Marshwood+ February 2024

Richard Stirling brings Cecil Beaton to Dorchester page 55

Ida Pelliccioli at Tincleton Page 47

Nick Wallis investigating the Post Office Scandal page 22

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Marshwood + Magazine

THE

Jonathan Hirons © Photograph by Robin Mills

Linking Environment, Culture and the Arts — Number 299 February 2024

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COVER STORY Robin Mills met Jonathan Hirons in Seaton, Devon

© Jonathan Hirons Photograph by Robin Mills

’I

grew up in Worcester from the age of 7, but when I was 19 I moved to London, where I spent most of my working life. As an 11-year-old, a friend of my parents had a cine camera, and I started making films. In my teenage years my friends and I had fun making more story-based films, like a spoof on James Bond, and other skits. I edited them in the old-fashioned way, cutting and rejoining the film—a nightmare really—and now they’ve all been digitised, although I say it myself, they’re quite good. Some of my friends went on to become actors, and one, Rob Edwards, has remained my closest friend.

In London, initially I worked for a bank, which I didn’t enjoy very much, but they gave me an opportunity to work in their computer centre. IT was a new direction for them at the time, so they were keen to recruit people who wanted to learn new technologies. We were clearing cheques in a huge centre in Moorgate, which was full of machines through which millions of cheques were read, then sent out to the bank branches round the country. We were all about my age—nobody over the age of 25—and although I hadn’t intended to develop a career in IT, I could see this might be Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 3

Jonathan Hirons

a career opportunity, and it was fun working with such a young team.

I had hoped to find work in the film business, but although offered a job, the wages wouldn’t have even covered my rent. I had been really interested in filmmaking since boyhood, particularly the technical side of it, how films actually got made, but without financial support it was never a possibility. Eventually I left the bank, and my computer skills got me jobs with 2 oil companies, then with a software business where I ended up as director. My working life remained in IT until about 2000; in fact, I was part of a company advising businesses on the Millennium Bug—remember that?—which was interesting because nothing much actually happened; although I would say that was because we did a great job!

I became a bit bored working in IT and started working as a business advisor in EU projects, mainly in the creative industries. That took me all over Europe which was exciting, and I made some films as part of the process.

Under the major European project Erasmus +, which was mostly about young people and education, one was in Turin. It was a very similar idea to Jamie Oliver’s “Fifteen” scheme, taking disadvantaged kids off the street and teaching them cookery. For that I project managed about a hundred and twenty filmed interviews.

Quite early in my London life I met my wife Ann at work. We married and settled in north London, where we brought up our son Christopher. Ann has a background in psychology, working for the NHS in the treatment of drugs and alcohol, and worked in Watford when we lived in Finchley. Ann’s mother, now aged 95, lives in Taunton, so travelling from London to help out became tricky. So, when Ann retired from the NHS we decided to move here to Seaton in 2013, after renovating this house. I was commuting to London for my work from Axminster station, which was easy. Then I had the stroke.

It was a strange thing because I had thought there was nothing much wrong with me; I was reasonably fit.

I met somebody for a working lunch in London and began to sense something wasn’t right. My words started disappearing. My companion didn’t notice (because she talks quite a lot), and just thought I was a bit quiet. When I got back to the office I couldn’t write, or read, or speak, and ended up in University College London hospital (UCL) where they said I’d had a bleed on the brain. I was there for 5 days, mainly to get my blood pressure under control.

I was never told the stroke was because of any one thing, but high blood pressure was a lot to do with it.

When I got home my motor functions were all ok, but my speech was poor, and I couldn’t write, or read. So, we

booked some speech therapy, for which we had to wait 2 months. There was then 6 weeks’ therapy, and that was it. They helped me with word finding ability, and got me a programme on the computer which helps me retrieve words. But you’re told it’s unlikely you’ll get much better; after 3 months, the improvement tends to plateau. It was intensely frustrating. My body worked ok, my awareness was unimpaired, but I couldn’t communicate, and it’s called Aphasia.

The only way to improve the condition is not to give in. Some people accept their situation and stop trying to get better, but I just kept at it. It was very hard; I couldn’t drive for at least 6 months, when I was undergoing treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital. The speech therapy, which was very good, was done here in Seaton, and I was lucky that Ann, with her background in psychology, was able to give me reading exercises every morning, which were particularly helpful and kept me on track.

During my year’s recovery, I met the Aphasia support group, (then called Living with Aphasia), in Exeter, run

by Barbara Chalk, an ex-speech therapist. They’re now called Say Aphasia. She told me their reason for existence was because Aphasia sufferers have nowhere else to go, and it struck me that something needed to be done about it; I decided to put together a documentary film. I had just started by filming a performance with the Living with Aphasia choir when the pandemic hit. I spent the next year planning the rest of the film, and after restrictions it was another year before I finished the project. I managed to raise some money though JustGiving, but it wasn’t enough because although many people helped voluntarily I needed to pay a few people for their services. So, I raised some more through Kickstarter, and with a contribution from The Tavistock Trust for Aphasia there was enough to complete the film. Rob Edwards did the narration, and I paid someone to do the research, the motion graphics, and a script editor. My PR is Carolyn Abbott who has been vital in the promotion of the film through social media, which is available on YouTube and Vimeo, and can be found at http://tipofmytonguefilm.com/ The film is aimed at two target audiences. The “professionals”, e.g. GP’s, whose direct experience of Aphasia may be limited, and Speech Therapists who may be able to use the film as a training resource. I’m a member of the British Aphasiology Society, for whom I’ve done a presentation which went down very well, and I’m hoping they will be able to offer some funding next year for more filming. The other target is the people at the sharp end of the experience; the carers, the spouses, and of course those

4 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

© Jonathan Hirons by Robin Mills

who are on their own with very inadequate support, apart from people like Barbara. People in the NHS tell me what a marvellous thing we’re doing, but they either have no money, or time, or neither, to improve their service. And through the film I’m trying to raise general awareness of Aphasia, in a world which is overwhelmed with so many people with so many health problems.

This year I plan to do a podcast with Rob Edwards. We will be doing different podcasts for each different form of Aphasia, and I will be bringing in more people to interview, hopefully including some medical professionals.

One acquaintance of mine, a clinical neuropsychologist, told me when he was a child, his granny had Aphasia and

was completely non-verbal, although we now know she would have been aware of everything that was going on.

In those days everyone just thought she’d gone gaga.

I play walking football at a club in Axminster, who have given me some more money towards my project. I will be giving this to Barbara Chalk, who is considering using the donation to teach Aphasia patients to work with iPads and apps designed for their condition. These days I occasionally struggle to find a word. My reading is ok but in very short bursts, and sometimes I lose the thread. And as I get tired, I begin to lose words so I can talk rubbish sometimes. It’s all in my head, none of it’s gone. It’s on the tip of my tongue.

’

6 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 7

UP FRONT Somewhere in the late seventies I applied for a job as a trainee computer programmer with ICL in Bracknell. I can’t say I remember the rejection in any detail but I’d like to say I was politely informed that I didn’t have the right aptitude for the job. As a friend of mine at the time had already got onto the trainee initiative, I was a little disappointed.

But in time I understood that it takes a certain kind of brain to write code and mine just wasn’t up to it. Listening again to the testimony of David McDonnell at the Post Office Public Enquiry, I can’t help thinking ‘there but for the grace of God…’. David McDonnell was hired in 1998 to help fix problems with the Electronic Point of Sale System (EPOS) that became what we know today as Horizon, the software system at the centre of the Post Office scandal. In his testimony and statement he described ‘poor coding standards, no methodology in place and no unit testing.’ He said ‘The issues were critical, making the product unstable’ and that this was known to everyone in the building. According to Mr McDonnell, it was a companywide well known fact that there were several thousand outstanding bugs in the EPOS system. ‘The team was the joke of the building’ he said and suggested that this was known up to the highest level, including Fujitsu Japan ‘because they sent over 3 coders to perform an audit.’ Fujitsu had recently become the major shareholder in the company and ICL was rebranded as Fujitsu in 2002. Talking with journalist Nick Wallis for an article in this issue, and seeing the depth of the cover up I find it hard to fathom the sheer greed of management that insisted on building a computer system on top of a faulty structure. It’s like building a concrete tower block on top of a wooden structure riddled with woodworm.

Fergus Byrne

Published Monthly and distributed by Marshwood Vale Ltd Lower Atrim, Bridport Dorset DT6 5PX For all Enquiries Tel: 01308 423031 info@marshwoodvale. com

THIS MONTH

3 9 21 22 28 30

Cover Story By Robin Mills Event News News & Views The Post Office Scandal By Fergus Byrne Nature Studies By Michael McCarthy The River Axe By Fergus Byrne

32 32 34 36

House & Garden Vegetables in February By Ashley Wheeler February in the Garden By Russell Jordan Property Round Up By Helen Fisher

38 38

Food & Dining Bubble and Squeak with a Fried Duck’s Egg

By Mark Hix

40 40 44 48 50 56 57

Arts & Entertainment Dreamscapes at Sladers Yard Galleries Sneak Peek Preview By Gay Pirrie Weir Screen Time By Nic Jeune Young Lit Fix By Nicky Mathewson

58

Services & Classified Like us on Facebook

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Twitter @marshwoodvale

Editorial Director Fergus Byrne

Contributors

Deputy Editor

Helen Fisher Mark Hix Nic Jeune Russell Jordan Michael McCarthy

Victoria Byrne

Design

People Magazines Ltd

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Fergus Byrne info@marshwoodvale.com

8 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Nicky Mathewson Robin Mills Gay Pirrie Weir Ashley Wheeler

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.

Disclaimer: Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of dates, event information and advertisements, events may be cancelled or event dates may be subject to alteration. Neither Marshwood Vale Ltd nor People Magazines Ltd can accept any responsibility for the accuracy of any information or claims made by advertisers included within this publication.

NOTICE TO ADVERTISERS Trades descriptions act 1968. It is a criminal offence for anyone in the course of a trade or business to falsely describe goods they are offering. The Sale of Goods Act 1979 and the Supply of Goods and Services Act 1982. The legislation requires that items offered for sale by private vendors must be ‘as described’. Failure to observe this requirement may allow the purchaser to sue for damages.

Road Traffic Act. It is a criminal offence for anyone to sell a motor vehicle for use on the highway which is unroadworthy.

February EVENTS

Wednesday 31 January Bridport Scottish Dancers will meet at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. 7.15 for a 7.30 start.

Cost: £3.00 which includes tea/coffee and soft drinks + biscuits. Newcomers first evening is free. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. Instruction on footwork and formations given when necessary in the first half of the evening + simpler dances. After the break at 8.30 we attempt some more challenging dances for our regular members. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Learn to Draw from Nature : a class for beginners. 10 til 12.30 At the United Reformed Church Hall, Chard Street, Axminster (opposite the Poplar Mount car park). Would you like to learn to draw? Don’t know where to start? Come and join this beginners class in Axminster. Draw from still life which this month will be Snowdrops, Winter Jasmine and other winter shrubs. Learn about depicting shape and form and try some unusual pencils on a coloured background.

Cost £16 ( all materials are supplied) Places are limited please contact : gina.youens@btinternet.com Thursday 1 February Luke Wright’s Silver Jubilee 7:30. Luke Wright is one of Britain’s most popular live poets. In his most confessional show to date, drawing on the discovery of his birth mother on Facebook, Wright navigates his audience through a warm and honest hour of poems and stand-up. With some wild experiments in form, a nervous kitten called Sir John Betjeman and a healthy smattering of drum n bass, Wright manages to navigate some heart-wrenching material and keep the laughs coming. This show debuted to a packed arena at Latitude Festival before a sell-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe where it was the toast of the critics. Expect humour, rage and passion. Don’t miss it! Venue: Shipton Gorge Village Hall. Tickets £12, £5 (u18s) Suitable 14+ Tickets available online at www.artsreach.co.uk / 01308 897407.

Lyme Regis Museum Friends illustrated talk ‘The Battle of Britain: Role of RAF Exeter’ at 2.30 pm in the Woodmead Hall, Hill Road, Lyme Regis DT7 3PG. We look at the involvement of the Exeter based squadrons: the tragedy of friendly fire incidents, the memoirs of TSR2 test pilot Roland Beaumont and the experience of an Australian pilot. Members £2 visitors £4. Enquiries to David Cox, 01297 443156.

Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom (2022, Bhutan, PG, 109 mins, S/titles, Dir: Pawo Choyning Dorji). A young teacher in modern Bhutan, Ugyen, shirks his duties while planning to go to Australia to become a singer. As a reprimand, his superiors send him to the most remote school in the world,

a glacial Himalayan village called Lunana, to complete his service. Though poor, the villagers extend a warm welcome to their new teacher, but he faces the daunting task of teaching the village children without any supplies. He wants to quit and go home, but he begins to learn of the hardship in the lives of the beautiful children he teaches and begins to be transformed through the amazing spiritual strength of the villagers. Doors 7:00 pm, 7:30 pm start. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall (TA18 8PS).). Membership £25, guests £5 per film. For more details, contact mickpwilson53@ btinternet.com or ring Mick Wilson on 01460 74849 or Di Crawley on 01460 30508.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome.

Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@hotmail.com. Please let us know if you are coming.

Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, West Camel BA22 7QX. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured! No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail.com Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1930 hrs. Mitchell and Vincent will be providing the music and Rosie Shaw calling. 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 Throughout February East Lambrook Manor Gardens in Somerset will be celebrating the snowdrop season with its annual Festival of Snowdrops, an opportunity to see the fabulous snowdrops in the garden together with additional displays showcasing many of the 140 varieties grown there.

The festival will also feature steel snowdrop sculptures by Chris Kampf and tours of the snowdrops, with around 80 varieties for sale in the nursery. Garden open Tuesday to Sunday in February,10am to 5pm. Garden entry £7.00, under 16s free. Free entry to the nursery. East Lambrook Manor Gardens. Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH. www.eastlambrook.com.

NGS Snowdrop Festival. East Lambrook Manor Gardens is a long-standing supporter of the NGS and its annual NGS Snowdrop Open Day is on Thursday 15th February, 10am - 5pm, when all entry money goes towards supporting the NGS’s nursing and palliative care charities. Entry £7.00, under 16’s free.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 9

February EVENTS

Solo Charleston and Vintage Jazz Dance Classes 1-2pm, St Marys Church Hall Bridport - Class for all levels and abilities - £5 - All Welcome www.dynamic-dance.uk.

Also 8th, 22nd & 29th Feb. Friday 2 February Oh La La! Quintet - A Night of French Music. A fabulous quintet led by Parisian-born Fifi la Mer on vocals and accordion with Alex Garnett on vocals, tenor sax and clarinet; Oliver Wilby on accordion, clarinet and tenor sax; Simon Picton on guitar and Julian Bury on bass. French jazz at its best! 7.30pm, Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £20. (Students £5. Free to under 12s.)To book: 01460 54973 or www.ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

‘Nessie (PG) Picnic Night Screening- Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 7.30pm, doors 6.30pm, Tickets adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. A Loch Ness village attempts to validate the existence of Nessie. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am 1pm.

Saturday 3 February Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7 mile walk from Odcombe. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

‘Jules’ (12A) Picnic Night screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, - 7.30pm, doors 6.30pm, Tickets adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. It’s close encounters of the lonely kind.

Small town living has Milton (Ben Kingsley) stuck in a rut.

Old, forgetful and isolated in his retirement, his life takes an incredible turn when a UFO crash lands in his backyard.

Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

The Friends of Weymouth Library (F.O.W.L.) talk in the Library (commencing at 10-30a.m.) will be “Living Life in Common” by Marian Barnes and David Prior. The Pilsdon Community offers refuge to people in crisis. The speakers share insights into the community built on hospitality, prayer and working the land, aiming to rebuild the lives of others.

Tickets are available at the Library, priced £2 for members and £3 for non-members. Refreshments are available; all are welcome.

Beginners Sewing Workshop 10 am until 2 pm At the United Reform Church, Chard St , Axminster (the car park is opposite). Cost £18 to include tea and coffee. Would you like to learn to sew and improve your sewing machine skills? In this class we will look at making piping and rouleau for use on cushions , as decoration on a cardigan etc. Bring your machine and sewing equipment . Contact : gina.youens@btinternet.com to book a place or for more information.

Beekeeping for Beginners, East Devon Beekeepers, Hunthay Farm, Nr Axminster EX13 5RH. 14 hours of classroom tuition over several weeks covering all the basic aspects of beekeeping, plus a full summer of practical sessions in the apiary and winter meetings indoors will equip aspiring beekeepers to take up the craft. Details on edbk. co.uk or from Richard Simpson, education@edbk.co.uk or 07900 492242. Cost: £100 (includes a free text book and annual membership of Devon Beekeepers and British Beekeepers’ Assoc’s). Booking required as places limited.

1000-1200 and subsequent Saturdays Saturday 3 February to Sunday 11 Compton valence snow drops Village hall lunches and teas. Come and Walk/Drive through our beautiful village and see the stunning white drifts of snowdrops. (The village hall is below the church) Open (weather permitting): 11.00am -3.30 pm Daily To Book Please ring or email so we can cater accordingly: Tessa Russell Tel: 01308 482227 or email: tessa@cvfarms.co.uk Or Pippa James 01305 889338 m 07880882985. email:enquiries@dovehousedorset.co.uk Pre booked guests will take priority as the hall is small. In bad/icy weather we may not be open. Please be considerate of our village/verges etc when parking or ring us to discuss your needs so we can advise you where to go. We very much look forward to seeing you. Cash please.

Sunday 4 February Modern Jive Social ‘Tea’ Dance - 2-5pm, Salwayash Village Hall DT6 5HX - All dancers from all types of Jive welcome - Refreshments included - £7 per person. www. dynamic-dance.uk.

‘Kinky Boots – The Musical’ (12A)- Gateway Theatre, Seaton, screening - 2pm doors 1.30pm, Tickets Adults £15, Under 16s £8. Kinky Boots, The Musical, filmed live at the Adelphi Theatre in the heart of London’s West End, is strutting onto the big screen! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. Moderate 8.5 mile walk.

Hawkchurch. Telephone: 07748-618089 Monday 5 February Modern Jive (Leroc) Social Dance Classes. 7:30pm, Chideock Village Hall. £6 per person, Come with or without a partner. Beginners and Returners Welcome Every Week. www.dynamic-dance.uk. Also 12th, 20th and 27th Feb. Hawkchurch Film Nights, in association with Moviola. org, proudly presents ‘The Great Escaper’ (96 mins, Cert.

12 - infrequent strong language, moderate sex references).

Michael Caine and Glenda Jackson (in her final role) star in this poignant drama, based on the true story of a WWII

10 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 11

veteran who secretly leaves his care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings. 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 tasty refreshments available.

Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15pm-9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners.

Occasional live music and always a caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians are always welcome too. Tea and biscuits. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information. Only £3.00 for an evening’s enjoyment.

An evening of Scottish Dancing at 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.

Dance Connection Taster, for well-being, 10:30am, Othona, DT6 4RN , 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com.

Winsham Art Club, 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme this practical session is Street Scenes in Watercolour.

It is a 2.5 hr. session led by a visiting tutor. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, non-members £7.

Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : suzyna48@gmail.com for further details.

Tuesday 6 February Scottish Country Dancing at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm with tea / coffee break. Please wear flat shoes. £3.00 per evening pay on the door. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 or email anitaandjim22@gmail.com All welcome including beginners and experienced dancers. Do come and join us.

Beaminster Museum Winter Talk ‘South Perrott’s own Forty-Niner: John Larcombe’s Californian adventure’ by Brian Earl. Hundreds of thousands of prospectors flocked to California during the Gold Rush. One such hopeful was local man John Larcombe. This talk will reveal what drove him to seek his fortune on the other side of the world and whether he struck it rich. Beaminster Museum, Whitcombe Rd, Beaminster DT8 3NB. 2.00pm. Entry £5.

Wednesday 7 February 10.30. East Devon Ramblers. Moderate 10 mile walk.

Moretonhampstead. Telephone: 07594-622813.

Bridport Scottish Dancers will meet at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. 7.15 for a 7.30 start.

Cost: £3.00 which includes tea/coffee and soft drinks + biscuits. Newcomers first evening is free. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. Instruction on footwork and formations given when necessary in the first half of the evening + simpler dances. After the break at 8.30 we attempt some more challenging dances for our regular

members. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Thursday 8 February Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, West Camel BA22 7QX. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured! No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail.com.

Bridport History Society will be presenting a panel of local historians who will speak on a wide variety of local history subjects ranging from trade in Dorset in the Middle Ages to the arrival of the railway in the village of Evershot.

Along the way the historians will encounter a seventeenthcentury physician and travel back through time to Bridport Harbour. Bridport History Society meets on the second Thursday of each month (except July and August) at the United Church Hall, 2.15 for 2.30pm. Visitors welcome £5pp. Membership is £10 individual / £15 couple. For more information visit www.bridporthistorysociety.org.uk.

Seaton Garden Club 2.30.p.m. A talk by Rob Hutch on, House Plants. Bring your plant or photo for advice on any problems. The Masonic Hall Seaton. For more details contact 01297 22869.

‘Edie’ (12) Matinee screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 2pm doors 1pm, All Tickets £5. To try and overcome a lifetime of bitterness and resentment, an older lady decides to climb a mountain in Scotland. Starring Sheila Hancock.

Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Chard History Group The History of Holyrood School Dave MacCormick 7.15 for 7.45 Start New Venue Chard Guildhall upstairs Members £2.50 visitors most welcome £3.50. For further details 07984481634.

7pm Royal Ballet: Manon (U). Torn between her desire of a life of splendour and riches and her devotion to her true love Des Grieux, the feckless and capricious Manon pays the ultimate price. The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton. co.uk 01404 384050.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome.

Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@hotmail.com. Please let us know if you are coming.

Friday 9 February The All Seasons. Bringing to life the music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, The All Seasons present a show that will wow fans of the Jersey Boys sound. 7.30pm, Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £22 (Students £5. Free to under 12s.)To book: 01460 54973 or www. ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

Climate Ecological Crisis? What’s all the fuss about? a talk by David Ramsden MBE. David is co founder of the Barn Owl Trust and received his MBE in 2007 for services

12 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

to wildlife. In 2018 he was so shocked by climate change reports that he spent 6 months throughly researching the subject. Determined to do something about it he now passionately delivers his talk to anyone across the West Country who is prepared to listen. According to the president of the Tones Rotary Club, whom David recently gave his talk to, it was “powerful, thought provoking, ‘scary’, honest, engaging and very informative”.

David’s hope is that if everyone does their “bit” our planet can be preserved for our grandchildren & their grandchildren so please do come along to hear what he has to say and to find out in what way we can help. Tickets are only £3.50 on the door at Winsham’s Jubilee Hall, TA20 4HU and starts at 7.30pm with refreshments and raffle. For more detail please tel Debbie 01460 432815.

Loders WI. Its Snowdrop Time. We are visiting the Snowdrops at Compton Valence village. Meet in the car park of the Crown Pub, Loders at 1.30pm, we will car-share and drive down. Bring cash for tea and cakes.

‘One Life’ (PG) Picnic Night screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 7.30pm doors 6.30pm, Tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. One Life tells the true story of Sir Nicholas ‘Nicky’ Winton, a young London broker played by Johnny Flynn, who, along with Trevor Chadwick and Doreen Warinner of the British Committee for Refugees in Czechoslovakia, rescued 669 children from the Nazis in the months leading up to World War II. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

2pm & 7.30pm Sweet Sue (15). A woman back on the dating scene embarks on a relationship with a mysterious biker at her brother’s funeral, whose son turns out to be a social media influencer. The Beehive Honiton www. beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. Moderate 5 mile walk. Seaton. Telephone: 07899-792934.

Saturday 10 February Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 8 mile walk from Beaminster. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

Scottish Dancing Party in Chardstock An evening of Scottish Dancing at Chardstock Village Hall 7.30 - 10.30 p.m. No partner required.

Please bring your own mug and a plate of food to share. Tea and coffee provided. Cost £5.00 Contact David on 01460 65981.

‘Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon’ (12) Chinese New Year Film - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 7.30pm doors 6.30pm, Tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Master Li Mu Bai, a

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warrior, is about to retire and gives his sword to his lover Yu Shu Lien to keep it safe. However, the sword is stolen and now an embittered Li embarks on a mission to find it.

Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Sunday 11 February 10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 5.5 mile leisurely walk.

Symondsbury. Telephone: 07762-930640.

Dance Connection, Day Workshop, 11am-4pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@ gmail.com ‘The Royal Ballet – Manon’(12A) screening- Gateway Theatre, Seaton, Matinee screening, 2pm, doors 1.30pm, Tickets Adults £15, Under 16s £8. This adaptation of Abbé Prévost’s novel embodies Kenneth MacMillan at his best, his acute insight into human psychology and his mastery of narrative choreography finding full expression in the impassioned duets of the central couple, visceral and urgent in their desire. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am 1pm.

Counter’s Creek Counter’s Creek is an acoustic folk band who play original music inspired by the folk music of the British Isles and beyond. Expect foot-tapping Jigs and Reels, heart-wrenching songs and 4-part harmony, dance grooves from Eastern Europe and West Africa and a whole lot more... 7:30pm. Wootton Fitzpaine Village Hall. Tickets £12 (U18:£5) 01297 560948 and www.Artsreach.co.uk.

Monday 12 February Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15pm-9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners.

Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians are always welcome too. Tea and biscuits. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information. Only £3.00 for an evening’s enjoyment.

Dance Connection Taster, for well-being, 10:30am, Othona, DT6 4RN ,07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com Dorchester Townswomen’s Guild. After a short business meeting at 2 p.m. A talk by 2 volunteers from The Repair Café, Weymouth. Dorchester Community Church, Liscombe Street, Poundbury, DT1 3DF. Visitors £3. Enquiries 01305 832857.

An evening of Scottish Dancing at 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.

“Heart of Stone - The Portland Quarries” by writer and poet Sarah Acton. Teas from 2.00 pm and talk starts at 2.30 pm in Hope URC, 8 Trinity Street, Weymouth, DT4

8TW. Tickets at the door: £2 for members of ‘Friends of Weymouth Museum’, £3 for non-members.

Tuesday 13 February Scottish Country Dancing at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm with tea / coffee break. Please wear flat shoes. £3.00 per evening pay on the door. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 or email anitaandjim22@gmail.com All welcome including beginners and experienced dancers. Do come and join us.

Loders WI our regular monthly meeting and talk will be on ‘Hats, Hats, Hats’ with Susan Outhwaite. This starts at 7.30pm in Loders Village Hall.

The Lyme Regis Society presents A Talk:Thomas Hollis Part 11 by John Dover 2pm at Woodmead Halls, Hill Road, Lyme Regis. DT7 3PG. All Welcome. Members Free.

Visitors £3.00. Refreshments Included. Social distanced seating available if desired. Please check website for further information: http//lymeregissociety.org.uk.

Wednesday 14 February 10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 5 mile leisurely walk.

Colyton. Telephone: 07986-850892.

Bridport Scottish Dancers will meet at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. Time: 7.15 for a 7.30 start. Cost: £3.00 which includes tea/coffee and soft drinks + biscuits. Newcomers first evening is free. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. Instruction on footwork and formations given when necessary in the first half of the evening + simpler dances. After the break at 8.30 we attempt some more challenging dances for our regular members. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Thursday 15 February Talk – D Day: Preparations for Decimalisation. Bridport W I Hall, North Street, 2.30pm. In support of Bridport Millennium Green. £5/members £4 to include tea and biscuits. Details Sandra Brown, 01308 423078.

‘Peppa’s Cinema Party’ (U) Matinee screening- Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 2pm, doors 1.30pm, Tickets Adults £6.50, Under 16s £5. Featuring the voices of Katy Perry as Ms. Leopard and Orlando Bloom as Mr. Raccoon in an episode of the 3-part Wedding Party story, the whole family can enjoy 10 never-before-seen Peppa Pig episodes! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Bridport & District Gardening Club Brian Pettit lives in Dorset and works closely with wild life reservations and zoos in the UK and globally. He has a wealth of knowledge and expertise about wildlife large and small and how best to photograph them. Brian will be providing a talk on the wildlife of Dorset. 7.30pm at the WI Building on North St in Bridport.

EVENTS IN MARCH

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

BY FEBRUARY 12th

14 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 15

South Somerset RSPB Local Group An Insight into the World of a Wildlife Photographer An illustrated talk by award winning wildlife photographer Robin Morrison, who will share with us the challenges, excitement and humorous side of photographing wildlife. He will also include video footage of the South West beavers. 7.30pm The Millennium Hall, Seavington St. Mary, Ilminster, TA19 0QH. Entry: Group members £4, non-group 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.

Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1930 hrs. Mary Blackborow and her merry band will be providing the music and the Mary herself will be calling and keeping the class in order! 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.

Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, West Camel BA22 7QX. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured! No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail.com Friday 16 February The Perks Ensemble. We are delighted to welcome Oscar Perks on violin, Elliott Perks on viola, Sebastian Kolin on cello and Alexander Ullman on piano. They will be delighting us with a programme including Mozart and Brahms, among others. Promoted by Concerts in the West. 7.30pm, Ilminster Arts Centre, TA19 0AN. Tickets: £18 (Students £5. Free to under 12s.) To book: www. ilminsterartscentre.com/performances.

Indiana Jones & The Dial Of Destiny Daredevil archaeologist Indiana Jones races against time to retrieve a legendary dial that can change the course of history.

Accompanied by his goddaughter, he soon finds himself squaring off against Jürgen Voller, a former Nazi who works for NASA. With plenty of entertaining action and a few surprising twists, Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny ends the series on a high note Let’s face it, we could all do with a little Action, Escapism, Comedy and Fun at this time of year! at 7.30pm Village Hall, The Causeway, Milborne St Andrew DT11 0JX Doors and bar open 7.00. Tickets cost £6, which includes a drink or an ice-cream.

10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 5 mile moderate walk.

Donkey sanctuary. Telephone: 01297-552860.

‘Encanto Sing-A-Long’(U) – screening - Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 2pm, doors 1.30pm, tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Get ready to sing along to one of your favourite Disney films! Featuring songs by Lin Manuel Miranda (Hamilton, In The Heights), sing along to your favourite Encanto songs!Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am 1pm.

Saturday 17 February Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 7.5 mile walk from Beaminster. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

‘Anyone But You’ (15) Picnic Night Screening– Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 7.30pm, doors 6.30pm,Tickets Adults £7.50, Under 16s £6.50. Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben (Glen Powell) look like the perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery hot attraction ice cold - until they find themselves unexpectedly thrust together at a destination wedding in Australia. So they do what any two mature adults would do: pretend to be a couple. Tickets from 01297 625699, www. thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Introduction to Chen-style Tai Chi (New Beginners Welcome) This course will cover breathing, Zhan Zhuang standing meditation, Chen-style Tai Chi Silk-Reeling exercises and the moveme nts of a Chen-style Tai Chi Short Form9:30am - 12:30pm, Litton and Thorner’s Community Hall, Litton Cheney, DT2 9AU For info see http://www. bamboogrovetaichi.co.uk/ or email bamboogtc@tutanota. com. Also Saturday 16 March and Saturday 20 April 2024.

Sunday 18 February French + Breton Folk Dance, now known as Bal Crewkerne, with live house band, in the Speedwell Hall, Abbey Street, Crewkerne, TA18 7HY. Dance workshop for beginners 6-7pm followed by main dance 7-9.30pm.

Admission £4 at the door. Tea and coffee available. Free parking in the town centre car parks. More information on our website: https://balcrew.wixsite.com/balcrewkerne.

Fresh Fiction Short Story Night Original stories on the theme of love are read aloud by writers to create a night of stories that will entertain, thrill and delight. 7.30 – 9.30.pm at The David Hall, South Petherton, Somerset. TA13 5AA Tickets £7, book via The David Hall ww.thedavidhall.com.

The Rodgers & Hammerstein 80th Anniversary Concert – My Favorite Things’ screening- Gateway Theatre, Seaton – 2pm, doors 1.30pm, Tickets Adults 15, Under 16s £8 Featuring a 40-piece orchestra and international stars of the stage and screen, this special anniversary concert was filmed at London’s newly restored Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the same venue that premiered the original West End productions of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific and The King and I. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Dalwood Jazz Club Derek Nash with The Martin Dale Quartet with Derek on saxes, Martin - tenor sax, Gavin Martin - piano, Kevin Sanders - bass and Dennis Harris - drums. 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 If possible, please book in advance and pay cash/card at the door. t.mackenney111@btinternet.com Monday 19 February Bridport Folk Dance Club If you like exercise, socialising and maybe learning something new, then come along to

16 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

our dance sessions in the W.I. Hall on Monday evenings from 7.15pm to 9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners.

Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians always welcome too. Tea and biscuits. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information. Only £3.00 for an evening’s enjoyment.

“George Alfred Ellis - Weymouth’s first Historian” by local historian Pauline Crump. Teas from 2.00 pm and talk starts at 2.30 pm in Hope URC, 8 Trinity Street, Weymouth, DT4 8TW. Tickets at the door: £2 for members of ‘Friends of Weymouth Museum’, £3 for non-members.

An evening of Scottish Dancing at 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.

Winsham Art Club, 2pm at Jubilee Hall TA20 4HU. The theme this practical session is Chinese Brush Painting, celebrating the Chinese New Year of the Dragon. It is a 2.5 hr. session led by a tutor. Small friendly group of mixed abilities. Members £5, non-members £7.

Annual membership £15. All welcome. Contact: Email : suzyna48@gmail.com for further details.

Tuesday 20 February Scottish Country Dancing at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm with tea / coffee break. Please wear flat shoes. £3.00 per evening pay on the door. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 or email anitaandjim22@gmail.com All welcome including beginners and experienced dancers.

Do come and join us.

Beaminster Museum Winter Talk ‘Recent local finds through the Portable Antiquities Scheme’. Archaeological items found by the public and recorded by the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) scheme have much tell us about Dorset’s past. In this talk Dorset Council’s Finds Liaison Officer Ciorstaidh Heyward Trevarthen shares some fascinating local finds.

Turn Lyme Green Talk “Motion for the Ocean” - A discussion with Giles Bristow about what we can do to ensure the coming General Election creates a sea-change in how we treat our rivers and seas. Giles Bristow, CEO of Surfers Against Sewage, environmental lawyer and activist is passionate about the Oceans and very worried about plastic and sewage pollution in our rivers and seas. Issues of Water Quality are likely to be a top three election issue he feels. Giles will give a talk on Ocean restoration, plastic pollution and climate change followed by a discussion on the state of our rivers and coastal waters and what can be done about it.. 7pm at the Driftwood Cafe, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. FREE Event. Refreshments available. Contact enquiries@turnlymegreen. co.uk or 01297 446066.

‘Sister Act’ (PG) Home Instead Nostalgic Cinema Screening – 1.30pm, doors 1pm, Ticket £3.50. All Nostalgic Family Cinema performances have relaxed table seating where specific seats are not allocated at booking, refreshments served throughout, subtitles to assist full enjoyment of the film by, a slightly lower volume and soft lighting. There will also be a free, fun quiz for participants to enjoy! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton. co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Wednesday 21 February 10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 9 mile moderate walk.

Stonebarrow. Telephone: 01297-23424.

Coffee Morning including cakes, scones & savouries, and bacon/egg rolls (made to order), 10.30am – noon; all welcome. Clapton & Wayford Village Hall. More details from Julia (01460 72769) Colyton & Districk Garden Society ‘My Time As Show Manager For The Chelsea Flower Show ‘, talk by Saul Walker. Venue : Colyford Memorial Hall, start 7.30 pm.

Members free, guests £3.00. Information : Sue Price 01297 552362.

Bridport Scottish Dancers will meet at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. Time: 7.15 for a 7.30 start. Cost: £3.00 which includes tea/coffee and soft drinks + biscuits. Newcomers first evening is free. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes.

Instruction on footwork and formations given when necessary in the first half of the evening + simpler dances.

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After the break at 8.30 we attempt some more challenging dances for our regular members. Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Famous Sites; 2pm; 6 Weeks; On this six week course archaeologist Chris Tripp will take you on a journey around the world investigating some of the most astounding archaeological sites ever discovered, covering all the periods of human prehistory and into the early modern era; Bridport United Church, East Street DT6 3LJ. Email: tripp.chris60@ gmail.com / 07513006432.

Thursday 22 February The Beach’d Buoys Shanty Band. The Beach’d Buoys are a shanty band that sing sea-shanties; the work songs of seafarers and most of their songbook comes from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, although they do include some more modern songs. Venue address: All Saints’ Church, Martock; TA12 6JN. Performance time: 7:30 pm Admission fee: Tickets: £10.00 at Guardianstickets@gmail. com /07547 213992/Martock Gallery/ Martock Newsagent (Cash only); £12.00 at door. Website:www.martockonline. co.uk/events https://www.thebeachdbuoys.com/ Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, West Camel BA22 7QX. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured! No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_wright@hotmail.com.

The Shanty Sessions with The Chantry Bouys of East Devon. Come and join us for an evening of traditional sea shanties and other well known songs of the sea. Entry is free so come along and join in and have some fun. The licensed bar will be open for local drinks and soft ones too!

Doors open at 7pm. Marine Theatre Lyme Regis. 7.30pm.

Dance Connection, Open Class 7:15pm, Bridport St Mary’s CHH, 07787752201, danceconnectionwessex@gmail.com 7pm National Theatre Live: Vanya. Andrew Scott (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the NightTime) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15. Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome.

Baptist Church (Pine Halll round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@hotmail.com. Please let us know if you are coming.

Friday 23 - 24 February Ida Pelliccioli, classical piano. Ida Pelliccioli was born in Bergamo, Italy. She studied at the Nice Conservatoire de Région and at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris. We are thrilled that she is travelling from Paris especially to play for us in Tincleton (see more on page 43). 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. Tel. 01305 848 909. http://www.tincletongallery.com.

10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 5.5 mile leisurely walk.

Farway. Telephone: 01395-488480.

Saturday 24 February Bridport & West Dorset Rambling Club 6.5 mile walk from Broadwindsor. For further information please ring 01308 898484 or 01308 863340. New members/visitors welcome.

Beaminster Museum Paperback book sale 09.30am to 12.30pm. Drop off books at the museum on Friday mornings between 10.00 am and 12.00pm, or phone Sarah Drinnan on 01308 863912 to arrange collection.

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society coffee morning, Uplyme Village Hall DT7 3UY, 10am to 12 noon.

Membership renewals and sale of tuber and bucket for the summer show potato competition (£3). Everyone welcome.

Free entry. https://ulrhs.wordpress.com Paddleboat Theatre present ‘Framed’ – Live family theatre - Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 3pm, doors 2.30pm, Tickets Adults £10, Under 16s £8, Family £32 (2 adults & 2 children) PaddleBoat Theatre Company presents a thrilling family whodunnit with our distinctive fingerprints all over it! Expect music, puppetry, clowning and more. Come and help us catch the clues and spot the suspects before Rufus goes down for a crime he didn’t commit! Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue Thur 10am - 1pm.

Sunday 25 February 10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 11.5 mile strenuous walk.

Weston. Telephone: 07804-836362.

Axe Vale Orchestra Afternoon Concert “Music and Landscapes” Conducted by Walter Brewster and led by Jane Bultz, the orchestra will transport the audience to Bohemia and back without the need for them to leave their seats in East Devon! We invite you to join us at Colyton Town Hall at 3.00pm. Tickets, £12, students free, are available from The Little Shop, Colyton, The Owl and Pyramid Bookshop, Seaton, www.axevaleorchestra.co.uk or on the door. Holst: Somerset Rhapsody No.2, Beethoven: Symphony No.6 (Pastoral), Smetana: “From Bohemian Forests” (Ma Vlast), Butterworth: A Shropshire Lad Rhapsody. Do join us for the atmospheric journey!

Divine Union Soundbath 2PM Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, Dorset DT9 4LA.£15 Quieten the mind, calm the emotion, relax and detox the body. Please book 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com Monday 26 February 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 to 9.30pm. All welcome, especially beginners.

Occasional live music and always a Caller to lead the dances so no experience or partner required. Musicians always

18 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

welcome too. Tea and biscuits. Only £3.00 for and evening’s enjoyment. Tel: 863552 or 459001 for more information.

“Sir Samuel Mico” by Weymouth Town Charities trustee Stuart McLeod. Teas from 2.00 pm and talk starts at 2.30 pm in Hope URC, 8 Trinity Street, Weymouth, DT4 8TW. Tickets at the door: £2 for members of ‘Friends of Weymouth Museum’, £3 for non-members.

An evening of Scottish Dancing at All Saints 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.

Tuesday 27 February Scottish Country Dancing at Horton Village Hall TA19 9QR every Tuesday evening from 7.30 to 9.30 pm with tea / coffee break. Please wear flat shoes. £3.00 per evening pay on the door. For further information contact Anita on 01460 929383 or email anitaandjim22@gmail.com All welcome including beginners and experienced dancers.

Do come and join us.

Bridport U3A ‘A Cruise Along the Jurassic Coast’. Our speaker is Steve Belasco. Steve is a Jurassic Coast Trust Ambassador and marine photographer. He combines his two interests by documenting the World Heritage Site from wave level. He will sail us from Poole to Exmouth with photos of our stunning 95 mile coast. 2pm at Bridport United Church Hall. East Street, Bridport. DT6 3LJ. The talk will last for about an hour, followed by a Q&A then refreshments. Members free, visitors £3.

Film – The Seeds of Vandana Shiva A new featurelength documentary, this film presents a remarkable woman’s life and work to regenerate the environment, the climate and human democracies. Inspiring. Location 6.45 for 7.00 pm start at the Driftwood Café, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY.. Free Event.

Refreshments available. Contact www.turnlymegreen.co.uk or email seedslyme@gmail.com Wednesday 28 February 10.00am. East Devon Ramblers. 7.5 mile moderate walk. Feniton. Telephone: 07977-057546.

Uplyme and Lyme Regis Horticultural Society talk ‘The Hedgehog Predicament’ by Colin Varndell. Uplyme Village Hall DT7 3UY. Members free, non-members £3.

Doors open at 7pm for refreshments, talk starts 7.30pm. https://ulrhs.wordpress.com Bridport Scottish Dancers will meet at Church House, South Street, Bridport, DT6 3NN. Time: 7.15 for a 7.30 start. Cost: £3.00 which includes tea/coffee and soft drinks + biscuits. Newcomers first evening is free. All welcome, no partner required but please wear soft shoes. Instruction on footwork and formations given when necessary in the first half of the evening + simpler dances. After the break at 8.30 we attempt some more challenging dances for our regular members.

Contact: Malcolm on 07790 323343. Check out bridportscottishdancers for more information.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 19

Thursday 29 February Folk dancing at Combe St Nicholas village hall (TA20 3LT) at 1930 hrs. Jeroka is the band providing the music this evening and Simon Maplesden will be calling. 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.

National Theatre Live: ‘Vanya’ (15) screening – Gateway Theatre, Seaton, 7pm, doors 6.30pm, Tickets Adults £15, Under 16s £8. Andrew Scott (Fleabag) brings multiple characters to life in Simon Stephens’ (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) radical new version of Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya. Tickets from 01297 625699, www.thegatewayseaton.co.uk or in person Tue - Thur 10am - 1pm.

Scottish Country Dancing. St Michael’s Scottish Country Dancing Club, 7.30 – 9.30pm at the Davis Hall, West Camel BA22 7QX. Always a fun evening - come along and give it a try – a warm welcome assured! No partner needed. Please bring a mug - tea, coffee, biscuits provided. First two visits free, £2.00 per session, £1.50 for members. See website www.stmichaelsscdclub.org or contact secretary Elspeth 07972125617 elspeth_a_ wright@hotmail.com.

Lyme Voices Community Choir. 19.30 to 21.15.

Sing for fun. Learn songs in harmony by ear. Everyone welcome. Baptist Church (Pine Hall round the back), Silver St., Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Phone 07534 116502 or email petelinnett2@hotmail.com. Please let us know if you are coming.

Exhibition on Screen: Painting The Modern Garden.

The Monet exhibition film takes a magical journey to discover how different contemporaries of Monet built and cultivated modern gardens to explore expressive motifs, abstract colour, decorative design and utopian ideas. The Beehive Honiton www.beehivehoniton.co.uk 01404 384050.

Saturday 2 March Turn Lyme Green Seed Swap Whether you are growing on a windowsill, in pots or in a garden the aim is to distribute open-pollinated seeds freely to existing and potential new gardeners. The seed swap is free, and you don’t have to bring seeds to swap! Location: 11.30 am – 1.00 pm at the Pine Hall, Baptist Church, top of Broad Street, Lyme Regis, DT7 3NY. Free Event. Tea, coffee and homemade cakes available.

Contact www.turnlymegreen.co.uk or or email seedslyme@gmail.com.

New exhibition imagines solutions to Climate Change

L to R: Gemma Girvan THG Curator. Councillor Richard Jefferies, artist Mikhail Karikis, Catherine Causley EDDC Climate Change Officer, Cllr Nick Hookway. Photograph by Simon Tutty

L

ocal pupils have contributed to a new exhibition at Thelma Hulbert Gallery (THG) focusing on the climate emergency.

Mikhail Karikis: Acoustics of Resistance is the first UK showing of a project by international artist Mikhail Karikis.

The Weather Orchestra, a 3-channel video installation transforms the gallery space into an indoor weather system.

Musicians also perform instruments and noise machines imitate the sounds of natural phenomena.

Part of the exhibition features work by 30 local pupils

from Honiton Community College created during workshops with the artist. The ‘Universe of Solutions’ shows their imagined solutions to climate change. Visitors are also invited to contribute with their own ideas and solutions.

Councillor Nick Hookway, Portfolio Holder for Culture, Sport, Leisure and Tourism, said: ‘The impact of climate change is possibly the greatest challenge that we will face in our lifetime. It will be up to our young people to face and deal with this so I would like to thank Mikhail Karikis for his thought-provoking work with local schoolchildren considering the many and varied solutions for our future.’

The exhibition is a refreshingly uplifting experience, just the thing to blow away the winter blues!

Marie-Claire Jefferies, Vice-Principal Honiton Community College, said: ‘Thank you so much for making these workshops happen. It was an amazing opportunity for our pupils and hopefully we have convinced a few of them to pursue a career in the Arts!’

Coordinating family art activities include a Half Term Workshop with animator Isgard Wild, creating animations to contribute to a film inspiring others to be climatepositive.

Mikhail Karikis: Acoustics of Resistance continues until 9 March. Open Tuesday to Saturday, 10am to 5pm. www. thelmahulbert.com.

20 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

News&Views GOLDEN CAP Tree planting legacy The National Trust team in West Dorset have been working with volunteers to plant two new hedgerows on the Golden Cap Estate. One of which was funded with a generous legacy donation in memory of someone who loved this part of Dorset. The hedgerows will become crucial wildlife corridors, absorb carbon, create shelter and provide a food source for a wide variety of birds.

SIDMOUTH Former student wins BEM Now studying computer science at Southampton University, a former student from King’s School, Ottery St Mary was awarded the British Empire Medal in this year’s New Year Honours. Michael Penston received the award for his work on the Covid-19 vaccination programme at the oncampus GP surgery. Starting as a volunteer, within six months Michael was the programme’s chief organiser.

CHIDEOCK Walking to Bridport Funding from Dorset Council has paved the way for the construction of a new pathway to allow safe passage for walkers from Chideock to Bridport. The path will allow people to walk, cycle, run, or ride horses, without having to use the road.

Starting on the North side of the A35 it is hoped it will be be completed by the end of March. Permission is being sought from Bridport landowners so the path can extend further into the town.

DORCHESTER Museum award The Dorset Museum & Art Gallery has been awarded a grant of £250k from the National Lottery Heritage Fund.

This funding has been made possible by the contributions of National Lottery players, and it will be used for marketing, retail operations, strategic governance and implementing comprehensive training and development programs for employees across all aspects of the organisation.

WEYMOUTH Festival cancelled The organisers of Seafeast, The Dorset Seafood Festival, have decided not to go ahead with the event in 2024. Founded in 2008 the festival grew to become one of Weymouth’s biggest events. Citing increaserd costs Laura Avant, Festival Director, said that although running the festival was a ‘labour of love’ and a real sense of achievement it was necessary to ‘now go with our heads and not our hearts.’

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“An extraordinary journalistic expose of a huge miscarriage of justice.”

Ian Hislop, Editor, Private Eye.

The Post Office Scandal As more people come forward and the murky tale of a cover up in the Post Office scandal becomes clearer, journalist Nick Wallis, one of those that helped bring the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office to our screens, talks to Fergus Byrne.

F

or former subpostmasters Peter Hexham from Devon, Louise Mann also from Devon and Kathleen Schofield from Portland in Dorset, the news that subpostmasters are to have their charges quashed or have their compensation claims met, has come too late. They are just a few of the more than 60 people from all over the United Kingdom that have died waiting for compensation from the Post Office since the scandal known as ‘the greatest miscarriage of justice in British history’ became too big to cover up.

More than 900 subpostmasters and postmistresses were prosecuted for stealing money because of incorrect information provided by a computer system called Horizon, which had been supplied to the government-owned Post Office by Fujitsu UK. Nick Wallis, a freelance journalist and author, has been heavily involved in telling the story of how hundreds of innocent people fought to clear their names after being pursued by the Post Office through the criminal courts. Proud pillars of their communities, they were stripped of their jobs and livelihoods. Many were forced into bankruptcy or borrowed from friends and family to give the Post Office thousands of pounds they did not owe. Many were sent to prison—and some took their own lives.

Following the astounding and rightful public outrage, brought to the fore by ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office series, Nick Wallis—who worked as series consultant on the drama—is now taking the latest twists and turns of the whole affair on an extraordinary tour of the UK, starting in Lyme Regis in March.

Nick first talked to one of the victims while working for BBC Radio Surrey. It happened after he responded to a tweet from a local taxi driver, Davinder Misra, who told him about how his pregnant wife had been thrown into prison for a crime she did not commit. She had been sentenced to 15 months for stealing £75,000 from the Post Office. Nick remembers Davinder as ‘a man in genuine distress’. Following the conversation he looked up the research done by Computer Weekly who were investigating seven case studies, separate to Davinder’s. ‘And then he also told me about the Justice for Subpostmasters Alliance’ remembers Nick.

‘So within an hour of talking to Davinder, I was talking to Alan Bates in his very methodical and calm manner, and he was telling me that there were plenty more cases out there all over the country.’

Nick broadcast his first investigation for the BBC in 2011. In the same year he took the story to Private Eye. He has subsequently made three Panorama

22 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Nick Wallis, author, journalist, broadcaster and series consultant on the ITV drama ‘Mr Bates vs The Post Office’

programmes, a Radio 4 series, and raised thousands of pounds to crowdfund his own court reporting for the Post Office Trial website. He has also written the first definitive account of the scandal in a book called The Great Post Office Scandal, published by Bath Publishing.

Although Nick didn’t produce ITV’s Mr Bates vs The Post Office, his groundbreaking research and reporting went a long way to making the story big enough to warrant a TV drama. For years the efforts of subpostmasters, journalists, solicitors and even MPs had been constantly rebuffed by the Post Office and Fujitsu UK. Both organisations constantly denied any fault in the system and probably would still do today if it hadn’t been for a former Fujitsu UK employee, Richard Roll, who agreed to give evidence admitting, not only did the system have many flaws, but he and others were employed to remotely log into individual sup post office terminals and try to fix issues.

Richard Roll’s evidence was a game changer and opened up the possibility of others coming forward.

Nick says other whistleblowers have come forward and he has reported on them. He talks about a recent email claiming to be from someone from Fujitsu that makes an ‘extraordinary allegation’ that he is ‘very much looking forward to following’ up on.

Nick says the ITV drama has ‘shifted the dial to such a degree’ that people who were sitting on information that they perhaps were wary of sharing ‘because they were worried about the response’, are now feeling much more comfortable. ‘I mean, there’s safety in numbers there. They are feeling considerably more brave about it.’ He talks about a couple of tapes that he had of the Director of Communications at the Post Office, disparaging the subpostmasters and suggesting that they may well have had their hands in the till. The person who was responsible for that recording was concerned, ‘for obvious reasons’, about handing it over and allowing Nick to publish it. ‘But in the light of the drama’ he says ‘they were so outraged’ by what they saw that they agreed to make it public. ‘And as a result, the current Director of Communications at the Post Office has been suspended.’

Whilst the Post Office scandal highlights the damage to people’s lives initiated by management and individuals employed by the Post Office, one of the most uncomfortable things for the government and the public to consider is how much of our lives is dependent on large IT systems. Fujitsu is now a ‘multi billion pound company’ says Nick, and their software is in ‘pretty much every element of public

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sector IT systems.’ Nick sees an enormous example of corporate greed at the expense of those that couldn’t stand against their accusers. ‘I’ve used this phrase before, and I don’t shy away from it’ he says.

‘They built their multibillion pound UK empire on the broken backs of the subpostmasters.’

While the public enquiry grinds on and the government wrangles with how to deal with the fallout, an even bigger headache is looming on the horizon (pun intended). Nick says that Fujitsu UK warned the government that if they dropped the Horizon system or ‘walk away from this contract, Fujitsu UK will probably become insolvent and have to collapse.’ He believes the government had to take heed of that warning and allowed Fujitsu UK to make the best go of the contract that they could.

He tells the story of a man he was filming with last week who said he had a £4,000 discrepancy. He had tried to determine what caused it and told the Post Office that he had tried to get to the bottom of it but that it wasn’t his liability. ‘And so the Post Office had to write it off.’ They couldn’t prove that it was not IT error. ‘Now, if you’re a bent subpostmaster, what’s to stop you taking ten grand out of the safe and saying, Oh, I’ve got a ten grand discrepancy.

Now, I’m pretty sure it’s not me, you’ll have to prove it to me if you want me to give it back, or want me to make it good. So the Post Office has shot itself in the foot, catastrophically, and you do wonder what kind of problems it might be having with money falling out of the system? In fact, that’s an investigation in itself.’

‘The Post Office is going to be running Horizon for the foreseeable future.

And there is very little that anyone can do about it.’

‘And for a while it was the golden goose, it was Fujitsu UK’s cash cow which they milked relentlessly in order to expand the other areas of their business.’

Nick says that if Fujitsu UK walked away from the UK economy now, ‘or certainly from the public sector provision of IT services, then I think the government would fall over.’

Which leaves the government, the Post Office and Fujitsu UK in a very precarious position. ‘It’s very difficult for the Post Office to extricate themselves from Horizon’ says Nick. ‘Both the Chief Executive of the Post Office and the Chief Executive of Fujitsu UK sat in the select committee hearing and said neither of us want to be running Horizon.’ The fact is that, like many large IT systems, it is such a complex system and the network requirements are so vast that nobody else wants to take it on. ‘And the risks involved in taking on a new system are huge’ says Nick. ‘The Post Office is going to be running Horizon for the foreseeable future. And there is very little that anyone can do about it.’

However, the system itself is not the only problem.

Nick says that by avoiding the real issues for so long and deciding to try to cover up system problems by hounding subpostmasters, the Post Office has shot itself in the foot. He says that for the last 24 years ‘the Post Office has not been able to tell the difference between computer error and fraud. And it compounded that by prosecuting innocent people because it thought it could. Then, when it realised it couldn’t, it just left the gates open to fraud.’

These are ongoing and future problems that are already causing nightmares, but in the meantime hundreds of innocent postmasters are awaiting the outcome of a public enquiry that is already into its third year. The big question and the most vociferous call from an incensed public is who should go to jail.

There are even those that are calling for manslaughter charges on the basis that some actions contributed to the suicides of people found guilty. Nick explains the police have three charge options; fraud, conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, and perjury.

He explains that the case of perjury could be brought against those that gave evidence that was untrue. The charge of criminal conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, Nick says, is because ‘the Post Office knew it was potentially responsible for some miscarriages of justice, it covered that information up and didn’t give it to Parliament or the campaign.’

And ‘most interestingly’, he says, the Met is looking at charges of fraud because subpostmasters were forced to hand their own money over to the Post Office at the threat of losing their job over alleged discrepancies in their accounts, ‘which the Post Office did nothing to properly investigate.’

Talking to James O’Brien on LBC Radio last week Nick Wallis said subpostmasters were ‘the very best of us’. He described them as community minded, hardworking and loyal and said ‘the only reason this story broke is because the government, the Post Office and Fujitsu underestimated the determination of the subpostmasters’. Talking to me yesterday he

24 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Cheering subpostmasters after the Horizon trial

‘They believed in this arm of the British state, this pillar of the British psyche. And they got steamrolled by these authoritarian incompetents.’ added to that description saying they were ‘trusting as well. They believed in the Post Office. They believed in this arm of the British state, this pillar of the British psyche. And they got steamrolled by these authoritarian incompetents.’

Heartbreakingly, and infuriatingly the story of broken trust carries on in the Public Enquiry. Nick says the chair of the Public Enquiry hopes to get all the evidence heard by the end of this calendar year but Nick thinks it will rumble on into next year. Mostly because of delays in disclosure. ‘The problem is, they’re wholly reliant on the disclosure of documents, which is in the Post Office’s hands. And the Post Office has made some catastrophic failings in terms of its disclosure of documents, which has delayed the inquiry to such a degree that the chair is now holding regular disclosure hearings to monitor how well and efficiently and timely the Post Office disclosure actually is.’

Dr Neil Hudgell, executive chairman of Hudgell Solicitors who are representing subpostmasters, also pointed to the Post Office’s continuing failure to

deliver on disclosure in a timely manner. He says it has been a ‘source of frustration’ and also a ‘source of continued mistrust for the clients’. Because they see it as ‘the Post Office up to their old tricks.’

It is no surprise that the public outcry has taken on a life of its own, with many calling for serious jail sentences for those eventually convicted. Nick Wallis is one of many people determined to keep the story alive in order to pursue justice in a shockingly unjust situation.

Nick will start off his series of talks, bringing details, updates and anecdotes of this horrific miscarriage of justice to audiences around the country, at the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis, Dorset on 23 March at 1.30pm. This is a matinee performance only.

For tickets visit www.marinetheatre.com. Book online at any time or at the Lyme Regis Bookshop and Bridport Tourist Information Centre during normal opening hours, the Marine on Monday and Friday mornings 10 – 1, and over the phone on 01308 424901.

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Conservation of the war memorial at St. Mary’s RC Church, Axminster

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y the entrance path to St. Mary’s RC Church in Lyme Road Axminster, stands an oak war memorial in the form of a Calvary with Christ on the Cross. This was erected in 1919 with a Dedication service held on the 29th May 1919. The Memorial is inscribed: “Eternal rest grant them O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon them may they rest in peace” and “in memory of our sailors and soldiers who have fallen in the great war fighting for king country and home” The lower section of the Cross is carved with the dates “1914 – 1918” underneath which there is a later addition of “1939 – 1945” to include those who fell in the Second World War. The oak section, known as a Calvary, is in urgent need of major repair and conservation including the careful cleaning and repair of the timber cross, provision of new oak tiles to the roof, works to the lettering, including some gilding, with overall treatment to preserve the timber. In addition, the base is to be rotated through 90 degrees so as to face towards Lyme Road where it will be more visible and the base rebuilt with a granite finish. The finished project seeks to be faithful to the original intention to have a fitting memorial to those who paid the price for our freedom and also to create a space where people can easily stop, reflect and pay their respects.

The cost of the repair and conservation work to the Calvary with the work to the base, will be in the region of £22,000, with a portion being met through grants which have been applied for and the balance through Parish funds and fundraising.

To date, a grant offer has been made by War Memorials Trust of £3,970 and Frances Moreton, Director, War Memorials Trust said, “War memorials remind us all of the millions of lives ended, or impacted, by conflict.

Preserving them not only ensures we continue to commemorate them but also shows future generations the consequences of war and encourages them to avoid such suffering. War Memorials Trust was delighted to award this project a grant. The charity hopes the work will help ensure its future as a focal point for commemoration.

Anyone concerned about any other war memorials that might need help should contact the charity, or if you believe it is important to preserve our war memorial heritage please make a donation to help us protect them.”

Benefact Trust has awarded £2,100 and further grants are being sought. The Parish is also seeking to raise £10,000 towards the overall costs through fundraising and appeals to the public.

The Memorial has been registered as a War Memorial on the website: https://warmemorialsonline.org.uk/ memorial/294164 where there some photographs and a description. There is also further information on the Parish website https://thecatholictpn.org.

By Richard Salt DONATIONS If you would like to make a donation towards the cost of repair and conservation, perhaps in memory of family or friends, or those who have no-one to remember them, who gave their lives for this country in the two World Wars or in conflicts since, please make a donation to the fund that has been set up. This can be done by:(a) Sending or delivering to the Parish office (address below) a cheque payable to “PDT Parish of the Most Holy Trinity” marking the cheque on the reverse “War Memorial Fund” OR (b) You can donate to the fund specially set up for this restoration via Give a Little: https://givealittle. co/c/7bfAelw2Pp9QdTTGkdaZuv If, for some good reason, the appeal project cannot be completed, or if a surplus arises, the remaining appeal funds will be used for general charitable purposes of the parish.

1. The address of the Parish Office is: The Priest’s House, St. Mary’s RC Church, Lyme Road, Axminster, Devon EX13 5BE. Tel: 01297 32135. Email: axminster@prcdtr.org.uk The parish lies within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Plymouth which is registered as a charity No. 213227 2. War Memorials Trust is an independent registered charity. Established in 1997 due to concerns about neglect and vandalism it works to protect and conserve war memorials. It provides advice, information and administers grants schemes that assist the repair and conservation of war memorials across the UK. As a charity the Trust relies on voluntary contributions to undertake its work. Supporters include annual and life members, donors, charitable trusts and corporate contributors. www.warmemorials.org. Contact details: War Memorials Trust: 020 7233 7356 / 0300 123 0764 / 07586 920 / grants@warmemorials.org 3. War Memorials Trust administers a number of grant programmes supporting war memorials across the UK. Further information on the funding available can be found at www.warmemorials.org/grants. Examples of projects previously supported, which can be searched by county and country, can be found at www.warmemorials.org/search-grants.

4. Benefact Trust is one of the UK’s largest grant-making charities which has awarded more than £256 million to churches, charities and communities since 1972, £100 million in the last five years. More details about the Trust are available at https://www.benefacttrust.co.uk.

26 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 27

A sign of things to come - Frome floods near East Stoke © Photograph by Robin Mills

Nature Studies

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

By Michael McCarthy

D

orset and climate change are not terms which go naturally together, are they? To be in Thomas Hardy’s lovely county in 2024 is not to experience what global warming truly is, at least for now. Yet it seems to me, to live in this landscape which is still so blessedly green and pastoral, and write about it, as I am doing, is not a reason to stick one’s head in the sand, and ignore the most pressing issue of our age—easy though that would be to do.

So last month, trying to link the two—the county and the climate phenomenon—I wrote here about the disappearance of snow from the Dorset countryside, which is probably one of the first signs in our region of the great changes which are coming to the whole world. Not an easy one to notice, the loss of snow, because we’re talking about an absence, and an absence is by its nature always harder to register than a presence, but it’s visible none the less, if you look properly. And loth though I am to write on the same subject twice running, I want to return to it here, for a couple of reasons.

The first is, in the last month, the full global temperature record has been published for the year 2023, and it makes for startling reading. You may have glanced at the headlines in the second week of January saying that it was the warmest year ever recorded for the world. You may not have looked at the margin by which the record was broken.

According to the World Meteorological Organization in Geneva, 2023 was 1.45 degrees Celsius hotter than the “pre-industrial” level, which is the global average air

temperature measured from 1850 to 1900, before climate change had begun. This figure is fast approaching the 1.5 degrees of global warming which is widely regarded as a danger level which the world must not surpass; but not only that. It was 0.16 degrees above the previous hottest year, 2016, which, measured across the whole world, is the most enormous jump.

Down here in south-western England we could not really appreciate the scale of this, because our own high summer was damp and cool. But they could in China, where on July 16 a remote township in Xinjiang recorded the country’s highest-ever temperature, a scarcely-believable 52.2 degrees Celsius (or 125.9 Fahrenheit), itself up from the previous record set only in 2015 of 50.3 C (or 122.5 F)—another enormous leap. And if south-west England was cool, the south-western region of the United States most assuredly was not. In July in Phoenix, Arizona, for a record 31 successive days the temperature exceeded 110 degrees Fahrenheit, or 43.3 degrees Celsius (perhaps the older scale which Americans still use for their air temperature is here even more expressive). For a month the principal business of the 1.6m citizens of Phoenix was to survive the heat, which got up to 118 F (47.7C), leading the local paper, the Arizona Republic, to cry out: WILL THE INFERNO NEVER END? Or take wildfires, which were blazing around the world. You may have seen reports about the fires on the Greek island of Rhodes, which forced the evacuation of thousands of tourists in July, or the fires on the Hawaian island of Maui, which in August destroyed the

28 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

town of Lahaina and killed 100 people; but you probably didn’t follow the saga of the record forest fires in Canada, which began in March and were still burning in October, and by then had consumed 185,000 square kilometres of trees—an area three-quarters the size of the United Kingdom.

The huge, incredible heat and its consequences were not something we could easily register in our own, temperate corner of the world in 2023, because July and August were something of a washout; by September our lawns were still green. And I am starting to think of this as the Dorset Disconnect: it is easy to observe, and even write about, the beloved natural world of Hardy’s Wessex, at least for now, without taking cognisance of the terrible threat which climate change represents. And yet—and this is my second reason for coming back to the subject—the signs are there, if you know where to look.

Start with temperatures. July and August were cool in the UK, but we had a very warm June—it was our hottest June on record—and I vividly remember having dinner outside on June 9, in our garden in the village, and sitting there until after it was dark, with the bats flitting around, and thinking, I have never, ever done this before in the first half of June. And on June 12, which was my birthday, the temperature reached 28 degrees C (82 degrees F) and I similarly thought, it has never been this hot on my birthday before. Although of course, that’s just anecdote, and not statistical proof of anything.

Subtler, but perhaps more decisive signs can be found with wildlife, with declines of some butterfly and bird species (such as the willow warbler) for which climate change is probably responsible; but perhaps the most distinctive sign of approaching climate change in Dorset is in water: heavier rainfall, increased flooding. A warming

atmosphere holds more moisture, and a very consistent prediction for the consequences of global warming in Britain has always been that downpours will be more intense—and so it is proving. On January 5 the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology revealed that July - December 2023 was the wettest such period in Britain since records began in 1890.

It has been instructive this winter to watch Dorset’s major rivers, the Stour, the Frome and the Piddle, with many smaller streams, all burst their banks at various times, and to see the front page of the Dorset Echo on December 27 devoted to assurances from the consortium planning to build 3,500 new homes to the north of Dorchester, that the new houses would not be affected by flooding, despite the fact that some of the planned area of pedestrian access to the site was at that moment under water from the overflowing Frome; and the Old Sherborne Road was closed.

There will be more of this—a lot more. If the disappearance of snow in the county represents a new absence, the coming of floodwater will be very much a new presence in places not used to it; it will be a new reality. So although there may well be a Dorset Disconnect at the moment, and you can look at the environment in our lovely county, even look at it closely and write about it, without even thinking about climate change, that is not a situation that is going to last forever. The warming world is coming for Hardy’s Wessex, just as it is coming for everywhere else.

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.

Abandoned car near Powerstock Common © Photograph by Robin Mills

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The River Axe: A Blueprint for River Restoration and Conservation A Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)

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he River Axe, a natural wonder of national significance, holds the prestigious title of being both a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI).

This designation is a testament to the exceptional diversity of aquatic and marginal plant species that call the river home, as well as its ability to support several threatened animal species including water crowfoot, salmon, bullhead, and otter (and medicinal leech). Despite centuries of human activity shaping its environment, the River Axe still retains many of its natural geomorphological and important ecological features.

The river ecosystem of the SAC is, however, facing a challenge. First identified in the 1980s, the river is in a declining unfavorable condition due to a combination of biodiversity loss, surrounding soil degradation, silt accumulation within the channel, and nutrient enrichment. There is an overabundance of algae and phosphate, leading to a need for urgent conservation efforts.

Enter the Upper Axe Landscape Partnership Project, a collaborative effort aimed at river restoration across a significant part of the subcatchment immediately upstream of the River Axe SAC. The project, led by Upper Axe C.I.C., is targeting the restoration of the river ecosystem to its natural wild geomorphic condition, bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, including farmers and landowners, to create a landscape-scale solution.

The partnership incorporates 32 farms in an almost completely contiguous land area, covering a total of 307km2, with the combined length of the Axe and its tributaries totaling some 59km. The project’s primary focus is on the river channel and the immediate floodplain, recognizing their significance as areas where the most significant interventions are needed. This encompasses a total of 506 hectares.

The wider secondary area covers an additional 1,500 2,200 hectares and aims to create bespoke farm management plans that focus on future economic and environmental resilience of each holding,

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The River Axe Recovery Project

incorporating improved biodiversity and carbon sequestration, as well as a reduction in soil runoff and diffuse river pollution.

The project, with a nature-driven timescale of at least 25 years, has set ambitious yet achievable objectives to restore the river ecosystem. These include restoring natural function to the river and tributaries, restoring spawning gravels in the Upper River Axe, reducing diffuse pollution entering the river system, and creating bespoke farm management plans to future-proof farm businesses while achieving environmental aims.

Highlighting the potential for productive agriculture, the natural environment, and a concerted effort to counter climate change to coexist, the project aims to demonstrate that working alongside farmers and utilizing their knowledge of the land they farm can be part of the solution to biodiversity loss, greenhouse gas emissions, and ultimately climate change.

In addition to river restoration efforts, the project also includes the creation of the Upper Axe river trail, incorporating QR code technology and rambler’s refuges on existing footpaths, an education hub at Magdalen Farm, and a farmer training space at Home Farm, Thorncombe, alongside existing farm

and school teaching at Drift Education and Tanyard Farm in Marshwood. There are also initiatives in place for social hedging, Himalayan balsam control, and community engagement through various events and activities.

For those interested in learning more about the project, information can be found on the Upper Axe C.I.C. website, as well as on their Instagram and Facebook pages. Additionally, the MacVet Podcast, focusing on sustainability, sustenance, and salt, offers a platform for in-depth discussions about the project and its impact on the environment and local communities.

The collaborative effort to restore and conserve the River Axe is not only a reflection of the importance of this natural wonder but also a beacon of hope for river conservation and restoration efforts around the world. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders and leveraging their collective expertise, the project serves as a blueprint for achieving a harmonious balance between environmental conservation, sustainable agriculture, and community engagement. We know unless we inspire and educate current and future generations about where our food comes from, how we can look after our rivers, our wider environment, and begin to locally provide solutions to the global threat of climate change, the project will not be able to reach its true potential.

As the project unfolds over the next two decades, it will undoubtedly leave a lasting legacy, serving as a model for future conservation efforts on rivers and waterways globally.

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House&Garden

Vegetables in February

By Ashley Wheeler

T

he murmurings of Spring can be felt, and the transition from the depths of winter are beginning to take place. It is a time of year that can bring hope as the first seeds of the year are being sown and the sap is rising. With all of this happening, I usually feel much more motivated by the beginning of the month to get out and get on with everything that needs doing. There is also the fact that Spring and Summer are looming, and knowing that they are just around the corner piles on a bit of pressure to start getting on top of jobs and preparing as much as possible for the season ahead.

With this in mind, try to make the most of this month to get ready for the work to come—whether that is mulching beds with compost, mowing off green manures and covering with plastic to kill them off before planting in the next month or two, sowing seeds for the first plantings, making sure you have a clear plan to make the most of the space that you have and most importantly deciding what it is that you want to grow— not only what makes most sense on a small garden scale, but also what you really like to grow.

Something that has taken us years to come to is the fact that we shouldn’t feel as though we need to grow absolutely everything. We have, for 15 seasons, fairly unsuccessfully grown peppers, but continued to try, and continued to be frustrated by the time and effort that has gone into growing them, with very disappointing results. This year, we have decided to just grow a few for ourselves, but none commercially. It is ok to accept that some crops just won’t grow particularly well in your soil or location, and that’s where we are at with the peppers.

Diversity of crops is really important to us and I think that’s a reason that we have held onto certain crops for years even though they have not grown well for us.

However, by cutting out just a couple of crops that are a perennial headache it allows space to experiment with others, or fine tune those that you enjoy growing.

Outside, it is too early to plant anything, but we like to get the beds that need to be ready for planting in mid March prepared now. Our usual approach is simply to mow down any of the previous crop, weeds or green manure that is in the bed and then cover with double thickness silage plastic held down with plenty of sandbags. This “occultation” kills all of the plant life, whilst not disturbing the soil, and creating perfect conditions for worms and other soil life to thrive. The crop and plant residue is taken down to the lower

Polytunnel in winter

profiles of the soil, and as the soil starts to warm a little more in March this process is sped up. Then, when the beds are ready to be planted, the plastic can be rolled up or moved onto another bed that needs preparing, and then the soil is just raked and planted into. This approach is particularly good for us on our slow draining soil, as we do not need to wait for it to dry enough for machinery to be used on it. We are continually striving to do as much as we can to minimise our impact on the soil and environment, and ideally build soil health and habitat. There are always compromises, and although we are limiting our cultivations as much as we can, we do rely on the use of plastic. Hopefully we can find techniques that will not rely on the plastic so much, but at the moment it works well for us and we have been using the same pieces of plastic for over 10 years. As growers, we feel as though we have two main roles— firstly to produce as much healthy produce as we possibly can and secondly to do this in a way that adds to the environment rather than sticking to the capitalist mentality of continually taking, using and polluting. We are not there yet, but we will keep working towards this.

WHAT TO SOW THIS MONTH: If you have a heated propagator in a naturally well lit place: peppers, tomatoes (although we now sow these in mid March and it doesn’t make much of a difference in terms of first harvests), lettuce, beetroot, shallots, spring onions, spring cabbage, salad leaves (see above). If you do not have a heated propagator, best leave sowing until March.

32 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

WHAT TO PLANT THIS MONTH: OUTSIDE: Wait until next month!

INSIDE: Most of the indoor space should have been planted up with overwintering leaves, herbs, and early crops like spring onions, early garlic and peas.

OTHER IMPORTANT TASKS THIS MONTH: If the weather dries, continue preparing beds for the spring by mulching with a little compost and covering with black plastic if you are planning on planting them in early Spring. Wash any polytunnel or glasshouse to make sure maximum levels of light are getting through to the crops. Try to finish off any “winter jobs’’ this month before sowing, bed preparation, planting and weeding begins to take over!

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 33

February in the Garden

By Russell Jordan

F

rom writing about extremely wet weather last month, this month I’m starting with a mention of the decent spell of sub-zero temperatures that we had in January. Many plants require a period of proper winter cold in order to initialize certain functions, the breaking of seed dormancy for example, so it’s nice to know that those frosts can be beneficial.

I also like to think that a dose of freezing has some effect on reducing the number of pests that are able to survive the winter, although this may be largely wishful thinking. Just the other day, after the weather had returned to the usual ‘wet and windy’, I was digging out a clump of under performing bergenia (‘Elephant Ears’) when I found a bright red lily beetle which was very much alive and well (until I squashed it!).

There is a danger that plants, having been frosted, can begin to start back into growth as soon as we have any unseasonably mild weather, even though it is still at least a couple of months before the weather really begins to be reliably frost-free. This is one reason why I tend to leave rose pruning until at least this month, often well into next month, because if the rose is hard pruned very early in the winter then there’s a risk that it will produce new shoots, in mild weather, which are then killed when the inevitable frosts return.

Roses respond well to being pruned back to a fraction of their fully grown size, literally decimated, so if ‘wind rock’ is likely to be a problem then reducing them in size during the autumn is a good idea but leave the full, hard, pruning until late winter. Climbing roses, trained on walls or structures, pergolas and rose arches for example, can also be treated this way; a reduction in size as soon as they finish flowering, to reduce the likelihood of being damaged during autumn and winter gales, but a full cut back and tie-in around now.

This also means that, where you are lucky enough to

have a wisteria climbing against your house, or over a pergola etc., it can have its February prune at the same time. Traditionally wisteria is reduced to around six or so buds, per flowering stem, around July and then these stems are further reduced to flowering spurs, with a couple of buds, in February.

The recent high winds may have already exposed any areas of weakness when it comes to your garden structures, or training wires, but even if they’ve survived intact it’s worth remembering that it’s easiest to see if any repairs are required, or additional training wires added, while climbers are dormant and leafless.

The reason why it’s important to train climbing plants onto wires, when they are being coaxed to cover a wall or fence, is so that they can be safely removed if and when the underlying structure requires maintenance.

A rose that is safely attached to a framework of wires can literally be peeled off the wall, when required, and reattached after any necessary work, such as repointing or repainting, has been completed.

Roses, and particularly twining climbers like wisteria, can become a real liability if they are allowed to scramble unchecked all over a house. They can squeeze themselves into loft spaces, if they get as far as the eaves, and, on really ancient examples, they can get behind gutters and downpipes which are then forced off the house as the twining stems expand and thicken over time. Climbers which are self-clinging, ivy is the most common example of this, cannot easily be attached to wires so should only be allowed to cover structures which will not require regular maintenance.

Despite the bad press, which ivy sometimes gets, it cannot damage a sound wall, or surface, but may grow into already failing mortar, or damaged stonework, which then gets further damaged if the ivy then has to be removed.

34 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Apart from dealing with plants on walls and structures there are plenty of other jobs to be getting on with this month. Its prime ‘bare-root planting’ season (see previous articles!); digging and mulching; weeding and border tidying. It’s amazing how many weed seeds have already germinated, I have huge rashes of speedwell to deal with in my own garden, so it’s a good time to get onto your hands and knees, whenever weather conditions allow, to tackle these before they can become established. I tend to concentrate on those areas of the garden which really benefit from looking their best at this time of year, the beds with early flowering perennials such as hellebores and hepaticas. Here the weeds would detract from the burgeoning display of early blooms and a fresh mulch, after weeding, really sets off the special blooms when so many other areas of the garden are still decidedly dormant. There are so many good oriental hellebores available in garden centres, or from online growers such as ‘Ashwood Nurseries’ (who have got delivering plants by post down to a fine art), and I find it hard to believe that anyone can resist the promise of exquisite blooms this early in the year.

On a more specialist note, I realise that not every garden is large enough for one, I like to get a fine cut of my wildflower meadow done this month, if a break in the weather allows me to get the rough cut mower out of hibernation. To encourage as diverse a population of meadow species as possible it is beneficial to cut the meadow as short as you can, before growth recommences, and for the clippings to be removed with a wire rake. This helps to discourage the coarser grass species and the physical action of raking allows light and air to penetrate the surface. This promotes the germination and establishment of wildflower seed shed during the previous year.

Getting light and air into the sward is especially important in newly establishing meadows where yellow rattle has been introduced as a means to weaken established grasses. The semi-parasitic rattle germinates most successfully having been frosted (‘vernalised’) but they have a better chance of getting established, I find, if the meadow gets this further cutting back around now. If it’s too wet and boggy, to be able to cut it successfully, then it’s not the end of the world for the meadow to be left relatively shaggy but it’s one of those jobs that it’s good to do ‘in a perfect world’.

At this time of year anything that you manage to get done, over and above the absolute essentials, is a bonus which will get you ahead of the game before the headlong rush into spring, when suddenly everything needs doing at once. Having said that, it’s also, perhaps, the last month when the garden is largely dormant and your gardening tasks are mostly voluntary so, if you want to keep out of the garden, that’s your prerogative.

Gardening is as simple, or complicated, as you make it!

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 35

PROPERTY ROUND-UP

Homes to Fall in Love With

By Helen Fisher

BRADPOLE £450,000

A classic ‘chocolate box’ cottage beautifully maintained with 3 double bedrooms, tucked away in a private position. Originally a farmhouse, dating back over 200 years with many characterful features. Lovely sunny rear garden. Patio and covered decking area and a large summerhouse. Single garage and side on-street parking.

Goadsby Tel: 01308 420000

CORSCOMBE £850,000

An Grade II listed 18th Century cottage with 3 bedrooms. Recently having undergone a full-makeover, the cottage is immaculately presented throughout with a fresh, light-filled airy feel. Gardens and grounds of nearly an acre with 2 spring fed streams surrounded by woodland.

Down a lane in a peaceful setting. Parking plus 2 single garages.

Knight Frank Tel: 01935 810064

COLYTON £695,000

HOOKE £1,250,000

A Grade II listed 17th Century main house and self-contained annexe with 3/5 bedrooms, depending on the configuration. Many characterful features. Extensive improvements inc: newly fitted kitchens, utility room, bath and shower room plus secondary glazing throughout. With 3 separate garden areas with trees and a small pond. Garage/workshop with power and ample parking.

Gordon and Rumsby Tel: 01297 553768

An architect-designed 4 bedroom home. Contemporary living meets an energy-efficient lifestyle. With high-spec insulation, solar panels and an air-source heat pump. Superb curved roof extension with triple-fold terrace doors. All set in over 15 acres.

Outbuildings inc: stables, poly tunnel, new barn and pretty summerhouse. Plus beautiful bespoke yurt.

Symonds and Sampson Tel: 01308 863100

CHIDEOCK £695,000

LITTON CHENEY £299,950

An absolutely charming picture postcard detached period cottage with 3/4 bedrooms maintained to a very high standard. Modern fitted kitchen and bathroom, part double glazed and attractive slate flooring to the ground floor rooms. A part walled garden with summerhouse and far reaching countryside views plus courtyard area. Side parking and useful store.

Stags Tel: 01308 428000 36 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

A semi-detached, 2 double bedroom stone and thatched cottage which is not listed. Light and spacious rooms.

Character features inc: window seats, exposed beams and wood burning stove. Large sunny garden, greenhouse, allotment garden and shed plus large decked area with wooden summerhouse with far reaching countryside views.

Kennedys Tel: 01308 427329

Enjoy the Festival of Snowdrops in popular East Lambrook in February

THROUGHOUT February the famous cottage garden at East Lambrook Manor in Somerset will be celebrating the snowdrop season once again with its annual, and possibly last, Festival of Snowdrops. Stroll through the beautiful winter garden and enjoy the wonderful collection of unusual snowdrops.

Cottage garden doyenne and avid “galanthophile” Margery Fish and her husband Walter turned the drainage channel betweeen two orchards into the perfect place for planting her growing collection of snowdrops in the 1940s and the bulbs have thrived there ever since. ‘It gladdens the heart to see the snowdrops lining the banks of the famous Ditch in this gem of a garden,’ says owner Mike Werkmeister.

The garden has a collection of around 140 named varieties and many of these are used to make a special display in a raised bed enabling visitors to appreciate the subtle and often not so subtle difference between them. ‘Unless you are a snowdrop aficionado, or galanthophile, you are probably not aware of how varied they can be. Visitors are often amazed by the different shapes and colours of the flowers, including delicate Galanthus “Margery Fish”, found in the Ditch in 1987,’ explains Mike.

Visitors can join a snowdrop tour to learn about the genus and see some of the more unusual snowdrops in the garden.

Around 80 varieties will be on sale in the nursery along with hellebores and other spring bulbs and plants. Sculptor Chris Kampf will again be exhibiting his popular steel snowdrops.

However, this may be the last Festival of Snowdrops at East Lambrook.

Mike Werkmeister and his late wife Gail

bought East Lambrook Manor in 2008, having seen a feature about the property and its famous garden being for sale in the Sunday Times. ‘My late wife Gail, an antenatal teacher and President of the National Childbirth Trust at the time, saw the Malthouse Gallery at East Lambrook Manor as a fabulous teaching space whereas I embraced the garden and nursery. I shall be very sorry to say goodbye to both house and garden and would love to find a like-minded buyer to take on the property and keep the garden open to the public, but that is not proving easy in these difficult times. Nothing is certain except that I am getting too old to maintain the garden’ says Mike. East Lambrook Manor is being marketed by Savills.

The garden is open Tuesday to Sunday throughout the festival from 10am to 5pm. Garden entry £7.00, Groups £6.50, under 16s free. Tours £4.00. The annual NGS Snowdrop Open Day is on Thursday 15th February, with all entry money going to charity. RHS members have free entry on Wednesdays. No charge if just visiting the café or nursery.

East Lambrook Manor Gardens, Silver Street, East Lambrook, South Petherton, Somerset TA13 5HH. www.eastlambrook.com

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 37

Food&Dining

BUBBLE AND SQUEAK WITH A FRIED DUCK’S EGG Bubble and squeak needn’t be just for using up wintry leftovers. In fact, I’m more likely to cook the green veg and potatoes from scratch at any time of the year, as this dish is such a great accompaniment to grilled meats. It also makes a delicious breakfast or lightish lunch dish.

In Winter, greens and root vegetables and leeks can be the key ingredients and Spring and Summer you can add peas and beans when swede and other root vegetables aren’t growing.

I often make a dressing with HP Sauce, vinegar and a little oil whisked together and just spooned around when serving.

INGREDIENTS

DIRECTIONS

•

1. Cook all of the vegetables fairly well in boiling salted water, drain and ensure they are dry.

2. Roughly chop the potatoes and sprouts and mix with the other vegetables.

3. Season with salt, pepper and celery salt then add the Worcestershire sauce to taste.

4. Mould the mixture into the required shape, flour and pan fry in clarified butter until golden.

5. Pan fry the eggs and serve on top.

• • •

MARK HIX

• • • • •

250g swede, peeled and cut into rough 1cm chunks A few leaves of green cabbage, trimmed and cut into rough 1cm squares 150g Brussels sprouts, trimmed 1 small leek, well rinsed, trimmed and roughly chopped 300g Charlotte or similar waxy potatoes, peeled Salt and freshly ground black pepper Celery salt Worcestershire sauce Vegetable oil, to fry Serves 4

38 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 39

Arts&Entertainment

Dreamscapes in

West Bay

Masters of the surreal, the strange, humorous and beautiful opens at Sladers Yard

A

rtists of the imaginary world, Finn Campbell-Notman, Robin Rae, Alfred Stockham and David West are all masters of the surreal, the strange, unsettling, humorous and beautiful. With Petter Southall, they are all five technically astonishing artists, thinkers and dreamers, whose work lifts us out of the everyday.

Winner of Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year 2023, Finn Campbell-Notman joins Sladers Yard with a group of his exceptional paintings of buildings, birds and animals within landscapes. Finn grew up on a boat on the Norfolk Broads with his artist parents drawing the birdlife and developing a lifelong ecological awareness and interest in the natural world.

A graduate in Fine Art from UWE, Bristol, and Wolverhampton, in Illustration from Falmouth College of Art and with a Multi-disciplinary MA from the Royal College of Art, Finn has a global reputation as an Illustrator, has designed a hotel, founded a record label and worked as a music journalist. In recent years Finn has been principally engaged in landscape painting.

During 2022 he took part in and won Sky Arts Landscape Artist of the Year, filming in various locations in the UK and The Netherlands. His commissioned piece for the Royal Museums at Greenwich can be seen at The Queen’s House. He is currently living and painting in Dorset.

Extraordinary success also marked Robin Rae’s early painting life. He first exhibited at the Royal British Academy in Young Contemporaries in 1946 when he was 18. After Ealing School of Art (1945-49) his teachers at the Royal College of Art included Francis Bacon and John Nash. By the time he was 21 he had had two successful solo shows at the Little Gallery in Piccadilly followed by an exhibition at the Ashmolean. In 1950, The Sunday Times critic Eric Newton put him ‘in the category of Stanley Spencer, Paul Nash and the Pre-Raphaelites’.

Three of the pictures in this exhibition, his Self Portrait and Luis Bunuel, both from 1955, and Eve, from 1958, epitomise the intense energy and conviction of the period after artschool for him. Experimental, atmospheric and ambitious, all three are now available to buy for the first time. He taught at Edinburgh School of Art from 1959, moving in 1964 to Liverpool College of Art where he began exhibiting colourful, abstract, three-dimensional

40 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Robin Rae Luis Bunuel 1955

Alfred Stockham, Moonlit Garden

painted constructions regularly in the Liverpool Academy. The John Moores family and the Walker Art Gallery, Liverpool, bought his work.

In 1970 he moved to Bridport, married Kate Beaver and ran a successful screen-printing dress design business with her while bringing up their daughter Alice. He began to paint again in 1987 and never stopped until the day he died. In 2008 Sladers Yard put on his Retrospective at 80, followed by more exhibitions including his 90th birthday and indeed his funeral. We are delighted now to offer a selection of works belonging to Alice his daughter. As Vivienne Light wrote in his obituary in The Times, ‘All possess a haunting, Edward Hopper-like quality, many verging on the surreal. With oil on canvas Rae was able to transform the ordinary everyday into a visionary, dramatic world.’

Alfred Stockham’s jewel-like paintings often convey imaginative force through the simplest of structures.

His use of colour, shape and composition are based on a lifetime of study. Hours of contemplation went into each painting, resulting in works of extraordinary resonance.

‘The real or observed world and the subconscious dream world both play their part to make a painting sing.’ Alfred Stockham

After seven years in the Royal Navy, Alfred Stockham studied at Camberwell School of Art and the Royal College of Art where he was awarded a Silver Medal. He was a Rome scholar and Granada Arts Fellow at the University of York before 1968 when he took up a post as lecturer at Bristol Polytechnic (now the University of the West of England) where he would become Head of Fine Art. In 1988, he left to paint full-time which he did with devotion until his death in 2020. His work is in public collections throughout the UK and in private collections worldwide. He exhibited in Europe and USA and widely around the UK, including many times at the RA Summer Exhibition and regularly at Sladers Yard since 2008. This exhibition includes figurative and abstract works which he gathered around himself and hung in his studio as reference points.

An extraordinary wood-carver, David West has worked as an architect, an artist, a craftsman and a teacher during his long life. He has converted houses, restored the Town Mill in Lyme Regis, redesigned a three-acre garden for John Fowles, spent seven years building a doll’s house for a private collector and created unique and fantastical furniture, organ pipes and painted gilded carvings. He has exhibited

42 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Finn Campbell-Notman, Empire of Light

at Fischer Fine Art, London; Ulster Museum, Belfast; Glyn Vivian, Swansea; Mead Gallery, Warwick University; the Royal Albert Museum, Exeter and Dorset County Museum. He has had two solo shows at Sladers Yard.

Born in 1939, David West studied painting and printmaking at Sutton School of Art and at Camberwell School of Art in the 1950s. He taught part-time at various art schools until 1972, since when he has worked as a full-time professional artist on commissioned and other works. He and his wife Barbara Steel, also a painter, moved to Lyme Regis, Dorset, in 1981 where he still lives and cares for Barbara.

His latest works dive underwater to show exotic fish, exquisitely carved in wood, against painted coral backdrops. As Christopher Roper wrote in the catalogue for David West’s recent Retrospective at Dorset County Museum, ‘David never uses the term wabi-sabi to describe his approach, but there is something of that distinctively Japanese idea about his work. Characteristics of the wabi-sabi aesthetic include … appreciation of the ingenuous integrity of natural objects and processes.’ David himself says his work offers a gateway to allow the spectator to enter their own imaginative world.

Petter Southall has been making his distinctive furniture in West Dorset since 1991. He started working wood as a traditional wooden boatbuilder in Norway. He studied cabinetmaking at the College

of the Redwoods in N.California followed by sustainable design at John Makepeace’s Hooke Park College. Combining boat-building and fine cabinetmaking techniques, he is acclaimed for steam-bending large solid boards into the arches, twists and rings so striking in his designs. Using ethically sourced timber, his work is built to age beautifully. As well as furniture, he has made stunning wooden buildings, doors, steam-bent structural components and solutions for interiors. In 2006 he converted Sladers Yard in West Bay into a gallery to showcase his work and that of other brilliant artists.

Numerous, varied private commissions in UK and internationally, have established Petter as an artist’s maker. He has designed and made dining-room, reception and boardroom furniture for companies and corporations in London, Europe, & locally and for the National Gallery and the Barbican Art Gallery.

Public art has included Cambridge Science Park, the Wessex Ridgeway Sculpture Trail, Sanctuaries for Newton Abbott and Minehead Hospitals, a range of benches for the Macmillan Garden at Hereford Hospital and two benches for Lyme Regis Museum.

In 2019 he made a ground-breaking steam-bent pavilion for a Show Garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Sladers Yard, Contemporary Art & Craft Gallery, West Bay, Bridport, Dorset DT6 4EL. Wednesday to Saturday 10–4pm. www.sladersyard.co.uk. t: 01308 459511. e: gallery@sladersyard.co.uk

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 43

February GALLERIES

1 - 29 February Kit Glaisyer presents an evolving exhibition of his West Country landscape paintings, with works on show in his gallery and studio, including original paintings, drawings, and prints on canvas. Open Saturdays 10am - 4pm or by appointment. Kit Glaisyer Fine Art, 11 Downes Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3JR. 07983 465789 www.kitglaisyery. com @kitglaisyer.

Until 3 February Grace Crabtree: Elemental Drift. Artist Grace Crabtree works primarily in the traditional medieval and Renaissance techniques of buon fresco and egg tempera, which both involve a close engagement with the earthy, elemental materials of stone, sand and pigments. Her paintings, depicting fragments of figures and landscapes, draw in particular from the coastlines of Dorset and Cyprus, and from historic or mythic narratives woven through the landscape. As a recipient of an Arts Council England DYCP studio and research grant for her project, ‘The Art of Fresco’ (2022-23), Grace attended a specialist fresco course in Sardinia, and has since been continuing her work to fold this ancient and alchemical medium into a contemporary painting practice. Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South Street, Bridport DT6 3NR Open 10am – 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday, 01308 424901. Free entry.

5 - 11 February Earth Fire Water Spring. An exhibition of paintings, pastels, mixed media, textiles, and ceramics. John AustinWilliams, Imogen Bittner, Mala Hassett, June Lisle and Helen Simpson present an eclectic exhibition to celebrate and coincide with the first signs of Spring in this winter

Imogen Bittner - vibrant machine-stitched and collaged textiles. Part of Earth, Fire, Water, Spring at Fontwell Magna in February

season and the arrival of snowdrops at Springhead. These five very different artists, members of the Dorset Salon (Dorset Visual Arts), have united under the title “Visual Rhythm” because of an underlying sense of motion in their art. Working in different media their pieces reflect the dynamic sensations found in music. Among the colours, forms and marks in their work lie the echoes of a melody, a beat, This is why you will find an energy and vibrance in Earth Fire Water Spring and why the Gallery is to host a concert on Sunday 11th at 2pm, which includes a newly composed quartet inspired by the artwork on display.

Springhead, Mill Street, Fontmell Magna, Shaftesbury SP70NU https://www.springheadtrust.org.uk.

44 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Brian Rice, Focus 1967, Acrylic on canvas.

At The Arts Stable, Child Okeford from February 10.

10 February - 9 March Brian Rice: In the Beginning Paintings, drawings & prints from his student years at Yeovil School of Art & Goldsmiths College. At 87 Brian Rice is recognised as one of the most important British abstract painters with work in close to 70 museum and corporate collections, mainly in the U.K. and U.S.A. Anyone who is familiar with his distinctive abstract paintings and prints is, however, in for an unexpected experience at The Art Stable in Child Okeford this February. ‘In the Beginning’ presents a fascinating archive of works made by Brian in the 1950s whilst at Yeovil School of Art and Goldsmiths College, London. A collection of delicate landscapes and portraits are Brian’s earliest works. They are from this seminal period of time, when art education was rigorous, and the teaching of skills paramount. These closely observed figurative images from an artist now so well known for his bold, purely abstract work, perhaps demonstrate the value of such a foundation, enabling the student to move with confidence into their own creative path. The Art Stable, Child Okeford, Blandford, Dorset DT11 8HB. https://www.theartstable.co.uk/ 16 February - 7 July Spring 2024 mixed exhibition by gallery artists & 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. Devon-based Mary Gillett will be exhibiting a series of her collagraphs along with the corresponding plate for each work. As she writes, “The plates are made using thin ply as a base and worked on with carborundum grit, PVA and acrylic paint, then sealed with a thin coating of shellac. I left the ink on the plates after

printing and did a little more work on them because I was interested in the impact they made as objects in themselves.

They take hours and hours to make.” Alongside these will be other prints from Dorset-based Colin Moore and Bristol based Ruth Ander. Many other artists will also be exhibiting their various sculptures, ceramics, and oils including Johannes von Stumm, Alison Wear, and Phillippa Headley.

Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Opening / performance times: 10AM – 4PM Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon or by appointment 01305 848 909. http://www.tincletongallery.com 17 February - 23 March Andrew Hardwick: Wounded Land Bridport Arts Centre is delighted to present Wounded Land, an exhibition of paintings by Bristol-based artist Andrew Hardwick. Andrew Hardwick paints places that are lost or go unnoticed, the unspectacular and ordinary, often wastelands which are about to be built over. These Edgeland landscapes are filled with forgotten ruins, remote moorland reservoirs, even the occasional Amazon Warehouse. Sunsets, rain and storms also feature heavily in his work. He uses variety of found materials: soils on board, plastics, canvas, roofing materials, and of course, paint, often decorator’s gloss. Following the romantic painting tradition, these textured “constructions” can be big, sometimes over four metres long. Andrew paints places he knows well, especially those near his studio by the Royal Portbury Docks, Bristol, a transient landscape which is gradually being pulled into a modern dock and warehouse area by development. Some of Andrew’s work evokes the more rural landscapes he remembers from his family farm, now existing only in memory or as what he describes as “ghost landscapes.” The work challenges our complicated relationship with the land. Andrew Hardwick has a studio

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 45

February GALLERIES

on a small holding near the Royal Portbury Docks, Bristol. He has a degree from the University of the West of England and an MA from the University of Wales, Cardiff. Widely exhibited around the UK and Ireland, he has had recent solo shows at the Atkinson Gallery, Millfield, Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery and The Plough Art Centre, Devon, as well as representation by Anima Mundi, St Ives, since 2011.

Website: https://www.andrewhardwick.com Preview: Friday 16th February, all welcome. Allsop Gallery, Bridport Arts Centre, 9 South Street, Bridport DT6 3NR. 01308 424901. Open 10am – 4pm, Tuesday to Saturday, Free entry.

Until 9 March Mikhail Karikis: Acoustics of Resistance First UK showing of new installation by internationally recognised artist Mikhail Karikis focusing on the climate emergency and exploring listening as a form of climate care and activism. Tuesday – Saturday, 10am – 5pm. Thelma Hulbert Gallery, Dowell St, Honiton EX14 1LX thelmahulbert.com. 01404 45006.

Until 31 March Bright & Bold: Celebrating the Dorset Landscape Miranda Pender takes a fresh look at familiar Dorset features in this vibrant collection of semi-abstract landscapes, recognisable without being realistic and playing freely with colour, curve and contour.

Rotunda Gallery, Lyme Regis Museum, Bridge St, Lyme Regis DT7 3QA, Tues-Sat 10am-5pm, Sun 10am-4pm, www.lymeregismuseum.co.uk Until 21 April Elisabeth Frink: A View from Within An exhibition that will reveal an intimate portrait of the celebrated British sculptor Elisabeth Frink. Coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the artist’s death, Elisabeth Frink: A View from Within will be the first exhibition to focus on the significant body of work produced by Frink (1930-1993) at her Woolland studio in Dorset

between 1976 and 1993. It will explore her artistic process, personal life and the profound influences that shaped her work: human conflict and our relationship with the natural world. Dorset Museum, High West Street, Dorchester DT1 1XA. Until 28 April ‘Present Tense’ will spotlight the next generation of artists living and working in the UK, from emerging to mid-career, celebrating a breadth of creative talent and socially engaged practices. The multifaceted group presentation will consist of 23 contemporary artists outside of the Hauser & Wirth roster, testing the boundaries of their mediums to address and confront notions of identity, consciousness, humanity and representation. Through their individual lens, each artist is responding to the cultural climate of the UK right now, depicting a range of lived experiences that co-exist and connect within the rich fabric of the same location. Hauser & Wirth, Durslade Farm, Dropping Ln, Bruton BA10 0NL. Until 2 June Artist Rooms, Bill Viola Bill Viola (born 1951) is one of the world’s leading video artists, considered pivotal in establishing video as a form of contemporary art. Since the early 1970s Viola has used video to explore universal human experiences such as birth, death and the unfolding of consciousness. His work is renowned for its precision and simplicity while fusing the influences of painting, photography and cinema. Artist Rooms focuses on three intimate pieces from ‘The Passions’. Begun in 2000, this series is a sustained exploration of human emotions, suffering and transcendence. It is inspired in large part by Viola’s study of European religious paintings of the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, and his personal experience of loss with the death of his parents. Royal Albert Memorial Museum & Art Gallery, Bradninch Place, Gandy Street, Exeter EX4 3LS. 01392 265317.

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

BY FEBRUARY 12th

46 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Classical panist Ida Pelliccioli to play at Tincleton gallery

I

Ida Pelliccioli

da Pelliccioli was born in Bergamo, Italy. She studied at the Nice Conservatoire de Région and at the Ecole Normale de Musique de Paris.

During her studies, Ida Pelliccioli was awarded several scholarships. She participated in a number of master-classes, among others with Jean-Claude Pennetier, Gerard Wyss and received a double diploma in interpretation and pedagogy, at the École Normale in Paris. She received artistic guidance from Norma Fisher who teaches at the Royal College of Music in London, Stephen Gutman, and she is one of the rare pianists to have received guidance from the Cuban concert pianist Jorge Luis Prats.

Ida chose to avoid the international competition circuit and, before becoming a full-time pianist, received a double master diploma at the Sorbonne University—in Italian Literature and in Ancient Greek History. Ida tours internationally as well as teaching at Paris Conservatoire with a class of 35 students.

She is travelling from Paris especially to play the Tincleton concert. The programme will be D. Scarlatti, W.A. Mozart, M. Blasco de Nebra, and F. Schubert.

The inspiration behind this programme is the forgotten music of Spanish composer from Sevilla, Manuel Blasco de Nebra (1750-1784). The heir to Scarlatti in many respects, he was moreover a composer well aware of what was happening elsewhere in Europe in the 1770s. When he died his sisters sold an impressive collection of 1833 pieces for harpsichord, organ and pianoforte—172 pieces being his own works, the rest were pieces by German, Italian and French composers. His expressive world is far more searching than Scarlatti, a quality that sometimes reminds us of the music of Mozart and Haydn and pre announces Schubert and even Chopin.

The concerts are on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 February at Tincleton Gallery, The Old School House, Tincleton, nr Dorchester, DT2 8QR. Doors open 7.30pm and the concert starts 8pm. Admission fee is £15. Telephone: 01305 848 909. For more information visit www.tincletongallery.com.

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 47

Sneak Peek A peek at what’s coming up on stage and screen near you Just click on an image to view a trailer

Klokkenluider - Film Bridport Arts Centre Thursday 8 February, 7.30pm. Book at: https://www.bridport-arts.com/how-to-book/

Jarman - Live Dorchester Corn Exchange Wednesday 28 February 7.30pm. Book at: https://www.dorchesterarts.org.uk/

The Sharon Shannon Trio - Live Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis Wednesday 14 February, 8.00pm. Book at: https://www.marinetheatre.com/

Sweet Sue - Film The Beehive, Honiton Friday February 9, 7.30pm.

Book at: https://beehivehoniton.co.uk/

48 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Madagascar 3: Europe’s Most Wanted - Film Bridport Arts Centre Tuesday 13 February, 2:30pm Book at: https://www.bridport-arts.com/how-to-book/

The Red Turtle - Film Bridport Arts Centre Saturday 17 February 5pm. Book at:. https://www.bridport-arts.com/how-to-book/

Hidden Figures - Film The Haar - Live Bridport Arts Centre Thursday 29 February 7.30pm. Book The David Hall, South Petherton Saturday 10 January, at:. https://www.bridport-arts.com/how-to-book/ 8.00pm. Book at: https://www.thedavidhall.com/

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February PREVIEW

The Show Must Go On

The show must go on YETMINSTER AND SHILLINNGSTONE A COMPANY of six set out with a whodunnit— think Miss Marple meets Poirot—but only two actually get to the venue ... where are the others, how can they put on a show with no props or sets?

Company Gavin Robertson brings Done to Death, By Jove! to Yetminster’s Jubilee Hall on Saturday 10th February and Shillingtone’s Portman Hall on Sunday 11th, with Artsreach, Dorset’s touring arts charity.

Created and performed by Gavin Robertson and Nicholas Collett, Done to Death, By Jove! is obviously a

50 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Counters Creek

case of the British detective genre gone wrong, and the actors are looking to the two communities to try to solve the mystery ...

Some of the most famous characters from detective fiction, including Holmes and Watson, and Poirot and Miss Marple—and what are rather sweetly described as “the usual suspects”—are all recruited to play their part in a spoof homage to the British Detective Genre. Who murdered Lady Fanshawe? Why is Matron Maudesly so friendly with one of the guests at the Clinic of Hopes and Cures? Why have the sound cues got mixed up?

Originally there was supposed to be a cast of six bringing a group of suspects and sleuths together to discover whodunnit, but now four are stuck in the van by the side of the motorway and only two have managed to get to the venue. Still, ‘the show must go on’!

This farcical comedy is packed with clichés from the detective genre, with lords and ladies, shady servants, secrets, motives and cunning detective-work. Expect a whirlwind of fast costume changes, clumsy direction and acting hiccups in a show where even the set’s gone missing!

Counter’s Creek on tour WOOTTON FITZPAINE AND WINFRITH ACOUSTIC quartet Counter’s Creek play original music inspired by the folk music of the British Isles and beyond. Expect foot-tapping jigs and reels, heartwrenching songs and four-part harmonies, dance grooves from Eastern Europe and West Africa and a whole lot more as the group visits two Dorset villages

with Artsreach on 10th and 11th February.

Featuring Ben Cox (voice/flute/whistles/ harmonium), Jonathan Taylor (flute/whistles), Tom Newell (violin/banjo) and Moss Freed (guitar), the quartet provides an evening of exciting, uplifting entertainment, with virtuoso performances by engaging and witty musicians, who convey their passion for contemporary British and Irish folk music in their playing, as well as encouraging the audience to join them in sea shanties and four-part harmony!

Between them, the four musicians have performed at most of the UK’s leading folk and jazz festivals, played with pop acts including Muse and One Direction, appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and in numerous stage shows in the West End and around the UK. Their combination of tightly arranged, intricate music with improvisational flair and daring performances will entertain all music-lovers, and their energetic jigs and reels will make you want to dance the night away!

Their album, The Careful Placement of Stones, was praised by the folk magazine FATEA as “probably the best jazz-folk album that you will hear this year.”

Counter’s Creek will be at the village hall in Winfrith Newburgh on Saturday 10th February, and Wootton Fitzpaine hall on Sunday 11th, both at 7.30pm.

Three Dorset composers DORCHESTER THE work of three living Dorset composers who are also accomplished musicians—Rick Birley, Geof Edge and Tamara Konstantin—will be showcased in a concert at St Mary’s Church, Dorchester, on Saturday

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February PREVIEW

24th February at 7.30pm.

Over more than 30 years, Rick Birley has composed a large body of work which deserves to be much more widely known outside Dorset. This concert will feature pieces for piano and solo violin and larger works for choir and orchestra.

Geof Edge, a musician who specialises in writing for children’s voices, will be familiar to many through his Apollo cantata, which was the centrepiece of the 2019 Moonbury Rings project. The Dorchester concert features Points Of Light, a thought-provoking work for choir and orchestra.

Georgian-born Tamara Konstantin, who lives in Weymouth, is a pianist and composer, whose work has been recorded for the Naxos label. Her chamber works for piano, violin and cello, with their lyrical romanticism and flowing melodies, form a perfect counterpoint to the larger-scale works in the programme.

The performers have brought together the Great Western Orchestral ensemble, with choir and soloists, a talented group of professional and semiprofessional performers, all with Dorset connections, for what will surely be a memorable evening of music.

Tea with William Barnes STURMINSTER NEWTON ARTSREACH and the Ridgeway Singers and Band have their annual celebration of Dorset’s great dialect poet, William Barnes, at The Exchange at Sturminster Newton on Sunday 25th February at 3pm, with poetry and other readings, tea and a local food market.

This now well-established annual “tea party” is very much in the spirit of Barnes, who was born at Bagber near Sturminster, and who relished the huge variety of Dorset country dances, folksongs and carols. He often wrote about community celebrations where music was a key part of the proceedings.

Alongside a delicious Dorset cream tea, The Ridgeway Singers and Band, led by Tim Laycock and Phil Humphries, will perform traditional songs from across the county, some of which were collected by the Hammond brothers, play dance tunes from the repertoire of fiddler Benjamin Rose and perform an arrangement of the Vaughan-Williams setting of

William Barnes’ famous poem, My Orchard in Linden Lea. Some of Barnes’ much-loved poems will be recited by members of the William Barnes Society, who help to keep alive the rich dialect of Dorset.

Artsreach is also working in partnership with Dorset Food & Drink to host a mini pop-up producers and makers market in the Exchange atrium on the day, offering the chance to try some famous local produce or discover something new made in Dorset! The pop-up market will be open to the public from 10am-3pm.

Family fun for half-term VILLAGES IT’s cold (and maybe wet or even snowy) outside, so what do you do with the children over the midFebruary half-term? Artsreach, Dorset’s rural touring arts charity, has a line-up of fantastic and fun theatre events for children of all ages, from deepsea adventures and quests to deep, dark dungeons, puppetry, live music and more.

Scarlet Oak Theatre comes to Sixpenny Handley village hall on Monday 12th and Blandford Royal British Legion on Tuesday 13th, both at 10.30am, with The Zoo That Comes to You, a delightful play that follows the efforts of two wildlife enthusiasts who provide respite care or a temporary home to those in need. They now have a sanctuary full of animals— but no-one has come to visit their zoo! Snow all of them—animals and humans alike—have decided it is time to get out, see the world and bring the zoo to you.

Using puppetry and music, the human beings bring the playful, charming animals to life, as they tell their stories and describe the challenges they face. They want to inspire people of all ages to take action, because they know small actions can make a big difference in the world. After both performances, Scarlet Oak are offering families the chance to take part in an introduction to puppetry workshop— places are limited, and so booking is essential.

On Wednesday 14th February at Milborne St Andrew village hall and Thursday 15th at Alderholt (both at 10.30am), Coppice Theatre dives into Science Adventures: Deep Sea. Join Professor Flotsam and Dr

52 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Half term entertainment with Artsreach from Scarlet Oak Theatre, Theatre Fideri Fidera and Coppice Theatre.

Wright in their new submarine as they look for the strangest creatures in the deep, hear some of their favourite sea stories and learn about looking after the oceans! Using puppetry, animation, original stories and some audience participation, Science Adventures: Deep Sea explores the importance of protecting our

coast and oceans while also encouraging a love of science and literature. Afterwards, children can take part in a puppet-making workshop and create their own deep-sea creature, inspired by the show and made from recycled materials!

Making a welcome return to Dorset, the award-

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winning Theatre Fideri Fidera invites children aged three years and older and their families to join plucky Will Tell as she sets off on a chivalric quest to rescue her legendary dad Wilhelm from the Big Bad Baron’s deepest darkest dungeon. Inspired by the adventures of Robin Hood, Will knows all about standing up to tyrants, but is clueless when the Baron’s daughter Edel falls madly in love with her and wants to be rescued too!

Will Tell and The Big Bad Baron is an action-packed comic adventure which promises capers around castles, medieval Strictly Come Dancing and a jawdropping joust on life-size horse puppets! Join in the fun at Sturminster Marshall Community Hall at 4pm on Thursday 15th February, and at Litton Cheney Community Hall at 10.30am on Friday 16th.

The Perks Ensemble on tour CONCERTS IN THE WEST THE 2024 series of Concerts in the West opens on Friday 16th February with three concerts with the Perks Ensemble—the usual coffee-time concert at Bridport Arts Centre, followed by an evening performance at Ilminster Arts Centre and Saturday recital at Crewkerne’s Dance House.

The Perks Ensemble—Oscar, violin, and Elliott, viola, Perks and Alexander Ullman, piano—have been part of Concerts in the West in previous years and this year are back, joined for the first time by cellist Sebastian Kolin.

The programme will be Mozart’s piano quartet No 2 in E-flat major, K 493, Hindemith’s string trio No 1 Op 34 and Brahms’ piano quartet No 1 in G minor, Op 25. The concerts are at 11.30am at Bridport and 7.30 at Ilminster on Friday 16th and Saturday 17th at Crewkerne Sebastian Kolin studied at The Yehudi Menuhin School and completed his degree in Lugano and Cremona and advanced postgraduate studies at the Royal Danish Academy of Music. He was a member of the Heathcliff Trio until recently, winning first prize in the 9th International Johannes Brahms Chamber Music Competition in 2022.

Oscar Perks studied at The Yehudi Menuhin School and went on to read music at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge. He gained his master’s at the Royal College of Music. For five years Oscar was a member of the Dante String Quartet, with whom he gave numerous concerts around the UK and abroad, including the complete Beethoven and Shostakovich Quartet cycles.

Elliott Perks studied at The Yehudi Menuhin School and continued his studies as a foundation scholar at the Royal College of Music. He joined the Maxwell

String Quartet with whom he won both First Prize and Audience Prize at the Trondheim International Chamber Music Competition in 2017. The quartet has toured internationally at major festivals and halls, mainly in North America and Europe.

Born in London in 1991, Alexander Ullman studied at the Purcell School, the Curtis Institute and the Royal College of Music. He won the 2017 International Franz Liszt Piano Competition in Utrecht and has appeared with many orchestras and at venues around the world. In spring 2019, he received rave reviews for his first album on Rubicon, featuring Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite, Prokofiev’s Six Pieces from Cinderella and Stravinsky’s Petrushka and Firebird suites. Released in spring 2022, his second album featured Liszt’s Piano Concertos Nos 1 and 2, with the BBC Symphony Orchestra under Andrew Litton, and the piano sonata in B minor.

Out from behind the camera DORCHESTER CECIL Beaton was the great photographic chronicler of high society and fashion for decades—but he also kept diaries, and these provide the content for actor Richard Stirling who brings his acclaimed one-man show to Dorchester Corn Exchange on Thursday 22nd February.

It is a peep behind the scenes into the mind and life of the man who photographed everyone from Elizabeth Taylor to Churchill, and who famously won an Oscar for his costume designs for Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady.

While Beaton’s photographs showed his versatility; his diaries exposed the cost. Blisteringly funny, with appearances ranging from the Queen Mother to Truman Capote, the diaries paint a self-portrait of the 20th century’s most compelling dandy.

From Scotland with laughs LYME REGIS SCOTTISH comedian Connor Burns is on his first UK tour, with a show called Vertigo, described as punchline-packed with ugly dogs, relationships and the inevitable family drama, coming to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Wednesday 21st February.

The tour follows Burns’ outstanding success at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe, only his second time at the festival, where advance bookings meant he added eight extra performances to his four week run.

As well as success in his native Scotland, Burns sold out solo shows across Australia in 2022 and closed the Sydney Comedy Festival gala at the Sydney Opera House.

54 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Richard Stirling performs his one-man show about Cecil Beaton’s Diaries at Dorchester

Show of Hands LYME REGIS YOU may be lucky enough to get tickets to see Show of Hands—aka Steve Knightley and Phil Beer—at the Marine Theatre, Lyme Regis, on Thursday 1st February. The legendary West Country folk duo are on a tour that may not be their final outing, but definitely marks a major hiatus as they take time out for other projects. And the majority of dates on the long tour are already sold out.

Music enthusiasts and folk fans across the nation who have already booked are in for a treat as Steve and Phil embark on a journey back to where it all began. With a rich history spanning three decades, the duo are renowned for their unique ‘hands on’ cottage industry approach to touring. This tour includes village halls, folk clubs, small arts centres and community venues where they honed their craft, building their following from the grassroots up.

This will be an opportunity to reconnect with their loyal supporters and a chance to inspire a new generation of folk musicians. One of the defining aspects of Show of Hands’ career has been their unwavering commitment to supporting grassroots promoters. This ethos has not only enriched the folk music scene but also strengthened the bonds between artists and their audiences.

After this tour, Steve and Phil will be taking a

well-deserved break from the limelight. They plan to pursue solo projects, explore new creative horizons and recharge their artistic batteries. This indefinite hiatus marks the end of an era, but it also heralds exciting beginnings for two of the folk world’s best loved musicians.

There are still (at the time of writing) some tickets available for Lyme Regis. Most dates on the tour are already sold out (including Bridport Arts Centre in March). Check out the Show of Hands website www. showofhands.co.uk for availability at a couple of venues in Devon, including the Plough Arts Centre at Great Torrington on 2nd March.

Sonnets for Valentines LYME REGIS LOVERS—of poetry as well as their romantic partner—are invited to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Monday 12th February for an evening of Sonnets for Valentines.

The evening features the Marine’s patron, the great Shakespearean actor Oliver Ford-Davies and friends, reading sonnets—for lovers, lotharios and those who lose in love.

Ford-Davies, now in his 80s, is best known for his stage work but has also made his mark in both sci fi—in three of the Star Wars films—and as Maester Cressen in Game of Thrones.

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Screen Time with Nic Jeune

Top Six at the Flix Bridport Arts Centre Klokkenluider (2022) “A darkly comic thriller celebrates those who fly under the radar.” The Standard.

Charlotte O’Sullivan.

The Electric Palace Bridport Mean Girls (2024) “Get ready to be obsessed with Mean Girls!

They update the script and weave in music from the Broadway show perfectly…Songs are top tier and musical numbers feel like you’re stepping into each character’s brain.”

Pop Culture Planet. Kirsten Maldonado.

BBC iPlayer Films Letter from an Unknown Woman (1948) “Fontaine plays it beautifully. There are shades of her character in Rebecca here—a trusting younger woman, a mysterious older man. But unlike Maxim in Rebecca, here Stefan never redeems himself—he is the callous cad the audience always knew him to be.” Golden Age of Hollywood.

Melanie Novak.

Bringing Up Baby. (1938) “Hawks, one of the greatest American film-makers…..This, his finest comedy, was the first of five movies with Cary Grant and his only one with Katherine Hepburn.” The Guardian. Philip French AppleTV+ Tetris. (2023) “Tetris is a fantastic look at the story behind the rights to one of the most popular games ever…” Slash Film. Rafael Motomayor.

Disney + Turning Red (2022) “A story of magical transformation as a metaphor for personal and cultural change, Turning Red (from Bao director Domee Shi) is Pixar’s funniest and most imaginative film in years.” IGN. Siddhant Adlakha.

The event is a fundraiser for new chairs and a projector so that the theatre will be able to show new films.

Classical-folk harp and violin LYME REGIS TWO outstanding musicians, with successful international careers in both the classical and folk worlds, harpist Catrin Finch and violinist Aoife Ni Bhriain come to the Marine Theatre at Lyme Regis on Friday 16th February.

The partnership of these two great musicians, the world-renowned Welsh harpist and one of Ireland’s foremost traditional fiddle players who is also a classical violinist, follows a serendipitous meeting during a brief respite in Covid lockdown. They have released a debut album as a duo, Double You, featuring a collection of new compositions that draw inspiration from various genres, inspired by the cultures of their home countries.

Both are virtuosos of their respective instruments, who started young and trained hard with great dedication to achieve the highest standards of their art. Both went through rigorous classical training and grounded their careers in the classical world. Given her family heritage, it was inevitable that Dublin-born Aoife would also become a master of the Irish tradition; and given her fearless and inquisitive nature, it was equally inevitable that Catrin would seek artistic satisfaction beyond the confines of the classical world.

“Audiences just want to come away from a performance having been moved,” says Catrin. That becomes the key creative force, transcending the boundaries of genre.

From Taskmaster to ...

DORCHESTER BRISTOL-born Mark Watson has been making people laugh for most of his life, but sometimes he wonders what he (or any of us) is actually here for. He brings his latest show, Search, to Dorchester, appearing at Hardye’s School theatre, on Saturday 17th February at 8pm.

Mark Watson’s 12-year-old son has just got a phone. His 70-year-old dad has been through the most frightening experience of his life. Both a dad and a kid himself, around the midpoint of his life, the Taskmaster star and multiple award-winner considers the search for meaning that we’re all on, with or without Google. There’ll be a lot of jokes, and a show that’s different every night.

Watson attended Bristol Grammar School, where he won a “Gabbler of the Year” award. He read English at Queens’ College, Cambridge, graduating with first class honours. He was a member of the Cambridge Footlights and contemporary of Stefan Golaszewski, Tim Key and Dan Stevens and was part of the revue which was nominated for the Best Newcomer category in the Perrier Comedy Awards at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Pantomime marks 40th anniversary HONITON HONITON’s Beehive Centre hosts this year’s pantomime, Robin Hood, from 13th to 17th February, with performances at 7pm and a Saturday matinee at 2pm.

The show, presented by Honiton Community Theatre, is the 40th anniversary production. The company began as Honiton Pantomime Society. Over the years it has grown and now produces three

56 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

The Young Lit Fix Shadowhall Academy, The Whispering Walls by Phil Hickes, Illustrated by Keith Robinson Published by Usborne Books £7.99 paperback Review by Nicky Mathewson

The Farmer and The Clown, a play without words at Bridport Arts Centre

performances a year.

This new locally-based version of the story begins when Robin Hood of Feniton returns to Honiton from the Crusades and finds things are not how he left them—his title has been stripped and taxes are higher than ever, to fund the Sheriff ’s plan to de-forest Offwell woods and build a powerplant!

The Babes of the Wood come to stay with the Sheriff of Honiton, and Mother Hood is employed to be their Nanny and keep them out of harm’s way, particularly from Guy of Gisbourne, the Sheriff ’s henchmen.

As Charter Day approaches, it’s down to Robin, Marion and the Merry Men to stop the Sheriff ’s evil and greedy plans. Will Robin win his title back and can he save Offwell forest?

The Farmer and The Clown BRIDPORT A MUCH-loved story told without words has been adapted for the stage

by Flibbertigibbet Theatre and comes to Bridport Arts Centre as a show for all the family on Friday, 23rd February at 5pm.

An old hard-working farmer lives alone. One day, a baby clown accidentally bounces off a passing circus train and is left in the middle of nowhere, separated from family and friends.

A little reluctantly at first, the farmer takes the clown in. As time passes, they discover that by being with each other, they find something new in themselves.

Flibbertigibbet, a company dedicated to creating visual and physical theatre, has adapted this charming picture book into a new wordless play for all ages. It is a story of unexpected friendship told through physical comedy, dance and performed with an original live soundtrack.

The show has been praised as “great entertainment for 0-100 years. It makes you laugh and tugs at the heart-strings.”

Author Marla Frazee is an American illustrator who has won awards for picture book illustration including the Boston Globe Horn Book Award for The Farmer and the Clown.

GPW

Suffolk, England, September 1987, Lilian Jones is about to start her first term at Shadowhall Academy and too many things feel like they’re changing too quickly. She doesn’t know how she feels about boarding school, but her mum was so keen she felt she couldn’t say no. Some of the other boarders have been there since they were 8! So she is sure everyone will already be settled into friendships that she will remain on the outside of. It is fair to say that Lilian was feeling pretty scared as she approached the Gothic looking school with gargoyles and iron gates.

After a quick tour of the school Lilian meets her roommates who are Serena; incredibly intimidating and full of confidence, Marian; super friendly and helpful, she is just as Gothic as the building, and Angela; Angela is also a newbie and appears to be even more terrified than Lilian.

Their shared fear of a new school is exacerbated by knocking coming from behind one of their bedroom walls that first night. Medieval plumbing? A leaky pipe? It was an old building after all. No, because when Lilian touched the wall and asked “Hello?” there was definitely a responsive knock.

With some investigation the girls find that Shadowhall’s history is chequered with ghostly goings on and in order to sleep peacefully they needed to get to the bottom of this.

Spectral girls and near death experiences are not what Lilian or her friends signed up for but the path to solving the mystery is a dangerous one and they are determined to put an end to the haunting.

I absolutely loved this ghostly thriller.

Likeable and believable characters in a gloriously spooky setting. Phil Hickes who gave us the Aveline Jones trilogy has delivered again. Perfect for fans of mystery and creepy boarding schools!

Age 9+ 10% off for Marshwood Vale readers at The Bookshop on South Street, Bridport.

01308 422964 www.dorsetbooks.com Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 57

Anna Lovell ANNA Lovell, who moved from the Dorset/ Hampshire border to Swyre near Bridport in the mid 1980s and quickly established herself as a community champion, died just before Christmas.

In 2013, at the age of 75, she was awarded a BEM for “years of dedication to the community and countless local groups” At the time she was on the board of the Anna Lovell Partnership for Older People’s Programme (POPP) and was a trustee and board member of Dorset Community Action.

The former athlete and mother of four was also involved with the Dorset Age Partnership and Older People’s Forum, and said she couldn’t believe that she had been nominated.

‘I am quite outspoken and loudmouthed’ she said. ‘What about all of the other people who haven’t been nominated?

I haven’t done anything for the glory, but because it needed doing. What has been lost is the “can do” factor. People are always giving reasons why they can’t do something, rather than getting on with it.’

Anna continued to work on that basis until she was no longer able to do so, often representing and campaigning for “old people” who were many years younger than she.

She was a familiar figure in the area, a regular volunteer at Bridport Arts Centre, a keen embroiderer, textile artist and maker, a supporter of artisan crafts and arts, a fearless friend and a formidable opponent—one who always “did their homework”, acquainting herself with the details of issues and not afraid to stand her ground.

She will be much missed.

She was buried at the green burial ground at Corscombe, overlooking her beloved Dorset hills.

GPW

Services&Classified SITUATIONS VACANT

SEBO Felix White Heart Vacuum Cleaner.

Hardly used and within 5 year warranty. (Expires 2026). £100.00. Tel. 07974 680064.

One large Water Butt.

Free for collection.

With stand, lid & tap.

Tel: 01305 608484 (Dorchester).

Clean King size bed

FOR SALE

SERVICES

Complete with ortho mattress head and footboard. Moving house. VGC £250 Lyme Regis Jo 07525005430.

Bamboo Chimney Rods with brass fittings in vgc, little used. 1 set of 10 rods 3/4 inch width £18. 1 set of 14 rods 1 inch width £22 suitable for chimneys or drains Tel: 07891 987809.

Two 3 seater, cream 01460 242071. East leather, sofas for Lambrook. sale.£100 each. Good Kneeling chair and condition.Phone: frame. For all keen 07769680391. embroiderers, handmade Danlander 5” Grass Topper, Cat 1Linkage. in wood with welsh tweed upholstery.

Perfect for Paddock/ £50 ono. Tel 01935 orchard Cutting. Rear 862500. solid tyre, Slip clutch Large sitting/standing coupling. Little Used. work desk with black £900 Ono. Mobile metal frame and wooden 07834 550899. Home

RESTORATION FURNITURE Antique restoration and bespoke furniture.

Furniture large and small carefully restored and new commissions undertaken. French polishing, chair repairs and modern hand finishes. Phil Meadley 01297 560335

Jun 24

58 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 59

FOR SALE top. L 110cm/44”, D 74cm/29”, H 76cm/30” (can be raised to 96cm/38”. £60. Buyer to collect.

07970205992.

Water Heater/ dispenser. Neostar Permatherm. New. Boxed. £30. Tel 07398760637.

Heated tray/plate warmer Ekco approx 48cm x 26cm. 150 watts. £7 Please ring 01404 42081.

Transformer Douglas MT 40 AT. Secondary 5 amps, 6 voltage tappings. Unused and boxed. £15 ono. 01404 42081.

Brand new (unused) small double Highgrove Bed 4’ with new Raffles

mattress & upholstered head board (subtle dusky pink), storage drawer at base, bought for small guest bedroom. Cost £495. for sale @ £300.Tel: 01460 76463.

Rieker brown leather boots, size 38, £20 Clarks brown suede boots, size 38, £15 Moshulu brown leather laced ankle boots, size 39, £40. Seasalt (Piran’s Storm Cat) shoes, size 38, £25. Seasalt (Piran’s Cherrywood) shoes, size 38, £25. Gianni Conti brown leather handbag, £50. Gianni Conti dark red leather handbag, £35. Saccoo brown leather handbag, £50. Earth squared

purple cord and tweed bag, £10. Damart brown handbag, £5.

Photos available.

Contact: 07455616438.

Yamaha Electric Piano/Organ, 84 keys, 3 pedals, 14instruments, on 30-inch high (collapsible) Stand, recording facility, etc., very good condition, (£600 new), downsizing. £45 ono. Tel: 01297 598326.

Solid pine dining table, good quality and condition, 6’ x 3’, buyer to collect. £100 ono.

07870 300915.

Aquajoy bath lift with full instructions only used a few times £120 or near offer Tel 01297 33246.

Steam press domcna EXCELLENCE bed, £85ono. Breville Intelligent Food Processor, virtually new £30ono with instruction book. 01404 881640.

Gents vintage cycle, Raleigh Tempest, 24 inch frame, 27 inch wheels, 12 gears, vg condition £50. 0743 4101119. Weymouth.

Bike Carrier, hardly used, fits most cars, accept £20. Rear mounted for 2 bikes.

01308 861474.

Ercol Windsor Goldsmith carver chair £100, old oak cabinet barleytwist legs 36” x 30” x 15”, formerly held gramophone £45.

01297 443970, 07973 349717.

Vintage Ercol armchair, Yorkshire design circa 1960s. new webbing recovered chintz as new, £500.

Matching footstool £250. 01297 443970, 07973 349717.

Jeans brand new, M&S indigo size 8 £10.

M&S leather shoes size 6, some unworn, wardrobe clearance. £5 pair, more details 01297 443970, 07973 349717.

Large circular table, light oak 183cm (64”) diameter, 71cm (28”) high. £60. 07976 968195.

Toyota sewing machine overlocker, very little used,

FREE ADS for items under £1,000 This FREE ADS FORM is for articles for sale, where the sale price is under £1000 (Private advertisers only — no trade, motor, animals, firearms etc). Just fill in the form and send it to the Marshwood Vale Magazine, Lower Atrim, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5PX or email the text to info@marshwoodvale.com. Unfortunately due to space constraints there is no guarantee of inclusion of free ads. We reserve the right to withhold advertisements.

For guaranteed classified advertising please use ‘Classified Ads’ form

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60 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 Email info@marshwoodvale.com Tel. 01308 423031

ELECTRICAL

WANTED

CHIMNEY SWEEP

Secondhand tools. All trades and crafts. Old and modern. G. Dawson.

01297 23826. www. secondhandtools.co.uk.

Dec 23

Dave buys all types of tools 01935 428975

Jan 24

Coins wanted. Part or full collections purchased for cash.

Please phone John on 01460 62109 or 07980 165047.

Apr 24

Do you have a shed / garage full of old tools, car bits, unfinished projects etc? I buy job-lots of vintage items. Also enamel signs & slot machines & complete collections, 07875677897 Jan 24

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

Feb 24

Stamps & Coins Wanted by collector/investor.

We are keen to purchase small or large collections at this time. Tel: Rod mar 24 07802261339

To advertise here email: info@ marshwoodvale.com

£120ovno, Counter top Perspex lockable display cabinets pair £80. 01460 221793.

England Rugby Shirt size L tagged £34.99. £15 unwanted present.

M&S men’s shirts various sizes, all new, £10. 01297 443970, 07973 349717.

Casio Electronic Piano Keyboard CTK-601 unused £70. 01308 862359.

Fridge Hotpoint Ice Diamond, good condition, £30. 074470 803116.

Folding Bike Carrera lightweight alloy, multi gear, white, vgc, £75 ovno. Awning room 3.54.0m for Motorhome, heavy duty, light grey off white, high quality £250. Freesat suitcase dish complete £25.

01460 221793.

Large quantity of Fabric pieces including full roll black out, lining, upholstery fabric various prices or offers for the lot.

Large quantity knitting needles, dress making patterns, offers invited.

01460 221793.

DISTRIBUTION

WANTED

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

Dec 24

Tel. 01308 423031 The Marshwood Vale Magazine February 2024 61