News & Views

CHARD

Thieves at a wedding

Avon & Somerset Police are appealing for information to help recover items stolen from a wedding near Chard. They include a personalised wooden post box containing numerous cards and monetary gifts, two grey milk churns without lids and a distinctive Dutch bottle of Genever. The items are believed to have been stolen between the hours of 2:45am and 5:10am on 7 July from a farm in Otterford, Chard. Detective Sergeant Scott Chadwick commented: ‘We’re appealing for anyone near the Chard area to please keep a look out for any of these stolen items. The milk churns are fairly sizeable and are quite distinctive.’ If you can help, please call 101 and quote the reference number 5219153887.

BRIDPORT

Marshwood Vale MBE

‘Surprised’ ‘honoured’ and ‘really chuffed’ is how local farmer George Streatfeild described his feelings at finding his name in the Queens’ honours list this year. CEO of Denhay Farms outside Bridport, George has helped either found or been a driving force within numerous community activities for many years. As well as being Chair of Governors at Symondsbury school, cofounding initiatives like Discover Farming and Taste of the West he was also Dorset High Sheriff until March this year.

BRIDPORT

New Normal service returns

People around Bridport will be able to gain information and advice about Dorset Council services in person after recently it reopened at Mountfield. Since March 2020, due to COVID-19, many more people have been accessing services online or by phone, but many residents like to see someone face-to-face. The council is now working with Bridport Town Council to re-open at Mountfield on Rax Lane. Customer services will be able to assist with council enquiries or urgent needs that cannot be supported over the phone or online. Opening times are: Wednesday: 9am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-5pm Thursday: 9am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-5pm Friday: 9am-12:30pm and 1:30pm-4:30pm.

LYME REGIS

Outstanding in their field

Local shanty singers, Lyme Bay Moonrakers, have been finding different outdoor venues to rehearse in lately including singing the Wellerman Shanty in a wildflower meadow. The following week they were outside the farmer’s barn. Group member Phil has kindly been allowing the group to use his fields and barn until they can rehearse indoors again. If you are interested in joining, visit their website www.lymebaymoonrakers.org or email lymebaymoonrakers@gmail.com.

WOOL

Agri-tech innovation

Draper Ventilation Limited (draperVENT) opens the doors to a new Agri-tech Innovation Centre at Dorset Innovation Park—an Enterprise Zone based in Wool. Thanks to a £740,000 Growing Places Fund loan from Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) in July 2020, draperVENT, who increased the total investment to approximately £1.9 million, have purchased land and developed a new 1720m2 facility within a year. The new draperVENT hub will host research and innovation to advance automated livestock farming systems to achieve much higher levels of animal welfare and sustainability. For more visit www.dorsetlep.co.uk.