Designs on farming
At 71, Peter Allen says he is “just getting going.” He specialises in the design and manufacture of feeders for all types of farm livestock and can produce bespoke designs to suit the needs of individual clients.
Career cast in stone
Company histories can be clouded by the passage of time and changes of ownership. In fact it was only when a client suggested she did some research on the business that the management of Abingdon Stone and Marble discovered it was far older than originally thought.
Incredible String Band
The violins of the 17th-century master Antonio Stradivarius will be the focus of an exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum this summer, in a display of instruments universally regarded as the height of the musical craftsman’s art.
At the cutting edge
As a teenager, Graham Cherry was already earning pocket money labouring on local farms and left school with a determined ambition to work for himself. He started Cherry Products at the age of 18 and has never looked back.
Knit one, purl one
Knitting has gone way beyond the everyday sweater into the world of high fashion — not least in the type of materials used.
Preserving the past
Objects of historic and artistic importance are all very well, but skillful presentation is essential to boosting their appeal. Not every museum can afford to have specialists on their own staff, which is where the Oxfordshire Museums Service comes in.
Success is their driving ambition
The 2011 racing season is now running at full throttle for RJN Motorsport. The first event left the grid at Zandvoort in Holland, and at the team’s headquarters at Denchworth, near Wantage, cars have been prepared for events this month at the Paul Ricard Circuit in France, Monza in Italy, and at the Nurburgring, Germany.
Restoring classic cars
Many of us aspire to owning a dream car but that dream does not have to involve driving the latest Porsche or Ferrari. Colin Gould of Kingsdown Garage, Faringdon, finds people can be passionate about something much more humble.
Antique Clock Restoration
Where do you go to buy a watch or clock of a particular type, or a find business specialising in timepiece restoration? Or, for enthusiasts, where can you find a museum to learn more about the subject of clocks and watches through the ages?
Dyeing to knit
Jeni Hewlett knows exactly the quality and provenance of the wool and fibres which she is ordering for her supplies. That is because she has been out to Peru to visit the mills, see the suppliers and meet the farmers themselves with their herds of sheep and alpacas.
