2 - 2024 | Chalmers News PR

New Rotary exhibition puts us in the picture over Climate Change

Posted on February 28, 2024 by admin

Rotary Oceans Project, Coventry — John Parkinson, District Governor of Rotary Heart of England; Jazwinder Sing, Lord Mayor of Coventry; Gabrielle Back and Coun Vaughan Blake, Mayor of Alcester.

The artistic efforts of ‘creative campaigners’ from schools and community groups across Coventry have resulted in the latest Rotary project about the importance of the environment.

The Climate Change and Oceans Project Exhibition, which opened last week, is on the theme of pollution in our oceans and includes artwork by pupils from 12 primary schools in the city.

Running alongside a program of activities, seminars and partnerships to help educate and raise awareness in the local community, it is the culmination of the latest initiative, which has been organised for the last 10 years by Heart of England Environment Officer and District Assistant Governor Gabrielle Back.

Rotary Oceans Project — Winning artwork by Baginton Fields Special School pupils

Gabrielle said: “The project consisted of schools’ research on ocean pollution, a schools competition to produce artwork on fish and fishscapes and community
groups making fish depictions and recycled fish.

“This exhibition is extremely important because it raises awareness of pollution of our waters and the detrimental impact we are having on wildlife in our seas and oceans. This is a very creative way of addressing our Eco issues and bringing them to the forefront. It also develops participants’ artistic skills and encourages community spirit and fellowship through working together.

“The exhibition will hopefully encourage viewers to think about the environment and how we can help protect it by cutting down on pollution.”
The launch event, at Holy Trinity Church on Friday (23^rd), was supported by local dignitaries including The Lord Mayor of Coventry Jazwinder Sing and Mayor of Alcester Coun Vaughan Blake.

Winning artwork was entered by pupils at Baginton Fields Special School, who win a set of nature books for their library. Cannon Park Primary School was awarded Highly Commended and every participating child received a certificate. The exhibition also featured pieces by community groups, including Baginton Ladies Circle, Burton Green WI, U3A, St Martins Church Groups and Positive Image Network.

Themes over the last 10 years of the Rotary Art project have included Recycled Angels, Switch Off, Carbon Footprint, Around The World, Cut Down On Plastics, Green Hearts and Helping Hands. Planning is now under way for next year’s project on the theme of Hand Prints for Action and Endangered Wildlife.

Brewery’s new taproom marks latest chapter of growth

Posted on February 26, 2024 by admin

Windmill Hill Brewing Company, Leamington, taproom — Photos by Jennifer Peel Photography.

A multi award-winning micro-brewery in Leamington has opened its doors to a new taproom in the latest chapter of growth.

Windmill Hill Brewing Company is looking forward to welcoming visitors to the new-look venue, underneath the Arches at Victoria Business Park, which has been transformed with new custom booth seating, a six-line keg tap wall and a stunning Chesterton Windmill Chandelier centrepiece.

Director Gavin Leach, pictured right, has enjoyed success with the brewery since he turned his back on a career in pharmaceuticals to establish the business partner Rob Singleton in 2017. Since then Windmill Hill has gone on to create award-winning seasonal and limited-edition beers, found on sale in an increasing number of independent shops and bars across south Warwickshire.

The independent brewery was born out of ‘a desire to create unique beers that both uphold traditional value and utilise expert scientific knowledge.’ Taproom guests can choose from Windmill Hill’s signature range offering a 4.5% ABV Pale Ale; 4% ABV Copper Ale; 6% IPA; 4.5% ABV Lager; 4% ABV Porter; 3.8% ABV Session IPA and 5.3% ABV Weiss Beer in 500ml bottles, as well as seasonal lines.

Visitors will also have the chance to purchase 5L mini kegs and gift packs from the taproom shop to take away, as well as branded merchandise, including T-shirts, hoodies, pint glasses, bottle openers and Mini Cool Bags.

The brewery will also continue its popular two-hour beer tasting and tour sessions which take place once a month.

Windmill Hill Brewing Company, Leamington, taproom, Gavin Leach — Photo by Jennifer Peel Photography.

The Leamington entrepreneur and dad of three, also runs The Barge and Quarterdeck, a popular 60-foot floating bar and pizza kitchen in Stratford’s canal basin.

He said: “We’re really excited to be opening our brewery doors as a weekly taproom. We’ve been working hard to create a beautiful space in which to serve our beers exactly where they’re made on Neilston Street.

“We’ve been regularly hosting brewery tours, and the feedback we’ve had has been great. Lots of the tour customers return to experience our brewery again, and have commented regarding opening more often and offering a taproom experience too.

Windmill Hill Brewing Company, Leamington — Photo by Jennifer Peel Photography.

“It’s really great to see something you produce from scratch being enjoyed and especially as a small local producer to be able to open up to the public and offer a taproom has been a dream since starting the business.”

Just a five-minute walk from Leamington Train Station, the taproom opened on Saturday (March 2^nd) and accommodates up to 40 people inside. It welcomes visitors on Friday evenings from 5-10.30pm and Saturdays between 2.30pm and 10.30pm.

For further information about Windmill Hill visit: here

Three friends from different backgrounds join forces to realise restaurant dream

Posted on February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 by admin

Three friends from the same town in India who all started new lives in south Warwickshire, have together realised their shared vision of running a restaurant.

Aby Joseph, Thomas Mathew and Joshi Johny have come to the business from a wide variety of backgrounds, including health care, film production, mechanical engineering and food – to open the doors to Fusion Clan in Warwick.

The co-owners are keen to bring influences from their home state of Kerala in southern India, to add a twist to the traditional authentic Indian cuisine.

The restaurant, which replaces The Pickled Crab in Smith Street, promises a ‘unique’ menu of Indian ingredients fused with European recipes, with the emphasis on new and experimental flavours.

Fusion Clan sees the fruition of a long-held dream for the entrepreneurial trio who have all taken the leap into hospitality. And for Aby and Thomas it’s a world away from their current careers.

Aby, 37, who now lives in Warwick, relocated from Kerala to Stratford at the age of 24 to pursue his nursing career and is now Clinical Services Manager in Stratford.

Fusion Clan, Warwick, Aby Joseph — Executive Chef Joshi Johny

Aby’s selflessness, leadership, and empathy in helping with residents’ and staff’s safety and well-being throughout the pandemic, led to him making headlines last year when he was awarded the British Empire Medal. This honour recognises people who have made achievements in public life, committed themselves to serving and helping the UK, and who make life better for others by being outstanding at what they do.

Aby, who has been passionate about food since teaching himself to cook at university, is looking forward to bringing local diners in on their culinary adventure into new flavours and fusions.

Fusion Clan, Warwick — Aby receives his British Empire Medal last year

He said: “The first time I went out for an Indian meal after arriving in the UK, I really liked it. . . but it was nothing to do with India. This is not the usual thing I would eat back home, I thought, so how can they say this is Indian? There are some very popular dishes over here that are actually nothing to do with India, not authentic at all. Then I went to another restaurant and it was the same story. So wherever you go, it’s the same taste, you don’t get something different.

“I always wanted to run my own business and for the last 10 years the three of us would talk about having a restaurant. We planned on doing it much sooner but then Covid changed everything.”

For Thomas, 47, from Stratford, the venture could not be more different from his 20 years spent as a mechanical engineer with Kuwait Airways and, more recently, as a film producer.

With his first movie, John Luther, proving popular on Amazon Prime, the second project is already under way, with Thomas set to take time away from his front of house role for filming on set, including partly in the UK, this year.

The pair have been friends since 2011 but it was only after a chance meeting with experienced chef Joshi Johny , in Stratford, that their vision began to take shape.

Joshi, 44, was formerly a chef at the TATA Taj Residency (Cochin, India) Peacock Hotel, in Kenilworth, Ettington Chase and Crowne Plaza Hotels in Stratford and Walton Hall in Wellesbourne and is now in charge of the culinary vision for Fusion Clan.

He said: “I wanted to create dishes influenced by our roots, using unique and authentic south Indian spices but fusing them with European dishes, so adding new flavours. There has been lots of experimenting until I perfected the menu and diners so far are complimenting us on how different the experience is.

“I’m striving to create a fine dining experience that people can afford. There’s lots of different elements, each and every one freshly prepared on the plate, right down to the sauces. We are excited to share this food because we know people are going to love it.”

Joshi oversees a menu using local meats, fruits and vegetables alongside the specially sourced spices and rices from Kerala, including jeerakasala rice, more fragrant and flavoursome rice which is included in the Geographical Indication registry of India.

He is particularly proud of his signature recipe Kumarakom to Cornwall, Kumarakom style local preparation of Cassava and a Keralan spiced grilled seabass dish, served with tamarind-infused sauce.

Diners might be surprised to see popular British dishes such as steak, lamb shank, Cumberland sausage and roast potatoes also feature on the menu – but, of course, with Joshi’s own Asian twist!

Plans for the future of Fusion Clan include opening an upstairs space for private events as well as introducing a takeaway menu.

In the meantime, Aby, Thomas and Joshi are content in bringing along as many people as possible on what they describe as ‘a culinary journey of discovery like no other seen before in the area.’

Review: Hotel Indigo Bath and city highlights

Posted on February 25, 2024February 25, 2024 by admin

After a busy few hours of retail therapy and sightseeing in the beautiful and bustling city of Bath, it is important to have somewhere comfortable to rest up and reflect on the joys of the day.

Set in a handsome honey-coloured Georgian Terrace, Hotel Indigo Bath is the perfect base from which to explore the city. The Grade 1 listed boutique hotel soaks up the history, romance and literature, which can all be enjoyed just a few steps away.

The hotel’s communal spaces and each of its 166 rooms have a contemporary design which reflects the influences of the architects and novelists who made Bath famous for its storytelling and passionate social scene. These include ‘Romance & Mischief’ rooms, ‘Literary Hideaway’ rooms, ‘Architectural Beauty’ rooms, ‘Garden’ rooms and ‘The Vaults’. I rather enjoyed the quirky Alice In Wonderland style theme of my Superior Master bedroom while still managing to maintain the opulence fitting of the hotel’s luxury four star credentials.

Our rooms were equipped with comfy Hypnos beds with luxury Egyptian cotton linen, spacious spa-inspired bathrooms, high speed Wi-Fi and a variety of channels to enjoy on a 40” flat screen TV – for those with the time!

I appreciated – and took full advantage of – the in-room complimentary mini bar containing beers, wine, soft drinks and water, as well as a plentiful supply of hot drink sachets and Nespresso coffee machine with pods and biscuits.

While taking a few minutes out from the busy schedule of a weekend tourist to enjoy the refreshments while admiring the historical views from my chaise longue, I felt the stresses of modern life begin to ebb away.

When fully refreshed, it is an added bonus to discover the hotel’s central location makes it incredibly easy to enjoy most of the city’s sights, from medieval Bath Abbey, Roman Baths, Pultney Bridge and breathtaking Royal Crescent to the modern-day galleries, museums and eclectic shopping scene.

When it’s time for some well-earned sustenance, there seems no shortage of excellent chain and independent restaurants dotted throughout the city. But we were invited to stay a little closer to ‘home’ and sample the hospitality of The Elder Restaurant and Bar.

With access both from the street and via the hotel, it is independently run and owned by restaurateur Mike Robinson with a focus on sustainability, seasonality, locally-sourced and wild produce. This is also where our delicious breakfast was served. Hotel guests can also have a drink and snack at the bar throughout the day.

This proved to be a sumptuous yet informal dining experience as well as a culinary journey of discovery from a knowledgeable and passionate team who take the time to describe the ingredients and dishes as they’re presented to us.

If, like us, time is precious during your short city break, be sure to prioritise with a bit of self-indulgence in the form of Bath’s famous Thermae Spa.

Many people’s incentive for visiting the city (although there is SO much more going for it), is the spa’s rooftop pool where you can enjoy spectacular views over the city and its surrounding hills. From someone who’s been lucky enough to enjoy a goodly number of spa experiences, this one is truly unique.

No wonder then that we struggled to drag ourselves away from this calm-inducing oasis. Be sure though to check out the Spa’s other multi-sensory wellness suites, including an Infrared Room, invigorating Ice Chamber, Aroma Steam Rooms and even a Celestial Relaxation Room with heated loungers.

In the basement, you can find the Minerva Bath, incorporating whirlpool, massage jet and gentle lazy river.

Both Minerva and the Rooftop Pool are fed by the naturally warm, mineral-rich waters that gave the city its name. The water fell as rain around 10,000 years ago and then sank to a depth of about 2kms below the Earth’s surface. Here it is heated by high temperature rocks to an estimated 69° Centigrade (156° Farenheit) before rising back up through one of the three springs in the centre of the city.

I could have happily settled in here for the rest of the day – but there was too much exploring to be done and too little time.

Spa towns have inspired literature through the years, and none more so than Bath which plays a central role in books by Jane Austen, Charles Dickens and Mary Shelley amongst others. Jane Austen resided in a number of properties in Bath for five years and even set two of her six published novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, in the city.

It’s a city I have fallen in love with and is genuinely high on the list for retirement relocation options! But as that is, thankfully, a few years off, I will definitely be returning in the meantime. And when I do, Hotel Indigo Bath will once again be the residence of choice.

A great way to get a handle on what Bath is really all about, is by jumping aboard the Tootbus Open-Top Bus Tour. A great option too for hopping on and off at various points of interest.

Other attractions which should be high on your to-do list whilst in Bath:

The Pump Rooms

The Roman Baths

Bath World Heritage Centre

Bath Abbey

The Jane Austen Centre

The Holburne Museum

Mary Shelley’s House of Frankenstein

Royal Victoria Park

American Museum and Gardens

Museum of Bath at Work

Herschel Museum of Astronomy

Visit Bath at: Bath’s Official Tourism Information Site | Visit Bath

Review; A Midsummer Night’s Deam

Posted on February 25, 2024 by admin

A Midsummer Night's Dream

One of Shakespeare’s most captivating comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, sees the return of Eleanor Rhode who was last at the RSC in 2019 directing King John.

And what she and her creative team have creative is, in my opinion, one of the best productions to come out of Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

They have managed to adapt and improve on what is one the most performed of the Bard’s plays, finding new relevance and energy.

One of Shakespeare’s most captivating comedies, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, sees the return of Eleanor Rhode who was last at the RSC in 2019 directing King John.And what she and her creative team have orchestrated is, in my opinion, one of the best productions to come out of Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.
They have managed to adapt and improve on what is one the most performed of the Bard’s plays, finding new relevance and energy.
Four young lovers, faced with the prospect of unhappy marriage or worse, flee the court of Athens and stumble into an enchanted forest. Nearby, a group of amateur actors rehearse a play to celebrate an upcoming royal wedding.
As these mere mortals cross paths with a warring fairy King and Queen, chaos reigns in the natural world. The lines between reality and illusion start to blur and no-one but mischievous Puck knows what is true and what is magic.
Much has been made of Bottom being played by Mathew Baynton, loved for his roles in Ghosts and Horrible Histories and, indeed, his performance does this iconic Shakespeare character more than justice. He prances around the stage in his underpants and transforms into a donkey, becoming the object of infatuation for the Queen of the Fairies, with comedic aplomb. But I’m delighted to report that the rest of the cast more than deiver
Joining the previously announced Mathew Baynton as Bottom are Nicholas Armfield as Demetrius, Emily Cundick as Snout, Bally Gill as Oberon/Theseus, Esme Hough as Cobweb, Ryan Hutton as Lysander, Charlotte Jaconelli as Peaseblossom, Laurie Jamieson as Snug, Neil McCaul as Egeus, Helen Monks as Peter Quince, Michael Olatunji as Moth, Adrian Richards as Philostrate, Boadicea Ricketts as Helena, Sirine Saba as Titania/Hippolyta, Rosie Sheehy as Puck, Dawn Sievewright as Hermia, Mitesh Soni as Flute, Premi Tamang as Starveling and Tom Xander as Mustardseed.
The special effects, from Matt Daw’s lighting through to John Bulleid’s illusions, create a sense of magic and mystery that draw us in from the opening scene. The stunning visuals and technical trickery play no small part on the show’s undenial success.
Stand our scene for me is the play within a play, the most satirical interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that has us hooked. The audience were hysterical.
A midsummer’s Night’s Dream plays until 30th and Visit: https://www.rsc.org.uk/H
Royal Shakespeare Company | RSC — Photo by Pamela Raith

Four young lovers, faced with the prospect of unhappy marriage or worse, flee the court of Athens and stumble into an enchanted forest. Nearby, a group of amateur actors rehearse a play to celebrate an upcoming royal wedding.

As these mere mortals cross paths with a warring fairy King and Queen, chaos reigns in the natural world. The lines between reality and illusion start to blur and no-one but mischievous Puck knows what is true and what is magic.

Much has been made of Bottom being played by Mathew Baynton, loved for his roles in Ghosts and Horrible Histories and, indeed, his performance does this iconic Shakespeare character more than justice. He prances around the stage in his underpants and transforms into a donkey, becoming the object of infatuation for the Queen of the Fairies, with comedic aplomb. But I’m delighted to report that the rest of the cast more than deiver

Joining the previously announced Mathew Baynton as Bottom are Nicholas Armfield as Demetrius, Emily Cundick as Snout, Bally Gill as Oberon/Theseus, Esme Hough as Cobweb, Ryan Hutton as Lysander, Charlotte Jaconelli as Peaseblossom, Laurie Jamieson as Snug, Neil McCaul as Egeus, Helen Monks as Peter Quince, Michael Olatunji as Moth, Adrian Richards as Philostrate, Boadicea Ricketts as Helena, Sirine Saba as Titania/Hippolyta, Rosie Sheehy as Puck, Dawn Sievewright as Hermia, Mitesh Soni as Flute, Premi Tamang as Starveling and Tom Xander as Mustardseed.

The special effects, from Matt Daw’s lighting through to John Bulleid’s illusions, create a sense of magic and mystery that draw us in from the opening scene. The stunning visuals and technical trickery play no small part on the show’s undenial success.

Stand our scene for me is the play within a play, the most satirical interpretation of Romeo and Juliet that has us hooked. The audience were hysterical.

A midsummer’s Night’s Dream plays until 30^th and Visit here