Laterally Speaking By Humphrey Walwyn

Organising Nothing

Laterally Speaking by Humphrey Walwyn

I’m sure you may feel the same, but it’s to work while looking after small children as if we’ve been locked down and out at home, you will have had precious little for ever. It’s almost a whole year since “spare time”. But for retired folk like this wretched virus took away our lives me, the lack of deadlines and absence of and our sanity. When it all started in appointments and other people makes

March 2020, I remember saying it’d be time stretch into empty pages of—well— over by June. Or certainly by July. I think absolutely nothing! we all did… And then it dribbled on and I think I’ve become quite good at doing on through cancelled summer holidays nothing. In fact, you could say I’ve been and the end of August and a miserable binging on nothing, as well as binge-

October and of course everything was Is your diary for February looking a bit empty? nibbling Twiglets and especially binging going to be normal again by Christmas… on ‘Call My Agent’ through Netflix—very

And then it wasn’t. watchable and improves your French, particularly the rude

When the first lockdown began, I had some grandiose words! Humans love order and structure, so you need ideas. If we were all going to have to stay at home, then at to organise your nothingness into different categories least I might achieve something useful like learn Spanish of absolute zero. My suggestion for sorting out nothing or write a book or take online jazz piano lessons… I could involves the three ‘D’s: Diary, Dining and Deaf Radio. even do an Open University course in History of Art or Diary: Right now, you’re feeling empty ‘cos there’s not something practical like woodworking. I might take up a much going on. There is nothing more depressing than new hobby such as Polynesian origami or basket weaving. I looking at lots of blank pages, so fill up your diary. Put could even become a Japanese food expert and give online in everyone’s birthdays and all the anniversaries that are

Asian cookery classes from my own kitchen. But, no. I’ve worth remembering. Then put in all your online shopping done none of these things. It’s the whole lockdown mood delivery details, boring things to remember (car insurance, itself which seems to deaden most initiatives and leaves internet subscriptions etc) and then add weekly reminders me feeling inadequate and unsatisfied. to call friends and family members. Now, that looks better

There were some boring jobs that needed doing around doesn’t it! You’ve suddenly got stuff that needs doing the house like clearing out the garage (long overdue) or, again. if that was too much like hard work, sorting out my sock Dining: Make every meal special. You can use your drawer and throwing away everything with holes. Since newly filled-out diary to inspire you. Oh look—today is this would have left me with no socks at all to wear, I the 14th anniversary of that wonderful holiday we had in chickened out and instead re-arranged all my shirts into Naples! Cook up a little tuna with artichoke caponata (not mood order (Cheerful, Funerial, Business Boring, ‘60s too many anchovies though…) And tomorrow it’s old

Retro, Party Animal and Never Wear This). In the course Uncle John’s birthday! Cook a special meal in his honour. of which, I rediscovered 3 forgotten ties, an out-of-date You may not like stewed prunes and rhubarb, but he used

American driving license, a bag of still edible toffees to love them even when the stringy bits got stuck in his from 1997 and a pair of long-lost underpants. This was false teeth… Bring out the candles. Have fun, be inventive encouraging because I had at least achieved something… and experiment a bit.

My most ambitious lockdown task was to sort out my Deaf Radio: If you’re like me, you’re addicted to the

DVD collection and catalogue them in A-to-Z alphabetical News. It is hugely disheartening to keep hearing the same order. It would be great fun if I watched each one for headlines hour by hour, day after day… the numbers of about 10 minutes (just to make sure they still worked OK). deceased, numbers of new cases both nationally and in my

I would start with the African Queen and progress through local area… has it got to Honiton yet? Ooh—someone

Alien, Amelie and Annie Hall. After a couple of months, I in Dorchester’s got it! This is SO DEPRESSING. Please, should end up with an assegai through my head at Zulu. turn off your radio. And the news on telly. Watch some

Underpants apart, I don’t seem to have achieved any of David Attenborough programmes about penguins or my major lockdown projects. Of course, if you’re lucky something. Turn off the news. Click. See? Everything’s to still be working during the pandemic, or if you’re trying better already!

Every little helps. How one young Dorset resident is trying to make things better

Despite living through a pandemic, one of the things often highlighted is the fact that, locally, nationally and internationally, other issues still need to be dealt with. International charities need to carry on raising money to help deal with hunger and disease; food banks still need volunteers and donations, and arts initiatives, designed to help enhance our surroundings in the years ahead, need support and encouragement. Even at the most local levels, all efforts that look to make communities better should be applauded.

One Dorset teenager has recently taken to the streets and pathways to try to play her part in dealing with one of the simplest yet most visually effective tasks that anyone can help with. Connie Doxat, a keen walker, has decided to make her exercise routine something more than just taking in the air. For the last few weeks she has been collecting litter and doing her bit to clean up the countryside.

Connie has found that, like many others whose post-exam plans are in tatters, her focus has shifted closer to home. ‘I’ve been pondering the issues that lay right on my doorstep’ she said. ‘As a keen walker, the issue of litter has always bugged me, and I have now gathered sufficient frustration (and time) to try and tackle this issue myself and try to help say “later” to the litter.’

After Connie took it upon herself to do a ‘deep litter-clean’ of our countryside, she was a little surprised at what she found. ‘I’ve honestly been shocked at my findings so far’ she explained. ‘Alongside countless cans, bottles and plastic my roadside adventures have led me to collect some pretty strange objects, including an office chair, a 1st generation iPhone, and a really ancient TV from the 80s.’

Despite the amount of rubbish she has already collected Connie has been inspired to take things a step further. She is asking for suggestions of areas where she can continue her efforts and would like to know of others that could offer a helping hand. ‘If you’ve also got lots of time on your hands I encourage you to get out and start clearing up litter too’ she says. ‘Without much else to do at the moment it gets you outside, moving, and generates an immense sense of accomplishment!’

To inspire herself even further Connie has decided to raise money for the sustainable development charity Raleigh International. Based in the UK the charity runs various environmental and social initiatives around the world.

If you want to donate, then please search ‘Connie Doxat’ on Just Giving. 100% of all donations will go directly towards funding worthwhile projects, such as the regeneration of native rainforests, habitat conservation, and the construction of schools and drinking wells for Costa Rica’s most impoverished indigenous communities.

To follow Connie’s efforts you can read her blog at: https://cleanupforcostrica.wordpress.com/ or contact her directly on connie.doxat@btinternet.com.

Maverick Industries design for a skatepark in Beaminster

Beaminster Town Council has recently announced that it has been awarded over £98,000 by the National Lottery Communities Fund, (NLCF), to enable the delivery of the Beaminster Skate Park Project in 2021.

In 2012, members of the local community formed a group called ‘Beaminster Futures’ which conducted outreach and identified a lack of amenities for younger people in the town and surrounding villages. In response members of the Town Council and local towns’ people established the Beaminster Area Activity Development Group (BAAD), which worked alongside West Dorset District Council to conduct further research and consultation.

The main element of this research was a questionnaire which was made available online and sent to all households in the parish and also to local schools. The questionnaire was returned by over 750 members of the community and the consultation identified improvements to the Memorial Playing Field among which was better Play Area and a Skate Park for the town.

Since then BAAD, with the support of many others, have been pursuing the aim of creating an inspirational and inclusive area for play including a Skate Park in the heart of Beaminster. After considerable work and with the aid of a grant from the European Union the Town Council carried out a major renovation and upgrade of the Play Area which opened to the public almost 2 years ago.

Early last year we applied to the NLCF for financial assistance to help us complete the Skate Park project. Unfortunately our bid fell foul of the COVID crisis and was ‘locked down’ while the NLCF turned their attention to more immediate matters. In November we submitted a revised bid to NLCF after they reopened for such applications and in December, just before Christmas, we were told our bid had been successful.

The Skate Park will add to and enhance the new and improved play area and provide more challenging activities. We know that the well-used play area provides for intergenerational interaction offering opportunities for communities to get together and engage with one another aiding community cohesion and helping to mitigate social isolation. The skate park will reach out to a wider age group and will improve the overall mental and physical health of it users through activity and social interaction.

The Town Council has received two amounts of funding from West Dorset District Council and now the generous NLCF award takes us to our funding target. This means that we can now commence the project and, COVID restrictions permitting, we hope to complete it by the summer of this year. We will be working closely with Maverick Industries on the build, and the Prout Bridge Project to develop the launch event.

For more information, and to follow progress, please visit www. discoverbeaminster.co.uk

YCCA launches 2021 Literary Prize

THE Yeovil Community Arts Association (YCAA) has launched its 2021 International Literary Prize, an annual writing competition with cash prizes in four categories. All money raised supports talented, local youngsters training for careers in the performing and creative arts.

Now in its 18th year, the Yeovil Literary Prize has matured into a highly regarded writing competition, attracting submissions from across the globe. 2020 saw record numbers of entries as creatives made full use of the first Coronavirus lockdowns. The competition’s continued popularity means that this year’s cash prizes are bigger than ever, and the YCAA can keep supporting promising local youngsters with bursaries.

The Yeovil Literary Prize has four categories; ‘Novel’, ‘Short Stories’, ‘Poetry’ and ‘Writing Without Restriction’, a recent addition which has proved popular with writers who like the challenge of thinking outside the box.

Although the 2021 panel has yet to be announced, previous judges have included literary agents and publishers, as well as accomplished authors and poets.

For details of entry requirements, past winners and rules, see www.yeovilprize.co.uk. The competition runs until 30th April 2021 and winners are announced in the autumn.

Based in Lyme Regis the Petrichor Cothing Company has launched a range of unique designs

INNOVATION and initiative are two specks of light that have risen above the turmoil created by the Coronavirus pandemic and every day we hear of new efforts by local people to reach out from behind the dark clouds.

One Dorset family has pooled its creative resources and begun a small business based around the artwork of eldest daughter Flossie (18). Her endearing, playful drawings have been taken by brother Ollie (16) and having sourced specialist printers, they have produced unique designs onto 100%, high quality cotton t-shirts and hoodies.

Ollie said, ‘It was really important to us to find a supplier who was ethical, we’re also trying to find a supplier so we can have bamboo t-shirts too’. Flossie added, ‘I’ll be adding new collections soon, I think the next one will “The Sea”’.

Ollie has also developed their website and online shop and is learning more every day about the marketing skills needed that will help these young entrepreneurs grow their young business. For more information visit their website www. petrichorclothingcompany.co.uk.

ANOTHER new West Dorset start up is baking business ‘Arty Bakes & Nutty Ideas’. They offer a sumptuous selection of Gluten-free, Dairy-free and Vegan cakes, puddings and treats, to indulge in, guilt free! Everything is home-made from scratch using fresh, low-fat and healthy ingridients, packed full of flavour.

The Arty Bakes boxes of bite-size goodies make the perfect cheering-up lockdown gifts, containing a personal note from you to your friend and posted in a fun and stylish Arty bakes Box!

For more information visit their website www.artybakes. com.