Author Archives: deansdiva

Festival first aid and the gentle touch of CST

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music festival

The summer has become a byword for festivals here in the UK, with events from the Isle of Wight to Glastonbury in June.

And then there’s  our very own Newark Festival too, of course, which this year returns to Riverside Park from Friday 16 to Sunday 18 June.

With this in mind, Fiona will be on hand on Sunday to start the show with some natural first aid tips for bites, stings and other festival health hazards…

In the second hour, the Girls Around Town will be welcoming guest Alison Court, who has recently become a craniosacral therapist.

After running a massage practice for some years Alison discovered CST, a non-invasive gentle therapy which she realised would complement her massage work very well.

Embarking on a course of study at a very challenging time in her life, she passed with flying colours and has since opened a new clinic in the centre of Newark.

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon on Sunday to hear more about Alison’s inspiring story and find out how craniosacral therapy may be able to help you.

The witching hour

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Centre stage on this week’s show goes to guest Rachel Repper – whether she arrives by broomstick or not remains to be seen but she’ll be joining June, Tina and Sue with news of the Robin Hood Theatre‘s upcoming production of Roald Dahl‘s The Witches.

Set partly in Norway and partly in England, the story revolves around seven-year old Boy‘s bid to rid the world of these ‘demons in human shape’, who look and act like ordinary women. As the plot unfolds, he sets out to foil the Grand High Witch‘s master plan to eliminate all children by giving them free sweets and chocolates laced with a magic potion which turns them into mice!

Rachel will be talking about her involvement in the theatre and her starring role in The Witches, which runs from Tuesday 20 to Saturday 24 June. Performances start at 7.30pm each evening and there’s a matinee at 2pm on the Saturday. For more details and bookings, click here.

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon on Sunday – not quite the witching hour, of course! – when Rachel will also be sharing a different kind of story with the Girls Around Town as she describes a recent trip which took her and her family to India, South America and beyond…

Grape expectations

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sparkling wine

With around six million bottles sold in the UK every year, English sparkling wines are fast becoming fashionable.

The industry may have a long way to go before it catches up with the 130 million bottles of Champagne sold annually in Britain but consumer demand already outstrips supply.

Which is surely good news for next Sunday’s Girls Around Town guest, Helenka Brown!

As English Wine Week gets underway, she’ll be in the studio to talk about growing up on Eglantine Vineyard in Costock, which is still owned and managed by her parents. And about how, since setting up Hanwell Wine Estate in 2012, she and husband William have been working hard to create a ‘destination’ vineyard in the rolling countryside of South Nottinghamshire…

They’re looking forward to early 2018 when their first sparkling white wine, made from traditional Champagne grape varieties grown in the Hickling Patures vineyard and harvested in 2015, is ready for tasting.

Find out what happens between grape and glass and how the vagaries of the English weather impact on the journey. There’ll be news too of the regular events and activities on offer, from tours, tastings and hen parties to the varied range of arts and crafts workshops which make up Hanwell’s Rural Antics programme.

Tune in or listen online between 10am and 12 noon as June, Tina and Sue raise a glass – metaphorically at least! – to Helenka, William and the success of English wine-making…