The Conduit May 2020 by Shelleys the Printers Ltd

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

Magazine

Issue 231 May 2020

See more nostalgic images on cards and posters by visiting www.rothburypublishing.com

INSIDE THIS MONTH

Conduit Community Corner | V is for Victory Short Story | Staying Active whilst at Home Dream of Sark | Exploring the Why

Serving Bruton, Castle Cary, Crewkerne, Ilminster, Langport, Sherborne, Somerton, Wincanton, Yeovil & Surrounding Villages www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

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

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From the Editor I am writing this after the announcement of another Three Week Lockdown and can imagine by the time The Conduit is out in May, everyone will be feeling pretty jaded and fed up. I thought about the 8 May and the planned VE Day Celebrations which are naturally now on hold and I realised that challenging though these days are, they are in no way as difficult as those from 75 years ago. Take a look at our heart-warming short story which really evokes that war time spirit. Talking of which, we hope you like the front cover which again harks back to the Second World War and thanks to Rothbury’s nostalgic selection of cards and posters (based in Sherborne), perfectly captures the feeling. I wonder what will be said about this particular time in our history in years ahead. In Conduit Community Corner we have tried to gather as much information as possible about useful initiatives and help in the community together with businesses offering useful deliveries. We’d love to know what is happening where you are so we can include in our next issue. Take care and stay safe!

Contents

ASSISTANT EDITOR Julie Locke

JUNE DEADLINES News and Articles: FRIDAY, 15 May Advertisements: MONDAY, 18 May

CCC p4

Conduit Community Corner

EDITOR & ADVERTISING Jane Adkins

covers Coronavirus help and support in your area

MOTORING p15 Three features in the Kia Sportage make it a user-friendly family vehicle

ARTS p16

WHAT’S ON p5 Info on businesses offering delivery, online workshops and social activities

GARDENING p9 Learn about composting, plus growing some seeds

V IS FOR VICTORY p19 Read our uplifting short story – a slice of life from 75 years ago!

Choose from a number of online activities

FOOD & DRINK p19

Follow these easy recipes that really are child’s play!

HEALTH & WELLBEING p20 Staying Active at Home

HISTORY p20 A Box of Family Treasures and Past Pandemics

Visit our website for more Events, Services and Classifieds www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk 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.

CONDUIT COMMUNITY CORNER

LEIGH Leigh Lifeline is available to help those in Leigh Village who are self-isolating due to COVID-19. Anyone self-isolating with a need can call a central phone number 07942 646052 (monitored 24 hours), whether it is for shopping, collecting prescriptions or just a friendly chat. Fresh fruit and vegetable available from Bridge Stores car park on Wednesdays between 1.00pm and 2.00pm. Fresh fish may be available at the same time. For further information, visit www.leighvillage.org. uk/covid-19-support or email leighlifeline@gmail.com.

• listen to music: radio, CD, vinyl, streaming – or play or sing • move: stretching and breathing exercises can help relieve tension • eat regular meals • find a creative hobby using jigsaws, colouring, craft, cutting anything from old magazines and making a collage Support South Somerset. Also • read or write a poem check with the local parish and • speak to someone via phone, town council or via social media Skype or social media daily, if to see if there is a local group. possible If unable to find the necessary • fresh air and sunshine daily, help, please phone the Dorset if possible. Standing at the Community Response on door for a few minutes to 01305 221000 or Somerset look at the sky and listen to Coronavirus Helpline on 0300 the birds can help to feel a 7906275. sense of connection with life. A few suggestions for looking If feeling alone, isolated or after health and well-being claustrophobic, ring one of during the coming months: the following: Samaritans on • limit the amount of time 0330 094 5717 or Silver Line listening to news bulletins or looking at social media, as this helpline for older people on 0800 470 8090. can cause increased anxiety

Conduit Community Corner During the current health emergency, services and activities in the community have had to be curtailed. This does not mean that people are without information, help and support. A number of community groups are emerging on Facebook/ WhatsApp which are trying to coordinate activities locally. To find a local group, visit www. covidmutualaid.org/localgroups, or visit the following Facebook pages: Coronavirus Community Help West Dorset, Coronavirus Community DORSET Age UK are coordinating requests for help with issues relating to loneliness and isolation, or support in accessing items such as food, cash or medication. For further information, call 01305 269444.

Help And Kindness is part of the Dorset co-ordinated community response to COVID-19. It is just starting out. This is stage one of an ambitious project to bring together information about all kinds of help and support that are available to people living and working in Dorset. For further information, visit www. helpandkindness.co.uk. BRUTON The Coronavirus Local Resources Line aims to give people the information they need to get help with the practical difficulties that arise from social isolation. Please note that this is only an information service. Call 01749 717002, 24hour answerphone and call-back service. Bruton Buddies has been relaunched by Bruton Town Council. This is a volunteer scheme to help the most vulnerable in Bruton, to stop ‘social distancing’ turning into social isolation, and will help to secure training to keep helpers and their neighbours safe. 4

Volunteers have already come forward who are willing to look out for neighbours who may not have relatives nearby, maintain phone contact, and help deliver food and other supplies to those who have no other support. To volunteer, please email health@ brutontowncouncil.gov.uk or phone 01749 813014. Bruton Phone Buddies offers telephone support for those who are feeling isolated, lonely or worried. Call 01749 321742, leave a message and someone will call back. Organised by St Mary’s Church and Harry Mills.

Bruton Food Larder/Food Bank Every Friday from 8.30am to 9.45am at the Unionist Hall. Extra times will be coming. Donation point for non-perishable dry goods at Bruton Wholefoods. Bruton Food Drop Service Every Sunday for the foreseeable future, volunteers will bag up food packages and household essentials to deliver to people and families in need in Bruton. This is for people struggling on low and zero incomes. As demand is uncertain and resources are limited it may not be possible to meet every request but those most in need in the Bruton postcode area will be prioritised. For full

MARTOCK The Parish Council Services Team is currently supporting those who are self-isolating with the following requests: essential food shopping, medication collection, and support phone calls. The Service Team works flexible hours, so please phone one of the following numbers, leave a message and someone will call back. Contact 07946 121612, 07539 754413, or 07495 611417.

details and to sign up: https:// brutontowncouncil.gov.uk/ food-drop-service.

CASTLE CARY Deliveries in the town Some shops in the town will deliver food and other supplies. Many local pubs and restaurants are able to offer a free home delivery service for cooked meals. To find out which ones, visit www.castle-cary.co.uk or phone the Chair of the Town Council on 01963 350160. Medicines and Shopping Help Scheme This scheme is run by Churches Together in Castle Cary and Ansford. If advised to stay at home and need someone to collect medicines or do some basic shopping, phone 01963 351362 any day between 9.30am and 12.00 noon. CREWKERNE Be A Good Neighbour Know someone who would benefit from some help during the Covid-19 pandemic? Then please read on. Aged over 70? Living Alone? Have underlying medical conditions? Crewkerne Community Church would like to support by offering regular telephone contact and offering a shopping service. Please call 01460 77489 to register or email church@ crewkerne.org.

/TheConduitMag

MILBORNE PORT No one Alone Whether in isolation (and needing some help with shopping or other errands) or wanting to help those in isolation, there is a scheme to put helpers and ‘helpees’ in touch with each other safely. Phone 07721 360523 or email rector@milborneportchurches. org.uk. SHERBORNE Sherborne Viral Kindness is a network of volunteers covering Sherborne and the surrounding villages, offering to help with shopping, delivering food, collecting prescriptions, walking dogs and more. Also available is free delivery service for books and DVDs. If in isolation and need help with something, please contact on 07784 115987 or via Facebook @ sherborneviralkindness.

YETMINSTER A community support network and volunteer group has been created. There is a phone line, in the process of coming live, which is connected to an email, as well as an active village Facebook page. The Village store and Deli are open and delivering. Contact 07563 883327 or email yetvirushelp@ gmail.com.

@conduitmag

What’s On Craft RVS KNITTING A TEDDY BEARS’ PICNIC Stuck at home and need something to do during these weeks of isolation? Why not join in and help create a big Teddy Bears’ Picnic! Knit, crochet or sew bears in any way, shape, form or colour, or make some food for them to eat, or make a blanket for them to sit on. Think of a sunny summer’s day when everyone will be outside again celebrating better times, and let the imagination take over. It is hoped to display the creations later this year, and then sell the items to raise money for Royal Voluntary Service. So get started now and let Maria know what you are making; at an appropriate time,

the creations can be picked up or posted to the office in Dorchester. Any questions please contact Maria Jacobson, Service Manager Dorset Home Library Service, on 07786 635154 or maria.jacobson@ royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk. SHERBORNE The Slipped Stitch is still posting out orders, and also looking into the possibility of running workshops online (keep an eye on the website for any updates). Place orders on

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

WHAT’S ON

Contact: Julie Locke

/theconduitmagazine

E: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk

@conduitmag

www.theslippedstitch.co.uk, via Facebook or email info@ theslippedstitch.co.uk. For any queries, please call 01935 508249.

Delivery The following local businesses are offering local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic:

and support community groups during the COVID-19 pandemic

Local charity, Spark Somerset, is working with community groups to coordinate offers of support and match volunteers to activities in its communities via its new website: www.corona-helpers.co.uk . Over the past few weeks, communities have come together to form a huge number of informal groups who are providing a lifeline to vulnerable residents. People who want to get involved can visit www.corona-helpers. co.uk to find their local group and sign up to help with tasks such as grocery shopping, collecting prescriptions, dog walking or telephone support.

Black Shed Flowers 07859 911817 Courtyard Salon 01935 816372 Elementum Gallery 07590 115414 Midwest Office Supplies 01935 814225 The Corner Shop 01935 815615.

Domestic and contract flooring specialists 34 Princes Street, Yeovil BA20 1EQ

Tel: 01935 478100

walterwallyeovil@hotmail.co.uk

The Spark Somerset team are also providing invaluable support to the groups themselves – including practical advice on safeguarding, DBS, managing volunteers and funding.

Somerset charity launches website to find volunteers

Abbey Pharmacy 01935 812060

Katherine Nolan, CEO of Spark Somerset said: “Our team have been working with voluntary and community groups for many years, but the community response to the current situation has been truly overwhelming. We already have more than 700 volunteers registered and are working closely with more than 70 local groups. “We have been looking at how we can provide practical support for the groups remotely and have set up a Facebook group for group coordinators and are running regular webinars. We also provide a DBS checking service for volunteers. Heartfelt thanks go to the thousands of people across Somerset who are pulling together to support their neighbours through a really difficult time. It really is amazing.” James Rimmer, Chief Executive, Somerset Clinical Commissioning Group, said: “We are very proud to support the fantastic work of Spark Somerset in supporting our most vulnerable people. “Spark Somerset have extensive experience

in supporting groups and volunteers. They provide expertise and advice around safeguarding, training and co-ordination all of which are key to helping keep everyone as safe as possible. We would encourage anyone who wants to help their local community to sign up via their website either as an individual or as a group. Visit https://www.corona-helpers.co.uk.” Corona Helpers is managed by Spark Somerset, which has run the Volunteer Service in Somerset for many years. The initiative is supported by Somerset County Council, Public Health, Somerset CCG, Yeovil District Hospital and Somerset NHS Foundation Trust. Groups can contact the team via the online chat facility on the Spark Somerset website: www.sparksomerset or by calling 01460 202970. The latest updates on Covid 19 for voluntary and community groups can be found on the Spark website: https://www. sparksomerset.org.uk/covid-19 If you would like to help out in your community, visit www.corona-helpers. co.uk and click on ‘Help Out’ then ‘Offer Help’. If you need help, visit www.corona-helpers. co.uk and click on ‘Help Out’ then ‘Request Help’

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

Food & Drink ALWESTON Oxford’s Bakery Freshly-made bread and other staples delivered or visit the ‘drive-through’ bakery at Alweston. To place an order and for delivery options, call 01963 23214. BISHOP’S CAUNDLE Woodbridge Farm Blue Vinny, local Cheddar, West Country Brie, milk, soups, butter, fruit, vegetables and some store cupboard items. There is a milk vending machine dispensing the farm’s milk, bring a container – open until 9.00pm. Call 01963 23133 or email orders@ dorsetblue.co.uk to place an order for collection from the farm shop (open from 9.00am until 2.00pm). Or visit the farm for safe social-distance shopping. www.dorsetblue. com. BOWER HINTON Old Dairy Café A farm shop with a ‘book a slot, come and shop’ service. Visit the Facebook page to book a slot or email theoldairycafe@mail.com. www.theolddairycafe.uk. Rose & Crown Take-away service every Friday (from 5.00pm to 8.00pm) and Saturday (from 12.00 noon to 2.00pm and from 5.00pm to 8.00pm). Call or message 01935 822393 to place an order. See Facebook page for details. CASTLE CARY Levant Restaurant New take-away service available every

Abbey Bookshop Cheap Street Sherborne

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

Have your daily paper delivered. Ask in store for details.

01935 812367

Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Open from 5.00pm to 6.00pm to collect orders from the kitchen door. One in, one out, 2m distance policy. Delicious, fresh, safe restaurant standard cooked food. 5* Food & Hygiene rating. See the take-away menu at www.levantcatering. com.To place an order, email tanya@levantcatering.com. Stay safe and support local businesses. CHARLTON HORETHORNE The King’s Arms Frozen meals to re-heat at home. Fancy a night off? The King’s Arms can help. Orders taken Monday to Thursday from 9.00am to 1.00pm for collection the following day: Tuesday to Friday 10.00am to 1.00pm. Deliveries reserved only for customers who are unable to collect due to selfisolation/quarantine. To order, call 01963 220281 or via Facebook page. HIGHER HOLTON Dorset Fine Dining A range of frozen dishes for cooking at home, bread, and grocery boxes available for delivery. Mixed veg boxes £25; mixed veg & fruit boxes £30. Check out the Facebook page. To order, text Nick on 07525 667687 or email eat@dorsetfinedining. co.uk. LOPENHEAD The Trading Post Farm Shop Food delivery service available to customers who are selfisolating. Please visit www. tradingpostfarmshop.co.uk for details. MARTOCK Chirpy Cottage Home delivery service of hot meals every Tuesday. Call 07762 735071 or leave a message on Facebook page. www.chirpycottage.co.uk. Ethic Street Pizza Home delivery service, Monday to Friday from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. To order, call or text 07460 776476 or via Facebook page. Please visit www.ethicstreetpizza.co.uk for details. Gould & Son, Family Butchers Call and collect service. Call 01935 822671 to place an order and get a collection time. Cash still accepted but card payments preferred.

Kevin McAdam Butchers Home delivery service. Call 01935 826287 or via Facebook page. MILBORNE PORT Wayne Pullen Family Butchers for quality locally-sourced meat and homemade pies. Call 01963 250222. The Gainsborough Arms Meals on Wheels. For Sunday roast, please order before 3.00pm the previous Saturday. For all other meals, phone the pub before 11.30am that day. Call 01963 250330. SANDFORD ORCAS The Mitre Inn Order fresh fruit and vegetables, eggs, milk, take-away beer, cider and wine. Home-cooked meals available at lunchtimes only from Tuesday to Sunday. Free delivery to the village or collection from the pub. Call 01963 220271 or email cheryl@mitreinn.co.uk. The Story Pig To help customers during these difficult times, an Essentials box is available to order. Each box contains sausages, bacon, mince, eggs, milk, cheese, bread, fruit and veg. See the full range of products at www.thestorypig.co.uk. Free delivery to the village or collection from the farm by prior arrangement. Call 07802 443905 or email james@ thestorypig.co.uk. SHERBORNE Bean Shot Missing some really good coffee? Bean Shot is still roasting and will deliver by post (whole bean, filter or cafetière). Call 07591 733126 or visit www.beanshot.co.uk. Kafé Fontana Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Call 01935 812180. Oliver’s Coffee House Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Call 01935 815005. Parsons Butchers Delivery service only. To place an order for next day delivery, call 01935 812071 between 9.00am and 1.00pm or email parsonsbutchers@outlook. com. Delivery to Sherborne and local villages.

Seasons Restaurant at The Eastbury Home delivery for Sherborne residents. Enjoy dishes from the Brasserie menu at home, giving a little bit of foodie happiness in these uncertain times. Delivery times are from 12.30 to 2.00pm and from 6.30pm to 8.00pm. For further information, call 01935 813131. www. dorsetfoodanddrink.org/ dorset-food-and-drinkcommunity-support. Sherborne Fruit & Veg Market Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Call 07515 554549. The BakeOut Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Call 01935 507373. The Cross Keys Contactless delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius). Produce and meals delivered Thursday to Sunday with 24-hours’ notice. For further details, call 01935 508130 or email info@thecrosskeyssherborne. com for an order form. www. thecrosskeyssherborne.com/ menu. The Pear Tree Delivery service available. See the website for the full range of produce and locally-produced frozen readymeals. Minimum order of £10 within the Sherborne area. To place an order, call 01935 812828. Shop opening times from 8.30am to 10.30am. www.peartreedeli.co.uk. The Three Wishes Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius) to people in need during the Coronavirus pandemic. Call 01935 817777. Vineyards of Sherborne Local delivery in Sherborne (within 5-mile radius). Home deliveries on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. To order by phone, call 01935 815544 between 10.00am and 12.00 noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays only. Order anytime via email shop@ vineyardsofsherborne.co.uk. Delivery only, no collections. www.vineyardsofsherborne. co.uk.

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

YEOVIL Nick’s Fruit & Veg Delivery service of fresh fruit and vegetables. Call 07553 018989. Take No Wrap Home delivery service. Yeovil’s first Zero Waste shop offering ecofriendly shopping offering dry foods, such as pasta, rice and grains, plastic-free toiletries, and eco-friendly alternatives to disposable products. Call 01935 474826. Visit Facebook page for details. WEST CAMEL The Walnut Tree Hotel Helping as part of the community with nutritional take-away meals and food boxes, including a delivery service to the village. The food boxes (vegetable & fruit box, and dairy box) contain a varied selection of goods, as well as the essentials. See the full range of takeaway meals (including meals with a Caribbean twist) and produce available at www. thewalnuttreehotel.com, Facebook page or call 01935 851292. Closed Mondays.

Market SOMERSET The Somerset Farmers’ Markets Team understands that many customers will be greatly disappointed at the suspension of the markets. Many of the food and drink producers are adapting their businesses and hopefully, so contact them directly and continue to support them. To find their details, please visit www. somersetfarmersmarkets. co.uk.

Quiz ONLINE Try this for a bit of escapism! The Langport & District History Society is renowned for quirky quizzes, but the current printed quiz ‘It’s about time’ is also in lockdown as many of the venues who sell it are closed. The next quiz ‘Out of this World’ will be released online to help everyone stay occupied and amused in these difficult times. Each day, a new clue will be tweeted – mixture of cryptic clues, anagrams and puns. Keep quiet about the answers, save them up, and then send them in at the end for a prize. And who knows when the end will be! All the clues will appear on the quiz page of www. langportheritage/ldhs/quiz.

Social ONLINE Goldies Online Mini Sing&Smile Every Thursday at 2.30pm there is an online mini Sing&Smile session. View the sessions on YouTube at www.youtube. com/user/UKgoldies. Goldies had to cancel all its 220 sessions last month but is maintaining contact with its older folk through various online options. These sessions are led by Rachel Parry and Cheryl Davies (rachel@ goldiescymru.org.uk or cheryl@goldiescymru.org.uk). The Goldies sing the popular hits of the 60s onwards as well as many favourite melodies. The charity plans to extend the regular sessions in the

weeks and months ahead, looking forward to the time the Goldies sessions start back again at the local community room, church hall or library. Find out more information at www.facebook.com/ goldiesuk and www.goldenoldies.org.uk. SHERBORNE ArtsLink is working hard to find alternative ways of bringing artistic opportunities to the public and to create more online learning opportunities. For further information, email office@ sherborneartslink.org.uk or visit www.sherborneartslink. org.uk. ArtsLink: Art for Memory and Art for Parents groups have received creative packs in the post which provide materials, ideas and instructions, plus a little bit of contact with the outside world. ArtsLink: Parkinson’s Dance exercises have been filmed by specialist Parkinson’s Dance tutors. The videos are now available online, so keep moving and dancing! Winstone’s will provide a home delivery service within a 2-mile radius of the shop throughout the coming weeks. Deliveries will be between 5.00pm and 6.00pm: the same day if the book’s in stock or the day after if it needs to be ordered. For those outside the 2-mile radius, the book will be posted using Gardners Home Delivery service. To order, call 01935 816128 or email winstonebooks1@gmail. com. Secure payment over the phone. For a list of titles worth being locked-down with, visit www.winstonebooks.co.uk/ Sherborne.

Workshops ONLINE ArtsLink Virtual Classrooms are now available with James Budden for Oils and Portrait classes, along with a weekly drawing class open to everyone. For further information, email office@ sherborneartslink.org. uk. Please keep up the art practice at home! Take a photo and share it on social media – see the links at the bottom of the page on www. sherborneartslink.org. uk. Stay safe and keep on creating! Darrell Wakelam: #ArtJumpStart Artist and maker Darrell Wakelam is always a favourite in the ArtsReach children’s summer workshop programme. Now children and families can get creative together at home. Everyday Darrell is releasing free art home-schooling ideas on twitter, from loo roll Hogwarts and spaceships to pasta fish fossils and egg box monkeys! Join Darrell every day on twitter and get creative. Visit www.artsreach. co.uk/news/digital-diary.

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To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S ON

UPDATE FROM THE ROYAL BATH & WEST

SHERBORNE’S FIRE MARKS By Paul Birbeck, Blue Badge Tour Guide. A few weeks ago I listened with interest to the Sherborne Podcast on Sherborne Fire Station. I was reminded that keeping your eyes up as you walk around the streets of central Sherborne can reveal unexpected objects. These range from detailed construction marks on Tudor beams; stone curved animal reliefs (can you find the famous squirrel in Cheap Street?) to patterned archways and brickwork. Some of my favourite items of street furniture are the fire marks which are found on at least three buildings around the town. So what is a fire mark? As the Great Fire of London in 1666 consumed the buildings, alms houses, schools and churches of the City, property owners watched their buildings and livelihoods go up in flames, each knowing that they had lost everything because fire insurance did not exist. After The Great Fire, in 1667 the first fire insurance company called the, “The Fire Office”, was established by Nicholas Barbon. His Fire Brigade employed small teams of Thames watermen as firefighters. He established a mutual society which offered fire insurance. This later became known as Phoenix Fire Office. An appropriate name for the society as the Phoenix is a mythical bird which burns itself and then arises from the ashes reborn. To identify that a property was covered by fire insurance, attached to the building at a height easily seen from the street but out of reach of thieves, was a sign or emblem called a fire mark which was issued by the company. Each company had its own distinctive design which made identification of the property easier for their fire fighters and the company representatives. At first they were made of lead with the individual policy number stamped upon them and a type of logo. 8

Designs included, for Sun Fire Office: a large sun with a face; the Royal Exchange Assurance: their building; the West of England: plaques featuring King Alfred who was the emblem for the company, British: a lion and Phoenix: obviously Phoenix rising from the ashes. Today, Sherborne has at least four fire marks scattered around the town. Three are around the central areas and one can be seen on the west wall of Sherborne Castle showing the Westminster company logo and policy number. Your challenge, once restrictions on movement are lifted, visit Sherborne and see if can you find these three?

If you can’t wait, the answer is available on www. sherbornewalks.co.uk and if you know of any other fire marks around your area, please let me know. paul@sherbornewalks. co.uk ALL PREVIOUSLY ADVERTISED SHERBORNE WALKS EVENTS ARE CURRENTLY SUSPENDED. Until they resume, look after yourself and stay safe.

By Rowen Campbell, The Royal Bath & West of England Society There is something quintessentially British about a warm summer’s day spent at your local county fair, and it’s wonderful to see the blend of agriculture and farming mixing with more of a festival feel at some events where music and entertainment is on the rise.

That includes a renewed focus on food with three celebrity chefs cooking in a newly refurbished demonstration kitchen, and a showcase of Great British Dogs – including some rare breeds – back for a second year after a successful launch in 2019.

The top agricultural and county shows are a hands-on way to see the best of British country living. Livestock competitions have been an integral part of the shows for generations and a winner’s rosette can mean big business.

Shows are also a terrific example of British community spirit, largely manned by an army of volunteers. Few are paid to make the event happen, and most aren’t looking for a pat on the back – they just want to see you at the show. The bustling lanes make it all worthwhile.

And it’s not just animals competing – there are awards for the biggest vegetables, the most beautiful flowers, the tastiest jams or honey, even the fastest ferret! The local shows mix tradition with contemporary, and add a generous sprinkle of eccentricity that make the concept of a county show something of a curiosity to many a city-dweller.

The Association of Show and Agricultural Organisation website www.asao.co.uk is a good place to look up events happening across Somerset and Dorset, from one day events to those that take place over several days. Tickets for the Bath & West Show are on sale now, www.bathandwest. com/royal-bath-and-west-show and the Advance Adult price is just £20 and each also admits two children under the age of 15.

The Royal Bath & West Show is also home to competitions of national and international importance for two of Somerset’s most If only we could guarantee the famous exports: cheese and sunshine! cider! The British Cheese Awards and the British Cider Championships take place each year and continue to draw a huge interest at each event. >>PLEASE NOTE NEW DATES<< But shows are about so much more! The Royal Bath & West Show in particular is a partisan advocate for Somerset’s food and drink, arts and crafts, music and other entertainment, with more than 50 hours of entertainment taking place on each day.

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31 JULY-2 AUGUST 2020 WE WILL CELEBRATE

THE VERY BEST OF BRITISH TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM www.bathandwest.com

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GARDENING

Gardening

COMPOSTING AT HOME By Stephen Fry, The Gardens Group

Our gardens and especially vegetable plots, respond beautifully to the addition of organic matter, so we thought we’d share some tips on how to start home composting. With our green waste disposal collection suspended for the moment, we have an opportunity to see the potential of our garden waste, as it can be a cost effective and environmentally friendly way to keep your garden in great shape. You may opt to buy a plastic or wooden compost bin, but this is not at all necessary, as many creative gardeners make homemade wire cages or fashion reclaimed wood pallets into bins to store their compost. Ideally you would have three compost bins, allowing one to be a work in progress, with layers of organic matter steadily accruing, one complete bin, which will be maturing into a lovely grade of compost, and the third for dispensing the matured compost ready to be scattered around the garden. Rather than simply tipping the grass clippings into the bin and waiting a few weeks, there is a little bit more required to achieve the most effective compost. Too much of any single ingredient can cause complications, so it is probably best we start with some basic rules: 1) Layer up – try to alternate green waste like grass clippings with brown waste, such as hedge trimmings (preferably shredded), straw, scrunched up paper or cardboard. Avoid putting any meat and dairy products in, as well as nappies, cat litter and dog poo. 2) Cover up – heat is an important part of the decomposition cycle, so a plastic sheet, piece of old carpet or anything else insulating on the top of your compost heap will help the magic occur. If your heap doesn’t heat up to a high enough temperature, some weed seeds and plant diseases can survive the process so keep poorly plant material and the seedy end of weeds out

UP THE GARDEN PATH

By Julie Haylock, Sandhurst Garden Design In these uncertain times the one true constant thing is our gardens and nature. It provides us with our sanctuary, exercise and is essential for our well-being. I would describe myself as more of ‘an instant gardener’ by choice, but this year I have decided to have a go at growing some seeds. Lucky for me, I subscribe to a couple of gardening magazines that are not only a great source of inspiration, but regularly give seeds away to their readers as a free gift, so I have a selection to choose from including annuals, perennials and vegetables. As I don’t have a greenhouse, I normally pass these seeds onto a couple of my friends that do, so sorry Cat and Anthea but I am going to have a go at propagating these myself with the aid of some seed trays, a polythene bag and a sunny window sill. Even if you don’t have a garden or are limited for outside space you can always find room for a grow bag. These are incredibly versatile to use to plant with lettuce to cucumbers to strawberries or perhaps use a deep pot for some runner beans or a hanging basket for some tumbling tomatoes - all will provide you with some fresh vegetables, as home grown always tastes nice and a great way to get the children involved!

CASTLE GARDENS New Road, Sherborne DT9 5NR Tel: 01935 814633 BRIMSMORE GARDENS Tintinhull Road, Yeovil BA21 3NU Tel: 01935 411000

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

3) Breathing space – plenty of air within the heap allows the bacteria and fungi to work overtime in breaking down your waste. When your first bin is full, ‘turn’ the compost by transferring it to the next of your three bins Good composting ingredients include highly nutritious weeds, such as nettles, dandelion leaves and comfrey, which provides plenty of nutrients and accelerates the breakdown of other ingredients. If your heap is slow to decompose or consists of a little too much green waste relative to brown waste, consider adding a compost accelerator. There are both liquid and pelleted versions available, with well-known brands including Garotta and Maxi-crop.

Top tip

If your compost heap is smelly then something is not quite SHERBORNE right, so you need to turn it over more frequently to increase the GARDEN ANGELS amount of airflow, shifting the Garden Landscape balance away from anaerobic & Construction bacteria doing the digestion and www.sherbornegardenangels.co.uk encourage non-smelly aerobic breakdown. Tel: 07738 860680 Steve

Normally at this time of year we would be planning our visits to the big RHS shows and local open gardens but with them all being cancelled including Taunton Flower Show in August where I had hoped to exhibit a show garden, we will have to wait until next year when they will feel even better. The good news is the RHS are planning to put together a virtual Chelsea Flower Show between the 19-23 May which will give us all something to look forward to, plus at the time of writing this piece, Gardeners’ World is back on TV! I am regularly posting photographs of plants in flower in my own garden and of ones that I take whilst out on my ‘daily exercise’. You can follow these pictures on my Instagram page Sandhurst_ garden and on my facebook page: @sandhurst1963 to see what is looking good. I am still continuing to work from Sandhurst Garden Design home on current Julie Haylock projects, so if Garden Designer you would like 20 Sandhurst Road, Yeovil, Somerset BA20 2LG to discuss a design or get Tel: 07899 710168 Email: haylock2lg@btinternet.com some planting www.sandhurstgardendesign.co.uk ideas then give Contact Julie for garden and border design, planting me a call. plans, plant selection advice and garden styling Until next time BBC Gardeners’ World Live Gold Medal Award stay safe, Julie Taunton Flower Show Gold Medal Award and The Western Daily Press Cup for Best Show Garden

COMPUTING

MUSIC

BROADBAND SPEEDS

Distance from the exchange or cabinet I can’t change, but you could always move house! Always check that you have a little filter in every telephone socket where something is plugged in. One of my recent jobs in Sherborne improved from 5mb to 15mb just by getting the right filters in the right sockets. Try unplugging everything else connected to the phone line except the router and see if that improves things. Poor

By Jimmy Flynn, Milborne Port Computers I think that we’ve been here before, but there is no harm in an update to what is one of the biggest technology complaints. In the beginning there was dial-up (buzzing modem noise) with speeds up to 0.05mb (megabits) per second, and I think that this technology is now officially retired. Then there was broadband (DSL) with speeds up to 1mb and this was quickly upgraded to up to 8mb and in more recent years, up to 20mb. Now both of these were delivered to your house over the copper wires of your telephone line from the local telephone exchange but the speed degrades over a maximum distance of about 6km, so the unfortunate ones living down a farm track near Beer Hackett got a pretty bad deal. Now we have fibre, or more correctly, we have fibre to the

cabinet (FTTC) where superfast speeds are delivered by fibre-optic cable to the little green boxes that have sprung up everywhere. Then the service is connected to your house over the good old copper wires. But unfortunately, the speed degrades over a shorter distance of only 2.5km hence the need for loads of the green boxes. FTTC offers a huge speed hike of up to 40mb so it’s well worth it if it’s available in your area, and you can get up to 80mb if you pay the extra. So, what’s next? Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) with speeds of 1,000mb … now that’s more like it! Sadly, don’t expect it soon, despite what the politicians promise. They can’t even fill a pothole, let alone provide FTTP … don’t get me started. More importantly, let’s take a look at what slows your broadband down or stops it being as fast as it could be.

INSIDE NEWS By Ross Owen Williams, Presenter on Radio Ninesprings, 104.5fm It’s tough to fathom just how much life as we know it has changed in the course of the single month since I last wrote a column for this magazine but Bob Dylan’s line of ‘The times, they are a-changin’ has rarely rung truer. In times like these, where isolation is an unwelcome necessity for many, radio plays a vital part in delivering consistent messages and reliable information from valid sources, as well as the companionship of friendly voices and great music. We’re placing safety above all else at Radio Ninesprings, with more than 70% of our hosted content now being created and delivered remotely, and those who need to use the studio in person for their shows observing strict distancing and hygiene guidelines. However, despite the Coronavirus chaos, we’re still developing as a station, and delivering more hosted programming than ever before.

telephone wiring in your house can cause problems so if you’re still slower than expected maybe a telephone engineer can check your wiring. But probably the worst offender is you trying to run your business whilst having four teenage children streaming TV, movies and on-line gaming with the X-Box all at the same time. It’s like trying to share a hosepipe with low water pressure. The choice, as always, is yours but if you think you need advice, you know where to call. Coming Up Next Month … System updates.

As ever, Steve Carpenter helms the Breakfast show from 7am, switching over to the Classic Years at 10am until 11am, and Jake Hunter has upped his input to deliver the “Don’t Drive unless you have to-Time show” each weekday from 4pm to 6pm, freeing me up to take on the lunchtime shift, keeping you company between midday and 2pm Monday through Friday in addition to my TGI:ROW show each Sunday afternoon, featuring plenty of Trivia, Games, and an Interview (see? TGI!) with a local music act. We’ve also welcomed the first female show presenter to our team recently, with Crewkerne-based social media personality Vicky Welton hosting the (Stay at) Home Run each weekday between 3 and 4pm, and Fit For All from 4 ‘til 6pm on Saturdays. Drawing on her experience both as a Slimming World consultant and mum of two, she offers helpful tips during her weekday shows, mixed in with some poetry, inspirational quotes and amusing anecdotes about kids, woven amongst our varied music selection. Her Saturday show focuses on 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. “I’m thrilled to be joining the Ninesprings team” says Vicky. “I love being able to support my Slimming World group in Crewkerne, which we now run online each Monday, as they work towards a healthier, happier future and it’s fantastic to now be able to offer some of that support to a wider audience through the radio and do my part to help people through these challenging times.” For more about Vicky, please visit www.vevivos.com.

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CARE

COPING THROUGH CORONAVIRUS FROM SAMARITANS YEOVIL By Rachel Fraiz-Brown, Samaritans of Yeovil, Sherborne & District

Rachel Fraiz-Brown from Somerset joined the Yeovil branch last summer as a listening volunteer. She explains what inspired her to become a Samaritan and how she fits the shifts into her busy life as a foster carer and mother to seven children. The onset of Coronavirus has been deeply unsettling for everyone. At Yeovil Samaritans, we’re committed to helping those who are struggling, however we can.

• Develop controlled breathing techniques. If you start to feel anxious, focussing on your breathing will really help. Here’s how:

Because of coronavirus, there are a lot of unknowns about the immediate and long-term future. It’s normal for change, that’s outside of our control, to be worrying. And it’s also normal for decreased social contact to affect your mood and mental wellbeing.

• Breathe in for four seconds

Whilst we are physically isolated, it’s more important than ever for us to feel socially connected, so try and reach out to people to talk, and try to be there to listen to others.

Make a note of some numbers you can call for support:

Samaritans is a critical service, needed now more than ever. In light of latest government advice, our volunteers are working hard to support the people who need us most wherever possible. While we’ve taken the difficult decision to stop offering face to face support in our branches, and training sessions for new volunteers, and it may take us longer to answer the phone or answer emails, we’re taking as many calls as we can. Here are some hints and tips which may help you through the next few weeks: • Create a daily routine for yourself and try and stick to it. Make sure it involves a phone call, video link, email or text to friends or family to make sure they’re doing OK and to ensure you stay connected. • Turn the radio on! Download a podcast of your favourite radio show, or tune into a local radio station such as Radio Ninesprings, BBC Somerset and Abbey 104 FM which may help you to feel more connected to your community. If you’re brave enough, you could even take part in a phone in! • Find a community Facebook Group such as Yeovil ‘Real’ News or Sherborne News and Views. You can find out where to pick up fresh eggs and bread to when the International Space Station might be passing overhead! • Exercise – and you don’t need to go outside to get your step count up. There are loads of free online exercise classes you can participate in either live (more motivating) or on Youtube which you can participate in at your leisure. Or why not turn up the volume on the radio and dance to tunes on ‘The Breeze’ while you’re cleaning, or at the very least, do some gentle stretching for mobility purposes. If you’re lucky enough to have a garden, the dry weather and onset of spring is ideal for getting out there and getting your trowel stuck in. • Take up knitting. Join an online group and start knitting for a cause or for yourself. Great for keeping your mind absorbed, your hands active and for getting through long evenings.

• Hold your breath for four seconds • Breathe out for four seconds • Wait four seconds before repeating If you are feeling overwhelmed and distressed about anything going on in your life remember you can call Samaritans on 116 123 Mindline are offering emotional support specifically relating to Coronavirus on 01823 276 892. If you suspect you have Coronavirus, call NHS 111 Above all be kind to yourself if you have a day where you don’t manage to distract yourself – we are all human and what we are doing is extremely difficult.

About The Samaritans: Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number won’t show up on your phone bill. Or you can email jo@samaritans.org or visit www.samaritans.org to find details of your nearest branch, where you can talk to one of our trained volunteers face to face. Every six seconds, Samaritans responds to a call for help Samaritans is a charity and it’s the public’s kind donations and more than 20,000 volunteers that mean we are always there for anyone struggling to cope. Find out how you can support us or volunteer with us. You can follow Samaritans on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Volunteer with us We will train, mentor and support you all the way. To find out more and apply, visit

samaritans.org/volunteer Email yeovil@samaritans.org

Yeovil Sherborne & District

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

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FINANCE

EXPLORING THE WHY By Mark Salter, Financial Planner If you’re seeking some financial advice, whether it’s searching the internet comparison sites or speaking to a professional, you may already have a loose reason on why you want to invest or some pre-set ideas or a particular financial goal in mind. For example, you may be saving for the deposit for you or your children’s first home, investing money outside of your business or looking to consolidate numerous pensions you have accumulated during your career.

value of their hard earned savings will not fall and be available to them when they need it.

For others, it might be looking for the best fund to invest in at the moment or how much of their portfolio should they be investing in the UK or emerging markets. They usually what to know ‘how’ they can invest and ‘what’ product is right for them.

Understanding the couples ‘why’ (goal and timeframe), allows us then to help with the ‘what’ and ‘how’.

As a financial planner, I believe it is best to put the ‘why’ at the first step of the financial planning process. Knowing why someone wants to invest is essential before we even begin exploring the ‘how’ (type of account) and the ‘what’ (the right savings or investments).

The importance of ‘why’ Understanding the why has helped some of the world’s most pioneering and successful business owners from Richard Branson to Steve Jobs. Simon Sinek’s bestselling book Start with Why explains this and according to Sinek, in business it does not matter what you do – it matters why you do it. In financial planning it is the ‘why’ which gives the underlying reason or need of the person to invest. Once we understand the ‘why’ we can look at the ‘how’ and ‘what’.

Here are a few case examples Time

A young couple want to buy their first home within the next 2-3 years. It does not make sense to invest in stocks, as the volatility of the stock market could result in a drop in value when they want to put an offer on a house they find. A better course of action would be to put the money into a savings account or premium bonds where they receive a more reliable, albeit lower, return and the 12

Let’s now imagine the same couple want to start investing for their own retirement and could be investing for the next 40 years or more. The plan would change – a portfolio with more stocks makes more sense here, even with the risk of added volatility, the longer time period increases the chance of achieving a significant return above inflation.

Flexibility A business owner would like to start investing outside of their business so they become less reliant on the business and be in a position to reduce the amount of time they spend working. They aren’t certain whether they will need access to these funds before or during retirement and have always dreamed of buying a holiday home when the children finish university. They want to invest with flexibility in mind and have the option of accessing some or all of the funds when they need them.

These figures aren’t meant to scare anyone but if you achieved long term growth of 6% per annum from an investment portfolio and wanted to build up a fund of £200,000 by your 65th birthday, a person aged 21 would need to invest £80 per month compared to a 50 year old who would need to invest as much as £694 per month. In both these cases, knowing the why (age implications) helps us advise on the ‘how’ and ‘what’.

Financial advice vs financial planning

Traditional financial advice focuses on the what, before the how, with the why finishing last. This approach can lead to undesirable outcomes. Real financial planning explores the why before the how and then the what. This process is much more effective for addressing the clients underlying needs and expectations. If you’d like to discuss your ‘why’ then please do contact FFP on 01935 813322.

Understanding the ‘why’ (desire of flexibility), allows us to guide them on the ‘what’ and ‘how’.

Age A 21 year old is entering the workforce, debt free after completing her studies. She doesn’t have an early retirement goal now but joining her workplace pension scheme and saving 10% of her income should put her on a successful pathway to building up funds for retirement. This young lady has many years to achieve her retirement goals, so only small steps are required today, freeing up more income for her to save or invest towards other financial goals. On the other hand, a self-employed builder in his early 50’s with very little retirement savings, but who wants to retire in the next 10-15 years, would need to make up for lost time. With a much shorter timeframe they cannot count on as many of the benefits from compounding growth. A greater percentage of his income will need to be saved.

To advertise – 01935 424724 • email: info@theconduitmagazine.co.uk • www.theconduitmagazine.co.uk

WHAT’S HISTORY ON

Further across the capital, a group of ladies in smart costumes and city gents in bowler hats and pin-striped suits were skirting around a cordoned-off crater. Seeing them so stoically going about their everyday lives cheered me and filled me with pride and admiration for their unbowed spirit in the face of such daily adversity.

FOR VICTORY

By Jan Garner

At the corner of Milton Street, I jumped off the bus and held my breath as I walked the last few yards to my home. Thankfully it was still there. My wife Jean looked more beautiful than ever before. There was no need for any words only tears of joy as we stood and held each. Later we toasted our reunion with a cup of tea of all things and after I’d had a soak in our old tin bath we had an early night! A few days later on the 7thof May, Germany signed the unconditional act of

here was an overwhelming feeling of relief among the weary men on the journey back to Blighty. Not only had we survived the bitter fighting but the end of the war in Europe was in sight. As the overcrowded train slowed to a stop at Waterloo, the lads gathered up their kit bags and waited in turn to disembark. On the platform and for the first time in almost two years I felt the touch of an English breeze on my face. It was good to be home. A chorus of lusty wolf -whistles and light-hearted banter greeted the smiling WVS girls as they handed out mugs of tea. But in no time at all the platform emptied as the boys, desperate to be on their way home swarmed towards the exit.

surrender and unsurprisingly people spontaneously flooded the streets and partied late into the night. But it was the following day the 8th of May when the Prime Minister officially announced the end of the war that was deemed Victory in Europe Day. London was a buzzing mass of excited, jubilant people intent on celebrating our hard-fought victory. Jean and I joined the thousands crammed down Whitehall to see the man whose inspiring speeches had kept the nation’s spirits high during those six years. As Winston Churchill came out onto the balcony of The Ministry of Health and gave his famous V for Victory sign a deafening cheer went up among a sea of flags. ‘God bless you all’ he said, ‘this is your victory. It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history, we have never seen a greater day than this. Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. Everyone has tried. Neither the long years, nor the dangers, nor the fierce

All too quickly, it was time to say goodbye to the men I’d trusted my life with. Three faces as grimy and weather-beaten as my old school satchel grinned at me; we shook hands and promised to keep in touch. Then they were gone. I tossed my bag over my shoulder and went to look for a bus. The evidence of the Luftwaffe’s handiwork was everywhere. As I looked at half-demolished buildings and grotesquely twisted metal shelters from the upper deck of the bus, it brought home just how much dear old London had suffered. Not only had it endured the relentless bombing of the Blitz, the black-outs – rationing – the evacuation of its children - endless separations but the tragic loss of so many innocent civilians.

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HISTORY

TRAVEL

attacks of the enemy have in any way weakened the independent resolve of the British Nation. God Bless You All.’ As he gave us one last wave the crowd went crazy. For the rest of that day and night, we danced and sang along to the Lambeth walk – the hokey cokey and knees up mother brown with strangers of every creed and colour and from all corners of the world. Eventually, we managed to inch our way through the crowds blocking The Mall. The King and Queen and the two princesses appeared on the floodlit balcony and our voices soared with pride as everyone sang The National Anthem.

It was almost midnight when tired and still a little drunk we gave one last rendition of ‘We’ll meet again’ to a bunch of GIs, then, arm in arm, we headed home. It had been one of the

most unforgettable days of our lives. But as we walked through the blackened streets we prayed that the troops still fighting in the Far East would soon be home. And as we looked

DREAM OF SARK by Travel Correspondent Tim Saunders

Sark is a wonderful haven of peace and tranquillity, recalls Tim Saunders as he helps his wife to home school their three children during the lockdown The island of Sark is a 50-minute ferry crossing from Guernsey. Having packed our picnic we board the Sark bound vessel at 10am from Saint Peter Port and look forward to our day ahead. The island promises peace and solitude thanks to there being no cars. The only way to travel to Sark is by ferry because there’s no airport. Between April and October the blue and white boat carries 45,000 return passengers. The choppy sea violently pushes the small vessel up and down. There’s a distinct look of fear on all of our faces that heightens the senses. Those of us who have travelled from mainland England on the comparatively smooth Condor Ferries trimaran might be just a little surprised at the choppiness of the Sark Shipping Company crossing. It certainly requires a strong stomach on this occasion. Little Henry (3) copes for the best part of the journey soon a sick bag is quickly passed his way. This situation does give us all greater understanding of what a seafarer’s life is like and how hardy our fishermen must be. We arrive at Maseline Harbour and gratefully clamber off into the glorious summer sunshine. The toast rack tractor ride greets visitors but we choose to walk up the hill and

forward to the future we vowed never to forget the courage and sacrifice of those who fell on that long lonely road to freedom. And nor, dear reader, should you.

along a track beside the road that introduces us to the island’s delightful flora and fauna as well as insects such as grasshoppers and a stunning butterfly. We’re never far from tractors or horses pulling carriages so it is necessary for the children, especially, to be vigilant when walking on the tracks around the island. Although Henry (3) needs the occasional piggy back and mummy cuddle, we muddle through, all the while savouring the wonderful landscape. At the village centre we turn left, which unknown to us leads past fields towards a delightful secluded beach, Les Laches, where we arrive about an hour later. We walk down to it via steep steps and find that it is just us on this sandy paradise; a great location for our picnic. It’s a wonderfully relaxing time that sees us paddle and build a big sandcastle complete with its own moat. We play catch with Henry while Heidi does a bit of rock climbing near the idyllic waterfall. We watch kayakers and swimmers and two yachts arrive. While it might be possible to visit all parts of this two square mile island in one day, we cannot. We’ve discovered that we can’t be too demanding of our children otherwise the day is just not enjoyable. And so we only touch on the beauty of Sark. But we leave all the better for this enriching experience that we’ll all remember for the rest of our lives. At 6pm we board the ferry back to Saint Peter Port, Guernsey where Henry sleeps and travels much better as a result. More information at: www.sark.co.uk; www.sarkshipping.gg Watch the videos at travelwriter.biz

MOTORING

Motoring TEST DRIVING A USER FRIENDLY FAMILY VEHICLE By Tim Saunders There are three features in the Kia Sportage that help to make it quite a user-friendly family vehicle. If a car seat is needed in the front passenger seat on the left hand side of the dashboard there is a slot to switch the airbag off by inserting the car key. It is surprising how few cars actually include this option, making it dangerous to place a child seat on the front passenger seat. So top marks for Kia. Secondly, the rear seat backs can be adjusted to a selection of positions, which is quite a rarity as usually rear seats are fixed in position. By simply pulling the lever up beside the seat the seat back moves forward. Keep pulling it up and the seat back goes all the way down allowing easy access to the boot. Thirdly, as my son Henry (3) discovers the dark cabin becomes so much lighter when the cover on the panoramic glass roof retracts. Incorporated within this is a sizeable sunroof, ideal for those hot summer days. However, for me the driving position in the Sportage is uncomfortable. I cannot seem to get my desired position with the electric seat. I think it’s down to the lumbar adjustment mainly, which I just can’t seem to get right. The centre armrest in the front is also too large for my liking meaning that my elbow has to rest on it while changing gear, which annoys me. I don’t think this would be an issue if it was an automatic.

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.

heavy boot lid is not electrically operated but it doesn’t bother me as I prefer old fashioned ways. An external grab handle might make life a little easier, though. The Sportage is a well established SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) having been introduced in 1993. This model is the facelifted Sportage 2 (the fourth generation). Externally, it’s attractive with a good amount of chrome on the grille and the door handles, which compliment the overall black finish. Inside the black theme continues with black leather upholstery. The Sportage is a 1.6-litre diesel and is a pretty swift vehicle. There is an electric handbrake and with such systems I always experience a delay when applying or releasing. There’s a tell tale sign of the brake pedal moving slightly which alerts you to the fact that something has happened but I’m never completely sure. I can’t trust it in the same way as a traditional handbrake.

The front and back seats and steering wheel are all heated in the Kia, which are very welcome additions in the cold winter months. There are also door mounted buttons for the rear passengers to operate their heated seats. There’s a sizeable boot with retractable cover. It is perhaps a little Brewers Garage.qxp_Layout 1 16/03/2020 14:23 Page 1 surprising in these days of goody laden vehicles that the fairly

BRISTOL ROAD GARAGE Western Ways Yard, Bristol Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4HR

• DIAGNOSTICS • MOT • SERVICING

• REPAIRS • AIR CON SERVICING • TYRES

Call us on 01935

812720

FACTS AT A GLANCE Kia Sportage 1.6 CRDi

Price: £28,510 on the road Top speed: 112 mph 0-60mph: 10.8 secs

CO2 g/km: 120

Engine: 1.6 litre diesel

Economy: Around 39 mpg

Watch the video at www.testdrives.biz 15

With the current state of affairs, many shows and attractions are now being offered free. Visit www.moviola.org to find out about free access to Theatre, Opera, Musicals, Museums, and visit the ArtsReach website for further online entertainment.

MUSIC

On Saturday 2 May at 7.00pm, there is a live concert by Ninebarrow on ArtsReach’s Digital Diary. Award-winning folk duo Ninebarrow has toured three times with Artsreach, as well as being involved in various projects. Now Jon and Jay are hosting live online concerts. They’re going to be treating these like a normal gig – so there’ll even be an interval to stretch the legs and get another glass! Go to www.artsreach. co.uk/news/digital-diary and click on the link to watch Ninebarrow in concert.

PERFORMANCE

ArtsReach’s Digital Diary on the Artsreach website will be regularly updated. The page will be constantly changing so keep checking back and keep sharing it – there have been some wonderful performances so far.

Every Wednesday at 8.00pm on ArtsReach’s Digital Diary, see poet Luke Wright Live. Luke has appeared in Sturminster Marshall or Marnhull this season as part of The Inn Crowd. Now, every Wednesday during lockdown, Luke is taking to twitter and performing his poetry live. ‘His performances rumble with rage, passion and humour’ (The Guardian). Go to www.artsreach.co.uk/news/ digital-diary and click on the link to watch Luke Wright Live. Every Friday at 2.00pm on ArtsReach’s Digital Diary, Pentabus Theatre is sharing recordings of past productions on its website to enjoy for free! Next up is ‘Crossings’, which toured Dorset with ArtsReach in November 2018 and was Co-Director Kerry’s ‘pick of the season’. Written by awardwinning playwright Deirdre Kinahan, the play features live music, waltzing and unexpected connections. Available to view until Friday 3 July. Go to www. artsreach.co.uk/news/digitaldiary and click on the link to watch a recording of ‘Crossings’.

Miracle Theatre is releasing past Miracle productions online to enjoy for free! First up is ‘Tin’, Miracle’s digital project which was produced in partnership with English Touring Opera and Cornish Mining World Heritage Site. The film was shown just once on the ArtsReach programme of 2015, so here’s a chance to enjoy it again! Available to view for 30 days from Monday 6 April. Go to www.artsreach.co.uk/news/ digital-diary and click on the link to watch ‘Tin’.

Pip Utton toured his awardwinning solo play ‘And Before I Forget I Love You, I Love You’ to Dorset just once back in the spring. Pip’s now taken the show online, so there is another chance to see it. This play explores the effects of dementia on those who suffer and the ones they leave behind. ‘A richly human story, laced with unexpected humour and a message to seize the day’ (The Stage). Go to www.artsreach. co.uk/news/digital-diary and click on the link to watch Pip’s new show on YouTube.

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By Julie Locke

ARTS

The Living Spit Podcast Howard and Stu have hit the airwaves and are releasing a new podcast every week. In episode one the boys reminisce on what it was like to start up Living Spit 8 years ago, and take the audience on an exclusive behind the scenes look at the making of their very first show, ‘The Six Wives of Henry VIII’, which toured 7 times with ArtsReach between 2013 and 2014! Episode 2 goes behind the scenes of ‘Adolf and Winston’... Go to www.artsreach.co.uk/news/ digital-diary and click on the link to listen to the Living Spit Podcast.

CHILDREN

Paddleboat’s Journalist Challenge Last year, PaddleBoat Theatre toured its show ‘Clare Hollingworth and the Scoop of the Century’. At the same time, the company made some videos for schools, which are now available online, meaning children can watch parts of the show, learn more about Clare and have a go at being a journalist themselves!

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MOVIES

Go to www.artsreach.co.uk/ news/digital-diary, click on the link and have a go at Clare’s Journalist Challenge. Team Rubicon is keen to help parents with challenges ahead of balancing work and child care, since the schools closure in March. Team Rubicon is able provide parents with group lessons and sets of kit for beginners, in the hope that access to some lessons and workshops may help young people across the country stay active whilst everything else settles down. Interested in learning more? Please get in touch. Call 0845 519 8398 or email info@teamrubicon.co.uk. www.teamrubicon.co.uk. Scarecrow Competition The Gardens Group, which has three garden centres in Sherborne, Poundbury and Yeovil, is inviting children to build a scarecrow out of recycled items found in their homes and gardens, in order to watch over the growing number of fruit and vegetable patches popping up across the region. Designed to occupy, inspire and educate children who are currently off school, while demonstrating natural ways to protect crops, the environment and wildlife, this free Scarecrow Competition is open to all children across Dorset and Somerset. Every entrant into this competition, who lives within 25 miles of one of the garden centres, will receive a free packet of seeds in the post. The first prize for each category is £20 worth of vouchers for The Gardens Group. The competition will be split into four age categories; 7 and under, 8 to 12, 13 to 16 and young at heart, with entries closing on Thursday 30 April. Details of how to enter the Scarecrow Competition can be found at www.thegardensgroup.co.uk.

MOVIES ONLINE As many film festivals and other events have been cancelled, a lot of their short film submissions are making their way online for free. Here are eight short films, Moviola audiences will love.

QUILT FEVER (2020)

There aren’t many short documentaries about quilting… but guess what? Found one and it’s incredibly sweet. Directed by Olivia Loomis Merrion (16 mins). www.shortoftheweek. com/2020/03/21/quilt-fever.

DOODLEBUG (1997)

Before Dunkirk, Interstellar and Insomnia, came this short piece of paranoia showcasing Christopher Nolan’s talents. Directed by Christopher Nolan (3 mins). To watch, go to www. moviola.org/8-short-films-ofthe-week/ and select play.

captivating short film following a young Scottish girl whose three encounters leaves her heavy of heart. Director Lynne Ramsay then went on to make Morvern Callar and You Were Never Really Here. Directed by Lynne Ramsay (11 mins). To watch, go to www.moviola. org/8-short-films-of-the-week/ and select play.

A-TISH-OO! (1941)

A topical short for topical times. These types of films may be coming to the screens soon! Directed by Maxwell Munden (6 mins). https://player.bfi.org.uk/ free/film/watch-a-tish-oo-1941online.

THE SPIELBERG FACE (2020)

WASP (2005)

Not always a comfortable watch, but always compelling to witness Natalie Press (My Summer of Love) and Danny Dyer (Eastenders, The Football Factory) struggle to make amorous connections in a world that constantly puts up barriers. Little wonder that its director, Andrea Arnold, won the Oscar for Best Short Film and went one to make the critically-revered films American Honey and Fish Tank. Directed by Andrea Arnold (25 mins). To watch, go to www. moviola.org/8-short-films-of-theweek/ and select play.

SIX SHOOTER (2004)

Another Oscar-winning film from the Irish director Martin McDonagh (In Bruges, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri) starring Brendan Gleeson. This darkly comic short film follows a man who has just been informed his wife has died. On his journey home, he meets a strange person who….! Directed by Martin McDonagh (26 mins). To watch, go to www. moviola.org/8-short-films-of-theweek/ and select play.

IT’S SUCH A BEAUTIFUL DAY (2012) Okay, so at 60 minutes, it’s not quite a short film but, out of all the films recommended in this article, this is a must-see. A film that is full of optimism and positive reflection on the world, yet with a sense of mistrust and questioning. It’s truly a film that will linger, whether that’s due to the calming voiceover work or the beautiful animation. The director has made this film free to watch; simply click the link, press rent and when it comes to check-out, the discount equates to the rental amount, so no necessity to enter card details - just enjoy! Directed by Don Hertzfeldt (60 mins). To watch, go to www.moviola. org/8-short-films-of-the-week/ and select play.

A departure from the typical format of a short film. Short films don’t necessarily need to be cinematic, they can be descriptive or analytical. In this case, Kevin B Lee looks at Steven Spielberg (a director who has touched almost everyone’s film viewing) and his use of faces in his films. This video essay might give cause for thought as to what a director is really doing when they are showing seemingly showy camera angles or cutaways. Directed by Kevin B Lee (10 mins). To watch, go to www.moviola.org/8-short-filmsof-the-week/ and select play.

These films may change but the information was correct at the time of going to print. Visit www.moviola.org to find out more:

SMALL DEATHS (1996) A winner at the Cannes Film Festival in 1996, this

Seven film services available to stream from home offering free films as well as trials. Five ways to enjoy community cinema at home. 17

LEGAL

YOU KNOW YOU NEED TO MAKE A WILL – WHAT DO YOU DO NEXT? By Naomi Dyer, Battens Solicitors In these unprecedented times, it is understandable that having a Will in place can give some aspect of control and peace of mind that your wishes are clear and comprehensive. However, this made me think; we tell you to make a Will but we do not always say what you need to think about when making one and often for many people they do not know where to start. This is what you should think about:• What have you got to leave in your Will? Think about you bank/savings accounts, any investments, your personal possessions and your property. • Who do you want to leave it to? For example: Your husband/ wife/civil partner/partner, children, parents, nieces, nephews, friends, charity? You will probably also be asked to think about who will inherit if the first person you have named has died before you. It is always sensible to give this some thought. • Who is going to receive what? I would not recommend “…X to get my NatWest bank Account…Y to get my NS&I Investment Bond…”, because if you have closed that Account or moved the money elsewhere the gift may fail. You can think about legacies, which are set sums of money e.g. Leaving X £500 and/or percentages that people will inherit e.g. A to get 50% of my estate, 25% to B and 25% to C. • Who is going to be your Executor? The role of an Executor is an important one, they are the person/s who has the authority and responsibility to sort out your estate and give effect to your wishes when you die. They should be someone you trust, who you feel could cope with the role and importantly will get on with their co-Executor! Executors must act unanimously and

HERE’S LOTS

therefore if they do not get on with each other everything will grind to a halt. • They can be a beneficiary of the Will but they must be over 18 and you can only have a maximum of four. If your Will is leaving money to your children and they are under age the Executor/s would be the people responsible for looking after the money for those children. They do not have to be a Solicitor but your executors can always employ a Solicitor to deal with the administration of the estate for them. • Do you need to think about a Guardian? Often people will say they have nothing to leave but they do have children under 18. If you have minor children a Will is vitally important. In the Will you can appoint a Guardian who will look after the welfare of your children if you have died. There is a lot to think about when you make a Will. However, you do not need to have all the answers when you sit down in front of your Lawyer to discuss making one, part of our role is to advise you when making the Will and to assist you in making a decision that is in your best interests, taking into account your circumstances and wishes. For more information on making a Will contact Naomi Dyer on 01935 811307 or naomi.dyer@battens.co.uk

OF HELP

TO WIN £10 This month’s Conduit is full of all the helpful initiatives being undertaken by people in our area that help those who are more vulnerable in these difficult times. Our language has lots of words for help which hopefully reflects how we like to do it! See how many there are in this Wordsearch puzzle.

Just find the hidden words in the grid on the right, 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 18 May. Good luck. ABET ADVISE AID ALLEVIATE ASSIST BACK 18

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Food & Drink Sarah Ali Choudhury shares some easy recipes which she made with the help of her eight year old son Mohammed And...Hey Pesto! An easy pasta recipe!

This was a really quick and easy recipe to make. I boiled half a pack of penne pasta in salted water. When boiled, drain in a colander. Using the same pan that I had boiled the pasta in, I added a tablespoon of butter, poured in the drained pasta, added a touch of salt and black pepper with two tablespoons of pesto. Then I chopped up six and fresh plum tomatoes and stirred them in and... Hey Pesto! We made a delicious easy pasta recipe. #easypasta #healthypasta #quickrecipe #instasnacks #instapasta #cooking #cook #trythis #freshpasta #pastayum #pastalicious #quickfood #fastfood #instafood #foodporn #foodinspiration #foodinstagram Next recipe...

Hummus

This was the way I made it... you can add whatever you like such as caramelised onions, sun-dried tomatoes etc. 1 tin of chickpeas Half a lemon 2 cloves crushed garlic 1tsp cumin powder 2tbsp olive oil 4tbsp water Sprinkle of paprika Tsp salt (or to taste) And wow! Just so easy to make this

FOOD & DRINK

HEALTH & WELLBEING

PRACTISING THE ART OF NOW-ISM! By Niki Cassar As I’m writing this column, we’re finishing the third week of self-distancing, and by the time this issue is published, no doubt we’ll all have been doing it for several more weeks. It’s been fascinating hearing how people are coping with this totally unique situation, with no manual or rulebook to guide us through, and a whole lot of information and misinformation coming at us from every direction. Judging by the high number of calls and emails I’ve been receiving; many people are experiencing increased levels of anxiety and fear, which is never a healthy state to be in. The main theme of this piece is to encourage us all to remain in the NOW, whilst recognising all the good and positive benefits of a large percentage of the world’s population sharing and dealing with the same experience. Our sense of community has been strengthened, our kindness and compassion magnified, our willingness to help others has soared to unbelievably high levels, and many of us have rediscovered the simple things in life that can bring pleasure to ourselves and to others. This beautiful planet we have either ignored or abused is being given a chance to breathe and heal, and in turn, nature will also surely benefit. None of us actually know what lies ahead of us, and worrying about it has a negative impact on our immune system, so why not start practising the Art of Now-ism? To put it simply, Now-ism is allowing yourself to remain in the Here and Now, and not look back to the past with regrets for what might have been, nor look to the future with anxiety or fear. Every time you find yourself thinking about either the past or the future in a negative way, practice saying the word NOW firmly and kindly to yourself, and simultaneously bring yourself firmly back to the present moment, whilst giving gratitude for all the good things in your life, no matter how small or simple. Over time, and with repetition, this simple practice will work increasingly well, and you will find yourself feeling much calmer and more relaxed. Email me at mail@ nikicassar.com and request a free relaxation audio. If you are an NHS or frontline worker, please call me on 07973 346 747 for a FREE online session to help you cope with anxiety and stress. Online sessions are just as effective, and now I am reducing my fees for anyone else in need of help during this time.

Method

Except for a few chickpeas and the paprika (which I kept for garnish), put all of the other ingredients in a blender and squeeze the lemon juice – then mix until you get the consistency you want. Then serve with a drizzle of olive oil, a few chickpeas and a sprinkle of paprika That’s literally it! If you have sesame paste, you can add some but I didn’t... 19

HEALTH & WELLBEING

STAYING ACTIVE WHILST HOME

By Ellie Green, Duty Manager Sports Development, Oxley Sports Centre

We are all now spending more time than ever at home which means many of us are thinking about the best way to stay or get active and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Everyone’s day to day routines are changing but being active is more important than ever. Even for those who are working from home or having to stay indoors, there are plenty of ways you can still do so. So, what ways can we stay active whilst we are at home? A run, cycle or walk will all get the blood flowing, clear the mind and get those endorphins going. These are all great ways to burn fat and slowly increase the heart rate as well as exploring the great outdoors and enjoy the sunshine.

Oxley Sports Centre has created a variety of videos and challenges for everyone and can be found on our social media pages or our website www.oxleysc.com . Remember to stay safe and keep moving!

Another alternative is the Couch to 5K. It’s a 9-week programme, taking you from your couch to running your first 5K. It talks you through three runs a week, slowly building you up stage by stage and increasing the intensity each week. If you can’t get outside there are still plenty of options for you. It might be Yoga in the living room, running up and down the stairs or grabbing some tins from your cupboards and doing a weighted workout. If you are worried about lacking motivation, then just remember that it has been scientifically proven that exercise will benefit your mood and overall well being. Here are a few things which will help to keep you motivated and moving:

Maintain an active routine – As tempting as it may be to stay in bed till late and work from home in your PJs, try setting an alarm an hour earlier to give yourself some time to try a morning workout to get the mind ready for a day of work.

Try a home workout – There are now loads of resources online providing you with excellent home workouts. You could try HIIT, Yoga or Circuits in the comfort of your own home.

Find an active hobby – Try something new that’s going to keep you moving. This will stimulate the brain cells and keep the mind busy during these times. Some examples may be sewing, candle making, crafts or even baking.

Try some weight lifting exercises – These can be great for building strength, increasing stability and helping with your overall balance. There are videos online to help guide you through basic weight lifting

Check out our social media and website for home workouts. www.oxleysc.com /TheConduitMag

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HISTORY

A BOXFUL OF FAMILY TREASURES By Barbara Elsmore

I had had no idea of the word ‘mnemonic’ although I have used them many times over the years – ‘i before e except after c’, ‘30 days hath September, ‘one collar and two socks to remember how to spell necessary – I am sure you can think of more that have helped you too as an aid to the memory. I first became aware that this interesting word can also be applied to ‘things’ as well as rhymes and songs when I was reading an article about cutting down on the accumulated clutter we keep and the advice was to hold on to just a few important items and let them act as a ‘mnemonic’ as they will bring back memories when you look at them or handle them. Photographs, cards, letters and paperwork are easier to deal with but what can we do with all the small odds and ends that we cannot bear to part with because they have so much of our own family history locked into them? I have bought a little wooden box that turned up at a local vintage fair and I have put all these items that bring back so many reminders to me in this box. I have my mother’s wedding ring and a tiny coloured photo that she clearly treasured of her own mother, plus the silver threepenny bits that she would put in the Christmas pudding. I have my granny’s amber necklace and I also have a photo of her wearing it locked inside a plastic viewer which I keep with the beads for instant association.

I have several penknives and I guess they all belonged to my dad. He came from an era when chaps always carried a penknife and he loved to peel an apple producing the longest thinnest strip of peel he could manage which he would then hold up for our admiration. Sometimes, when out on a walk, he would ‘whittle’ a whistle for us out of a stem of hazel. I also have his ‘gold’ propelling pencil and a curious little circular container for Vaseline which I am sure his mother gave to him when he was a boy because riding his bicycle to school in the winter caused him to get chapped knees as short trousers were worn for such a long time in his day. I have some old spectacles found in the back of a drawer at my granny’s house including a magnificent pair of lorgnettes. I have Grandad’s folding two foot long boxwood ruler that he would have kept in his top pocket at all times as he was a carpenter and a builder. I also have several larger items that certainly won’t fit into this box, some of them in regular use, such as my Grandad’s spade bought for him on his retirement in 1953. Next time you are having a clear out think about how you might start a ‘boxful of family treasures’.

PAST PANDEMICS By Dr Lesley Wray Milborne Port History & Heritage Group Around Christmas 2019, we decided that the two temporary exhibitions in the museum for 2020 would be From Plague to Prescriptions and From School to Restaurant. This was before the current health crisis stopped us opening the museum. As the first exhibition will not be seen I thought a few points from it might be of interest.

ashore sailors who had fallen ill on the voyage. The sailors were soon dead, or dying, but the disease did not seem to have infected any of the town people, so

nobody worried. Then, on 23 June 1348, the first English victims died. Isolation was not understood, and by October deaths from the plague had occurred in both Sherborne and Shaftesbury, so it is likely that it was in Milborne Port. It was in Wells, Castle Cary and Yeovil by November, so it was certainly in Milborne Port at Christmas 1348.

The most recent well remembered pandemic was the Spanish Flu of 1918/19. This actually killed more people worldwide than WW1 had. Milborne Port was lucky, while there were cases here I could find no record of anyone dying from the flu, although one man committed suicide rather than go on suffering.

In the busy, thriving medieval town of Milborne Port it spread quickly. There is no direct evidence for what happened here. In 1791 Collinson, said that tradition claimed there were 1,500 victims in the town, this was probably 75% of the population. The lack of records for what happened in Milborne Port during the Black Death is itself an indication that the town suffered badly. Another indication is that, while it had been eighth in the county tax collection in 1340, the town was not even listed among the eleven Somerset towns assessed in 1377.

The earliest documented pandemic was the Black Death of 1348. In early June that year, two ships docked in Melcombe Regis, near Weymouth. Both ships left

So Milborne Port nearly died in the first recorded pandemic. Let us hope that modern medicine and the isolation precautions mean things are better today.

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PET HEALTH

GLOBAL CHALLENGES BEING FOUGHT ON OUR DOORSTEP By Peter Luscombe BVSc GPCert(Derm) MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons Predictions are tricky things, my words in February regarding the coronavirus epidemic in China and the hope that by now the infection would be under control now seem so naive. But here we are, facing a medical, economic and social challenge that none of us expected to see in our lifetimes. I will only observe that the strategy adopted by Governments around the World to control the spread of the disease is, we are told, based on the best scientific evidence. But is it based on the best science available? Are we using the technology developed over the last 50 years to detect and survive? Have we faced this global challenge with a global response? Maybe next time. I cannot but help feel most of the World has been using the medieval strategy of isolationism as a last resort, not as a first response. However, now is clearly not the time to ask the questions but to do what’s necessary to protect the vulnerable members of our society. At our clinics in Sherborne and Yeovil, both of which are still open, our staff have been split into four separate teams working three days on, three days off to provide urgent and emergency treatment for the animals under our care. In order to minimise numbers, there is only a skeleton staff at each clinic. So if your enquiry is not urgent, please be patient as our call-back list is very long and is prioritised according to need. Routine enquiries will therefore be processed after more acute or urgent cases, so please bear this in mind. We are trying hard to minimise the potential for spread of Covid-19 and our protocol for

this is on our website and Facebook pages. In essence, only animals are permitted into the buildings and all communication with owners will be conducted over the phone or via a video consultation platform (PetsApp). We will continue to treat all severe cases face-face and others can be prescribed medications based on a telephone or video consult. The link to PetsApp is being sent to all clients via email or text message but of course we realise many people will not be able to access this, so simply call the clinics for advice as normal and a nurse will triage your enquiry. The system for dropping off patients and their collection, along with ordered prescriptions, involves a separate isolation room that allows only one person in at a time. Strict bio security procedures will be employed and we ask everyone to use the anti-viral wipes on the door handle before and after use. For all visits to the clinics, for whatever reason, we ask clients to phone us in advance to explain the nature of the enquiry and again on arrival, so that waiting times in the car park are minimised. Keeping safe distance goes without saying (I hope!) and with patience and understanding, we can reduce the risk of infection to our staff and our clients.

What will be the tone and content of my next article be in a month’s time, I wonder? I think it unwise to pass comment. All I can say now to all readers is stay safe, stay strong and stay together (mentally and spiritually, that is).

I briefly touched on the non-medical effects of Covid-19 by mentioning the economic and social cost that the virus will cause. It will also put our animals at risk, as we have been advised by our governing body, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons, that we should not perform routine vaccination of pet animals. Although we will abide by this guidance, we hope that vaccinations

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will be permitted if the lock-down continues into the summer, as an epidemic caused by the infectious organisms that threaten our family pets will become more likely. Until we can resume puppy, kitten and adult vaccines, our advice is this. Keep kittens indoors and continue to interact with them to allow play and good social habits. Puppies can be exercised in your garden but stay away from ditches, streams and muddy areas as this is where leptospirosis and parvovirus can lurk. The same goes for adult dogs. Although the dry weather we have enjoyed in the latter half of March helps to kill off viral infections (of all types) it cannot be relied upon.

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RACHEL’S RAMBLES By Rachel Mead

Trying to write a walking column during times of a lockdown has been a task which has involved a large amount of reflection. I am all consumed by the thoughts of the global pandemic and so I find myself beginning to type, then stopping, deleting and starting all over again.

thanks to those tirelessly working on the front line, be they NHS or key workers. Humanity shines through. The stories from the countryside are similar, villagers have divided their parishes into ‘help zones’ assisting those who are lonely or in need of assistance with shopping, errands or simply to exchange jigsaw puzzles and have a chat over the fence. People are painting pebbles which have been decorated with messages of “Stay Safe” and are placing them on their walking route, bringing smiles to those who subsequently chance across them during their daily stroll.

The words haven’t flowed as I have wished them to and the vast majority of my sentences have struggled to find their way. My task is of course to provide our cherished Conduit readers with a sense of escapism – taking you and usually Oakley on a refreshing ramble, and yet with Covid-19 spreading its way throughout our towns and villages, walking along new footpaths to untrodden destinations would be irresponsible.

We are without doubt in the midst of what can only be described as a changing world. There is loss, anxiety and fear. But there is also a proud sense of community, belonging, thanks and respect. Our lives as we knew them may be stopping for a while, we certainly wish we could delete the sadness that we are inevitably feeling during this time, but what we will do is reflect, be thankful for the community collaboration and we shall, without doubt, successfully start all over again.

But let’s be thankful for what we do have. We do have an hour. Current government guidance allows us sixty minutes of daily exercise and we know that walking and fresh air are recognised as beneficial for the mind and the soul. That hour is golden. Whether one lives in a town and can pound the pavements, or whether one is out in the sticks and can wander the lanes, each one of us has a set period of time to increase the heart rate and most importantly breathe and feel the spring sunshine on our skin. For the city dwellers and townsfolk, we hear tales of parents and children counting the teddybears which have been placed in the windows of homes. Putting one little foot in front of the other is made so much more exciting when you’re on a real-life bear hunt! And then there are also the rainbows which have been affixed in windows as brightly coloured beacons of hope. Blue hearts and murals demonstrate our admiration and

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As a writer one always fears those inevitable moments of ‘writers block’ or lack of inspiration. Neither of those apply right now, but what I struggle with is the tone. As we approach our third week in lockdown, our third week of living in what is suddenly a dramatically smaller physical world, I am conscious of the anxiety and uncertainty that lies ahead. And yet, there is a part of me which always looks for the positive. Yes we can compare ourselves to others and be thankful that we do not find ourselves in their predcament but this would be

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