King Power Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha with members of his 2017 King Power Polo team Photo: Mark Beaumont

Cowdray Park Polo Club was the proud recipient of the award for Best Visitor Attraction at the Celebration of Sussex Life Awards on 25th October.Cowdray Park Polo Club is devastated to hear that the death has been confirmed of King Power Chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha following a helicopter crash just outside the King Power FC Stadium soon after 8.45 pm on Saturday 27th October following a League match against West Ham.

Cowdray Park Polo Club’s President, Chairman, Committee and members join in sending their sincere condolences to the Srivvadhanaprabha family. The King Power Foxes polo team won the Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship in 20015, 2016 and 2017.

An investigation into the helicopter crash is being led by the Air Accident Investigation Branch.

Tags: COWDRAY PARK, King Power Chairman , Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha

Club staff centred from 1-r Matt Simm, Vanessa Graham, Pip Menzies, Liz Higgins and Janey Delow receiving the award alongside Sussex Life magazine officials

Cowdray Park Polo Club was the proud recipient of the award for Best Visitor Attraction at the Celebration of Sussex Life Awards on 25th October.

Hosted by Sussex Life magazine at the Grand Hotel, Brighton, there were numerous categories of awards including Restaurant of the Year, Hotel of the Year, Food & Drink Product of the Year, Spa of the Year, Best West Sussex Pub and many more. Cowdray Farm Shop was also a finalist in the Farm Shop of the Year category.

The award is testament to the efforts made by Cowdray Park to bring polo to a wider, more inclusive audience. The club’s pitch stated: “We proudly host the world famous Gold Cup for the British Open Polo Championship and Finals day is a brilliant family day out with spectators arriving early to grab the best viewing spot and enjoy wandering around the bars, delicious food stalls, children’s funfair and shopping village while enjoying a range of entertainments. This year even the RAF Falcons Parachute Display Team dropped in.” The pitch clearly resonated with the judges.

Jonathan Russell, CEO of Cowdray, said: “I am proud of the whole team for the massive behind-the-scenes effort that goes into the Gold Cup Final.. We hope that this award will indicate to the wider Sussex community that we offer not just a fantastic sporting experience but also a great day out.”

Cowdray Park Polo Club’s Chairman, Roderick Vere-Nicoll adds: “I am delighted to see polo at Cowdray Park recognised in such a way. The Gold Cup Final showcases the very best polo in the world and we want to share it with the wider community. We are delighted that our staff’s warm and inclusive welcome has been acknowledged. Aside from the Gold Cup Final, we welcome everyone to polo throughout the season - it’s a great day out.”

For further information visit www.cowdraypolo.co.uk

Tags: Polo, COWDRAY PARK

This November will be the 1st anniversary of The Thames Lido.

Since its re-opening in 2017, the Lido Spa and Restaurant has become a destination spot in the small commuter town of Reading, drawing new audiences to the area and garnering a reputation for delicious food and a welcoming atmosphere.

‘Float along as trees wave overhead, laze in a hot tub or unwind in colourful saunas and you won’t believe you’re just a 25-minute train ride from Paddington.’ – Time Out

To celebrate the Lido’s 1st birthday we are happy to share some of the outstanding reviews from the last year. The Thames Lido is an urban oasis for al fresco swimming, dining and socialising. A short walking distance from central Reading, the site has a unique position overlooking the River Thames. The team behind the award-winning Lido in Bristol spent three years painstakingly renovating the neglected King’s Meadow swimming pool. In the Lido’s restaurant executive chef Freddy Bird draws on Spanish, Mediterranean and Middle Eastern influences to create a daily-changing menu of sharing dishes cooked over fire.

‘Taking a dip in balmy waters before tucking into a Mediterranean feast are activities not normally associated with the commuter town of Reading, but the new Thames Lido brings eating and exercise together in a refreshing and unexpected way’ – Wallpaper

For more information please visit www.thameslido.com

Tags: Thames Lido

Sunday 14 October 2018

Spectacular engine runs and special guests will thrill spectators at the eighth annual Autumn Motorsport Day at Brooklands Museum on Sunday 14th October, organised in conjunction with Ginger Beer Promotions. This is the Museum’s end-of-season celebration of all things motorsport, highlighting everything from grass-roots competition to the pinnacle of the sport - Grand Prix racing. As well as displays and Club stands, there will be plenty of action from cars taking part in demonstration laps on the circuit at neighbouring Mercedes-Benz World. And to top it off, a motoring event at Brooklands wouldn’t be complete without Test Hill ascents, where the packed crowd will be treated to brave drivers blasting their way to the famous summit.

Following its wins in the 2018 British Touring Car Championship Drivers, Manufacturers and Teams championships, Team BMW, run by West Surrey Racing, will be bringing Colin Turkington’s BMW 125i M Sport to the event. One of the team’s drivers, possibly even Colin himself, will be on hand to drive the car in the lunchtime demonstration session. Also to be seen on display on the West Surrey Racing stand in the Paddock, and joining the 2018 winning car, will be Colin Turkington’s 2009 Championship winning BMW 320i.

The star cars cover all eras and include some early models like a 1907 Berliet, 1929 Fiat 525 SS and of course, the Museum’s own multi-world record breaking 24ltr 1933 Napier-Railton. More up to date racers include a Lister Chevrolet, Ginetta G20 and a fleet of NASCARs.

Visitors will also have the chance to win a Scalextric set - kindly donated by Scalextric c/o Hornby Hobbies. The competition will be for the fastest lap time on a racing simulator. For a £1 donation to the Museum, children aged 8 – 11 years will be able to compete for the fastest lap to be in with a chance of winning this super prize. Due to cockpit size, a height restriction will apply.

The timetable for the day is as follows:
09.00 Gates open
10.00 Museum display areas and aircraft open
11.00 Fastest lap competition opens
12.00-13.00 Mercedes-Benz World Track demonstrations
14.45-15.30 Ascents up Test Hill
17.00 Event finishes

In between the special displays and activities, visitors can sample all of Brooklands Museum’s regular attractions which underline its position as the Birthplace of British Motorsport and Aviation. The story of the first British Grand Prix (which was held at the Weybridge Track in 1926) is told through the Grand Prix Exhibition. Half hour virtual supersonic ‘flight’ experiences will be available on Concorde and the 4D Theatre will be operating three motion simulator rides: a seat with the Red Arrows aerobatic team on one of their dynamic displays, a ride behind the driver of the Napier-Railton as it speeds round the historic banked Race Track or a lap of Le Mans with British racing legend Mike Hawthorn in 1956 in his Jaguar D-Type.

One entry ticket gives access to all the action and exhibition and viewing areas on the Museum site and at Mercedes-Benz World. With extra catering facilities to keep crowds warm and fed, the Sunbeam Café and soft indoor play area for youngsters, this is a fantastic day out for families, petrol heads and enthusiasts. Ideally located for easy access from junctions 10 or 11 of the M25 and within walking distance from Weybridge train station, there is no better way to welcome the autumn. This rare unmissable chance to see world-class and exotic competition cars up close is one of the last motoring extravaganzas on the Brooklands calendar for 2018.

Discounted tickets for this premium event are available in advance from the Museum Shop or on-line which is priced as follows: Adults £13.50 (adv)/£16 (on the day), Senior Citizens/Students £14.00/£11.50, Children (5-16) £7/£8, Children under 5 FREE. Family ticket £35.00/£40.00 (2 adults & up to 3 children). Concorde Experiences are £5 for adults and £3 for children and 4D Theatre rides are £4 for adults and £2 for children.

BTM & LBPT members £2.50

For more details about Brooklands Museum visit: www.brooklandsmuseum.com

Tags: Brooklands Museum, Brooklands Race Track

Do you know what The Fountain Centre is? Some of us find out the hard way, but many local residents have no idea that they have this wonderful facility on hand when they need it most.

The Fountain Centre is an independent charity within St Luke’s Cancer Centre at the Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford. We offer information and support, counselling and a range of complementary therapies – to cancer patients and their families. People come to us from all corners of Surrey and beyond.

It has a wig bank and library, and can provide information about local support groups, welfare benefits and a host of specialist cancer charities. Their Family Support Service is unique in the UK, working with families from the time a parent is diagnosed – and about 25 per cent of new patients have school age children (or younger).

There are many ways in which the centre can help, dealing with the initial shock of a cancer diagnosis, minimising the side effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and re-establishing confidence and well-being. It has recently been able to introduce a new service for in-patients, where a dedicated therapist visits those who are too ill to leave their hospital beds. Some therapies can help with pain, stress and stimulating the body’s circulatory and immune systems. The centre is getting particularly good results using acupuncture to control hot flushes in both female and male patients.
Perhaps just as important is the feeling of sanctuary, quite unlike a hospital. One recent user explained: “Walking in the first time was like balm on irritated skin. I was totally unprepared for the welcome. I always leave the Centre feeling relaxed, listened to, supported and more cheerful.”

And the husband of a patient put his side of the story: “When I was encouraged to have a reflexology treatment I wasn’t sure at all. I was a copper who had worked the streets of London. I thought complementary therapies were not for me. But the therapist put me totally at ease; it was fabulous. It changed my life, allowing me to unwind during a really rough ride that lasted several years.”
The Fountain Centre is run by a small team and has over 100 volunteer therapists, counsellors and welcomers. At last count it had 5,750 registered users, and offer over 700 appointments a month. The first four treatments are free; after that, patients are asked to give a small donation if they can.

The Family Support Service is lottery-funded for the next four years, but receives no funding from the government. The centre raises all the money it needs to keep going by their own efforts. It costs over £200,000 per year to run, which is tiny compared to other well-known local causes.

The centre makes the money work very hard and puts the ‘fun’ into fundraising whenever it can – most recently abseiling off Guildford Cathedral Tower and the annual fashion Show. The Fountain Centre keeps going, and growing, entirely through the love and generosity of the community it supports.

essence info
Website: www.fountaincentre.org
Telephone: 01483 406619

Tags: charity, The Fountain Centre