to Six & Seven BH Your lo cal magazines
A warm welcome to our new editor!
Janine Pulford retired as editor in May after 21 years. Janine has passed the baton to Luke Graham, who has worked as a journalist since 2015. Now that Janine is concentrating on her fiction writing, Luke has seamlessly moved into his new role and is keen to serve the local community by sharing interesting and informative articles about the local area. Luke has been visiting Dorset since 2010 and moved here with his family in 2020. Like me, he enjoys the quality of life that this beautiful area provides. I personally am taking time to enjoy my garden at this time of year. I love the change of seasons and find CK Gardens’ suggestions really helpful when thinking ahead to my autumn planting and preparation. I love to sit out there and enjoy a good book – we have some excellent suggestions and book reviews in this edition which may help you choose if you are looking for a bit of inspiration other than the traditional ‘beach reads’. However you spend your time, I hope you enjoy it and of course, don’t forget to find Sammy the Seagull somewhere in the magazine and enter The Regent’s competition.
Editor: Luke Graham
Proofreader: Rebecca Smith
Production: Ben Pulford
Lead design: Louis Pulford
Director: Janine Pulford
Sales: Simon Thornton, 01202 941470 simon@dorsetview.co.uk
Design: Dexter Elliott
COMPETITION FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN TICKETS FOR AN EVENING OF COMEDY
WEDNESDAY 30 OCTOBER, REGENT CENTRE, CHRISTCHURCH 7.30PM
Live At The Apollo star Geoff Norcott will headline at the Regent Comedy Club, hot on the heels of his sold-out national tour and regular appearances on Have I Got News For You, The Last Leg, Mock The Week and many more.
“One of our most refreshingly funny comedians of any stripe” — The Times
Joining Geoff is a fantastic supporting bill with Australian fireball Thomas Green, king of the misanthropes Radu Isaac, and the masterful Jarred Christmas as host.
18+ only. May contain strong language and adult themes from the start.
Support acts subject to change from the ones advertised.
REGENT CENTRE BOX OFFICE
01202 499199
TICKETS £19
For your chance to win a pair of tickets to the show, simply find Sammy Seagull who is hiding somewhere inside this month’s magazine (excluding this page).
Email the page number where he appears and your contact details to competition@themudefordmag.co.uk
Closing date is 30 September 2024
PREVIOUS WINNER: The winner of the Money for Nothing tickets was Dan Dixon who correctly stated page xx as the answer.
Coffee Break Time
How to solve codeword
Every letter of the alphabet has been replaced by a number.
All you have to do is decide which letter is represented by which number.
To start you off we reveal the code for 3 letters.
Solutions on page xxii
sponsored by Louis P Creative
Coffee Break Time
Community Composting
By Grounded Community
Each week, our team of two operators collect waste from 10 locations across Boscombe and the surrounding areas, including cafés, coffee shops, food shops, a charity food project, a local microbrewery and even hair from a barber shop. Our Rocket Composter, situated on the roof of the Sovereign Shopping Centre, is an impressive machine. It heats and churns food waste, wood chip, spent coffee grounds and grain, speeding up the process of breakdown and producing compost in a fraction of the usual time. This compost is then transferred to our storage bays, where the microbes continue to work their magic, until it is ready to be transferred to our ‘Grounded Growers’ project, which installs raised beds in local residents’ gardens.
Here is a snapshot of the outcomes achieved between March and June of this year:
210 full caddies of food waste were collected; coffee grounds, wood chips, hair and spent beer grains have been processed.
2.3 tonnes of food waste have been diverted from incineration or landfill and transformed into compost.
0.98 tonnes (or 2.01 cubic metres) of highquality compost have been produced for use in local community food growing projects, including The Secret Garden and our Grounded Growers raised bed installation service. This has resulted in multiple families and community groups benefitting, both physically and mentally, as a result of growing and eating more locally produced food.
We are now on the hunt for funders to apply to for the capital set-up costs needed to increase our processing capacity by two or three times as much food waste per week. If any of our followers can access or support funding for the following items, we would love to hear from you via the link below.
• Dehydra Dewaterer – to macerate and remove water from food waste, which significantly reduces the volume and weight of the solid food waste before it is put into the composter
• Septic tank – to collect the wastewater
• Regular septic tank disposal
• Hand-pulled wagon/trailer – for the increased number of collections
• Plumbing, electrics, fixings and installation
• More food waste caddies
Competition for funding is becoming much harder since the cost-of-living crisis, with smaller charities experiencing a huge drop in available funds to stay in operation. In response, we will be focusing on a campaign in the autumn, asking our volunteers and supporters to donate anything they can on a regular basis, whether that is £2, £5 or £10 a month.
Regular donations provide us with a predictable income so we can commit to reaching more people. If you’d like to become a Friend of Grounded, our quick and easy sign-up page is here: https://groundedcommunity.co.uk/donate/ With your support, we will keep working towards our vision, that everyone living in urban communities has access to locally grown nutritious food.
We also run composting workshops, which you can find via our calendar on the website here: groundedcommunity.co.uk/calendar/
Together we can grow.
Adam Horan demonstrates the mixture of waste materials which go into the Rocket Composter
Adam Horan, composting coordinator, fills the Rocket Composter
We Solve Murders
by
Richard Osman, hardback £22.00
From the bestselling author of Thursday Murder Club comes a brand-new series featuring an iconic new detective duo and a thrilling new murder to solve. Steve Wheeler is enjoying retired life. He does the odd bit of investigation work, but he prefers his familiar habits and routines: the pub quiz, his favourite bench, his cat waiting for him when he comes home. His days of adventure are over. Adrenaline is daughter-in-law Amy’s business now. Amy Wheeler thinks adrenaline is good for the soul. As a private security officer, she doesn’t stay still long enough for habits or routines. She’s currently on a remote island keeping world-famous author Rosie D’Antonio alive, which was meant to be an easy job, until a dead body, a bag of money and a killer with their sights on Amy all appear. A breakneck race around the world begins, but can Amy and Steve stay one step ahead of a deadly enemy? If you haven’t tried The Thursday Murder Club series yet, why not give them a go? All available in paperback, £9.99 each.
Book Reviews
Precipice
by Robert Harris, hardback £22.00
Precipice is the thrilling new novel from Robert Harris. It is summer 1914 and the world is on the brink of catastrophe. In London, 26-year-old Venetia Stanley, aristocratic, clever, bored and reckless, is having a love affair with the Prime Minister, H. Asquith. A man more than twice her age, he writes to her obsessively, sharing the most sensitive matters of state. As Asquith reluctantly leads the country into war with Germany, a young intelligence officer is assigned to investigate a leak of top-secret documents, and suddenly what was a sexual intrigue becomes a matter of national security that will alter the course of political history. Robert Harris seamlessly weaves fact and fiction in a way that no writer does better.
Impossible Creatures
by Katherine Rundell,
paperback £8.99
From Katherine Rundell, the British Book Awards’ Author of the Year, comes the paperback release of the first novel in the award-winning Impossible Creatures series. Christopher is stunned when he discovers a passage to the Archipelago: a cluster of magical islands where all the creatures of myth still live, breed and thrive in their thousands. There he meets Mal, a girl from the islands, who is in possession of a flying coat and a baby griffin and who is being pursued by a killer. Together they embark on an urgent quest to discover why the creatures are suddenly perishing, voyaging across the wild splendour of the Archipelago, where sphinxes hold secrets and centaurs commit murder, in a bid to save both the islands and the world beyond them from a rising evil before it’s too late. Why not pop into the shop to have a browse and see lots of lovely new publications for autumn? Or you can contact 01202 418403, email sales@bh6booksandhome.co.uk or visit social media @bh6booksandhome to place orders and discover all that is on offer at BH6 Books and Home, 69 Southbourne Grove, BH6 3QU.
Secret Mash
BY CHRISTIAN ØRNER | SALT Cø. Private Chef and Chocolatier | www.salt-co.co.uk
At SALT Cø. when we do our dinners where we come to people’s homes to cook or when we host in our kitchen over in Upton, one of the things we get complimented on the most is our potato dishes. As a chef, I love potatoes! You can do so much with them.
Here’s how we do our mash: INGREDIENTS:
• Type of potato: 250g Maris Piper (super important).
• 30g Salted Butter.
• 20g and then 100g Double Cream. (You can use milk. If you do, remember to use less to get the same consistency as cream is thicker than milk, obviously.)
• Salt to taste. (I use Maldon Sea Salt which I cold smoke myself. You can buy Maldon Sea Salt unsmoked from the supermarket or online. You can also buy our smoked salt through us directly.)
METHOD:
(For two people)
• Wash and peel 250g of Maris Piper potatoes.
• Place peelings in a saucepan and cover with water. Bring to the boil.
• Once at the boil, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 30 minutes.
• Whilst potato skins are simmering cut the potatoes into even-size chunks. Size isn’t so important, the smaller they are the quicker they will cook. I usually cut into bite-size chunks.
• Once 30 minutes is up, strain the potato stock through a sieve into a bowl. Discard cooked skins.
• Place potato stock into the saucepan and add the potatoes. Add more water to cover the potatoes. Return the stock to the boil and simmer until potatoes are soft.
• Drain the potatoes through the sieve and when empty return cooked potatoes to the saucepan and return to the heat.
• Gently break the potatoes to release excess steam.
• Remove potatoes from the heat and pass through a potato ricer (a giant garlic press – you can buy them online or in large supermarkets) into a clean bowl with 30g salted butter.
• You could end it there. You’ll just need to season it with the salt, and you’d have a nice mash. But to make it extra fine:
• Once it has all gone through the ricer, fold through the butter and immediately press the potatoes through a fine sieve (this is what we do).
• To serve the mash: add 20g double cream to a clean saucepan. Bring to the boil.
• Add your potato and gently fold the warm cream into the potato. Season with Maldon Sea Salt and enjoy!
When I make mash for a SALT Cø. dinner, I “have to” make double. Once I have served the dish with the mash intentionally on, I serve the remainder in an extra bowl. It ALWAYS gets eaten.
And most importantly, if I don’t leave some for my fiancée, Laura, when I come home I find the spare bed kindly made up for me…
SELF-COMPASSION
Are you overly critical of yourself and constantly beating yourself up for being inadequate? Can you not face your inadequacies or weaknesses for fear of hating yourself?
If so, read on…
Self-compassion is giving ourselves the equivalent kindness and care as we would a good friend. Compassion means ‘suffer with’, so to feel compassion one first needs to notice and acknowledge our own or another’s suffering. This may occur when we fail or make mistakes. Then step two is feeling moved enough to want to help in some way. It is important to remember that imperfection and inadequacy is part of being human and something we all experience.
Self-compassion involves offering ourselves kindness and understanding when you notice something about yourself you do not like or consider yourself to have failed. Instead of beating yourself up for your shortcomings, do not be so hard on yourself. Acknowledge the difficulty you are having and attend to yourself with kindness and understanding. Alexander Pope wrote the proverb, “To err is human; to forgive divine,” expressing the idea that forgiveness is a worthy response to human failings.
Self-compassion is different from self-pity, where one is wrapped up in one’s own emotional drama, with exaggerated feelings of suffering, and feelings of being isolated and worse off than others. Self-compassion is where you understand that it is normal and natural for humans to struggle at times, and it is a shared experience that everyone experiences at some point. In using self-compassion, personal failings can be acknowledged with kindness and do not need to be hidden for fear of hating oneself. To instigate change we need to be able to see ourselves clearly without the fear of self-condemnation.
Self-esteem, on the other hand, refers to our sense of self-worth and how much we like ourselves. While there is little doubt that low self-esteem is problematic and often leads to depression and lack of motivation, trying to have higher self-esteem can also lead to problems.
Self-esteem is often based on how special we are, inferring it is not okay to be average. We must feel above average to feel good about ourselves and may need to put others down to feel better about ourselves. Furthermore, our self-esteem is often dependant on our latest success or failure, meaning that our self-esteem fluctuates depending on ever-changing circumstances.
In contrast to self-esteem, self-compassion is not based on self-evaluations. People feel compassion for themselves because all human beings deserve compassion and understanding, not because they are above average. This means that with self-compassion, you do not have to feel better than others, to feel good about yourself. Self-compassion also allows for greater self-clarity, because personal failings can be acknowledged with kindness and do not need to be hidden. Practising self-compassion leads to increased resilience.
Dr Armorel Wood MBACP, accred MNCS Private Professional Counsellor 07765915211 | woodarmorel@gmail.com www.mapletreetherapy.org
King Henry VIII’s Progress to Christchurch
By Julie Ratcliffe, Christchurch History Society
Did you know that King Henry VIII visited Christchurch? Christchurch History Society, along with Christchurch Priory, the Red House Museum, and local historians, took part in events in May with the Royal Palaces Trust. The Trust has embarked on a huge project, called ‘Henry on Tour’, to research the Progresses of Henry VIII. A Progress is the term for travels around the kingdom that were used by the king and queen to see and be seen by the public. There are two documented Progresses to Christchurch, the first in 1510 and again in 1516. It is also possible that Henry visited in 1535, though this has yet to be proven.
The Henry on Tour project has a set of themes; kingship and queenship, logistics, performance and legacy. Henry’s 1510 Progress was the first of his reign. It is thought he stayed at the Priory for five days, from 13 to 17 August. He would have been here for the Feast of Assumption, an important date in the church calendar.
The project is investigating the logistics of this Progress. For example, it is likely that he stayed in the guest quarters of the Priory, though possibly some other manor house locally. He would have brought with him a huge entourage, but where would they have encamped? Henry’s household accounts tell us that the cost of stabling was 59 shillings per day – around £2,000 today.
The Henry on Tour project also worked with the vicar and choirmaster at the Priory and undertook a series of musical events. These included a recital and concert, along with a celebration of Lady Mass and a service of Compline, recreating the services Henry would have attended in the church.
In 1516, Henry returned to Christchurch, evidenced because a Privy Seal warrant was issued from here on 18 August. In the 1535 progress, Henry came to the west country again, accompanied by Anne Boleyn. This was a year before the dissolution of the Monasteries. Unfortunately, there are gaps in available documents, so it is unclear as to whether they stopped at Christchurch. John Draper was the Prior at the time. If they did call at Christchurch, could it have been an opportunity to persuade Henry to save the Priory Church for the town?
You can read more about the Henry on Tour project on the website www.henryontour.co.uk where there is a blog specifically about Christchurch.
Talks:
1 October – CHS, AGM – Followed by a short digital presentation by Janet Burn from her own collection of glass slides. Open to all. For details visit www.historychristchurch.org.uk
Letters Patent issued by King Henry VIII under the privy seal on 13 August 1510 ‘at our Monastery of Christchurch’
A day on board the Regent Seven Seas Splendor
At the end of June, I had the opportunity to spend some time on board the cruise ship Regent Seven Seas Splendor in Southampton. I have cruised several times with Regent, on Mariner and Voyager but this was my first chance to experience Regent Splendor. This ship doesn’t sail from Southampton very
often, so when I was invited to have a tour of the ship and lunch, I of course accepted. I was welcomed on board with a glass of champagne – a great start to the day! Known as ‘The World’s Most Luxurious Fleet’, this ship is quite simply luxury perfected. It combines exquisite style and comfort with unparalleled service. Splendor can accommodate a total of 746 guests and was launched in February 2020. There are currently six ships in the Regent fleet. They are all mid-size ships and Splendor has a guest ratio of 1:1.4. The result is incredible service, plenty of personal space, no queues and no waiting.
After enjoying a glass of champagne in the Meridian Lounge, my tour of the ship began with a visit to the Grand Suite. It boasts one spacious bedroom and two marble and stone detailed bathrooms. Outside there is a large private balcony with table and chairs, perfect for breakfast. My tour continued with a visit to the Splendor Suite and the Master Suite, both very spacious and luxurious with benefits such as a personal butler and priority check-in. The Master Suite has two bedrooms and two bathrooms and even includes a complimentary cocktail party for eight and early access to your suite on embarkation day at noon. After viewing the suites in detail, I was taken to see the Penthouse suites. These are up to 644 sq feet with a separate bedroom and living area. They also have a personal butler service and a daily canapés service. Accommodation on board Splendor ranges from 300sq feet to more than 4,000, and all have a private balcony and a separate sitting area.
The Concierge suites have the added benefit of including a one-night pre-cruise hotel package with breakfast, giving you the chance to explore the port you are sailing from.
Next was the chance to visit the restaurants on Splendor and, of course, enjoy a delicious three-course lunch. The restaurants on Splendor
include Pacific Rim, La Veranda, Chartreuse, Prime 7 and the main dining room Compass Rose. Speciality dining is included; there are no supplements to pay. You can dine whenever you wish and with whom you wish.
It really is an all-inclusive experience with Regent: gratuities, unlimited shore excursions, unlimited drinks including fine wines and spirits, speciality restaurants, valet laundry service, unlimited Wi-Fi, flights and transfers are all included. A cruise can be a great way to explore a destination without lots of packing and unpacking.
If you would like to know more about cruising with Regent Seven Seas or if you have any other travel plans, please contact me.
T 01202 375150
M 07929626156
E sally.pullen@travelcounsellors.com
W www.travelcounsellors.com/sally.pullen
SALLY PULLEN TRAVEL COUNSELLOR
Perfect plants for autumn gardens
By Colin Knapman
Autumn is usually the season when the garden starts to look a bit tired and bedraggled as many of the plants have finished flowering and the leaves begin to drop. However, there are plenty of plants that still look good, especially if we continue to have milder weather in the autumn months.
Here are just a few suggestions for autumn planting.
For structure and all-year-round interest, choose evergreen shrubs such as:
• Pyracantha for flowers and autumn berries
• Mahonia ‘Soft Caress’ – a beautiful compact shrub
• Nandina Domestica for an autumnal feeling
For rhythm and balance, select a group of plants that can be clumped together for impact and repeat this throughout the border. These can include ground cover plants such as Sedum, Cyclamen, or Violas, along with closely grouped taller plants such as Japanese Anemone, Aster x Frikartii and many more beautiful ornamental grasses.
If space permits, then add a small tree such as Acer Palmatum ‘Bloodgood’ with its stunning autumn foliage.
For further advice and detailed planting plans, contact Colin Knapman by phone or text on 07925 166757.
Orfordness Lighthouse
by Keith Morton - Association of Lighthouse Keepers – alkhurst@gmail.com
The east coast of England is a hazardous area for shipping with swift tides, banks and shoals. On one night alone in 1627, no less than 32 ships were cast upon Orfordness, a 13-milelong spit that runs along the coast. Now, on our lighthouse tour of England and Wales, we arrive at Orfordness lighthouse.
It was in February 1634 that John Meldrum was granted a patent to build two temporary lights between the Sizewell Bank and Aldeburgh Napes. His successor, Alderman Gore, built two timber towers to guide ships through the narrow gap. Next on the scene was Sir Edward Turnour who bought the land on which the lighthouses stood, as well as a large area of Lantern Marshes to give him greater access to the lights. After Sir Edward’s death in 1676, his son became the owner, but the lights at this time were badly maintained which resulted in complaints from the masters of vessels passing them. In 1720, the
lighthouses came into the ownership of Henry Grey, who replaced the wooden lighthouses with brick towers.
Ownership changed in 1792 to Lord Braybrook of Audley End, who had a new brick tower built further back from the sea. This became known as the Great Ore highlight. The previous light then became known as the small or lower light. The new lighthouse was designed by William Watkins, the son of a plasterer and stucco worker – this light lasted until 2020.
In 1836, an Act of Parliament authorised Trinity House to compulsorily purchase the lighthouse. 1914 saw the installation of a revolving lens with three sides to provide a flash every five seconds. In 1959, the lighthouse was converted to electric power, but it was not until September 1965 that the lighthouse became fully automatic and controlled from the Trinity House Control Centre in Harwich – the keepers were then withdrawn.
In a lighthouse review around 2004, Trinity House was concerned about coastal erosion and considered moving the lighthouse further inland. However, although contractors were brought in to provide estimates to move the lighthouse, this way ahead was not approved by Historic England. It was decided that the Orfordness lighthouse would be decommissioned and demolished. As a consequence, the power of Southwold lighthouse was increased to compensate.
On 27 June 2013, Orfordness lighthouse was formally decommissioned and all equipment was removed. The lighthouse was then purchased by the Orfordness Lighthouse Trust. Under the Trust’s stewardship, the lighthouse was opened to the public on specific occasions between 2013 and 2019. The long-term plan was to demolish the lighthouse and to build a replica using the top one third of the lighthouse elsewhere on the Ness. Winter storms in 2020 brought things to a conclusion and work to start the demolition began on 18 July 2020. The plan now is to sell off the 200-year-old bricks to raise the necessary funds to build the one third replica on the Ness.
Springwatch visits Hengistbury Head
by Tom (CHOG)
This year’s BBC Springwatch was hosted in Dorset at RSPB Arne, and for episodes two and three presenter Iolo Williams headed to Hengistbury Head. He gave mention that over 300 bird species have been recorded in the Christchurch Harbour recording area, as well as acknowledging this year’s Ringed Plover family in the CHOG-funded conservation area on the Sandspit, plus the recent visits from the Isle of Wight eagles.
After a wet and windy first visit, Iolo had a sunny second evening to introduce the fascinating life of the Natterjack Toad. At Hengistbury, Natterjacks breed in the warm shallow ponds and dig tunnels in the sandy cliffs, where they shelter from the sun and to overwinter. A protected species in the UK, the management of the land at Hengistbury is key to the Natterjack’s survival here. The diverse range of habitats in the Harbour provides for other specialities, such as the heathlandloving Nightjars and a wide range of insects, including 77 different species of solitary bee.
For a more detailed breakdown of the Springwatch coverage, head to the CHOG Online area of www.chog.org. uk if you are a CHOG member. If not, sign up on our ‘Join CHOG’ page. Alternatively, you can catch up on the episodes from this year’s coverage on BBC iPlayer.
August and September see the peak of autumn migration, when the young birds from this year’s nesting season make their first journey south. Birds of prey will be busy practising their hunting skills as they become independent of their parents. Look out for Sparrowhawks, Peregrines and
Hobbies when you are watching your garden, visiting Christchurch Priory, or going for a walk along the coast. The Priory Peregrines fledged four chicks this year, so there’s a good chance of seeing one.
Christchurch Harbour Ornithological Group, known as CHOG, is an independent organisation and registered charity, which is dedicated to recording, promoting and conserving the wildlife of the Christchurch Harbour area. To find out more about CHOG, please scan the QR Code or visit www.chog.org.uk for the latest daily sightings and the benefits of joining, such as receiving the annual bird and wildlife report which includes sections on birds, mammals, reptiles, butterflies and dragonflies.
Juvenile Peregrines photograph by Adrian Simmons
Peregrine Day at the Priory photograph by David Taylor
Puzzle solutions
The future is bright
In June I had two significant
anniversaries in my life.
The first one was a sad occasion as I remembered losing my father 20 years ago. He was an instrumental figure in our life and especially mine as the first child. He held the torch and encouraged us to read and educate ourselves. 20 years on and I still miss him dearly.
The second anniversary was a celebration. On 6 June 1998, I finally graduated from the Karolinska Institute dental school in Stockholm (Sweden) after five years of intensive training. Including my training on the job whilst studying, this means that I have been a dental surgeon for 28 years. It feels a lifetime, but I am very blessed that I am passionate about dentistry and enjoy helping people to achieve and maintain good oral health. Although dentistry is hard work both physically and mentally, my love for it has grown over the years.
In the past 28 years I have been working in my practice as a family dentist, but I also have sought further advanced training in the fields of implant dentistry, smile design and comprehensive restorative dentistry. In the last 15 years, I have had extensive training in the field of facial aesthetics and dermatology.
I actively seek learning and most of my weekends are spent by taking part in different courses all around the UK and world.
Recently I was in London for two days. The first day was in a very prestigious location in
central London run by Fillmed laboratories. Fillmed is a famous French company exclusively working with regeneration, skin aging and skin rejuvenation. I have known the company for many years, and they are always ahead of research and development. It was a fascinating day with many international and national speakers unlocking some of the secrets of anti-aging and rejuvenation. I came away with new knowledge and new modalities that I can now offer my patients in the field of aesthetics to help them achieve beautiful yet natural results.
The second day was a course in the field of digital dentistry and 3D printing. This was all about what the future holds in the field of dentistry. We had talented individuals who shared their knowledge and expertise in the new world of dentistry where everything is digital.
I spent two very different days with two very different people. But they both had one thing in common. That is the world of knowledge is expanding and with new research and developments in all fields of medicine, who knows what we are able to do in the next 28 years. Please speak to our team when booking your appointments. We are here to help.
Mrs Ella Aslani DDS Stockholm Principal Dentist – Copper Beech Clinic
Charity of the Year
A leap of faith: registrations open
Registrations opened in June for the LewisManning Hospice Care Skydive, which takes place on Saturday 21 September at Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury.
Participants will be taking an adrenalinepumping 10,000ft leap into the skies to raise essential funds and awareness of the hospice nurses and the vital services they provide for the community at Lewis-Manning.
This unique event not only promises an unforgettable experience but also offers participants a chance to learn more about the incredible work that the hospice nurses do supporting patients and their families impacted by life limiting illnesses across Poole, East Dorset, Purbeck and West Hampshire. Skydivers will be paired up with a hospice nurse and will support the vital work they do in our communities every day in hospice hubs and in patient’s homes.
The nurses are proudly supporting the campaign, and many have signed up to skydive themselves. Staff Nurse Hannah Quick said: “I have seen first-hand the amazing people this money will support. My patients show me every day how brave and courageous they are, so I feel it’s only right for me to do something out of my comfort zone.”
Among the brave individuals taking part is Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber of
Commerce. With a life-long fear of heights, Ian is facing the challenge head-on.
Ian said: “I cannot wait to skydive for LewisManning. I have been absolutely terrified of heights my whole life and even experience vertigo when looking up at the sky.
“When I was asked to take part, I realised it would be a great opportunity to face my biggest fears, as well as raise money for a vital cause. The nurses at Lewis-Manning need our help, and I am proud to support them as much as I can, to allow them to continue delivering extraordinary hospice care.”
Louis Pulford, director at Pulford Publicity is also taking a giant leap to support a staff nurse. See his interview with her elsewhere in the magazine.
Area fundraiser India Turner said: “We are super proud of our amazing team of skydivers [who have] signed up so far. Their bravery will have such a positive impact for our nurses and allow them to continue delivering extraordinary hospice care. We would urge anyone interested in joining in, to register on our web site. It’s going to be a fun day.”
To sign up to the event and jump for a nurse, or to find out more information, visit lewis-manning.org.uk/skydive.
RNLI Mudeford Fundraising Crew Newsletter
Our volunteers, families and friends have been busy, and members of the public have come out to support our recent events. Our May coffee morning was popular as always. Our third Blue Light Day and Lifeboat Station Open Day – moved earlier to 26 May – welcomed our search and rescue family and other organisations. Many thanks to our joint sponsors The Haven House Inn & Café and Winkworth (Highcliffe and Mudeford offices), the companies who bought advertising space in our event trifold, Highcliffe Sailing Club who held their ‘Coffee and Cake and Brew with the Crew’, and of course, the Lifeboat station volunteer crew for their massive contribution to making the day such a success.
In June we held our first Pirate Day on Avon Beach. This was an unsophisticated but fun and free children’s event with a variety of activities, a treasure chest, and a prize for the best dressed pirate courtesy of Snowtrax Activity Centre. Thanks to The Noisy Lobster for all their help and support. More events are planned for the rest of the year.
Dates for the diary Wednesday 11 Sept 2.15pm: Beetle Drive, Stanpit Village Hall
Join us
For more information on our events or monthly meetings, or to get involved with our Fundraising Crew, please contact Adele at: adele.orr.63@gmail.com We are always pleased to welcome new volunteers for our fundraising team.
Blue Light Day at Mudeford Quay Green. Drone photo by Jon Sawdon
Pirate and Stormy Stan at Avon Beach. Photo by Julie Honour-Jones
Short Story
Nutty Encounter
by Janine Pulford
The vision of someone so beautiful took my breath away. It was certainly a day to gasp for air, I thought, as I struggled to recover from the young woman’s crushing grip.
Her mannerisms were now gentle and fluid as she faced me.
Despite my near-death experience, all that ran through my mind was: she’s gorgeous, but way out of your league, Jonathan Bright. Anyway, you’re destined to live alone because you can’t connect with women.
Aware I hadn’t said a word since she’d rushed through my front door when she heard me choking, I tried to think of something normal to say, like ‘Thank you.’
Instead, I blabbered, “I had a tiger nut stuck in my throat. I got one stuck up the back of my nose once. I’m not going to eat tiger nuts again.”
“Never heard of them,” she said as if she thought I’d lured her into my house under false pretences, but I’d had no idea she was passing when my breathing nearly stopped and I pulled the door wide to get someone’s attention.
“What you up to in there, darlin’?” a young man swaggered in as if he had every right to.
He was handsome and clean-shaven with neat black hair and a chunky gold chain around his neck. Probably in his early thirties with the sort of good looks that suited hers.
A huge dog bounded in and landed both front paws on my chest. I stepped back, alarmed – so she and her partner had a dog – an overfriendly Afghan hound that was probably called Sasha. Thank goodness they were out walking when I needed help.
“Sasha! Here!” Her voice was firm, but soft, and the dog obeyed.
I wondered how many other things I could get right. The man, for instance. He was a
typical Tyrone and was sure to be a builder who earned pots of money.
“Hullo, mate? Lard’s me name. You okay?” The man shook my hand so firmly I was left with shooting pains in my fingers and imagined a slogan above his head saying: ‘Don’t mess with Lard’.
How could anyone be called Lard? It was an awful name and I wondered frivolously if the mystery woman was called Dripping, but I’d already decided her name was Tiffany.
“I was choking. I thought I was going to die,” I explained.
“She sort you out then, mate?” Lard jokily hunched his shoulders up and down like a vulture.
He was built like a bulldozer and I could see a six-pack trying to burst out of his T-shirt. No doubt his chest was covered with a swathe of hair. I’d read that women prefer hairy men. My own smooth offering would be well down on ‘Tiffany’s’ list, along with my receding hairline. It wasn’t fair that I could be so disadvantaged at such a young age. On the plus side, I was gallant and polite, and knew her dog’s name before she said it, surely that counted for something.
“We’d better be going,” she said, taking Sasha by the collar and making for the door.
“I’m glad you’re all right.”
But I couldn’t let her walk away. She was an angel who’d saved my life.
“Could I get you a drink? As a thank you?” I offered.
“I’ll have a half,” Lard quipped, ruffling his shoulders again. The girl looked at him with slight disapproval.
She turned to me and said, “I’d love an orange juice, but I can’t stay long, we’re super busy.”
“That’s right, darlin’,” said Lard, “Got to get the new bed in the right position.”
I cringed. This man was so rough around the edges, he could have cut grass with his bare feet, but at least they weren’t married. I’d already checked their fingers for rings. I couldn’t work out what ‘Tiffany’ saw in him. And what did the guy mean about the bed? Was there a right position for a bed? Mine was firmly on the floor. Perhaps Lard was going to suspend theirs from the ceiling. He looked strong enough to achieve it.
The woman wasn’t fazed by Lard’s comment and replied, “It will be a relief when everything’s in the right place. Moving house is so stressful. You carry on without me. I’ll be back shortly.”
Glancing through the window, I saw a large van parked in the road with Cakeson
Removals plastered down the side.
“Oh, you’re my new neighbours.”
She followed me into the kitchen. “Summer Jones, pleased to meet you.”
I was wrong about her name too and visions of knocking her wealthy builder off his plinth with my chivalrous disposition vanished.
“Mine’s Jon.”
“Well, you’re the first person I’ve ever been introduced to by a genuine nut.”
We giggled and then she surprised me by saying, “I’m your new neighbour, and I’m looking forward to seeing more of you. That man’s Lard Cakeson.”
For a second time my kitchen rocked with laughter and as her hand brushed mine when she took her orange juice, I felt breathless all over again and I’m pretty sure she did too.
(01202)
LIVE ON STAGE
CHRISTCHURCH GILBERT & SULLIVAN SOCIETY: THE PIRATES OF PENZANCE
Thu 5 – Sat 7 Sep
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Christchurch G&S Society are staging a traditional presentation of one of the most popular G&S operettas The Pirates of Penzance
ROYAL OPERA & BALLET: THE MARRIAGE OF FIGARO (12A) | Tue 10 Sep: 18:30
The Royal Opera and Ballet are back for a brand-new cinema season, broadcast live from London.
REGENT COMEDY CLUB WITH SUZI RUFFELL | Wed 11 Sep: 19:30
Suzi Ruffell, firm favourite on Radio 4, Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Last Leg, and more headlines our next comedy night.
GRINDFEST – 35MM FILM FESTIVAL | Fri 13 – Sun 15 Sep
Dirt in the Gate Movies are back with their three-day 35mm genre film festival. Three-day passes and individual film tickets available.
THE SOUNDS OF ROD STEWART | Thu 19 Sep: 19:30
Get ready to be entertained, boogie along, sway to the music and maybe even feel like you’re “Sailing” through the nostalgic hits of Rod Stewart’s illustrious career.
STEAMPUNK ORCHESTRA | Fri 20 Sep: 19:30
Step into a realm where classical elegance converges with the pulsating energy of classic rock, indie, and pop hits.
THE
DOLLY SHOW | Sat 21 Sep: 19:30
As seen on BBC ONE, ITV’s This Morning, Channel 5, and voted the UK’s BEST Dolly Parton Impersonator, West End star Kelly O’Brien returns to the Regent with her world-class show.
BOURNEMOUTH CONCERT BRASS: LAST NIGHT OF THE PROMS Sun 22 Sep: 19:30
Bring your flags and whistles, and your vocal cords, to join in this most patriotic event.
UK PINK FLOYD EXPERIENCE
| Fri 27 Sep: 19:30
Celebrating 30 years since the iconic PULSE tour, this highly authentic show recreates the atmosphere of Floyd live – featuring top-flight musicians, a stunning light show and over two hours of incredible music.
SWING UNLIMITED: A NIGHT AT THE MOVIES | Sat 28 Sep: 14:30 & 19:30
Epic themes and songs from some of the greatest movies of all time. Featuring music from legendary composers such as John Williams, John Barry, Hans Zimmer, Jerry Goldsmith, and many more.
To see our upcoming film titles, please visit our website www.theregent.co.uk or pick up a film list in-person on your next visit.
All information is correct at the time of publication. Please see our website for the latest information www.theregent.co.uk
Are you where you want to be?
By Elizabeth McPherson
I used to hear about the benefits of getting older, but I didn’t really believe what I was told. How could getting older make you happier? Being just a year off 60 and having spent most of my life trying to be ‘happy’, I have found an inner peace that I never dreamed possible. I am convinced it is because I am older and therefore, in theory, wiser. I thought I would share some of these key ingredients with you, as they say sharing is caring, and when you have a formula as bulletproof as mine, it would be selfish not to tell everyone about it.
• Let go of anything that no longer serves you – that could be material possessions or thoughts that do not enhance your life. We all have memories, both bad and good. Holding onto things that make you sad will only hold you back.
• Be grateful – there is always something to be grateful for, even if it’s that first cup of tea in the morning.
• Write imaginary letters to those you need to forgive. Once written, either burn them or send them out to sea, sending out love.
• Love yourself unconditionally – loving yourself is the most important lesson to learn.
• Never take anything personally – someone else’s stuff is their stuff, not yours.
• Always do your best, in whatever you do.
• Believe that good things are coming your way. If you believe it, you will receive it, that is Universal Law.
• Never have any regrets other than to learn from them.
• Be true to your word. If you say you are going to do something, do it.
• Practise self-care – walk in nature, exercise, eat nutritious food.
• Hang out with friends & family, those who light you up.
• Handle the bad times with dignity and embrace the good times like the precious jewels they are.
• Live your life with passion and joie de vivre.
And most of all, accept who you are now, and how far you have come. Life is our school and reaching contentment is the goal.
With Love Beth www.thelifestyleconcept.co.uk
Photo
Skydive for a hero
Louis Pulford meets Angie from Lewis-Manning
I recently decided to take a leap and committed to doing a 10,000ft skydive in support of LewisManning Hospice Care, our charity of the year. Each jumper is raising at least £450 in support of a hospice nurse, so I thought it would be a nice idea for our readers to get to know a little about Angie who is the reason behind my skydive.
What do you enjoy most about being a nurse? Assisting people to live their lives in the best way possible, listening to their wishes, and being beside them to help overcome any obstacles and difficulties. The people I work with and the people I care for and their families and friends inspire me. I love working within a team. The LewisManning Hospice Care Team are fantastic to work with. They care so much about our patients but also, we care about each other too.
Can you give a high point in your career? There have been so many that I can’t pinpoint just one. Working at Lewis-Manning is amazing, and I
feel privileged to be able to treat patients with such time and care.
What are your hobbies?
Playing the piano and ukulele – badly. Have you heard of playing the right notes but not necessarily in the right order?
Do you have any advice for anyone who wants to become a hospice nurse?
I would say gain some general experience first in a variety of places. I knew I wanted to work for Lewis-Manning because I was so impressed with their ethos.
So, there we have a bit of background about the lovely Angie.
If you would like to donate to help me raise £450 for this day-to-day hero, follow the link to my donation page www.justgiving.com/page/louispulford-1720426098624
Vintage fun in Southbourne
Report and photos by Marilyn Barber
The Shake & Stir Vintage Festival celebrated its 10th anniversary event in June, and it was clear to see why it has always been greeted with huge enthusiasm by visitors. It was so much fun with lots to see and take part in.
This year, visitors enjoyed an eclectic line up of musical performances spanning the 1920s to the 1970s – and it was all free. Entertainment included the Sounds Like Fun and Resonate choirs, tribute acts Andy Kennett as 1960s rock and roll star Billy Fury and Peter Gill as rockabilly legend Jerry Lee Lewis, plus a number of other artists. And there was the chance to dance too!
Many got into the spirit of the weekend dressing in outfits from the various decades, particularly the 1950s.
Sponsors included Pulford Publicity.
