recent visit to Oxfordshire coincided with our 25th wedding anniversary, and while we were mixing mainly business with a little pleasure, the Holiday Inn team went out of their way to make a relatively mundane business trip a little more special.

HOLIDAY INN OXFORD

PUTTING THE H IN HOSPITALITY

Due to work commitments, we would be celebrating this matrimonial milestone in Cornwall the following weekend but, on our actual “special day”, we would be spending it in Oxford, the ‘City of Dreaming Spires’, followed by a day in Milton Keynes, “The Greenest City in the World” (seriously, look it up).

While we were celebrating on the 6th September, little did we know the country would soon be plunged into sadness with the announcement of the death of our Queen on the 8th.

We were in Oxford to do some background work for Oxfordshire Life, one of our other titles, and when we’re “in town”, we like to explore the city a little and see if we can discover a few hidden gems.

We had managed, at quite short notice, to book an Executive room in the Holiday Inn just off the Pear Tree roundabout, where the A34, A40 and A44 converge. There’s an excellent park and ride service here too so it’s perfectly placed for visitors who don’t really want to tackle the city’s roads. Oxford can be a challenge on occasion.

The Holiday Inn has recently had a makeover, and what a transformation. The reception area now merges with a tastefully designed lounge and restaurant area. Open plan but cleverly not; the areas are distinct but flow neatly together. The design is colourful and felt somewhat Skandi, but not in a “I’ve nipped to Ikea, I’m on a budget” kind of way. It’s much warmer and way more inviting. We both agreed it was lovely and we weren’t the only ones. A couple arrived shortly after and the lady voiced, loud enough for us to hear, “Oooh, this is nice!”

The lovely chap on reception, Kevin, explained where everything was and ensured that we knew how to get the best out of our stay. Kevin was from Portugal, and we chatted about places we’d stayed there on the Algarve, and he gave us some good suggestions if we were to return.

Having popped our cases in our room, we headed into Oxford. Kevin had mentioned the annual St Giles’ Fair was on so we decided that would be something to see after we’d sorted out the business element of our visit. The fair was quite spectacular, like our own Barry Island but on steroids. It was huge.

St Giles’ Fair is one of the greatest and most prestigious in the country. The fair dates to 1625 when it was a parish festival to celebrate the feast of the patron saint, St Giles, and is held on the Monday and Tuesday following the first Sunday after St Giles’ Day (1st September). Apparently, in the 18th century, it began as a toy fair, then in the early 19th century a children’s fair. In Victorian times improved transport links meant many more could visit, and it has grown steadily over the years. So large, that the streets are closed to traffic for two days to accommodate the tens of thousands that attend.

We also visited Westgate Oxford. Jennifer was particularly delighted as it has an & Other Stories, one of her favourite boutiques. There are plenty of other great brands and eateries at Westgate and, in the streets nearby, a very good selection of indie shops.

In the evening, we headed to the cinema as we tend to do when we’re away. Top Gun Maverick was showing so we subjected ourselves to a very enjoyable two-hour, eleven minutes advertisement for the US Air Force and solid, cosmetic dental work. Actually, it was pretty good and it has grossed £1.5 billion dollars to date. Heck you could buy two Northrop Grumman B-21 Stealth Bombers for that (not including the £20 billion development cost though).

Talking about budget, with Holiday Inn, you do tend to get more than you pay for. Our room was very clean and the little extras you receive booking an Executive room are most welcome and well worth paying that little extra for. The bed was very comfortable, and the linen is really soft and surprisingly luxurious for what, essentially, is a budget hotel albeit described as four stars.

One of the things we particularly love about Holiday Inn is that the room has a bath. This may not be that important in our summer visits but, in winter, we love a bath to unwind when we’re away from home. The shower here is over the bath so you must step in and out. They do advise care and to use a non-slip mat. The shower was excellent - like a jet afterburner (apologies, Top Gun creeping in again), surprisingly powerful. So often showers are such a disappointment, not so here. The room has all you need and a good size wall mounted television means you can watch more movies from the comfort of the comfy bed.

I mentioned earlier that they made us feel extra special. When we arrived in our room, there were towels in the shape of a heart on our bed with glitter and one of the housekeeping team had written on the mirror in deep pink wishing us a happy 25th anniversary – a lovely touch. When we went down to breakfast the following morning, we had a similar message in the breakfast area - very thoughtful. Incidentally, the breakfast here is pretty good. We’d enjoyed a Club Sandwich in the restaurant the evening before. The presentation was a little basic but the “substance over style” was most welcome. What it lacked in garnish, it more than made up for in flavour - great fries too. Like the breakfast, it tasted really good.

We do like Oxford, and Oxfordshire, even if we are there for work. This time though, the Holiday Inn team made our stay that little bit special - when it comes to hospitality, at Holiday Inn, that H is definitely a capital one.

As we were travelling between Oxford and Milton Keynes, it would have been a shame not to pop into Bicester Village. Obviously, this was planned at the outset, and we have to make the most of the fuel right?

SHOPPING IS GRAVY FOR THE SOUL A AH! BICESTER...

Twenty-five years of marriage calls for a celebration. So, with this in mind, and a few short but essential meetings in the area, we booked a short stay in the Holiday Inn, Oxford so that we could be up and running the next day for a trip to Bicester Village which is, conveniently, only a twenty-ish minute car journey from the hotel.

For those of you who don’t know Bicester Village, it’s an open-air shopping destination where you can spend a morning, afternoon or day spending your hard earned cash on some of the most gorgeous designer fashions. The beauty being all your favourite brands are in one convenient place with plenty of parking.

We started our day, even though we’d enjoyed a hearty breakfast at the hotel, with a visit to The Apartment where we enjoyed an informative introduction to The Apartment and Bicester Village.

Let me first start with The Apartment. It’s a stunningly beautiful suite of VIP rooms where guests can book ahead of your visit to with a stylist who can search out the perfect item, or items, for you ahead of time, so when you arrive, you will already have some outfit suggestions waiting for you.

The décor is to die for, and you’ll certainly feel special in such lavish surroundings. No wondering where to put items, no struggling to change into them (the changing rooms are huge) and there are flattering mirrors where you can see yourself from every angle.

Another great addition to the Bicester offering is the Hands-Free Shopping service. Just let each shop/boutique know that you have availed yourself of the scheme and they will send the items to The Apartment for collection by the time you return. I love shopping but hate lugging lots of carriers around with me. Genius!

We enjoyed welcome drinks and pastries/cakes provided by Holy Carrot, the incredible plant-based dining experience new to Bicester Village. We were lucky enough to enjoy a talk by the founder of Holy Carrot, Irina Linovich and what an inspiration this woman is!

Mark is your typical “bloke” and leans more towards a meat-based diet but, after he had sampled the pastries on offer, all plant based and cooked with sugar free sweeteners and plant-based flours, even he admitted to being impressed.

It was then time for shopping! Typically, for us Welsh anyway, we had to duck in occasionally to avoid the showers but that didn’t stop us from doing some serious damage at Vans (one of Mark’s current faves) and Paul Smith (another favourite). Well, it was our 25th anniversary after all, so he deserved a treat!

The skies cleared a little and we headed to the Holy Carrot’s beautiful airstream to enjoy a sumptuous lunch. Again, the presentation was out of this world. They say you eat with your eyes and Irina’s food looked too good to eat.

Mark commented that had he not known that the offering was vegan, he wouldn’t have known that there was no meat involved and he would be more than happy to eat it again and again – it was so good!

We could have stayed for longer (that would have been a serious danger to my credit card), but we had another stop to make and had to say our goodbyes.

If you love designer shopping, don’t fancy a trip into London and all that could entail (tubes, hustle and bustle, sweaty changing rooms, more people etc. etc.), then Bicester Village is a pretty stylish alternative.

Last time I was in Milton Keynes was 26th July, 1980. Back then it was a relatively new city, the dream of 1960s planners. I’m not sure if they ever really considered it would or could be a holiday destination.

Quite frankly, even after our recent visit, the jury may be still out, and, to be fair, 24 hours in Buckinghamshire’s only city isn’t going to provide a definitive answer but there’s lots to like about Milton Keynes and the beautiful county of “Bucks” as it’s affectionately known locally.

Back in 1980 what I do recall of Milton Keynes was roundabouts, lots and lots of roundabouts, and estates of houses that all looked identical. I recall thinking how does anyone remember where they live? Clearly, they did and have met others, because the population has ballooned to a healthy 250,000 ‘ish’ depending on whose figures you read. Back in the 70s, the area’s population was a touch over 50,000 and it’s estimated to reach 300,000 by 2025. Don’t let that put you off visiting though, they’re a pretty nice bunch in Milton Keynes.

On this visit, a mix of business and pleasure, we stayed at the Holiday Inn at 500 Saxon Gate (appropriately named because Milton Keynes is rich with Anglo-Saxon history – you may remember the £300,000 Milton Keynes hoard of Bronze age gold jewellery that made the news).

Now the reason for choosing Saxon Gate was a) because it’s close to the National Film & Sci-Fi Museum, and b) The Centre:mk, a large mall-like shopping complex a stone’s throw away (Jennifer enjoys the odd sci-fi movie but doesn’t get all geeky about the genre like me). With several hundred shops to browse Jennifer was in her element and I headed for the museum.

The museum features an extensive collection of props, costumes, art, photos, and footage from some of the biggest film and tv productions, with many artefacts being shown for the very first time to the public. Displays from Star Wars to Indiana Jones, James Bond to Ghostbusters, Harry Potter to Marvel, and over a hundred films are all on show. It has been criticised for being somewhat amateur in its displays. I think that’s a little unfair. It’s a private operation and I imagine the costs to run it are pretty eyewatering. Is it worth the admission fee? Absolutely. My only disappointment was the no-photography rule. Yes, you can take the odd selfie in certain areas, but I think they’re missing a trick. This is the Instagram age and it’s losing out on valuable free publicity.

After our respective explorations, we returned to the Holiday Inn. We hadn’t managed to book an Exec room in Milton Keynes but, being perfectly honest, the standard room was just as nice as the Oxford offering although the shower didn’t quite have the afterburner power of Oxford’s. The interior and atrium in Milton Keynes are quite impressive and the hotel has parking directly out front - very handy. Its location makes it perfect for exploring the city centre. The staff here were really lovely and special praise goes to Freda and Lilli at breakfast who went out of their way to be super helpful when we needed a hand. The cooked breakfast, by the way, is very good.

I didn’t mention why I was in Milton Keynes back in 1980. Well, I was seventeen at the time and my good friend, Ian Gemmell, and I had purchased tickets to see The Police at what was called Rockatta de Bowl (a play on The Police’s iconic Regatta de Blanc album), a day long festival of great bands: Squeeze, UB40, Tom Robinson, Jim Skafish and Fashion, with The Police headlining in the evening. To this day, The Bowl regularly hosts concerts featuring the world’s biggest bands.

At the time of booking, I had not passed my motorcycle test, so I had to pass first time a few weeks before the concert –luckily I did, and we headed to Milton Keynes Bowl (nowadays it’s called the National Bowl) the day before.

Arriving in Milton Keynes on Friday 25th, and not sure where The Bowl was, we thought we’d scope it out just to get our bearings. That afternoon, we rode right in and parked next to the stage. No one stopped us. A very familiar sound filled the air. We walked ‘round and sat on the sun-bathed grass as Sting, Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers sound-checked some of the new songs from the Zenyatta Mondatta album. A mere handful of people had heard them performed; they were actually recording the album at the time. The album was released the following October to critical acclaim. One journalist described it as “the perfect pop album”.

The next day, the weather wasn’t so great, but we had a fantastic day anyway. The Police at Rockatta de Bowl 1980 is still one of my favourite concerts ever. And, because of that, Milton Keynes will always have a very special place in my heart.

Special occasions deserve special celebrations.

A M ERCHANT’S TALE

Much of our courting (seems an oldfashioned term nowadays) was spent visiting Cornwall. Like many visitors, we loved its beautiful rolling countryside, quaint harbour villages, rugged coastline, and gorgeous turquoise sea. Over the years we’ve stayed in some great locations and really loved the idea of getting married there.

Back in 1997 we wanted to tie the knot in St Ives. We’d both fallen in love with the town over the years and Mark, being arty and creative, loved the galleries. Unfortunately, St Ives didn’t have a registry office. That resided in St John’s Hall, Penzance, so Penzance was duly booked. No matter, we could stay at Tregenna Castle in St Ives and head into Penzance on the Saturday morning; Saturday 6th September.

There were no nerves in the lead up. Everything was arranged and, as we lay in bed in the early hours of Sunday 31st August, we were truly excited at the prospect. Then the terrible news was announced that princess Diana’s car had crashed in Paris and, shortly after, that she had died.

Over the next few days, we all had to come to terms with the awful truth. It was only on the Tuesday that it dawned on us that our ceremony may not go ahead. Mark telephoned the Registry Office and the lady at the end of the phone confirmed it would go ahead, despite it being on the day of Diana’s funeral. She told Mark, “We will definitely be open, we’re sure Diana would not have wanted to spoil anyone’s special day.”

The day itself was a little surreal. I recall wearing my wedding dress (I’d bought in Spain a year earlier for £25), with sparkling tiara, walking past a room of sombre and tearful hotel guests sat in rows all watching the funeral. Two ladies stopped us in the foyer and told me I looked beautiful and to enjoy our day. One said, “You look like a princess.” That was very kind of them.

The ceremony was beautiful and especially emotional and afterwards, as husband and wife, we walked through an eerily quiet Penzance to find somewhere to enjoy our wedding breakfast. Nothing special, we just rocked up at The Dolphin pub near the harbour and ordered scampi and chips. The pub is still there now.

The following day we had booked ourselves in at Rick Stein’s Seafood Restaurant in Padstow - that was our proper celebratory meal. I recall we had skate wings in black bean sauce and Rick signed our menu. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining, and, in the afternoon, we sat on the harbour wall with ice creams watching the children crabbing with their orange nylon lines.

So here we are, twenty-five years on celebrating our silver wedding anniversary. It felt appropriate to return to Cornwall. Sadly, yet again, our celebration was touched by sadness. On our wedding day we were coming to terms with the sudden loss of Diana, now we were reflecting on the life of our much-loved Queen. As we drove through the gates at Merchants Manor, the similarities were not lost on us.

Having got married in Cornwall, we were determined that our 25th wedding anniversary should be celebrated there, but where would we stay?

Reserved for The Lubber was the first thing we saw. “Our own parking space!” It’s funny the little things that contribute to feeling special about a hotel. This was a good sign. We checked in and were shown around, just to familiarise ourselves with what Merchants Manor had to offer. Beautiful split-level dining room, lounge area, gymnasium (Technogym equipment –very good), a sizeable indoor pool and steam room. Disappointingly the steam room was out of action – a part was required and was on order from, yes, you guessed it, Ukraine.

The hotel, originally called Garras, Cornish for ‘House on the Hill’, was built in 1913 by George Newby Carne, descendant of a long line of shipping merchants, wine distillers and beer brewers, with rumoured ties to Ithal, King of Gwent (clearly George had a Newport state of mind).

The hotel sits majestically in its grounds, cocooned among its palm trees, and the award-winning subtropical gardens remind you that you are definitely on the English Riviera. Falmouth centre, its waterside eateries and sandy beaches are well within walking distance and have plenty to offer the visitor. Indeed, we both observed that you could easily stay in Falmouth for three or four days. There’s plenty to see and do.

Merchants Manor has a variety of accommodation and offers a range of affordable packages. We had booked into Landlubber, a two-bedroomed apartment at the side of the hotel set in its own private area. Why two rooms? Mark snores occasionally and I twitch and jig. Having said that, we always end up in bed together in the morning.

The Landlubber is extremely well appointed. Reclaimed wood (and very nice artwork) is the recurring theme throughout, and the two identical bathrooms feature beautifully rustic brass fittings with gloriously retro, deep green tiles. The showers are truly magnificent – easy to use and cleverly designed so you can walk in either side.

The two bedrooms are very tastefully decorated with sufficient furniture and storage to take care of most visitors’ belongings. The beds are superb with high quality everything. The pillows were divine. We slept very well indeed.

The Landlubber has its own open plan kitchen and lounge area where you can sit (and eat) at the table, or on a twoseater sofa facing a good-sized flat screen television. It has all the usual appliances - fridge, dishwasher etc. Talking about televisions, if one thing could have improved the Landlubber for us, it would have been TVs in the bedrooms. That said, it wasn’t a deal breaker. The outside private seating area, together with hot tub, more than made up for it.

Merchants Manor’s reputation as a hotel is complemented by its highly regarded food offering. They source 75% of everything they use locally: cheese, meat, honey, milk, cream, bread, vegetables and fruit, with the aim of being ‘fully 100% Cornish’ within a few years.

We tried the seven-course taster menu and the à la carte offering during our stay, and both were excellent. The highlights being the Crispy Monkfish starter, Black Pig (Char Siu belly, steamed greens, and spring onions) from the taster menu, and from the à la carte, I loved the Newlyn hake and

Mark raved about the grass-fed sirloin steak. One of the best he had ever tasted. He described it as perfection. No surprise really, Rastella, Merchants Manor’s restaurant, holds three AA rosettes and is, reputedly, “Falmouth’s highest rated dining experience”.

The drinks selection at Merchants Manor plays much more than a supporting role to the food. We were very impressed by their wine selection and the young lady who was training to be a sommelier certainly knew her grapes. The wines were, like the sirloin, simply perfect. Cocktails and spirits are of course available, and the bar staff were not phased in the slightest when Mark requested a White Russian, even though it wasn’t on the list.

Talking about staff, they really are brilliant. We always say people make places, and at Merchants Manor this reinforced our belief once again. They seem a relatively young front of house team, but all were impressive; extremely accommodating and professional but also warm and friendly - they truly made us feel special. One young lady by the name of Chloe stood out. She was extremely engaging, and we had several clandestine, whispered conversations about the extremely dark novels she was reading. She is a delight and a real credit to the hotel – as they all are.

With Merchants Manor, and Falmouth, established as base of operations, we were ready to explore this beautiful part of Cornwall. Falmouth is perfectly positioned and has a huge amount to offer but there were some old favourites we had our sights on.

The following morning, after an excellent full breakfast, we headed for Padstow. Padstow holds special memories, and it is so pretty. We had a good look around (there are some excellent galleries and eateries there) and decided to have a light bite in Stein’s Seafood Bar & Fishmongersthe bar element being added since we visited several years back. Visiting one of Rick Stein’s establishments seemed appropriate – a nod to our lovely meal twenty-five years earlier. We shared a small platter of crayfish tails and plump, juicy prawns with freshly baked sourdough and aioli. At this rate we were certainly going to be piling on the pounds. Mark was driving so I enjoyed a chilled glass of rosé.

Padstow tour over we headed for St Ives. If this charming, working fishing harbour town is a pretty lady, then St Ives is its more attractive sister. St Ives doesn’t have to work hard to attract visitors, it is spectacularly beautiful. The waters are a special blend of blues and greens you don’t even see abroad. Again, we walked the town and must have visited every gallery there. It still is a town of artists and some of them are incredibly talented. Love it as we do, it has lost a bit of its soul over the years succumbing to the chain shops that you see on most high streets these days. Many of the indie shops that we loved have, sadly, disappeared and been replaced by the joyless corporates. That’s progress I suppose but St Ives holds her head high –there’s a lot to love still.

The next day we had several spots we wanted to visit so we made sure we were early to breakfast. Marazion was our first destination. That name might not mean much but if I said St Michael’s Mount, you’d probably know it. We were planning on visiting St Michael’s Mount but after walking across the causeway, the terse and patronising welcome we received from one of the National Trust employees made us reconsider. We don’t reward negative behaviour and it’s not the first time we’ve experienced it from the NT. Perhaps Hilary McGrady, its new highly paid Director-General, could ramp up the customer care training. Unphased, we had a good stroll through Marazion. There are some nice shops, galleries and eateries - Mark loves the beautiful little church that features a wonderful piece of artwork by Zoe Cameron.

In AD 495, Archangel Michael appeared to fisherman in Marazion bay, warning them of danger, and telling them to build a sacred place. All Saints Church was built and the site dedicated to him. Hence, St Michael’s Mount. Zoe’s painting took over two years to complete and is on public view.

As we drove back to Merchants Manor for dinner, we naturally reflected on our married life – we’ve been together twentyeight years, we’ve loved two beautiful little dogs and we have a son we are extremely proud of. Like most couples, the decades have thrown some challenges our way, but we’ve sailed through the storms together.

We thoroughly enjoyed our anniversary celebrations in Cornwall, and the passing of Queen Elizabeth II reminded us that, like the death of Diana twentyfive years earlier, our lives together are finite and that it’s so important not to squander the time we have. None of us know how long we’ll be here. Our voyage together is always shorter than we hope. Like the amazing fishing communities of Cornwall, be strong, be brave, and seize life with both hands.

There were roadworks at the eastern side of Penzance that would delay our drive to Newlyn and Mousehole, so we lopped around to Sennen Cove, an old favourite of ours. Sennen Cove has a great gallery set on two levels called the Round House and Capstan. The work is of a very hide standard and local artists dominate the walls – well worth a look. Mark nipped off to take a few snaps and I had a lovely stroll across the front before we met up for an ice cream. If you love walking, this is one of the best and the sunsets at Sennen Cove are other-worldly. Some of the best on the planet.

Back to Newlyn and a lovely walk around the harbour. Newlyn is a proper fishing port and there are several websites where you can purchase their catch. We tried to find a lovely little gallery that Mark we had visited in our early years but, sadly, its owner had sold up. Mark bought me a beautiful ring with a face carved out of blue stone. It’s gorgeous and I still wear it regularly. We did find a new gallery run by a lovely chap and he had some great work on the walls plus some incredibly cool coffee tables made from polished, recycled portholes.

After a great hour and a half in Newlyn we nipped down the road to Mousehole. Again, Mousehole is a sweet little coastal, Cornish village with plenty of galleries, eateries and small shops. Despite the very tight roads, Newlyn has several carparks and, at the bottom of the main one, there’s a brilliant little café that overlooks the water. After our reccie we made a bee line for it - I enjoyed a nice glass of wine (cappuccino for Mark) and watched the seals bobbing up and down in the water just offshore. A perfect end to a perfect day.

We fancied a food focused trip to London to celebrate our milestone anniversary. To do the occasion justice, we thought five-stars would be in order. But where, at such short notice? After a twenty-minute Google search, we found the Courthouse Hotel which had our dates available.

JUDGEMENT DAY

COURTHOUSE HOTEL, LONDON

An old, Grade II Listed Magistrates Court, the Courthouse describes itself as a five-star luxury hotel “ideally located in bustling central London”. If you’re visiting the West End for a show, this is the perfect location - where stylish Mayfair, fashionable Soho and the West End meet, and, conveniently, it’s within a leisurely stroll of London’s finest shopping streets (Regent Street and Oxford Street), tourist attractions and theatreland. The world-famous Liberty London department store is literally across the road.

The Courthouse boasts 116 spacious bedrooms and suites, a trendy cocktail bar, award-winning restaurants, gorgeous spa (Sanook), swimming pool, fitness centre and heady roof terrace, and, if that isn’t impressive enough, it also has one of the biggest private cinemas in central London. Seating 100 people in comfort and style, the impressive space has rich, aubergine carpet, suede walls and luxurious, mauve leather seating all with armrests and fold out tables.

Having booked, our initial relief was tempered by reading further Tripadvisor reviews. They were not overwhelmingly five-stars and, the more we read, the more we wondered whether we had made the right choice. We’d just have to let things play out.

We do love travelling to London on the train and this time, we had the foresight to purchase some www.trainline.com travel cards which provided a healthy third off the ticket prices. The travel cards more than covered their fees and we would benefit from more discounts on future excursions.

Arriving at the steps of the Courthouse hotel, you cannot help but be impressed. If we were going to judge this book by its cover, the cover was very fine indeed. It’s an imposing building and asserts a commanding presence on Great Marlborough Street. We checked in very early and, even though our room would not be ready until the afternoon, the concierge, a lovely chap by the name of Abdul, courteously agreed to store our bags once he’d confirmed our booking.

Having not eaten anything, we headed for The Breakfast Club in Soho. Fully booked, so on to Berwick Street which, thankfully, had a table available. We could have eaten breakfast anywhere, there are a hundred places you can enjoy the first meal of the day in Soho, but we’d heard good things about The Breakfast Club, so we keen to try at least one of them (there are currently eight around London). Berwick Street’s Breakfast Club is cosy, relaxed and chatty. It had a boho and eclectic vibe, and we liked it a lot. Jennifer enjoyed a meaty build-your-own breakfast while I took the full English as it was intended. We weren’t disappointed either. The service is relaxed and welcoming, and the food is wholesome and filling. We chatted with two ladies on the adjacent table. It was a first visit for them too and we all agreed it was value for money.

With full tummies it was time to hit the shops. Soho and Carnaby Street beckoned, and all the old favourites showcase themselves here. I particularly love Reckless Records and Oliver Spencer. Jennifer headed for the boutiques: Footpatrol, Raeburn and Dunno Curated - all beautifully presented. The Ray-Ban store was also in her sights.

For lunch we headed to Ember Yard on Berwick Street. Small Spanish and Italian plates lovingly cooked on wood-fired grills in smoulderingly chic surroundings. Head Chef Adam Kulikowski and his brigade create exceptional food, and, on this day, Jennifer would enjoy a rare, sizzling steak and I opted for a board of pork ribs. Both were sublime. No fuss. No fanfare. Just pure flavour. As we sat sipping a couple of astonishingly good glasses of red, with the soft chatter of finance deals in the background, we wondered what our room would be like at the Courthouse.

If we had any concerns about service at the Courthouse, they were reassured by the warm welcome we received at check-in. The staff were lovely. We headed up to the second floor and with a click of the card we entered our room – by no means a suite, but spacious and impeccably presented. The room is well laid out and has a massive bed (we have Kings at home, and this was much wider). The bathroom, with bath, is elegantly and tastefully designed. One thing we really loved was that all our Sky favourites loaded up on the large flat screen television (including movies), none of the faff we usually encounter –one easy-to-use remote.

We headed for Regent Street and Oxford Street in the afternoon. There are three H&Ms within walking distance, plus Zara and Arket so Jennifer was in her element. I’ve learned, over the years, that when she wants to window shop, it’s best to find a decent coffee shop, grab a cappuccino and people watch. Fortunately, the weather was pretty good so al-fresco watching sat in a reasonably comfortable chair was a welcome relief on my lower back which was complaining a little after the threehour train journey.

In this part of London, well any part of London really, it is impossible to be bored. We met back up later and basically spent the next few hours just mooching around Soho and Carnaby Street – at one point venturing down to the iconic Picadilly Circus. As we made our way back to the Courthouse we came across Kricket, a theatre-style kitchen restaurant, serving inventive, modern Indian food made with seasonal British ingredients that are perfect for sharing. The counter seating and long sharing tables are perfect for groups, but we sat at the counter which gives you a great view as the chefs work their magic. The Krickets (our new name for the bartenders) can shake up Indian inspired cocktails, but we were in a spirits mood so vodka and slimline tonics were our go-to. Lovely food and great service. As we readied our jackets, we did regret not choosing cocktails and the bartender suggested we visit Soma next door.

Soma is a standalone basement bar from the team behind cricket – hence the referral. Soma continues the Indian theme, and the interior is pretty moody. One of the staff mentioned the influence of the moon which explained the glowing orb lights. It’s all very relaxed but probably aimed more at young professionals than a couple of borderline wrinklies like us. Nevertheless, the cocktails Galangal and Chaat) were pretty potent and we enjoyed the experience.

After a wonderful night’s sleep, we headed for Connaught village. Ordinarily we might take the tube, or black cab (never Uber), but on this occasion, we decided to walk. It was around half an hour away and seemed appropriate as we needed to burn off the calories we were collecting.

First stop, Le Pain Quotidien. This sweet little Belgian restaurant and patisserie offers a tempting selection of freshly baked breads and pastries. The menu offers crisp salads, tartines, frittatas and organic wines and beers, but we were here for the most important meal of the day, so perfectly poached eggs on sourdough with some tasty bacon on the side, plus excellent coffee, made sure we were both fuelled for the morning. Le Pain Quotidien on the corner of Kendal Street and Hyde Park Crescent is one of 260-and-counting worldwide. Chain it maybe, but it has an indie feel and they certainly made us feel special – we liked that.

We had originally thought about visiting Hyde Park Stables nearby for a horse ride, but my back was grumbling so decided to take a thirty-minute walk through Hyde Park to the Science Museum. It was a lovely day and, crossing the Serpentine, we both agreed this was a beautiful part of London. Excuse the pun, but you could park yourself here for a week and not run out of things to see and do. We would have loved to have visited the Albert Memorial, but we simply didn’t have the time.

Arriving at the Science Museum, I was keen to get in and, I must confess, I found the convoluted entry procedure quite frustrating. It is free but they want your pound of data first. With registration out of the way, Jennifer and I agreed to part company (we had our own favourite things to see and do). I spent the hour-and-a-half wide eyed and open-mouthed. I may be nearly sixty but for those ninety minutes I was eight again. I remember visiting the Natural History Museum with our school at that age and the wonder hadn’t diminished. Seriously, you could spend a full day in there. It’s vast, and the displays are unbelievably impressive.

Having been scientifically challenged, we crossed Hyde Park back to Connaught Village to find somewhere for lunch. We’d heard some good reports about Abasto during our morning chats with locals and really fancied trying their empanadas.

Abasto is a specialist Argentinian deli, wine merchant and butcher. To complement the food offering, they are renowned for their cellar featuring the best wines from the “dizzying heights of Mendoza” to the cool climes of Patagonia, and a deli counter that showcases the finest beef sourced directly from Argentinian farmers. We Brits may have had our differences with Argentina in the past but there was no evidence of that here. Superb, friendly service from a team passionate about their offering. The salad and empanadas were seriously scrummy (especially the beef), and the coffee was as good as it gets.

In the afternoon, we had a good mooch around Connaught Village taking in the rather beautiful interior of St John’s Hyde Park, a lovely church at the heart of the community. We also visited London Chocolate, and the owners gave us tour and explained the process. This isn’t just an enthusiastic chocolatier melting down bags of Belgian chocolate beans. London Chocolate actually roast and grind their carefully selected beans on the premises, hence the hefty but entirely fair price. We tasted a few samples, and they were divine.

There are plenty of galleries and good indie shops here too, and our next favourite was Buchanans, a wellrenowned cheesemonger on Porchester Place. Their selection of British and European cheeses changes daily according to what is the ripest and most delicious from their onsite maturing rooms. They even had some Welsh cheeses! The business works primarily with trade customers but, fortunately for Connaught Village locals, the shop offers a fine selection of the best and an impeccable selection of accompaniments, from small batch chutneys to carefully sourced biscuits and wines, plus a range of must-have accessories – perfect gifts for cheese lovers.

Later we wandered further afield and ended up on Edgeware Road. It’s changed a lot since we were last here, but the buzz remains the same. If the sleepy Connaught village is the cheese, Edgeware Road is the very busy chalk.

At 6pm we returned to Connaught Street for dinner. We had noticed Casa Malevo during the day and, as we both loved steak, it would have been remiss to pass up the opportunity to dine at an authentic Argentinian restaurant and steakhouse.

Casa Malevo describes itself as rustic and states it “works directly with selected farmers to ensure they always source the finest cuts of meat”. Their seasonally changing menus showcase popular regional dishes, and now also includes a mix of vegetarian options. We were initially drawn to their sandwich board outside: written in chalk “The best steak in London just a few steps inside (plus an arrow with little motion lines)” – a bold claim indeed.

They were confident and rightly so. The melt-in-your-mouth rib-eyes were incredibly good. The best in London? Quite possibly. Combine these with an exquisite Malbec by the name of El Enemigo (The Enemy) and the pairing, despite the wine’s name, got on famously. Could it have got any better? Actually, yes, it did. A brace of perfect desserts rounded off a particularly enjoyable meal, and a lovely day in a very pretty part of the capital.

So our late summer/early autumn London excursion has come to a close and, as we taxi back to the Courthouse, marvelling at the architecture glowing in the London uplighters, the quotation on the back of the Malbec resonated: At the end of our journey, we remember only one battle: the one we fought against ourselves, the original enemy. The one that defined us.”

This trip didn’t feel like a battle - quite the contrary. But, if we’re dishing out pearls of wisdom, I recall someone, anonymously, once said “Never judge someone, or something, by the opinion of others.” Whoever they were, they probably hadn’t encountered Tripadvisor. Had we have done so, we might have missed out on something quite special. Here’s to the team at Courthouse Hotel. Cheers!

Struggling to find that ultimate gift for the man in your life? You may still be, even after reading this. But hey, we can dream…

HUBLOT

Big Bang - Black Magic - 301.C1.1770.RX

This stylish watch combines lightweight materials with a complicated mechanism. The tonneau 44mm case of 14.5mm thickness is performed in micro blasted black ceramic. The black carbon fibre dial has applied markers and sword-shaped hands with luminescence. It features approximately 42-hour power reserve. The timepiece is fitted on a black lined rubber strap with buckle. It is 100m water resistant. This watch is in excellent condition and the photos testify to this, and comes complete with a Hublot Box, Manual and card, and has a 1 year Watches of Wales warranty and comes with a complimentary insurance valuation certificate with the sale.

Red Hofner HCT Verythin

Based on the original classic Hofner Verythin guitar body shape from 1960 with the body depth of only 1.25 inches. The Hofner Verythin was extremely popular with groups during the 1960s beat boom era. The Hofner Verythin CT not only captures that unique 60s sound but also has the ability to produce tones ranging from deep gutsy blues through to cutting distorted rock.

£598.50 www.penarthmusiccentre.com

Fabulous alcohol-free aperitifs from Drinks Kitchen

Available in three award-winning flavours; Spiced Rhubarb, Herb Verde and Orange Cinchona, the aperitifs will appeal to anyone who want or need to keep their drinking to a minimum (hello designated drivers, pregnant women, and those who have an early shift), but also wants to enjoy a cocktail this Christmas.

£22 for a 70cl bottle and come with free UK delivery www.drinkskitchen.online

If you’d like to promote your products or services in our Man Cave section, please contact Mark on 07766 106731

Handmade, fresh chocolates, straight from the fridge. Whether you’re in need of an indulgent moment on the sofa, a decadent time-out with a cuppa during a hectic working day, an alternative to heavy puds or a thoughtful gift, Russell & Atwell has you covered. www.russellandatwell.com

AVI-8

Carnivore Crisps

Born from need. Nothing on the market that had the crunch, health benefits, flavours of lean, and sustainable protein without the additives that chips and other snacks are packed with. JoJo’s Jerky, the producer of Carnivore Chips has been in the business for almost a decade, always being conscious of clean living and sustainability.

Special offer!

Carnivore Crisps is offering 10% off when you order using the code VALE at checkout and have negotiated an $8 flat fee for UK shipping.

www.carnivorecrisps.com CarnivoreCrisp

The Flyboy Royal British Legion Falklands 40 Meca-Quartz Limited Edition

The watch is being produced in line with Remembrance Sunday, a period each year where the Royal British Legion lead the nation in commemorating and honouring those who have served and sacrificed. Limited to 1,500 pieces, and with each watch sold, AVI-8 will contribute £10 to the charity in support of those who serve and have served in the British Armed Forces, and their families.

£190

Available at www.AVI-8.co.uk

Apothecary64 Winter Car Diffuser Cracker Enjoy Winter on the move with our limited-edition Winter Car Diffuser in Silver, beautifully presented in a white Cracker style box without the snap - perfect stocking filler or table place setting.

£9 for 7ml

From Apothecary64, Penarth See page 44 www.apothecary64.com

The publisher or the retailer cannot be held responsible for any error or omissions. All offers are subject to availability and price changes.

You’re never too young to think about Lasting Powers of Attorney

‘Unfortunate things happen every day, be that a car accident, skiing accident, or a sports accident …. Lasting Powers of Attorney make sure that the people making decisions on your behalf if you’re unable to make them, are the people you trust the most.’

When it’s too late, it’s too late. Talk to the Probate Wills and Trusts team at Robertsons about putting your property & finance and health & welfare Powers of Attorney in place today.

SOCIAL LIFE

Vedra, Boutique Launch

Nothing excites us more than when a new boutique comes to the Vale and we can honestly say that Vedra has been a very welcome addition to the market town of Cowbridge, well-known for its many independent businesses.

We were lucky enough to be invited to the launch of Vedra and were able to glimpse the many amazing global brands on offer including Self-Portrait, Camilla, Rhode, MABE, Varley, P.E Nation, Solid and Striped, Agolde, Citizens of Humanity, Talking Walls, Rains, Hanky Panky, Natalia Botanicals, Cosmic Dealer, Empwr and Sloane Stationary.

Vedra promises to “Find your fashion DNA and unleash your self-expression” and, from what we saw at the event, they mean what they say. This boutique is all about celebrating individuality and an enriching experience, not simply a transaction.

Magenta’s 6th Annual Client Party

Magenta’s client party is a way for them say thank you to their fantastic clients, for supporting the business and their growing team.

Magenta’s Managing Director Gretchen Betts said, “As ever, our guests all embraced the spirit of the evening, conversation was great, and the wine was flowing.

A great night was had by all, fantastic food, a ‘pink quiz’, as well as being serenaded by the fabulous vocals of Luke Greenhalgh. Even some of the team and clients took to the dance floor to show us their moves.”

“The event was to celebrate not only our fantastic clients but to also celebrate the achievements of the Magenta team over the past year, and to also thank our network of professional partners for their help and support.”

An array of slides showing what the Magenta team have been up to over the year was enjoyed by everyone present, reflecting on Covid zoom calls, awards wins, and highlighting the fun the team have had along the way.

Gretchen added, “With many clients saying they cannot wait until our next event, we can safely say our 6th Annual Client event was a huge success.”

Handmade by a team of skilled craftsmen, every Garolla garage door is made from only the very best materials and to your home’s exact specifications. From start to finish you will only work with your own local installer, guaranteeing no pushy salesmen in sight.

As well as installing your garage door, your local installer will also conduct the initial survey of your property and will always be on hand to answer any questions you might have.

Offering style as well as substance, Garolla electric garage doors are available in 21 colours and come in two different slat sizes to perfectly fit any opening.

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It’s time to upgrade your garage door to a Garolla electric door. Not only are they strong and secure, they are also thermally insulated. So if you’re transforming the garage into a home gym, o ce or even a garden bar, Garolla is perfect for you.

A change of style is one thing but if you’re going through chemotherapy, taking certain medications which cause hair loss, or going through the menopause, a wig is a smart solution.

For me, it’s because I’m growing out a pixie cut to something a bit longer. When you have short hair, there aren’t that many styles you can achieve so a wig is the perfect choice. I for one fit into the latter category, having had a pixie cut for the best part of twentyodd years, I’m deciding to grow it out. Going through the nanny-noo phase (as I call it) is hard, so a selection of wigs to get me through the transitional phase are the easiest, and less painful option.

I came across The Wig Shop last year. Michila’s lovely. We chatted about her work, and I tried on a few wigs. I couldn’t believe how a change of hairstyle could make such a world of difference.

Michila made me feel so relaxed. I tried on a few options; ones that I fancied and ones that Michila thought would work for me. I was surprised to find that the ones Michila suggested worked the best. In particular the long, blonde version. That was a real eye-opener!

I recently wore the long blonde version for a curry night with two good friends, Nicola Venetia Steele and Nicky Bright. I wore one of Nicola’s dresses and, at first, she didn’t recognise me. Both Nicola and Nicky said that the wig took years off me, and I must admit I liked looking so different. They both tried the wig on and, it took years off them as well!

There are different styles and types of wigs available at The Wig Shop, some more affordable than others. The ones I liked were the Raquel Welch versions – but then I do have expensive taste!

Christmas is coming so that means party season so this might be the perfect time to go and see Michila at The Wig Shop. No appointment is necessary as Michila offers walk-ins if she’s not already seeing to another customer. But, if you’re coming from out of town, I would suggest ringing ahead.