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Imelda May: I saw impact of second homes in Cornwall filming Fisherman’s Friends

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Imelda May post McCarthy Holden estate agents

Imelda May has said filming the Fisherman’s Friends sequel was an “eye-opener” regarding the impact of second homes in Cornwall, adding: “It needs to be addressed.”

The Irish singer-songwriter, 48, marks her acting debut playing Aubrey Flynn in the film alongside returning stars James Purefoy and Maggie Steed.

She told the PA news agency that Fisherman’s Friends: One And All was shot during lockdown, forcing the cast to film many of the scenes outside.

“It actually became a love story to Cornwall,” she said.

“Where we probably would have done a lot of the scenes inside, we had to do them standing on the edge of the cliff, looking out to sea.

“When you watch it, the cinematography and the landscapes are breathtakingly beautiful, and I think that added all the more to it.

“It’s just stunning when you see it, it’s such a glorious place, but it really shows it off to its heights.”

May said people needed to add to the “community spirit” in Cornwall rather than “taking away from it” in reference to the abundance of second homes.

She said: “I did notice when we started filming because of the lockdown, I could see how much of the village was in darkness. There was nobody, I could see that.

“As lockdown started to lift a little you could see all the lights come on, and I could see that people were just coming to the second home.

“So that was an eye-opener for me that I could see a difference when it was just locals.

“It needs to be addressed. People need to be able to live in their own communities and not be pushed out because somebody wants a second or third home.”

Imelda May post McCarthy Holden estate agents

She added that people “don’t need a home to enjoy an area”.

May said: “I go on tour to a lot of places and I love to find local villages and local people, but the only way to do that is to support the locals.

“You can go and rent one off somebody who already lives there or I love going back to old-fashioned bed and breakfasts where you actually get to meet people and you get the best tips.

“It’s community spirit and if you do that you’re adding to the community and you’re adding to the area rather than taking away from it.”

Fisherman’s Friends was inspired by a Cornish sea shanty singing group who performed in their home town of Port Isaac in 1995, before going on to secure a record deal with Universal Music’s Island Records in 2010.

The sequel Fisherman’s Friends: One And All comes out on August 19

Article By Ellie Iorizzo and Rachael Davis, PA

Ukrainian chef Olia Hercules on cooking as an act of resistance

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Ukrainian Chef post from McCarthy Holden estate agents

For Olia Hercules, cooking is normally her therapy, her safe space – but she lost this when Russia invaded her native country, Ukraine.

“For the first two months or so, I couldn’t really cook – it was a weird feeling,” the 38-year-old remembers. “Normally it’s an act of meditation and stress relief. If it’s a normal, everyday stress, I cook – especially if I make something a bit more involved, like dough, breadmaking, dumplings – something like that, it’s amazing.

“But when you’re going through trauma, it was completely different. I felt guilty eating at first, then I felt guilty cooking. It was a horrible feeling, and I couldn’t shake it off.”

Ukrainian Chef post from McCarthy Holden estate agents

She eventually felt differently while making her parents a meal in Italy after they fled Ukraine. “That’s when it lifted, and I was like yes, I’ve got it back. I’m enjoying making this borscht for them, I know it’s going to do so much good.”

Now, Hercules says she realises cooking is “an act of resistance and defiance, and not letting Putin and his goons take all the joy away from us – because that’s what they’re trying to do”.

Recently, after some particularly bad news about the war, Hercules regressed to those feelings – but her mother brought her back to herself. “She said, ‘This is what he’s [Vladimir Putin] trying to do. Don’t let him do this – this is how we’re going to lose if we’re going to be paralysed by fear all the time and stop living.’ So we can’t stop living – and food is life.”

Now, Hercules is learning to take better care of herself, whether that’s returning to cooking, booking herself into an embroidery course, or writing. She also set up the Cook for Ukraine campaign with friend and food writer Alissa Timoshkina, as a way of raising awareness.

“At first we thought, OK, this is going to be a hashtag, and maybe we’ll think of something – a donation situation,” she says. “We were like, it’s good enough to just do a hashtag, cook a Ukrainian meal, and educate people and keep Ukraine in the news, keep talking about it – and also this thing of connection.”

If somebody in Britain makes a Ukrainian dish, Hercules suggests: “It’s much easier for them to imagine a family that would have been having this dish somewhere in Ukraine – and now they can’t do that anymore. The headlines are there, and with time it’s only natural for people to start disassociating, and being like, OK, I need to preserve my sanity, I can’t look at this horror all the time.

“But having something cultural – especially something to do with food – keeps you connected, and also gives you strength in a way.”

The campaign’s success exceeded Hercules’ expectations, and as well as raising awareness around the situation in Ukraine, it’s also a window into the country’s unique cuisine.

She accepts there are preconceptions about Ukrainian food. “People have said it is all about potatoes and dumplings and overcooked cabbage, which was actually really hurtful. But stereotypes are stereotypes – I don’t blame people for having them.”

Ukrainian Chef post from McCarthy Holden estate agents

Instead, she wants people to know the cuisine is so much more than that – it’s “diverse, and can be fresh and herbaceous”.

Now though, Hercules doesn’t feel like she has to convince everyone that Ukraine is a rich and diverse country. It is – but she also says: “It’s time to embrace all of our potato and cabbage dishes, because they’re actually extremely delicious.”

She has one of these potato dishes in her latest cookbook, Home Food. A staple growing up, the recipe for crispy potatoes and onions is “something everybody could do – students do it – and the perfection of this dish is because you cut the potatoes in an imperfect way. [Even if] you’re striving to do really thin slices, inevitably some will be thicker than others – and that’s what you want, that’s what makes it so good. Because some of the potatoes become more crispy, and some become soft.”

Hercules rediscovered the recipe during the start of the pandemic, asking her mum about it (who, by the way, didn’t think it even counted as a recipe) – and now it’s well and truly back in her repertoire.

Ukrainian Chef post from McCarthy Holden estate agents

Through writing her new book, Hercules realised how much food can connect people – regardless of where you come from. She reflects on her time in Italy (she spent a year there during university as part of an exchange program), saying: “When I lived in Italy, I immediately connected to my fellow students” through food.

In her halls of residence, “We became friends with loads of Italian students living there – they were from all over, especially from the south of Italy. A few of them used to receive parcels from their families – one of the boys’ papa was a butcher, so he’d receive hunks of amazing cuts of meat and jars with what they call ‘sugo de la mama’ – like tomato sauce, either with meatballs or whatever. And we’d all benefit from it, because it’s so delicious.

This immediately transported Hercules back in time, to when her older brother went to university in Odessa when she was 12. “I remember my mum packing these big boxes, and once she even packed a whole roasted duck into the box, and you’d go to the bus station, and you’d pay someone to take the box on the bus, and then he’d receive it on the other end.”

When she first arrived in Italy, Hercules admits her grasp of the language was rudimentary – but she managed to communicate this story to her new friends, and find common ground.

“[Food] breaks barriers, and immediately makes you feel closer,” she reflects. “I think the book has become that in many ways, reflecting through cultures. I realised food and humour have been the two ways for me, in each culture I experienced or tried to assimilate into – as soon as there was some kind of a connection in what we ate, and as soon as I understood the humour in another language, I was like OK, this is it. I feel at home now.”

Home Food: Recipes To Comfort And Connect by Olia Hercules is published by Bloomsbury Publishing, priced £26. Photography by Joe Woodhouse. Available now.

Article by Prudence Wade, PA

6 ways to get your garden party-ready for summer

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Award-winning garden designer Chris Beardshaw offers tips on planting, lights and show-stopping centrepieces. By Hannah Stephenson.

With lockdown restrictions easing, there’s likely to be a lot of entertaining going on in back gardens throughout summer.

So, is your garden party-ready – where guests will be able to sit in comfort, savour the beautiful plants around them, and enjoy the atmosphere late into the night?

Of course, your own home-grown cut flowers will always pretty up a table, while sprigs of lavender or other herbs could add a scented accent to your place settings.

“All the research shows there’s a generation of gardeners, who have been exposed to the opportunity of getting outside, growing plants and experiencing the green world around them as a result of being locked-down,” says award-winning garden designer, Chris Beardshaw.

“One of the ways to keep that focus going is to provide opportunities in our gardens for increased socialising and increased sharing in the garden. People can enrich their garden without it becoming hardcore gardening.”

Beardshaw, who is supporting Readly, an online subscription service to consumer magazines including major gardening titles, offers the following tips…

1. Plant a riot of colour

“Plant up containers of colour. Take any container – basically if it has a hole in the bottom and you can put gravel and compost into it and stick it somewhere with light, you can grow something,” says Beardshaw.

“Choreograph those containers – perhaps with colour coordination, or with particular design approaches which suit the rest of your garden or your interiors or particular passion – so you get that instant colour creating a wow factor.

“Of course, the best range of plants to use for this are the annuals, the live-fast die-young plants, and short-term perennials such as dahlias and chrysanthemums, or perhaps bulbs like galtonias and leucanthemums. They create a chic, stylish look.”

2. Make a floral ice bowl centrepiece

“If you have two bowls which are interlocking (one smaller than the other), you can pour water between the two, then put it into the freezer and as it starts to freeze, layer on the petals like geraniums, cistus and nasturtiums as a veneer, and then keep topping up with water between the two bowls.

“When your guests arrive, you remove the inner bowl (by filling it with warm water), upturn the bigger bowl and you then have a complete iced bowl decorated with petals.

“You could fill it with fruit or ice cream as the entertaining takes place. It’s a great summer centrepiece.”

3. Create ambience

“Make sure you’ve got cushions and blankets and throws, which really extend internal furnishings into the great outdoors. Corral seats around a firepit or under a parasol, where people can feel a bit more at home and a bit more willing to sit outside later in the evening and listen to the way nature is putting itself to bed, and maybe owls and other creatures making themselves heard.”

4. Wow guests with wildlife

“Choose plants which are more biodiverse and wildlife-friendly, with more open flower, things like cistus for instance, anthemis, the wonderful daisy flowers, an advertising hoarding for insects.

“Angelica is also very good, along with alliums and astrantias, where you have cluster flowers that are bringing in insects. You’ll not only see beautiful butterflies but also night-time moths.”

5. Enjoy home-grown party food

“Growing your own is a fantastic experience of gardening, with the rich flavours and satisfaction you get, and you’ll also have a knock-on admiration from anyone you invite in, as they munch on your lettuce or rocket, or fresh strawberries warmed by summer sunshine. Your guest will be in love with your dining style forever.

“If you are growing produce in containers, go for short-rooted varieties. So if you are growing carrots or beetroot, go for the dwarf types; if you are growing salads, go for the cut-and-come-again varieties, where you can harvest them and they’ll keep growing back relentlessly.

“If you do have a glasshouse, conservatory or porch, you can grow things like peaches. A home-produced peach is like nothing else. You might not get many of them, but they are sweet, juicy and delicious.”

6. Add subtle lighting

“In my own garden, we don’t shy away from subtle lighting. We have old-fashioned festoon-style lightbulbs, which are solar powered and have little LEDs in them.

“They hang from some of the trees, shrubs and bushes to give a moonlight wash, a subtle extension of the internal lighting of the house.”

Visit readly.com/gardening for more information.

10 surprising bucket-list adventures close to home

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Once-in-a-lifetime experiences will be top of the agenda for travellers in 2021. The good news is, you won’t have to travel far, says Sarah Marshall.

While stuck at home, we’ve all had time to dream up epic escapades and construct lists of the activities we’d love to do. Fed up with sitting around, most travellers are itching for action and the opportunity to tackle challenges to boost both confidence and mood.

Fortunately, not every once-in-a-lifetime activity requires a journey to exotic locations; remarkably, adventures can be had without shifting too far.

If you’re in need of inspiration for planning a high octane staycation bucket list, here are a few suggestions to spark ideas.

1. Chase butterflies across sand dunes

County Down, Northern Ireland

A protected area since 1967, the Murlough National Nature Reserve at the foot of the Mourne Mountains features a sand dune system in existence for 6,000 years. Follow a network of paths and boardwalks through woodlands, heaths and dunes to observe wintering wildfowl and wader birds, plus 720 species of butterflies and moths. Look out for the threatened Marsh Fritillary butterfly, distinguishable by its amber mosaic wings.

2. Walk with prehistoric monsters

London, UK

Stand alongside the mighty reptiles who once dominated our planet, by strolling along a fantasy trail enjoyed by the Victorians 150 years ago. Crystal Palace features more than 30 sculptures reconstructed from imaginings based on their fossilised remains. Meet the Megalosaurus and the Iguanodon, whose mould was famously split open to host a dinner party on New Year’s Eve in 1853. Visit cpdinosaurs.org.

3. Dive a shipwreck from WW1

Orkney Islands, Scotland

The shallow waters of the Churchill Barriers, a series of causeways in the Orkney Islands at Scapa Flow, are home to an eerie collection of submerged blockships. Deliberately sunken during the First World War to provide a blockade against enemy German forces, the vessels are now a popular spot for guided dives. Open to anyone with an Advanced Open Water qualification and drysuit certification, boat dives cost from £225 per person. Visit krakendiving.co.uk.

4. Learn to climb a tree

Isle of Wight

If you failed to master it during childhood, there’s still time to perfect the art of arboreal ascents. Goodleaf Tree Climbing runs three-day intensive tree-climbing courses, with qualified instructors sharing everything you need to know about using a harness and swinging through branches in the canopy. Training mostly takes place on turkey oaks, known for the strength of their boughs. From £345 per person (10% discount if booking two or more people). Visit goodleaf.co.uk.

5. Ride stallions through the surf

County Antrim, Northern Ireland

Explore the rough and tumble of Northern Ireland’s north coast on a horseback ride led by Danny McKinley and his team. Select your breed of horse and the pace of the tour, opting for a speedy gallop into the hills or a gentle amble along the beach. Learn about a traditional peat-cutting industry and visit several locations featured in Game of Thrones on a two-hour tour costing from £20 per person. Visit sheanshorsefarm.com.

6. Kitesurf without getting wet

Pembrokeshire, Wales

Using a sail attached to an oversized skateboard on wheels, kite landboarding allows you to skim surfaces without even touching water. Requiring less wind and power, it’s relatively easy to learn, and works as a foundation for kitesurfing – or even snow kiting should you choose to progress. Suitable for ages seven to 70, two-hour lessons cover launching, landing and flying skills. From £45 per person. Visit thebigblueexperience.com.

7. Mush and sled with husky dogs

Yorkshire, UK

Replicate the experience of running a pack of dogs through Lapland’s icy wilderness, by harnessing a group of eager huskies on a dryland mushing rig. Discover the different commands used to control your canine team, then set off for an adventure around a 250-acre farm at Thornton Hall Country Park. If there’s a decent snowfall, guests have the option to switch to a sled. A two to three hour experience starts from £55 per person. Visit runwiththepack.co.uk.

8. Circumnavigate an entire country on foot

Wales

Connect two signposted pathways to literally hike around Wales, tracing its land and sea borders from end to end. By combining the Welsh Coast Path and Offa’s Dyke, ambitious ramblers can get a 1,047-mile workout – if they’ve got around eight weeks to spare. Alternatively, dive into sections, learning about history, folklore and wildlife through the free Wales Coast Path app.

9. Witness the aurora borealis

Northumberland, UK

Occasionally, when activity is strong, the northern lights can be seen at latitudes as low as northern England. Benefitting from a lack of light pollution and the reliability of clear skies, Northumberland’s international Dark Sky Park is one of the best places to find a place to perch and spectate. For a warm spot on a cold night, try the Kielder Observatory in Kielder Water And Forest Park.

10. Watch Shakespeare on a clifftop stage

Cornwall, UK

Overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Cornwall’s Minack Theatre enjoys a spectacular location almost as dramatic as the plays it hosts. Watch actors run through a repertoire of classics at the open-air amphitheatre constructed in a granite outcrop and originally the garden of a private home. Shows are yet to be announced for the 2021 season. Visit minack.com.

Why having good neighbours can save you money

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Good neighbours at McCarthy Holden estate agents

The importance of good neighbours came to the fore in 2020 and it is highlighted further, with this insight from the Press Associations finance correspondent Vicky Shay.

A priceless benefit

For many people, having friendly and helpful neighbours in their community is a priceless benefit. But according to a new report from Halifax, having good neighbours can translate to actual financial savings too.

Halifax estimates that those benefiting from neighbours’ acts of kindness save £165 per year typically.

From lending a lawnmower to picking up the shopping and looking after pets, it seems the benefits of having a good relationship with neighbours really can add up financially.

The survey of over 4,000 people found that the most common deeds performed by kind neighbours that save people money on their doorsteps include collecting groceries (12%), watering plants (10%) and looking after pets (8%).People said they receive some form of help from their neighbours three times a month typically, the bank’s ‘Community Counts’ report found.

On average, those who are getting neighbourly help receive 10 hours of support a month, with this increasing to 12 hours since the start of the pandemic. On average, the most time-consuming favour that people do for their neighbours is helping out with DIY, which typically takes 42 minutes.

Good neighbours at McCarthy Holden estate agents

The highest cash savings were found to come from neighbours looking after kids (with those benefiting make a saving £313 per year on average), helping out with cleaning (a typical £276 saving) and pet-sitting (saving £248 on average).

Saving money on taxis and public transport, nearly one in eight (12%) people surveyed have had a lift from a neighbour when they’ve needed one.

There are also benefits of convenience, as well as cash savings from having good neighbours.
More than half (52%) say their neighbours have taken in parcels for them when they’ve not been there to open the door, and more than a quarter (27%) get help with taking their bins out.

The types of tasks neighbours help out with have changed since the pandemic started, however. Halifax found people are now more likely to get support from neighbours picking up shopping, but less likely to need help watering plants, as more people have been staying at home – so can take care of these tasks themselves.

It’s likely that neighbours will increasingly help each other out in the future too.
A quarter (25%) of people surveyed say their relationship with their neighbours has improved since the Covid-19 crisis started. Only 3% said it had deteriorated.
A third (32%) would have found it harder to cope during the pandemic without their neighbours, rising to two-fifths (38%) of those aged 18-34.

Good neighbours would also be a strong factor for people in any future house moves, the research found. Nearly three-quarters (72%) of people say that if they were looking to buy a new home, having good neighbours and a strong community would be important, increasing to eight in 10 (81%) among people aged over-55.

To find your perfect new neighbour, why not start your property search here.

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Rory the Vet: What your Family Should Consider Before Getting a Pet

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TV vet Rory Cowlam advises on how to tell if your family is ready for a pet and how to choose the right kind. By Lisa Salmon.

Vet Rory Cowlam has had an affinity with animals “from day one” and can’t imagine life without them at work or at home.

Now affectionately known as Rory the Vet and a well-known face on TV -playing a leading role in the CBBC show The Pets Factor as well as appearing on Blue Peter, BBC Breakfast and Lorraine – Cowlam wanted to be a vet from the age of four when his family got a great dane puppy, Lulu, who he says was “my shadow and best friend”.

The family had various other cats and dogs (all of them adored, but not quite as much as his “kindred spirit” Lulu), plus chickens and ducks, as he grew up in the Cotswolds countryside. And the Royal Veterinary College graduate now has his own lurcher puppy, Nala, who Cowlam says was abandoned by travellers and found by some children, who contacted the RSPCA, for whom Cowlam is an ambassador. And after she was wormed and given plenty of food, the lucky pup was adopted this month by Cowlam.

She’s only just moved in with him, so she doesn’t feature in his new book, The Secret Life of a Vet, but it contains many other both heart-wrenching and heartwarming tales of veterinary escapades, which vividly illustrate the depth of feeling vets have for many of the animals they treat. Cowlam, 28, admits he’s been known to shed a few tears when he’s had to put much-loved pets to sleep.

Not surprisingly, the affable vet, who shares a house with his younger sister and Nala in London, is a strong advocate of pet ownership – but only if the circumstances are right.

“In my opinion, having a pet makes a family complete,” he says. “Whether it’s a fish, guinea pigs, a dog or a terrapin, they all bring such joy. If you’re looking to add a pet to your family, make sure to do your research and choose the right pet for your family and circumstances. Do this, and you can’t go wrong.”

Here, Cowlam, who qualified five years ago and works at a veterinary practice, discusses what families need to consider if they’re thinking of getting a pet.

How can you tell if your family’s ready for a pet?

“It’s always a really hard decision working out if your family is ready for a pet – it’s not one to take lightly and it’s crucial to realise that if you go ahead, you have to put the pet first.

“A really important thing to consider is the cost associated with having a pet – you must be able to afford it and everything looking after it entails. This includes insurance, food, vet bills and other costs.

“The other thing to consider is do you have the time that a pet deserves and needs? They take up a huge amount of time and you have to consider whether you’re willing to sacrifice certain things to be home for them. If you can provide this though, it’s the most wonderful thing in the world.”

What do families need to consider before getting a pet?

“There are many things to consider, as I’ve already mentioned, but you also must consider whether the pet is right for your current circumstances. Things to take into consideration are where you live, whether you have young children, and whether you have the time and means to look after it. I really do urge anyone considering getting a pet to think long and hard about these things before going ahead.”

What are the best pets to choose to fit your family circumstances?

“This is such a difficult question, as it depends on all of the above. For example, a dog would require lots of time and training, whereas a goldfish requires very little! Make sure to thoroughly research your chosen pet before you adopt it though, to ensure you get the very best pet for your lifestyle. There’s lots of help and advice out there too.”

Which pets should particular families avoid, and why?

“There are few to avoid. I highly recommend rescuing; however, these are not always appropriate for families with young children. Again, please do your research before rushing into anything.”

What are the benefits of having a pet in the family?

“I’m a strong believer that children learn so much from pets that they wouldn’t otherwise be exposed to – for example, social skills and empathy. There are numerous studies that show pets not only help children but also benefit their mental health.

“I also believe they teach children responsibility as they realise they need to be looked after (given food, water, training, letting them out to the toilet, walking them etc for dogs).”

The Secret Life of a Vet by Rory Cowlam ls published by Coronet, priced £9.99. Available now.

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