The Swanage Oracle - February/March 2015

The Swanage

Oracle

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The independent directory of local businesses serving the residents of Swanage

Delivered FREE around the town

February/March 2015

In this issue: Win a meal for two at the Bull & Boat Ann Montini meets the Stars: Vincent & Flavia Purbeck Events Local Business Directory Dorset Wildlife Trust: Wildlife is counting on you!

Martin Lewis: Using the savings fountain to boost your savings National Trust in Purbeck What’s On at The Mowlem Motoring: Toyota RAV4 Purbeck U3A Meetings Adventures of Nellie

Photo: Julian Sawyer www.purbeckfootprints.co.uk

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Swanage Oracle

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Introduction

The Swanage Edition 81

Oracle

Published by:

Stephen & Debbie Corney and Martin Budden at Purbeck Publications

Telephone: 01929 408080 Email: info@swanageoracle.co.uk

Copy deadline for the March 2015 edition: 20th February 2015

Disclaimer: Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that data in this publication is accurate, the publisher cannot accept any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause.

The Swanage Oracle does not officially endorse any advertising material included within the publication. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval systems or transmitted in any form, without prior permission of the publisher.

Proud members of

Dear Swanage Residents, So here we are in February 2015! We seem to be doing well as far as the weather is concerned. I wonder if we will get away with a relatively mild winter, or will that snow from America arrive much to the children’s delight? I do remember an April, not so long ago when we had quite a lot of snow, then last year I think was quite sunny in April, so who knows?

Whatever it will be we will manage I am sure.

Nellie took us to the Wareham Forest for a Geocache this month. What fun we had finding all the clues and using the GPS to guide us along our way. If you haven’t tried this before and like walking we highly recommend it. You can see “The Adventures of Nellie”, the Purbeck Publications Campervan, on pages 26 and 27. If you have any suggestions as to places she could take us in the next few months, so that we can write about it, please let me know.

Once the weather gets a bit warmer again, she will take us camping!

Following my New Year’s Resolution to sort the house out we have started to throw those unwanted items away. I have to say there is a lot to do! Here in The Swanage Oracle are professionals and local companies who can help you. Please use their services and do mention the Oracle when making any calls and inquiries. I love to know that the advertisers are hearing from you.

There is also our monthly prize wordsearch. The lucky winner last month was M. Hall. Well done and we hope you have a great meal at The Bull & Boat!

Wishing you a great month.

All the best,

Debbie & Stephen Corney Useful Numbers Local Police Southern Electricity Transco Gas Emergency Swanage Hospital

101 08457 708090 0800 111999 01929 422282

01929 408080

Train Enquires Wilts & Dorset Bus Wessex Water Emerg.

Purbeck Distict Council

08457 484950 01983 827005 0845 600 4600 01929 556561

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Swanage Oracle

Community News

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Partner with 30 years’ experience strengthens Humphries Kirk solicitors’ team Humphries Kirk solicitors, a firm with seven offices across Dorset and Somerset, has expanded its team by welcoming experienced private client solicitor Ann Corke as a partner of the firm.

Ann read law at Bristol University, trained in London and boasts more than 30 years’ legal experience.

Throughout her career she has focused on acting for families with issues such as succession planning, administration of estates and wills.

She also joins the Humphries Kirk International Network, which includes a worldwide group of legal and business advisers.

Ann is a member of the Law Society’s private client section and of Bournemouth and District Law Society as well as being a member of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners.

Ann says: “I am both thrilled and excited to be joining Humphries Kirk and working with local clients in the community as well as those with international interests.”

Ann was previously at Dorset law firm Lester Aldridge for 13 years and prior to that at a Ringwood law firm for 20 years. Ann and her family live in the Isle of Purbeck and she will be based in the firm’s Swanage and Wareham offices.

Simon Cross, senior private client partner and notary public at Humphries Kirk, said: “As well as her legal skills as

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Ann Corke a solicitor, as partner Ann also brings a number of other important attributes to the firm such as her international expertise and extensive knowledge of the local area. She will be an asset to the team and we are delighted to welcome her.”

Humphries Kirk provides legal expertise to private and commercial clients, with offices in Parkstone, Poole, Bournemouth, Dorchester, Crewkerne, Swanage, Wareham and consulting rooms in Wimborne, Yeovil and London and is a member of the HKI network of international lawyers.

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Swanage Oracle

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. . . s r a t S e h t s t e e m i Ann Montin

This month’s stars are

Vincent & Flavia Strictly Come Dancing (SCD) favourites, Vincent and Flavia, are back with their best show yet in “Dance till Dawn”. After a sellout run in London’s West End, it’s now on tour!

Ann - What is the show about?

Flavia - “Glamour murder, comedy, and of course super dancing?”

Ann - Now tell me, do you both audition the dancers for your own shows?

Vincent - “We do, but it’s easy as everyone wants to do their best, and that way we end up with the best dancers.”

Ann - The costumes are all wonderful too did you have a hand in selecting them?

Flavia - “Well I want glamour all the time, and every time I and Vincent do a scene, I want the wow factor from dance, and then the costumes.”

Ann - Do you miss appearing on SCD? Both - “Of course. We did it for over ten years, but while we miss it, and owe it so much, we also felt we had done all we could with it.”

embrace your inner dancer, and you will be fine.”

Ann - Who are your dancing idols?

Flavia - “Fred and Ginger, Ann Margaret, Cyd Charisse, Ann Miller, so many but then they were multi-talented too, which is a gift.“ Ann - How about movies?

Vincent -“We both love those kind of movies, and think the time is ripe for them to come back, but it’s all about the right timing, but for sure that would be a dream for us both really.”

Ann - Tell me why we should all come along to see Dance Till Dawn?

Both - “It’s the most high energy, glamorised, fun loving show touring the UK right now, and we want to see all our fans!“ Ann - Finally will we ever see you return to SCD? Both - “Never rule it out, I mean we both still love and adore the show, and have many friends still on it, so yes hopefully one day.”

Ann - What about Sir Bruce quitting the show?

Both - “We loved him, and he was so kind and supportive really, I think he is vastly underrated as a performer, as he can do so much and really is a brilliant dancer also.”

Ann - Truthfully can you teach anyone to dance, or are there cases that you just give up on?

Both - “No everyone can do something, but its allowing yourself to go, and let go,

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Ann with Vincent and Flavia backstage at the Aldwych Theatre in London

Photo: Maycon Pictures

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Swanage Oracle

National Trust News

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National Trust in Purbeck Do you enjoy working with natural materials like stone, wood, wool, clay or even cow horn? If so Corfe Castle needs you.

We are looking for volunteer artisans, including masons, to help us unravel the secrets of medieval life.

If you’ve been inspired by the recent Secrets of the Castle programmes on BBC TV, come and join us. Based on medieval illustrations and documents, we’ve constructed a timber frame Mason’s Lodge in the outer bailey of the castle and need a new team of volunteers to bring it to life.

The lodge will be used by National Trust volunteers and staff as a base for crafts and skills that would have been part of castle life in the middle ages.

We are looking for people with a passion for working with natural materials who would like to join our team taking forward a unique and innovative project here at Corfe Castle.

You’ll be working in the open air among like-minded people in an inspiring and beautiful place. Hours are flexible and we supply t ra i n i n g , s u p p o r t , t e a , biscuits, travel expenses and a warm fire.

Our reconstruction archaeology includes m a k i n g w i n d ow s f r o m leaves of cow horn. These were a feature of Tudor

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town houses.

Apprentices took seven years to complete their time as it was a very skilled job, although little is known about the process today.

Cow horn is boiled to release the core then heated again to be cut, shaved as thinly as possible and cut into ‘leaves’.

The leaves were boiled to soften them, flattened using heavy weights and then slotted into a wooden frame. It is a long, slow progress with many pitfalls and a pretty awful smell!

If you would like to become part of this exciting project please join us in the Outer Bailey of Corfe Castle at 10.30am on Friday 13 February. Alternatively, contact Pam White on 01929 477062 or pam.white@nationaltrust.org.uk.

We look forward to meeting you.

Jon Bish, Communications Officer Pam White daubing the Mason’s Lodge, Corfe Castle - Photo: NT/Neil Davidson

13 THE FRIENDS OF UPTON COUNTRY PARK (Reg Charity No. 272450)

Wedding Fair SUNDAY 1st March 2015 11:00am to 4:00pm

UPTON HOUSE UPTON COUNTRY PARK POOLE, DORSET BH17 7BJ ENTRANCE to the HOUSE £1 Accompanied Children FREE Refreshments available in the Park FREE CAR PARKING Inquiries Tel: 01202 262753 www.uptoncountrypark.org

Swanage Oracle

Purbeck Wedding Fair

THE FRIENDS OF UPTON COUNTRY PARK (Reg Charity No. 272450)

“Meeting Points” SUNDAY 1st March 2015

Thursday 26 February 2015 11:00am to 4:00pm UPTON HOUSE, UPTON C.P. 10am for 10:30am start till 12pm POOLE, DORSET BH17 7BJ at Harman’s Cross Village Hall ENTRANCE to the HOUSE £1 Children FREE “My LifeAccompanied in China” FREE CAR PARKING

David Grierson in China Inquirieslived Tel: 01202 262753for seven years during a www.uptoncountrypark.org period of tremedous economic and social change.

He will talk THE FRIENDS OF UPTON COUNTRY PARK about his experiences as a teacher and about the enigmaticWedding contrasts and contradictions he found there. The talk will be fully illustrated Fair and promises to be both humorous and SUNDAY 1st March 2015 thought provoking.

11:00am toThere 4:00pm will, of course, be UPTON HOUSE ample time for questions.

UPTON COUNTRY PARK All are welcome to joinBH17 us. 7BJ POOLE, DORSET ENTRANCE to the HOUSE The Purbeck University of £1the Third Age Accompanied Children FREE (U3A) is aInquiries registered charity. Find more Tel: 01202 262753 www.uptoncountrypark.org information at: www.purbecku3a.org.uk.

(Reg Charity No. 272450)

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Wildlife News

Talking about Wildlife...

Wildlife is counting on you!

How many wildlife sightings do you have every day? If you were to write it down, you’d be surprised how many wildlife encounters you have! For all novice or experienced wildlife enthusiasts out there, Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT), as part of the Great Heath Living Landscape project, has launched ‘Species of the Month’ – a project to help us record vital information about wildlife on your doorstep.

Every month we’d like to receive your sightings of one new species we need data for- all you have to do is send us your sightings of that species. Receiving sightings from all around Dorset allows us to get a bigger, better picture of where wildlife is in the county, so we can manage our conservation work more effectively.

We will feature rarer species, lesser known species and the common species too and to help you get ahead with your counting, we will include a factsheet with tips on how to attract the species of the month in to your garden. Garden acreage is at least five times that of all the nature reserves and national parks in the UK put together and so provide a vital resource for wildlife. Gardens can be a real haven for wildlife providing resting, feeding and breeding sites for all sorts of different animals.

The featured species in the month of February is the Green Woodpecker. These red headed, colourful green birds can be found all year round and can be recognised by their loud laughing or ‘’yaffle’’ call, their undulating flight and their tendency to feed on the ground. They mainly eat ants so you can often see them digging their beak in

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Green Woodpecker

by Kevin Cook

to the ground to get at ant colonies. They nest in holes that they excavate in trees in broadleaved woodlands, orchards, large parks and gardens.

To send in your sightings, email APhillips@ dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk with your name, date, how many individuals were seen and the location. The species of the month factsheet and more information about “Making Wildlife Welcome in Your Garden” can be found by visiting the website www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

By Katie Wilkinson

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Swanage Oracle

26/01/2015 11:06

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Food & Drink

Naturally good...

Pecan crusted chicken breast stuffed with roasted butternut squash and goats cheese served with a white wine and pancetta cream sauce

1. Pre heat the oven to 380F/180c.

2. Place the butternut squash onto a baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place into the oven to bake until cooked through and starting to turn golden brown; this should take For the stuffed chicken approximately 15 to 20 minutes.

4 chicken breasts 3. Using a small knife, make an incision into the side of each chicken 170g butternut squash (peeled and breast. Move the knife around horizontally inside the breast to create a diced) pocket for the filling. Try to keep the incision no wider than an inch in 1 tbsp freshly chopped thyme length to keep the filling from spilling out when cooking.

100g soft goats cheese 4. Fill each breast with equal amounts of goats cheese and butternut Sea salt and freshly ground black squash by pushing them through the incision. Close the incision with a pepper cocktail skewer. Save some roasted butternut squash to garnish the tops 250g toasted pecans, finely chopped of the chicken breasts when they are cooked.

3 free range eggs, beaten 5. Sprinkle each filled breast with the chopped thyme and season 50ml olive oil generously with sea salt and black pepper.

For the sauce 6. To prepare the pecans take whole pecans and pulse them in a food ¼ white onion (finely diced) 4 slices of pancetta or smoked streaky processor until they resemble course breadcrumbs.

7. Beat the eggs with ¼ tsp of salt (which helps to break down the egg bacon, chopped making it easier to dip the chicken in) and place the chopped pecans into 1 tsp freshly chopped thyme a bowl. Then dip each cutlet into the egg mixture and then the pecans 1 clove garlic, crushed and make sure they are well coated.

180 ml double cream 8. Place the chicken breasts onto a tray drizzled with olive oil and then 120 ml dry white wine drizzle each breast generously with more olive oil and season once more.

4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated Place into the oven and bake for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

9. Garnish the escallops with the remaining caramelized onions and freshly chopped parsley, don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewers before serving!

10. To make the sauce start by sautéing the pancetta or bacon until crispy and then add the onions and cook through until softened. At this point add the garlic and thyme and continue to cook for another minute to release the flavors.

11. Add the white wine and cook for 3 to 5 minutes until almost all of the wine has evaporated. Then add the cream, parmesan and seasoning.

Continue to simmer gently for 5 to 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened.

12. To serve, place each chicken breast onto a serving plate (don’t forget to remove the cocktail skewer) and spoon over the sauce. Top with some of the remaining butternut squash and some roughly chopped pecans and Ryan Turner, real food and low-carb a sprinkle of parsley. chef - www.thefoodbible.com

Ingredients for 4 servings:

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Dream Wedding The perfect location for the perfect day

The Grand Hotel, Swanage is a classic Victorian seaside hotel that nestles in the heart of the beautiful Isle of Purbeck and dates back to 1898. It commands spectacular views across Swanage Bay and Peveril Point and many of the bedrooms and public areas take advantage of these delightful views.

Whether you are looking for an exclusive takeover of the hotel or an intimate ceremony for two our Wedding packages can be tailor-made to suit your requirements.

Our private gardens and beach provide a stunning backdrop for your Wedding photographs.

The Hotel comprises 30 en-suite bedrooms, offering Double, Twin, Family and Single accommodation. All rooms have flat screen televisions, direct dial telephones, hair dryers, free Wifi access & tea/coffee making facilities. A passenger lift serves all floors.

Relax & unwind, with one of the many treatments available from our Beauty therapists who offer a comprehensive Wedding pamper package.

The Burlington Health Spa and Fitness Club is located on the ground floor, providing full leisure facilities including heated indoor plunge pool, Jacuzzi, Sauna, Solarium and a Gymnasium with extensive weight room and aerobic machines.

For your Wedding Reception the Coast Restaurant, which can seat up to 120 guests, offers exciting and innovative cuisine using the finest of fresh local produce where possible, indulging the palate in mouth watering delight.

Marvel at the views from The Lounge Bar or Conservatory. All of which are Licensed for Civil Ceremonies.

We are located on England’s first natural World Heritage Site known as The Jurassic Coast.

The Grand Hotel, Burlington Road, Swanage, Dorset BH191LU Tel: 01929 423353 | Email: gm@grandhotelswanage.co.uk | www.grandhotelswanage.co.uk Oracle Swanage

Money Saving Tips

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Martin Lewis Use the savings fountain to boost your savings Savings rates are spit-worthily low; but it could get even worse as the UK base rate doesn’t look likely to rise till late 2015 and ‘swap rates’ - which influence fixed saving rates - have plummeted recently. Yet there are weapons in a saver’s arsenal - most don’t use them, it’s time to change that. As an aside, before you start saving, do pay off any expensive debts, as they’re costing you more than saving will pay you. This is often true for mortgage too – read my full www.mse.me/mortgageoverpay guide to see if it’s worth it.

My savings fountain is designed to maximise your interest on every penny of your cash. It works because different types of savings have different rules on how much you can put in and when. Think of it like a champagne fountain - put your cash into the best-paying savings vehicle possible, then when that’s full and overflowing, fill up the next best, and so on.

The top tier... earn up to 5% easy-access via ‘bank account’ savings. Some bank accounts’ in-credit rates now smash easy access savings accounts and ISAs. They’re done as a loss leader to entice new banking customers - yet if you’re prepared to switch account, you gain. Aim to cover as much as possible at decent rates.

- Earn 3% AER on £3,000-£20,000: With the www.santander.co.uk 123 account. There’s a £2/mth fee, but this is usually more than covered as it also pays cashback on bills.

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- Earn 4% AER on £4,000-£5,000: With the www.lloydsbank.com Club bank account.

- Earn 5% AER for a year on £2,500: With the www.nationwide.co.uk FlexDirect account.

- Earn 5% AER on up to £2,000: With the www. tsb.co.uk/ Classic Plus bank account.

Next trickle into regular savings... save monthly to earn up to 6%. Regular savings accounts often pay high interest as it’s only on a small amount for a short time. While the top rate’s slightly more than bank accounts, because you need to put cash in each month, you’d need to trickle it across from your top savings account anyway - hence why it’s second.

- Bank linked 6% regular savings. If you’re a First Direct bank customer, it offers a linked regular savings account at 6% AER fixed for a year you need to put £25-£300 in per month and can vary that each month. The Lloyds current account has a similar linked account at 4%.

- Anyone can earn 3.05%.

The www.leedsbuildingsociety.co.uk Regular Saver pays 3.05% AER variable if you pay in £50 to £250 every month for a year.

Got more? Pour it into a cash ISA 2.6% taxfree with access. Cash ISAs are just savings accounts where the interest isn’t taxed (so you keep all of it). Anyone over 16 in the UK can put up to £15,000 in an ISA each tax year (6 April 5 April) and once in, it stays tax-free year after year.

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With fixed-rate cash ISAs, unlike normal savings, you can access the cash within the term - though you’ll lose some interest in penalties. Yet even if you withdraw early, these can still be winners.

- Top fixed-rate cash ISA: www.coventrybuildingsociety.co.uk pays 2.6% AER fixed for four years, but you can withdraw by closing the account early and the penalty is just 120 days’ interest. So withdraw after 1yr and you’d get 1.75%, after 2yrs 2.18% and after 3yrs 2.32%. This means as long as you keep cash in for 10 months, you’d earn more than the best easy access deal anyway.

- Top fix for cash ISA transfers: All those that allow you to transfer old cash ISAs in as well as new money have heftier penalties. So here the aim should be to fix for a length you need.

Top 1yr is www.postoffice.co.uk at 1.7% AER, 2yr is Barclays at 2.02% AER, 3yr is Virgin at 2.15% AER. - Need access to your cash, 1.55% easy access cash ISA. www.bmsavings.co.uk allows new money and lets you transfer in old cash ISAs, of its 1.55% AER variable interest 1.05% is a bonus for a year.

See www.mse.me/ISAs for more ISA options Now consider locking cash away - earn 2.5% in fixed rate savings. If you’ve still money, next consider whether you’re prepared to lock it away without access - if so, you can fix with a locked-in rate that’s usually higher.

Do bear in mind if rates rise over the term you can’t switch, so at the moment I don’t list fixes longer than three years.

Top fixed-rate savings: www.krbs.com 1yr fix pays 1.9% AER, min £1,000. The top 3yr fix is www.investec.co.uk (min £25,000), which pays 2.5% AER unless the Bank of England

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base rate plus 1% is higher, in which case you get that. If you’ve less, www.shawbrook.co.uk Bank is a 3yr fix at 2.5% AER (min £5,000).

Got any left? Earn 1.4% in the top easy access normal savings. Now we’re down to the bog standard easy access payers. Here you can put in big amounts and withdraw cash at leisure.

Top normal savings: The Post Office pays 1.4% or over-50s can get 1.55% with www.saga. co.uk (min £1,000).

Before you rush off to pour cash in the fountain, a few key tips...

You pay tax on savings interest (if not in an ISA). Higher rate taxpayers lose 40% of their interest to the taxman, basic rate 20%.

Non-taxpayers - cash ISAs may still be worth it. There’s no tax gain, but they often pay higher rates than equivalent savings, cash ISA fixes have more access and if you become a taxpayer again, the cash will then be protected.

Part of a couple? Put savings in name of the lower-rate taxpayer. If one of you pays tax at a higher rate, providing you trust each other put non-ISA savings in the name of the lower taxpayer and you’ll take home more. For those who aren’t married/civil partners, there is a tiny risk if one of you died within seven years of this that there’d be inheritance tax on it.

Know your savings safety. Provided your money is in a UK-regulated savings account, the first £85,000 per person, per financial institution is Government guaranteed. If you’ve got more, spread it.

Check your local credit union. On rare occasions these beat the rates above, check if there’s one near you. @MoneySavingExpert

Cover Photographer

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Purbeck Footprints: Introducing Julian Sawyer

I set up Purbeck Footprints a few years ago as a way of sharing the natural beauty and abundant wildlife to be found in this part of the Jurassic Coast World Heritage site.

The Isle of Purbeck has some of the finest walks and views in the country and it is my privilege to bring them to you through pictures, guided walks and talks. Every season in this spectacular part of Dorset is different and the constantly changing landscape and wildlife offer an inspiring panorama for the photographer.

Feel free to browse through the photographs on my website www.purbeckfootprints.co.uk, or follow Purbeck Footprints on Facebook and Twitter to keep tabs on what I’m up to.

Julian Sawyer Purbeck Footprints

Plant of the Month

The primrose is a sign in the UK that spring is starting to sprung!

Many varieties bloom in the spring or summer but the English Primrose makes a pretty choice for some winter colour, being one of the first perennials to bloom. Indeed the word Primula derives from the Latin word for ‘early’ so their name implies earliness.

Some species only have one flower per stem whilst others have dome shaped or rounded clusters of flowers on each stem.

Most varieties need good drainage.

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PRIMROSE

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100% FULLY FUNDED SOLAR ENERGY

Think Sustainable Energy who are new in Dorset but have over 200 installations in many parts of the UK are announcing their unique offer of installing fully self funding Solar systems in the Dorset area.

This is not to be confused with the “Rent Your Roof” scam.

You own the installation and you receive ALL of the Government Feed-in tariffs which are GUARANTEED by the Government for 20 years. This can amount to many thousands of pounds. This is why the Rent a Roof cowboys think it is so good.

As well as this you should save about 50% on your current energy bills.

The panels they use are the latest state of the art German technology. They are black in colour and are much more attractive than the earlier rather ugly systems.

If you think this all sounds too good to be true give a call to Think’s local consultant Brian Ash for a chat and he will explain how it works. He can be contacted on 0800 656 9997 or email him at brian.ash@thinkgb.co.uk

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Adventures of Nellie

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The Adventures of Nellie The Purbeck Publications Camper Van Geocaching. We love it! ‘Geo’ means the earth and ‘caching’ means a hiding place which is an excellent description for this relatively new ‘sport’. It is a great excuse to go outdoors and find hidden treasure.

At this time of year one’s first reaction to going out for a walk maybe, “You must be joking!” (of course I may well be accusing others of my own reaction…)

Well, Nellie took us to the Purbecks again this month. We drove to the Wareham Forest area to do a geocache named “Sika View” (thanks to LandyRover for placing it!). I guess it is called that due to the spectacular views over the heathland, Wareham town and the Wareham Golf Course. The day was wonderfully bright and sunny and perfect for bracing the cool January air.

I have written about geocaches before, but for those who find this a new idea, just simply go on line and type in “geocache” and there are literally hundreds, if not thousands of walks,

Wonderful views in all directions

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Off we go, GPS in hand... all free, with coordinates to guide you, clues to find and the inevitable treasure at the end. The treasure is simply a box of odds and ends and a list of people who have already done the walk, but boy is it fun trying to find each of the clues and then the finale, the hidden treasure!

For those with children, or even those who don’t, it gives a walk a purpose and an extra interest. Using the clues that you print out and a GPS (or your mobile phone), you find your path by answering questions as you go. Some walks are much longer than others so it can all be worked out before you set off.

We chose this one in the Wareham Forest as we were booked into the Kings Arms in Wareham for a lunchtime meal, to do a restaurant review. As an aside, we highly recommend the 17th Century Pub for a relaxed, excellently prepared meal!

So 10am Saturday and off we set in Nellie. We found the little car park, which was almost full when we arrived, but

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Where is that treasure? managed to squeeze Nellie (surprisingly after all that chocolate and Christmas pudding), into the last available spot. We met Martin, a friend, with his two boys and off we walked. The first clue was a telephone number on a post, that was then used to reset the GPS... and off we went again! There were three clues in total on this walk. We met cyclists, horse riders, dog walkers and those just walking like ourselves. Excitedly Ryan found the treasure… it was covered in camouflage! The boys had to remember the answer to the previous clues to unlock the box. Don’t children just love a challenge! By doing the geocache you forget, from a boys perspective, that you

Time for a well deserved cuppa!

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are out for a walk at all. It is entertaining, there are clues and best of all a mystery box to find. From my viewpoint these geocaches take you to places you wouldn’t otherwise know about, so it is a win - win situation. As the boys are kept ‘busy’ you, as a serious adult, can just walk and enjoy the scenery. We ended the morning with a game of hide and seek which the children, and I include Stephen and Martin in this… just loved!

Running around in the heath and gorse, surrounded by trees, hiding from each other was a great game they could have

Found it! Now what were those clues?? played for hours. I did the counting and made sure ‘the seeker’ didn’t look before the others were well hidden. It is a very important role you know… Of course after all that walking and playing, the morning would not be complete without a comfortable sit in Nellie and a cuppa to freshen us up. Lovely!

If you know of a geocache and want to tell us about it, please let me know.

Nellie may just want to go for a ride…

So, where will Nellie go next?

By Debbie Corney

What’s On...

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The Mowlem Theatre Box Office: 01929 422239

www.mowlemtheatre.com

Spring Live Theatre Programme

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Y A D S E N I T N E L A V N R

E B J O O D R A C Y T R A E H

L O G T N E V O L W Z C U U X

Q B R E Q P K U J C A R P Z R

A G O C E C N A M O R P Q R Q

H D U R B L M A P K Q P M R N

B M N S F X T O L S M O Y K W

U L D I I F R Y V V E R N K U

I W H S X B J O M W O J C Y G

T H O V E T P A Y B P N B C Y

S U G Z M A R D I G R A S J D

G Q D T E K C J P N T Q S X G

X O A J M L C R O S E Z N G E

G T Y O N V Q W V K D M X W K

Z C U F L O W E R S H M S I S

LOVE MARDI GRAS VALENTINES DAY GROUNDHOG DAY HEART FLOWERS POEM CARD ROSE ROMANCE

This month, the prize is a meal for two at the Bull & Boat in Swanage, so please complete this page by 28th February and send to: February Prize Wordsearch Name: ______________________ The Swanage Oracle, Address: ______________________ 1 Moorlands Rise, ______________________ West Moors, ______________________ Ferndown, BH22 0JR Telephone: ______________________

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Prize Wordsearch

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Community News

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Celebrating the best of British wildlife photography...

The annual highly-acclaimed British Wildlife Photography Awards (BWPA) exhibition opens at Moors Valley Country Park near Ringwood on 21st March. It features the best of thousands of stunning entries celebrating the beauty and diversity of British wildlife.

Amongst a host of striking images this year’s category winners include a shag resting, a puffin in the jaws of an otter, a gannet breeding colony, Scottish woodland, and a telephone box being reclaimed by nature. Locally, Hampshire-based Alex Mustard won two of the competition’s 16 categories with his images of blue sharks off the Cornish coast, while Wiltshire-based Nick Upton won the Documentary Series category with his collection of hazel dormice pictures from a survey day in Somerset. Unusually, central London was the location for Lee Acaster’s winning shot, of a Greylag Goose against a dramatic city skyline.

Mark Ward, editor-in-chief at the RSPB’s Nature’s Home magazine, and one of the eleven competition judges said, “The winning photograph shows a familiar bird in a familiar setting, but the visual impact is extraordinary.

“The stormy, brooding backdrop sets a dramatic scene, while the orange and pink from the bird bring vibrancy to the monochromatic cityscape”.

Wildlife photographer, TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham is a keen supported of BWPA and has also exhibited his images at Moors Valley.

“Every year the British Wildlife Photography

Hampshire-based Geoff Kell’s “Heather Dawn”, taken in the New Forest, was Highly Commended in the Botanical Britain category

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Lee Acaster’s winning shot, of a Greylag Goose

Awards generates an incredible catalogue of splendid, exciting, imaginative and artistic images”, he said. “Proving beyond doubt that we have the richest palette of life to celebrate in our own backyard.”

Moors Valley is one of a handful of locations to host this national touring exhibition. Countryside Ranger, Katie Davies said, “We are really privileged to have this important national exhibition in east Dorset. The BWPA celebrate the best of British wildlife photography, across both professionals and amateurs and with so many stunning photographs on show the exhibition is proof that you don’t have to travel far from home to capture some amazing images.”

The British Wildlife Photography Awards exhibition opens daily in the Visitor Centre at Moors Valley Country Park until 4 May. It is free to view.

Parking charges apply. For more information go to www.moors-valley.co.uk or call the Rangers on 01425 470721.

The 2015 British Wildlife Photography Awards is now open for entries. Details can be found at www.bwpawards.org.

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Household �ps Go Bananas!

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on your Gardening Tips

PLOT

Planning veg for the year ahead Gardening may be the last thing on your mind in the cold weather but this is the perfect time to plan what to grow and where this season.

If you’re new to veggie growing then this is the ideal time to start planning for the year ahead. Think about what space you have available for your crops and plan what you would like to grow and where.

Jobs for January:Plan your crops Protect crops against the cold and from pests such as pigeons Sew lettuces indoors Start rhubarb crowns

It’s easy to get carried away when looking at catalogues or impressive displays of seed packets - but remember that it only makes sense to grow what you are likely to eat! If that still leaves you with a list that exceeds the space available then it may be wise to trim back on crops that take up a lot of space or are easily and cheaply available from local sources (potatoes perhaps?). Think about concentrating on plants that will crop quickly allowing the space to be used again.

Remember also that you can use patio containers and grow bags to add extra growing space.

Once you have your list split your available space into 3 (or 4) areas and then group your crops together by family so that they can be rotated around the areas in a 3 or 4 year cycle.

Group the cabbage family together, then the onion family along with the pea and bean family, and finally potatoes, tomatoes and the carrot family.

This is a great time of year to seriously consider making some raised beds, if you don’t already have them. Make sure that they are not too wide for you to easily reach the middle from either side and that there is sufficient room for easy access all the way around.

The deeper you can make them the better and higher beds will mean less bending when you are planting out seedlings, harvesting or weeding.

If you have large areas of bare soil,

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awaiting planting, then you may like to think about covering them with black plastic, or cardboard, to protect the soil against the harsh January weather.

Crops still growing, such as purple sprouting broccoli, will benefit from protection against hungry pigeons - try covering with wire mesh, fleece, or some homemade bird scarers (try stringing up some old CD’s).

For those who are keen to get sowing, you can try a few lettuces. Start off on a bright, sunny windowsill, thinning down when they are large enough to handle.

Grow on in frost free conditions such as a shed, or polytonal before finishing off under cloches. .If you haven’t already planted shallots then it’s not too late to think about it, but don’t put them in when the ground is too wet or they may rot.

Start saving empty egg boxes ready to chit your seed potatoes before planting. Just pop them into the egg boxes, sprout end up in a cool but frost free place and wait for the shoots to appear. You’ll also find the boxes useful for starting tiny seedlings off in months to come - as they grow they can be planted straight out with no disruption as the box will simply rot down.

And finally, if you have space, you may like to think about starting off some new rhubarb crowns towards the end of January.

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8 Travel in a wind-driven boat (4) 9 Tied (5) 10 Flesh from animals (4) 11 Signal with a flag (6) 12 Plentiful (8) 13 Tame (8) 15 The circle of color around a nipple (6) 17 Like a phantom (7) 19 Engraving (7) 22 An obvious truth (6) 24 Planning (8) 26 A large arboreal boa (8) 28 An affront (6) 30 Weight-loss program (4) 31 Submarine (5) 32 A language of Pakistan and India (4)

Down

1 City in Italy (4) 2 Without fault or blemish (8) 3 Plague (6) 4 Rub (7) 5 A military assistant (8) 6 A tiny amount (6) 7 Sound an alarm (4)

14 Different (5) 16 Cloth made from flax (5) 18 Radiant (8) 20 Characteristic of country life (8) 21 Swordfish (7)

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23 Motivate or prod (6) 25 Machines for lifting heavy objects (6) 27 French for "Black" (4) 29 Ore deposit (4)

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Index of advertisers

Your quick guide to everyone and everything in your Oracle...

Accountants Ward Goodman.................................................... 5

Funeral Directors James Smith.......................................................... 27

Aerials BMC Digital Services............................................. 3

Garage Doors Skandoor............................................................... 11

Bathrooms C+C Plumbing & Bathrooms................................. 9 Jon Parry Interiors................................................ 11

Health & Care Bournemouth Careline......................................... 31

Blinds, Curtains & Shutters Ashley Blinds......................................................... 3

Hotels & Restaurants Bull & Boat........................................................... 13 The Grand Hotel................................................... 17

Builders Urban Structures.................................................. 2

Kitchens Jon Parry Interiors................................................ 11

Carpenters Total Woodwork - Peter Albin............................... 5

Locksmith & Key Cutting John Hagans......................................................... 11

Community News Adventures of Nellie............................................. 22 Ann Montini meets the Stars: Vincent & Flavia.... 10 British Wildlife Photography Awards in Exhibition at Moors Valley Country Park........... 26 Dorset Wildlife Trust: Wildlife is counting on you!.... 14 Martin Lewis: Using the savings fountain to boost your savings......................................... 18 National Trust in Purbeck..................................... 12 Naturally Good: Pecan Chicken Breast................. 16 On Your Plot: Planning veg for the year ahead..... 28 Partner with 30 years’ experience strengthens Humphries Kirk solicitors’ team......................... 8 Purbeck Footprints............................................... 20 Purbeck U3A......................................................... 13 Upton House Wedding Fair................................... 13 What’s On at The Mowlem................................... 24

Motorcycling Clothing & Accessories Biker’s Yard........................................................... 9 Oven Cleaning David Chalmers.................................................... 5 Painters & Decorators SDL Decor............................................................. 2 Plumbers C+C Plumbing....................................................... 9 Gasways Heating.................................................. 7 Heatwise............................................................... 15 Property Maintenance Total Woodwork - Peter Albin............................... 5 Puzzles & Competitions Crossword............................................................. 29 Kids page.............................................................. 6 Prize Wordsearch.................................................. 25 Sudoku.................................................................. 29

Computer Services AJV Computing..................................................... 27 Purbeck Computer Centre..................................... 21 Whizzbits.............................................................. 27

Renewable Energy Solutions Think GB............................................................... 21

Domestic Cleaning David Chalmers.................................................... 5

Shoe Repairs John Hagans......................................................... 11

Driveways Resin Drives.......................................................... 32

Skip Hire A&D Skips............................................................. 15

Electricians J. Taylor Electrical................................................. 27

Taxis DMB Cars.............................................................. 31

Financial Services Ward Goodman.................................................... 7

Tool & Plant Hire Sydenhams........................................................... 7

Flooring Services Apply-A-Grip......................................................... 2

Windows & Doors Doors-Windows-Locks.......................................... 3

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