- 9 hours ago
A New Life in the Sun - Season 11 - Episode 30
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00:01From the glistening waters of the Med to the mountainous Alps,
00:05all across Europe, brave Brits are chasing new beginnings.
00:09Let's get this show on the road, huh?
00:11I mean, just look at this backdrop here.
00:13Essex was nothing like this.
00:15The stakes are high.
00:17This is definitely a gamble. I put everything in all my life savings.
00:21We've got a lot riding on this.
00:22Our futures, our children's futures.
00:24We need to make some money.
00:25As they launch B&Bs.
00:27Service.
00:28And pubs in France.
00:30We're very new at this.
00:31Wow.
00:32Good job the wines, Chi.
00:34To wellness retreats and holiday parks in Bulgaria.
00:38It's not big enough.
00:39We measured it. I don't understand.
00:41It's a journey into the unknown.
00:44That's cool.
00:46Boo!
00:47But we're joining them for the ride.
00:51As they tee off...
00:52Oh!
00:52...their new lives in the sun.
00:55I just walk around with a smile on my face all the time.
00:58Let's swap!
01:02Today...
01:03No, let me swap.
01:04...a couple running a social enterprise in Romania
01:07hope their recipes hit the spot.
01:10I'm going to mix some chilli jam up with my tomatoes and basil
01:14and we'll just see what happens.
01:16With peak tourist season in full swing,
01:18can they keep up with demand?
01:20We did 6,000 pancakes last year.
01:23There's probably 5,000 extra people in the village this weekend.
01:27I mean, crazy.
01:28In France...
01:30That's so close.
01:31Look how...
01:33Supplies and schedules are stretched for hosts at an ancient chateau.
01:38It's either just going to be enough or just not,
01:41which will be so annoying if it's not.
01:42With a looming deadline, is there light at the end of the tunnel?
01:46Nervous to see it in the space.
01:48Who knows until it's up?
01:50And in Spain...
01:51Let's get this party started, as I say.
01:53Can a boxing club pull in the punters and be a knockout success?
01:57If these guys don't go to sleep tonight,
02:00with every part of their body aching,
02:03I haven't done my job properly.
02:13Romania is one of Europe's fastest-grown tourism destinations,
02:18with visitor numbers for 2023 in excess of 13 million people.
02:24It's quite extraordinary how busy this place has got.
02:27Yeah.
02:28And it's no wonder, given what's on offer,
02:31beautiful countryside and stunning medieval architecture
02:35ensure people keep coming back for more.
02:38Living here gives us the benefit of the weather,
02:42the blue skies, the heat,
02:44particularly coming at this time of year when everything is so green.
02:48Yeah.
02:48It's just stunning.
02:50Stunning landscape and stunning people.
02:51Yeah.
02:53For Jim Turnbull and his wife Sally,
02:56life in Romania became a one-man and one-woman mission,
02:59to transform the fortunes of a beautiful corner of Transylvania
03:04that they call home.
03:06This one's going to Vizcari, the king's house.
03:11Jim, a former international rural development consultant,
03:15established a food factory and shop in the village of Sazkiz,
03:19as a social enterprise business that he hoped would help
03:23rejuvenate the local economy.
03:25We're not having tea with the king today.
03:27No.
03:30We might have a cup of tea or coffee at his place.
03:33Working with local farmers to buy their products,
03:37Tim manufactures an array of jams and chutneys,
03:39not to mention a number of beverages.
03:42I'm glad you're here to lift this up.
03:44Are you sure that's the right one?
03:45That is the right one.
03:46There is the piece of paper.
03:48Jim's hoping he can build the business up successfully
03:51and ensure that it thrives for the local community
03:55long into the future.
03:59In the village, increasingly, we have huge numbers of people
04:03coming here because we now have a trail developed
04:06called Via Transylvanica that goes all the way across Romania
04:09through some stunning landscapes.
04:13We are encouraging people to come to Sazkiz for the weekend
04:16and that helps the local guest houses.
04:18And there are a lot more than there used to be.
04:20And it helps us as well.
04:22Some of the guest houses send customers to our shop
04:25and we send people to them.
04:28It's August 2025.
04:31Wait a minute.
04:33No, let me swap.
04:34Because I'm going to take...
04:36While the food business supplies to retailers
04:39and restaurants in Romania,
04:41Jim also takes it out on the road
04:43and can often be seen with a stall at events and festivals.
04:47This weekend, Sazkiz hosts the Transylvanian Bike Trails Race,
04:51located a stone's throw from Jim's factory.
04:55It will start and finish in the square just below that church tower.
05:00There's probably 5,000 extra people in the village this weekend.
05:03Every guest house is full.
05:04And we have a stand, we've done this now for several years,
05:08and we sell pancakes with our jam.
05:11We did 6,000 pancakes last year.
05:14I mean, crazy.
05:17Building on last year's pancake success,
05:20this year's big plan is to offer locally produced elderflower cordial.
05:25And with temperatures in the mid-30s,
05:27Jim's hoping his refreshing recipe will be a big hit this weekend
05:31with both cyclists and race fans.
05:36Here we are filtering elderflower which has been stored in the cold room.
05:40We pass it through the filter and then we bottle it.
05:47We screw the metal cap on,
05:49and then this one just crimps at the base.
05:52In a big factory, that would all happen in a big machine.
05:55But we're not a big factory.
05:56Jim and his team have produced 5,000 bottles of cordial this year.
06:01Once the finished bottling in that tray is full,
06:04we will lift it into the water bath.
06:07We pasteurise it to keep it from fermenting.
06:13Before it can be sold, it needs to be pasteurised,
06:16a process which extends its shelf life.
06:19The latest batch of bottles weighing around 100 kilos
06:22now needs to be lifted with the help of Shawnee,
06:25and it's a delicate process.
06:29Now we will try to go a little bit back with it.
06:34Wherever possible,
06:36the raw ingredients for the elderflower cordial are sourced locally
06:39in an attempt to keep the company's carbon footprint low.
06:45So here we have an elder tree.
06:48In the spring, it will be covered in creamy white flowers,
06:52which are the elderflowers which we use to make cordial.
06:55We end up with berries in the autumn, and we make jam with these.
06:59And we also leave berries for the birds.
07:03While the contents are still to be tested,
07:05the secret to a good cordial is to serve it cold,
07:09and Jim has a cunning plan.
07:11We bought a beer dispensing and chilling unit,
07:16which we've been working on to adapt and use to serve sparkling cold water.
07:23We will take a cup, put some syrup in, and then put some cold water.
07:26The beer dispenser, as a cold water dispenser,
07:29could indeed be the secret weapon in this sort of weather.
07:31And so tomorrow we will see.
07:34His reconditioned device could really help drive up sales.
07:38So will cool drinks equal cold, hard profits?
07:48While some move to the sun hoping to slow down,
07:52others have their working lives ahead of them.
07:54All right, Marlowe, sit there, Bunny.
07:57Let me get you some pizza.
07:58Adrian and Serena chose the peaceful idyll of Gascony
08:02over their busy London lives
08:04and thought it was the perfect place
08:06to bring children Marlowe and Otis into the world.
08:10I'll do little bite-size amounts for you.
08:12We wanted to do something different.
08:16We wanted to step away from our corporate jobs
08:17and our kind of London grind
08:19and do something for ourselves, for our family.
08:22You know, living in the countryside,
08:24giving our children this freedom to live and play.
08:32Adrian and Serena's big project
08:35has been the ongoing transformation of their ancient chateau
08:38and the holiday cottage in the grounds.
08:41Renovations have seen the cottage recently welcome guests
08:45and they've been able to open a couple of bedrooms
08:48in the chateau itself, bringing in much-needed income.
08:52But work is now focused on the opulent Grand Salon,
08:56where the next phase of their grand plan will take place.
08:59The main aim is, like, weddings and, like, big events,
09:02stuff like that, but I think next year lots of, like, smaller events.
09:05We'd like to do some supper clubs
09:07and some more, kind of, intimate events.
09:10We know we have to get certain things finished
09:13and that really, like, focuses your mind
09:15and pushes you on so you actually get that done.
09:17We love a deadline.
09:18Yeah.
09:19We love just putting ourselves under unnecessary stress.
09:22I'll just be honest, I hate deadlines, but, you know.
09:27It's September, and having hosted around 50 guests over the summer,
09:31work is now fully focused on moving the chateau forward.
09:36Today, Adrian and Serena are painting the ceiling of the salon,
09:39which at four metres high is no small undertaking.
09:45I'm wiping it down to get rid of all the dust and dirt and cobwebs.
09:51The scale of the chateau demands massive quantities of paint,
09:55so it doesn't pay to scrimp on supplies.
09:58It's either just going to be enough or just not,
10:00which will be so annoying if it's not,
10:02because the shop to buy is an hour away.
10:05I've got to make it spread and cover.
10:08As Adrian gets closer to the finish,
10:11he needs to make every last drop count.
10:13That's so close.
10:15Come on!
10:18Renovations on a grand scale mean the jobs list is ever-growing,
10:22and as one task is ticked off, another can begin.
10:27I've got one full coat, which is good.
10:30We can push on.
10:32So now I'm going to clear the floor and get going on that.
10:37Adrian has 60 square metres of floor to sand by hand
10:42and only nine days to do it, as there's a big deadline looming.
10:47We've got friends coming over
10:49and we're going to do a little drinks and food reception in here
10:52so people can see how far we've come along
10:55since we've started our project.
10:57So it's going to be really nice, but there's a lot to do.
11:01So, yeah, days are whittling by very quickly.
11:05Bringing the old building back to life
11:06has been a steep learning curve for the pair
11:09and they've picked up many new techniques on the way.
11:12We've almost got to have a dry cloth
11:16because otherwise the grain of the wood comes up
11:20and you have to sand the whole thing again.
11:22So, I made that mistake once, so we'll not make it again.
11:29A week later, with the walls, ceiling and floor fully refurbished,
11:33the couple are now focused on the finishing touches.
11:37Just replacing the old sockets with new ones
11:42just to tidy it up a little bit.
11:44I saved a ton of money on the uplighters
11:49because they cost me €2 each in a shop
11:52and I was looking at a designer, like, based in Paris,
11:56who does these uplighters made of plaster
11:59and they're, like, upwards of €500 each
12:02and I was trying to find a replica
12:03and then I walked into the charity shop and they had those.
12:06So, I was pretty chuffed with that.
12:08With a huge saving made on the uplighters,
12:11Serena has splashed the cash on an antique chandelier.
12:15Purchased from local brocant owner Didier for €600,
12:20he's here today to fit it.
12:23It's going to be really, yeah, nervous to see it in the space.
12:26Who knows until it's up, right,
12:28whether it's going to be big enough.
12:31It's beautiful, so I think, I'm really hoping that it's right.
12:35And Serena doesn't have to wait long to find out.
12:39Wow, look.
12:41Look at that, Otis.
12:43Woo!
12:45Oh, my!
12:50It's beautiful.
12:57It works really well.
12:58I'm super happy about the size, the shape, everything.
13:04Like, couldn't be more perfect.
13:05It actually fits this space so well.
13:08It was obviously meant to be.
13:14Coming up...
13:15OK, start skipping.
13:17Find a space, start skipping.
13:18..a boot camp in Spain promises hard work and play.
13:23You can hear the laughter in the pool here.
13:25They're playing a bit of water polo.
13:26This is what it's all about, this retreat.
13:28It's about this, the laughter in that pool.
13:31Stakes are high in Romania.
13:33The weather's good.
13:34This is why we need to be ready to sell.
13:36That'll be a good opportunity.
13:38Will Jim and Sally's cordial quench the thirst of their customers?
13:43It tastes good and it's cold.
13:54The Costa Blanca is a real home from home for many Brits.
13:58Located in the Spanish province of Alicante,
14:02the area has attracted over 70,000 expats,
14:05enjoying everything the region has to offer.
14:08One of whom is ex-professional boxer Paddy Brennan.
14:13It's his heaven.
14:14This place here is tapas, drinks all day, socialising.
14:18You only need to work three days out here.
14:20It's so cheap, the cost of living.
14:21It's wonderful.
14:22While Paddy might have moved to Spain to relax,
14:25he's done no such thing.
14:28I've opened up an incredible boxing academy.
14:32And again, I'm employing several people down there.
14:34So this retirement that I had in my mindset,
14:36I have no clue where that went.
14:39Because within a couple of weeks out here,
14:41all of a sudden I find myself in the same position
14:43that I was back in the UK.
14:44And I'm absolutely flat out.
14:48Opening his boxing academy in the tourist resort of Javier
14:52in January this year, Paddy spent 70,000 euros
14:56creating a state of the art boxing gym.
15:00Again.
15:02Again.
15:03So far, he has around 60 members paying 60 euros a month
15:07to use the facilities and attend his boxing classes.
15:10And he's employing four members of staff in full and part-time roles.
15:17No hands.
15:19It's your legs.
15:20It's crucial that we get, you know, the numbers up,
15:23else it's not going to sustain itself.
15:25I need to get it up to around 150, 160 members.
15:27Three, two, and time.
15:31And I'm going to try my very best to get that done
15:32before the end of this year.
15:36It's July, and in an attempt to sustain the gym financially,
15:40Paddy is putting on a boot camp event
15:43in partnership with a holistic sports club from Valencia.
15:47Good morning, guys.
15:49Sleep OK? You ready for this?
15:51After the minibus carrying the guests blew two tyres the night before,
15:55the five-star welcome he had planned hit the skids.
15:59But he's finally up and running.
16:02Well, I think that's it, then.
16:03So, let's get this party started, as I say.
16:08Paddy's charging 400 euros per head for bed, board and boxing.
16:13And he's starting the day with what he knows best.
16:16Anybody not go to rope? Anybody got rope?
16:18A classic boxing warm-up.
16:20OK, start skipping. Find a space, start skipping.
16:23Right, let's go to work.
16:24With so much riding on the event, Paddy's relieved to get started.
16:29They're now here. They've arrived.
16:31They're now going to start their training.
16:32This is what they've come for.
16:34So, yeah, it's going to be fantastic.
16:35He's running the boot camp in collaboration with Breathe & Box,
16:40a holistic club set up by fellow Irishman Shane.
16:43This weekend, I've brought down a big gang of people,
16:46and the whole kind of concept is, like, yin and yang,
16:48energising the body and relaxing the body.
16:50Unbelievable.
16:53Paddy soon has his guests sparring,
16:55and he's certainly giving them their money's worth.
16:59If these guys don't go to sleep tonight,
17:01with every part of their body aching,
17:04I haven't done my job properly.
17:05The high-intensity workout is going down well with the boot camp.
17:10I love boxing, right? So, I love boxing.
17:12I always have.
17:13I love the fitness.
17:15I love the mindset of it and the discipline.
17:17So, for me...
17:21My first impression is, like, I'm in love,
17:23with the view in the villa, here at the box,
17:26because it's like, let's go, don't give up, you can't.
17:30So, it's really good.
17:33After putting them through their paces,
17:36it's time to go back to the villa
17:38and chilling out is top of the agenda.
17:43To relieve any aching muscles and reduce inflammation,
17:47it's ice baths all round,
17:49and Peter and John are the first to take the plunge.
17:53It's been a great weekend so far.
17:56A few turns.
17:56We've had our ups, we've had our downs.
17:58Some unexpected twists.
18:01But we are here now, covered in ice.
18:04This view is definitely helping.
18:07Having struck a deal with the owners of the villa
18:10to provide accommodation for the retreat,
18:12Paddy was careful to find a place
18:14with enough space to cater for all his guests' needs.
18:18And it seems to be paying off.
18:20You can hear the laughter in the pool here.
18:23They're playing a bit of water polo,
18:24done a bit of table tennis and everything here.
18:26Listen, this is what it's all about, this retreat, this boot camp.
18:30It's about this, the laughter in that pool.
18:32Just look at that.
18:35By the end of the retreat, having found his stride,
18:38Paddy can treat himself to a little pool time
18:41and reflect on a job well done.
18:43Because of my first one, it was about getting the,
18:46you know, getting the retreat right.
18:48And I think we've got it right.
18:49So, in terms of earning any money on this occasion,
18:52I don't think we have, I think we've broken even.
18:54But that's great, we haven't lost any money.
18:56But this is something where we can build and look at our future events.
18:59So, yeah, I'm really, really pleased.
19:02Everybody here is going to go back to Valencia
19:05and they are going to shout from the top of everybody's apartments
19:08how wonderful this retreat was.
19:10With an even more ambitious event on the horizon,
19:14can Paddy pull off promotion and profits?
19:22Hoping they can pull in the punters and get some money in the till,
19:26it's set up day for Jim and Sally
19:28as Sazkiz prepares to host a bike event.
19:32We have this banner, which is about pancakes.
19:37And their food stall is almost ready to go.
19:40Where are we going to put it?
19:42Although the big race isn't until tomorrow,
19:45a series of children's races are taking place today,
19:48allowing Jim and his team a practice run before the main event.
19:53The kids love pancakes. They like our pancakes.
19:57This is why we need to be ready to sell with all the parents around as well.
20:01That would be a good opportunity.
20:03For now, the sun looks to be shining on Sazkiz.
20:08The weather is good.
20:10Hopefully we won't get any rain.
20:12If it stays dry and not too warm, I think we'll be fine.
20:17And, you know, being opposite the beer tent
20:19is actually a very good place to do pancakes.
20:22I think we're in good shape.
20:25Jim has Michaela, Diana and Maria manning the stall today.
20:30And while pancakes are always their biggest sellers
20:33at these kind of events,
20:34Sally is trying out a new product
20:36that she hopes will go down well with the race fans.
20:40We bring a lot of stock because people know our products here.
20:44Some of this stock will go on with the bruschetta
20:46that we are trialling this year
20:48and mix some chilli jam up with my tomatoes and basil,
20:51and we'll just see what happens.
20:54Before they go on sale to the public,
20:56the all-important taste test needs to be conducted
20:59by Jim and his team.
21:03Very good.
21:04It's refreshing. A hint of garlic in the back.
21:07It's very good.
21:07I thought it was good.
21:09While Sally's savoury is clearly a hit,
21:12today is about the debut of the elderflower cordial
21:15and there's a lot riding on Jim's repurposed beer keg.
21:19Our first.
21:20Now set up for chilled carbonated water.
21:24It tastes good and it's cold.
21:26Known locally as cicata,
21:28it's a traditional Romanian drink.
21:30We are going to have some elderflower cordial.
21:34A positive taste test with some locals
21:36would be just the thumbs up Jim is looking for.
21:40It's natural.
21:41It's only got elderflower, water, sugar and some lemon juice.
21:47Yes, it's very good.
21:48Very good. Very good.
21:50Very, very good.
21:51It's really tasty, it's sweet, it's very flavoured.
21:55So, cheers.
21:58With ten full-time employees working for his social enterprise,
22:02it's vital Jim keeps the profits rolling in to sustain the business.
22:07Today, I think, has been pretty good.
22:09I think given how many portions of syrup we've sold at previous events,
22:14we've done maybe 80 today.
22:16So, let's hope tomorrow is very exciting.
22:19Today is the set up day really.
22:23And by chance, of course, there are lots of people here.
22:25So, we've started to sell.
22:28And to be honest, it's been pretty good.
22:30We've had a lot of interest in our products
22:32and we have to be back here by eight o'clock tomorrow morning
22:36for the main event.
22:37We're all set to go.
22:42Coming up...
22:43Right, do you want to come and help me?
22:45It's party time for Adrian and Serena.
22:48Quite a lot to lay out still.
22:50With two small children, what can they want?
22:52Will they be ready for the big reveal?
22:55It's an improper tour of the whole place.
22:57The kids wanted to see.
22:59And at Paddy's Boxing Academy...
23:01Everything good?
23:02Come on, boy.
23:03Can an ambitious event put the club on the map?
23:08More and more people coming through,
23:09so I know I'm expecting a big crowd here.
23:11150, 200 people.
23:12I'm probably the nervous one here.
23:24We're back in Gascony with Adrian and Serena.
23:28Right, do you want to come and help me?
23:29Yeah.
23:30Yeah, come with them.
23:31It's October, and with their first summer season at an end,
23:35the couple are hosting their friends at the Chateau,
23:38keen to show off the renovation of the Grand Salon
23:41where they hope to eventually host weddings and events.
23:45We've got quite a lot to lay out still.
23:47With two small children, what can go wrong?
23:51They're preparing a buffet for their guests with locally sourced ingredients including herbs from the garden.
23:58Let's go and grab the rosemary.
24:01Nice green bits.
24:02That's a good bit there.
24:04Hang on.
24:06Can we help?
24:07There you go.
24:09Adrian's made homemade hummus.
24:12Passed down for decades.
24:14No.
24:14I watched it on YouTube last night.
24:17We're just going to cut up some little bits to dip.
24:20Such a variety of vegetables.
24:24Just adds quite a nice colour to the board.
24:27Oh, that's a bubble.
24:28That means it's going to be delicious.
24:30Right, do you want to pour olive oil all over the top?
24:34Spread it around.
24:36Well done.
24:37Keep going.
24:38A bit around here.
24:40Right, now we get little bits like this.
24:44And we just go like this.
24:50Good job.
24:51Let's get it in the oven.
24:54Right.
24:56Now we leave it.
24:59Food preparations are almost complete.
25:04I think it's good.
25:04She needs to sit.
25:05Which is just as well as the guests are beginning to arrive.
25:10Come in, come in, come in.
25:11Salut.
25:13No, come in, let me get you a drink.
25:16It's not every day that you get the chance
25:18to have a nosy round a fairytale French chateau.
25:22It's an impropute tour of the whole place.
25:24The kids wanted to see.
25:27Oh, look at this.
25:28Look at this.
25:30Yeah, I would wake up with a view like this.
25:32It's clear that everyone is blown away
25:34by Adrian and Serena's transformation of the chateau.
25:39I've been here before,
25:40and they've really done a great progress with everything.
25:42It's beautiful.
25:43There's quite a lot of people who want to get married
25:45and have big family holidays,
25:48and to have this available is just so great
25:51to be able to stay in a chateau,
25:52especially run by such great hoes.
25:55Absolutely stunning.
25:56It looks like a postcard.
25:58It's beautiful.
25:59Yeah.
25:59Something out of Disney, isn't it?
26:01Yeah.
26:02Well, the amount of work they've done is just stupendous
26:07and the level of finish that they've managed to achieve.
26:10They used to be, you know, super proud of themselves.
26:12Not only doing the renovation, but, you know,
26:14having a family to achieve what they've achieved
26:16is incredible, really.
26:19Adrian and Serena's piece de resistance surely has to be the work completed
26:25on the Grand Salon, which has been transformed from a dusty and drafty
26:29unloved space into the elegant beating heart of the chateau.
26:34It's really nice to, like, see the space being used and, yeah.
26:38This is our first real kind of event.
26:40I think everyone's, as you can hear, enjoying themselves still.
26:43So, it's been really nice to, like, launch it
26:45and then have everyone that we've met over our journey of being here.
26:49Yeah.
26:50And what a journey it's been, with a new life and new careers established.
26:55I think it's gone really well, like, I think better than we expected.
26:59No?
26:59In terms of bookings, yeah.
27:01Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
27:01And also reviews.
27:04Feedback from the guests is what kept us going.
27:06Yeah, I think it would have been devastating if we had, like, opened up
27:09and then, like, all that hard work and got, like, average reviews.
27:13I think the most positive feedback is that people felt like it's a home from home.
27:19It feels nice and comfortable and luxurious and it's got all the things you need.
27:25Getting the cottage open, we opened in April and we had a full season,
27:30but the chateau, there was a lot of work to do.
27:32We had guests on site and we were renovating.
27:35It means you're just constantly, there's a lot going on.
27:38What we found here is a deadline really helps.
27:41Because it's such a big place, you can just sort of get lost.
27:43Yeah.
27:44And to, like, not really know where to focus your time.
27:47Big boy peddling.
27:48Go, go, go, go, go, go, go, go.
27:50You got it, you got it, keep going.
27:52While their first year as hosts has been a steep learning curve,
27:56Adrian and Serena have big plans for growing their business.
28:00In 2026, I mean, we're going to be launching the new website.
28:04Then we have that ability to, like...
28:06take direct bookings.
28:07Yeah.
28:07And we hope to just build out on the, kind of, event programme really.
28:13We know that the accommodation alone is not, kind of, enough.
28:18We have to do other things around that to bring in other streams of income
28:22for this type of project.
28:24Yeah.
28:24So, you know, that's essentially what we're hoping in the future.
28:29Can you signal, Otis?
28:31To get it completely finished as a whole place
28:34and then open is just not terrible.
28:37Yeah, 15 years.
28:38Another 10 years.
28:39And then everything we have done will be so old,
28:42we'd have to redo it.
28:43Despite the enormity of what they've taken on,
28:46they're fully committed to their lives in France.
28:49I'm loving it.
28:50I really like it.
28:52Yeah, we're here to stay, for sure.
28:54Miss the French bread, if we ever went back.
29:06Back in the Costa Blanca,
29:08Paddy's looking at a landmark moment for his club.
29:12Everything good?
29:12Come on, boy. Yeah, you feel good?
29:14Good.
29:15Today he's hosting a tournament
29:17where the young boxers, he and head trainer Marcelo,
29:20have been developing, will have their first ever fight.
29:24Four, five, six...
29:27Paddy's hoping the show will help boost the profile of the gym
29:31and get those all-important membership numbers up.
29:36It's going to be an incredible day.
29:38These guys have been with me since February.
29:40I am so excited.
29:42It's about them, it isn't about me,
29:44it isn't about all the other people around me.
29:46It's about getting this boxing club on the map
29:48and getting my kids up there
29:51and show what they've done for the past year.
29:53I am so, so proud of everyone.
29:56Paddy's local boxers are matching up against a boxing club from Ireland
30:01where Paddy's family are from.
30:03Fourteen bouts of three rounds each means there's a lot going on.
30:08So today I'm the emcee, so I'm the master of the ceremony,
30:11so I'll be organising everybody.
30:13Paddy has a doctor on site,
30:15giving each of the boxers a rigorous medical
30:17before they are past fit to fight.
30:20Protocols are also in place to ensure the safety of the boxers.
30:25Get any cuts on the head, no arguments, stop, boom, gone.
30:28Any cuts round your eyes?
30:29Any cuts round their eyes whatsoever, we stop.
30:32We don't take that risk.
30:33But if it's a nosebleed, we've got the towels at the side of the ring,
30:35we've got the buckets, and we stop.
30:37As the boxers warm up, Paddy checks on the rest of his helpers
30:40to make sure they're up to speed with their roll for the day.
30:44So you know what you're doing?
30:45You're on my timekeeper? Yeah.
30:47You're also the guy, the bell ringer.
30:50Perfect, that's it.
30:51Perfect, come through.
30:54Perfect.
30:55And you, my brother, you're a doorman for me.
30:58No problem.
30:59Yeah, just to control the crowd.
31:01A Paddy pep talk to his stable of fighters
31:04is his last chance to speak to them before they step into the ring.
31:09It's going to be great.
31:10I want you to enjoy this, guys.
31:11I want you to have the time of your life.
31:12We've got a professional ref coming.
31:14You listen to him, you abide by his rules, and that's it.
31:17It's going to be an absolutely great show.
31:18It's your first one you're going to remember this the rest of your life.
31:21And as the crowd files in, the tension's rising.
31:26You know, it's starting to fill up here now.
31:28There's more and more people coming through,
31:29so I know I'm expecting a big crowd here.
31:31150, 200 people.
31:33I'm probably the nervous one here.
31:35All these guys, you know, they're sort of bouncing,
31:36they're sort of laughing, they're joking.
31:38Just got the referee in the changing room,
31:40giving them the rules and regulations.
31:42They've got to get up off the floor by eight,
31:44so if you don't get by eight, that's it, they're finished.
31:46And with that crowd filling up every available space in the gym...
31:51OK.
31:52You ready?
31:54..it's finally showtime.
31:58OK, ladies and gentlemen.
31:59Hello, hello.
32:01..joining Paddy as Spanish translator Tess.
32:04Do you want to repeat what I said?
32:05Bienvenidos a todos.
32:07Aquí estamos Paddy y yo, Tess.
32:11Honestly, thank you very much for all your support.
32:13Thanks for turning up here today.
32:15We've got an Irish team and the Spanish guys here.
32:18They're representing probably seven different countries.
32:20We've got so many different people here.
32:22Right, the Spanish team, are you ready?
32:24Yes.
32:24The Spanish team, everybody.
32:26Spanish team.
32:30Having coached this group since the boxing gym opened,
32:34Paddy is hopeful that these first-time fighters will do him proud.
32:39Get ready for the Irish.
32:40Now, listen, on their T-shirts, win or lose,
32:43we're on the booze.
32:44Do you want to say that?
32:46No pierden, porque toman mucho!
32:53Flown in especially for the event,
32:55their opponents from Donegal Island...
32:58Irish, you ready to go?
32:59..come with a lot of experience.
33:02Come on!
33:05Come on, kids!
33:06While Paddy is originally from the Emerald Isle,
33:10he has no split loyalties today,
33:12and he's looking for his Costa Blanca warriors to come out on top.
33:16You ready for this, kids?
33:18Yeah.
33:18You ready?
33:19Remember, listen to the referee.
33:21Let's make it nice and clean.
33:22Let's give these guys a show.
33:25Let's put the Academy in Costa Blanca on the map for me, guys.
33:28Let's get this well-known throughout the world.
33:31Come on, Academy guys, come on.
33:32All right, kids?
33:33OK, let's go.
33:34Woo!
33:35Woo!
33:36Woo!
33:43Coming up...
33:44There's a huge number of people in the town.
33:47Jim and Sally are under starter's orders.
33:50Everything's set up.
33:51The crew were up at seven o'clock.
33:53But could their cordial use a bit more bite?
33:56It is a little bit too sweet.
33:58That's what we're working on.
34:00And in Spain...
34:01Absolutely incredible, Marcel, I swear to God.
34:03Emotions are running high ringside for Paddy.
34:07The atmosphere in here is absolutely electric.
34:10I don't care who wins.
34:12I am so proud of these lads.
34:26In Romania, it's race day.
34:28DJ, we'll have one minute until the start.
34:33Hundreds of riders have assembled in Saskiz for a series of trail bike races in the Transylvanian countryside.
34:4215 seconds until the start.
34:45It's a very hot August morning as the first group are sent on their way.
34:55It's quite a big race.
34:57For Jim and Sally, there's a lot riding on the event.
35:00We hear there's about 1,200 in the big race and maybe another 200, 300 in other smaller races.
35:08With their factory at the heart of this community, their stall will be the go-to place for food and
35:14drinks.
35:17Everybody seems to be arriving with wives, girlfriends, children.
35:21So there's a huge number of people in the town.
35:24Everything's set up.
35:25The crew were up at seven o'clock mixing up the butter for the pancakes, getting the stock.
35:30Beautiful weather, blue sky, no rain forecast, but it's going to be hot.
35:35I'm hoping that there will be a demand for soft drinks.
35:39Kids love our soft drinks.
35:41And once the kids start drinking it, the parents follow.
35:44We're all ready to go.
35:46Try Before You Buy is Sally and Jim's pitch for their best-selling soft drink.
35:52We are giving away Elderflower Cool Deal so people will have the taste.
35:57We find that by handing out a taster is by far the best way to get people buying it.
36:04Elderflower Cordial has a long history in Romania and drinkers can be very particular about the taste.
36:11We have some socata which we would like you to taste.
36:14OK.
36:15This is a new recipe that we were working on.
36:19But it's good, it's very refreshing.
36:21But a bit more tangy and then it will be...
36:24Next time it will be more tangy.
36:27But it's great.
36:29OK.
36:30Socata is a very traditional Romanian soft drink.
36:35And it was the only soft drink during communism.
36:37So they are hyper critical.
36:39And every family has their own recipe.
36:42But her feedback was correct.
36:44It is a little bit too sweet.
36:46That's what we're working on.
36:47Sally is hopeful that her homemade bruschetta will hit the mark.
36:52It's really, really tasty.
36:55And it's perfect because in Romania it's also the season for the best tomatoes.
37:01Local, seasonal, fresh.
37:03Yeah.
37:03It's the best breakfast.
37:09As the various races finish...
37:14..and the awards are handed out...
37:22..Jim and Sally can slip away, leaving their staff to keep the stall ticking over.
37:32Up in the hills overlooking Saskiz, there's a particular place that the couple cherish.
37:40We've been coming up here for ten years.
37:44It's just a nice, relaxing thing to do.
37:47Yeah.
37:48With a successful summer season coming to a close,
37:52Jim and Sally can reflect on the social enterprise that's been a labour of love.
37:57We have invested a lot of effort and emotion in this company.
38:03There is a saying that people from Glasgow don't give up,
38:06and I'm from Glasgow, so I haven't given up.
38:09The couple have given so much to the local area that they love.
38:15Romania feels like home, because it is.
38:19Here we're part of the community, and actually that would be a much bigger wrench.
38:23Yeah.
38:23To leave.
38:24As they soak up the sunset in their favourite spot,
38:27they can reflect on many successes and a bright future ahead of them.
38:32We just seem to be going crazy with orders coming in.
38:35We've got two distributors now in Germany, one in the UK.
38:39We've got orders going off in every direction.
38:41And what may be happening right now is that suddenly people are realising
38:45that actually our products actually are quite good.
38:48While the social enterprise looks set to prosper,
38:51as ever, Jim has an eye out for any further opportunities.
38:56I'm thinking we need to set up Sunset Cafe up here,
38:59charge a parking fee.
39:08Keeping him on his toes in the Costa Blanca,
39:15Paddy's first ever Spanish boxing tournament is underway.
39:21While the boxers are showcasing their skills and trading punches,
39:26the spectators are enthralled, and it's so busy that latecomers
39:31are having to watch proceedings from outside.
39:35As the winners and losers of the first few bouts received their medals,
39:43it's clear the experience has been a memorable one.
39:47The people here, even if they're Spanish, they're still cheering us on.
39:51Oh, it's great to be out here.
39:54It's a big atmosphere in there.
39:57Despite Paddy's stable of boxers being relatively inexperienced,
40:02against the Irish fighters, they appear to be more than holding their own.
40:07Nine fights in, we've won eight. We've got another five fights to go.
40:11I am so proud of these lads.
40:14The final few fights feature some of the heavyweight boxers,
40:18making for an explosive and exciting climax to the tournament.
40:27No! No, it's not!
40:29He's always rolling under, always rolling under.
40:32Play with your uppercuts and body shots.
40:34You catch him always there. You catch him always there.
40:39With the final winners announced and the last of the medals awarded,
40:43Paddy is keen to make sure his right-hand man Marcelo is given credit
40:48for all he's done for the young fighters making their debut in the ring today.
40:54Marcelo, what you've done for these boys, and it's you.
40:58You've spent all the hours God sends here training those kids.
41:01But honestly, for me, it was just incredible.
41:03Absolutely incredible, Marcelo. I swear to God.
41:09The atmosphere in here was absolutely electric.
41:12I don't care who wins. I don't care who loses.
41:14It's about the taking part.
41:15And these guys here, they've made a dozen friends now.
41:25It's clear that Paddy's impact on the lives of the young people
41:29who have learned to become boxers in under a year
41:32is nothing short of remarkable.
41:34He's very close to us. He's always showed us support.
41:39He's helped us all. He's an incredible person.
41:42Paddy, and Marcelo, are one of the best trainers I've ever had.
41:46I don't know if you can do that.
41:48Having invested so much in the academy, both financially and emotionally,
41:53the excitement of the tournament is sure to stick with Paddy
41:56for a long time to come.
41:58So the event is such a high point for me
42:01because it was a real family affair.
42:04We had a woman, but when her son got in there,
42:07the whole community went crazy for this guy.
42:10And even though he lost his mother, oh, my God,
42:13it was one of her proudest moments
42:15to put the medal on him.
42:16And everybody says, well, well, well, Paddy.
42:19This was absolutely, truly amazing.
42:23What you've done for our kids in our community is incredible.
42:29You were all in it together, and that's why I do this boxing.
42:32I love the energy, I love the people,
42:34I love what I get back from it.
42:36I just love the experience of meeting new people.
42:39It's incredible.
42:55This first year of running the business, the main aim for Paddy
42:59was to get his membership numbers up so he could begin to break even
43:03and stop his monthly losses.
43:05And he's recruited another 40 since the season started.
43:09Got over 100 members in there.
43:11It's not quite as many as I wanted.
43:13You know, to make this academy pay for itself, you know, I need at least 150.
43:18But after yesterday's show and, you know, the many people that were there,
43:24I think, you know, into next year it's going to get even better.
43:28Nobody gets a business off the ground in the first year.
43:31You know, you need at least two years before, you know,
43:33we start to, you know, build anything real.
43:36With profits within touching distance,
43:39Paddy's fighting spirit means he's full of confidence
43:42that he can come out victorious in the year ahead.
43:46Next year I may try it a little bit different.
43:49I may bring a few other things on stream.
43:51I'll look maybe to go bring my team out to another country.
43:56If I can have a rematch with those kids from yesterday,
43:59you know, over in Ireland, it'd be even better.
44:01But my achievement really was yesterday.
44:04We spent a year building these kids
44:06and yesterday they gave it all to me.
44:09And that is why I'll continue to do it.
44:12It's got to keep growing. I can't stop.
44:19Next time, more Brits realise their dreams.
44:24Yay!
44:25A yoga lover from London's path to peace is paved with potholes.
44:30I had one quote for 22,000 euros.
44:33That's, like, my whole budget.
44:37Looking good, girl.
44:38Fitness fanatics from Kettering build a boot camp in Bulgaria.
44:42I will cover them, love. I will cover them.
44:44Yeah, cos they'll probably look a bit of an eyesore otherwise,
44:47won't they, love?
44:48And the Plymouth motorcyclist's new adventure is no easy ride.
44:53Anna's grandmother used to say
44:54the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.
44:57Stay looking really vem,
44:58See youוטing.
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