Marshwood+ June 2023

Marsh wo o d

© Mark Tattersall

Photograph by Robin Mills

Robin Mills met Mark Tattersall, Artistic Director of Dorchester Arts

My dad was a GP in Durham, which is where he lived for 60-odd years until he died last February. I was lucky to grow up in a beautiful cathedral city, and I have huge affection for the North East; it was there that at quite a young age I first got into the arts. I was a school refuser at the age of 8. I was a day boy at a prep school and wouldn’t go, resenting the strict atmosphere and the academic pressure; until one of the teachers suggested I might like to join in the school play, Toad of Toad Hall , in which I played a weasel. There is no doubt that this was what got me back to school; I was hugely excited, and for the first time didn’t feel threatened. Being a weasel did it for me: I even once gave an after-dinner speech called ‘Being A Weasel’ about the importance of the arts in the young people’s lives.

Although for the rest of my education I focussed on academic studies I continued acting and learned to play the drums. I went to Sheffield University, and when I graduated in 1982 with a degree in Japanese Studies I was offered stupid money to work for an oil shipping company. The rewards were tempting, but nothing else about the job interested me. However, at university I had been playing in bands quite seriously, Sheffield in the early 1980s being at the forefront of new music with successful bands like The Human League and ABC. The band I was with had just got a recording contract with MCA, and I was thinking why would I

© Mark Tattersall Photograph by Robin Mills

Mark Tattersall

want to go to Japan to work in the oil business?

That was when I got kicked out of the band. Sitting in a pub drowning my sorrows I got talking to some guys who said they needed a new drummer for their new album. They were called Cabaret Voltaire, an amazing band who started in 1973 and have released more than 17 albums. Not being mainstream they were far more influential than they were famous; they were pushing the boundaries of making sound, often experimenting with recording “found sounds” at a time when sophisticated synthesisers were only just becoming available. Founder member Chris Watson has gone on to be one of the world’s most famous wildlife sound recordists. We toured in the States, supported New Order at a few dates, and played many UK gigs. They were an innovative, unconventional band, and a fantastic experience for me. I was beginning to think I might make a life as a musician, but when Cabaret Voltaire took a break from recording I found work hard to come by. I auditioned for several well-known bands unsuccessfully and began to realise perhaps I wasn’t quite good enough. Then through a contact, who had a hunch I might enjoy working for a record company, I approached Muff Winwood at CBS Records. To my complete surprise I got an interested response because they were looking for someone to work internationally. I spoke French and Japanese, and had been in a band, so crucially I knew how to deal with musicians. I got the job, moved to London, and began to work in international marketing for CBS, nothing of which I had the slightest experience—another screeching left turn in my working life. But with a lot of ‘fake it ‘til you make it’ and good support from people I worked with, I soon found my life ridiculously exciting. I was working with some very famous bands of the day, and although pop wasn’t my kind of music, being around the explosion of their popularity was heady stuff. I was responsible for the international career of Bros, for example. I spent a massive proportion of my life on planes taking bands all over the world. Later, CBS was swallowed up by Sony Music, and by the end of my time there I estimated I’d boarded around 700 business flights. It was definitely a young person’s life, and I understood just how dedicated and hardworking these musicians had to be.

At the time there was a tendency for the big record companies such as Sony to take over the smaller independent labels, who were often representing innovative bands who had yet to make a breakthrough. That process could kill off the label’s originality, so at Sony we began to make deals with indies which left them alone to be creative, but we would keep the international rights. Our first deal on this basis was with Nude Records, who

had just signed the brilliant Suede. Then we made a deal with Creation Records, who were chasing a little-known band called Oasis. The first time I saw them play was in a small club in Manchester, in front of about 50 people—unforgettable. We helped Creation land the deal and the rest is history—by far the biggest thing I was ever part of in the music business.

By the late 90s I realised I was doing almost the same work as I would have been doing had I been shipping oil; I had drifted away from the creative process and ended up shuffling money around. In 2000 I was offered redundancy, and although it was hard to leave this comfortable and well rewarded life, my partner Scott and I decided to sell up and move to the south of France. As contemporary art lovers we planned to reconnect with artists we knew, find new ones, and use our business and marketing skills to sell their work in our gallery. At this time, I discovered and fell in love with raku pottery and we exhibited work by both British and French ceramicists. 10 years later I began throwing pots myself, much influenced by this technique, and began to experience the art world from another angle, selling my own work instead of someone else’s. After four years of successful exhibitions in France we were missing parts of London life, so we shut up shop and returned to the UK. I became an art consultant for businesses and private clients in London. A big project I curated was called Gibson Guitartown. Artists from all over the UK were invited to produce images on real Gibson guitars and giant replicas, which were then sold by auction, the proceeds going to charity. Some of the world’s biggest recording artists put their names to it—Paul McCartney still plays a bass with the images from that project on it—and £200k was raised for three great charities.

Having enjoyed being involved with a charitable venture, I was asked to help turn around a charity cum art school called the Art Academy at London Bridge. It was run by artists with real passion, and over the next five years we were able to put it on an even keel financially. It was immensely satisfying to match a creative charitable venture with sound business practice so that it could stay solvent and grow.

Scott and I then decided to move to Dorset. We’d both had enough of London, and his father’s family came from here. Originally I planned to commute to London three days a week but then I saw a job advertised as director of Dorchester Arts, so that plan went out the window. When I applied I found the same experience as I had had with the Art Academy; here was a small organisation which was completely passionate about what it was trying to do, its roots firmly in the community, but simply needing someone to help it grow. My background in

the charitable sector and experience in business helped me get the job; though the real reason is because when I met the local volunteers, I described my partner’s family as having come from Puncknowle centuries ago, pronouncing it correctly “Punnel”. That went down well, and I started here at Dorchester Arts in 2012. At the time we were excited about the potential for a new bespoke theatre at Brewery Square and the possibility of growing the organisation; ideal though it would have been that plan didn’t work out, and we decided to develop the assets we

already had instead of hang on unsuccessfully for something which probably wouldn’t happen. We now have the Corn Exchange as our home venue—the capacity is relatively small but it has top quality seating and equipment. The theatre at Thomas Hardye School has also been properly refurbished as a larger capacity venue, allowing us to bring shows to the town that would previously have been impossible to accommodate. I have no regrets about making the move to Dorchester; it’s a wonderful place to live and work.

© Mark Tattersall Photograph by Robin Mills

In our interview with Ben Jacob, ‘the Orchid Outlaw’, on page 22, Ben says that ‘saving nature for the future is time well spent’. His passion is for preserving orchids, especially those that may be destroyed by new development, and it has often put him in danger of incurring heavy fines or receiving time in jail if he is caught. However, he stresses the dangers of ‘eco-fatigue’ if people become tired of the climate debate—a situation that might suit many with a more inwardly focused agenda. While eco-fatigue describes a feeling of exhaustion from hearing about environmental issues, Ben warns that the environment ‘underpins everything— our societies, jobs, economics, food security— everything.’ Continuing on a path of ‘increasing human population and consumerist habits is simply not sustainable’ he says. But as environmental problems become more urgent, the amount of information and calls for action can become overwhelming and lead to apathy. Eco-fatigue is leading some people to ignore or downplay environmental issues. It’s no surprise that some people may stop paying attention to the warnings about climate change, or stop caring about the destruction of wildlife habitats. It’s a theme that is brilliantly portrayed in the film Don’t Look Up when Meryl Streep plays a US President who is given the news that the planet is facing extinction due to a 5 to 10 kilometer wide comet heading for a direct hit on earth. Told it is 100% certain she says ‘call it 70% and let’s move on’ and decides to ‘sit tight and access’. Between her and her Chief of Staff son they reel off a list of ‘world is ending meetings’ they have had that includes ‘economic collapse, loose nukes, rogue AI, drought, famine, plague, alien invasion and population growth’. What ensues is a battle between those telling the truth and those with an agenda that doesn’t benefit from the truth. The film had a Marmite effect on viewers but in a world where individual agendas initiate sophisticated lobbying and the use of elaborate marketing techniques to avoid scientific fact, it pushed home a valid point. The Orchid Outlaw may be as much a lesson on orchids as it is a memoir on activism, but it’s refreshing to read about one man’s small efforts to support the survival of a species.

Fergus Byrne

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The views expressed

for anyone in the course of a trade or business to falsely describe goods they are offering. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. The legislation requires that items offered for sale by private vendors must be ‘as described’. Failure to observe this requirement may allow the purchaser to sue for damages. Road Traffic Act. It is a criminal offence for anyone to sell a motor vehicle for use on the highway which is unroadworthy.

EVENTS AND COURSES

27 May

‘Allelujah’ (12A) Picnic Night screening – The Gateway, Seaton, doors 6.30pm, film 7.30pm, tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Protecting Lives Restoring Livelihoods Chief Executive Officer of the HALO Trust, Major General James Cowan CBE DSO will speak about the work of his charity in the village hall at Bishops Caundle with doors opening at 6.15 PM. Tickets are £15 per person and include a glass of wine and canapes. Further details can be seen and tickets booked on line at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/caundlemarsh-pcc.

The Darkside of Pink Floyd (Animal) 7:30pm The Darkside of Pink Floyd entertain audiences with a fantastic light show and passionate performances. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Sewing Workshop for Beginners from 10 am until 2 pm , cost £18 at the United Reformed Church Hall, Chard St, Axminster EX13 5EB. The car park is opposite the church. A workshop for those who want to improve their sewing machine skills. For a materials list and any further information and to book, contact : gina.youens@btinternet.com

Lower Char Community Project’s River Char Dragon Festival

A free event, with something to inspire all ages. Join us in a celebration of our beautiful River Char. 11am: Char Dragon Puppet Parade, starting at Barrs Lane, Charmouth DT6 6PS. Help us guide our huge but friendly Dragon down the river to the sea. Music, songs and stories on the way. 12.30 - 4.00 pm Drop in to St Andrew’s Hall, Lower Sea Lane, Charmouth DT6 6LH to find out more about the River Char and why our our clean-up campaign matters. Browse our displays to discover who we are working with and what we have achieved so far. Enjoy our community’s art and photography exhibits. Don’t miss the Name the Dragon draw at around 1.00pm! For full details: www.riverchar.org

Annual Plant Sale and Coffee Morning - Colyton & District Garden Society, 9.30-12.30, Colyton Town Hall. £1 entry to include a drink and biscuit. Please bring any plants, produce, cakes etc to sell to the Town Hall between 6-7pm on Friday 26 May.

White Tara 2:1s 12.30-5pm Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA Dean Carter and Anna Howard return with this very powerful healing modality, Anna working in the mode of ‘traditional spiritual healing’ (she is a member of the NFSH) with the energy of White Tara, Dean simultaneously providing a pure sound soundbath in the client’s home key. Ihr individual sessions @ £80/60 concs. Please book in advance via 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

Willow Garden Obelisk Workshop at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Learn the proper techniques for shaping and weaving to create your own willow garden obelisk using locally sourced willow. 10:00-13:00. Cost: £40. To book: 01460 54973. https://www. ilminsterartscentre.com/workshops.

27 - 29 May

Open Weekend at The Sitting Spiritually Garden 11am-5pm. Bramble Hayes, Yawl Hill Lane, Lyme Regis. Free entry and free

refreshments with parking available at venue. For details call +44(0)1297 443 084 or email info@sittingspiritually.co.uk.

28 May

Bridport Vintage Market St Michael’s Trading Estate, Bridport. Also 25th June, 30th July, 27th August and 24th September.

The Royal Ballet – ‘The Sleeping Beauty’ (12A) Screening –Gateway Theatre, Seaton, doors 1.30pm, Screening 2pm, tickets Adults £14.50, Under 16s £7.50. Be swept away by Tchaikovsky’s ravishing music and Oliver Messel’s sumptuous fairytale designs with this true gem from the classical ballet repertory. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Seaton Bowling Club is holding a Big Bowls Weekend event from 10-3 p.m. Anyone wishing to have a go at Bowls is very welcome. You only need to bring flat soled trainers. All equipment is provided and there will be 4 coaches on hand for help. The Club is by the Clock Tower close to the Sea Front. For more details contact Pat Whitworth 01297 442493

Dalwood Jazz Club Milly Requelme Quintet playing music from Cuba. at 3pm. Dalwood Village Hall EX13 7EG (near Axminster) Bar for beer/wine/soft drinks and teas/coffees etc. Parking at the Village Hall. £12.50p Please pay at the door. info: t.mackenney111@btinternet.com 07999 553477

Learn to play lawn bowls? Come along to our fun Open Day 10am - 4pm at Severalls Jubilee Bowls Club, Lang Road, Crewkerne TA18 8HQ. We are a very friendly bowls club of all ages with friendly matches as well as league matches and many social activities such as Crafty Girls. You will be welcomed by our qualified coaches who will give you a brief demonstration of how to bowl and then you can have a go yourself! Bowls to fit your hand will be provided as well as an unlimited supply of tea or coffee. Please wear footwear without a heel or you can bowl bare footed. Join us on the day as a member and you will receive a 50% discount off our normal membership fee. If you would like any more info phone Geoff on 01308 867221 or email geoffkerr47@btinternet.com

Singing Bowl Soundbath 2pm Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr. Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4LA £15. Please book in advance via 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com Last minute booking queries or cancellations 07798530515.

East Devon Ramblers. 10.30am. 10 mile moderate walk. Woodbury common. Phone 01395-579607

28 - 29 May

Sydling St. Nicholas Open Gardens Many beautiful gardens plus plant sale and refreshments 2 pm to 6 pm, tickets from the Village Hall. Contact maureenhaywood@me.com 07771623973.

29 May

The Burton Bradstock Village Fayre will be held in the delightful Rectory Walled Gardens, Church Street, DT6 4QS. from 2.00 pm to 4.15pm. Described by visitors as a traditional English event “Straight out of Midsomer Murders” it’s an ideal afternoon out for all local and visiting families, with tests of skill for children and people of all ages, lots of stalls and games, ice creams, soft drinks, barbeque and renowned Dorset cream teas. An event for the family not to be missed. Entry is £1 for Adults, children under 12 enter free.

EVENTS AND COURSES June

For further information see posters around the area, or contact the organiser on 07791870778.

Stockland Country Fair from 1.30pm. Stockland Fair Please bring plenty of change/cash for the fair as we have limited card machines. Gates open at 1.30pm,Adults £2.50 U 16 free, there’s plenty of parking stewards will guide you, and a drop off point for disabled access at the Stockland Village Hall grounds-EX149EF.

30 May

West Dorset Ramblers Purbeck Coast and Country, 10:30, 9 miles, contact Laraine, 01308 459159.

Lunchtime Concert St. Andrew’s Church, Charmouth Alison Hawes (Singer), Hugh Edwards (Piano). Entry free with retiring collection. Concert starts 12:30, Light refreshments from 12:00. Liz Sansom, 01297 560681

Scottish Country Dancing at Ashill villlage hall Nr Ilminster TA19 9LX every Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9.30 pm with break for refreshments. Please wear soft, flat comfy shoes if possible. £3.00 per evening. For further info contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our website ashillscd.wordpress. com.

The Super Marios Bros movie (PG) 2PM - With help from Princess Peach, Mario gets ready to square off against the allpowerful Bowser to stop his plans from conquering the world. www. beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

31 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am. 10 mile moderate walk. ‘Leg stretcher’. Axminster. Phone 07966-451875

Scottish Country Dancing at 7.30 at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. First evening free, thereafter £2.00, which includes soft drinks, tea, coffee and biscuits. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

1 June

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) on Thursday at 1930 hrs. Caller Rosie Shaw and band Jeroka will be providing the moves and music. 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.

Tatworth flower club have Cathryn Brown visiting. Doors open at 1.30pm at Tatworth Memorial Hall, Kents Rd, TA202SY. £6 for visitors and there is tea and cake served for a donation. Enquiries to Julie Kettle, 01934248536.

The Shanty Sessions Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. 7.30pm. Doors open at 7pm, The Buoys start at 7.30pm. Tel. 07761 469676.

2 June

ChamberMusicBox Described as ‘an open, imaginative and technically impeccable group that it would be folly not to follow’, ChamberMusicBox’s vision is to explore and perform the vast spectrum of the chamber music repertoire. Promoted by Concerts in the West. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Concert starts 19:30, bar available. Tickets: £18 (free to under 12s. Students £5). To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

West Dorset Ramblers Area around Hardys Monument, 10:15, 9 miles, contact Philip & Michelle, 01460 62060.

Allelujah (12A) 3pm showing with new ticket offer - optional afternoon tea. The story of a geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital threatened with closure. 3.00pm & 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

3 June

Bradpole Village fete raising money for Bridport Young Performers. 12 - 5pm Jam packed with lots of fun for the whole family, from children games, face painting, jolly jars, punch and Judy and live entertainment along with a bar and food. Bradpole Village Orchard DT6 3HS.

Voodoo room A night of Hendrix, Clapton & Cream. 8pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

The Friends of Weymouth Library speaker will be Ian Williamson, who will talk about his travels in Australia, particularly Tasmania, where he trekked across the Cradle Mountains. Talk begins at 10-30 a.m. Tickets are £2 for F.O.W.L. members and £3 for non-members; tickets can be obtained in the Library.

Refreshments provided and everyone welcome.

Music for a summer’s afternoon with the Sheldon Singers. 3pm, St Mary’s Church, Uffculme EX15 3AA Programme includes: Chilcott – A Little Jazz Mass, Rutter - The Sprig of Thyme. Retiring collection.

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Axminster. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

Bradpole Village Fete After 4 years Bradpole Fete is back. Craft stalls Entertainment for all the family. Music, Bar and Food 12-5 pm The Orchard Middle Street Bradpole Contact Dawn 07825707623

The Friends of Weymouth Library speaker will be Ian Williamson, who will talk about his travels in Australia, particularly Tasmania, where he trekked across the Cradle Mountains. Talk begins at 10-30 a.m. Tickets are £2 for F.O.W.L. members and £3 for non-members; tickets can be obtained in the Library. Refreshments provided and everyone welcome.

Summer Barn Dance in Winsham to raise funds for the Village Street Fair. Accordion player and Caller. Keg of beer plus wine and nibbles. At 7.30pm Tickets £5 from the Village Shop or on the door. Parking in Church Street outside the hall TA20 4HU. Call (01460) 30676 for further details.

4 June

The Great Dorset Bike Ride is a traditional social ride that started in 1979. It is a 50 mile circular run on the first Sunday of June. The ride is open to all. It starts at 10.00 at the Top o’ Town car park Dorchester. There is no entry or registration fee but we ask that people support our charity if they can www.justgiving.com/ fundraising/GDBR. It is not a race, you can choose your own pace. Details, maps and gpx files are available at https://www.cyclinguk. org/event/2023-great-dorset-bike-ride Contact westdorsetcycling. gmail.com.

East Devon Ramblers 10.30am. 8 mile leisurely walk. ‘A Sunday

EVENTS AND COURSES

stroll from Stockland’. Phone 01404-549390. Music for a summer’s afternoon with the Sheldon Singers. 3pm, St Peter and St Paul’s Church Uplyme DT7 3TT Programme includes: Chilcott – A Little Jazz Mass, Rutter - The Sprig of Thyme Retiring collection.

The Thomas Hardy Victorian Fair Step back in time this summer and experience Thomas Hardy’s Casterbridge when Dorchester remembers its Victorian past and celebrates the life and times of the famous writer. From 11am to 4pm a fun and inspiring day out for all the family. High East and High West Streets will be closed to traffic for a more authentic experience.

Woodland Day off the road to North Eggardon DT6 3ST from 11-5. There will be walks into nearby woodland, talks and demonstrations. These will include demonstrations of Log extraction by tractor, ATV and horse. There will be Assembling of a yurt, steam bending and wheel mortice burning, green woodwork with opportunity to try shaving a spindle or chair leg, small timber framing, sawmilling, charcoal burning, log splitting, rolling and stacking. Small entrance fee with proceeds to Tree Aid which works in the Sahel.

Garden open for the N.G.S. at Broomhill, Rampisham. DT2 0PT. 2-5pm £5 entry Ph: 07775 806 875. Glorious 2 acre garden, with extensive borders and island beds, planted with a succession of bee friendly perennials, annuals and shrubs. Lawns and paths lead to a less formal area with a large wildlife pond and a small meadow, the garden also has a productive vegetable garden, cutting garden and orchard. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome, wheel chair access. Ample parking. Delicious homemade teas and quality plants for sale.

5 June

Meeting Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild 2 p.m. Miranda Pender will be giving a talk entitled ‘Perils of Research‘. Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury DT1 3DF. Visitors welcome £3. Enquires 01305 832857.

Winsham Art Club 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme of this practical session is Exploring Inks. It is a tutor led 2.5 hr. session. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, non-members £7. Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : elfridevaughan@gmail.com for further details.

Modern Jive (Leroc) Social Dance Classes. 7:30pm, Chideock Village Hall. £6 per person, Come with or without a partner. Beginners and Returners Welcome Every Week. www.dynamicdance.uk. Also 12th, 19th and 26th June.

Hawkchurch Film Nights in association with Devon Moviola, proudly presents ‘Charade’ (109 mins, Cert. PG). Our last film before a summer break - we’ll be back on 4th Sept. 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 01297 678176 (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 the hard-of-hearing provided. Home-made cake, wine and other delicious refreshments available.

Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and

maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15pm-9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners. Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians welcome. Tea and biscuits .Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information.

6 June

Scottish Country Dancing at Ashill Village Hall Nr Ilminster TA19 9NE every Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9.30 pm with break for refreshments. Please wear soft, flat , comfy shoes if possible. Pay on the door £3.00 per evening. For further info contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our website at www.Ashillscd.wordpress.com.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Woodbury Hall, Axminster. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

Merry Music Making with award winning local composer Andrew Dickson at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park 4.15pm to 5pm. Every Tuesday of term term. Play instruments from around the world from Kalimbas to marimbas, balafons, scrapers and shakers, drums, tuned guitars and many more. Open to all aged over 8 years. Adults very welcome. Come and make a merry noise together. Please book in advance.Enquiries to Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com

7 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 5 mile leisurely walk. ‘Some Colyton Haynes’. Phone 07710-160903.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Baptist Church Hall, Lyme Regis. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 9.5 mile moderate walk. ‘Exmouth loop’ phone 07895-246909.

West Dorset Ramblers Paynes Down, 10:00, 8.5 miles, contact Ian, 07826 150114

8 June

Chard History Group Railway Navvies The seldom told story of the men who really built the railways. All the drama, drinking, deaths, injuries and infidelities of a race apart. 7pm The Pheonix, Fore Street, Chard. Tessa Leeds 07984 481634.

Seaton Garden Club Annual Plant Sale at 2.30 p.m. venue The Masonic Hall Seaton. Entrance £2.00 to include a cream tea. For details contact 01297 24049.

Made In Tennessee Country fans are given a taste of Nashville with Soul Street Productions’ brand new show Made in Tennessee - The soundtrack of American Country. 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Chard Royal Naval Association meeting at Chard Cricket Club at 7.30 pm for their social meeting where they will be entertained to ‘Arctic Antics’a recollection of life onboard a submarine in the Arctic by a former crew member. Further details can be obtained by contacting Paula on 07929291401.

Solo Charleston and Vintage Jazz Dance Classes - 1-2pm, St Marys Church Hall Bridport - Class for all levels and abilities - £5All Welcome www.dynamic-dance.uk. Also 15th, 22nd & 29th June. Chesil Bank Writing Shed Do you write? Would you like to be a writer? Whatever you want to write why not come and learn with our creative writing group. New writers always welcome. 7pm9pm, Portesham Village Hall. Find out more by calling Linda on 01305 871802.

9 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 6 mile leisurely walk. ‘Coffee on the seafront’ Budleigh. Phone 07540-048787. East Devon Music presents an Evening with Hariet Adie, Harpist. The Jean Price Concert. Featured on Scala Radio as ‘One To Watch’. The award-winning harpist has performed at prestigious venues including the Royal Albert Hall, and for the late Queen Elizabeth II. 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

She Said at 7.30pm (doors at 7pm) - Tickets are £5 from Eleos, Barron’s and the PO in advance, or £6 on the door. Good access, refreshments and great community spirit!

Adult dance with Nikki Northover at Steps studio, Crepe Farm Business Park. Every Friday at 10am to 11am. Journey through different dance styles from Latin to disco, to freestyle and creative work. Each class focuses on dancing for well being and ends with a relaxation. Cost: £8 Enquiries and to book please contact Nikki Northover at nikkinorthover43@gmail.com

West Dorset Ramblers Colmers & Thorncombe, 10:00, 8 miles, contact Carol, 01308 424512

Mike Denham’s Sunset Café Stompers Mike Denham brings his Sunset Café Stompers for an exciting evening of vintage jazz from 1920s & 30s New Orleans, Chicago & New York! Concert starts 19:30, bar available. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £20 (free to under 12s. Students £5). To book: 01460 54973. https:// www.ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

9 - 10 June

Maiden Newton Art Group will be hosting their annual exhibition and sale at Maiden Newton Village Hall (near the station)on the evening of Friday 9th June at 5pm until 9pm and Saturday 10th June from 10am until 4 pm. Free glass of wine with raffle ticket on Friday Evening and refreshments during the day on Saturday.

10 June

A Summer Serenade Weymouth Choral Society will host their Famous Afternoon Tea and Cakes Concert! The afternoon will feature a scrumptious menu of musical delights, with Louise Dukes on the piano and piano accordion, Roman Hynch singing baritone and Helen Brind conducting. St Aldhelm’s Church Centre, Spa Road, DT3 5EW at 3pm. The cost of tickets is £12 to include refreshments, with under 16’s admitted for free. It is advised to book early to avoid disappointment as the last three events have been sold out. Available from Weymouth Pavilion, Ticketsource or phone 07929 519973.

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Symondsbury. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

Table Top sale in aid of Rotary charities, Bridport Town Hall, 10a.m. to 2p.m. Enquiries: (tables to let £10) chrissieannbailey@ gmail.com.

Yarcombe Village Market 10-12 noon in The Yarcombe Jubilee Village Hall. Local producers selling Cakes, Plants, Eggs, Honey, Local Meat, Woodwork, Metalwork, Pottery, Gifts and Bric a brac and more….Coffee and cake available. Any enquiries Helen 07858625421

EVENTS AND COURSES

Make Your Mark meditate and create with local artists Jo Burlington and Angela Latham at the peaceful Othona studio near Burton Bradstock. Suitable any level of experience, all materials provided. 9.30am -3.30/4pm. £50. Details and registration please email angelatham21@gmail.com.

10 - 18 June

Great Big Green Week opening gathering and cycle ride on 10th followed by a week of talks, films and walks focused on how we respond to climate change and how we can restore our landscapes, rivers and hedges. In and around Bridport. Details at www.westdorsetfriendsoftheearth.org.uk/Great Big Green Week or contact info@scottstudio.co.uk

11 June

Summer Hardy Plant Society Plant Fair 10 - 3pm at Lower Severalls, Crewkerne, Somerset TA18 7NX.

Abbey Farm Open Garden Come and explore this beautiful garden which provides the glorious historical setting for a Cluniac Medieval Priory gatehouse. All proceeds go towards supporting education and community development projects in Nepal through Axminster-based charity Partners for Progress. 11am - 5pm / Admission £8 (children come free) Free Parking. No Dogs. Cash Only. Abbey Farm, Montacute, Somerset, TA15 6UA Information, please email partnersforprogress@outlook.com.

The Axminster & District Choral Society concert will take place at 7.30pm in the Minster Church, Axminster. The performance will include Opera Choruses and other short works. Tickets: £10 from Archway Books, Axminster or the website, www.axminstershoral. co.uk or members of the choir.

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 9.5 mile strenuous walk. ‘Two moors both ways’. Phone 07812-433184.

Beaminster Festival “As you like it “(Shakespeare) 2-30p.m. at Beaminster Manor by young theatre company Three Inch Fools. Bring a picnic from 1-30p.m. Tickets £16 / £6 under18. www. beaminsterfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 3366. Early evening concert at St. Michael and All Angels Church, Stockland.EX14 9BP at 6pm Gregory Steward. Tickets will cost £12 (free for Children under 16) and will include nibbles. Please book with Wendy on 01404881207. Parking is available in the Village Hall Carpark.EX149EF. Please ring re disabled access.

Organ recital by Christopher Too (organ scholar of Salisbury Cathedral), St Michael’s Parish Church Lyme Regis. 3pm. See www. sworgansociety.org for more information.

Bridport Chamber Orchestra Summer Concert 3 pm.

Classical music concert including a Keyboard Concerto by JC Bach, soloist Duncan Honeybourne; a Trumpet Concerto by Haydn, soloist Stuart Paul; and The Symphony No 41 (the Jupiter) by Mozart. Tea and cakes served after the concert. Tickets £12 from The Book Shop, Bridport and on the door. Under 16s free. St Swithun’s Church, Bridport. Further information: 01935 824786 or guinea@lewars.plus.com.

12 June

West Dorset Flower Club are holding a Workshop entitled “My Favourite Things”. Supply your own materials. This will take place

at the WI Hall in North Street, Bridport at 2.30 pm. visitors £5. For further details please contact the secretary on 01308 456339. Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15pm-9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners. Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians welcome. Tea and biscuits. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information.

13 June

Parkinson’s Lyme Regis District Local Support Group Meeting. We welcome anyone from the Lyme Regis, Axminster, Charmouth or Seaton area living with Parkinson’s to come along and share anecdotes, ideas and wisdom in an informal, friendly environment. Guest speakers, occasional informative events and refreshments for all. 2pm - 3.30pm at the Lyme Regis Powerboat Club, Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis DT7 3LE.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Woodbury Hall, Axminster. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

Scottish Country Dancing at Ashill Village Hall Nr Ilminster TA19 9NE every Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9.30 pm with break for refreshments. Please wear soft, flat , comfy shoes if possible. Pay on the door £3.00 per evening. For further info contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our website at www.Ashillscd.wordpress.com

14 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.30am. 8 mile moderate walk. ‘To the Tarka trail and back’. Phone 01837-880030.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Baptist Church Hall, Lyme Regis. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

West Dorset Ramblers Mapperton, 10:00, 5.5 miles, contact Janet W, 01308 538101.

14 - 15 June

Empire of Light (15) Starring Olivia Colman. Doors open 6.45 film starts 7.15 on Wednesday. Matinee on Thursday doors open 1.45pm film starts 2pm, advance booking required for matinee, cream-teas during the interval but must be pre-booked with your seats @ £3.50. Pre-booked seat tickets @ £5 or £5.50 on the door, booking essential for matinee. Tickets can be pre-booked by email: wattsjohn307@gmail.com or Tel: 01297 639758 see www.kilmingtonvillage.com/other-organisations.html for more information.

15 June

Bridport & District Gardening Club meeting is at 7.30pm at the W I Hall North Street Bridport when Alan Eason will talk about The Importance of Foliage.

Royal Opera House: Il Trovatore (12A) 7.15pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) Mary and Robert Blackborow with their Merry Band will be entertaining us this evening. It’s £4.00 per person which includes a cuppa and

cake, all welcome and it is a lot of fun! at 1930 hrs. Further details from Elaine on 01460 65909.

The Arts Society The Cities of Vesuvius Speaker: Stephen Kershaw Visitors Welcome £7.50 2.00pm for 2.30pm Bridport Town Hall www.taswestdorset.org.uk.

The Wessex Big Band Martock Church; TA12 6JL 7:30pm

Admission fee: Tickets: £12 or £10 at Guardianstickets@gmail.com /07547 213992/Martock Gallery/ Martock Newsagent Website:www.martockonline.co.uk/events; https://wessexbigband. tripod.com/bandHistory.html.

15 - 17 June

Chesil Rocks local festival in aid of the Samaritans. (See page 19) www.chesilrocks.com.

16 June

Lyme Eats Boutique an evening street food market on the sea wall, looking out over the Jurassic coast. 4pm-9pm Gun Cliff Walk w3w: curving.garlic.shed. www.uniqueboutiqueevents.co.uk07970 857696.

Forever Queen A four-piece Queen tribute band based on the South Coast. 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton. co.uk 01404 384050.

A man called Otto at 7.30pm Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX Doors and bar open 7.00 Tickets cost £6, which includes a drink or an ice-cream Jazz Cafe: Mitch Hiller Vocalist Mitch Hiller and pianist Philip Clouts present a wide ranging programme of songs from the jazz greats as well as some music from the likes of Stevie Wonder and the Beatles. Bridport Arts Centre, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NR Tickets £14/12/5, available online at www.bridport-arts.com (Tickets also available by phone or in person at Bridport TIC 01308 424901).

Charmouth Movie Night: A Man Called Otto 19:30 St Andrew’s Community Hall, Charmouth. £6 advance, £7 on the door.

16 - 17 June

The Bridport Beer Festival featuring a wide selection of beers and ciders. There are also plenty of other options such as expertly crafted cocktails, refreshing fruity Pimms, or quality wines. There will be live music, starting on Friday evening with Stylliano, and then onto Saturday where it will be open-mic during the day, followed by Shelby’s Elbows and rock covers supergroup Double D Junior. Friday 6:30pm start. Saturday 11pm end.

17 June

Talent in the Town 10a.m.-4p.m. in Beaminster Public Hall. Exhibition of local skills, hobbies, interests and collections. Free admission.

Bridport Food Festival the main event of Bridport’s Food Fortnight includes a wide range of mouth-watering dishes from an array of local producers and vendors. In addition the festival will provide culinary masterclasses in the cookery theatre and a young cooks kitchen. 9.30 - 5pm Asker Meadows, Bridport. Tickets: Young People (17 or under) free entry. Adult tickets £3.50, if bought in advance or £5 on the day. Tickets available from Bridport TIC. Champions (12A) 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www. beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Beaminster Museum Dorset Finds Liaison Officer Ciorstaidh Hayward Trevarthen is on hand to look at any archaeological finds brought in by the public and metal detector users in particular. Items of special interest, generally those pre-dating 1700, may be recorded on the Portable Antiquities Scheme national database. Ciorstaidh will be at the Museum between 11:00am and 3:00pm, no appointment necessary and entry is free. The Museum also has a Family History stand at Beaminster Festival’s “There is Some Talent

EVENTS AND COURSES

in Town” event in the Public Hall. Drop by between 10:00am and 4:00pm to browse documents and photos from our collection and to find out more about researching your family history tree. Admission free. Beaminster Public Hall, Fleet St, Beaminster DT8 3EF.

Bridport Folk Dance Club Join the Bridport Folk Dancers for a swing and a stomp at the Saturday night Ceilidh in the W.I.Hall, North Street, Bridport from 7.30 to 10.30pm. Musicians and a Caller will lead the dancers so no experience or partners necessary. Any musicians and singers are welcome to join the regular players. Refreshments available. Children welcome. Adults £5.00, Children free. All proceeds to a local charity. Tel 863552 or 459001 for more information.

Hinton St George Fete and Flower Show at St Georges Hall TA17 8SL hintongardenclub@gmail.com Opens at 12.30. Entry Donation; Live music and entertainment; Hog Roast and Refreshments; Fruit, Vegetables and Flowers; Bakery and Craft competitions; Stalls; Raffle; Fun for all; Sorry No Dogs. Fun Quiz with Teresa Grinter, at St Mary’s Church House Hall, South Street, Bridport, 7.30pm. In support of Bridport Millennium Green. Come along with a team of 4 or on your own and help make up a team. Raffle. Chinese Bingo. £6, members £5, to include tea and biscuits. Sue Wilkinson, 01308 425037 for more details. Scottish Dancing Party in Chardstock Evening of Scottish Dancing at Chardstock Village Hall 7.30 - 10.30 p.m. No partner required. Please bring your own mug and a plate of food to share. Tea and coffee provided. Cost £5.00. Contact David on 01460 65981 www.chardscottishdancingclub.org

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 6 mile walk from Bradpole. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 5.5 mile leisurely. ‘Seaside Dream Friday’. Phone 07866-484908.

17 - 18 June

Stained Glass Workshop Puncknowle Village Hall DT2 9BE 9.304.30. Beginners and improvers welcome, all materials and equipment provided £165. Prior booking essential as places limited - more details and booking: www.jackiehunt.co.uk or 07785 512546. About 25 private gardens in Cerne Abbas will be open from 2pm until 6pm. This is the 47th time that this event will take place and, as always, the proceeds will be divided between a cause in the village and another outside; this year the Charles North Charity set up in 1943 to help folk in distress in the village and the Dorchester Food Bank. Entrance to all gardens is by a single ticket which costs £8 for adults and accompanying younger folk under 16 are free. A few gardens are accessible on wheelchairs and most gardens accept well behaved dogs on leads. More information on our website www. cerneabbasopengardens.org.uk.

Wilding Weekend at Hooke Farm 10-30am - 5.30pm Hooke Farm, Hooke, Beaminster, DT8 3NZ. Julia Hailes started her environmental career over 35 years ago and has now transformed the 9 acres around her home into a wildlife haven. “Come and see what we’ve done and see what you can do too!” During the weekend there will be guided tours, talks, exhibitors and stalls with information and advice about wilding, as well as things to buy. The

weekend will support two charities. Ticket sales will be donated to the National Garden Scheme and money raised from food, drink and other sales will be donated to Operation Future Hope, who promote wilding in schools and provide online environmental and ecological training courses for young students. Further information at www.juliahailes.com.

18 June

French/Breton Folk Dance (BalCrewkerne) with live house band, in the Speedwell Hall, Crewkerne, TA18 7HY. Dance workshop for beginners from 6 – 7pm, followed by the main dance 7 – 9.30pm. Admission £4 at the door. No bar, but coffee and tea available. Free parking in the town centre car parks. For more information please go to our website https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne or ring 01460 75576.

Yeovil Railway Centre Yeovil Junction, Stoford BA22 9UU: One of our Steam Train Days. 01935 410420 for recorded information, visit our website www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com, or find us on Facebook.

An Intimate Tribute to Nat King Cole The evening brings together two of the South West’s most renowned and sought after jazz artists. Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis. 8pm £12 advance £14 on the door Tickets available at www.marinetheatre.com.

East Devon Ramblers 10.30am. 7.5 mile leisurely walk. ‘West Dorset coast and Country’. Phone 01395-577891.

19 June

Beaminster Festival 6-30p.m.St. Mary’s Church, Beaminster. Choral Evensong with Exeter Cathedral Choir, followed by a short recital. Director -Timothy Noon. Organist - Alexander FinlaysonBrown. Tickets free but must be booked. TicketSource 0333 666 3366. vwww.beaminsterfestival.com.

West Dorset Ramblers Parnham to North Poorton Section of the Jubilee Trail, 10:00, 9 miles, contact Bridget, 01308 459875 Winsham Art Club 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme of this practical session is Perspective in the Garden. Tutor led 2.5 hr. session. SMembers £5, non-members £7. Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : elfridevaughan@gmail.com.

Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15-9.30pm. All Welcome, especially beginners. Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians welcome. Refreshments. Tel:863552 or 459001 for details.

20 June

Shute Festival 7-8:30 pm St Michael’s Church Shute: Cyclist and ecologist Kate Rawles on her new book The Life Cycle, 6000 miles across South America by bamboo bicycle. Tickets £8 via www. shutefest.org.uk.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Woodbury Hall, Axminster. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797.

Turn Lyme Green Talk “Decarbonisation- How can we respond positively to harmful emissions creating global warming - A personal journey” CO2 emissions are overheating our world. Peter

Dunsby

EVENTS AND COURSES June

will explore what we need to do to stop this ASAP. 7.30pm at the Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY Free Event. Refreshments available. Contact www.turnlymegreen.co.uk or 10297 446066

Scottish Country Dancing at Ashill Village Hall Nr Ilminster TA19 9NE every Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9.30 pm with break for refreshments. Please wear soft, flat , comfy shoes if possible. Pay on the door £3.00 per evening. For further info contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@gmail.com or visit our website at www.Ashillscd.wordpress.com

21 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 10 mile strenuous walk. Northern Quantocks. Phone 01395-516897.

Colyton & District Garden Society talk on ‘The Scented Garden’ by Jeremy Wilson, from Strete Gate Nursery. Colyford Memorial Hall, at 7.30pm. Members free, guests £3. Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Baptist Church Hall, Lyme Regis. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

Coffee Morning including cakes, scones & pastries, and bacon/ egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769)

22 June

Bridport Millennium Green AGM at Bridport WI Hall, North Street. 7pm for the Trust and approx 7.30pm for the Friends. Come along and meet the Trustees and find out about future plans for the garden, green and hill. All welcome, complementary refreshments. Contact Sandra Brown, 01308 423078 for more details.

National Theatre Live: Fleabag (15). 7pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

23 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 5 mile leisurely walk. ‘Coffee at the Quay’. Phone 01392-439122.

Feelgood Fantasia An evening of powerful live music. 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Midsummer Evening Concert 7-9pm in St Mary’s Church, South Perrott. Tickets £7 including refreshments. Parking available in South Perrott Village Hall. Contact: Ann on 01935 891224 or email: sue.coutanche@btinternet.com.

Flying Folk Jemima Farey presents a wonderful evening of folk music with a mix of traditional folk and original songs. Concert starts 19:30, bar available. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £12 (free to under 12s. Students £5). To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

24 June

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Upper Sydling. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

Open Gardens, Scarecrow Trail & Garage Sales In Winsham TA20 4JN 10.30am to 5.30pm. Fourteen (approx) gardens will be open. Refreshments will be available at several of the gardens as well

as the Bell Inn and some gardens will also have plants for sale. The Church will be open and for a nominal fee you’ll be able to climb the tower and view Winsham from on high. Tickets are £5 (cash only) available from the village shop in advance or from the free car park on the day. Sorry wheelchair access is very limited and no dogs (accept assistance dogs) prams or pushchairs are permitted in the gardens. Tickets will come with a catalogue & map to help you find your way round. For details please contact Debbie 07808 505357. Forde Abbey Concert Society BBC Young Musician Finalists Performance. The two prize-winners from the String Final of the 2022 BBC Young Musician of the Year competition, Aki Blendis and Jaren Ziegler will play Mozart’s Sinfonia Concertante for violin and viola. In a chamber version of this wonderful piece the two young soloists will be accompanied by former members of the Schubert Ensemble alongside the Schubert Ensemble ‘next generation’. The programme will also include music by Elgar and Mendelssohn. With a combination of seasoned professionals and the talented younger generation it will be a celebration of family chamber music and a chance to hear two of the brightest emerging stars. Concert starts at 7.30pm. Tickets £22.00. The Bar will be open from 6.30pm and drinks will also be available during the interval.

Bond On The Rocks A 9 piece band that will shake and stir you through the music of James Bond. 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Chard Royal Naval Association 12 members and families of the branch will be enjoying a day out when they visit ‘Dorset Falconry Park’. Further information on the branch can be obtained by viewing their face book site or via the main Royal Naval Association website www.royal-naval-association.co.uk

Tara Minton Jazz Supper An evening of music and food with harpist and singer Tara Martin, with guest saxophonist Emma Rawicz, to celebrate the life of the “queen of the jazz harp”, Dorothy Ashby. 7.00pm, The Gateway Theatre, Fore Street, Seaton EX12 2LD. More: www.jazzjurassica.co.uk.

Dean Carter Live album launch for Songs Without Words Vol II 2pm The Beat & Track Record Store, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN Free event.

25 June

Shute Festival 2-5 pm from Shute Gate House EX13 7QW: Walk amongst ancient trees (including the 800 year King John Oak) with tree expert Jill Butler. Tickets £15 via www.shutefest.org.uk. East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 4.5 mile leisurely walk. Exmouth Blue Plaque heritage trail. Phone 01395-266668.

Vehicle Extravaganza 10am - 4pm A display of local vehicles of all varieties on show. To enter your vehicle please contact axminstercve@hotmail.com. Entry by donation proceeds to fund Axminster Carnival. The Showground, Trafalgar Way, Axminster.

Beaminster Festival 7-30p.m. St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster. Braimah Kanneh-Mason (violin) Junyan Chen (piano ) Music by Beethoven,Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Brahms. Tickets £22 reserved, Age 8-25 Free. www.beaminsterfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Dalwood Jazz Club 8pm Pete Allen’s Jazz Band Dalwood Village Hall EX13 7EG (near Axminster) Bar for beer/wine/soft drinks and teas/ coffees etc. Parking at the Village Hall. £12.50p If possible, please book in advance and pay at the door. info: t.mackenney111@btinternet.com 07999 553477.

Divine Union Soundbath 2pm crystal and Tibetan bowls + vocal overtoning@ Quieten the mind, calm the emotions relax and detox the body. Oborne Village Hall, Dorset DT9 4LA £15 Please book in advance via 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

Modern Jive Tea Dance - 2-5pm, St Mary’s Church Hall Bridport, DT6 3NN - All Modern Jive Dancers welcome - £7 includes refreshments www. dynamic-dance.uk

26 June

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster. 11-30a.m. Hathor Duo (Meera Maharaj / Lucy Nolan -flute / harp). Tickets £12 / under 25 free. 2-30p.m. Sue Stuart-Smith, author of “The Well Gardened Mind” in conversation with Simon Tiffin. Tickets £12 / £2 under 18 7-30p.m. Choir of Clare College ,Cambridge “Sumer is icumen in “ Tickets £22 reserved / £2 under 18 www.beaminsterfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 3366. Winsham Art Club, 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme of this practical session is Garden Ornaments in Clay. It is a tutor led 2.5 hr. session. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, nonmembers £7. Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : elfridevaughan@gmail.com for further details.

Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15-9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners. Ruth Thompson and Chris Edmunds will be calling and providing live music. No experience or partner required. Refreshments. Tel; 863552 or 459001 for details.

27 June

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster. 11-30a.m. Richard Gowers (organ ).Music by Demessieux,Vaughan Williams, J.S.Bach, Mason and Sowerby. Tickets £12 / £2 under18. 2-30p.m. Stephen Moss, naturalist and author of “Ten birds that changed the world”. Tickets £12 7-30p.m. Timothy Ridout (viola ) and Jonathan Ware (piano). Music by Clara and Robert Schumann and Franck. Tickets £22 reserved / under 25 free www. beaminsterfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 33.

Scottish Country Dancing at Ashill Village Hall Nr Ilminster TA19 9NE every Tuesday evening 7.30 to 9.30 pm with break for refreshments. Please wear soft, flat, comfy shoes if possible. Pay on the door £3.00 per evening. For further info contact Anita on 01460 929383, email anitaandjim22@ gmail.com or visit our website at www.Ashillscd.wordpress.com.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Woodbury Hall, Axminster. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail.com or ring 07929 925 797

28 June

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am 11 mile strenuous walk. ‘Grizzly meets Passaford’. Phone 01395-266668.

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society talk ‘Edible Flowers and Leaves’ by Sian Davis of Incredible Edible Flowers. Uplyme Village Hall

DT7 3UY 7.30pm. Refreshments from 7pm. Members free, non-members £3. More information www.ulrhs.wordpress.com.

Tai Chi Classes for beginners. 10.00am. at the Baptist Church Hall, Lyme Regis. Cost £8. For more information email Marie: mariecarty8@gmail. com or ring 07929 925 797.

Coffee Concert with The East Devon Daytime Band 10.30am. St. Peter’s Church, Dalwood EX13 7EG, near Axminster. Free entry, coffee/ biscuits. Very friendly and informal atmosphere. Retiring collection for local charity - Shelter Box info: t.mackenney111@btinternet.com.

Forde Abbey 10k + Junior Race Set in the heart of West Dorset, the Forde Abbey 10k Cross Country race rolls through woodlands, meadows,

EVENTS AND COURSES

and rivers on the stunning Forde Abbey Estate. The 10km route includes mud, rocky tracks, hills, big views, more hills and two river crossings near to the end, after some more hills. Few races routes rival this for spectacular rural scenery. What better way is there to spend a summer evening? Prizes for 1st, and 2nd Male and Female. Category prizes for Senior Male, M40, M50 and M60, and Senior Female, F35, F45 and F55. Medals planned for all runners. Any surplus after costs are covered will be donated to charity 7:00 Pm - 8:00 Pm. Registration before the event is compulsory. To register visit https://www.fordeabbey.co.uk/event/forde-abbey-10k-juniorrace/

Bridport Scottish Dancers invite you to an evening of dancing at 7.30 at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. The programme will be lead by Liz Beckinsale, a qualified RSCDS teacher. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. Our regular dancing evenings will recommence on Wednesday 13th September. First evening free, thereafter £2.00, which includes soft drinks, tea, coffee and biscuits. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster.

11-30a.m. Ethan Loch (piano) . Finalist in BBC Young Musician competition. Music by Bach, Debussy and Chopin . Tickets £12 / £2 under 18. 7-30p.m. Sacconi String Quartet and Morgan Szymanski (guitar). Music by Vivaldi, Haydn , Piazzolla, Boccherini. Tickets £22/ under 25 free. www.beaminsterfestival.com

TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

29 June

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster.

11-30a.m.Ryan Corbett (classical accordion).Music from Bach to Albeniz. Tickets £12 / £2 under 18. 2-30p.m. Tom Fort, author of “Rivets, trivets and galvanised buckets”. Tickets £12 / £2 under18

7-30p.m. Yuanfan Yang (piano). Music by Mozart, Faure, Liszt, Debussy and improvisations. Tickets £22 /£2 under18. www. beaminsterfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) Caller Jane Thomas and band Jeroka will be livening up the evening. It’s £4.00 per person which includes a cuppa and cake, all welcome and it is a lot of fun! at 1930 hrs. Further details from Elaine on 01460 65909.

Nostalgic Cinema: The African Queen (PG) Kindly sponsored by Home Instead. Dementia Friendly Cinemas have proven to be very therapeutic for people with memory problems and their families. The show has subtitles to assist full enjoyment of the film by any members of the audience who are hard of hearing. 2pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

West Dorset Ramblers Chardown & Hardown, 10:00, 7 miles, contact Heather, 07798 732252

30 June

Salisbury Cathedral girls choir sing Evensong at St Michael’s Parish Church, Lyme Regis. 5.30pm See www.lyme-parishchurch.org for more information.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry (PG) 2pm showing with new ticket offer- optional lunch. 2pm & 7.30pm The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

East Devon Ramblers 10.00am. 5 mile moderate walk. ‘No dillydallying in Dalwood. Phone 01297-552860.

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster.

11-30a.m. Faith i Branko Quartet - Serbian Roma jazz. Branko Ristic (violin), Faith Ristic (accordion ) with tabor pipe, double bass and guitar. Tickets £12 /under 25 free. 7-30p.m. Dominic Alldis and friends on guitar, double bass and saxophone. An evening of jazz and cabaret. Tickets £22 /under 25 free. www.beaminsterfestival. com TicketSource 0333 666 3366.

30 June - 2 July

Flower Festival Dalwood Church, EX13 7EQ, 10am -5pm Daily. This year’s theme is ‘Nursery Rhymes.’ Flowers and raffle in church. Light Refreshments, art and craft display in adjacent village hall. Thanksgiving Gospel Service led by the Kroft Originals and Old Peculiars on Sunday, 2nd July at 6pm. Entry is free but donations will be shared between Dalwood church and the Community Waffle House in Axminster. Stunning Flowers in a delightful setting. Both sites are accessible. For more call 01404881313.

Hilary and Michael Pritchard are opening their one and a half acre garden for the National Garden Scheme and Axminster Hospital League of Friends. There will be a fretwork stall with beautiful wooden goods, occasional live music and a large plant stall well stocked with interesting plants. Socks Orchard, Smallridge, Axminster EX13 7JN (2 miles from Axminster. From Axminster on A358, left at Weycroft Mill traffic lights. Pass Ridgeway Hotel on left. Continue on lane for half mile. Park in field opposite. 1-5 pm. Admission £5 children free Dogs welcome on leads Wheelchair access for most of garden

1 July

Salisbury Cathedral girls choir Concert, St Michael’s Parish Church, Lyme Regies. 11am. See www.lymeregis-parishchurch.org for more information.

Cerne Abbas Village Fete Annual event run by St Mary’s Church and Friends of Cerne Abbas School. A traditional Dorset village fete. 1.30 pm to 4.30 pm. The Vicarage, Back Lane, Cerne Abbas, Contact: Roy Burnham roy@burnham.uk.com

Beaminster Festival St.Mary’s Church, Beaminster. 2-30p.m. Alison Weir , author of “ Henry VIII The Heart and the Crown”. Tickets £12 / £2 under 18. 8-00p.m. at Beaminster School. “Zoots” Sounds of the 60s and 70s. Tickets £18 /£8 under 18. www.beaminstfestival.com TicketSource 0333 666 3366. Quiz & Supper £10 per person; come in a team, or join one on the night. Licenced bar; raffle. 7pm; Clapton & Wayford Village Hall.. Please book early on 01460 74849 or 01460 72769.

The Elton John Experience 7.30 Chapel in the Garden, Bridport. We can’t all be at Glastonbury on June 25th to see Elton John’s last concert. So the Chapel in the Garden is bringing Mark Stewart with his “Elton John Experience” to play a week later on Saturday 1st July. This concert will raise funds for the Chapel, and after a wonderful evening, will we all be “Still Standing” as we boogie on down to his rip-roaring encore of “Crocodile Rock”. Tickets £12.00 from the Tourist Information Centre in Bridport 01308 424901 or the Chapel itself 07566 751752. The concert will begin at 7.30 with doors and bar open from 6.30.

Ten years supporting Samaritans—Chesil Rocks again

16th June will feature concert pianist Duncan Honeybourne, a performance by the Dorset String Quartet and opera from internationally celebrated tenor John Hudson. All those attending will be provided with a free glass of Prosecco or soft drink on arrival, and a light supper during the interval. Magician Chris Howat will be mingling and interacting with the audience throughout the evening.

CHESIL Rocks is taking place between 15th and 17th June this year—the event’s 10th Anniversary—with all proceeds again going to the Dorset branch of Samaritans based in Weymouth. Organisers are working hard to make this their best and most enjoyable event ever, to give local Samaritans the financial security they need and enable them to focus on what they do best.

The first event of the weekend will be a Comedy Night on Thursday 15th June, compered by Tom Glover, and featuring comedians Dan Evans, Burt Williamson and Tom Deacon. This event is suitable for adults only and sponsors, Dorset Wood Fired Pizza, will provide all those attending with a free pizza during the interval.

The Prelude event of classical music and opera on Friday

The main event on Saturday 17th June will feature an array of outstanding musical acts including the Bridport Big Band, festival favourite Nick Parker and the False Alarms, a superb Bob Dylan and the Band tribute act named the Million Dollar Bash, the band Hustle and a DJ set from EDM star Sarah de Warren. The outstanding Jess Upton and the Guilty Pleasures will also be there and Great Gig in the Sky, a group of renowned local musicians who are reforming just for the event, will perform Pink Floyd’s iconic Dark Side of the Moon in its 50th Anniversary year. Expect all of the sounds, vocals, lighting and effects to make this a memorable finale. Magician Chris Howat will be mingling and interacting with the audience again throughout the day.

Organisers are extremely grateful to their sponsors, in particular to RiskStop Group Limited, 3SC Scaffolding, Dorset Wood Fired Pizza, a mystery sponsor, farmer Robert Mayo and to all our volunteers and helpers who make this event possible.

For more information and to book tickets visit www. chesilrocks.com

LYME REGIS River group calls for investment

The River Lim Action group are calling for action after latest data from the Environment Agency on sewage spills in 2022 showed that discharges into the River Lim in Lyme Regis more than tripled over the previous year. Graham Roberts, retired freshwater ecologist who lives in Lyme Regis, said: ‘This is both a local and a national scandal. Governments, water companies and regulators need to step up. It is urgent that these issues are sorted before it is too late and our rivers are beyond ecological recovery.’ The group called for priority investment into the Uplyme Sewage Treatment Works and Lyme Regis drainage and pumping system and urged people to write to their local MP to look into it.

LYME REGIS Campaign for bathing beach

Campaigners in Lyme Regis have launched the process to get Church Cliff Beach redesignated as a bathing beach. Church Beach was de-designated in 2016 after Lyme Regis Town Council raised concerns about poor water quality. The Government department responsible for bathing water designation carried out a survey and found low water use, although a public consultation revealed an overwhelming majority opposed to dedesignation. ‘Church Cliff Beach was well used last summer. It’s a beautiful, small beach. It’s an oasis of calm away from the crowds in the summer’ said Beverley Glock of the local Blue Tits group.

BROADWINDSOR Portraits of locals

WEST BAY Cyclists ride for Air Ambulance

Portraits of three regular customers now take pride of place next to the bar in The White Lion at Broadwindsor.

Villager Sasha Slater, 20, drew them as a tribute to Chris Sewell, John Eggleton and Tony Hawkins. The three men used to sit in the space known affectionately as ‘Compost Corner’ before The White Lion was refurbished a year ago. They now use a round table nearby. ‘I love using art to show the community of Broadwindsor how grateful I am to be a part of it’ said Sasha.

Around 350 cyclists arrived in West Bay recently raising vital funds to help critically ill or injured patients. They were taking part in the annual Coast to Coast cycle challenge organised by Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. One rider, local man Dave Richards, was particularly pleased to complete the ride from Watchet. Dave suffered horrific injuries, losing an eye, shattering all his ribs and, if it were not for surgeon’s skills, he would have lost his left arm too. He has had many operations to enable him to get back in the saddle again. ‘The accident changed my life but, thanks to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance I got to hospital,’ said Dave.

PORTLAND Protest against barge plan

Around 100 protesters from the campaign group Stand up to Racism protested against what they called the ‘inhumane’ plan to house refugees on a barge in Portland. Although the Home Office has stated that the barge would ‘offer better value for the British taxpayer than expensive hotels’ the group’s joint-chair Lynne Hubbard said they see it as a prison barge originally designed for 222 people that was now to house 500. A government statement said the barge would ‘provide basic and functional accommodation, and healthcare provision, catering facilities’ and that ‘24/7 security will be in place on board, to minimise the disruption to local communities.’

Nature Studies

By Michael McCarthy

One of the things I miss most about nature today, compared to my childhood more than half a century ago, is the phenomenon of abundance. In the 1950s and 1960s there was teeming wildlife all around us, there was just much more of everything, especially birds. Last month the British Trust for Ornithology put figures on this development which are remarkable: they calculated that we now have 73 million fewer birds in Britain than we did in 1970. No longer does every country churchyard hold a pair of spotted flycatchers; and no longer, for that matter, is every buddleia bush covered in butterflies. When I was a boy there were clouds of moths and other insects which bespattered car windscreens on summer nights: they have long gone. There seemed to be hares in every field, there were meadows bristling with grasshoppers—these are sights which I never seem to see anymore.

Abundance gives a thrilling sense of the richness of the natural world in its unspoiled state, and I think many people of my generation feel its loss. But since coming to Dorset I have encountered it again, where I never expected to find it: in the spring wild flowers. Take primroses. In the part of the world where I grew up, the Wirral, primroses are as rare as hen’s teeth; a patch of them (and I found a few) is to be treasured. But there are parts of Dorset where primrose profusion is quite astonishing. From February to May the lemon-yellow flowers wallpaper the vertical green banks of the three lanes leading up and out of our village; I think I would almost pay to see it, and they are there on the doorstep. Celandines offer similar spectacles. They are not quite the primrose equivalent in terms of elegance, and they close their petals when the sun goes in, but there is a lane at the bottom of one of the adjoining hills where, to echo Wordsworth on daffodils, you can see ten thousand at a glance; the sight is breathtaking.

So is the sight of the ramsons, the wild garlic, covering woodland floors in white, and often doing the same for roadside verges: if in early May you take the road up from Milton Abbas to the top of Bulbarrow, what must be millions of the flowers line the whole route as if it has been decorated for a procession. And

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

the bluebells, of course, cap it all—in the woodlands an incredible swirling intense lilac at the foot of the trees which is almost hallucinatory.

To my delight all this is readily visible in many places, although there is one spring flower spectacle I have had to work harder to find in Dorset, and that is wood anemones. I love them for their very individual beauty, the white flower-stars scattered over the background of their dark green leaves as if across the night sky. But I have seen none near at hand. There is a major bluebell wood less than a mile due west of us, and another just over a mile to the south-east, and if you climb the hill above the village you pass through sheets of cowslips interspersed with groups of early purple orchids to find a copse at the top where the bluebells are like blue smoke under the beech trees, in a sight so stunning as to be almost indescribable; but in these woodlands, of Anemone nemorosa there is no sign. However I have looked hard, and eventually found my white stars in a wood ten miles to the east, as you can see from Robin Mills’ photo.

All these displays are so striking because they combine the beauty of the individual blooms with an overwhelming sense of plenty, of prospering, that feeling which elsewhere in nature has been lost; and there is another sort of wild flower abundance which offers this in Dorset, that of the mixture. One lovely morning this spring I was shown a lane on a hillside north of Bridport where the side bank held not only primroses and celandines and wild garlic and bluebells, all together, but also dusky-pink red campions, and the white buttons of greater stitchwort, while over it all fluttered orange-tip butterflies. It seemed like perfection, and I gave thanks to the Good Lord for it; it seemed to have everything you could wish for, in an exhibition of spring wild flowers (except, of course, for the wood anemones; you tend to need a wood for them.)

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

Harder to find than the bluebells: anemones in a Dorset woodland.

Photo: Robin Mills

The Orchid Outlaw

On a journey of discovery with wild orchids as his guide, Ben Jacob has scaled steel fences, battled with corrupt police in foreign lands and embarked on a guerilla-planting initiative to save a flower revered in the world of nature. He tells Fergus Byrne about his journey.

The irony of the names given to new housing developments is not lost on Ben Jacob ‘the Orchid Outlaw’. For him, names such as Cherry Tree Vista, The Elms or West Orchard simply highlight the decimation of natural environment that has taken place to make way for new development.

Obsessed by orchids since childhood Ben spent years travelling to exotic places to see them in the wild. He has seen orchids the size of a Volkswagen Beetle as well as those so tiny their flowers are only half a millimetre across. However, it is closer to home in British building sites that he finds himself scouring the earth to save species that are destined for a sudden messy demise. Crushing wild flowers with two tonne machines is not illegal he says, but saving them may put him in jail.

Orchids flower at different times of year, so like many other flowers and plants they may not be obvious to a survey done during their dormant period. In the first chapter of his book, The Orchid Outlaw: On a Mission to Save Britain’s Rarest Flowers, Ben points out that land set for development, where he can often be found during the early pre-dawn light trying to save orchids from rampant diggers, may have many species that are inconspicuous before they flower. An environmental survey done before their flowering period for example, could easily miss them; which is why the opening of his book sees him scaling steel fences with signs advising that “Trespassers will be prosecuted”.

His heart in his mouth and a clod of earth in his hand he thinks about the action he takes to protect a future that he believes is often overlooked by the whims of policy makers. “It is about life, our place on this planet and the duty we all have to protect it” he writes. Squeezing through a gap between a hedge and the steel fence he looks back knowing that the tiny orchids that he has liberated may be the last in a line that graced this plot of land for centuries.

But the challenges faced by people like Ben come from the laws of the land as much as from climate issues and rampant development. Asked about the difficulties faced by nature activists Ben said: ‘The law is increasingly being

tightened to penalise, let alone discourage, activists from exercising their right to protest about incredibly important matters—matters which are going to significantly impact future generations.’ He believes many of these laws prevent meaningful change and says: ‘The values they protect often belong to a different era; the world has changed, the laws need updating and our values and habits need changing too.’

He also points to the political and media reporting of eco activists and how depictions of them can turn public perception against them and their causes. ‘In some media outlets, activists are cast as villains, “crusties”, “self-serving individuals” working in opposition to the law-abiding public who are trying to earn an honest wage. These depictions ignore the fact that activists are the public, what they are protesting about will increasingly affect everyone, and everyone’s ability to earn a wage is increasingly dependent on making the kind of changes which nature activists support. In many cases they are risking a great deal for taking a moral stand—this is not “self-serving”’.

A University lecturer by day and an ecologist by night, Ben’s fascination with orchids has seen him survive some pretty hairy moments. On a trip to Caracas he was mugged by local police ending up in hospital. When he returned to his apartment all of his belongings, and most importantly his notes and photographs from his orchid research, were gone. This was the experience that led him back to England where he thought he might be safer. Once home, a bad fall and subsequent back injury gave him time to read up on orchids. He shares their science and history liberally in his book. But what he shares more widely may never be credited. For many years Ben has been planting orchids in locations where they have a better chance of survival. He has spent long hours with petri dishes trying to grow a new orchid generation, while guerrilla-planting tubers and trawling planning applications from a two-up-two-down terrace house with a tiny back yard. As he puts it in his book “doing what well-funded national institutions were seemingly not.”

Ben Jacob is not the only and certainly not the first

‘orchid outlaw’. In his book he tells the story of how a Sawfly (Ophrys tenthredinifera) a “stumpy Mediterranean species” once appeared above Dorset’s coastal cliffs. How had it got there? Was seed blown in on a breeze or had it been accidentally delivered by a migrant bird? Or could it have been planted by local ‘orchidophile’ the internationally acclaimed writer and Lyme Regis resident John Fowles? Once in an interview Fowles is said to have admitted that he once found himself in hospital after a stroke repeating the word tenthredinifera over and over?

While Ben’s passion for orchids may match the enthusiasm of many of those that in the past have given up their lives to the research and protection of the species, he is very aware that environmental policy and biodiversity issues need decision-makers promoting forward-thinking agendas. ‘The environment underpins everything—our societies, jobs, economics, food security—everything’ says Ben. ‘Continuing on this path with our increasing human population and consumerist habits is simply not sustainable.’

He says the result is likely to be catastrophic and prevaricating while waiting for a technological solution is no excuse. ‘We have all the answers and technology we need right now and they can lead to economic growth, jobs, social, health and food security. What policy-makers should realise it that saving biodiversity and the environment for the future is a win-win situation—and they should realise, as everyone should, the profound value in saving our planet for future generations.’

While he is keen to raise awareness of the issue around biodiversity he is also mindful of the ‘eco fatigue’ that creeps into the climate debate. We have to reinforce the fact that we can all make a difference he says. ‘When I set out to save orchids in the dead of night, trespassing on development sites and breaking the law to salvage rare species, I didn’t realise how satisfying saving those plants would be. It’s more than satisfying; it’s profoundly meaningful.’ He knows he is making a difference in a way that shopping or watching TV or grumbling about the situation at home is not. ‘I think that’s something which we

all should be able to do; to say to future generations, I did what I could to help. Saving nature for the future is time well spent. In that way we can all make a difference and feel less helpless.’

Around the corner from “ragged groups of students, souped-up hatchbacks and hungry revellers” queuing up outside kebab shops, Ben turns into a park and furtively replants orchids. He describes how crowds bustle past places that he has planted those salvaged or grown. They cling to their phones, distracted by screens of information and he wonders if any of them might even be learning about orchids.

Today his terraced house has grown too small for his orchid laboratory and he has moved to a larger home with a small shed that was once used for chickens. ‘In some ways The Orchid Outlaw is about a journey of discovery with wild orchids as my guide’ he says. ‘By retelling that story I hope to share what I have learned with others so that they might gain the insight I did from these wonderful, fascinating plants. If this book leads others to have a greater appreciation for our natural heritage and its importance to us all, that would be very rewarding. As for my orchid journey, I’m still on it. I think they still have much to teach me. I’ll keep reintroducing wild orchids where I can—the chicken shed lab, by the way, is under construction... hopefully it’ll be completed by prime orchid seed-sowing season later in the year.’

The Orchid Outlaw by Ben Jacob is published by John Murray (£20.00).

Vegetables in June

By Ashley Wheeler

It has been a difficult Spring this year for vegetable growers, and at the time of writing (middle of May) it looks as though things may be beginning to improve (at least for the moment).

It has been wet since March and the soil has remained relatively cold—perfect conditions for slugs, and not the greatest conditions for getting the soil prepared for new plantings, or for new plantings to flourish. We have found that our no dig beds have been invaluable this year, and we have in fact been able to prepare all beds for planting by not cultivating but instead, mowing down old crops and weeds and then covering with light excluding black silage plastic.

Through spring it takes somewhere between two and four weeks for beds to be ready to plant using this technique—it depends on how weedy the bed was and which crops were previously planted in it. Some perennial weeds like docks or creeping thistle will not be killed off, but these can be dug up once the plastic has been removed. Annual meadow grass also takes a bit longer to kill off than most other annual weeds. If the beds had living roots in the soil through the winter they have generally kept in really good health by maintaining a good level of biological activity in the soil, as the plant roots give out exudates which feed the soil life.

We have personally found that keeping plants in the soil for as long as possible and covering the soil as much as possible through the winter with living plants has led to a soil that drains far better and has a much-improved structure compared to just mulching with compost. The abundancy of soil life is far greater too—which explains the improvements in drainage.

The combination of maximizing soil coverage with living plants and then not cultivating has greatly improved our soil, and we can now easily plant crops through the spring without the stress of waiting for small windows of opportunity for the soil to dry out enough to cultivate. If the soil is too wet when it is cultivated it can cause damage to the structure which then causes issues with drainage and in turn problems for plant roots to access nutrients. This means that plants then struggle to grow and cannot provide those essential exudates that they give out through their roots to soil dwellers, which in turn leads to less biologically active soils and therefore less soil aggregation (which helps to build good soil structure) and less availability of nutrients for plants to take up through their roots.

Growing and farming methods that rely on repeated cultivation and chemicals to provide the nutrients for plants to survive, end up in a vicious cycle of soil life being killed off, which although initially may result in a flush of nutrients being made available to plants, longer term results in a depletion of plant available nutrients. Plants then rely on chemical based fertilisers which only perpetuates the problems as they do not form the associations with life in the soil. The growing system becomes unbalanced, plants

are more susceptible to pest and disease damage and they then rely on chemical pesticides and fungicides to stay alive, as they do not have the ability to fight off attacks from pathogens and insects.

June can be a great month for a veg grower as the garden starts to produce from the sowings made earlier in the year. This also means that some crops will be coming to an end soon, so it’s good to make sure that you have other crops ready to plant when space comes available. Have a look at the list below for other things to sow and plant this month.

WHAT TO SOW THIS MONTH: purple sprouting broccoli & January King type winter cabbage (early this month), french beans, chard, beetroot, chard, carrots, basil, late cucumbers, kale, fennel, salad leaves—summer purslane, buckshorn plantain, salad burnet, lettuce, chicory (Treviso and Palla Rossa varieties early in the month, other varieties later), endive, mustards and rocket (mesh to keep flea beetle off), goosefoot, anise hyssop, amaranth, orache, nasturtiums.

WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH:

OUTSIDE: Dwarf french beans, beetroot, squash and corn (if not already done), lettuce and salads, squash, runner beans, kale, chard, autumn cabbage, broccoli, leeks, celeriac

INSIDE: climbing french beans, cucumbers, basil, saladsgoosefoot, summer purslane

OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS THIS MONTH: Undersow squash with a mix of red and white clovers, yellow trefoil, and other cornfield wildflowers—this will help to fix nitrogen, but more importantly cover the soil and provide organic matter and living roots for soil organisms to benefit from.

A good month to sow beetroot

Open Farm Sunday a treat in June

LEAF Open Farm Sunday, 11th June 2023 is farming’s annual open day giving visitors the oppor tunity to learn more about farming and the countryside, and farmers the chance to talk about what they’re so proud of: British food and farming!

There are many farms participating across the country including Coppet Hill outside Bridport. Visitors of all ages will have the opportunity to learn more about farming and the countryside. A full programme of informative and fun activities has been organised and a picnic area with local food and drink refreshments is available. Coppet Hill is located at Denhay Farm Broadoak DT6 5NW and will be open from 10am - 4pm.

Also on June 11th there will be a farm tour of The Old Ways at Symondsbury Estate between 11:00 and 13:00 starting from Manor Yard, outside Symondsbury Kitchen/Cafe.

The tour will introduce the concepts of Regenerative Farming with poultry and pigs on a small scale, showing how producers can add value on the processing, sales and marketing side as well as the importance of animal husbandry, ecology and conservation.

Visitors should wear sturdy footwear and be able to walk and stand outside for two hours. The Old Ways is a regenerative farming initiative run by new entrant Alasdair McNab in collaboration with Symondsbury Estate. All produce is sold directly to wholesale and B2C. For more information email alasdair@theoldways.farm.

June in the Garden

By Russell Jordan

If the garden in May was fresh and thrusting, in June there is a bit more stature about it, foliage has toughened up and had its youthful glow dulled by exposure to the vagaries of the UK climate. As with so much about gardening in this country, what the weather has done, and is doing, has a large bearing on what the garden is looking like. Last year it was very dry, in early spring, which meant that some plants were already suffering by this point. As I write this, we’ve not had any exceptionally hot or dry spells, I may have spoken too soon, and the garden is very much ‘steady as she goes’.

Wind is one aspect of the weather, unlike the more subtle rain or shine, that can destroy a garden in a matter of minutes. Strong winds and summer storms have the ability to beat down and blow over plants which are now in full leaf and at their most susceptible. There is a good reason why most plants lose their leaves during the winter months; a shrub or tree in full leaf is at much greater risk of losing limbs, or being blown over—it’s just physics.

You may not be able to stake a mature tree, or large shrub, but it is worth checking that any plants that need support, be it with pea-sticks or canes and string, are catered for. Climbers and wall trained specimens should be checked over and any ties that have failed, or were missed, last time they were pruned / tied-in, need to be replaced before the climber in question can peel itself off the structure its attached to.

I remember having to do an emergency intervention on a Fremontodendron californicum that was trying to detach itself from a trellis, on the front of a large house in Hartley Wintney. The task was completely torturous thanks to the nasty, irritating, little hairs that it is covered in and which are shed on contact. Having said that, Fremontodendrons are one of those useful wall trained climbers that are seldom seen these days and are definitely worth considering, despite their irritant potential.

Back at ground level; some tall-growing border perennials are notoriously brittle, delphiniums are a case in point, and trying to rein them in whilst in full sail is a thankless task. Your best bet is to keep some pea-sticks in reserve and these can be shoved in, against the clumps of foliage, for emergency shoring up. Canes and string will do the job but it’s really fiddly trying to get in amongst the stems in a way in which won’t show.

I have a particular aversion to those wire stakes, covered in green plastic, which are meant to link together around wayward perennials. They never seem to provide the support where it’s needed and always stop ‘holding hands’ just at the

point when the plant is threatening to collapse. They also have a nasty habit of getting in the way of your secateurs, with blade blunting consequences, during the autumn cut back... or getting left on the lawn where, thanks to their green disguise, they can lurk, unseen, waiting to cause havoc to your lawnmower!

As mentioned last month; cutting out the flowered stems on mature shrubs, which have finished flowering, is a task that needs to continue as the summer progresses. Cutting out the oldest stems helps to keep the shrub vigorous, rejuvenated, so that it continues to earn its keep in the garden as the years go by. It’s much better to keep removing the oldest stems, as they exhaust themselves, than to let the shrub just get bigger and bigger, more and more congested, until your only option is complete removal or an unsightly ‘cut to the ground’ rejuvenation.

Shrubs are not the only garden plants that benefit from having their spent flowers removed. Unless the plant is grown for it’s ornamental fruits or seed-pods, such as hips on some specific roses, like Rosa moyesii ‘Geranium’, then pruning off the flowers once they’ve faded is good practise. Many early flowering herbaceous perennials will have a second flush of flowers if the plant is cut back after first flowering. Incorporating a gentle feed, something like ‘fish, blood and bone’ tickled in around the plant, will help the plant to bounce back for a repeat show in a few weeks time.

Now that tender perennials and bedding plants have been outside for a while they are prime candidates for deadheading and, in fact, will require diligent old flower removal for the whole of the summer if they are not to ‘run out of steam’. Similarly, they will benefit from liquid feeding at every other watering, following the label instructions on your favoured plant food, as continually producing blooms over a long period is a big ask for any plant.

Garden pests can get out of hand this month because they have plenty of lush new foliage to devour and the warmer summer temperatures maximise their breeding potential. Regular checking and removal, by whatever method you favour, is the order of the day. Before using chemicals remember that these can upset the delicate balance between the plant pests and their natural predators so using them may actually result in worse infestations a few weeks down the line. If you can bear to remove the pest by hand, or with a jet of water, it may prove enough to keep their numbers down while the natural control predators get a chance to build up their numbers.

I doubt that I really need to remind you that the lawn will need regular cutting, now that it is actively growing, and the cutting height of your mower can be reduced to the shortest setting that your topography allows without scalping the sward. As ever, I’ll point out that lawns should never be irrigated, no matter how hot and dry our summer is. Personally, I’m in favour of ‘not so hot’ English summers, but if we do have a drought then raising the cutting height, temporarily, will at least reduce some of the stress on the grass while still preventing lawn weeds from setting seed and taking over.

If you have a pond, June is a good month to perform maintenance tasks such as thinning out water weed or marginal plants. It’s warm enough that the job is not too unpleasant for you, always an important consideration, plus any new plants that you add will get off to a good start. I’ve got to admit that my own pond has now been completely covered by duckweed, after many years of being free of this particularly pernicious floating pond plant.

A blanket of duckweed totally excludes light from the pond which is detrimental to other pond plants and pond life in general. I think its caused by a shift in water quality, probably a sign that there is too much organic matter rotting down on the pond floor because, previously, although present, it never got out of control. Continually scooping it out with a net is my only option, until I can get around to tackling the underlying problem.

I don’t like to end on a negative so, to get away from the duckweed, June is a great month to log onto the ‘National Gardens Scheme’ website and seek out the many local gardens that open for charity as they reach peak horticultural perfection.

Green Words

A walking and writing wellbeing project celebrating the biodiversity of West Dorset

by Kevan Manwaring

As a writer I have long been inspired by the natural world. Since a boy, when I walked my beloved Welsh border collie every day among the magnificent oak trees of a nearby park, I have found solace in nature. Long before the Japanese concept of shinrin-yoku, or ‘forest bathing’, became a wellbeing trend, I felt the tangible benefits of being amongst trees. It was in nature I could hear myself think and connect with my core self, my ‘roots’—and it was there, in the fields and spinneys on the edge of town, I began as a writer. Like the so-called ‘peasant poet’, John Clare—who was a formative inspiration to me, growing up in Northamptonshire—‘I found the poems in the fields, / And only wrote them down.’ On my walks—which developed into hiking many of the long-distance trails of Britain as an adult—I would habitually take my notebook, and write down poems, reflections, and ideas for stories.

And so it felt like a natural fit to devise a project that would draw upon these passions of mine: walking, writing, and the Great Outdoors. I moved to Bridport in early Spring 2022 (prompted by securing tenure as Senior Lecturer in Creative Writing at Arts University Bournemouth, combined with wanting to live somewhere with an arty, green-minded and thriving community, healthy high street, and stunning surrounding countryside) and set to exploring the local area. I only feel I truly know somewhere by walking it. This process had begun by walking the Wessex Ridgeway from Marlborough (near my home prior to moving to Dorset up on the Marlborough Downs) to Lyme Regis in 2021. Walking across Dorset

I fell in love with it. Over the following year new friends introduced me to some of the delightful walks in the area, and I started to formulate an idea for a series of ‘mindful rambles’. This led to ‘Green Words’—a walking and writing wellbeing project that took place in the Bridport area throughout Spring 2023. The aim was to lead short inspiring walks to encourage those who would not normally go for a nature walk to learn to appreciate the biodiversity on their doorstep and at the same time improve their health and wellbeing. The walks would cover a variety of terrain appealing to a range of abilities from those with limited mobility to the confident walker. Guided creative writing workshops (also free, thanks to securing a small grant from the Dorset Community Foundation) were held in Bridport’s Literary and Scientific Institute following each walk. Over 10 weekly sessions ‘green words’ would be nurtured and honed, leading to an anthology featuring contributions of poems and prose inspired by the beautiful countryside of West Dorset. The walks included shorter, low-level ones (Coneygar Hill; Asker Meadows; Allington Hill; West Bay) to ones further afield (Bridehead; Eype Down; Colmer’s Hill; Kingcombe Meadows; Langdon Woods and Golden Cap). We were blessed with good weather, and only one had to be cancelled due to strong winds and heavy rain (Eggardon Hill).

I am a great believer in the power of nature to heal, inspire, and encourage resilience. As the historian G.M. Trevelyan once said, ‘I have the two best doctors—my left leg and my right.’ Feedback from participants confirmed the efficacy of the combination of walks and writing

workshops: ‘Opened up a whole new world for me.’ (Jan) ‘It’s brought about a big shift in me.’ (Katy) ‘I’ve really enjoyed the walks, the mindful aspect.’ (Sally) ‘It’s been a joy to rediscover my pleasure in walking.’ (Jill) ‘Walking outside sensing all that nature is with awe and wonderment, prompting an inner joy of finding words for writing.’ (Hugh) And the various writing activities have gently encouraged participants to try new forms. One participant, Valerie, observed: ‘Haven’t written poetry before.’ I baked cakes for the first couple of sessions and this inspired participants to take turns to bring in their own, which proved very popular and effective, as one participant noted: ‘Cakes are an important writing tool!’ The social benefits of the group were equally important—the ambience on both the walks and workshops was always good-humoured and supportive. The participants bonded, and have agreed to continue under their own steam, with a little guidance from me on how to run a writing workshop. I am also planning an eco-themed book club, Green Reads, which is due to start in September in Bridport. In this way, the green words can keep growing.

Green Words: an anthology of natural words from West Dorset is being launched on Wednesday, 21st June, at The Salt House, West Bay. Free entry. Refreshments. Profits from sale of anthology go to Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Main photograph by Richard Tarr.

Above by Kevan Manwaring.

Hello! To your beach and barbecue life.

By Helen Fisher

LYME

REGIS £550,000

A superb 3 storey townhouse, beautifully renovated with seaside living in mind. Ideal as a family home or as a holiday let. With 3 double bedrooms, kitchen/diner and family bathroom. To the front is a small patio area with seating.

Martin Diplock Tel: 01297 445500

CHARMOUTH £455,000

A charming double fronted period cottage with 2 double bedrooms. With many character features inc: window shutters, wood-burning stove and ornate fireplace. Extremely well presented throughout. Set back from the road with attractive front garden and south-west facing rear terraced garden with garage.

Stags Tel: 01308 428000

SEATON £669,500

A beautifully presented home with 4 double bedrooms. Recently improved inside and out with newly fitted kitchen/dining room and newly resurfaced driveway. Good sized rear garden with paved seating area, mature planting and hedging and sun terrace. All set in an elevated residential road with superb views to the sea, Axe estuary and countryside. Ample parking and large garage.

Gordon and Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

WEST BAY £510,000

A detached 3 bedroom bungalow with bright and airy accommodation. Set in an elevated position with countryside views. Large sitting room with multi-fuel stove, double-glazing throughout. Recently landscaped rear gardens which wrap around 2 sides with patio area plus well-planted rockery to the front. Veg beds, greenhouse, shed & wood store. Ample parking and garage.

Symonds & Sampson Tel: 01308 422092

WEYMOUTH £600,000

A very attractive Edwardian house with 4 double bedrooms. Beautifully restored character features inc: numerous fireplaces, picture rails, sash windows and high ceilings. Gorgeous wrap around garden with fully enclosed rear garden with beds and shrubs. Ample parking and double garage. All set towards the end of a quiet, no-through road.

Domvs Tel: 01305 835300

WEST BAY £850,000

A terrific 1920s detached house with 3 bedrooms. Many character features inc: picture rails and original doors. With an integral garage plus detached chalet with own services. Also garden shed and summerhouse. Set in landscaped rear gardens featuring a terrace, magnolia tree & pond. Ample parking several vehicles.

Kennedys Tel: 01308 427329

Bridport author offers the perfect sun-soaked escapism

LOVE, loss, family secrets and new beginnings are a perfect combination when it’s time to lose yourself in another world either at home or on a holiday break, and Bridport author Rosanna Ley is an expert at teasing out a story with just these quintessential elements.

Set in stunning Southern Italy and West Dorset, and written with Rosanna’s inimitable knack for sun-soaked escapism and enchanting romance, her new novel The Forever Garden is a moving story of love, loss and family secrets. It follows the Romano family who own a gorgeous, olive grove amid the rolling hills of southern Italy where Lara lives with her daughter Rose and her granddaughter Bea.

Bea, the main protagonist is a gardener, so many of the scenes in the book are set in beautiful Italian gardens inspired by real places Rosanna has visited. Bea’s love interest is a restaurateur, which also means some incredible imagery of scenic Italian, cliff-top restaurants and food.

Lara has spent a lifetime trying to forget the traumatic events that led to her desperate escape from Dorset seventy years ago. But when she sees Bea—a passionate horticulturalist most at home in nature—being swept off her feet by Matteo, a handsome and charismatic restaurateur, Lara fears her granddaughter is in danger of making the same mistake as Lara did all those years ago.

Remembering a promise she once made, Lara asks Bea to travel to Dorset to restore her family’s long-lost garden. Bea is torn. She would love to find out more about the mystery of her beloved grandmother’s past. But if she leaves Italy, will Matteo wait for her? And when she arrives at the house in Dorset—what will she find?

Meanwhile back in Italy, an old flame from Rose’s past reappears, threatening to expose a secret that could tear the heart out of the Romano family for good.

Rosanna Ley says her love of gardens came from the garden of her childhood which she describes as the ‘scene of games of hide and seek with my brother and imaginary stories played out amongst my mother’s washing pegged on the line and my father’s precious raspberry canes.’

When not writing or researching her novels Rosanna works as a creative tutor. Her writing holidays and retreats take place in stunning locations in Spain and Italy.

The Forever Garden is published by Quercus on June 26.

SUMMER TIRAMISU

This most popular of Italian desserts feels as if it’s been around for hundreds of years. But in fact it is relatively new, allegedly created by the owner of El Toula restaurant in Treviso. Tiramisu means ‘pick me up’, which is exactly what it is, as it’s laced with strong coffee and alcohol. I’ve made this classic into more of a summery version after one of my chefs, Danny, who’s Italian, showed me a photo of one he had made before.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 Italian sponge fingers

• 200g strawberries, hulled

• 150g raspberries

• 120g Amaretti biscuits, crushed

• 20g good quality dark chocolate, finely grated

MARK HIX

• Seasonal berries, to decorate

For the coffee syrup

• 130-150ml strong black coffee

• 50g caster sugar

• 50ml coffee liqueur such as Conker Cold Brew, Kahlúa or Tia Maria

For the mascarpone

cream

• 50g caster sugar

• 2 eggs, separated

• 500g mascarpone cheese, left at room temperature for about 1 hour

• 2 drops good-quality vanilla essence

Serves 4

DIRECTIONS

1. Put all the ingredients for the coffee syrup in a saucepan, bring to the boil and simmer very gently for a minute. Cut or break the sponge fingers into ½ cm pieces and place in the bottom of a serving dish, or individual glasses then spoon in the coffee syrup and leave for 15-20 minutes to soak up the syrup.

2. Blend two thirds of the strawberries and raspberries together in a blender until smooth.

3. For the mascarpone cream, whisk the egg yolks with half the caster sugar for 2-3 minutes until pale and thickened. Add the mascarpone and vanilla essence, and mix on a slow speed (or by hand) until the mixture is smooth. Remove the mixture from the machine.

4. Using clean beaters, whisk the egg whites and the remaining caster sugar for 2-3 minutes until stiff. Then gently fold in the mascarpone mix. Spread half of the mascarpone mixture on top of the sponge, then spoon in the fruit purée and spoon the rest of the mascarpone mix on top creating a layered effect.

5. Refrigerate the tiramisu for 3-4 hours. Serve scattered with the crushed Amaretti and dust with the grated chocolate. Garnish with the remaining strawberries and raspberries and any other seasonal fruit you have to hand.

Bridport Celebrates Food

BRIDPORT’S much anticipated Food Fortnight culminates in a beer and food festival on the weekend of June 17th and it is sure to have something for everyone. Throughout the fortnight the town and surrounding area will be celebrating local food and drink. To keep up to date, visit www.bridportfoodfestival. co.uk/festival-fortnight/

The festival weekend finale opens on Friday the 16th at 6.30pm when the Bridport Beer Festival taps the barrels. It then runs alongside the food festival the next day until 11pm. As always there will be live music, this year featuring Stylliano on Friday evening followed by open-mic during the day on Saturday and then Shelby’s Elbows and rock covers supergroup Double D Junior.

The Food Festival itself opens at 9.30am on Saturday 17th with a wide range of mouth-watering dishes from an array of local producers and vendors. It goes on until 5pm. In addition to the delectable food, the festival will provide culinary masterclasses in the cookery theatre and a young cooks kitchen.

Tickets for the main event: Adult tickets £3.50 if bought in advance, or £5 on the day. (17 or under free entry.) Tickets available from Bridport TIC. www. bridportandwestbay.co.uk.

Something for everyone at Bridport’s Food Festival

Selectors announced for the 2023 Marshwood Arts Awards and John Hubbard Prize

The Marshwood Arts Awards, first launched in 2008, were motivated by an appreciation of the extraordinary talent and quality of work being produced by artists, designers and craftsmen, at a time when the arts was being targeted for cuts in funding. This initiative, and the subsequent five exhibitions since it was launched, has provided opportunities for artists to have their work chosen by curators and other artists in their particular fields who are committed to supporting, promoting and encouraging the arts.

The reputation of both the quality of the selectors and the resulting exhibitions has since created interest from artists and designers all over the world, and the 2019 exhibition saw entries from as far away as USA and Australia.

In 2008 selectors included the late John Hubbard and Roger Mayne. It also included John Makepeace and Emily Young. While exhibitors chosen included Marzia Colonna, Chris Dunseath, Greta Berlin, Petter Southall and Tim Hurn.

Subsequent exhibition selectors included Dave White, David Worthington, Harriet Wallace Jones, Tom Hammick, Matilda Temperley and Brian Griffin. Over the years exhibitions highlighted the work of many other local artists and makers including photographer Tim Booth, sculptor Isla Chaney, artist Clare Trenchard and ceramicist Björk Haraldsdóttir.

This year artists, designers and makers are invited to submit work in five categories: Painting & Drawing; Sculpture; Analogue Photography; Applied Arts; and Digital Media. The work is presented anonymously to the selectors who choose a minimum of three exhibitors from each category.

The John Hubbard Prize, added in appreciation of the support and encouragement given by the late contemporary artist John Hubbard, is presented to one of those showing in this exhibition. The chosen artist receives a cash prize, donated by John Hubbard’s family.

This year’s selectors include curator Fru Tholstrup as well as photographer Don McCullin, ceramicist Kate Malone, sculptor Andrew Logan and designer Mike Kus. More selectors and those choosing the ‘Collector’s Prize’ will be announced soon.

In the year that Bridport Arts Centre celebrates its 50th anniversary, the exhibition will be held at The Allsop Gallery in Bridport Arts Centre from 14 October to 4 November.

To keep up to date and for an invitation to the Private View and Awards Announcement, send your email address to info@ marshwoodvale.com. For more information and an entry form visit www.marshwoodawards.com.

Fru Tholstrup, Don McCullin, Kate Malone, Andrew Logan and Mike Kus are selecting the exhibitors for the Marshwood Arts Awards and John Hubbard Prize exhibition 2023.

Who will exhibit in the 2023 Marshwood Arts Awards Exhibition?

GALLERIES June

1 - 24 June

Unique Framecraft welcome guest artist Vanessa Cooper. Open daily from 8.30 til 4pm at Unique Framecraft, Unit’s 4-5 Millwey Rise Workshops, Second Avenue, Axminster, Devon EX13 5HH. Telephone 01297 613614 or 07801 260259 . Instagram:- @uniqueframecraft . What3words: warned.tasteful. elaborate.

1 - 30 June

Kit Glaisyer: The Marshwood Vale & Beyond is an evolving exhibition of West Country landscape paintings, with works on show in the gallery and studio. Open Weds & Sat 10-3pm or by appointment. Bridport Contemporary Gallery, 11 Downes Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JR. 07983 465789 www.bridportcontemporary.com @bridportcontemporary

Until 3 June

Paradise Found: New Visions of the Blackdown Hills

Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield House, Dowell Street, Honiton Devon EX14 1LX. www.thelmahulbert.com.

3 - 24 June 2023

Landscape exhibition including work by Charlie Baird, Anna Boss and Mark Rochester. White Space Art, 72 Fore Street, Totnes, Devon TQ9 5RU. 01803 864088.

3 - 25 June

All About Print: South West Printmakers Sou’-Sou’-West Arts Gallery, Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. Open daily 10:30-4:30. Free admission & parking. Contact 01308 301326 www.sousouwest.co.uk. As a group formed in 1998, the South West Printmakers aim to promote their work together, reach a wider audience and to show the best of printmaking and its many original forms.

3 June - 22 July

Lines of Empathy a group show of 17 mid-career artists working in Britain today, whose practice centres on drawing and works on paper. The exhibition travels from Patrick Heide

Gallery in London to Somerset. The project was conceived by artist Giulia Ricci during the first wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic and during this time of great uncertainty, Giulia began a series of conversations with artists whose practice contains drawing as a key component. The resulting exhibition contains a ‘synthesis of the project’s main themes: lines as mark making in the process of working on paper, and empathy as the act of reaching out into someone else’s experience.’ A beautiful book, now in its second edition accompanies the project and contains thought provoking interviews with all the included artists about their practice. Copies will be available to purchase during the exhibition. CLOSE welcomes you at the opening event on Saturday 3rd June 2-5pm, no booking required. There will be a live drawing performance from artist Carali McCall and a series of small discussions from many of the included artists. Please join us for an afternoon of art and refreshments. The show will be open to the public until 22nd July by appointment. CLOSE Ltd, Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset TA3 6AE info@closeltd.com, 01823 480 350, www. closeltd.com

3 June - 1 January 2024

‘Gruppenausstellung’ is a celebration of Hauser & Wirth’s Swiss heritage through a playful presentation of over 20 artists, including Phyllida Barlow, Martin Creed, Nicole Eisenman, Isa Genzken, Rodney Graham, Richard Hamilton, Mary Heilmann, Camille Henrot, Richard Jackson, Rashid Johnson, Allison Katz, Paul McCarthy, Jason Rhoades, Pipilotti Rist, Dieter Roth, Bj ö rn Roth, Mika Rottenberg, Anri Sala, Cindy Sherman, Roman Signer, Lorna Simpson, Alina Szapocznikow, Franz West and David Zink Yi. The multidisciplinary exhibition is inspired by the notion of a traditional Kunsthalle, conceived as a place to showcase groundbreaking art and explore contemporary issues with a broad audience. The entire site takeover provides a platform for discovery and interaction, extending to all five galleries, outdoor sculpture and a

collaborative events program with the Roth Bar & Grill. Hauser & Wirth, Durslade Farm, Dropping Lane, Bruton Somerset BA10 0NL

Until 4 June

Through the Labyrinth Art Exhibition the art of Janet Hall. 2pm to 7pm at 11, Kempston Road, Weymouth, DT4 8XB. Contact Janet on janethall103@gmail.com or 01305 839737.

Until 8 June

Lyme Regis Art Society Annual Exhibition The Society is excited once again to be holding our Annual Exhibition at the Malthouse Gallery at the Town Mill, where we will be showing work by many of our 80+ members. Malthouse Gallery, Town Mill, Mill Lane, Lyme Regis DT7 3PU 10.30am to 4.30pm daily. Free admission. Hilary Buckley 01297 444111. lymeregisartssociety.org.uk.

9 - 28 June

Jill Barthorpe, Charles Jamison & Fiona Millais at The Jerram Gallery, Half Moon Street, Sherborne Dorset DT9 3LN. 01935 815261 Open Tuesday to Saturday www.jerramgallery.com.

Until 10 June

Earth|Ground Showing ceramics from the archive of Alan Wallwork (d.2019) and paintings and other works by Amanda Wallwork. Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South Street, Bridport DT6 3NR. 01308 424901 Open 10am – 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday, Free Entry. www.bridport-arts.com/event/ earth-ground.

Until 11 June

Landscapes - Real and Imagined A mixture of figurative work from artist Stephen Collins’ walks, and abstracted paintings from his imagination. Sou’-Sou’-West Arts Gallery, Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. Open daily 10:30-4:30. Free admission & parking. Contact 01308 301326 www. sousouwest.co.uk

A Celebration of Sky An exhibition of cloudscape lino prints by Exeter-based printmaker Steve Manning. Rotunda Gallery, Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge St, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA, Tues-Sat 10am5pm; Sun 10am-4pm, www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk.

Laurence Edwards; Integrating Landscape, Inspiration from Australia. The work of Laurence Edwards explores the complex relationship between man, nature and the environment. His figures look back and forth, connecting ancient history with our present and future. Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LWE: info@messumswiltshire.com T: 01747 445042.

Until 12 June

Inner Landscape The artists included in this exhibition are connected by their emotional and psychological engagement with the Australasian landscape and outback topography. It is this deeply-rooted commitment to a sense of place that enlivens their imagination and fuels their practice – the landscape consciously or unconsciously entering their work and, ultimately, their values. The exhibition includes work by Euan Macleod, Ros Auld, John Walker, Dianne Fogwell and members of the Papunya Tula Artist group – Ray James Tjangala, Turkey Tolson Tjupurrula, Ronnie Tjampitjinpa, Florrie Watson Napangati and Leonie Napaltjarri. Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LWE: info@messumswiltshire.com T: 01747 445042.

12 June - 2 July

Spirit of Symondsbury Sou’-Sou’-West Arts Gallery, Symondsbury Estate, Bridport DT6 6HG. Open daily 10:304:30. Free admission & parking. Contact 01308 301326 www.sousouwest.co.uk West Country Artist Rob Crisp will be returning to the Lyme Bay Arts gallery in June with an exhibition devoted to the beautiful village and estate of Symondsbury. This will be an artist’s personal overview in capturing the timeless and tranquil spirit of an area of outstanding beauty.

Until 13 June

Paradise Found : New Visions of the Blackdown Hills explores the Blackdown Hills through the lens of 36 leading contemporary artists alongside works by members of the

Camden Town Group. This new exhibition marks the launch of THG’s new East Devon wide engagement programme

‘Create Our Space’ funded by Arts Council England. Open Tuesday - Saturday, 10am - 5pm. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield House, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX.

Until 16 June

Annual Open Art Exhibition The Ilminster Arts Centre’s annual judged Open Exhibition 2023, celebrating the work of established and emerging artists living and working in the South West. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tues-Sat, 9.30am - 3pm. Free entry. https://www.ilminsterartscentre. com/exhibitions.

17 June - 31 July

Bridget McCrum a retrospective view of the past three decades of Bridget McCrum’s practice with sculpture and drawings on display dating from 1995 through to new work, shown for the first time. Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LWE: info@ messumswiltshire.com T: 01747 445042.

20 June - 8 July

The Garden & Beyond Forest of Dean artists Jackie Cox & Chris Sinden delight with natural scenes created with pastels, linocut, silk painting, scraperboard and more. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tues-Sat, 9.30am - 3pm. Free entry. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/exhibitions.

24 June - 2 July

Colours of Dorset Caroline Liddington and Lynne Grace present their annual exhibition of joyful oil paintings inspired by the Dorset Coastal landscape. Subjects include the sea in all seasons, marine life under vast skies and life ashore from local landscapes, cats and domestic interiors, all painted with a unique colour palette producing a vibrant and stimulating experience. The paintings are created using oil or acrylic on canvas and range from postcard to large A1 + size. Greetings cards, prints and other gifts will be available, open daily from 10-4. Eype Centre for the Arts, St. Peter’s Church, Mount Lane, Eype, Bridport, DT66AR. www.carolineliddingtonart. com

Until 8 July

Philip Sutton RA A Colourist’s World Paintings from a lifetime, new work, works on paper, ceramics, and posters. Sladers Yard, 6 West Bay Rd, West Bay, Bridport DT6 4EL. 01308 459511.

Until 9 July

The Hidden a sound and film installation by Australian filmmaker and artist Tim Georgeson and composer, performer and proud Kalkadunga man, William Barton. It offers a personal account of the Bundanon land and waterscapes in New South Wales, Australia. Messums Wiltshire, Place Farm, Court St, Tisbury, Salisbury, Wiltshire, SP3 6LWE: info@ messumswiltshire.com T: 01747 445042.

Until 21 July

Spring Exhibition gallery & guest artists features over a dozen gallery artists, plus four guest artists, including a range of sculptures, oils, and prints. Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. http:// www.tincletongallery.com.

Briget McCrum exhibits at Messums 17 June – 31 July

Landscape, prehistory and deep time in Allsop Gallery exhibition

An exhibition at Bridport Arts Centre brings together two artists whose work has been deeply influenced by the Dorset landscape, prehistory and deep time. Alan Wallwork (d.2019) made his name in the early 1960s with his distinctive hand built sculptural forms. He was part of an exciting and experimental period that grew up around the Central School and Goldsmiths College in the 1950s, and a new generation of artists who challenged the sculptural possibilities of clay. He spent most of his working life in Dorset, increasingly influenced by the shapes, colours and textures to be found in the coast and countryside.

His daughter Amanda uses drawing, painting and mapping to explore our experience of landscape - a quest for a real understanding of what lies beyond the aesthetic. Influenced by childhood experiences of visits to archaeological sites and museums and growing up watching her father manipulate clay, she is fascinated by what you can read in a landscape—interpreting the traces of past human activity and what it reveals about our relationship with the earth.

The exhibition continues until 10 June. Open Tues - Sat, 10am - 4pm at Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, Dorset T6 3NR.

Guests and gallery artists at Tincleton

THE Tincleton Gallery Spring Exhibition features over a dozen gallery artists, plus four guest artists, including a range of sculptures, oils, and prints.

Uffington Castle by Ruth Ander

The show includes a fine selection of landscape monoprints from Bristol-based Ruth Ander along with landscapes in oil from Dorsetbase Kim Pragnell. There are also works from Philippa Headley, Colin Moore and Mary Gillett, a variety of raku ceramics from Alison Wear as well as stonework from Sarah Moore and metal/ glass/stone scuptures from Johannes von Stumm. Imogen Bittner is showing some new textile pieces and there is also work from guest artist Chloe Fremantle and new pieces by local guest artist Sarah Batt.

The Tincleton Gallery is at The Old School House, Tincleton, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8QR Visit https://tincletongallery.com/ for full details.

Selection of Alan Wallwork ceramics

Field Map 9 by Amanda Wallwork

One of the finest collections of Philip Sutton RA work opens in West Bay

ceramics, this is one of the finest collections of Philip Sutton’s work that could be put together.

From 1977 he began painting on ceramics made by JeanPaul Landreau. The collaboration continued for the next 15 years. ‘I’ve always liked the idea of drawings that bend.’

An exhibition by Philip Sutton RA, a former selector for the Marshwood Arts Awards, is always a popular event. But more so when Philip is coming up to celebrating his 95th birthday. In the build-up to that momentous milestone in October, Sladers Yard in West Bay celebrates his joyous, magical vision with paintings from the family collection released now for first time. These will show alongside works on canvas, paper and ceramics selected from a lifetime of painting up to and including his most recent work.

With 65 oils on canvas, 25 works on paper and 21

As part of the celebration Philip will also be in conversation with Maureen Murray on Friday 9 June at 6pm. (Doors 5.30pm) Call 01308 459511 for tickets at £6 as numbers are limited and tickets will be essential.

Philip Sutton RA: A Colourist’s World is at Sladers Yard in West Bay, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL is open until 8 July 2023. To view works from the exhibition online visit https://sladersyard.wordpress.com/

The Magic Garden 127 x 193cm / 50 x 76” Unframed 1998 £poa

Heather’s Urn. 43 x 70cm. 1991. £6,500

Fifty Years to the Day - Then...

On May 18th Bridport Arts Centre marked its fiftieth anniversary by re-creating the photo taken on May 18 1973 when the Wesleyan chapel on Bucky Doo Square was purchased by an exceptional community group for conversion into a longed-for theatre.

Former BAC director Chris Huxley volunteered his time to source early arts centre archive and coordinate this thankyou event, explaining; “We wanted to create a symbolic event to celebrate and honour the Arts Centre’s founders - without whom the organisation that has inspired and entertained so many of us over the course of half a century would not have come into being.”

The new May 18 2023 portrait represents those founding figures as well as some of the creative and community elements that went on to flourish at BAC, like the Bridport Prize (represented by its Programme Manager Kate Wilson) and BACstage, reflected by the inclusion of the

youth theatre’s member Eddie Rose. Contact was made with some of the direct descendants of the original lineup including Peter Chapman-Andrews (son of Peggy) and Elizabeth Sporne (daughter of Florence), as well as individuals with deep connections to the founding of the arts centre such as Sandra Brown and Miles Bell (who inspired the conversion of the chapel’s old schoolhouse into the Allsop Gallery), as well as Tristan Allsop whose father Kenneth was the first President of the organisation (the gallery was named in his honour on 14 August 1981).

Current Chairman of the BAC Board, Barry Lovejoy added: “Tristan is also a regular volunteer at BAC working on projection for the Film Society and the From Page To Screen film festival, as is Ingrid Hull - one of its longestserving stewards - they both represent the hundreds of Bridport people who have given their time and commitment to the centre.”

The original 1973 line-up left to right :

Unknown, Doreen Barwick (committee member), Sister Kathleen (violinist with festival orchestra), Peggy ChapmanAndrews (Hon. Sec. 1973 - 83), Harold Smith (Chairman of Bridport & District Arts Society in 1973), Mayor Percy Norfolk, Florence Sporne (Treasurer in 1973), Alban Wylde (committee member), Richard Matthews (Building Fund Manager), Dorothy Hothersall (Peggy’s mother).

... and Now

Sandra Brown MBE, is the last remaining member of the original steering group that started fundraising and searching for a suitable building as early as 1968. The four-times Mayor and BAC Chair in the 1990s eloquently recalled how she became involved in this collective mission and why the irrefusable driving force of Peggy ChapmanAndrews not only guaranteed the realisation of a dream venue but also the ongoing funds to support it; “No one could say no to Peggy! And after the building was secured she rang me again to say she’d had another idea. She wisely knew we wouldn’t just need capital for the purchase and conversion work on the old chapel but also an income to keep it maintained and developing - what about an annual, fundraising writing competition? Brilliant! Now we had the Bridport Arts Centre and the Bridport Prize - which would go on to become an internationally-acclaimed literary institution.”

The BAC lobby featured a display of the centre’s 1960s and 1970s archive that has begun to be collected by the arts centre’s ‘time team’, including trustee Ines Cavill, who is already looking forward to the potential for an end-of-year exhibition with the scope to feature other decades; “it was a special part of our 50th ‘thankyou’ launch event to see how the earliest newspaper cuttings and posters sparked memories of BAC’s origins as well as reflecting so many continuities for the arts centre; bringing international talent to Bridport, sharing a writing competition with the rest of the world, programming the best national and local artists - and giving support to the next generation of creatives too.”

The display of early archive in the BAC lobby will be available to view until Sat June 10 along with the current exhibition upstairs in the Allsop Gallery: Earth | Ground. Free entry to both, Tuesdays to Saturdays 10am till 4pm.

The 2023 portrait by Pete Milson left to right : Miles Bell, Kate Wilson, Sandra Brown, Peter Chapman-Andrews, BAC Board Chairman Barry Lovejoy, recently retired Mayor Ian Bark, Elizabeth Sporne, Eddie Rose, Tristan Allsop, Ingrid Hull

Re-Creating favourite music DORCHESTER

JOHN Law, the virtuosic Somerset-based composer and pianist, brings his latest project, John Law’s Re-Creation, to Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 22nd June.

Described by International Piano Magazine as “one of the UK’s most imaginative and versatile jazz pianists,” the concert features creative arrangements of some of the world’s most familiar music.

The idea is simple, says John: “We take some of the best-known tunes from all genres—jazz, pop, indie, rock, folk, classical sometimes—and re-create them, finding new arrangements and new angles to present them; sometimes just spontaneously re-inventing them.

“But no matter how free and inventive we get, no matter how complex and intricate the arrangements become, audiences everywhere always feel part of the creative process, because they know the tune and recognise it when it comes back.”

The repertoire includes tunes by the Beatles, a baroque

arrangement of Fly Me To The Moon, an arrhythmic take on Smoke on the Water, a gorgeous re-working of Moon River and a gentle swinging journey through Debussy’s Claire de Lune…

As well as John Law, the line-up features the UK Parliamentary Jazz Award winning saxophonist Sam Crockatt, Danish bass player and composer Henrik Jensen and a rising star of the UK jazz drumming scene, Alex Goodyear.

Delights of the Chambermusicbox CONCERTS IN THE WEST

CHAMBERMUSICBOX, a quartet of accomplished international musicians, oboeist Philip Haworth, violinist Yuri Kalnits, violist Matthew Kettle and cellist Julia Morneweg, have four dates with Concerts in the West’s June series.

The short tour opens with the usual coffee concert at Bridport Arts Centre at 11.30am on Friday 2nd June, followed that evening at Ilminster Arts Centre at 7.30pm,

Virtuosic Somerset-based composer John Law

Saturday at 7.30 at Crewkerne Dance House, and Sunday at 3pm at St Laurence Church, Upwey.

The group was founded in 2016 with musicians from across Europe who came together to perform a series of chamber music concerts in London. Joint artistic directors Yuri Kalnits and Julia Morneweg had a vision to explore and perform a wide spectrum of the chamber music repertoire with their like-minded and exceptionally talented friends.

In the first four seasons, more than 50 artists from 20 different nations performed 60-plus chamber works ranging from duos to nonets. The various line-ups included principal players from top British and European orchestras, renowned soloists and members of leading chamber music ensembles.

The programme for Chambermusicbox’s June Concerts in the West series includes works by Schubert, Elizabeth Maconchy, Kodaly, Mozart, Elgar, Sibelius and Richard Rodney Bennett.

Music as a campaigning weapon

LYME REGIS

SOUTH African band BCUC come to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Friday 2nd June, bringing their funk-hiphop-punk rock energy from Soweto to the Dorset coast.

BCUC, who headlined the West Holts stage at Glastonbury, are based just a stone’s throw from the church where Desmond Tutu organised the escape of the area’s most wanted anti-Apartheid activists. They rehearse in a shipping container-turned-community restaurant, where their indomitable outspokenness is a powerful continuation of the spirit of protest.

The seven-piece Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness see their music as a weapon of political and spiritual liberation. Their high-energy performances have made them one of South Africa’s most successful musical exports.

Artistic heirs to Philip “Malombo” Tabane and Batsumi, they give contemporary voice to the ancestral traditions of indigenous peoples.

Bantu Continua Uhuru Consciousness

They tackle the harsh realities of the voiceless, especially the plight of the uneducated workers at the bottom of the social food chain. They tap into the elusiveness of the spirit world of ancestors by which they are inspired. The Africa portrayed by BCUC is not poor, but rich in tradition, rituals and beliefs.

Where is Miracle?

NEWS FROM CORNWALL

REGULAR Artsreach summer open air show-goers may have noticed that one of the familiar names is missing from this year’s programme. Kerry Bartlett, artistic director of Dorset’s rural touring arts charity, has the answer, from the horse’s mouth.

Founder and artistic director Bill Scott put out a statement with both good news and bad for Miracle’s many south west regional supporters—the company is delighted to have been awarded Arts Council support for the next three years, but is taking a break for open air touring this year.

Bill Scott says: “To make the most of this [continued support], we are taking a little time to re-group and have a look at our long-term plans. The [outdoor tour] has been Miracle’s most consistent offering—running every year since 1979—and we can’t wait to be back with a bang next summer.

“But behind the scenes, we will be busier than ever, running outreach projects and regular research and development sessions with local writers performers and technicians, sowing the seeds for future productions and building up our creative workforce.”

Plans for summer 2023 include an event at the Great

Estate Festival at Scorrier House, near Redruth on 2nd to 4th June, following the trail of the Cornish botanist and adventurer William Lobb, on his quest through the forests of South America in search of the seeds of the Monkey Puzzle tree.

Harpist for Jean Price Concert HONITON

A RISING star of the classical harp, Harriet Adie, will give this year’s Jean Price Memorial Concert, organised by East Devon Music, at Honiton’s Beehive Centre on Friday 9th June.

Jean Price was a well-known and accomplished freelance professional harpist who lived in East Devon. When she died in 2016 she left a legacy of £100,000 for music therapy in the area.

Recently featured on Scala Radio as “one to watch,” harpist and composer Harriet Adie is known for her intense musicality, creativity, and focus. She plays at concerts and functions and is a sought-after harp teacher.

A highly qualified musician, with degrees from Oxford University and Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Harriet has performed at a wide range of events and venues from the BRIT Awards, to the Royal Albert Hall. She also played for the late Queen Elizabeth II.

Downhill laughs BRIDPORT

WHEN you read the notes about the two comedians coming to Bridport’s Electric Palace in June, you would be forgiven for thinking it’s all gone downhill for Hal

Harriet Adie by Benjamin Ealovega

Cruttenden and Marcus Brigstocke—but you can’t keep a good stand-up down, and both have managed to extract laughter from their misery.

Hal Cruttenden comes to the EP on Saturday 10th June with his latest show, It’s Best You Hear It From Me

After 21 years and 224 days Hal’s back being single. But it’s all going to be fine. Instead of getting the therapy he clearly needs, he’s made a cracking show about it.

He’s lost enough weight to almost get his wedding ring off and, while he may be flying solo, he’s far from alone; he’s got his grown-up daughters, his dogs and his divorce lawyer. The fickle finger of fate has turned Hal’s life upside down but he’s sticking a finger right back at it.

Marcus Brigstocke, coming to the art deco theatre on 24th June with his latest show, Absolute Shower, looks at the personal triumphs and small victories of the past couple of years ... while acknowledging it has, in so many ways, on so many days, for the most part, been an absolute shower of shit.

Still, you’ve just got to laugh, haven’t you!

The poet at the door

BRIDPORT

WHAT would you do if someone knocked at your door, you went to answer it, and the person standing there announced that he was a poet and he was going to write a poem for you? You might slam the door—or you might invite them in ...

Join Rowan McCabe, the world’s first Door-to-Door Poet , when he tells his story at Bridport Arts Centre on Thursday 8th June.

In March 2019, Rowan set out to visit 12 locations across England, one every month. His idea was to knock on strangers’ doors, and write poems for them, for free, on any subject of their choosing. It’s a bit like the Avon lady, except with rhymes.

Through this bold and arguably stupid act, he was trying to find out what matters to people, what is the state of our nation and if strangers are really as scary as they’re made out to be. But as March 2020

Join Rowan McCabe, the world’s first Door-to-Door Poet

Screen Time

with Nic Jeune

Top Six at the Flix

Cineworld Weymouth

The Wicker Man (1973)

‘No 4 best horror film of all time. The Wicker Man is influential not just on subsequent horror cinema, but on the thriller genre in general in the way it sets an artfully composed series of traps for its unwitting protagonist, expertly wrong-footing both him and the audience until the devastating ending.’ The Guardian. Anne Billson.

Bridport Arts Centre

Adnan/On our Doorstep

Double bills of films by award winning documentary director Thomas Laurence jointly sponsored by Bridport Refugees Support Campaign and Freedom From Torture Group. There will be a Q and A with former BBC Foreign correspondent and UNICEF senior communication officer, Martin Dawes, introducing film director Thomas Laurence.

BBC iPlayer

Mr Jones (2019)

Agnieszka Holland’s lengthy but invariably engaging new film concerns the real-life story of Welsh reporter Gareth Jones’ journey to Moscow and Ukraine in 1933.

My Summer of Love (2005)

‘Press and Blunt are major discoveries: in this sly and wonderfully atmospheric gem, they conjure up the role-playing raptures of youth with perfect pitch.’ Newsweek. David Ansen

Netflix

A Beautiful Life (2023)

A new Danish romance movie stars the popular singer from the country, Christopher, in his first-ever leading role. ‘Elliott, a young fisherman with an extraordinary voice, gets the chance of a lifetime when he is discovered by the successful high-profile music manager, Suzanne. Suzanne soon pairs Elliott with her estranged daughter and music producer, Lilly.’

Disney Plus

Flamin’ Hot (2023)

‘Flamin’ Hot is like the perfect snack or comfort food: consistent, delivering an experience that pleases because it is so familiar, and a classic Hollywood ragsto-riches story with a heavy dose of Latin flavour.’ The Film Stage. John Fink.

approached, world events pushed the project in a very different direction…

This is a show about trust, class and community – it’s a funny and thoughtprovoking mix of theatre and spoken word as Rowan tells the story of what happened on his final outing as a Door-to-Door Poet . In a post-pandemic world, it asks what lessons we’ve learned and suggests a bold rethinking of our relationship with those around us.

From Peaky Blinders to ... LYME REGIS

CONTEMPORARY folk singer Lisa O’Neill, who comes to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Thursday 22nd June, found a massive audience when her version of Bob Dylan’s All the Tired Horses was played in the finale of Peaky Blinders

Described by The Guardian as “one of the most striking folk singers performing today,” Lisa O’Neill’s song Blackbird was also played in an earlier episode of what was one of the most watched television series in the world.

The Irish singer has quietly built a reputation for herself with her unique folk sound, strong song-writing and distinctive voice. Her debut release, Has an Album , was followed in 2013 by Choice-nominated Same Cloth Or Not.

She has had rave reviews for her first release on Rough Trade’s Heard A Long Gone Song , including five-stars from The Guardian and the same paper’s Best Folk Album of 2019. In 2023 she has a new album— All of This is Chance.

Festival BEAMINSTER

WHAT genius worked out that a suction pad on the end of a piece of wood could unblock sinks? Who was Stanley of the Stanley knife? And why do even the most impractical of us enjoy exploring a traditional hardware store?

Find the answers to these and many more questions when the entertaining Tom Fort comes to this year’s Beaminster Festival to talk about his new book, Rivets, Trivets and Galvanised Buckets . The talk is on Thursday 29th June at 2.30pm at St Mary’s Church, the venue for most of the festival events. Tom Fort’s inspiration was his daughter’s purchase of a century-old hardware shop in a Berkshire village. His previous books include the best-selling The A303— Highway to the Sun.

The festival runs from 11th June to 2nd July and is an inviting mix of classical music, jazz, theatre and talks on history, literature, birds and gardening. The opening event on Sunday 11th is an afternoon performance at Beaminster Manor of As You Like It by the anarchic Three Inch Fools, a company of actor-singer-musicians who perform their own versions of Shakespeare and traditional tales, such as Robin Hood, in picturesque settings around the country.

Violinist Braimah Kanneh-Mason, brother of Sheku and Isata, is joined on

Lisa O’ Neill

Sunday 25th June by pianist Junyan Chen, for a programme of sonatas by Beethoven and Brahms, and works by Tchaikovsky, Mendelssohn and Sarasate.

On Monday 26th, there is an afternoon talk with Sue Stuart-Smith, psychiatrist, psychotherapist and author of The Well Gardened Mind, Sunday Times gardening book of the year. Married to Tom Stuart-Smith, the celebrated garden designer, talks to Simon Tiffin about the relationship between gardening and mental wellbeing.

The Sacconi Quartet and the virtuoso guitarist Morgan Szymanski have an exciting programme that ranges from Vivaldi to Piazzolla on Wednesday 28th.

Ryan Corbett is taking the classical music world by storm with his accordion playing—most often associated with traditional folk or music from the Balkans, the accordion shows its versatililty in a programme including works by Bach, Semionov and Albeniz, at a morning recital on Thursday 29th.

Other recitals feature the Hathor harp and flute duo—Meera Maharaj and Lucy Nolan; organist Richard Gowers; Timothy Ridout, viola, and pianist Jonathan Ware; the blind pianist Ethan Loch; pianist Yuanfan Yang; and the inspirational Balkan violin-accordion duo, Faith i Branko, with their fierce Roma tunes.

The festival ends with three very different events—a jazz cabaret with Dominic Alldis and friends on Friday 30th, playing music by Jerome Kern, Cole Porter and more; an invitation to dance to the sounds of the 1960s and 70s with the Zoots at Beaminster School on Saturday 1st July; and the Orpheus Sinfonia playing works by Mozart and Haydn, plus one more work selected by the votes of the Friends of the Festival, sponsors of the gala finale, on Sunday 2nd July.

The guitar heroes’ guitar DORCHESTER

FROM Jimi Hendrix to Buddy Holly, George Harrison to Mark Knopfler, the names of the guitarists whose instrument has been a Fender Stratocaster are among the greatest guitar heroes.

The instrument is celebrated in 50 Years of Fender , on Saturday 13th June at Thomas Hardye School theatre, Dorchester.

The show features a line-up of world class musicians and will take the audience through the story of how this guitar became the iconic instrument and staple of modern music making that it still is today.

Expect many favourite classic tracks including Apache, All Along The Watch Tower, Let’s Dance, Pinball Wizard, Livin’ On A Prayer, Sultans of Swing and many more.

Fascinating items from Fender history include how Buddy Holly was the first Stratocaster player on live TV, the fact that Eric Clapton built his famous “Blackie”—and that Mark Knopfler’s first Strat was a copy…

Bond at the Beehive HONITON

IF you like your music shaken not stirred, you might want to make a date with Bond, that’s James Bond, for an evening with Bond On the Rocks, at Honiton’s Beehive Centre on Saturday 24th June.

Bond on the Rocks is a nine-piece band that takes the audience through the musical highlights of Ian Fleming’s iconic hero, from the original James Bond theme to No Time To Die and everything in between.

It’s a journey through the musical life of James Bond. As the great Carly Simon put it, “Nobody does it better.”

The Young Lit Fix

Let’s Play Murder

by Kesia Lupo

Published by Bloomsbury RRP £7.99

Reviewed by Nicky Mathewson

VERONICA and her half brother Max are at the hospital waiting for Max’s test results (which are going to ruin their lives), when suddenly Veronica blacks out. She had agreed to play a Virtual Reality game with Max even though she really hates them, and when she awakes, she is no longer in the hospital. Veronica is surrounded by snow and wearing someone else’s clothes.

Veronica is inside The Game, the new Virtual Reality sensation shrouded in mystery. Beat The Game and you could be very rich; but it’s not that simple. There are other people playing the game and they are not Veronica’s friends.

There has been a murder in the VR world and the players must solve the mystery of who committed the crime in order to win and then leave the game. There are non playing characters throughout but they can’t hurt you. The other players however, well that’s a different story. Who’s playing the game?

• Charlie is brimming with confidence and sass and will stop at nothing to win.

• Yasmin has a kind smile but she’s hard to read and instantly buddies up with Charlie.

• Aaron has no desire to be there and just wants to leave.

• Nate is too cool for school and appears to have an ulterior motive. Veronica doesn’t trust him one bit.

• Veronica is terrified and knows nothing about The Game. Can she survive the world of VR, or better still, can she win?

This is a fabulous “Who Dunnit” for young adults which is full of suspense and plot twists. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

GPW

Sue Stuart-Smith

SITUATIONS VACANT

Accommodation provided for honest, reliable person in return for housekeeping, driving, gardening in Bridport. Approx 10 hours/week. Clean licence & enhanced DBS check required (cost of DBS covered for successful applicant). whatsapp / text 07515 703 746 in the first instance.

To advertise here, email: info@marshwoodvale.com

FOR SALE

Broadwood Boudoir

Grand piano (late 1800s). Well maintained, tuned and loved. Buyer arranges collection. £250 ono. Tel 01308 423400.

Ladies prima golf shoes size 7 brand new with carry bag 15pounds 01308 897385.

Toilet-Roll dispenser/ holder. “Oxford”, item no 154/177 The Range).

18x18×75 cms H. £10 ovno. Tel 07398760637. DT6 Table - coffee-table. Schreiber. Light “ashwood”. 2 drawers.+ undershelf. Photo + dimensions can be supplied. £45. Tel 07398760637. DT6. Bed Settee Very comfortable to sleep/sit on chocolate brown small

double VGC £50 buyer collects 07984 481634.

Furniture from Holiday

Cottage for sale: Pine Dining Table with 6 Chairs, Modern Traditional Style; Beds from Dorset

Pine Workshop: 1

Kingsize, 2 Singles, 2 Stackable Singles plus Mattresses; 4 Pine Bedside Tables; all very good condition. Sell separately or job lot. Photos available. Collection from Charmouth. 07985 013 996.

Merida Speeder 20 Mens

Hybrid cycle. Purchased in 2019. Usage limited to around 50 miles during that year. Since then it has been dry stored and unused. Frame size is 48cm (s/m). Fitted with Shimano Acera 8 gear rear Derailleur and Tourney

3 ring front Derailleur, 700x35 Panaracer

Tourguard tyres on Merida Vbrake rims. Excellent overall condition. Photo available. £130. Tel. 01308 868094

Wine Making equipment, Heat tray for 2 demijohns, syphon, fermentation bucket, 2 wooden wine corkers, 2 x 1 gallon demijohn, 1 x 0.5 gallon demijohn, fermentation locks, bungs, corks, tubing etc £30, 01297 442793. Bosch Rotak rotary lawnmower Model 34-13. Near new condition as used only twice. Price £48. Sidmouth. Tel 07831 316536.

Bodymax B15 Exercise Bike. Adjustable seat and handlebar. LCD display console. Little used. £99 Tel: 01297 445243.

Circulating Light Spiritual philosophy of relationship and ecology (Universal Kabbalah).

HOLIDAY LET

Elements, practise explained. 32 pages, illustrated. £7. 07931 163681.

2 Royal Blue, 2 Lime Green High Quality

Sun Loungers. Excellent condition. £50 Each. 01297 32024. Buyer collects.

Morphy Richards

Breadmaker 48220: little used so in VGC. £8. Coffee/games table. Quality piece in pine with turned legs, 36” long, 24” wide, 18” tall. £48. Near South Petherton; 01460 242254.

Vintage Triumph motorcycle petrol tank, fits 1966 T90 & T100 £250 also parts manuals £25 each,workshop manual £40. Castrol classic XL20W-50 1 gallon sealed can £30. Tel 07721 530520.

Bosch Tassimo Black

and Cream only 18 mths with extra Insurance included v.g.c £18. Hotter Shoes (trainer like) ‘Chaser’ as new Grey size 5 wide fit with side zip £25. Dining Table Pine plus 4 chairs (old creamery) extends to seat 6 no separating v.g.c £260. Can supply photos please call on 01460 75901 or 07742888212.

Cobra petrol chainsaw CS520 with Oregon 18” pro-am blade. Complete with carrying case. Used twice. £130. phone07836656453

Giant GSR Team Bike, 22” wheels with 15 speed derailleur gears. Needs minor attention. £30. phone - 07836656453. Reclining electric chair Lifts & Rise £950. Seven racing car models £200. Large collection aircraft books. 01460 62266. 074 260 43544.

Stihl chainsaw 180. £150. 01297 24518 Seaton.

WANTED

Secondhand tools. All trades and crafts. Old and modern. G. Dawson. 01297 23826. www. secondhandtools.co.uk.

Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975

July 23

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

July 23

Wanted - Old Enamel signs, slot machines, advertising, tools, Military items, Interesting Items and collections, 07875677897

July 23

Vintage & antique textiles, linens, costume buttons etc. always sought by Caroline Bushell. Tel. 01404 45901.

Aug 23

Stamps & Coins

Wanted by collector/ investor. We are keen to purchase small or large collections at this time. Tel: Rod 07802261339

PLUMBING

May 23

RESTORATION

FURNITURE. Antique Restoration and Bespoke Furniture. Furniture large and small carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. City and Guilds qualified. Experienced local family firm. Phil Meadley 01297 560335

Jun 23

To advertise here email: info@marshwoodvale.com

Baby Highchair, white, excellent condition £25 o.n.o detachable tray. Tel 01297 442198.

Antique single brass and iron bed, white, with wooden slatted base. £95. Photos available on request - 01395 348024. A new, unopened, memory foam mattress also available for this bed £100 (I paid £150+ for this). Both items reluctantly for sale due to downsizing. Both items bought together£180.

FOR SALE

Ladies bicycle in excellent condition, blue, some extras could deliver. £70.00. Phone 01305 852316.

Chainsaw Stihl MS180 14” Bar, 1 ltr chain oil,

100ml fuel additive, never ever used, cost £199, sell £135. 01297 551477.

Wawel Rose & Daisy dinnerware. 35 items in all. £30 ono. Please phone 01404 42081.

Old wooden beams for sale. One 3660mm long, one 1250mm long. Both approx 150mm square. For the pair: £99.00. Mob. 07845 948158. Chard area. Delivery possible.

Wind chimes, genuine American Woodstock chimes, Gregorian chime soprano £12, Glynswood, Chard 01460 65139

Zanussi Kitchen Extractor Hood Model ZHT611N. Misbuynever installed and still boxed. £70 ono Please phone 01404 42081

Poole Pottery two tone coffee pot. with 12 cups, 8 saucers £20 ono. Please phone 01404 42081 Staghorn Sumac trees for sale. Various sizes, tel 01297 678602.

Record planer thicknesser PT260 240

volt, used only 40 hours from new. Cost £800, stored, protected. As almost new £485. 01297 551477.

Mothercare cot with mattress and some bedding vgc. £20. 01297 552898.

Fisher Price infant to toddler rocker baby bouncer chair. £15. 01297 552898.

Singer Sewing Machine housing/ work table. Not including sewing machine. £15. 01297 552898.

Chicken House 3ft x 4ft suitable for 10 -1 14 chickens £150. 01297 489611.

Fisher Price Jumperoo Rain Forest VGC £20. Dog crate 2’ x 3’ two door. £15. 01297 552898.

Kennel, strong plastic construction, 30 inches

high, 34 inches long, 21 inches wide. £30.

Large Parrot cage on legs, rounded top, good condition, £35. 01308 868816.

1970s Dinky Corgi Toy boxes, collectors’ items, only boxes, vgc, £100 the lot. 07958 106961. 01935 83828.

Jay-Be folding bed, a single folding guest bed complete with mattress. Size is 88cm x 77cm x 30cm folded and 185cm x 77cm x 16cm open. It is very good unmarked condition having had light usage. A photo is available. Price £65. 01308 868094.

Tent Kampa Fistral 4, double lilo and pump ground sheet, used twice, £225. Colyton 01297 551455.

Revitive medic circulation booster, as seen on TV, excellent working order with remote + chargeable + instructions. £90ono. 07591 058862.

Nextbase Dash Cam

522GW with rear camera £219 RRP. For sale £120. 079519 06639.

Metal Detector Nokta

Macro Legend 11”

Searchead with cover, wireless headphones, little used, excellent working order. £480. 075910

58862.

Boss Tower Scaffold VGC adjustable legs, new wheels, platforms one with trap door outriggers, braces, safety rails. £500. 01305 852316.

Rucksack, large, never used, brown, heavy canvas, photo on request. £10. 077895 37011. Settee, 3 seater, burgundy red leather with inlaid wood features, faultless condition, photos on request. £100. 077895 37011.

DISTRIBUTION

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