February 2017 Forum Focus

FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 59

Judith collects her royal reward: Page 6

February 2017

Dancers grace the big stage

The White Rabbit and March Hare dance with Alice.

CONGRATULATIONS to all the pupils from the Janet Knight School of Dancing, who danced in a performance of the classic Alice in Wonderland story at the Coade Hall, Bryanston.

Many members of the audience made contact afterwards to say how much they had enjoyed it.

A dance school spokeswoman said: "It was a marvellous experience for pupils from four to 18 years old to perform on stage in a theatre setting."

£77k Lidl payout leaves the council in a quandary TOWN councillors were due to meet this week (January 30) to consider again how the £77,766 offered by Lidl might be used to enhance the town centre after failing to agree any projects at their December meeting.

A suggestion, from the Blandford Town Team, that money might be used to fund part of their tourist signage proposal, which has been costed at £140,000, was ruled out because of advice that it needed to be the whole scheme or not at all.

Provision of market stalls for traders also had to be dismissed when members realised there would be nowhere to store them on non-market days.

A suggestion that the funds be applied to cleaning the Purbeck paving stones, or taking up and relaying a 200 square metre area for £38,500, was considered, and the town clerk was asked to further investigate costs.

Members voted, with little discussion, against a proposal that the money be used to provide free town centre parking, for which one day in the lead-up to Christmas cost £700.

Christmas lights across the streets would require a commercial contractor at a cost of tens of thousands a year, and would provide an enhancement for only five weeks.

It was agreed to reconsider at the next full council meeting, and in the meantime, seek further proposals for projects which might be put forward.

Charlton Marshall resident David Woodland has written to Forum Focus suggesting a revamp of the Market Place to remove payand-display parking and create a pedestrian area (see letters page 14).

A consultation was launched on Blandford's Facebook 'Public Forum' which resulted in a number of suggestions being put forward as

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goals for the town to achieve in the coming year.

Some, such as attracting better shops by reducing rents, providing a better bus service and a traffic-free marketplace, were perhaps outside the Town Council or even a higher authority's control.

However, others included more sculpture or street art, street theatre, fixing loose paving stones, and bringing dilapidated shops and houses up to standard.

Others included making more use of the Corn Exchange for bands and drama, relocating the market to the Marsh and Ham car park - which was opposed by some who said it would continue to use up parking spaces and hide the market away - a secure dog walking park, better publicity for Blandford's attractions, more • To Page 2

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February 2017

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CONTACTS

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ON THE WEBSITE www.forumfocus.co.uk

Forum Focus is an independent, not-forprofit, community publication produced entirely by volunteers. We are always pleased to receive offers of help.

Where to find Forum Focus IF anyone would like join our team to deliver in their own or any other area that has no delivery, please get in touch (see contacts above).

Copies can be picked up from any of our drop points listed below: Blandford and Blandford St Mary: Morrisons, Greyhound Yard; M&S Langton Road; The Post Office, Library and Parish Centre in The Tabernacle, the Corn Exchange, the Spar shop in Market Place, Gorge Cafe in East Street, Blandford Museum in the Market Place, the Tourist Information Centre in West Street, James Newsagents in The Plocks, the Co-op in Salisbury Road, the 3Cs in Damory Street, the Damory Garage and One Stop in Salisbury Road, Cherry's hairdressers in Elizabeth Road, CLP stationery on Blandford Heights industrial estate, Blandford Leisure Centre in Milldown Road, the Central Shop in Heddington Drive, the Brewery Visitor Centre, and Tesco and Homebase at Stour Park.

In the villages: Charlton Marshall Church Rooms and Charlton pub, Woodpecker pub at Spetisbury, Abbott Garden Centre, Langton Long, True Lovers Knot and St Richard Close bus stop in Tarrant Keyneston, Langton Arms in Tarrant Monkton, Pimperne shop, the White Horse Inn at Stourpaine, Iwerne Minster Post Office, Child Okeford Post Office, Shillingstone Garage, Okeford Fitzpaine village shop, Londis Shop & Royal Oak at Milborne St Andrew, The Crown at Winterborne Stickland, Post Office and Surgery, Milton Abbas, and The Cricketers at Shroton.

Diary events are updated regularly on our website so it is always worth logging on to stay up to date with what’s happening in the area. The website also carries additional pictures of local events and background information on stories.

DEADLINES Please note change of deadline days in 2017.

Adverts: Wednesday February 8 Editorial: Thursday February 9 Deliveries from Wednesday February 22 View future deadlines on our website.

OUR ADVERTISERS Please support our advertisers who have given us their support. All material published in Forum Focus (either in the magazine or the website), including adverts, editorials, articles and all other content is published in good faith. Forum Focus accepts no liability for any errors or omissions and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear in the publication or on the website.

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Call for bus pass users to be allowed to contribute TRANSPORT Action Group leaders in North Dorset are calling for people to be allowed to make a contribution if they want to use their concessionary fares pass at times not covered by the national scheme.

DCC's consultation seeking views on whether bus pass holders are willing to contribute on journeys before 9.30am came to an end on January 13.

Nic Nicol, chairman of the Blandford TAG (Transport Action Group), supports the view proposed at the Shaftesbury and Gillingham Transport Forum meeting on January 10 that bus pass holders should pay a standard fixed amount, as is already done in Somerset, rather than the full fare before 9.30am.

Derek Beer, the experienced Shaftesbury chairman and daily bus-user, believes this would be a fair and acceptable solution.

"Current legislation doesn't enable this to happen, but in our view it could and should be done," said Mr Nicol.

"It's our experience, based on feedback from bus users at public meetings last year, that bus

pass holders are generally willing to make a contribution to the bus fare if it means the service can be retained. They are less willing to pay the full fare."

• See letter on page 15 on the future of the TAG.

Health under review HEALTH practitioners are urging the public to play their part in the ongoing public consultation into the future of the health services in North Dorset.

Drop-in events have been arranged at various locations across the county, and although at the time of writing one had not yet been scheduled for Blandford, events took place at Sherborne in December and at Sturminster Newton, Shaftesbury, and Wimborne in January.

The consultation is open until February 28. Documents are available online with information about the review and potential implications for North Dorset at dorsetsvision.nhs.uk, and there are leaflets in the doctors' surgeries with information.

Lidl payout quandary • From Page 1 town centre toilets, and a cinema with bingo and a bowling alley.

The £77,766 is the amount that Lidl has paid to North Dorset District Council towards town centre enhancements and improvements to mitigate the impact of its supermarket development at Shaftesbury Lane.

It is less than a quarter of the agreed sum that would have been paid

by Asda when their now-abandoned but much larger store in the same location was approved.

Lidl have also agreed to pay £250,957 towards a 20-minute frequency bus service between the store and the town centre, and Blandford Town Team has sought clarification on how the allocation was decided and how it will be managed.

At the time of writing, the frame of the new store is in place at the junction of Shaftesbury Lane with the Blandford bypass, and it is expected to be open by July.

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February 2017

Blandford favours single unitary option in council merger debate THE future of local government in Dorset was up for formal debate between members of the nine authorities involved following the wide-ranging consultation which took place at the end of last year.

They were considering a report recommending that their separate councils should be replaced by two unitary authorities, dividing the county by merging Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch in one, and the remaining districts and borough in the other.

A second option was for East Dorset to be included in the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch unitary, leaving West Dorset, Weymouth & Portland and North Dorset, which have already joined together in the Dorset Councils Partnership, together with Purbeck in the second.

Scrutiny committees and Cabinets first met to give their views on the two alternatives offered following an independent review by PricewaterhouseCoopers, a financial review which identified ÂŁ108m savings over the six years following transition, and a report from the county's six chief executives recommending a submission to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for the new council structure to come into effect in April 2019.

Town councillors in Blandford were disappointed that the options put forward did not include a unitary authority covering the whole county.

Councillor Haydn White said none of the options was acceptable for local democracy, commenting: "When Poole and Bournemouth became unitaries, people here learnt that we lost a third of our social services money and a quarter of the education money."

Councillor Esme Butler agreed that the option of a single unitary

should have been on the cards.

"Dividing the county will diminish rural aspects of Dorset. We will still be the second cousin of Bournemouth and Poole, or of Bournemouth, Poole, Christchurch and East Dorset," she said.

Members agreed by ten votes to four to accept the Bournemouth, Poole and Christchurch option but ask that town and parish councils are consulted at an early stage when decisions were taken.

They also agreed by ten votes to four that a single unitary should have been one of the options put forward.

Matt Prosser, who is chief executive of the Dorset Councils Partnership and chairman of the Dorset Chief Executives Group, said on behalf of the Dorset councils' six chief executives: "Members have had the full package of evidence since December 5, giving them good time to review and digest the content."

He said the meetings were an opportunity for all councillors to debate and discuss the evidence and each authority to make a final decision so that a proposal could be submitted to the Secretary of State.

Following scrutiny, executive and cabinet meetings during the month, Dorset County, West Dorset District and Weymouth & Portland Borough Councils were first to meet on January 26, followed by North Dorset District on January 27, East Dorset District on January 30, and finally Christchurch and Bournemouth Boroughs and Purbeck District on January 31.

Public consultation and research among the business community, voluntary sector and town and parish councils showed clear backing for change to local government structures in Dorset and a reduction in the number of councils.

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New drama at fire site A CHIMNEY fire broke out on the evening of January 11 at the Kings Arms on the corner of Whitecliff Mill Street and Bryanston Street, which, on June 4, 1731, was the seat of the Great Fire of Blandford.

But a repeat was averted when four appliances from the Dorset & Wiltshire Fire Service attended and ensured no lasting damage, although both streets were closed until the all-clear was sounded.

History last came close to repeating itself in June 2008, when a candle factory, on the outskirts of town at Badbury Heights, burnt to the ground almost on the anniversary of the great fire, which began in the premises of a tallow chandler that originally occupied the Kings Arms site.

THE former head of Pimperne Primary School, David Jerome De Silva, 38 of Poole, was due to appear before Weymouth Magistrates on January 16 to face a charge of fraud by false representation. It is alleged that in April last year he submitted two false invoices to the Education Finance Officer of Pimperne Primary School intending to make a gain of ÂŁ3,300 for himself.

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February 2017

Home library team seeking volunteers BLANDFORD and area Royal Voluntary Service (RVS) Home Library Service is hoping to hear from anyone who likes to read but has difficulty getting to the library for new books.

Blandford Library has a team of dedicated RVS volunteers who are able to visit on a regular basis, delivering books free of charge. Large-print books and talking books can also be supplied.

This service, which can be provided on a temporary basis or long-term, is funded by Dorset Library Service and available across Dorset.

All RVS volunteers are DBS checked and receive ongoing training and support. Volunteers

Sally Knight, who is retiring from her role as local volunteer co-ordinator for the Home Library Service in Blandford after 11 years with the organisation.

are also needed to spare an hour or two a week befriending someone living alone, helping with shopping, or helping the trolley volunteers at Blandford Community Hospital.

People are also wanted to become local volunteer co-ordinators to act as a link between the community, the RVS office, volunteers and clients, supported by the service manager, as part of the network of such co-ordinators across Dorset.

For more information on any service or role, contact Maria or Tina, Royal Voluntary Service Dorset & Wiltshire, on 01305 236666 or e-mail Maria.Jacobson@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

Council welcomes decision to axe referendum plans TOWN councillors welcomed the announcement that town and parish councils would not be forced to carry out a referendum should they plan to increase their precept in 2017/18 by more than a percentage set by central government.

It was reported that the Secretary of State for Communities Greg Clark, in the provisional local government finance settlement, had acknowledged the important role played by town and parish councils in civic life. Proposals to seek referenda would be deferred for this year, but precept levels would be kept under review.

The Minister said: "I expect all town and parish councils to clearly demonstrate restraint when setting increases that are not a direct result of taking on additional responsibilities. I am also actively considering with the sector ways to make excessive increases more transparent to local taxpayers."

Town councillors had earlier been warned that town or parish councils imposing an increase of more than two percent might have to call a referendum.

Councillor Haydn White said: "Never before has central government, which gives us no

money, controlled town and parish council finances. This is one of the most appalling things this government could do to local government."

Councillor Hugo Mieville said: "The cost of taking on more responsibility should not be capping. We have taken on things which the district council and county council used to do, and it has never been an area in which they have interfered before."

It was agreed that the council should object to the possibility, which could further reduce services such as public toilets, open spaces and hedge-cutting, which are being transferred from higher authorities.

The town council is anticipating a rise of up to 12 per cent in its share of the Band D council tax.

It will include, among other things, a possible ÂŁ5,000 to carry out any necessary highways works above and beyond the minimum statutory requirement for which Dorset Highways will continue to be responsible, together with the ÂŁ50,000 a year it contributes to Blandford Leisure Centre.

The final figures in the draft budget are expected to be confirmed at the council's February meeting.

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February 2017

The Lord Lieutenant reads the Queen's Award scroll.

Award is a badge of honour for a world-class local company BLANDFORD's successful family firm Trimetals, awarded the Queen's Award for International Trade last summer, celebrated the official presentation at the factory on Sunrise Business Park by Dorset's Lord Lieutenant Angus Campbell.

Following a tour of the production area during which Mr Campbell met many of the company's longserving staff, he read the nomination and scroll from the Queen, and presented the prized glass bowl to Trimetals international sales executive Ben Smith.

Ben is the son of managing director Garry Smith, and nephew of the company's marketing director Andrew Smith, while his brother Tim is UK sales executive - a family team which is joined by Mark Bennett as production director.

The company, whose name represents the aluminium, steel and stainless steel used in the manufacture of metal sheds and storage buildings now exported world-wide, came to Blandford 28 years ago as one of the first occupiers of units on Sunrise Business Park.

Established in 1967 in Maidenhead as metal stockists and suppliers Sesame, it realised in the 1980s its over-dependency on others for its business. It spotted a gap in the market for small,

high-quality garden stores, and at the Ideal Home Exhibition in 1984 exhibited its 'Stowaway', which proved ideal for the growing and popular mobile home industry.

Expansion of the range of products followed, as did, in 2014, a 30 per cent increase in its production area to cater for increased international trade.

"Vision, courage and determination, combined with a brilliant product, enabled it to expand its business across the globe through the hard work and determination of all concerned," said Mr Campbell.

Ben Smith said: "This is an incredibly proud day for all of us here at Trimetals and for British manufacturing. The entire team works tirelessly to ensure every product made is world-class whether it's destined for a local retailer or some exotic shore in the southern hemisphere."

Trimetals metal garden sheds and storage units, and its ranges of bicycle and motorcycle storage and other products, are used by landscapers, golf and football clubs and schools. Many are designed specifically for overseas markets, including Japan and Australia, which now accounts for 18 per cent of its revenue.

Following the presentation, directors, staff and the Lord Lieutenant celebrated the occasion with a

A SECTION of Milldown Road, between Jubilee Way and Whitecliff Mill Street, could be closed to traffic on Thursday February 9 and Friday February 10 between 9.30am and 3.30pm for maintenance outside Blandford Community Hospital and the entrance to the Leisure Centre. The Town Council planning committee was asked to pass on any concerns to Dorset Highways before the Temporary Traffic Regulation was made.

glass of champagne and fish and chip lunch.

The company was also named Family Business of the Year in the Dorset Business Awards, and was a finalist in the Blackmore Vale Media Business awards.

The latest award is the second royal badge of honour for Trimetals, whose products recently achieved status as the only metal sheds and garden storage approved by the Royal Horticultural Society.

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February 2017

Judith collects her royal reward SHILLINGSTONE resident and WI member Judith Crompton visited Buckingham Palace to be presented with her MBE by Prince Charles.

Judith was awarded the honour in the Queen's 90th Birthday List for her services over many years to the environment and community in Dorset.

She has worked in both charitable and government sectors to improve the environment for wildlife and people since 1979, working initially for Dorset Wildlife Trust, Wessex Water and more recently the Environment Agency. Her work has taken her all over Wessex, particularly working on rivers and wetlands.

A man who has served his community for nearly 50 years in various capacities since moving into his village in 1963 was awarded the Medal of the British Empire (BEM) in the New Year Honours List.

Derek Old has been chair of the parish council at Ibberton for 38 years, a churchwarden at the church of St Eustace for 47 years, and a mainstay of the cricket club and the village hall committee.

He was instrumental in securing a £60,000 Lottery grant for the upgrade and remodelling of the village hall in 2000 and two years later fighting for extension to its late-night licence and in the production of the Ibberton Millennium Book.

Vacancy for an early riser

Judith Crompton, who was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s 90th Birthday Honours List.

JAMES the Newsagents, the only suppliers in Blandford and surrounding area of newspapers delivered to customers over a wide area each day, is seeking an early bird who can help with sorting the papers in the mornings.

Some 600 people in the town and surrounding villages currently receive daily deliveries, and more than 100 receive Forum Focus, thanks to a team of delivery boys and girls organised by Pauline Murray and her partner John Kennea from their tiny premises in The Plocks at the rear of what was originally James the Newsagents, founded by Pauline's uncle Walter England in 1903.

It was continued by her mother and father Fred and Grace James until Pauline succeeded them in the 1970s, and is now, having moved from the main street to the premises at the rear, the longest established family retailer in the town.

Pauline, now aged 76, said: "We could do with someone to help at the high-pressure point of the day which starts at 5.30am when we sort the papers for our 600 customers on our 15 rounds ready for the delivery team by 7am."

Anyone interested in this part-time job should contact James Newsagents on 01258 452910 or 07860 642298.

Fabric donations wanted DONATIONS are being sought for another grand fabric sale which will be taking place at the Ann Biddlecombe Hall in Tarrant Keyneston on the first weekend of April in support of Naomi House and Jack's Place, the children's hospice.

Companies and individuals are invited to give all sizes of unused remnants for dress-making, upholstery, quilting, toy-making and other activities, together with haberdashery, thread, buttons, tapestry kits, ribbons, wool, knitting needles, patterns, crochet hooks and curtains.

The event is being organised by Naomi House trustee and ambassador June Davey, of Tarrant Monkton, who raised over £4,000 for the charity when she organised a similar event in 2012.

To find out how to donate at allocated drop-off points, see naomihouse.org.uk/events.

Memory project to start A NEW Remembering Tree Café Project is being launched at the Blandford Community Centre (formerly Day Centre) in Heddington Drive for people suffering with memory loss and their carers.

The six free weekly sessions start on Thursday February 16 and are designed to support people with memory problems.

They are being offered in association with the Skills and Learning Team at the Blandford Adult Education Centre to give people the time, environment, support and engagement to discover things they can do together, ways to communicate and meet others in a similar situation.

To register an interest, call 01258 480762.

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February 2017

Debate sparked by ‘Legoland’ blocks A QUERY on Blandford's 'Public Forum' Facebook page about the appearance of concrete blocks at the end of the car park at Wessex Court in December prompted a wide-ranging discussion on not only the blocks but also the history of the area.

The blocks themselves, positioned in front of the gravestones which line the boundary wall with Orchard Street, came in for considerable criticism from those who found them particularly ugly and dubbed the site 'Legoland'.

Others regretted the further loss of parking spaces following Sovereign Housing's decision to close the car park to all but residents of Wessex Court.

A spokesperson for Sovereign said: "We appreciate that parking in the Blandford area can be

problematic and so we've not restricted the use of the Wessex Court car park in the past.

"However, some residents and their carers at our Wessex Court sheltered scheme have been unable to park near their homes and there were incidents when access for the emergency services was restricted.

"Although we sympathise with those who've previously parked on the land at no charge, we need to put our residents' health and safety first, so we're closing the car park to nonresidents from January 17 and have installed restrictive stone blocks to prevent congestion on the land."

An enquiry to North Dorset District Council's planning department by Dorset Street resident Peter Newall, who also sent us

The concrete blocks which have appeared in the Wessex Court car park.

the pictures, revealed that the blocks were 'permitted development' on private land and did not require planning permission.

Conservation officer Jen Nixon said: "I do not know what drove their positioning, but they only restrict parking along a small

number of back yards to Orchard Street properties and certainly don't stop anyone parking elsewhere on Spectrum land. The only positive is I suppose they do provide some protection against the old gravestones being encroached upon."

Hidden garden entries DETAILS are now available of how to enter this year's Blandford Stour Rotary Hidden Gardens event, to be held on Sunday June 25.

Last year the event raised over £2,250 for local and national causes, and since it started more than £14,500 has been raised.

There is no standard, inspection, size or style of garden required to take part, and anyone who would like to open their garden to the public for the day is invited to contact David Rose by email to endellion@hotmail.co.uk or phone 01258 451557 for further information.

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Volunteers at Spetisbury Station.

Tidy-up at the station THE Spetisbury Station Project hosted a volunteer work party on January 7 to clear overgrowth from alongside the approach to the North Dorset Trailway at the station.

Dorset County Council are planning to improve this access ramp from the lane leading to South Farm for the benefit of users with pushchairs, wheelchairs and mobility scooters, but preparatory ground clearance needed to be undertaken first.

Fourteen volunteers worked tirelessly throughout the day, and were rewarded with hot drinks and refreshments organised by the Station Project team, with supplies generously donated by local residents and Tesco at Blandford.

Graham Stanley and his team of County Council rangers now have to remove some larger trees, then a further work party will be called for final scrub clearance before the diggers move in to improve the ramp, making it straighter and less steep.

February 2017

Law firm confounds the gloom merchants LAW firm Blanchards Bailey has contradicted gloomy Brexit forecasts by announcing substantial growth figures.

It has rallied against the uncertainty both domestically and internationally to see growth increase by 40 per cent over the past three years and record a rise of 10 per cent in this year alone.

Predictions of a recession have been voiced in various quarters after a tumultuous year following the UK's vote to leave the EU. Yet Blanchards Bailey, with offices in Blandford, Shaftesbury, Dorchester and Weymouth, is proving there is still plenty to be optimistic about.

Sarah Heath, head of commercial services, said: "We have seen an increased number of clients coming to us for advice in the current business environment, and are well equipped to guide them through any uncertainty and give them a strong sense of confidence moving forward."

The upturn in business has also led to more key staff additions in

family law and residential conveyancing, together with the launch of their HR Consultancy in the summer to meet increasing demand for new services.

Principal Jerome Dodge said: "We have strengthened the expertise in existing services and launched a new one, allowing us to retain our excellent personal client service alongside rapid growth."

Principal Alan Horne added: "The team has certainly thrived in what some may call an uncertain year. Our reliable counsel, positive results, professional expertise and strong culture have all contributed to our growth and our optimistic outlook for the future."

Blaze drama at manhole AN underground electrical fault and explosion which sent flames up to five feet in the air through a manhole cover outside Blandford's Nationwide Building Society offices in West Street caused local power cuts and brought police and firefighters to the scene.

Fire crews set up a safety barrier around the scene as a precaution and Scottish and Southern Electric attended to make the area safe.

A spokesman for SSE said: "Our engineers attended the site and isolated the supplies to around 100 properties to enable repairs to be carried out safely."

The power cut lasted about five hours, but it was several days before SSE had completed the repair work and reinstated the pavement, resulting in a temporary pedestrian diversion.

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February 2017

Joint use considered for youth premises JOINT use of the premises formerly used by Blandford Youth Centre at The Blandford School is being considered following expressions of interest by groups providing youth and community services.

The school governors in November issued a press release saying that detailed proposals had been requested from the organisations who had expressed interest, and had a deadline of December 31 to respond.

Jill Stevens, chair of governors, said: "The Blandford School remains committed to the enhancement of facilities for the wider community."

District councillor Traci Handford reported to Blandford Town Council that County Councillor Barrie Cooper had stepped down Blandford’s 14-18 Working Group is holding a Khaki Canteen on Saturday March 11, 9am to 2pm, in the Corn Exchange, including an exhibition on food during the First World War.

as chairman of the youth centre management committee and been replaced by Councillor Andrew Kerby.

She said a comprehensive business plan was being drawn up, and Larksmead Pre-School, which is having to leave The Lodge at Nordon due to the relocation of North Dorset District Council, had been invited to share the building with the youth centre, but had declined in view of finding their own replacement site in Hunt Road.

A meeting was also arranged to consider joint use of the building with the Partnership for Older People's Project.

At the beginning of January, the governors of The Blandford School issued a statement saying they had shortlisted two organisations to present their proposals for the running of the premises formerly occupied by Blandford Youth Centre.

"Governors aim to have presentations completed by the end of January, and will update the community further as soon as possible."

Firefighters Dan Winstanley, Ashley Thomas and Steve Garbutt receive the model fire engine made by Bob Searle, second from right.

Bob’s perfect match MATCHSTICK modeller Bob Searle of Blandford, who last year presented a model helicopter to the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, more recently turned his attention to another emergency service, the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire Service.

Blandford station officer Steve Garbutt was joined by retained firefighters Dan Winstanley and Ashley Thomas in Bob's local, Colin's Community Club, to be presented with the model Dennis 1910 fire engine, with adjustable ladder, which was two months in the making, and for which Bob used 5,000 matchsticks.

Mr Garbutt said: "We are delighted to receive it, and we'll put it on display in the fire station. It will be fascinating for visitors, particular the groups of primary school children who come to look round."

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February 2017

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Slimmer’s battle with gastric band A WOMAN who struggled all her life with her weight and opted for a gastric band to be fitted privately after unsuccessfully trying all wellknown diets has spoken of the problems she faced until discovering Nicki Edwards, the Cambridge Lady, and the Cambridge Weight Plan.

In 2012 she weighed 17 stones and was size 24, and realised soon after her operation that postoperative medical and dietician support was poor after being advised to travel 250 miles or go to A&E for help when she found herself in pain and unable to swallow for three days. Only three weeks later she received none too helpful phone contact from the dietician.

She initially lost four stones in three months, but because the band was too tight she struggled with eating and felt constantly hungry, so slipped in high-fat foods and by 2015 had regained three stone.

She rejoined a diet group to lose one stone in three months but became disheartened by the success of other group members.

"After Christmas 2015 I read about the Cambridge Weight Plan which I previously had just thought of as expensive slimming shakes, but decided to give it a go and researched consultants in my area."

She chose Nicki Edwards for her maturity and life experience, and says that her support, encouragement to keep fit, nutritional hints and tips has truly changed her life.

"Within four months I lost over three stone, and going shopping for a family holiday five months later tried on size 12s and 10s which fitted.

Wearing them was a strange but proud experience."

She returned to the diet after the holiday to quickly lose the weight she had gained, and in

Tracey in the spotlight SLIMMING World consultant Tracey Oldfield was one of two from the Blackmore Vale area to meet TV presenter Stephen Mulhern when he presented the annual Slimming World Awards at Birmingham's International Convention Centre.

Stephen, who presents Catchphrase, Britain's Got More Talent and Big Star's Little Stars, said: "I'm known for my magic tricks and there was definitely magic in the air at the Slimming World Awards. The stories I heard from people who had lost amazing amounts of weight and transformed themselves - inside and out - were so inspirational.

"While all their stories were different, the one thing they all had in common was how much they felt they owed to their 'Slimming World family'. Every one of them spoke passionately about how they felt that they couldn't have achieved everything they had without the support, advice and encouragement of their group each and every week."

Tracey, who runs the group at the Corn

Exchange in Blandford, was presented together with Charlene Higgins, who runs the group meeting at the Royal Chase Hotel in Shaftesbury.

Tracey said: "Lots of people will be making resolutions to lose weight and improve their health this New Year. I truly believe that joining a local Slimming World group is the best way for people to lose weight and learn new habits.

"On our Food Optimising eating plan they'll see big results on the scales without ever having to feel hungry or deprived, and they'll discover a whole world of support and advice that's sure to help them reach their targets - and have a lot of fun along the way, too." For further information call Tracey on 01258 489967 or visit slimmingworld.co.uk to find your nearest group.

Slimming World consultant Tracey Oldfield with TV presenter Stephen Mulhern at the Slimming World Awards.

September attended a gala dinner proudly wearing a beautiful new size 8 dress.

"Even now my band means swallowing normal foods proves difficult, and I can't eat with my family as any stress will stop food going down. I cannot eat sandwiches or pastry, and food can get stuck several times during a meal.

"I find it hurtful that people accuse me of 'cheating' by having a band fitted, but it is due to their ignorance of what I have been through. They should live with the band and its consequences they would then feel differently.

"Cambridge Weight Plan has allowed me to lose weight healthily and get all my daily nutrition."

She said she was hopeful that a recent referral from her GP to the NHS Bariatric Team would allow her to eat normal food again with NHS funding for long-term care of the band to avoid problems all over again.

February 2017

Film award for Sasha

Libraries in Boots

FORMER Blandford School student Sasha Collington (pictured), who grew up in the town and also attended St Leonards Middle School, was one of the winners of a major Cinema and Television Benevolent Fund comedy writing competition.

Sasha is presently directing her debut feature film set in London called 'Love Type D'.

Along with three fellow winners she will receive ÂŁ10,000 and a six-month period of support script development for their feature film screenplay or television sitcom pilot with an

THE story of the subscription libraries which Boots the Chemists used to run in their shops is told by local author Jackie Winter, of Winterborne Zelston, in 'Lipsticks and Library Books: the story of Boots Booklovers Library'.

Founded in 1899 by Florence Boot, the libraries were highly successful and operated until 1966, although their heyday was during the inter-war years when more than 400 branches flourished throughout the UK. There were branches in many Dorset towns, including Blandford.

Maureen Day got in touch to tell of her memories of Boots library in Blandford. She still recalls the thrill of excitement she felt as a child when she walked through the library doors. She loved the welcoming atmosphere and

Margaret Green Animal Rescue (MGAR), which has dog rescue kennels at Lincoln Farm, Winterborne Kingston, has appointed a commercial manager to help underpin the longterm plans for the charity.

Jenni Wilkinson will head up the marketing, fundraising and retail departments at MGAR, which includes their recently opened charity shop in Winton, Bournemouth.

experienced script editor and guidance from Big Talk Productions.

The four were selected from more than 600 applications to the Betty Box and Peter Rogers Comedy Writing Programme launched by the CTBF in honour of the prolific husband and wife film producers; she produced the hit Doctor series of films and he is best known for the Carry On franchise.

The programme supports upand-coming comedy writers by offering them the chance to develop work with top producers, as well as funding.

11 friendly staff. She became an avid reader, rapidly progressing from Enid Blyton to Charles Dickens, and remembers the library as being in the Market Place in premises which are now a building society.

Jackie herself worked for 22 years in Dorset County Libraries, where a colleague and friend had previously been a Boots library assistant and clearly very much enjoyed the work.

Jackie, an avid reader and loyal member of Wimborne library, became intrigued by the many differences between public and subscription libraries and began writing articles which in due course became a book.

In it, former staff and subscribers share entertaining memories of library life in a genteel world that existed not so long ago but which seems very distant from today.

'Lipsticks and Library Books' is in stock at The Dorset Book Shop in Blandford and can be found on Amazon, as well as being available direct from the author on 01929 459207.

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HUNDREDS turned out on a crisp and sunny morning to join members of the Portman Hunt at their traditional Boxing Day Meet at the Crown Hotel in Blandford. Members of the public were able to walk freely among the hounds and huntsmen gathered in the car park, and a collection was made by hunt supporters among the crowds lining the entrance and streets to see their departure, led by MFH Evo Shirley, out of the town along West Street.

A RETAIL parking refund scheme, as proposed by the Blandford Town Team and Business Group, could be up and running by Easter. A meeting between Town Team chairman Nic Nicol and Jack Creeber, interim parking manager (Dorset Councils' Partnership) had a positive outcome, supporting the scheme which will mean changing the ticket and notices in town car parks, and asking retailers to display membership details in their shop windows offering a refund of cost of parking up to £2 on purchases over £10. More details next month.

February 2017

Bishop backs call for cash help to beat cold weather SHOCKING figures released by the Office of National Statistics reveal that last winter 2,700 vulnerable people died during the winter months in the south-west because of effects relating to the cold.

In 2014/15, a total of 336 in Dorset alone died from coldrelated deaths, and currently one in 10 households is in fuel poverty, a figure which increases to one in four in some parts of the county.

Dorset Community Foundation, a local charity raising funds for local people in need, is calling on more donations to its Surviving Winter Appeal to help save lives this winter.

Jon Yates, chief executive at the Foundation, explained: "The regional statistics are very shocking and older people in Dorset are particularly vulnerable. We

Bishop of Sherborne the Rt Rev Karen Gorham. have the largest older people population in the UK and our county is also very rural so people struggle to get to support services for extra help."

The appeal has the backing of the Right Reverend Karen Gorham, Bishop of Sherborne, who said: "This wonderful initiative raises donations from those not in need of their winter fuel allowances by 'recycling' them to help older people who really need additional support - Dorset people supporting Dorset people in need.

"It is a good way of sharing our resources around the county as those better off help those less fortunate."

Last year the Foundation raised nearly £20,000 to help nearly 200 local older residents. Since the launch of the appeal in 2010 the Foundation has raised and distributed over £80,000 in help.

Donations to the appeal to help an older person in Dorset can be made by cheque made out to Dorset Community Foundation to Surviving Winter, The Spire, High Street, Poole, BH15 1DF, by visiting the foundation's website at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org or contacting the charity on 01202 670815.

TEDDY Raves, which takes place at Tiffany's Night Club in West Street, Blandford, is holding a special fundraiser on February 25 for this year's Teddy Rocks Festival.

Guest artists include Sam Jones, Rhys Thomas, Vic Light and others.

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February 2017

Counsellor sounds a mental health warning

Dinghy tableau a poignant symbol of need BLANDFORD Cares' tableau in the parish church tree festival in December (pictured) aimed to make a bold comment on the plight of refugees, fleeing Syria and other war-torn countries, for whom they have been raising funds and sending goods for the last two years.

An inflatable dinghy took the place of the Christmas tree next to a reproduction of the Coptic Cross on the Orthodox Church in the Calais Jungle, and was surrounded by the practical necessities of the thousands who have become homeless.

Deliveries to the Taunton RAFT and local collections have continued, and donations sent to 'Phone Credits for Refugees', together with raising awareness of the situation in Calais and

Twitter @forumfocus www.forumfocus.co.uk

support for Syrian families being resettled in the Weymouth area.

Spokesperson Mike Hearn said: "The Calais camp may have been dispersed but the need to deliver aid to refugees in northern France, Greece, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere remains.

"Blandford Cares will continue to deliver aid in the most effective way possible. Many are sleeping rough wherever they can, and those in Calais are all fleeing war torn countries or persecution, some young teenagers on their own and women with very young children. Many have relatives in England, speak some English but not French, or have studied here."

To help in any way, contact Mike and Suzi Hearn at Blandford Cares by email to hearn@forumsprings.plus.com or call 07768 403512 or 07709 551764.

THE Prime Minister's statement on January 9 about "transforming mental health support in workplaces" didn't come a moment too soon for Blandford-based Alison Moore of 'A Good Place'.

Alison is an experienced counsellor, counselling supervisor and trainer, who has seen at first hand the impact in the workplace of a lack of mental health support.

As well as individual face-to-face and online counselling, she now offers onsite support to groups and businesses of all sizes.

This can take the form of a proactive mental health awareness programme where colleagues can learn about common mental health conditions and how to support themselves and others, or onsite support after a traumatic event such as an accident or sudden death.

She said: "Providing onsite support after a crisis is tailored to the group or business's requirements.

Often a couple of group discussion sessions with some one-to-

one time is a good balance and works well, allowing people to discover that their feelings are normal for the situation and they are not alone, but also offload in a private, confidential space."

In 2014 mental health conditions affected almost one in five of all working-age people and around one in seven of people in full-time employment. In the workplace 18 million days were lost to sickness absence caused by mental health conditions in 2015 at a cost of around ÂŁ9 billion a year to employers.

ANYONE interested in playing their part in serving their local community as a member of Blandford Forum Town Council has until Friday March 17 to submit an application for a vacancy in Central ward, which will be filled by co-option. The vacancy arose following the resignation of Councillor Nick Barnaby. See advertisement on page 26.

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Readers’ letters

Farm view on Brexit WE can't escape Brexit in the media at the moment, a state of affairs which will no doubt continue for many months, if not years.

British agriculture (as well as much of Britain in general) now

LETTERS Please write to Forum Focus if there is something you'd like to comment on or share with other readers.

Email your letter, which should be as brief as possible, to: editor@forumfocus.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can call 01258 459346 or deliver your letter to: Forum Focus, c/o Colin's

faces the most uncertain period since I began farming, in fact since the day we joined the EEC as it was in 1973.

British farmers have been somewhat shielded from the cut and thrust of world trade since then, partly on the back of the French farmers, who will spread manure in town centres and set fire to tyres in the middle of motorways

February 2017 Community Club, 49 Damory Street, Blandford DT11 7HD. Please mark your letter 'for publication' and remember to include your address, which will not be used in full. Forum Focus reserves the right to shorten or edit letters in the interests of clarity, brevity and style.

any time they feel they are not getting their own way.

If there is no trade agreement in place for agricultural products by 2019 we will face punitive tariffs before we can sell our products into the EU once we have left.

Lamb, for example, will face a 51% tariff. A third of the sheep meat produced in the UK is sold into Europe where lamb will face that tariff. Barley, a huge amount of which is grown in the south of England for export to brewers in Belgium, France and Germany, will face a similar barrier.

These two commodities are essential to our own business here in Dorset, and getting the new trading arrangements right for all agricultural products postBrexit is clearly essential to avoid the most terrifying upheaval in UK agriculture.

Many view this as a great opportunity to re-map our trading relationships with the rest of the world. I can't help but view it as the most reckless leap into the unknown.

There are many who say that UK agriculture will become leaner and meaner outside the EU, that subsidies should be reduced, and farming become more responsive to market forces.

Subsidies have for very many years often been all that gives us a profit, without which we go down the tubes. The response to market forces may be not quite what they hoped for.

And if we don't want access to the single market and casual labour, who will harvest our fruit and vegetables, milk our cows, drive our lorries, deliver our parcels and nurse our sick and aged? Is it too much to ask for a sensible compromise?

George Hosford Durweston

Town centre holds key FOLLOWING on the Lidl development, Blandford should not waste a golden opportunity for a town centre revamp that will breathe new life into a tired area.

The key driver to give potential new business the confidence to expand would be a change of atmosphere within the Market Place, which could also create a valuable public meeting and

relaxation area.

Wimborne town centre was not long ago tired and dated, but someone had the brilliant idea to open up the centre area and develop a lively relaxing area where people could meet socially in a continental open plan-style environment.

It incorporated a sympathetic scheme to enhance the town centre area on a minimalist budget spend which has benefited the surrounding commercial area tremendously.

Blandford needs to wake up and smell the coffee or be in danger of being left behind.

To date no-one has developed a plan that capitalises on the lucrative commercial marketing space of its architecturally wonderful Georgian heritage blended into the 20th century.

A brave decision would be to reposition the weekly market and short-stay parking and create a more relaxed open-air feel to the town centre square area which would be a key driver to give potential new business the confidence to expand.

It is inconceivable that a few minor cosmetic changes would cost tens of thousands of pounds.

The market stalls could easily be re-sited on Sheep Market Hill, or retained in the Market Place on two days a week, but the parking needs to be relocated, giving an opportunity to soften the feel of the area with planting that would not be intrusive to underground services, etc.

David Woodland Newtown, Charlton Marshall

Our thanks I HAVE just had the pleasure of receiving from Winston Leese the collection generously given to the Spetisbury Yuletide Brass by the customers at the Marks & Spencer and Tesco stores in Blandford in the run-up to Christmas.

This year the wonderful generosity has amounted to ÂŁ589 in return for the very enjoyable seasonal music provided in the entrances to the two stores - and once again the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital would like to thank the public for their kindness and continued support.

Mac MacLaughlin Deputy Chairman The Friends of Blandford Community Hospital

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February 2017

Letters extra I’m losing faith in Forum shutdown our health service a loss to the area IN the past I have praised the NHS but I'm afraid my recent encounter has made me think again.

I still believe that the dedication of the nurses and doctors is the only thing keeping the NHS going, but years ago, when you were ill you went to the doctor who wrote a letter that you took to the hospital. If necessary, you were hospitalised and sent home when you were better.

Now you go backwards and forwards seeing person after person taking weeks of everyone's time.

Two years ago, I was referred to the 'Pain Clinic' at Dorchester.

After waiting many months I was told, because of a backlog of patients, to contact the Bournemouth private hospital. I phoned on the Thursday, was seen on the Saturday and treated the following Monday.

For over four months recently I tried to get my shoulder seen to, and last week I had to ask why I still had not received an appointment. I was told that it would be several months before I could expect one.

As I had already been unable to sleep for more than two hours at a time for several months and been unable to use my left arm without excruciating pain, I

could not think of waiting that long.

I went private and spent my hard-earned savings. I attended the Winterbourne hospital, was called in by the specialist himself, interviewed, examined, shown back to the waiting room, and in less than a minute called for an x-ray. Two minutes later I saw the specialist again and the operation was booked for a week's time.

I have written to my doctor thanking him for his time and for arranging the private appointment and explaining why I made the only decision left open to me of paying £5,000-plus to have the operation within a week.

After paying into the NHS all my life I think it is wrong to have to spend my savings. Once again it is the system we have that is out of touch with the service that is required.

I have written to the government-funded Healthwatch Dorset, for which I am a champion, and have forms so that people can have their say about the NHS, good and bad, and pamphlets explaining the changes in the NHS about to happen locally.

Colin Young Damory Street, Blandford

Poppies all the year A POPPY isn't just for November!

The Royal British Legion provides information, advice and guidance to help the Armed Forces community find and access the support they need.

We help members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, Reservists, veterans and their families.

There is a staggering amount of work that goes on all year round, the majority of it by unpaid volunteers - yes, even here in Blandford.

The National Poppy Appeal may be well over with, but for us, the work starts now ready for the 2017 campaign. With 500 collection tins to be cleaned, 500 boxes to be dismantled, stock to be put away, counted and then

re-ordered to name but a few of our tasks, it's all systems go!

Fancy lending a hand? Whether all you are able to offer is one hour of your time or you think you might want to help a little more, perhaps even with manning the occasional stall, please do get in touch.

If you are on email then please contact Alex at blandford.treasurer@rbl.community for more information, or why not pop into Legion House, Church Lane, one day for a chat with one of the committee members? If one of us is not there, then please leave your name and number and we will be in touch.

Alex Williams Blandford and District Royal British Legion

FUNDING for the Community Partnerships in North Dorset may come to an end in March, and if it does, the DT11 Forum office in Nightingale Court will cease to be operational from April 1.

We hope and believe that DT11 has made a significant contribution to its communities, and very much regret we may no longer be able to do so. Julie Wigg, our Community Resource Worker (CRW), has done a terrific job and has achieved a great deal, including initiating the annual Health and Wellbeing event and raising over £110,000 for community projects in the past year alone.

Just about everything we do depends on the CRW's involvement and support. Without Julie, it is likely that the DT11 Transport Action Group (TAG) will fold. This has been a great forum for responding to cuts to rural bus services and promoting community transport schemes such as Dorset Community Transport, Bus2Go, NORDCAT, Neighbourhood Cars and RDW2W.

There are a lot of energetic community-minded people out there wanting to fill the gaps left by the removal of public transport from our villages. Community schemes like those mentioned can meet most requirements. RDW2W has 17 bikes on the road, enabling the young and the not-so-young to get to work, training or education.

Bus2Go is a great success story, fulfilling a much-valued social need. Dorset Community Transport's PlusBus scheme provides 12 services covering almost half of the bus routes that have been cut. We urge town and parish councils to do all they can to promote their availability and use.

As Chairman, I would like to say a personal thank you to my predecessors, our treasurer Peter Slocombe and deputy chair Bobbie Church. Thank you very much for your support and all you have done for people in the DT11 area.

Nic Nicol, Chairman DT11 Community Forum

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Star magician to perform in town ONE of the UK's top comedy magicians will be coming to the Corn Exchange in Blandford on Saturday February 11.

John Archer is a member of the Inner Magic Circle with Gold Star, one of only 300 in the world to hold the position, and has a host of awards to his name.

In 2011 he was the first on ITV's 'Penn and Teller - Fool

John Archer

Us' to actually fool them and win a trip to the Penn & Teller Theatre in Vegas, where he performed live on stage.

In 2013 the show 'Help My Supply Teacher is Still Magic' which John starred in and wrote for, won a BAFTA at the Children's BAFTA Awards, and he has a number of TV credits, in addition to performing internationally.

The evening is being promoted and produced by Blandford Community Promotions, newly set up by Clive Newlin with Blandford Parish Church to help build links between church and community and promote entertainment events in Blandford for the benefit of the whole town.

Proceeds will go to the Cupola Project, and John will be supported by talented local singer Lili White (see right).

'An Evening with John Archer' is hoped to be just the first of many events to be organised in town by Blandford Community Promotions in the coming year.

Tickets went on sale early January and can be purchased online at blandfordcommunitypromotions.co.uk for collection on the door, or from the Parish Church Office during office hours.

February 2017

Local girl Lili to preview her debut single

LILI White, who will be appearing alongside John Archer in the Corn Exchange on February 11, is a local singer song-writer who will be releasing her debut single six days later.

'Skyline Pigeon', which will be available to buy and download online and is certain to be previewed for the Corn Exchange audience, comes out of the recording studios with an ex-Elton John producer who has worked with artists such as Oasis, Robbie Williams, Led Zeppelin and Chris Rea. Lili filmed her music video for the track with award-winning video director and photographer Vasilisa Forbes in Kingston Maurward's beautiful gardens using the autumn light and leaves.

Eighteen-year-old Lili, who has performed at several local events, has grown up in Blandford, and attended The Blandford School.

She started ballet lessons at three, and over the years has trained in all aspects of dance. At seven, her parents discovered her flair for singing and performing, and at 13, she was chosen by Heart FM to perform on the main stage at the Bournemouth Air Festival.

"I was honoured," she said. "I sang a cover of Jessie J's 'Price Tag'. She had been my idol for many years and still to this day I admire her and her vocals."

As Lili progressed into her teenage years, with vocal coaching she found the style that suited her voice best, and has been inspired by artists such as Norah Jones, Katie Melua and Nina Nesbitt. To help in the development and experiment with this style, she went busking in Bournemouth. "Just me and my music - the response I got from members of the public made me realise that this was the road I wanted to take."

February 2017

Law firm continue their support for Artsreach LAW firm Blanchards Bailey, which last season partnered Dorset's rural touring arts organisation Artsreach, has announced that it will continue in partnership through 2017, helping to bring highquality events to the community.

Alan Horne, principal and chief executive at Blanchards Bailey, said: "We look forward to extending our relationship with Artsreach after being impressed by all the great work the group has undertaken within the community during the autumn. We are pleased to continue our support which will benefit the community by making culture and arts available to all."

Kerry Bartlett, co-director at Artsreach, said: "We are grateful for the support of Blanchards Bailey. It will help ensure the people of Dorset enjoy quality arts."

Harbour Voices (pictured right), a 20strong group of men and women bringing celebration of the sea with their performance of traditional shanties and original songs and tales to Sturminster Marshall on February 11, (details 01202 650213) is one of a mix of styles and genres in the area this month.

It includes afternoon performances starting 4pm during half-term week, with Angel

Heart Theatre presenting Malina's Dream at The Exchange at Sturminster Newton (details 01258 475137) on Sunday February 12 and again at Sixpenny Handley on Tuesday February 14 (details 07751 525200).

Paddleboat Theatre will be visiting St Nicholas School, Child Okeford on Friday February 17 with Margo & Mr Whatsit (details 01258 861612).

Evening performances, starting at 7.30pm, include Glorilla on Friday February 10 at Tarrant Gunville, (details 01258 830361),

by French and English comedy duo Spitz & Co. It features acclaimed French actress and international animal communicator Gloria Delaneuf talking about her lifechanging experience with the gorillas of the Kungalunga Jungle.

Assisted by her UK tour manager Josephine Cunningham, she is determined to show that man and gorilla can live 'sans frontiers' in what is part lecture, dramatic reconstruction and live demonstration, including unrivalled physical comedy.

Another 7.30pm performance comes from guitarist Ian Watt who will be visiting Ibberton (details 01258 817269) on Saturday February 25.

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February 2017

Diamond couple have both played major roles in life of the town CHILDHOOD friends and neighbours Peter Warrington and his wife Hazel celebrated their diamond wedding on December 16 at their home in Bayfran Way, Blandford.

Mr Warrington is the town's longest serving Freeman, having served the community in a host of capacities, and one of the couple's first visitors was the town Mayor Jackie Stayt with a beautiful bouquet.

Mr and Mrs Warrington came to live in Blandford more than 40 years ago, when he was appointed manager of the Woolworth store in Salisbury Street. They had grown up in neighbouring streets in Clacton, and attended the same school. But it was not until they were teenagers, both working at the Woolworth store in Clacton, that they began dating, and were married a year later at Holy Trinity Methodist Church.

Both have played a significant role

in the life of Blandford. As a mother of their five children Hazel became involved in the Cubs, Scouts, and the PTAs and governing bodies of Archbishop Wake Primary, St Leonard's Middle and The Blandford Schools.

When Peter took early retirement from Woolworth to avoid a transfer to another town, Hazel joined him in running the fashion store Gemini (now Blandford Furniture Bazaar) further up Salisbury Street for 15 years, from which they retired in 2002.

During that time, Peter had served as chairman of the Chamber of Trade, as a town councillor for 11 years, as Mayor of Blandford, chairman of school governors, and chairman of the Blandford Wine and Beer Circle.

He also worked with the Blandford and District Civic Society, for which he led guided town tours, the Preetz Society, the Blandford Opportunity Group and the Scouts,

Peter and Hazel Warrington, who celebrated their diamond wedding in December. and by the time of his nomination as Freeman of the town in 2005, he had served or continued to serve as chairman or treasurer of all four.

At 81, Peter remains founder treasurer of the Blandford Railway Club, which works to produce scale model replicas of stations and railway layouts.

Hazel, one year his junior, is currently a volunteer with the Age UK shop and Age Concern lunch club, a committee member with Knees-Up and leader of the Shottesford Peelers handbell ringers. For nine years she was

on the Georgian Fayre committee and is a former Chamber of Trade chairman.

They say the key to their long and successful marriage and even longer friendship has been their sense of humour and in "agreeing to disagree".

Other commitments for their growing family, which includes 11 grandchildren and three great grandchildren, many of whom live some distance away, meant some were unable to join the celebratory lunch the couple enjoyed with their daughter Karen, who lives in Blandford.

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February 2017

The driving force behind town’s carnival OBITUARY THERE was standing room only in the Lesley Shand service chapel at Blandford on January 6 for the funeral of the woman who, together with her family, has kept Blandford's annual carnival on the road for the last four decades.

Lil Jones (pictured left) died at Dorchester Hospital on December 9, aged 74. The service was led by celebrant Neil McCain, who said her priorities had always been her home, her family and helping people enjoy themselves, particularly the

young. He said Lil, who was born in Fordington, had grown up in Sturminster Newton and at 16 left school to work at the International Stores in Blandford, where she cycled to work. She was asked out for coffee by John Jones, and they married in the summer of 1963, spending their honeymoon in a caravan in Paignton. It was the start of many years of family camping and caravan holidays, later at Butlins and finally abroad.

They lived at Ringwood and

Plans for pub garden cottages runs into local opposition PUB owners Hall and Woodhouse have submitted plans to develop part of the garden of the Farquharson Arms pub in Salisbury Road, Pimperne, by building four terraced cottages.

Pimperne Parish Council has objected to the scheme on the grounds that the village's developing Neighbourhood Plan seeks to restrict further development east of the main road.

Other concerns relate to the potential impact on flooding on the A354, insufficient allocation of parking spaces for both the new houses and the pub, loss of

garden space to the pub, and the overall design of the properties.

Residents have raised similar issues, including the danger of more traffic entering and leaving the car park.

But the brewery owners say the development will provide an opportunity to improve parking and the roadside frontage of the pub, which will be retained.

The Farquharson is one of two licensed premises in the village owned by the brewery following its acquisition of the nearby Anvil on the opposite side of Salisbury

Pimperne couple Roy and Betty Wells celebrated their diamond wedding on December 22. They have thanked all their family, friends and neighbours for making their anniversary so special, with particular thanks to their next door neighbour Jackie Vacher for the surprise breakfast on the day. They are pictured with their anniversary card from the Queen.

Road.

But each offers very different facilities, the Farquharson being more a local community pub, and the Anvil offering hotel accommodation.

Alton before settling in Blandford, where John worked for a local butcher, and they moved into what was to be their home for nearly 50 years in Newman Close.

Lil worked as a school dinner lady at whichever school son Barrie was attending, and when he left school to work for Flight Refuelling, she worked there.

She and her husband both joined the carnival committee in 1971, and in the first year succeeded in raising ÂŁ200 enough to pay for the day and give money to local good causes.

They went on to re-establish the event as a central fixture in the town's calendar each September. Over the years they organised fundraising and bingo sessions, building floats, marshalling and both served as chairman for many years, eventually being succeeded by Barrie in 2011.

Lil leaves her husband, John, sons Barrie and Paul and their wives Sarah and Joanne, and grandchildren Aidan, Connor, Iwan, Megan and Hannah.

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February 2017

Photographic record of tragic brothers

A rare quiet month for the town’s memorial HISTORY tells us that in February 1917, the country was almost twothirds of the way through World War One. It was the second of only four months throughout the whole of the war in which no names were added to the list which appears on the Blandford War Memorial.

The first was in June 1915 and only two were to follow, in September 1917 and February 1918. But the month did not pass without local casualties.

Eustace Vivian March was born in Sturminster Marshall, on whose memorial he is remembered, and died of measles in hospital in France on 17th February, serving as a

William Richard Cartwright's grave in Blandford Cemetery.

Private in the Royal Marine Light Infantry 1st RM Battalion RND. His father Jacob Samuel was a grocer and baker, at Leigh, Sherborne, who married Emma Mary Ayles at Poole in 1876.

Eustace had three brothers and a sister. In 1915 he married Wimborneborn Winifred Sansom at Poole, and worked as an estate clerk prior to enlisting in August 1916. He was drafted to the British Expeditionary Force in December that year, and admitted to the 7th General Hospital five days before his death.

William Richard Cartwright, 39, whose grave can be found in Blandford Cemetery, died from bronchial pneumonia in the hospital at Blandford Camp on 23rd February. He had served as an Ordinary Seaman in the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve 3rd Reserve Battalion and was admitted to hospital on 11th January 1917. He was born in Worcestershire, had married Emma Callow in 1906 at Kidderminster, and worked as a groom before enlisting in December 1915.

Dominic William Addleton was killed in action in Mesopotamia, aged 21, on 24th February and is remembered at Hinton Martell. His background is unclear, being recorded as born at Loughborough in 1896, christened at Hinton Martell in 1903 and resident as a 14-yearold in 1911 in a boys' home in Shaftesbury Road, Bournemouth.

His father W H Addleton, of Loughborough, is shown as living as a widower at Shardlow in Derbyshire in 1911, but no record has been found of the death of his mother Eliza Jane.

READERS may recall that when Forum Focus began its tribute to the fallen of the First World War with a four-page supplement in August 2014, one article told the tragic story of the Blandford family which lost four sons.

Further research has shown that other family members were lost. A picture supplied to the 14-18 Commemoration Group by a family member shows Harry James, Frederick William, William Charles, Albert Sidney and Reginald Bertie Lane, of Lawrence's Yard, Whitecliff Mill Street, together with their cousins, William and Harry Bellows, also of Whitecliff Mill Street.

Harry, Frederick, Albert and Reginald were all killed on active service, as was their cousin Harry and another cousin, Frederick Charles Lane, of Bryanston Street, leaving only the third youngest, William Charles, and William Bellows as survivors of the war.

Albert and Frederick were both killed in September 1914, Harry Bellows was killed in November 1915, Reginald in January 1917, and Harry James Lane in August 1918. Their father Frederick had died in 1898, and

their already widowed mother, Annie, died in August 1917.

Albert had married Margaret Chown in September 1914, and their second and only surviving child, named after him, was born in February 1917.

February 1917 is also the centenary of the posthumous presentation to the parents of Sidney Ware, of Winterborne Whitechurch, of the Victoria Cross he had earned for his outstanding courage in rescuing the wounded in Anniyat, Mesopotamia, in April 1916. Sidney, whose younger brother had been killed in 1915, died later the same month of wounds received four days after his brave actions, and his older brother was killed three months later.

It was in the same month that Blandford's most famous war hero, Jack Counter of Orchard Street, became a private in the 1st Battalion of the King's Liverpool Regiment.

Jack had been too young to serve when war broke out in 1914, and was 19 when he joined up. But 14 months later his outstanding bravery in April 1918 at Boisleux St Marc in France, earned him the Victoria Cross.

The five Lane brothers, pictured with their cousins William and Harry Bellows. Photo supplied by family member.

ANYONE who would like to share with our readers pictures and details of events relating to relatives who played a part in World War One is invited to contact Forum Focus by calling 01258 459346, emailing editor@forumfocus.co.uk or writing to 18 Tudor Gardens, Blandford DT11 7PL. Forum Focus would like to thank the Blandford 14-18 Group for their help in researching this material.

21

February 2017

New Year classics call in for a pit stop THE New Year's Day vintage and classic run in support of the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance called in to the Marsh & Ham car park in Blandford for a coffee stop.

More than 200 vehicles and a dozen motorcycles gathered in Sturminster Newton's Station Road car park to be waved off by town crier Kevin Knapp and motoring photographer James Mann of Bourton, with commentary from rally founder Keith Collis.

The parade was led by around 20 vintage motorcycles, and then by a magnificent 1938 Rolls Royce Sedanca De Ville hot rod conversion, owned by a private collector, which on its arrival was given a warm welcome by Mayor of Blandford Jackie Stayt and her husband and consort John.

Among the rarer models on parade was a 1931 Austin 12/6 Harley owned for the past six years by Stuart and Shirley Asbury of Sutton Waldron.

The rally was joined by a large number of MGs from the MG Owners Club, as well as Humbers, World War One and

Two military vehicles, and commercials including a lorry from Taymix in Pimperne.

The halt at Blandford, after a route which took them through Child Okeford and Stourpaine, was under slightly better conditions than their last visit on January 1, 2014, when heavy rain resulted in flooded roads and a poor turnout.

Crowds gathered as the vehicles arrived and their drivers and passengers enjoyed coffee at the Crown Hotel and at Scruples in Barnack Walk, but the weather started to deteriorate as the drivers then headed off via Pimperne and Milborne St Andrew before heading to The Green Man at Kings Stag for lunch.

Mayor of Blandford Jackie Stayt makes her choice of the 1938 Rolls Royce.

Trailway map cash A GRANT of £250 has been approved for the publication of a new North Dorset Trailway Network brochure which will include a map of Blandford town centre showing visitors how to find the Trailway routes north and south of Blandford.

Network chairman Lesley Gasson said: "At present Blandford is poorly signposted from the Trailway and many visitors to the tourist information office ask about how to access it. Our latest map includes the centre of Blandford with directions about where the Trailway begins and ends in the town."

Town councillors also approved a grant of £315 to Life Education Wessex to cover a visit by the Life Education team to a primary school in the town.

Blandford Lions were awarded a grant to cover the hire of council premises for training of residents, business and shopkeepers in the use of defibrillators.

A commercial AEC Mandator from Taymix of Pimperne prepares to set off from Sturminster Newton.

NEW rateable values coming into effect on April 1 could mean a significant increase not only for local businesses but also for the town council, whichis anticipating a net rise of around £2,500 per annum for its five premises, the Tabernacle and Marsh & Ham toilets, cemetery, Corn Exchange and Glenmore Business Unit.

The increase is largely due to site improvements at the cemetery and increased rental values at Glenmore Business Park. The council is considering an appeal against their valuations, having been unsuccessful in appealing against current rateable values on all town council properties.

FARMING

22

The View from the Hill

wants to clear up a bit and make better use of the ground. As with most things in life, a balance must be found.

The gorse which remains is now producing a wonderful show of bright yellow flowers, a sign of the new season approaching.

Winter is a time of maintenance and repair, and over the last few weeks Gary and Brendan have been working on a stretch of new fence, where the old one's posts had all rotted off and the wire had sunk into the grass beneath.

Firstly the old fence must be removed, then the vegetation

mown off before the new straining posts are knocked in.

The strainers are then strutted to hold the tension of the wire when it is attached and a rope is laid between them to mark the straight line for the new posts, which are then knocked in. The wire netting, which comes in 100m rolls, is attached to the first strainer, and unrolled along the ground.

A second roll is attached and unrolled from the other end to make a 200m straight run and the wire tightened with a straining winch by hand and the wires crimped together. Once tight, the wire can be raised and stapled onto the posts from one end to the other. All that remains is to add a strand of barbed wire to the top to discourage the cattle from rubbing and damaging the fence.

All of our lambs, or more accurately now we are into the New

Straining post made from old telegraph pole, with strut.

A rather sheepish sheep.

by George Hosford More from George on viewfromthehill.org.uk

I

HAVE been taken to task after my comment that October is traditionally the wettest month of the year. My friend at Lazerton Farm, Stourpaine, tells me that his records, which go back to 1963, show December to be the wettest, a clear 10mm more than any other month of the year.

On average, Travellers Rest - a mere three miles distant receives 13% more rain than Stourpaine, although some months are the other way round.

Rainfall nerds can get in touch through the website to continue this strand.

The lovely dry cold days over the holiday period gave us a chance to carry out some scrub clearance work - great as an antidote to too much eating and drinking.

Gorse has been cut back to size where it has invaded useful pasture, and many fallen hawthorn trees and bushes have been cleared up so the animals can reach the grass underneath them.

This kind of work can create a mental battleground between the tidy farmer and the environmentalist. Half-rotted trees provide terrific habitat for insects and their predators such as woodpeckers, but where they prevent grazing, or allow the establishment of nettles, brambles and thistles, the tidy-minded farmer

The wonderful bright yellow flowers of gorse.

February 2017

Year, our hoggets, are feeding on turnips at Thornicombe, as are many of our ewes, where, for the last three weeks they have been entertained by a troupe of itinerant rams.

Some readers will be familiar with the idea of coloured crayons being attached to the rams' chests during tupping season so that the farmer, or shepherd, can see which ewes have been served. This can be seen clearly amongst the flock in the meadow of our neighbour, near the Durweston bridge traffic lights.

We do not use the crayon system, so the rumps of our own sheep on the other side of the road remain white.

But in the turnip field the mud on the feet of the rams betrays a certain level of activity when it attaches itself to the fleece of ewes such as the one in the picture, one of our pet ewes, hence her sheepish expression!

23

February 2017

No-one eats alone on Christmas Day, thanks to Rotary BLANDFORD Rotary Club hosted its Christmas lunch in the Sealy Suite of the Crown Hotel for those who would otherwise have spent Christmas Day alone.

Nearly 70 guests included the elderly, disabled and other members of the community, many of whom were transported to the venue by Rotarians and their supporters.

They were welcomed with a glass of sherry or wine and festive music provided by Sam Ryall and his ukulele group joined by other local musicians and singers.

Rotarian and retired Canon Grahame Shaw gave grace and the three-course meal of soup, turkey with trimmings, Christmas pudding and coffee followed, served by Rotarians, friends and members of the family of Yogesh Patel.

The Patels have for the last 17 years been responsible for preparing and presenting the festive fare. They have now been joined by Rotarian Nigel Wright in organising the event, which is supported by Blandford Rotary's business partners and sponsors.

A far cry to Bermuda BLANDFORD's Deputy Town Crier Liz Rawlings has been selected to take part in an international town criers' competition to be held in Bermuda later this year.

The competition will take place over five days in different locations around the islands, starting each day with a Home Cry about Blandford to be given by her, which will be widely broadcast.

Town councillors were told that she had not requested any financial support for her trip, but they agreed to the town clerk's suggestion of a contribution.

They decided to offer a donation of ÂŁ200 towards the trip in which she will be representing the town, together with a stock of Blandford Forum pin badges to take with her.

Thanks from Rotary president Steve Adamson, third from right, to the catering team (left to right) Radhika Patel, Vanessa Patel, daughters of Chhaya Patel and Yogesh Patel, Nigel Wright and his wife Sue.

Derek Andrews dispenses the wine.

Special thanks were expressed to the staff of Sandisons Ltd for their fund-raising of ÂŁ336 to support the lunch.

Special guests were the Mayor of Blandford Jackie Stayt and her consort John Stayt, who between courses visited each of the nine tables to chat to the visitors, and thanked the Rotary Club for

Christmas lunch in the Sealy Suite. again hosting such a wonderful community event.

The grand finale saw the arrival

of Father Christmas, laden with small gifts for each of those present.

24

Fun on the Christmas menu ROTARIANS were not the only ones to lay on a Christmas party for the lonely and elderly of Blandford.

Chef Carl Thomson and his friend Jenny Wood decided to give back to the local community by holding a festive, fun-filled afternoon with games, singsongs and a turkey dinner for elderly people facing Christmas alone.

Jenny said: "During the festive season it is easy to forget that some people will be very much alone and may not have any family or friends to celebrate with, which can make the Christmas period a very lonely time indeed."

Carl said: "Originally I wanted to donate just a few hours of my time until Jenny and I decided that with a little support we could give that bit more."

They invited local people and businesses to help them organise dinner in Blandford Parish Centre on December 22, and on the day welcomed 40 elderly people and their carers to enjoy turkey with all the trimmings, Christmas pudding and custard, followed by mince pies with tea

All smiles at the festive raffle. or coffee. "We had a raffle with some incredible food hampers, bottles of Baileys, boxes of chocolates and pampering sets so that everyone went home with a gift, and a great big Christmas carol singsong with local town trumpeter Geordie Thomson, which went down incredibly well,"

said Carl.

"It was a brilliant day, the feedback was fantastic, and we can't wait to do it again bigger and better next year - we already have eight bookings!"

He paid particular tribute to all those who had offered their support and gave their time to help.

February 2017

Changes to best village contest A NEW category has been introduced in this year's Best Village competitions, which were launched last month by Dorset Community Action with continued support from Magna Housing, the main sponsor since 2010.

Under-25 groups are invited to enter the new Young People's Award, which is being offered in addition to the Best Village Shop, Environmental Champions and People's Project categories, to run alongside the longer-established Best Kept Village categories.

Entry details are being sent to the parish councils, village hall committees and other community groups, and are available from Dorset Community Action on 01305 216407 or dorsetcommunityaction.org.uk. The deadline for entries in the Best Village category is on Monday April 10. For other categories the deadline is Monday July 3.

25

February 2017

Stalwart sisters will be greatly missed BLANDFORD Fashion Museum "In the early days they loyally reopens on Monday February 13 supported the tearoom and shop with new exhibitions for the seaand helped to make both welson and a special half-term offer coming and successful. As time of free admission for children went by they began making aged 16 or under. woollen teddy bears and Easter egg chicks. They supplied these The new displays include Dorset for the benefit of the museum ladies of distinction, featuring free of charge.

Henrietta Bankes, Henrietta Portman, Mary Anning and Joyce "The teddy bears proved Badrocke, a designer for extremely popular with both chilHorrocks in the 1950s and dren and adults, and they made 1960s, and Elisabeth Frink, the hundreds of them - by special celebrated sculptor who lived for request they made 60 for a charithe last 17 years of her life at ty school in Africa, and pairs of Woolland. bridal bears for several newly married couples. Their generous There will also be a display of contribution of time and skills 'Styles that changed fashion', and were very much valued and they of Victorian 'Ladies Taking Tea'. are both greatly missed."

Volunteers have been hard at Beryl died last September at work during the two-and-a-half Blandford Hospital, aged 91, and month closure preparing the her sister, five years her junior, exhibits and giving the museum died on December 17 at Dorset its annual spring-clean.

County Hospital. Her funeral was But they are mourning the loss of held at St Mary's Church, Tarrant two stalwarts who for the past 20 Hinton in January. years have spent hours knitting teddy bears for the museum.

Sisters Beryl Lawes and Joan Fry died within three months of each other, and museum administrator Gordon Boutelle said: "It is fitting to pay tribute to their exceptional support of the Blandford Fashion Victorian Ladies take tea with cake and caviar sandwiches Museum since it - one of the new exhibits at the Fashion Museum opened in 1996.

Greatly missed: Beryl Lawes and her sister Joan Fry with some of the teddy bears they knitted for the Blandford Fashion Museum.

26

February 2017

Hiss at the villains, cheer the heroes it’s panto time again!

A SELL-OUT performance of Dick Whittington in Blandford Corn Exchange on December 21 was hosted by Blandford Town Council.

The young audience delighted in the adventures of Dick and his cat, the antics of Pretty Sara and her son Idle Jack, and the evil scheming of the villainous Captain Blood in a pantomime full of action, audience participation, and a generous selection of jokes to keep accompanying adults entertained.

The amateur pantomime season continued locally in Iwerne Minster on January 20 and 21 at the Village Club, and the Tarrant Valley Players on stage from January 25 to 28 with 'Frankenstein the Panto' at the Anne Biddlecombe Hall, Tarrant Keyneston, Sleeping Beauty opened in Spetisbury village hall on

January 27 for two evening performances, with another chance to see it on Friday and Saturday February 3 and 4. Proceeds will go to local children's charities.

It is a new version of the traditional pantomime penned for Spetisbury Occasional Dramatic Society (SODS) by local girl Bryony Black, who has recently gained a Master’s Degree in scriptwriting for TV and film from Bournemouth University.

Her recent work includes a short film shown at film festivals in Los Angeles and Barcelona, a fulllength feature film about the effects of the First World War on an English village community and a script for a TV commercial.

Bryony has starred in previous village pantomimes while a student at The Blandford School.

She said: "This is my first pantomime script and I have tried to

Dick Whittington and his cat with Pretty Sara and her son Idle Jack in Blandford Corn Exchange. bring the traditional Sleeping Beauty story up to date and make it local to the Dorset area."

Derek Ritchie, chairman of SODS and himself an awardwinning pantomime script-writer, added: "It is great to have been able to commission a professional scriptwriter for our annual panto who knows the village and all our members."

For information and tickets contact sodsboxoffice@gmail.com.

The pantomime season continues with the Milborne Players in Jack & the Beanstalk from

Thursday February 2 to Saturday 4 in Milborne St Andrew village hall under the direction of Jess Elphinstone-Davis.

Nearby the Valley Players will be presenting Panto Briefs on Friday and Saturday February 3 and 4, and again on Friday and Saturday February 10 and 11.

Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatic Society are in rehearsal for their production of 'Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves' to be staged from Wednesday February 8 to Saturday 11 at The Exchange.

SPORT

February 2017

Doddlers’ donation could be a life saver BLANDFORD'S Parkrun, now in its second year, has its very own defibrillator thanks to a donation from the Dorset Doddlers running club.

The life-saving equipment, which is used to restart the heart after a cardiac arrest, was donated with funds raised from within the club and the races that the Doddlers organise locally, the Stur Half Marathon and the Stickler.

The Parkrun is a free-to-enter weekly 5km run organised by a group of volunteers who have been trained to use the defibrillator. Each week more than 125 runners can be seen along the North Dorset Trailway route, including many members of the Doddlers themselves.

The Doddlers regularly donate to

27

Dorset Doddlers chairman John Cowley hands over the defibrillator to the Blandford Parkrun organisers, watched by runners and members of the Doddlers. the local community, but one member said: "We hope the defibrillator does not need to be used. If it is and it does its job, it could be the most priceless donation we could ever make."

Among the many messages of thanks, regular park runner Keven Crabbe summed it up perfectly: "A big thank you to the Dorset Doddlers. Fingers crossed it is a bit of kit that stays in its

box."

Dorset Doddlers offer weekly training sessions from both Blandford and Sturminster.

Details can be found at dorsetdoddlers.org.

Year starts with a swing for Ashley Wood golfers

Incoming Ashley Wood Golf Club captain Clive Jones and lady captain Ann Morris took their first shots on the first tee at just after 12.15am on New Year's Day.

Green light for number plate cameras

The club's seniors section last year raised £800 for their chosen charity, the Blandford Opportunity Group, and proceeds were presented by seniors' captain Bob Jones to Sharon Kevern and Colin Stevens.

TOWN councillors have agreed to proceed with an application for funding for two Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras in the town and to support the project with £15,000 from the CCTV budget.

Members of the town and general purposes committee were advised that the cameras would

The charity supported by the ladies at Ashley Wood was the Alzheimer's Society, for whom a grand total of £1,300 was raised. It was presented to Andy Tilling, the Society's local representative, by outgoing lady captain Joan Bartlett. be used to search for known offenders or missing persons, and not for spot checks on drivers.

PC Rob Hammond, who was present at the meeting to give an overview of their activity in the town, said the cameras would be extremely useful to have as an additional observational tool.

28

February 2017

Forum Focus - forthcoming meetings & events

FEBRUARY 2017 Wednesday February 1: Blandford St Mary Parish Council, Bryanston Court, 7pm Tarrant Keyneston Flower Arranging Club, village hall, 2.30pm, beginners welcome.

01258 452313 Thursday 2 to Saturday 4: Milborne Players, Jack & the Beanstalk, Milborne St Andrew village hall, 7.30pm nightly, plus Sat matinee 2.30pm, tickets £7 on 01258 839085 Friday 3 and 10, Saturday 4 and 11: Valley Players, Panto Briefs, 7.30pm, and matinee 2pm on final Saturday Saturday February 4: Coffee morning with books, cards, cakes etc, Child Okeford village hall, 10.30am Coffee morning with bring & buy, raffle, bric a brac, 50/50 clothes rail, library open, Shillingstone church centre, 10.30-12 Quiz and casserole night, £7 a head, teams of 6, in aid of St Nicholas church, Child Okeford village hall, tickets from Cross Stores or Ruth on 01258 860068 Sunday February 5: South Dorset point-to-point, Milborne St Andrew, first race 12.15pm Milborne St Andrew's Round Robin Ramblers, Gore Hill and Up Cerne, meet in parking area near Gore Hill, above Hilfield Friary, west of Minterne Magna (off A352 Cerne Abbas to Sherborne road), approx 4.5 miles, note earlier start time of 1.30pm Monday February 6: Blandford Floral Group demonstration by Carole Norman on theme of You are Invited, United Reformed church hall, 2pm (note new start time) Blandford Choral Society rehearsals continue every Monday 7.30pm-9.30pm for spring concert March 25 at Blandford Parish Church with Wetherbury Singers (Faure Requiem and Pergolesi) and summer concert of light classical music, no auditions, subs term 2 £40, term 3 £20, details 01258 861469 Wednesday February 8: Blandford Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm, Timbuktu, drama (Cert 12A), guest tickets 01258 454697 Dorset Moviola presents Bridget Jones's Baby (15), Fontmell Magna village hall, 7pm for 7.30pm Film night, Bridget Jones's Baby, Charlton Marshall village hall,

Entries in this diary are free of charge. If you have an event you would like included, send details to Nicci Brown, 01258 459346 or email editor@forumfocus.co.uk. This page is available and regularly updated on our website at www.forumfocus.co.uk. Readers are advised to check with event organisers before attending.

Paddleboat ahoy!

Paddleboat Theatre, who will be bringing Margo and Mr Whatsit to Child Okeford Primary School for a half-term performance on Friday February 17.

It is a play about a child's imaginary friends with mime, puppetry, music, clowning and object play.

7.15pm for 7.30pm, tickets £5.50, info on 01258 488431 Thursday February 9: Talk for safer internet day, Lou Butcher on Safer Surfing, Blandford Library 4pm to 5pm Friday February 10: Spitz & Co present Glorilla, Tarrant Gunville village hall, 7.30pm, details 01258 830361 Saturday February 11: Evening with comedy magician John Archer, plus local support from Lili White, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 7.30pm, in aid of Cupola Project, tickets Blandford Parish Church office or blandfordcommunitypromotions.co.uk Harbour Voices present Songs of the Sea, Sturminster Marshall village hall, 7.30pm, details 01202 650213 Sunday February 12: Angel Heart Theatre present Malina's Dream, The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, details 01258 475137 Monday February 13: Blandford Fashion Museum opens for the season, Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday 10am to 4pm, half-term free admission to Saturday February 18 for 16 and unders accompa-

nied by an adult Railway Club AGM, Eagle House Gardens, Blandford, DT11 7BT from 7.30pm, learn of progress on club's Bailey Gate project, bring a train to run on the test track, tickets £2 on door, refreshments, info on newblandfordrailwayclub.co.uk Dr Richard Hall, Director of the Dorset Rural Music School, and Nicky Johnson put music and words together to celebrate our county in Echoes of Dorset, Child Okeford Centre for Care and Learning, 7.30pm tickets 01258 860767 Mr Merlin and Okey Dokey the Dragon, free family show, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 11am Wednesday February 15: Garden and Flower Photography Course for all abilities with award-winning photographer Edward Parker, £25, 10am-1pm, book: info@springheadtrust.org.uk Open garden with stalls, 10am5pm, admission £3.50, Friends of Springhead & U16 free, dogs on leads welcome, light lunches & refreshments Blandford Carers Quiz, Durweston village hall, 2pm Thursday February 16:

Blandford Archaeology Group talk by Edrys Barkham on Gobeki Tepe, a human structure dating to 10th-8th millennium in Turkey, Blandford Museum, 7.30pm, details 01258 452831 Friday February 17: Paddleboat Theatre in Margo & Mr Whatsit, an Artsreach children's show, Child Okeford primary school, 4pm, tickets from Cross Stores or 01258 861612 Talk by Penrose Halson on her book Marriages are Made in Bond Street, true stories from a 1940s marriage bureau, tickets £8 to include 2-course meal, details from Lesley on 01258 861690, proceeds to Holy Rood Church, Shillingstone Church Centre, 7.30pm Wessex Acoustic Folk, Royal British Legion, Blandford, Maire Ni Chathasaigh/Chris Newman, 8.15pm Saturday February 18: Cats Protection coffee morning and stalls, Woodhouse Gardens pavilion, Blandford, 10am to 12:30pm Tuesday February 21: Child Okeford Flower Arranging Club, 'Buds, Bark and Lichen', village hall, 2.15pm, details 01258 863775 Blandford Library Lecture, ‘My Life in the Film Industry' by Bill Parnell, 7pm Wednesday February 22: Blandford Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm, Spotlight, biographical drama (Cert 15), guest tickets 01258 454697 Thursday February 23: Blandford Forum Townswomen's Guild meets Blandford Royal British Legion, 2pm talk on work of the Mother's Union, visitors welcome Kings Fat Thursday Jazz Night, Kings Arms, Whitecliff Mill Street, Blandford, from 8pm Friday February 24: Film night 'Love & Friendship, Child Okeford village hall, tickets from Val Beech on 01258 860518, refreshments, 7pm for 7.30pm screening Saturday February 25: Ian Watt, guitar, Ibberton village hall, 7.30pm, details 01258 817269 Teddy Raves presents Sam Jones, Rhys Thomas, Vic Light and others, special fundraiser for Teddy Rocks, fighting children's cancer, Tiffany's Night Club, Blandford, 9pm to 4am Sunday February 26: Countryside Alliance (Wessex) point-to-point, Badbury Rings, first race 12 noon