Marshwood+ December 2024

Caddy Sitwell: Vegetables beyond the garden Page 32

Return of the white-tailed eagle Page 29

Cole Stacey: Where the quiet is louder Page 42

© Andrew Whittle Photograph by Robin Mills

COVER STORY

Robin Mills met Andrew Whittle at Nettlecombe, Dorset

Icome from an old Weymouth family, which we traced back to 1680, and I was born and brought up there. I was sent away to boarding school, all the way to Hardye’s in Dorchester. Because my dad had been brought out of school aged 14 to join the family firm, I think he felt hard done by, so maybe he was trying to do the best for me, telling me it would toughen me up. It didn’t.

I did an art foundation course in Bournemouth after school, then a degree in Fine Art Sculpture at Canterbury, but didn’t complete it as I needed to be a house husband for a year to enable my then wife to finish her nursing training. I was married at quite an early age, far too young, but we stayed together for 15 years and brought up two lovely daughters, Emily and Tamsin. After leaving my degree course, I got a job on a building site. On day one, I managed to flip a big dumper upside down, narrowly avoiding serious injury. “You’re off diggers, you’re on roofs now”, I was told. On the Friday afternoon, feeling a little tired, I thought I’d take a discreet nap on the roof, got caught, and was sacked there and then. Waiting for the bus home, I found myself outside Easton Masonry; I thought with my sculpture background, maybe I could work with stone. I walked in, asked for a job, and was told yes, start Monday, apprentice Carver and Letter-cutter. That only lasted 3 months, but I learned a lot about the tools and how to use them. It was the beginning of my working with stone.

’

© Andrew Whittle Photograph by Robin Mills

Andrew Whittle

Meanwhile, I took any job I could to earn a living, spending a year in the Merchant Navy. On board the ships I started carving semi-precious materials, bringing ivory back from South Africa—in those days a perfectly acceptable thing to do—and silver, and began to make jewelry from carved ivory set in silver. It sold well, especially in London, and helped support us for much of my twenties, but based in Weymouth, it was hard to expand enough to make a good living. Having missed out on my degree, I tried to find a suitable college course to learn more about silversmithing, and not having any success, I then discovered the Architectural Stone Carving course in Weymouth. It was for one year, and I took to it like a duck to water, passing the exams with distinction. I learned stonemasonry, which didn’t include letter cutting, and after the course, they asked me to return and teach. That meant that I could leave the monumental masons where I had been working, teach for 2 days a week, and start doing my own work. I agreed on the proviso that we include a lettering module in the course. My workshop was in Turton Street in Weymouth, where I carved gravestones and started making sculpture, mostly involving lettering. Lettering became central to what I do.

I taught at Weymouth for 13 years, during which time my wife and I finally parted. I moved to West Dorset and became a single parent with my two girls, aged 14 and 18, living in a beautiful cottage in Rampisham. I was in touch with Harriet Fraser MBE, who had started an agency called Memorials by Artists, for people looking for bespoke hand carved memorials, and suddenly I found I had the work I wanted. Not much at first, but that’s what I’ve been doing ever since. My lettering work is always my own design, but inspired by historical examples which can date back to the Romans; I’m more akin to a calligrapher than a typographic designer. Most of my work is stone, but I also work in wood and metal. Prince Philip once asked me, “What do you do if you make a mistake?”, and I replied, “I don’t make mistakes”, a complete lie of course, but admittedly I have only made one on the stone. If I make mistakes, they’re on paper, which can be corrected.

I worked with the artist Ian Hamilton Finlay for many years. There were many collaborative projects, but one large piece was a permanent installation at the Serpentine Gallery in Hyde Park, a 3m diameter circular inscription in Caithness slate. It was due to be unveiled by Princess Diana, but she died just before, so the first small memorial inscription to her was included in the centre of the circle. Another commission, entitled ‘Six Definitions’ at the Dean Gallery MOMA Edinburgh, is a series of bronze letters, tablets and bronzes sited at the entrance to the gallery. It’s strange that, at this point, most of my commissions were in Hampshire, London, Scotland, Europe and even Australia—seldom in Dorset. Another notable commission was the ‘Animals in War’ memorial in Park Lane; I spent six weeks on-site living in a caravan in Mayfair. It is one of the longest inscriptions in London.

After leaving Weymouth, I began teaching with Memorials by Artists, initially a course in Edinburgh. This resulted in a group of ex-students forming the Scottish Lettercutters Association, which is still going strong. Since then, I have taught at many colleges and other venues, most recently in Belgium.

It was mainly the dances at Rampisham and Evershot which drew me to West Dorset. Eva Harvey invited me to a gig, and I had the best time, everyone danced, and I was hooked. Living next door to the village hall at Rampisham, I began helping with the dances, then being organised by Colin Browning, opening up for the bands, setting out tables and taking money from the early arrivals. When Colin had a stroke, I took over at Rampisham. Then, when I moved to Evershot, I worked with Karen Hansen and Sarah Langley. The three of us were the mainstays of Band-On, putting on regular gigs, which were hugely enjoyable for both the audience and musicians. I loved designing the posters. There were so many great bands, but Flaky Jake, the Balham Alligators and Juice on the Loose were all memorable. In the early days, they were mostly London bands, brought to Dorset through piano player Ian Stewart’s friendship with Eva and Ray Harvey, but later, there were more

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local musicians. I’m a fan of The Skalatans, who are Bridportbased and terrific.

Near my workshop in Nettlecombe, we have a fine cider press in an old shed, donated by Victor Crutchley. I have been helping to organise the Nettlecombe Cider Shed ever since I arrived. It’s a great community venture and a lot of fun. We have just done our first pressing of this autumn.

I initiated an archaeology project here, on the Mappercombe Estate. During Covid, I started walking the fields nearby. On day one, walking the headland of a ploughed field, I saw sherds of black pottery, which I took home. After some research, I was amazed to discover that they were Romano-British. Since then, we’ve found 5 Romano-British sites, and 2 Neolithic hunting camps near the village. We have boxes of pottery sherds, quern stone fragments, and many flint scrapers, mostly found by eye whilst field-walking. I had a cabinet made for the Powerstock Hut and filled it with finds dating from 4,000 BC to 1953, many pieces donated by local detectorists and fieldwalkers. The Estate are now kindly funding a geophysical survey, the results of which are amazing. Underneath

an otherwise uninteresting field can be 5 or 6 layers of occupation, indicating perhaps centuries of human activity. Archaeologist Robert Lancaster is leading us, and a company called Geoflo have contributed with the geophysical work. It’s going to be fascinating to see where it leads.

I also play with a village Ceilidh band, called “The Ping Pong Orchestra”. I play the bodhran and bones, with fiddlers, banjos, guitars, and an accordion. It’s mainly just for fun, although a professional viola player has joined us, whipping us into shape. And I’m a bellringer! We’ve just raised £50,000 for the bells at Powerstock to be rehung, which is happening as we speak.

My work has always been very important to me and at the forefront of how I spend my time. I feel fortunate to have spent my life making the things that I want to make, and being paid for it. I love being in my workshop; it’s my sanctuary.

Recently I have been awarded the ‘Master Craftsman Award’ by the Worshipful Company of Masons, which has obliged me to write a complete history of my work, a good deal of which I had forgotten. It’s been fascinating delving into it.

Over the last forty years I’ve spent a lot of hours working with various types of software, and the one thing that has always stood out as a lifesaver is the ‘Edit Undo’ command. The opportunity to go back a step and undo a mistake, or simply start again, has always felt somewhat miraculous. It’s a bit like waking from a nightmare and finding everything is OK, or—like a new video meme that offers the option of being cryogenically frozen until the recently elected US administration has changed—the option to sit out the world’s problems for a while. Looking through this issue, I was struck by the story of how whitetailed eagles have returned from extinction in the UK. Michael McCarthy spotted a pair flying over Cerne Abbas recently and there was also a flurry of excitement when they were seen over Symondsbury, near Bridport. White-tailed eagles, also known as sea eagles, were hunted to extinction in these parts and the last breeding pair is said to have been in 1780. This has got to be one of those moments where conservationists have proved that the concept of ‘Undo’ can be taken way beyond computer software. A return from extinction is the stuff of science fiction. However, as Michael McCarthy also points out, his excitement is tempered by concern over the loss of other species. According to the World Wildlife Fund, over 10,000 species go extinct every year. Seeing the return of one, albeit very large species is exciting. So, maybe attempting an ‘Edit Undo’ attitude to other disasters might be helpful, or just hopeful. The least we can do is make sure that DNA tissue of potentially endangered species is frozen until we have a more harmonious and forward-thinking future. Mind you, that might only work if more harmonious and forward-thinking people were frozen as well.

Fergus Byrne

in your Marshwood Vale Magazine

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Contributors

EVENTS December

Saturday, 30 November

Stockland Christmas Market Local Crafts, Wreaths, Metal Forge-work. Refreshments, Free parking. Victory Hall. 10-12 noon. Bookings / Information. Monica on 01404 881 535.

Children’s Christmas Give and Take event Little Green Change’s free, annual, Children’s Christmas Give and Take event is taking place this year 10:30am-12:30pm, at Woodmead Halls in Lyme Regis, thanks to the support of Lyme Regis Town Council. Donations can be brought 1 hour before the start time, or they can be collected by Little Green Change prior to the event from the Lyme Regis, Axminster and Charmouth areas. Please email info@littlegreenchange.com or text 07803705100 to arrange a local collection. Items must be in good condition and must not be torn, stained, dirty, damaged or broken.

Christmas Fair – Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 10am – 3pm, free entry Join us for our annual festive fair. Lots of craft stalls providing ideas for Christmas presents. The café and bar will be open too.

Saturday, 30 Nov - 1 December

Christmas Fair Bring your family and friends to experience the joy of the holiday season in the heart of Abbotsbury. Mark your calendars and prepare for a weekend filled with joy, creativity, and festive cheer! visit www.abbeyfarmabbotsbury.co.uk or contact marketing@cherriesdorset.com for more information. Abbey Farm, Abbotsbury 10 - 4pm.

Sunday, 1 December

Cotley Christmas Fair Open 10am until 3pm. Tythe Barn Cotley, Somerset, TA20 3EP Charity raffle on behalf of RDA.

Santa Special Yeovil Railway Centre, Beginning of this year’s season of Santa Specials. Details on website www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com, and on the Facebook page, where dates and details are available and bookings can be made. Recorded information also on 01935 410420. Yeovil Junction Station, Stoford, Yeovil BA22 9UU.

Kiss Me Kate: The Musical (PG) ScreeningGateway Theatre, Seaton, 2pm doors 1.30pm, tickets

Adults £16, Under 16s £10. Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty, Ridley) and Broadway royalty Stephanie J. Block lead a stellar cast in a sizzling new 5-star production of Kiss Me, Kate, filmed live at the Barbican in London especially for the big screen. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre. co.uk, or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Monday, 2 December

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.30 -10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £2.00 Contact David on 01460 65981 www. chardscottishdancingclub.co.uk.

Hawkchurch Film Nights, in association with Moviola.org, proudly presents ‘Swede Caroline’ (97 mins, Cert. 15 - strong language, sex references, violent scenes). Chaos reigns in this strange, funny and amiably anarchic mockumentary about skullduggery in the cut-throat world of competitive vegetable-growing. Doors open

6.30pm, film starts 7.00pm at Hawkchurch Village Hall, EX13 5XD. Ticket reservations £5.50 from csma95@gmail.com or leave a message on 07753 603219 (socially-distanced seating available if reserved in advance); tickets also available for £5.50 from Hawkchurch Community Shop or £6.00 on the door (cash only). Subtitles for hearing-impaired patrons provided. Home-made cake, popcorn, teas, coffees, wine and other tasty refreshments available.

Wednesday, 4 December

Bridport Christmas Cheer - An evening of Christmas Celebrations: 4 – 8 pm Join us for a magical evening celebrating the arrival of Christmas in Bridport. Soak up the festival atmosphere and get yourself into the seasonal mood. The Town will be ready to welcome you. The Christmas decorations and trees will be up along the streets. The retailers shop windows will be decorated and they will be stocked with a fantastic selection of Christmas gifts and goodies for you to browse and buy - Please take the

opportunity to vote for your favourite Christmas shop window - and the pubs, bars and restaurants will be ready to greet you with lots of lovely Christmas festival treats.

Meeting Voices Community Choir, Chard. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Chard Guildhall. Fore St, Chard TA20 1PP. Phone 07534 116502 or email mvsecretary@outlook.com.

Wednesday, 4 - 15 December

Christmas Tree Festival, Bridport United Church. Mon-Thurs 10 - 1pm. Friday 2 - 6pm. Saturday 9 - 3pm. Sunday 2 - 4pm. East St, Bridport DT6 3LJ

Thursday, 5 December

Lev’s Violin Greg Lawson & Phil Alexander Shipton Gorge Village Hall 7:30pm Born with a beautiful sound but no name, Lev’s Violin was valued as worthless. Although its origins remained a mystery, many tales were attached to Lev’s Violin, some true and some wonderfully untrue. Old and worn by its travels, it eventually broke a few years ago, and the instrument became the subject of a book by Helena Attlee and a BBC Radio 4 reading. It has since been through an extensive restoration and, having passed through the hands of countless musicians, travelled continents and played the music of many cultures, it is now in the possession of violinist Greg Lawson. Joined by former Moishe’s Bagel bandmate and accordionist Phil Alexander, follow the violin’s journey and hear some of the music from its past – from Bach and Arvo Part, to Armenian and Macedonian music and Klezmer. Tickets £13, £7 (u18s) Suitable all ages. Tickets available online at www.artsreach.co.uk / 01308 897649. Please note: A pre-event supper will be available at the New Inn Shipton Gorge – 5pm to 7pm, 5-10 minute walk from the venue - please book direct on 01308 897302.

The Holdovers (2023, US, 15, 133 mins, Director: Alexander Payne) In this good-natured comedy drama, set in the 1970s, an unpopular teacher, a rebellious student, and a recently bereaved school cook form an unexpected bond while stuck together over the Christmas break. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS). Membership £25, guests £5 per film. For more details, contact mickpwilson53@btinternet.com or ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Kathy Everard on 01460 30646.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1930 hrs. The Dancing keys will be

providing the music and the caller is Rosie Shaw. It’s £4.00 per person which includes a cuppa and cake, all welcome and it is a lot of fun! Further details from Elaine on 01460 65909.

Unlocking the Archives: Digitisting the David Hunt Collection Speakers – Volunteer team Sherborne resident and keen photographer, David Hunt (1921-1995), amassed a large collection of Victorian and Edwardian glass plate negatives, which were deposited at Sherborne Museum following his death. Last year, the award of a substantial grant by Dorset Council enabled the museum to embark on what has been termed “a landmark community project” – the digitisation and cataloguing of the David Hunt Collection. In this talk, several of the volunteers involved with the project will share their experiences alongside some of the highlights of the collection. Venue: Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, DT9 3NL Talk begins at 2pm. Doors open from 1.30pm. Admission: Free entry for members of Sherborne Museum. £5 nonmembers.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@ hotmail.com. 5 Dec. Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@hotmail.com.

Friday, 6 December

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. Symondsbury Christmas Fair 4.30pm. Symondsbury Estate Bridport, Dorset, DT6 6HG.

Jurassic Coast Choir’s Christmas Concert; the local choir will be opening the Christmas festivals with a concert of carols and new choral pieces, charity Weldmar Hospicecare; 7 pm in the Minster, Axminster; Tickets £12.50, available at the door from 6.30 pm, includes mulled wine and mince pie; To book 01297 560885.

South Somerset Youth Orchestra & Friends, seasonal concert. £5 includes mince pies & mulled wine/soft drink; please book in advance if possible. 7pm, at Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. Further information from Mary (01460 74849) or Julia (01460 72769).

Drop-In Wellbeing Event. Featuring virtual dementia experience bus, blood pressure checks, health tech support, resources for carers, exercise demos, local groups and exhibitors, refreshments. No need to book. 10.30am – 14.00pm, Woodmead Halls, Hill Road, Lyme Regis, DT7 3PG. Free entry. For more information please call 01308428943 or email jcsocialprescribing@ dorsetgp.nhs.uk.

Acantha Lang – A night of Funk & Soul - Live Gig - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 8pm doors 7.30pm,Tickets £18, £20 on door. Acantha Lang is an emerging singer-songwriter known for her soulful vocals and emotive storytelling. Drawing inspiration from her own life experiences and the world around her, Lang creates music that connects with audiences on a deep and personal level, musical storytelling in all its funk and soul glory. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Saturday, 7 December

Christmas Craft Fayre at Musbury Village Hall - 10.00 am to 12.30 pm. A good variety of local craft stalls including hand made willow items, felt and textile items, Christmas decorations and lots more, not forgetting the Church cake stall,and raffle. Refreshments including bacon buttys! Proceeds to St Michaels Church Musbury. Enquiries 01297 552440/552711.

The Friends of Weymouth Library (F.O.W.L.)

Saturday morning talk at 10.30 am will be about Charles Dickens, his controversial private life, stories, books and characters, presented by Jacqueline and Brian Sutton as the notorious couple Mr. and Mrs. Bumble from Oliver Twist. Tickets can be obtained from the Library (01305762410) at £2 for members and £3 for nonmembers. Refreshments provided and everyone welcome. Other enquiries phone: 01305 832613.

Christmas Cake & Coffee Morning Drop in between 10:00am and 12:00pm to enjoy homemade cake, mince pieces, tea and coffee and to browse the museum shop, which will be full of Christmas goodies. Entry is £3.00 for adults, £1.00 for children, pay on the door. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB.

The New West End Jerseys Live Gig - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 8pm doors 7.30pm, tickets £20, £22.50 on door. Featuring stars of the West End, performing the incredible music of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons. From ‘Sherry’, their first No. 1 single, to chart-topping hits like ‘Oh What A Night’, ‘Walk Like A Man’, and ‘Big Girls Don’t

Cry’, The New West End Jerseys take you through one of the most recognisable back catalogues in music today. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Willow Angels - Learn to craft your own willow angels using locally sourced willow, perfect for adding a unique, natural touch to your indoor or outdoor space. 10:00am to 1:00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. £30 (all materials included). To book, please ring: 01460 54973 or email: workshops@ilminsterarts.org.uk

Cantamus presents ‘O Radiant Dawn!’, a concert of beautiful choral music for Advent. St Mary’s Church, Netherbury at 3.30pm. Tickets £12 on the door (cash or card). Refreshments available.

Sunday, 8 December

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 5pm. The White Horse,. Litton Ln, Dorchester DT2 9AT.

Dennis Chinaworks Pottery Open Day 11am - 5pm. Sale of trials, Demonstrations, Pot Throwing, Vintage Glass Shop & Refreshments. Higher Rd, Shepton Beauchamp, TA19 0JT. Tel 01460 240622. www.denischinaworks.com, info@ dennischinaworks.com.

Dance Connection & Gong Day, Dance Day, 11am-4pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www.joysofdance.co.uk/ workshops.

Lyme Bay Chorale’s Christmas Concert. Programme includes A Ceremony of Carols (Britten), Gloria (Vivaldi) and carols for choir and audience. Lyme Regis Parish Church at 4pm. Tickets £15 from Fortnam, Smith & Banwell in Lyme Regis (cash or card), choir members or on the door. Wine/soft drinks and mince pies. Proceeds to the choir’s bursary scheme for young singers.

Andre Rieu’s 2024 Christmas Concert: Gold and Silver Screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 3pm doors 2.30pm, Tickets, Adults £16, Under 16s £10. Celebrate the holiday season with André Rieu’s dazzling Christmas Concert, “Gold and Silver,” exclusively in cinemas! This magical event embodies the festive spirit of Christmas, bringing joy, warmth, and sparkle to the big screen. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Monday, 9 December

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of

Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £2.00 Contact David on 01460 65981 www.chardscottishdancingclub.co.uk.

The Bridport Choral Society start rehearsals for their Christmas concert. We welcome everyone without auditions. So join us at the United Church Hall in East street at 7.30pm. Check out our website at www.bridportchoral. wordpress.cm or find us on Facebook. Contact Bob on 02308425987 to let him know you’re coming. We look forward to meeting you!

Tuesday, 10 December

The Taste of Things Bridport Film Society 7.45pm Doors and the bar open at 7pm. Membership cards must be presented at the door. Bridport Arts Centre. South Street, Bridport. email: bridportfilm@gmail.com. Visit website at www.bridportfilmsociety.co.uk.

Divine Union Soundbath 9PM Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Rd, Sherborne DT9 3LN Deep-tissue sonic massage and detox. Booking 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com £16.

Beaminster Museum Winter Talk Digby Barker in conversation with Gill Cheeseman Digby was a former pupil and boarder at the Beaminster and Netherbury Grammar School from 19591966. He and Gill will explore the history of the school, which in January 1963 became Beaminster Comprehensive. Refreshments are available after the talk. Entry is £5.00 on the door. 2.00pm. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB.

Wednesday, 11 December

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 7pm. Bridport Golf Club, Burton Rd, Bridport DT6 4PS.

Film Thelma (12) Inspired by the real-life experience. A grandmother gets duped by a phone scammer sets out on a risky quest to reclaim what was taken from her. Starring June Squibb who delivers a hilarious and believable lead performance showcasing her comedy skills. An action-comedy. Doors and bar open 6.45 film start 7.15 at Kilmington Village Hall EX13 7RF. Tickets @ £5, or £5.50 on the door, can be ordered by contacting: John at wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 521681.

West Dorset Community Orchestra concert in St.Swithun’s Church, North Allington, Bridport at 7-30p.m. The varied programme will include Christmas items and guest appearances. Admission is free and there will be a retiring collection. Raffle and interval refreshments. www.westdorsetmusic. org.uk

Christmas Coffee Morning, including mince pies, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769). Please note this is the 2nd Wednesday, rather than the usual 3rd Wedenesday.

West Dorset Community Orchestra Christmas Concert – St. Swithuns Church. A programme of Christmas music performed by West Dorset Community Orchestra conductor Jonathan Jevons, will be held at St Swithuns Church, 1 The Linen Yard Bridport DT6 5FJ, at 7.30p.m. This event promises to be enjoyable and an excellent opportunity to get into the spirit of Christmas and offers a wide range of music to our audience. The orchestra will be playing a variety of music and a host of lively Christmas music. There will be various guest appearances in the programme. Entry is free but there will be a retiring collection at the end. There will be a raffles and refreshments

will be served during the interval. Parking is available in local car parks. So come and enjoy an evening of music and song to get you in the swing of Christmas!

Meeting Voices Community Choir, Chard. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Chard Guildhall. Fore St, Chard TA20 1PP. Phone 07534 116502 or email mvsecretary@outlook. com.

Thursday, 12 December

Dope, Rope and Hope: A Cine Film Celebration illustrates how the town has long been a hotspot for art and culture. The tailormade screening will be shown at Bridport Arts Centre by Dorset-based charity Windrose Rural Media Trust, which has put together the tailormade screening from its extensive Dorset film archive. Tickets are £11 and are available online at https://www.bridport-arts.com/event/ dope-rope-and-hope-a-cine-film-celebration/ or by calling the arts centre box office 01308 424204.

Film Thelma (See 11th Dec) Matinee, doors open 1.45pm film starts 2pm, cream-teas served during the interval but must be pre-

EVENTS IN JANUARY

Live or Online send your event details to info@marshwoodvale.com

BY DECEMBER 12th

booked with your seats @ £3.50. see above and www.kilmingtonvillage.com/other-organisations. html for more information.

The Shanty Sessions come along and join the original Shanty group from East Devon, The Chantry Buoys of Colyton, singing old and new shanties, and other well known songs of the sea. They encourage audience participation and having a fun time. Entry is free and all proceeds go to local charities, including Force. There is a licensed bar, doors open from 7pm and the Buoys begin at 7.30pm. The Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis.

Chard History Group Hidden High Street Histories By Chard Museum. 7 for 7.30 Start. Chard Guildhall upstairs (lift available). Members £2.50 Visitors welcome £3.50. For further details ring Tessa 07984 481634.

Chesil Bank Writing Shed Do you write? Would you like to be a writer? Whatever you want to write why not join our friendly creative writing group. New writers always welcome. 7pm - 9pm, Portesham Village Hall. Find out more at www. lindaph.co.uk.

Seaton Music New ensemble of ten dynamic, creative and spirited young artists (strings and wind instruments) Meliora Collective perform music by Martinu, Clementi, Tchaikovsky,

Cheetham, Le Gendre. Gateway Theatre Seaton, 7.30pm. Tickets available on line or at door.

Seaton Garden Club A Talk and demonstration of Christmas Delights by Angie from Cottage Flowers. Christmas arrangements to be raffled. The Masonic Hall Seaton. Time 2.30 p.m. Visitors £2.00. Contact 01297 22869.

White Tara 2:1 healings 4-8.30 PM Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, DT9 4LA Anna Howard and Dean Carter team up once again to give clients a unique healing modality, Anna channelling White Tara and providing a ‘traditional’ Spiritual healing, while Dean provides a Pure Sound healing in the client’s home key. One hour treatments booking 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com £80/60 concs.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@ hotmail.com.

Friday, 13 December

Dave’s Big General Knowledge Quiz - Come and support the Arts Centre with a wonderful evening of fiendish questions, a bar, and a raffle. 7:30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £12 per team of 4. 01460 54973 www.ilminsterartscentre.com.

Christmas Concert in association with Parnham Voices A programme of Advent and Christmas music, with readings from choir members and museum volunteers. Be prepared to join in some familiar carols! Tickets are £8.00 and include a glass of mulled wine and a mince pie in the interval. Tickets are available from familyhistory@ beaminstermuseum.co.uk. 7.30pm, Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. Beauty and the Beast Live theatre/pantoGateway Theatre, Seaton – 6pm, doors 5.30pm, tickets Adults £15, Under 16s £12.50, Family £50 (2 adults & 2 Children). Be our guest this Christmas and enjoy a tale as old as time with Wonder Pantomimes as they bring the story of Beauty and the Beast this festive season as part of a six week national tour. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Friday, 13 - 14 December

Duncan Honeybourne; classical piano Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Opening / performance times: doors open 19:30; concert starts 20:00. Admission fee: £15. Venue contact number: 01305 848 909. Website: http://www. tincletongallery.com.

Saturday, 14 December

Celebrate the festive season with a mesmerising one-man performance of Dickens’ timeless, transformative story: A Christmas Carol. Bah! Humbug! Milborne St Andrew Village Hall. Saturday 14th December. 7.30pm Tickets: £12.50, £6 u18s, £35 family, available from 01258 839060. Or artsreach.co.uk/event/christmas-carol-davemynne.

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 7pm. The White Lion, Back Ln, Broadwindsor, Beaminster DT8 3QD.

Bridport Choral Society present their annual Christmas Concert “Sleigh Ride” A journey through Christmas music over the centuries including traditional and contemporary songs and carols, with some opportunity for audience participation. Time 7.30pm at Bridport United Church, East Street. Tickets £13 including programme and refreshments, available from Bridport Music Centre, Smith and Smith and on the door.

Cantamus presents ‘O Radiant Dawn!’, a concert of beautiful choral music for Advent. St Mary Magdalene, Loders at 7pm. Tickets £12 on the door (cash or card). Refreshments available. ‘Beauty and the Beast’ Live theatre/pantoGateway Theatre, Seaton – 11am, doors 10.30pm & 3pm, doors 2.30pm tickets Adults £15, Under 16s £12.50, Family £50 (2 adults & 2 Children). Be our guest this Christmas and enjoy a tale as old as time with Wonder Pantomimes as they bring the story of Beauty and the Beast this festive season as part of a six week national tour. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

The Martin Schellenberg Music Trust presents A Christmas Concert with Malcolm Archer - Organ Winston Leese - Trumpet Chloe Underwood - Soprano Jan Wyld - Festive Readings & The Beaminster Church Choir directed by Peter Nardone at St. Mary’s Church, Beaminster at 4pm Tickets: £10 (to include a glass of mulled wine). Available from Yarn Barton Community Centre, Fleet Street & The Church Office, Hogshill Street, Beaminster. Enquiries: schellenbergmusictrust@ gmail.com / 07796 491701 Tickets will also be available on the door. Sponsored by A.J. Wakely & Sons - All proceeds to The Martin Schellenberg Music Trust. This is our third Christmas concert and promises to be another enjoyable afternoon with wonderful music and pleasant company in the beautiful St. Mary’s Church, Beaminster. Mulled

wine will be available on arrival and in the short interval when a raffle will be drawn. The concert should finish no later than 5.45pm Exploring Acrylic Techniques - Experimenting with Colour, Composition, and New Techniques. 10:30am to 2:30pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. £40 plus £5 for materials (paid to tutor on the day). To book, please ring: 01460 54973 or email: workshops@ilminsterarts.org.uk.

Sunday, 15 December

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 4pm. The Shave Cross, Shave Cross, Bridport DT6 6HW. A Matinee Piano Recital for Christmas raising funds to ‘Start the Clock Axminster’ at 3pm by Stephen Beville at the Minster Church Axminster. Music to include Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin, Poulenc with a Christmas theme. Tickets £12 to include mulled wine and mince pies. Tickets from the Archway bookshop, Axminster.

Royal Ballet & Opera: Cinderella (12A) Screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 2pm doors 1.30pm, tickets Adults £16, Under 16s £10. This Christmas, be transported into an ethereal world where a sprinkling of fairy dust makes dreams come true. This enchanting ballet by The Royal Ballet’s Founding Choreographer Frederick Ashton is a theatrical experience for all the family. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

French + Breton Folk Dance, Bal Crewkerne, with live house band, in the Speedwell Hall, Abbey Street, Crewkerne, TA18 7HY. All welcome, no experience necessary. Dance workshop for beginners 6-7pm followed by main dance 7-9.30pm. Free admission to our December Bal! Tea and coffee available or bring your own drinks. Free parking in the town centre car parks. More information on our website: https://balcrew. wixsite.com/balcrewkerne

Monday, 16 December

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish dancing in Chardstock Village Hall EX13 7BH 7.30-10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug and wear soft soled shoes. No partner required. Cost £2.00 Contact David on 01460 65981 www. chardscottishdancingclub.co.uk.

Tuesday, 17 December

Miracle on 34th Street (PG) Nostalgic Cinema – Matinee screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton –1.30pm, doors 1pm, tickets £3.50. Anyone who

loves nostalgic films is very welcome to join us for an afternoon of fond memories and friendship. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Wednesday, 18 December

The Light of Christmas festive concert by the Mid-Wessex Singers to include works by Lauridsen, Rutter and Chilcott plus readings and audience participation carols. St Michael’s Church, Market Square, Somerton, 7.30pm. Advance tickets £12 from Cobbs Wholefoods, Somerton (under 16s free) or £15 on the door, if available. midwessexsingers.co.uk.

Meeting Voices Community Choir, Chard. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Chard Guildhall. Fore St, Chard TA20 1PP. Phone 07534 116502 or email mvsecretary@outlook.com.

Thursday, 19 December

Festive Dance Connection Event, pathway, open mic and disco, 7:15 - 9:45pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH, DT6 3NN, 07787752201, https://www. joysofdance.co.uk/danceclass.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1830 hrs. Mary is the caller and the band are Robert, Mary and Friends. Please note that this is party night and all everyone should bring a plate to share with their fellow dancers before we get moving! It’s £4.00 per person which includes a cuppa and cake, all welcome and it is a lot of fun! Further details from Elaine on 01460 65909.

Royal Ballet & Opera: The Nutcracker (12A)

- Screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 7pm, doors 6.30pm, tickets Adults £16, Under 16s £10. Discover the enchantment of ballet with this sparkling festive treat for the whole family. Julia Trevelyan Oman’s period designs bring festive charm to Peter Wright’s beloved Royal Ballet production, as fairytale magic comes together with spectacular dancing in this unforgettable classic ballet. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Friday, 20 December

Magnificent Buble at Christmas Live GigGateway Theatre, Seaton, 8pm doors 7pm, Tickets Row seats £21.50, Table seats £23. Following back to back sell out shows at the Seaton Gateway Theatre, Magnificent Bublé, featuring James Billington and his fabulous local big band are back again for 2024, throwing a traditional Bublé style Christmas party and you’re invited! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Saturday, 21 December

Axminster and District Choral Society present a Christmas Concert - Pergolesi’s Magnificat and carols for choir and audience. 7.00 pm at the Minster Church, Axminster. Tickets £12 from axminsterchoral.co.uk or 01404 43805.

Paddington In Peru (U) Family Gala Night

Screening – Gateway Theatre, Seaton 7pm, doors 6pm, Tickets Adults £12, Under 16s £8. Book your tickets for a special VIP evening where all the family is invited! Alongside a screening of the brand new film ‘Paddington in Peru’, we will welcome you on arrival with a complimentary glass of prosecco or soft drink and canapes. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Sunday, 22 December

Paddington In Peru (U) Matinee Screening – Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 3pm, doors 2pm, Tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. PADDINGTON IN PERU brings Paddington back home to the Peruvian jungle to visit his beloved Aunt Lucy, now a resident at the Home for Retired Bears. With the Brown Family and Mrs Bird in tow, a thrilling adventure ensues. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.gatewaytheatre.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Monday, 23 December

Carols round the Christmas Tree The Rotary Club of Lyme Regis ‘Carols Round The Christmas Tree’, Street Collections in aid of Julia’s House The Dorset Children’s Hospice. Cancer Research Lyme Regis Branch. Accompanied by The Lyme Regis Town band, The Mayor of Lyme Regis in attendance and led by our Town Crier; Carol sheets provided. All welcome for a wonderful start to the Christmas festivities. Time :- 7 pm Broad Street, Lyme Regis by the large Christmas Tree. www.lymeregisrotary.org , secretary@ lymeregisrotary.org.

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 6.30pm. The Hare and Hounds, Slape Hill, Waytown, Bridport DT6 5LQ.

Sunday, 29 December

Divine Union Soundbath Oborne Village Hall, Dorset DT9 4LA Deep-tissue sonic massage and detox. Booking 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com £16.

Tuesday, 31 December

New Year @ The Gateway with The Zoots New Year Party– Gateway Theatre, Seaton – From 7.30pm, doors 7.30pm, Tickets £25. New Year @ The Gateway returns for its third year, get ready for a fun party night to see in 2025! We are excited to welcome back THE ZOOTS as this year’s headliners.

Wednesday, 1 January 2025

The Symondsbury Mummers Performing the oldest & most complete mumming play in England. Festive fun for all the family. 6.30pm. The Ilchester Arms, 1 The Buildings, Symondsbury, Bridport DT6 6HD.

Scrooge coming to Lyme Regis

It’s not quite upon us yet, but Christmas isn’t far away. Hot on the heels of their successful Summer Season of Plays at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, this Christmas Gilroy Theatre brings you the classic A Christmas Carol—Charles Dickens’ ghost story of Christmas!

We meet Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve, in his counting house, metaphorically counting out his money. What sort of a man is Scrooge? Does he care for anybody else except himself? Or anything else? Yes, perhaps that money he’s spent so long accumulating!

The show will be performed by a group of professional actors, some of whom are returning from the summer season. For this special play though, they will be joined by members of the Marine Youth Theatre, which runs weekly classes for 3-18 year olds in acting, singing and dance. MYT perform regularly in their own productions at the Marine but this is the first time that this new, young company will be taking part in a professional production.

Thanks to the intervention of his business partner, Marley, (who just happens to have been dead for seven years!), Scrooge is introduced to three ghosts, all of whom have a vital, if scary, lesson for him. Will he learn from his mistakes? Will he become a better person? Will he finally realise that some things are more important than money? And what will happen to Tiny Tim, the poor boy whose poverty threatens his very life?

It is also the first time in years that the Marine Theatre is staging a Christmas play, marking a resurgence in live drama at the historic venue. Gabby Rabbits, Director of the Marine Theatre said:

‘I’m so pleased that we’ve got a proper Christmas play happening here in Lyme Regis. A Christmas Carol always makes me reflect on what’s genuinely important in my life and the true spirit of Christmas.’

Tickets for performances are now available online at: https://www.marinetheatre.com/a-christmascarol-by-charles-dickens/

LYME REGIS

Hix passes on the baton

Described as a ‘perfect fit’ for the site of Mark Hix’s Oyster & Fish House restaurant in Lyme Regis, Mitch Tonks’ Rockfish will be opening in it’s place. Mark recently announced that after 16 years running the restaurant he felt the time was right to move on. He has no plans to open any more restaurants in the future but will continue his Kitchen Tables events at his home in Charmouth.

SEATON

Reducing antibiotic use

A Devon healthcare provider reduced antibiotic use by nearly two-thirds using point-of-care testing for sore throat patients. A study testing for suspected Strep A infections, found 65% didn’t need antibiotics. This led to a 55-65% reduction in prescriptions. The study published in Diagnostics journal included three GP surgeries as well as Seaton Pharmacy.

CHARD

Strengthening flood barrier

A major scheme that will strengthen Chard Reservoir’s barrier and help protect local communities from its potential to flood is due to get underway. Somerset Council is budgeting up to £831,000 for the work with a further £160,000 held for contingencies. The project involves building a low wall along one section of the reservoir to reduce the risk of the reservoir failing.

DORCHESTER

Affordable housing launch

A collection of 25 one- and two-bedroom apartments and 31 contemporary three- and four-bedroom terrace houses aims to fill some of the gap in Dorchester’s affordable housing needs. Available through Aster Group’s shared ownership scheme and developed in partnership between AJC Group and Aster Group, the properties near Brewery Square are scheduled to be completed in December.

PORTLAND

Contract for Portland firm

Portland based firm HeliOperations has been awarded a £141 million contract to provide training for German Navy helicopter pilots. The seven-year contract, awarded by the German Ministry of Defence, will give the pilots world-class training for a variety of maritime aviation roles and include flying training, simulator sessions, and practical live flight training by day and night.

The R-Word

Apex predators; the big, (not so) bad,

beasts

Describing it as a ‘stunningly beautiful, shy and elusive big cat’, the lynx has been extinct in the UK for 1,300 years. Dr Sam Rose asks if there is an argument for its return.

Ever since I started this Rewilding journey, people have asked me “So what about reintroduction of wolves (or bears or lynx)?” It was, and probably still is, the hot rewilding topic, so much so that Jeremy Vine used it one lunchtime several years ago in an inane attempt to bait George Monbiot and polarise public opinion on Radio 2. Sadly, it seemed that he succeeded, on that day at least.

So having just read Derek Gow’s new book The hunt for the Shadow Wolf, and interviewed him about it for BridLit 24, I felt inclined to make apex predators the subject of December’s R-Word. Prepare for a beastly winter’s tale of man-eating wolves, and the stealthy lynx, both ‘once upon a time’ part of our natural Dorset ecosystem…

Actually, it is nothing of the kind! No, you wouldn’t want a Grey Wolf (Canis lupus) for a pet… as Derek says, you would not expect your sofa to last long, but WWF show that there have been no fatal attacks on people by wolves in Europe in the 21st Century. Nil, nada, zero in nearly 25 years! This is in an area in which they have returned to a population size of at least 20,000, even including a presence in our heavily populated near neighbours Belgium and the Netherlands. This is especially pertinent when you consider how many people are killed by ‘domesticated’ pet dogs each year. For wolves, people are simply not their prey, unlike sheep, which is a whole different story that goes back to the middle ages, the role of the Church, the slave trade and our upland agropastoral system. More on sheep below.

But stepping back a second, why are apex predators important to rewilding and natural ecosystems? Apex

predators sit at the top of the ecosystem, the big girls and boys, with a key role in the ‘trophic pyramid’. They do this by maintaining ecosystem balance and healthy biodiversity through predation and a climate of fear. For instance, in a natural system, they keep in check the numbers of ‘ungulates’—hooved animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs and deer. In the past that would be the Tarpan, Auroch, Wild Boar and various species of deer, whereas now it will depend on what prey species live where they do. In our nature depleted European landscape, that might be badgers, foxes and even beavers as well as the deer and boar, as the other big wild animals have been domesticated and put behind fences, and wolves will seek them out if there is not enough wild prey.

This predation benefits other animals, plants and whole ecosystems through reducing the over-grazing/ browsing of these large herbivores, such as we see everyday here in Dorset due to the vast numbers of deer in our countryside. The climate of fear—through scent and other markers—keeps the deer constantly on the move, again reducing their destructive ability and breeding behaviour. The top predators also play a vital role in the health of wild animals by selecting, and removing the elderly or sick individuals, which, in the case of the latter, can also reduce the incidence of diseases like TB that are transmitted to livestock.

Without question, their role as a regulator in the ecosystem trickles down in what is known as a ‘trophic cascade’, where if you ‘fix’ that top level of the natural system, the levels below it start to improve and nature starts to takes over as all of its component parts and processes are there and allowed to thrive. A superb

example of how reintroduction of wolves to a wild area can transform that space for nature can be seen at Yosemite National Park—worth a look on YouTube.

In the wild they would never get as close to me as they did, because they shy away from people and blend into the vegetation or darkness

So for more details on wolves, read Derek’s book or others on the subject, as for the rest of this edition I want to focus on the lynx, the stunningly beautiful, shy and elusive big cat that was made extinct from the UK over 1,300 years ago. There are four species of lynx globally, two of which are found in Europe, although the Iberian Lynx is found only in Spain and Portugal. The Eurasian Lynx (Lynx lynx) is our old country-mate and is a solitary animal, hunting mainly at night and focusing on Roe deer—of which we are not lacking in Dorset! If deer are in short supply, they will predate on other ungulates, mainly the sick, young and elderly, but like wolves they also have foxes, rabbits, hares, rodents, badgers, birds and the odd sheep for breakfast. In fact the number of loose pheasants and other game birds wild in Dorset would keep a good number of Lynx in tasty snacks for many years. The rotting carcasses left by lynx are also food for myriad other species, above and below ground.

I had the privilege to spend some time at (not in) a wild lynx enclosure in Devon a couple of years ago, and when I could actually find them—no easy task—I watched the young animals playfully ‘hunt’ each other, and me, when I was close to the fence. In the wild they would never get as close to me as they did, because they shy away from people and blend into the vegetation or darkness, but in captivity they seem to be inquisitive and playful. Their majestic size, ear tufts and ‘stripey’ spots mark them out as something so distinct from any wild animal in our countryside now. The Eurasian Lynx are now widespread in Northern Europe, particularly Scandinavia and the north-western Carpathians, Austria, Slovenia, Switzerland and Poland. Aside from the, in my opinion, unforgivable hunting of these animals which is allowed in some countries, they are thriving and retaking their role alongside wolves and bears as the top predators. So why not in the UK?

Well, the answer is about culture, politics and sheep (again). To have a viable population of lynx needs a good area, each needing plenty of sq km to thrive. We have the space in Scotland, and there is some fantastic feasibility work going on around this by Trees for Life and other organisations. The benefits could not only

be ecological, but economic with the significant tourist draw that they would bring. One problem is that we have lived without large predators for so long that people are scared of them, and no politician—and it is they who will have to make the final decision— wishes to scare people, even if that fear is scientifically unsupported. Moreover, they have no desire to be the politician that allows a lynx to predate on sheep, which the beautiful big cats invariably will to a small degree, even if sheep at unsustainable levels are acknowledged to be causing huge damage to our upland as it is... and that is a whole other story.

There are also possible unforeseen disadvantages, such as the potential for increasing intensification and/ or housing of livestock farming to keep animals ‘safe’ from the perceived threat of predators, and which would result in negative consequences for animal welfare, emissions and pollution. At the moment we just don’t know, which is why the feasibility work is so important. As ever, and as with all of my R-Word articles, this is a complex discussion, with nuance across the board, not helped by those in the media wishing to polarise people by demonising what they don’t understand. For wolves and bears it will take a long long time to get past the cultural wall of folk-tales and Red Riding Hood, but for lynx, relatively unknown by most of the population, there is perhaps an education job needed and a fluffy white wall to climb. I personally hope that with evidence from our pals in Europe, this wall is one we can get over quickly and start to reinstate the natural balance in at least a small part of the UK, and learn from it. As for the lynx in the Marshwood Vale… who knows when, but I hope in my lifetime!

©

Photographs by Dr Sam Rose

River Axe and catchment initiative aims to empower local communities

Project hopes to emphasise the interconnectedness of water, soil, and people

Anew project aimed at improving the health of the River Axe and its catchment is set to get underway early next year, thanks to a grant of more than £250,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, (made possible by National Lottery Players) and over £60,000 from the Environment Agency’s Water Environment Improvement Fund.

The project, named ‘Rivers Run Through Us’, will focus on involving communities in nature restoration in the River Axe, its tributaries, and surrounding valleys.

Vicky Whitworth, Friends of the River Axe said: ‘We all want our river to be clean, with thriving wildlife, but people often wonder what they can do to make rivers better. The River Axe was a splendid lowland river and deserves to be cherished to bring her back to her full glory. The National Lottery Heritage Fund grant will kick-start change and empower the people of the place to play their part in bringing the River Axe and her tributaries back to a gold standard’.

Rivers Run Through Us will be led by Blackdown Hills National Landscape and in partnership with Dorset and East Devon National Landscapes, with additional funding from the Upper Axe Landscape Recovery Project and the project’s partners.

Tim Youngs, Blackdown Hills National Landscape Manager said: ‘This project represents a significant step forward for nature recovery in the River Axe catchment and reconnecting local people with their natural heritage’.

The River Axe, once renowned for its sparkling trout streams, has faced significant environmental challenges in recent years. Rivers Run Through Us will

address these issues with a collaborative approach, emphasising the interconnectedness of water, soil, and people. The aim is to empower local communities to monitor river health and collaborate with organisations to tackle issues that are identified. In addition, the project aims to support farmers and land managers in safeguarding their natural resources and building mutually beneficial relationships with the wider community. New educational programs will be developed to engage people with the river and its heritage.

The National Lottery Heritage Fund has awarded development funding of £250,630 to Blackdown Hills National Landscape to help the Rivers Run Through Us project progress its plans and later to apply for a full National Lottery grant of £1,237,391. This exciting development phase will involve teaming up with community groups, schools and farmers, trying out activities, and putting together action plans for key habitats and species.

Stuart McLeod, Director England—London & South at The National Lottery Heritage Fund, said: ‘We know how important it is to protect our natural heritage and we are pleased to support this project that will engage local communities with the restoration of the River Axe. It’s through initiatives like this that we can make a real difference, by helping people better understand, and care for, the heritage on their doorstep. We look forward to working with the project team to progress their plans to apply for a full grant at a later date.’

For more information visit: www.blackdownhills.org.uk/riversrunthroughus

CNature

Studies

By Michael McCarthy

an an eagle and a butterfly be weighed in the balance, in terms of wildlife sightings? Does seeing one, make up for not seeing the other? That’s the question I find myself asking as I look back over another twelve months of watching the natural world in Dorset. For in wildlife terms the year was one of huge disappointment, but also elation.

An

incomer’s discovery of the natural world in the West Country

The disappointment was the result of the sodden and sunless spring and early summer, when the butterflies disappeared. It will probably turn out to have been the worst year ever for Britain’s butterflies; the losses were horrendous. I wrote here in October about failing to see a single small tortoiseshell; among other vanishings, I also failed to see a common blue, an insect whose beauty is traduced by its name—as if it were the any-old-blue. In fact it is one of our loveliest butterflies; its scientific name is Polyommatus icarus, and were it called the Icarus blue I am sure we would treat it with more respect. But for the first year ever, I didn’t see a single one. It was more than disappointment: it was deeply unsettling. It felt like the world wasn’t working properly.

And yet there was a remarkable nature consolation: in May, a pair of white-tailed eagles overflew our village. Eagles in Dorset! Eagles over our house! They were very high up, but there was no mistaking the eight-foot wingspan producing the “flying door” silhouette; they were being mobbed by a group of buzzards. They had come from the reintroduction project on the Isle of Wight which last year saw (at an undisclosed location) the first chick born in England since 1780; this year another was produced. They had drifted up our river valley and it was probably these two which during the summer established

a territory in Poole Harbour, prompting hopes that next year they will breed.

On August 30, on a sublime day of gentle sunshine and blue skies, my wife Jo and I saw them at close quarters, when we took a boat trip with that estimable small charity, The Birds of Poole Harbour. It was billed as an osprey cruise, for that other majestic bird of prey, the fish-eating hawk, has also taken up residence, and this summer a pair successfully nested for the first time and produced four young. On our cruise we saw several ospreys—we saw one catch a fish—and we also saw the white-tailed eagles, one of them sitting on a sandbank barely a hundred yards away, a truly remarkable sight. And we saw both species interact—we saw an osprey try to attack an eagle, which contemptuously swatted it away.

Watching at close quarters these wonderful raptors, previously thought of as wholly foreign to somewhere like Dorset, was inspiring; I still feel the wonder of it. And yet a paradox presents itself: we seem to be able to reintroduce these glamorous rare species, yet we can’t hold on to the familiar stuff. It made me think hard, would I mind never seeing a common blue butterfly in Dorset again, if I could see a white-tailed eagle instead? And I think I would mind, very much. I think we ought to be wary of the charismatic megafauna syndrome: we should temper our favouring of magnetically attractive large species with concern for the smaller and lessregarded occupants of the natural world which have just as much right to life, and a beauty all their own.

Recently relocated to Dorset, Michael McCarthy is the former Environment Editor of The Independent. His books include Say Goodbye To The Cuckoo and The Moth Snowstorm: Nature and Joy.

White Tailed Sea Eagle and below the Common Blue butterfly

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This Month in the not so distant past

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Looking back at historical moments that happened in December, John Davis highlights Polar explorers Amundsen and Scott.

At about 3.00 p.m. on Friday, December 14th, 1911, Norway’s Roald Amundsen and his party of intrepid explorers reached the point in Antarctica they believed to be the exact geographical location of the South Pole. There were five men in the party. In addition to Amundsen, they were Loav Bjaaland, Helmer Hanssen, Sverre Hassel and Oscar Wisting. They celebrated with a simple meal of seal meat.

For several days they checked their location (90 degrees South) from the position of the Sun in the sky. They took readings from numerous points around the Pole to make sure they were in the exact place. Once certain of their bearings, they erected a small tent proudly flying the Norwegian flag from the pole. Inside they left a message for their great rival, Britain’s Captain Robert Falcon Scott, who they assumed was not far behind, as well as a letter to the ruler of Norway, King Haakon.

It had taken Amundsen and his party about fiftyseven days to complete the 1300km (800 mile) trek relying on supply depots of stores they had set up previously on the outward trek. The group had gambled by using a new and unexplored route.

The return journey to base camp, on the Ross Ice Shelf, was done in a shorter time with some of the remaining dogs but then followed a frustrating month-long voyage in their ship Fram to the island of Tasmania where finally on March 7th the historic news was announced to the world.

Meanwhile Scott and his final chosen party of Laurence Oates, Edgar Evans, Henry Bowers and Edward Wilson faced a journey that was about 90km (55 miles) longer than that of Amundsen. They started their journey ten days later from Ross Island and were following a course first explored by another famous polar explorer Ernest Shackleton in 1909.

Scott finally reached the South Pole on January 17th, 1912. There was understandably huge disappointment when they found Amundsen’s tent and the Norwegian flag. They staged their own flag raising and photographic ceremony and then, after several days rest, set out on the return journey.

The party hit atrocious weather on the way

back with all members suffering from exhaustion, malnutrition and hypothermia as well as being generally low in spirits. Evans died soon after leaving the South Pole and Oates died later after walking outside the tent because he did not want his condition to slow up the others. Finally, sometime towards the end of March, Scott, Bowers and Wilson died together in their shelter during bad storms. They were just 11 miles (18km) from the next supply depot.

A search party was sent out to look for them at the end of the Antarctic winter in 1912 and they were eventually found inside their sleeping bags in a snow-covered tent on November 12th. The last words written in Scott’s diary poignantly pleaded, “For God’s sake look after our people.”

‘It must qualify as the loneliest and bleakest graveyard in the world.’

Near the spot where the bodies were found a simple cairn of snow and ice was erected with a cross on the top. It must qualify as the loneliest and bleakest graveyard in the world. A second memorial to Scott and his party was also erected on Observation Hill near McMurdo Sound in Antarctica. It bears the last line of Lord Tennyson’s poem Ulysses: “To strive, to seek to find and not to yield.”

Following news of the deaths of the British party, members of the public rallied immediately to establish funds to support their families. Since 1912, a large number of memorials and statues have been erected to Scott in different parts of the country.

In essence then, with the different routes used and the time variation taken into consideration, why did one party successfully reach the South Pole and return safely while the other paid the ultimate sacrifice.

For the journey to the Pole, Scott wanted to use motorised sledges and horses but, in the end, these proved to be unsatisfactory and the men pulled the sledges themselves using straps around their shoulders and upper bodies. They did not use skis and the team largely wore layered outfits made from wool. In addition, their daily food intake was not sufficient to

compensate for the energy they were expending and as a result they first lost body fat and then muscle. A shortage of fuel through leakage often meant that food was eaten cold while a lack of Vitamin C resulted in them contracting scurvy, another debilitating factor.

Amundsen’s team used dog teams throughoutsome fifty animals in all were taken. All of the men, with their Nordic background, were expert skiers and dog handlers and this helped them move much more quickly. Amundsen, for whom the weather conditions were much kinder, also favoured outfits of sealskin and fur, something he had learned while living with the Inuit people of the Arctic. The Inuit had also shown him that meat, often eaten raw, would help prevent scurvy so, as dogs began to drop out, they were used to feed the stronger animals and the men themselves.

After the event, Amundsen agonised about the death of Scott and his group. On his approach to polar exploration generally Amundsen once noted: “Victory awaits him who has everything in order; luck people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take the necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.”

Footnote:

Later in his career, Amundsen became interested in manned flight as a way of exploring and mapping the Arctic. In 1925 he flew the furthest north an aircraft had reached up to that time and a year later made the first crossing of the Arctic in an airship. His last flight was made in June 1928 when he boarded a seaplane searching for his missing colleague Umberto Nobile in his airship Italia. On the return trip the seaplane seems most likely to have crashed into the Barents Sea in thick fog. Some debris was later found but there was no sign of the men on board. Amundsen was fifty-six years old. Nobile’s airship later returned safely.

For those interested in reading further try Race to the Pole by Sir Ranulph Fiennes and/or South: The Race to the Pole edited by Pieter van der Merwe with Jeremy Mitchell.

Semi-retired and living in Lyme Regis, John Davis started working life as a newspaper journalist before moving on to teach in schools, colleges and as a private tutor. He is a history graduate with Bachelors and Masters degrees from Bristol University with a particular interest in the History of Education and Twentieth Century European History.

Captain Robert Falcon Scott writing his journals before the ill fated trip in 1912

Vegetables

beyond the garden By

Caddy Sitwell

Part One: The apprentice triumphs over his master in the end

Point the car home and keep the engine running when judging a show,’ was the advice given to me on passing my National Vegetable Society (NVS) exam. I had dipped my toe into exhibiting vegetables in the comforting arms of Bridport’s Melplash Show, won a few prize cards and was completely hooked. I decided that the only way to be more successful was by knowing exactly what the judges were looking for and therefore become a judge myself. This entailed shadowing experts for two years at shows of all levels, from one trestle table in a village hall to hundreds at the ‘Nationals’—from Harrogate to Charmouth, Chelsea to Shrewsbury. I took a three hour exam, waded through a table of terrifying diseased vegetables and finally judged a mock show under exacting scrutiny. I passed. But much more than that, I had completely fallen in love with this very British institution—The Horticulture Show.

These shows burgeoned in the nineteenth century developing from the specialist Victorian flower societies’ shows and feasts, often held in pubs or tents on a vicar’s lawn accompanied by a brass band. These gatherings were encouraged by the gentry not only to pit head gardeners against each other but also to tempt ordinary people into ‘wholesome’ pursuits that smacked of domestic piety and beauty. This hobby was certain to bring them closer to the Almighty. The ‘sot from the beer house’ was to be lured from ‘cock and dog fighting’ into the world of carnations and carrots. Anyone with a windowsill or smidgen of soil could be involved and all classes, ages and sexes seemed to relish this new horticultural frenzy. Smokey, smoggy towns were swept up in the craze and industrial areas of England formed unique specialisations that still exist today; miners of the North East held leek shows, gigantic gooseberries had already been the passion in Yorkshire since 1804, framework knitters of Nottingham threw themselves into roses and railwaymen bred auriculas sporting their station colours.

Show Schedules have also changed remarkably little and even today you can still see vestiges of Victorian class divisions in the separate categories; ‘Cucumbers, grown under protection’ for those with a greenhouse and ‘Cucumbers, outdoor grown’ aimed at those with an allotment or back garden. These and other scheduled categories had cleared the way to allow

head gardeners to be superseded by keen amateurs on the show bench.

Then as today nothing quite beats that glorious calm of the tent on show morning—the smell of cut grass and canvas. Or the beauty of rows of carrots and shimmering onions, blanched leeks straight as church candles, ruby red tomatoes glowing on plates of sand, pea pods fanned on black velvet. These humble vegetables were staged the night before in a frenzied rush of tissue paper and raffia but now, after a summer of daily tending they are, at last, out. Out on the show bench, in quiet anticipation of the judge’s pronouncements.

And so judges will solemnly arrive in jackets and ties holding a schedule and a briefcase containing scales, tape measure, rings and a knife. Looking very much as they always have done, apart from the lack of hats and side burns, they are ready to uphold the age old judging and showing standards laid out in the ‘RHS Horticultural Show Handbook’

Very occasionally stresses can flare but for the majority of us a horticultural tent in a village or county show is remarkably nostalgic and comforting. There are small brown packets of money and splendid silver Victorian cups to win but for most, the embossed prize card proudly put on the mantelpiece is enough and anyone who wins anything at all will be completely hooked. Even those who don’t have success will know that ‘there’s always next year’ to start planning for… a different compost mix perhaps, or another twist of seeds slipped into your pocket from one of the masters?

The beauty of rows of carrots and shimmering onions

December in the Garden

By Russell Jordan

There are probably plenty of other things to be getting on with this month which don’t involve gardening and, fortunately, the majority of plants are pretty dormant so neglecting them over the festive season is not a problem. Unlike the times of year when plants are actively growing, flowering and setting seed, during the coldest months they require much less input from the humble gardener.

One task which is facilitated by the lack of leaves, on deciduous trees and shrubs, is the sort of pruning which necessitates the removal of relatively large stems, or branches, where shrubs or trees need to be cut back for shape and to remove dead or diseased limbs. While they are leafless it is easier to see what needs to be cut out and, because they are dormant, removing even relatively large limbs will not cause the plant to ‘bleed’ which is always a danger when cutting them during active growth. Pruning for shape is an important part of gardening as it allows trees and shrubs to be kept at the size most suited for the position they are in and prevents them from getting out of scale or senescent.

Pruning for plant health is another important aspect. Many shrubs tend towards excessive ‘twigginess’ and become congested over time so that they lose any shapeliness that they once had and become overly large ‘blobs’. Thinning, cutting out, the oldest third of the stems on an old flowering shrub, removing them right at the base, will encourage the production of new stems and it is this new, vigorous, growth which has the best flowering potential for future years. The constant removal of the oldest stems, from mature flowering shrubs, keeps the shrub eternally youthful and also prevents it from reaching the stage that it is so large and congested that you need to entirely grub it out.

Shrubs that are allowed to just get bigger and bigger is one of the most common problems that I come across in gardens. Not only does the shrub begin to lose its garden value but it often overshadows, out-competes and eventually kills its neighbouring herbaceous plants, the lawn and other, less vigorous, shrubs. Use this relatively quiet time of the year to assess what’s going on in your garden and either tackle the problem immediately, in the case of winter pruning, or make a plan to do something about it in the gardening year ahead—maybe you need to completely reorganise and replant a section of the garden?

If you have a whole host of new garden plans, now might be a good time to drop a few hints to friends and family because gardening can be an expensive business and the more you can be ‘gifted’, to help you towards your goals, the better! Although deepest winter is not the right time to plant most plants, bare-rooted material being the exception here, you can always think ahead, to the coming spring, and ask for garden centre vouchers on your Christmas present list. To keep your spirits up, in the meantime, it will soon be possible to obtain some of the earliest flowering bulbs, snowdrops and iris being chief amongst these, grown in pots and ready to be planted out even during the dark days of winter.

Last month I made a passing reference to the planting of bare-rooted trees and shrubs because leaf-fall marks the beginning of the time period for this sort of planting. The window of opportunity lasts right up until bud-break, next spring, so there’s still no rush to be getting on with the job although it’s the kind of gardening task that you can be getting on with when nothing else is possible. As ever this is very weather dependent because digging trenches, making planting

slits, hammering in tree stakes (all parts of the process for bare-root tree / shrub / hedge planting) are only possible when the ground is not too wet or too frozen. It’s also not the most pleasant task to be doing in the driving rain, or during sub-zero temperatures, which can limit the days available to you.

If you ordered bare-root plants from an online, or mail-order, supplier and they arrive at a time when you cannot plant them immediately then the main thing is that the roots never get a chance to dry out. Any reputable nursery will dispatch your precious plants with their damp, naked, roots modestly sealed in plastic bags, sometimes with a moist substrate added for extra insurance. It is your duty to unpack them immediately upon delivery, soak their roots if necessary, and then ‘heel them in’ to a spare area of garden if you are not able to plant them straight away. Having ‘spare’ areas of ground is something of a luxury so, if you have nowhere to heel them in, temporarily potting them up in pots, or plastic sacks, full of potting compost (which can be reused to improve the soil at planting time) is an acceptable alternative.

Even during the darkest days of winter there are still plenty of plants which can lift the spirits whenever the weather is balmy enough for you to venture out into the garden. I’ve already mentioned snow -

drops, the earliest of the ‘spring flowering’ bulbs, but soon they will have taken over from the autumn and winter flowering cyclamen and they will soon be joined by winter aconites, the earliest flowering crocuses, Crocus tommasinianus , early irises such as Iris histrioides and the Narcissus (daffodil) ‘Rijnveld’s Early Sensation’, before the full onslaught of spring flowering bulbs emerge in their wake. All of these flowering bulbs are, obviously, at ground level and can be naturalised in beds and borders where their earliest flowering can be achieved on sites that are well sheltered and, for the earliest displays, south facing.

For flowers and perfume, most noticeable on still, yet sunny, winter days, scented winter flowering shrubs are especially useful. If you are lucky enough to have mature specimens of shrubs like winter sweet (Chimonanthus praecox), Viburnum x bodnantense ‘Dawn’ or a winter flowering honeysuckle (the RHS recommend Lonicera standishii var. lancifolia ‘Budapest’) then there is nothing better than to be able to prune out a flowering branch and to bring it into the house. Even a single stem, in a vase, inside a centrally heated home, will fill the room with its natural scent which is so much better than any artificial air freshener or winter scented candle—Happy Christmas.

December Dreams

KILMINGTON OFFERS OVER £800,000

A charming, Grade II listed, three-bedroom detached cross passage period home. Improved and extended by the current owners, it features traditional elements reflecting its historical character. Situated in a picturesque village location with countryside views.

Greenslade Taylor Hunt Tel: 01404 46222

NORTHLEIGH £685,000

Located in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, this charming detached cottage offers a unique combination of the best of both worlds. A view over unspoilt valleys without general light pollution, an incredibly peaceful location with a beautiful garden.

Gordon & Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

BEAMINSTER PRICE GUIDE £600,000

A particularly fine late 18th Century Grade 2 listed terraced town house. Accommodation includes 2 gracious reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room with Aga, ground floor wet shower room. 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms. Pretty, private and predominantly walled gardens with stable.

Mayfair Town & Country: 01308 862606

RYALL PRICE GUIDE £495,000

Elegant and rustic three/five-bedroom detached character home, with versatile accommodation and owned solar panels. Mature garden with beautiful trees and shrubs. Chain-free and not Grade listed.

DOMVS: Tel: 01308 805500

COLYFORD £999,500

An attractive detached family home. Impressive hall, cloak room, living room, dining room, kitchen/breakfast room and utility room. Four double bedrooms. Two en-suites. Family bathroom. Large attic room with lovely views. Ample parking. Double garage with workshop. Extensive gardens.

Gordon & Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

LYME REGIS £625,000

Perfectly positioned close to the town centre and beach, this beautifully refurbished property offers income potential, three bedrooms with a separate one bedroom cabin in the rear garden, and the rare benefit of an abundance of off-road parking.

DOMVS: Tel: 01308 805500

Food&Dining

Inspired by the Andy Warhol book Wild Raspberries, Mark Hix has collaborated with artist Nettie Wakefield to launch a collection of framed prints you can add to your kitchen wall. The prints combine seafood recipes by Mark, accompanied by beautifully detailed illustrations by Nettie. They have combined to create a series of 28 limited edition artworks, printed in London’s Jealous Print Studio. They are planning to publish them into a book next year. Signed by Mark and Nettie, the limited edition prints are available to buy online from Jealousgallery.com.

The Mediterranean octopus has arrived in the UK and many fisherman friends have told me stories of pulling their lobster pots and finding the remains of the lobster’s supper! Occasionally with the octopus remaining in the pot eating the last tasty morsels. Like the blue fin tuna, this is both good they are here, but bad for their prey. Our native UK octopus doesn’t make good eating, whereas the Mediterranean ones do.

The best way to cook an octopus is in a sealed pan over a low heat for 35 minutes per kilo with no liquid or seasoning, then turn off the heat and leave for ten minutes. A kilo serves 4.

MARK HIX

BRAISED OX CHEEK RAGU

A hearty preparation perfect for when the pigs in blankets and endless sprouts need a pause in proceedings. Best suited to tagliatelle or pappardelle although makes a fantastic lasagna (traditional in Italy at Christmas). Alternatively ramp up the cheese on toast or serve with mash potatoes…cue the return of the sprouts. A true all rounder for the winter months, simple to put together and will keep you armed with a Christmas alternative for when you most need it.

SIMON PAYNE

The Parlour at Bredy Farm

INGREDIENTS

1 Sauce pan 1 oven suitable casserole dish or large sauce pan with lid.

• 2x large ox cheeks

• 2x large Spanish onion—peeled and sliced

• 10 cloves garlic—finely chopped

• 2 carrots, diced

• 3 sticks celery chopped

• Thyme

• Rosemary

• Bay leaves

• 2 tins plum tomatoes

• 1 bottle red wine

• Salt

• Olive oil

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 120 degrees Celsius.

2. Sweat onions, garlic, celery, carrots on a medium heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add a little salt to help draw the liquid from the veg.

3. Tie thyme and rosemary into a bunch and add. Bay leaves can go in whole.

4. Add 1/2 red wine and reduce by half.

5. Add tomatoes and cook on a medium heat for about 15 mins.

6. Brown off ox cheeks with olive oil and a little butter. Season the cheeks well.

7. Place the cheeks into the casserole dish and pour the veg mix over the top. Check the seasoning of the sauce and add a little extra salt as the cheeks will take it.

8. Add the rest of the wine.

9. Cover the dish with a lid or tightly sealed tin foil and place in the oven for 4 - 8 hours.

10. To check the cheeks, a butter knife or skewer should slide easily into the meat. If there is more than a little resistance cover and place back in the oven until ready.

11. Leave to cool to room temperature and either shred with your hands and combine with the vegetables to a ragu, or remove cheeks and cut into pieces and mix. We like to keep the chunks a little bigger so that you feel the meat.

Bridport farm shop wins top prizes at coveted Taste of the West awards

The overall champion winners of this year’s Taste of the West Awards programme were announced recently at a prestigious ceremony held at Westpoint Arena near Exeter, and this year’s outright winner as the ‘No.1 Place to Go’ and ‘Best Farm Shop’ in the South West was Washingpool Farm Shop outside Bridport.

Around 500 people from the region’s food and drink industry gathered to celebrate the West Country’s finest food and drink, as well as all the best places to stay, eat and shop for local food and drink in the South West. With the help of BBC TV presenter Victoria Graham, a staggering 43 awards were given out to the winning South West food and drink businesses.

Speaking about the awards, Simon Holland from Washingpool said: ‘Winning both awards has been a huge boost to our morale in the current climate. I am very proud of the whole team at Washingpool and grateful to our customers and suppliers for their amazing comments and support. Taste of the West is such a respected organisation within the independent food community here in the south west.’

The Taste of the West Awards have been running for over 30 years and the annual programme rewards the very best food and drink from across Cornwall, Devon, Somerset, Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

Grace Holland, Andrew Batchelor and Simon Holland at the Taste of the West Awards 2024

Where the Quiet is Louder

On the road with Midge Ure for over ten years, Cole Stacey takes time out to make a solo album and talks to Fergus Byrne

When I catch up with Cole Stacey in Honiton’s Boston Tea Party, he is on his way to Belgium to play a concert at the iconic Stadsfeestzaal in Belgium with legendary Ultravox and Band Aid musician Midge Ure. It is more than fourteen years since I last met Cole and apart from perhaps slightly wilder hair and a few more bags under his eyes, his demeanor doesn’t appear to have changed. He is still as passionate about his music and his musical journey as he was all those years ago. But there have been changes. He’s since done ‘the grown up thing’ and got married and now lives on what he describes as ‘the rainy side of the moor’ near Tavistock. He is also soon to release a new solo album Postcards From Lost Places and has just released the first single from it entitled Quiet is Louder.

Cole’s journey, since he recorded a CD of early songs in 2010 ‘in order to move on’, changed dramatically in 2015 when he and Joseph O’Keefe and their India Electric Company jumped into a Ford Fiesta and drove to Motherwell in Scotland to do a support slot for Midge Ure.

Cole had just spent five years doing what he calls his ‘apprenticeship’ which included ‘making all the mistakes that I needed to make in order to learn.’ Living in Paris, trying to learn Gypsy Jazz, and then London, which he quickly got tired of, he recalls learning to get rid of his ego ‘very quickly’.

While he looks back on those days ‘very fondly’, all that suddenly changed overnight in Motherwell when Midge Ure was listening to their warmup. Midge was trying to put a band together with a particular sound and heard something that he knew would fit with his own musical vision. ‘I’m just so happy that we were playing the right instruments at the time’ says Cole. Magic happened at that gig, and ever since Cole and Joseph and The India Electric Company have been entwined with Midge’s busy touring schedule around the world, travelling to places they had not imagined they would one day play in.

Midge has become a ‘mentor and a friend’ and for the next two months Cole and Joe will support him for Catalogue: The Hits Tour which ends in Glasgow

on December 18th. Now also part of Midge’s band ‘Band Electronica’ Cole’s calendar is already getting busy for 2025.

However, he is taking advantage of a two-month break after Christmas to launch his own album with a short solo tour. ‘It does feel like I’m almost coming full circle,’ says Cole. After hectic years of touring, he was looking for a ‘creative space’ and came across an old Victorian clay factory in Devon which was slowly being regenerated by a charity. Nearby was a Victorian mining site at Morwellham Quay which Cole says had a ‘stillness that was intoxicating.’ The place inspired the recently released single Quiet is Louder.

The space to write while standing still, helped him to delve into a world that would produce a whole new set of songs. It all happened very fast. ‘It’s such a cliché’ he says, ‘but the songs just wrote themselves.’ He believes it may also have been a reflection of the stability in his personal life. ‘I had an incredible person next to me who is creative and supportive. That helps massively.’ At the time he had no intention of writing an album, but it quickly developed, and he says the theme of places just kept cropping up. He was enthused by the ‘juxtaposition of ancient stillness in nature and industry—such industry!’ and inspired by what felt like so many ‘amazing lost places.’

Postcards From Lost Places offers 12 songs all recorded by Cole in various locations including St Paul’s Church in Yelverton ‘on their fragile but beautiful Steinway piano.’ Other locations included The Music House For Children in London; Brentor Church on Dartmoor and Lydford Jail where Cole recorded the vocals for a song about Mary Howard.

The songs are the result of a very different creative journey compared to much of his output over the last ten years of touring. Cole says that ‘for a long time you’re in this creative struggle and trying to produce this work, and it’s a battle, and you’re almost like in a war.’ He describes the struggle as ‘a classic archetype amongst creatives.’ But with the new album he says ‘for the first time, it felt like the exact opposite. It felt like I was at peace with it. It wasn’t a battle at all, it was just ready to come out.’

The process, and the end result, of writing a new album has been helped by the extraordinary experience Cole gained since he began touring and playing venues like the Royal Albert Hall and The London Palladium. His first tour with Midge Ure was an acoustic set where songs were paired back to their pre-production birth. ‘We would play Fade to Grey and Vienna on mandolin, guitar and violin. So, you strip the songs right back. It’s fascinating, because you get to the bones of the song, all you’ve got is melody and structure.’ He also points out that he has had to learn to concentrate on the moment. One minute he’s playing an India Electric song, then twenty minutes later he’s playing a Midge Ure song. The focus has to be in the now.

All this experience has also allowed Cole to reach back into his folk roots. ‘That’s always been in my

blood’ he says. ‘But I’ve never quite let it out, if you like, to embrace it fully. And I think I needed that catalyst to let that folk element out, that traditional story. If someone’s written some words or a melody and it’s lasted 300 years, there’s got to be something good about it, and trying to then share that with other people now is a wonderful challenge.’

The first single from Postcards From Lost Places is available from Cole’s website https://colestacey.net/ where you can also pre-order the album. Cole will be launching the album with a short tour which includes a performance on Friday 21st Feb at St Michael & All Angels Church, Stockland EX14 9BR. Doors 6.30 for 7pm. Tickets may be purchased £14 from https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/ stockland-promoters/t-jzyrxox. Or call Wendy for access arrangements on 01404 881207.

GALLERIES

30 November - 1 December

Eggardon Winter Sale Prints, Artist Blacksmith, Woodwork/Trees, Pots. Liz Somerville, Colleen du Pon, Dean Traquair, Sarah Gee and Katy Shields. 11-5 North Eggardon Farm, Powerstock DT6 3ST. insta: @ mappercombemakers.

1 - 30 December

Kit Glaisyer presents an evolving exhibition of his beautiful West Country landscape paintings, popular Cafe Royal series, and evocative Drip Figures on show in his gallery and studio, including original paintings, drawings, and prints on canvas. Open Saturdays 10am - 4pm or by appointment. Kit Glaisyer Fine Art, 11 Downes Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JR. 07983 465789 www.kitglaisyery. com @kitglaisyer.

3 - 21 December

Future Present Join us in the beautiful Allsop Gallery to get your Christmas off to a festive start and discover the perfect gift at our annual Christmas show. This year’s exhibition of contemporary craft at Bridport Arts Centre will have more makers, more gifts to buy and plenty of cheer. Future Present is the ideal opportunity to find the perfect Christmas present from a wide range of high-quality, handmade items, supporting makers and creative businesses from Dorset and across the South West. Future Present will include ceramics, homeware, jewellery, textiles and toys, plus smaller Christmas gifts, decorations and cards. Come along to our celebratory opening event and late night on Wednesday 4th December from 4 – 8pm, for a festive drink and mince pies. Allsop gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, South Styreet, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3NR. Open 10am–4pm. Tue–Sat. Free entry.

Until 18 December

Richard Pikesley is well known at The Jerram Gallery for his wonderful Dorset landscapes and seascapes. In this Solo Exhibition, alongside the Dorset subjects, there will also be a selection of Venetian pictures. The Jerram Gallery, Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3LN UK. +44 (0)1935 815261. info@jerramgallery.com. Tuesday to Saturday 9.30am to 5pm.

Until 20 December

Christmas Collection A curated collection of handmade items from local makers, perfect for gift inspiration. Open Tues-Sat 9:30am-3:00pm at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Cafe on site. 01460 54973 www. ilminsterartscentre.com.

Until 5 January 2025

Edge Of Land by gallery artists & guest artists featuring the strong theme of the shoreline from several artists. Philippa Headley writes of the series in oil that we are showing “Nature always unveils a myriad of surprises. Whatever time of day, the colours, textures and sensations of its beauty are available to experience and absorb. In this series I was particularly fascinated by the way in which the land and sea interacts with light and atmosphere.” Those sentiments deeply inform Kim Pragnell’s stormwracked Cornish rocks, or Mary Gillett’s pieces from her own county of Devon or from farflung Canadian lakes. Bristolbased Ruth Ander contributes her limpid nature-drenched monoprints. Many other gallery and guest artists will also be exhibiting their various sculptures, ceramics, and oils including Johannes von Stumm, Alison Wear, Almuth Tebbenhoff and Colin Moore. Tincleton Gallery, The Old

School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Opening / performance times: 10am – 4pm Sat/Sun, or weekdays by appointment. Admission free. Tel. 01305 848 909. www.tincletongallery.com.

Until 12 January

Radiance paintings, prints, drawings, ceramics, furniture and accessories from Julian Bailey, Laura Boswell, Martyn Brewster, Merlyn Chesterman, Michael Fairclough, Barbara Gittings, Björk Haraldsdóttir, Gabriele Koch, Sally McLaren, Howard Phipps, Petter Southall, Yo Thom and more. Sladers Yard, West Bay Road, West Bay, Bridport Dorset DT6 4EL gallery@sladersyard.co.uk Tel. 01308 459511. Tel. 01404 45006.

Making Dorset In a reprise to Fifty Dorset Makers, an exhibition at Wolften Riding House during the first ‘Making Dorset’ in 2017, about 30 of the original exhibitors are back to show new work at the newly renovated Sherborne House. Now renamed The Sherborne, its the new home of Dorset Visual Arts. Newland, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3JG.

GALLERIES IN JANUARY

Live or Online

send your gallery details to info@marshwoodvale.com BY DECEMBER 12th

Until 2 February

The Art of Travel A photographic exploration of Central and Southeastern Asia as seen through the eyes of Chris Hilton. “The art of travel,” according to Chris,” is to find somewhere to get that zip fixed, or to get a watch battery, to go to the doctor, or to get a haircut. In other words, it exists in the cracks where our imagination failed to go. We need to let reality wash over us in all its messy, uncomfortable glory without the hindrance of expectation.” Rotunda Gallery, Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge St, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA, Tues-Sat 10am5pm, Sun 10am-4pm, www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk

Until 16 March 2025

Artists in Purbeck: Spirit of Place a groundbreaking exhibition at the Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum in Bournemouth. This first-of-its-kind exhibition celebrates the rich artistic legacy of Purbeck, Dorset, through the eyes of renowned and emerging artists. It is a captivating exploration of the Isle of Purbeck’s diverse landscapes, including quarries, seaside towns, and iconic landmarks like Corfe Castle. The exhibition features over 70 works and provides a unique opportunity to explore the Isle of Purbeck over time, through the eyes of artists who capture its ever evolving beauty. Russell-Cotes Art Gallery & Museum, Bournemouth. www. russellcotes.com.

Around the Galleries thinking of Christmas

Ceramics at Bridport Arts Centre, Bridport

Prints at Sladers Yard, West Bay

Furniture at Sladers Yard, West Bay

My Father’s House by

Joseph O’Connor

Click Here for an Easy Read version of this article

ROME’S Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world with an area of about 120 acres (50 hectares) and a resident population of some 800.

This status remained sacrosanct even during the period when the Nazis occupied Rome in the early 1940s and it is this environment that provides the background for Joseph O’Connor’s story.

Said to be loosely based on the exploits of the Irish priest Father Hugh O’Flaherty, the novel outlines his involvement in the financing and running of an escape line for Allied prisoners of war and Jews on the run from the occupiers.

The priest is well aware of what conditions are like outside the Vatican for these people and indeed the citizens of Rome for part of his role at the Vatican is to visit camps to monitor the condition of internees.

Throughout, the clergyman is helped by a disparate collection of characters known collectively as ‘The Choir’ who purport to be enthusiastic singers meeting in an old hospice attached to St. Peter’s Basilica to rehearse for a concert. These include an Irish singer married to a diplomat, one of Rome’s newsagents, a freelance journalist, a British Army major and an Italian Contessa.

The villain of the piece, and surely there has to be one, is Gestapo officer Paul Hauptmann, who knows exactly what is going on but seems unable to staunch the flow of prisoners making good their escape.

The concluding chapters, on Christmas Eve, 1943, are especially gripping as the rendimento (performance) finally takes place-a series of money drops around the deserted streets of the Eternal City to help finance the whole clandestine operation.

Footnote: Older readers may draw parallels with the 1983 made for television film The Scarlet and the Black starring Gregory Peck and Christopher Plummer.

Published by Harvill Secker

WHENEVER I go into a large bookshop these days and look at all the mystery/detective novels there are to choose from, I often wonder how on earth authors manage to make them different.

Some go for distinctive male/female leads, others for specific geographical locations and yet more for current criminal events or historical cold cases. It must be increasingly difficult to find a niche in this ever-burgeoning market these days especially when every other well-known celebrity seems to be penning them as well.

Elly Griffiths’ heroine of choice here is forensic archaeologist Doctor Ruth Galloway who has to date picked her way through a whole series of criminal dilemmas. This apparently is the fifth in line.

Briefly the plot revolves around Ruth’s friend, fellow archaeologist Dan Golding, who makes a startling discovery that could alter our opinion about a cult figure from history. Problem is, before Golding can divulge the information to Ruth, he is found dead following an intense fire in a house which has the front door firmly locked from the outside.

Throw in references to Arthurian legend, the Witches of Pendle, the symbolism of ravens and a sinister Neo-Nazi organisation (The White Hand) and you have quite a heady mix.

Solving the crime is a bit like peeling the layers of an onion, it looks pretty unobtrusive on the outside but there is an awful lot going on in the tightly packed layers beneath.

Some readers claim they spotted the ringleader soon after the start but I’m sceptical, so watch out for the bluff, or is it a double bluff before you get to the end.

Published by Quercus Books

Reviews by John Davis

Dying Fall by Elly Griffiths

The Assassination of JFK: Minute by Minute by

Jonathan Mayo

ALONG with the death of Elvis Presley and Neil Armstrong stepping onto the moon, the assassination of President Kennedy in November 1963 is certainly up there when it comes to ‘where were you at the time’ moments.

Despite numerous research articles, witness testimonies, film footage, documentaries and enquiries, official and unofficial, speculation still swirls around the event and conspiracy theories abound.

The purpose of Mayo’s approach, first used on radio, is to break the scenario down into tiny ‘factual’ bitesize pieces. While we are all aware of the broad brushstrokes of the happening, he aims to provide the ‘small pen-point’ details.

From 9.00 p.m. on Thursday November 21st until 11.55 p.m. on Monday November 25th, we are there on the frontline as a diverse group of people, from the powerful to the lowly, become caught up in the fastmoving events.

There is Secret Service agent Clint Hill distraught at a job badly done, construction worker Howard Brennan on his lunchbreak, reporter Hugh Aynesworth scribbling his notes on the back of an electricity bill using a borrowed pencil and Robert Kennedy sitting in a truck waiting for his brother’s body to arrive. There is even a brief appearance from the late DJ John Peel, who allegedly got into the Dallas Police Department when Oswald was charged, posing as a reporter from the Liverpool Echo.

The book is an example of how a huge historical moment can be broken down into a myriad of often mundane individual events. The end result is that the narrative comes out like a pacey thriller. We know what the end will be but somehow the desire to get there pulls us along.

For readers who like this approach there are identical ‘minute by minute’ books to cover the sinking of the Titanic, the D-Day invasion and Hitler’s last days in the Berlin Bunker.

Published by Harvill Secker (Review by John Davis)

Tales from the Tribe By Lesley Docksey

AGRICULTURE and its subsequent damage started 11,000 years ago in the Mesolithic Age, says author of Tales from the Tribe Lesley Docksey. In the Neolithic Age men saw themselves as owners of the land. They felled our woods for more grazing land. They traded in flint, salt, cattle and grain. ‘As the population grew, their greed for power and control began pushing us towards a ruined world and climate change.’

Visiting Neolithic sites while worrying about climate change brought the two subjects together. Something felt wrong. What had really happened so long ago? Surely some of those people were uncomfortable over what was changing their world? ‘Slowly, in my mind, the characters in these stories made themselves known. All I had to do was to write their stories, their fear, their pain, their fleeing from the damage and coming together and fighting back.’

‘All you have to do is read their stories—and take action.’

Always interested in prehistory, nature and wildlife Lesley Docksey delivers a decisive collection of short stories about greed, environmental destruction and danger.. She studied art then worked in London, making historic costumes for TV, films and stage and travelled a lot.

After becoming freelance she returned to the countryside where working from home meant a good career plus a rural life: animals, walking, and riding horses while surrounded by prehistoric ruins and legends. Still working, she became involved in climate change and peace activism and edited a peace newsletter, wrote articles for web sites and The Ecologist and fought against badger culling. For her own pleasure, she wrote stories, poems and wondered how Neolithic people lived.

Published by Pegasus Publishers

Poetry for Fun By

Robb Harris

STEP into the enchanting world of poetry with Poetry for Fun by Robb Harris. This captivating collection of poems will transport you to a realm of laughter, introspection, and pure delight.

With his masterful use of words, Harris takes readers on a journey through the full spectrum of human emotions. From whimsical verses that tickle the funny bone to heartfelt lines that resonate deeply, Poetry for Fun showcases Harris’ creative genius and his ability to capture the essence of life in every stanza. Prepare to be enchanted as Robb Harris weaves magic with his words, leaving you inspired, moved, and eager for more. Dive into Poetry for Fun and let the beauty of Harris’ poetry ignite your imagination.

Robb Harris’ professional life up to this point has been as a financial advisor, which means spending time discussing the seriousness of finance, death and illness, so he has always maintained a slightly juvenile sense of humour to feel happy in life.

After moving to Dorset with his wife, Nicky, he has been inspired to put pen to paper and he loves the process of recording his thoughts in a format that hopefully will entertain.

Published by Olympia Publishers

Cynthia Gregory

THE young orangutan Beni’s favourite rainforest food is bananas. He doesn’t care about his Mum’s advice not to eat too many. He sneaks off, determined to find his treat. But getting what he wants isn’t as easy as he’d imagined. His search gets him into all sorts of trouble.

Written and illustrated by Ottery St Mary resident Cynthia Gregory, Beni and the Bananas was conceived after the author had been watching The Orangutan Jungle School on television. It is a programme for the ecological charity, Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation (BOSF), which tries to rehabilitate this endangered species back into the wild. It told of the horrific killing of orangutan mothers by islanders, to sell their babies as pets.

BOSF tries to save as many orphans as possible. They aim to teach them the skills their mothers would have imparted, and eventually allow them back into the wild.

Always an avid reader, after a career in teaching, a spell living in France where she wrote cookbooks, and a novel A Little Slice of Paradise, Cynthia Gregory was moved to write a children’s book to support BOSF. She took online courses about writing for children. Spent hours writing, rewriting and editing as well as learning about orangutan habits. Practiced how to draw them and spent days studying children’s books. Week after week, she painted watercolour illustrations whilst exploring book marketing and then eventually self published Beni and the Bananas which is now available on Amazon. Cynthia has since been able to make several donations of the profits to the charity.

Independently published

Beni and the Bananas By

Westcountry Memories THE PERFECT CHRISTMAS PRESENT

When the nation needed more food after the Second World War, farmers responded to that need, explains Sydling St Nicholas farmer Johnny Morris. Sharing some of his memories in Robin Mills’ book, Deep Roots: an Insider’s Photographs of Dorset Country Life, he says: ‘We were farming for production. Nothing else.’ Today he is ‘grasping the challenges of going the environmental route on the farm’ and says it’s going really well despite being a ‘complete reversal of the old attitudes’.

With so many dramatic changes to our lifestyle, our landscape and indeed our climate, the opportunity to document the heritage of farming and westcountry life has allowed Robin Mills to continue to compile a written and photographic history of our wider local community.

Comments from farmers such as Johnny add a rich vein of narrative to the photographs that Robin Mills has taken over the years and memories shared by those whose lives are recorded for posterity are both fascinating and vital.

In his book, Robin depicts some of the characters that have made country life such a source of fascination. Many of the images offer a view of a changing era, when farming dictated the rhythm of many people’s lives. These photographs offer a very personal insight into how life in Dorset and its borders has changed in just a short few decades. From sheep shearing in Sydling to milking cows in Glanvilles Wooton, the many people that appear in the pages of Deep Roots are a testament to the value and immense importance of preserving our history, enhancing cultural appreciation, and guiding future generations.

In an age dominated by rapid technological advances and urbanization, these photographs serve as poignant reminders of our roots, offering a real connection to the past that may inspire and educate future generations.

They also act as vital historical records. A visual chronicle of a way of life that is increasingly under threat. As farming communities evolve, photographs help preserve these elements, offering future generations a glimpse into the past and the opportunity to understand the evolution of agriculture and rural societies.

A section of photographs taken at the Great Dorset Steam Fair in 2001 capture the depth of history of a stalwart of the country event calender that is in danger of being lost to history. The Great Dorset Steam Fair couldn’t be held in 2023 or 2024 due to spiralling costs. From carousel to fairground organ, and cider drinkers to steam engines, these photographs may be highlighting the last of an era.

Robin also includes a section of photographs of the last hunt meet at Abbotsbury in 2005 as well as a farm sale at Ansty.

With a foreward by Kate Adie, celebrated journalist and President of the Dorset CPRE, Deep Roots: an Insider’s Photographs of Dorset Country Life is a chronicle of westcountry community and deserves a place on any bookshelf or coffee table.

Young and old, Deep Roots is an ideal Christmas present for all the family. To order a copy at £25 +£3.50 p&p, either email Robin at robins.mills72@ gmail.com or telephone 07976 154101.

Images clockwise from the top: Derek Collins, Poultry Farmer, Maiden Newton, 2003. Traveller Mother and Child, White Horse Hill, Preston, 2001. Peter Thomas, Wood Turner and Stick Dresser, Rampisham 2009. Diana Temperley, Cider Maker, Burrow Hill, Somerset, 2022. All photographs © Robin Mills. Click Here

West Bay highlightsEngland on Sea

Part of the Bridport Town of Culture celebrations, a unique and challenging new outdoor photography exhibition has been installed along the Esplanade in West Bay

Anew exhibition, England-on-Sea, by photographer Brent Jones is drawn from a nationwide tour of the English coast—a series of road trips to all points of the coastline, made over several years.

Supported by Dorset National Landscape as a contribution to the Bridport 24—Town of Culture celebrations, the exhibition is installed free for everyone to experience.

Living and working from the back of a Ford van, Brent set out to explore the coastal landscape and how we interact with it and to each other.

England-on-Sea is a detailed exploration of the seaside, a place so embedded in our nation’s psyche and national identity that it reflects our changing population and behaviour. Focussing on the collective rather than the individual, the exhibition highlights English peculiarities and eccentricities as well as the more mundane scenes of everyday seaside life.

After a pandemic that threatened to break many of the constraints that bind our societies, this was an opportunity to record our reemerging population.

‘Against the backdrop of Brexit, COVID, the climate emergency, and economic recession, I felt this was a particularly pertinent moment to record our nation at leisure’ Brent explained.

The ‘road trip’ and the coast, have long been an inspiration for documentary photographers and artists alike, both on these shores and abroad. Many of these have provided inspiration for this project, including Alec Soth, Stephen Shore, Simon Roberts and L S Lowry.

‘My approach was to decide the composition, set up the camera with a fixed viewpoint, and settle down for the great British public to populate the scene!’ said Brent.

The Dorset National Landscape team were very pleased to support the new exhibition, as Culture Officer Sue Dampney explains: ‘Many photographers have tried to capture the essence of Dorset’s beautiful land and seascapes but there is always one important thing missing—people! National Landscapes aren’t just places for wildlife, they are places for people to live and work, a ‘natural health service’ for all to enjoy. We hope England-on-Sea will get you thinking about what you love about the coast, what makes it special to you and how you might play a part in its future.’

The exhibition will be in West Bay until January. The twenty images in this outdoor exhibition represent a small selection from the full collection, which can be seen at www.brentjones.co.uk/Englandon-Sea.

Remembrance Day commemorations, Weymouth, Dorset. Durdle Door, Lulworth, Dorset.

Images by Brent Jones, clockwise from right: Seaside exhibition, Esplanade, West Bay. Bournemouth, Dorset. Birling Gap, Seven Sisters, East Sussex. Blackpool, Lancashire.

PREVIEW

Scrooge by the sea

LYME REGIS

THE Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis has its first Christmas show this year, a production of Dickens’

A Christmas Carol, by Gilroy Theatre, who staged the Marine’s successful first summer rep season this year. There are performances from Thursday 19th to Sunday 22nd December, with matinees and evening performances.

Probably the best known Christmas story of them all, this classic ghost story is a feel-good fable for the whole family, performed by a cast of professional actors, with members of the Marine Youth Theatre. We meet Ebenezer Scrooge on Christmas Eve, in his counting house, metaphorically counting out his money. What sort of a man is Scrooge? Does he care for anybody else except himself? Or anything else? Yes, perhaps that money he’s spent so long accumulating!

Thanks to the intervention of his business partner, Marley, (who just happens to have been dead for seven years!), Scrooge is introduced to three ghosts, all of whom have a vital, if scary, lesson for him. Will he learn from his mistakes? Will he become a better person? Will he finally realise that some things are more important than money?

And what will happen to Tiny Tim, the poor boy whose poverty threatens his very life?

... in Dorchester

THE Travelling Players, part of New Forest-based Forest Forge Theatre, bring their version of the story, A Humbug Christmas Carol, to Dorchester Arts at the Corn Exchange on Sunday 8th December at 2.30pm.

The Travelling Players, a joint venture of Forest Forge, Bumblefly and Mischievous Theatre, return with their suitcases bursting with merriment, mayhem and humbug to tell the haunting tale of a mean and miserly old man—the tight-fisted curmudgeon, Ebenezer Scrooge!

Between dusk and dawn Scrooge is visited by the ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future! Will he mend his ways? Will he become a new man? Will he greet the morning with a ... Merry Christmas Everyone?

Through their unique brand of quirky storytelling, live action, music, a puppet or two, a host of Gothic surprises, some ghostly flights

of fancy and a clanking of chains, the Travelling Players bring this Yuletide classic to life.

... in Bridport

A Christmas Carol has been frequently dramatised on radio—this December, popular television performers Colin Baker and Peter Purves bring A Christmas Carol—A Radio Play Live to Bridport’s Electric Palace on Thursday 5th December at 7.30pm. The show features a specially recorded appearance by Tom Baker, one of the best-loved Doctor Who actors, as the ghost of Jacob Marley.

As a change from the many stage versions, Bridport Arts Centre has a new film version of the story, being shown on Sunday 15th December at 2pm. With a stellar cast including Simon Russell Beale, Martin Freeman, Carey Mulligan, Daniel Kaluuya, Sian Phillips, Leslie Caron and Andy Serkis, this radical new take gets back to the gritty social comment of the original story and breathes new life into the lyricism of the original text by setting its scenes to extraordinary tableaux of modern dance.

The opening scenes show a Victorian family preparing a toy theatre for their annual performance of A Christmas Carol. As grandmother narrates the story and her grandchildren change the scenery, we enter the imagination of one of the children and watch as the cardboard stage transforms into a darkly fantastical otherworld.

... and in the villages

BUT if you would rather see this festive story in your home village, Artsreach has three performances of David Mynne’s stunning solo performance of A Christmas Carol, at Marnhull village hall, on Friday 13th December, Milbourne St Andrew hall on Saturday 14th and Burton Bradstock hall on Sunday 15th, all at 7.30pm.

Following his popular tours with adaptations of Great Expectations, Dracula and The Odyssey, the acclaimed Cornish actor, a founder member of Kneehigh Theatre, is back with his mesmerising one-man show. The director of Devon’s Plough Arts Centre described the performance as “beautiful— apparently simple theatre with just one actor, but you go home remembering a cast of dozens! He is a genius.”

Joy to all mankind? Bah humbug! Prepare

to spend an evening with Ebenezer Scrooge, a squeezing, wrenching, grasping, clutching, covetous, old miser—and see what the Christmas spirits have in store for him!

The story of a violin VILLAGES

FORMER bandmates of acclaimed klezmer group Moishe’s Bagel are coming to Dorset for four dates with Artsreach, telling the incredible story of Lev’s Violin, which was originally heard in a BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week in 2022. The Dorset village tour begins at Hinton Martel hall on Wednesday 4th December, followed by Shipton Gorge village hall on Thursday 5th, West Stafford hall on Friday 6th and Chetnole village hall on Saturday 7th, all starting at 7.30pm.

Born with a beautiful sound but no name, Lev’s Violin was deemed to be worthless. Although its origins remained a mystery, many tales were attached to the violin, some true and some wonderfully untrue ... In this live show, audiences can follow the remarkable story of this instrument and hear it played live by violinist Greg Lawson, who is joined by former Moishe’s Bagel bandmate, accordionist Phil Alexander. The show is described as “part storytelling, a wee bit of a music lecture, some stand-up comedy, a book reading and lots of wonderful music”

Old and worn by its travels, Lev’s Violin eventually broke a few years ago, and the instrument became the subject of a book by Helena Attlee, Lev’s Violin: An Italian

Adventure, which reached hundreds of thousands of listeners when it was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.

The violin has since been through an extensive restoration and, having passed through the hands of countless musicians, travelled continents and played the music of many cultures, it is now in the possession of Greg Lawson, an acclaimed violinist, composer and conductor who has held principal and leading positions in most of the orchestras in Scotland.

Follow the journey of Lev’s Violin and hear some of the music from its past, from Bach and Arvo Part to Armenian and Macedonian music and klezmer.

A wintry tale HONITON

ONE of the classic winter tales, Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen, comes to the Beehive Centre at Honiton this Christmas. The show, on Friday 20th December at 4pm, is performed by puppet company Theatrix Arts founded by artistic director Paul Batten, who trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

The Toy Maker is in his workshop, making toys for the children, when all of a sudden they come to life to tell the story of The Snow Queen. Follow Gerda on

Greg Lawson and Phil Alexander with Lev’s Violin

PREVIEW December

her adventures as she sets out to rescue her brother Kai from the evil Snow Queen, who is holding him prisoner in her ice palace. And meet the magical creatures who help her on her mission.

The wonderful fairytale by the Danish master storyteller is told through the eyes of puppets Gerda and Kai, with changing scenery, music and sound effects.

After the show there will be a workshop, with a chance to meet the puppets and create your own puppet of a character from the show. The workshop is optional, but is included in the ticket price.

Into the dark woods SIDMOUTH

HANSEL and Gretel make their way into the dark wood in the famous fairytale, which is the theme for the 2024 pantomime at Sidmouth Manor Pavilion, from 27th December to 4th January. There are no performances on New Year’s Eve or 2nd January. Following the award-winning success of last year’s show, Sidmouth Amateur Dramatic Society has chosen Alan P Frayn’s retelling of Hansel and Gretel, a pantomime for all the family. Alan Frayn, who lives in Somerset and is a former director of entertainment at Alton Towers, has written many pantomime scripts for amateur groups, breathing new life into old stories, and catering to the needs of amateur groups of all sizes.

Talking of trees and woods at Sidmouth, on Friday 6th December at 2.30pm, Ed Dolphin talks about his new book, Sidmouth’s World of Trees. The garden of The Knowle provides a world tour of trees from China, Portugal, the Balkans, California, Persia, New England, Louisiana and Ireland. Around the town, there are many more trees from different countries. In his talk at Manor Pavilion, he explores the origins of some of these trees and how they came to live in Sidmouth.

Rock’n’rolling back the years YEOVIL

NOT everyone loves pantomime, so for those who would rather party than shout “He’s behind you!” Yeovil’s Westlands entertainment centre has a Back to the 80s Christmas party on Friday 20th December. This popular DJ show is described as “the biggest 80s party ... ready to get you in the festive mood!”

Prepare to dance the night away to all the favourite hits from Wham!, Bananarama, Rick Astley, Bronski Beat, Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson. Fancy dress is encouraged, so dig out your 80s glad rags!

Inside out and upside down

DORCHESTER

Natalie Inside Out, is a unique collaboration between Natalie Reckert and digital artist Mark Morreau

MOST of us never got much further than the odd handstand in the garden when we were children, or perhaps some slightly more ambitious gymnastics in school sports lessons. But Natalie Reckert has taken that simple exercise to the highest level of acrobatic circus skills, as one of the world’s leading hand-balancers. See her in breathtaking action at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 5th December at 7.30pm.

The performance, Natalie Inside Out, is a unique collaboration between Natalie and digital artist Mark Morreau, using technology and video projections to turn our conventional ideas of circus upside down and inside out—literally.

Fusing circus skills and interactivity to examine the inner workings of the body, Natalie and Mark combine live acrobatic performance, close-up video and spoken word, as they pool their talents in a strikingly intimate show about the vulnerability of a circus artist, as she struggles to achieve something extraordinary.

The pair, who have been working together for 16 years, mix live acrobatic performance of challenging hand-balancing moves with extreme close-up slowmotion video and talk about the personal emotions, challenges and stories behind the thrilling facade.

Telling Tales with Dickens DORCHESTER

DICKENS is so synonymous with Christmas—and the tale of Scrooge and Tiny Tim in particular— that it is easy to forget that he wrote many more short stories and tales with a winter theme. You can hear some of them in Telling Tales with Dickens at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Tuesday 10th December.

Created by Jonathan Goodwin, founder and artistic director of Don’t Go Into The Cellar, this is an original and authentic recreation of the great author’s dramatic performances, adapted from some of his shorter tales, including the ghostly classic The Signalman and comic selections from The Pickwick Papers

Formed in 2010, Don’t Go Into The Cellar is one of the country’s finest exponents of theatrical Victoriana in a macabre vein.

Folk greats at Christmas LYME REGIS

SOME of the biggest names in British folk music are coming to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis during December, starting on Monday 2nd with the legendary Martin Carthy and his multi-talented, twice Mercury Prize-nominated daughter Eliza Carthy.

Long established as a duo—and members of one of folk’s great dynasties, Waterson/Carthy—Martin and Eliza were nominated for a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2014 and won Best Album in 2015 at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards. They join forces at Lyme Regis to perform an eclectic range of songs and tunes from their vast family repertoire, drawing from the traditional canon as well as selections from a more contemporary songbook.

The following evening, another star from a famous family of folk singers, Devon-based Seth Lakeman comes to Lyme as part of a tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his album, Kitty Jay.

On Saturday 7th, the mood ramps up with the energetic, foot-stomping music of Sheelanagig, a quintet with an armoury of stringed instruments— guitar, fiddle, double bass—plus flute and drums and a bagful of joint-jumping tunes. Together they create

a powerful dynamic with their furious dance medleys as well as their thoughtfully arranged original pieces.

Audiences can join in at one of the regular free monthly shanty sessions. December’s is on Thursday 12th and as always features Lyme’s Chantry Buoys, singing traditional sea shanties and other songs, from 7.30pm.

A different dance of death BUCKLAND NEWTON

DEATH is the end—but how should we approach it? Join dancer and storyteller Solene Weinachter at Buckland Newton village hall on Thursday 5th December, in After All, a celebration of our vulnerable and courageous existence.

The show, which was a sell-out at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, has attracted enthusiastic reviews—“Enough charm to power an ocean liner and the comic timing of a precision watch” said Broadway Baby ... “confidently warm and funny” according to The Guardian

Solène Weinachter melds comedy, dance, storytelling and theatre to ask: what happens in the end? Through a series of re-enactments of the funerals of those she’s loved, as well as imagining her own, Solène attempts to conjure a better space to be with death, dying and loss.

After All is described as a heartfelt exploration of the death rituals we have, the ones lost and those that need inventing. With a strong narrative that is told through speech, movement and comedy, Solène brings the audience together to explore the role that dancing might play in healing ... until the last laugh, the last breath, let’s dance…

After All, a celebration of our vulnerable and courageous existence

Screen Time

with Nic Jeune

Top Six at the Flix

Bridport Arts Centre

Made in England (2024)

Francis Ford Coppola, Wes Anderson and Martin Scorsese who narrates this film are just a few of the many film directors inspired by the work of Powell and Pressburger.

Plaza Cinema. Dorchester

Better Man (2024)

This is a biopic made by a mad man, filmed in a visual language that defies categorization, with musical numbers that would make Baz Luhrmann dizzy. Jacob Hall. Slash Film.

Kraven The Hunter (2024)

As the release date for Kraven the Hunter approaches, excitement is mounting for what promises to be a bold and thrilling addition to Sony’s Spider-Man Universe. Maddison Cooper. Hollywood Movie Review.

Odeon Dorchester

Wicked (2024)

Wicked 2024 is poised to be one of the biggest cinematic events of the year. With its incredible cast, stunning visuals, and a story that continues to resonate, this film is a must-see for anyone who loves musicals, drama, or just great storytelling. Maddison Cooper. Hollywood Movie Review.

Netflix

Wallace and Gromit:

Vengeance Most Fowl. (2024)

A brisk and well-paced escapade, in which Gromit proves himself to still be one of our best screen actors and Wallace’s absentminded behaviour still endears. Lovia Gyarkye. The Hollywood Reporter.

Emilia Perez (2024)

The cumulative effect of all this talent is a life-affirming blood-and-guts carnival of a movie that ranks highly among Audiard’s best, and boldest, work. Stephen Dalton. The Film Verdict.

CORNWALL’s Near-ta Theatre returns to Dorset in December with performances of the seasonal comedy, Christmas. Time. The two-man show begins its short Artsreach tour at Halstock village hall on Thursday 5th at 7.30 pm.

Lock up your inmates ... Near-ta Theatre brings bucket-loads of Christmas spirit and festive cheer in this alternative to Christmas pantomime for local audiences.

Charlie and Toby are feeling low—and why wouldn’t they? It’s Christmas Day and they’re serving time at His Majesty’s pleasure. But why shouldn’t they be having a Merry Christmas despite their incarceration? What’s stopping them from creating Christmas around them? Absolutely nothing! And so they set off on their festival of carols, Claus, Christ and custody!

Join them on a fantastical adventure through Dickens, pantomime, musical, Christmas dinner and Christmas films! See as they build a wonderfully Merry Christmas around them with songs, snowmen and lots of laughs in this truly festive show that puts the ‘cell’ firmly back in ‘celebration’!

Near-ta Theatre at Halstock

The show has been written and is performed by Daniel Richards and Ciaran Clarke, and directed by Simon Harvey (Olivier Award winner and veteran of Kneehigh Theatre). Christmas Time is also at Corfe Castle village hall on Friday 6th December and East Stour hall on Saturday 7th. All performances are at 7.30pm.

Festive favourites

SOUTH PETHERTON

CHRISTMAS wouldn’t be Christmas at South Petherton’s David Hall without the annual December visit by folk group St Agnes Fountain. This year the multi-talented musicians will bring their seasonal show to Somerset on Saturday 14th December at 8pm.

Since their first get-together, to record the eponymous St Agnes Fountain album in 2001, the original quartet of David Hughes, Fairport Convention’s Chris Leslie and multi award winning duo Chris While and Julie Matthews, has brought musical invention and laughter to the star-dust atmosphere of the season.

In 2020, David decided to leave the band and very sadly died last year. He is much missed. His vision to create traditional Christmas carols with a twist led to the creation of the group. The remaining trio say “his unique style of rhythm, of hearing and playing a groove, his satirical wit and sartorial style, his dead-pan presence on stage and his beautiful turn of a lyrical phrase” will never be replaced.

There is more music at the David Hall on Friday 20th from Bare Jams, whose musical influences include rock, pop and jazz, and a New Year’s Eve ceilidh with Crooked Furrow, who were formed in the 1980s as a Wurzels tribute band.

A Christmas soiree DORCHESTER

TRADITIONAL and new carols make up the programme for Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir’s popular annual Noel Noel soiree with Dorchester Arts at the Corn Exchange, on Friday 20th December. The concert is an eclectic mix of music, old and new, well-loved festive favourites and exciting new pieces, ensuring something for everyone. This year the choir will be led by celebrated guest conductor Jonathan Willcocks. Until recently the conductor of the Leith Hill Festival, Jonathan is known as an accomplished and witty director, who has genuine Christmas credentials, with compositions featured in Carols for Choirs.

Chocolate for Charlie BRIDPORT

BRIDPORT’s Electric Palace has a hugely popular Roald Dahl story rather than a traditional pantomime in December. Bridport Youth Performers will be staging Charlie and the Chocolate Factory from Monday 16th to Thursday 19th at 7.30pm.

In this musical adventure inspired by Dahl’s original story and subsequent films, Willy Wonka sets out to find a new person, who is kind, creative and loves all things sweet, to run his factory. He devises a competition in which five lucky children (Augustus Gloop, Veruca Salt, Violet Beauregarde, Mike Teavee and Charlie Bucket) find a golden ticket in a Wonka bar. They get the chance to visit his factory to compete for a ‘grand prize’. We follow Charlie, the last to get a ticket but most passionate about Wonka’s work, as he sees things that must be believed to be seen! GPW

The Young Lit Fix

Books to give young readers for Christmas. Recommended by Nicky Mathewson.

For early years:

The Muttcracker by Anna Kemp. Festive fun with Biff the ballet dancing Pug. If you enjoyed Anna’s previous book Dogs Don’t Do Ballet then you will absolutely love this! £7.99 Simon & Schuster Ltd.

For new and developing readers:

Christmas With Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. If like me you are a Frog and Toad fan, then this would be the perfect book to gift to your loved ones. Perfect for new readers it includes three timeless festive stories. £8.99 HarperCollins.

The Land of Lost Things by Andy Griffiths. Part of the duo that brought you the 13 Storey Treehouse series, Andy Griffiths is a master of comedy writing for young readers and this new book is totally bonkers! £12.99 Pan Macmillan.

For confident readers:

Murder at Wintertide by Fleur Hitchcock. Fleur is the go to author of murder mysteries for young readers and her latest story really hit the mark. Christmas by the sea, what could be better? It’s not so cosy and festive when a body washes up on the shore. Also, The Book Shop features in the story! £7.99 Nosy Crow Ltd.

The Ice Children by M.G Leonard. A magical mystery adventure set in a winter wonderland. This charming homage to Hans Christian Anderson will not disappoint. £7.99 Pan Macmillan.

For teens and young adults: Some Like it Cold by Elle McNicoll. Our favourite neurodivergent author has written her first novel for young adults and it is a beautiful, cosy, festive, small town romance that will melt your hearts. £8.99 Pan Macmillan.

I Shall Never Fall in Love by Hari Conner. Friends-to-lovers romance inspired by the work of Jane Austen. This joyfully queer, romantic graphic novel is perfect for fans of Heartstopper. £12.99 Simon & Schuster Ltd.

10% off for Marshwood Vale readers at The Bookshop on South Street, Bridport. 01308 422964 www.dorsetbooks.com

Catch Up on 2024

What have all the people below got in common? They have all been featured in the Marshwood Vale Magazine in 2024. Catch up on these and many more interviews and stories by visiting www.marshwoodvale.com. And don’t forget to subscribe to our newsletter to be first to hear about new issues, articles and local events.

Sir Liam Fox Rebecca Lenkiewicz

Sir Oliver Letwin Mary Kingsley

Martin Lines Tom Heap

Philip Lymbery Amelia Earhart

Nigel Toon Robert Golden

Hilary Cronin Johnny Lydon

Declan Duffy Sound of the Sirens

Nick Wallis Trewin Restorick

Lara Melda Tony Christie

Jah Wobble Henry Hemming You

Health&Environment

Should you see a doctor?

NEW research published by the University of Surrey confirms what many patients have been saying for some time—remote interpreting such as telephone and video calls are not as effective as face-to-face analysis.

The research study surveyed 47 professional interpreters with experience in remote interpreting across various healthcare contexts and found that the shift to remote interpreting during the COVID 19 pandemic has resulted in a reliance on less suitable communication methods for certain medical contexts. Dr Elena Davitti, Associate Professor of Translation Studies at the University of Surrey, said: ‘Healthcare communication is not just about language; it’s about connection.’

As interpreters navigate the challenges of technology, the findings serve as a critical reminder of the inherent value of human interaction in medical settings.

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Puffa gilet navy/ navy stripe reversible. Husky style navy quilted jacket/grey fleece lining. Husky style quilted coat dk. green/ check lining. All hardly worn. Size 14/medium. £25 each. Buyer collects. 07581 749564 (Dorchester).

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Pet carrier. 65cm long x 45cm wide x 45 cm high. Hagen Voyager XL. Plastic body, wire door, safety lock, petting door. Takes apart for storage. Lightweight, washable £35. Buyer collects. 07581 749564 (Dorchester).

White adult Giant bicycle in excellent condition, with helmet, cycling gloves, reflective yellow jacket, security chain and foot pump. A bargain at only £150. Contact 0752 778 1039.

Double Laura Ashley Alice, metal frame bed with mattress. The frame is like new and the mattress has only been used for visitors Six times. I can send photos to anyone who is interested. Price £200 ONO. Phone 07788757611 (Axminster).

Rolypoly futon by Futon Company, cost £80, used once £35 as new. Careco Elixir bath lift cost £200 used twice £60 exc. con. Tel: 07816873161.

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Coins wanted. Part or full collections purchased for cash. Please phone John on 01460 62109 or 07980 165047. July 24

Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975

Do you have a shed / garage full of old tools, car bits, unfinished projects etc? I buy job-lots of vintage items. Also enamel signs & slot machines & complete collections, 07875677897

24

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Lightweight cottons [Liberty prints, shirts, etc] to make patchwork quilts for Project Linus to give to children in hospital. Diana 07768 223030 To Advertise Here Telephone 01308 423031 or email: info@marshwoodvale.com

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DISTRIBUTION

Tractors and Machinery, Pick-up Vans and Tippers. Best prices paid. Tel. 07971 866364.