I wrote congratulating Paul Gambaccini for his Radio 2 tribute to Michael Jackson last Friday.   (Listen again here, for 7 days)

I thought the programme was a lovely mix of extemporaneous speech and in-depth knowledge of the subject, and I said so in my email.  It’s a very hard trick, sounding knowledgeable while at the same time making it up as you go along and not um-ing or ah-ing. 

The producer rang me, asking if I’d say it over the phone, so I did. 

But because long words always sound a bit more  pretentious when spoken, and because I didn’t want to sound scripted and stilted myself, I stumbled on ‘extemporaneous’ and used ‘off the cuff’ instead.

It’s latest feature is especially cool – just type aviary.com into the browser address bar followed by the address of a web, and it will grab the whole page, scrolling right down to the bottom.

For example, aviary.com/http://www.publicityworks.biz gives the result shown here.

UK’s fastest growing gathering of classic bikes finds new large site close to Swindon.
The Liddington, near Swindon, Wilts, August 1st-2nd 2009

One of the newest and fastest growing classic bike shows in the UK has announced a late change of venue for Summer 2009.

But it’s not moving far. Formerly the Wroughton Classic Show and originally occupying the Science Museum’s Wroughton Airfield site, the Show is moving this summer to The Liddington, a prestige 155 acre location only five miles away, but even closer to Junction 15 of the M4 motorway.

In just three years from its founding in 2006 the Show has grown to become the largest in the UK, attracting over 3,000 classic vehicles and more than 25,000 visitors last year. Now, with a new headline sponsor the show is entitled The Adrian Flux Classic Car and Bike Show and can offer extra facilities for family visitors and enthusiasts. Adrian Flux Insurance Services owns specialist bike insurance broker Bikesure.

Founder and organiser Greg Dunningham has taken the decision to move with an eye to the show’s continued and growing popularity, and says it’s an opportunity too good to miss.

“Our success at Wroughton exceeded our wildest expectations, but we had to share that site with a working museum, and it was clear I had to think to the future,” he says. “The Liddington offers several bonuses. It’s got as much space as the old venue, but it also has several entry points enabling us to use a faster ‘one way system’ for entry and exit, along with separate trade access.

“And we’ve negotiated special deals with the attached Hotel and Conference Centre for visitors who want to relax and stay over. For example, they are offering visitors to the Show top quality accommodation from only £18 per person per room.”

This regenerated Adrian Flux Classic Car and Bike Show is being run in conjunction with Adrian Flux Insurance Services, Classic Bike Magazine and Classic Car Weekly and is set to be the largest ever. The show will feature a huge variety of motorcycles and cars - from veteran ‘old crocks’ to rare examples of legendary racing bikes and concours-quality motorbikes, along with a wide range of old, traditional and unusual vehicles.
TV and media coverage includes the Classic Gear programme from the ‘Men and Motors’ TV channel, which last year dedicated an entire episode to the show. The episode has been shown again recently and will be repeated again in the near future, and a clip may soon be seen on the website, www.adrianfluxclassic.co.uk
“Our advance bookings already suggest this is set to be the biggest year so far, and so we are making plans for plenty of space and lots of family attractions. It will be a grand day out, not just for enthusiasts but for all the family,” says Greg Dunningham.

On the day, entrance to the show will be £10 for a car and up to four people. However, ‘early birds’ can buy advance tickets for only £5 from the special ticket page on the show’s website, www.adrianfluxclassic.co.uk. All that’s needed is to quote the offer code CLASSIC03 when completing the purchase.

Rob Balls of Bikesure says the move is taking the show to a new level, and is a superb opportunity to meet customers. “We’re delighted that Adrian Flux is the headline sponsor for 2009,” he says. “It’s also a valuable chance to get feedback on what classic bike owners really need from their insurance.   And we’ll be able to give them quotes - then and there at the show - so they can compare with their existing policies or get instant cover.”

For more information on the new Adrian Flux Classic Car Show, to buy tickets, to enter your classic car or find out how your club can attend, call 0844 371 8341 or visit www.adrianfluxclassic.co.uk.
For details on Bikesure freephone the quote line on 0800 089 2000 or email the company at bikesure@adrianflux.co.uk. For more information visit www.bikesure.co.uk

He also got taken at high speed onto the track to experience some drifting. I hope he wore his brown trousers!

E & R Moffat has been key to providing a new high-speed counter and servery system at Cardinal Wiseman School in West London, one of the UK’s most prestigious Roman Catholic schools.

The counters, which now serve up to 1,400 pupils and staff in a single lunch hour, were built by Moffat and feature a smart bespoke design and a state of the art cashless payment system.

In April 2008 Jacqueline Parks was appointed Head of Hospitality at Cardinal Wiseman School. Jacqueline was given an opportunity to take a completely fresh approach to the culture of eating at the school. With Cardinal Wiseman increasingly taking a ‘holistic’ approach to education, where a child’s entire lifestyle is considered to influence his or her education, lunch is now a crucial part of the school day, and not simply a ‘refuelling stop.’

The new facilities have helped to overturn more than a decade of conventional wisdom about cost sector catering, returning the school from several years of ‘outsourcing’ to a fully in-house catering system. Out has gone most of the menu of pre-cooked, pre-prepared food. In has come fresh cooking - with almost everything prepared in the school’s kitchens, and many of the ingredients coming from the school’s own kitchen gardens, with some students taking a role in both growing and preparing food.

Echoing the high-street trend for healthy and fresh mixed fruit drinks, there is also a dedicated ’smoothie’ bar - possibly the very first in a UK school - together with a new biometric cashless payment system at up to four pay stations, speeding throughput during lunch.

The old facilities simply weren’t up to it, Jacqueline Parks recalls. "We wanted all food to be prepared and cooked at the school, and we wanted to be able to feed everyone. The emphasis had be on healthy eating, but it couldn’t be at the expense of serving speed – all 1,400 pupils and staff had to have the chance to eat in the new facility in a single lunch hour. This was impossible with the old servery system - so fresh design thinking was essential."

John Nelson of Nelson Catering Equipment, the primary catering contractor, said that when it came to selecting the manufacturer of the custom-designed servery area and smoothie bar, Moffat was a natural choice.

"I wanted to enlist the most experienced servery contractor we could find," he said. "I chose Moffat as the best people to realise our ideas, help us design the servery area and build it to our specifications," he adds.

Carefully studying the new menu proposals, the likely flow of food from the kitchen and children and staff into the servery counters, Moffat positioned, designed and built all equipment to maximise speed of service, locating the smoothie bar separately to ensure faster preparation and service of these increasingly popular drinks.

The new facilities are a long way away from what Jacqueline was faced with when she arrived in April 2008. The L-shaped bespoke servery and countering looks stunning, and includes ambient, heated dry and bain marie wells mounted over hot cupboards, a dedicated refrigerated blown-air inset coldwell section and a refrigerated merchandiser.

The four pay stations include the new biometric cashless system - working by thumbprint - that allows parents to pay for their children’s meals online via the ParentPay scheme. This further speeds throughput, avoiding or minimising delays (especially those caused by children claiming to have lost cards or money, a frequent problem in school catering!)

The result is remarkable - a facility that can serve the entire school of over 1,400 children and staff in only 45 minutes, without sacrificing the ethos that Jacqueline brought to the school in 2008.

"It’s the start of a new culinary era for us", says Jacqueline. "We are raising the profile of school meals at the school – not only as a food and beverage service, but also to encourage children to consider catering as a career choice.

"I want our students to have meals that meet their needs and help them to make healthy choices that will stay with them for life. And we are creating a quality food and beverage service that is sustainable."

E & R Moffat is one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of quality foodservice equipment, designing and manufacturing in-house. Based in Bonnybridge, Scotland, the company manufactures standard and bespoke servery, regeneration and storage equipment with a full nationwide after-sales engineering team. E & R Moffat is accredited to ISO 9001:2000 and many of the products have gas approvals and are EMC tested. For more information on E & R Moffat visit the website on www.ermoffat.co.uk

"We’re keen to increase our business with landlords letting to students," says Julie Carter of Flux. "We’ve been able to offer highly competitive rates in this area and we expect that the extra incentive of free contents cover will be particularly attractive in these price-conscious times."

As you’d expect, Flux’s scheme offers landlords comprehensive cover for the building. The free contents insurance is designed for furniture and fittings that landlords typically supply with student lets. These will include beds, curtains, sofas and kitchen equipment – Flux’s cover is free for contents up to £5,000 in value.

"The free cover is only for the landlord’s fixtures and is not designed for students’ contents," explains Julie Carter. "The £5,000 figure is plenty for most student lets, and bundling it in with the building insurance is a hassle-free way for landlords to get the cover they need for free."

Adrian Flux Insurance Services aims to offer cheaper property insurance and has a range of policies for landlords and buy to let, including specialist schemes for hard to insure properties such as thatched homes, flat roofs, underpinned buildings and those at risk of flooding. For information call the Flux household insurance hotline on 08700 772266, email household@adrianflux.co.uk or visit the website, www.adrianflux.co.uk, and click on the relevant button under the ‘Home Insurance’ section.

Sports nutrition products can provide an inexpensive and healthy way for students to fill the gap when hunger strikes without resorting to quick fixes from cheap junk food, sweets and chocolate bars. For many students the start of university life will be the first time they have lived away from home and nutrition is usually pretty low on their list of priorities. But getting through three years at university is a long haul, and if students don’t look after themselves properly they might not make it.

"Alertness, energy and stamina are all qualities needed by today’s students," says Kerry Kayes, founder of CNP Professional. "But unfortunately their diets may not provide enough essential nutrients to keep them going through the tough times and that’s where nutritional supplements come to the rescue."

CNP, a specialist in sports nutrition products and an expert in helping athletes go the distance, recommends students try Pro Flapjack bars as a healthy, high-energy boost when they start flagging. These tasty bars contain quality fast and slow release proteins and complex carbohydrates for a long-lasting release of energy rather than the short-lived sugar rush from conventional chocolate or cereal bars. Pro Flapjack bars are available in chocolate, cherry and almond or chocolate orange flavours and are individually wrapped for convenience.

It has long been recognised that being properly hydrated has a direct effect on performance and students are advised to make sure they drink enough especially during exam times. CNP’s Pro Hydrate, a hypotonic drink formulated to provide hydration and energy, can really help students stay alert and focused during studying. It also gives a welcome boost after a late night. Pro Hydrate is available in two flavours, berry and orange, and is supplied in powdered form. Simply add two scoops to 500ml of water and shake.

"Of course we’re not saying that by using Pro Hydrate and munching through Pro Flapjack you are guaranteed to get a first," says Kerry Kayes. "But, in common with sports people, students need to keep their bodies healthy to get the best results. While there are no shortcuts, there is also no escaping the fact that university life demands that you do the necessary work, get a good night’s sleep before exams, eat properly and keep hydrated - that’s where Pro Flapjack and Pro Hydrate can help."

Both Pro Flapjack and Pro Hydrate are available from CNP’s website www.cnpprofessional.co.uk. Pro Flapjack is £21.83 for a box of 24 and Pro Hydrate £7.99 for a tub containing 12 servings.

CNP Professional is one of the UK’s leading sports nutrition specialist companies. For more information visit www.cnpprofessional.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 161 320 1212 for sports nutrition advice and +44 (0) 161 320 8145 for sales.

Notes for editors

CNP Professional is a leading supplier of sports nutrition supplements including protein shakes, protein bars, creatine supplements, meal replacements, mass gainers, weight loss supplements and post work out shakes, all designed for the ultimate in sports nutrition.

Kerry Kayes, the founder of CNP Professional, is a former national bodybuilding champion. He has been involved in sports nutrition for many years and his dietary expertise has established him as ‘the man in the know’ to a wide variety of sportspeople worldwide such as the Ericsson Round the World Yacht Team, boxer Ricky Hatton, dart’s champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, international strongman Glen Ross and Sean Long of Hull FC.

CNP Professional supplements are carefully formulated to ensure that the body is able to make best use of the nutrients. Unlike many nutritional supplements, CNP Professional’s products are easy to drink.

There are several articles explaining protein nutrition supplements on the CNP website - go to the home page and click on ‘nutrition’ under the articles section.

Additional product information:

Pro Flapjack

Nutritional information per 75gm Bar:
Calories 278.6
Protein 18.8gm
Carbohydrate 34.9gm
of which sugars 5gm
Fat 7.1gm
of which saturates 3gm
Fibre 2.6gm
Sodium 75mgm

Pro Hydrate

Nutritional information per 2 scoops (40.5gm) made with 500ml water:

Calories 141
Protein 7.4gm
Carbohydrates 27.9gm
of which sugars 0.0gm
Fat 0.0gm
of which saturates 0.0gm
Fibre 0.0gm
Sodium 0.17gm

Supplement facts:

Per serving - 30gm Maltodextrin, 7.5gm taurine, 23mgm sodium chloride, 12mgm potassium chloride.

Ingredients:
Maltodextrin, Taurine, Citric Acid, Trisodium Citrate (Acidity Regulator), Orange Flavour, Sodium Chloride, Beta Carotene (Colour), Potassium Chloride, Sucralose (Sweetener)

Uropa Distribution has launched the RW range of Samsung freestanding wine coolers stylishly finished in stainless steel trim for back-bar and front-of-house positions. Their glass fronts are designed to show off the wines and make selection for bar staff easier. Energy-saving internal LED illumination further enhances the display cabinet.

The single zone RW33EBSS2 has a 125 litre, 33 bottle capacity and measures 850mm high x 550mm deep x 511mm wide. A variable thermostat control allows the cabinet temperature to be set between 3 and 18 degrees C for storing white or red wine. This model has wire shelves for the bottles to lay flat and a section at the bottom for upright storage.

The larger double zone RW52DASS1 has a separate temperature control for each zone. Its 148 litre capacity holds 52 bottles. Measuring 840mm x 613mm x 595mm, the cabinet is fitted with wooden shelves and has a UV-ray protected glass door.

Both models operate from a standard 13 Amp 220-240 V power supply and have levelling legs for ease of installation. Lockable doors provide security when the bar is unattended. Uropa supplies the Samsung wine coolers with a full-one year guarantee.

For more information on the Uropa Distribution range contact the company on 0845 1556461 or visit www.uropa-distribution.co.uk

Who is Uropa Distribution?

Backed by a multi-national plc, Uropa is based in Solihull and is sole distributor for Samsung commercial microwave ovens in the UK and Europe. Uropa is also sole UK distributor for KitchenAid and Ital commercial products, and the principal distributor for Lec and Burco commercial products.

Uropa is currently reviewing several major commercial catering brands and will add new lines to its portfolio in the near future.

The Uropa Distribution portfolio includes: Samsung Commercial Microwave Ovens; KitchenAid (mixers and toasters); Ital (food preparation equipment); Lec (refrigeration); and Burco (boilers, urns and catering equipment).

Paul Kelly won his lightweight debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship 99 at the Lanxess Arena, Germany on Saturday June 13th outpointing American Roli Delgado unanimously over three punishing and hard-fought rounds. Kelly needed to draw on all his strength and stamina to win through.

“This was my first fight at this weight,” says Kelly. “I’m a natural big lightweight and it felt really good to be fighting at the top of the division.”

Although the fight got off to a slow start Kelly took down Delgado in the second and tried to score with a guillotine choke. But Delgado broke free and Kelly showed a lot of resilience, landing some hard strikes before the bell. By the third round Delgado was tiring and Kelly stepped up his attack to win through.

“I think I just had more strength and stamina than Delgado when it came down to it,” says Kelly. “I’m sure all the protein supplements I’d been taking during training helped keep me going.”

In shifting down from welterweight to lightweight Kelly has had to lose 30lbs without compromising his strength and endurance. To do this he turned to Kerry Kayes, former UK champion bodybuilder and founder of CNP Professional, the company specialising in sports nutrition supplements. Kelly trains at Wolfslair, Widnes, where recently Kayes has been giving advice on training and nutrition to all the fighters, including the legendary Rampage Jackson.

“I’ve looked at what these lads need to get the best out of their bodies when it comes to the gruelling regime of mixed martial arts,” says Kayes. “By taking our protein supplements they can maintain muscle mass and hence strength without gaining body fat and we’re noticing a real improvement in their fitness and recovery times since they started taking supplements.

“With Paul I needed to work out a regime on which he could lose a lot of weight but keep up his strength. It’s difficult to get the balance just right.”

“Kerry understood exactly what I needed to do,” explains Kelly. “He took charge of my diet, recommended a variety of protein supplements and explained to the nutritional value of everything I was taking. I couldn’t possibly have done it without him. I was living in the gym in the run up to the fight so didn’t have any time to sort out my own diet.”

Kelly’s total calorific intake was about 2,610 and he reckons he was burning off about 1,500 of those during training, resulting in the 30lb weight loss with no loss of strength.

“It wasn’t as simple as just losing weight,” says Kelly. “I had to lose body fat while at the same time building up my muscle strength and stamina. It was really hard work but in the end I felt better. Using the CNP supplements I didn’t get so fatigued and I recovered from sparring quicker and didn’t pick up any injuries.”

Just before fighting Kelly drinks a Pro Slam to give him a boost and get the adrenaline pumping. If he feels like snacking he can have a Pro MR, a high protein meal replacement, that fills him up without piling on the calories and helps curb any cravings for junk food.

“I’m fitter now than I’ve ever been,” says Kelly. “And now I know I can fight at this weight, I’m ready to really explode in my next fight so my next opponent better watch out!”

CNP Professional is one of the UK’s leading sports nutrition specialist companies. For more information visit www.cnpprofessional.co.uk, or call +44 (0) 161 320 1212 for sports nutrition advice and +44 (0) 161 320 8145 for sales.

Notes for editors
CNP Professional is a leading supplier of sports nutrition supplements including protein shakes, protein bars, creatine supplements, meal replacements, mass gainers, weight loss supplements and post work out shakes, all designed for the ultimate in sports nutrition.

Kerry Kayes, the founder of CNP Professional, is a former national bodybuilding champion. He has been involved in sports nutrition for many years and his dietary expertise has established him as ‘the man in the know’ to a wide variety of sportspeople worldwide such as the Ericsson Round the World Yacht Team, boxer Ricky Hatton, dart’s champion Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor, international strongman Glen Ross and Sean Long of Hull FC.

CNP Professional supplements are carefully formulated to ensure that the body is able to make best use of the nutrients. Unlike many nutritional supplements, CNP Professional’s products are easy to drink.

There are several articles explaining protein nutrition supplements on the CNP website - go to the home page and click on ‘nutrition’ under the articles section.

Paul Kelly Stats:
Born: 1986
Height: 5ft 9ins
Weight:    155lb
Record: 9-1-0

CNP Supplements used by Paul Kelly:

• Pro Recover – a blend of high glycemic (fast-acting carbohydrates) and fast-acting proteins providing a high concentration of Branched Chain Amino Acids (BCAAs). Taken immediately after training to restore energy and aid recovery.
• Pro Slam – ready to drink 86ml vial that delivers 27 grams of protein, zero carbohydrates and zero fats in a pre-workout formulation designed to delay the onset of muscle fatigue. Taken immediately before training to increase endurance.
• Pro Vital – high strength multi vitamin and mineral formula with anti oxidants.
• Pro MR – a high protein, low fat meal replacement formula combining fast and slow proteins for optimum anabolic (muscle growth) and anti-catabolic (muscle sparing) effect. Probiotic organisms help maintain and promote a healthier digestive system. Glutamine in its more bio-available peptide bonded form rounds off the ideal protein formula. Complex carbohydrates and a balanced vitamin and mineral profile ensure a healthy and effective approach to dietary adjustment.
• Pro Tect - a blend of collagen and glucosamine, which has been scientifically proven to assist in the formation of connective tissue (joints, tendons, ligaments).

Precision Refrigeration has just collaborated with CNG Foodservice Equipment Ltd of Gateshead in the design and manufacture of refrigerated counters as part of CNG’s new kitchen design and installation in the prestigious Star Inn, Harome, North Yorkshire.

Andrew Pern, chef-patron of the Star Inn, holds a Michelin Star and his first book, “Black Pudding and Fois Gras”, showcases many of the Star’s mouth-watering dishes. Andrew and his wife Jacquie have been at The Star since1996 and in 2006 saw it win the Egon Ronay’s Gastropub of the Year Award.

A recent conversion of the old kitchens to form a new dining room has doubled the restaurant seating and required the building of new kitchens. This was an opportunity for Andrew to specify exactly what he needed to make his long days in the kitchen more comfortable. Since he also runs cooking courses at The Star he wanted the new kitchens to look good and be easy to keep spotless.

The design specifications began in the Spring of 2007 when Clive Groom, MD at CNG, worked closely with Jeremy Hall of Precision to ensure the refrigerated counters, which were to be an integral part of the kitchen, reflected the essence and style of The Star Inn.

“The kitchen needed to look unified in its design,” explained Groom. “We went to Precision because we were confident that they had the flexibility of approach we needed. For example all the counters had to have bull-nosed fronts, overhead lighting gantries and non-standard counter lengths.”

The kitchen features three units in a central block. Precision extended the work top beyond the end of these refrigerated counters by 600mm, so waste bins could be sited underneath. Using a continuous sheet of stainless steel means the surface is free of joins, making it easy to wipe clean and keeping the lines simple.

“The lighting gantry on this unit was also extended to match,” says Groom. “The lighting gantries were another reason we liked working with Precision, they understood exactly what was needed. Not only was it important that the chefs have adequate storage space but they also need to be able to see what they are doing - careful preparation and exquisite presentation are a feature of The Star’s menu.”

This joint project between CNG and Precision has worked so well that CNG is currently developing other high profile kitchen projects and intends to use Precision for the refrigerated countering again.

“We know exactly what we can expect with Precision,” says Groom.”They deliver exactly what the design specifies both in quality of build and aesthetics.”
For more information check out the Precision website (www.precision-refrigeration.co.uk), or call the company directly on +44 (0)1842 753 994.

Notes for editors
Who Is Precision?

• British manufacturer Precision supplies robust, dependable refrigeration for commercial catering environments. Precision Refrigeration is run by people who know what matters most in a busy, demanding kitchen. Directors include Andy Fysh, Nick Williams and Jeremy Hall, all ex-Williams Refrigeration.
• Back bar, upright gastronorm cabinets and prep counters are manufactured in stainless steel inside and out - delivering the quality and reliability that you expect from a market leader, but at significantly better prices.
• Precision is about good, solid, functional products that caterers and their customers can depend on, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. All products are backed with a straight-talking, no quibble guarantee.