Author Archives: deansdiva

Discovering Bingham

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In the first of a series of shows about how to Be a tourist in your own town, a couple of months ago June and Rachel took a closer look at a few of the attractions Newark has to offer.

You’ll probably remember the premise – how easy it is to overlook the things right on your doorstep when planning days out with friends and family.

Well, next weekend it’s time to focus on another Nottinghamshire treasure, just a few miles up the road…

And who better to point June – and you! – in the right direction than Ophelia Marshall, the founder of Rural Retail, with a little help from the Girls Around Town‘s new guest presenter Claire?

They’ll be explaining what it is they love about living and working in the pretty little town of Bingham and sharing details of some of the things that just might tempt you to head over there for a visit.

Voted The Best Place To Bring Up A Family a few years ago, Bingham is just nine miles away from both Nottingham and Newark, is easy to reach by train or car and has held a market charter since 1341.

These days, regular markets and farmers markets are held alongside The Buttercross in the town centre and Ophelia will be describing some of the things you’ll find among its stalls and in the shops nearby.

And with attractions such as Langar‘s Naturescape Wildflower Farm and the 16th century Holme Pierrepont Hall just a stone’s throw away, the surrounding area offers plenty of choice if you’re looking for a family day out, whether you want to explore 70 acres of meadow and woodland walks or step back in time to the days of the Tudors and the English Civil War.

Tune in to 107.8FM or listen online (don’t forget to choose the FM stream when you do!) between 10am and 12 noon on Sunday to find out what’s on offer in and around Bingham and, whether you’re a resident or a visitor, how to make the most of this thriving little town…

Let them make cake!

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Turning a hobby into a business is always a popular topic on Girls Around Town and if the business in question involves food, so much the better.

Someone who’s done just that is Lyndsay Sadler, who joins June and Rosalyn in the studio this weekend to talk about how she’s now sharing a life-long passion for cooking with the young – and not so young! – in a variety of ways.

In addition to making beautiful celebration cakes and cupcakes, she passes on her skills in the kitchen to children and teenagers by giving them the opportunity to make their own tasty treats. And of course, to enjoy the results of their new-found culinary expertise too…

Lyndsay will be describing her own journey, from spending hours transfixed by the tempting cakes in her mother’s cookery books to studying for a City and Guilds in Advanced Professional Cookery and later living above a boulangerie in Lyon and getting up early to watch the bakers at work.

Now with four children of her own, ranging from one to twelve-years old, when they started growing up she knew she wanted to combine everything she’d learned with a business and so Coco’s Kitchen was born.

“I’ve always loved involving my children in what I’m doing in the kitchen,” she says.  “We cook regularly together and enjoy ourselves enormously in the process. Cooking with your kids is quality family time and the added bonus is you get the wonderful bonding experience of sharing something delicious together at the end.

“Each year, as my own children’s birthdays came around, I looked for new ideas for their parties and then it suddenly occurred to me that, with my experience of both food and children, I should start my own business to cater for this growing market.”

Tune in to 107.8FM or listen online between 10am and 12 noon to find out more about the benefits of getting your kids busy in the kitchen. Lyndsay will also be talking about some of her favourite makes and bakes – luckily for June and Rosalyn’s waistlines, there’ll be no cakes in the studio this Sunday but word is she’ll be whipping up a tasty wintry soup…

Sounds like just the job for a chilly November lunchtime!

All that jazz at Christmas

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Who doesn’t love a Christmas carol?

If there’s one thing guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit, it’s singing along to your favourite seasonal hymns and songs.

And if you’re doing it for a good cause, so much the better…

Help raise money for The Sam White Legacy by joining in the fun between 3pm and 5.30pm (doors open from 2.30pm) on Sunday 15 December, when Wendy Kirkland, Pat Sprakes, Si Potts, Mat Short and Neil C Young take to the microphones for the ninth annual Jazzy Carols at Stray’s Coffee in Newark.

From small beginnings in 2010, the event’s grown to a full-on jazz gig with Christmas at its heart – and with the obligatory mince pies thrown in of course!

There’ll be a raffle too, with prizes generously provided by local shops and businesses, and as always printed song sheets will be provided so you can join vocalist Wendy in raising the roof in true jazzy style.

Tickets are on sale online now, priced £12 each to include a complimentary mince pie with tea, coffee or cold drink and, with the musicians travelling and performing for free, all proceeds go to this much-loved local charity.