In a variation on a nice cuppa tea and a scone or two: Boodles Gin is celebrating the British Tradition of afternoon tea with tips on how to make it brilliant.

For Afternoon Tea Week (August 10^th-16^th) the unflappable Boodles Butler, who is the ultimate expert in all things traditional British etiquette, guides you through the perfect gin tea-pot serves using his favourite spirit.

Boodles Gin itself is a modern take on an English tradition, so whether you¹re lunching out or creating your own version of afternoon tea at home, Mr. Boodles suggests swapping out the usual tea and fizz for some refreshing gin cocktails.

These cocktails are made in tea-pots using the range of Boodles British Gin, including the Rhubarb & Strawberry and Mulberry variants and are an essential component to the perfect high tea.

The ceremony of Afternoon Tea reputably began in the early 1800s and is now enjoyed in restaurants, hotels and dining rooms across the country. It usually consists of finger sandwiches and scones galore and comes with its own set of rules and etiquette.

As well as advising against dunking biscuits into your cup and ensuring you always keep the saucer on the table, Mr. Boodles suggests only using the finest bone-china pots and never putting ice in the pot itself, only ever in the serving cup. Fizz is rather gauche, in his view. He is however split on whether cream or jam is spread first on his scones.

For thirsty gin enthusiasts, the full list of Mr. Boodles¹ personal favourite teapot sharing is as follows:

Rhuby Martinez (a fruity number)

150ml Boodles Rhubarb & Strawberry Gin
60ml sweet vermouth
20ml maraschino liqueur

Combine all of the ingredients in a teapot. Fill a teacup with ice. Stir and strain ingredients into teacup. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Gin & Gomme (a summery, herbal refresher)

150ml Boodles Gin
60ml Pineapple Juice
45ml Mango Purée (blended chopped mango)
60ml Fresh Lemon Juice

Shake all the ingredients thoroughly and pour into teapot. Fill a teacup with ice. Pour into teacup, top with a tiny splash of soda and garnish with a fresh sprig of coriander.

Mulberry Bramble Cocktail (a berry delight)

150ml Boodles Mulberry Gin
90ml Fresh lemon juice
90ml Crème de Mure (Blackberry Liqueur)
Lemon half wheel and blackberries to garnish – the bushes are bursting with the little devils, but leave a few for the jam makers

Combine all of the ingredients in a teapot. Fill a teacup with ice. Stir and strain ingredients into teacup. Garnish with a lemon half wheel and blackberries.

About Boodles Gin:

Boodles® Gin is a premium British gin, established in 1845 and produced exclusively in the UK according to the London Dry Gin production standards. 40% alcohol by volume (ABV), Boodles® Gin interestingly contains no citrus, obtaining its unique flavour from a number of botanicals including sage, rosemary and nutmeg. The taste is clean and crisp making for the perfect Boodles® & Tonic or Martini. Boodles® Gin is available nationwide at Sainsbury¹s and most exclusive bars and retailers.

Twitter: @BoodlesGinUK

Facebook: @BoodlesGinUK

About Proximo Spirits UK:

Proximo, which translates as ³next² in Spanish, is a privately owned, premium spirits producer based in New Jersey, USA.  In July 2013, Proximo Spirits UK launched, representing twelve premium brands including the Jose Cuervo tequila portfolio, The Kraken Black Spiced Rum, TINCUP American Whiskey, Bushmills Irish Whiskey and Boodles British Gin.  Proximo Spirits UK aim to become the next major producer of innovative marketing and new product development within the premium spirits category in the UK.

www.proximospirits.co.uk

Insights into the world of a Prison Doctor, this time taking us deeper into the walls of Bronzefield, the UK’s biggest women’s prison.

From the drug addicts who call Amanda ‘the mother I never had’ to the women who’ve pushed back at domestic abuse, to women close to release in their 70s, who just want to stay in the place that they’ve always known, these are stories that are heart-breaking, harrowing and heart-warming. Amanda listens, prescribes, and does what she can. After all, she’s their doctor.

Another fantastic and educational insight into a women’s prison, Dr Brown is compassionate, honest and neutral to all women she tends to on a daily basis. I devoured the first instalment and also this wonderful second book. Dr Brown is a born storyteller and her dedication to her job is admirable from helping women overcome drug addiction and guiding others in the right direction upon their release, she listens and sympathises, it is a fascinating to learn about the women’s back stories however I would have liked these to be more in depth. I hope for a third Prison Doctor book.

A absolute must read for those who enjoyed The prison doctor and Adam Kay’s ‘This is going to hurt & ‘ Twas the night-shift before Christmas. 

The Prison Doctor Women Inside (read on kindle) eBook and pb available from Amazon.

With summer upon us in these unsure time it is difficult to find a safe and affordable day out that the whole family will enjoy. I have lived in Somerset for 18 years and it was only a few months ago that I discovered the enchanting gem that is just 17 miles away from my door.

So one dry sunny day I threw the family in the car and off we went, we arrived just over half a hour later and paid just £2 to park all day and we embarked on a 2 mile trek around the utterly beautiful woods.

The children had great fun climbing trees, looking under rocks for insects and generally running wild. I was awestruck at the beauty of nature, the wildflowers in a huge variety of colours and scents, the towering trees, the birdsong I could hear in the background.

After our walk we found a beautiful picnic area complete with a babbling brook, despite the number of families that were also at the picnic area we had plenty of space to enjoy our surroundings.

So if you want to escape the chaos and stress of every day life and be transported to a magical place of outstanding beauty that children of and adults of all ages will enjoy then you need to venture to Great Wood. Be sure to pack a picnic with plenty of water and wear comfortable shoes. Enjoy the fresh air and forget your worries.

Great Wood, Adscombe Lane, over Stowey, Bridgewater, TA5 1HN

Grief is a terrible and complex emotion and it can be hard to know what to do or say to someone who is grieving. There is no right or wrong way grieve, there is no step by step guide. Everyone deals with grief in their own way in their own time. What I have found helpful to comfort to those who are grieving is:

To let them cry, don’t try to cheer them up- just  comfort them. Saying nothing is sometimes just what is needed. On the flip side if they’re happy and are sharing their funny memories, let them , laugh with them.

Let them be angry and curse the world if they need to, again don’t put a positive spin on things just simply let them be angry.

If you don’t know what to say then a simple “I’m thinking of you / I’m here for you” message goes a long way. It lets your loved one know you’re there for them but are also respecting their space.

Try not to say “I know just how you feel” as you may not know what they are feeling at that moment.

Be patient, they will not just “get over it” they will miss their loved one everyday some days will be better than others.

There are 5 stages of grief, not everyone will experience them all and may not go through them in this order.

5 stages of grief are

Denial – “This isn’t happening to me/ They’re not gone”

Anger – “This is all his/her fault” “How dare they leave me”

Barganing – “If only I had done ….”

Depression – “I don’t know how to go forward from here”

Acceptance – “I was lucky to have known them/ they’re in a better place now”
For grief helplines visit www.nhs.uk/conditions/stress-anxiety-depression/mental-health-helplines/