Gift Memberships
Lockdown-defying gift memberships, by WILLIAM COOK
William Cook
Enjoy English Heritage
What a rotten year it’s been for family outings. However, the good news is that almost all English Heritage’s historic sites have now reopened, and since so many are outdoors they’re ideal for social distancing. As well as famous landmarks like Stonehenge and Hadrian’s Wall, EH looks after hundreds of monuments, from hilltop forts to Cold War bunkers.
HOW TO ORDER: Individual membership is £63pp (£55 if 65+); £109 per couple (£84 if both are 65+). Each member can take six children for free. www.english
heritage.org.uk. Tel. 0370 333 1181.
Magazine for grandchildren
If you’re looking for a Christmas gift for an inquisitive grandchild, can I recommend a subscription to Aquila magazine? My mother bought it for my son and daughter for several years and they loved it. It’s full of lively, informative articles about all sorts of subjects and, though it’s intended for 8-13 year-olds, older teens and adults love it, too. It’s aimed at bright pre-teens who love reading, but there’s nothing elitist about it. What a treat to find a children’s magazine that isn’t interested in dumbing down!
HOW TO ORDER: A year’s subscription costs £60, four months for £35. www.aquila.co.uk. Tel. 01323 431313.
Adopt an animal
Most people I know are worried about our wanton destruction of the planet and would like to do something about it, but don’t know where to start. How about adopting an animal for a friend or relative, through the World Wide Fund for Nature? The adoptee receives a fact pack, regular updates and a cuddly toy. Which animal to adopt? The WWF says tigers and jaguars are especially endangered (there are now fewer than 4,000 tigers in the wild), while jaguars are also losing their jungle habitat at a rate of three football pitches a minute.
HOW TO ORDER: Adopt an animal from just £3 per month. www.wwf.
org.uk. Tel. 01483 426333.
A monthly book for a year
One of Britain’s most beautiful and atmospheric bookshops, Heywood Hill, has been a London institution since Nancy Mitford worked there in the 1930s, but you don’t need to live in London to take advantage of its bespoke service. A Year in Books buys your lucky recipient a consultation with one of their specialist booksellers, and they’ll then send a personal selection throughout the year, attuned to taste but also broadening horizons.
HOW TO ORDER: 12 paperbacks for £225, or 12 hardbacks for £390 (inc. p&p). www.heywoodhill.com. Tel. 020 7629 0647.
Feast on fromage
For my last birthday, my wonderful wife bought me three cheeses from the Fine Cheese Co in Bath, and I’m happy to confirm they were all utterly delicious. She’s now put me on a strict diet, worse luck, but others would greet the gift of a monthly delivery of three, seasonal, top-quality, mixed British and European cheeses with delight.
HOW TO ORDER: A year’s supply costs £360 (inc p&p). Each monthly selection weighs at least 600g in total and comes with a pack of Fine Cheese Co crackers. Both cheese and cracker selections change monthly. www.finecheese.co.uk. Tel. 01225 448748. Berry Bros fine wine Why not send a splash of wine to go with all that cheese? Berry Bros & Rudd, Britain’s oldest wine merchant, was founded in the 17th century – so they know their stuff. Their gift vouchers can be redeemed against wine tastings and fine dining as well as fine wines and spirits, for collection or delivery. Their Good Ordinary Claret is a good place to start or, for something more quirky, consider a bottle of The King’s Ginger, a potent liqueur created by Berry Bros in 1903, to ‘stimulate and revive’ King Edward VII. HOW TO ORDER: Gift vouchers from £10. Good Ordinary Claret, £11.95 a bottle; The King’s Ginger, £23.50 for a half litre. www.bbr. com. Tel. 0800 280 2440.
Unlimited visits to Kew
Some of my fondest memories are of taking my children to Kew Gardens, and the good news is that it’s still open, hurrah, though visitors need to pre-book tickets online, because of Covid-distancing rules. Membership not only includes unlimited visits to Kew but also to Wakehurst – a wild botanic garden in Sussex. There’s a printed magazine, an online newsletter, 10% discount for Kew’s on-site shops plus member events included. Note that tickets for ‘Christmas at Kew’ are running out fast. HOW TO ORDER: Make sure you buy a GIFT membership voucher: from £81 for individuals, plus kids, couples and family options. www.kew.org. Tel. 020 8332 3200.