December 2013 Forum Focus

FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 21

December 2013

Plucky protesters campaign to save their nursery - Page 3

Awning plan can revive market

by Nicci Brown A SCHEME to provide a covered market in Blandford town centre is being promoted by the town's Chamber of Commerce and members of the area's developing Town Team.

Traci Handford, president of the recently revived Chamber, presented the concept to town councillors at their November meeting and outlined proposals to install a retractable awning over the Market Place to provide year-round cover, when needed, for markets and other events.

"It is an area which is not very attractive. We have been looking at awnings which would open and close electrically to be used for the Thursday, Saturday and other markets. They would also mean the area could be used more for evening events and as an extension to the Corn Exchange."

It would, she said, mean redesigning the car parking in the market place to make room for the metal supports which would be permanently in place and over which the awning would be rolled out to cover part or all of the area, providing shelter from rain and wind.

"We are looking at a system which is particularly resilient since we know the market place is susceptible to wind," she said.

As if to prove her point, forecasts of high winds the following Saturday morning resulted in market traders staying away from the town for fear of damage to their stalls.

Shoppers were disappointed to find none of the regular traders.

Duncan Smith, of Poppy's Mobile Catering, said: "The wind is a bigger factor than rain as it is the wind which can cause the most damage to stalls and the goods displayed.

Even my van is affected, as it reduces the

A photomontage of how a cover might be provided over Blandford Market Place. heat on the griddle and will knock off the pilot light in the chip fryer."

The covered market scheme was given support in principle by town councillors, who heard that the capital cost could be in the region of ÂŁ95,000, but the team promoting it were drawing up a business plan to include that and revenue cost implications.

Mrs Handford said: "Before we start seeking quotes from companies, we want to sound out the town council and local businesses. We have already spoken with the highways and planning authority and people are quite enthusiastic."

Town and general purposes committee chairman Councillor Hugo Mieville said: "We would welcome the opportunity to tidy up the market place and get rid of the traders' vans. It could be of benefit to the market, its traders and the general look of the town."

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Councillor Haydn White welcomed the suggestion and urged town council representation in progressing the idea. Councillor Esme Butler agreed they needed to be 'kept in the loop', saying: "We would need to see what parking arrangements will be before we make any further commitment."

Town mayor Councillor Bob Brannigan said: "For the time being we should be encouraging them and helping to point them in the right direction."

INSIDE THIS ISSUE Blandford remembers: P10-11 Volunteers honoured: P12 Business news: P17-19

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December 2013

FORUM FOCUS CONTACTS Editorial: Nicci Brown T: 01258 459346 E: editor@forumfocus.co.uk Advertising: John Stayt T: 01258 454427 E: advertising@forumfocus.co.uk Distribution: Jackie Stayt T: 01258 456999 E: distribution@forumfocus.co.uk Design: David Eidlestein T: 01258 450989 E: de@deadlines.eclipse.co.uk

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DROP POINTS

We deliver over 4,000 copies of Forum Focus house-to-house thanks to our team of more than 35 volunteer distributors. If you would like to help us and your neighbours by delivering copies on foot once a month, particularly in the areas of the Market Place, the Badbury Heights Estate, West Street and off Black Lane where we have recently lost volunteers, or by delivering by car to some of our drop points (fuel expenses payable), please get in touch with Jackie Stayt (details left).

Main drop points for Forum Focus in Blandford and Blandford St Mary are at Blandford Post Office, Blandford Library, and Corn Exchange in the Market Place, James Newsagents in The Plocks, Homebase, the Co-ops in Salisbury Road and Langton Road, Tesco at Stour Park, One Stop in Salisbury Road, Blandford Leisure Centre, the Central shop and Blandford Tourist Information Centre, West Street.

In the villages they are at the Charlton Marshall Church Rooms and Charlton pub, Woodpecker pub at Spetisbury, True Lovers Knot and Langton Arms in the Tarrant Valley, Pimperne shop, White Horse Inn at Stourpaine, Iwerne Minster post office, Shillingstone garage and church centre, Royal Oak at Milborne St Andrew, Sticky Stores at Winterborne Stickland and the Cricketers at Shroton.

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December 2013

Reprieve from closure for childcare centres PARENTS using the nursery and out-of-school club at the Blandford Children's Centre in Black Lane have won a temporary reprieve from closure threatened by Dorset County Council.

Following a high-profile campaign in support of the services after the sudden announcement that they would close in four months' time, the county has promised to keep them open until the end of the summer term, and in the meantime try to find an alternative provider for the facilities.

Cabinet member for children's safeguarding and families, Cllr Rebecca Knox, after hearing parents' views first-hand at a series of meetings, said: "The message from parents is clear that they have chosen the nurseries and out-of-school club as their preferred type of childcare, as they meet their families' needs.

"We've listened to their concerns and, if needed, will continue running these services until the end of the school year to minimise the disruption for those children starting school in September and help parents who need childcare during the holidays.

"We want to give other providers enough time to take these establishments over and make sure that the transition for the children is seamless."

The council has now started a formal tendering process through which interested parties can submit a bid to take over the running of the facilities which the county say they can no longer afford to provide.

Parents were given the backing of Blandford Town Council when they attended the town council meeting in November. Their spokesman James Hayward said: "We want above all to influence what is going to happen. There are lots of children using these facilities and ideally we want someone to come and take them over because they are needed. There are not many other childcare facilities locally and this is a very, very good one."

He said they were given only five days' notice of a meeting to discuss the closure, about which the staff were told only two days earlier, and it had left parents having to make immediate decisions on whether they could continue or go back to work.

Cash crisis threatens future of new charity CHARITY Youth Aid has said it may be forced to close if funding cannot be found to pay for its premises in the Anchor Gateway.

Just 18 months after launching to offer help and support to young people, Sue Sullivan, the project's founder, who only last month was awarded a grant from the Wates Foundation to support her post as project leader, said the charity was struggling to find the ÂŁ1,000 a month needed to pay the rent and utilities bills.

"We have held various fundraising events to pay our core costs, have had bids accepted for

planned projects, and have been self-sufficient since opening," she said. "But we can no longer afford to pay these costs."

She said they would continue to support the young people until the end, but the latest project in which they have engaged with Rotary in Blandford to create weatherproof paths and disabled access on the Marsh and Ham meadow could be their last.

To help them continue helping those in need, call Sue on 01258 480317 or email sue.youthaid@btinternet.com.

MEMBERS of Blandford Stour Rotary were out on the streets on Saturday 16th November raising money for the people of the Philippines hit by the effects of Typhoon Haiyan.

They collected nearly ÂŁ800 for Shelterboxes which have proved so helpful in disasters over the last few years. Already over 1,500 have been sent to the Philippines and are in use in the storm-hit areas.

Children campaigning for their threatened nursery and out of school club at Blandford Children's Centre.

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December 2013

Cricketers angered by pavilion plans

Agents’ special offer YOUNGSTERS at the Panda Pre-School next to Milldown Primary School discovered that Christmas had come early when their leaders approached estate agents Goadsby for a prize for their Christmas fair raffle.

The kind-hearted agents asked if they could instead make a donation, and offered the group ÂŁ100, which was presented at the pre-school in mid-November. Chairman Hepzibah FowlerHickish said the money would go towards the purchase of outdoor play equipment.

It was on the pirate ship in the grounds that the children gathered to welcome Lorraine Cook (left), Hayley Carter and Fiona Forsyth (second from right), who arrived to make the presentation to Mrs Fowler-Hickish (centre), vice-chairman Caroline Dickson (third from right), and secretary Helen Dean (right).

PROPOSALS to relocate the Park Road cricket and football pavilions have angered some senior members of Blandford Cricket Club.

Plans have been drawn up by Blandford Town Council to combine facilities for both sports in one pavilion on the south side of the ground next to the children's play area and enlarge the car park currently used by footballers, cricketers and bowling club members by demolishing the now-closed lavatory block on its boundary.

But Dr Ian Wilson, former captain and now vice-president, and Dick Pullen, president, say the new position of the pavilion will ruin the sport in the town.

In a letter to town clerk Linda ScottGiles, Dr Wilson said: "It would dramatically change the look of the recreation ground and change the atmosphere by being so close to the road. It could negatively affect cricket in the town, where generations of cricketers have taken their children to watch in safety while their fathers and friends played."

Mr Pullen, like Dr Wilson a former Dorset County Cricket Club player, said: "There is something about looking down on to the pitch which will be lost and people will no longer want to

play here."

He said the pitch itself was highly regarded and well maintained by the town council, a service for which the club pays, but would fail to attract visiting teams if the outlook from the pavilion was changed. He also felt incorporating footballers' facilities would be too far from the football pitch.

The new pavilion is needed because the existing cricket pavilion is unsafe.

"If work is needed on the existing pavilion, it can be done, or a new pavilion built on the same site, because the services are already there," said Mr Pullen.

Plans were drawn up for the replacement after a series of meetings between council, cricket club and football club. At last month's town council meeting, Councillor Mike Owen said its position took into consideration the views of the police, fire service and provision of services and deliveries.

The council believes a site closer to the road will justify the cost to the taxpayer by making it suitable for community use and acceptable to those who may be able to provide funding.

They agreed that the scheme should be submitted as an application to North Dorset District Council.

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December 2013

Water work means bridleways closure BRIDLEWAYS crossing the new pipeline being laid by Wessex Water through the DT11 area from Sturminster Marshall to Tarrant Keyneston to Pimperne and on to Shaftesbury will be closed for a while during construction work.

An order was published last month for the temporary closure from 20th November to 14th May 2014 of sections of footpaths at Langton Long, Tarrant Monkton and Tarrant Rawston to comply with health and safety regulations.

No alternative route is possible, but Wessex Water representatives hosting a drop-in session at Ashley Wood Golf Club, whose boundary the new pipeline will skirt, explained that the actual closures were likely to be only for a AN evening of 'Magic, Mayhem and Mystery' with the highly acclaimed Steve Price was hosted by Blandford Evangelical Church as part of their Connect programme. Steve is one of only 300 members worldwide of the Inner Magic Circle.

few days, although the order covered a longer period.

Work started this year in preparation for the laying of the new main which will ensure a resilient supply across the county for the next 25 years.

A secondary pipeline laid down beside Black Lane from Blandford Camp to the Blandford bypass will allow the town to be supplied direct from a new storage tank being constructed at Snowsdown, outside the camp gates, serving the main from Corfe Mullen in the south to Salisbury.

Water for the town was in the past pumped from the station lower down Black Lane, but in future will be provided down a gravity supply from the new tank to an existing station on the recently developed Beaumont Park estate between Wimborne Road and Black Lane.

Church Road, Pimperne, from Bushes Lane to Manor Farm Close was also closed from 20th November to 6th December for works in relation to the construction of the new Pimperne Primary School.

Mayor kept in the dark MAYOR of Blandford Bob Brannigan had a taste of how it feels to be blind or partially sighted when he joined local members of the Dorset Association for the Blind and the Blandford Lions in the annual 'Blind Walk' around the town to highlight sight loss.

He was led blindfold around the town by the leader of the Blandford branch of the Dorset Blind Association, Margaret Hemus, who highlighted obstacles - A-boards and street furniture - along his route, and guided him via the tactile surfaces over the road crossings.

They were accompanied by members of the Macular Disease Support Group led by Edna Moore, and by members of the Blandford Lions Club promoting World Sight Day and their work around the world to educate people on the importance of proper eye health care.

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December 2013

Edna guest of honour at surprise party WELL-known Blandford volunteer worker Edna Moore was rendered almost speechless when she discovered that the 90th birthday pub lunch she thought she was attending turned into a surprise party at Durweston village hall.

She was met by more than 50 family members and friends from the various organisations in which she has been involved who were invited to share her anniversary.

"You are all my family," she said, thanking her daughter, two sons and grandchildren for arranging the gathering at which they enjoyed a sit-down meal and short film show of her life.

Mrs Moore and her husband Doug, who met in Ilford, Essex, where both were brought up, came to the town in the early 1990s to live closer to their daughter Cheryl Arnold and family, of Okeford Fitzpaine.

She first became involved with the Cavalcade of Costume, now Blandford Fashion Museum,

Band’s swansong for Friends

Edna Moore and her husband Doug with daughter Cheryl Arnold at Edna’s 90th birthday party. where she became secretary and then chairman of the management committee, bookings secretary and tea room volunteer.

She also in the late 1990s became secretary of the Blandford Townswomen's Guild for which she was awarded the Doreen Samuels Plate for volunteer of the year by the Guild's Dorset Federation earlier this year.

She had previously worked in the WAAF during the war as a

Morse instructor, in secretarial and administrative roles, and as a newsagent with Doug following his retirement from work with the Daily Express.

In 1999, she and Doug became founder officers of the Blandford branch of Age Concern, and her most recent initiative, in her late 80s, was the formation of the Blandford branch of the Macular Society, the charity for people affected by age-related macular degeneration, when she herself fell victim to failing eyesight.

FURTHER work is being carried out on proposals to cut the number of subsidised bus services in Dorset.

Dorset County Council's Cabinet members considered the responses to a second public consultation launched in the summer which revealed the detrimental effect of the loss of Saturday and one-day-aweek services which had been under threat.

They were told that officers were now seeking ways to maintain key Saturday services by possibly curtailing weekday timetables, and costs of removing all services from any community were being identified to illustrate whether it was appropriate to do so.

THE Friends of Blandford Community Hospital are delighted to be working with the local Band of the Royals Corps of Signals for one last time before they move to the Midlands in 2014.

Always extremely popular locally, the band will be greatly missed when they leave Blandford, and their final Christmas concert for the Friends at the Coade Hall, Bryanston, on Friday 20th December is courtesy of Bryanston School.

Tickets will be available on the night at a cost of £10 if the concert is not already sold out, but can be purchased in advance for £8 from the hospital or either of the Friends' charity shops in Blandford and Sturminster Newton.

Proceeds from the night will be shared between the Friends and the band's charity, The Corps of Army Music Trust.

With the upcoming commitment of £600,000 towards the massive redevelopment of the Portman Ward area of the hospital it was more important than ever that this year's autumn fair was a great success, and together with the annual grand raffle, £6,325 was raised securing an estimated net profit of more than £5,700.

The charity thanked the fantastic team of volunteers that made it happen and all those who attended to support fundraising for Blandford hospital and other health-related projects throughout the community.

For further information on the Friends, their activities and upcoming events visit the website: www.friendsblandford.org or call the office on 01258 450095.

From left to right, Julie Joyce, Pam Sanger, Gwen Moger and Primrose Clothier, all volunteers from the Blandford shop in front of the kitchen stall at the Friends' autumn fair.

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December 2013

Mixed reception for new homes scheme PROPOSALS have been put forward for possible development of land south of Blandford bypass opposite Bryanston Hills at Blandford St Mary.

Morgan Carey Architects, at the beginning of November, hosted a well-attended exhibition at the Crown Hotel on behalf of Blandford St Mary Homes Ltd and Linley Abbott, showing how homes might be built on the site, with access from the A354 Dorchester road and A350 Bournemouth Road, and a pedestrian link over the bypass towards the town.

There was a mixed reception from those viewing the proposals as a possible alternative to development of the Crown Meadows and welcoming the prospect of a development similar to the awardwinning Bryanston Hills which was also designed by Morgan Carey, and those wary of such a large

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development off the Bournemouth Road in Blandford St Mary.

No planning application has yet been submitted for the scheme, but there are hopes that it could be considered as part of the further development of the new North Dorset Local Plan, whose final draft is now out for public consultation.

A drop-in exhibition is being held in Blandford Parish Centre on Thursday 12th December between 10am to 7pm to allow people to view and comment on the draft of the plan which will determine where 4,200 new homes are built across North Dorset, including nearly 1,000 in the Blandford area.

The consultation is open until 24th January and the plan, plus all supporting information, can be viewed on the council's website at www.dorsetforyou.com/planning/ north-dorset/planning-policy.

Copies are also available for inspection at the district council's office in Blandford and at local libraries.

Anthony Davey with the fallen tree which hit his hired van just before he was due to get in.

Storm brings down trees BLANDFORD escaped relatively lightly in the storm which threatened the country and caused much damage across the south on the night of 27th and 28th October.

Anthony Davey had a narrow escape when a tree fell on his hired van in Tin Pot Lane, Blandford, just ten minutes before he was due to get into the driving seat.

Tin Pot Lane was closed by the tree and traffic to and from the industrial estate had to be diverted through the Blandford Heights estate along a stretch of road in front of Hospital Metalcraft which has yet to be opened as a through route.

It was one of a number of trees brought down, together with power and telephone lines which left some areas cut off, but the damage in the centre of town was limited.

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December 2013

Town set for a festival of fun THE Blandford Yuletide Festival on Wednesday 11th December (11th of the 12th of the 13th) promises another evening packed with song, carols and festivities, starting at 6pm with the first highlight at 6.30pm of the lantern parade of primary schools in the Blandford Network.

The massed parade will be led this year by the Band of the Royal Corps of Signals, the Stour Valley Brass Band and the Shaftesbury Town Band. It will process along East Street, through the Market Place and up Salisbury Street, returning through The Plocks to the front of the church for community carol singing starting at 7pm which is expected to fill the Market Place.

During the evening, shoppers will be able to sample the delights of the Anonymous Travelling Market, the Farmers Market, and the Italian Market as well as local shops opening late into the evening. Father Christmas will be in attendance, and there will be a tombola, hog roast, mulled wine and entertainment from the Molly Dancers, choirs and Breeze Radio.

The Blandford Museum will be open, with the promise of mulled wine and refreshments, and at 8.30pm there will be a firework finale in a display organised by 'Firework Solutions' of Wimborne.

In the run-up to the festival comes first the

Christmas lights switch-on at 6.45pm on Friday 6th December in the Market Place after carols and Father Christmas in the Corn Exchange, and followed by the Civic Carol Service in the Parish Church.

On Saturday 7th the Blandford Lions host their annual pre-Christmas craft fair, again with Father Christmas, and there will be free parking in district council car parks from 12 noon as part of Small Business Saturday promoted by the government.

The Town Council has again organised a Christmas shop window competition to encourage shopkeepers to enhance the town's image and create a wonderful atmosphere for residents and visitors. The decorated windows will be judged over the weekend of 6th to 8th December, and Mayor Bob Brannigan will present awards to shopkeepers at their premises on Wednesday 11th.

The farmers will be back with their Christmas market on Friday 13th, and on Saturday 14th there will again be free parking, this time all day, in off-street car parks thanks to Blandford Town Council, but with the warning that normal time limits apply.

For other Christmas events and services, please see our back page listings columns.

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December 2013

Riverside paths get a £20k makeover A COMMUNITY group led by Blandford Rotarians has been awarded nearly £20,000 from the Natural England Paths for Communities (P4C) grant scheme to create an all-weather path and disabled access to the Marsh and Ham meadow next to the River Stour at Blandford.

The meadow, one of the series of meadows in Blandford which collectively received a Green Flag Award for the standard of their environmental management, is subject to frequent flooding from the river, which makes the existing path difficult to use, particularly in wet weather.

The project will provide floodresistant paths and viewing areas, and a ramp from the top of the steps by the Blandford roadbridge allowing access by wheelchair, mobility scooter and bicycle.

In early November volunteers

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started to carry out preliminary work, such as vegetation clearance and path preparation before the contractors moved in.

They also helped with the installation of the ramp, signage and interpretation board.

Organisations involved in the project include Blandford Rotary and Blandford Stour Rotary, Youth Aid, the Blandford Environmental Trust and Disability Action Group (North Dorset) in association with Dorset Countryside.

Nic Nicol, of Blandford Rotary, said: "Our funding from Paths for Communities is based on match funding from Blandford Stour Rotary and volunteer input from everyone in the group.

“Once the work is completed, all volunteers will be invited to our launch event, which will be held on Saturday 22nd December to officially open the new path and ramp."

To find out more, or to offer help, email g.stanley@dorsetcc.gov.uk or call or text Nic Nicol on 07793 048075.

Volunteers set to work on removing the old surface of paths on the Marsh and Ham ready for a new flood resistant path to be laid.

Police front desk may be closed THE front desk at Blandford police station could close from next April as part of a county-wide rationalisation of services estimated to save the police authority £500,000.

The suggestion was discussed at a consultation workshop in the town on 15th November, where local councillors and other interested parties met with North Dorset's neighbourhood police inspector Shawn Whitley He said Blandford's was one of three front desks in North Dorset which would either be closed or have their hours considerably reduced for a trial period. Only Shaftesbury, the busiest desk, would remain open, for two hours on two days a week. Each of the front desks received no more than seven visits a day, and Blandford's was the least used with five.

"Our services need to deliver the most efficient, effective and customerfocused service possible," he said. Dorset Police were this year recruiting 12 officers and 63 special constables. Three new police community support officers would be starting in Blandford early next year.

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December 2013

Remembrance week starts with ceremony at war graves

Two of the wreaths on the railings outside the Corn Exchange.

ARMED Forces representatives gathered with members of Blandford Royal British Legion branch to hold a brief ceremony at the start of Remembrance week at the war memorial in Blandford cemetery.

The cemetery holds the graves of service personnel killed in the two world wars and since, including those both of Blandford people and those of foreign nationals who died when they were based locally or whilst serving their own country.

The ceremony was led by branch chairman Veronica Jenkins, and included the playing of the Last Post by trumpeter Geordie Thomson and lowering of the standard by Blandford's new standard bearer, Cpl Andrew Dean.

They were joined by Blandford Mayor and British Legion President Lt Col (Retd) Bob Brannigan, WO1 Neil Ledger of the Royal Marines, and Chief of Staff Wing Commander Shane Dowley, of the Defence School CIS at Blandford Camp, who represented the Commandant.

After the ceremony, the group

Blandford Forum Mayor, Bob Brannigan, and his Mayoress Carole, left, with Wng Cdr Shane Powley RAF, Chief of Staff of the Defence School of Communications and Information Systems, WO1 Neil Ledger, Royal Marines, and Veronica Jenkins, chairman of the Blandford and District Branch RBL, at the memorial board in Blandford Cemetery. Below: Mr Brannigan lays a wreath. were able to view the new board installed by Blandford Town Council at the entrance to the Service graves listing all those buried there.

The board was provided with funding from the Armed Forces Community Covenant Grant with information from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which maintains the war graves in the cemetery.

Mr Brannigan said: "They include the graves of members of the Army, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force who were then still listed with their army ranks, members of the Royal Naval Division, and Canadian and German servicemen. Also listed are those who died after the war ended when their lives were claimed by the flu epidemic at the end of 1918."

A look back at the year before the world changed for ever At the civic Remembrance Day service following the parade and ceremony in the Market Place, on Sunday 10th November, the theme anticipated the forthcoming centenary of the outbreak of the First World War, and the congregation was reminded first of 100 years ago in a presentation of pictures from the time.

The Rector, the Rev Tim Storey, described it as "the year before the world changed for ever", the end of the era of "Edwardian innocence" followed by conflicts and hostilities which had scarred the world ever since.

Paying particular tribute to Nelson Mandela for his work towards reconciliation, he highlighted the difficult role of the armed services as peacemakers, in which, he said, their work was often only recognised when they paid the ultimate sacrifice.

A moving poem was illustrated on film with a reminder of the fallen in recent conflicts, and followed by the song 'May the Road Rise Before You' from the Blandford Garrison Community Choir.

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December 2013

The Mayor of Blandford Bob Brannigan and chairman of North Dorset District Council Su Hunt carry their wreaths. Below: Standard bearers in the parade.

Plans take shape for WW1 centenary PLANS are being made across the country for four years of commemoration of the event which claimed so many millions of lives worldwide, and in Blandford a working party has been set up to coordinate those planned locally.

They include an open-air civic service on Sunday 3rd August, 2014, the installation of a paving stone memorial to Blandford war hero Jack Counter VC, and a series of events including film shows, poetry readings, drama and music reflecting a First World War theme.

Blandford Museum is working to put together displays, educational material and other information for a WWI project which will go on display when it opens for the season next Easter.

As part of the project they are working with members of the U3A and other individuals to research soldiers named on the war memorials in Blandford and the surrounding villages, and would like to hear from people with photos and other memorabilia of relatives who fought in WWI, both those who survived and those named on the memorials. They are also interested in other memorabilia from this time.

Anyone with items of interest is asked to contact the museum on blandfordtownmuseum@uwclub.net or call 01258 450388, leaving a message with name and phone number.

The Band of the Royal Corps of Signals plays before the Remembrance Day ceremony.

Left: A wreath is laid at Durweston war memorial on behalf of Dorset Police.

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December 2013

Awards say a big thank you to county volunteers VOLUNTEERS from the Blandford area were among the scores attending the Dorset Volunteer Centre's annual awards evening as part of National Volunteering Week in Dorchester at the end of October.

The ceremony was introduced by Alan Knott, who said it was held to celebrate the time and skills freely given by the nominees and their colleagues, and awards were presented by Mayor of Dorchester Stella Jones and Dorset's Deputy Lord Lieutenant Jeremy Pope.

He said that as High Sheriff last year he had learned a great deal about the vast range of activities in the county supported by volunteers, including the 600 who came forward for the Olympics in

Steve Adamson of the DT11 Forum receives his award for the Trailway Broadband project from Mayor of Dorchester Stella Jones.

Weymouth & Portland.

Recipients included the DT11 Forum community partnership, whose Steve Adamson received an award as volunteer of the year for his work on the Trailway Broadband project, and the Disability Action Group (North Dorset), which was nominated for a group award and also for individual awards for their shop manager Tony Dando and workshop manager Mike Wells.

There was also an individual

The Disability Action Group (North Dorset) volunteers, from left, John Colgan, Mike Wells,Tony Dando and Carolyn Carter, with the group award presented by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Jeremy Pope, right. award for Blandford Oxfam Bookshop volunteer Carla Wiggs, who as a Southampton University student was unable to attend the presentation evening but was nominated for her lovely attitude towards all age groups and for suggesting a novel fundraising idea.

The tables were turned on a team

of volunteers who are more used to giving out awards themselves when those responsible for the Dorset Best Village Competition for the past 27 years on behalf of Dorset Community Action were each given an award.

They included Peter Slocombe of Pimperne and Rita Burden of Winterborne Zelston.

The Dorset Best Village Competition team, from left, Martin Burden, Peter Slocombe, Eileen Bryan and Rita Burden, were presented with their award by Deputy Lord Lieutenant Jeremy Pope, right.

(Pictures courtesy of Volunteer Centre Dorset)

Hopstep dance night for charity THE Hambledon Hopstep ceilidh band is hosting a Christmas Party and dance in aid of the Trussell Trust foodbanks at Durweston village hall on 6th December.

The band play regularly through the year for private parties, weddings and community events, but every now and again they organise an event themselves to fundraise for a good cause.

An evening of good fun, with song, music and dancing is promised.

Tickets can be reserved by calling 01305 267682.

Move to cut Black Lane speeds MONITORING of traffic speeds in Black Lane, Blandford, is to be continued after 98 activations of a speed recorder in a two-and-a-half-hour period were recorded recently, followed by a further 38 activations two days later.

A request for a speed indicator device to be installed is to be considered by Blandford Town Council's town and general purposes committee.

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December 2013

Letter to the Editor

This parking strategy could save our town SOMETIMES it seems that North Dorset District Council wants to finish Blandford off for good!

All over the country we see town centres dead or dying. In some small towns the only shops existing are charity shops. With the closure of the shops, there is no reason for people to come into town. Pubs and restaurants become run down and empty.

Tourists don't visit or stay.

Blandford seems superficially to be holding its own, but even in Blandford many of the existing shops and businesses are struggling - and for them the recession is still biting deep. It is not just the recession and the competition from supermarkets, but the huge increase in online shopping that is hitting local shops and businesses hard.

What can be done to save our town? The answer is 60 minutes Free Parking!

What has been done opposite West Quay in Southampton and other areas is that the first 30 minutes parking is FREE. Thereafter it is chargeable.

If the first 60 minutes were free throughout Blandford it would massively encourage shoppers to the centre of town. People would pop into the bakers, the butcher, the newsagents etc. More people would use Morrisons if they chose to. At the moment huge numbers just use Tesco because the free parking makes it so easy.

All car parking should be free after 4pm, free after 1pm on Saturday, and free all day

Sunday. I believe this is URGENT! Something needs to be done BEFORE more struggling businesses fail. As the first shops and businesses fail, it quickly has a domino effect as fewer and fewer people come into a town.

To change the parking meters to provide the first 60 minutes FREE would not be a major exercise. The technology is widely used. The next 60 minutes could be at a higher rate than now perhaps £1, so that North Dorset's net revenue from parking is unlikely to drop at all.

However, the net effect on Blandford's continued existence as a bustling town would be enormous. We must remember that North Dorset DC also benefits from ongoing business rates from thriving shops.

It has also been proposed to use £350,000 of the community levy on Asda to provide a bus service from the centre of Blandford to Asda. This would only further take business from the town centre, and would benefit no-one but Asda.

A much better use of some of the Asda money would be to support the 60-minute free parking scheme in town if necessary.

I believe that this scheme would carry the support of every shopper and every shopkeeper in Blandford.

NDDC - please act NOW. John Charnley Blandford Forum

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A stack of new traffic cones BLANDFORD Town Council is buying 350 'No waiting' cones costing about £7 each - up to a total cost of £2,500 - for use at council-run events and for use by community groups.

The heavy, stackable cones will be marked with BFTC and will first be made available for use by the Blandford Yuletide Festival group.

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December 2013

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December 2013

Boost for care group A DEMENTIA care group at Trailway Court in Blandford, established with just five members, is now into double figures after seeing the benefit of funding sourced on their behalf by the county's Partnership for Older People's Project.

A grant was given from the NHS and DCC dementia innovation fund to cover the cost of a 'shopping list' drawn up by the group with the help of their leaders Helen Record, Alison Wolfendale and Emma Knowles.

The list included an iPad, a date clock, a white board and flipcharts, a memory box, and board games for which group members are joined by visiting volunteer students from Bryanston School.

Jacquie Bolson said her role as 'POPP champion' was to help establish group activities to achieve good neighbourhoods with appropriate support, and with the help of another group started with POPP's support, Bus2Go based in Milborne St Andrew, to act as fund managers, they had been able to purchase everything on the list.

NEWS IN BRIEF

Arts venue plan goes in

Emma Knowles (left) and Alison Wolfendale of the Trailway Court dementia care group and Jacquie Bolson (right) of the Dorset Partnership for Older People Project with the equipment purchased for their dementia care group at Trailway Court thanks to Dorset POPP.

Sir John Tavener’s death ONE of Britain's most celebrated contemporary composers, Sir John Tavener, has died at his home in Child Okeford, aged 69, after suffering health problems for a number of years.

Sir John rose to prominence in the late 1960s when his oratorio The Whale was premiered and attracted popular attention with works such as The Protecting Veil, The Lamb, Eternity's Sunrise and with Song For Athene, performed at the funeral of Diana, Princess of Wales, in 1997.

He was knighted for services to music in the Millennium Honours list, and is survived by his wife Maryanna and three children.

A PLANNING application was submitted last month for The Fording Point, a purpose built arts venue proposed for a site owned by the William Williams Trust opposite The Blandford Museum in Bere’s Yard, Blandford.

Film director Jon Ivay, who is spearheading the development of the 200 seat theatre and cinema with visual arts display facilities, said: "The William Williams Trust are happy and the Town Council have given the project its blessing.”

More markets THE INDOOR market which ran fortnightly in Blandford Corn Exchange has been extended to operate weekly in response to traders' requests.

Town councillors were told that it was also an opportunity for the council to increase income.

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December 2013

Final fun for smart dogs BLANDFORD dog agility trainer Jo Tristram and two of her dogs have qualified for the prestigious Kennel Club Olympic Agility Stakes finals to be held in London this month.

Jo, 31, will be competing in both the large category with her crossbreed Bitz and in the novice category with border collie Tuesday.

The country's most talented agility dogs and handlers have been competing in qualifying heats at shows across the country to get a place in the finals from 18-22 December as part of the London International Horse Show.

Jo said: "I'm thrilled to have both dogs competing. I hope my young dog Tuesday loves the buzz as much as Bitz does."

Chapel work A FAMILY fun day at the Stour Inn, Blandford St Mary, hosted by licensees Lance and Ali Ferguson, raised hundreds of pounds for the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.

There were games, face-painting and an inspired last-minute idea of a table at which children could carve pumpkins for Halloween.

Pictured (above left) are children and staff member Lauren Milner at the pumpkin dressing table, and (above right) seven-year-old Tamara at the Weldmar sunflower stall.

BLANDFORD Town Council has agreed to bring forward outstanding maintenance work at the town's cemetery chapel costing ÂŁ4,612 so that it can be carried out at the same time as repairs to the fire damage caused by an arsonist in September.

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December 2013

Special day for wedding firm A BLANDFORD-based wedding business has been nominated for a national industry award with one of the UK's leading wedding publications.

Forget-me-not Vintage is up for the Best Special Touches award in the Wedding Ideas Magazine 2014 awards.

Proprietor Lucy Hinks (pictured right) said: "I'm absolutely thrilled to have been nominated for such a huge award, especially since the competi-

tion is very tough and the votes are from real consumers. My business is my passion and allows me to do a job I love in an industry I love."

Forget-me-not Vintage was established in 2010 and offers vintage china, tableware and accessory hire for weddings and other occasions.

Voting closed on 26th November and finalists will be invited to attend an awards ceremony at the 4* Tower Hotel, London in January.

Kate’s B&B breakfasts have a golden flavour

Baking professional Cat Siviter from Neff enticed customers with delicious recipes during an open day event at Country Image on the Sunrise Business Park, Blandford.

The results of the cooking demonstrations were well received by customers who enjoyed sampling the best of baking from the Total Control AGA cooker, Neff multifunction oven and the latest compact steam oven.

Brewery aid for coast path HALL & Woodhouse's Badger Ales have sponsored the improvement of a popular section of the South West Coast Path close to The Smuggler's Inn at Osmington Mills in Dorset to mark the path's 40th anniversary, in association with the South West Coast Path Association.

A 50-metre section of the path had started to deteriorate due to a combination of use and poor drainage, and a new, sealed surface has been laid down to make a much more pleasant walking experience.

A TASTE of the West gold award for hospitality is being proudly displayed at the Heathcote House bed and breakfast in Milborne St Andrew run by Kate Guilor (right).

Locally sourced or home-grown produce is central to meals featuring Aga-cooked breakfasts, home-made cakes and preserves, and apples, plums and berries grown in the half-acre garden, eaten under the shade of a 70-year-old grape vine in the garden breakfast room.

Judges declared the breakfast "perfect". Kate said: "Winning a Taste of the West gold award for hospitality is a real pat on the back. Living in Dorset and being surrounded by amazing producers makes sourcing food for breakfast a real pleasure, and when I'm making jam from the figs I've grown in the garden to serve to our guests, the pleasure it gives me cannot be described.

"Taste of the West understands and supports small businesses like mine as we strive to offer wonderful local flavours and truly memorable hospitality."

Recycling paying off RESIDENTS have been congratulated on more than doubling the recycling rate in North Dorset since the Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) introduced the 'recycle for Dorset' collection service in June.

In July, people in North Dorset recycled 64% of their household waste, compared to just 30% in July 2012, and additional recyclable materials recovered from 34% of other rubbish taken to a waste treatment facility in Poole resulted in less than 2% being sent to landfill.

Cllr Michael Roake, portfolio holder for the environment at North Dorset District Council and vicechair of the Dorset Waste Partnership Joint Committee, said: "Every householder in the district should be congratulated for this magnificent achievement, which will save Dorset taxpayers landfill tax and fees and reduce our impact on the environment."

FOCUS on business

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December 2013

FOCUS on business

Bright new look to Post Office BLANDFORD'S newly refurbished Post Office in the Tabernacle reopened on 24th October to be greeted by a long queue of customers eager to obtain services and see the new layout.

Post Office Limited's new-style Main Post Office branches providing new post office counters with the aim of creating a more modern and convenient retail experience for customers, including longer opening hours.

And on 4th November, North Dorset MP Bob Walter, who was instrumental in securing a temporary bus service to the previously refurbished Shaftesbury office for customers during the 10-day closure, cut the ribbon after also officially reopening the Shaftesbury service.

The Blandford office is now open all day on Saturday as well as Monday to Friday.

Both are owned and managed

by Eddie Herbert of Interim Enterprise Investments, who said the bus service had not been well used but had been helpful to a number of customers.

The refurbishment is part of a three-year investment and support programme to convert 6,000 outlets nationwide into

Mr Walter said: "Our post offices provide a vital service to local residents of all ages and I am pleased to see this investment coming to North Dorset.

Saturday afternoon opening will, in particular, offer greater convenience and more choice of when to visit the post office."

The new-style counters include an application and enrolment and identity kiosk allowing easier renewal of licences and other documents, and the more openplan and lighter interior benefits from internal lighting above the stained glass ceiling.

North Dorset MP Bob Walter cuts the ribbon to officially reopen Blandford’s refurbished post office.

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December 2013

FOCUS on business

Local firm hosts visit of civic chain gang BRISTOL Maid, manufacturers of medical furniture and equipment, based on Blandford Heights industrial estate, hosted 15 mayors and mayoresses from the local area at an event organised by Mayor of Blandford Bob Brannigan.

The visit of the 'Chain Gang' was arranged to promote Blandford business and included a presentation followed by a guided tour.

Managing director Stuart Davis said: "We are extremely proud to be able to show the councillors what we do here at Bristol Maid, the commitment of our staff and the significance that we hold in the local community."

Those in attendance included Cllr Brannigan and his deputy Steve Hitchings, Cllr Maggie Ray and Martin Ray from Bridport, Cllr Andy Hampton of Wimborne, Cllr Dominic Elliott of Sherborne, Cllr Joe Rose of Sturminster Newton, Cllr Gillian Summers from West Dorset District Council, Cllr Malcolm Birr of East Dorset District Council, Cllr Su Hunt of North Dorset District Council, Cllr Malcolm Russell from Wareham, Cllr Val Pothecary of Gillingham, Cllr Robin Pailthorpe of Crewkerne, Cllr Bill Trite of Purbeck, Cllr John Dean of Chickerell and Cllr Ray Banham and Pamela Nixon of Weymouth and Portland.

The civic 'Chain Gang' at the entrance to Bristol Maid.

Tower is simply a-mazing!

DURWESTON maze builders Adrian Fisher Designs have created an octagonal maze tower at their headquarters at Portman Lodge to demonstrate their work to potential customers.

Built over the summer, the walls have courses of flint, in the distinctive local Dorset style and the overhanging brickwork is higher than the floor level of the upper deck, to create the illusion of greater height.

Planning permission was granted in 2004 for the tower, which is at the centre of a now-mature yew hedge maze planted in the same year, and has a Gothic oak doorway.

The interior will contain mirrors arranged hexagonally, creating multiple reflections around the restored Victorian spiral staircase.

Views of the maze, gardens and landscape can be seen from the castellated battlements.

The company, which had created installations all over the world but was also responsible for the design of the tree mosaic

The maze tower at Portman Lodge in Durweston. in Blandford's Woodhouse Gardens for the Charter 400 celebrations, is now working on the design, for 2014, of a new

panel fence maze which will be opening at a golf centre in Rosscarbery, near Cork, in the west of Ireland.

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December 2013

Tourist team visit manor

Andy leaps in honour of his gran A FORMER Blandford man raised more than £1,500 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association when he made a skydive two years to the day after the death of his grandmother.

Jan Leahy, who lived in Fifehead St Quinton for many years and later at Ibberton on Bulbarrow, was diagnosed with MND in August 2011.

She lost her battle on 28th September 2011, and grandson Andy Smith, who now lives in London but did the jump at Old Sarum airfield near Salisbury, said: "We lost an amazing woman. When my nan got the diagnosis my family didn't know what to do or how to support her until they contacted the MND Association.

"They put us in contact with the Dorset branch who were fantastic. The support they offered her and all of the family was invaluable, and even after her passing they still continued to care about and support my family.

SIXTEEN volunteers from Blandford's Information Centre last month enjoyed an informative and interesting visit to Edmonsham House.

They were entertained by its owner Julia Smith, who spoke most amusingly about the house and its incumbents since it was built in 1563.

The volunteers also learned about the treasure trove of fabrics, pictures and furniture.

Andy Smith on his skydive over Old Sarum airfield for the Motor Neurone Disease Association.

"This is my way of thanking them for everything they did for us and continue to do for those affected by this cruel debilitating disease."

Find out more or donate on his page at http://www.justgiving.com/Andrew-Smith2212.

AN intriguing knitting exhibition, Blooming Marvellous, is being exhibited by the Springhead Trust, which this year is celebrating its 40th anniversary at Fontmell Magna.

The intergenerational community knitting/crochet 3D garden developed by artist Pauline Stanley is on show in association with Artsreach from 30th November to 8th December between 10am and 3.30pm. Admission is £3 (£2.50 for Friends of Springhead) with refreshments available.

Ambassadors’ anniversary THE Ambassadors Big Band will celebrate their 30th anniversary with a concert at the Crown Hotel, Blandford, on Sunday 8th December.

The band was formed in 1983 by 10 instrumentalists in Charlton Marshall to play music for ballroom dancers.

In their concert with musical director Bryan Johnson they will be joined by special guests, the Forum Saxophone Quartet, and will be performing from 7.30pm.

Tickets at £5 are available from the Crown (01258 456626) or by calling 01929 471809.

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December 2013

Rotary backing for young enterprise BLANDFORD Rotary is sponsoring a team from The Blandford School in the Young Enterprise competition.

A group of Year 12 students have to decide on a product, produce a business plan and get the product manufactured and sold, all within two hours per week - outside normal school hours - in time for the Dorset final next May. Rotary members visited the Young Enterprise team during one of their business meetings to see how they are progressing.

President John Bentley said:

The Blandford School Young Enterprise team (from left): Jasmine, Emily, Charlotte, Lindsay - Managing Director, Ash, Jess and Aklema, work on their business plan, watched by Robbie (business advisor and MD of last year's team) and members of Blandford Rotary, Sid Falla, President John Bentley and Vic Chippendale.

"Although they are at an early stage of the process, we were impressed by their determination to produce a viable business

Grant boost for activities of historic charity A PROGRAMME of activities at the Old School in Sturminster Marshall is continuing and being extended thanks to a capital grant of ÂŁ19,000 for further refurbishment of the building which should be completed by April.

The award to the Mackrell Charity, which promotes the wide programme of lifelong learning opportunities and cultural activities, has come from the Viridor Credits Environmental Company, through the Landfill Communities Fund.

The charity was founded in 1799 by William Mackrell of Spetisbury to provide a school and two teachers for 50 poor children of Sturminster Marshall and the surrounding area. Over the years the state education system developed, a new school was built in the village and Mr Mackrell's charity and the old school building were neglected.

But in 1993 it was re-started, the first activity being an art class, still going strong, followed by a series of Millennium Lectures in 1999-2000 which now continue as the Mackrell Lectures, the next of which by Mr Daniels is 'The Art and Craft of Stone Masonry' on 7th December.

Next year, in addition to the normal programme of events, the charity will be launching a variety of activities to recognise the anniversaries of the outbreak of World War One and D-Day. Further information can be found on the website www.mackrellcharity.org.uk.

plan and beat the third place last year's team achieved."

Emily, the team's secretary, said: "I thought it would be interesting to get involved in a business and learn how to market and sell a real product."

A total of 25 Dorset schools are entering teams this year and the winners will go on to the regional final and from there to the national final.

Dorset Young Enterprise Manager, Sue Tattersall, told the Rotarians that the competition gives students an opportunity to "learn by doing" in a way that cannot be taught in the classroom. "Employers love the Young Enterprise scheme and students who can put their YE experience on their CV have a distinct advantage in the workplace," she said.

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December 2013

FOCUS on schools

Writers spell out their most creative secrets

Bewigged horror writer David Gatward at Clayesmore Senior School's writing week.

GUEST speakers at a writing week at Clayesmore Senior School included Big Issue and investigative journalist Lucy Johnston, best-selling author Steve Vauke, fantasy novelist Kate Oliver, librettist Ben Kaye, author Kavan Scott and, the week before Halloween, best-selling horror writer David Gatward.

David spoke about his early influences, his love of horror films and his obsession with the darker side of fiction, offering quirky observations and proving he certainly wasn't afraid of looking silly when he donned a whacky red wig to illustrate the story of his eventful life.

The four-day event was a perfect opportunity for senior pupils to pick up a host of handy tips for improving their writing skills. It was organised

by English teacher Harriet Perrett and the various workshops and lectures offered fascinating insights into writing styles from the wildly creative to the formally factual.

Artist Henrietta Young with Year 8 pupil Maddy Fox at Knighton House School.

How to tackle portraits head-on EMINENT portrait artist Henrietta Young shared her expertise with Year 8 Knighton House girls who are working towards an exhibition of self-portrait paintings.

Mrs Young, who lives locally, was delighted to be back at Knighton where she taught art in the '80s and early '90s.

She said: "I found the girls extremely bright and receptive, and it brought back very happy memories of my time at Knighton."

Explaining how portrait painting is less to do with skill than intuition, she said: "There is a huge differ-

ence between accurately copying someone's face, feature by feature, and managing to capture the character of that person. Many people won't even attempt it.�

Mrs Anna Bogue, head of art at Knighton, said: "Henrietta has really inspired the girls and was so generous with her advice and support. You can already see the difference it has made to their understanding of portraiture."

The students will be exhibiting their work 'Self Portrait with Crown' at Pythouse, near Tisbury from 4th December with a private view on Saturday 7th December.

CLAYESMORE Senior School's head of girls' games, Tracy Cook, followed up on her success as English champion at Triathlon England's National Championships in July by winning a silver medal for her age group in the more gruelling Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.

The Hawaii event was four times the distance of the Olympicdistance triathlon. It was held in Kailua-Kona and attracted 2,500 competitors from around the world.

Tracy completed a 3,800m swim across Kailua-Kona Bay, a 112-mile bike ride over a lava desert and finally a 26.2-mile run in 95 degree heat in an impressive time of 9 hours 46 minutes.

She won the medal and a ranking of 31st female in the world.

Young riders jump to success in third inter-school contest KNIGHTON House School's equestrian success continued after Bryanston and Leweston Inter Schools' riding competitions with a further win at the Bovington showjumping event.

Annabel Alers-Hankey, Martha Allhusen, Louisa Harman and Lily Ryder won the team event and, out of a class of 45 individuals, the girls took three of the top four individual placings: Annabel was 1st, Lily 3rd and Louisa 4th.

Mrs Catherine Goddard, head of riding at Knighton House, said: "We are thrilled with our recent run of awards. The girls' work and effort is Annabel Alers-Hankey, first in the individual placings at the Bovington paying off with some fantastic inter-schools show-jumping event. achievements."

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December 2013

New school for village comes a step closer A START on the long-awaited new Pimperne Primary School has delighted parents, staff, governors and children at the school.

The closure of Church Road, Pimperne, has been in effect since the middle of November for services to be put into place, and once these works have been completed, the local authority will start work on the new school site.

The expected completion date should see the school ready for the pupils to begin in the late autumn term next year.

Head teacher Jerome de Silva said: "We are so very excited

about the reality of our new village school. There is a real positive buzz about Pimperne Primary anyway, with the exciting learning opportunities and close working between home and school. The starting of the new school has just made the buzz even more exciting!"

The school held two successful open days in November for parents, families and prospective parents for Reception Class for September 2014. Any families who may have missed the open days should contact the school office for further information.

Pupils in a world of colour Janet Warwick and husband Dennis with Mandy Wyeth, organiser of a charity fair in Blandford Corn Exchange.

YEAR 2 pupils at Clayesmore Pre-Prep had an exciting immersion in the vibrant world of Nepalese festivities when they were invited to join a pupil's family celebrations for Dashain.

This important Nepalese festival is celebrated for 15 days and reminds everyone of the universal principles of truth, justice and virtue, with an emphasis on familial gatherings.

Their first stop was Blandford Camp, where about 60 Nepalese families are based and, in honour of Dashain, the Temple had been decorated with fruit, flowers and twinkling lights.

The children lit a candle to place on the altar and were 'blessed' by Head of Pre-Prep, Miss Jackson.

Tikka was put on their foreheads and they were wished health, happiness and good fortune.

The boys were presented with patterned Nepalese hats and the girls with headscarves.

Celebrations continued at Downlands School where the festival-goers enjoyed traditional Nepalese dancing performed by costumed dancers.

Guidance and enlightenment in Dashain celebrations for pupils from Clayesmore Pre-Prep

JANET Warwick found herself well stocked with Christmas presents for her grandchildren when she was the winner of a range of board games as one of the prizes in the raffle at the fair held in Blandford Corn Exchange in support of the Three Ells Charity and Stourpaine parish church.

The fair was organised by Mandy and Carl Wyeth, of Warrington Walk, Blandford, and their children, who were supported by the charity and church when their daughter Ruby Hope died at 11 weeks after being diagnosed in

the womb with a rare chromosome deficiency.

Stalls at the fair included one selling Mandy's own cushions and other items sold as 'Ruby's Miracle Gifts'.

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December 2013

Acting roles need filling CASTING was taking place last month for a production by Blandford Amateur Dramatics of Noel Coward's Relative Values, which is scheduled to take place in Blandford Corn Exchange in the first week of April.

But there are still two roles to be filled by two glamorous young people, a guy and a girl, to play the American movie stars in the comedy which revolves around the engagement of an earl to the actress who turns out to be the sister of his mother's maid.

Work is continuing this month with a read-through of the script at rehearsals on Tuesday and Thursday evenings in the Parish Rooms and United Reformed Church Hall.

Anyone interested in taking part in the production, either on stage, backstage or front of house, should contact Terence Dear on 01258 480887 or 07753 708958 or email 65tpdear@gmail.com.

The African Children's Choir on stage at The Blandford School.

The sound of Africa THERE was a full house at The Blandford School for a concert by the African Children's Choir, hosted by the Blandford Evangelical Church.

The programme was opened by the massed Blandford Primary Schools Network choir with a performance of 'Sing'. The Blandford children later joined the visitors on stage after they had given a lively and inspiring performance with both song and dance, accompanied by a presentation on the development of the choir, founded by Ray Barnett in 1984, which has since set up children's homes, schools

and Music for Life centres to help hundreds of children every year.

The children, all of whom are either orphaned or from the poorest families in East Africa, were accompanied by former choir members who described how they and other children with little hope had been given the opportunity of education and the ability to give back to their communities through membership of the choir.

In a second performance on the Monday, they were joined by the Blandford Garrison and Playsongs Mums' Choirs.

Cameras at the ready THE second points cups competitions of the season for Blandford Forum Camera Club were judged by Norman Wiles, who was accompanied by wife Carol and awarded maximum marks to two of 40 DPI images submitted.

One was a very unusual shot of the Red Arrows by Maureen Langley and the other a nude study of a young woman by Tym Whitney. The 40 prints were judged after the break and a total of four 10s were awarded, one for a mono print to Brian Winkle and three for colour prints by Sally Chaloner and Peter Gafney (2).

Recent club nights have included a presentation by MoD employee Zaid Meheerali entitled 'Aviation and Defence Photography'. Another was a most interesting illustrated talk by Mike Hooker from Wimborne on 'The Jurassic Coast'.

A members' work appreciation evening led by Brian Winkle saw members assembling in groups to produce work in progress either as prints or laptop displays for discussion.

Those interested in the club and its activities and requiring further details should contact Dave Hurley on 01258 451895 or visit www.bfcclub.co.uk.

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December 2013

FOCUS on sport

Bowlers reflect on a vintage year THE annual dinner and presentation of prizes of Blandford Bowling Club, held at the Dorset Golf and Country Club, was attended by 50 members and capped an excellent year in which achievements of the junior, ladies and men's sections were all well above expectation.

Sally Burton, the club president, presented trophies and awards to the winners and runners-up of the day and knockout competitions held throughout the season. The 21 recipients included men's champion Colin Pickering and ladies' champion Freda Yates,

who was unable to be present.

The evening ended with the award of honorary life membership to four stalwarts of the club who between them amassed over 73 years of loyal service. Gwen Jesson, Anna Mitchell, Alan Mairs and Dick Hall were delighted with the recognition of their efforts.

Sally Burton reflected on her time in office and on the success of the club. She looked forward to 2014 with great optimism as plans are underway to develop the clubhouse with a new extension that should be completed ready for opening day in April.

Darts contest on target again THE second annual Frankie Benham RBL Memorial Darts competition, held in the memory of former council worker Frankie Benham, who died last year, was started in November at the Royal British Legion Club.

Sponsored by Sunrise Taxis, SafeCigs, Atlas Engineering and Frank Benham Property Maintenance, it is organised by a committee chaired by Mr Benham's son, Frank Benham junior, with secretary Sandra Benham and vice-chairman Mel Bates.

Mr Benham junior said he particularly wanted to thank Kevin Milne, secretary of the LVA Darts League, for his support for the competition, which is open to non-members and will continue into January and February, staged on Friday evenings starting 8pm.

Darts event sponsors Paul Francis of Atlas Engineering (left) and Darren Burns of Safer Cigs (right), with Frank Benham junior of Frank Benham Property Maintenance at the dart board in the Royal British Legion Club.

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Above: Dick Hall, Gwen Jesson, Anna Mitchell and Alan Mairs receive their honorary life membership awards from Bowling Club President, Sally Burton. Below: Club men's champion, Colin Pickering, receives the Holroyd Bowl .

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December 2013

Water a hit Water polo players taste the big time with boxers

FOCUS on sport

A NUMBER of members of the water polo section of Blandford Forum Swimming Club took part in the British Gas ASA National Age Group Water Polo Championships held at the Manchester Aquatic Centre on 26th October.

They joined forces with other water polo players from the south-west to play for Paignton against big clubs from elsewhere in the country such as City of Sheffield, City of Manchester and City of Liverpool.

Hattie Burnell from BFSC did particularly well, playing for Paignton Girls, who made it through to the finals and were beaten only in the last match against City of Manchester.

BFSC also had four boys playing for Paignton: Dominic Flavell, Will Cleal, Rupert Bowerman and Max DentonSmith. They finished a respectable eighth out of 12.

The experience for all members was one on which they hope to build, and followed the

From left to right: Rupert Bowerman, Dominic Flavell, Hattie Burnell, Will Cleal and Max Denton-Smith of Blandford Forum Swimming Club at the ASA National Age Group Water Polo Championships.

South West Championships held at Millfield School in September where 12 members of BFSC played for Dorset across the age groups against Devon and Gloucester. The girls did particularly well and Hattie Burnell and Harriett Bowerman gained medals for winning the Girls 16U tournament.

BFSC is always keen to attract new members, and the first session is always free. Anyone interested in playing water polo should contact jodie.denton-smith@sky.com for more information.

COOL water is proving a big hit with the boys and girls at the Blandford Amateur Boxing Club, who have been presented with a water dispenser by Blandford Rotary.

It was installed and is maintained by the company of Stuart Atkins, a Blandford Rotary business partner and supporter.

Penny Meaden, Blandford Rotary's Youth team leader, said how pleased she was that Rotary has been able to support the club in this way.

Enthusiastic club coach Les Benham and his talented coaching team welcome adults and juniors to learn the noble art at the club's premises at Unit 8, Littletown Industrial Estate, on Blandford Heights.

Mr Benham said: "Boxing builds confidence and co-ordination, provides superb fitness training and teaches respect for others."

Blandford Amateur Boxing Club meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 7-9pm, and sessions cost ÂŁ2. For more details, contact Les on 07788 907343 or 01258 458849.

The Cooler Water Company's cold water dispenser is much appreciated by Orland Pardoe, age 8.

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December 2013

FOCUS on sport

County golf roles for Ashley Wood ladies FOUR ladies from the Ashley Wood Golf Club will be demonstrating their commitment to developing and supporting golf in the wider community by playing key roles with the Dorset Ladies' County Golf Association over the coming year.

Confirmation came at a recent association meeting that three of the five executive posts will be held by those from the club, including Kay Everett as president, Sue Edwards, the current Ashley Wood ladies' champion, as captain of the county team, and Sheila Davidge, current club captain, as her vice-captain.

Sheila will also continue as county junior organiser and takes on the role of south west under-16 girls' manager, and Pat Wyatt will continue as Dorset Senior Captain.

The Ashley Wood Hardy A Team, who were Division Four champions this year with a fine record of five wins and one draw, were the winners of the Hardy League, a singles matchplay competition involving clubs from all over Dorset.

This year the team were pitted against Crane Valley, Moors Valley and Folke, and led by captain Jeff Morris are now looking forward to further success as they move into Division Three next season.

The last match of the season for the Seniors, against Dudsbury Golf Club, proved to be a very close affair with Dudsbury winning

The Ashley Wood quartet who will be heading up the county golf association next year (left to right): Sheila Davidge, Pat Wyatt, Sue Edwards and Kay Everett. by 3.5 to 2.5. For Ashley Wood there were wins for Des Maguire and Hedley Rodgers, Cliff Kitteringham and Ian Pinder, with Dave Keig and Rod Oakes halving their match.

RFU ambassadorial honour for Rugby Club lads BLANDFORD RFC is one of the first group of Young Rugby Ambassadors chosen by the RFU as part of its commitment to develop young volunteers throughout the game.

Aged between 16 and 20, and drawn from rugby clubs across England, the Young Rugby Ambassadors will be part of a programme that aims to excite and engage young people in the build-up to and legacy from Rugby World Cup 2015.

Blandford RFC was chosen as an ambassador because of its forward thinking and achievement in being one of the first to receive the Club Mark and RFU Accreditation.

Club chairman and mentor Justin Frampton, together with Ryan Broadwell and Haydn Shafford, and other Young Rugby Ambassadors from across the region, attended a conference to launch the initiative on 31st October at the Corn Exchange in Exeter, one of 10 host cities chosen to stage matches during the World Cup. They took part in workshops to discuss ideas for community

projects to inspire people about rugby, explored different leadership and ambassadorial styles and shared information about RWC 2015.

Mr Frampton said: "It is very important to encourage young players to take on responsibility in the club environment and essential to encourage young players back to the game."

Young Rugby Ambassadors will be working in their clubs to pass on the latest news on RWC 2015, get their local communities talking about rugby and help bring back players in the 16-24 age group.

RFU Rugby Development Director Steve Grainger emphasised the benefits of the programme: "These young people represent the best of their generation and they will undoubtedly have a lasting impact on the development of the game."

Blandford Rugby Football Club will on Sunday 1st December be staging an 'afternoon tea party' to raise money for its defibrillator fund, with games, competitions and children's activities between 3 and 6pm

and evening entertainment including a raffle, auction, and judging of their Movember chal-

lenge to grow the best moustaches for prostate cancer research.

Ryan Broadwell and Haydn Shafford, Blandford RFC's Young Rugby Ambassadors.

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December 2013

Forum Focus - forthcoming meetings & events DECEMBER Sunday 1st December: Afternoon tea party 3 to 6pm, judging of Movember moustache growing challenge for prostate cancer research and evening entertainment, Blandford Rugby Club, East Street, in aid of defibrillator fund Last ever Twice as Nice! Nearly new sale for baby, maternity and children's goods. Durweston Village Hall, 2.30 to 4pm Monday 2nd December: Blandford Floral Group, United Reformed Church Hall, 2.15pm, visitors welcome to see Coral Gardiner's ‘Festive Highlights’.

Raffle of demonstration floral arrangements Panda Pre School Christmas bingo, British Legion, Blandford, 7.30pm Child Okeford Centre for Care and Learning, Child Okeford, 7.30pm.

Life on the Fairground with Kay Townsend Tuesday 3rd December: Christmas Origami, Blandford Library 10 to 11.30am Cookery Club, The Old School, Sturminster Marshall: Christmas Entertaining with Pip Sadowski Wednesday 4th December: Bryanston Coffee Morning, Bryanston Club, from 10.30am Blandford St Mary Parish Council meeting, Bryanston Court, 7.30pm Thursday 5th December: Blandford Art Society workshop, Blandford Parish Centre. 'Those Special Greetings Cards' with Deborah Chisman Blandford Town Home Watch Meeting, Blandford Police Station 7pm Friends of Blandford Community Hospital Christmas Bingo, doors open 6.45, eyes down 7.30pm Blandford Museum talk, Dr Ana Pinto, CSIC Madrid 'The transition to modern humans in Spain' Thursday 5th to Saturday 7th December: Garden of Delights, Woodhouse Gardens, 10am to 5pm Thursday 5th and Friday 6th December: Senior School Play, Gregory's Girl, Clayesmore School, 7.30pm Friday 6th December: Christmas Lights switch-on Market Place, Father Christmas in the Corn Exchange, and civic carol service in Parish Church Christmas Table Decoration and Door Hanging Workshop, Tarrant Hinton village hall, 7 for 7.30pm, to book call 01258 830518 Saturday 7th December: Lions Christmas Craft Fair, Corn

Entries in this diary are free of charge. If you have an event you would like included, please send details to Nicci Brown, 01258 459346 or email s.n.b@btinternet.com. This page is available and regularly updated on our website at www.forumfocus.co.uk Exchange, Blandford, 9.30am to 3.30pm

lage hall (postcode SP7 0JU), 7.30pm. Adults £2, children free

St Mary's Christmas Bazaar, Abingdon Hall, Iwerne Minster, 10.30am to 12noon

Friday 20th December: Royal Corps of Signals Band Concert, The Coade Hall, Bryanston, for the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital

Mackrell Lecture, The Old School House, Sturminster Marshall, 2pm: Craft of the Stone Mason with Master Stone Mason Chris Daniels, bookings 01258 857200 Bryanston Choral Society Christmas Concert, St Martin's Church, Bryanston School, 7.30pm. Tickets 484649 Tuesday 10th December: DT11 Forum meeting, Parish Centre, Blandford, 6.30 for 7pm Wednesday 11th December: Blandford Yuletide Festival Clayesmore Prep School Christmas Fayre, 3 to 5pm Clayesmore Sports Centre, Iwerne Minster Blandford Forum Film Society, Blandford School, 7.30pm, Eden, guest tickets from 01258 453851 Thursday 12th December: North Dorset District Council's Core Strategy (Local Plan) consultation, Blandford Parish Centre, 10am to 7pm Friday 13th December: Blandford Farmers' Market Quiz night, Tarrant Hinton village hall, £6 to include hot supper, to book call 901258 830975 Saturday 14th December: Free parking on off-street car parks, Blandford Sunday 15th December: Blandford Orchard Group working morning. All welcome. Contact Ann 01258 857336 or Paul paul@da21.org.uk for information Blandford Choral Society present A Christmas Celebration in Words & Music followed by Mulled Wine & Mince Pies, 6:30 pm, Blandford Parish Church, Tickets £8 at the door or from Set Fair For Trade or The Parish Office (01258 453838) (Proceeds to The Cupola Project) Wednesday 18th December: Blandford Townswomen's Guild Christmas Party with the Wimborne Voice cappella group, Williams Opportunity Hall, Whitecliff Gardens, 2.15pm Blandford Carers Group Christmas Party, Durweston village hall, details 01258 459215 Blandford Carnival bingo, Royal British Legion, doors open 7pm for eyes down 7.30pm Dorset Wildlife Trust Christmas Wildlife Quiz, Fontmell Magna vil-

Saturday 21st December: Monthly coffee morning and sale of the Blandford and Sturminster Cats Protection, 10am to 12.30pm, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford Owen and Darren at Colin's Com-

munity Club, Damory Street, 8pm Sunday 22nd December: Father Christmas in his grotto at Colin's Community Club, Damory Street Thursday 26th December (Boxing Day): Portman Hunt Boxing Day meet, Crown Hotel, from 10.45am Wednesday 1 January: New Year's Day Vintage and Classic Vehicle Run from Sturminster Newton Station Road car park 11.00am, up to 200 vehicles passing through Blandford town centre approx. 11.45am to 12.15pm.

Information 01258 880863 Rounders, Spetisbury School, 12 noon

Christmas and carol services Sunday 1st December: 3.00pm Salvation Army Carols, Methodist Church, Blandford Sunday 15th December: 3.00pm Traditional Carol Service, Langton Long 5.00pm Carols ‘Coming Home for Christmas’, Evangelical Church, Blandford Thursday 19th December: 6.30pm Carol service, Tarrant Gunville Sunday 22nd December: 10.30am Carol Service for All Ages with Children's Nativity, Parish Church, Blandford 10.45am Carol Service, Methodist Church, Blandford 6.00pm Open Air Carols on Persimmon Green, Blandford (with mulled wine & mince pies) 6.00pm Candelit carol service and nativity tableau, Tarrant Monkton with Launceston 6.00pm Carol Service, Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone 6.30pm Carol Service, St Andrew, Okeford Fitzpaine 6.30pm Candlelit Carols, URC, Blandford Tuesday 24th December (Christmas Eve) 3,00pm Crib and Christingle Service. Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone 4.30pm Crib Service. St Andrew, Okeford Fitzpaine 5.00pm Children's Crib Service, Parish Church, Blandford 6.00pm Crib Service St Nicholas, Child Okeford 6.00pm Christmas Communion , URC (with Methodists), Blandford 6.30pm Children's Mass, Catholic Church, Blandford 11.00pm "Midnight" Communion, Parish Church, Blandford 11.30pm "Midnight" Mass, Catholic Church, Blandford 11.30pm, Midnight Mass, Tarrant Monkton with Launceston 11.30pm Midnight Eucharist. Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone Wednesday 25th December (Christmas Day) 9.00am Holy Communion, Parish Church, Blandford 9.00am Parish Eucharist St Nicholas, Manston 9.30am Parish Eucharist, St Nicholas, Child Okeford 9.30am Parish Eucharist, St Andrew, Okeford Fitzpaine 9.30am Parish Eucharist, Church of the Holy Rood, Shillingstone 10.00am Christmas Morning Service, Evangelical Church, Blandford 10.00am Christmas Mass, Catholic Church, Blandford 10.30am All Age Christmas Communion, Parish Church, Blandford 10.30am Christmas Service, Methodist Church (with URC), Blandford