Sponsored post | Come Gather Round with Charnwood

As cosy season sets in, Charnwood is delivering on stylish wood-burners that not only look great, but burn efficiently

There is a growing appreciation for things that are made well, made locally and designed to last. In a world of fast-moving technology and disposable products, the value of thoughtful craftsmanship
has never felt more relevant.

On the Isle of Wight, Charnwood has spent more than 50 years quietly refining one of humanity’s oldest discoveries: fire. Designed and manufactured in Britain, every Charnwood wood-burning stove is the result of decades of engineering expertise, skilled craftsmanship and a commitment to making burning wood cleaner, more efficient and easier to enjoy in modern homes.

Wood has long been an important part of rural life in Britain. When sourced responsibly from local woodlands, it remains one of the few truly renewable heating fuels available. Unlike many forms of energy that travel hundreds or even thousands of miles before reaching our homes, firewood can often be grown, harvested and seasoned close to where it is used. In doing so, it supports woodland management, local economies and traditional rural industries.

British-built quality

For Charnwood, a belief in local production extends beyond fuel. From its factory on the Isle of Wight, the company designs, engineers and manufactures its stoves in the UK, supporting highly skilled jobs and maintaining specialist manufacturing knowledge that has become increasingly rare. It is a philosophy built around quality, longevity and a close connection between design and production.

Of course, wood-burning stoves have evolved considerably over the years. Modern Charnwood models are designed to burn fuel far more cleanly and efficiently than previous generations of appliances. Sophisticated combustion systems ensure that more of the energy contained within the wood is converted into usable heat, while significantly reducing emissions. The result is a fire that burns cleaner, uses less fuel and delivers greater comfort throughout the home.

Intelligent burning

The company’s latest innovations have focused not only on improving environmental performance but also on making wood burning more intuitive. Intelligent technologies can help maintain optimum burning conditions, allowing users to enjoy a beautiful flame with minimal intervention. It is all part of a long-term commitment to ensuring that wood burning remains a practical and responsible choice for contemporary living.

Yet for all the advances in engineering and combustion science, the enduring appeal of a real fire remains remarkably unchanged. There is a simple pleasure in gathering around flames on a cold evening, watching the flicker of light across a room and feeling a warmth that seems to reach beyond temperature alone.

By combining traditional craftsmanship with modern innovation, Charnwood continues to prove that one of the oldest forms of heating can still have an important place in today’s homes. Cleaner, simpler and more efficient than ever before, the modern wood-burning stove offers a connection to both the natural world and Britain’s manufacturing heritage, bringing together the best of past and present in a way that feels entirely at home in modern life.

For more information, visit charnwood.com or follow on Instagram at: @charnwoodstoves

Sponsored post | Building your Dreams with Blackdown

Ever wondered what goes into building a bespoke shepherd hut? Blackdown wants to show you
the journey from start to finish… 

Blackdown Shepherd Huts has been working with The Simple Things for many years now – ometimes showcasing our products with a full-page ad and sometimes a bit more in depth in advertorials just like this. However, we realised that what we haven’t done yet is take you behind the scenes…

We’ve been building our shepherd huts in Somerset since 2011 and have an amazing team of 21 employees. Over the years, we’ve added a range of treatment rooms, saunas, ground-based cabins and lots more bespoke ideas for customers.

From day one, our mantra has always been that we’d rather explain the cost of quality than apologise for anything else. We build our huts in a collaborative process with customers, using our display garden and your ideas to create something that is uniquely yours. We love nothing more than sitting around the table, cuppa in hand, working out ways to bring your dreams to life. You’ll get a fully costed quote, 3D drawings and we’ll keep in touch with you every step of the way.

Our team make everything, bar the metalwork and appliances, here on site. Blackdown is known for its quality and that needs everyone in the process to play their part, like a well-oiled machine. We work with UK makers and artisans for our interior styling pieces, often commissioning a specific item for a customer. One of our favourites is a little shortback Windsor chair, designed by us and made by Holland Chairs at nearby Barrington Court.

Right from the outset, you’ll get a delivery date and your shepherd hut will arrive on that day. Our deliveries are handled by Tim, George and Will (our founder), because the point where we hand your hut over is as important to us as it is to you. With over 600 full-build deliveries behind them now, there’s not much that phases them, so don’t discount having a hut because of your location.

Access isn’t often an issue either. Some customers choose our Tasker self-build option, as it allows hut installations in places that you might think are inaccessible. Simply give us a call and the team are always happy to chat through the options. We’ll position your hut into your chosen place, make sure
that you’re happy with it, and then leave you to enjoy your new space.

While we have your attention, perhaps you’d like to see our recently expanded Turnkey hut range. We’re all about creating spaces for you to enjoy with friends and family, so it seemed like a natural evolution to build an outside entertaining deck. We’ve also created a wonderful space for lounging, making pizzas and simply watching the golden hour as the daylight gives way to sunset. You’re guaranteed a starlight effect with our LED starlit ceiling and, as the evenings grow colder, you can roll down the canvas sides, light the outdoor wood-burner and carry on chatting and laughing long into the small hours.

If you’d like to see more, give us a call or drop us an email – and don’t forget to mention The Simple Things. It’s always lovely to hear where you found us.

For more information, please call 01460 929774, visit blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk, or

email info@blackdownshepherdhuts.co.uk

Style | Wear a Pinafore Like...

Pinafore by Toast

In our September issue, editor Lisa Sykes takes a look at the not-so-humble pinafore. Beloved of school girls and style icons alike, here’s how to channel some famous pinafore-wearers.

Wear your pinafore like…

…Dorothy (of Oz fame)

Blow into town in your blue gingham pinafore (handy for gathering up to carry your dog in) and bring new friends out of their shells with your endless positivity and practical attire. Pair your pinafore with ruby slippers for a pop of colour.

… Pippi Longstocking

Primary colours and patch pockets give this short pinafore a carefree, can-do attitude. Plait your hair at a jaunty angle to further this effect and casually lift horses in a display of Scandi strength that says ‘this pinafore is ready for anything’.

…Jane Eyre

For this pinafore style, adopt an attitude of humility with an undercurrent of quiet defiance. During Jane’s time at Lowood School, the girls were ‘uniformly dressed in brown stuff frocks of quaint fashion and long Holland pinafores’, Charlotte Bronte tells us. St Trinians is NOT the look you are aiming for. Try to look downtrodden and sorry for your very existence - don’t worry: this pinafore will do most of the work for you.

…Alice Liddell

John Tenniel, who illustrated Lewis Carroll’s tale, did not base his ‘Alice’ on the real Alice Liddell but on a model called Mary Badcock, after Lewis asked for a fair-haired child for the illustrations. Her blue dress with white pinafore was completely fictional but designed to give Alice the look of a girl ready for any adventure. We can’t help feeling that falling down a rabbit hole and playing croquet with live flamingos may all have been better undertaken in a nice, practical pair of slacks but at least she looked stylish while being inadvisedly curious. 

…Goldilocks

If you’re going to steal porridge from wild bears, best do it in a pretty, puff-sleeved dress paired with a practical pinny you can wipe your hands on quickly before making good your escape. And definitely don’t hang about or fall asleep in the medium-sized, medium-softness bed or you’ll never get the creases out of that nice cotton pinafore…

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Playlist | Autumn twilight

DJ: Frances Ambler
Illustration: Anneliese Klos

Our October playlist is inspired by autumn twilight hours. Have a listen on Spotify here.

We make a playlist for each issue of The Simple Things. You can read a piece exploring the magic of twilight in our October RELISH issue, on sale from 28 September 2026.

Competition | Win £2,500 to spend on a Schplendid Sofa

Schplendid is championing beautiful sofas, made the old fashioned way with materials that
will last a lifetime

There was a time when a really good sofa was made from things you recognised: timber, wool, natural fibres, feathers and springs. Schplendid thinks there was quite a lot to be said for that. Founded out of a frustration with throwaway furniture and eye-watering prices, Schplendid set out to do things differently. To simply spend as much as possible on the sofa itself, and as little as possible on everything else.

So Schplendid sofas are built on solid beech hardwood frames, with eight-way hand-tied coil springs – an old upholstery craft now rarely used. Inside you’ll find materials such as wool and coconut fibre, while wonderfully squidgy cushions are filled with 80% ethically-sourced Italian goose down. The fabrics are pure cotton velvets and beautiful Italian linens, without polyester or stain-repellent chemical sprays.

Schplendid has even found a more natural answer to fire safety. Every sofa sold in Britain has to meet strict regulations, commonly achieved using chemicals. Schplendid instead uses a naturally flame-resistant 100% wool barrier cloth, allowing its sofas to meet the standards without flame-retardant treatments. 

Wool, timber, linen, cotton, coconut fibre and down: it turns out nature already makes rather good sofa ingredients. The result is a sofa designed to be lived on, snuggled into and kept for a very long time. Schplendid guarantees its frames for life, offers free delivery and a 50-day trial.

If a Schplendid sofa sounds appealing, then you’re in luck as The Simple Things has teamed up with Schplendid to give one lucky reader the chance to win a voucher worth £2,500, towards a sofa
in your choice of 21 fabrics. Simply enter our competition and you could soon be sitting pretty with a new Schplendid sofa.

For more information, visit schplendid.com or follow on Instagram: @schplendidsofas

How to enter

For your chance to win a £2,500 Schplendid voucher, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 6 November 2026.

Q: Schplendid’s hardwood frames are made from which wood?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 6 November 2026. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Competition | Win £200 to spend at Gudrun Sjödén

Famed for its fun Scandi flair, Gudrun Sjödén’s latest lines offer sustainable staples that will be loved for generations

This season, embark on a journey of textile stories from Greenland to southern Sweden with a Gudrun Sjödén capsule wardrobe inspired by the palette of Scotland. Centred around undyed natural fibres, the collection features cotton that’s traditionally unbleached, wool with a unique flecked finish as unique as the sheep it came from, and linen in deeper, bold shades. All incredibly beautiful and timeless.

As the weather turns cooler and the days turn shorter, it’s the ideal time to layer up with transitional pieces in warming wool and cotton, creating an effortless, cosy look. Discover stunning jacquard-knit cardigans in both cropped and longline styles, while the seasonal staple, the anorak, stands out. A palette of soft ecru, warm reds, Klein blue, aubergine and brass yellow bring cheer to the darker days.

Gudrun Sjödén’s love for handicraft also shines in her latest clothes and homeware collections with creative details inspired by Greenland and the folklore-steeped textile traditions of Skåne in southern Sweden. 

Committed to sustainable production, each Gudrun Sjödén piece is crafted with care and designed to be used year in, year out, helping you to curate a sustainable wardrobe with heirloom pieces that can be passed on for generations to come.

For your chance to win one of two £200 Gudrun Sjödén vouchers*, enter our competition and you could soon be picking something beautiful and unique for yourself or your home this season.

For more information and inspiration, visit: gudrunsjoden.com or visit the London store at: 65-67 Monmouth St, WC2H 9DG. Or follow on Instagram at: @gudrunsjoden_ldn

How to enter 

For your chance to win one of two £200 Gudrun Sjödén vouchers*, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 6 November 2026

*- Please note, the prize vouchers are only redeemable in the London store and cannot be used online

Q: The new capsule collection is inspired by the palette of which country?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 6 November 2026. Two winners will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winners cannot transfer their prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Make | Shadow Puppet Hedge Theatre

Illustration by Christina Carpenter

Host a whimsical storytelling evening with this simple and creative project

Hedges act as a natural acoustic buffer, creating an intimate outdoor stage. The secret is rear-projection: puppeteers perform behind a taut white bedsheet, casting silhouettes.

You will need: A white bedsheet, bright torch, black card, tape, skewers, blankets and lanterns

Set the stage: Suspend your sheet tightly across a hedge gap, archway or fence posts. Arrange blankets for the audience and add ambience with a few lanterns. Position the light: Place a torch 2–3m behind the sheet at chest height, pointing towards the centre. Craft the cast: Cut puppet shapes from card and tape a skewer to the back. Master the magic: Stand aside to avoid blocking the beam and hold puppets close to the fabric for crisp silhouettes; pull them back to make shadows grow.

Find more seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do on our Almanac pages every month.

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How to | Dance Like Elizabeth Bennet

Whether you’re attending a Regency Ball or just cantering around your kitchen to the theme from Pride and Prejudice, there’s much to learn. Here’s how to get started…

First thing’s first, some acclimatisation…

Your partner is the person opposite you, your neighbour is the person next to you, the corners are the people either side of your partner, and the caller is the person up on stage telling you who to dance with and how. Still with us? Good.

In terms of the room, the ‘top’ is the end near the band and the ‘bottom’ is the other end. The men’s side and ladies’ side are hopefully self-explanatory. You dance in ‘sets’, most commonly either a ‘longways set’ where there are two lines of couples and you dance as a group of four and change sets each dance, or a ‘three-couple’ set where you dance as a group of six and remain in that set for the whole thing. 

Now. Are you dancing? (Yes, we are asking - in a polite Regency way, of course)

There are endless dances and dance steps to learn. At most balls these days, the caller will talk you through everything so there’s no need to panic. However, if you want a head start, these are a few steps you could learn. 

Honours

Before a dance starts, and at the end, ladies curtsey to gentlemen and gentlemen bow. 

Set

A small, bouncing step almost on the spot to the right and then the left. 

Hey

The top dancer looks down the set to dancers two and three who look up and they weave among themselves, creating a figure of eight on the dancefloor.

Petronella

An anti-clockwise turn during which the dancer moves from their line to the adjacent side of the set to their left.

Poussette

Partners hold both of each other’s hands and move up and down the set moving in an anti-clockwise direction.

Go down/Go up

Move away from or towards the top of the set. 

Star

In a group of four, put your right hand in the middle and hold the hand of the person opposite you, then you all skip clockwise in a circle. 

Think you’re ready to attend your first Regency ball? Turn to our Modern Eccentrics pages in our September issue to meet some Regency Revivalists. 

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Competition | Win £500 for an Isle of Man Escape

Win a £500 voucher for a magical getaway on the Isle of Man courtesy of Island Escapes

Are you seeking a unique getaway in a beautiful location? At Island Escapes, you’ll find a captivating collection of dreamy places to stay on the Isle of Man. Simply enter our competition for your chance to win a £500 voucher to spend on your stay of choice…

Discover Britain’s best-kept secret with an island retreat. Promising blissful settings in which to unwind and soak up the breathtaking surrounds, you’ll find everything from idyllic country cottages with bubbling hot tubs and contemporary sea-view apartments, to spacious Victorian houses for storybook stays with the whole family and pooch.

 Choose your dream spot from our collection and anticipate unforgettable island moments.  The world’s first whole nation UNESCO Biosphere and boasting a mesmerising coastline clad with glassy bays, salt-kissed trails, abundant wildlife, and captivating attractions, days are best spent soaking up the magic of the Isle before settling into your cosy abode. Peppered across the island, each seaside town beckons with unique Manx heritage and landmarks, from Peel’s towering castle to Laxey’s historic waterwheel, delicious eateries, welcoming pubs, and beautiful sites - there is so much to see and do during your visit.

 Head to the capital of Douglas for an array of delectable restaurants and boutique shops, before hopping aboard the fascinating steam train to see the sights from a new perspective. The electric railway is also an enchanting way to travel, weaving through rolling countryside and seascapes, as well as climbing the island’s highest peak, Snaefell Mountain. You’ll also find 18 designated National glens across the island, all open to the public and nestled in spellbinding settings.

 Perfect for getaways in all seasons, from the delicate blooms of spring and balmy days of summer, to autumn’s golden palette and frost-kissed scenes of winter, the Isle of Man beckons with adventure, serenity, and unique culture for an unforgettable stay. Explore our collection of cottages and start dreaming of a magical island escape…

How to enter

Just click the button below and answer the following question to be in with a chance of wining:

Q: What is the capital city of the Isle of Man?

Terms & Conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 1st November 2026. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. You must be based in the UK to enter this competition. Vouchers will be valid for 12 months. The vouchers can be used for any stay across the island. Prizes cannot be transferred or exchanged for monetary value or cash alternative. The prize cannot be used in conjunction with any other offer. Transport is not included. This prize must be booked by someone aged 18+. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Tipple | Apple Cider Spritz Cocktails

Photography by Rebecca Lewis

Individual cocktail bottles to quench your thirst during a painting picnic!

Makes 6

750ml bottle apple cider
75cl bottle prosecco
1 small lemon, juiced
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 apple, sliced
6 cinnamon sticks

You will need: 6 glass bottles with lids

1 Fill a large jug with one third cider and two thirds prosecco along with the juice of half a lemon and the vanilla extract.

2 Divide between the bottles, adding a cinnamon stick and a slice of apple for extra flavour and garnish.

Bartender’s note: If this cocktail is too strong, try swapping the prosecco for lemonade or the cider for apple juice – or switch both for a refreshing non-alcoholic version, with one third apple juice and two thirds lemonade.

This recipe is from our feature ‘Drawn to Nature’ from our September issue, which is a menu for a gathering with friends to picnic and paint en plein air. Photography is by Rebecca Lewis and recipes and styling by Kay Prestney.

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Wellbeing | Coping Well With Change

Illustration by Stocksy

Many of us don’t love change but it’s one of the only certainties in life, like death and taxes. Here’s how to thrive when change descends

When we survive uncertain times, we realise that we’re more resilient than we thought. Therapist Lottie Storey, author of Find Your Path To Acceptance (Leaping Hare Press) says “change and uncertainty may not be comfortable, but they are the reality of being human.” We all hold a vision for ourselves and when the future you’d envisaged is threatened and it feels like you’re losing your identity, Lottie says it’s helpful to reflect on how your roles throughout life so far (eg, child, student, friend, partner) and how your feelings have changed over time but the person who has experienced them (you) has remained. 

How to use the rule of three

In terms of seismic change, Lottie advises using the following as a guide to allow yourself the time to process big changes in life. 

• For the first three days, try to do nothing. Remove all the pressures you can while your mind makes sense of what has happened. 

• For the following three weeks, do only what’s necessary. Take it slow and steady while you gradually learn to readjust. 

• For the following three months, pace yourself. If you’ve taken time off work, plan a slow return. Try easing yourself back into social plans. 

This is how long it takes to settle into a new understanding of your reality so don’t hurry. Take the opportunity to review how your life felt before and mindfully consider how you’d like it to be from here onwards.  You can also use the Rule of Three for less impactful experiences with a shorter timescale – three minutes, three hours, and three days. 

You can red more about coping with change in our September issue feature, Coping With Big Change by Rebecca Frank.

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Day Out | Visit an Invisible Orchard

Illustration by Christina Carpenter

Not all orchards look like a clutch of apple trees. Here’s how to find the secret ones…

All over our villages, towns, and cities, heritage fruits hide in plain sight, revealing clues to human history. Victorians planted damsons near textile towns because their skins yielded a brilliant purple dye. Once chemical dyes took over, these trees were abandoned to the wild hedgerows. Meanwhile, 19th-century navvies tossed fruit pips along canal banks, leaving towpaths lined with wild crab apples and feral pear trees. Rather than filling your tubs with blackberries, spend an afternoon tracking down these lost orchards. Seek out ancient town edges, towpaths, and old estate walls for heirloom fruits hanging heavy over footpaths. Find your local bounty with the urban foraging map Falling Fruit (fallingfruit.org). This global database combines municipal street tree inventories with insights from local foragers. Each pin notes whether a tree is on public land, overhanging a footpath, or requires permission – encouraging conversations, and ensuring ethical foraging.

This blog by Jo Tinsley was taken from our Almanac pages which feature seasonal things to note and notice, plan and do each month.

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Recipe | Blackberry Clafoutis

Traditionally made with cherries, instead this French classic is filled with juicy blackberries and is tasty with a coffee or as a dessert.

Serves 8

400g blackberries, washed
75g flour
100g sugar
3 eggs, beaten
250ml milk
Icing sugar (to serve)

1 Preheat the oven to 200C/ Fan 180C/Gas 6. Grease a baking dish about 25cm diameter (or ovenproof cast-iron frying pan) with butter.

2 Mix the flour and sugar, then make a well in the centre and add the eggs.

3 Gradually incorporate the flour into the eggs from the sides. Slowly add the milk, a little at a time, until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.

4 Pour one-third of the batter into the baking dish and bake in the preheated oven for 5-7 mins. Remove from the oven, add the blackberries on top of the partially-baked batter, and pour over the remaining batter.

5 Return to the oven and bake for a further 35-40 mins, or until the clafoutis is golden brown and puffed up. Serve warm, lukewarm, or cold, dusted with a little icing sugar.

Why berries are good for you

They may be little, but blackberries pack a punch when it comes to nutrition, offering an abundance of fibre, vitamin C, manganese and potassium. They are also great at aiding digestion and helping your gut health, their antioxidants may improve memory and cognitive function, they can help lower cholesterol and stabilise blood sugars as well as boosting immunity and bone health.  

Meanwhile, elderberries, long known for their use relieving cold and flu symptoms, are also rich in antioxidants, are an excellent source of vitamin C and can help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels. They must be cooked before eating as raw elderberries contain toxic compounds that can cause stomach upsets. 

This clafoutis is just one of the recipes from our September issue feature ‘Berry Nice’ which also includes recipes for Roasted Beetroot, Apple & Blackberry Salad, Chicken with Blackberries & Elderberries, Blackberry Brownies with Elderberry Yogurt and a couple of jams for good measure. The recipes are by Anna Rubingh.

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Tipple | Hedgerow Switchel

Long before brightly coloured sports drinks, farm workers relied on ‘haymaker’s punch’ – or ‘switchels’ – to survive the physical toll of the August harvest. By infusing the traditional base with summer gluts of wild berries and herbs, you can create a seasonal electrolyte drink.

You will need:

Blackberries, garden mint or lemon balm, fresh ginger, local honey, raw apple cider vinegar, water

To make:

Macerate the fruit: Place berries and mint leaves in a glass jar. Use the back of a wooden spoon to bruise the mint and crush the berries to release their juice. Blend the base: Add grated ginger, honey, and cider vinegar. Stir vigorously.

Infuse: Top up with cold water, seal the jar, and give it a good shake. Pop into the fridge for 2-4 hrs, or overnight.

Strain and serve: Strain the mixture through a fine sieve, then serve chilled over generous tumblers of ice.

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Playlist | Golden

DJ: Frances Ambler, Illustration: Elizabeth Chung

We make a playlist for each issue of The Simple Things magazine, and this playlist is made to soundtrack our September GOLDEN issue.

You can take a listen here and have a browse of all our playlists here.

Our GOLDEN issue is on sale from 28 August – you can order a copy via picsandink.com

Sponsored post | Feel Full of Beans with Suma

Celebrate Organic September with Suma’s beans, a simple yet delicious way to make small, nutritious changes in the kitchen

There’s something quietly reassuring about a cupboard stocked with beans. Not in a flashy, look-at-me sort of way, but in the comforting knowledge that a nourishing meal is never far away. A tin of butter beans waiting to be stirred through a late-summer stew. Chickpeas ready to become a speedy houmous. Cannellini beans to add substance to a soup made from whatever veg happens to be lingering in the fridge.

Beans are one of those simple ingredients that earn their place on the shelf time and time again. Affordable, versatile and naturally rich in protein and fibre, they bring flavour and substance to everyday cooking while helping us eat more plants. On top of all of this, specifically choosing organic beans can also be a small way to support a gentler approach to food production.

Rich pickings

Organic farming works with nature, rather than against it. By avoiding artificial pesticides and fertilisers, organic farmers focus on building healthy soils, encouraging biodiversity and creating resilient growing systems. Healthy soil is full of life – from earthworms and fungi to countless microorganisms – all playing a part in producing the food we eat.

That connection between soil, food and wellbeing sits at the heart of Organic September, the annual Soil Association campaign celebrating organic farming and food. It’s a chance to explore simple swaps that support a more sustainable food system, and beans are an easy place to start.

At Suma, organic food has always been part of the story. Founded as a workers’ co-operative in Yorkshire, Suma has spent decades making good food more accessible, sourcing products that reflect a commitment to people and planet. Their range of organic beans includes everyday essentials such as chickpeas, kidney beans, butter beans and mixed beans, ready to help with everything from weekday lunches to leisurely weekend cooking.

Store cupboard stars

The beauty of beans lies in their adaptability. They can form the backbone of a hearty salad, bulk out
a warming casserole or become the star ingredient in a simple supper. Toss butter beans with roasted tomatoes, olive oil and herbs. Simmer cannellini beans with garlic and greens. Blend chickpeas
with lemon and tahini for a homemade houmous to enjoy with crunchy vegetables.

Perhaps that’s why beans feel so at home in the slower rhythm that many of us are seeking. They invite us to cook simply, waste less and make the most of seasonal ingredients. They remind us that good food doesn’t need to be complicated.

This Organic September, a humble tin of organic beans might seem like a small choice. But small choices, repeated often, have a way of adding up – for our kitchens, our communities and the landscapes that feed us.

For more information and inspiration, visit suma.coop or follow on Instagram: @sumawholefoods

Competition | Win a Year's Dog Food & Treats to Your Door

Dogs are a joy, but caring for them isn’t always a walk in the park. That’s why the trained experts at Pooch & Mutt are here for all chapters and tails. For life.

From treating dodgy tums and soothing sore gums, to boosting their food and calming those crazy moods, Pooch & Mutt use their knowledge to solve your pet’s peeves and help them thrive. Pooch & Mutt’s range of science-led food, treats and supplements is designed to support dogs through every stage of life, using high-quality ingredients and expert nutrition to help them live happier, healthier lives.

Pampered pooch or mischievous mutt, they’re here for all breeds and needs.

The Prize

One lucky winner will receive 12 Pooch & Mutt vouchers worth £55 each – that's £660 to spend across the year on their range of food, treats and supplements. Whether you're stocking up on everyday essentials or trying something new, you'll have plenty to keep tails wagging all year long.

How to enter

To be in with a chance of winning a year’s dog food, supplements and treats delivered direct to your door, just click on the button below and answer the following question:

Q: Pooch & Mutt's science-led range is designed to support dogs at what stage?

Terms & Conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 30th Sept 2026. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. To enter this competition you must be a UK resident with a UK address. Any entrant outside of the UK can not be considered due to postage restrictions. Details of full terms and conditions are on p125 of the printed magazine and online at icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Reader discount

And to top it all off, The Simple Things readers can receive 35% off their next online order when shopping at poochandmutt.co.uk. All you have to do is enter the code ‘SIMPLE” at the checkout.

Competition | Win a Year's Membership to a Sketching Community

Win a year’s membership to Inspire, an online creative community, and enjoy daily sketch prompts with artist, Susan Yeates 

Does this sound familiar? You mean to sketch. You buy the sketchbook, you sharpen the pencil… and then life fills the gap before you get a chance to sit down.

If this is the case, this competition is for you. The Simple Things has teamed up with artist, author and creative educator, Susan Yeates (below), to offer one lucky reader a year’s membership to Inspire, her online sketching community, plus her brand-new Sketch-a-Day Card Deck. Together, the prize is worth over £315 and designed to keep your creativity alive all year.

Inspire is a warm, unhurried community for anyone who wants sketching to become a regular part of life rather than just a good intention. Each month brings a new theme, fresh tutorials, a live Zoom sketch-along, and a private, supportive community cheering you on. There’s no pressure to be good at it, and no way to do it wrong. It’s a chance to reconnect with yourself, reduce stress, and nurture a little personal growth – five minutes at a time, if that’s all you have.

Alongside the membership, you’ll also receive the Sketch-a-Day Card Deck, pictured below: 52 cards, 365 prompts, and a guidebook to help a daily sketching habit actually stick.

For more info, visit susanyeates.co.uk or follow on Instagram at: @susanyeatesartist

How to enter

For your chance to win an Inspire membership, plus sketching prompt cards, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 12 October 2026.
Q: What is the name of Susan Yeates’s online sketching community?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 12 October 2026. One winner will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. The winner cannot transfer the prize or swap it for cash. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at: icebergpress.co.uk/comprules. 

Competition | Win a £500 Seasalt Gift Voucher

Want to bring a touch of the Cornish coast to your wardrobe? To celebrate its latest collection, we have £500 to spend at Seasalt Cornwall to be won plus runners-up prizes of £100 each

Based in Falmouth, Seasalt Cornwall designs creative clothing woven with stories of life by the sea. Its story began 45 years ago, with a shop that sold workwear to local fishermen and artists who shared a need for well-made pieces suited to Cornwall’s wild landscapes and elements. Since then, Seasalt has been honing its craft in tandem with the changing seasons to bring contemporary coastal style to wardrobes everywhere.

This year’s collection is inspired by floriography, the folk tradition of using flowers to convey meaning and stories. Colour palettes are hand-picked from beachside gardens, and sketched prints
take inspiration from nature. Made with responsibly-sourced and recycled fabrics, each piece is designed with careful consideration for the way that it impacts the environment.

If you’d like to add some timeless staples to your wardrobe, then The Simple Things has teamed up with Seasalt Cornwall to offer one lucky reader the chance to win a £500 Seasalt gift card, while two runners-up will each receive £100 to spend in store or online. Enter today and you could soon be enjoying a shopping spree for pieces you’ll love more and more every time you wear them.

For more information, visit seasaltcornwall.com or follow on Instagram at: @seasaltcornwall

How to enter

For your chance to win £500 to spend at Seasalt Cornwall, enter our competition by clicking the button below and answering the following question by the closing date of 12 October 2026. 

Q: Which folk tradition is this year’s Seasalt Cornwall collection inspired by?

Terms and conditions

The competition closes at 11.59pm on 12 Oct 2026. One winner and two runners-up will be selected at random from all correct entries received and notified soon after. Subject to availability. Winners cannot transfer their prizes or swap for cash. Seasalt Cornwall gift cards are only redeemable in the UK. Details of our full terms and conditions are on p125 and online at: icebergpress.co.uk/comprules.

Natural Cures | Cooling Compress

Image by Stocksy

Hot weather, dehydration, tiredness and intense sunlight can all lead to summer headaches. Here’s where a few garden herbs can really come in handy.

These soothing herbs are traditionally made into a compress for tension headaches. This tea is also useful for stomach cramps and can be sipped to help with traveller’s tummy, too.

A few fresh peppermint leaves

A few fresh sage leaves

Boiling water

Muslin cloth

1 Place the herbs, whole, in a mug. Pour over the boiling water. Cover the mug with a small saucer to allow the essential oils to be trapped into the infusion. Leave it to cool enough to make a warm compress. (You can also refrigerate the infusion for a cold compress).

2 To make the compress, soak the muslin in the liquid, remove the excess, but don’t squeeze it out, it needs to remain nicely damp.

3 Lie down, place the folded, damp muslin on your forehead, take a few deep breaths and relax.

Learn to use your garden as your own pharmacy in our feature, The Herbal Apothecary in our August issue. You’ll find natural cures for everything from upset tummies and summer sniffles to restless nights and insect bites.

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