Sarah Sturt's Blog

Maidstone invasion!

Our Pudding Lane premises rang with excited chatter and the clatter of footsteps up and down our many, many flights of stairs today - yes, it was the invasion of the south east managment team, intent on saving the world from an attic in the heart of Maidstone.

I remain cycnical about what the high-powered group were actually up to, suffice it to say I had to pull Suzanne and Rhiannon up on their rowdy behaviour and suggest they perhaps didn't sit together for the afternoon session, as they were clearly a bad influence on one another. With hindsight, not too sure how well that went down, to be honest - will let you know if I'm still in a job in the morning. But honestly, Suzanne's claims that it was hysteria, honest, not laughter were a little on the shaky side.

I might just get away with it - even as I write, our boss is having a girls' night out watching - you've guessed it - Sex and The City, down in Brighton - so hopefully a few lovely cocktails will have been enjoyed and the cheek of Kent will be a distant memory. You never know.

Our Esteemed One also regaled the table at lunch with the really rather horrible 'incident' she had to endure on a crowded commuter train coming home from a business meeting in London recently. I think I was probably the only one who han't heard it (we live a very sheltered life away from head office gossip in the Kent office), but it did involve lots of terribly exciting elements like knives and Blackberries and modern technology to the rescue - and the chilling realisation that the threatening behaviour and the very real near attack she suffered can take place when you are surrounded by people. Not a great picture of modern-day Britain.

Anyhoo, apparently it's Friday already tomorrow, so probably not a bad idea if I stop rambling now - but, finally, and I know you are all dying to know - Oddjobs Pete has triumped, the bathroom is (finally finished), it actually looks rather splendid and now I get to do the fun bit: accessorising! Boys just don't get it, do they? 

Sarah

The crazy gang

When you get an email from your boss about how much she's enjoyed reading the latest edition of Kent Life, sent at 10.15pm on a Bank Holiday Monday, you realise several things. One, that it's probably a little crazy to be looking at your work emails at said hour, two - more importantly - that your boss must be just as mad! Or maybe it's three, that we're all so tied up with improving Kent Life that we just can't leave it alone - and I include young Monkey in the crazy gang, as he emailed me his July feature on '10 good reasons to visit Beckenham' at 5.30pm today, so he could 'get into the swing of work for the week.' We probably should all get out more.

Well, I certainly got as far as my garden, where 'part man, part monkey (but not the Monkey, I hasten to add) Gary shinned up my conifer-that-got-too-big-for-its-boots and proceeded to chop away at it until he was literally clinging onto a twig. I've never seen tree surgery that close up before and definitely don't want to change the day job - way too scary. But it's opened up whole new vistas, which of course I immediately started to fill with new shrubs, which will no doubt grow and grow as well...

And then, of course, the rain has to come down, this being England and a BH weekend. I cunningly got to Bluewater as it opened at 10am, feeling justified at being indoors because of all the wet stuff, and then very smug hours later on my return home to see the queues on the M25 on the other side trying to get to shopping mecca. The fools! It was also a bit flooded - the car parks were awash, and GAP had to shut for four hours while a big mopping up exercise took place. Hard to see that there is a downturn in national spending, as the whole centre was heaving by lunchtime.

Better get some shut-eye, I've got a whole shopping list of changes from Suzanne to consider in the morning!

Sarah

Kent Life readers rule

It's been a busy old day - enjoyed a media lunch at Buss Murton solicitors in Tunbridge Wells,  a great opportunity to meet the senior management team and to discuss the firm's expansion in Kent, in what must rank as one of my favourite office spaces in town - modern, airy and stylish and right opposite Trinity Theatre in Church Road. Good to see fellow journos Trevor Sturgess and Rex Cooper, too, around the table, where the talk ranged from football and county cricket to Ebbsfleet and beyond.

Later that afternoon, Monkey and I set off a tad nervously off to Eastwell Manor for our second Reader Forum evening. It wasn't the readers we were scared of, rather what awaited us on the M20, thanks to Operation Stack causing mayhem - and shutting the motorway between Jct 8 and 9. Yup, just where we were headed. Would it put our valiant panel off, would everyone cancel, would we ever get there?

Needless to say, nothing stops a KL panellist on a mission and we ended up with virtually a full house - a good mix of familiar and new faces -  plus Monkey and I, designer Kerry and brand and promotions manager Steph, who organised and orchestrated the whole thing beautifully. We were missing one VIP, however: boss Suzanne was valiantly attempting to get to us from Norwich, but alas was only at Dartford by the time we started our meeting - not a chance of getting to the meeting with the massive queues ahead.

It was a shame, because this was one great evening, loads of really positive comments about the changes in the magazine since our last get together (we really do listen and take action!), much praise for the design and high-quality of photography as well as the content - I particularly liked the comment "I buy Kent Life to plan my days out."  And of course we discussed new ideas for features, two in particular I will be following up with great interest. I also hope we have gained a few new visitors to our website, and maybe even to read these words.

So, well done to all our panel members for not giving up on us and making light of the horrendous road conditions tonight, and for all their excellent feedback - and of course to the staff at Eastwell Manor for looking after us all so well. We're already talking about a winter version - mince pie, anyone?

Sarah

Balls, bins and bathrooms

It's been a bit of a day for domestic disasters. Woke up to find my big green recycling bin had somehow lost its lid between me putting it at the top of my drive the day before, it being emptied and lovely neighbour Bill wheeling it back down again. Had William finally flipped and torn the thing off in a fit of pique at literally years of being my binman? The horror. Decided I left far too early in the morning for doorstep confrontations and instead put a less than hopeful call through to my local council, expecting automated nonsense and a stern lecture at my ineptitude in failing to even look after a bin. But - result! Humans at the end of the line, sympathy, even a modicum of humour and yes, they would come round and replace said lid or the entire bin itself. Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council, I salute you!

The bathroom is slightly awkward, but I'm pretty confident Oddjobs Pete doesn't read my blog or possibly is even unaware I write one, extraordinary as that must sound, dear reader. Anyway, I finally got round to acknowledging that the whole ablutions area chez moi is a bit of a mess, terrible paint job, ancient tiles and generally not the relaxing, luxury space I feel I deserve. Enter Big Pete, who so far this year has mended my garage door, rescued my pond and painted an outside wall - perfect credentials for bathroom design! Except it's day three and not a lot has changed really and it's all supposed to be done by Friday. A bit of paint thas been splashed around, certainly, and the old tiles are gone, but there's little sign of awareness that the big pile of lovely new tiles in the garage is actually meant to be transported inside, up the stairs and onto the walls. What on earth is the polite way to say hurry up?

Which brings me to the final and most embarrassing 'b' - my shiny new fitball, a present from my lovely daughter at the weekend. Only I don't own a pump. My brainwave was to take it to my local gym, where I pretty much know all the staff, flutter my eyelashes, play the helpless damsel and get them to pump it up for me. Brilliant!

After my pilates class on Monday, I got a text - 'we've got your ball!' - shot upstairs to the gym, to find the largest, shinest, blackest ball you could imagine - but only half inflated. It had defeated the entire recreation team on duty and the, er, innuendo flying around about my unusual present is not something I feel I can quite share with you. But these guys ae not ones to take defeat lying down. Round two duly took place tonight - and there was my ball, locked away in a giant cupboard, with my name on it, no less, pumped up to capacity by some nameless brave soul.  The only problem was, it was now far too big to get into my car. Aaarrghh!

Enter best mate Kellie, owner of a ginormous people carrier, prepared to transport the thing home for me. Honestly, it barely fitted through the front door and up the stairs and I not only have nowhere to put it, but will need a stepladder to actually get on it. Any offers - one shiny black 75cm fitball.Unused.

Sarah

Modern, tough but cosy

This is a very special timeof the month - the 'new' magazine is out, so we get to have the fun (and mingled terror) of going though the hot-from-the-press edition, page by analytical page. We are also well into the production schedule for our next (July) edition, so we are starting to see that all fall into place, and the website gets a spectacular shaking up as all the new content floods in - thanks to my trusty web team (that's you, by the way, Monkey and Kes). I continue merely to wave my arms around and suggest stuff that should be appearing, probably at largely inconvenient moments for everyone else, but hey, someone's got to conduct the beast that is Kent Life.

All of the above took place at head office today, and it's been a long 'un, not helped by leaving Worthing considerably later than usual and getting stuck in traffic jam after jam on the way back home - barely made it in for EastEnders, for heavens' sake! Am in the throes of texting now-famous daughter about accommodation in Barcelona - she is on board a yacht somewhere off the Spanish coast and can't get internet, but I can, so we're sort of 'seeing' through me. Anyway, thanks to various tips from those in the know and a handy map from my friend Elaine last night, we think we've found the perfect apartment for two - 'modern, tough but cosy, with great luminosity', apparently. Who could ask for more?

I've just watched How to look good naked out of the corner of my eye while doing lots of other stuff at the same time, and how brave was that woman? It's one thing being larger than life and appearing in front of a massive audience, in real life and on TV, but to do so when you've had a mastectomy - now that takes courage. As someone with an immediate member of family who has suffered Breast cancer, I felt the whole thing was handled with great sensitivity by Gok Wan,who I actually secretly rather like - what does anyone else think?

Feel free to add your comments here or join us at the forum and start a debate!

Sarah

Tornado in, tornado out

The whirlwind that is my daughter arrived on Friday and has just left this evening, ready to fly to Spain in the early hours of Monday morning to help crew a 50ft yacht  that needs an extra pair of hands to help get it back to the UK. After eight months and 10 countries, travelling around the whole of South America - with a short detour to the USA (well, a girl has to have some new clothes) - she is a little short of cash and being confined to a boat, earning money without being able to spend it, seemed like a good option. Trust her not to get a summer job in a pub or shop! At this rate she will barely be back in time for us to fly back to Spain - ironically - for our week together in Barcelona. I can't wait.

We have spent a fair bit of the weekend (the wet Saturday bit) trawling the internet for apartments to rent for seven nights in June - we've got the flights sorted via her rather lavish number of Air Miles - so if any readers have recommendations of places they've stayed in Barcelona, or even tips on areas to look in/avoid, I'd love to hear from you! Barceleona is one of those places that seem to strike a chord with everyone - the response is either, it's one of my favourite places - you'll love it, or I've always wanted to go there!

Inevitably, our time together has gone in a bit of a blur, and we've talked nonstop we've got so much news apiece, but it's been great to do simple things together, too - buy goldfish for our pond, go out for a meal Saturday night and today, stroll around Groombridge Place Gardens, where we both particularly loved the Enchanted Forest and the show-off peacocks, in glorious sunshine. Watch out for the article on Groombridge in our June edition, out this Wednesday. We've also looked at highlights of her trip in the shape of hundreds of digital images stored on a laptop bought for a song in Argentina - look out for some of my favourites on the 'your pictures' section.

And on the subject of our website, a big 'thank you' to Monkey for all his latest work on the site, particularly for the full list of Kent's Farmers' Markets, with maps for each, which I know took a tremendous amount of his free time but is such a great asset for readers. And big thanks, also, to Drew for creating a weather and TV listings section on our main menu - I shall be using both on a daily basis!

Sarah

The (very wet) Heart of Kent

The title says it all really - of all the days for the weather to break, today was not a great choice. It was the annual chance to join our lovely hosts, Darryl and Caroline, to celebrate the popular attractions that make up the Seven Wonders of the Weald, and to welcome a new one to the illustrious group, the world-famous Sissinghurst Gardens. The magnificent seven now include: Marle Place Gardens; Finchcocks; Bedgebury Pinetum; Sissinghurst; Lamberhurst Vineyard; Scotney and Bewl Water - quite a line up. Make sure you read our July edition for a 'day in the life of Bewl' - it's going to be a good 'un.

Last year the sun was almost too much for the large press group, which always includes a sprinkling of nationals as well as local media (it's also a great networking event), this year it was brollies and wellies - though I had to chuckle at some hopefuls turning up in suits and high heels and felt very smug in my walking boots and sturdy jacket.

Highlights included Scotney Castle, where the 'new house,' built in 1847 for Edward Hussey III and acquired by the National Trust following the death of his widow in 2006. has only been opened to the public for a very short time - and so far only the ground floor rooms are ready to be seen. I hadn't been able to view 1950's-style the kitchen on my last visit and, with its bright orange walls and matching crockery, it was quite a sight to behold - I look forward to the upper rooms being revealed when the ongoing conservatiion work is complete.

The view down to the romantic ruins of the medieval castle, through the blaze of azaleas, was as wonderful as ever - but spoilt somewhat by scaffolding up one side, which will mean the castle is shut to the public for the next 12 weeks. I can only imagine this must be emergency works, as otherwise it's a crazy time of year to be preventing visitors from having access to the whole property? Still, the house and gardens and the walk round the moat are as wonderful as ever - even in the rain.  

I'm not going to write about Sissinghurst - again - or Monkey will string me up, I'm now going to stop work for THREE WHOLE DAYS (well, I'll try very hard) as my prodigal daughter returns at last from her travels around South America for the past eight months. Let the party begin!

Until next time - Sarah

Women of Kent

There's nothing quite like the day after press day - but despite the euphoria, there never seems time to breathe before we are plunging recklessly into a whole new edition. For me, certainly, it's always the day when I am torn in all directions - itching to get on with all the next month's content that has been flowing in or even complete pieces I've managed to start already, while also conscious that I need to spend a great deal of the day with the sales team to get them up to speed with all the wonderful features Monkey and I have planned. Increasingly, I'm delighted to say, it's also a question of working with the team on their advertisement-led features, which are becoming more exciting and imaginative every month. Then there's our web changes to look at, calls to make and a massively overflowing Inbox to tackle....

Good job I was forced out by midday to join 300 Women of Kent at their biennial luncheon at the Ramada, in Hollingbourne, or I'd still be in the office now. Glorious sunshine greeted us and it was good to see so many familiar faces and friends and to be greeted by many who knew of me (scary) or who recognised my face from the mag and our website (even scarier) and wanted to meet me.

Guest speaker, David Philpott, did indeed mention Kent Life - in fact, he made me stand up in front of the entire assembly and told the distinguished guests (who included jps, volunteers, members of the scouts and guides, the entire committee and many more) that the magazine is fantastic and they should all be buying it or subscribing to it every month! You can't buy publicity like that: David, I owe you.

I am now planning a feature for autumn on these wonderful women, in this their 20th anniversary year, and pictures by the lovely Dave Cosens from today will appear in the 'Socials' section in our July edition. Dave is always brilliant at these occasions, as he knows just the right people to target and his attention to detail is remarkable - he managed to persuade everyone to remove their name tags, as he felt they spoilt the shot, and even spotted a stray bit of mascara on my cheek he got me to remove in the nick of time!

Until tomorrow - Sarah

Put to bed

Phew! It took a bit longer than usual, but we got there in the end - the Kent Life team got their June edition tucked up in bed by 6pm tonight and a great collective effort it was too. We pinned that cover up on the wall so many times we were seeing stars, but believe we've picked a winner that perfectly sums up the current mood of optimism that summer might actually happen this year.

So thanks to everyone who got involved, a record number this month - Monkey, naturellement, the sales team, designers Kerry and Michelle, group ed ("does anyone mind if I have the last biscuit?") Jon and, new to the gang, Leo and Kerry E on that vital production side (welcome on board, guys). Oh, and big daddy Andrew for overseeing it all, of course - and Phil for nobly giving up his desk for me (again!) because I wrote nice things about him in my last blog. Blimey, you mean you read this stuff?

So, tomorrow, barely drawing breath, we start work on July - no peace for the wicked, eh? I do, however, have the very great pleasure of a date in the diary to attend the biennial Women of Kent luncheon at midday, the guest of my good friend Amanda Cottrell. This will be my second luncheon and I am looking forward to meeting some new and some familiar faces - and particularly to hear guest speaker, David Philpott, ceo of Kent Air Ambulance. We met when I interviewed him for the April Kent Character slot and he was extraordinarily generous about the resulting article. I have challenged him to mention Kent Life in his speech and there'll be big trouble if he doesn't! I will also be touting for new 'characters' - it's about time us ladies got the 'hot spot' in the magazine! Will reveal all tomorrow,

Sarah

The numbers game

You know you're going to be smiling when your circulation manager phones you up rather than sending a complicated excel sheet to your email address - and late this afternoon, I was delighted to receive a call from Phil, who heads up said department, with the magic words "I thought you'd like to hear this in person, Sarah...".

As an editor, I'm judged by many things - the content of the magazine I'm proud to edit, how much I get out and about and represent Kent Life, my 'drive and ambition' (which apparently I have 'in spades,' according to a recent appraisal, though I think it was probably phrased rather differently for the official records). And, of course, those magic monthly figures which represent how many people are actually going into their local newsagent, supermarket and High Street store and buying a copy of Kent Life or deciding to take out a subscription (wise move).

Anyway, our April figures  represent the highest total this year (a 17 per cent year-on-year increase)since our 'Rich List' edition in January - no mean feat and particularly heartening in a time of belt tightening as the effects of a credit crunch impact on us all. It's a huge team effort, embracing not only Monkey and I, photographer Manu and our freelance contributors, on the editorial side, but also the stalwart Kent Life sales team, our title designer, Kerry, and of course Phil, Carol and Stuart on the circulation side, who make sure the magazine is in the right place at the right time, month after month.

You also know things are looking good when you get a very excited md phoning you at 7.30pm to tell you that not has Kent Life done pretty well, but that Surrey Life and Sussex Life, our 'sister' titles, have also achieved extraordinary sales figures. So congrats to Caroline and Jon respectively, definitely big glasses of vino all round - and apologies to Suzanne for the bizarre start to our conversation tonight.

I had literally just staggered in the front door with bags of food shopping, my mobile rang, I flung my handbag and shopping to the floor and the next thing I heard was the disembodied voice of my boss sayng 'hello, hello?' in some puzzlement from the depths of my cavernous bag, which seemed to have sonehow answered her call without my intervention! On second thoughts, think I might train my handbag to handle incoming calls more often...

Until next time - Sarah

Sunny days

Not sure why I get so creative when Monkey and I are visiting Worthing (our first trip here in my 'new' - well new-ish Focus), maybe it's the buzz from being surrounded by all these designers in one room, or the thrill of desk hopping - just had to fight off our circulation manager for the use of his desk, and I won! Anyway, I'm always drawn to my blog when I'm here, so hello after a bit of a gap, for which I have absolutely no excuse to offer.

Blame it on the sudden rush of sun to the head, not to mention a very welcome Bank Holiday, which always confuses - apparently it's Wednesday today, not Tuesday. I'm still tending to the gardening wounds largely inflicted by a large and unruly pampas by my pond I foolishly tried to tame, and trying to justify all the money I spent on plants for said garden - I'm so much more a plant-aholic girl than a shoe-aholic. Also painted the bottom half of my (white) garage an attractive terracottoa with a black trim. Well, I like it anyways.

On Saturday, courtesy of my host for the evening, Paul Auston, I put down my secateurs and joined a lovely crowd at the Demelza May Ball  at Leeds Castle, raising money for the childrens' hospice that is Kent Life's chosen charity. I am constantly amazed by the generosity of people in our county and on this particular occasion, I am told a total of £100,000 has been raised for this most worthy of causes. Halfway through the evening we were invited outside the marquee to watch spectacular fireworks explode around the walls of the "loveliest castle in the world," which certainly made a magnificent backdrop for the occasion.

Back to being creative - designer Kerry and I are whipping through the pages and I can promise a cracking June edition, which we put to bed (always sounds so much more fun than it actaully is) on press day next Tuesday. Onwards and upwards!

Sarah

Sheriffs and silver chariots

Picked up my 'new' car today - an 06 silver Focus, replacing the lovely but highly anti-social convertible I've been driving around in for more than two years. With travelling daughter and her boyfriend returning in exactly 10 days' time (yay!), following her eight-month adventure around South America and the west coast of USA, not to mention summer outings with my young nieces and nephew, I need need more passenger and boot space rather urgently. So I have just guaranteed a fantastic summer for one and all, now that I can no longer take my roof off - think of it as my personal sacrifice for the greater good.

Also had the pleasure of meeting the new High Sheriff of Kent this afternoon, and interviewing him at his glorious home, Doddington Place, for our July 'Kent Character' feature - making me incredibly ahead of myself, as we are more than a week off putting June 'to bed.' Richard was fretting about being branded 'HTF' - Hard Act to Follow, as his appointment immediately follows that of the indefatigable Nigel Wheeler - but I reminded him that Nigel had to follow the unstoppable Amanda Cottrell, who has to rank as 'HTF squared' in the Sheriff hierarchy. We had a lovely chat, indoors and out, and it's certainly the first shoot I've been on where my Kent Character can offer a stately home, complete with beautiful white horse, sheep, dogs - and a donkey - as background props.

Until later - Sarah