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ISSUE 14|MAY 3 2013
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ImAX good riddance!
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mAy 3 2013
news
stripping Gok
Fashion guru Gok Wan has signed up for a charity skinny dip – in Dorset! Set for a secret location on June 2, the Marie Curie Cancer Care sponsored skinny dip aims to smash the skinny dip world record and raise funds to bolster the charity, which provides free nursing to terminally ill patients, and their families, in the comfort of their own home. “Have a look at Marie Curie’s Skinny Dip and it would be amazing if you got involved,” said the How to Look Good Naked presenter.
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Farewell imaX BuilDinG, you will not Be misseD O
A study to find out how Studland's ecology has changed in the last 80 years has won a Heritage Lottery Fund grant. The National Trust has been awarded £41,900 to build on an inspirational ecological study carried out in the 1930s by Cyril Diver, a senior Whitehall civil servant who spent his holidays obsessively cataloguing the natural life of the Studland peninsula. His work is widely recognised as having laid the foundations of ecological fieldwork in the UK.
by NICK CHURCHILL
riginally conceived as a major entertainment attraction for Bournemouth, few tears were shed as The Waterfront complex, home to the ill-fated Imax cinema, was finally torn down. Plagued by problems from the outset, the building replaced the much-loved Victorian baths, which were demolished in 1986. By the mid-1990s the authorities pinned their hopes for a first class all-weather attraction on the installation of an Imax cinema – with its 62ft x 82ft screen – on Bournemouth seafront. When the Imax finally opened in March 2002, it was more than two years late and the building that housed it was almost universally reviled. The following year
staff were laid off as it was decided to close the Imax four days a week during the winter and a plan to use the space for live entertainment was scuppered when it was discovered a clause in the building's contract prevented it. In 2005 the Imax closed for refurbishment shortly before the Easter holidays. It never reopened. After years of wrangling Bournemouth Council eventually bought the building in 2010 for £7.5 million and asked the public what should be done with it. The most popular suggestions – an ice rink and a swimming pool – were deemed unworkable and last year it was decided to demolish the building and create a space for outdoor events as a short term solution.
A new era in local publishing Welcome to the first edition of Seeker News, Dorset's first new mainstream newspaper publication for a generation. As traditional print media tries to arrest a downward spiral of declining circulation and falling readership, Seeker News has built on its earlier success, initially as a website and then as a monthly magazine, to launch a new fortnightly free newspaper for our times. We'll have a smile on our face, but we won't shy away from the big issues that matter to us all. Seeker News will be covering the news that affects our lives, celebrating a beautiful area and the people
who live here. Whether it's the latest business developments, what's on and where, or the fortunes of the area's major sports teams and athletes, it'll be in Seeker News. We're passionate about this area, it's a great place to live and work and we'll continue to support local business and triumph the area's many good causes. If it's going on it'll be in Seeker News, so tell us what you're up to. Let's enjoy today and look forward to tomorrow... together!
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4 seeker news
Felicity chosen for Chelsea
An amateur gardener from Christchurch is one of ten people chosen to celebrate a bloom and mark 100 years of the Chelsea Flower Show. Felicity Crabb, 26, is singing the praises of the Heuchera villosa Palace Purple. Raised from seed sent from America, it was the first heuchera to become popular as a flowering foliage plant and Felicity thinks it is a plant for everyone with its deep colours and hardy nature. The Royal Horticultural Society has drawn up the list of ten plants launched at the Chelsea Flower Show since 1913, with one flower taken from each decade of the world famous gardening exhibition.
Groyne protection
Work to protect the coastline at Christchurch is expected to last until the end of June. Part of Christchurch Borough Council's annual programme of maintenance to coastal structures, the work includes a local sand recycling exercise in front of Mudeford Quay and Gundimore Beach. Rock groyne repairs will also be carried out, starting at Avon Beach and ending at Friars Cliff.
A338 roadworks
may 3 2013
news
paul’s coastal shot makes a jurassic mark T his stunning photo taken at Hedbury Quarry, near Swanage has landed the Jurassic Coast Award for Bournemouth photographer Paul Haynes.
The shot, entitled Crepuscular and Cretaceous, best summed up a new and different view of the Jurassic Coast according to the panel of judges led by Ben Osborne, Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2007 and Joe Cornish, one of Britain’s most celebrated landscape photographers. The Jurassic Coast Award competition, run by the Jurassic Coast Trust and supported by Dorset Wildlife Trust, attracted some 1,200 entries in three themed categories – My Special Place, Point In Time and Close Up Coast, the latter won by Geoff Francis with his photo Chance Encounter at Kimmeridge. “The response was brilliant,”
said Ben Osborne. “It is great to see the enormous range of subjects all related to the Jurassic Coast. We feel we’ve selected those that best sum up what is special about the Jurassic Coast in an innovative and creative way.” An exhibition of the winning entries can be seen at Durlston Castle in May and the Heritage Centre, Lulworth Cove in June. The winning entries, runners up, highly commended, commended and three youth winners can also be viewed at www. jurassiccoast.org/award.
See page 10 for details of how to enter the Wessex Autism photography competition in association with Seeker News.
Roadworks on the A338 Wessex Way are likely to last until the first week of June. The maintenance measures include repainting the bridge, steelwork repairs, removing and reapplying an anti-slip surface and fixing a cycle ramp on the pedestrian bridge which runs over the dual carriageway between the Cooper Dean roundabout and the Blackwater Bridge junction.
Safety thirst
A national advisor on community safety has been named chief executive of the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) for Dorset. Chris Williams was previously senior advisor for community safety for the Local Government Association.
Cutting edge
Craftsman Dave Evans. from Guest Book Puzzles in Weymouth, has completed a world record attempt to create the largest hand-cut, wooden jigsaw puzzle. The 40,000-piece puzzle features 33 images of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee last year. It took Dave 35 days to complete the jigsaw.
Above inset, Paul Haynes. Right, his winning photo, Crepuscular and Cretaceous, taken at Hedbury Quarry, near Swanage. Above, Geoff Francis’ photo Chance Encounter at Kimmeridge won the Close Up Coast category
Signs of progress A project to protect and preserve Dorset’s fingerpost signs is enjoying its first Plush of success. Led by John Browning of Plush, near Dorchester, the first community Dorset Fingerpost Project scheme to restore a sign has been completed. “The community felt very strongly about ensuring that this iconic focal point of our village was properly restored,” he said. For more information on the Dorset Fingerpost Project visit www.dorsetaonb.org. uk.
Murder they wrote... again As more than 8.7 million people tuned in to the final episode of Broadchurch, ITV confirmed it had commissioned a second series for the Dorsetbased murder mystery. The second series of Broadchurch will go into production next year, but all details of the story and which characters will return are being kept strictly under wraps.
A problem of class With demand for primary school places continuing to rise, Bournemouth will have to build new schools, introduce split sites and bring in modular classrooms, councillors have been warned. A new Catholic primary school should be ready by September 2014, along with a brand new primary school. The Jewell Academy is due to open on the former Townsend School site in September and has been earmarked for temporary expansion so it can accommodate 90 reception pupils. Another 30 reception places are to be offered at both Kingsleigh and Christ the King.
seeker news 5
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news
SADS factfile Sudden adult death syndrome (SADS) is caused by a ‘ventricular arrhythmia’, a disturbance in the heart’s rhythm, like the one that affected footballer Fabrice Muamba. It can strike at any age and can even affect those who are fit and athletic. Sometimes there are no warning signs, but in other cases victims can experience dizziness or fainting spells. It is often triggered by physical or emotional stress. In some cases it may be caused by an underlying genetic disorder which runs in families, while in others it may be caused by a condition which is acquired. Around one in four cases is thought to be caused by a set of conditions called ion channelopathies. These affect the electrical functioning of the heart without affecting its structure and can only be detected in life rather than after death. The prevalence of SADS is not fully known as many sudden deaths are put down to accidents, but research suggests it claims around 500 lives a year in the UK.
Links Claire Reed died a few months after her wedding
http://epetitions.direct.gov.ukpetitions/31819 www.justgiving.com/ClaireReed
from tragedy comes hope
T
by NICK CHURCHILL
he heartbroken family of a young woman who died from a rare heart condition just five months after her wedding have set up a petition online to lobby the government to improve screenings for the syndrome which killed her.
An estimated 12 people under 35 die from undiagnosed heart conditions each week.
Leaders of charity Cardiac Risk in the Young (CRY), which campaigns for greater awareness of the condition and supports grieving, have praised the family. Founder and chief executive Alison Cox said: “It takes enormous courage for a family who has been affected by young sudden cardiac death to be able to see beyond their own tragedy and want to raise funds for CRY to help save another life and prevent another family having to suffer in the way they have. “I find it very humbling that despite their own terrible grief, they somehow manage to find the strength to support us to try to prevent other families from the same catastrophic grief as they have endured.” CRY charges £35 for ECG tests or they are free if they are booked at its mobile cardiac testing centre which tours the country. One in 300 young people it tests are identified with a potentially lifethreatening condition. Tests cost more than £100 if booked privately. Figures show that sudden cardiac deaths have dropped by 90 per cent in Italy since mandatory screening was introduced. “Free screenings aren’t available and it’s what we are pushing for, especially for people under the age of 35,” said Andy.
A beautiful bridge
A Nobel piece
Claire Reed, 22, from Eastleigh, collapsed and died on March 9 after getting out of a swimming pool and jacuzzi at a hen do being held at a country mansion near Taunton. Although her best friend and paramedics fought desperately to resuscitate her, she died in hospital from Sudden Adult Death Syndrome (SADS). Now her grief-stricken husband Andy and the rest of her family are making plans to push for testing for heart conditions that could lead to Sudden Adult Death Syndrome to be available on the NHS. “Since Claire died I have been hit by a tsunami of emotion,” he told reporters. “It is just so shocking that she has gone because there were no warning signs. She was so bubbly and full of life and so healthy that I can’t believe it has happened.”
Poole’s Twin Sails Bridge has been shortlisted for a RIBA South West Award by the Royal Institute of British Architects. It will now be assessed by a regional jury with the winners announced on June 12 at an awards ceremony in Swindon. Regional winners can then be considered for an RIBA National Award.
Plans for a permanent cruise berth in Poole Harbour received a boost as Nobel Caledonia announced three of its ships would visit this spring and summer. Island Sky began its Channel Islands cruise from Poole last month and she’ll be followed by Serenissima in June and Corinthian in August.
6 seeker news
may 3 2013
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seeker news 7
may 3 2013
news
living in fear of infection by pearce baker
R
ushed to hospital twice already in her young life, Milly Smith's body is unable to fight infection.
Milly was born with CGD, but before the diagnosis doctors consistently said she would simply “grow out of it”. Since the condition was recognised she has been unable to get out and about.
That means the New Milton five-yearold cannot enjoy doing the same things as other children, but hopefully, with a little help from the public, she'll be able to see at least one of her dreams come true next year. Little Milly has to spend a lot of time in hospital being treated for Chronic Granumolatous Disease (CGD), a rare genetic condition which stops her body from effectively fighting infections, most significantly, fungal. "Milly’s body cannot tolerate any fungal spores being inhaled as these contain spores than can be fatal," says Milly's mum Theresa. "These can be found on dead leaves, cut grass, soil and anything that produces mould or mildew.”
Now, with treatment due to end next month, her parents plan on making a dream come true by taking Milly to Disneyland Paris next year. “Milly is doing fine at the moment,” says Theresa who, with husband John, acts as a full-time carer for Milly and her medical needs, as well as looking after her brother and sister Brody and Kacey.
"Milly’s body cannot tolerate any fungal spores being inhaled"
The Smiths have organised a series of community events to raise money towards their goal, making Milly very excited. "She talks endlessly about seeing Mickey Mouse and Cinderella," says her mum. Milly's condition only affects one in eight million females and scientists are on their way to developing significant
medical advances concerning its treatment, specifically involving gene replacement therapy, but Theresa said she wouldn’t consider it. “It could be five years down the line before gene therapy is used,” she explains, adding that Milly's current treatment is going so well she could be cured by 2015. Fortunately, Milly’s sister is a 98 per cent match in blood type and will undergo an operation for her sister, who requires quantities of bone marrow. CGD is an inherited disease which affects the production of white blood cells, so people suffering are much more prone to common bacterial and viral infections. Milly’s fundraising page: www. gofundme.com/MillysDream A fundraising event including a children's disco and magician is planned at Ashley Baptist Church, New Milton on May 18 from noon-2pm.
Pictures: Sian Court
Pulling together
It's 'trucks away!' as The Big Pull for Cancer draws near. A team of eight local men, including four police officers, a firefighter and a marine, prepare to drag a 2.5 tonne truck through Bournemouth and Poole to raise £10,000 for Lewis-Manning and Forest Holme. The 26-mile course starts at Boscombe Pier and takes in Sandbanks, Poole Old Town, Hamworthy, Ferndown and back again, finally finishing in Sandbanks.
Mentor to be
A business mentor for every sixth form student – that's the aim of the Bourne Academy's new Bourne Ambassador Programme. The concept is an integral part of the academy's newly created sixth form which is due to open in September. “The aims are to help each student develop their confidence levels, their social skills and give them a sense of what the world of work is actually like, and help them with other business advice,” says Vicky Woodings, the Bourne Academy's lifelong learning co-ordinator.
Good point
Bucking the trend of hard times on the high street, Bournemouth’s Castlepoint shopping centre is reporting record numbers. General manager Peter Matthews has revealed two per cent more cars than last year visited the centre in the first quarter of the year, with more than 18,000 turning up on Mother's Day alone.
Save the trees
More than 60 residents have signed a petition to MP Annette Brooke in an effort to enlist her support to preserve trees in the Highland Park area of Colehill. The trees were planted by the developer who has since gone out of business.
Return of our Rifles
The streets of Wimborne were packed as hundreds turned out on April 21 to salute the Rifles Regiment as it paraded to mark its return from Afghanistan and remember those lost in the conflict. The soldiers were warmly welcomed by the townspeople as well as the mayor, Cllr John Burden who granted them the freedom of the town in recognition of their heroic duties. Alongside the returning troops in the parade were the Territorial Army, Cadets and war veterans, all showing their solidarity and support for each other and the soldiers serving our country.
East Dorset District Council has withdrawn a Tree Preservation Order from some of them. This means that they could be felled by anyone without breaking the law.
Skating action
Skateboarders and BMX users have joined forces to form a Skate Park Action Group for Ferndown. The group is seeking support for its campaign to raise £100,000 so that the present facilities can be extended with a concrete bowl.
8 seeker news
may 3 2013
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Seeker newS 9
mAy 3 2013
newsFeature
BrinGinG
the Beat T
Back
he recruitment ban may have been lifted but Dorset Police is missing out on quality officers that have already passed the selection
process. That’s the message from Dorset Police Federation chairman Clive Chamberlain after hearing about Seeker News reader Shaun Keefe who passed the recruitment exam more than three years and was given a start date only to receive a letter last month to say he was no longer wanted. “There will be hundreds of people like Shaun who have a vocation to do police work, but who have now been turned away,” says Mr Chamberlain. “Dorset Police is having to work within the constraints set by funding cuts. The government was told the force could withstand cuts of 11 per cent, but opted for 20 per cent cuts and we’re paying the price every day.” Shaun was one of 50 candidates to pass a written exam as well as a tough eighthour assessment in January 2010. He was accepted by Dorset Police and given six possible starting dates between June 2010 and November 2011. In July 2010 – less than two months after the General Election – he received a letter saying Dorset Police had suspended recruitment, but extended the validity of his selection pass from one year to three years. “The letter clearly suggested there was every chance of a start date within that time frame,” says Mr Keefe, a History and Politics graduate. “I was put on some sort of waiting list to begin a career I was told I was good enough for and had put everything in to.” Mr Keefe has served two years as an unpaid Special Constable, with many of the same responsibilities as a full-time officer – he made arrests and was accountable for his actions in court. He also embarked on a career as a care home worker, rising to deputy home manager. “I worked with full officers,
dorset will have a dozen new police officers – the first new recruits for three years – on the beat from June, but is it enough? nick Churchill reports
I was spat at, punched and kicked, I had to get involved in fights, made arrests and followed procedures. I threw myself into the care home career because I thought that level of community involvement would stand me in good stead as a police officer.” Clive Chamberlain says there is a misconception that becoming a Special Constable or a Police Community Support Officer is the only route into the police force. “Ironically of course, the more people who join up to do the job for free, the less likely the force is to recruit full-time officers. My only hope is that it won’t always be like this.” Dorset Police wouldn’t comment on individual applications, but Chief Constable Debbie Simpson said the agreement of the recent Police and Crime Panel to raise the policing precept by 1.95 per cent has enabled the force to recruit 12 police officers in 2013. “Although we acknowledge that the number of officer posts is set to reduce to achieve the savings required, the recruitment of new officers is important to allow for balance within the workforce,” she added. “Dorset Police has held 81 successful candidates on a waiting list since the last recruitment campaign in 2011 and the intake of 12 will be filled from this waiting list. “We recognise that many excellent candidates are disappointed, however a considered process was used to choose those that were successful.” Dorset’s newly elected Police & Shaun Keefe was accepted by Dorset Police but has been told he is no longer wanted
Crime Commissioner Martyn Underhill said: “Police officer recruitment in Dorset has been suspended since June 2010. “Although overall numbers are set to fall further as funding continues to
decline, recruitment of new officers is important to bring in new blood and allow for balance within the workforce.” Shaun Keefe is no longer serving as a Special Constable and says he has given up on his police dream to follow his interest in photography. “It would be very easy to feel bitter and cheated by it all, but what’s the point?” he says.
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10 seeker news
newscharity
House of fun
Up, up and away… Julia’s House is celebrating Children’s Hospice Week – and the charity’s 10th birthday – this weekend with the annual Night Walk and a Sky Dive. The Superheroes Night Walk, along Bournemouth Seafront, sets out at 10pm tonight, while the Superheroes Skydive is at Netheravon Airfield, Salisbury on Sunday. Visit www.juliashouse.org.
Pedal prowess
There’s still time to register for the ever-popular LewisManning Hospice Dorset Coast and Harbour Bike Ride. Returning for its third year on May 12. Riders have the choice of 17, 33, 42 or 54 mile routes. To register call Bike Events on 0117 925 2726 or visit www. lewis-manning.co.uk/dorsetcoast-and-harbour-bike-ride.
Fantasy funds
A local funeral manager has helped raise more than £10,000 for a number of children’s charities. Tapper Funeral Services’ Julian Hayley, along with hundreds of fantasy and sciencefiction enthusiasts, raised the money at a roleplaying game convention.
may 3 2013
prizes for pupils’ pictures by NICK CHURCHILL
B
asepoint Business Centre in Bournemouth is launching its 2013-14 Charity of the Year partnership with Autism Wessex by inviting local special and mainstream schools with Special Educational Needs (SEN) departments to enter a photography competition in conjunction with Seeker News. Titled My Favourite Place, the hunt for photographic talent from Dorset’s children and young people who have a special educational need is already under way. Karl Fuller, centre manager for Basepoint Business Centre, commented: “We’re really excited to be launching this competition in collaboration with Autism Wessex and Seeker News. “A year after the Paralympics it’s important not to forget that there are children and young people with additional needs who have incredible talent – we’d like to recognise this by asking them to submit their photos of My Favourite Place. Judges from the local business community will view the entries and decide on a winner, with fantastic prizes up for grabs.” Seeker News editor Steve Cook added: “Seeker News has always believed in developing new photographic talent and
Karl Fuller and Lou Louise Berkhauer from Basepoint
we feature the work of some great local enthusiasts both online and in print. I’m delighted to be involved with this initiative as a judge and can’t wait to see some amazing images. “My son attends Winchelsea Special School in Poole and it’s very important to us to celebrate the talents and artistic vision of all children whatever their abilities.” Entrants for the contest are sought in age categories of, 5-9, 10-14 and 15-19 years old. All submissions must be in by Friday, May 31 when the shortlist will be
“It’s very important to us to celebrate the talents and artistic vision of all children”
selected. Finalists will be invited to a special exhibition of their work at Portfield School with other special guests. A prize giving ceremony will follow. Gemma Saunders, corporate partnerships officer for Autism Wessex, said: “We need local specialist schools and SEN departments of mainstream schools to get behind this and encourage their pupils to get involved and submit their photos. We want to celebrate all those in the community who have special educational needs and are prepared to show what they can do.” Each of the winners from the categories will be given a prize including an A3 canvas print of their photo courtesy of A Blank Canvas Design, high street vouchers donated by Basepoint and have their photos featured in Seeker News. Photos should be submitted either by email to bournemouth@basepoint.co.uk or by post to: Basepoint Business Centre, Aviation Business Rank, Enterprise Close, Christchurch, BH23 6NX.
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ictory Pub & Kitchen at De Vere Village Urban Resort Bournemouth is a proper pub with proper grub and we pride ourselves on being famous for burgers. The food has a traditional feel to it while the setting, style and service is modern and sophisticated... but we're still down to earth, just like your favourite local. Refurbished in April, Victory has a refreshingly different atmosphere and welcomes hotel residents, leisure club members and non-residents alike. Serving mouth-watering classic dishes along with a wide selection of beverages including local brews from Ringwood Brewery plus guest ales it is the perfect place to get together with friends and family or to watch live sporting events or maybe shoot some pool. Open seven days a week, Victory allows you to escape for something different each day. The offers and promotions are regularly changed and have previously included popular Mexican nights and curry evenings. Our exciting new signings include Cask Ale Night on a Monday where you get your favourite pint of ale for £2.50
and also try out the tasting station. Mix + Mash Night on a Wednesday is all about great British bangers, pies and mash for the great price of £7.50. We’ve also kept old favourites such as Burger Night for £3 on a Friday and there’s a new position for our Classic Quiz Night, now playing on Sundays. What a v (for Victory) good line up!
Make sure you get your Red Card by registering at the bar for offers galore, especially on Tuesdays and Saturdays with Bar Roulette – when the bell rings you might find the offer of 50 per cent off food, three for the price of two on pints and glasses of wine, or even six Budweiser for £15. This can be every time a goal is scored or when a yellow or red card is issued, when a try is made or even during a line out – who knows, but when that bell goes head to the bar with your Red Card! We look forward to welcoming you very soon. De Vere Village Urban Resort, Wessex Fields, Bournemouth, BH7 7DZ 0871 222 4574 www.VillageUrbanResorts.com
news
Fury over ‘utterly flawed’ £1.6bn helicopter contract The government’s decision to sign a £1.6 billion ten year contract with American company Bristow Helicopters has sealed the fate of Portland’s rescue helicopter base. South Dorset MP Richard Drax, who has led a campaign to save the Portland helicopter and attracted more than 15,000 signatures to an online petition, said the decision is ‘utterly flawed’. “We know from the number of callouts and the number of lives saved that this helicopter pays for itself many, many times over” he told reporters. “They are still focusing on a ‘faster, state of the art’ search and rescue fleet and ignoring the obvious need to base helicopters close to where the action is. Twenty five per cent of all call outs in the country are centred upon Portland.” The privatised service will see Bristow operate 22 helicopters operating from 10 bases around the UK.
may 3 2013
good times for dorset D
orset emerged as the most popular county by the sea in The Times newspaper’s recent series on the best places to live. Despite unseasonal weather and the inclement economic climate, based on key housing data and the assessment of property experts the paper says Britain’s seaside areas are thriving. Although Broadstairs in Kent was identified as the best place to live by the sea, with three towns – Weymouth, Swanage and Bournemouth – featured in the top 30, Dorset was the most represented county. According to The Times, Weymouth is “on the up”, “has an elegant seafront” and is inhabited by “keen sailors, Bournemouth commuters, London downsizers.” Swanage “has a sleepy pace of life” and is lived in by “a mix of retirees and professionals”, including Jonathan Ross. The paper notices “Bournemouth has glammed up”, “its seven-mile beach was last year voted the best in Britain” and “one-bedroom flats cost from as little as £50,000.”
by NICK CHURCHILL
SN SAYS... It’s great that The Thunderer has learned what we all know already, that Dorset is without equal when it comes to seaside living. But living by the sea means more than pretty views and golden sands. The Times fails to notice the working port of Poole, the fishing boats of Lyme Regis and the charter trips from West Bay. The tranquility of Burton Bradstock and Studland, the magnificence of Lulworth Cove and the beauty of Christchurch, Highcliffe and Mudeford also eluded its researchers.
picture: Sian Court
seeker news 11
Birds flying low
Britain’s wild bird numbers showed a marked decline in numbers according to the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. The once-common starling – already a red-listed species – hit an all-time low in last year’s Birdwatch and their numbers dropped by a further 16 per cent in gardens this year. In Dorset, the house sparrow was the most commonly seen bird, with an average of 3.7 per garden. Next most was the blackbird, with an average of 2.6 per garden.
Arrows back as 9
The Red Arrows will be back to full Diamond Nine strength at this year’s Bournemouth Air Festival for the first time since the tragedy of 2011. The stars of the show have been practising over winter as a nine-ship formation again for their 49th display season. They will make three appearaces at this year's festival, which runs from August 29 to September 1.
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he Days Hotel and Ramada Encore Bournemouth are family-run businesses started in 1964 by Colonel and Mrs McStocker. The businesses are now run by the second and third generation in tandem, headed by Hugh and Jennie Deavin with their children Rosie Wallace, Zoe Westwood, son-in-law Brendan Westwood and the newest addition, Jennie’s son James Dixon-Box. Last month, the Days Hotel hosted HALO, where students aged 14-16 came to the hotel for a fun day trying out various skills such as napkin folding, silver service and menu planning. Various business champions supported the event and the hotel’s bank manager came from the Bank of Ireland in London to host a table discussing finance and banking. The quiz at the conclusion of the morning was an exuberant and fun time, a great
success and one which we will be repeated in the future. On May 17 the hotel is hosting and supporting a charity ball to raise funds for Sophie’s Magic Legs. Sophie is a six-yearold girl who has cerebral palsy and the target for fundraising is £40,000 by the end of June.
on may 17 the hotel is hosting and supporting a charity ball to raise funds for Sophie’s magic legs.
Many local companies are contributing to the evening and tickets are still available.
On this amazing day Sophie will also do us the honour of officially opening the hotel’s new outdoor Wedding Pavilion where we can offer civil ceremonies and partnerships, which will give an open air alternative to our already excellent indoor venues. If you would like tickets for the charity ball please contact Rosie Wallace at rosie@dayshotelbournemouth.co.uk or call 01202 552111.
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mAy 3 2013
columns
attention DeFicit in orDer
mArtIn bAum from the
In what seemed a longer time than it took Moses to lead the Israelites out of bondage from Egypt – last month, after a mere 15 years – the building that was never wanted in the first place came tumbling down.
PICTURE: SEEKERPHOTOS.COM/ ALEX WILLIAMSON
beach hut
O
ver the years I have been suitably assured by friends that I am a living embodiment of a man possessed with a scatterbrain mind. Apparently I am a flibbertigibbet with an attention span of a grasshopper that sometimes sublets to butterflies in order to make better use of the space available. But then again, as a beach hut dweller at Durley Chine, I find this is a cross I have to bear. After all – whenever I’m not writing or spending time with my family at the hut – the solitude allows my concentration to roam the full width and breadth of a seascape, spanning from The Needles at the Isle of Wight and stretching right across to the Purbecks. It is absolutely fascinating what comes to mind when contemplating, amongst many frivolous thoughts,
pAul bAker
F
orget Great Britain, what about Great Dorset?! Our once sleepy backwater of a county where nothing ever happens is fast gaining a reputation for sporting greatness. The past 12 months have been little short of phenomenal, what with the Olympic sailing events in Portland, Dorchester’s Peter Wilson bagging a shooting gold medal, Milborne Port-trained Cue Card and Golden Chieftain winning at the Cheltenham Festival and the Cherries' promotion.
However, given that there was at least one person who wasn’t entirely thrilled at the prospect of being able to enjoy an unencumbered vista – Elana Dolphin was quoted in a local newspaper that in her opinion the IMAX had been destroyed for “just a better view” – it seems that she was in the minority who didn’t rejoice in the demolition of an expensive 3D blot on the landscape.
whether or not this was where Milton lost his paradise. Obviously that remains a matter of idle speculation as is also thinking about what dear old Milt was doing with it in the first place when he mislaid it at the English Channel. Interestingly though, regarding La Manche, as the French call the
"I am a flibbertigibbet with an attention span of a grasshopper"
Add to that the success of the Poole Pirates speedway team over the past decade and suddenly Dorset is no longer the poor country cousin when it comes to sport. But one thing we don’t have is a racecourse. And to me, that’s never made much sense. After all, you don’t get much more rural and equineinfluenced than Dorset. As a horse racing centre, we are blessed with some of the country’s most talented and respected trainers – people like Colin Tizzard, Harry Fry, Helen Nelmes, Bill Turner, Richard Mitchell and Jo Crowley, to mention just a few. Dorset has sent out two Cheltenham Gold Cup winners in the past 25 years and in Tizzard’s Cue Card, we have one of Jump racing’s very best performers. The county has bred outstanding jockeys such as Joe Tizzard, Owyn Nelmes and Sophie Mitchell and it
PICTURE: FLICKR.COM/ROGERBLAKE2
also boasts one of the sport’s most salubrious and state of the art training facilities at Whitcombe Manor near Dorchester. So why then no actual racecourse? Lack of infrastructure opponents cry! Well that argument doesn’t hold up. Have you ever been racing at Wincanton and Taunton? These and many other tracks in the UK are
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Channel, it takes about six hours 28 minutes to travel the 385 miles to arrive in Paris from Bournemouth. Although I can’t say for sure if the starting point for this calculation was by boat from the pier or by train from the station, what I can say, however, is that it wasn’t from the IMAX.
"If there is anyone out there with plenty of passion and a big bag of cash, I reckon you’d be on to a winner"
But now that it’s gone – back at the hut, it’s wonderful to reflect just how fortunate we are to share with the rest of Bournemouth a beautiful panoramic collection of cloud formations in the sky that are not only three dimensional, but best of all they are free. Martin's Yoof-Speak books are now available on Kindle. www. martinbaum.co.uk served only by small country roads and let’s face it, we’re only talking about a couple of meetings a month at the most. Lack of interest maybe? I doubt it when you consider all our racing connections and the amount of equine enthusiasts in the county. I guess what it boils down to is that no one has been brave enough to take the plunge. A few years ago the idea of a Dorset racecourse was mooted by businessman and horse racing fan, Peter Bolton, who owned 1992 Gold Cup winner Cool Ground and who built the Whitcombe Manor Racing Stables. I’m not sure why he never got the project off the ground but if there is anyone out there with plenty of passion and a big bag of cash, I reckon you’d be on to a winner. Now has anyone got Eddie Mitchell’s number? I’ve got an idea I need to discuss with him!
t
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Seeker newS 15
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Business
Businessdirectory Winner of 2012’s Best Restaurant in Bournemouth, the Highcliff Grill serves locally-sourced fish, meats, shells and fine wines in a stunning location. Offering a mouthwatering four course Taste of Dorset menu for only £31.50 per person, the Highcliff Grill is Bournemouth’s best kept secret.
01202 200800 www.highcliffgrill.co.uk mhrs.bohbm.ays@marriotthotels.com The Jobshop UK team which has just become a member of The Employment Agents Movement
joBs partnership a team eFFort
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ournemouth-based recruiters, Jobshop UK have joined forces with The Employment Agents Movement (TEAM) one of the fastest growing associations of recruitment and employment businesses in the country. The move will enable Jobshop UK and its sister company, Engage Executive Jobs, to extend their demographic reach and continue to improve upon their successful track record of recruiting the best candidates to clients. Jobshop UK and Engage Executive Jobs director, Frances Miles said: “Business may be global, but knowledge is local. By becoming a member of TEAM, we have increased our recruitment potential, for both clients and candidates, immeasurably. “The idea of any sort of business network is certainly not new, but this national network really fills a gap in the recruitment and
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“by becoming a member of teAm, we have increased our recruitment potential, for both clients and candidates, immeasurably”
Awesome foursome
our final year Accounting and Finance students from The Business School at Bournemouth University have been awarded £100 each by the Poole office of international accountancy and business advisory firm, Mazars. The prizes were for their entries in Company Study, a project undertaken by groups of students in their final year of the Accounting and Finance degree. It consists of a 10,000 word report and a 20 minute presentation analysing
aspects of a company including its financial management, corporate governance and strategy. Alexander Brooke, Daniel Frampton, Ivy Lappin and Rahim Bah won the awards for their presentation on mining company BHP Billiton. “We have sponsored the project for a number of years now,” said Lesley Fox, partner with Mazars. “It gives the students interaction with a local business and a chance to present in front of an external contact with an outside opinion.”
employment industries. The vast majority of businesses want a local workforce, but may also have a highly specialised requirement or a number of other locations elsewhere in the UK. I don’t want to make promises we can’t fulfil, nor to lose a client because we don’t happen to have the coverage they want – so we needed a solution. TEAM has found the answer in providing businesses with the best of all worlds.” The members of TEAM are all independent, privately owned businesses, which have an in-depth knowledge of their local market and workforce. Frances added: “We know that by joining TEAM, Jobshop UK and Engage have further improved our already impressive track record in offering clients and candidates a first class service in the recruitment of permanent, temporary and executive level positions.”
Nova Contract Cleaners was established in 1968 and has gone from strength to strength over the last 45 years. We offer the highest quality of service across our commercial cleaning, window cleaning, surgery cleaning and specialist cleaning divisions. We are EN ISO 9001:2008 accredited and our management team are certified members of the British Institute of Cleaning Science.
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high-rise changes WSX Enterprise has two new course dates for its New In Business training programme. The courses are aimed at people living in rural Dorset who have either just started a business, or are considering working for themselves and take place at the Bull Hotel, Bridport on May 9-10 and the Lamb Inn, Hindon on May 16-17. Each course provides essential information and guidance to start and manage a successful business. Topics covered include: planning, sales and marketing and finance. The course is presented by an experienced entrepreneur and offers the opportunity to network and receive real-world advice. More information from Chris Darlow at WSX on 01202 607541 or chris.darlow@ wsxenterprise.co.uk.
SSC Consulting is a business development and people management consultancy based in Poole. We work with you, in your business, as partners to achieve the best results for your company. We are specialists in bid writing, business planning and preparing short-, mid-, and long-term strategies, in addition to employment law best practice, training services, straight-talking HR advice and improving staff performance.
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mAy 3 2013
Business
DoinG away with the short Game by NICK CHURCHILL
D
orset directors believe short-term thinking is hampering the UK’s economic growth and development – and the financial crisis is forcing companies to concentrate on short-term survival rather than long-term growth.
As part of Sir George Cox’s independent report, Overcoming Short-termism within British Business: The Key to Sustained Economic Growth, published this month, the Institute of Directors carried out a survey of its members.
“It’s a catch 22 situation,” says Warren Munson, Dorset chairman of the Institute of Directors. “Short-termism is a corrosive influence on the UK economy and Dorset businesses would welcome action to rein it in, but the economic downturn has made things worse, forcing many firms to focus on their very survival rather than longer term investment.”
92% of business leaders think short-termism is a significant impediment to the growth and development of the UK economy.
“Short-termism is a corrosive influence on the uk economy and dorset businesses would welcome action to rein it in”
81% believe UK companies have become even more short-termist in their behaviour since the financial crisis began. 64% say other countries take a longer-term approach to business
warren munson
than the UK (particularly Germany, China and Japan), which provides them with a significant competitive advantage. 79% think short-termist pressures act as a disincentive to think and plan for the longer term, with some 60% saying shorttermism creates a disincentive to recruit or invest in research and development. 64% believe the main source of short-termist pressure in the UK economy is shareholder/investor pressure for short-term results, with 58% putting it down to uncertainty about the economic outlook and 48% blaming
uncertainty about government economic policy. “The Cox Report provides policy makers with a range of ways in which these short-term pressures can be addressed,” says Mr Munson. “In particular, the report is right to identify equity markets as a key source of short-termist pressure for quoted companies, and to make the case for measures that incentivise equity investors to become more engaged, committed company owners. “The advocacy of an end to mandatory quarterly reporting and a more long-term approach to executive pay policy is welcome.”
litigation limits looming Local insurance specialists Alan & Thomas Insurance Group are warning businesses that any insurance claims from August 1 this year will need to be notified to insurers as quickly as possible due to a reduction in timescales set out by the Ministry of Justice (MOJ). The reforms are intended to bring more balance to the civil litigation system by making lawyers’ costs more proportionate, combating the compensation culture and creating an environment where insurers can pass on savings to customers through lower premiums.
flowers helping bring in millions
Stewart King, pictured, chief operations officer at Alan & Thomas, explains: “The reforms will impact on businesses twofold. They may well see a financial impact with savings being driven by fixed and reduced legal costs but there will also be a significant operational impact as the timescales for notifying insurers of a potential claim will be reduced. "Business owners and managers will need to ensure they have effective systems in place to expedite the notification of a claim to give the insurer as much time as possible to investigate and respond."
Conferences, exhibitions and events brought to the BIC and Pavilion by BH Live, are to contribute an estimated £66m to Bournemouth’s economy, supporting the equivalent of 1,600 jobs in the area.
the fast way to employment Most people have heard and enjoy the fun of speed dating. Now the idea has been morphed into a speed-job-hunting event by Workforce Development staff at Bournemouth & Poole College. Scott Collins was one of dozens of job hopefuls at The Lansdowne Campus, Bournemouth, to try out the latest technique using informal one-to-one meetings to form a potential bond with a would-be employer and gain interviewing experience. Representatives from 17 companies met youngsters in a series of rapid-fire sessions.
With new conferences, exhibitions and events such as the UKSG Annual Conference and Exhibition in April and the return of high profile clients including the TUC in September, it is estimated that over the year, 120,000 delegates and visitors will come to the town giving the business tourism economy, accommodation and support services a welcome boost.
Scott, who travelled up from Dorchester, is keen to find a job in computing and was thrilled to bump into Mat Hudson, production manager with Chillblast, one of the region’s leading computer hardware companies based at Tower Park, Poole. “This session has been a very useful experience, not just for us as a company but hopefully for the students who came along," said Mat. "They are so enthusiastic. We can size each other up and uncover hidden young talent.” Following the event Chillblast has employed two IT apprentices. Another event is planned for July.
The British Association of Barbershop Singers, Association of Flower Arrangement Societies and UK National Cheerleading competition will attract in excess of 26,000 visitors alone.
We are Engage Executive Jobs, a new division from the dynamic and professional team at Jobshop UK. With years of experience Engage Executive Jobs are offering a personal, ethical and honest service, making them a perfect recruitment partner for you.
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we're up!
8-page promotion souvenir supplement to celebrate the mighty Cherries' promotion
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specialFeature cherries GoinG up
IntervIew mArC pugh
mAy 3 2013
PICTURES: STEVE COOK
It's almost Roy of the Rovers stuff – a difficult start to the season left the players feeling demoralised, stuck in a run of losing games and picking up some bad injuries.
Fans favourite Marc Pugh, the tricky winger who made a clean sweep of the Player of the Season awards last season, stalled his contract talks and said he wanted to keep his options open. He made no secret of it and asked the fans to bear with him, they did and before long he had put pen to paper on a new deal set about making history with Eddie Howe at the helm. “It’s the best feeling ever,” Marc explains, when asked about the promotion. “Words can’t describe how we felt on the Saturday after being promoted.” The last time Bournemouth were promoted to this level was back in 1987 when Harry Redknapp was in charge. And, much like 1987, playing in the new league will mean a big step up, facing former Premier League outfits such as Bolton Wanderers, Crystal Palace and QPR. However, Pugh remains optimistic about how Cherries will prove in the Championship. “I think the squad we’ve got in hand will come up really well and make a good challenge of it,” he says. The fans are going to see some great football games and it’s going to be great for them."
cherries 3 carlisle 1 Dean court,april 20
Seeing Cherries triumph this season brings to mind what the future holds for the club in their Championship days. A Premier League promotion may be a distant prospect, but Pugh points to Norwich City and Southampton breaking through to the Premier League from League One. “It’s got everything in place to make a good push for it,” he says. “I don’t see why we can’t be like them.”
pearce Baker
CONGRATULATIONS To The Cherries From
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specialfeature cherries going up
seeker news 19
interview ryan allsop Capped by England at Under 17 level, stopper Ryan Allsop was considered something of a hot property that had cooled a little when he arrived at Dean Court from Leyton Orient in January.
PictureS: STEVE COOK
But hard work brings its own rewards and since breaking into the first team in March he's made the keeper's berth his own. Now he's enjoying the sweet taste of success. "We’ve gained promotion in my first season, it's massive for me - I couldn’t have asked for much more than that.” says the 20-year-old from Birmingham who has more than played his part in Cherries' amazing unbeaten end to the season.
tranmere 0 Cherries 0 PRENTON PARK,April 27
Settling into his new role was made much easier by the way the fans took to him even though his first team debut ended in a 3-0 defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers. “The fan have been fantastic. They got behind me and behind the team really well, especially when we had that little blip.” Ryan already has an U17 international cap and has his eyes on pushing his way up the pecking order - a goal that playing in the Championship will do no harm in helping him achieve. “Yeah definitely, it’s a higher league, so it’s a step up.. Hopefully I’ve just got to do my job for Bournemouth and anything else that comes is a bonus.” England legend David James turned out for Cherries earlier in the season, but left to play in Iceland soon after Ryan arrived at Dean Court. Ironically, Ryan played in Iceland last year after leaving Millwall and before signing for Orient. However, he made the most of his brief chance to work alongside the vastly experienced James. "The experience you gain off people like that is massive, especially for me - I’m only 20 years old, so I’m still learning." Ryan's already got six clubs under his belt, but he hopes to settle at Bournemouth and after seeing the success of their Championship promotion is keen to do all he can to keep Cherries push for great glory. "For the foreseeable future, I see my time at Bournemouth," he says. "I’m loving every minute of it here.”
Pearce Baker
20 seeker news
specialfeature cherries going up
may 3 2013 PictureS: STEVE COOK
may 3 2013
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specialFeature cherries GoinG up
IntervIew
mAy 3 2013
PICTURES: STEVE COOK
tommy elphICk
This year's Micky Cave Player of the Year winner, as voted by the fans, stand-in skipper Tommy Elphick is relishing the challenge of playing in the Championship regardless of whether or not he retains the captain's armband. "I'm going to continue doing what I’m doing. It’s an exciting time for the club, for all the lads, not just myself," he explains. “We’re going to go to some big grounds and play hard teams.”
Among them, Elphick's former side Brighton and Hove Albion, for whom he also won Player of the Season five years ago. Signing for Cherries last August reinvigorated the 25-year-old and he's played an inspirational part in Cherries' amazing season. “I can’t thank the fans enough for the support they’ve given after a tough start for everyone, they stuck by us,” he says. Battling their way into the Championship is obviously a great achievement for Bournemouth, proving they are more than worthy of taking on some the best teams in England and Wales. But Tommy knows the Championship is a tough division and Cherries will have to work hard to push on, but insists they're not going to be there to make up the numbers.
2012-13 season
“We’re going to try and be competitive every week of course - we’re going to go into every game trying to win.” With the injury of team captain Miles Addison, Elphick was handed the armband and more than repaid boss Eddie Howe's faith in him. "It was a big job to step up and keep the defence sturdy, but we’re lucky we’ve got a lot of good centre halves here and the defence as a whole is a pretty tight unit. Getting Miles back though will be even better the team next season."
pearce Baker
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specialfeature cherries going up
may 3 2013
seeker news 23
from the
dressing room
After the excitement on the pitch the atmosphere in the changing room was tense and not a soul dared to celebrate lest something went wrong in the other fixtures. Players and coaching staff were huddled around the TV screen in the corner anxiously watching Jeff Stelling running through the latest updates. Eddie Howe and Steve Fletcher sat off to one side, the manager drinking a cup of tea and Fletch checking scores on his phone, neither one permitting themselves to show the excitement that bubbled below the surface.
in pictures
And then, there it was, full time at Doncaster, Notts County winners by a single goal. The room erupted in euphoria, an excited mass of players and coaching staff. The players swarmed back down the tunnel but were turned back as the pitch was still full of excited fans. The champagne arrived and a tear was spotted in the manager’s eye - for a Bournemouth boy this was an emotional moment. It was a privilege to be part of the celebrations, it was also a privilege to be soaked in champagne by Tommy Elphick during the lap of honour. After the pain of administration and fan whip rounds this was a day that many a Cherries fan didn’t dare to dream of, but thanks to the vision of the chairman and board, the leadership of Eddie and Jason and the spirit of the squad it had arrived - AFC Bournemouth were in the Championship.
steve cook
24 Seeker newS
mAy 3 2013
specialFeature cherries GoinG up PICTURES: STEVE COOK
reD army
D
by SteVe CooK
ean Court and Bournemouth Square were a sea of red and black as the fans saluted the players who’d earned promotion and the inspirational manager who’d led them. Speaking from the open top bus Eddie Howe had nothing but praise for his team and the amazing Cherries fans. “The players have been absolutely brilliant this season. The effort that they’ve put in week in week out to win the amount of games they have, it’s an unbelievable achievement. I really want you (the fans) to make them feel special today because it takes an extraordinary amount of
hard work and dedication to their profession to get to where they are today, and I want to give them a really big thank you. “It really does mean a lot to see so many people here today and as always we’d be nothing without the supporters of the football club. "The support that you’ve given us over a long period of time, through financial trouble, putting your hands in your pockets to keep the club afloat hopefully this is justification for that from your perspective and we thank you so much.” As the fans sing, we are Bournemouth, Eddie is our king!
Seeker newS 25
mAy 3 2013
Feature
For the love oF
by NICK CHURCHILL
I
can’t remember the last time I was out and about in Wimborne at seven in the morning… but Martin, Mark, Colin and most of the folks outside Square Records on Record Store Day can – it was this time last year. And before that it was the previous year.
These are die-hard music fans and record collectors. Passionate, determined and only too happy to endure all manner of discomfort – or a night on the streets of Wimborne at least – in order to capture their quarry… a one-day only release by their favourite artist. They’re not fast buck merchants hoping to snaffle a rarity they can flog on eBay, they’re not even that disappointed if someone ahead of them gets the last copy of a single or album they had in their sights – as long as it has gone to someone who will love it. “That would be completely against the spirit of Record Store Day, I’m here to buy, I never sell,” says Martin Noble, 50, from Blandford.
recorDs
“Spoken like a true collector,” someone quips over his shoulder. Martin arrived at Square Records at 10am the day before. Square opened at 8am on April 20, Record Store Day, by which time Martin had spent 22 hours there. He did the same last year and will do the same again next year. What’s more, so too will dozens of others – there’s more than a hundred souls outside the shop by the time it opens. And what did he want? Rabbit by Chas & Dave on a rabbit-shaped picture disc…! “Well, that and some David Bowie stuff,” says Martin, who’s been collecting records since he was five years old. “There’s a load of us know each other from previous years, this is the fourth year of Record Store Day and it’s a great thing because it gets people away from their computers and out to support local independent businesses in their local towns.”
According to the Official Charts Company, Coexist by The xx was the best selling album on vinyl last year, ahead of a remastered 40th anniversary edition David Bowie's The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust, with Jack White's Blunderbuss popping up at number three. The full top 10 is: 1. The xx – Coexist 2. David Bowie – The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Stardust 3. Jack White – Blunderbuss 4. Adele – 21 5. Tame Impala – Lonerism 6. Bob Dylan – Tempest 7. Beach House – Bloom 8. Alt-J – An Awesome Wave 9. Drive-By Truckers – Go-Go Boots 10. Pink Floyd – The Wall
Largely on the back of Record Store Day, the renewed interest of music fans has resulted in an impressive rise in vinyl sales – 78 per cent more records were sold in the first quarter of 2013 than in the first quarter of 2012. Indeed, sales of vinyl in 2012 reached 389,000 – their highest since 2004. This year there were more than 500 exclusive records released for the event, from artists including David Bowie – a picture disc, a 1960s reissue and material from his recent album The Next Day on white vinyl – and Pink Floyd (a pink vinyl pressing of their 1967 single See Emily Play with original Syd Barrett artwork). The queue outside has that very British sense of disorder about it. People drift in and out, they nip round the corner to the public toilets, across the road for a pint, or a coffee in the morning. With opening time approaching the queue has become more conceptual than actual, but as town crier Chris Brown announces the shop opening at 8am and requests the first six in the queue for advanced entry, any usurpers quickly relinquish their space and the all-night brigade is admitted. “This is so well organised here,” says Colin Brooks, 29, from Poole – number two in the queue. “They give us all numbered sheets and we select our choices then we go up to the counter in order. The stock is very limited so you have to get here early if you don’t want to miss out.” Like Martin, Colin is hoping for a Chas & Dave picture disc, but he’s also after some dance remixes. At 29 he’s much younger than many in the queue. “I grew up on CDs, but I’m really into drum & bass and a lot of the remixes used to come out on vinyl, which is how I came to fall in love with it. There’s a great feeling here, it’s a real event.” Colin’s point about Square’s well-oiled operation is soon illustrated. With the first few customers served the door is fully opened and the queue keeps a kind of shape, even though many of its constituents wonder off to browse the shelves, chat to one another, all the time swapping stories and wish lists. When their name and number is called they go to pick up their goods.
All except Nathan and Ollie that is. Nathan was desperate for some Bowie earlier, but he’s wandered off and even though they’re holding the queue, they can’t wait forever. His name is shouted down the line, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Time’s up and they’re on to the next one. Business is the very definition of brisk – one customer leaves the counter carrying a whole box of goodies before him – the best part of 400 quid’s worth. Have you got enough? “I think you’ll find you can never have enough,” he deadpans, much to the mirth of those assembled. “This has been the best Record Store Day yet,” says Square Records’ Paul Holman. “In the past the labels have seen it as a bit of a pain, they couldn’t understand the value in pressing expensive limited editions of vinyl releases. But this year they’ve got the mix of releases just right – material that hasn’t been available before, special editions of some classics, coloured vinyls. “It’s a good day for us with live music in the shop in the afternoon and the busking festival around the town. Our loyal customers love the day and it’s good to see new people as well. Hopefully, once they’ve been they’ll keep coming back.” Kevin Hart and his 14-year-old son Taylor came down from Northampton to see teenage R&B outfit The Strypes in Bournemouth a couple of days before and decided to stick around to visit Square Records on Record Store Day. They joined the queue at 4.30am. “We went to our local shop last year and there was a stampede, everyone was pushing and shoving to get stuff off the shelves,” says Kevin. “I heard of one shop that was auctioning releases to the highest bidder so they could make more money – terrible. I looked into it and this operation has got a really good name.” They fancy a trip back next year. If they do make the journey they can be sure of meeting Martin and the others again. So, was it worth all night on the pavement? “Of course it was,” yawns Martin. “I’ve got exactly what I wanted and I’ll be here next year – hopefully for a Snooker Loopy cue-shaped picture disc!”
PICTURES: STEVE COOK
26 seeker news
may 3 2013
food&drink
Trusting in better nutrition Members of Poole Hospital’s Trust board took to the elderly care wards recently to serve lunches to patients as part of Nutrition and Hydration Awareness Week. Chief executive Chris Bown, chairman Angela Schofield and director of nursing and patient services, Martin Smits, delivered lunches to elderly patients and took the opportunity to have a chat with them. The delivery kicked off the hospital’s Nutrition and Hydration Awareness Week, a national Patient Safety First initiative. Emma Sweeney, dietitian at Poole Hospital, took the lead in organising events across the Trust. She said: “Keeping our patients well fed and watered is fundamental to their recovery – poor nutrition and hydration could lead to increased risk of infection and delayed wound healing." Other initiatives already in place include protected meal times on all wards, the introduction of volunteer meal time companions and a new finger food menu on all elderly care wards in the hospital. Volunteer mealtime companions play an important role in supporting patients. To find out how you can get involved contact the voluntary services team at joy. janati@poole.nhs.uk.
D
staying up plate
iners, foodies and gastronomes from all over the south had their taste buds tantalised by some incredible dishes produced by four of the county's finest at the first Dorset On A Plate event in aid of Forest Holme Hospice at Bournemouth's Marriott Highcliff Hotel. Gary Kilminster, a former Dorset & Hampshire Chef of the Year, from Bournemouth and Poole College created the starter using local ingredients from the Dorset Charcuterie Company – his take on Thomas Hardy’s favourite dish with Thomas Hardy’s Pressing of Ham & Beef, Crisp Globe of Watercress Puree and Tomato Salad.
The fish course came from executive chef at the Menzies Carlton and East Cliff Court Hotel, Richard Allsopp who used freshly caught sustainable fish from Samways Fish to create Grilled Sechzuan Cracked Black Pepper cold smoked Dorset Mackerel
From left, Richard Allsopp, Matthew Budden, Russell Brown and Gary Kilminster
with Dorset Crab & Chili Rhubarb Dressing. Head chef at the Highcliff Grill, Matt Budden served the main course of Smoked Rump of Dorset Lamb, Braised Lamb Belly, Casserole of Tomato, Confit Shallot and Fennel and a Port Jus. The dessert was cooked by Dorset’s only Michelin-starred chef, Russell Brown from Sienna restaurant in Dorchester. Russell holds three AA Rosettes and was made a fellow of the Masterchefs of Great Britain in 2008. His love of local seasonal produce inspired him to create Steamed Apple and Sultana Sponge Pudding, Apple Compression and Clotted Cream.
food&drink
seeker news 27
may 3 2013
novelli set for foodie
Now sea here
The fifth annual Dorset Seafood Festival goes ahead on Weymouth Harbour side on July 13 and 14. A celebration of the sea and all its bounty, the event brings together celebrity and local chefs with more than 80 stalls serving freshly cooked seafood dishes.
C
elebrity chef Jean-Christophe Novelli tops the bill of star chefs at The Foodie Show in Dorchester next weekend. The Frenchman will be showcasing his culinary skills alongside the likes of beer chef Richard Fox and the Michelin-starred Russell Brown. The food, craft and entertainment extravaganza at Dorchester Town's Avenue stadium will also feature a crafters’ marquee with television expert Debbi Moore and a range of music and children’s activities. The Foodie Show will be raising funds for local charities including the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and both the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance and Diverse Abilities Plus will have a presence. Visitors to the show could also walk away with a host of free goodies thanks to a range of giveaways and offers from exhibitors. Hunters Brewery is giving anyone who buys a round of drinks at the show a chance to win 50 bottles of beer and there's even a £1,000 hog roast up for grabs from Dorset Catering Services. Other items include a host of quality pots and pans, 20 bottles of chilli sauce, 100 Pyrex cookbooks and 3,000 toe warmers. The event will run until 8pm on Friday and Saturday and ends on Sunday afternoon.
Dorset dining
This year's Eat Dorset food fair will take place on October 19 and 20 in the grounds of beautiful Parnham House, near Beaminster. Last year, more than 60 producers gathered together to showcase the diversity of Dorset food.
The Tide is nigh
Now in its fourth year the Spring Tide Food Festival is ready to rock the Jurassic Coast again at Burton Bradstock on May 18 and 19.
Festival fun
Bournemouth Food and Drink Festival promises ten days of cooking, with foodie events to whet the appetite and inspire the inner chef. The festival, June 21 to 30, will transform Bournemouth Square.
JET PROPELLED EVENTS ‘HIGHCLIFF’ STYLE. Father’s Day —Sunday 16th June 2013 Treat your dad to Sunday lunch he will really appreciate. The Highcliff Grill is offering a gourmet menu selection of Ringwood Ale pies with an extra bottle of Ale to takeaway. Enjoy three courses for only £22.50 per person or £17.50 per person for two courses.
Air Festival Hospitality—Friday 30th August 2013 Bournemouth Air Festival is back in it’s sixth year and set to be bigger and better than ever! Join us and experience hospitality in true ‘Highcliff’ style. Enjoy a glass of bubbles on arrival, two course gourmet BBQ luncheon and half a bottle of house wine, for only £47.00 per person.
To book or for more details, please contact us on 01202 200804 or visit BournemouthHighcliffMarriott.co.uk
BOURNEMOUTH HIGHCLIFF MARRIOTT HOTEL St. Michael’s Road, Bournemouth, Dorset, BH2 5DU T. 01202 557 702 | F. 01202 293 155 BournemouthHighcliffMarriott.co.uk
© Marriott International 2013. Terms & Conditions apply. Subject to availability.
Live the ‘Highcliff’ Style
28 seeker news
may 3 2013
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liFestyle
P
Seeker newS 29
mAy 3 2013
oh DaD,you're so
emBarrassinG by SteVe CooK
arenthood is not always about being cool. OK, there, I’ve said it. However much we might want to be a cross between our children’s favourite sports stars, a matinee idol and the font of all knowledge, devoting every waking moment to our offspring and showing them the attention they both crave and deserve, it's not long before we realise that life and work have got in the way and it can be really difficult to turn this around.
More than 150 boutiques, designer labels and high street brands are expected to take part in what will be a shoppers' paradise.
And for the chaps, The Man Zone will be the place to see streetwear, sports brands, vintage collections and to try out the latest male grooming products.
The first time I enacted this strategy was during a visit to the Science Museum where I was used as the immovable object in a demonstration of Newton’s second law of motion.
“There is so much creativity in the area with outstanding designers, talented students and innovative retailers," says managing director Mandy Pearce.
If that wasn’t bad enough, Sadie, my nineyear-old daughter decided to volunteer us both for the audience participation part of Strictly Come Dancing stars Pasha and Katya’s show at the Regent Centre.
I channelled the spirit of Valentino and strutted straight into the routine, remembering
The biggest fashion event Bournemouth has ever seen, Seeker News has joined up as media partner.
Spread over two exhibition halls at the BIC from May 9 to 11 next year, there will be entertainment throughout the day with dance extravaganzas, live music and guest appearances hosted by presenters from Jack FM and The Breeze.
If my children wanted me to do something stupid, in public, I would, for them. I figured that short term shame was worth it to give my kids some great memories.
We were up first and my promise to create memories for my kids came rushing back to me, this would be the performance of my life!
A celebration of the area's creative talents, arts and style, South Coast Fashion Week comes to Bournemouth next spring.
With the latest catwalk collections, hints and tips from the experts and some of the hottest new and graduate talent around, trend presentations and more, South Coast Fashion Week is a date for every fashionista's diary.
So I made a decision, a potentially embarrassing and painful decision.
There we were, stood on the stage in front of a packed house with two other couples, whilst the stars of the show demonstrated a short paso doble routine to us in time honoured Generation Game style.
take to the catwalk at fashion week
"Our aim is to create a premier annual fashion event that will support established brands as well as promote new designers and products.”
Pasha, Steve, Sadie and Katya the words of Ashley Banjo and ensuring that every movement ‘popped’. I acted with a physical confidence and bravado that escapes me in everyday life and I went for it, truly believing in myself and surrendering my soul to the rhythm of the night. Fortunately for us, both of the other couples were afflicted by the usual male resistance to public idiocy and the lack of a cute nine-
year-old and we were duly voted winners by a landslide of the clap-o-meter. And what thanks did I get? When asked if I was the coolest dad ever Sadie replied that I was quite embarrassing really. Just goes to prove that regardless of how cool you think you are, you will always embarrass your kids, even when it was their idea – just wait until she sees my robot dance.
Steve Piper, director of venues for BH Live, which operates the BIC adds: “We are delighted the South Coast Fashion Week team has chosen the BIC for its showcase event which aims to welcome in excess of 2,500 shoppers each day. It will also give shoppers an insight into the latest trends and the opportunity to meet fashion designers.” More information at www. southcoastfashionweek.co.uk.
The aim of the ‘Green Deal’ is simple: it is to SAVE UK home owners money by reducing energy bills! Some ways in which you can reduce your energy costs
You can keep heat in: Loft / Cavity Insulation, Draught proofing, Secondary glazing Heat your home and hot water more efficiently: Cylinder thermostats / Fan-assisted storage heaters / H/W showers, taps, systems / Oil-fired condensing boilers Save on your electricity: Lighting systems, fittings and controls / Solar PV The ‘Green Deal’ scheme lets you pay for some or all of the improvements over time through your ELECTRICITY BILL
To find out how you can reduce your energy costs through the ‘Green Deal’ call: David Mitchell t: 01202 233433 m: 07973 770252 www.greendealadvisor-wessex.co.uk
30 seeker news
may 3 2013
lifestyle
natureDIARY by Paul Morton The Sound Approach www.soundapproach.co.uk Birds of Poole Harbour www.birdsofpooleharbour.co.uk
F
or me, the excitement of spring isn’t about the first opportunity to don a pair of shorts or to soak up as much warmth from a fairly average sunshine, no, no, no.
W
The real joy of spring is to witness nature awake, adapt and arrive. However, this spring didn’t allow that to happen for quite some time! Thermal gloves and wooly hats were still a major accessory by the end of March and the wildlife didn’t like it much either. The biting north-easterly wind we all experienced ended up putting most of our wildlife about two weeks behind, but determined as ever spring wormed its way into our hearts with the first migrants summer arriving back from Africa. Swallows, sand martin, chiffchaff, pictured, and wheatear were the first to invade our coastline and by mid-April the battle of winter versus spring was over and our hedgerows were filled with the wonders of birdsong. May is an exciting month for tuneful songbirds, as the males sing their tiny hearts out for the best territories and to attract a mate. An early morning walk in May (and I mean about 5am) can produce one of the best sounds in nature… the dawn chorus. Visit any woodland, park, heathland, meadow or even
doing rather well for herself
just open your bedroom window and you will be treated to a full cacophony of bird song. Wren, robin and song thrush will all be active in and around towns. The woodland will hold blackcap, nuthatch and possibly nightingale or why not try a local heathland for the fluty calls of a woodlark? Whatever your interests, I encourage you to get out and explore, enjoy and experience this lovely, lively time of year.
DIVERSE ABILITIES PLUS CHALLENGE
Summer Solstice Skydive Day Saturday 22nd June 2013, Old Sarum Airfield
The experience of a lifetime!
And Bridget found her passion for quality service behind the counter of Longs, the fish and chip shop her father David opened in Broadstone in 1965. "My father was certainly an inspiration. He always said to me that if I wanted to make money and not earn money I had to work for myself. Why work hard all your life building someone else's dream when you can build your own? "He created chip shops so clean you could eat your dinner off the counter – it was a revelation at the time." Bridget's passion for her business is undeniable. She claims she'll stop when she reaches £20 million – "That's the company's highest earning circle and I just want to know what it's like to have £20 million" – and is determined to reach her goal within ten years. A target made all the more achievable, she says, by the launch of the company's genetic weight loss product in October. "It will change the world," she says matter-of-factly. "It will make as big an impact as iPhone. "What I love about this business is that I spend 95 per cent of my time coaching, mentoring and training people. I took 40 people from Dorset to Barcelona for a convention last month – last year there was just seven of us. "This is the most democratic business in the world – anyone can do it, any age, race, gender. If you're prepared to work hard and give it five years you will succeed."
hen entrepreneur Bridget Long returned to her parents' Broadstone home from France two years ago after the break up of her marriage she knew nobody and had nothing. Last year her company Well Comm'Unity International – which has distribution rights to Nu Skin and Pharmanex health and well being products – turned over £300,000 and she expects to double if not triple that this year. Before that she had run businesses, including a clothing and manufacturing company and a life-coaching business, in France for more than 20 years. "I started with a £1,000 start up package that had a 90 per cent money back guarantee," she says. "The beauty is that it doesn't matter whether I have a £1 business or a £1 million business, my costs are the same – I've got my laptop and my phone. My earnings are commission but only on actual sales made." On her return to Dorset she joined the Women In Business networking group in Poole and got to work. Within a few weeks she was hosting weekly business meetings in Bournemouth – initially to one or two people, but as word spread so the attendances grew. Today, there are 300 people in her direct sales organisation. "This is a great business if you want freedom financially, personally, to travel, but you have to love people and want to serve them."
competition to spend on
WIN£250
landscaping products at the StoneZone
Spring has finally sprung and it's time to get out and beautify your garden. We've got together with The Stone Zone & Landscaping Centre on the Ferndown Industrial Estate to offer one reader the chance to win £250 to spend at the StoneZone.
Whether it's sandstone paving, turf, stones or water features there's something to enhance your environment at the StoneZone and set you up beautifully for a summer spend soaking up the sun in your garden.
For further information contact Sharon Wells 01202 718266 sharon.wells@diverseabilitiesplus.org.uk
To be in with a chance of winning, like The Stone Zone & Landscaping Centre on Facebook and email your answer to this question to stonezone@seekernews.co.uk: Which one of these is not a Stone: a. Mick b. Keith c. Ringo Entries must be with us by May 17, T&Cs apply
Dorset’s Disability Charity Charity Reg: 282197
seeker news 31
may 3 2013
lifestylewhere to go
Where to go and what to see for all the family May 3-5 Lyme Regis Fossil Festival
May 3-8 Sherborne Abbey Festival
Celebrating the treasures of the Jurassic Coast, the Festival will explore the marine habitats that produced the very different types of cliffs that we see today. There's a great programme of hands-on and fine art including stonebalancing, the Travelling Pliosaur Cinema, as well as street theatre and performances at the Marine Theatre. The 2013 Fossil Festival will explore the marine habitats that produced the very different types of cliffs that we see today.
Artists appearing this year include The Sixteen with their own baroque orchestra presenting a beautiful Monteverdi programme and Dame Joan Bakewell will be giving a talk entitled My Life and Times. Red Priest are back with their new show, Handel in the Wind, while the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields Chamber Ensemble debut with a programme that includes Schubert's Octet in F, Mozart's Horn Quintet in E flat and Rossini's Sonata No.1 in G for strings.
www.fossilfestival.co.uk
www.sherborneabbey.org
May 6 Poole Street Arts Festival
May 10-12 Diesel Gala & Dorset Beer Festival, Swanage
Poole's free family street arts festival returns to the Quay in celebration of the May Day bank holiday, bringing together a great mix of performances, live music and Maypole dancing. Local artist Hazel Evans will be performing a lighthearted interpretation of Comedia del Arte’s Pierrot. The Green Finger Folk will be entertaining from the comfort of their flower pots and a group of performers called Faceless will be performing their mesmerising, morphing, living sculpture Triathon. www.pooletourism.com
Swanage Railway will be running an intensive three-train service between Swanage station and the park & ride at Norden from 8am to midnight each day.A Beerex service and the Wessex Belle Bistro dining train will operate on the Friday and Saturday evenings. Advance booking on the Wessex Belle is recommended. The Diesel Gala also offers the public the chance to drive one of the Swanage Railway's two Class 08 shunters www.swanagerailway.co.uk
May 5 Dorset Knob Throwing Contest & Frome Valley Food Festival, Cattistock
PICTURE: Chris Ould
May 5-6 Blessing of the Boats + May Day Fete, Lyme Regis
The Frome Valley Food Festival runs alongside the Knob Throwing offering an opportunity to sample, taste and purchase a fine range of local foods including breads, cheeses, ciders, meats, game and poultry, pies, preserves and puddings in addition to chocolate, coffee and wine.
On Rogation Sunday, the traditional family service outside the boathouse at The Cobb in which wreaths are blessed and taken out to sea by the lifeboat where they are laid to commemorate those lost at sea. The service, with the Lyme Regis Town Band, starts at 3pm. The May Day Fete on Monday features many local organisations who will have stalls around the Anning Road Recreation Ground from 2pm.
www.dorsetknobthrowing.com
www.whatsoninlyme.co.uk
Moores, the producers of the famous Dorset Knob, in association with Direct from Dorset and the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty sponsor one of the county's most distinctive events.
May 10-19 Christchurch Food & Wine Festival The award-winning festival is back with a multitude of mouth-watering events in the restaurants, pubs and hotels of Christchurch. James Martin and Festival patron Lesley Waters will be hosting free demonstrations as well as more intimate paid-for events and the famous Festival Market will take place on the opening weekend with more than 100 traders in the town centre selling an extensive range of quality food and drink and food and drink-related produce. www.christchurchfoodfest.co.uk
May 11-12, 18-19, 25-26 Saxon & Viking Academy, Corfe Castle Visit Corfe Castle and join the ranks as a Saxon or Viking warrior. Recruits can learn the skills, see the weapons, feel the armour, and hear the stories of guts and glory from the mouths of those who know best. Well, actors really. With an enlarged Kings Court and as cries of 'Odin' resound across the valley, the assembled warriors will make ready for battle. www.nationaltrust.org.uk/corfe-castle
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32 Seeker newS
mAy 3 2013
artslistinG
theAtre
roCk/pop
ClASSICAl/JAZZ dAnCe
Comedy
charley’s aunt
the computers
May 15 Finns, Weymouth; May 16 Soul Cellar, Southampton
Bso 120th anniversary concert
eDDie izzarD: Force majeure
The Exeter band’s second album Love Triangles, Hate Squares blends their love of rock ‘n’ roll with good old-fashioned soul and punk rock. From the frenetic rockabilly sounds on the opener Bring Me The Head of A Hipster, through the soul pop of Nothing To Say to the heartbreak lament of CRUEL, the record captures a riotous yet tuneful sound craftily produced by Mark Neill (The Black Keys) in Valdosta, Georgia.
Principal conductor Kirill Karabits takes the baton as Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra celebrates its 120th birthday, almost to the day that Dan Godfrey first conducted the Municipal Band. The programme, which includes music by Holst, Wagner, Korngold and Tchaikovsky, features some pieces from that very first concert.
May 15, 16 Lighthouse, Poole
It is 1892 and dashing Oxford undergraduates, Jack and Charley are preparing to propose to Amy and Kitty, but a chaperone is needed or the girls will refuse their lunch invitation. So they hit upon the idea that Lord Fancourt Babberley, their good friend, should put on a frock and assume her identity. Chaos, of course, ensues...
rocky horror show May 13-18 The Mayflower, Southampton
Richard O’Brien’s rock ‘n’ roll musical fantasy is back on the road for its 40th anniversary tour. The audience is, of course, expected to participate fully from fancy dress to singing along.
this house – nt live May 16 Lighthouse, Poole; Regent Centre, Christchurch; Plaza, Dorchester; Cineword, Weymouth; Electric Palace, Bridport
It’s 1974 and the corridors of Westminster ring with the sound of in-fighting and backbiting as Britain’s political parties battle to change the future of the nation, whatever it takes. In this hung parliament, the ruling party holds on by a thread. Votes are won and lost by one, fist fights erupt in the bars, and ill MPs are hauled in to cast their votes.
leona lewis
May 17 Windsor Hall, BIC
On her first UK tour for three years former X Factor winner Lewis is promoting her third album, Glassheart, even as she prepares to start work on her fourth. In February she left her management company.
the twanG + cast
May 18 Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth
swinG unlimiteD all stars BiG BanD May 5 Regent Centre, Christchurch
Following their sell out success last year, the Swing Unlimited All Stars Big Band is back with a tribute to the legendary Count Basie. This year the All Stars have a new set of arrangements for an evening of great music.
May 7 Old Fire Station, Bournemouth
chilleD out classics
Two generations of British indie meet as Birmingham’s The Twang join up with reformed Liverpool institution Cast for a co-headlining tour in which they’ll rotate who goes on last each night. The Twang’s third album, 10:20, is out now, as is Cast’s latest, Troubled Times.
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra in a concert of classic hits used in films and adverts, including Brief Encounter, Platoon and the Baileys and Levis ads, plus four of the finest piano concerto slow movements ever written.
win
May 11 Lighthouse, Poole
Bolshoi live – romeo et juliet May 12 Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth
The renowned Bolshoi Ballet company presents Prokofiev’s iconic adaptation of the story broadcast live from Moscow. This performance is a revival of Yuri Grigorovich’s acclaimed 1978 production, featuring outstanding choreography, sumptuous costumes and some of the composer’s most lyrical music.
BirminGham royal Ballet triple Bill May 14-15 Lighthouse, Poole
Pineapple Poll: A comic-classic set to the tunes of Gilbert and Sullivan in which Poll leads a band of lovelorn ladies in pursuit of swoonsome Capt Belaye. Lyric Pieces: A delicate work by American choreographer Jessica Lang set to the haunting piano music of Edvard Grieg.
worlD premieres May 17 Pavilion Dance, Bournemouth
Under My Skin, 7.30pm: Dance which allows the audience a rare insight into the operating theatre. The performance is followed by a Café Scientifique hosted by Quentin Cooper. Erhebung, 11.30am, 1.30pm: Classical Indian dance meets abstract sculpture.
one of two pairs of tickets to wave 105 live! show
travis l paloma Faith l loveaBle roGues l union j
Four tops acts have now been announced for this year’s Wave 105 Live! Travis , Paloma Faith and a double bill of TV talent show graduates, Loveable Rogues and Union J are the first acts confirmed to play at the Bournemouth International Centre on Saturday May 25. Seeker News has teamed up with Wave 105 to offer two
lucky winners a pair of tickets to see the hotly anticipated show. Further top names in pop are to be confirmed in the coming weeks. To enter, simply tell us: In which 2007 film remake did Paloma Faith make her screen debut? Send your answer to paloma@seekernews.co.uk
Wave 105 Live! is a live music event produced and hosted by the popular regional radio station and is back for the third year running, with the previous two shows selling out. Wave 105 Live! is supporting Bournemouth’s Getting About initiative, which aims to make your travel easier into, and around Bournemouth.
For further information or to book tickets please visit www.wave105.com Ts & Cs: Prize is open to those aged 16 and above only and those aged under 18 must be accompanied by an adult. No cash prize alternative. Prize must be redeemed on Saturday, May 25, no alternative dates are available.
May 18-19 Windsor Hall, BIC
Eddie’ new show, Force Majeure, follows up the worldwide smash Stripped, which sold out a threemonth residency at the Théâtre de Dix Heures in Paris with Eddie performing in French. This will be Eddie’s most extensive comedy tour to date.
julian clary May 16 Lighthouse, Poole
Master of camp, Julian Clary is on the look out for love, he’s longing for romance and has promised to leave no straight unturned in his quest for fulfilment. “Because I’m still considered to be quite a catch and because Poole is noted for its heterosexuals on the cusp, there’s bound to be stiff competition,” says the queen of innuendo. "Therefore, I’ll be hosting ruthless elimination games.”
reGinalD D hunter May 3 Pavilion Theatre, Bournemouth; May 8 Southampton Guldhall
Following two previous sell-out tours of the UK, a total sell-out season at the Edinburgh Fringe, and the release of his debut stand up DVD, Hunter is back on the road with a brand new show, In The Midst Of Crackers.
artsinterview
seeker news 33
may 3 2013
S
uggs – legendary Madness frontman – was 50 last January. He was lying in the bath on his birthday, nursing an epic hangover from the celebrations the night before when there was an almighty crash. “I jumped out of the water,” he says, “and there, lying amid shards of broken glass, was our four-year-old cat, a British blue called Mamba. I’d put up the glass shelf myself and it must have given way. I knew he was dead from the strange angle of his body. I couldn’t believe it. I loved that cat. “I was 50. My kids had recently left home and now the cat was dead. I was really upset. It triggered a deluge of emotion, an event that somehow tipped me over the edge. I began to consider my own mortality and, out of that, the idea for exploring my own past somehow crystallised.” The result is a new stage show, My Life Story, which plays the Lighthouse, Poole on May 17. “It’s a memoir,” says Suggs. “It’s not standup. It’s not An Evening With… I toyed with calling it Mad-Life Crisis. In the end, though, having gone all round the houses, I’ve called it My Life Story, which won’t win any prizes for originality but does at least tell you what you can expect, the good bits and the darker moments.” It turns out there have been plenty of both. Born Graham McPherson in Hastings, he’s the only child of a jazz singer called Edith and a father, William – but everyone called him Mac – who worked for a photographic developers but whose life was increasingly overtaken by drugs. “Dad left home when I was about three. I have no recollection of him and he never featured in my life. Heroin was his drug of choice and it’s a one-way street that takes you further and further away from real life. In the end, it did for the marriage.” Mother and son then moved to Liverpool where Edith sang in the clubs, including the Blue Angel to where The Beatles and Cilla Black would repair after sessions at The Cavern. Moving south to London, Suggs’ life was unstructured, to say the least. Soho was his mother’s stomping ground, the young lad trailing around after her when she went drinking in famous watering holes like the Colony. “I’ll never forget it,” he says. “You’d walk up this rickety green staircase and enter a room full of artists and actors and various hangers-on, all drinking and smoking. But, amid all the booze,
Picture: STEVE COOK
it was a creative hotbed. Francis Bacon, Lucian Freud, George Melly, Jeffrey Bernard – they were all regulars. In time Edith decided that her son would do better living out of London in Pembrokeshire with her sister, Diana, and her three children. “It was nice to have other kids around but I missed mum. She was doing what she thought was the right thing. She was finding it difficult to find the two of us somewhere stable to live so she thought I’d be better off in Haverfordwest.” Three years later, Suggs was back in London, living with Edith, and about to go to secondary school in Swiss Cottage. It’s where he acquired his nickname. “The other kids used to call me Gray or Mac and I wanted something a bit more distinctive. I was looking through a book of my mum’s about jazz musicians. “I took a pin and, eyes closed, stuck it into the middle of a page. It went through the name Peter which didn’t seem especially memorable and then I noticed his second name was Suggs which somehow resonated with me. He was the drummer in an obscure jazz band in Kentucky.” Had he known it, this was the moment when his estranged father was on the point of bowing out. “I didn’t find this out until many years later when I was researching the new show. It’s a tragic story. My father started injecting himself with paraffin and was then sectioned under the Mental Health Act. “When he was eventually released, he moved to Birmingham where he married again. He died aged 40 from a whole variety of drug-related conditions, his wife following him, probably from a drug overdose, a year later. So just as I was getting together with the band that became Madness, my father’s time was up. I’ve always found that rather poignant. “Madness have always been about accentuating the positive,” says Suggs. “It’s no accident our songs are still played, still enjoyed 30 years down the line. They’re upbeat, timeless, a cleareyed celebration of life as it’s lived. For me, the band has always been like a surrogate family.” The only problem now for Suggs is shoehorning his less-than-conventional first half-century into his new show. “When we were rehearsing,” he says, “my keyboard player would stop every so often and say: ‘Was that bit really true?’ And it was, all of it. Amazing, really.”
A
suggs life
Baby got back – Pete picks Bournemouth as last tour date EXCLUSIVE
by nick churchill Nearly six years after their last visit, Babyshambles are coming back to Bournemouth this autumn for the final date of what will be their third album tour on October 21 at the 02 Academy. The nucleus of the band – Peter Doherty, bassist Drew McConnell and lead guitarist Mick Whitnall – has regrouped following a lengthy hiatus during which their activities have, as ever, has been shrouded in mystery. They're currently in a Paris studio with drummer Adam Falkner putting the
finishing touches to their third album, the follow up to 2007's Shotter's Nation. "All reports leaking from a shut down recording facility suggest their muchanticipated return will not disappoint," said a source close to the band. Doherty has a long association with Dorset – he lived in Blandford as a teenager where his father was in the Army and helped launch Dorset Music Forum with a solo show at the Opera House (now the O2 Academy) in 2008.
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artscinema
MAY RELEASES Friday May 3 21 And Over (15) All Stars (3D) (U) Chimpanzee (U) Dead Man Down (15) I’m So Excited (15) Thursday May 9 Star Trek Into Darkness (3D)
iF you onlyer see one othonth Film this m
Friday May 10 Deadfall (15) Mud (12A) Thursday May 16 The Great Gatsby (12A)
to Star Trek In Check out eagerly awaited the Darkness, JJ Abrams to his y b l ot of seque Trek re-bo r ta S g in ll thri k the next 2009. Chec for our own s w Seeker Ne e cast of this th h it w t a h c lockbuster. b ic p e
Friday May 17 Fast And Furious 6 Wednesday May 22 Epic 3D Friday May 24 The Hangover Part III Wednesday May 29 The Big Wedding (15)
Brush with Greatness T he glamorous figure of Jay Gatsby is one of the most intriguing characters of 20th century American literature. Handsome, rich, self made and maddeningly mysterious he seemed like America itself when he was created a century ago, dreamt up by that arch chronicler of the Jazz Age, F Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s defining novel, a brief but brilliant view of a dazzling character seen through the wide eyed wonder of its narrator, Nick Carraway. The story appealed to Hollywood filmmakers immediately – the first adaptation came with a silent version in 1926, just a year after the book was published. In 1949 Alan Ladd played Gatsby in a movie that played up the romantic elements of the novel while ignoring some of the character’s less savoury past. Twenty-five years later Robert Redford essayed the title role, certainly handsome and easily capable of hinting at darker depths beneath the smooth facade, he headlined a rather plodding rendering of the story. All the key elements remain the same though. Nick rents a home next to the glamorous Gatsby, is taken under his wing and discovers that for all Gatsby’s fantastic wealth he nurses a broken heart for the woman he loved and lost – Nick’s cousin
CInemA with Anwar brett
Daisy. A doomed, danse macabre is slowly played out, as Gatsby and Daisy are reunited briefly, but cannot be together as Daisy is married to scheming bully George Buchanan who slowly comes to recognise his romantic rival. Something has to give. Scott Fitzgerald’s genius was to boil down a simple character tale into recognisable (though not always very likeable) characters, and tell it in a spare, economic style. In the 1930s Hollywood called upon his services as a writer, but his relationship with the studios was not a happy one. David Niven recalled in his memoir Bring On The Empty Horses that though the writer was genuinely fascinated by cinema he had been worn down by rejection, money worries and alcoholism. Fitzgerald died in 1940, leaving the legacy literary of The Great Gatsby and another novel Tender Is The Night with his final, brilliant novel of Hollywood folk – The Last Tycoon – unfinished. That was eventually filmed
interviewinGisla Fisher
F
or some cast in Baz Luhrmann’s The Great Gatsby the appeal of working on the film was not simply down to a love of the book. The Australian auteur, who made his name with the comedy Strictly Ballroom and won worldwide acclaim for his stylised ‘red curtain’ productions Romeo + Juliet and Moulin Rouge proved every bit as much of an attraction as the writing of F Scott Fitzgerald. Former Home & Away star Isla Fisher, who is married in real-life to Sacha Baron Cohen, plays the role of Myrtle – George Buchanan’s extra marital amour – and sums up the prevailing
mood when she talks about working with Luhrmann on this eagerly awaited film.
“Oh, it was amazing. It was one of those jobs that I auditioned for and never even let my mind wander to the hope that I could get the gig. I just thought this was a great opportunity to even be in the same room as Baz. When I got the job I think I screamed down the phone and deafened my poor agent. “But it was just wonderful. They recreated 1920s Long Island in Sydney – it was surreal – but it looked exactly how I’d imagined it would be from the book. Baz is definitely my favourite director, I love all of his films.”
Friday May 31 Blood (15) Byzantium (15)
in 1976. It contains one of his most famous lines: ‘there are no second acts in American lives,’ a profound commentary on the fast times in which he and his wife Zelda lived during the anything goes period of the 1920s. Their tragic glamour clearly chimed with the latest film maker to tackle it on screen, Australian director Baz Luhrmann. Remember, this is the filmmaker who directed a modern day Romeo & Juliet and re-visualised a 19th century Paris of Bohemians, lovers, artists and killers in Moulin Rouge. His rendering of The Great Gatsby is no less spectacular, packed with contemporary music re-fashioned for the 1920s and starring Leonardo DiCaprio as Gatsby, with Tobey Maguire as Nick Carraway and British starlet Carey Mulligan playing his beloved Daisy. Accorded the honour of opening the Cannes Film Festival this year, The Great Gatsby proves itself to be an audience favourite that speaks to successive generations with a renewed eloquence as the years go by. Whatever F Scott Fitzgerald would make of it we can only guess. Maybe he’d pour himself another drink and bring it to his lips with a half smile, toasting his finest work with the sad air of a man who knows he is defined by his own tragic fate.
seeker news 35
may 3 2013
sport SKIING
Maddie storms to bronze at British Ski Championships Bournemouth schoolgirl Madeleine Burns had a great Easter – leaving her in bronze position overall at the British Ski Championships in Meribel, France Madeleine raced in three Giant Slalom courses, with some 30 gates on each and showed great skill and confidence on a very technical course, achieving finishes of third, sixth and fourth places. Madeleine, 12, who attends Bournemouth Collegiate School, has consistently finished in the top five throughout the season. “I am really pleased with my performances," she said. "It gives me a good chance of being selected for the British ski team when I trial at the end of this year.” Madeleine is coached by Darren Shmidtt at Snowtrax in Christchurch where she trains twice a week. Whilst
in France, she attends the British Ski Academy where she is coached by Aileen Patterson. “Maddie is great to work with as she is responsive, proactive and determined," said Aileen. "She is one of the bravest girls I have skiing with me and she isn’t afraid of being in the air or attacking something on the hill that others might back out of. "Apart from her sporting talent Maddie also has a great sense of fun. She is clearly a talent to watch!” Ski Academy principal, Malcolm Erskine added: “Madeleine stormed out of the pack to grab the overall bronze medal in difficult conditions on the World Cup piste. Her performance in the final Giant Slalom stunned a number of more fancied racers, but it was no great surprise to her coaches.”
ATHLETICS
running
Melissa runs away with indoor success
Purbeck Marathon rated third best
Parkstone 19-year-old Melissa Courtney has made great progress in the difficult transition from junior to senior athletics with a breakthrough season on the indoor tracks. In the space of three weeks, the Poole Athletic Club member achieved an 800m personal best of 2:09.25 and the three fastest 1500m times of her career. At the UK Indoor Championships in Sheffield, Courtney ran 4:17.57, taking almost eight seconds off her previous best, gaining the bronze medal and a surprise invitation to the prestigious Birmingham Grand Prix. British number one, Olympic semi-finalist, Hannah England could only finish sixth in 4:14.70.
nigel harding
rugby
Wimborne add U15s to champs list As the under-15s ran out winners of Dorset County Cup Final last month against Dorchester, Wimborne Rugby now has county champions at under 13, 14, 15 and 16 level. The latest silverware was landed after a ferocious second half display from Wimborne's youngsters who set up a 15-5 lead after the break, before a determined Dorchester rallied and pulled the deficit back to 15-12. But Wimborne held on and one last try saw them run out worthy 20-12 winners.
The Purbeck Marathon has been awarded a major accolade after just one year. Runners' World, the specialist running magazine, rated the event the third best UK marathon, beating many well-established events including the London Marathon. The review noted the toughness of the September event as well as the scenery
and the locally-themed goody bags handed to every finisher. “This is important recognition of the hard work over many months that went into organising the first Purbeck Marathon," said race director Rose Clarke. Entries are now open for the 2013 event on September 15 at www. runnersworld.co.uk or www. purbeckmarathon.co.uk.
badminton FENCING
Epic epee excellence
Ringwood hosted this year's Hampshire Individual and Team Epee fencing competition, with Sway Fencing Club taking six fencers. With several of the club coaches returning to competition after long layoffs, it proved a baptism of fire against the county's strongest, over two seeding rounds and the Direct Elimination. Robin Catling fenced on through illness to take 11th seed, just in the top third, relying on his unconventional left-handed style to baffle opponents. After a 20-year absence from competition, Quentin Stokes proved accuracy and tactical ability do not go out of fashion to take sixth seed and eventually finishing a very respectable seventh. It was left to regular competitor Vicki Pritchard, finishing the womens' pools as top seed, to carry the medal hopes. She came away with a bronze and selection for the Hampshire team for the prestigious Excalibur tournament, the biggest inter-county event in the calendar.
robin catling
Pat's net results Pat Adair, the teenage badminton star sponsored by Seeker, has put in some more solid tournament performances recently. He reached the quarterfinals of the mixed doubles at the Spanish U19, narrowly missing out on a semi-final place and a medal. He also reached the last 32 at the prestigious Nottingham Senior Gold tournament and has been to Orleans for the French International qualifiers.
HORSE RACING
Powering to controversial finish
Dorset racehorse owner, Anthony Knott, has presented a cheque for £10,000 to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. The money was raised by his eight-year-old runner, Hunt Ball, who ran at the Cheltenham Festival with his hind quarters painted green and bearing the initials of Irish bookmaker, Paddy Power. While the stunt proved a fantastic boost for a worthy charity, it also landed Knott in hot water with the British Horseracing Authority, who charged him and trainer, Keiran Burke, with conduct prejudicial to the integrity and good reputation of racing.
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Seeker newS 37
mAy 3 2013
sportpirates
pirates pair riDinG hiGh at worlD champs PICTURE: STEVE COOK
mIddlo pirates manager
A
neil middleditch
glimpse at the current World Championship standings makes for good reading for Pirates' fans. After the opening two Grand Prix in New Zealand and Poland, Darcy Ward is in second spot while Chris Holder is lying seventh. But the stats don't tell the whole story. Both riders have had their problems so far this season and neither can be accused of hitting top form just yet. When they do, I reckon they will have a big say in the destination of the 2013 title. Darcy has been suffering a few injury woes while Chris is not up to top speed machinery wise. But in many ways that just underlines their quality – the ability to grind out results when things aren't 100 per cent right. Both made the semi-finals in Poland last time out and I wouldn't be suprised to see them improve on those performances in Gothenburg this weekend.
For Darcy it's been a fast learning curve and he's coping really well. He has done so much growing up in recent months and his attitude is first class. He realises he's now on the international stage and that certain responsibilities come with that and he's settling down to his task really well. He knows he's a role model to youngsters, something he takes very
seriously both on and off the track. He has grown up so much of late, even though he is only 21 himself. For Chris it's slightly different. He's the reigning world champion and the man everyone wants to beat. The pressure that creates is immense and don't forget he's still getting over that nasty leg injury he suffered at the end of last season. He can't quite put his finger on why he's not up to full speed yet but one thing is for sure, he'll turn it around and he certainly won't be giving up his crown without a fight. When you consider these boys' schedules, it really makes you stop and think. It's not just a case of riding for the Pirates once a week and then doing a Grand Prix every now and again. These lads are constantly on the go, riding in Britain, Poland and Sweden as well as their international and World Championship commitments. They are in and out of airports and up and down the motorways non-stop. I have friends who work in Moto GP who just can't believe what it takes to be a top class speedway rider these days and I think that says it all. I know everyone at Poole is proud of Darcy and Chris' efforts and fingers crossed one of them will be parading the World Championship title around Wimborne Road again, come October.
Champion bides his time to hit top form
World champion Chris Holder says his 10-point haul in the second 2013 Grand Prix in Bydgoszcz was no disaster. And the Poole Pirates skipper believes he just needs more time on the bike to regain his finest form. The 25-year-old scraped into the Motorsportwash.com European SGP semi-finals on nine points, before finishing third behind Tomasz Gollob and Matej Zagar in the last-eight race to exit the meeting. Holder notched nine at the opening round in Auckland and is seventh in
PICTURE: STEVE COOK
the World Championship on 19 points – level with Greg Hancock in eighth and Zagar in ninth. With 10 rounds remaining, the Aussie refuses to panic and admits
the fact he is carrying the No.1 race jacket only magnifies the fact he isn’t quite at his best. He said: “It was not a bad night in Bydgoszcz. If I had 10 points and I wasn’t the world champion, it would probably be a good night. But because I’m No.1, everyone thinks it’s a disaster. “It’s a long season and I shouldn’t be too excited about what’s going on just yet. "I’m in there and in the mix still, which is good. I’ve got to the semis both times.”
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nmiddlo
middlo backs pirates for more success
Poole Pirates will be in the hunt for silverware this season despite their rocky start to the campaign. That's the confident prediction of manager Neil Middleditch who is backing his side to hit top form in the coming weeks. Early season defeats at the hands of King's Lynn and Wolverhampton – the latter having ended the Pirates' 490-day unbeaten home record at Wimborne Road – have left some supporters wondering if the bubble has finally burst. However Middleditch is certainly not panicking yet. He said: "It's been a tough start for us but I have every confidence we will soon be back to our very best. "Our success over the years means we are the side everyone wants to beat and teams have got stronger and they do seem to put that extra bit in when they race against us. "But that's the way we like it. The stronger the opposition the better we have to be and we are certainly up for the challenge." While Middleditch refuses to offer up excuses, his work has not been made easy by a string of early season injuries, and the somewhat mooted form of skipper and reigning world champion, Chris Holder. He added: "Chris hasn't found top speed yet but he will and there's still plenty more to come from Darcy Ward. "We've had our injuries too with Darcy having wrist problems and Robert Miskowiak suffering that nasty leg injury on Good Friday and so once everyone is 100 per cent both physically and mentally, we will be flying. "We have sometimes been accused of building top heavy line-ups but we have assembled a side that has real strength in depth. But if things don't go according to plan then we won't be afraid to make changes."
paul Baker
38 seeker news
sportnon-league football
Quality Kempy
Christchurch defender Dave Legg paid tribute to former boss Graham Kemp following his departure to Winchester City. Kemp resigned earlier in the year, but agreed to stay on until the end of the campaign. “We achieved a lot under Kempy and we’re all sorry to see him go,” said Legg. But whoever replaces him will inherit a good setup.”
Worthy watchers
Last month’s Dorset Senior Cup Final at the County Ground, Hamworthy attracted the biggest attendance for this fixture in recent years. A crowd of 770 braved the wind and rain to watch Poole Town beat Wimborne Town 4-1 to claim the trophy. “There would have been even more at the game if it hadn’t been for the weather," said a Dorset County FA spokesman.
Safety pinned
Ringwood Town boss Peter Alvis lavished praise on his players and management team after an upsurge in form led to Wessex League Division One safety. “It took a lot of hard work, but we knew what we had to do.”
may 3 2013
gunners blazing at wimborne by richard button
W
imborne Town captain Scott Arnold is eagerly awaiting the return of the Arsenal who arrive at Cuthbury on Tuesday to play in a benefit game. Arnold played against the Gunners the last time they were in town seven years ago and even picked up the man-of-the-match award. The game is being held in aid of two former Wimborne players, Andy Culliford who is battling motor neurone disease, and Kev James who had his playing career ended when suffering a devastating double leg-break while in action two seasons ago. “This will be a fantastic game which everyone is looking forward to,” said Arnold. “It is the kind of fixture where we will be all looking to raise our game. There are also a lot of Arsenal supporters in the area and they will want to come as well as the Wimborne fans and neutrals.” The Gunners are sending a side of under-21 players, many of whom have already played for their country at youth level. The young Arsenal side which played at Cuthbury in 2006 included current Celtic star Anthony Stokes, Armand Traore who
The game is being held in aid of Kevin James, left, and Andy Culliford, pictured in the Cherries shirt
"It is the kind of fixture where we will be looking to raise our game"
is now at Queens Park Rangers, and Fabrice Muamba who had his career ended after suffering a heart attack while playing for Bolton Wanderers last year. “One of the most exciting things about a game like this is playing against players who might one day be big stars,” Arnold added.
“The last time Arsenal played here they gave us their shirts. I got Armand Traore’s!” The Magpies skipper is also hoping Cuthbury is filled to the rafters to support Messrs Culliford and James. “There should be a big crowd on the night. Andy and Kev deserve it.”
Service is what life’s all about! At Champion Forklifts we offer a fullbetter range ofthan new and used equipment to achievement suit ALL budgets Bash this Double Service is what life’s all about! Service is is what whatNew life’s Service life’s all about! Bashley stalwart James Stokoe held up Poole Town’s Michael Walker ended last fork lift trucks: Warehouse equipment his hands and admitted the array of talent month as a double achiever afterranging picking from: l! about! At Champion Forklifts we offer a full new and used equipment to suit ALL budgets At Champion Forklifts we offer a full range of and used equipment to suit ALL budgets At Champion Forklifts we offer1 ton a full range of new and used equipment ALL budgets at the club should have achieved a higher to suit up a Southern League South & West • From to 16 tons capacity • Hand pallet placed finish in the Southern Premier Championship medaltrucks and running the
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• LP Electric Trucks of truck, picker or stacker. none onReach any make Gas Stackers LP Gas Stackers For Killick this is the fourth league title Poole Town boss Tommy Killick admitted econd toto any make of truck, pickerTelephone: or stacker. Electric Powered pallet trucks 01202 430323 •none Order pickers From 1on ton to 16from tons capacity • ranging Hand pallet New fork lift•trucks: Warehouse equipment from:trucks Diesel Electric Reach Trucks and the third promotion during his tenure that the trauma of defeat in last season’s Diesel Electric Reach Trucks Very narrow aisle trucks • • Electric • Powered pallet trucks Stackers LP capacity Gas Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk at Tatnam. And he readily admits this play off final provided the motivation for From 1 ton• to• 16 tons • Hand pallet trucks Order pickers Order pickers Access Platforms & Cherry Pickers LP Gas • Stackers Freephone: 021 Floors 4516 Diesel 0800 Electric Trucks Electric • Powered pallet trucks season’s success is the one which fills winning the title thisReach time trucks round. • Racking and Mezzanine delivered • Diesel • Electric Reach Trucks Very narrow aisle trucks Freephone: 0800 021 4516 Very narrow aisle LP Gas • Stackers RENTAL && RENTAL him with the most pride. Orderemerged pickers • Order pickers TheAccess Telephone: 01202 430323 Dolphin’s as&&Cherry Access Platforms Cherry Pickers Diesel •delivered Electric Reach Trucks Platforms Pickers from ‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’ Telephone: 01202 430323 LEASING • Very narrow aisle trucks Very narrow aisle trucks LEASING “There were 10 sides with Southern League Division One • Order pickers Hand Pallet Trucks RENTAL & RENTAL & Racking and Mezzanine Floors Racking and Mezzanine Floors Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk • Access PlatformsSouth & Cherry Pickers •from Very narrow aisle trucks , Combilift, realistic hopes of winning this & Access West champions Platforms & Cherry Pickers AVAILABLE RENTAL & LEASING AVAILABLE delivered Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk Racking and Mezzanine Floors • Access Platforms &• Cherry Pickers LEASING is second
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division. To finish above them all with five games to go is our biggest achievement.” And in a tribute to the club, delivered endi and Jungheinrich but we can offer full support service that is second from Our preferred makes are Baoli, Toyota, Doosan, Mitsubishi, Linde, Combilift, he added: “It’s a very happy “I found it difficult to get to none on any make of truck, picker or stacker. delivered to none on any make of truck, picker or stacker. to none on any make of truck, picker or stacker. Telephone: 01202 o none on any make of truck, picker or430323 stacker. experience to be managing Borough Bendi and Jungheinrich but we can offer full support service that is second over losing to Gosport from Poole Town. And these are my in last season’s play offs,” said to021 none any Freephone: 0800 021make 4516 of truck, picker or stacker. Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk reephone: 0800 4516on players. It was me who recruited all Killick. “And I was worried about Freephone: 0800 0214516 4516 Freephone: 0800 021 ‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’ Telephone: Telephone: 01202 430323 01202 430323 of them!” the effect it would have on the players. Telephone: 01202430323 430323 mail: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk Telephone: 01202 Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk Freephone: 0800 021 4516 The campaign also saw a League and “But the pain of that defeat proved to be Email:sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk Email: local Fork Lift company’ www.champion-forklifts.co.uk Dorset Senior Cup double, the second a ‘Your real motivation None of us wanted to be Truck ‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’ www.champion-forklifts.co.uk Telephone: 01202 430323 ‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’ during Killick’s time in charge. in the play offs again.”
www.champion-forklifts.co.uk
‘Your local Fork Lift Truck company’ www.champion-forklifts.co.uk Email: sales@champion-forklifts.co.uk www.champion-forklifts.co.uk ‘Your ‘Your local local Fork ForkLift LiftTruck Truckcompany’ company’
sporthistory lesson
C
herries' 2003 promotion-winning squad returned to Dean Court recently kick off long serving defender Stephen Purches' testimonial year. The squad, including captain Carl Fletcher and fans’ favourites Steve Fletcher and Wade Elliott, were reunited for the first time since their memorable win at the Millennium Stadium at the sold out event. It was also a double celebration for the Cherries’ faithful, who saw the current squad achieve promotion to the Championship for only the second time in the club’s history 24 hours earlier. “As soon as the dinner was announced, the reaction was incredible and it sold out far quicker than we could have expected,” Purches said. “It was a really special night and it was great to get the team back together. It was one of the best squads I have been part of and the dinner goes to show how well liked that team was by the supporters. “Everyone was in a good mood after what we managed to achieve on Saturday, and hopefully the dinner made it a memorable weekend for everyone who came along. “I would like to thank our sponsors Alan & Thomas Group Insurance, everyone who bought tickets and supported the event, and all the players who came back. It was the perfect way to start the testimonial year.” Purches, who is currently working towards returning to training following a long-term injury, will announce the opponents for his testimonial game soon. Visit www.stephenpurches.co.uk.
promotion heroes return
redknapp leads Cherries to the second tier for first time Formed in 1899, AFC Bournemouth have only ever played in the second tier of English football once before. Three years after their famous FA Cup victory over Manchester United in 1984, Bournemouth saw their promotion into Division Two led by the legendary Harry Redknapp. Fighting their way to the top of the table with a points tally of 97, Harry's team battled their way to promotion by winning their first Division Three champions' title, notching up 29 wins and only seven losses along the way. The team, which included the likes of Sean O’Driscoll, Gary Howlett and Tony Sealy, went largely unfancied and was tipped for instant relegation. However, under Redknapp's leadership they fought hard and stayed in Division Two for three seasons. They were finally relegated following the notorious clash with Leeds United that resulted in rioting and damages costing more than £1 million pounds after Bournemouth lost 1-0. It has been a long and eventful 26 years, but now Cherries are back. It’s a massively exciting time for the club as they venture back to the heady heights of the Championship. Last time they managed three years Harry at the helm and who would bet against
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Harry Redknapp regularly returns to Dean Court Eddie Howe and his men managing even more? From what we’ve seen so far, Howe has proved himself to be an excellent manager leading the Cherries to the top of League One and now into the Championship. What price Premiership glory?
pearce Baker
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...Looking after you Bournemouth
Canford Cliffs
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glory dAyS 2003 team
SeCond tIer harry's historic promotion pAge 39
reunited pAge 39
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8-page promotion special supplement
championship here we come! A
captain Fantastic tommy elphick intervieweD insiDe
s Cherries stormed into the Championship inspirational manager Eddie Howe was as emotional as the most die-hard fan. "I watched the club as a boy, so to have played a small part in the club's history means a great deal to me and my family," he told reporters after his side clinched promotion to the second tier of English football for the first time since 1987. Howe's return to Dean Court from Burnley in October with fellow former player Jason Tindall at his side, triggered a remarkable change in fortunes. Cherries picked up 75 points from 35 games, earning promotion with a 3-1 win at home to Carlisle a week ago and sealing their achievement with a goalless draw at Tranmere on Saturday - they
by NICK CHURCHILL
would have gone up as champions but for Doncaster's dramatic win at Brentford in the sixth minute of added time. Howe is the first Bournemouth manager to lead the side to two promotions, having brought them up from League Two in 2010 - just a season after he masterminded Cherries' Football League survival in what has become known as the Greatest Escape. "That was an incredible story and one I will always remember," he said. "This is different because we have actually achieved something that will be remembered for a long time. The fact this is only the second time that
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the club has reached the second flight is a great story in itself." The last time they played at that level, Harry Redknapp was at the helm. Ironically, he could be in the opposite dug out next season as his QPR side's relegation from the top flight was confirmed at the weekend. Cherries' chairman Eddie Mitchell, who has spearheaded the investment in the club in the recent years, has said promotion is the key to building the fourth stand at the Goldsands Stadium. "It gives us a chance to put Bournemouth on the map," he said. "If we can maintain some sort of standing in [the Championship] it will help tourism for as long as we are up there with bigger crowds coming down."
is proud to make some noise for the boys