The Conduit Magazine - March 2020

Magazine Crossing counties, look inside for info on the best events and activities in West Dorset and South Somerset

AT THE OCTAGON

NIGHTLY PERFORMANCES 7.30PM 6TH - 9TH APRIL 2020

Issue 229 March 2020

For more information visit www.octagon-theatre.co.uk

INSIDE THIS MONTH

Must Attend Events and Activities | Where animals go for sanctuary

West of England Game Fair | Can Hypnosis Help Me? | Reader offers and competitions Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & Surrounding Villages www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

From the Editor

Our front cover for this month made me smile as there are still repeats of Dad’s Army running regularly on our TV screen and this much loved comedy will be coming to the Octagon in early April. Also Yeovilton Military Wives Choir coming at the end of April is going to be another popular production and is likely to be even more so with the help of the new film Military Wives coming out this month (6 March in the UK).

We have a bumper number of competitions and reader giveaways this month. Don’t forget to enter the regular competition run by The Exchange in Sturminster Newton (p5) and there is also a chance to win tickets to The South (performing at Cheese & Grain in Frome), The West of England Game Fair and especially for Mother’s Day some wonderful treatments from Bee-Yond Lavender in our Health and Wellbeing section.

EDITOR & ADVERTISING Jane Adkins

ASSISTANT EDITOR Julie Locke

We are also introducing a new column from Ferne Animal Sanctuary – read about the amazing work this organisation does to help and re-home animals and see how you can support them.

HALF PRICE HOMES Pay for half, rent half, live life to the full With a new Platinum Skies home you’ll unlock one of life’s richest rewards: freedom to live and laugh a little more.

Luxury homes from £125,000*

Choose your stunning new home, pay for only half*

Contents

WHAT’S ON p4

ANIMALS p25

Find out what’s going on in your neck of the woods. A complete guide to events and activities near you.

GARDENING p17

Government-approved shared ownership scheme

APRIL DEADLINES News and Articles: FRIDAY, 13 March Advertisements: MONDAY, 16 March

Plant fairs

Free yourself up to enjoy a luxury lifestyle

A close look at Ferne Animal Sanctuary

ARTS p30

All the upcoming events from the local Arts scene

Invest in a home that meets your present and future needs Secure your new home without waiting to sell your old one Save thousands on stamp duty and agent’s fees

Luxury retirement living Homes exclusively for over 55s

HOMES IN SHERBORNE, POOLE, CHRISTCHURCH, SALISBURY AND TAUNTON

TRAVEL p23

HEALTH & WELLBEING p42

Details on Riviera Tours

OFF PLAN LAUNCH EVENT – 18TH MARCH 10AM-2PM

Find out about Oxley Sports centre Bump2Baby classes

Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne DT9 3AA CALL 01202 012 5 5 3 VISIT PL ATI N UMS KI E S .CO.U K /S H ER BO R N E

BUMP 2 BABY

Visit our website for more Events, Services and Classifieds www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk Squats and Tots Core and Restore Prenatal Fit

* Based on 50% shared ownership. Age and eligibility criteria apply. You will also pay rent, service charges, ground rent and event fees. To fully enjoy the Platinum Skies lifestyle and long-term security, we recommend buyers have at least 85% of market value from the sale of their present property. Some images used in this advertisement are computer generated and for general guidance only. Platinum Skies is a Registered Social Landlord regulated by and registered with Homes England (No.4836). 170 Charminster Rd, Bournemouth BH8 9RL. The Platinum Skies family of businesses currently consists of three legal entities: Affordable Housing and Healthcare Ltd; Platinum Skies Management Ltd and Platinum Skies Living Ltd. Platinum Skies Living Ltd is a Registered Provider regulated by and registered with Homes England (no 4836).

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Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne DT9 4FW | 01935 424724 | info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk © The publisher is The Conduit Magazine Limited. The layout, format, design and all other aspects of this magazine are an original idea and therefore copyright of the publisher. No part of the contents may be reproduced in whole or in part without prior permission in writing. Whilst every care is taken in compiling the contents of this magazine, the proprietor assumes no responsibility for mistakes and omissions. The views of our contributors is not necessarily the view of the publisher.

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WHAT’S ON

COMPETITION HPS Somerset HPS Somerset Group Group

Spring EEarly arly S pring

P LANT SFALE AIR PLANT Saturday

Saturday 28 March 2020

3110am March 2012 – 4pm

10:00 am – 5:00 pm at East Lambrook Manor Gardens

East Lambrook Manor Gardens South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH

East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH 16 of the South West’s top nurseries will be Entry £4.00 – RHS &charge HPS members £3.50 attending.

Admission to the plant sale and the gardens will be £4.

22 of the South West’s top nurseries.

Visitdetails eastlambrook.com for details.

For more visit: http://hps-somerset.btck.co.uk/

01460 240328 enquiries@eastlambrook.com www.eastlambrook.com

Returning to The Exchange, award winning Soul Kinda Wonderful celebrate the music and songs of Soul and Motown including the songs of Ben E King, The Temptations, The Drifters, The Four Tops and many more.

The group formed over a decade ago and relight the magic of that splendid era, breathing new life into fabulous songs such as Saturday Night At The Movies, Under the Boardwalk, Spanish Harlem, My Girl, Stand By Me, Up On The Roof, plus many more great Soul and Motown Classic hits. Tickets £17.

WIN:

One pair of standard tickets to see Soul Kinda Wonderful at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton on Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm.

To enter just answer the following question: name the two music genres or styles that inspire the music and songs of Soul Kinda Wonderful.

Send answers by Monday 23 March with your name and contact details and the subject heading “Soul” competition to info@ theconduitmagazine.co.uk or post it to the NEW address on p3.

Good luck!

PROF ROBERT WINSTON What Makes Us Happy?

Reading The Human Mind Thursday 12th March, 7.30pm Tickets £18/£17/£10 student

NEIL SANDS - LAND OF HOPE AND GLORY New matinee for 2020, over 2 hours of nostalgia Tuesday 21st April, 2.00pm Tickets £13/£11

LONDON MILITARY BAND ARMED FORCES TRIBUTE With guest singer Emily Dankworth Saturday 21st March, 7.30pm Tickets £21/£20

SHE’KOYOKH & JYOTSNA SRIKANTH Inspired by the musical traditions connecting India & Europe Wednesday 22nd April, 7.30pm Tickets £15

TOTAL POP PARTY SHOW – MATINEE! Music from Little Mix, Taylor Swift, Jonas Brothers & more Saturday 4th April, 3.00pm Tickets £15/£12/£50 family

THROUGH THE RAIN: A CELEBRATION OF BARRY MANILOW With live band playing Mandy, Copacabana and other hits Friday 24th April, 7.30pm Tickets £19/£17

A VISION OF ELVIS Starring award-winning Rob Kingsley & full band Friday 17th April, 7.30pm Tickets £22

GRAFFITI CLASSICS String quartet musical comedy show Saturday 25th April, 7.30pm Tickets £15/£14

Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton DT10 1FH Tel: 01258 475137 Web: www.stur-exchange.co.uk Email: info@stur-exchange.co.uk 5

What’s On WHAT’S ON

Coffee Morning SOUTH PETHERTON Every last Wednesday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at The David Hall, there is a Coffee Morning.

Pop in for a cup of real coffee and a chat. Look around the book and bric-a-brac stalls and more often than not, listen to some live music. Free entry.

WEST CAMEL Every Thursday from 9.15am to 11.45am at The Davis Hall, there is a coffee morning. Come for coffee and cakes, Post Office, books, cards, a selection from The West Camel Bakery plus eggs and local produce as available.

Free entry.

Early Listing CASTLE CARY On Saturday 2 May from 10.00am to 4.00pm at the Market House, come along to ‘eat:Castle Cary’, a food and drink festival hosted by eat:Festivals; a social enterprise focused on reconnecting people with the productive landscape that surrounds them. Local food and drink producers are showcased at busy oneday food and drink festivals

Abbey Bookshop

MARTOCK From Wednesday 15 to Saturday 18 April from 10.00am to 5.00pm at The George, there is an exhibition ‘What a Wonderful World’ by local photographers celebrating the beauty of nature. Late night opening on Thursday until 8.00pm. Enjoy the best coffee and cake in the friendly ambience of The George Coffee Shop. Free admission to the exhibition.

SHERBORNE Every Friday from 10 April until 25 September at 10.30am at the Tourist Information Centre, Blue Badge Guide Cindy will lead her highly-rated ‘Historic Town Walk’. No need to book. £10 per person (group rates available). To book a guided walk around the town or a bespoke local tour at other times, contact info@ sherbornewalks.co.uk, phone 07989 453966 or 01935 816518, or ask at the Tourist Information Centre. Special group rates available. For further information visit www.sherbornewalks.co.uk.

TISBURY From Saturday 23 to Sunday 24 May at Tisbury Parish Church, come and sing Purcell with the Chamber Choir under I Fagiolini’s Greg Skidmore. The weekend comprises four rehearsals followed by a public concert accompanied by the Cherubim String Quartet on the Sunday at 4.00pm. £63 (until 31 March). To book, visit cherubimtrust.org/tkts.

Cheap Street Sherborne

Fair

Have your daily paper delivered.

Ask in store for details.

EAST LAMBROOK On Saturday 28 March from 10.00am to 4.00pm at East Lambrook Manor Gardens, there is an Early Spring Plant Fair. Twenty-two of the South West’s top nurseries will once again attend the

Wide selection of Magazines, Periodicals. Also now stocking luxury Belgian chocolates

01935 812367

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in town centres across Somerset. Entertainment all day, Cook School, Kitchen Gardner’s Question Time, and more. For further information, visit www. eatfestivals.org.

WHAT’S ON

Contact: Julie Locke

/theconduitmagazine

E: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk

@conduitmag

ninth Early Spring Plant Fair organised in partnership with the Somerset Hardy Plant Society. Refreshments available at the Malthouse café. Entry £4.00 to the plant sale and famous cottage garden, £3.50 for RHS & HPS members. For further information, phone 01460 240328, email enquiries@ easdtlambrook.com or visit www.eastlambrook.com SHEPTON MALLET From Saturday 21 to Sunday 22 March from 9.00am to 5.00pm at the Royal Bath & West Showground, there is the West of England Game Fair ‘20. Two days of excellent countryside demonstrations and entertainment in the indoor and outdoor arenas.

Amazing have-a-go activities, countryside displays and shopping. A great day out for all the family. Tickets from 01392 421500 or www. westofenglandgamefair. co.uk.

SHERBORNE On Sunday 15 March from 10.00am to 2.00pm at the Digby Hall, there is a Plant Fair selling a wide range of plants, including spring bulbs, young vegetables plants and unusual roses and shrub varieties, plus the Pennard Plants Seed and Potato Fair.

Car parking next to hall and refreshments available. Free entry with donations to Macmillan Cancer Support.

Details of stall holders at www.plantfairs.com.

Food CREWKERNE On Friday 21 February at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, it is the Chef’s Special Lunch. Fruit juice on arrival, roast beef followed by sticky toffee pudding with tea or coffee and a chocolate to finish. Only £9.50 (members £8.00). Lunch served at 12.30pm. Booking essential by 10.30am. To book, phone 01460 74340.

On Saturday 29 February

from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at the Henhayes Centre, come and enjoy a Big Breakfast.

Egg, sausage, bacon, tomato or beans, and tea or coffee.

Vegetarian options available.

From £4.50. Extras 50p each, including black pudding, mushrooms and hash browns.

For information phone 01460 74340.

On Friday 6 March at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, it’s Fish & Chips Friday!

Battered Cod with chips, mushy peas and tartar sauce followed by a fruity dessert.

Only £8.75 (members £6.50).

Lunch served at 12.30pm.

Booking essential by 10.30am.

To book, phone 01460 74340.

On Friday 20 March at 12.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, it is the Chef’s Special Lunch. Fruit juice on arrival, roast chicken followed by lemon roulade and cream, with tea or coffee and a chocolate to finish. Only £9.50 (members £8.00). Lunch served at 12.30pm. Booking essential by 10.30am. To book, phone 01460 74340.

On Saturday 28 March from 10.00am to 12.00 noon at the Henhayes Centre, come and enjoy a Big Breakfast.

Egg, bacon, sausage, tomato or beans, and tea or coffee.

Vegetarian options available.

From £4.50. Extras 50p each, including black pudding, mushrooms and hash browns.

For information phone 01460 74340.

MAIDEN NEWTON On Sunday 22 March from 3.00pm to 5.00pm at Maiden Newton village hall, there is an afternoon cream tea plus accompanying live music.

Harpist, Florence Astley will play classical background music. Entry £5. For further information, contact flowastley@gmail.com.

SANDFORD ORCAS Every Thursday from 12.00 noon at The Mitre Inn, there is a Senior Citizens two-course lunch for £11.50. Contact Allen or Cheryl on 01963 220271.

WINCANTON On Friday 21 February from 6.30pm at The SEED Café, there is a Women’s

Supper and Gathering Party, hosted by Lynne Franks with music from DJ Joolz. Chat, catch up and groove the night away! Bookings £25, includes a three-course meal. To book, phone 01963 33886 or email hello@hubatno3.com.

YEOVIL On Thursday 12 March from 7.00pm to 11.00pm at The Emporium is a Secret Supper - an evening of fabulous acoustic and folk music arranged

by Bearcat Collective with delicious food and drinks served by The Emporium Cafe. £5 in advance, £6 entry on door, menu as priced.

Table bookings must be made directly through The Emporium Cafe. To book, phone 01935 411378 or book through Facebook page.

On Saturday 21 March at The Emporium is a Mother’s Day weekend Afternoon Tea. Treat Mum with one of the stunning afternoon teas, all carefully prepared with homemade treats. Contact The Emporium Cafe to book this wonderful treat. To book, phone 01935 411378, book through Facebook page or pop in to the cafe.

Market CASTLE CARY Every Tuesday from 8.30am to 2.00pm at the Market House, there is a weekly market. Fruit, vegetables, bread, fish, cheese, preserves, baked goods, gluten free options, seasonal plants and other giftware available.

CREWKERNE Every third Saturday from 9.00am to 1.00pm outside Henhayes Centre is a Farmers’ Market.

It has a comprehensive selection of around 16 stalls, offering preserves, veg and fruit, plants, fruit juice, homemade bakes, cheeses, pork products, water buffalo products, and much more. For further information, visit www. somersetfarmersmarkets.co.uk.

MARTOCK On Saturday 14 March from 10.00am to 1.00pm at the Moorland’s Shopping Precinct is Martock Farmers Market, with around 16 stands ranging from plants, crafts to cheese and local

produce. For a table or further information, phone Fergus on 01935 822202.

MILBORNE PORT Every first Sunday from 11.00am to 2.00pm at The Queens Head, there is a Farmers’ Market. This market is held in the skittle alley and milk parlour of the pub. All produce is hand-made or locally home-grown. Hot and cold drinks are available as well as hot and cold food.

Free parking. if interested in a stall or need more information, contact Mandy on 07717 117744.

SHERBORNE Every third Friday from 9.00am to 1.00pm at Cheap Street, there is a Farmers’ Market. Average 30 stalls. For more information, visit www.visit-dorset.com/ food-and-drink/farmersmarkets.

SOMERTON Every Saturday from 9.00am to 12.00 noon at The Unicorn Hotel skittle alley is the Wessex Country Market. This market offers a wide variety of artisan produce.

All baked goods are homemade and ingredients locally sourced. There are jams, marmalades, chutney and pickle unique to this market.

Locally sourced butter, cheese, meat and fresh vegetables in season. The craft ladies offer an amazing variety of items to suit all occasions.

WINCANTON Every third Saturday from 10.00am to 4.00pm in the Market Place is the Wincanton Seed Market.

For further information or to book a stall, contact Market Organiser Elizabeth Ralph at wincantonseedmarket@gmail. com or visit Wincanton Seed Market on Facebook.

WIN TICKETS TO THE SOUTH! CATCH THE SOUTH AT FROME’S CHEESE & GRAIN ON SATURDAY 21 MARCH! Having celebrated their 10th year anniversary and 30 years since The Beautiful South released Song for Whoever, The South are back with a 2020 UK Tour.

The South are an impressive nine piece band who feature former members of The Beautiful South including singer Alison Wheeler and lifelong sax player Gaz Birtles.

Since Dave Hemingway, the original singer, left the group at the end of 2016, Gaz has moved across to front the band with Alison and taken on vocal duties. They play the songs made famous by The Beautiful South and bring back the full flavour and arrangements.

After a successful year of touring the theatres and festivals of the UK up and down the country, The South are keeping alive all those timeless songs - A Little Time (the number one single), Perfect 10, Rotterdam, Song For Whoever, Old Red Eyes Is Back, Good as Gold, Don’t Marry Her plus many more singles and album tracks as well as a few choice South originals. All performed again live, these songs span an impressive 20 year career starting way back in 1989!

Box Office No: 01373 455420

www.solidentertainments.com/presents.htm#SOUTH-TOUR

TICKETS: £23.50

WIN:

One pair of standard tickets to see The South at Cheese & Grain, Frome on Saturday 21 March at 7.00pm.

To enter just answer the following question: name the lifelong sax player who is part of The South and also was a member of The Beautiful South.

Send answers by Monday 16 March with your name and contact details and the subject heading “The South” competition to info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk or post it to the NEW address on p3. Good luck!

Open Day SHERBORNE On Sunday 15 March from 11.30am to 3.30pm at Sherborne Steam and Waterwheel Centre, celebrate 150 years of Castleton Pumping Station.

See the waterwheel and steam engines in operation. There are also audio-visual presentations, displays of machinery and many other items of local and historic interest. Tea room, picnic area, toilets, free parking on adjacent road.

Wheelchair access to most

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WHAT’S ON

WHAT’S ON

about old memories and make some new ones.

Sherborne Summer Festival This year’s festival is being held on 4 July, Independence Day. In Sherborne this helps to emphasise all the independent businesses supporting the event and make the town so special. Chairman, David Birley, said “last year we gave ourselves and our kind advertisers and donors a break, this year’s event will have great music, great stalls and lots more attractions. It will be a great day out for all the family and admission will be free.” Fellow committee member Taff Martin of Abbey 104 added “Abbey are delighted to be helping again with this event which has become a popular feature of the Sherborne summer calendar.”

areas, except for Visitor Centre and toilet (steps and handrail).

Entry by donation. For more information, visit www.sswc. co.uk or Facebook Sherborne Steam.

On Saturday 21 March from 10.30am to 4.00pm at the Digby Hall, Artisan Route will hold a one-day Open Day event, showing their Spring collection all of which will be available for sale on the day. Check out the collection in advance at www.artisanroute.co.uk.

Quiz CERNE ABBAS On Saturday 7 March at 7.00pm at Cerne Abbas Village Hall, NOW (Network of Women) Cerne Valley hosts an evening of adult revelry. Mr Teds presents ‘The Quizard of Oz’ - an entertaining quiz with a twist.

Cash bar and nibbles. Tickets £6, available from Cerne Abbas Village Stores. Suitable 18+.

Sale LONGBURTON On Saturday 14 March from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Longburton Village Hall, there will be a Bric-aBrac Sale. This is organised

by Longburton Garden Club in aid of the new community 8

Hall. Entrance is free and refreshments will be available.

Social BRUTON On Tuesday 3 March from 10.00am to 11.30am at Bruton Community Hall, there is a Goldies Sing and Smile taster session.

Sing-a-long to backing tracks from popular hits of the 50s onwards. Goldies’ song books have 100s of songs to choose, from the likes of our Patron Sir Cliff Richard, to songs by Elvis, Tom Jones, Petula Clark and many, many more! Come along for a sing and chat. Everyone welcome, only £2 donation to attend. For more information, phone Sue Crisfield (07508 054866), Golden Oldies office (01761 470006) or visit www. golden-oldies.org.uk.

DITCHEAT Every second Friday from 7.30pm to 9.30pm at Jubilee Hall, there is an evening of Barn Dancing. Enjoy a warm welcome, live music, good dances and cheerful company, with caller Peter Bolton and music from Jeroka.

Admission £4 on the door. For further information, contact Ama Bolton on 01749 672911.

Please note: April’s dance is on the first Friday.

MARTOCK Every third Friday from 11.00am to 12.30pm at Swallowfields, Mow Barton, is a Memory Café. A place to talk

SHERBORNE On Friday 28 February at 7.00pm at Raleigh Hall, there is a Sherborne Wine Interest Group (SWIG) meeting, including dinner and wine tasting. Well-known wine guide, Lits Phillipou, will talk about ‘Wines from the Loire Valley’. The meal costs £40 per person for three courses and eight wines. Booking required. To book, contact the Secretary Adrian Foss on adrian.foss57@outlook.com.

For further information, email julianhalsby@gmail.com.

Every Tuesday during term time from 10.00am to 11.45am at the Digby Memorial Church Hall, it is Tuesday Toddlers.

This group, originally started in 1985 by The Mothers Union and supported by Sherborne Churches Together, is a popular place for mothers and babies to meet, play and exchange tips on parenthood. Recently renamed Tuesday Toddlers, it is still run by volunteers, mostly from the local churches and a few parents and grandparents.

To keep this valuable group alive, Tuesday Toddlers are seeking helpers and a new leader. If you have a valid DBS certificate, are under 70 (for insurance reasons), and can spare a few hours of a Tuesday morning, then please pop in to introduce yourself. Maybe you are a crafting goddess, take joy in preparing food, enjoy preparing/packing away toys?

Maybe you just like to help?

Every Tuesday from 10.00am to 12.00 noon and 2.00pm to 4.00pm (two groups) in the Wingfield Room, Digby Hall, go along to Art For Memory. Free friendly art class for people experiencing mild to moderate memory loss. Funded by the National Lottery, organised by ArtsLink Fizz. Booking essential. Contact Kate on 01935 815899 or text 07483 338969 or email artslinkfizz@ gmail.com.

Every first Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm in the Richmond Green Community Room, the Dorset Blind Association hosts a social club for people with a visual impairment in Sherborne. It’s an opportunity get out of the house, sit and talk with others, share a joke and a coffee among friends. Most club

meetings offer entertainment and occasional outings.

Transport provided. For more information phone Judy on 07748 212009 or 01202 712865.

in partnership with Penny Nagle’s Where West Begins.

For timings and details, please check www.hubatno3.com or the SEED Café Facebook Page or Instagram.

Every third Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.00pm in the Richmond Green Community Room, the Dorset Blind Association hosts a handicraft club for people with a visual impairment in Sherborne. It’s an opportunity get out of the house, sit and talk with others, share a joke and a coffee among friends. Transport provided. For more information phone Judy on 07748 212009 or 01202 712865.

On Saturday 7 March at The SEED Store and Café, there is the Wincanton Book Day, featuring women authors. For timings and details, please check www.hubatno3.com or the SEED Café Facebook Page or Instagram.

Every Thursday from 2.30pm to 4.00pm at Tinney’s Lane Youth and Community Centre join in with Parkinson’s Dance. Free friendly class for people who are experiencing the challenges of living with Parkinson’s Disease. Funded by the National Lottery, organised by ArtsLink Fizz.

Booking essential. Contact Kate on 01935 815899 or text 07483 338969 or email artslinkfizz@gmail.com.

Every Thursday from 9.30am to 11.30am at St Pauls Church Hall or West End Hall (two groups) join in with Art for Parents. Free friendly art class for parents and carers of primary school age children. Funded by the National Lottery, organised

by ArtsLink Fizz. Booking essential. Contact Kate on 01935 815899 or text 07483 338969 or email artslinkfizz@ gmail.com.

STURMINSTER NEWTON On Friday 27 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, there is an evening of mediumship with psychic medium Nikki Kitt. As a medium, Nikki aims to provide evidence of life after life by getting links from loved ones in spirit for people in the audience, to give both confirmation and comfort.

She is currently touring the UK with her successful psychic/ mediumship evenings. Tickets £12.00. Box office 01258 475137.

WINCANTON On Friday 6 March at The SEED Hub, celebrate International Women’s Day in the evening with the annual showing of an inspiring women’s movie,

Every Thursday from 2.00pm to 4.30pm at Wincanton Memorial Hall, come and enjoy an afternoon of Sequence Dancing. Entry £3. For more information phone Anne on 01747 851260.

YEOVIL On Friday 28 February from 1.00pm to 3.00pm at The GateWay (Yeovil Community Church), come along and sing for fun at the first session of The Yeovil Good Afternoon Choir. There is no charge for attending the first rehearsal. The choir will meet every Friday afternoon. Choir rehearsals are in four terms of 10 weeks and members pay per term £4.50 per session, this covers all room and piano hire, music, admin and musician fees. For further information, call 01761 472468 or visit www. goodafternoonchoir.org.

Every Tuesday from 7.00pm to 8.30pm at Westlands Sports Centre, Yeovil Table Tennis Club has a social Table Tennis Evening. Play for fun, no need to sign up. Opportunities to join the club and play competitively if desired.

Entry £4.

Every Wednesday from 7.30pm to 10.30pm at Westlands Entertainment Venue, there is Ballroom, Latin and Sequence Dance. All abilities. Different dance host each week, playing a variety of traditional and modern dance tracks. Smart casual dress.

Over 18s only. Non-members £8.50 on the door. For more information phone 01935 825939 or westlandballroom@ yahoo.com.

Every Saturday at 7.30pm at the Holy Trinity Church Hall, there is a Whist Drive.

Enquiries 01935 862325.

Sport CHARD Every Wednesday from 6.00pm to 7.00pm at Holyrood Academy, Zembard Lane, there is Walking Netball.

This is a slowed down version of the game of netball, designed for anyone looking to exercise in a relaxed, supportive and friendly environment. Every session contains a gentle warm up and suitable for all ages and abilities. Entry £4 a session.

For more information phone 07738 696362 and visit www. englandnetball.co.uk/walkingnetball.

CREWKERNE Every Tuesday from 6.00pm to 7.00pm at Crewkerne Sports Centre, join in the weekly Walking Netball sessions. For all ages and abilities. All sessions contain a gentle warm up. No need to book. First session free then £3.50 per session.

SHERBORNE On Sunday 1 March at 9.00am at Sherborne Sports Centre is the annual 10K 2020. Sign up at www. sherbornesports.co.uk/10K or email tessa.kelly@sherborne. org.

On Sunday 15 March at 3.00pm at Sherborne Sports Centre, there is a Dodgeball event in support of Sports Relief. £15, 6 people per team! Sign up at Sherborne Sports Centre. For further information, email Jacob. clough@sherborne.org or phone 01935 810548.

Talk CASTLE CARY On Tuesday 3 March at 8.00pm at Caryford Hall, there is a Somerset Wildlife Trust talk about the ‘Mendip Dew Ponds Project’.

Tea and coffee from 7.30pm.

Admission £3, children free.

CHARLTON Every second and fourth Tuesday at 7.30pm at the New Remembrance Hall in Charlton, near Shaftesbury, the Blackmore Vale Amateur Radio Society has a meeting.

Visitors welcome. For more information visit www.bvars. org.uk.

EAST COKER On Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm at East Coker Hall, the Gardening

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Club hosts a talk entitled ‘A Victorian Head Gardener’ by Dr Francis Burroughes. Francis’ father started his career in horticulture as a gardener’s boy on a large estate just before the First World War. Hear about the fascinating life of the Victorian country estate, which has now entirely vanished and learn the correct way of mowing a lawn with a horsedrawn mower! Visitors £3.

For more information, phone 01935 862447.

HENSTRIDGE On Tuesday 3 March at 3.00pm at Henstridge Village Hall, there is a Blackmore Vale U3A talk. Chris Tripp from the Dorset Diggers Community Archaeology Group talks about its work in and around Dorset. Doors open 2.15pm.

Members £1.50, visitors £2.50, refreshments included.

Everyone welcome. For more information about Blackmore Vale U3A, call 01963 371544 or visit www.u3a.org.uk.

HORSINGTON On Friday 20 March at 7.30pm at Horsington Church, there is an illustrated talk by Adrian Pratt entitled ‘The Falkland

TAUNTON SOMERSET 150 Priorswood Road Taunton Somerset TA2 8DU T: 01823 323575 E: taunton@beehiveselfstorage.co.uk

lslands, its history and nature in the raw’. Admission £8, includes refreshments.

HUISH EPISCOPI On Monday 2 March at 7.30pm at the Sixth Form Auditorium, Huish Episcopi Academy, is the next meeting of the Langport & District History Society. Phil Nichols will give a talk entitled ‘Secure the shadow: Somerset photographers 1839-1939’.

Refreshments available in the cafeteria from 6.45pm.

Non-members very welcome, £4 per person. Interested in joining the Society? Contact Sue Standen (01458 273471, suzannestanden471@ btinternet.com). Follow the Society at @langporthistory or https://sites.google.com/site/ langportheritage/home.

ILMINSTER On Friday 13 March at 10.30am at The Minster Church, there is a talk on meditation ‘Stages of the Inner Journey and Why it Transforms the Exterior One’

by Fr. Laurence Freeman, OSB, spiritual director of the World Community for Christian Meditation. For those interested in meditation or contemplative prayer, this

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is a wonderful opportunity to hear Fr. Laurence speak.

Free entry with a suggested donation. For further information, visit somerset. christianmeditation.org.uk or contact somersetmeditators@ gmail.com.

MARTOCK On Wednesday 11 March at 2.00pm at The Parish Hall, there is a talk ‘My Life with Animals’ by retired vet, author and speaker Malcolm Welshman. Malcolm shares his tales about his life with animals, from pets to exotics, relating humorous tales of his encounters with them for the monthly meeting of Martock & District U3A. Open to all no longer in full time employment, join us for monthly meetings and to enjoy the 30 hobby and interest groups. Refreshments available. More information about Martock & District U3A Facebook Martock & District U3A, website www.u3a.org.uk, email martocku3amembership. com, telephone 07510178094.

On Tuesday 24 March at 7.30pm at Martock School, Mary Chisholm will show the rich and varied, ancient and modern graffiti she has discovered all over Montacute House, from learned ditties of the Phelips family to cheeky stuff from the electricians. £3 admission, free to members.

For further information, phone Fergus on 01935 822202.

MERRIOTT On Tuesday 25 February at 7.30pm at the

Tithe Barn, Merriott Gardening Club is hosting an intriguing talk by David Moon on ‘Gardening for the Rich and Famous’. Refreshments and raffle. Everyone welcome.

Non-members £2 at the door.

For further information, phone Barbara (Publicity Officer) on 01460 72298.

On Tuesday 31 March at 7.30pm at the Tithe Barn, Merriott Gardening Club is hosting a talk by Keith Mayes on ‘The Story of the Humble Spud’. Don’t forget to bring along a flower for the monthly competition. Refreshments and raffle. Everyone welcome - especially new village residents. Non-members £2 at the door. For further information, phone Barbara (Publicity Officer) on 01460 72298.

OVER STRATTON On Monday 16 March at 7.30pm at Stratton and District Village Hall, the Over Stratton Gardening Club hosts a talk entitled ‘How to avoid common gardening injuries’ by osteopath Robert Williams.

Annual subs are £6, then £2 per meeting. Visitors are welcome to individual meetings, £3 on the door. For information email somersetdays@hotmail.com.

SEAVINGTON ST MARY On Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm at the Millennium Hall, there is a Seavington Gardening Club meeting. Jenny Short will give a talk about ‘Ponds and Water

Features’. Annual subscription £8.00. Visitors welcome, £2 at the door. Enquiries to Karen Day 01460 249728.

On Thursday 19 March at 7.30pm at The Millennium Hall, the South Somerset RSPB group has a talk entitled ‘The Mediterranean Naturally’. This is an illustrated talk presented by well-known wildlife photographer David Boag, who will take the audience on a trip around the Mediterranean looking at birds including beeeater, hoopoe, black redstart and turtle doves, as well as butterflies and other creatures.

Entry £3 members, £4 nonmembers £4, under 18s free.

Non-members very welcome.

Tea/coffee & biscuits included.

Wheelchair access. Further details from Denise Chamings (group leader) on 01460 240740 or visit www.rspb.org. uk/groups/southsomerset.

SHERBORNE On Wednesday 19 February at 7.30pm at Digby Memorial Church Hall, there is a meeting of the Sherborne Group of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. Pauline Kidner, founder of Secret World Wildlife Rescue, will be speaking about their work in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing wildlife. Cost £3.00.

On Thursday 20 February at 8.00pm at the Digby Hall, the Sherborne Historical Society has a talk ‘From Foundry to Foreign Office: the life of Arthur Henderson

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On Thursday 5 March at 8.00pm at the Digby Hall, the Sherborne Historical Society has a talk ‘The Reign of Æthelred ‘the Unready’: a view from Sherborne’. Dr Levi Roach questions if Æthelred was not as unsuccessful or ill-advised as traditionally thought and sheds new light on the connections between the king and Sherborne Abbey. Non-members £5.

For more information, visit sherbornehistoricalsociety. co.uk.

On Saturday 7 March from 11.00am to 2.00pm at Castle Garden Centre’s Butterfly House, Sue Adams, founder of Bee-Yond Lavender, will be giving at talk entitled ‘Bee-Yond Lavender: natural self-care’ followed by taster sessions. For further information, phone Sue on 07712 590897, email sue@ beeyondlavender.co.uk or visit www.beeyondlavender.co.uk.

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On Friday 28 February from 2.00pm to 3.00pm at Sherborne Library, John Bradshaw will talk about ‘Guide Dogs’. John was injured whilst diffusing a landmine aged 19.

This is an opportunity to hear John’s life experience, what it is like to be blind, and the pleasure and empowerment of owning a guide dog. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

On Friday 6 March from 3.00pm to 4.00pm at Sherborne Library, author Jeremy Barber will talk about ‘John Porter, Legendary Trainer’. Join Jeremy as he discusses how he came to write an archive, which spans 50 years of horse-racing trainer John Porter’s life, using correspondence letters which were gifted to him. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

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(1863-1935), Labour Party Leader’. Professor Andrew Thorpe charts the life of one of Labour’s founders, touching on party politics, trade unionism, Methodism, and international relations between the Wars. Non-members £5.

For more information, visit sherbornehistoricalsociety. co.uk.

Garden Centre, join Blue Badge Guide Paul Birbeck for slide-talk entitled ‘Beyond the Seen’, exploring the links between Sherborne and the Jurassic Coast. £5 per person.

For further information, visit www.sherbornewalks.co.uk, phone 07989 453966 or email info@sherbornewalks.co.uk.

On Tuesday 10 March at 7.30pm at the Digby Hall, Sherborne Literary Society hosts a ‘Words with Wine’ event. Wolfgang Grulke will talk about his latest book ‘Beyond Extinction’. Tickets £6 (£5 for members) to include canapés. Tickets available from Winstone’s Bookshop or on the door.

On Friday 13 March at 7.30pm at Digby Memorial Church Hall, there is a talk about the current issues and players in the Middle East conflicts. The speaker is Richard Spencer, Middle East Correspondent for The Times. A fund-raising event for Sherborne Douzelage.

On Saturday 14 March at 2.30pm at the Digby Hall, the Blackmore Vale & Yeovil Association of the National Trust will have their AGM followed by a talk entitled ‘My First Year at Stourhead’.

Speaker: Philip Niemand, General Manager for Stourhead and Mompesson. A look at how the National Trust at Stourhead manages its land to better benefit nature and how it can play its part in the climate change agenda, whilst driving visitor business growth. Visitors £5. Tea/coffee included.

On Saturday 14 March at Sherborne Library, there is a virtual reality tour with headsets about ‘Damming the Nile’.

Book via Eventbrite for an individual 30-minute session.

For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

On Wednesday 18 March at 7.30pm at the Digby Memorial Church Hall, there is a meeting of the Sherborne Group of the Dorset Wildlife Trust. The Biking Birder, Gary Prescott, will be speaking about British wildlife seen from a bike. Cost £3.00.

On Thursday 19 March from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at Sherborne Library, find out what community radio stations are about. Find out what Abbey 104 ‘the little radio station with the big heart’ does for Sherborne and how to get

involved. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

On Thursday 19 March at 8.00pm at the Digby Hall, the Sherborne Historical Society has a talk ‘Early Modern Queens on Screen: victors, victims, villains, virgins and viragoes’.

Dr Ellie Woodacre highlights the range of typologies or stereotypes employed to depict the lives of early modern queens on film. Non-members £5. For more information, visit sherbornehistoricalsociety. co.uk.

On Friday 20 March from 2.00pm to 4.00pm at Sherborne Library, there is a ‘Friends Against Scams’ awareness event. A Trading Standards initiative delivered

by Natwest, this presentation looks at people being safer and more secure with the topical scams that are happening. It will also cover how to create a safe password. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

On Friday 20 March at 7.00pm at the Digby Memorial Church Hall, the Sherborne Literary Society will host an event featuring Double Olympic Champion Col. Dame Kelly Holmes MBE (mil), one of the UK’s most popular athletes, respected throughout the world as a role model and an inspiration. Dame Kelly will talk about her life, motivation and her Olympic success. Tickets £10 (£9 for members), available from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre (01935 815341), Winstone’s Bookshop or through Eventbrite.

On Tuesday 24 March at 8.00pm at the Catholic Church Hall, the Sherborne Twinning Association will hold its AGM. Doors open 7.30pm. There will be a speaker on French food and wine. Take the opportunity to learn about Sherborne’s twin town, Granville. Light refreshments available. All free and all welcome.

On Thursday 26 March from 7.00pm to 10.00pm at Digby Hall, the Sherborne Floral Group is hosting a floral demonstration entitled ‘My Family and other animals’

by Julie Jeans. For more information, phone 01935 813926.

SOMERTON Every fourth Friday at 10.00am at the Edgar

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Find rare pieces of Alpaca Knitwear – never found on the High Street Artisan Route is a young business, only four years old, but boasts a wealth of experience gathered over many years by Clive Webber and leading to a maturity underpinning this new brand.

Artisan Route specialises in rare pieces of Alpaca Knitwear, exotic hand woven silk scarves, and ‘Perfect Fit’ Pima Cotton Tops - an example of real excellence, with an attention to fit and finish which just ‘shout’ quality.

Clive is no newcomer to Alpaca and Pima Cotton products, having built up a solid reputation, working extensively in Peru and Bolivia for 27 years and with products sold throughout much of the UK and Scandinavia.

Clive has had connections with Sherborne for more than 20 years and is so pleased to be making this further event at Digby Hall in Sherborne after once more building up such a good response last October.

On Saturday 21 March Artisan Route will be holding a one day Open Day Event at the Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne from 10.30am - 4pm and showing their Spring collection all of which will be available for sale on the day.

They will be delighted to welcome visitors along with their friends and families to this Open Day. You can check out their collection in advance at www.artisanroute.co.uk

31/01/2020 10:38

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WHAT’S ON

Community Hall, there is a Somerton U3A meeting. Meetings start at 10.00am with coffee (50p) and chat.

After any notices, the main event begins at 10.30am and finishes by 12 noon latest. Free for members, £2 per visitor. All welcome.

MARCH HIGHLIGHTS FROM YEOVIL’S PREMIER VENUES

Audiences can look forward to a vast array of exciting and inspiring shows at Yeovil’s Premier Entertainment Venues this March, as the spring programme is positively bursting with top quality entertainment.

Yeovil Amateur Operatic Society will make a welcome return to The Octagon Theatre from Wednesday 11 – Saturday 21 March with their delightful production of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic, The Sound of Music.

The world’s most beloved musical first opened on Broadway in 1959 and features firm favourites such as Edelweiss, Climb Ev’ry Mountain and Do-Re-Mi. On Tuesday 24 March Somerset’s Premier Theatre will host Seven Drunken Nights – The Story of the Dubliners. Direct from the West End, this talented cast of musicians and singers bring to life the music of Ireland’s favourite sons. This show will have you singing and clapping along to such classics as The Wild Rover, The Black Velvet Band and Molly Malone. This celebration of Irish music is a guaranteed evening of music, humour and ‘craic’.

Star of musical theatre and radio, Elaine Paige recently hailed The Simon & Garfunkel Story as “fantastic” and so the 50th Anniversary Tour is sure to impress fans of the American folk-rock duo at The Octagon Theatre on Saturday 28 March. Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel crafted a series of memorable hits in the 1960s, including Mrs Robinson, Cecilia and Bridge Over Troubled Water and this show will include huge projection photos an original film footage.

Football fans will need to be quick to snap up tickets to An Audience with Harry Redknapp at Westlands Entertainment Venue on Thursday 12 March, as there are now limited tickets available. Harry is ready to regale us with stories from his football and television career. This is one of the funniest and most entertaining talk shows on the circuit.

Legendary Status Quo lead singer Francis Rossi will share the extraordinary secrets of his fifty-plus years in Rock ‘n’ Roll when he takes to the stage at Westlands on Friday 13 March for an intimate evening of chat and music. Expect laughter, revelations and tales

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involving some of the giants of music. Rossi will be joined on stage by award-winning writer and broadcaster Mick Wall, who has sold more than one million books.

Screenings in the Ballroom brings a season of award-winning films to Westlands Entertainment Venue. Complete with comfy sofas and a fully licensed bar, the venue aims to be your home away from home where you can enjoy stunning feature films and theatre encores within a relaxed environment.

Some of the spring highlights include Oscar nominated Jojo Rabbit on Saturday 14 & Monday 16 March and the delicious new film adaptation of Jane Austen’s beloved comedy Emma on Tuesday 24 & Monday 30 March.

If you have ever had the opportunity to experience the joy of Rumours of Fleetwood Mac at the Octagon Theatre you will understand why the world’s finest tribute to Fleetwood Mac always sells out. Personally endorsed by Fleetwood Mac founding member, Mick Fleetwood, this outstanding tribute show will visit Yeovil twice in March.

The show at the Octagon on Tuesday 3 March has been sold out for some time now, but there is still chance to book tickets for their new date on Friday 27 March, when they visit Westlands Entertainment Venue.

The Osmonds have produced forty-seven platinum and gold records and no other family have earned as many gold records in one year. Lead singer Merrill Osmond has toured throughout the world and will visit Westlands Entertainment Venue for the very first time on Sunday 29 March. Merrill will perform all the big hits from The Osmond’s and will talk about his experiences of growing up within one of the world’s biggest bands.

There is so much to look forward to at Yeovil’s Premier Entertainment Venues this spring and with new shows regularly going on sale and tickets selling out fast for many of their popular events we recommend signing up to their free mailing list. Simply call the Box Office for further details.

For the full programme of events or to book tickets at the Octagon Theatre and Westlands Entertainment Venue visit octagon-theatre. co.uk or westlandsyeovil.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01935 422884.

SOUTH PETHERTON On Monday 2 March at 6.45pm at Frogmary Green Conference Centre, there is a meeting of The Arts Society Neroche South Somerset. At 6.45pm is the Chairman’s Report, followed at 7.15pm by a lecture entitled ‘From Desktop to Bureau - writing furniture from the 16th to 18th centuries’ by Janusz Karczewski-Slowikowski. New members always welcome. Visitors £10. For further information, phone Maralyn on 01460 54578.

STURMINSTER NEWTON On Thursday 27 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, there is a lecture entitled ‘Tutankhamun - The Boy King’ by Anthony Russell. Through five thousand years of Egypt’s history, the name of one apparently insignificant boy stands out above all others. But who really was he?

This lecture puts Tutankhamun in the context of Egyptian civilization, and considers all that is known about him and the great legacy of his discovery. Tickets £10, student £6. Box office 01258 475137.

On Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, Professor Robert Winston talks about ‘What Makes Us Happy? Reading The Human Mind’. He examines the role of brain imaging, hormone study, sexuality, child development, pharmacology and psychological research in understanding how science may help people be happier.

Happy people tend to live longer, and recent research suggests happiness increases with age. Why is this? Can one make oneself happier?

Can knowledge of brain function be manipulated, leading to a more fulfilled life? Tickets £18, senior citizen £17, student £10. Box office 01258 475137.

YEOVIL On Friday 6 March at 7.30pm at Holy Trinity Church, the Yeovil Archaeological and Local History Society has an interesting talk ‘The Knights Templar’. The talk will examine their foundation (in around 1118), the ways they developed their landed properties in western Europe to support their functions in the Holy Land, and the circumstances which led to their dramatic suppression in 1312. The speaker is James Bond.

Guests £2 at the door. For more information, contact 01935 477174 or visit www,yalhs.org.uk.

On Monday 9 March at 1.30pm at The Yeovil Court Hotel, the Yeovil Probus Club has a talk entitled ‘Tax, Care & Toy Boys’. Speaker: Ms Charissa Malpass. New members welcome. For more information contact the Hon. Secretary on 01935 414765.

Walk MARNHULL On Sunday 15 March at 10.15am at The Crown Inn car park, Dorset Ramblers will meet for a 6.5mile Stour Valley meadows walk in the morning, and an optional 2-mile walk in the afternoon. Lunch at The Crown Inn. For further information, email jenny.newman@zen.co.uk or visit www.dorsetramblers. co.uk.

SHERBORNE Every Thursday at 11.00am starting by Sherborne Museum, there is a 40-minute Health Walk.

Generally flat with a mixture of pavement and fields in dry weather. For more details call Bryan Pearson on 01749 938191.

Every Friday at 2.00pm starting from Waitrose Sherborne store entrance, there is a Health Walk. Free, friendly walk of approximately 60 minutes around the town.

Optional refreshments at the end. No need to book, just turn up! For more information phone 07825 691508.

SOUTH PETHERTON Until Saturday 29 February (excluding Mondays) from 10.00am to 5.00pm at East Lambrook Manor Gardens, there is a fabulous Festival of Snowdrops. An opportunity to see spectacular snowdrops in the garden, together with additional displays showcasing many of the 150 varieties grown there. The festival will also feature tours of the snowdrops, 1,000 snowdrops on sale in the nursery, steel snowdrop sculptures by Chris Kampf and snowdrop images taken at East Lambrook by top garden photographer Jason Ingram. Garden, nursery, cafe and gallery open. Garden entry £6.00, over 65s £5.50, under 16s free. RHS members free on Wednesdays. www. eastlambrook.com

Workshop LANGPORT Every Friday from 2.15pm at Ridgway Hall, go along to a Health and Wellbeing Circuits session, led by exercise specialist Marion Cooper. Ideal as a continuation of an NHS, COPD Respiratory or Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme. Suitable for those diagnosed with diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or as part of health recovery.

The session offers support, guidance and motivation in a safe, comfortable and friend environment. For more information phone 07814 826951 or marioncooper@ hotmail.co.uk.

LONG SUTTON Every Monday from 9.30am to 11.00am during term time at Long Sutton C of E Primary School, there is a workshop entitled ‘Monday Music Buddies’ for children and babies under five and their parents. The session is led by Liz Brading, an experienced Early Years Music teacher.

From 9.30am to 10.15am the ‘Buddies’ sing songs, move to music and have lots of fun, then from 10.15am to 11.00am into the school hall for a snack, drink, play and a chat. Cost for £2.00 for the first child, £1 for additional children.

Give the group a go – babies enjoy the stimulation (and are always tired after all the excitement!) and parents enjoy the adult contact. For further information, phone 01458 241434 and ask for Cheryl Park, Pre-school Manager.

Until Tuesday 10 March at 7.30pm at Long Sutton Village Hall, the WEA will hold a course ‘From Seed to Fork; the story of how plants evolved and humans adapted them’.

Tutor: Greg Morter. This course explores: why, where and how agriculture was invented; key discoveries and different approaches to food growing in places as diverse as China, the Americas, the Islamic World and Britain; future challenges and possibilities. Course fee £25. Book online at WEA.org. uk or phone 0300 303 3464, quoting course reference C3530646. Local contact Kim Bailey 01935 850077. No session on 18 February.

MARTOCK Every Wednesday from 2.30pm to 3.30pm at Martock Parish Hall, go along to an Age UK Somerset Mature Movers session, led by exercise specialist Marion Cooper. Ideal as a continuation of an NHS, COPD Respiratory or Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme. Suitable for those diagnosed with diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or as part of health recovery.

The session offers support, guidance and motivation in a safe, comfortable and friend environment. For more information phone 07814 826951 or marioncooper@ hotmail.co.uk.

SANDFORD ORCAS Until Friday 28 February from 9.00am to 1.30pm at Sandford Orcas Village Hall, there is a five-week workshop ‘Basketry for Beginners’ with Kim Creswell. Learn a new skill for the new year! This course offers participants the opportunity to gain knowledge and confidence in the ancient skill of ‘stake and strand’ basketry, using local willow. Participants will complete at least three different types of basket and should feel confident in creating baskets at home. Use of tools, materials and liquid refreshments are included in the price. £225 per person.

Contact Kim on 07765 654771, at kim@kimcreswell.co.uk or visit www.kimcreswell.co.uk.

SHERBORNE Until Wednesday 25 March from 10.00am to 12.30pm at Digby Hall, there is a seven-week course entitled ‘Exploring Watercolours’ with tutor Laura Jolliffe. This is a new course for people who have some experience of working in watercolours. Laura is a talented artist with a wealth of teaching experience and enjoys supporting each of her students to reach their potential. £127 or £114 for Friends of ArtsLink. Book at ArtsLink office 01935 815899 or visit www.sherborneartslink. org.uk.

On Saturday 29 February from 10.00am to 4.00pm at Digby Hall, there is a Felted Art Vessels workshop with artist Jennie Loader. This is for everyone who enjoys working with fibre and textiles. Learn the resist method of creating a 3D structure using wet feltmaking techniques. £68 or £61

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for Friends of ArtsLink. Book at ArtsLink office 01935 815899 or visit www.sherborneartslink. org.uk.

On Saturday 14 March from 10.00am to 4.00pm at the Digby Hall, there will be an ArtsLink ‘Wire Sculpture’ workshop with artist Melanie Deegan. Create a wire-based sculpture using animals, figures or plants for inspiration. £70 or £63 for Friends of ArtsLink.

Book at ArtsLink office 01935 815899 or visit www. sherborneartlink.org.uk.

On Sunday 15 March from 1.30pm to 4.30pm at Digby Memorial Church Hall, there is a Sherborne Folk Band workshop, led by Hannah Cumming, an inspiring and experienced workshop leader, who will teach tunes and harmonies by ear. Suitable for all levels and all acoustic instruments. Notation and audio supplied. Everyone is welcome. Coffee break and homemade cake included!

For further information and admission prices, visit www. sherbornefolkband.org, email info@sherbornefolkband.org or phone Julia on 07527 508277.

On Saturday 28 March from 10.00am to 4.00pm at the Digby Hall, there will be an ArtsLink ‘Linocut Printing’ workshop with Ann Fagan.

Spend the day exploring linocut printing, create a block then use it to produce prints on a variety of different papers. £68 or £61 for Friends of ArtsLink. Book at ArtsLink office 01935 815899 or visit www.sherborneartlink.org.uk.

Every second Monday from 9.30am to 3.30pm at the Digby Hall, the West Country Embroiderers have a workshop.

The March workshop is ‘Stumpwork Insects’. Tutor: Annette Bolton. New members very welcome. For further information, phone Jennifer on 01300 341003.

Every Tuesday from 9.15am at The Scout Hut, Blackberry Lane, Sherborne, Monkey Music offers award-winning music classes for children from 3 months to 4 years.

The progressive educational and fun four-stage curricula, honed over twenty years, are designed to nurture a lifetime of music. For more information or to book a free first class, phone Alison on

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WHAT’S ON

01935 850541, email sherborne. dorchester@monkeymusic.co.uk, or book online at monkeymusic. co.uk.

YEOVIL Every Thursday from 2.00pm at Birchfield Community Centre, Yeovil, go along to a Health and Wellbeing Circuits session, led by exercise specialist Marion Cooper. Ideal as a continuation of an NHS,

A NEW DECADE AND A NEW SEASON

By Paul Birbeck, Blue Badge Tour Guide.

Sometimes we are asked: why bother using a qualified local guide? Anyone can visit and create their own self-guided route and follow a map or guidebook. In my view, there are a number of advantages to a guided tour.

For new visitors to a town, having a guide saves time. Most visitors probably only have limited time to explore, so there is an obvious advantage to having an expert with local knowledge. Blue Badge Tour guides are amazing sources of information on local culture and heritage.

However……… no matter how much we love buildings, it’s a fact that people connect with people.

Cindy & I have a few fun and compelling stories to tell about the buildings and sites you’re looking at. We try to engage with the audience, rather than list instantly forgettable dates and names. This means you can have a more memorable tour. Look at our Trip Advisor reviews to see what visitors say about our 5 star rated service.

Particularly important to Sherborne Walks is helping to support local businesses to sustain a vibrant community by promoting local produce, venues and activities. And of course, for

some of you, having someone to take photos of you at special places is always useful.

Our programme is flexible and ranges from a standard historic tour visiting key sites to themed tours such as ‘Sherborne at War’, ‘Off the Beaten Track’ or ‘Infectious Sherborne’ (not what it first appears!). We also promote special walks including our Valentine Romantic Sherborne walk, Bank holiday walks and the Poppy Trail around Dorchester. Check out our Facebook page, local posters, Visit Dorset and website for details.

For people who want to go further afield, on request, we can organise walks around local towns (Shaftsbury, Beaminster, Sturminster Newton & Dorchester), villages (Yetminster, Cerne Abbas) and countryside walks, including the Jurassic Coast. These must be prebooked.

So, a guided tour is not simply a healthy activity, it can be a very positive and pleasurable experience. Our New Year’s Day walk to ‘Clear the Cobwebs’ was well supported – so thank you to everyone who has joined us and for those of you who didn’t, there’s time in the coming year!

SUNDAY 8TH MARCH 1 1 .1 5am - 1 2 .1 5 pm Slide-talk sho w explo ring the links betw een Sherbo rne and the Ju rassic Co ast.The B u tterfly Ro o m , W alled Garden Restau rantin The Castle Garden Centre, New Ro ad.Just £5 each 14

Celebrate the countryside with the West of England Game Fair

COPD Respiratory or Cardiac Rehabilitation Programme.

Suitable for those diagnosed with diabetes, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis or as part of health recovery. The session offers support, guidance and motivation in a safe, comfortable and friend environment. For more information phone 07814 826951 or marioncooper@ hotmail.co.uk.

The West of England Game Fair takes place at the Bath & west Showground on Saturday 21 & 22 March, and is celebrating 25 years of championing field sports. The organisers are looking forward to welcoming you to the show and here’s a few reasons why….

THE PLANTSMAN’S PLANT FAIR RETURNS TO EAST LAMBROOK MANOR GARDENS Twenty two top independent nurseries from all over the South West and beyond will once again be at East Lambrook Manor Gardens in Somerset on Saturday 28 March for the ninth Early Spring Plant Fair, organised in partnership with the Hardy Plant Society, Somerset Group.

The venue for this very popular event is the former home of the queen of cottage gardening, Margery Fish, and it is a wonderful opportunity to source unusual and often quite rare plants of the kind seldom found in garden centres.

Current owner Mike Werkmeister comments, “There’s always a buzz at this event, described by one nurseryman who comes each year as ‘his favourite plant fair’. Asked why, he said it was ‘because the people who attend come to buy plants, not just to have a day out’, and he says he always brings his best stock and sells more plants at our event than he does at some of the bigger fairs.”

Mike also calls it a ‘boutique plant fair’ because its size is limited by the size of the garden, and there’s none of the bric-a-brac so often found at bigger fairs, just plants of the highest quality.

There’s always a queue at the gate by 10 o’clock waiting for it to open!

Sally Gregson of HPS Somerset Group says, “The line up this year again includes two Chelsea Gold Medal winners with something for every gardener, from alpines and apple trees to Zantadeschia and organic zuccini seeds. The real benefit for visitors coming to this event is the expert advice, freely given by growers keen to share their knowledge - from what to plant where to how to care for the plants they are selling.”

The end of March is a wonderful time in the garden at East Lambrook with everything simply bursting into growth. Among the plants in bloom are daphne, primula, hellebore and pulmonaria plus spring bulbs including the seldom-sold blue Scilla bithynica, which carpets the Ditch after the snowdrops go over. For avid gardeners keen to shake off the winter blues the garden and plant fair is a wonderful way of getting inspiration.

Hot soup, tea, coffee and excellent cakes will be available in the Malthouse café. Alternatively book a table for lunch across the road at the recently refurbished 17th century Rose & Crown inn.

The plant fair runs from 10am to 4pm with the £4.00 per head entry price including reduced price entry to the famous cottage garden. RHS and HPS members need only pay £3.50.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH

T: 01460 240328 E:enquiries@eastlambrook.com W: www.eastlambrook.com

Amazing Countryside displays Two arenas (one indoor and one outdoor) will feature a wide range of displays from top experts including fly casting; wildfowling; gun dog training; ferreting – be inspired and entertained Nothing but the best for your dogs Has your dog got what it takes? If it has, try the gundogs scurries with BASC – four scurries will be available, together with two tests with M&M Gundogs (one test for Labradors and one for Spaniels). There will also be Gundog training demonstrations with Duchy Gundog Group and the Ladies Working Dog Group.

In addition, the popular Coursing Crew return with the Terrier & Lurcher Shows; Family Dog Show; Terrier and Lurcher racing and whippet racing.

Check out the shopping village with a selection of gundog equipment and accessories, dog food and more. A dog crèche with Samsalin is also available.

Fantastic shopping and advice areas Countryside shopping under cover - Over 300 companies in five halls; top brand names, quality products and services, shooting and fishing equipment, clothing, gundog accessories, smallholders equipment…

WHAT’S ON

A selection of great music to shop by…The Mangledwurzels (a three-piece Scrumpy & Western band based in Somerset) and The Arquebus Trio (who perform a mixture of traditional folk songs and tunes as well as self-written songs performed in an upbeat contemporary style) will join us this year The West of England Game Fair is a value for money event – entertainment, education, advice, free to enter competitions and show offers. Be part of the West of England Game Fair social scene. Fantastic savings on advanced tickets and free parking: group discounts available in advance). There are also savings if you wish to attend on both days.

For further information and to book tickets visit www.westofenglandgamefair.co.uk

WIN:

Three pairs of Adult Tickets to the West of England Game Fair at the Bath & West Showground To enter just answer the following question: How many years has the West of England Game Fair been championing field sports?

Send your answer by Thursday 12 March, marking your subject heading “West of England Game Fair” to info@ theconduitmagazine.co.uk and include your name, address, phone number. Or post to the address on p3. Good Luck!

Get up-to-date advice from a variety of countryside associations including British Association for Shooting & Conservation (BASC); Game & Wildlife Conservation Trust; National Gamekeepers Association (NGO) and Pass it on Young Sports The Sedgemoor Hall will host the West of England Game Fairs’ fishing area with organisations offering advice, a wide selection of rods and fishing accessories, flies, fly tying demonstrations and have-a-go, fly casting competitions in the fishing arena with Pass it on Young Sports; clothing, books …

Come and have-a-go A great selection of have-a-go activities and demonstrations including – Archery; longbows; clay shooting with Bristol Clay Shoot; fly casting & fly tying; net making; BASC gundog scurries; air rifles; NTSA Rifle Range; Terrier & Lurcher Shows; the Family Dog show; copper works; blacksmithing; Iron age cooking; BASC Shotgun Coaching and a horn blowing competition on the Sunday of the show!

Tempt your taste buds in the food hall Come and spend the day and enjoy some great food and drink: Game burgers, sausages and pies and so much more in the Westcountry Food hall (Mendip building); outside catering – traditional and exotic, plus an indoor restaurant. The Game Cookery Theatre will host some great game chefs with mouthwatering, easy to follow recipes plus an informative butchery display Get Social!

This is a great social event – meet up with friends and family at the ultimate countryside experience.

Bringing all the fun and excitement of field sports to the Bath & West Showground. A great day out for all the family. Amazing have-a-go activities, countryside displays and shopping.

TICKETS: 01392 421500 – WESTOFENGLANDGAMEFAIR.CO.UK

15

ANTIQUES

Antiques & Collectables AUCTIONS, FAIRS AND SALES This section covers local sales, auctions, antiques fairs and events in the area with advice from dealers and experts on different topics. If you are interested in this and have some items to sell or run an antique or restoration business then do contact us for our next issue.

On 10 March and 31 March Dukes in Dorchester will be holding an Avenue Auction comprising a sale of Toys & Collectables, Vintage Clothing & Accessories at 10.30am. Please note viewing is every Saturday prior to sale from 9.30am-12.00noon and on every Monday prior to sale - 9.00am-7.00pm as well as on the morning of the auction day from 9.00am. On 27 February there is a Fine Art sale for Coins, Militaria, Tribal Art, Sporting & Maritime and on 19 March there is Art & Design Post 1880. Contact one of their specialists to find out more: enquiries@dukes-auctions.com.

Auction house Lawrences in Crewkerne has General Sales taking place on Wednesdays 26 February, 4, 11, 18, 25 March. All general sales start at 9.30am and viewing is from the Tuesday before the sale from 9am to 7pm. For more information call 01460 73041.

Bridport Auction House has its sale of Collectables and Antiques on Friday 28 February, starting at 10am. Viewing Days are Wednesdays

TOP PRICES PAID FOR OLD TOYS - any condition

Trains, cars and lorries, soldiers, etc Britains, Dinky, Corgi, Hornby, Meccano, Tri-ang, etc

01935 816072 (07527 074343) Pastimes of Sherborne, 3 Westbury (in front of the Abbey)

We are always keen to buy antique silver and old Sheffield plate at current prices Please telephone or call into the shop 38 CHEAP STREET, SHERBORNE DORSET DT9 3PX

01935 816828

enquiries@henrywillis.co.uk

www.henrywillis.co.uk

and Thursdays and on the morning of the sale. For more information call: 01308 459400.

Mendip Auction Rooms in Binegar, Somerset has sales of Victorian and Later Effects on 3 March and 17 March, and Antiques & Collectables on Saturday 7 March. Note that sales of Antique, Fine Art & Collectables are held on a monthly basis on Saturdays and starting at 10am. Entries of items are invited. For more info, call: 01749 840770.

Yeovil Auction House has a sale coming up on Saturday, 22 February. Yeovil Auctions is located at Court Ash - opposite the main car park in the town centre we hold an auction, usually of antiques and collectables, every month. Call: 01935433965 or email: yeovilauctionrooms@gmail.com .

WIN £10 IN OUR

Gardening UP THE GARDEN PATH

By Julie Haylock, Sandhurst Garden Design January proved to be a busy month to kick start the New Year. We attended the Marshalls Regional Road Show in Exeter with Sherborne Garden Angels and had a chance to preview their new and exciting range of garden and driveway paving materials. Despite the very wet and windy drive to Exeter, we had a really nice evening and got the chance to ask the Marshalls experts questions about their new products.

During the first week in January I started a short course on Key Historical Influences on English Garden Design run by fellow Garden Designer Marion Dale. The course will explore what have been the main influences that have shaped English garden style through key periods in history and I am sure I will find this really interesting.

We had the thumbs up from two separate clients to start work on their new garden

projects that I designed at the end of last year, fingers crossed the weather stays good for us, but we are still a little way off spring yet!

I found myself reflecting on projects we completed during last year and I definitely saw a desire from clients to create natural and wildlife friendly gardens which I am all for and positively encourage. The natural habitat for our insects is fast being eroded and if we can all do our little bit to create a haven for them, then we will all be a lot better off for it.

A simple wood pile in the corner of the garden, or a homemade insect hotel constructed from some discarded house bricks and some hollow bamboo canes will offer shelter for solitary bees and other insects which in-turn will repay you by pollinating your garden plants and providing a food source for birds and small mammals, including hedgehogs which are sadly in serious decline.

GARDENING

Sandhurst Garden Design Julie Haylock Garden Designer 20 Sandhurst Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2LG

Tel: 07899 710168 Email: haylock2lg@btinternet.com www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk Contact Julie for garden and border design, planting plans, plant selection advice and garden styling

BBC Gardeners’ World Live Gold Medal Award Taunton Flower Show Gold Medal Award and The Western Daily Press Cup for Best Show Garden

I am sure you will have noticed the amount of new housing developments springing up around our towns and villages. A blank canvass garden can be quite a daunting project to undertake when perhaps all you have to work with is a tiny strip of patio and a patch of lawn, which no doubt masks discarded rubble and stones left behind by the builders!

But don’t despair, I would be more than happy to take a look and come up with some ideas that perhaps you had not thought about or to advise you on what to plant and where.

Next month I am going to talk about Common Problem Areas in the Garden and offer some practical solutions to overcoming them.

Until next time Julie

‘CAMERA AT THE READY’

WORDSEARCH

PUZZLE

Remember the days when taking a picture involved rolls of films and strange terminology involving f-stops and depth of field?

We thought we would take a step back into the darkroom in this month’s Wordsearch and bring back all those long forgotten memories of Polaroid snaps, waiting for the post and the arrival of all those unfortunate holiday photographs on the door-mat.

Just find the hidden words in the grid below, ring each word until you have found all of them and when you have completed the puzzle send it to: The Conduit Magazine, Unit 4, Barton View Business Park, Sheeplands Lane, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4FW. The lucky winner receives a £10 cheque. The closing date is: Monday 23 March.

GOOD LUCK BACKGROUND BOX BROWNIE BULB CABLE DEVELOPER EXPOSURE 16

FLARE F-NUMBER FOCUS MAGNIFICATION MATT MODEL

NEGATIVE PRINT PRISM RINSE SHOTS SLIDES

Name:__________________________________________________________ Tel :_________________________Email:______________________________ Address:_________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________________________

SPOOL SUBJECT TINTS TONER

________________________________________________________________

If you would like to know who has won our Wordsearch Puzzles see our website.

LOW MA

ANCE INTEN

DITED ACCR E PROFESSIONAL

INSTALLATION

17

GARDENING

PROPERTY AND INTERIORS

ALL ABOUT PLANT PASSPORTS

CASTLE GARDENS New Road, Sherborne DT9 5NR Tel: 01935 814633

By Mike Burks, Managing Director of The Gardens Group

Almost under the radar in the autumn, confused by the election and overshadowed by the missed 31 October Brexit deadline, came a bit of legislation from the EU. It is important legislation to do with keeping the EU and, of course the UK, safe from plant pests and diseases. Just because we’re now officially no longer part of the EU it doesn’t mean that we won’t be keeping the legislation because it’s important. It’s been given the simplified name Plant Passports, which have in fact been around for a while but now the rules have tightened and are a lot more thorough.

In principle, it must be possible to trace a plant right the way back to where it first started life whether in the UK or from abroad.

Each time it changes hands, so from our specialist grower to us (or anyone who sells plants) and from us to the gardener, it has to have a plant passport number.

What does this mean to you and your garden?

Well, nothing much will change but what it will mean is that there is much less chance of harmful pest and disease spreading within the UK or through Europe and into the UK or

direct to the UK for that matter.

We have always had strict quality checking in place and the teams take a great pride in high quality plants and reject any that arrive below par. But there’ll now be a paper trail that backs this up.

The importance of the legislation is partly due to the changing climate in that some pests and diseases are now able to survive in the UK as the average temperature is now higher. Experienced gardeners are often pleased about a tough winter because despite potentially damaging their plants it will also nobble some of the softer insect pests. In fact, if the cold comes gradually, plants can often easily cope by going dormant. Warm wet winters aren’t good news for plants often because root systems are still active and flooding or waterlogging is much more damaging as a result. The last tough winter of a couple of years ago meant most plants were happy in the spring because they went into dormant states and survived as a result.

rdening

Pests and diseases that have arrived in recent years include Ash Dieback, which has badly

Sherborne Plant Fair March is always an exciting time for gardeners and plantaholics and sees the start of the plant fair season. The annual Sherborne Plant, Potato and Seed Fair on 15 March will be in the Digby Hall, Hound Street. There will be nearly 20 stands selling seeds and vegetable plants plus spring bulbs, perennials, shrubs and, of course, a wide selection of potato varieties.

Make a note of the popular Yarlington and Mapperton plant fairs later in the year. Yarlington House is the 16 May and Mapperton plant fairs are on 19 April and 20 September. Full details and a list of the nurseries attending can be found at www.plantfairs.com.

The plant fair organisers, professional horticulturists, Rob and Becky Cotterill also arrange garden focused coach trips to Europe.

This year they are planning trips to explore French Rose gardens in June and Dutch gardens in September. If you are interested in joining them on these light hearted but fun packed holidays visit www.gardenbreaks.co.uk or ring them on 01460 242620 18

BRIMSMORE GARDENS Tintinhull Road, Yeovil BA21 3NU Tel: 01935 411000

POUNDBURY GARDENS Peverell Avenue, Poundbury DT1 3RT Tel: 01305 257250 www.thegardensgroup.co.uk

affected Ash trees throughout the UK, Horse Chestnut canker and leaf miner. The latter have made Horse chestnuts look really sad; Fuchsia Gall mite has luckily just about kept to the south coast and then there’s the harlequin ladybird, which forces out our own ladybird.

Others include the Leek moth, a much more prevalent pest in recent times. So it’s clear that the legislation is important and needs to be observed. We have been given a year to get everything in place and we are well on the way with this as is most of the industry.

So, no need to hold back on getting on with your gardening and with healthy plants to start with, you will be doing your bit to improve the environment no matter how large or small your garden might be.

APRIL DEADLINES

FOR ALL YOUR BLIND NEEDS

News and Articles:

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FRIDAY, 13 March

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MONDAY, 16 March

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Call THE BLINDMAKER any time on 01460 281527 / 07779 010939 www.theblindmaker4u.co.uk

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PlumbinG & Heating ltD Local & Reliable Plumber Gas safe registered, fully insured

New Build Renovations Gas boiler installations Bathroom installations LPG Vented and Unvented Cyclinder Installation Free quotes - competitive prices Email: wills.plumbing@hotmail.co.uk Telephone Malcolm: 07885 420609

THE FENCING & GATE COMPANY

01935 808052

GARDENING

Domestic Fencing Specialist All types of fencing and gates supplied and erected

NO PAINTING OR REPAIRS FOR 25 YEARS? IT MUST BE A COLOURFENCE!

Over 30 years experience Free Survey and Quotation 10 year guarantee • No VAT

When Spring comes around, there’s always plenty to do in the garden. However, with ColourFence, one of the most tedious, time-consuming jobs disappears overnight.

01935 330 095 01460 353 046

Mapperton House15th March Sunday

- 2pm Spring Plant10am Fair

Mapperton Gardens, nr Beaminster DT8 3NR Digby Hall

Sunday 14th April 10am – 4pm Sherborne DT9 £3 admission in aid of Dorset Wildlife Trust 3AA ———————————— (house tours and garden entrance extra)

Other 2020 dates

19th April Mapperton Gardens 16th May Yarlington House 20th September Mapperton Gardens Details of other fairs and stall holders at plantfairs.com

34 Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EQ

Tel: 01935 478100 walterwallyeovil@hotmail.co.uk

IAN CROSSLAND

PROPERTY MAINTENANCE Tel: 01935 411813 Mob: 07811 070 498

• Interior and exterior decorating

• Carpentry and small cabinet work • Restoration of timber windows

• Making/restoring leaded windows • Hanging doors

• Fitting fences and gates • Exterior lime mortaring

With over 20 years’ experience for a friendly reliable service please give me a call

Not just for 2019 but for the next 25 years!

That’s because there’s no need to paint or repair ColourFence. It’s guaranteed not to wrap, crack, shrink, rot or peel for the next 25 years, making it the world’s best maintenance-free fence. And, unlike other fences, ColourFence can withstand wind speeds of up to 130mph.

There’s a choice of colours to harmonise and enhance your garden’s design. Choose your preferred height, with or with trellis and also with the choice of a gate to make your garden secure.

———

———

Plantfairs.com

Call today for a free no obligation call 01935 481013, or visit www.colourfencesouthsomerset.co.uk 19

LEGAL COMPUTING

WHY ARE YOU A SAMARITAN?

WANT TO AVOID CHALLENGES TO YOUR WILL?

By Matt Dingwall, Head of Training, Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District

By Sally Manning, Battens Solicitors

Your Will could be challenged after your death by a disappointed family member, possibly under the Inheritance (Provision for Family & Dependants) Act 1975, or because your Will was incorrectly signed, or if you were ‘unduly influenced’ or did not have the requisite ‘testamentary capacity’.

But having your Will drawn up by a professional significantly reduces the risk of a successful challenge being made against your Will after your death.

No professional can guarantee that no one will challenge your Will, but the above ‘belt and braces’ approach will give you the most water tight Will possible.

In addition to instructing a solicitor to prepare your Will, I would advise that you also prepare a letter setting out your reasons for making your Will as it is. This could explain why you had chosen to not treat your children equally for example. Such a letter is evidence of your testamentary capacity. It can also calm a situation down if a disappointed family member can see your reasons for acting as you did.

If you are an Executor or beneficiary of an estate where there is a challenge, then my colleagues in the Dispute Resolution department can advise you.

Depending on your age and whether you are suffering from particular medical conditions, a solicitor may also advise you to obtain a medical report on your testamentary capacity. It is easier for this to be done at the time, than for your Executors to request this after your death, which could be many years later.

For more information on Wills and Trusts please contact Sally Manning in the Private Client Team on 01963 407060 or sally. manning@battens.co.uk For more information on Inheritance and Probate Disputes please contact Peter Livingstone in the Dispute Resolution Department on 01935 846235 or peter.livingstone@ battens.co.uk

Celebrating two successful years at our Castle Cary office!

Thank you for your continued support Come and see us at one of our

FREE LEGAL CLINICS Walk in on the day for a free chat and we’ll help you find the best way forward.

SOUTH PETHERTON The David Hall, 9am-12pm Wednesday - 26 February & 25 March 2020

01963 834477

20

YEOVIL Church of St John the Baptist, 10am - 1pm Saturday - 29 February & 28 March 2020 SOMERTON The Parish Rooms, 9am-12pm Tuesday - 3 March 2020

www.battens.co.uk Francis House, Fore Street, Castle Cary, BA7 7BQ

Once I’d reached a point where I was happy in life and in control of my emotions, I wanted to give back to others who needed it.

I’ve been a Samaritan for just over two years now. As all volunteers will tell you endlessly, Samaritans training is the absolute best there is.

For me personally, the training made a real impact. I came into it, thinking that my life experience was such that I wouldn’t really learn anything new, but how wrong I was.

The training really challenges you to think differently. And that’s made such a difference to every aspect of my life. Not just in my role as a Samaritan.

The friendships I forged along the way have also proved invaluable. In every session there’s so much warmth. People are open and welcoming and incredibly supportive.

When I first started the training, I was severely overweight. But the support of those

around me inspired to get healthy and shed the pounds. The good news is that over the last two years, I have managed to lose six stone!

Without my peers, I seriously don’t think I would have achieved it.

Having been so impressed with the training, I wanted to volunteer extra hours to the training team, under the tutelage of my amazingly talented predecessor, Simon Land.

Volunteer with us We will train, mentor and support you all the way.

To find out more and apply, visit

samaritans.org/volunteer Call 01935 478 746 Email yeovil@samaritans.org

Yeovil Sherborne & District

Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District is a registered charity.

At Samaritans we only hold branch positions for three years so that others can have a go.

When Simon stepped down, I took up the reins from him. I feel immensely privileged to be responsible for providing this lifechanging training to new volunteers. It’s so rewarding to see new recruits growing and embracing the Samaritans’ culture.

The core training for Samaritans will always remain the same. We teach people not to judge but how to listen. However, the way we deliver it is changing to adapt to people’s evolving lifestyles. The new course has 50% less face to face sessions with many of the elements moving on-line. Hopefully this will mean that people can train in less time, and more flexibly, and we can get more Samaritans on board to help more people, quicker.

Our objective at this branch is to deliver a 24/7 contribution to the Samaritans’ national service. We are fast achieving this, with over 130 volunteers at the Yeovil Branch already.

But we will always need more.

If you would like to find out more about becoming a Samaritan, why don’t you come along to one of our monthly open evenings?

They take place on the first Tuesday of every month month at 7pm at our new centre, Morley House, 26 West Hendford. There’s no need to pre-book, just turn up and you’ll be warmly welcomed with a cup of tea and answers to any questions you may have.

Alternatively, you can call our information line on 01935 478746; email: recruitment@ yeovilsamaritans.org.uk or visit our website at: https://www.samaritans.org/branches/ samaritans-yeovil-sherborne-and-district

Goldies is not a choir but a fun social group where people sing along to backing tracks from popular hits from the 1950’s onwards.

There are hundreds of songs to choose from in the Goldies song books from Sir Cliff Richard (Goldies Patron), Tom Jones, Petula Clark, the Three Degrees and many more. Although the groups are aimed at people aged over 60, they are in fact, open to people of all ages. There is a donation of £2 to attend, and carers go free! We will be singing for an hour, then half an hour for a cup of tea and chatting to new friends.

Specialist Legal Advice and Solutions for whatever life brings - at home or at work

enquiries@battens.co.uk

I became a Samaritan having, like so many others, used the service in my past. I found it amazing that in my darkest, loneliest moments there was someone at the end of the phone who was prepared to just listen.

FANCY A SING SONG?

Solicitors

Agricultural Matters • Business Services • Commercial Property Construction • Debt Recovery • Dispute Resolution Employment • Family Matters • Immigration Landlord & Tenant • Matrimonial • Moving Home Medical Negligence • Personal Injury • Planning Tax Planning • Wills, Trusts, Estates & Probate

CARE

LOOKING AFTER YOU, YOUR FAMILY & YOUR BUSINESS Bridgwater • Taunton • Yeovil 01935 382680 @PardoesLLP pardoes.co.uk

We know that being part of a wider group and singing is great for our social life and it makes us happier and healthier. These singing groups are great for people who are feeling a bit isolated and for those having difficulty with their memory – it’s incredible how our brain remembers tunes and lyrics from songs from many years ago!

For more information, please do not hesitate to call 07508054866 or the Golden Oldies office on 01761 470006 or visit their website www. golden-oldies.org.uk

te

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s long to the popular h its g-award of the 50s on Come and sin

e

Smil N SIO ESS ESNSIO SR Sing & TASTE TUESDAY 3RD MARCH

& TUESDAY

7TH APRIL 10.00am-11.30 am at Bruton Community Hall, Silver Street, Bruton, BA10 0EB

WELCOME EVERYODONNAETIO N TO ATTEND ONLY £2

ies Office to find

Contact The Gold

out more

06 1 4700 0176 ial Prescriber your local Soc

or contact

Sue Crisfield

www.golden-oldies.org.uk Golden-Oldies is a registered Charity No 1121600

66

on 075080548

es of people gnises the issu Goldies reco isolation. Fun loneliness and a great experiencing e sessions are Smil h and Goldies Sing others, to laug out, to be with . reason to get e new friends mak to and sing, and

21

Fashion

FASHION COMPUTING

MAKE WAY FOR SPRING!

MELBURY GALLERY

SHERBORNE Half Moon Street DORCHESTER 10-11 Tudor Arcade, South Street www.melburygallery.co.uk

By Thelma Drabik, Melbury Gallery The latest spring collections have burst into Melbury Gallery and we could not be more elated by the bold colours and new styles! The shop has never looked more bright, fresh and vibrant!

The first drop of MASAI has arrived with a splash! This season’s collections feature zingy greens with floral inspired designs. An ode to the succulent green foliage and blooms to come this spring.

These gorgeous prints come in all of the wonderful shapes we come to expect from MASAI . . . tunics, dresses, tops and many more offer elegant silhouettes that flatter any figure.

ADINI have made some truly beautiful pieces this spring with fabulous fresh blues and crisp

whites. This classic and striking combination of hues feature some batik influenced prints that have us dreaming of the warmer weather ahead and those wellearned holidays!

The ever popular One Hundred Stars collaboration with Kew Gardens have added some more stunning prints to their repertoire. The Rosebush design has us feeling all romantic and for good reason! It is absolutely lovely!

As you can see there are plenty of new goodies coming into Melbury Gallery! Of course why not offset these spectacular outfits with some jewellery or scarves for an extra touch of glamour! We have an exceptional range of earrings with some wonderful new

additions. Expect lots of azures, turquoises and complimentary corals!

We will be having lots more of the new spring collections arriving into both our Sherborne and Dorchester shop over the next few months so watch this space! OSKA, SAHARA,

THOUGHT, ADINI and many more are still to come!

And don’t forget to come and see us at our spectacular warehouse sale where you can pick up some wonderful bargains from past spring collections.

By Jimmy Flynn, Milborne Port Computers

Since releasing Windows 7 in 2009, it has been superseded by Windows 8, 8.1 and 10, because an operating system needs to be updated to be able to work with newer hardware introduced since it was designed. However, this does not mean that Windows will stop working on your machine as the two have lived happily together since they were made; it just means that Microsoft will stop issuing security and bug fixes for Windows 7 from now on.

Since the release of Windows 10 22

some years ago, many computers have been automatically upgraded free-of-charge, but many were not compatible and could not be upgraded. Having said that, we have managed to manually upgrade nearly every computer we have come across, that was worth upgrading, and that is really the question you should ask yourself: Is it worth it?

Your Windows 7 computer is now already at least 6½ years old and if it were upgraded, it would still be 6½ years old but with a newer operating system. If you do nothing, your PC will just keep on going until it dies and then you’ll have to buy a new one, and that’ll have Windows 10.

So, what are the risks? Only one really, the security updates.

Hackers and virus makers are always looking for flaws in the operating system that they can exploit and any new ones that they find will not be patched up. If you are careful and have a good anti-virus then you’ll probably be OK, but its

EXPERTS ON RIVIERA TRAVEL

Local TRAVEL Event in Yeovil

by Heather Muir, Miles Morgan Travel At Miles Morgan Travel we are delighted to be a main agent for Riviera Travel which is one of the UK’s leading escorted tour companies with over 35 years of experience.

Riviera Travel offers European and worldwide escorted tours, plus luxury five-star river cruises, exciting journeys by rail and once in a lifetime tall ship adventures. Along with Mediterranean Yacht cruises, a dedicated collection for solo travellers and a brand-new Walk and Discover range allowing customers to incorporate a little more activity to their holiday. Riviera Travel’s world-class tours satisfy your desire to explore new places, understand different cultures, and above all, immerse yourself in new experiences.

As always, every detail of a Riviera Travel tour has been meticulously crafted – from the itinerary and hotels to transport – by a team of travel specialists as passionate about your holiday as you are. Riviera Travel’s knowledgeable tour guides won’t just show you the destination, they’ll make sure you feel its heartbeat. To ensure that your journey is exceptional and unrivalled, Riviera Travel tour managers are there, every step of the way.

Event to be held on:

So much is included because Riviera Travel believes that every journey you make should be most memorable. To enhance this experience, Riviera Travel offers handpicked highlights which can be added to your holiday. And to make your holiday extra special, they also offer upgrades and extensions as well.

Riviera Travel’s commitment to quality, thoughtfulness and value are guaranteed hallmarks. And they are proud to hold two Which? Recommended Provider awards: Package Holiday Provider and River Cruise Provider. This is reflected in the fact that 95% of their customers have said they would book again, as identified by independent reviewer, Reevoo. They are also consistently recognised by our customers for being extremely good value for money and because of that we would like to invite you to join us as our forthcoming event at the Manor Hotel, Yeovil at 7pm on the 21 April. Call us today: 01935 577294 to be added to the guest list.

LEARN MORE ABOUT RIVIERA TOURS & RIVER CRUISES Tuesday 21st April at 7pm The Manor Hotel, Yeovil

Contact our Travel Specialists to be added to the guest list Phone lines open until 10pm

01935 577294

www.milesmorgantravel.co.uk

2 Borough Arcade, High Street Yeovil BA20 1RX

A trip to Llandudno

By Travel Correspondent Tim Saunders

WINDOWS 7: END OF LIFE You may have seen or heard recently that Microsoft has announced that support for Windows 7 ceased in January 2020, so what does this mean for you, and why? Windows 7 is still a wildly popular operating system that, even 10 years after its release, is still relied upon by millions across the globe. And, as hard as Microsoft might try to push you to Windows 10, it won’t be as easy to do so as the company might hope.

GARDENING TRAVEL

worthwhile checking to see if you can be upgraded for simple peace of mind.

Like it or not, even if you don’t want to move to Windows 10 initially, eventually you’ll have little choice. PC makers will be bundling Windows 10 into their machines, with no option to downgrade to Windows 7.

Also, you won’t find a Windows 7 license anywhere for purchase aside from eBay and other places outside of standard retail channels.

Upgrading is pretty pain free as all your programs remain

unchanged and will continue to work as they always did.

Moreover, you can take the opportunity to upgrade your slow old hard disk to a new SSD type that runs about 10x faster.

Overall cost … somewhere between £100 – £150 for a new disk and Windows 10 upgrade.

As always, if you need help with this or any other related technology, you know where to come!

Coming Up Next Month …

Phishing, Spear Phishing and related scams

Llandudno is a popular Victorian seaside town in North Wales, known as ‘Flandidno’ to the locals. Road signage is in Welsh as well as English. Motorists are often advised to ‘Araf’ meaning ‘Slow’. The town has wide boulevards, art deco metalwork and ornate roofs similar to France and Romania. In fact Queen Elisabeth of Romania stayed here in 1890.

Llandudno seafront is lined with pastel coloured hotels, the choice of palette the requirement of the landlords, the Mostyn estate. We take the Great Orme Tour in a vintage 1958 Leyland Tiger Cub coach with an extremely knowledgeable driver. He explains that in 1848, Owen Williams, an architect and surveyor, presented Lord Mostyn with plans to develop the marshlands behind Llandudno Bay as a holiday resort. Over the next 20 years it was developed.

We stay for four nights and five days at the three star Somerset Hotel, which has a five star food hygiene rating and a car park for self-drivers. Owned by

Daish’s Holidays the majority of guests arrive by Daish’s coach. A substantial property with 86 ensuite bedrooms, some with sea views, there’s a bar and dance floor and a games room that the children love. Guests stay on a half board basis – a wonderful holiday feel with lots of chatter and new friends being made quickly. After checking into our family room we go to dinner.

What a luxury to indulge in a three course meal. We enjoy the vegetable soup of the day and the desserts such as bread and butter pudding and spotted dick are delicious, too. All very filling and satisfying fare.

After a brief evening stroll along the seafront we return to the hotel to see the entertainment.

What fun; we all take to the dance floor and there are covers of George Ezra’s Shotgun and Pharrell Williams’ Happy.

We take the hop on hop off bus tour and as the weather is nice, sit on the top. There’s an audio guide where we learn that there are 160 wind turbines 10 miles off the shore that provide

electricity for up to 400,000 homes. The name Llandudno derives from ‘llan’ meaning church or parish and Saint Tudno who brought Christianity to the area.

Acquainting ourselves with the walled market town of Conwy, its castle and suspension bridge England’s smallest house is here, too. There’s a vintage toy shop and the Royal Cambrian Academy gallery. Returning to Llandudno we watch Punch & Judy. To think this very act has been entertaining visitors to the happy valley since the town was established. The original puppets are used to this day. That’s the way to do it.

Bodnant Garden is 25 minutes away by car. Eighty acres of superb gardens certainly keep us amused and there’s pond dipping where we find Phantom Midge Larvae otherwise known as baby mosquitoes. Breath taking landscapes here include waterfalls, lakes, lily ponds and views of Snowdonia in the background.

For more information visit: www.daishs.com www.nwmes.org.uk/ alpine-travel.co.uk/ CitySightseeing alpine-travel.co.uk/Great-Orme rcaconwy.org/ www.thepottersgallery.co.uk/ www.mostyn.org/ www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ bodnant-garden Watch the videos at www. travelwriter.biz 23

PET HEALTH

ANIMALS

HISTORY

GIVE YOUR PETS A HEALTHY SMILE! PART 1

142 Preston Road, Yeovil Somerset BA20 2EE Lower Acreman Street Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3EX www.newtonclarkevet.com

By Peter Luscombe BVSc GPCert(Derm) MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons We all learn as children the importance of looking after our teeth, but what about our pets?

Our pets’ teeth require as much attention as our own, if we are to ensure they are to remain healthy throughout their lives. Extensive research surveys of the veterinary profession indicate that up to 75% of our cats and dogs have a degree of dental disease by the age of three years, and it remains one of the most common diseases seen in general veterinary practice.

Why does dental disease remain such a prevalent condition?

Firstly, many cats and dogs can carry on eating and drinking without apparent discomfort and signs may only become obvious when the dental disease becomes advanced.

Secondly, many pet owners are reluctant to examine their pet’s mouth and teeth, also their pets may be less than keen to oblige! So early signs are often missed Thirdly, some breeds and individuals have a genetic susceptibility to developing dental disease.

Lastly, many pet owners understandably

would wish to avoid their pet having a general anaesthetic to examine and clean the teeth, and therefore may be tempted to delay dental treatment, unless it becomes advanced and is causing obvious discomfort. However, the old adage “prevention is better than cure” is particularly relevant to dental health.

What are the signs of dental disease?

Dogs and cats can exhibit a number of signs associated with dental disease depending on how advanced the disease process has become. They include: 1. Reluctance to eat, especially hard kibble and biscuits, and possibly favouring one side of the mouth.

2. Bad breath.

3. Drooling saliva.

4. Sore and bleeding gums (gingivitis).

5. Accumulation of plaque (brown deposit) on the surface of the teeth.

6. Swelling on the outside of the face.

Why does dental disease develop?

Food material, bacteria and saliva are deposited naturally and continuously on the surface of the teeth and gums forming plaque, from a very early age.

As plaque accumulates, toxins produced by the plaque bacteria cause inflammation of the gum tissue, termed gingivitis. At the same time as this, the plaque may also become mineralised forming calculus (tartar) which is usually very tightly bonded to the tooth surface. This is also frequently accompanied by very bad breath.

If gingivitis is allowed to go unchecked the plaque bacteria will start to penetrate below the gum line, leading to destruction of the bone and other tooth supporting structures, a condition termed periodontal disease.

This is a far more serious condition and if left untreated, results in tooth loosening and eventual tooth loss. Advanced dental disease can cause serious side effects such as heart disease and kidney disease from circulating bacteria.

Can anything be done?

There are several actions that can reduce the progression of dental disease, which I will discuss next month. If your pet is showing any of the signs described above, I recommend you seek the advice of your Veterinary Practice and arrange to have your pet’s teeth checked.

THE ROTTEN BOROUGH OF MILBORNE PORT

By Lesley Wray

Milborne Port is a lovely place to live, but in 1831 it was declared a ‘Rotten Borough’! This came about because elected members first attended parliament in 1275 when two elected representatives from each county and two from each town were called to attend. Over time both parliament and towns changed, but the right to send MPs remained static. By 1830, Old Sarum, at Salisbury, had two MPs but only seven voters, while boroughs in the rapidly growing industrial towns like Birmingham and Manchester had no MPs to represent them at all.

Towns like Milborne Port became a way for the wealthy landowners to gain political power. In Milborne Port, the Marquis of Anglesey (a Tory) bought estates here, including Ven, for the political power it offered.

In 1802, out of a population of 953 only 99 men could vote. With no secret ballot the voters were easily controlled, even so the election results were frequently contested.

In 1818 Lord Darlington (a Whig) tried to gain control of Milborne Port.

He bought land on the edge of Milborne Port from Mr Grimes, and built Newtown. Anglesey’s steward was told to remove uncooperative tenants from their properties, pay any necessary bribes, and purchase more land and property in the borough, to ensure the Whigs did not win. East Street and Waterloo Crescent were built to boost Anglesey’s 24

share of the vote, and at the by-election in July 1819 Anglesey’s candidate won by 54 votes to 36. Some voters had not done as they were told, so twenty tenants were evicted by Anglesey and those who remained became ‘very zealous and firm supporters.’ By 1820, the population of the town was 1,440 and 111 men had the right to vote.

The two Lords spent large sums over the next five years fighting for control of the borough, before Darlington conceded defeat.

The building boom was not enough to prevent the town losing its MPs. Agitation for electoral reform had been gaining support since the middle of the eighteenth century, and by the early nineteenth century it was clear that action had to be taken. By the new criteria adopted in the revised Reform Bill of December 1831, Milborne Port, which contained 383 houses and paid £211 in assessed taxes, was placed 48 in the list of the smallest English boroughs. This confirmed its disfranchisement. The Marquis of Anglesey sold Ven back to the Medlycott family, and Philip Crampton and Richard Sheil were the last MPs to represent Milborne Port. They were returned unopposed in March 1831, but lost their seats when the Reform Act of 1832 abolished the constituency. Those in Milborne Port who had the right to vote did not lose it, but they were now a small part of the East Somerset constituency.

HOMING AND CARING FOR ANIMALS FOR 80 YEARS Taking a closer look at Ferne Animal Sanctuary

Nestled in the stunning Blackdown Hills close to Chard, Ferne Animal Sanctuary remains for many an undiscovered gem in the local landscape. The peace and tranquillity of the sanctuary belies the work the dedicated staff undertake on a daily basis, caring for over 300 unwanted and abandoned domestic and farm animals.

Ferne has a fascinating history of which it remains, justifiably, proud. Originally founded by Nina, the Duchess of Hamilton and Brandon at the start of the Second World War, Ferne Animal Sanctuary (then located in Dorset) opened its doors to the pets of soldiers leaving for the battlefields and became a safe refuge for over 6000 pets affected by the war. Many of these animals lost their owners during this time and then the task of re-homing all these pets, so sadly affected by the war, began.

Eighty years on and Ferne continues to care for many animals - finding new loving homes for hundreds of unwanted dogs and cats each year. Many animals arrive needing the expertise of the Animal Care team to help them adjust to a life where they are loved and well cared for. Some scars – be it physical or emotional, will quickly heal; others are more substantial,

and many animals will always need the care provided at Ferne living out their days in the tranquillity of the Sanctuary.

Wander through the Sanctuary and you can discover a menagerie of over 300 animals - from chipmunks, chinchillas, rabbit, guinea pigs through to the larger pigs, goats, sheep, cows and horses. All the animals here have their own characters (sometimes very colourful ones!) and their own story to tell, although often we will never know exactly what an animal has experienced during its life.

Some of our resident animals are very confident and happy to enjoy the attention of visitors, although others remain shy and prefer to tuck themselves away in the warmth and privacy that their home provides. Ferne is also very mindful that the Sanctuary is home to a wonderful array of wildlife – if you are quiet you may observe the diversity of woodland birds and small mammals; including nature’s dazzling display of dragonflies during the warm summer months.

The ethos of the Sanctuary remains largely unchanged over time. Education is one of the Ferne’s key strategies to ultimately reduce the number of animals that will need the refuge of a sanctuary in the future. Visit Ferne during the school holidays and you will find animal trials and other activities all aimed at helping

children (and adults!) understand more about the welfare and needs of animals.

The work of the Sanctuary extends into the wider community via our four charity shops, located in Honiton, Chard, Ilminster and Crewkerne. Here visitors can enjoy shopping for high quality pre-loved and new items, including women’s, men’s and kid’s clothing and accessories, an array of homeware, pictures, books and games.

Some of our shops also stock electrical goods and furniture.

Also come and find out about some of the animals that are currently available for re-homing. Customers are always made to feel welcome and, although we are well supported, we are always pleased to see new good quality donations, especially clothing and bric-a-brac arriving! Treat yourself to a bargain and help out animals in need by doing so!

Our work never stops so if you have any free time to get involved by volunteering we would be delighted to hear from you. Whatever your skills, you can make friends and become part of something really worthwhile by joining our lovely team in one of the Charity Shops or, if you have transport, you could even volunteer at the Sanctuary. Call Sarah for a chat on 01460 65214 or email volunteering@ ferneanimalsanctuary.org 25

BUSINESS & FINANCE

MOTORING

Motoring TEST DRIVING A CHARACTERFUL CAR!

By Tim Saunders

END OF TAX YEAR PLANNING

By Mark Salter, Financial Planner The end of the 2019/20 tax year is fast approaching and it’s your last chance to take full advantage of your tax free allowances and exemptions. The list below will help you take advantage of some of these and remember they must be used on or before 5 April 2020 which falls on a Sunday this year!

ISA ALLOWANCE The annual ISA allowance is £20,000 per person (£40,000 for a couple!). There is no difference in limits between a stocks and shares ISA and a cash ISA so you can save the entire £20,000 in a cash ISA or invest it in a stocks and shares ISA. Alternatively you can have a mixture of the two providing you don’t exceed the £20,000 limit.

The benefit of ISAs is that you don’t pay income tax on the interest and they are not subject to capital gains tax.

LIFETIME ISA (LISA) These ISAs were introduced in April 2017 to help younger people save to buy their first house or if they don’t use it to buy a house, it can be used for retirement. You have to be between 18 and 40 to open a LISA and you have the option of a cash LISA or a stocks and shares LISA. The maximum you can invest is £4,000 which receives a government bonus of 25% (up to £1,000). Any contribution to a LISA forms part of your £20,000 ISA allowance.

JUNIOR ISAS Just like ordinary ISAs, there are Junior Individual Savings Accounts known as JISAs. They can be opened for children under 18 who don’t have a Child Trust Fund account. The child can take control of the JISAs from the age of 16, but cannot withdraw from them until they are 18. This year’s annual tax free JISA allowance is £4,368.

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PENSION ALLOWANCE In the 2019/20 tax year you are able to place up to £40,000 into a pension (subject to UK relevant earnings). Any past years’ pension allowance which had not been used up can be carried forward, but only for the last three tax years. Using your pension allowance can significantly reduce the earnings you get taxed on, possibly bringing your earnings for tax purposes down into another tax bracket.

Please bear in mind that individuals with high earnings (adjusted income above £150,000) need to take care as the annual allowance is reduced by £1 for every £2 above this limit and professional advice is essential.

INCOME TAX For those individuals whose earnings are in and around the tax band thresholds, some last minute planning may be tax efficient. Up until 5 April you can earn up to £50,000 without going into the 40% tax band (personal tax free allowance of £12,500 + £37,500). If your income exceeds £50,000 then additional pension contributions may be worth considering as higher rate tax relief may be available.

CAPITAL GAINS TAX The annual CGT exemption is £12,500 for 2019/20 tax year. If you have unrealised gains, you may decide to dispose of some before the end of the tax year to use up your annual exemption. Married couples are taxed individually on capital gains, so transferring an asset from one spouse to

Tim Saunders is an advanced motorist and journalist. He has always been passionate about motoring and regularly reviews cars from the leading manufacturers. His first report on a BMW 520i was published in the Dorset Echo when he was 17 (just after passing his driving test) in 1995. He went on to become business and motoring editor at the Bournemouth Echo.

another before realising a gain can be tax efficient. As far as possible it is important to use the annual exemption each tax year because, if unused, it cannot be carried forward.

ANNUAL INHERITANCE TAX EXEMPTION AND SMALL GIFTS The first £3,000 given away each tax year is not subject to inheritance tax (IHT) if you die. Amounts greater than £3,000 can later become subject to IHT, if you die within seven years. If you don’t use the exemption this year, you can carry it forward for one tax year and use it then.

As such, if you want to use 2018/19 unused annual IHT exemption, you must do so before 5 April 2020.

There is also the small gifts allowance, which means you can give up to £250 to any individual each year without being subject to IHT. For example, you could gift £250 to your grandchildren and great grandchildren and it would be immediately outside your estate for inheritance tax purposes. We would suggest keeping accurate records of any gifts made.

No decision should be taken based on the content of this article. Always take full individual advice first.

At Fort Financial Planning, we have The Tax Reduction StrategyTM which is an important part of our Comprehensive Financial Planning service. A pound of tax saved is, after all, an extra pound in your pocket.

“Ahhh, it’s as if the car’s greeting me,” coos my wife Caroline as she walks up to the DS3. Its door handles pop out and the power folding wing mirrors unfold - the automotive equivalent of a dog licking you to death. “I can imagine this appeals to lonely people,” she adds. This characteristic certainly draws admiration from fellow motorists I meet on our travels between Hampshire, Dorset and Wales.

When the car is locked the door handles are flush with the body of the car, unlock it and they rise out. It’s quite spectacular when you haven’t seen this before. However, after a while it becomes annoying. If the key fob is on your person and you walk past the car the door handles automatically rise and the car bleeps.

Happen to walk past a number of times as I do and you can imagine how this would wind the neighbours up.

The DS3 pays homage to the humble triangle. There are triangles on the bold black grille; there is even a massive indentation of a triangle on top of another triangle on both sides of the car. And there are triangles before your eyes inside, wherever you care to glance. The dash is full of them.

Then there’s the variety of trim. There’s some kind of leather on the dashboard mixed with shiny metal and that metal with its various finishes is a joy to touch. So, top marks for this design statement. It really does stand out from the bland crowd.

Then the designers have gone one step further and turned the usual into something more unusual. They’ve turned things upside down, in fact. The grab handles for the doors have been placed at the top while the levers to open them have been put in their usual place. The switches for the electric windows have been placed in the centre of the car, completely unnerving the unsuspecting driver. My wife complains that she doesn’t have her own door mounted button (as she is used to) to operate her window yet the children do in the back. As a touch of design it’s a masterpiece but in terms of practicality it’s frustrating because 1 to 19/06/2018 11:33 Pageeverything 1 itBrewers takes aGarage.qxp_Layout great deal of time remember where is.

BREWERS GARAGE LTD Western Ways Yard, Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4HR

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Back inside the DS3, which sounds more like a gaming system, there’s an easy to operate sat nav but disappointingly it’s not that helpful. During the test my wife’s father is admitted to hospital and try as we might to search for Royal Bournemouth Hospital it has no idea whatsoever. However, if you do know the postcode or road name, most of the time it will get you where you want to go.

It’s not without its flaws but this is a characterful car that stands out and is enjoyable to drive.

DS3 Crossback Ultra Prestige Pure Tech 155 Auto 8 Speed Imperial Gold metallic Price: £34,155

Top speed: 129mph

0-60mph: 8.2secs

Power: 155bhp

Engine: 1.2 litre petrol

Economy: 35mpg

Take a look at Tim’s video where you can see him test driving the DS3 and other vehicles www.testdrives.biz 27

LIFESTYLE

LIFESTYLE

March Women’s Celebrations

By Lynne Franks, OBE., Women’s Empowerment Guru, Author and Owner of the SEED Café and SEED Wellbeing Hub in Wincanton March is always a busy month for me and this year is particularly active. Alongside the global celebrations of International Women’s Day on 8 March, started over a century ago in New York by exploited women garment factory workers, this year is the 20th anniversary since I published The SEED Handbook, my best-selling guide to women on how to develop self-confidence, skills and start a sustainable business.

Published throughout the English speaking world plus Germany and Japanese in 2000, followed more recently in Russia and Kazakhstan, The SEED Handbook is the first book to appear anywhere in the world which was based on the ‘the feminine way to create business’ and ‘feminine values of intuition, multitasking, collaboration and community.’

SEED has become the basis for a huge amount of on and off-line workshops and training programmes over the years, delivered in such diverse environments as rural African villages, women’s prisons and the corporate board room. It focuses as much on personal development as it does on the details of running a business, and has become a global movement of change for women who want to create a new future for themselves, their communities and the planet.

Now with the incredible growth of social media, copious amounts of women’s business networks and far more sympathetic media and banks, there are many more women’s owned businesses and indeed self-employed women who are coaches, therapists and practitioners in the UK. It was always clear to me that as technology evolved, women could choose to stay at home with their families and still

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continue their careers. Additionally far more women over fifty and older will be starting their own businesses, and young women would have the opportunity to become entrepreneurs earlier, even from school.

And as I observe women doing so well in running businesses such as cafés, local stores, manufacturing, healthy eating and beauty products, becoming wellbeing practitioners, not to mention technology, construction, property and finance, it has become very clear that this is indeed the grassroots revolution I announced twenty years ago.

I have seen many times at my workshops and retreats that when a woman follows her dream and works according to her values including integrity, connection, freedom and love, with the support of other women in their community or online, she can achieve virtually anything.

And as I look at the next twenty years, judging from my own town of Wincanton, Somerset where I have created my SEED Hub, I see that women from the grassroots are, as I predicted, working together to create a new sustainable society where we will plant the seeds and grow our lives and our communities through mutual support and the sharing of our stories and resources.

INSPIRATIONS FOR THE CURIOUS SHOPPER

By Dawn Woodward, The Emporium, Yeovil

It’s lovely to be heading towards spring at last and as such, our shop is filled with seasonal offerings! Mother’s Day on 22 March is the focus across our shop this month and there’s so much gift inspiration for this occasion...

For example, check out the lovely spring clothing available from Wild Violet in The Emporium.

Events in March: A couple of events which I’d like to mention are:-

We will be celebrating International Women’s Day at the SEED Hub in Wincanton on the evening of Friday, 6 March with our annual showing of an inspiring women’s movie, in partnership with Penny Nagle’s Where West Begins.

During the day on Saturday 7 March we will be working in partnership with Wincanton Book Day, featuring women authors at our SEED Store and Café. We will also be holding our monthly women’s gatherings and suppers with inspirational guest speakers on the third Friday of every month so do join us.

To find out timings and details, please check on our website www.hubatno3.com or check out our announcements on our SEED Café Facebook Page or Instagram.

Secret Acoustic/Folk Supper on 12 March from 7pm Another of our ever so popular music evenings, which we host with Bearcat Collective. Come and enjoy some amazing food, drinks from our bar and an amazing selection of live music. Booking is essential as these events sell out.

Mother’s Day weekend Afternoon Tea on Saturday 21 March Treat your Mum with one of our stunning afternoon teas, all carefully prepared with homemade treats. Contact us to book this wonderful treat.

Trading with us: We have a few opportunities for new traders to join us.

If you are considering opening a retail outlet to develop your business , our model is the perfect first step, a small shop with us is low cost and low risk, why not give it a go?

One of our traders who has recently moved location within The Emporium is Chalk & Chisel, a Shop filled with beautiful mirrors of distinction.

There have been a few changes in our café - more details on this next time, but I’d like to take the opportunity to welcome our new Head Chef Jussy, we are loving her wonderful food! Along with Maxine, our new Front of House Manager, Amanda and Brad- our cafe team is just fantastic.

Visit us for breakfast, brunch, lunch and afternoon tea. Cafe open 9-5pm, Monday -Saturday. All day breakfast, hot food served up until 3pm.

Find us at The Emporium 39 Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EG www.theemporiumyeovil.co.uk Tel 01935 579482

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VISUAL ART

Until Saturday 29 February from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, it is the popular annual ‘Schools go Visual’ exhibition. Every year visitors are impressed by the sheer creative energy and the colourful, imaginative and ingenious works that the young artists bring to this exhibition. Participating schools are: Chard School, Greenfylde Church of England First School, Neroche Primary School, Swanmead School, Strode College, Stanchester Academy, St Mary & St Peter’s C of E Primary School and Shepton Beauchamp primary school. Open Monday to Friday from 9.30am to 4.30pm and Saturday from 9.30am to 2.30pm. Free entry. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

From Monday 2 to Saturday 21 March from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, celebrate its 25th anniversary in 2020 with an exhibition ‘By Invitation - A Silver Celebration’ by some of the artists who have shown here over the years and who have contributed to the success and reputation of the Arts Centre. This invitation exhibition showcases work in a wide range of media and styles, and is a reflection of the high standards of artistic endeavour that Ilminster Arts Centre has encouraged and promoted over the past quarter of a century. Gallery is open from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 2.30pm (closes at 12.00 noon on final day). Admission free.

For more information, phone 01460 54973 or visit www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

From Monday 23 March to Saturday 11 April from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is an exhibition ‘The Natural World - Man’s

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Impact’. Textile Set is a relatively new group of eleven multi-talented artists who enthusiastically express themselves through a variety of textile media. Their work features embroidery, needle felting, mixed media, paint and contemporary quilting.

Human impact on the natural world is a topical concern; the pieces on display reflect current environmental and extinction issues. Formed in June 2018 and local to Dorset and Somerset, the group incorporates the ‘set’ from the counties into its name.

Gallery is open from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 2.30pm (closes at 12.00 noon on final day). Admission free.

For more information, phone 01460 54973 or visit www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

From Monday 23 March to Saturday 11 April from 9.30am at Ilminster Arts Centre’s Café Gallery, there is a solo exhibition of work

by Sharon O’Brien. Sharon is a contemporary self-taught artist and singer/songwriter.

Her artwork is inspired by the natural world and the deep emotions of the human soul.

She loves to use collage and texture in her paintings, adding things from nature as well as sparkly elements that catch the light and create beautiful shimmers and reflections. Sharon’s work is full of depth and colour in both semi-abstract and impressionistic styles. Gallery is open from Monday to Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm and Saturday 9.30am to 2.30pm (closes at 12.00 noon on final day). Admission free.

For more information, phone 01460 54973 or visit www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

MUSIC

On Thursday 20 February

from 6.45pm at The Emporium Café, Yeovil, is an evening of Blues, Soul and Rock & Roll featuring Flic Keirle and special guests. Come along for an evening of incredible food, fantastic themed cocktails and music! Tickets £5 in advance and pay on the night for menu/drinks. To book, phone 01935 411378, visit the Facebook page or via The Emporium Cafe.

On Friday 21 February at 7.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, Concerts in the West welcomes back Nicholas Mulroy and John Reid, accompanied by mixedmedia artist William Lindley.

Nicholas (tenor) and John (piano) will perform works from Purcell, WD Browne, Tippett, Britten and Elgar. William’s projected moving images will give a fascinating backdrop to the music. This trio brings together an exciting multisensory fusion of solo piano, vocals and moving images in one recital. Tickets £15, concessions for students and children, unreserved seating.

Box Office 01460 54973 or visit www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

On Friday 21 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, ‘Lipstick On Your Collar’ is back with a brand new show with hits from the 50s and 60s. From the birth of Rock ‘n’ Roll to the Beat Group sounds of the British Invasion and beyond, the show is packed with over forty hits from the likes of Connie Francis, Brenda Lee, Buddy Holly, Chuck Berry, The Beatles, The Ronettes, Cliff Richard, Cilla Black and many more. Performed by a full live band, featuring some of the country’s top musicians, this incredible show features excellent vocals, tight harmonies and an infectious sense of fun. Tickets £19.50.

Box office 01258 475137.

By Rachel Mowbray

ARTS

On Saturday 22 February at 7.30pm at The Dance House, Crewkerne, Concerts in the West welcomes back Nicholas Mulroy and John Reid, accompanied by artist William Lindley. Nicholas (tenor) and John (piano) will perform works from Purcell, WD Browne, Tippett, Britten and Elgar.

William’s projected moving images will give a fascinating backdrop to the music. This trio brings together an exciting multi-sensory fusion of solo piano, vocals and moving images in one recital. Tickets £15, concessions for students and children, unreserved seating. For advance bookings email concertsinthewest@ gmail.com or book at https:// helmtickets.com/, or buy from Crewkerne Town Hall’s Local Information Office or on the night from 6.45pm.

On Saturday 29 February at 7.30pm at Norton-subHamdon Church, there is a concert by The Avon & Somerset Constabulary Male Voice Choir. Tickets £7, available from Norton Community Shop or by post (£8) phone 01935 881330.

Further details visit www. nortonfestival.org.

On Saturday 29 February at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, the UK’s longest running Musical Theatre Concert Tour ‘Beyond the Barricade’ celebrates an incredible 21 Years touring the UK with this brand new show.

The concert features David Fawcett (Valjean) Andy Reiss (Enjolras and Resident Director for the National Tour of Les Miserables) Katie Leeming (Eponine) and Poppy Tierney (Cosette), together with a live band who capture the feel of the original orchestrations of the best of Broadway and the West End, ending with a stunning finale from Les Mis. A musical theatre experience not to be missed! Tickets

Christian Garrick & The Budapest Café Orchestra

By Invitation Exhibition - Still Life

£23, concessions £22. Box office 01258 475137.

On Saturday 29 February at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, Christian Garrick & The Budapest Café Orchestra celebrate their 10th Birthday Tour 20092019. The BCO was established by British composer and violinist Christian Garrick in 2009. Led by Christian, they play a blistering barrage of traditional folk and gypsy-flavoured music from across the Balkans and Russia, Klezmer laments, Romanian Doinas, Hungarian Czardas and their own unique arrangements.

The BCO evokes vivid images of Tzigane fiddle maestros, Budapest café life and gypsy campfires - plus a few surprises along the way, and are hugely entertaining, demonstrating immense skill and profound musicianship. Tickets £18, concessions £17. To book, phone 01460 240340, email boxoffice@thedavidhall. org.uk or visit www.thedavidhall.org.uk.

On Thursday 5 March at 7.30pm at Melbury Osmond Village Hall, come and listen to Kit Hawes and Aaron Catlow, as they weave a musical dialogue between fiddle, guitar and voice. These virtuoso players draw on their many influences to created unique arrangements of traditional music, as well as their own compositions. In demand as musicians, writers and arrangers, Kit and Aaron have worked with many established artists including Grammy Award-nominated Yola, Seth Lakeman, and Afro Celt Sound System. Set off on a musical journey

LIVE PERFORMANCES JAZZ *CLASSICAL* FOLK ART EXHIBITIONS * ART & CRAFT WORKSHOPS LICENSED CAFÉ * CRAFTS SHOP VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES

www.themeetinghouse.org.uk Box Office 01460 54973 East Street, llminster TA19 0AN Registered Charity 1117698

Twisted Tales 2 ‘Owdyado Theatre

through Europe, America and beyond, as together Kit and Aaron combine dazzling playing with a fine sense of musicality and showmanship. Tickets £9, under 18s £6, family £25. To book, phone 01935 83453. www.artsreach.co.uk.

On Friday 6 March at 7.30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, Concerts in the West presents Nicholas McCarthy who will perform works by Scriabin, Julie Cooper, Alice Charbonnet, Reinecke, Bach, R Strauss, Bellini and Bartók.

Nicholas, born without his right hand, only began to play the piano at the age of 14 after being inspired by hearing a friend play Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata. He is a champion of the ‘left hand alone’ repertoire, which first came to prominence in the early 19th century and developed rapidly following the First World War as a result of the injuries suffered by musicians on the battlefield.

He has performed extensively at UK and international major venues, including performing at the Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic games alongside Coldplay. Tickets £15, concessions for students and children, unreserved seating. Box Office 01460 54973 or visit www.themeetinghouse.org.uk.

The Natural World Exhibition - Poppy Fields

Closing Ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic games alongside Coldplay. Tickets £15, concessions for students and children, unreserved seating. For advance bookings email concertsinthewest@gmail.com or book at https://helmtickets.com/, or buy from Crewkerne Town Hall’s Local Information Office or on the night from 6.45pm.

On Saturday 7 March at 8.00pm at The Davis Hall, Cool Country Club is holding its monthly live country music night with live entertainment by Barefoot & Crazy.

Doors open 7pm. Light refreshments available including rolls and snacks, or bring your own refreshments and alcohol. £6.00 on the door. For further information, phone John on 01458 223828 or Jan on 01460 78895 or visit www.cool-countrycwdc.com.

On Friday 6 March at 7.30pm at The Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster, The Ilminster Belles present their Spring Concert of ‘Songs from The Shows’; pop and old favourites with guest choirs Serenade and Mosaica. Tickets £10, child/ student £5, available online at www. thewarehousetheatre.org.uk or in person from Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminster.

On Saturday 7 March at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, Luke Daniels and Nancy Kerr team up to perform their own and each other’s music. Since Daniels’ landmark solo statement ‘What’s Here What’s Gone’ in 2014, he’s put down several more markers on the musical map.

‘Revolve and Rotate’ had him transporting the 19th century’s closest thing to hi-fi, the giant steel discs of the polyphon, to modern transcription. Nancy Kerr, one of the most celebrated folk musicians of her generation, has to-date won six Folk Awards from BBC Radio 2. This new show promises to be a stunning mix of contemporary folk music and inspired instrumental virtuosity. Tickets £15, concessions £14. To book, phone 01460 240340, email boxoffice@thedavidhall. org.uk or visit www.thedavidhall.org.uk.

On Saturday 7 March at 7.30pm at The Dance House, Crewkerne, Concerts in the West presents Nicholas McCarthy who will perform works by Scriabin, Julie Cooper, Alice Charbonnet, Reinecke, Bach, R Strauss, Bellini and Bartók.

Nicholas, born without his right hand, only began to play the piano at the age of 14 after being inspired by hearing a friend play Beethoven’s Waldstein Sonata.

He is a champion of the ‘left hand alone’ repertoire, which first came to prominence in the early 19th century and developed rapidly following the First World War as a result of the injuries suffered by musicians on the battlefield. He has performed extensively at UK and international major venues, including performing at the

On Thursday 12 March at 7.30pm at Sandford Orcas Village Hall, The Cajun Roosters Trio takes the music of the Louisiana swamplands into fresh territories with original arrangements and selfpenned songs. With accordions, fiddle, guitar and vocals, they create authentic joyous music with their unique sound that has led to headline appearances all over Europe. Band leader Chris Hall has recorded and played with the likes of Sir Paul McCartney, Dave Gilmour, Kate Bush, Bill Wyman and Seth Lakeman.

Expect Cajun music served with a side order of southern swamp blues and deep-fried Louisiana country! Tickets £9, under 18s £6, family (max two adults) £25.

Tickets available from Dan Davies (01963 31

ARTS

220749), Rowlie McBeath (01963 220208), The Mitre Inn (01963 220271), and Sherborne Tourist Information Centre (01935 815341). www. artsreach.co.uk.

On Friday 13 March at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, Enrico Tomasso and ‘Magic’ Mike Henry recreate a momentous event is jazz history ‘When Louis met Bix’, with full traditional band including Trevor Whiting, Ian Bateman, Andrew Oliver, ‘Spats’ Langham, Malcolm Sked and Nick Ball. Legends of vintage jazz, Louis Armstrong and Bix Beiderbecke never recorded together and rarely met. The story goes that in 1928, Louis and Bix met and jammed together behind locked doors at Chicago’s Sunset Café, after Louis had gone there to listen to his arch rival play. This concert is a memorial to that event. Enrico is indubitably an amazing jazz trumpeter, having won the UK jazz award seven years running, and will play the part of Louis. ‘Magic’ Mike Henry, from the Chris Barber big band, will play the part of Bix. Tickets: Concert £22; Pre-show supper £15 (supper is at 7.00pm and must be prebooked at least 2 days before the concert). Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

On Saturday 14 March at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, international blues/rock/soul guitarist, singer and songwriter, Ben Poole, performs with his Band.

Nominated by the USA’s Guitar World Magazine as one of the best blues guitarists on the planet, alongside names such as Eric Clapton, John Mayer, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Joe Bonamassa and many more, Ben Poole is very much at the forefront of the talent-rich blues/rock scene.

Since beginning his career playing on the local UK Blues circuit at age 16, Ben is now an internationally-recognised touring and recording artist who has also received critical acclaim from some of the most renowned Blues and Rock musicians in the world.

Tickets £19, concessions £18. To book, phone 01460 32

ARTS

240340, email boxoffice@ thedavidhall.org.uk or visit www.thedavidhall.org.uk.

On Sunday 15 March at 3.00pm in Cheap Street Church, Sherborne, there is a concert by Wessex Strings.

The programme includes Mozart (Adagio and Fugue in C minor K546), Biber (Battalia), Mendelssohn (String Symphony No 13) and Beethoven (Cavatina Op 130). Tickets (include tea) £10 from Sherborne TIC or £12 on the door. In aid of Sherborne Douzelage Young Musicians.

On Friday 20 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, relive The Ultimate Dire Straits Experience with ‘dS:uK… in tribute to Dire Straits’.

The band began touring in 2016 and is regarded as the quintessential tribute band among Dire Straits fans with their incredible attention to musical and sonic detail. To say that ‘dS:uK’ sound like Dire Straits is an understatement.

Their 2020 ‘Brothers in 85’ tour pays tribute to the worldwide Brothers in Arms tour, bringing fans the ultimate 1985 Dire Straits experience and all of those classic songs the audience want to hear. Don’t miss it! Tickets £18.00. Box office 01258 475137.

On Friday 20 March at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, there is a unique opportunity to hear solo guitar maestro, Branco Stoysin.

Branco is a widely-acclaimed composer and solo performer in the fields of Classical, jazz, and traditional European folk music. Originally from Serbia, he came to England at a young age with little more than his guitar and has since become a fixture on the UK music scene. He has appeared at top London venues including the Albert Hall, at major festivals, and has performed several times locally at the annual Dillington classical guitar festival, so may be familiar to some. As a truly accomplished photographer and film-maker, some of his superb guitar playing is accompanied by film and soundtrack of birdsong plus

other natural sounds of the countryside. A new and totally different musical experience!

Tickets: Concert £14; Preshow supper £15 (supper is at 7.00pm and must be prebooked at least 2 days before the concert). Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

On Saturday 21 March at 7.30pm at the Church of St Luke and St Teresa, Wincanton, join Spectra Musica for a performance of beautiful music from the 18th to the 21st centuries. ‘Colours of Spring’ promises to be an enjoyable evening led by talented Musical Director, Peter Leech. Concert pianist, Anita D’Attellis, will feature throughout.

Tickets £12, available from 01963 31607, tickets@ spectramusica.co.uk or on the door.

p r es en t s

Colours of Spring Music from the 18th to the 21st centuries Musical Director: Peter Leech Anita D’Attellis (Piano)

Saturday 21st March 2020 7.30 pm at the church of St Luke & St Teresa Wincanton BA9 9DH Tickets, £12 (to include refreshments) available via the website:

www.spectramusica.co.uk or call 01963 31607 registered charity no.1114436

On Saturday 21 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, London Military Band will perform a stunning new show as a tribute to the UK’s armed forces and veterans. Music will include traditional marches, film themes, songs and classical favourites. The band will be joined by guest singer Emily Dankworth who will bring a touch of Jazz to the evening with classic standards including ‘Fly Me To The Moon’ and ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man’.

A wonderful evening of music is guaranteed. Tickets £21.00, concessions £20.

Box office 01258 475137.

On Saturday 21 March at 7.30pm at Sherborne Abbey, Sherborne Chamber Choir

celebrates its 40th anniversary with a musical masterpiece, J S Bach’s Mass in B Minor. The choir, led by Musical Director, Paul Ellis, will be accompanied by soloists including soprano Rachel Elliott, mezzo-soprano Helen Charlston, tenor Nick Hawker and baritone Morgan Pearse. The period orchestra includes some of the finest players in the country and will be led by Alison Bury, a founder member and leader of the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. A vast and exciting piece, requiring a huge amount of stamina from choir, orchestra and soloists; a monumental work rivalled by no other. Tickets from £5 to £20, students under 18 free, available from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre 01935 815341 or online at www.sherbornechamberchoir. org.uk.

On Saturday 21 March at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, Cara Dillon will be performing a selection of favourites from her previous releases, as well as material from her new album ‘Wanderer’, a collection of beautiful and moving songs recorded in an intimate setting with her husband and musical partner, Sam Lakeman. Every note and word is sung with a passion and confidence earned through a life of experience singing traditional songs. This extraordinary Irish singer has been captivating audiences and achieving exceptional acclaim for over 20 years.

According to Mojo magazine, she has “quite possibly the world’s most beautiful female voice”. Tickets £22. To book, phone 01460 240340, email boxoffice@thedavidhall.org. uk or visit www.thedavidhall. org.uk.

On Wednesday 25 March at 8.00pm at The Trooper, Stourton Caundle, there is an Irish night featuring Daoíri Farrell. High-quality folk music has been a feature at The Trooper for years, but will reach a new level when the guest is none other than young Irish singing sensation Daoíri Farrell. Probably the most important new voice to emerge from that land of

Creative Art Wire Sculpture 14 March Linocut printing 28 March plus films and courses

Free wellbeing groups:

Parkinson’s Dance, Art for Memory, Art for Parents www.sherborneartslink.org.uk 01935 815899

Charity no.1007680 Company no.24714382 Funded by Dorset Council and National Lottery Community Fund

song in several decades, this former electrician’s career has been truly meteoric and has taken him to most of the big stages across the world in the last couple of years. He will perform a rare acoustic set in an intimate venue.

Pre-booking is essential due to limited seating. To book, phone 01963 362890.

On Friday 27 March at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, Dave Newton is back with his trio and special guests, Andy Panayi and Sue Richardson. Dave, an absolute master of the piano, performs across the UK, accompanying leading jazz vocalists and top jazz performers. Sax player Andy has performed here before, and each time he has massively impressed the audience with his powerful playing and great technique, on both Baritone and flute.

Trumpet player Sue, who

Come & Sing Purcell in Tisbury with Cherubim Chamber Choir under I Fagiolini’s Greg Skidmore

played a wonderful Chet Baker tribute at the Centre four years ago, is a wellestablished name and is now ranked amongst the top echelon of UK brass players.

Together they will play gentle modern jazz, original songs, and imaginatively reworked standards, with great sensitivity and feeling, revealing their love of mainstream 1950s jazz. Tickets: Concert £18; Pre-show supper £15 (supper is at 7.00pm and must be prebooked at least 2 days before the concert). Box Office 01460 54973. www.themeetinghouse. org.uk.

On Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, the fabulous Soul Kinda Wonderful celebrates the music and songs of soul and Motown including the songs of Ben E. King, The Drifters and many more. The group, formed over a decade ago, relights the magic of that splendid era, breathing new life into songs such as ‘My Girl’, ‘Stand By Me’ and many more, as well as original songs written by Richie Sampson. Book now and make this a night to remember!

Tickets £17.00. Box office 01258 475137.

On Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm at Yetminster Jubilee Hall, guitarist John Etheridge and violinist Chris Garrick are back with a new show. This world class duo provides a feast of interplay, improvisation and eclectic repertoire, with music ranging from Peter Gabriel to Richard Rogers via Dollar Brand and Alison Goldfrapp. Using looping and other effects, they create

exotic tapestries of sound, switching seamlessly to a pure acoustic, with rollicking renditions of Hot Club swing, evoking the spirit of Reinhardt and Grappelli. Atmospheric, hypnotic, humorous and entertaining. Tickets £10, under 18s £6. To book, phone 01935 873719. www.artsreach. co.uk.

On Saturday 28 March at 7.30pm at the Henhayes Centre, Crewkerne, join the Avon & Somerset Constabulary Male Voice Choir for a musical extravaganza spanning everything from classical choral to popular song. This fantastic choir is guaranteed to entertain. Bar from 6.30pm. Tickets £12.

Booking required. To book, drop in the Centre or phone 01460 74340.

On Saturday 28 March at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, Rachael McShane and The Cartographers make their first appearance on this stage.

Rachael McShane is a singer, cellist, fiddle and viola player, based in the North East of England. An original member of folk big band Bellowhead, Rachael toured internationally with them as well as making several TV appearances.

Rachael is now working on a new solo project (a reworking of traditional songs) and is playing with a brand-new band, featuring guitarist Matthew Ord (Assembly Lane) and melodeon player, Julian Sutton (Kathryn Tickell, Sting).

This performance will feature three musicians at the very top of their game. Tickets £16, concessions £15. To book,

Bank Holiday 23/24 May 4 rehearsals & concert with orchestra Sunday 24 May, 16:00, Tisbury Parish Church Anthems, Dido, Fairy Queen

£63 (till 31 March) cherubimtrust.org/tkts Follow us online: www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

/TheConduitMag

phone 01460 240340, email boxoffice@thedavidhall.org. uk or visit www.thedavidhall. org.uk.

PERFORMANCE

From Monday 24 February to Saturday 29 February at 7.30pm at the Sherborne Studio Theatre, there is a performance of Alan Ayckbourn’s ‘Table Manners’ given by the Amateur Players of Sherborne, directed by John Crabtree. Tickets £10, students £8, available from www.aps-sherborne.co.uk, the Tourist Information Office or phone 07585 278722.

On Thursday 27 February at 7.30pm at Gillingham School Theatre, Scratchworks Theatre presents ‘WOMANS (like Romans, but with a W)’.

A raucous and hilarious tale of the first female resistance.

It’s 44BC, Ancient Rome.

The Roman Senate has declared Leta a traitor. She is to be erased from history, her name will be scratched out and forgotten forever - a punishment worse than death!

However, with the help from some unexpected muses, she decides to rebel against the Republic... A feast of physical comedy, clowning and original music. Suitable 7+. Tickets £10, under 18s £6, family ticket £28 (fam of four, max two adults). To book, phone School Library on 01747 833844 or email capub@ gillingham-dorset.co.uk.

On Friday 28 February at 7.30pm at Chetnole Village Hall, there is an evening with poet and humorist, Matt Harvey. Writer, poet, enemy of all that’s difficult and upsetting, Matt’s way with words has taken him from Totnes to the Wimbledon Tennis Championships via Saturday Live, the Edinburgh Festival and the Work section of the Guardian. He is host of Radio 4’s Wondermentalist Cabaret, creator of Empath Man, and author of The Hole in the Sum of my Parts, Where Earwigs Dare and Mindless Body Spineless Mind. He now turns his gaze on to all kinds of dogs and dog owners. Bar and raffle. Tickets £10, from Jackie

@conduitmag

33

ARTS

ARTS

Jones 01935 873742 (In aid of St Peter’s Church, Chetnole).

On Friday 28 February at 8.00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, The GreenMatthews Players present Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Written in the late 14th century, the tale is based on a disparate group of pilgrims travelling to the shrine of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury Cathedral. They tell each other stories to while away the journey. These stories paint a rich and vibrant portrait of life in medieval England, from the dark and brooding Pardoner’s Tale to the bawdy Miller’s Tale, via the proto-feminism of the Wife of Bath’s Tale and the simple whimsy of the Nun’s Priest’s Tale. Although Chaucer wrote his masterwork over 600 years ago, it still feels contemporary, fresh, easy to understand and extremely amusing and rather rude in places! Tickets: Concert £15; Pre-show supper £15 (supper is at 7.00pm and must be pre-booked at least 2 days before the concert). Box Office 01460 54973. www. themeetinghouse.org.uk.

On Saturday 29 February at 7.30pm at Martock Parish Hall, there will be a ‘Leap Frog’ evening. The Langport Mummers and Sharon Lazibyrds will perform, and perhaps even Leap Frog!

Light eats included with the £5 ticket, and pay bar. Tickets available from the Martock Gallery, limited to 60. For more information, phone 01935 822202.

On Friday 6 March at 7.30pm at The Exchange, Sturminster

Newton, the African-Caribbean theatre company Tangle brings to life ‘Volpone’, Ben Jonson’s classic satire of cunning and greed. Volpone (Italian for ‘sly fox’) is filthy rich. For him, the glory of accumulating wealth is more thrilling than its simple possession. In lust for more, he and his assistant swindle three of the wealthiest men in the city. Daring trickery and avarice ensue in this bitingly fresh version of Ben Jonson’s comedy. Inspired by Southern African Township Theatre, a multi-skilled ensemble of three actors performs to an enticing backdrop of jazz-fusion, delivered with Tangle’s trademark dynamism.

Suitable 13+. Tickets £10, under 18s £7, family £30.

Box office 01258 475137. For more information, visit www. artsreach.co.uk.

On Friday 6 March at 8.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, John Osborne presents ‘John Peel’s Shed’.

Writer and theatre-maker John returns to the stage with his Edinburgh sell-out production ‘John Peel’s Shed’ - a storytelling show about radio, music and a whole heap of records. In 2002, John won a competition on John Peel’s BBC radio show.

His prize was a box of records that took eight years to listen to. This is an ode to radio, featuring a selection of the records previously owned by the late and infamous John Peel, many of which are very rare recordings by obscure and now defunct bands. Tickets £10, concessions £9. To book, phone 01460 240340, email

The Rising Sun Chinese takeaway offer delicious traditional Chinese cuisine freshly cooked to order for collection or delivery*. Using the very finest ingredients and setting the highest of standards. Please visit our website for our full menu.

We look forward to seeing you. * Conditions apply for delivery service

Monday – Thursday 5.00 pm – 10.00 pm Tuesday CLOSED Friday – Saturday 5.00 pm – 10.30 pm Sunday 5.30 pm – 10.00 pm

61 Princes Street, Yeovil, BA20 1EE • Tel. 01935 476184 www.therisingsunyeovil.co.uk 34

boxoffice@thedavidhall.org. uk or visit www.thedavidhall. org.uk.

or in person from Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminster.

On Saturday 7 March at 7.30pm at Charlton Horethorne Village Hall, Pip Utton will be ‘At Home with Will Shakespeare’. Pip is internationally respected as one of the world’s finest solo performers and this will be a fun evening as he takes on the persona of the great man; a man who loves, laughs, drinks, sings, dances and cries, and in between is forced to write some plays and poetry to make a living. A favourite at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival!

Tickets £10. To book, contact Jenny Biggs on 01935 814199 or at jb@classicmedia.co.uk.

On Saturday 21 March at 7.00pm at St Martin’s Church, North Perrott, there is a talk on ‘The Life of William Barnes, Dorset’s Famous Poet’ presented by The William Barnes Society.

A selection of his poems, and several by his friend Thomas Hardy, will be read by members of the Society who will be joined by John Blackmore a folk singer who has set some of the poems to music. Tickets £8 over 18s £4 under 18s, to include a glass of wine or juice and sandwiches during the interval. Buy tickets in advance if possible from G Hoskyns (01460 72883), J Falkiner (01460 76457), georgina222@uwclub. net or The North Perrott Farm Shop. Proceeds to St Martin’s Church funds.

On Saturday 14 March at 7.30pm at Halstock Village Hall, ‘Owdyado Theatre presents ‘Twisted Tales 2’.

Following on from the huge success of Twisted Tales, this is a new trilogy of darkly comic and surprising stories of the macabre and mysterious from three distinct voices: get ready for an anarchic night of hilariously dark theatre!

Inspired by cult series ‘The Twilight Zone’ and ‘Inside Number Nine’, this series of dark comedies is co-written by Daniel Richards and Charlotte Bister (‘Owdyado Theatre) as well as distinguished Cornish writers Brett Harvey (o region) and Jon Welch (Pipeline Theatre). Suitable 14+. Tickets £9, under 18s £6, family £25. To book, phone 01935 891782. www.artsreach.co.uk.

On Friday 20 March at 7.30pm at The Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster, Somerset Opera presents the Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera ‘Iolanthe’. Tickets £12, child/ student £6, available online at www.thewarehousetheatre.org. uk or in person from Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminster.

On Saturday 21 March at 7.00pm and Sunday 22 March at 2.00pm and 7.00pm at The Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster, nine drama groups from across Somerset will compete at the County Drama Festival. Each group will perform a one-act plays. Tickets online at www. thewarehousetheatre.org.uk

On Saturday 21 March at 7.30pm at Gillingham School Theatre, Sadhana Dance presents ‘Under My Skin’, a neatly stitched together performance of highly physical dance, medicine and science.

Drawing on Bharata Natyam technique, Sadhana Dance invites the audience to witness an operating theatre in motion where dexterity, intricate movement and precisely controlled exchanges are vital in the preservation of life.

Doors open 7.00pm. Suitable 8+. Tickets £10, student £6, family of 4 (max. 2 adults) £28.

Tickets available from 01747 833844, capub@gillinghamdorset.co.uk or www.artsreach. co.uk.

On Saturday 21 March at 7.30pm at Norton-subHamdon Village Hall, John Osborne presents ‘John Peel’s Shed’. Writer and theatremaker John returns to the stage with his Edinburgh sell-out production ‘John Peel’s Shed’ - a storytelling show about radio, music and a whole heap of records. In 2002, John won a competition on John Peel’s BBC radio show. His prize was a box of records that took eight years to listen to. This is an ode to radio, featuring a selection of

the records previously owned by the late and infamous John Peel, many of which are very rare recordings by obscure and now defunct bands. Tickets £10, child £5, available from 24 February, from the Village Shop, www.takeart.org, or John Bailey (01935 881227).

On Friday 27 March at 7.00pm and Saturday 28 March at 2.30pm at Ilminster’s Warehouse Theatre, Ilminster Youth Theatre presents ‘Under the Spotlight’; poetry, prose, drama and music, including ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ by Roald Dahl. Tickets £6, child £3, available online at www. thewarehousetheatre.org.uk or in person from Harrimans Menswear, Silver Street, Ilminster.

CHILDREN

On Thursday 20 February from 10.30am to 11.30am at Sherborne Library, have fun with ‘Tree-mendous Woodland Stories and Crafts’. Come and listen to in-tree-guing stories and join in unbe-leaf-able crafts based on tree-mendous woodlands! And find out about the woodland-themed writing competition. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

On Thursday 20 February at 4.00pm at St Andrew’s Primary School, Yetminster, Angel Heart Theatre presents ‘Mazymeg and the Honeybees’. Albert lives alone with his beloved honeybees on Dartmoor. One day a stranger steals his bees and the light goes out from Albert’s world.

Mazymeg, a little Pisky, then appears and promises to find his bees. Follow Mazymeg and a host of strange and funny characters, as she tries to bring home Albert’s bees.

Weaving threads of Devon folklore, an original soundtrack

by Dartmoor musicians and shape-shifting puppetry makes this a most enchanting show.

Suitable 3+. Tickets £6, under 18s £5, family £20. To book, phone 01935 872430. For more information, visit www. artsreach.co.uk.

On Saturday 22 February at 3.00pm at Sandford Orcas Village Hall, award-

winning storyteller Michele O’Brien weaves her magic in a captivating new show featuring puppetry and dance ‘The Ark and Dove’. Mary is in the charity shop pricing up donations when she finds a box of treasures telling a gripping story from the year 1633 of The Ark and Dove, and discovers another Mary - Mary Jennings! This Mary was a servant woman who travelled across the ocean from the Isle of Wight to America, risking everything to make a better life for herself.

Fantastic storytelling. A must for children. Suitable 7+. BSL interpretation available. Tickets £7, under 18s £5, family £20. To book, phone 01963 220171. For more information, visit www.artsreach.co.uk.

On Saturday 21 March from 10.30am to 11.30am at Sherborne Library, come along and enjoy ‘Wonderful Woodland Creatures: Story and Craft’. What weird, wild, wonderful things are found in our woodlands? And find out about the woodland-themed writing competition. For more information, phone 01935 812683. Free entry.

Simply lie down to allow the etheric sounds to wash over and through the body. Bring comfy bedding and a blanket.

Tickets £15, concessions £13.

Payment required on the day.

To book, email Dean Carter on ahiahel@live.com, phone 01935 389655 or visit www. centreforpuresound.org.

On Sunday 29 March from 7.30pm to 10.30pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, it is the monthly Acoustic Night. The David Hall hands over its professional stage and outstanding acoustics to budding artists of all genres.

To secure a performance slot, email folk@chriswatts.org. Just £1 for performers and £2 for audience. Please pay on the door.

Tutankamun - The Boy King Cara Dillon

OTHER

On Saturday 22 February from 7.30pm to 11.00pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, it is the monthly Acoustic Night. The David Hall hands over its professional stage and outstanding acoustics to budding artists of all genres. To secure a performance slot, email folk@chriswatts.org. Just £1 for performers and £2 for audience. Please pay on the door.

On Sunday 8 March from 2.00pm to 3.30pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, experience a ‘Crystal & Tibetan Singing Bowl Sound Bath’ with musician and sound-healing facilitator, Dean Carter (MA Oxon), using singing bowls with vocal overtoning applied using the yin/ yang principles of harmony.

This promotes a deeply relaxing and healing state to rebalance and re-energise the body, mind and spirit.

Nicholas McCarthy

Canterbury Tales

35

MOVIES

MOVIES

DOWNTON ABBEY (PG)

Set at the turn of the 20th century in an Edwardian English country house, the Crawley family and their intrepid staff prepare for the most important moment of their lives.

A royal visit from the King and Queen of England soon unleashes scandal, romance and intrigue, leaving the future of Downton hanging in the balance. Featuring Maggie Smith, Hugh Bonneville and Jim Carter.

SHOWING AT Ditcheat on Thursday 20 February, Jubilee Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5. For information: Geoff Webber 01749 860184.

Martock on Saturday 22 February, Parish Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5.50 in advance from Martock News, Moorlands Precinct or £6 on the door.

Somerton on Saturday 29 February, Parish Rooms, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 in advance from Cobbs, Brunel Precinct.

JOKER (15)

In Gotham City, mentally-troubled comedian Arthur Fleck is disregarded and mistreated by society. He then embarks on a downward spiral of revolution and bloody crime. This path brings him face-to-face with his alterego: the Joker. A gritty character study, and a broader cautionary tale…

SHOWING AT Corton Denham on Wednesday 19 February, The Queens Arms, 7.15pm.

Tickets £15 (includes a main meal) in advance from 01963 220317 or www.thequeensarms. com.

JUDY (12A)

Thirty years after starring in ‘The Wizard of Oz’, actress and singer Judy Garland (Renée Zellweger) arrives in London to perform soldout shows at the ‘Talk of the Town’ nightclub.

Whilst there, she reminisces with friends and fans, and begins a whirlwind romance with musician Mickey Deans, her soon-to-be fifth husband.

SHOWING AT Hardington Mandeville on Friday 6 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 in advance from Springfield Stores 01935 862363 or £6 on the door.

Kingsbury Episcopi on Thursday 5 March, Community Centre, 7.30pm. Tickets £5, under 16s £2. For information: 01935 823298.

Milborne Port on Friday 20 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 in advance from Wayne the Butcher or £5.50 on the door.

Sturminster Newton on Thursday 20 February, The Exchange, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.

West Camel on Friday 27 March, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door.

MOVIES

AROUND THE TOWNS AND VILLAGES

KNIVES OUT (12A)

When renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) is found dead at his estate just after his 85th birthday, the inquisitive and debonair Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate.

From Harlan’s dysfunctional family to his devoted staff, Blanc sifts through a web of red herrings and self-serving lies to uncover the truth behind Harlan’s untimely death. A great whodunit that’s unpredictable and extremely funny.

SHOWING AT Halstock on Saturday 7 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6.50 from Halstock Shop or on the door.

For information: 01935 892485.

Hinton St George on Saturday 14 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm.

Tickets £5 in advance from Personal Services Store and Dorothy’s Tearoom or £5.50 on the door.

Milborne Port on Friday 21 February, Village Hall, 7.30pm.

Tickets £5 in advance from Wayne the Butcher or £5.50 on the door.

Odcombe on Monday 2 March, Village Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5 in advance from 07934 737104 or £6 on the door.

LE MANS ‘66 (12A)

Based on the true story of visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and fearless British-born driver Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who together build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.

SHOWING AT Corton Denham on Wednesday 25 March, The Queens Arms, 7.15pm.

Tickets £15 (includes a main meal) in advance from 01963 220317 or www.thequeensarms.com.

Joker

MRS LOWRY AND SON (PG)

LS Lowry (Timothy Spall) earned his living as a rent-collector and spent his free time producing paintings which are both instantly recognisable and greatly loved. He was also a devoted carer to his bed-bound mother Elizabeth (Vanessa Redgrave), a woman embittered by the reduced circumstances in which they were living, and who never lost an opportunity to belittle his art. Mrs Lowry and Son is the story of their relationship.

SHOWING AT Corton Denham on Thursday 5 March, The Queens Arms, 7.15pm. Tickets £15 (includes a main meal) in advance from 01963 220317 or www.thequeensarms. com.

Halstock on Saturday 21 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6.50 from Halstock Shop or on the door. For information: 01935 892485.

South Petherton on Friday 27 March, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5.

OFFICIAL SECRETS (15)

A morality tale for the 21st century, Official Secrets tells the true story of British Intelligence whistle-blower Katharine Gun (Keira Knightley).

Concerned about the accuracy of the intelligence and its implications, Katharine takes the agonizing decision, during the immediate run-up to the 2003 Iraq invasion, to leak a top-secret NSA memo exposing a joint US-UK illegal spying operation against members of the UN Security Council. So begins an explosive chain of events!

SHOWING AT Castle Cary on Tuesday 31 March, Caryford Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 in advance from The Market House and from Tessa Gayford on 01963 350132 or £6 on the door.

Ditcheat on Thursday 19 March, Jubilee Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5. For information: Geoff Webber 01749 860184.

Norton-sub-Hamdon on Tuesday 10 March, The Lord Nelson, 7.30pm.

Tickets from 01935 881227.

Sherborne on Wednesday 11 March, Digby Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 in advance from TIC 01935 815341 or on the door if available.

South Petherton on Friday 13 March, The David Hall, 8.00pm. Tickets £5.

SEVEN BRIDES FOR SEVEN BROTHERS (U)

THE CURRENT WAR (12A)

The eldest of seven brothers living on the frontier in the Oregon Territory returns with a bride. When she arrives, she is shocked to learn that her new home includes six untamed, unkempt and uncouth brothers-in-law. Her efforts to turn the six brothers into gentlemen inspire them to find wives of their own, throwing into motion an epic battle of the sexes. A classic MGM musical, with great dancing and great tunes. (1954) SHOWING AT Sandford Orcas on Friday 28 February, Village Hall, 7.30pm.

STYX (12A)

Rike (Susanne Wolff) is a successful emergency doctor in Cologne but has a long-held dream to sail her yacht solo from Gibraltar to Ascension Island in the Atlantic. After a storm and an encounter with a stricken boat loaded with refugees, her trip takes a very different course. She tries her best to help but as time goes by the situation worsens and Rike has to face impossible moral decisions. Very tense, convincing and thought-provoking, withJoker little dialogue - all the action is on the screen. (English and German with subtitles).

SHOWING AT Batcombe on Friday 21 February, Jubilee Hall, 7.45pm. For information or guest tickets phone 01749 850307.

SWIMMING WITH MEN (12A)

A man who is suffering a mid-life crisis finds new meaning in his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team. Eric (Rob Brydon), who’s monotonous life is falling apart, accidentally stumbles upon a way to feel good about himself again and to escape from reality. Funny and uplifting, this is a delightful feel-good movie.

SHOWING AT Henstridge on Sunday 10 March, Village Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 from Malcolm 01963 363380 or Ros 01963 363016.

Official Secrets

Wednesday 11 March 7.30pm

The dramatic story of the cutthroat race between electricity titans Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) to determine whose electrical system would power the modern world.

Edison, on the verge of bringing electricity to Manhattan with his radical new DC technology, has his plans upended by Westinghouse and his partner Tesla, who believe they have a superior idea for how to rapidly electrify America - with AC current. As they grapple for who will power the nation, they spark one of the first and greatest corporate feuds in American history.

SHOWING AT Somerton on Saturday 21 March, Parish Rooms, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 in advance from Cobbs, Brunel Precinct.

South Petherton on Friday 28 February, The David Hall, 8.00pm.

Tickets £5.

THE DIVINE ORDER (12A)

It is 1971 in deeply conservative Switzerland, where women are denied the right to vote. Young housewife Nora is bored and wants to get a part-time job but her husband forbids it - and it’s against the law for her to go against his wishes. Nora, a quiet retiring person, is well-liked by everyone, until she decides to organize the women of her town to petition for the right to vote. A serious message presented in a jolly, feel-good comedy. Swiss German with subtitles.

SHOWING AT Batcombe on Saturday 21 March, Jubilee Hall, 6.00pm. Food and film! Tickets, £5 members, £10 nonmembers, from Ann Biddle 01749 850307. Doors open 6.00pm, meal served at 6.30pm.

THE GOOD LIAR (15)

Career con-artist Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) has set his sights on his latest mark: the recently widowed Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren), worth millions. And Roy means to take it all. As Betty opens her home and life to him, Roy is surprised to find himself caring about her. What should be a cut-anddry swindle turns into the most treacherous tightrope walk of his life - revealing more insidious deceptions that will take them both through a minefield of danger, intrigue and betrayal.

SHOWING AT Castle Cary on Tuesday 25 February, Caryford Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5 in advance from The Market House and from Tessa Gayford on 01963 350132 or £6 on the door.

Martock on Saturday 28 March, Parish Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £5.50 in advance from Martock News, Moorlands Precinct or £6 on the door.

Sturminster Newton on Thursday 19 March, The Exchange, 7.00pm. Tickets £5.

West Camel on Friday 28 February, The Davis Hall, 7.30pm. Admission £5 on the door.

Yetminster on Tuesday 3 March, Jubilee Hall, 7.30pm. Tickets £6 from the Spar Shop.

THE GUILTY (15)

A totally compelling and gripping thriller set in Copenhagen. Deskbound police officer, Asger Holm, responds to an emergency call from a kidnapped woman but the call is abruptly disconnected and so begins the search. Confined to the station, Holm has to use his skill and intuition in the race against time to try to locate the woman and her assailant. As the investigation progresses, the audience slowly learns about the incident that confined him to desk duties… (Danish with subtitles).

SHOWING AT Crewkerne on Friday 13 March, Wadham School, 7.30pm. Full annual membership £25. Visitors £6 per film. Contact 01935 822656.

The Divine Order 15

Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne DT9 3AA Tickets £6 in advance from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre 01935 815341 or on the door if available

www.sherborneartslink.org.uk

36

Official Secrets

Charity no 1007680 Company no 2471382

Le Mans ‘66

37

MOVIES

MUSIC

Music Gigs

All Music Gigs are FREE entry unless mentioned.

FEBRUARY

21 La Bella Vista, Rock/Funk/Soul, White Lion, Bourton, 8.30pm

Rexes Hollow, Rock/Pop Covers, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm 22 Area 51, Rock Covers, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.30pm

Caught On The Back Foot, Classic Rock, Half Moon Inn, Stoke-sub-Hamdon, 9.30pm

Darren H Presley, The Preston, Yeovil, 8.30pm

John de Barra, Covers 60s to present, The King William Inn, Crewkerne, 9.00pm

Powercut, Acoustic/Electric Rock/Pop, The Old Barn Club, Yeovil, 9.30pm 28 Cover All Bases, Covers, The Preston, Yeovil, 8.30pm

Grouvecat, Acoustic Rock, The Old Pound Inn, Langport, 8.30pm

James Hollingsworth, Acoustic Blues/Folk/Rock, Dolphin Hotel, Wincanton, 9.00pm

Roadstars, Rock/Pop Covers, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm 29 Blackout City, Rock/Pop, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm

Killer T Cells, Covers 70s to 90s, The Thatched Cottage, Shepton Mallet, 8.30pm

MARCH 1 6 7

14

20

21

22 27 28

29 38

Karina & the Slaves, Pop/Rock, The Old Stage Coach Inn, Crewkerne, 4.00pm Mr D’arcy, Quicksilver Mail, Yeovil, 9.00pm Lil Devils, Blues, The Thatched Cottage, Shepton Mallet, 8.30pm ReD, Rock/Pop, The Arrow, Yeovil, 9.15pm Simon Gee, Solo Artist, The King William Inn, Crewkerne, 9.00pm Kingfisher, Acoustic Covers, The Stonemasons, Ilminster, 9.00pm Nevertheless, Rock Covers, The Preston, Yeovil, 9.00pm Roadstars, Rock/Pop Covers, Stoke-sub-Hamdon Working Mens Club, 9.00pm The Relics, Rock/Blues, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm James Hollingsworth, Acoustic Blues/Folk/Rock, White Lion, Bourton, 8.30pm The Relics, Rock/Blues, The Railway Hotel, Yeovil, 9.00pm Bad Edukation, Classic Rock, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm Chris Banderas, Classic Rock, White Hart, Sherborne, 9.30pm James Hollingsworth, Acoustic Blues/Folk/Rock, The Thatched Cottage, Shepton Mallet, 8.30pm Karma Alarm, Covers, Coronation Club, Gillingham, 9.00pm Paul Tino, Rock/Pop Covers, White Hart Inn, Crewkerne, 9.00pm The Furious Pussies, Classic Gold 50s to 70s, The Bell Inn, Yeovil, 9.00pm Ian Valentine, Covers 60s to present, The Lord Nelson, Norton-sub-Hamdon, 3.30pm Ollie Back & Sam On The Fiddle, Pop-Folk Duo, The Old Pound Inn, Langport, 8.30pm Bad Edukation, Classic Rock, Crewkerne Conservative Club, 9.00pm Nasty Habits, Blues Rock, The Westminster, Yeovil, 9.00pm Silkstone, Rock Covers, The Railway Hotel, Yeovil, 9.00pm The Furious Pussies, Classic Gold 50s to 70s, The Cross Keys Inn, Lydford-on-Fosse, 9.00pm Unknown Identity, Covers & Originals, White Hart, Sherborne, 9.30pm Chill, Covers 60s to 90s, The White Hart, Yetminster, 4.00pm

MUSIC

A MUSICAL NOTE!

By Ryan Leese, Manager of Waterloo Music We’re very lucky to have some gorgeous instruments in store and to be suppliers of some of the biggest brands in the industry.

So choosing a model to feature this month has been tricky, however we decided to go with this beautiful example of a Gretsch guitar to inspire you this month!

Product Spotlight: Gretsch G 5420 TG Limited.

A beautiful 50s style guitar is this lovely orange colour.

Gretsch is a fabulous, heritage brand, and over the span of four generations, the Gretsch company has developed what came to be known as ‘THAT GREAT GRETSCH SOUND.” Playing is believing! Complete with Bigsby hardware, it’s bold, dynamic and articulate, Electromatic hollow-body guitars are pure and powerful Gretsch instruments. Reminiscent of the Rock n Roll days, they are timeless and so playable.

Take your playing to the next level, this model, along with many, many more, is waiting for you to try out at Waterloo Music. Come on in for a chat and a demo.

NEW YEAR, NEW RANGE, NEW VOICES!

By Ross Owen Williams, Presenter on Radio Ninesprings, 104.5fm

BOOK REVIEW

By Wayne, Winstones

2020 has begun with great news for us and our listeners, as Ofcom have approved our application to both extend our broadcasting area and increase the power of our main transmitter, allowing us to reach more people with a stronger FM signal.

Two new transmitters, to be based in Chard and Wincanton, will allow us to better serve all parts of the South Somerset District Council area and reinforce our FM signal where it is currently weak. From personal experience, I know how frustrating it can be to find 104.5 FM on my car radio on the road between Crewkerne and Chard.

The two new frequencies will be 107.6 FM in Chard and 103.3 FM in Wincanton, and our goal is to have these operational by Summer 2020. The combination of more power and more transmitters will give us a significant improvement in signal strength and reach, which will be most noticeable in areas to the East and West of Yeovil. A further benefit of these new frequencies is the ability to create small contribution studios in both Chard and Wincanton, enabling us to involve local people from these towns in our programming, so if you’re interested in helping out as a volunteer at Radio Ninesprings, please do get in touch with our station manager Steve Haigh.

Speaking of new contributors to the station, we’re delighted to announce that Slimming World consultant Vicky Welton will be joining Radio Ninesprings to present a weekly show ‘Fit For All’.

It will be a two-hour mixture of great music and helpful tips and advice about general health and wellness, from great recipes to exercise ideas to information about diet, there’s guaranteed to be something of interest in there each week for every listener.

Radio Ninesprings DJ’s have met with radio legend Tony Blackburn at his Sounds of the 60’s show in Yeovil. The veteran broadcaster, who famously launched Radio One in 1967, was at Westlands with his ‘Sounds of the 60’s’ live show. Pippa Hamilton of ‘Community News’ fame on Radio Ninesprings, was thrilled to meet the star.

Pippa said: “He’s such a lovely man and every bit as charming as he is on the radio. I used to listen to him on Radio Caroline when I was at school and his voice sounds much the same today as it did then.

He gave me a couple of tips for when I’m broadcasting on Radio Ninesprings that I should be myself and imagine I’m talking to one person - good advice, which I shall follow and maybe then my radio career will last for as long as Tony’s has done!”.

Tel: 01935 507330 shop@waterloomusic.co.uk 16 Hendford, Yeovil, Somerset www.waterloomusic.co.uk FB/waterloomusic

BOOKS

8, Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset. DTP 3PX 01935 816 128 winstonebooks1@gmail.com www.winstonebooks.co.uk

Dear Edward

by Ann Napolitano £12.99 hbck A luminous, life-affirming novel about a 12-year-old boy who is the sole survivor of a deadly plane crash One summer morning, a flight takes off from New York to Los Angeles. There are 216 passengers aboard: among them a young woman taking a pregnancy test in the airplane toilet; a Wall Street millionaire flirting with the air hostess; an injured soldier returning from Afghanistan; and two beleaguered parents moving across the country with their adolescent sons, bickering over who gets the window seat. When the plane suddenly crashes in a field in Colorado, the younger of these boys, 12-year-old Edward Adler, is the sole survivor.

This is an exquisitely written, beautifully emotional novel that will remain in your heart and thoughts. Edward survives a plane crash in which every other person, including his parents and brother, die. As the only survivor he becomes the lodestone for the relatives of the other passengers. Ann Napolitano writes with huge compassion as she explores overwhelming grief, and the tragedy is sensitively and skilfully handled. Knowing what is coming, in no way prepares you for the journey. Two time frames travel together: the first immediately leading up to the crash, the second as Edward learns how to survive the aftermath. Scattered within are the smaller, intense, short stories that add to, and become part of the overall tale.

The reader is allowed to find their own way, to consider and contemplate as you walk alongside Edward. You feel the most profound heartache and joy as you sink into the lives of the passengers. A thoughtful and thoughtprovoking read.

‘Dear Edward is that rare book that breaks your heart and stitches it back together... Don’t miss this one’ Jodi Picoult’ 39

FOOD & DRINK

FOOD & DRINK

THE CONDUIT INTERVIEWS....

SARAH ALI CHOUDHURY We find out a little more about Conduit columnist Sarah Ali Choudhury’s love of cooking and what she does to make a “spag bol” her own!

We know you as the Curry Queen, but tell us a bit more about where you grew up?

I grew up in Bournemouth, but we later moved to Poole and then Bridport. After marriage, I moved to Whitechapel in London but didn’t like it and came back to Bournemouth, a stone’s throw from where I was born and grew up. This is where I still live now. I love Bournemouth.

How did your love of cooking come about – did you learn from your mother?

Yes, I learnt mostly from my mum. My grandmother was a fabulous cook too but I love my mum’s cooking. Ironically, cooking was something that I never wanted to get involved in, especially on a commercial side. However, after being a stay at home, mum of four, I found myself wanting to do something I could take to the next level. By chance I was asked to show a friend who is a vlogger how to make an easy chicken curry. The next thing I knew, I was invited to be on a Channel 4 reality TV series cooking for the likes of Prue Leith, Raymond Blanc and Michael Caines. It was after that TV show that I found my passion for what I could create for myself through food.

You have run an Indian restaurant for several years – what were some of the challenges?

Less than one in five chefs are women and even less than are Asian women. Indian restaurants are so male dominated. I am working on various projects to introduce more women into the Indian restaurant industry.

On my recent trip to India it was so interesting to see that India are so far ahead of England when it comes to women in the food industry. In fact, while there I won an award for The Perfect Global Chef of the Year by Perfect Woman Magazine Awards.

What are your favourite dishes?

I love my crab claw curry. I crack the shell of the crab claws to allow the sauce and flavours to encase the crab meat. The sauce is cooked with lots of garlic, chillies, onions, turmeric, coriander and cumin and a touch of coconut milk is added towards the end of the cooking process. I absolutely love it! It’s eaten with steamed basmati rice.

EVERY SUNDAY & WEDNESDAY

BUFFET 19.95 EVERY FRIDAY

What about other cuisines – Italian, Chinese, Mexican – do you find yourself adding spices to particular dishes from other cuisines?

I love Thai and Chinese food. I was recently in Mumbai and visited a restaurant called By The Mekong. We ordered a selection of indo Chinese cuisine food, a fusion twist between Indian and Chinese and it was so spicy but oh my goodness, it was out of this world! I couldn’t stop eating it.

How would you put your own slant on to Spaghetti Bolognese?

I regularly do. My kids love my Spagbog! I use minced lamb and lightly fry it with olive oil and butter until brown. Then I transfer it into a bowl.

I then add some sunflower oil to the pan and fry an onion with 3 cloves of fresh crushed garlic. I add a touch of salt, black pepper and since seasoning. A small cube of knorr works well. Then I add a touch of coriander powder, turmeric and garam masala( less than a teaspoon of each).

Then I add the juices from the minced lamb in the bowl ( not adding it all, just the juices). I allow that to cook for 5 mins then add the minced lamb and cook for a further 10 mins. Then I add some Dolmio sauce (The one with extra garlic.) Then leave to cook slowly until ready. It’s lovely! But my Italian friends wouldn’t be impressed!

40

LUNCH 9.95

LIVE MUSIC EAT IN DISCOUNT (NOT VALID WITH OTHER OFFER) PLEASE PRESENT THIS VOUCHER BEFORE ORDER EXPIRES 20TH APRIL2020

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Sandford Orcas

Nr Sherborne, DT9 4RU

01963 220271 FREEHOUSE

Allen & Cheryl welcome you with a cosy bar & great food.

20% OFF CALL OR VISIT

LOPENRAJ.CO.UK 01460 242566

Wed to Fri - Senior Citizens 2 course lunch £11.00 Sunday Roast - £9.95 Adult, £8.95 OAP and £6.50 children 2 En-suite double rooms now available Tuesday - Saturday 11.30 - 2.30, 7.00 - 11.00 Sunday 12.00 - 3.00, 7.00 - 10.30 (Monday drinks only 7.00 - 11.00)

www.MitreInn.co.uk

41

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Health

& Wellbeing

DO DODGE IT JOIN US FOR A SPOT OF SPORTS RELIEF!

By Gary Shackle, Sherborne Sports Centre Sports Relief is once again upon us and what better way to get involved and give to a good cause, than by signing up for our Sports Relief Team Dodgeball Tournament. This fun event will take place on Sunday 15 March 3:00 – 6:00pm, and all you need to do is get a team of six people to sign up with us in advance and pay the £15 entry fee. Teams can be mixed, with the minimum age for children being 13 years old.

Every penny raised on the day will of course be donated to Sports Relief. In 2018 Sports Relief raised a staggering £38 million, with all the proceeds going to those that are vulnerable in the UK and to the world’s poorest countries. For over fifteen years Sherborne Sports Centre has been organising charity events and has raised thousands of pounds along the way, for both national and community charities. In 2020 we are supporting Sports Relief and hope to get many people involved including family, friends and work colleagues.

DODGEBALL IN SUPPORT OF SPORTS RELIEF

DODGE, DUCK, DIP, DIVE AND DODGE

If you have never played Dodgeball, fear not as I will list a few rules to help you understand this very fun but simple game: • There is no fixed dimension and area for a dodgeball game or any particular ball that has to be used.

• The minimum amount of equipment required is 5 balls.

• The game commences with the opening rush. All the dodgeballs are lined up in the centre of the court, with both teams rushing from their base line to the balls.

• The aim of the game is to eliminate players of the opposing team by hitting an op-ponent with a ball (if the ball is caught before becoming dead, that player is elimi-nated) • A player will eliminate themselves if they run out of the court of play.

15th March - 3pm - £15 6 people per team!

SIGN UP IN SHERBORNE SPORTS CENTRE CONTACT FOR INFO: JACOB.CLOUGH@SHERBORNE.ORG 01935810548

42

• The game is over when all of the players on one team are eliminated. If both teams still have members at the end of an allotted amount of time, the winning team will be the one with most players.

Refreshments will be available on the day and the winning team will receive specially designed Sports Relief T-Shirts. It’s that simple, so please get in touch with us and reserve your team’s place today by emailing Jacob.clough@sherborne.org

HEALTH & WELLBEING

BUMP2BABY AT OXLEY SPORTS CENTRE

by Ellie Barter, Personal Trainer It is very common for Mums to find out they’re pregnant at 5/6 weeks and stop everything be-cause they’re worried or feel they should!

They stop carrying things, stop exercise, and basically put their life on hold. Unless you have any health concerns in which case you should contact a health professional, carrying on with physical activity will help in so many ways!

It’s safe to say your core gets put under a lot of pressure during pregnancy from your abdominals down to your pelvic floor muscles. Doing safe exercises to keep your core strong will benefit your balance and strength will help those contractions during labour and will then help recovery post baby.

Improving and maintaining your fitness level will prepare you for the physical challenge of labour as well as the mental health side. Pregnancy hormones can be delightful, you don’t know if you want to scream, cry or laugh, so staying active will not only make you feel better aesthetically but it releases endorphins - your happy hormones - and your mental health improves dramatically with physical activity.

Once you’ve had your little one, you’ll be enjoying all of those newborn cuddles and relaxing as much as possible.

It is extremely important to let your body recover. We advise waiting until you have had the all clear from your GP at your six week check before starting physical activity. If you want to do something before six weeks I recommend starting with gentle breathing exercises.

Your diaphragm has been squashed for a while so taking deep breaths in, expanding your dia-phragm and gently contracting your core by drawing in your belly button is plenty of movement to begin with.

When you’re ready to introduce exercise from six weeks I would advise having your tummy checked by a professional fitness specialist, GP or Physio, for Diastasis Recti. This is where your abdominals separate during pregnancy making room for baby. How much the abdominals sepa-rate will depend on a number of things and everyone will be very different but it is important to follow the correct exercises to help improve the gap and avoid injury. You need to take your time; recovery will be

BUMP 2 BABY Squats and Tots Core and Restore Prenatal Fit

www.oxleysc.com

different for everyone depending on your pregnancy, labour and any other health concerns that may have accrued.

You can start to rebuild muscle strength and improve the overall body by focusing on body weight resistance training.

Use low impact exercises to increase the heart rate. Core exercises should be gradual and gentle. Start with little movements, inhaling and then exhaling on the effort.

Oxley Sports Centre runs a Bump2Baby programme including Squats&Tots every Monday 9.30-10.30 which is a fitness class designed for new and advanced women where little ones can come too. Core&Restore every Wednesday from 09:3010:30 is for newly postnatal women who would like to start introducing safe exercise concentrating on form, breathing and core strength; and Prenatal Fit every Wednesday 19:0020:00 is designed for all stages of pregnancy. So why not come along and try it? You can even bring your little ones too.

43

HEALTH & WELLBEING

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Mother’s Day –

enter this reader competition from Bee-Yond Lavender!

Bee-Yond Lavender was started in August 2019 and is owned by Sue Adams, a fully qualified and insured practitioner who has amazing treatment rooms in rural Poyntington, creating a sense of peace and relaxation as soon as you enter.

A mature lady, who is wonderfully friendly, bubbly and knowledgeable Sue offers a complete treasure chest of treatments including restorative Indian Face and/or Indian Head massage, as well as soothing Hand & Foot massage plus a luxury facial and Reiki. Massage and Reiki are fantastic ways of ridding the body & mind of both tension and stress enabling both the mind and body to be uplifted and healed. Stress relief is so important in our fastpaced lives today.

Free mini facials and general consultations are also on offer and Sue uses both Neal’s Yard and Bskincare products. Both are natural with no chemical additives or parabens are locally made in Gillingham and Bodmin and smell & feel utterly divine.

Sue is a long-term M.E. sufferer and uses holistic treatments to help manage her energy levels and health with considerable success.

Sue will be giving at talk entitled: Bee-Yond Lavender: natural selfcare followed by taster sessions at Castle Gardens Butterfly House on 7 March at 11.00 - 2.00.

Sue works on an appointment only basis and offers a loyalty scheme too. To find out more or to book an appointment, please give Sue a call on 07712 590897 or visit her website at www. beelovely.co.uk. Gift vouchers are also available.

WIN

ONE OF TWO PRIZES:

Hand & Foot massage and Free product (approximate value £40). Indian Face massage and Free product (approximate value £40).

To enter the Bee Lovely competition, just answer the following question: In which month did Sue Adams start Bee-Yond Lavender? Please state which prize you would prefer and send answers by Monday 16 March with your name and contact details and the subject heading “Bee-Yond Lavender” competition to info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk or post it to the NEW address on p3. Good luck!

Bargain Hunters Corner

If an item/items are valued at more than £200 there will be a £6 charge. Wanted adverts are also charged at £6.

Oak storage coffee table, 54”long x 30”wide x 16” high (bought when new for £500) £150.00 Vintage floor standing uplighter £15.00 ono Tel: 01935 420312 “Alicia” midi 2-3 seater sofa upholstered Jacobean Flower Champagne (pale yellow). Loose covers, arm caps, extra matching cushions. Width 217cm x depth 103cm x height 82cm. Very good condition. £199.00 ono.

Tel: 01935 872287. Yetminster 8 Wedgewood coffee mugs with saucers.

Hathaway rose design £35.00 Tel: 01935 851211 House clearance, various items including some collectors’ items, signed pictures etc.

Nothing over £10.00 per item Tel: 01935 429641

IL V O E Y S S E N IT F E IM T Y AN

* !

S S A P Y A D 7 TRY US WITH A FREE

VISIT ANYTIMEFITNESS.CO.UK/YEOVIL OR CALL 01935 350247 Quedam Shopping Centre, 4-6 Frederick Place, BA20 1LD ANYTIMEFITNESS.CO.UK *Ts&Cs Apply.

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Rare coloured engraving; views of Keinton Mandeville, circa 1850 mounted and framed 18”x13” £60.00 Tel: 01963 350840

CAN HYPNOTHERAPY HELP ME?

By Niki Cassar

This is the most common question from potential clients, many of whom have tried numerous different routes to resolve their issue, with either limited or no success. In the past, Hypnotherapy has been ignored or misrepresented by the media. Add to that the false ideas created by stage and TV hypnotists, and it’s easy to see why, even now, hypnosis and hypnotherapy are grossly misunderstood. Let me see if I can enlighten some of you, and answer some frequently-asked questions.

What exactly is hypnosis? Put simply, hypnosis is a deep state of focused concentration – a state of heightened suggestibility where we can bypass the small conscious mind and safely access the infinite subconscious mind, where all of our beliefs, both positive and negative, are stored.

What does hypnosis feel like? Hypnosis does not feel like anything. You are just more focused and able to concentrate. Whilst in hypnosis, you remain awake and alert, and you can listen and talk just as you can in the waking state.

Is hypnosis safe? Much safer than crossing the road! All hypnosis is self-hypnosis.

When you work with a qualified hypnotherapist, you will never reveal any information involuntarily, as you are in control at all times.

How can hypnotherapy help my issue? Imagine sorting through a very full and cluttered cupboard. You take everything out and decide what you want to throw away, before neatly putting only the things you really want to keep back into the cupboard. Now apply that to your subconscious mind that is the storage facility for everything that happened to you from the moment of conception. It contains a lot of positive experience but has also stored some negative information. With the help of an expert Hypnotherapist, you can remove all the unwanted clutter in a matter of a few weeks.

The therapy requires your 100% commitment and the dedication of both you and your Hypnotherapist. By the time you complete your sessions of hypnotherapy, you will have removed all the negative thoughts, feelings and beliefs associated with your issue. Once free of the negative patterns, the energy that you’ve used to keep a lid on your uncomfortable emotions returns, and you’ll feel lighter and more confident, with increased vitality and enthusiasm, allowing you to think about your future in a much more positive way.

What issues can hypnotherapy help with? Almost anything, especially if it makes you feel bad! Think of your issue as being a symptom rather than the root cause.

Hypnotherapy helps you find and remove the roots of your problem so the symptom disappears.

More questions or need more convincing? Why not call me on 01963 371695/07973 346747 for a free confidential chat about your personal issue. Or email me: mail@nikicassar.com Quote the Conduit for a £15 discount on your first session.

4 piece cast aluminium bistro set. A really chic white set in aluminium which is less heavy to move around than cast iron and will last for years. The table is 27” across.

Could be painted if required.Photos £150.00. Vintage tin bath. A large tin bath/ planter/dog bath/ drinks cooler. 53” long 20 across 14 high. Enquire about local delivery. Photo £90.00 Tel: 01460 55105 45

WALKING

Mega Winter Offers

RACHEL’S RAMBLES

Windows

By Rachel Mead

Conservatories

Doors

Thermal Roofs

Huge savings to be made across all our range, low deposits and our 15 year guarantee. We are manufacturers of windows, doors, thermal roofs, conservatories, sealed units and can also supply and fit facsias, soffits, guttering and garage doors.

Please call West Country Windows for a free no obligation quotation.

Glass and Glazing Federation

We have downloaded the Geocache App on my smartphone and I have never known these kids be quite so motivated for what is essentially a (disguised) dog walk. Potentially needing all hands on deck, we’ve also enrolled Detective Granny to assist us on our technology-led treasure trail. Oakley is loving the extra excitement, running rings around these rovers whilst happily sniffing each and every badger set as if she too knows that we are very much on the hunt for some riches.

The children clamber over tree stumps, tussle with overgrown ivy and ‘walk the plank’ as they balance on fallen trees and trample back and forth along the trail. “Where is it?!“ they joyfully question. Oakley, spinning in skittish circles is buoyed up by the chase of the unknown and the unusual sight of her mistress rummaging in a rotten tree trunk. Geocaches can vary in size but are typically the size of a camera film case up to the size of an ammunition tin and can contain a notebook, pencil and sometimes a trinket for the children as a memento.

The trove was buried deeply inside a moss covered oak tree stump and is delightfully filled with small token gifts. We register our date of geocache completion and the children proudly add their names to the log book with other successful super sleuths.

The app is guiding us in with a metre by metre countdown and then once we are within 5 metres or so, the real fun begins.

The stash could potentially be anywhere

Write Your Life Story

Memories and Photos preserved for Friends and Family to treasure Full memoir writing service available (01458) 223251 07969 333940 Please visit: www.mandybloom.co.uk 46

A triumphant and squealing shout of “Shiver me timbers! We’ve got it!” brings our treasure hunt to a successful close.

it’s nuts!

Visit our Show site at Stars Lane Yeovil

www.westcountrywindows.com www.

T: 0800 378 371

If you would like to recommend a ramble for Rachel then please email rachel@zestbureau.co.uk You can also see more photos from each walk on instagram: rachelsrambles

Remembering to tuck the cache back into its camouflaged position, we turn tail and loop back along our track. The children are buzzing after successfully completing their challenge and are already asking to search again. The combination of using technology with a love for the outdoors provides the perfect solution to bring all generations together. Yo Ho Ho! - It’s a pirate’s life for me!

Dry Stone Walling and Paving

GUNS WANTED

Dave buys all types of tools.

All types of stone walling undertaken www.yenstonewalling.co.uk

Tel: 01935 428975

SOS to all air rifles and pistols any maker or model. We collect in any area. Top prices paid in cash

Patrick Houchen - DSWA member

WANTED

YEARS

OUR F A

To find some more inspiring walks in the countryside: www. visitsouthsomerset.com / menu/inspire-me/brochures. aspx?parentNodeName=Brochures#

IN ED

in these woods. Up a tree? Under-foot?

Or perhaps hidden in the undergrowth?

We have no clue! What we do know however is that this particular geocache is classified with a difficulty rating of 2/5 and is specified as ‘child friendly’. Similarly the app also identifies the type of terrain and the size of the stash, both of which suggest that the hunt should have a relatively quick-to-find reward and that my spade can thankfully be left redundant at home.

UFACTUR AN

We’re hot on the heels of two very excited and speedy children. Today’s ramble may be on reasonably familiar turf but this afternoon we are following a GPS tracker, going off our usual path and potentially hunting down some buried pirate treasure.

Aye-Aye Captain! OK so perhaps finding a buccaneer’s loot is an infantile long shot but the kids are running down the woodland track as if they are qualifying for a Commonwealth steeplechase record and their enthusiasm is infectious!

ORY • DES CT I

ED AND M GN

01963 371123 Professional & reliable service

FOR CASH

07970 742471

Established in 1826, Pittards is world-famous for its high quality leather and still makes it locally in Yeovil today.

Visit the factory store to buy direct from a huge range that includes gloves, bags, accessories and leather for crafts.

Pittards, Sherborne Road, Yeovil, BA21 5BA Coffee shop, free car park.

Mon-Fri 9.00am-5.00pm, Sat 10.00am-4.00pm Also at Clarks Village, Street

www.pittards.com 47

Providing Dental Care for the Yeovil area since 1864

NEW PATIENTS WELCOME Princes Street Dental Practice are an independent private practice where you will see the same dentist at each visit. We keep up to date with, and like to invest in, new technology. We have invested in a CEREC technology which allows us to fit crowns and bridges in just one visit no impressions!

We are proud to be members of the Denplan Excel scheme.

Please feel free to ring and ask any questions, or come in and meet our lovely staff.

45 Princes St, Yeovil BA20 1EG

01935 475962 www.princesstreetdental.co.uk