Marshwood+ May 2023

Marsh wo o d

© Heather Marston

Photograph by Robin Mills

Ispent part of my early childhood living on Portland, falling in love with it. Much rejuvenated these days, it was a different place then, but the wild sea I swam in, and its unique rocky beauty left a big impression on me for the rest of my life. My parents were both journalists their whole lives—my dad was sub-editor on the Dorset Echo, and my mum worked on the Echo and Bridport News. I went to school in Radipole, then when we moved to Puncknowle I went to Colfox School, which I loved, where I did my A levels. This was the old Colfox, which still had its own small farm, and related very much to agricultural Dorset. In summer classrooms were generally less well attended, especially during haymaking, many of the pupils being needed for work on farms during busy times.

Inspired by my life on Portland, and rural life in Puncknowle, I was determined to do some sort of environmental degree. Although I had passed an entrance exam for Oxford, much against my mother’s wishes I refused to go there as they didn’t offer environmental courses. At that time only 2 universities were offering degrees of interest to me, one in East Anglia, the other being Liverpool, where I studied Environmental Biology. It was a superb course, led by the leading academics of their day, and there’s no doubt it was the right personal choice for me, although there might have been different career choices had I gone to Oxford.

Robin Mills met youth leader Heather Marston in Bridport

© Heather Marston Photograph by Robin Mills

Heather Marston

My thesis at Liverpool was about pollution from the antiknock additives containing lead, a toxic heavy metal, in petrol. The accumulations of lead in the environment from the exhausts of vehicles fuelled by petrol containing these additives was causing severe health problems in populations, especially children, living close to busy roads. Lower IQ’s and hyperactivity in children were directly attributed to lead accumulations from this pollution. Cooperating with Mike Hutton at Kings College, Chelsea, who had already done some work on lead accumulation in feral pigeons, I decided to dissect and analyse the key organs of pigeons from urban Liverpool for lead content. I then carried out similar analysis on control birds from the Dorset countryside, which my friends had collected and sent by train to me. I would fetch them from the station in a taxi, much to the amusement of the scouse drivers. In all I must have dissected about 1000 pigeons. Some of the tissue analysis was done by the School of Tropical Medicine, which was on the same campus, using X-ray micro-analysis, which showed high levels of lead in every organ in the urban birds, and none in the Dorset birds, although the Dorset birds contained levels of cadmium, another toxic heavy metal. My thesis earned me a First for my degree, which combined with that of Mike Johnson, my tutor, was published in the US. Our work was one of the pieces of research which led to the removal of lead additives in petrol, and it’s the one achievement in my life I am most proud of. Oddly, I was subsequently offered the chance to do a PhD, funded by Octel, the company which produced the lead additive, an opportunity I declined.

After university, finding a job in environmental sciences in the Thatcher years was difficult. My parents and I moved to London, and I worked as a production research engineer for Guinness Brewery at Park Royal. I was obviously disappointed not to find an environmental job, but it was a fun place to work, the products of the brewery being free on tap for consumption at lunchtimes. At that time, I met my then husband, we moved to Bristol, then Swanage, and almost completing a full circle returned to Litton Cheney with two young children. I taught a random selection of subjects at Weymouth College, from hairdressing science to sex education. But then I got a job as a teacher/naturalist for the RSPB, working at Lodmoor and Radipole reserves, which was a fantastic job. I was teaching schoolchildren environmental education, an ambition realised at last. That led to being offered a job with a company then called

Superchoice, providing children’s educational activity holidays at Osmington.

I started a field studies programme, teaching children about some of the wonders of the natural world to be found in the area, such as the geology of the coast, the range of agricultural practices locally, and the wealth of flora and fauna if you know where to look, using fun and interactive methods which the children loved. The company began to take over Pontin’s holiday camps, converting them to educational centres, and I was setting up the field studies programmes for the centres across the country, recruiting graduate staff and arranging training for them. The innovative part of the programmes was the use of IT to record the data from the research and measurements the students made, which could later be accessed as part of their A level courses. The Times Educational Supplement wrote glowingly about the programme Superchoice was offering, with enthusiastic quotes from schools’ teaching staff, followed by further articles published in the Times Ed about our programme. I was also invited to be a key speaker at an international conference during the application process for the Jurassic Coast to become a World Heritage Site, but the main satisfaction for me came from seeing children who struggled to cope in the classroom excelling when closer to the reality and excitement of nature in the field.

For the last five years I have worked as Lead Youth Worker at the youth club here in Bridport, which has been going for over 50 years. As a youngster I used to come, so did my children, and I felt I’d like to try and put something back and help the young people of Bridport in a different way. When I started youth centres were having problems financially, as all funding was pulled ten years ago nationally and many closed. Luckily for Bridport a charity was formed, and trustees transformed the Youth Centre to a Community Centre as well, so that the hiring of the rooms helped finance the cost of running the building. The Town Council also provide an annual fund which really helps. On taking on the role I also managed to source a grant from Magna of £2000 to start a junior youth club which is immensely popular. The Youth Club then received funding from Dorset Council for an outreach programme in which youth workers patrol and chat to young people out on the streets and parks. This has been successful in bringing the older teenagers, who often remember me from their younger days, back in to youth club; it’s partly in response to the many

problems they experience, which are everywhere, not just in Bridport, often seen as antisocial behaviour, vandalism, and drug abuse. The problems are severe and were intensified by the isolation brought about during the Covid pandemic. Sadly, there are drugs freely available everywhere now—I’ve gone on county lines training courses to become aware of the scale of the problem.

The youth club is open on a Wednesday for Junior Youth Club (Swifts) followed by Senior Youth Club (Xtreme), and on Friday, Younger Seniors (Tigers) followed by Xtreme again, the different age groups being split appropriately. The juniors do a lot of sports in our hall, and there are a range of creative, innovative, ever-changing craft activities. Our tuck shop is popular too, and there’s also a space for those who want a quiet time or have different needs. There are trips and workshops provided by local organisations. The older kids often prefer

to relax and socialise, and we offer more targeted support to them if needed. I also work for Somerset Mind, running peer support groups for teenagers in both Chard and Bridport. We have 16 staff here in total, about 10 of whom are paid trained youth workers—we are obliged to meet minimum staffing ratios for security. How to fund the staff is my main worry; we are constantly sourcing money from wherever we can, our needs increasing with our success in membership numbers.

I have two children and three grandchildren, with another on the way. My son James and his family have moved to Wales, and my daughter Lottie was a horse trainer for Connie Colfox but has a young family now. I’ve nearly always had a horse; I bought my first pony for £150 with a Premium Bond win, so they’ve always been a big part of my life, and my children’s too. Living in Bridport now, walking to work through the community I’m part of, is a joy.

© Heather Marston Photograph by Robin Mills

The huge selection of events promoted in this issue is a sure sign that we are determined to emerge from the mists of winter. There are too many to mention them all, but from Dr Feelgood in Honiton to the New Elizabethan Singers in Bridport and all manner of gatherings and shows across the countryside, diverse interests are being well catered for around this wider local community. And it seems we are catering for our wildlife and natural environment too. On page 21 Michael McCarthy describes his favourite geological aspects of Dorset. Enjoying the view from that ‘splendid natural monument’ that is Eggardon Hill, he relishes the ‘world of tight, hidden valleys, pudding-basin-shaped hills, tiny lanes almost too narrow to drive down, and the ancient deep sunken paths known as holloways.’ Already celebrated by distinguished writers such as Brian Jackman and Kenneth Allsop, Michael also looks out over what he calls ‘the very loveliest part of the county.’ The name Kenneth Allsop is well known in this part of Dorset and we are pleased to have a contribution from his son Tristan on Page 22. Fifty years to the month since his father’s untimely death, Tristan remembers the man who coined the phrase ‘money talks: beauty is voiceless’ and asks: what would his father make of the world today? Concluding that he would be saddened by much of the decline in nature, he believes ‘he would have been much heartened by the awareness and engagement by the public in today’s environmental conflicts.’ While Philip Strange remembers his search for avocets on the mudflats around the estuary of the river Exe in East Devon on page 24, we are offered the opportunity to learn about environments a little further afield on page 32 when Bridport area resident Dr Owen Day talks about protecting coral reefs in an upcoming ‘Helping the Planet’ talk at Sladers Yard in West Bay. And while the environment may look a little more interplanetary in Joe Fender’s film The River of Mirrors, showing at the Electric Palace, Bridport on May 3rd, the main character is the river and the film is described as a ‘meditation on water’ on page 36. Joe says he hopes to inspire people to see rivers differently. A thought that might well be echoed closer to home.

Fergus Byrne

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The views expressed in The Marshwood Vale Magazine and People Magazines are not necessarily those of the editorial team. Unless otherwise stated, Copyright of the entire magazine contents is strictly reserved on behalf of the Marshwood Vale Magazine and the authors.

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NOTICE TO

EVENTS AND COURSES May

29 April

Broadway and Beyond Live Musical Theatre, doors 6.30pm, show 7.30pm, tickets adults £18, Under 16s £12. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person TueThur 10am - 1pm.

Puss in Boots: Last Wish (PG) – 3:30pm & 6:30pm The Beehive, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LZ. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

Rotary Coronation Concert United Church, Bridport, 7 p.m. for 7.30 p.m.with Weymouth Salvation Army Band Ticket £12 from T.I.C community singing, refreshments For Rotary charities, enquiries. 01297 489567.

Dorchester Repair Cafe is at Shire Hall, Dorchester from 10-12pm. As part of Rethink Fashion Dorchester week, we are paying special attention to repairing clothing. Dont bin it - bring it to us and give it new life! Bring your broken items and our lovely volunteers will try to help repair them or give advice, textiles, clothing, electricals, bikes etc. Great cafe to have a coffee while you wait. New volunteers always needed as repairers and admin help. Phone 07870950666 for further information.

30 April

The Royal Opera ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ (12A), doors 1.30pm, screening 2pm, tickets adults £14.50, Under 16s £7.50. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person TueThur 10am - 1pm.

Bridport Vintage Market St Michael’s Trading Estate, Bridport. Also 28th May, 25th June, 30th July, 27th August and 24th

September

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. 9.5 mile moderate walk. Heath and River. Aylesbeare common. Phone 07874-037594.

1 May

Pre loved clothing and accessories sale. 2 - 4 pm at Relate, Poundbury DT1 3WA (next to Castle Vets).

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall 7.30 - 10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug. No partner required. Cost £2.00 For more information contact David on 01460 65981 www.chardscottishdancingclub.org

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. No partner required. Children welcome with their parent. Occasional live music, and always a caller to lead the dancing. Musicians welcome. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information.

2 May

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

3 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.30am. 8 mile leisurely walk. ‘Bluebells and birds’ Haytor. Phone 07885-951863

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 tea, coffee, squash and cake. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Variety Rules The Waves 2:30pm With songs, laughter, magic and mirth, they bring you a traditional style Variety Show. www. beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

4 May

Furleigh Estate King’s Coronation Afternoon Tea Party Join us at our cellar door to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III with fizz and afternoon tea. On arrival you will be greeted with a glass of our King’s Cuvée, before being seated for your afternoon tea. Food will be served with a pot of tea and a glass of Furleigh Estate Everdene. Singer and pianist Julie Dunn will be entertaining us with an afternoon of jazz songs. 2.30pm Tickets are £55.00 per person and group bookings are welcome. Numbers are limited so please book your place at www.furleighestate.co.uk.

Dance Connection, restorative movement £12, 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH DT6 3NN, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com.

The Lyme Regis Society invites you to their annual Coffee Morning in the Alexandra Hotel from 11.30 am to1.00 pm. West Dorset Ramblers Bluebells on Eype Down, 10:00, 7.5 miles, contact Heather, 07798 732252

The shanty sessions Marine Theatre. Lyme Regis. 7.30pm. Ahoy there – Local East Devon group, The Chantry Buoys, sing traditional sea shanties and other well known songs. Join them for a fun sing along with local drinks, old seafaring melodies, and maritime frolics. Entry is free and The Buoys start at 7.30pm. All proceeds go to local charities.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) on at 1930 hrs. Caller Aileen Wills and Ian Bryden’s band 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

5 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am. 5 mile moderate walk. Trinity Hill. Phone 01297-552860.

The Whale (15) 7:30pm - Nominated for 3 Oscars in 2023. From Darren Aronofsky comes The Whale, the story of a reclusive English teacher who attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Voices of Hope 11am to 12am Borough Gardens Bridport near Buckydoo Square (benches in gardens for those who need to sit or rest) If it is very wet we sing in The Unitarian Chapel in the Garden on East Street Bridport Jane Silver Corren 07887675161

janesilvercorren@gmail.com

May

EVENTS AND COURSES

Dried Flower Wreath Making at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Learn to make a beautiful dried flower wreath arrangement with Beulah, founder of Bee’s Meadow Flowers. 13:30-15:00. Cost: £45. To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/ workshops

Willow Lanterns Workshop at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Come and make a lantern from locally grown willow. Decorate it with lights, flowers, leaves, sequins, coloured tissue, and anything else that takes your fancy! 10:00-13:00. Cost: £20. To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/workshops

Northern Chords Ensemble The Northern Chords Ensemble are Benjamin Baker on violin, Jonathan Bloxham on cello, and Daniel Lebhardt on piano, playing a selection of Beethoven, Matthew Kaner and Mendelssohn. 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

6 May

Live Screening of King Charles III’s Coronation – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, Timings TBC. Free entry but donations appreciated. The cafe will be open selling hot and cold drinks, crisps, chocolate, ice creams and cream teas. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Wildlife Friendly Gardening 2.30pm, Morcombelake Gardening Club - A talk by BenCandlin, JH Hall, Morcombelake, J Coates 01297 678303

Coronation Crafts for Kids at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Coronation workshop with four choices of craft items to make to remember a very special day: Mosaic crown or paper crown, royal jewellery, and regal wrapping paper. 13:00-15:00. Cost: £20 for adult and child. To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre. com/workshops

7 May

Live Screening of The Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, Timings TBC. Free entry but donations appreciated. The bar will be open Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm. King’s Coronation Picnic Bring your own picnic to include live music, majorettes, Punch and Judy, tea stall and treasure hunt, 3pm to 5pm, Minster Green Axminster, Organised by Rotary club of Axminster Tel: 01297 678468.

Yeovil Railway Centre Yeovil Junction, Stoford: Steam Train and Pirate Day. Recorded information on 01935 410420, see website www.yeovilrailway.freeservers.com, or find us on Facebook.’ East Devon Ramblers. 10.30am. 7.5 mile leisurely walk. Charmouth. Phone 01297-443836

8 May

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. No partner required. Children welcome with their parent. Occasional live music, and always a caller

to lead the dancing. Musicians welcome. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information.

South Devon Big Band 7:30pm - A Royal Coronation Celebration - An evening of entertainment to celebrate the Coronation of King Charles III and the 10 year anniversary of the South Devon Big Band. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

Hawkchurch Film Nights in association with Devon Moviola, proudly presents ‘Everything, Everywhere, All At Once’ (139 mins, Cert. 15 - strong violence, sex references, language). Your chance to see the multi-Oscar-winning movie everyone, everywhere is talking about! Terrific performances by Michelle Yeoh (‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’) and Jamie Lee Curtis (‘Hallowe’en’), as respectively a bored launderette owner and the IRS auditor on her tail, who are swept up in a bizarre multiverse battle in this fantasy adventure. 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 and other delicious refreshments available.

Townswomen’s Guild Meeting 2p.m. “Can you Play Jerusalem?” by Dr Francis Burroughes BEM. Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury DT1 3DF. Visitors welcome (£3). Enquiries 01305 832857.

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall 7.30 - 10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug. No partner required. Cost £2.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981 www.chardscottishdancingclub.org

9 May

West Dorset Ramblers Abbotsbury to Merry Hill, 10:00, 5 miles, contact Janet W, 01308 538101.

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

New Parkinson’s Support Group for Lyme Regis

The new group aims to encourage anyone from Lyme Regis, Axminster, Charmouth or Seaton living with the condition to come along and share anecdotes, ideas and wisdom in an informal, comfortable and friendly environment. There will be guest speakers, occasional informative events and refreshments for all. The first group meeting will be held from 2pm to 3.30pm at the Lyme Regis Powerboat Club, Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, DT7 3LE.

10 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.30. 9 mile moderate walk. ‘Lunch amid the bluebells’. Phone 07546-267229.

Show Of Hands With Michael Wood and Kirsty Merryn

7:30pm - West Country legends Show of Hands are returning by popular demand to take us once more on a chronological

May

EVENTS AND COURSES

journey over 800 years of the English radical song tradition. www. beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

Chesil Bank Writing Shed Do you write? Would you like to be a writer? Whatever you want to write come and learn with our creative writing group. New writers always welcome. 7pm - 9pm, Portesham Village Hall. Find out more by calling Linda on 01305 871802.

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.

10 - 11 May

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

11 May

‘Grant Harris – An Evening of Mediumship’ Live show –Gateway Theatre, Seaton, doors 7pm, show 7.30pm: Age 18+, Tickets £15. Join Grant Harris for an outstanding ‘Evening of Mediumship’ Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton. co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Chard History Group Jurassic coast fossils what should prove to be an interesting talk by local expert Nigel Clark All welcome £2.50 members visitors £3.50. 7.30pm The Phoenix Chard. Tessa Leeds 07984 481634

West Dorset Ramblers Milton Abbas Area, 10:00, 7 miles, contact Robert, 01300 348867

Dance Connection, restorative movement £12, 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH DT6 3NN, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com

12 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am. 5.5mile leisurely walk. ‘A springtime walk’. Newton Poppleford. Phone 07866-484908

Exploring Inks Workshop at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Explore and experiment with the wonderful medium of ink. Using a variety of methods to make the most of the wide range of inks available. Working mainly on landscapes and seascapes, discover ways to enliven your painting skills through its application to wet and dry paper. 10:00-13:00. Cost: £30. To book: 01460 54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/workshops

Cinechard at Chard Guildhall will show Tom Hanks in ‘A Man Called Otto’ (PG). Based on Fredrick Backman’s best-selling novel ‘A Man Called Ove’, Tom Hanks stars as the grumpy, pedantic widow. Doors open at 7pm for 7.30pm. Tickets from all the usual places - Eleos, the PO and Barron’s for £5 and £2.50; or on the door for £6 and £3. Come and join our community cinema - you’re

short to meet friends.

Matt Carter Octet One of the most exciting young bands on today’s jazz scene, return to Matt’s home turf to launch their debut album. Catch the future of jazz in the making. 8.00pm, Marine Theatre, Church Street, Lyme Regis DT7 3QB. More: www. jazzjurassica.co.uk.

Voices of Hope 11am to 12am Borough Gardens Bridport near Buckydoo Square (benches in gardens for those who need to sit or rest) If it is very wet we sing in The Unitarian Chapel in the Garden on East Street Bridport Jane Silver Corren 07887675161 janesilvercorren@gmail.com

Dr Feelgood 7:30pm - English pub rock band formed in 1971. The group are best known for early singles such as “She Does It Right”, “Roxette”, “Back in the Night” and “Milk and Alcohol”. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

La Vie en Rose - Gypsy Jazz The south-west’s favourite gypsy jazz and hot swing band has a well-earned reputation for its take on the ‘Hot Club’ style. Toe-tapping rhythms and soaring melodies combine in a virtuoso performance of gypsy favourites, jazz standards, soulful ballads and Latin swing, all played with the verve and joy that is the heart of this music. Concert starts 19:30, bar available. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £18 (free to under 12s. Students £5). To book: 01460 54973. https://www. ilminsterartscentre.com/performances

13 May

‘Eurovision Party at The Gateway – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, doors 7.30pm, show 8pm, tickets Adults £12, (£14.50 on door) Coming live from the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, The Gateway Theatre is very excited to screen this year’s grand final. The bar will be open, and we will be having a Eurovision sweepstake! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Parnham Voices present May Song 7pm St Peter and St Paul Church, Cattistock DT2 An evening of A Cappella choral music Tickets £10 on the door, under 16s free, doors open at 6.30pm. To reserve tickets email infocattistockinconcert@gmail.com

Dorset Chamber Orchestra Season Gala Concert 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Edward Rd, Dorchester, DT1 2HL Programme: Mendelssohn Excerpts from A Midsummer Night’s Dream Schumann Piano Concerto in A minor -soloist Cordelia Williams Sibelius Symphony No 5. Tickets: Adults £16, 18s and under free Available: www.dorsetchamberorchestra.org or 01305 269069

My Sailor, My Love (12) 3:30pm(Subtitled) + 7:30pm – A retired sailor and widower, lives in a house by the sea. His adult daughter Grace hires a caretaker for her father, Annie. Recluse and stubborn, Howard rejects Annie’s company, but eventually opens his heart and gives his final love a chance. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Improvisation Class Playing Theatre Games, increasing confidence and awareness, while having fun! 10.30-12.30. £20. The Exchange, Chivrick room, Sturminster Newton. brilliance821@ gmail.com

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society Plant Sale and

Coffee Morning. Uplyme Village Hall 10am-12noon. Donations of plants, produce and garden sundries welcome from 9am. £2 entry for all, including cup of tea/coffee. More information www.ulrhs. wordpress.com.

Musbury Plant & Craft Sale 9.30am - 12noon Musbury Village Hall, Seaton Road. Varied selection of vegetables, annuals and perennials for sale, plus lots of craft items. Refreshments available. Parking and free entry. More info: Valerie - 01297 552131

Ile Valley Flower Club at 2 pm Margate Heal demonstrates with a title “Inspirations “ from Over Stowey. Broadway Village hall close to Ilminster At 2 pm doors open at 1 30 pm. Visitors welcome first visit free.

United Diversity Bridport presents: Best of Bridport - 7pm12:30am, at The Lyric 9 Barrack St, Bridport DT6 3LX, with Live music (The Skalatans, Eve Appleton Band, Look Around Corners, Aidan Simpson), Spoken word (Ged Duncan, Kevan Manwaring, Angie Porter, Dylan Ross) and DJ Beat Safari. Proceeds towards our plan for cheap regular bus between Bridport & West Bay. FB event: https://ud.coop/party Tickets: https://ud.coop/bestofbridport Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8.5 mile walk from Lamberts Castle. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

The New Elizabethan Singers concert features two major works from the 18 th century, one well-known, the other ‘discovered’ by the NES Musical Director Matt Kingston during Covid lockdowns. in St Mary’s Church, South St, Bridport, starting at 7pm and the choir will be joined by professional soloists and musicians. Tickets (£15, under 18s free) are available from Goadsby Estate Agents in Bridport or online at ticketsource.co.uk/nes

13 - 14 May

Franny Owen Ceramics Beginners and Improvers courses

Weekend Workshops are an immersive opportunity to learn and develop the skills and techniques necessary for making pots on the potter’s wheel. Maximum of four participants. Demonstrations

Structured learning One-to-One tuition. £230 per person. Includes all equipment, tools, materials and firings. Email: frannyowenceramics@gmail.com. Also 27 and 28 May.

14 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.30am. 8.5 mile leisurely walk. ‘Otterly delightful’. Budleigh Salterton. Phone 01395-577651. Singing Bowl Soundbath 2pm The Scout Hall, Redcotts Lane, Wimborne, Dorset BH21 1JX £15 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body. Please book in advance via 01935 389655 or email ahiahel@live.com

Charles Dowding Workshop (google him he’s a very forward thinking gardener). Organised by Winsham Horticultural Society. The morning will be spent with Charles in his garden in Alhampton where he will demonstrate, amongst other things, his no dig” gardening methods. Tickets are £25 and spaces are limited. For further details or to book a ticket please contact Debbie 01460 432815.

EVENTS IN JUNE

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

BY MAY 12TH

May

EVENTS AND COURSES

Seaton Garden Club an outing to Athelhampton House For full details ring 01297 792710.

15 May

Hawkchurch History Society Spring Talk The History of Old Shute House (or Shute Barton) Speaker – Stuart Blaylock Hawkchurch Village Hall 6.30pm for 7pm talk. Refreshments available 6.30pm for 7pm, at the Village Hall. Members free entry, visitors £4. All Welcome.

Newlyn Artists: A Cornish community of painters 2pm-3.30pm a 6 wk art course for May in Bridport, it will also include aspects of the Newlyn Crafts and some photography. Newlyn a small fishing port about a mile and a half from Penzance, on the south coast of Cornwall’s Penwith peninsula. The scenery and the quality of the light attracted artists, in the 1880s more painters discovered Newlyn because of a direct rail link to London. Some artists made their home in Cornwall, the course explores a number of these artists. There is one bank holiday at the end of May which will interrupt the course by one wk, the course will finish 26th June on Mondays

Fee £65 Mondays and £60 on line. Drop in lectures £13 per lecture, if you cannot attend the full course.

Venue: the United hall, rear of the United church on East Street. The same course can be joined on line via Zoom from Friday 19th May, 2pm, course finishes 30th June on Fridays. The course tutor is Pam Simpson MA, an Art Historian, who has been running courses in Bridport for some years and works part time at University of the Arts in London. Contact Pam to reserve a place on the course, chris.pamsimpson@btinternet.com.

Bridport Museum talk by Bruce Upton on “How Bridport Began - what we know about Bridport up to the Middle Ages”, at Bridport Museum, South Street, at 5pm for 5.30. £5 from museum shop.

Scottish Dancing in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing in Chardstock Village Hall 7.30 - 10.00 p.m. Tea and coffee provided but please bring your own mug. No partner required. Cost £2.00. For more information contact David on 01460 65981 www.chardscottishdancingclub.org

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. No partner required. Children welcome with their parent.. Occasional live music and always a caller. Angela and Tim Laycock will lead the evening’s dancing. Musicians welcome. Tel 863552 or 459001 for more

16 May

South Wessex Organ Society presents a Recital by Sam Bristow. Described as “an artist to watch” Sam is a versatile young musician based in Salisbury and London. He is organist of St. Matthew’s Church, Westminster and Choral Leader at St. Matthew’s Primary School. He is also the co-ordinator for PipeUp Salisbury, overseeing the scheme to encourage young people to study the organ in the diocese. 19.30. St.Michael’s Church, Lyme Regis. Admission £10 at the door.

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

Barrington & District Gardening Society ‘Reach for the Stars’ –Climbing Plants with Jenny Short, 7.30pm Barrington Village Hall, Nr. Ilminster. Members free, Visitors £2 – includes re-freshments. New members always welcome – Join on the night £10 per annum

17 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am. 6 mile leisurely walk. ‘The Golf Club and the River’. Phone 07977-544749

Scottish Country Dancing at 7.30 at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. We will be holding our AGM during the refreshments interval but there will be dancing before and after this. 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.

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)

18 May

National Theatre Live: ‘Best of Enemies’ (15) Screening –Gateway Theatre, Seaton, doors 6.30pm, screening 7pm, tickets Adults £14.50, under 16s £7.50. David Harewood (Homeland) and Zachary Quinto (Star Trek) play feuding political rivals in James Graham’s (Sherwood) multiple award-winning new drama. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

The Arts Society “Seals, Sedition and Sacheverell” Speaker: Professor William Gibson Visitors Welcome: £7.50. 2.00pm for 2.30pm Bridport Town Hall www.taswestdorset.org.uk

West Dorset Ramblers Millhayes & Stockland in the Blackdown Hills, 10:00, 8 miles, contact Ian, 07826 150114.

National Theatre Live: Best Enemies (15) 7pm - David Harewood and Zachary Quinto play feuding political rivals in James Graham’s multiple award-winning new drama. www.beehivehoniton. co.uk Box office: 01404 384050

Dance Connection, restorative movement £12, 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH DT6 3NN, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1930 hrs. Caller Olive Mitchell will be providing the moves and David & Graham will the 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

Bridport & District Gardening Club monthly meeting is on at 7.30pm at the W I Hall North Street Bridport when Amy Ralph will talk about British Cut Flowers. Amy along with her business partner Emma Hughes runs a Pick Your Own Flower Farm in Abbotsbury offering seasonal, sustainably grown flowers. Her horticultural

career began with the Avon Wildlife Trust, creating wildlife gardens in schools and she has worked in various garden settings including several years as Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall’s gardener. She started growing flowers for cutting a few years ago and with lots of changes brought on by the Covid lockdown decided to give it a go on a larger scale. Her gardening interests include cutting and arranging flowers, growing vegetables and wild flowers, biodiversity and sustainability. Non members are welcome to join us at our meetings for a fee of £2.00 and more information about the club is available on the club website www.bridportgardeningclub.co.uk

19 May

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am. 5 mile moderate walk. Coffee amongst the bluebells? Phone 01297-552313.

The Son (15) 7:30pm - A cautionary tale that follows a family as it struggles to reunite after falling apart. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Charmouth Movie Night Everything, Everywhere, All at Once St Andrew’s Community Hall, Charmouth 19:30 £6 advance, £7 on the door.

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.uk 07970 857696.

The Burton Bradstock Festival Spring Concert will be held on Friday 19 May 2023 at 7pm in St Mary’s Church. David Juritz (violin), Craig Ogden (guitar) and Adrian Bradbury (cello) will perform Baroque Variations - A path towards the Goldbergs. J S Bach The Goldberg Variations BWV 988* *Arr. for violin, guitar and cello. With music by Purcell, Rameau, Charpentier, Marais, Couperin, Falconieri, Byrd, von Westhoff, Matteis, Oswald, Aranés,

Caccini and Marcello. Spring Concert Tickets from the Bridport Tourist Information Centre 01308 424901. More information www. burtonbradstockfestival.com

South Somerset RSPB Local Group Farming on the Blackdown Hills – An illustrated talk presented by Jonathan Farey, who farms 34 acres with conservation being the main focus including tree planting, orchard and pond restoration – all to benefit the wildlife. Visitors are welcome on the farm for educational access and health and wellbeing purposes. 7.30pm The Millennium Hall, Seavington St. Mary, Ilminster, TA19 0QH. Entry: Group members £4, nongroup members £5, under 18’s £1. Tea/coffee & biscuits included – Wheelchair access. Further details from Denise Chamings on 01460240740 or www.rspb.org.uk/groups/southsomerset. Everyone welcome.

The Lost King 7.30pm. In 2012, after having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester. The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with skepticism by experts and academics. The Lost King is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country’s most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England’s history. Written by Steve Coogan and featuring Steve himself alongside his Sally Hawkins. One critic states “Sally Hawkins shines in the incredible true story of an indomitable woman who achieved an extraordinary feat. The Lost King reminds experts aren’t infallible. A regular person with guts, intellect, and willpower can prove them wrong.” Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX. Doors and bar open 7.00. Tickets cost £6,

May

EVENTS AND COURSES

which includes a drink or an ice-cream. Felting Workshop at Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Transform wool into a wearable scarf, or make a 3D model of a bird or animal using special barbed needles and lots of stabbing! Most techniques can be taught in this workshop with experienced tutor Geraldine Field. Suitable for all levels from complete beginners to those returning. 10:00-15:00. Cost: £30. To book: 01460 54973. https:// www.ilminsterartscentre.com/workshops

19

- 20 May

Philip Clouts (jazz piano) & Ron Phelan (bass) Known for his lively melodic compositions infused with world music, pianist Philip Clouts returns to Tincleton with exceptional double bass player Ron Phelan. The programme will include a couple of more meditative pieces composed recently, as well as jazz tunes by the likes of Cole Porter and Johnny Mercer. Pianist Philip Clouts was born in Cape Town, South Africa, and lived in London from an early age. Clouts was a founder member of worldbeat jazz band Zubop, with whom he composed music and played the piano, touring internationally and releasing five CDs. Performances included Ronnie Scott’s, Symphony Hall in Birmingham, and the Womad and Glastonbury Festivals. Ron Phelan studied bass in Dublin before moving to the UK. He has worked with some of the best musicians and performers in the country touring both nationally and internationally in projects ranging from jazz ensembles to large scale theatrical productions. He currently lives in the South West of England where he divides his time between performing and composing. Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Opening / performance times: doors open 19:30; concert starts 20:00. Admission fee: £15. 01305 848 909. http://www.tincletongallery.com

A Festival of the Environment A celebration of the rich habitats of the Parish of Colyton. A two day event at Colyton Town Hall-Market Place, Colyton.10 am---6pm Displays, Illustrated Talks, Refreshments. Programme of Talks closer to the event--contact Tel no.-01297/552316--colvalp@gmail.com

20 May

Elvis 56 – Memphis to Hollywood – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, LIVE Music, doors 7.30pm, show 8pm, tickets £16. Age 18+

Elvis 56, Memphis to Hollywood show is a unique, not to be missed show with a livee band. A tribute to the greatest singer and entertainer that ever lived. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm. Plant Sale at Winsham’s Jubilee Hall. Doors open at 10.30am and there will be the usual array of veg, annuals a few perennials & shrubs and hopefully even the odd garden accessory so make sure you get there early to get first pick of all the goodies on offer. Once you’ve shopped you can enjoy a nice cup of tea, or coffee, and a slice of cake from the refreshments bar and compare notes with the other green fingered shoppers. For further detail ring Debbie on 01460 432815.

Barrington and District Gardening Society Annual Plant Sale, cake stall, refreshments available Barrington Village Hall 10am

More info: 01460 54691

Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from

Roman Road. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340.

Human Stories Behind Human Rights 8pm, the Chapel in the Garden, Bridport, Rax Lane entrance, £10 (cash only). Continuing the exploration of the concept of freedom, our 57th Lecture on Everything looks for meanings within the human rights legal system. As the UK government heads for another clash with the European Court of Human Rights over flights to Rwanda, this talk looks at some of the fascinating human interest stories behind certain Court judgments and highlights the unpredictable journey for victims who rely on the Court for protection. Joanna Evans is an international human rights barrister and an expert in strategic litigation. Over the course of more than two decades of practice she has represented hundreds of victims in cases before the European Court of Human Rights. These have covered a wide range of subject areas including mass enforced disappearances and extra-judicial killings from Chechnya, violence against women and climate change activists.

21 May

The Occasional Singers ‘A Nightingale Sang’ A concert of songs about birds. The programme includes works written as long ago as 1539, through to romantic songs of Elgar and Holst and culminating in an exciting contemporary setting of the traditional nursery rhyme ‘Who killed Cock Robin?’ by Jonathan Dove. There will also be a chance to hum along to the well-loved ballad ‘A nightingale sang in Berkeley Square’. Entrance is free. The retiring collection will be in aid of Dorchester Poverty Action. Everyone is most welcome. 7.30pm St Mary’s Church, Edward Road, Dorchester DT1 2HL.

Axe Vale Orchestra invites you to an Afternoon Concert, starting at 3.30pm, in the Minster Church, Axminster. Conducted by Roger Swann and led by Jane Bultz, the programme starts with Roger Quilter’s delightful Children’s Overture. Young, local violinist, Elise Griffin, will then perform the popular Violin Concerto in G minor by Max Bruch and yet more melodies will follow in Franz Schubert’s glorious Unfinished Symphony. Tickets, from TicketSource, at £12, are available via www.axevaleorchestra.co.uk, students, free, or from The Archway Bookshop, Axminster.

Dance Connection, Movement Day Workshop, 11am-pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH DT6 3NN, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com

East Devon Ramblers. 10.30am. 8.5 mile leisurely walk. Fire Beacon and Tipton St John. Phone 01395-577651

22 May

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. No partner required. Children welcome with their parent.. Occasional live music and alway a caller to lead the dancing. Musicians welcome. Tel 863552 or 459001 for more information.

Bridport Museum talk by Vincent Shepperd on “Living on a UNESCO Natural World Heritage site. What makes the Jurassic Coast so special?”, at Bridport Museum, South Street, at 5pm for

5.30. £5 from museum shop

The Wessex Morris Men will be performing at the Marquis of Lorne, Nettlecombe DT6 3SY at 7.30.pm. Later dancing at 8.30 at the New Inn, Shipton Gorge, DT6 4LT.

All welcome to join us for a drink a song or a tune afterwards. Winsham Art Club meet at 2 pm on Mondays twice a month at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. Tutor led 2.5 hr. sessions. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, non-members £7. Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email: elfridevaughan@ gmail.com for details.

23 May

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.

Bridport & District U3A Monthly Meetings & Talks ‘The Role of Bridport’s Mayor’ by Ian Bark. 2pm at Bridport United Church Hall, East Street. The talk will start promptly at 2pm so please make sure that you take your seat a little beforehand so that there is no disturbance as the meeting starts. Ian will speak for about an hour, then there will be a Q&A session – please be kind enough to restrict questions to this time only. We will then break for refreshments. The talk is free to members and non-members will need to pay £2. If you would like more information about this U3A, the groups available, how to join, how to volunteer please refer to our website: “bridportu3a.org.uk”. If you would like more information about the role of the Mayor please see their blog.’

24 May

West Dorset Ramblers Cogden & Shipton, 10:00, 7.5 miles, contact Heather, 07798 732252.

Beginners Learn to Draw from Nature At the United Reformed Church Hall, Chard St, Axminster EX13 5EB 10 am until 12 noon ( the car park is opposite) This is a class for those who would like to learn the basics of learning to draw from nature: seeing and drawing, trying different materials and making bold marks. Students will make their own sketchbook. Bring some drawing paper and ALL other materials are supplied. Cost £16. To book contact : gina. youens@btinternet.com

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society talk on Making a Butterfly Garden by Martin Young, chair of Plant Heritage Dorset. Uplyme Village Hall 7.30pm; refreshments from 7pm. Members free, non-members £3. More information www.ulrhs.wordpress.com 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.

25 May

Help Our Planet 8. Community-based Coral Restoration in the Eastern Caribbean Dr Owen Day 7pm (Doors 6pm, bar and hot snacks available) Tickets £10 Under 21s £5. All ticket proceeds will be donated to The Fossil Fuel Non-Proliferation Treaty Initiative. Extra donations can be given on the night. Dr Owen Day lives with his family near Bridport but his mind, much of his time and his cutting-edge science is spent protecting some of the most beautiful important and threatened coral reefs in the world.

May

EVENTS AND COURSES

Turn Lyme Green Talk “Working with farmers to enhance the landscape, wildlife and rivers of the Dorset AONB” (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) free event. Ian Rees, Dorset AONB and Nick Gray, Dorset Wildlife Trust will discuss the impact of farming in the Dorset AONB with particular reference to local Rivers and the possibilities of regenerative farming. 7.30pm at the Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Contact enquiries@turnlymegreen.co.uk or 01297 446066.

Shute Festival event with Fiona Mathews and Tim Kendall on their newly published Black Ops and Beaver Bombing: a celebration of Britain’s mammals at risk of extinction. St Michael’s Church, Shute EX13 7-8 pm with drinks following. Tickets £8 via www. shutefest.org.uk and on door.

Nostalgic Cinema: State Fair (U) 2:00pm - Kindly sponsored by Home Instead - The small-town Frake family attend the Iowa State Fair. Son Wayne (Dick Haymes) plots revenge on a midway barker (Henry Morgan) who had embarrassed him the summer before and falls for the beautiful singer Emily (Vivian Blaine). www. beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty (12A) 7:15pm - The Sleeping Beauty holds a very special place in The Royal Ballet’s heart and history. It was the first performance given by the Company when the Royal Opera House reopened at Covent Garden in 1946 after World War II.

Dance Connection, restorative movement £12, 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH DT6 3NN, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com

26 May

‘Dear Evan Hansen’ (12) Picnic Night screening – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, doors 6.30pm, film 7.30pm, tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Film adaptation of the Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical about Evan Hansen, a high school senior with Social Anxiety disorder and his journey of self-discovery and acceptance following the suicide of a fellow classmate. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person TueThur 10am - 1pm.

The Hendricks 8pm - The Hendrick’s classic rock ‘n’ roll hits will whisk you back to the 1950’s and 60s with infectious and energetic jukebox classics. www.beehivehoniton.co.uk Box office: 01404 384050.

Voices of Hope 11am to 12am Borough Gardens Bridport near Buckydoo Square (benches in gardens for those who need to sit or rest) If it is very wet we sing in The Unitarian Chapel in the Garden on East Street Bridport Jane Silver Corren 07887675161 janesilvercorren@gmail.com

East Devon Ramblers. 10.00am 4.5 mile leisurely walk. Upottery. 07979-263043

An Oscar for Ella - Joanna Eden & Craig Milverton Celebrating the pairing of two of jazz’s greatest artists. When Oscar Peterson and Ella Fitzgerald first met for ‘Jazz at the Philharmonic’ they found they were a natural pairing and a legend was born. Concert starts 19:30, bar available. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £18 (free to under 12s. Students £5). To book: 01460

54973. https://www.ilminsterartscentre.com/performances West Dorset Ramblers North of Lyme Regis & Charmouth, 10:00, 8 miles, contact Bridget, 01308 459875

27 May

‘Allelujah’ (12A) Picnic Night screening – The Gateway, Seaton, doors 6.30pm, film 7.30pm, tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Allelujah is a warm, humorous, and deeply moving story about surviving old age. When the geriatric ward in a small Yorkshire hospital is threatened with closure, the hospital decides to fight back. 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. Some people may remember the famous picture of Princess Diana walking through a minefield in 1997 in support of HALO. Today, as a result of numerous conflicts and more particularly in Syria, Afghanistan and the Ukraine, the need for HALO’s life-saving work has become all the more acute. Thus, HALO is now the world’s largest NGO in this field and employs over 13,000 staff in 30 countries. 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/caundle-marsh-pcc.

The Darkside of Pink Floyd (Animal) 7:30pm - More than just an ordinary Pink Floyd tribute band, 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: Learn about threading the machine ,straight stitch, zig zag etc. Learn how to make a fabric project box for storing knitting or crochet projects, toys etc. 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 TueThur 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 Lie down, relax, and allow the Pure Sounds of a crystal and Tibetan bowl soundbath plus sacred vocal overtoning take you into the deeper brainwave states of ‘the relaxation response’, while charging and balancing the aura and chakras of the subtle body, and detoxing the physical body.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.

EVENTS AND COURSES May

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. For further information see posters around the area, or contact the organiser on 07791870778. Stockland Country Fair from 1.30pm. Stockland Fair has its origins during the reign of King Henry III in 1252. Old fashioned games, country crafts, tractors, home baking & plant stalls, sheep shearing, line dancing and various displays. Family entertainment with Dan’s Marvellous magic show, storytelling and puppetry with tales of the sea farer ‘Sam O Shanty’, a carousel and bouncy castle. Honiton Band will be playing and so will The Big Noise Street Band. Refreshments include afternoon teas in the hall, BBQs with local sausages, venison & beef burgers plus ices/soft drinks and local ales and cider. 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 all-powerful 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.

New book highlights the Bridport Union Workhouse

DOWN and Out in Bridport and the Surrounding Parishes

1200-1900, a history of the poor, sick and elderly in the local community, and the development of Bridport Union Workhouse has been published by Sylvia Stafford. A history of the lives and conditions of the poor, sick, and elderly and their care within the local community, the book traces the development of the role of the monasteries and almshouses of the 12th and 13th centuries, to the early poorhouses and workhouses, and by the mid-19th century to the establishment of hundreds of union workhouses. The twenty parishes which formed Bridport Union Workhouse provide the framework for the study, whilst further examples are drawn from other Dorset towns, and relevant locations mostly in the South West of England. The development of Bridport Union Workhouse is examined against the parallel development of the town of Bridport and the nearby parishes, as well as the particular challenges faced by the poor, sick and elderly in accessing education, training, employment and health services in the locality

Twenty per cent of the sale price of the book will go to support recently launched charity ‘Bridport Food Bank Hardship Fund’ which strives to help those in need today. The book costs £12.00 and is available from Bridport Tourist Information Centre, Bridport Museum, West Bay Discovery Centre, The Book Shop, South Street, and Little Toller Books, Beaminster.

Go to Sea with MV Freedom

Blue Plaques are focal point for local history

BASED in Weymouth Harbour, MV Freedom is a charity providing access to the sea for people living with disability. Established over 35 years ago, and with a brand-new catamaran in 2021, the charity, which holds the Queens Award for Voluntary Service, operates weekdays until October with two hour trips every morning and afternoon.

The voyage explores the glorious Jurassic landscape—looking back to the wonderful Dorset coastline from the sea is a delight everyone should value. Sometimes they sight dolphins and seals, but there’s no guarantee.

Depending on the weather, which if poor can lead to last minute cancellations, trips either go eastwards towards Lulworth Cove and Durdle Door, or into Portland Harbour to see interesting features from WW2.

The charity aims to provide a safe, enjoyable experience, which builds confidence, enhances knowledge, and develops a sense of wellbeing and selfworth, as well as providing respite for carers.

Passengers come from a wide geographic area. Individuals and holidaymakers are welcome to book a place. They often host groups from care homes for the elderly and special needs, plus other support organisations such as military veterans.

The boat can carry 12 eligible passengers, accommodating up to six wheelchair users, plus a skipper and two crew. Carers are welcome plus service dogs. Children must be at least five. There is a wheelchair accessible toilet onboard.

All the skippers are MCA/RYA qualified and give their time without payment, as do the safety trained crew. On board navigation equipment etc. exceeds the Maritime and Coastguard Agency requirements.

The charity asks for a minimum £5 donation towards running costs but welcomes support from local businesses and individuals, who may be organising a fund-raising event themselves.

Eligible passengers and their carers are welcome to book a trip by calling 07974 266867.

Further information is available on the website mvfreedom.org.

Trading Estate has ‘always been rightly proud of our record in providing commercial trading space for 53 years. But we have always been conscious not to overlook the fact St Michael’s had an industrial life for hundreds of years before the estate as a net and rope making factory, when it was also providing jobs and employment for hundreds of local people back to the time of King John.’

He sais the estate was also conscious of being the largest part of Bridport’s South West Quadrant conservation zone which brings with it a sense of responsibility.

‘Of course, Bridport Museum and Heritage Centre does an outstanding job in keeping Bridport’s history alive and regularly takes visitors round the Bridport Heritage Trail’ continued Martin. ‘We see our plaques, not only as being a continual visual reminder of the Estate’s history, but as part of that trail and as focal points for those walking tours.’

The first plaque unveiled was to William Saunders Edwards and it was unveiled by his great granddaughter Amanda Streatfeild. ‘Edwards broke new ground by taking nets from St Michael’s into the world of sport; lawn tennis- the All England Club and then to the Football Association, then we saw the arrival of cricket nets, plus badminton nets in almost every village hall in the country’ said Martin.

The second plaque to William Gale and his family was unveiled by His Worship the Mayor Councillor Ian Bark. William Gale established the family business and set about the manufacture of twine. His three sons, Sidney, Fred and Albert picked up where their father left off; the family was also very civic and community minded and both William and Sidney

ALTHOUGH unveiled at the end of last year, three blue plaques on St Michael’s Trading Estate Bridport are still a focal point for visitors. It would be unusual to have one blue plaque on a trading estate let alone three but why have historic plaques on a trading estate at all? Interviewed on Radio Solent after the unveiling at the end of last year Martin Ridley explained that St Michael’s are former Mayors of Bridport.

In unveiling the third plaque to commemorate the creation of Bridport Industries, Karen Hunt, Chair of the Bridport Museum trustees, agreed that Bridport’s heritage is ‘not just about these buildings we see around but about the people who shaped them, worked in them and lived in the surrounding streets. These plaques mark part of the story of why Bridport is laid out and looks the way it does; they are a sign of what it has meant to be a small industrial town in a rural area dominated by one industry.’

The Edwards Tower Building on the estate, so badly damaged by fire in 2018 is scheduled to open soon. Viewing Open Days for prospective tenants are set for 24, 25 and 26 May. There are 11 units / studios over 3 floors. Viewing will be by appointment only and appointments can be made through 01308 423747.

EAST DEVON Biodiversity starts at home

East Devon District Council (EDDC) has launched a ‘biodiversity starts on your doorstep’ campaign, encouraging residents to support nature by way of their gardens. Biodiversity activities for the weekend will be shared every Friday by social media, giving residents the chance to support local wildlife. Advice for growing vegetables at home will also be shared, helping residents enjoy the fruits of their labour and reduce their plastic-use at the same time. The Council is also offering green-fingered residents the possibility of a plaque from the Devon Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Garden Award to recognise their garden efforts. For more visit: https://eastdevon.gov.uk/biodiversity/

LYME REGIS New

support group launched

People living in and around Lyme Regis who have recently been diagnosed with and / or have a connection to Parkinson’s will soon be able to join a new local group to meet, socialise and get together with other people living with the condition. The new group aims to encourage anyone from Lyme Regis, Axminster, Charmouth or Seaton living with the condition to come along and share anecdotes, ideas and wisdom in an informal, comfortable and friendly environment. The first group meeting will be held on 9 May from 2pm to 3.30pm at the Lyme Regis Powerboat Club, Monmouth Beach, Lyme Regis, DT7 3LE.

BRIDPORT Bursary scheme announced

Bridport Literary Festival is launching a new bursary scheme to help local students planning to go to university this year. The BridLit bursary will allow two successful candidates £1,000 a year for each year of their three-year degree course, in any subject. To be considered for one of the two bursaries available for this autumn, students should complete the application form on the Bridport Literary Festival website at bridlit.com/bursaries. In no more than 4,000 characters, they will need to explain why they think they are a suitable candidate, why they have chosen their subject of study, and how they see the Bridlit Bursary helping them to achieve their goals.

BRIDPORT Call for carnival entries

Whilst many carnivals have ceased to exist due to lack of enthusiasm and dwindling numbers of entrants, organisers of Bridport’s annual carnival are putting out a call for entries to make sure Bridport’s event doesn’t go the same way. Joining in is free and a bit of friendly rivalry is being encouraged this year with the introduction of Awards that can be won for best pub/ hotel, best sports/dance, best school/youth organisation, best club (adult), as well as best overall, best costumes & most original entry. There are many classes that can be entered. For more information and entry forms, visit Bridport Carnival web site https:// bridportcarnival.co.uk.

KIMMERAGE BAY Nurdle threat to wildlife

With the aftermath of the oil spill in Poole Harbour still being monitored, visitors and staff at Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wild Seas Centre at Kimmeridge Bay are reporting a large amount of white nurdles, or tiny plastic pellets, which have been washed onto the beach. Nurdles are the form of raw plastic that is transported to factories around the world to be moulded into a myriad of plastic products. Nurdles pose a real threat to marine wildlife. Apart from collecting and removing these tiny plastic pellets from beaches, people can take action against this type of pollution by avoiding singleuse plastic and excessive packaging and by choosing items made from natural materials.

Nature Studies

By Michael McCarthy

Occasionally you can think about your life in geological terms, which is why I will say that when we came to Dorset, we came to the chalk. Our village is in the heart of the chalk downlands in the centre of the county, a lovely landscape of gentle rolling hills and gin-clear rivers. The chalk itself is pure calcium carbonate, the remains of the shells of trillions of tiny marine animals which fell to the seabed 100 million years ago, and it stretches down across England in a 300-mile-long white belt from the Yorkshire Wolds, though parts of East Anglia, then the Chilterns, and then the Berkshire and Hampshire and Wiltshire downs, with Dorset as its final destination.

A notable feature of the chalk landscape is its wildlife-richness. The downland in particular, the grassland which has never been ploughed, bears a wonderful flora of everything from cowslips to orchids, which in turn supports an insect fauna which is magnificent, the butterflies especially; and since coming to the county I have delighted in all of that, as well as taking great pleasure in the rivers, the chalk streams as they are known, which I wrote about here recently.

I also admire another distinct piece of Dorset geology, which consists of the lowland heaths. These are found on a very different bedrock, the sands and gravels of the Poole basin, which takes over from the chalk just east of Dorchester. On the acid soil of the heathland, there is a quite separate biodiversity: heather and silver birch replace the grasslands and ash woods of the downs, woodlarks and nightjars replace the skylarks and ravens, and the silver-studded blue butterfly takes over from the Adonis blue and the chalkhill blue; it is another ecosystem entirely, with its own haunting beauty.

But I am slowly becoming aware that there is a third Dorset geological landscape which is maybe the most special of all (and I don’t mean the Jurassic Coast, World Heritage Site though that may be.) It has taken me time to appreciate it, perhaps because it doesn’t have a special name; but your gaze can encompass it clearly enough, if you stand on the top of Eggardon Hill and look westwards. Eggardon is not only a splendid natural monument, it is also where England’s chalk belt comes to an end: it stretches for 300 miles behind you, but here it finishes abruptly. In front

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

of you is a new and more complex geology, where the first rock you encounter is the greensand, and this supports a remarkable world of tight, hidden valleys, pudding-basin-shaped hills, tiny lanes almost too narrow to drive down, and the ancient deep sunken paths known as holloways. Looking out from Eggardon, this landscape is framed in the distance by Lewesdon and Pilsdon Pen, Dorset’s only hills over 900ft, although it doesn’t itself reach that far—the heart of it is the countryside around Powerstock and West Milton, stretching perhaps as far as Netherbury.

It has a different feel from the placid chalk landscape to the east, which speaks of peace; with its rushing small rivers, the Mangerton, the Brit, the Asker and their tributary streams, it has a definite element of wildness, and it remains, even today, wholly unspoiled. It seems to me to be the very loveliest part of the county, although as I said, it does not have a name of its own, other than ‘West Dorset.’ However, it has at least been celebrated for what it is by two distinguished writers.

The first was Kenneth Alsop, the celebrity TV journalistturned-naturalist of the 1960s and 70s, who wrote about his life at West Milton Mill and is buried in Powerstock churchyard; and the second is Brian Jackman, who wrote thrillingly about wildlife, especially in Africa, for The Sunday Times. Approaching his tenth decade but still an active writer, Jackman has now turned his attention to West Dorset and has just produced a charming account of it entitled Wild About Dorset—The Nature Diary of a West Country Parish. With illustrations by Carry Akroyd and Liz Somerville, this is a jewel of a book, and if you dip into it, you will quickly see why the area it describes is special.

The most special of all, for me. So to restate my life in geological terms: I think the chalk will always be home; but the places I will dream about, and where my longings and imagination will slip away to, are those hidden valleys of the greensand, west of Eggardon.

The valleys of the greensand, seen from Eggardon Hill, with Lewesdon and Pilsdon Pen in the distance. Photo: Robin Mills.

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

FIFTY YEARS ON

Known as much for his passion for nature as he was for his writing and television work, Kenneth Allsop made a memorable impact on West Dorset. The Gallery at Bridport Arts Centre is named after him. Fifty years later Tristan Allsop remembers his father.

My father killed himself fifty years ago this year. May 23rd to be precise, one week after the signing of the contract to buy the old Methodist chapel as home for the Bridport Arts Centre, of which he was President, a now defunct title. The Gallery (as the first space to become operational) was named in his honour.

Although best known as a television presenter and writer, his passion, the passion that sustained him for so much of his life and eventually contributed to his suicide, was the natural world. He had a particular love for birds but he was fascinated by, and dreadfully frightened for, all living nature.

He started writing about the countryside for a local newspaper at the age of fifteen, and by seventeen was contributing weekly Nature Walks and Country Diary pieces to the Slough Observer. Several of his novels have birds or animals at their centre, and as he got older, more experienced, and better known, he increasingly used his public profile to campaign, often angrily, against the despoilers of all things natural. His targets included the Army, mining and oil companies, government and the Forestry Commission, amongst others.

If you walk over Eggardon Hill today and look down on the green canopy of ancient woodland fringing Powerstock Forest below, you have him to thank for that. With support from his very good friend Brian Jackman he forced the Forestry Commission (then chaired, appropriately, by a man called Rook) to cancel its tree-felling programme, designed to clear the way for ranked rows of uniform conifers, and preserve the primeval oaks.

But, as David Wilkinson wrote in his biography of my father Keeping The Barbarians At Bay, “his main contribution to Britain’s fledgling environment movement was not so much what he achieved on the ground in Dorset, but rather the steady shift in public attitudes to the protection of wildlife and the countryside that he helped start through his campaigning national journalism.”

His fortnightly column in The Sunday Times educated a weekend readership of millions—far more than the then combined membership of all Britain’s environmental pressure groups—with details of how illegal snares and hawk nets were still on sale to farmers and gamekeepers; or how the Shell oil company was seeking to stave off extended bans on the use of its pesticide products, deadly

to birds of prey. He revealed how the government’s Department of Trade was selling off licences to explore for oil and gas in every part of the country, regardless of the environmental consequences of possible future exploitation. And he condemned the Ministry of Agriculture’s forty per cent subsidies to farmers for ripping out hedgerows.

Nationally he made enemies in government departments and big corporations, who in turn put pressure on his employers at the BBC and the Sunday Times. Battling for the environment came at considerable personal cost.

He was a passionate environmentalist, but also a pessimistic one. He wrote ‘money talks: beauty is voiceless’ and although there were other factors in his decision to kill himself, his despair about what we were doing to the planet weighed heavily.

In the weekend before he died, he and my mother travelled to North Wales to watch one of the last five breeding pairs of Peregrine Falcons remaining in Wales (they were effectively extinct in Southern England).

In his final letter he described that weekend as being one of the happiest he could remember.

He wrote: “The tiercel and falcon, when they ringed up into the bright sky and fell in those tumbling dives down the crags, free spirits, were so right, and everything which we represented—our race which poisons them and shoots them and steals

“money talks: beauty is voiceless”

A reprint of Kenneth Allsop’s In The Country is available from local publisher Little Toller Books

their eggs and young—so wrong. We are the predators and killers, not those peregrines, for they and the few of their kind which survive, but not for much longer, live exalted lives, true to their nature, and we degrade and damage their world which is so beautiful and complex and balanced.”

So what would he make of the world today, 50 years on? There is so much to despair of:

• A “biological annihilation” of wildlife means a sixth mass extinction in Earth’s history is under way and is more severe than previously feared,

• Two-thirds of global populations of mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish have been lost on average since 1970, according to a new report from WWF,

• Three-quarters of all land and 40 percent of Earth’s oceans are severely degraded,

• The UK’s flying insect population has declined by as much as 60% in the last 20 years alone, and insects could vanish within a century at the current rate of decline.

He would have been overjoyed to know that there are now 1500 breeding pairs of peregrines in Britain, but would without doubt have continued his campaigning

and articulate outcries against the stupidity and cupidity of man. He had always hammered home the message that those who had been given formal stewardship, on the public’s behalf, for Britain’s landscapes and wildlife could not be trusted to do the job—either through their incompetence, lack of resources, complacency or corruption. It was, he warned, ultimately our responsibility to do something about it.

So he would have been much heartened by the awareness and engagement by the public in today’s environmental conflicts. Membership of the RSPB has increased almost tenfold since the early 1970s to over one million, while the National Trust has grown by a factor of sixteen, to well over five million. And, although he could not have foreseen this, Britain, when part of the EU, was obliged to introduce tougher environmental legislation: higher air and water quality standards; measures to protect wildlife; and requirements for developers to assess and make public likely impacts on the environment of their plans and projects.

Maybe he would no longer have felt quite so alone and unsupported.

Kenneth Allsop

Where there’s Mud there’s Birds

Philip Strange goes searching for avocets on the mudflats around the estuary of the river Exe in East Devon.

As it approaches the sea, the river Exe swells into an impressive estuary about eight miles long and up to a mile wide. The Exe estuary is strongly tidal, a place of ebb and flow where massive amounts of water move back and forth and vast areas of mudflats emerge twice each day as the tide falls. Estuary mud may look uninviting but it is a rich habitat for tiny worms and crustaceans and as rich in biodiversity as a tropical rainforest. Wading birds love this plentiful environment and many species overwinter here and can be seen feeding from the mud. One iconic winter visitor to the Exe is the avocet, a beautiful black and white wading bird.

The town of Topsham on the eastern side of the estuary makes a good gateway for anyone interested in learning more about local bird life on the mudflats. The railway station is easy walking distance from the town and there is plenty to see in Topsham itself. The river has always been an important influence on the town and Topsham was once the second busiest port in England and an important centre for shipbuilding. Times change and nowadays Topsham is a favoured destination for the retired and for tourists alike, its narrow streets packed with enticing cafes, restaurants and gift shops but also cars.

Many fine houses were built here in the 17th and 18th centuries by prosperous merchants when maritime trade through Topsham was in its heyday. These houses can still be seen, seemingly unchanged, along the main streets as they descend to the quay and river. Perhaps the most overtly impressive street is the Strand, running parallel to the river beyond the quay, lined with elegant old houses many built with curved gables in the Dutch style. There

was a busy trade with the Netherlands in the 17th/18th centuries exporting woollen cloth made in Exeter mills. Ships returned from Holland carrying Dutch bricks and tiles as ballast which were used to build the houses, inspired by Dutch design.

But what about the mudflats and the birds? If we walk along the Strand until the houses peter out, we reach a raised concrete walkway along the river. This is the Goat Walk and gives good views across the water to the salt marshes and reeds on the west bank of the Exe and downstream towards the river mouth. At high tide, the water comes up to the edge of the walkway but as the tide falls, mud is quickly revealed and wading birds can be seen foraging for food. If you stand here quietly on a winter’s day you may also hear the plaintive, keening call of the curlew echoing across the water.

At the end of the Goat Walk the path turns sharply to the left on to Bowling Green Road with the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) nature reserve appearing in a short distance. This gives access to a viewing platform looking out across the water where the rivers Clyst and Exe merge. As the tide falls, vast swathes of mudflats appear, attracting flocks of waders. The dark mud with its film of water acts as a perfect mirror capturing an image of the sky and clouds above, punctuated by whatever waders choose to feed.

Further down Bowling Green Road is the RSPB Hide which gives unique views across marshy land with small lakes and reed beds at the confluence of the Clyst and Exe rivers. This is the main high tide roosting place for birds on the northern part of the Exe estuary and large numbers

Avocets viewed from the Goatwalk in Topsham

of waterfowl and waders may be seen. I once saw a huge flock of godwits grazing here and suddenly taking flight, a breath-taking experience as they wheeled back and forth catching the sun.

In the winter, though, the star species on the mudflats is the avocet a very distinctive black and white, long-legged wader with an extended, slightly upturned beak that it uses for finding food in the mud. The birds arrive on the Exe by November and may be seen on the mudflats off Topsham into February. Sometimes they gather in large flocks feeding not far from the RSPB hide.

Avocets are elegant birds and something about them has captured the local and national imagination. For example, the railway line along the estuary linking Exeter, Topsham and Exmouth is now called the Avocet Line. Beyond Topsham the railway runs close to the river making avocet sightings possible from the train in winter. The Exeter Brewery is another avocet advocate and features the bird in its logo. Perhaps the greatest tribute to the bird, though, was the adoption from 1970 of the bird as the logo of the RSPB, celebrating a major conservation and protection success story.

The avocet was extinct in the UK by 1840 having been driven over the edge by marsh drainage, destroying important habitat, and by hunting and egg collection. The occasional bird still arrived in the UK but was usually shot to satisfy the fashion for stuffed birds as living room ornaments. Paradoxically, a century later, the turmoil of World War 2 opened a window of opportunity for the birds to re-establish in the UK.

With the threat of a German invasion, the low-lying Suffolk coast was considered particularly vulnerable. Various physical defences were erected on beaches but another strategy included the deliberate flooding of coastal marshland around the Minsmere river to hamper invading forces. After the war, the water was allowed to recede creating a mosaic of shallow pools and reedbeds, a

haven for wildlife. In 1947, the RSPB took over managing the site and in the same year seven pairs of avocets nested on the Minsmere reserve. The birds were guarded carefully and by 1949, after some ups and downs, 40 young avocets fledged. This is one of the most successful conservation and protection stories and nowadays, avocets breed along the East coast of the UK in good numbers each summer. In winter, many migrant avocets arrive in the UK especially in the south west. Several hundred birds overwinter on the Exe estuary each year and even greater numbers may be seen around Poole Harbour. The birds come for the milder weather and for the mudflats with their rich biodiversity and the well-stocked winter larder they provide for these migrants.

Philip Strange is Emeritus Professor of Pharmacology at the University of Reading. He writes about science and about nature with a particular focus on how science fits in to society. His work may be read at http://philipstrange.wordpress.com/

Dutch-gabled houses along the Strand in Topsham

Avocets gathering near the bird hide at Bowling Green Marsh

Vegetables in May

By Ashley Wheeler

IT hasn’t been an easy Spring so far, but the change in weather in mid April has helped out a lot. We have had huge losses on our early plantings, as they sat in cold, wet soil being eaten by the slugs, however this has improved and we are having the joys of harvesting some of the overwinter polytunnel crops like sugarsnaps and some of the early sowings like pak choi, radish, spring onions and spring garlic too.

May is a big month as a vegetable grower, with continued sowings and a lot of planting to get on with, so we are hoping for good weather so that we can crack on with cultivating in the field and planting in uncultivated beds in the market garden. We are aiming to not cultivate at all in the market garden this year—using thick silage plastic to cover beds and kill off weeds and old crops. The new field that we took on last year is a different sort of scale and will rely more on tractor cultivations (albeit shallow) partly due to the weed pressure in the field with things like couch grass and docks that can be controlled with cultivation. We will be undersowing most of the crops with a diverse mix of green manures including white clover, yellow trefoil, buckwheat, linseed, phacelia, millet, oats and a few annual flowers too. This should help to alleviate any damage to the soil that is inevitably caused by cultivation, as the green manure crops build associations with soil life and build healthier soils. We aim to not invert the soil by ploughing in the field, as this can be much more damaging and on our heavy clay soil can easily lead to smearing and drainage issues. However, we will just have to see whether we can keep in control of the weeds and kill off old crops by just shallow cultivating and not ploughing. May is not only a busy month of planting outside, but also a time of transition in the polytunnels as we take out winter crops and plant with summer crops like tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, aubergines and french beans. To make the most of the bed space in polytunnels we tend to clear the odd outer rows of the beds and middle rows too, replacing salad that has become less productive with quick growing early crops like radish, pak choi, chinese cabbage, kohl rabi, beetroot, chard and spinach, lettuce and fennel. Most of this is planted though March, but crop though April and May, and then the summer fruiting crops mentioned above can be planted around these so that they can establish whilst the the quick growing crops mature and can be harvested to make more space for the summer crops to grow into once the weather warms up. These intercroppings make the most out of the space, so that crops can get their roots established in the soil, but whilst they are slowly growing and there is space in the beds for other quick crops it makes sense to double crop the space. When space emerges after harvesting some of these quick crops we will plant flowers to grow in between the tomatoes and cucumbers. This will help to keep a more diverse range of living roots in the soil, encouraging a diversity of soil life, whilst also encouraging pollinators and other beneficial predatory insects that will help to maintain

a more balanced environment inside the polytunnels. We use things like Limnanthes douglasii (poached egg plant), cornflowers, dill, coriander, calendula, tagetes amongst others. Some of these are also edible and look great in salads—but make sure that you check which ones are edible before eating them (calendula, cornflowers, nasturtiums, dill, coriander, tagetes are all safe)

There is still a chance of late frosts through May, so don’t be caught out by the warmer weather—keep the fleece to hand to cover any tender crops if temperatures look like they might drop to around 0 degrees.

WHAT TO SOW THIS MONTH: kale, forced chicory, carrots, beetroot, chard, successions of lettuce and other salad leaves (not mustards and rocket —these will bolt too quickly now and get flea beetle), autumn cabbage, successions of basil, dill and coriander, early chicory - palla rossa and treviso types, cucumbers (for second succession), french and runner beans, courgettes, squash and sweetcorn if not already sown.

WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH:

OUTSIDE: salads, spring onions, beetroot, chard, shallots and onions from seed, courgettes, squash, corn, kale, last direct sown radish early in the month, french and runner beans

INSIDE: If not already done—tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, cucumbers, chillies, indoor french beans, basil

OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS THIS MONTH: Keep on top of the seed sowing, but don’t sow too much of anything—think about sowing successionally. Keep on top of hoeing and weeding—ideally hoe when the weeds are just starting to come up on a dry, sunny, breezy day.

For more information about our veg bag delivery scheme go to www. trillfarmgarden.co.uk/boxscheme.html. We also run veg growing courses and offer discounts to those local to us, for more information check www. trillfarmgarden.co.uk/courses

Tomatoes later in the year, having been underplanted with flowers as well as agretti

A 700-year old country fair

STOCKLAND, near Honiton, first had a country fair more than 700 years ago—and it’s still going strong, promising an afternoon of music, merriment, magic and lots to eat and drink, in the grounds of the village hall, on the late May bank holiday, Monday 29th May from 1.30 pm.

Stockland Fair has its origins during the reign of King Henry III in 1252. It is described as “a glorious, oneday traditional English country fair,” and attracts more than 2,000 visitors, raising a considerable amount of money for local causes.

Expect old fashioned games, country crafts, tractors, home baking and plant stalls, sheep shearing, line dancing and various displays. There is family entertainment with Dan’s Marvellous Magic show, storytelling and puppetry with tales of the seafarer Sam O Shanty, and a carousel and bouncy castle. Honiton Band will be playing and so will The Big Noise Street Band.

One of the highlights is the world-famous Stockland Eggathon! There is a great selection of refreshments including afternoon teas in the hall, barbecue with local sausages, venison and beef burgers, ices, soft drinks and local ales and cider

Sam O’Shanty’s tall tales at the Stockland Fair

May in the Garden

By Russell Jordan

This is a really burgeoning time in the garden. Despite a general trend towards more late flowering plant species, especially over the past few decades, at the heart of the ‘English Garden’ is the ‘cottage garden’ which is full of the kind of plants which bloom in May; irises, herbaceous geraniums, wisteria, roses, viburnums, peonies, alliums, etc. etc.

Another factor which makes May really special is that it’s the first month when every deciduous tree and shrub is truly in full leaf, in contrast to the raw nakedness of the winter months. This fresh foliage is yet to be ravaged by pests, disease or the slings and arrows of the Great British weather. Shrubs and trees grown specifically for their foliage, Japanese Acers being a prime example, are at their unspoilt best, clothed in a virgin set of lustrous leaves.

I generally consider May to be the first month when you can get days which feel properly warm and temperatures can occasionally climb to what could be described as ‘heatwave’ levels. This means that traditionally this is this month that frost-shy plants can be moved out of their winter quarters and back into the garden. It’s also the time when, even if you don’t possess a heated growing space, it’s safe to buy all those lovely, but non-hardy, plants to fill containers and bedding schemes with summer colour (but keep some horticultural fleece on hand in case a late frost threatens newly planted tender bedding).

Higher temperatures and lush growth increase the prevalence of pests and diseases. As always, the key is to nip any problems in the bud before they can escalate. Most indigenous pests, such as aphids, slugs, snails and their ilk, have natural predators which keep them in balance. Your early intervention is only required if the pest gets the upper hand and their natural predators need some help in reducing their numbers. The problem is with introduced pests, my own bête noire being the ‘Lily Beetle’, as they don’t have many natural predators and can therefore wreak real damage if they become established in your garden.

Adult lily beetles are bright red (as I hope you know by

now seeing as I mention them every single year) which makes them easy to spot. They like to hide under the lily leaves, when not basking in the sun, and they are well practised at dropping to the ground, if disturbed, where their black undersides makes them difficult to see. However, the main damage that they do is done by their larvae, nasty little grubs which cloak themselves in their own excrement. These voracious feeders can completely denude lilies, also fritillaries, so that the plants are weakened to the point of dying out over the years.

Just as pests can increase exponentially this month so can the weeds. Keeping on top of them is the key to success so regularly checking beds and borders, for newly germinated weeds, is essential. If the ground was cleared earlier in the year, mulched with a good few centimetres depth of sterile organic matter, then weeding is comparatively easy as new seedlings are easily pulled up if only rooted into the loose top layer.

Perennial weeds need digging out fully, including all the root, which can be tricky in a well stocked flower border. If ever there was an excuse to use a targeted, glyphosate based, weed killer then this is it. Apply it only to the offending weed, mixed at the recommended rate, with a paintbrush to avoid killing any nearby cultivated plants. I find dandelions, which have sown themselves right into the crowns of herbaceous perennials, are prime candidates for this forensic method of weed control.

Remembering that we had a hot, dry, spell last summer— now’s the time to test out any watering system that you rely on. This may mean investing in more watering cans, water buts, trickle hoses or anything that makes life easier for you in a heatwave. Water butts are all very well but they really come into their own if you invest in something like a ‘water butt pump’ so that you can still use a hose, or sprinkler, without access to mains water. I tend to use watering cans to water anything growing in a container because its much easier to tell how much water you’ve delivered, they need a good soaking, rather than with sprinkling with a hosepipe

which can give a false sense of an adequate watering when actually you’ve barely wetted the surface.

Lawns should never be irrigated, it’s a waste of water, but regular mowing will be in full swing by now. ‘Little and often’ is paramount because allowing the grass to get really long, then shaving it to within an inch of its life, will weaken it and make it less able to cope with dry spells. Regular mowing also controls weeds by encouraging fine grasses, which are adapted to being constantly ‘grazed’, rather than coarser grasses and perennial weeds which could otherwise take over. Unless you are tending to a bowling green, it’s perfectly acceptable to have a few daisies, dandelions and clover in your lawn as they are important nectar source for many insects; a monoculture never exists in nature.

As mentioned at the start of this article, there is a profusion of flowering this month but many of the early flowering shrubs, the weigelas, deutzias, forsythias etc., can be just dull old blobs from here on in. Cutting out the oldest stems, after flowering, will keep them as productive as possible but once they are mature there is another way for them to earn their keep in the garden; use them as a support for a late flowering clematis.

The ‘Viticella’ group of clematis flower after mid-summer, on the current season’s growth, so they can be planted alongside early flowering shrubs and allowed to scramble through them. They flower when the shrub doesn’t, adding to its period of interest, and they are easy to manage because they can be cut to a few inches of the ground, before the host shrub comes into flower, each spring. A planting combination that makes full use of the space in your garden—what joy!

May your dream home blossom

By Helen Fisher

DRIMPTON £850,000

An individually-built (1989) detached Georgian-style house with 4/5 bedrooms 2 bathrooms and 3 reception rooms. Fully double glazed with large sash-style windows. Kitchen with Shaker-style units and Aga. Delightful garden with fruit and veg plots, greenhouse, shed/workshop and a detached studio/office. Parking and double garage. Kennedys Tel: 01308 427329

COLYTON

£330,000

A (virtually) detached 2 double bedroom cottage set down a short no-through lane. Updated with a new farmhouse style kitchen and new bathroom plus benefiting from uPVC glazing. South-facing front garden with mature olive tree and wisteria with pathways wrapping around the cottage. Plus a little garden shed and store. Gordon and Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

BRIDPORT £1,375,000

Detached 3 bedroom cottage style house with detached 2 bedroom cottage annex. Original house built in 1946 in an Arts and Crafts style. A large 2 storey extension added 8 years ago along with extensive refurbishment. Large south-facing gardens and grounds, orchard, small pond, fire pit and studio plus paddock and woodlands. All set in 4.25 acres. Ample parking. Stags Tel: 01308 428000

PIDDLETRENTHIDE £1,275,000

A former mill converted about 50 years ago and completely renovated in 2014. With 5 bedrooms and many original mill features. South-facing family kitchen with bespoke units and French windows onto a terrace. Plus a fully self-contained attached annex with own private paved garden. Large, secluded gardens and ample parking.

Knight Frank Tel: 01935 810062

MORCOMBELAKE £1.2M

A 1930’s classic Arts and Crafts house positioned to take full advantage of the wonderful views. With 5 bedrooms and many period features: open fireplaces, bay windows and panelled doors. Benefitting from a large garage with studio above. Gardens with pond and greenhouse plus meadow with a large array of fruit trees, veg and soft fruit areas. All set in just under 3 acres.

Symonds and Sampson Tel: 01308 422092

WEYMOUTH £950,000

A classical Georgian Grade II listed former farmhouse with 4 double bedrooms and a self-contained 2 bedroom apartment on the top floor. Plus a 1 bedroom ground floor annex. Immaculately presented with light-filled elegantly proportioned rooms throughout. Beautiful mature gardens. Double garage and ample parking. Domvs Tel: 01305 757300

‘Vital Service’ helping the NHS

out of Yeovil and Dorchester, with Taunton coming into operation shortly, and delivers in excess of 3,500 packages a year. Riding in excess of 132,000 miles a year, (roughly 5.5 times around the world), many of these are ‘category 1’ life-saving deliveries, making the blood bikes and their riders an invaluable, free of charge, emergency medical motorcycle courier service for the NHS. And because the service is a charity organisation, run entirely by volunteers, it is saving the NHS hundreds of thousands of pounds every year.

As a charity, YFW Freewheelers rely entirely on donations from the public and local businesses to keep them on the road.

MANY drivers will have seen the brightly liveried blood bikes out and about on the roads of Dorset and Somerset. The bikes are often referred to as ‘the 4th emergency service’. These unsung heroes are your local Blood Bike team, travelling the highways and byways of Dorset and Somerset delivering much needed - and often time critical - supplies of blood, platelets, tissue samples, medication, baby milk, X-rays, CT scans, medical equipment and essential documentation to countless NHS organisations and patients across both counties, and beyond.

The team, officially called YFW Freewheelers, operates

As the recent Lord Lieutenant of Somerset, Mrs Annie Maw said, ‘Blood Bikes provide a vital service and the bikers selflessly give of their free time and riding skills in all weathers to save lives. I encourage all to support them in all their endeavours’

Such recognition is entirely justified, but our volunteers are a modest lot. They give their time freely, their knowledge generously and their enthusiasm without restraint. If this sounds like you, and you have some spare time and would like to find a way to use it well, why not give YFW Freewheelers a call on 0300 030 1180 or visit www.yfwfreewheelers.org.

Bloodbikes Training Day

Bridport man’s role in protecting threatened Caribbean coral reefs

since 2016 to establish the largest community-based coral restoration network in the Eastern Caribbean.

DR OWEN DAY lives with his family near Bridport but his mind and his cutting-edge science is spent protecting some of the most beautiful important and threatened coral reefs in the world.

Coastal communities in the Caribbean rely heavily on coral reefs for their livelihoods, food and coastal protection. In the last five decades, coral reefs worldwide have been heavily impacted by over-fishing, diseases, hurricanes and mass bleaching, with the latter three projected to increase with climate change. Active coral restoration—where resilient genotypes are identified, propagated in nurseries and then out-planted to assist natural recovery, is increasingly recognised as a useful tool in reef conservation and an important climate change adaptation strategy. Coral restoration is also an effective way of engaging and empowering local communities with the management of their coastal environment. While governments, communities and private sector companies are interested in supporting coral restoration efforts, the framework, funding and technical resources are often lacking. This talk will describe the work done by CLEAR and partners

Dr Owen Day is a marine biologist with over 25 years’ experience working in the Caribbean with a wide range of partners, including UNEP, World Bank, USAID, UKAID, GIZ, CDB, CBF and several private foundations. Much of his work has involved creating partnerships between the private sector, governments and local communities to improve the management and resilience of coastal ecosystems and the sustainability of livelihoods. He is the Executive Director of CLEAR Caribbean, a not-forprofit company that operates the largest coral restoration programmes in the Eastern Caribbean with nurseries in St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. He obtained a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from Oxford University in 1988, and his masters and doctorate in marine biology from the University of Wales in 1991 and 1996 respectively.

The HOP talks are an initiative started by Philip Howse OBE (Professor Emeritus, University of Southampton) with Professor Sir Ghillean Prance FRS VMH CBE (former Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew) George Monbiot, Clive Farrell, Dr George McGavin and the late James Lovelock CBE. The project aims to inspire and inform individuals, families and local communities with tangible actions to help combat the effects of climate change and environmental degradation, and to raise money for charities working in these areas. Each month the charity is chosen by the speaker.

Community-based Coral Restoration in the Eastern Caribbean by Dr Owen Day is on Thursday 25 May at 7pm at Sladers Yard in West Bay. Doors 6pm hot snacks and bar available. Tickets: £10 (concessions and under 21s £5). All ticket proceeds to The Fossil Fuel NonProliferation Treaty Initiative. Call 01308 459511 to reserve tickets.

Staghorn coral nursery in the Tobago Cays

LABNEH

Labneh is a fresh Middle Eastern cheese made by hanging whole milk yogurt in muslin until it is as thick as cream cheese, but with a tangy, lightly salty flavour reminiscent of feta. If you want to keep it for longer than a week, you can make it into balls and cover these with olive oil, which will sit happily in the fridge for up to a couple of months. Use it like feta in salads, dotted over a tray of still warm roast vegetables or to make a labneh cheesecake in place of cream cheese. Utterly delicious.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 kilo live whole milk yogurt (cow, sheep or goat)

• 2 tsp fine sea salt

• A large square of clean muslin

Makes about 500g

NAOMI DEVLIN

DIRECTIONS

1. Stir the sea salt into the yogurt. Line a mixing bowl with muslin and scrape the yogurt into it. Tie up the corners of the muslin and suspend over the bowl, so that the whey can drip out and leave at room temperature for 24 hours. I do this by hanging the muslin from a camera tripod on the worktop, or by tying the muslin around a wooden spoon and placing this on top of a tall jug. You can also use a jelly bag with a frame.

2. The labneh should have the texture of cream cheese after 24 hours and be firm enough to use for cheesecake or dips. If you allow it to hang for another 24-36 hours it will be more of a goat cheese consistency (transfer to the fridge for this longer period). Store in an airtight container for up to a week. Rinse and boil your muslin cloth before washing in the washing machine.

WATERCRESS SOUP

Hampshire and Dorset are centres of watercress production. Yet while we will happily munch our way through a pile of rocket, we neglect our local peppery equivalent. So often watercress ends up as a garnish, left behind on the plate instead of being eaten and enjoyed as a nutritious vegetable. As with most soups and sauces made with leafy green herbs, overcooking can kill the flavour and colour of watercress. So cook briefly and chill quickly to preserve the delicate taste of this underused English leaf. Eaten raw it can be so strong it helps to mix it with other leaves, or try it with orange. Asian flavours, too, suit it well. It also makes a great, tasty and quick soup.

DIRECTIONS INGREDIENTS

• 250g watercress, stalks removed

• 1 leek, well rinsed, trimmed and roughly chopped

• 1 tbsp vegetable or corn oil

• 1.5 litre vegetable stock (a good cube is fine)

• Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

• Goats curd for garnish

Serves 4

Naomi Devlin at The Oyster & Fish House

Naomi will be joining Mark and the team on 17th May to cook a delicious 4-course meal and share her expertise on gluten-free foods and how you can boost your gut health by choosing the right food and drink. Naomi will be serving her homemade ferments and letting you know how you can make your own at home. You don’t need to be coeliac to enjoy this evening—you simply need to enjoy your food as much as we do!

For more information visit https://theoysterandfishhouse.co.uk/news-events/ an-evening-with-naomi-devlin/

1. Cut the stalks from the watercress and put the leaves to one side. Gently cook the leek in the vegetable oil in a covered pan until soft, without allowing it to colour. Add the vegetable stock, season with salt and pepper and bring to the boil. Simmer for 10 minutes, then add the watercress stalks and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, add two-thirds of the watercress leaves and blend the soup in a liquidiser, or with a stick blender, until smooth.

2. Strain through a fine-meshed sieve. Chop the remaining watercress leaves and add to the soup. Bring back to the boil briefly if necessary and serve. Add a spoonful of goat’s curd before serving.

MARK HIX

Save the date for Bridport’s big week of food and drink

ONE day is simply not enough to showcase Bridport’s food and drink, so the town will be celebrating a foodie fortnight from the 11th to 24th June 2023. The main event The Bridport Food Festival is at Asker Meadows on Saturday the 17th from 9.30am until 5pm. Visitors will be able to explore the wonderful food and drink the local region has to offer. The day will include an array of local food vendors, children activities, cookery theatre and more. With a wealth of chefs, makers, bakers and farmers situated in and around the area there is much to look forward to. Find out more on the Bridport Food Festival website. https:// www.bridportfoodfestival.co.uk/ festival-fortnight/

Food demonstrations at Bridport Food Festival

The River of Mirrors

Ashared dream to make a film that could help others to look at rivers in a new way inspired Joe Fender and Joe Rea-Dickens to make The River of Mirrors which will have its local premier at the Electric Palace in early May.

An engrossing trip from river to sea through peaceful flowing pools and white water rapids, the film is described as ‘a modern revival of the soul and style of pioneering surf films of the 1970s—a paddlesports vision reimagined to create a world first cinematic experience that looks beyond adrenaline and ego.’

After meeting whilst kayaking in Scotland in 2016 the two Joe’s quickly established that they both loved the medium of film as well as being passionate kayakers.

Joe Fender was studying Painting and Printmaking at the Glasgow School of Art at the time and Joe ReaDickens had been making kayaking films and working as a videographer for Palm Equipment, a UK kayaking brand.

Fast forward to the first lockdown and after a few years of travelling internationally they found the time to sit down and write the dream film they had been talking about making for so long.

‘The River of Mirrors was born out of a deep desire to create the film we wanted to see’ explained Joe Fender. ‘Something different that shared our experiences and vision of a life inspired by rivers. It’s a push back against vlogs, social media and the same old story structure of extreme sports documentaries.’

Just a short time into the 38 minute film the viewer gets a creeping sense of other worldliness as a lone kayaker drifts slowly through sheer-cliffed canyons. A glimpse of nearby planets on the horizon and kaleidoscopic film effects reinforces the feeling that this is not a day trip down the Thames. The changing terrain of slow moving water, white water rapids and waterfalls are drivers of

moments of eerie peace and white-knuckle excitement as the journey unfolds. ‘We focus on the river as the main character and the kayaking takes place around this’ said Joe Fender. ‘It’s not to be consumed, rather an experience that touches the essence at the heart of a river journey. Contrary to the mainstream sports media it is an art house film with kayaking—a meditation on water.’ A phenomenal original score from Cardiff jazz outfit Slowly Rolling Camera adds a powerful extra dimension.

The pair’s debut film, they describe it as ‘a huge passion project’ and hope that it ‘acts as a springboard into the film world from which there will be opportunities to fund and make more films based around our love of water.’

They hope The River of Mirrors inspires people who don’t have a relationship with rivers to look at them differently. Their wish is for those that do, ‘to create new perspectives and motivate projects outside of welltravelled narratives.’

Joe Rea-Dickins is currently researching for a U.K. rivers guidebook while Joe Fender is dreaming up plans for a long river expedition while continuing to guide and teach kayaking internationally to help fund projects like The River of Mirrors

The film will be shown at The Electric Palace in Bridport on May 3rd. The programme also features short films Vendor Beast by Finn Rabbitt Dove and The Invisible Water by Momen Nabil. 8pm. For tickets phone 01308 424 901.

‘It’s a push back against vlogs, social media and the same old story structure of extreme sports documentaries.’

GALLERIES May

Until 1 May

Spring Time 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 Sou’-SouWest’s Annual Spring Open.

1 - 14 May

Precipice? Bridport artist Sarah Jane Ross is exhibiting her new series of contemporary landscape paintings, asking “are we living on the edge?” while celebrating the official ‘Year of the Coast’. 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

1 - 27 May

Peter Buxton is at Unique Framecraft as guest artist for May. Peter is a retired architect painter and musician still playing Blues and Jazz locally and at smaller festivals! Open daily from 8.30 til 4pm at Unique Framecraft, 4-5 Million Rise Workshops, Second Avenue, Axminster, EX13 5HH. Telephone 01297 613614 or 07801 260259. Instagram:- @uniqueframecraft. What3words: warned.tasteful.elaborate.

1 - 31 May

Kit Glaisyer: Light, Mood & Atmospherics 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. Kit Glaisyer Gallery, 11 Downes Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JR. 07983 465789 www.kitglaisyer.com @kitglaisyer

2 - 14 May

‘Layer Upon Layer’ Jenny Penney (Relief Sculpted Landscapes), Lyn Kirkland (Encaustic Wax) & Sue Jenkins (Ecoprint) The artists will be demonstrating their techniques over the exhibition period. Please check social media for by who and when, otherwise just take pot luck! You are guaranteed to learn something new! Eype Centre for the Creative Arts. St. Peter’s Church, Mount Lane, Eype, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6AR. Open daily 10 am – 4

pm (Excluding Saturday 6th May when we will close for the King’s Coronation). Free admission and parking. All artwork and textiles will be for sale, along with prints and greetings cards. 07711460372 www.jennyvp58.wixsite.com/penneyart https://lynkirklandart. artweb.com Instagram: Tonleaf

2 - 19 May

West Country Scribes The Time is Now - a exhibition by this well-established group of talented calligraphers. Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tues-Sat, 9.30am - 3pm. Free entry. https:// www.ilminsterartscentre.com/exhibitions.

2 - 30 May

Visual Rhythm An exhibition of works by John Austin-Williams, Imogen Bittner, Mala Haslett, June Lisle and Helen Simpson. Preview 29th April 2-5pm. Formal Opening at 3pm by Mike Werkmeister. Please email helen@helensimpsonartist.co.uk if you would like an invitation. Five very different artists in whose work lie the echoes of a melody, a beat…a Visual Rhythm. The exhibition will also feature a sound installation in response to the artist’s work by award-winning young composer Joy Ingle. Malthouse Gallery and Studio East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH. www.eastlambrook.com

Until 3 May

Sonia Barton, Lotta Teale The Jerram Gallery, Half Mood Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN www.jerramgallery.com. Teresa Lawton Gallery On The Square Queen Mother Square Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3BL gallerypoundbury.co.uk.

Until 5 May

‘Americana’ by photographer Barry Cawston R.W.A. Cawston continues to be one of the leading photographers in the South West and recently had the honour of being made a Royal West of England Academician. The exhibition runs for a limited time and is available to view by appointment, contact sarah@closeltd.com Close Ltd, Hatch Beauchamp, Somerset TA3 6AE. info@closeltd.

Facets Paintings by Maggie Wyman 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.

Until 8 May

Rodney Graham Getting it Together in the Country Rodney Graham (1949 – 2022) expanded his diverse practice to encompass photography, painting, sculpture, film, video and music. A true polymath, Graham seamlessly inhabited different personae, genres and art forms throughout his unparalleled career. Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm Dropping Lane, Bruton Somerset BA10 0NL.

The New Bend Curated by Legacy Russell, Executive Director & Chief Curator of The Kitchen, ‘The New Bend’ travels from Hauser & Wirth Los Angeles to Somerset. The exhibition brings together 12 contemporary artists working in the raced, classed and gendered traditions of quilting and textile practice. The artists featured are Anthony Akinbola, Dawn Williams Boyd, Myrlande Constant, Ferren Gipson, Tomashi Jackson, Basil Kincaid, Eric N. Mack, Sojourner Truth Parsons, Tuesday Smillie, Rachel Eulena Williams, Qualeasha Wood and Zadie Xa. Hauser & Wirth Somerset, Durslade Farm Dropping Lane, Bruton Somerset BA10 0NL.

Until 13 May

The Life that Springs Anita Klein RA, Fred Cuming RA, Martyn Brewster ARE, Merlyn Chesterman RE, Sally McMaren RE, Yo Thom ceramics, Petter Southall furniture. Sladers Yard, 6 W Bay Rd, West Bay, Bridport DT6 4EL. 01308 459511.

13 May

Grand *one-day* summer exhibition Yeovil Art Group Summer Exhibition is planned to take place in the Digby Church Memorial Hall in Sherborne’s Digby Road, close to the famous Abbey. Members of the Yeovil Art Group will showcase their unique paintings, drawings, ceramics and home-made jewellery to the people of Sherborne and its environs.

13 May - 10 June

Earth|Ground Showing ceramics from the archive of Alan Wallwork (d.2019) and paintings and other works by Amanda Wallwork. This exhibition brings together two artists, father and daughter, whose work has been deeply influenced by the Dorset landscape, prehistory and deep time. Showing ceramics from the archive of Alan Wallwork (d.2019) and paintings and other works by Amanda Wallwork. Alan Wallwork enjoyed early success making a range of distinctive individual handbuilt sculptural forms, his pieces resembling archaic, sometimes totemic shapes. He moved his

Fru Tholstrup and Don McCullin join selectors for the Marshwood Arts Awards and John Hubbard Prize 2023

ART consultant, curator, and co-founder of the Sequested Prize, Fru Tholstrup, along with iconic photographer Don McCullin are the first selectors to be announced for this year’s Marshwood Arts Awards and John Hubbard Prize.

Known for her role in launching Sotheby’s flagship London Art Gallery S|2 in 2013, Fru Tholstrup was also Director at London’s Haunch of Venison Gallery which saw a stellar list of exhibitions by artists including, Damien Hirst and Michael Joo, Adrian Ghenie, Frank Stella, Richard Long, Jose Parla, Giuseppe Penone, Keith Tyson and Bill Viola.

Knighted in 2017 for his services to photography, Don McCullin is one of our greatest living photographers. Few have enjoyed a career so long; none one of such variety and critical acclaim. He has proved himself a photojournalist without equal while also an adroit artist capable of beautifully arranged still lifes, soulful portraits, and moving landscapes.

Founded in 2008 the Marshwood Arts Awards and John Hubbard Prize is relaunching after a Covid-imposed lockdown meant no Awards in 2021. This year’s exhibition will open in October at Bridport Arts Centre. Entries will open in June 2023. For more information visit www.marshwoodawards.com.

studio to Dorset in 1964, closer to the landscapes and evidence of prehistory that was an influence on his early work. Setting up studios in Marnhull, and later Uplyme, his work evolved to reflect the shapes, colours and textures to be found in the coast and countryside of Dorset. Amanda Wallwork is a visual artist using drawing, painting, mapping and installations to explore our experience of landscape - a quest for a real understanding of what lies beyond the aesthetic. 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.

20 May - 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.

22 May - 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

23 May - 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.

Until 27 May

David Gommon (1913-87) A Lifetime’s Adventure in Art The Art Stable, Kelly Ross Fine Art, Child Okeford, Dorset, DT11 8HB. kellyross@theartstable.co.uk. 07816 837905

27 May - 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.

27 May - 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

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.

Until 11 June

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 10am-5pm; Sun 10am-4pm, www. lymeregismuseum.co.uk

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 TuesdaySaturday, 10am - 5pm. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Elmfield House, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX.

Until 21 July

Spring Exhibition gallery & guest artists. Our Spring mixed exhibition features over a dozen of our gallery artists, plus four guest artists, including a range of sculptures, oils, and prints. A fine selection of landscape monoprints from Bristol-based Ruth Ander contrast nicely with landscapes in oil from Dorset-base Kim Pragnell. The Hampshire artist Philippa Headley adds her landscape oils to the mix and then Dorset-based Colin Moore provides further contrast with his linocut landscapes, and the detailled landscape etchings of Devon-based Mary Gillett. A variety of raku ceramics are with us from London-based artist Alison Wear as well as stonework from Sarah Moore and the fine metal/glass/stone scuptures from Bershire based Johannes von Stumm. Imogen Bittner has some new textile pieces as well as work from London-based guest artist Chloe Fremantle and pieces by local guest artist Sarah Batt. Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. http:// www.tincletongallery.com.

DonMcCullin

Philip Sutton RA solo show at Sladers Yard

AT the age of 94, Philip Sutton RA still paints and draws every day as he has throughout his life. The Times critic John Russell Taylor wrote, ‘All you need to understand and appreciate Philip Sutton is a lively eye and open mind. You do not have to make your way painfully towards him: his art will welcome you with open arms.’

In May Sladers Yard in West Bay celebrates Philip’s joyous, magical vision with paintings alongside works on canvas, on paper and on ceramics selected from a lifetime of painting which includes his most recent work.

20 May - 8 July. Sladers Yard, 6 West Bay Rd, West Bay, Bridport DT6 4EL. 01308 459511.

Philip Sutton RA vy Rebekah Sutton

must have been an Illusion by Philip Sutton RA

PREVIEW May

Robin Hood to Pandora’s Box ARTSREACH SPRING AND SUMMER

DORSET’s rural touring charity Artsreach has lined up an eclectic, exciting and inspiring programme of theatre, comedy, poetry, dance and music for the late spring and summer.

From Three Inch Fools with Robin Hood and his merry men to Paprika’s wild gypsy music from the Balkans, from Opera in a Box with Mozart’s Don Giovanni to Living Spit on the farm, there is something for everyone, across the county, from Cranborne to Halstock.

Much-loved comedy duo, Clevedon-based Living Spit are back on tour across the region, with their hilarious rural romp, One Man & His Cow, with two Artsreach performances, at the village halls at Cranborne (12th May) and Studland 27th May). Given just months to live, farmer Trevor is faced with the dilemma of which of his three children to bequeath his beloved farmstead to. Each has their own beguiling qualities and Trevor just can’t choose between them, until one fateful night in the cowshed, help

arrives from the most unlikely of sources.

Living Spit will also perform One Man And His Cow on 20th May at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, and 1st June at Bridport Arts Centre.

Chetnole on 20th May will be one of two venues for the West African multi-instrumentalis, kora maestro and composer Amadou Diagne and French-American guitarist and songwriter Cory Seznec. Also appearing at Blandford on 19th May, the duo draw heavily on the traditional music and rhythms of West Africa.

The INN Crowd series of performances in pubs continues with three shows. The Gaggle of Geese in Buckland Newton welcomes writer, performer and radio producer Rosa Torr (4th June) with Rattus Rattus: The Epic Tail of Man vs Rat, a real-life story about family, growing up, and the times we all find we’ve gone a little bit mad.

Callum Hughes heads to The Royal Oak, Drimpton (11th June) and the bar of Swanage’s Mowlem theatre (12th June) with Thirst, story-telling and song, celebrating sobriety and all things alcoholic.

Living Spit are coming to Artsreach, Bridport and Lyme Regis with One Man and His Cow

Playwright and poet Brenda Read Brown will be in the bar at Sturminster Newton Exchange (26th July) with But I Haven’t Finished Yet, a riotous celebration of growing older.

The first open air show of the summer is on 1st July at Halstock village hall field where Brainfools perform Lucky Pigeon, an absurd and colourful show that combines acrobatics and a pinch of satirical spice and puppetry.

Grand opera in miniature come to Lytchett Matravers (9th July) with Opera in a Box’s retelling of one of the greatest operas, Mozart’s Don Giovanni. The story follows the notorious womaniser as he lusts his way towards a dramatic downfall.

July also sees two gigs with the Balkan band Paprika, bringing their fusion of Eastern European, Balkan, gypsy and classical music to the village halls at Portesham on 15th July and Langton Matravers, the following night.

An entertaining series of open air shows in high summer starts at Sandford Orcas on 15th August with Three Inch Fools and their madcap take on the legendary Robin Hood, followed by The Last Baguette at Winterborne Stickland

sports ground on 16th August with a comic contemporary take on a famous Greek myth, Pandora’s Box Jar; and Calf 2 Cow round up the summer programme on 22nd August with a new adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s famous poem Jabberwocky in the beautiful gardens of Springhead at Fontmell Magna.

Northern Chords on tour CONCERTS IN THE WEST

A BRILLIANT young trio of musicians, the Northern Chords Ensemble, come to Bridport, Ilminster and Crewkerne for the May series of Concerts in the West, on Friday 5th and Saturday 6th May.

The three international musicians got together at the Northern Chords Festival, which was founded in 2009, to bring world-class musical performance to the North East. The festival itself takes place in May across venues in the region.

Individually, violinist Benjamin Baker, cellist Jonathan Bloxham and pianist Daniel Lebhardt enjoy stellar careers

Northern Chords Ensemble, Jonathan Bloxham, Ben Baker and Daniel Leibhardt, give the May series of Concerts in the West

and have won many prestigious awards . They perform regularly as soloists and chamber musicians worldwide, from the Wigmore Hall and the Southbank Centre to the Philharmonie in Berlin and the Kennedy Centre in Washington.

The first concert of the series is the usual coffee concert at Bridport, on Friday 5th May at 11.30am. The evening concerts are at Ilminster Arts Centre on Friday and Crewkerne Dance House on Saturday, both at 7.30pm.

The programme includes Beethoven’s Piano Trio in E flat major, Highland Scenes by Matthew Kaner, and Mendelssohn’s Piano Trio No 1 in D minor.

New play from Devon writer

STOCKLAND

DEVON’s Villages in Action rural arts organisation brings a new play by a local writer to two venues this spring— Ashburton Arts Centre on 14th May and Stockland village hall, near Honiton, on 3rd June.

Hattie Collins’ Kindle, described as intimate, turbulent and captivating, and performed by Almanac Theatre Company, takes a hard look at the stark divide between rural and urban communities and how climate change and ever-rising costs are affecting rural areas.

Heather, Holly and their mum Angela, a close-knit family from Devon struggle to run a rural petrol station. When Holly finally returns home from the city, she discovers a shattered version of the village she left behind…

After the show there is a free creative workshop, offering participants the opportunity to be part of creating a short, illustrated film. The workshop will be based around the themes of the play and the group will be joined by a community energy representative to hear a little bit about what they do.

There is more entertainment at Stockland on Sunday 11th June, when recent music graduate, tenor Gregory Steward gives a concert of classical and musical theatre songs, at 6pm at St. Michael and All Angels Church. Profits from the event will go towards re-pointing the church’s leaky bell tower!

Songs from the radical tradition DORCHESTER

ONE of this country’s most popular historians joins forces with a folk band that can sell out the Royal Albert Hall for an evening celebrating the English radical tradition in songs, on Saturday 13th May at Thomas Hardye School Theatre in Dorchester at 8pm..

Show of Hands (Phil Beer and Steve Knightley) join forces with historian Michael Wood and singer Kirsty Merryn for this exciting programme, taking the audience on a chronological journey through 800 years of English radical songs.

Michael Wood, broadcaster, author and inspiring speaker, will provide the historical context and the three musicians will create the musical settings to songs that are the soundtrack to the People’s History.

From the Great Famine and the Peasant’s Revolt in the 14th century, via the English Civil War, the Diggers and Levellers, Peterloo and the Chartists to the Tolpuddle Martyrs, these songs shine a light on the lives of ordinary men and women through times of struggle and hardship as

they fought for the rights that are ours today.

This concert, which is also being staged at the Beehive Centre at Honiton, on Wednesday 10th May, and at Sidmouth Folk Festival (4th to 11th August), is a timely reminder of what was hard won—and what we should still value and defend.

Virtuoso string trio DORCHESTER

A MEETING in a small Russian cultural cafe in Glasgow led to the formation of a trio that is now regarded as one of the finest string ensembles, playing music that crosses the boundaries of classical, gypsy jazz and folk.

The Tim Kliphuis, which was founded after the meeting in Café Cossachok in 2006, comes to the Corn Exchange at Dorchester on Friday 19th May at 8pm

The three musicians, Kliphuis on violin, Nigel Clark on guitar and Roy Percy, double bass, combine jaw-dropping virtuosity and mesmerizing improvisations.

They started out with Grappelli jazz on their first tours in the Scottish Highlands and quickly developed a personal sound including other styles and repertoire from classical and folk music.

The Dorchester concert will feature tunes by Django Reinhardt and the Trio’s new Five Elements suite, an ode to our planet, as well as classically inspired pieces from Bach’s Brandenburg Concertos, and some Vivaldi Four Seasons

The artist and the spider DORCHESTER

THE great Louise Bourgeois has an international reputation as an artist and sculptor—but will always be most widely known for her giant spider sculpture, which gives its name to the title of a film being shown at Dorchester Corn Exchange on Wednesday 3rd May at 7pm.

Coinciding with Dorset Museum’s Artist Rooms: Louise

Louise Bourgeois The Spider, The Mistress and The Tangerine in Dorchester

Bourgeois, Dorchester Arts is showing the extraordinary documentary, The Spider, The Mistress and The Tangerine, filmed between 1993 and 2007, exploring the life and work of one of this celebrated and influential figure.

The film, directed by Marion Cajori and Amei Wallach, takes the viewer into the world of a legend of modern art and an icon of feminism, showing the artist in her studio and with her installations, shedding light on her intentions and inspirations.

On screen, the nonagenarian Louise Bourgeois is magnetic, mercurial and emotionally raw—an uncompromising artist whose life and work are imbued with her ongoing obsession with the mysteries of childhood.

Louise Bourgeois has for six decades been at the forefront of successive new developments, but always on her own powerfully inventive and disquieting terms. In 1982, at the age of 71, she became the first woman to be honoured with a major retrospective at New York’s Museum of Modern Art. In the decades since, she has created her most powerful and persuasive work, including the series of massive spider structures that have been installed around the world.

It’s a fair cop! BRIDPORT

RADIO 4 favourite, cop-turned-comedian Alfie Moore comes to Bridport Arts Centre on Sunday 14th May at 8pm, with his latest show, Fair Cop Unleashed.

The new tour is based on a dramatic real-life incident from Alfie’s police casebook. Relive with him the thrilling ups and downs of the night a mysterious clown came to town and more than one life ended up in the balance.

It was no laughing matter—but this show certainly is! Enjoy Alfie’s unique brand of humour hilariously woven together with his personal insights into his life on the front-line of the police force.

It’d be a crime to miss it!

Comedy Store at the EP BRIDPORT

ROD Deering heads the list of comedy stars coming to the Electric Palace at Bridport on Friday 19th May, at 7.30pm.

The May visit by The Comedy Store to the Art Deco cinema and arts venue also features Ignacio Lopez and Eleanor Tiernan.

With nearly 40 years’ experience in the business and as the premier name in comedy, The Comedy Store is renowned as a breeding ground for new comedy talent,

and remains the place to see tomorrow’s stars today.

Many of Britain’s top stand-ups, including Eddie Izzard, John Bishop, Jimmy Carr, Rhod Gilbert and Sarah Millican, cut their comedy teeth with The Comedy Store.

First in-house production

LYME REGIS

DAVID Mamet’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play, Glengarry Glen Ross, at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, from Wednesday 24th to Saturday 27th May, will be the theatre’s first in-house professional production.

The play is a blistering comedy about four real estate agents in Chicago who try to dupe unsuspecting clients into purchasing undesirable property at inflated prices. Their supervisor Blake proposes a contest—whoever sells the most wins a Cadillac. But whoever sells the list property wins a Cadillac, but whoever sells the least gets fired. In this production, directed by Billy Geraghty, all roles are gender-blind.

We witness these desperate, frustrated, angry and scared people trying to save themselves from ‘drowning’ in failure, by any means necessary. It becomes a Darwinian struggle between these flawed individuals in which they will try anything to survive. Thrown into this chaos are the victims of their scams and a classic ‘whodunnit’ mystery to solve. All this is mixed with a large helping of humour and bad language.

In America, the 1980s recession was severe. It also affected much of the world and is widely considered to have been the most severe recession since the Second World War. The destructive business practices that brought about the 2008 crash can be seen in the foundations of the Glengarry Glen Ross ‘hustlers’—and going further back the ‘snake oil sellers’ of the wild west that came before them.

If you’ve ever been the victim of a cold caller or a scam artist, then here’s your chance to enjoy a bit of payback.

Coronation music and fun

LYME REGIS

THE Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis is celebrating the coronation of King Charles III with a weekend of music and family fun, starting on Friday 5th May with Roddy Woomble, one of Scotland’s finest songwriters.

Known for his enigmatic lyrics, warm baritone voice and consummate gift for a tune, Roddy has released five solo albums to date. For the past two decades he has also been the frontman of Scottish alternative rock band Idlewild.

Glengarry Glen Ross will be the first professional in-house production at Lyme’s Marine Theatre.

Screen Time

Top Six at the Flix

The Electric Palace, Bridport Rye Lane (2023)

‘Unfolding against the vibrantly photographed backdrop of sunny south London locales (Peckham, Brixton and the South Bank), Rye Lane blends the warmth and charm of a formulaic love story with the colourfully street-smart grit of Brit pics such as Shola Amoo’s A Moving Image or more recently Reggie Yates’s Pirates, creating something that is at once playful, poignant and personal.’ Mark Kermode, Guardian.

BBC iPlayer

The Peanut Butter Falcon (2019)

‘This is LaBeouf at his best, stripped down to his bare elements and bookended by two luminous performances from Gottsagen and Johnson.’ Empire Online.

Official Secrets (2019)

‘Official Secrets shows that spy dramas from real life are very often not action thrillers such as Bond or Bourne or Homeland – or indeed Hood’s last movie, Eye in the Sky, from 2015 – but something more like nuclear-level office politics.’ Peter Bradshaw, Guardian.

Amazon Prime Living (2022)

‘It’s beautiful, haunting, and Nighy gives a tremendously moving performance as he grapples with regrets for a life well spent, but not spent well enough.’ Maggie Lovitt, Collider.

Argentina 1985 (2022)

‘Argentina, 1985 and its genuine depiction of the country’s most significant court case serve as a crucial reminder of the importance of battling for civil rights and freedom.’ Colton Peregoy, Collider.

Netflix

The Mustang (2019)

‘What The Mustang has in spades is sincerity, and a director good enough to wring the beauty out of a necessarily grim tale.’ Paul Whitington, Irish Independent.

The coronation will be broadcast live on the theatre’s big screen on Saturday 6th, and in the evening there will be an alternative reggae celebration, reminding the audience that His Majesty is also King of Jamaica—Mungo’s Hi Fi is a soundsystem and music production collective based in Glasgow, playing music which blends Jamaican influence with contemporary bass music, resulting in a unique take on Ska, Reggae, Dancehall and Dubstep.

There is fun for all the family on Sunday 7th, from 10am, with a kings and queens fancy dress party, hosted by the Queen of children’s entertainment Strawberry Jam. She’ll surprise and delight with a Coronation Magic Show, followed by crown making and a disco. There is a prize for the best dressed king and queen.

Music of the Griots

LYME REGIS

SUNTOU Susso, who comes to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Saturday 13th May, with his band, is a kora player, percussionist, singer and composer from The Gambia.

Born a Griot in a 700-year old West African tradition, Suntou’s family includes some of the world’s most respected West African musicians—Seckou Keita, Solo Cissokho and Sura and Mamudou Susso.

Master of the kora and an inheritor of the 700-year old Griot tradition, Suntou Susso comes to the Marine Theatre

Suntou’s instrument, the kora, is a harp-lute with 22 strings, that is unique to the Griots of the Mandinka people. Griots have a unique societal role as oral historians, transmitting and preserving a people’s culture through the generations in song, music and poetry.

Where there’s a will DORCHESTER

OUR Star Thetare Company comes to Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 11th May at 8pm with brand new case for the world’s most famous detective.

Sherlock’s Excellent Adventure, which was a hit at Brighton and Edinburgh Fringes, is a riotous spoof featuring Sherlock Holmes and his incomparable sidekick Dr John Watson, with just four actors, minimal furnishings— but a ton of jolly good fun!

Damsel in distress Lucy Matravers engages Holmes and Watson to resolve a dispute over a family will. Little do they know that this small case brings Holmes straight into the clutches of his arch enemy, James Moriarty!

Alfresco shows for summer evenings TOURING

TEN open air-touring companies will be bringing their 2023 productions to gardens, fields, parks and other arenas in the Marshwood Vale’s area during the summer months, and this year’s selection of plays is as varied as it is appetising.

As always, Shakespeare is well represented. Festival Players will perform Twelfth Night at Abbotsbury (26 June) and Beaminster (27 August), Folksy Theatre brings The Merry Wives of Windsor to Axminster (26/27 July), Forde Abbey (1 August) and Lyme Regis (3 August) and the cycling troupe Handlebars performs A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Dorchester (23 June) and Lyme Regis (24 June).

Illyria has chosen Twelfth Night, performing at Sherborne (5 July) and for a longer run at Cornwall’s Minack Theatre from 16 to 21 July as part of its tour. The all-male Lord Chamberlain’s Men will tour Romeo and Juliet, stopping at Lyme Regis (8 June) and Killerton House (25 July). The Comedy of Errors is the choice of Rain or Shine, with performances at Sidmouth (9 June), Exmouth (10 June), Cullompton (23 August), Ilminster (26 August) and Portesham (28 August), and Three Inch Fools will bring As You Like It to Beaminster on 11 June.

Several companies are offering an alternative to The Bard. As always the inventive commedia dell’arte group The Rude Mechanicals have devised their own new play, this year Miss Popplewell’s Garden, coming to Worth Matravers (9 June), Abbotsbury (10 June) and Bradford Abbas (21 July).

Bash Street Theatre will perform The Battling Butlers at Escot Park from 18 to 20 August. Folksy Theatre’s second show is The Ugly Duckling, coming to Chard (27 July) and Axminster (1August). Heartbreak Theatre has Sense and Sensibility at Dorchester (18 August), and its new show Bad Dad, at Dorchester (2 August), Corfe Castle (3 August), Kingsbury Episcopi (4 August) and Killerton House (5 August).

Illyria not only tours Shakespeare, but Pride and Prejudice at Sherborne (12 July) and Robin Hood at Holsworthy (2 September) and Yelverton (9 September).

The second Three Inch Fools show is Robin Hood, coming to Sandford Orcas (15 August) and Powderham (22 August).

To find out more about the shows, with the dates and times, visit the company’s websites.

The Young Lit Fix

My Life on Fire by Cath Howe

Published by Nosy Crow RRP £7.99

Reviewed by Nicky Mathewson

“

HOUSES don’t burn down. That’s wrong... The truth is, houses burn up...They burn up and up into the sky with huge flames that eat everything until there’s nothing left.”

Ren and her family were lucky to be out that night enjoying pizza at a friend’s house, blissfully unaware that their house and everything in it was being devoured by flames. Lucky to all be safe but obviously devastated, they begin a new existence in limbo. Staying with their gran who is far from welcoming, and feeling the strain as normal family life is paused, the family show signs of crumbling.

On Ren’s return to school she finds that the class have been busy with an art project called My Life in a Box which involves making a collection of all the things that are special to you which express who you are. Well how on earth could she do this when her life and all her special things had just gone up in smoke? Struggling to express herself and think straight, Ren retreats into a world of stealing to comfort herself, but how long can she continue without there being consequences?

Cath Howe is a perceptive storyteller who can cast a light on how trauma can affect children whilst making the story fun and engaging. I really enjoyed it and would recommend it to anyone who likes realistic fiction. Perfect for 9-12 year olds.

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

The first event will be a Comedy Night on Thursday 15th June, compered by the delightful Tom Glover, and featuring comedians Dan Evans, Burt Williamson and Tom Deacon. This event is suitable for adults only. 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 16th June will feature concert pianist Duncan Honeybourne, the Dorset String Quartet and opera from 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.

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, a DJ set from EDM songstress Sarah de Warren, the outstanding Jess Upton and the Guilty Pleasures and ending the day with the Great Gig in the Sky—a group of renowned local musicians—who are reforming just for this event in order to 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.

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

More information and tickets available from www.chesilrocks.com.

Photographs from previous events. See www.chesilrocks.com for more

Steps2wellbeing service more accessible

A free NHS mental health support service has launched a newlook website which makes accessing help simpler than ever.

Steps2Wellbeing provides talking therapies, online courses and guided self-help for Dorset residents who are feeling down, stressed or worried. It also helps people who are having problems at work or living with a long-term health condition to improve their mental wellbeing.

The new website includes a ‘How we can help’ section that simply and clearly explains who Steps2Wellbeing is for, what treatment it can offer and how to complete a self-referral form.

Visitors can also use Wysa, a digital assistant that guides people through the online referral process as well as providing useful resources and advice before treatment begins.

And the site features short, informative videos that answer commonly asked questions about mental wellbeing and what the Dorset HealthCare-run service can do to help.

The videos cover topics like What is Cognitive Behavioural Therapy? and How can Steps2Wellbeing help if I have a long-term health condition? These videos, and more, are also available on the Steps2Wellbeing YouTube channel.

Joel Hooper, Steps2Wellbeing Business Manager, said: ‘This website has been designed to be easy for everyone to use and help people find the information they need quickly.

Services&Classified

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.

FOR SALE

Evestaff Mini Piano. Iron frame, Overstrung. Nice tone, photos available £125 Tel 01297 599237.

Lakeland Touch-Screen Soup Maker, hardly used. £70. Tel: 01297 35992.

Chicco Folding Buggy + raincover vgc £15. Large Mirror (77 x 107 cm) with painted frame, silver colour £10. 8 Large Glass Vases (26cm high) £15. 01305

Stihl chainsaw 180. £150. 01297 24518 Seaton.

266596.

Mirror large 5’x 3’ French. Gilded plaster frame, badly damaged (fixable) Beautiful foxed glass. Handsome piece. £10. 07919 100429.

1 Daiwa carbon 2 piece C98 Trout fly rod AFTMA

6-7 9Ft ( 2.90m) @ £40

1 Box assorted fishing flies (approx 50) @ £20.

IKEA Corner Sofa Bed

FRIHETEN Colour Grey complete with storage space,cushions NOTE This corner sofa bed can be either right or left handed cost over £700. Clean and in very good condition. Price @ £375 Collection Only. For more details contact 07913 665483.

Genisis Tour De Fer Road Bike - Small Frame - £699. As new, in immaculate condition.

‘It also gives local residents more choice in how they access wellbeing support—via an online form, over the phone or by using Wysa—so we can help people to manage common mental health issues before they become something more serious and improve their lives.’

Lauren Scott, Senior Psychological Wellbeing Practitioner at Steps2Wellbeing, said: ‘From a therapist’s point of view, the new website provides a simple and informative place to start your journey with Steps2Wellbeing.

‘If you have been experiencing symptoms of anxiety and depression, there’s bitesize information on how we can help.

‘Once you are on the website, there are different options for getting in touch with us. One of those is through our NHS approved digital assistant Wysa, that can provide you with information right away to help you start to manage your symptoms.’ Visit the new Steps2Wellbeing website at www.steps2wellbeing. co.uk

FOR SALE

Ridden twice since purchased new and kept in dry storage throughout. Strong and resilient Cromoly frame and fork; Complete with rear racks, mudguards and 2 bottle cages, giving you all the space to attach everything you need. Clip on pedals (a pair of new ladies clip on shoes can be supplied at additional reasonable cost). Original pedals supplied. Original Purchase Price: £1049.00 Weight: Approx 14kg Selling Price £699.00 or sensible offer. T: 01297 816353. M: 07776171669.

Clarke Strongarm motorcycle lift CML3 air/hydraulic operation. Excellent condition, photo available £400 Tel 07721 530520.

Honda IZY 18 inch selfpropelled rotary mower model HRG 465 SD, good working order £200 Tel 07721 530520

Mens Monsoon overalls in blue poly cotton size 42L in original packaging £15 a pair, several pairs available Tel 07721 530520.

New high quality electric single bed with chrome plated legs, giving a 9.5cm clearance from floor, enables use of mobility aids. Bed is adjustable, dual motor control head and foot. Weight limit 28 stone, length 6 ft 6 in. in original packing. New sprung mattress £850. 4 New Slumberland soft touch microfibre cover pillows which are hypoallergenic and machine washable. Sealed in original packing £46. Fuji film digital memory card 128mb compact flash. Still in original box. £15. New Truma high pressure propane pigtail for motorhome or caravan. POL connector one end, M20 x 1.5mm left hand

thread other end. £10. Antique gold plated leaf brooch with attractive cutout work. Length 5.5cm, width 3.5cm. Brooch is new condition and unworn £20. New white fermentation bin, complete with bubbler grommet lid for air-lock, plus carry handle. Capacity 32 Litres. £10. Denby hand painted Glyn Colledge Stoneware pottery graduated pot. Denby stoneware stamped on base of pot. Height 15cm, Diameter 18cm. This beautiful pot has never been in use. £20.

Telephone 01935 824029.

Engineers Vice 4 1/2” jaws £18. Tel 01308 427349 Fern 240v electric cable drive hoist lift 5cwt £25. Tel 01308 427349.

Accordian, piano, Galetta 48 base, with pile of music sheets, books, accordion tutors. Photos on request £350 07789 537011.

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

Apr 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 May 23

DISTRIBUTION

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

Gents 42ins. chest pytchley jacket made by Mears as new £30 also dark blue velvet jacket 48 ins. Chest as new £30. Tel.01823 480848. Women’s lightly padded Quba & Co pink jacket size 8 New £10. Fat Face Bluey/Grey rain coat size 8 As New £10 07772803916. Royal Doulton dinner Service. 52 items in superb condition - Harvest Garland design. Please phone 01404 42081 for an

FOR SALE

itemised listing. £65 ovno. Brand new throws choice of three individually wrapped £20 each. 01935 412892.

White ladies bowling shoes size 5 little worn £15.

01935 412892. Vintage Carboy/terrarium planter. Green tinted glass - height 21” approx, dia 56” approx. £50 ovno. Please phone 01404 42081. Traditional style chaise

longue, left handed, upholstered in gold colour diamond figured fabric, as new condition, 59.5inches long x 26.5 inches deep, photos on request.

£160.00 o.n.o. - 01460 394692. Barrington. New tantalised tongue and groove timber hen house. Suitable 10 hens £250. 01297 552683.

Light oak table 5’x3’ 6 chairs leather seats all in pefect condition £300. Will split. Dorchester 01305 251085.

Rare Moulton bicycle 1994 Provenance Bill of Sale. Carrier baskets, 3 speed, Shamoli brakes. Very good condition £950. Bargain Believe 07968 688283.

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 Turney

3 ring front Derailleur, 700x35 Panaracer

Tourguard tyres on Merida Vbrake rims. Excellent overall condition. Photo available £130. Tel. 01300 868094.

Settee 3 seater, burgundy red leather with inlaid wood features, faultless condition, photos on request sale £100. 07789 537011.

Rucksack, large, never used, brown, heavy canvas, photo on request £10. 07789 537011.

Extractor fan 4” diameter bathroom kitchen silent 100 environment. Will

dismantle, working order photos on request sell £10. 07789 537011.

China assorted violet patterns £100 or nearest offer. Tea towels assorted, only used for display about 70 or more offer please, room needed. 01460 76875.

Portuguese dictionary and grammar cost £16.99.

£7. Portuguese visual bilingual dictionary as new cost £8.99. £4. 01308 488086.

Talking books, 90 assorted tapes in sturdy container £30, moving house Tel. 01305 266726. Tent Kampa Fistral 4 with extras, used twice £225. Sewing machine Toyota RS 2000 as new £70 Colyton 01297 551455.

K-Lite Mobility scooter.

Good working condition, user manual, charging cable, bronze colour swivel seat front basket £300.

07710 847939.

Tall elegant uplight with angled reading light in the middle. 5’7” tall.

Matt black, foot switch and 3 point plug £30. Buyer collects. Contact 07813931974.

Stockton 4 free-standing stove 125kg smokeless fuel logs basket utensils, excellent condition, collection Bridport £450 ono 01308 422400. Single divan + mattress, 2 drawers vgc £20.00. Bosch upright fridge freezer vgc £20.00 white round kitchen table 4 chairs £20.00 07796 563475.

White Knight dryer hardly used v.g.c. £120

o.v.n.o. 01297 35320. J.A.D. stationary engine, will require some sorting out therefore £30 only. Phone 01935 425220. 36 piece willow pattern dinner service ex cond. Offers nearest £100. Phone 01935 412892. Traditional Oak and Iron frame bunk beds £50. Gelato chef 2200 Ice cream/sorbet maker by Magimix £50. Phone 01308 421720, Bradpole. Edwardian Writing desk mahogany, six drawers, excellent condition, flat top. £275ovno. 01308 424100.

Large very comfortable armchair with new cushion, cream shades £19ono. Matching smaller armchair £19ono. Indoor exercise bike £20. 01460 29687.

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