Bucks &amp; Oxon


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stars-come-out-at-christ-church">Stars come out at Christ Church</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/GuguMbathaRaw.jpg" alt="Gugu Mbatha Raw" class="wp-image-176149" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/GuguMbathaRaw.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/GuguMbathaRaw-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/GuguMbathaRaw-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/GuguMbathaRaw-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: Instagram @gugumbatharaw</figcaption></figure>



<p>Gorgeous actress Gugu Mbatha-Raw is a local girl who hit the big time. Before the bright lights of showbiz came calling (you&#8217;ll remember her as Tish Jones in <em>Dr Who</em>), she was born in Oxford and grew up in Witney, where she attended The Henry Box School. She&#8217;s more Hollywood than homebody these days &#8211; think parts in Disney&#8217;s <em>A Wrinkle in Time</em> and Apple&#8217;s <em>The Morning Show</em>. But the good news for us is that Gugu&#8217;s coming back to her Oxon roots next month to give a reading at Macmillan’s <em>Follow the Stars</em> charity carol service at Christ Church Cathedral. Fellow thesps Toby Jones, Shaun Evans and Jason Isaacs also have walk-on parts on the night (Fri 6 Dec) but we suspect we know which star will shine the brightest. <a href="https://www.ticketsoxford.com/events/follow-the-stars-macmillan-carols-3" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Book tickets</a> from £30-£130.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-it-s-child-s-play-at-peterley">It&#8217;s child&#8217;s play at Peterley </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="988" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ShepherdsHutNursery.jpg" alt="Shepherds Hut Nursery Peterley Manor Farm" class="wp-image-176141" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ShepherdsHutNursery.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ShepherdsHutNursery-800x790.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ShepherdsHutNursery-400x395.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Peterley Manor Farm near Great Missenden is our go-to for a spot of shopping and lunch at The Barn Kitchen – and now we can add childcare to the list too. A new day nursery for 0-5s, called The Shepherd&#8217;s Hut, has opened at Peterley set in just under an acre of land, including a lovely woodland area. Its forest school vibe is that children are unfolded, not moulded &#8211; and going by <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shepherdshutnursery/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the snaps on the nursery&#8217;s social page</a>, the first young pupils are having a blast getting their hands grubby in the great outdoors and playing in the cosy double yurt. It&#8217;s open from 8am &#8211; 5pm for either half or full-day sessions at £45/£85, and tax-free childcare and funded 15/30 hours are offered too. Win win.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-sky-wave-s-liquid-assets">Sky Wave&#8217;s liquid assets</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="667" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/SkyWaveGin.png" alt="Sky Wave Gin" class="wp-image-176139" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/SkyWaveGin.png 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/SkyWaveGin-800x534.png 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/SkyWaveGin-400x267.png 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Sky Wave founders Andrew Parsons and Rachel Hicks</figcaption></figure>



<p>Muddy has more gin rattling around our drinks trolleys than is perhaps seemly &#8211; in fact, we&#8217;re such fans of the juniper-based spirit we reckon we should have shares in it. Well, now we can. No, we haven&#8217;t been at the sauce: Bicester-based distillery Sky Wave is selling shares in the biz through a crowdfunding scheme &#8211; and Muddy readers can get first dibs through an early-bird investor offer before it goes out to all and sundry in a couple of weeks. To buy shares in the Sky Wave Distilling Company, <a href="https://www.crowdcube.com/early-access/skywave" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">register for the Early Access scheme via Crowdcube</a> and invest as little as £10 &#8211; or as much as you like. We do love a liquid asset &#8211; <a href="https://www.skywavegin.com/sky-wave-gin-wins-muddy-stilettos-award-for-best-local-food-and-drink-producer?srsltid=AfmBOorshlrllzXCycfQdeD2qwL_yUyMQFWUoixZUsO1avmSlPA-BbLo" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">especially a Muddy Award-winning one</a>. Just make sure you take financial advice though, as obvs all investments are high risk.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-daylesford-s-in-the-christmas-market">Daylesford&#8217;s in the Christmas market</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PenelopeChilvers.jpg" alt="Penelope Chilvers" class="wp-image-176146" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PenelopeChilvers.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PenelopeChilvers-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PenelopeChilvers-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PenelopeChilvers-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>Hands up if you love a luxe Christmas market? You’re in luck this year because Lady Bamford, aka the Queen of the Cotswolds, has announced the first-ever Daylesford Organic Christmas shopping extravaganza. As you’d expect from the billionaire’s wife whose uber-posh farm shop sells £250 advent calendars, it’s an <em>extremely</em> upmarket gift fair. Stallholders include designer shoe-maker Penelope Chilvers, celeb florist Willow Crossley and Château Léoube, Daylesford&#8217;s sister vineyard in Provence (darling). There&#8217;ll also be wreath-making and cooking demos, and book signings galore. You’ll have to be quick though – it’s from Friday to Sun this week at Heritage House at Daylesford Farm near Kingham, and <a href="https://www.daylesford.com/shop/events/christmas-events" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">£20 tickets are selling like organic hot cakes</a>.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-great-taste-judges">Great taste, judges! </h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="1000" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ClairesAmazeballs.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-176182" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ClairesAmazeballs.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ClairesAmazeballs-800x800.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ClairesAmazeballs-400x400.jpg 400w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/ClairesAmazeballs-500x500.jpg 500w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>We know our local indies are the best in the biz &#8211; so no surprise we have a hat-trick of awards for Bucks &amp; Oxon entrepreneurs this month. First up is Marlow mum-of-three Claire Hindley, the founder of Claire&#8217;s Amazeballs, who&#8217;s won a bronze Great British Food Award for her mixed box of vegan energy snacks (above). She juggles running the biz with working as a pilates and dance teacher so we say, hats off!</p>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="774" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/TURKEY.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-176219" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/TURKEY.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/TURKEY-800x619.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/TURKEY-400x310.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /></figure>



<p>The Great British Food Awards judges (only Raymond Blanc, Michel Roux and Gizzi Erksine) also gave a silver to Copas Turkeys for their traditional turkey, plus a bronze for their chicken from sister supplier the Thoughtful Producer. Great taste, judges! We&#8217;re giving away a Copas Turkey to a lucky Muddy reader, so <a href="https://www.instagram.com/muddystilettos/reel/DA798qup5LH/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">enter here by 7 Nov</a> or<a href="https://copasfarmshop.co.uk/christmas-all/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> order your festive bird online</a>. Last but definitely not least, Bicester-based kidswear designer Toni Delli-Compagni, the founder of Little Ensemble (<a href="https://bucksoxon.muddystilettos.co.uk/life/people/buckinghamshire-oxfordshire-chinese-gelato-soft-play/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">read our recent interview here</a>), was picked by ex-Dragon&#8217;s Den investor Theo Paphitis as one of his <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DB9rxM2sAIs/?igsh=dzdtNmdiYWNvNDBz" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Small Business Sunday winners</a> this week. Your handmade children&#8217;s clothes are going places, Toni!</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-charity-dough-from-pizza-express">Charity dough from Pizza Express</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" width="1000" height="785" src="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PizzaExpress.jpg" alt="Pizza Express snowball dough balls" class="wp-image-176194" srcset="https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PizzaExpress.jpg 1000w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PizzaExpress-800x628.jpg 800w, https://dev.muddystilettos.co.uk/bucksoxon/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2024/11/PizzaExpress-400x314.jpg 400w" sizes="(max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px" /><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Credit: @pizzaexpress</figcaption></figure>



<p>And finally: Pizza Express is getting into the Christmas charity spirit by bringing back its festive Snowball Dough Balls. If you&#8217;ve yet to experience this delight, they&#8217;re basically a sweet version of the regular doughballs, covered in chocolate sauce, cinnamon and icing sugar. The big day when they hit restaurants nationwide on the <a href="https://www.pizzaexpress.com/christmas" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Christmas menu</a> is 12 Nov, then 19 Nov will be Snowball Dough Ball Day, when you can try these appetising treats for just £1. If that isn&#8217;t tempting enough, all the money raised on the promo day will go to Pizza Express&#8217; charity partner <a href="https://www.instagram.com/_place2be/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">@_place2be</a>, which supports children’s mental health in schools in the UK. Doing good never tasted so great.</p>


Superflash! Celeb goss and all the latest from Bucks & Oxon

You may also like