July 2017 Forum Focus by Sevensioux

FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 64

High jinks at the festival: Page 17

July 2017

The train now standing next to the picnic table is the Pines Express. What’s going on? Turn to Page 8 for an explanation.

Town’s sad farewell to a special friend THE Blandford community has lost one of its best friends with the sudden death of Esme Butler, four times Mayor of the town and a district councillor, who died on May 17, aged 61. Hundreds of tributes on the town council's Facebook page followed the announcement of her death, which said: "Esme was a towering strength in our community and a tireless campaigner for the people of Blandford. She was involved in so many different groups and organisations. Her presence and enthusiasm will be greatly missed." It highlighted a small example of what she worked for so passionately - the Charter 400 celebra-

tions in 2004, the Olympic torch and Queen's Jubilee in 2012, the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in 2016, the Corn Exchange project for the restoration of the town's premier building, as well as the town's 14-18 commemorative group which, since 2014, has hosted a number of events commemorating World War I, including the exhibition of the Matchstick Fleet, which she had organised and which took place in the Corn Exchange the weekend after her death. Those paying tribute remembered her work for her community, both as a soldier's wife when husband David served with the

Royal Corps of Signals in West Germany, and since, describing her as Blandford's greatest ambassador, a good neighbour and friend, and an inspiration to all the people of the town. On her first election as Mayor in 2002, she said: "Throughout my life, Blandford and its people have been very important to me. I have many memories of growing up here - of playing in the buttercup fields, waving at passing trains and buying chips for a tanner. The fields are gone, the trains have left the station and chips are now a pound. But we cannot rewind, our only options are 'play' and 'fast forward'." Ellen-Louise Hall, who was

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Mayor's Guide during Mrs Butler's third year in the role in 2010, was one of many to make entries in a book of condolence which went on display in the Corn Exchange during the Matchstick Fleet exhibition, to which were added those on the Facebook page. Ellen-Louise, who spent several minutes writing her memories of the year, said: "We went everywhere together and it made such an impression on me, I just had to write everything down." • To Page 4

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July 2017

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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 Adverts: Wednesday July 12 Editorial: Thursday July 13 Deliveries from Wednesday July 26 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. However, 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.

Damory dropped as it’s all change on the buses BUS services operated by Blandford-based Damory will be run by different companies from July 24 following re-tendering of contracts between Dorset County Council and commercial transport companies for public and school services. County-wide the process covered seven public transport and 13 senior schools service routes, and all have been awarded to four companies - Go South-Coast, First Hampshire and Dorset, South West Coaches and Vale Coaches. Service changes were agreed last September following public consultation to remove £500,000 of subsidies for rural bus services. A meeting of Transport Action Group leaders with Matthew Piles

(DCC's head of economy) scheduled for June 15 to give an update on Dorset's new transport network was postponed at short notice due to unforeseen circumstances. But DT11 TAG leader Nic Nicol has asked that community transport providers such as Dorset Community Transport, car share schemes and Bus2Go are invited to the next meeting. Meanwhile, to help shape future services and measure the effectiveness of the new contracts, the County Council has launched a Dorset travel customer satisfaction survey to find out what people think of the current service prior to the introduction of the new contracts. The survey opened on June 12 for three weeks until July 3, and can be found at dorsetforyou.com/dorset-travel/customersurvey. County council cabinet member for the natural and built environment, Daryl Turner, said the new services had been designed after wide consultation with companies and local people to meet the needs of the community now and in the future with less money. "We have had to think about travel in a completely different way which has meant making difficult decisions, moving away from the old way of subsidising bus compa-

nies to run commercially unviable services that very few people use." He said the council was encouraging bus companies to open more school routes to the public and helping rural communities develop the community transport network such as dial-a-ride and neighbourhood car schemes. Damory's service X10 will be replaced by a Blandford to Sherborne service operated by South West Coaches, which will also replace the Damory 69 and 158 services between Shaftesbury and Gillingham, and routes between Blandford and Shaftesbury covered by Damory's X11. First Hampshire and Dorset will take over Damory's X12 and 187 between Blandford and Dorchester. Damory will continue operating its Blandford to Salisbury service on a new timetable, the X12 Blandford to Weymouth, and a school service from Blandford Camp. New school services starting in September include that for The Blandford School and Wimborne QE School to be run by Go South Coast, and that for Sturminster Newton High School by Vale Coaches.

PIMPERNE pre-school hold their open day on Saturday July 8 between 10am and 12 noon at Pimperne sports pavilion, Old Bakery Close. Everyone is invited to go along and meet the staff, explore the garden and find out how the children learn, through praise and encouragement. Refreshments will be available. For more information about the pre-school, call 07909 582912.

July 2017

Above: Stuart Whitehill, project leader for the façade restoration. Right: The Corn Exchange shrouded in scaffolding.

Now the Corn Exchange goes under wraps for repair work BLANDFORD'S Corn Exchange has become the latest of the town's Grade I listed buildings to be shrouded in scaffolding while it undergoes repairs. It is due to remain under wraps for several weeks for repair work to the façade which was judged too urgent to wait for any Heritage Lottery approval of grant funding for the full restoration and remodelling of the building. The Corn Exchange work follows the 18-month covering of the nearby parish church tower with scaffolding last year. Several features are to be attended to, including the flagpole and crown on top of the building, whose condition made it impossible to fly a flag at half-mast following the death of Councillor Esme Butler and the terrorist attacks in Manchester and London. There has been some criticism that the work is not being carried out by local companies, with scaffolders coming from Dorchester, and the restoration team from

Somerset, both as a result of being appointed in consultation with English Heritage which is monitoring the work for Blandford Town Council. But the man in charge is a Blandford boy, whose mother lives in Blandford St Mary, and who attended the Blandford Upper School. Stuart Whitehill trained at Kings Stag with stonemason Antony Denman, and after three years’ study at Weymouth College from 2000 to 2003 as an architectural stonemason and conservator, he now works for Sally Strachey Historic Conservation, for which he is managing the Blandford project. SSHC are one of the best conservators in the country, if not in Europe, and Stuart spent three years working at Corfe Castle in addition to working at Westminster Abbey and for the Canadian government for the last three years. "It is a great honour for me to be working here in my home town because if you want an example

Diversion for road closure THE northern end of Salisbury Street in Blandford will be closed for five days from July 3 for BT to carry out preparation works in connection with the installation of high-speed broadband. A diversion will operate using Whitecliff Mill Street and Park Road. The town centre closure follows and coincides with daytime closure of the A354 Dorchester Road between Winterborne Whitechurch and Thornicombe from June 29 for approximately five weekdays for repair work, and two months of diversions in May and June caused by repairs to two sections of the A350 between Poole and Shaftesbury. Full daytime closures were necessary because of the large equipment used and the narrowness of the roads at Sturminster Marshall and Fontmell Magna as part of a £15m highways maintenance programme in Dorset. The work between Fontmell Magna and Shaftesbury was part of a premium surface dressing programme carried out by Eurovia, a national company.

of Georgian architecture, it doesn't get better than here," he said. "It is our heritage and we have to protect it." His family came to Blandford when his grandparents moved here, and his father, Sgt Terry Whitehill, served with the Royal Signals and carried the standard

for the Royal British Legion. "We will be using a steam cleaner to clean it all down, repairing and replacing missing stones. There is so much ironwork which has corroded and expands and cracks the masonry. We will also be making the three giant urns on the roof safe."

July 2017

Town mourns a special friend • From Page 1 The condolence book display, surrounded by lilies donated by Florabunda, afterwards remained available in the Town Clerk's office and back in the Corn Exchange shortly before the funeral in Blandford Parish Church on June 26 before being passed to her family.

Mrs Butler had been a Town Councillor since May 1999, Mayor in 2002, 2005, 2010 and 2011, and representative on North Dorset District Council for Damory Down ward, and its successor Central ward, since 2011. Tributes at North Dorset District Council were led by chairman Councillor Victor Fox, who

opened the council's annual meeting two days after her death referring to her very sudden and sad passing, and extending the council's sympathies to her family. Members stood in silent tribute before Councillor Jackie Stayt, as Mayor of Blandford, paid tribute to Mrs Butler's work for the town since her election to the town council and as mayor. Vice-chairman Val Pothecary read out a tribute received from former fellow Gillingham councillor and Lib Dem leader David Milsted, who now lives in Orkney. Simon Pritchard, group spokesman for the independent members of the council, of which Mrs Butler was one, paid a personal tribute at length, speaking of her dedication to the community of Blandford and North Dorset. Councillors Graham Carr-Jones (leader), Nick Dowden of

Motcombe and Derek Beer of Shaftesbury also paid tribute. The following Monday, town councillors observed a twominute silence in her memory, and the next day, at the meeting of the district council's planning committee, of which she was a member, chairman Councillor Bill Batty-Smith introduced a further silence for her, and for those who had died in the Manchester terrorist attack the previous evening. Mrs Butler was a founder member in 2012 of the steering committee formed to establish Forum Focus, a founder director and valued member of its proof-reading team. Editor Nicci Brown said: "Esme's knowledge, experience and guidance and above all enthusiasm will be greatly missed." • See the town council's full tribute on page 28.

Ellen-Louise Hall, Mayor's Guide in 2010/2011, signs the condolence book in the Corn Exchange.

Flashback to 2010, one of Esme Butler’s four mayoral years. Above: helping with a clean-up in the Blandford watermeadows. Below: performing the opening ceremony at Milldown Primary School.

July 2017

MP bucks the Tory trend and romps home WHILE the Conservatives failed to increase their majority and finished up with a hung parliament in the General Election, in North Dorset they had cause for celebration as MP Simon Hoare, after only two years in the job, boosted his share of the vote by more than eight per cent. Newcomer Pat Osborne, of Blandford, more than doubled the Labour vote, driving the Liberal Democrats, with their last-minute candidate Tom Panton, once again into third place. The absence of a UKIP candidate saw the number of votes for the three major parties increase, but the Green party share was almost halved. With an increased majority of more than 16,000 over the total of other votes cast, Mr Hoare said: "Thank you to all who voted for me and to my three fellow candidates for a great campaign." At the well-attended hustings held in Blandford Parish Church and chaired by the Rev Jonathan Triffitt four days before the election, Mr Hoare said that, on Brexit, the public had made their decision and now it had to be

Simon Hoare (Con) Pat Osborne (Lab) Tom Panton (Lib Dem) John Tutton (Green) Spoilt papers

. . . . .

delivered. "It would be foolhardy and dangerous to ignore it or ask the question again. We should be focusing on trying to get the best deal, and what is right for trade, agriculture and education. We want a deal and the EU want a deal. But we don't want to say we will sign up to anything." He said the funding formula for education was heavily weighted against rural areas, and parents needed as wide a choice as possible in the state sector. He also praised North Dorset District Council's record on the provision of social housing since 2010, and its agreement to convert its council offices into affordable homes. On health services, he said the needs of the west and north of the county had been overshadowed too long by the conurbations of Poole and Bournemouth, and everyone had a right to services delivered closer to home. The result, declared at 3.36am on Friday June 9, confirmed a turnout nearly 1.5 per cent higher than in 2015, and a 25,777 majority for Mr Hoare.

36,169 (65.9 per cent) 10,392 (18.6 per cent) 7,556 (13.6 per cent) 1,607 (2.9 per cent) 167 Turnout: 73%

Play manifesto proves a winner AS the rest of the nation went to the polls, election fever was running equally high at Durweston School. Children in Starfish class held a Teddy Election. Four teddies presented manifestos and the children had to choose their favourite. One teddy promised sweets to voters; another promised that hard work would be rewarded by the chance to choose a library book to take home. Who did the children choose? It was the teddy who promised bikes and balls at playtime if everyone was kind.

Manâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sudden death A MAN died at his home in Alexandra Court, Blandford, where fire was reported early on the evening of Monday June 5. Wilts & Dorset Fire and Rescue were called to the first-floor flat in Oakfield Street at 5.15pm after the automatic fire alarm system was triggered. Two crews from Blandford and one from Sturminster Newton attended. Four breathing apparatus wearers entered the premises and extinguished a small fire involving cooking. A Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: "It appears that the occupant of the flat had suffered a medical episode while cooking, hence the pan being left unattended and then catching fire." Witnesses said they had seen attempts to revive a person on the former railway footbridge in Alexandra Street, from where there is an entrance to the flat. Police said the death was not being treated as suspicious, but details had been passed to the Coroner to determine the cause of death. The deceased had not been named at the time of Forum Focus going to press.

July 2017

The Dorset Buildings Group held its AGM at the Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion in Blandford and preceded their meeting with a guided tour of the town led by local residents and members John and Val Imber. They are pictured at the start of their tour outside the tourist information centre in West Street.

Town parking review is high on priorities list BLANDFORD's new county councillor Byron Quayle has been quick to pick up the reins from his long-serving predecessor Barrie Cooper following the May elec-

tions, and at the June town council meeting gave a report on his activities. He said he was focusing on three main areas of particular concern to town councillors: the parking review requested many months ago, the condition of highways in the town, and local services. He said there were at this stage no plans for a holistic parking review, as is being carried out in Sherborne, but that highways staff were looking at the impact of the potential local service hub being suggested either in Black Lane, at the Community Hospital or at the Tricuro Day Centre. Restricted parking outside the hospital is in any case to be changed in the near future from one to two hours, but a full survey report is due at the end of the month and will tie in with a report on a district-wide review of offstreet parking due in the middle of the month. He has also met with highway leaders to discuss the condition of

Wimborne Road, East Street, Church Lane, Salisbury Street and Elizabeth Road, which he said had now gone to the top of the priority list. He confirmed that the whole of Whitecliff Mill Street is to be resurfaced between October 9 and 20, with work between 9pm and 6am. Meetings were taking place on the possibility of opening the road from the Plough Estate on Blandford Heights and Clump Farm, so removing heavy traffic from Tinpot Lane. Town councillor Hugo Mieville said he was bitterly disappointed to hear that the review of streets off Salisbury Road demanded by the public a year ago was not being looked at, when the lack of parking in that area was chronic. But Mr Quayle, who has urged anyone with ongoing issues taken up with his predecessor to get in touch, was thanked for getting involved in some of the things the town council had talked about for the last few years.

Lidl on course to open soon BLANDFORD'S new budget supermarket Lidl, which is taking shape in Shaftesbury Lane, is on course to open in late July. A spokesman for the company confirmed in the middle of June that they were aiming for an opening on July 27. It will join the other North Dorset Lidl store in Gillingham, but be of more modern design and offer an in-store bakery, longer-style tills with dual packing facilities, customer toilets and baby changing facilities. Discussions are still taking place on how to distribute the ÂŁ77,766 offered towards town centre improvements in addition to just over ÂŁ250,000 to support a 10-minute frequency bus service between the store and Blandford town centre.

July 2017

National recognition for hospital Friends

Rude teamâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s happy return THE Rude Mechanical Theatre Company from Sussex will be back in the Blackmore Vale this month with two opportunities to see their new travelling outdoor show, 'The Commercial Traveller', at Tarrant Monkton on Wednesday July 12 and at Child Okeford on Saturday July 15. Set in London in 1924, a powerful tycoon and former East End barrowboy is unhappy that his son, on whom he has lavished an Eton education, is in love with the girl next door, daughter of a hard-up doctor. Dad sends him off to Africa to look after his cocoa business, breaking the hearts of the young lovers,

and after a year of no letters she is convinced her love has found someone else so decides to become a nun. But the housekeeper hatches a plan for her to marry a better prospect so that her first love can safely return and declare his continuing love. The play is full of comedy, romance and intrigue. For more information call 01323 501260. Both performances start 7.30pm, with picnics from 6pm, and tickets are available online at therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk or for East Farm, Tarrant Monkton, from the Langton Arms, and for Child Okeford Recreation Ground from The Cross Stores.

THE Friends of Blandford Hospital have been recognised by the Community Hospitals Association with a national award for Innovations and Best Practice in Community Hospitals 2016. The award, which acknowledges the range of services offered by volunteers with the Friends and is testament to the fantastic volunteer team with whom the staff and management board of the charity work, was collected by volunteer members of the management board at a ceremony in Manchester. Volunteers provided an extensive transport scheme to support clients in getting to more than 1,600 medical appointments in 2016, operated two specially equipped minibuses for social outings and regular weekly shopping trips for groups such as the

Blind Club and Stroke Club, and offered companionship to isolated and lonely people in their own homes, all clients being referred to the Friends by local general practitioners. The Friends also support healthrelated projects within the hospital and across the area, funded by membership subscriptions, general donations, legacies and the regular income of their charity shops and fundraising events, made possible by the dedicated and committed group of volunteers. To find out more about the activities of the Friends of Blandford Hospital or joining as a volunteer see their website friendsblandford.org, call the Friends office at the hospital on 01258 450095, or go to their annual general meeting on Wednesday July 12 at the hospital at 6.30pm.

All aboard the log train standing at Spetisbury THE Pines Express has returned to Spetisbury Station. The children's log train on the 'down' platform is one of the new attractions at the site being developed by the Spetisbury Station Project, which took part in the Spetisbury open gardens day as one of ten privately owned village gardens open to the public. The train has been made using logs left over following recent Dorset County Council clearance work near the station bridge, and Spetisbury Parish Council has funded two replica running-in boards for the station. One of these was on temporary display before being fixed to posts on each platform in the approximate position of the originals, and an exhibition tent was

set up on the 'up' platform where visitors were offered refreshments, items for sale and a display of station artefacts. Ten of the flower borders on the station site have been adopted by local residents, and anyone interested in looking after one of the other borders and receiving free membership of the project should contact Moira on 07761 383563. The Project has also appealed for anyone noticing new damage or anything suspicious to contact her or via the website at spetisburystationproject.co.uk after another vandal attack between June 3 and 5, which followed extensive vandalism last summer from which the Project has only recently recovered.

Focus on Hardy and Elgar A SPECIAL evening event hosted by the Dorset Archives Trust at The Tithe Barn, Hinton St Mary, on July 13 will feature a talk by James Grasby, National Trust curator, on the relationship between Thomas Hardy and Edward Elgar, two giants of Edwardian culture, and the importance of place in shaping the work of both. Funds raised by the event, introduced by Kate Adie and starting 7pm, will go towards the work of the Dorset History Centre, which is currently working on cataloguing an important archive of the Bankes family of Kingston Lacy. There will be refreshments of fizz, strawberries and cream, and musical accompaniment from the Wessex Youth Orchestra. For tickets call 01202 228922 or email enquiries@dorsetarchivestrust.org.

July 2017

All change in hierarchy of councils COUNTY Councillor Hilary Cox of Hilton, long-serving member for Winterborne and former North Dorset District Councillor, has been elected to succeed Councillor Andrew Cattaway of Bourton as Chairman of Dorset County Council. At the council's annual meeting, Cllr Cox said: "It is a tremendous honour to be elected as chairman. I see my role as a key part of local democracy - listening to and learning from people, promoting causes and working with residents, staff and councillors for the health and prosperity of our communities." The new leader of the county council, following the failure of Robert Gould to retain his Sherborne seat, is Cllr Rebecca Knox, of Beaminster, who appointed Cllr Peter Wharf of Bere Regis deputy leader. District councillor John Stayt, who represents

Riversdale and Portman ward, including Blandford St Mary, Bryanston, Charlton Marshall and Spetisbury, has been elected vice-chairman of North Dorset District Council. At the annual meeting of the council, Cllr Graham Carr-Jones of Stalbridge was confirmed as leader, and Cllr Val Pothecary, of Gillingham, was elected chairman, succeeding Cllr Vic Fox of Sturminster Newton. The leaders of Dorset County, Bournemouth, North Dorset, Poole, West Dorset and Weymouth & Portland councils have reconfirmed their commitment to plans to modernise local government in Dorset to reduce costs, protect front-line services and boost the areas by forming two unitary councils, one covering the Bournemouth and Poole conurbation and the other the remainder of rural Dorset.

Former North Dorset District Council chairman Vic Fox presents ÂŁ750 to Leanne Culverson, of the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance, his chairman's charity for the year.

Neighbours split over bungalow extension EXTENSIONS to a bungalow in Blandford to allow a family desperate to keep their severely disabled ten-year-old son at home with them have divided the local community. North Dorset District Council's planning committee last month approved the application by

Carol Williams to raise the roof of the family's home in Anne Close and add dormer windows and two single-storey extensions. Residents in neighbouring Andrew Close objected to the scheme, which they said would rob them of light and be out of

keeping with the rest of the estate, setting a precedent for people to enlarge their bungalows. But planning officers argued that the impact on neighbouring properties would be slight, and members of the committee agreed unanimously that the

development should be allowed to go ahead. Supporters of the family had pleaded how important it was for the boy, who suffers from up to 17 epileptic seizures a day, to have the facilities the extensions would provide.

Mike Holloway (gardener), Tracy Wilson of Dementia Action Alliance and Dorota Toon of Blandford Day Centre with Mayoress Linda Clark, Mayor Peter Clark, and Sally Gardner, town council project administrator.

July 2017

Sensory garden brings joy to centre visitors BLANDFORD celebrated Dementia Awareness Week with the opening of a new sensory garden in the town's formal Woodhouse Gardens. Clients of all ages from the Blandford and Wallisdown Day Centres were joined by the new Mayor, Councillor Peter Clark, who has made the Blandford Dementia Action Alliance one of his mayoral charities. He was accompanied by his wife and Consort Linda Clark, and met by Dot Toon of Blandford Day Centre, representatives of the Alliance, and the town council's project administrator Sally Gardner and gardener Mike Holloway, who had carried out much of the work in preparing raised beds in the gardens. They spent the day planting out the beds, which have been designed to feature colour, smell, taste, touch and sound, and enjoyed picnics and games on the lawns and craft activities in the pavilion.

Above & below: planting out one of the beds in the new sensory garden.

Pub closure bid opposed PROPOSALS to convert the Saxon Inn, one of the two pubs in Child Okeford, into a private residence prompted discussion at the parish council meeting when members of the public were urged to attend to give their views. The parish council was keen to ensure that all views were reflected in their response to North Dorset District Council, which is considering the application. But it has now objected on the grounds of loss of the many community services the pub offers as a focal point of the village with a very different identity and catchment from the other establishment in the village, the Baker Arms, and would necessitate travelling further afield and reduce customer choice. Concerns have also been raised by district planning officers. The planning statement accompanying the application stated that the pub, formerly the New Inn, has been marketed for the last two-and-a-half years by the owners, who wish to retire.

July 2017

Residentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; wait for play parks goes on RESIDENTS on the Persimmon estate at Badbury Heights, who have been waiting for years for facilities promised when planning permission was originally granted for the development, will have to wait a little longer. The hand-over to the town council of land as public open space designated for play parks has been delayed for several years because the developers have failed to fully comply with planning conditions and technical specifications required by Dorset County Council and North Dorset District Council, and the roads remain unadopted. Funding is already in place and held by the town council for the development of play parks, but town councillors have now rejected an offer of a 'best endeavour undertaking' with developers Persimmon to allow the transfer of land on phase two of the development before the roads are adopted by the County Council. Councillor Haydn White said it was a question of how much faith

they had in Persimmon. It was an issue which could impact on the council's successors. As long as the highways remain unadopted, neighbouring landowners, including the town council and individual property owners, could become liable for part of any repair costs. Councillor Roger Carter said: "There is a risk, but the people on that estate would like their play parks." Councillor Lynn Lindsay asked whether that was really the case, since when play parks were suggested there were complaints from people who said they would rather have parking. Councillor Pat Osborne said he opposed any kind of risk. Members agreed by 14 votes to one abstention to reject the developers' offer to include in the legal transfer of open space land an undertaking to be fully responsible for repairs. The rejection came after receiving legal advice from the council's solicitors.

Ian hits the heights in ale THE winner of the 2017 Georgian Fayre 'Win Your Height in Beer' competition was Ian Henesey, from Pimperne, who collected his prize at the Brewery Tap shop of sponsors Hall and Woodhouse. At six feet one tall, he certainly got his money's worth after entering the competition by buying a programme on Georgian Fayre day and returning the completed slip to the prize draw box in the Corn Exchange. He chose some cases of beer and others were recommended to him by Mark Woodhouse, managing director of Hall and Woodhouse, pictured left, with Mr Henesey and right, Colin Stevens, chairman of the Blandford Georgian Fayre Committee.

July 2017

Above: Exhibitors gathered in the arena at the Three Okefords Preservation Society rally at Shillingstone. Left: A powerful trio.

Sunshine and steam an intoxicating mix MEMBERS of the Three Okefords Preservation Society were relieved to be given two rain-free days for their annual rally at Shillingstone and were rewarded with appreciative crowds on both days. Nearly 50 steam engines and miniatures gathered to go on show, along with more than 200 tractors and stationary engines and 250 motorcycles, commercials and cars, including a fine collection of Bugattis, which headed up the arena parade. There were also working steam exhibits, a range of collections, and numerous trade stalls and crafts, while non-competitive tractor pulling was again a popular

feature at the top of the field. For chairman Percy Guppy, a highlight on the showground was the unexpected arrival of the crane once owned by Black Country steam fanatic Lennie Crane, who died in 2015, which was brought along by its new owners, the Frys of Yeovil. The peerless Model A built in 1895 in America made what could be its final appearance before being exported to the Philippines. Arena entertainment was provided by the Dorset Axemen, and there was evening live music with Eddie Vortex and Cyclones on Friday and Mustang Sally on Saturday.

Winterborne Whitechurch Scouts on litter duty.

July 2017

Signage concerns as two chains head for town THE possible arrival of two national chains in Blandford has been confirmed with two applications for planning permission for signage - one for Domino's pizza chain and the other for opticians Specsavers, who have also advertised for a dispensing optician to work in the town. Both are for units developed as a result of the conversion of the former Argos building into four separate units in East Street, and the planning applications are being considered by North Dorset District Council. Domino's have applied for Unit 1 and are seeking permission for internally illuminated signage, Blandford Lions have appealed to people with a few hours to spare who want to help others in their local community to join their organisation, which meets on the last Tuesday of every month at the Blandford Royal British Legion.

generally frowned on in Blandford's Georgian town centre. It would be lit only when the premises are open, but the District Council's conservation officer Jen Nixon says she is unable to support it on a number of grounds. Specsavers are applying for nonilluminated signage for the largest of the units. But Mrs Nixon says that, while their hanging sign is acceptable in principle, it requires refinement. The proposal for the fascia 3D folded aluminium backing sheet is contrary to the adopted shopfront design guide, which indicates that where an existing timber fascia board is already in existence, lettering and logos should be directly applied to this. "At present the scheme is not considered to preserve the special character and appearance of the Conservation Area and listed buildings' setting or conform to the adopted supplementary plan-

ning guidance. "Where companies have multiple outlets, it is expected that a flexible approach will be adopted that respects the individual shopfront character and setting. House styles can be adapted successfully without loss of familiar identity." The plans accompanying the Specsavers application name the location as 'Blanford Forum'. Across the road at Star House, one of Blandford's new charity shops, Naomi House, encountered similar objection to a new fascia being applied over the existing. A second new charity outlet recently opened on Glenmore industrial estate on Shaftesbury Lane for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, which adds to the offering in the town by providing the sale and collection of second-hand furniture as well as the usual charity outlet products.

SEVEN-year-old Chloe Nicholson will be having her long locks cut off on July 1 to raise money and donating her hair for a wig for Little Princess Trust. Chloe said: "My hair is being cut by Sean Friend and my goal is ÂŁ300.â&#x20AC;? People can contribute by going to justgiving.com/ChloeNicholson. There will also be a coffee morning at the Methodist Church Hall.

July 2017

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The Milton Abbey project team, Michael McAvoy, the Rev Chris Jervis, the Rev Helier Exon and Brian Larcher.

Volunteers line up to help Abbey revival VOLUNTEERS gathered in Milton Abbey to hear how they could become part of the Abbey community and help regenerate the life of the former Benedictine monastery, founded by King Athelstan and now the subject of a Heritage Lottery funded project. The Milton Abbey Heritage Trust has been established as a registered charity for the protection, restoration, educational interpretation and development of The Abbey, St Catherine's Chapel and the surrounding Capability Brown landscape as buildings and land of historical and architectural importance. Project manager Brian Larcher introduced custodian trustee, the Rev Helier Exon, and the Rev Chris Jervis, Provost of the Abbey Community, who described the vision to enrol members, associates and companions of the community through an enhanced series of spiritual events and visitor experiences. "We have a wonderful facility and it is incumbent

upon us to use it," said the Rev Exon. The project involves conservation of the Abbey and its development as a visitor attraction with new build, including a visitor centre, improved car parking and public toilets, and educational work promoting its history. This summer a second major exhibition opens on July 7 focusing on Brown's landscape, the Abbey history and heritage, with exhibits including the winners and entries in a landscape painting and photography competition. Conducted tours are offered every Thursday afternoon throughout the exhibition, which runs to August 30 seven days a week between 10am and 5pm. "Stewarding the exhibition is a very rewarding experience, offering the opportunity to interact with visitors and talk about the exhibition and the project," said exhibition organiser Michael McAvoy. To find out more, see miltonabbey.org.

July 2017

Above: Mayor of Blandford Peter Clark and his wife and Mayoress Linda, with Philip Warren. Below: The layout of the fleet in the Corn Exchange.

July 2017

Matchstick fleet pulls the crowds TWO major events coincided over one weekend resulting in Blandford town centre buzzing with activity. The 14-18 Commemoration Group staged what could be the final exhibition of Philip Warren's Matchstick Fleet, together with a collection of transport and World War I models made locally, including those from The Blandford School and the Blandford Model Railway Club. School pupils displayed models of the trenches which they had made, and the railway club its 3D model layout of the Somme battlefield. The exhibition ran from Friday to Monday, and Councillor Roger Carter - a member of the 14-18 Group - told fellow councillors that they had had more than 900 visitors and the exhibition was one of the best they had staged. "We were helped by the arts festival taking place on Saturday and Sunday, which increased our footfall," he said.

Wire sculpture with Jo Burchell.

Drumming with African Activities. A fully dressed tractor in the Market Place. GREAT prizes are on offer at a charity Open Day at the Cambridge Weight Plan Centre in Tabernacle Walk on Thursday, July 6, when the team will be fundraising for the Royal Signals Benevolent Fund through a raffle and donations on the day. People can pop in between 9am and 9pm to hear about local successes David (pictured above) lost six stone - hear celebrity stories, meet the team and find out options available. There will also be free refreshments, product samples and goody bags including a ÂŁ10 discount voucher and optional BMI checks. Clients have been submitting photographs to nominate a Centre Canine Mascot for 2017, and those attending will be invited to choose their favourite before the winners in a vote on Facebook are announced at the end of the day.

More festival pictures on our website

July 2017

Learning to fly can lead to accidents

Sculpting with Jonathan Sells.

Free festival gets the town buzzing THE second annual Free Expression Art Festival organised by Kate Seeger featured an arts fair on the Ham car park and various activities and entertainments in the town centre and at Blandford Museum in Bere's Yard. It started with street entertainment, a Vanessa Conyers pottery workshop and an evening concert in the parish church with musicians from the Dorset Rural Music School based in The Close, Blandford, featuring students as young as eight, those studying for GCSE, and more mature singers and musicians, together with the Sing for Pleasure Choir. William Knapp's Fire Anthem was featured, and DRMS staff joined director Richard Hall in trios

for piano, cello and violin. The concert was dedicated to Councillor Esme Butler, who had died the previous Tuesday, paying tribute to her support and encouragement, without which the festival last year would not have got off the ground. On the Sunday, evocative Tasmanian birdsong sounded around the churchyard in the morning when visitors to the Market Place were greeted by a C&O tractor colourfully dressed in knitted 'garments' and decorations. In the afternoon, events in the Market Place included a performance by rapping violinist Charley Blue, street entertainment including magicians and a children's 're-enactment' of the Blandford fire. Kate Seeger said: "It was great fun getting them

involved. We were being fire (as Blandford is well known for its fires) and wanted to get the public to feel what it must have been like for those caught and surrounded by fire." The final performance was by Airtime Circus Creations learning to fly, with hooping, trapeze, rope work, drama and not a little humour on the ground and in the air. There were drumming workshops, paper sculpture modelling, stone and wire sculpture, fossil art with John House, and a solar-powered disco. Kate was delighted that the concept of having the more boisterous activity in the town centre and a more contemplative atmosphere on the Ham was successful.

Readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; letters

Volunteers required OPPORTUNITIES to contribute to our Blandford community abound, and no more so than at Blandford Museum. Gone are the days when a museum provided only cases of artefacts, named and dated. Today we engage in projects involving partnerships with other groups, children through school visits, special interest groups through our Garden Club, Archaeology Group and Oral History Group, young adults through our Young Curators Group, seniors through our outreach to various clubs and residences and much more. I would like to encourage anyone looking for a way to contribute to the town to visit us and see if there is something you might like to volunteer for. We need help with all aspects of the museum - stewards at the reception desk, to help with exhibitions, archives and general administration, with maintaining

July 2017 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

the fabric of the museum - and at the moment are in particular need of those who like to work with children and/or young people and someone to help with our photo archive. The free entry and totally volunteer-run museum is open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday (April to October) and on the last Friday of the summer months, a wine and nibbles event in the Museum garden from 5pm to 8pm is an opportunity to meet volunteers and members and discuss ways you could contribute. Sylvia Hixson Andrews Director, Blandford Museum

Another postbox? WHILE in the town centre of Blandford (ie: the Market Place) I have been asked on several occasions by visitors to the town where the nearest postbox is. When I have explained to them that the nearest is either at the Post Office, up the steep hill, or across to West Street near the

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.

Crown Hotel, I've been frowned at as to why there isn't one closer. I suggest a nice red pillarbox could be situated either on the wide footpath near the church or at the opposite end of the Market Place at the junction with Salisbury Street where there are pedestrian crossings. Visitors often send cards to friends or relations as proof of visiting places. I hope other people will agree with me. Alan Dennis Berkeley Road, Pimperne

A stalwart remembered I HAD been saddened to learn of Don Herring's death but attending his funeral and reading the obituary to him in June's Forum Focus reinforced for me what a lovely man he had been and how welcoming he was when I joined the committee of Blandford & District U3A as treasurer. Later, when Don announced he was stepping down from committee work, I took over from him as chairman and he was no easy act to follow. Don and his Blandford U3A cofounder, the late Ian Taylor, laid the groundwork for a strong and cohesive organisation - indeed, Don's love of languages is still reflected in the many and varied foreign tongues practised by U3A members today. He was an enthusiastic exponent of learning for enjoyment and encouraged many fellow Blandfordians to expand their horizons in retirement. We will certainly remember his great contribution to the U3A as we celebrate our 15th anniversary this year. Christine Smith, Chairman Blandford & District U3A

Test can be a life-saver MEN in this country receive, around the time they reach 65, an invitation to go and be screened for an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The problem about this condition, that is a swelling of the main blood vessel going down from the heart to your lower body, is that there are no symptoms. Indeed, you may be leading a healthy life - low fat diet,

loads of exercise, not smoking, low cholesterol, etc - yet due simply to age and/or heredity this time bomb is lurking. At 65 I received my invitation and attended the clinic and, yes, my aortic was enlarged. Every three months thereafter I attended for screening, and over a year the size reached the dimension where medical advice was that surgery was advisable. If left and the aortic burst then I would have only a slim chance of survival. I opted for surgery. The wonderful NHS has (touch wood) given me, according to my surgeon, 10 more years of life on average than I would probably have enjoyed. I know men are often hesitant to go for this and other tests but they can save your life - surely worth a few minutes and a bit of worry. Just to repeat, I had no symptoms. I walked at least for an hour a day and cycled several times a week, not overweight, not smoking. Seems just that the hereditary lottery was not on my side; luckily the NHS was. John Tanner, Pimperne

Local people matter most THE first page I now turn to when receiving my local newspaper, Forum Focus, or parish newsletter is the RIP page and what sad reading it makes! So many of my former colleagues and friends leaving this world for a better and more peaceful resting place. So many characters with whom I have shared exhilarating debates now gone. There aren't many of us left now and what a dull place local government has become! Although I'm no longer involved, I still stand by my honest belief that national politics should play no part in local government. I have to admit that when I was first elected in 1964 the country appeared to be a safer place. But with the two recent terrorist attacks in London I really do want to stop the world and jump off. My national politics were, and are, well known but I always reserved the right to remain independent, believing that it was local people that mattered and whom I was there to serve. Having reached this ripe old age I see no reason now to change my mind. Della Jones Winterborne Zelston

July 2017

Cops chase ‘robbers’ on the Trailway

The runners at the start.

Groups come together to consider local trust scheme A WELL attended public meeting in Blandford Parish Centre heard the benefits of forming a Blandford Area Development Trust which could work independently of but in partnership with other organisations to promote social, economic and environmental issues. Representatives from across a wide area, including Dorset County and town and parish councils, heard from Nic Nicol, former chairman of the DT11 Forum community partnership and chairman of the Blandford Town Team, and Alison Moore, chairman of the Blandford Business Group steering committee and a member of the Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership. They outlined the achievements of similar trusts in Bridport, Swanage and Purbeck, which each had their own particular focus of supporting their area's assets, social or economic activity. "We firmly believe it is needed, but it is not something to be entered into lightly," said Mr Nicol. "It needs the support of

local government, the community and civic organisations." He said the original conversation was about the demise of the DT11 Forum, whose activities would not be picked up elsewhere but could be brought forward by a development trust. But with partners including the Blandford Town Team, Business Group and others whom they hoped would become involved, it could support the statutory responsibilities of councils, and with start-up funding already promised from the DT11 Forum could attract further funding through grants, government, crowd-funding and income generating assets. Town centre wifi was an initial project which would bring a lot of marketing information about people coming and not coming to Blandford. Steve Adamson, also a former DT11 Forum chairman, said that with proposed local government reorganisation there was going to be a vacuum between the proposed unitary council and town and parish councils, which a trust

A NEW specialist respiratory exercise class for people with respiratory problems - COPD, asthma, emphysema - has started at Knees Up in Blandford. The Friday sessions between 1 and 2pm at The Studio in Common Lane are tailored specifically for those with a lung condition, and to individuals who are encouraged to work at their own pace. For more information, contact June Lane on 01258 458116 between 9am and 6pm.

could help to fill. Those attending were asked to fill in expression of interest forms, and anyone wishing to get involved can contact Mr Nicol or Mrs Moore by email to nicnicolnms@aol.com or alison@agoodplace.co.

STRIPED shirts, truncheons and swag bags were the order of the day when members of the local Constabulary lined up with members of the running community at the start of a fancy dress 'Cops and Robbers' themed run. Blandford parkrun, which takes place every Saturday morning along the North Dorset Trailway, has a very close connection with Dorset Police through PCSO Luke Goddard, who is one of the parkrun directors. He persuaded his colleagues to run the free 5k timed event in full uniform while 'chasing' a bevy of suspicious characters. Luke said: "It was an excellent opportunity to not only engage with a different group within the community, but also raise awareness of the importance of health and wellbeing within the Police. "Three of the boys and girls in blue have run marathons this year, such is the importance of keeping both the mind and body of officers in healthy order.” The event brought a record attendance of 286 runners, and was followed by training for 14 parkrun volunteers on the use of their new defibrillator with the Dorset Police first aid training department.

July 2017

Villages feel the pain THERE were no deaths among Blandford residents in July 1917, although losses continued from the surrounding villages. Charles Major Cluett, killed in action in Belgium aged 29, is remembered in Child Okeford; Charles Edward Treasure, killed in action in Belgium aged 19, is remembered at Milton Abbas; and Henry Frank Wilkins, who died of wounds in Belgium aged 30, is remembered at Milborne St Andrew. We can therefore report some of the responses we have received from descendants of those reported on in the past.

Descendants look back Patrick Bugg, of Dartmoor, said he had seen the copy of Forum Focus in July last year which listed casualties on the Somme and mentioned Harry H Boyne. He writes:

Solved:the puzzle of the Spetisbury memorial THE mystery surrounding the inclusion on the Spetisbury Memorial of James Edward Hinton has been solved by Christine Smith of Blandford U3A, after the group carried out research into the names of those on memorials in a dozen local villages. His full name of James Edward Lewis Hinton explains why, in Spetisbury where he was an assistant teacher at Spetisbury Primary School, he was known as Lewis Hinton and is so named. Her research showed that in the 1911 census when he was at home, he was listed as J E Lewis Hinton, Assistant

Teacher Elementary, and at some point after that, came to Spetisbury. He enlisted in Oxford early in 1915, the year before his marriage to Daisy Frances Louise Bruton in Stroud. She remarried six years after his death and had three children. At the time of his death on May 3, 1917, killed in action in France, he had reached the rank of company sergeant major with the Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry 5th Bn and was awarded the Military Medal. "He was obviously held in high esteem by the village to have been included on the memorial," said Mrs Smith.

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I think he is the brother of my grandfather Fred 'Jack' Bugg, who lived and farmed at Littleton Farm, Blandford St Mary. Jack Bugg had two sons, my father John and my Uncle Tony, (who died a year ago), and was grandfather to my cousin Richard Bugg, who farms at Littleton at present. I think there were four siblings in Harry's family - Bertie C, born 1881; Harry H, b 1887; Freda K, b 1896 and Fred Jack, b 1898. At some point after 1911, Bertie and Harry changed their name to Boyne. Fred Jack's father was called Fred John and in the 1891 census he is farming at Thornton Farm, Marnhull with two sons, Bertie C and Harry H. By 1901, he is farming at Tarrant Keyneston with three children, Harry H, Freda K and Fred Jack. Bertie C is now boarding in Bournemouth, working in a bank, and still with the surname Bugg. I can't find Harry H in the 1911 survey, but Bertie is in Nailsworth - still registered as a Bugg. Bertie was married on April 23, 1912, and by then he had changed his name to Boyne, as had Harry, who witnessed the wedding certificate. When Harry died, the probate records show he left his effects to his father. I have been to see his grave at the Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L'Abbe, in France. Bertie C didn't sign up until 1917 - I think banking was a protected profession; then in 1918, just a few months before the Armistice, he was hit in the head by some shrapnel. Amazingly, he survived, ending up with a metal plate in his head, and resumed his career in the Bank. When Fred John died, his will had three executors, listed as Bertie C Boyne, Freda Kate Bugg and Fred Jack Bugg - which suggests there was no animosity between him and the son who had changed his name!

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Mrs B Fisher, who moved from Blandford many years ago when she got married, wrote to us from Robertsbridge, near Hastings, East Sussex:

Above: Spetisbury War Memorial. Picture: C E Moreton (War Memorials Online). Right: The plaque bearing the name of Lewis Hinton.

She said her brother in Blandford had sent a copy of the issue of Forum Focus in September 2014, recording the deaths of the Lane brothers and their cousin Frederick Charles Lane, who was her uncle. "My grandfather's name was William George Lane, of 31 Bryanston Street. Could it be that my grandfather's brother was the father of these boys and they could be our second cousins?" she asks. Without birth and marriage certificates it is difficult to be 100 per cent certain, but the records show that the two families are possibly connected.

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.

July 2017

Wildlife a natural attraction A WATER Festival hosted by the Dorset Wildlife Trust on the Ham attracted a large number of people and promoted a variety of activities for inquisitive young visitors. The event coincided with World Otter Day, and Blandford's favourite river species was the subject of one of the displays by the Dorset Otter Group. There were stalls and quizzes and creative crafts, including making hanging mobiles with sticks with artists from Terraflora, studying insects found in the river with the Riverfly Group, creating dragonflies which could be hung with clothes pegs, and learning about amphibians and reptiles, the Stour Catchment Project and the charity WaterAid, which funds water provision and wells in Third World countries.

Four-year-old Layla makes a dragonfly with volunteers Barbara Thomson and Dave Price from the Dorset Wildlife Trust.

Studying insects found in the river that morning with Angus Menzies, coordinator for the Riverfly Group.

Sympathy and support sent to terror victims THERE was a gathering in Blandford Market Place on the morning of May 25 for a minute's silence for those who had died in the terrorist attack at Manchester Arena. A letter was sent to the Manchester authorities on behalf of the town which read: "'The Mayor, Council and people of Blandford Forum send their deepest condolences to those affected by the appalling attack. "As is often the case, the very worst of human behaviour has been met with the very best the human spirit can offer: courage, kindness and love, proving once again that love will always triumph over hatred. "We wish you to know that the people of Blandford Forum stand united with the people of Manchester at this time." Comments from the Mayor of Mortain,

Blandford's twin town in France, were included in the letter. They translated roughly as: "Good friends, I convey to you all our friendship in these terrible circumstances, and all the support of the people of Mortain to the British people." There was a minute's silence prior to the meeting of North Dorset District Council's planning committee to remember those who had died in Manchester. A further letter, along with support from Blandford's twin towns, was sent to the Mayor of London on behalf of the town following the tragic events that took place in the terrorist attack in London and a further minute's silence was observed in front of the Corn Exchange on Tuesday June 6 in remembrance of those who lost their lives and all others affected by the attacks.

Plans refused again A RENEWED bid for planning permission for development at the rear of Hinton Close, backing on to Old Farm Gardens, has been refused by North Dorset District Council. B&D Developments have three times had their applications rejected, including one on appeal to the Planning Inspectorate. Neighbours and town councillors are concerned that the land has remained a building site for many months, and that a 'bund' and landscaping made a condition of the original estate development has been removed.

FARMING

The View from the Hill by George Hosford More from George on viewfromthehill.org.uk

E were almost crying out for rain as I wrote this column last month; what a difference now! Everything is a healthy shade of green, the crops are growing like mad and every sunny day builds more biomass in the fields. The wind and rain last week, which gave us a nine-hour power cut, also flattened some of our barley. The winter barley and oilseed rape have almost got to the point where all growing is done and they are about to start the downhill run towards harvest. The wheat is done with flowering and now the grains are developing in the ears. Hay fever levels were very high when I went crop walking in the wheat last week; the air was thick with pollen. The poppies are growing inches daily and will be flowering very soon in the most forward fields. The first one or two blooms have appeared today, complete with pollen beetles and one or two other assorted beauties. At the end of May I had the chance to join in a grilling of the four parliamentary candidates for North Dorset at a farmers' meeting at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton. It was extremely disappointing to find how little homework had been done on matters agricultural by half of the candidates standing in our predominantly rural constituency.

The wind rippling the spring barley on Shillingstone Hill under a fluffy sky. The Green and Labour candidates were woefully under-informed about many matters which are of great concern to farmers. Our sitting MP has been a positive force for farmers since he was elected and until the recent election has held a post in DEFRA. The young Lib Dem candidate had certainly done the homework required to suit his audience, giving positive and sensible answers to questions. Things got interesting when questions relating to education, foodbanks, and the demise of the Milk Marketing Board were raised, and our chairman James Cossins had a job on his hands to keep things under control. Farmers have been feeling particularly vulnerable since the referendum vote last year, and the recent election will have done nothing to allay this. The appointment of Michael Gove, arguably the politician most responsible for the result of the referendum, as the new Secretary of State for Environment, is a move none of us had foreseen, and we await to see with a degree of nervousness what he makes of the job. Farmers were out in force for Open Farm Sunday in June, and I was roped in to help out at Peter Snell's farm at Horton, where close to 2,000 people flocked to the farm in the sunshine. There was plenty to do and to look at, including these contrasting machines (pictured below) , probably 100 years apart in age, and at least 500 horses apart in

power. The green one is the famous machine which featured on these pages last year as the first of its model to arrive in Europe from the US. Just out of view in the picture the green giant is hitched to a 12-furrow reversible plough, which can be viewed in action on YouTube. It is a wonder of first world productivity and capital investment, whereas the same job is done rather differently near a small town called Coracora in Peru, where a family member has visited recently. He helped to keep the two oxpower ploughing outfit engaged with the soil by leaning on it. The game and wildlife conservation trust have been carrying out some experiments here recently, using recording equipment, and sticky paper, to learn more about the local bat population. The recorder can hear the bats as they patrol the hedgerows, and the sticky paper

A wonder of capital investment.

July 2017 will help to establish the insect population and in turn how it influences the bat population. We have enjoyed a regular stream of school visits to the farm this spring to show what is going on around the farm. We visit the sheep with lambs in the fields, the cows and calves, and look at growing crops and encourage the children to pull them apart to discover where the bits they eat come from. We also explore the woodland to learn about various plants and trees, including finding out the difference between bracken and fern. The visits are free, and a new scheme offered by the Dorset County Show 1840 fund now aims to help schools with the cost of transport to get out on to farms for educational visits. Exploring in 4 Acre Wood yesterday, where Durweston School are establishing a forest school, we came across some spectacular bracket fungi. How long has a bracket of this size (right) taken to grow, is the rustcoloured covering of the surrounding trunk simply fungal spores, and is it harmful?

July 2017

Poignant poem at photo ceremony

Ian Ferris receives the Esme Butler Cup for the most popular print from club chairman Chris Ablett. A POEM was recited in memory of the late Esme Butler by her husband Dave when he attended Blandford Camera Club's awards ceremony to present the cup she had given for the most popular entry in the annual open exhibition. He recalled that when Mrs Butler presided at any event, she had recited a related poem, and so read 'Photography' which defined the artform as "a demonstration of companionship and friendship". The award, chosen by votes from those attending the exhibition, went to Ian Ferris for his 'Majestic in Flight', which was commended by judge Reg Clark in the club colour section. Ian, who was the organiser of this year's exhibition and was thanked for taking on the role by club president Norman Carey, also won the President's Cup for prints with 'Waiting for Santa', and came third in club colour with 'Guarding the Kill'. Sally Chaloner was first and second with 'Helenium' and 'Cherry Blossom'. She was joined in the ladies' overall victory by Stephanie

Selwyn, winner of both the Founders Cup and Dr Davies Cup for series of three mono and colour prints respectively, in which Marilyn Peddle and Rachel Cooper alternated for second and third places. Jean Bartlett won the President's Trophy with 'Red Kite', and Marilyn Peddle won Club Digital Images with 'Misty Vale'. Only Malcolm Bowditch with 'A Lazy, Hazy Crazy Day' in Club Monochrome, Norman Wiles in the Open Challenge Shield (monochrome) with 'Porth Nanven' and Trophy (colour) with 'Chin Up', and Ron Holmes in Open Digital Images with 'Flower Study' were able to redress the balance for the men. Guest of honour was Mayor of Blandford Peter Clark, who was accompanied by his wife Linda, the Mayoress. He thanked the club for inviting them to view the exhibition, which he said had been "an exciting experience". Judge Reg Clark said it had been a real pleasure to see the sheer variety of work of great quality on show, with something of every genre for everyone to enjoy.

Rachel Cooper, runner-up in the Dr Davies Cup, with right, Stephanie Selwyn, winner of both that and the Founder's Cup.

Police lend support to keep an eye on speeding drivers LEARNING disabled adults invited Blandford's Neighbourhood Policing team to work with them after the issue of speeding traffic near the Blandford Day Centre was raised in their 'speaking-up' groups. They and the SNT team carried out speed checks near the Co-op on Salisbury Road and outside the day centre on Heddington Drive. PCSO Jamie Burt said: "We work with all the community on issues they feel strongly about and it was good to highlight that the service users in independent living feel vulnerable to speeding traffic when they are walking to the centre." The 'speaking-up' project, run by the charity People First Dorset for people with learning disabilities, helps them practise selfadvocacy skills and manage topics affecting their lives, and has had a positive effect in giving

them confidence. Visitors from representatives of Dorset Police, NHS and Dorset County Council ensure that people with learning disabilities are included in decision making. Day Service Officer Lorraine Hawley said: "The group took to the streets in their high-visibility

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Valuation service launched BRYANSTON resident Amy Brenan, a jewellery specialist who has worked at Duke's Auctioneers in Dorchester for the past ten years and who also works as a jewellery valuer for ITV's 'Dickinson's Real Deal', now offers a professional valuation service for jewellery, silver and antiques in and around Blandford and Wareham. Amy owns Heirlooms Jewellers in Wareham, a traditional jewellery shop where she buys and sells antique jewellery and silver and offers a full repair and restoration service for jewellery, silver, clocks and watches. She said: "I felt that the time was right to launch my own valuation business in Blandford alongside the services I offer in my shop. I will be valuing for insurance, probate and sale." For more information call 01929 554207.

jackets and took turns checking the speed of passing cars by the Blandford Community Centre, which most members attend regularly." Project manager Lisa Dixon said: "We were pleased that most people in Blandford were sticking to the speed limit, although we did spot one car excessively speeding on Salisbury Road which made all of us feel quite uneasy." Some members have now expressed interest in helping with the community speed watch programme through which volunteers from the community support PCSOs in maintaining road safety.

July 2017

Wartime exhibition AN exhibition of local involvement in World War I will be opening at the Blandford Town Museum in Bere's Yard on Saturday July 29. 'Blandford's Contribution in 1917 to World War I' will be opened by Lieut-Col ATD Lerwill, the retired Commander in Chief of the Rifles Regiment, of which the former Dorset regiments are now constituent members. The exhibition is in three sections, showing the part played by Blandford town and camp, the Dorsets on the Western Front in Europe and in the Battle of Passchendaele, and the Dorsets in Mesopotamia and the capture of Baghdad and Gaza. All are welcome.

Dorset book pay-off SALES of 'Deepest Dorset', a book commissioned by Lord Rothermere and edited by local writers Fanny Charles and Gay Pirrie-Weir, have resulted in a ÂŁ10,000 donation to each of three county charities: the Dorset Community Foundation, Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and the Weldmar Hospicecare Trust. A presentation was held at an event hosted by Lord and Lady Rothermere, who commissioned the book. Jon Yates, chief executive of the Foundation, which inspires Jon Yates of the Dorset Community Foundation, Leanne philanthropy Colverson of the Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance and Matt and local givSmith of the Weldmar Hospicare Trust with their cheques ing, said: "We from the proceeds of sales of 'Deepest Dorset'. are honoured to receive proceeds from this wonderful book, which shows so beautifully what a fabulous county this is and how wealthy it is in culture, heritage and generosity. "But we must not forget that although many local residents feel so lucky to live in such a beautiful part of the world, others are struggling to reach their potential, combatting fuel poverty and social isolation or reliant on the work of our voluntary and community groups to help them in hard times." More sales will generate more support for the charities. To find out more about the book go to deepestbooks.co.uk.

Sophia tumbles to the title SOPHIA Crabb, a year 6 pupil at Child Okeford St Nicholas School and member of Blandford Gym Club, has become South West Tumbling Champion after taking part in a series of competitions which took her to the finals. Sophia, aged 11, performed three spectacular tumbles, which included round-offs, back flicks, front flicks and somersaults, and went on to represent the South West in the National Championship.

July 2017

Funeral course adds to Catherineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s expertise

Grace gets hands-on experience of helping GRACE Yu, a Blandford girl studying architecture at the University of Nottingham, is now back from a trip to South Africa where she helped to build a nursery school in a deprived area. The former pupil of Archbishop Wake Primary and The Blandford School said: "I flew out to Limpopo with a team of engineers, staff and 19 students, to embark on the building project, Project Myemyela. "The site is in the village of Lepephane and consists of a small basic building that exists as the nursery school. Our aim was to build an exciting new nursery for the children and teachers, which will be such a great addition to the local community, who are very underprivileged and have the most basic living conditions. "In the space of two weeks, we were able to complete the main construction of the building, consisting of two classrooms, kitchen and the roof frame. I took part in mixing mortar to make cement, brick laying, aiding the construction of the timber walls, and roof assembly, which was a lot of sawing, lifting and hammering. Each nine-hour day involved a lot of hard work and it was definitely challenging, doing manual work on site in such heat."

Grace Yu on the building site. Grace added: "One of the best aspects of the trip was being able to interact with the clients the teachers and children, who enjoyed watching us work every day, and also bonding with the community, who were incredibly excited about this new development. "The second phase of the project is for the next team who will finish the building. I can definitely say that it has been one of the best and most rewarding experiences."

Youth centre gets set for a new lease of life BLANDFORD Youth Centre, which closed last summer following cuts in the county council's youth service, is set to reopen by the end of this summer with a new focus on both youth and the elderly. District councillor Andrew Kerby, a former youth club member who has taken on the battle to reopen the premises, told town councillors in June that they had been negotiating with The Blandford School and county council. He was confident that it could be fully open in September and they could now seek to draw down the funding promised by the town council. "It is quite difficult to set up or reopen a youth centre, but a charity was formed in January to open as a youth and community centre which will also provide, during the day, for the elderly." Deputy Mayor Roger Carter, who is also a foundation governor of the school, thanked Mr Kirby for the hard work he had put in on behalf of the youth of the town. "Fingers are crossed for a successful conclusion," he said.

CATHERINE McIver, of Colin J Close Funeral Service, has been awarded the Certificate in Funeral Practice following successful completion of the course run by the Independent Funeral Directors College. She and Peter Grassby, director of Grassby and Sons Ltd, parent company of Colin J Close, attended the SAIF regional meeting at Tiverton, where she was presented with the certificate by the SAIF president Paul Bowley. Catherine, who joined the company eight-and-a-half years ago, was recently appointed office manager at Blandford, and will conduct funerals as well as running a busy office and assisting clients with funeral planning and stonemasonry requirements. She will look after a memorial order from start to finish, advising on permitted materials for cemeteries and churchyards. She said: "The course has been very rewarding, learning many aspects of the business along the way. It was a great opportunity." Colin J Close Funeral Service is

Catherine McIver with the certificate presented by Paul Bowley. a long-established business serving the North Dorset area with offices and Chapel of Rest at Peel Close, Blandford, providing memorial stonemason services, funeral planning, and a choice of Golden Charter plans or plans bespoke to individual requirements.

July 2017

Arches stairway bid PLANS have been submitted on behalf of the Blandford Railway Arches Trust (BRAT) for a staircase up the north wall of the Langton Meadows railway flood arches on which repair work was carried out in 2015 to remedy faults which had developed since the closure of the railway. BRAT hope to establish a future for the landmark structure by developing its use as an outdoor venue and creating an environmental viewing point over the meadows, and will be seeking grant and other funding for the work that is needed.

Later this month, on Saturdays 22 and 29 and Sundays 23 and 30 July, the site will be the location for a series of outdoor performances of a dramatisation by Philip Goulding of the Ealing comedy 'The Titfield Thunderbolt'. It will be performed by the PHD theatre company in support of the arches project. Tickets are available online from phd.performances@gmail.com or by phone to 07743 483155 for further details. Plans are also being made for a jazz evening at the arches on Friday September 1.

Notice of closure Chef Alex O'Neill with staff Sorrel Belbin, James Pope-Jenkins, Sophie Harbour and in front Lucas O'Neill and Alysha Truswell at the Forum Frier.

Chipping in for charity FUNDS were raised for Help for Heroes at the Forum Frier as part of National Fish and Chip Day when chef Alex O'Neill and the rest of the staff dressed in St Trinian's outfits. They gave away more than 100 ice-creams or Slush Puppies with fish and chip orders, together with 20 'gold-

en boxes' containing freebies for the future, and ÂŁ139.43 was raised in their collection bucket. Proprietor Martin Duce said: "We'd like to thank all our customers for their generosity. It demonstrated the support our armed forces have within the community."

AS part of the 50th anniversary commemoration of the closure of the line, the Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust has installed an interpretation board beside the North Dorset Trailway adjacent to the down platform of the former Charlton Marshall Halt, which opened in 1928 and closed in 1956, having been used mostly by pupils at Clayesmore Prep and Charlton House Schools. Like those installed at Station Court and Wimborne Road in

Blandford, the board has been provided and installed by Arien Design Ltd and designed by Steve Roberts of Footprint Interpretation & Design Consultancy.

Law firmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s support for local producers A NEW category for best vineyard or distillery in this year's Taste of Dorset is sponsored by legal firm Blanchards Bailey. The awards, run by the Blackmore Vale Magazine, showcase the best the region has to offer from its glorious array of producers - many of which distribute their popular products across the country and abroad. Candidates need to submit products for tasting and assessment on criteria such as production methods, branding and innovation, and the winning entry must prove it has the best spirit or wine cultivated primarily from ingredients sourced in Dorset. All entries must be bottled in Dorset and will be judged by representatives from Blanchards Bailey and the Taste of Dorset Awards. Sarah Heath, principal and head

of commercial services at Blanchards Bailey, said: "Our aim for this new category is to highlight a sector of business that competes on a national level. Dorset's distillery and vineyards distribute throughout the UK and export internationally, with many having developed products that are appreciated and known by millions." She added: "We want to show our support for the people that make these businesses so successful and are proud to be sponsoring this award in its inaugural year." Entries are now open, with the awards ceremony taking place on November 7 at a gala presentation evening at the George Albert Hotel in Evershot, near Dorchester. To apply see digitalthisis.co.uk/dorset/tasteofdorset

July 2017

Company’s cover story

THE Blandford Laundry in Shaftesbury Lane has donated a number of duvets and covers to the ShelterBus being kitted out for the homeless and developed by a Blandfordbased charity which now has established the service in Weymouth. Steve Guy, proprietor of the laundry, is pictured (centre) with (left to right), charity supporters Jodie Stevens, Mike and Susi Hearn and (right) Emily and Eddie McCarron, trustees of the charity, which aims to provide short-term accommodation for rough sleepers and help them back into homes and work.

Bid to counter mobility vehicle thefts DAG, the Disability Action Group (North Dorset) based in Nightingale Court, is supporting a new National Mobility Registration service nmruk.org launched on a website by the National Federation of Shopmobility, of which it is a member. The registration scheme has grown out of the need for consumers and the Police to be able to reunite stolen or abandoned mobility vehicles with their owners. After a pilot scheme in Sussex it has been extended nationally and launched in March. Police statistics for 2015 reveal that out of 517 mobility scooters stolen, with an estimated value of £615,000, only 22 per cent were ever recovered.

Increasing the numbers of vehicles returned to their owners will spare them the loss of independence caused by their theft. DAG trustee Nicci Brown said: "We are pleased to support the registration scheme by helping owners register at our shop in Nightingale Court, Blandford, DT11 7ED, open 10am to 4pm Monday to Friday, or asking us to send a registration card allowing them to register online themselves using our code, which in turn will help to support us." The cost of registration is £12 a year. For further information contact DAG on 01258 268309 or by email to dt11dag@gmail.com.

Moving tributes at twinning visit DEPUTY Mayor Councillor Roger Carter visited Blandford's twin town Mortain in Normandy as part of the Twinning Association's biannual visit. He spoke at both the Association's gathering and Mortain's annual commemoration for the soldiers of the American 30th and 35th Infantry Divisions, who resisted a

German counter attack on Hill 314 (overlooking Mortain) on August 7, 1944. The battle for Hill 314 has been described as the key to the Battle for Normandy and many Americans were killed defending the position. Mr Carter spoke on behalf of the Mayor, and the people of Blandford, to nearly 1,000 people,

BLANDFORD Choral Society hosted an afternoon of teatime summer music in the Parish Church Centre. After the concert the choir made their way through the town singing at various sites including the Corn Exchange before reaching The Crown Hotel to sing more summer music.

including the American vice-consul, an American General and Colonel, with a detachment of the current 30th and 35th Infantry Divisions, three American veterans from the conflict, the local MP, Mayor of Mortain and many French Veterans. All three national anthems were played and he had the additional honour of laying a wreath on behalf of Blandford on what he said was a very moving occasion.

July 2017

COUNCILLOR ESME LINDA BUTLER 24th January 1956 - 17th May 2017

sme was born on the 24th January 1956 at the Dorchester Maternity wing, which was the local delivery centre. Her parents lived in Alfred Street at that time before moving to Charles Street, then later to Langton Road. She attended Blandford Infants School, Damory Street, Blandford Junior School, Park Road (affectionately known as Park Road Academy) and The Blandford School, Milldown Road. Esme enjoyed the opportunity her childhood years gave her, the freedom to roam around the town; much of those areas and open spaces are now occupied with housing. On leaving school she worked in the shoe shop and then at WH Smith in 1972 when the newspapers and magazines were sold outside of the main shop, which was a very cold spot! At opening and closing times the shutter had to be pulled either up or down and the door and posts carried out and assembled. Dave was a serving soldier with the Royal School of Signals when they married. Shortly afterwards they were posted to Krefeld in Germany for a year. They were then posted to Catterick for 18 months, back to Germany in Herford, where they stayed for six years, then to Rhinedahlen for a further four years. During her time abroad Esme was presented with the Anne Armstrong award for her support to families. Esme enjoyed the experience of living in a different and exciting country but she missed home, especially in the first few years. Until then she had rarely ventured beyond the county of Dorset! Her Mum kept her posted on the comings and goings in the town so she always knew what was happening or about to happen, which was of course so important to Esme. Esme and Dave were married for 31 years and had a daughter, Hayley, with daughters Claire and Jane from a previous marriage, and she was a very special Nanny to Nathan and Daniel. Esme was extremely, and quite rightly, proud of her daughters. Claire lives in Exeter with her boys, Jane in London and Hayley in Bath and she was always pleased to welcome them 'home'. Esme was both a Town and District councillor for Blandford. She had been a Town Councillor since May 1999 and was Mayor of Blandford Forum in 2002, 2005, 2010 and 2011. She was elected to North Dorset District Council in 2011 in Damory Down ward, and re-elected in 2015 for the successor Central ward. Esme is irreplaceable. A tower of strength in our community, even the embodiment of the

spirit of Blandford; a tireless campaigner for local people and the things that mattered to them and a fantastic ambassador for the town. Esme was known and loved throughout the town, the district and pretty much the whole of Dorset. A Mayor from another Dorset town, on hearing the sad news said, 'All communities need an Esme Butler - someone who knows everything about their community and works hard for it.' Esme was that person. Always a voice of moderation and reason, Esme was deeply knowledgeable about Blandford, North Dorset and County matters. She didn't brag or boast or trumpet her considerable achievements. Instead she always conducted herself with good humour, kindness and modesty. As a result, people listened to and respected her viewpoint, even if they didn't agree. Esme had the common touch - able to converse easily with people of all ages and from all walks of life. All responded with warmth and good humour to her generous and selfless personality. Esme was a born organiser. One recent example was the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Hamdinger' that Esme arranged on alternate years to the Georgian Fair because she felt that local people needed May celebrations. This was incredibly popular locally and always attracted hundreds of visitors. The many events, attractions, games and stalls were there because Esme had picked up a phone, emailed, knocked on a door or simply asked people to become involved. Another example is the WW1 commemoration group that Esme launched successfully with a huge poppy-painting event onto boards in 2014 that again saw hundreds from the community, many of them children, all involved. The recent Matchstick fleet, that attracted over 900 visitors, was the final WW1 commemoration event organised by Esme. We remember some of the other events Esme worked so passionately for; the Charter 400 celebrations in 2004; the Olympic torch relay in 2011, The Bell in 2015, The Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in 2016 and the annual Blandford Yuletide Festival. These highlight and emphasise in a small way, an enormous legacy of commitment, involvement and service to others in the community she loved. The Corn Exchange is a place that Esme loved; a building that she wanted to see brought up to date through the Corn Exchange Regeneration project. To enable this to occur, and to continue the hard work of previous councillors, Esme was Chairman of the Council's Corn Exchange Regeneration Project Board and she was thrilled to see the scaffolding start to go up. Esme, you were our heart, soul and conscience. We can never replace you. All we can hope to do is learn from your legacy, and attempt to emulate your commitment and your passion for our town.

July 2017

Gorilla charity hits its target NORTH Dorset-based gorilla conservation charity Gearing up for Gorillas (G4G) has announced that it has met its target of covering the annual costs of fielding a ranger in Virunga National Park, where mountain gorillas are protected from poachers on a daily basis. G4G founder and chair Linda Nunn said: "We were absolutely thrilled to be able to transfer funds to Virunga to sponsor rangers." G4G has also sponsored Virunga Chief Warden Emmanuel de Merode, who ran the London Marathon in April, with ÂŁ5,000. This will be match-funded by The World We Want Foundation for the Fallen Rangers Fund for widows and children of Virunga rangers killed in the line of duty. For more information, contact Linda on 07801 531205 or see the website g4g.co.uk.

A Certificate of Appreciation has been presented by the Mayor Peter Clark to Blandford Guide leader Heather Stringer in recognition of her contribution to guiding

in Blandford and Somerset over 40 years. Heather was unable to be present at the mayor-making ceremony in May at which Certificates of Appreciation

were presented to other members of the community. She is pictured receiving her certificate from Mr Clark, watched by the guides in her company.

Fabric sale tops ÂŁ10,000 for charity A GRAND fabric sale held over two days in Tarrant Keyneston village hall at the beginning of April raised over ÂŁ10,000 for Naomi House and Jacks Place Children's Hospice. Organiser June Davey has thanked all who worked

so hard to make it such a success, and congratulations have been sent to her and her team for raising such a magnificent sum. Remaining stock went on sale at Tarrant Monkton village hall in May.

U3A get crafty for charity ALONGSIDE the 15th anniversary festivities at Blandford & District U3A, which include a quiz afternoon, celebration lunch and summer party, is an ongoing commitment to raise funds for a local charity. The proceeds after expenses from tea and cake at this year's quarterly open meetings, plus raffles, will be donated to the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital. In addition, the U3A's nimble-fingered knitters have been using their yarn stashes to fashion Twiddlemuffs and Bravery Bears for hospital patients â&#x20AC;˘ Pictured (left to right): are U3A craft group members Vera Cussons, Angela White, Kaethe Davies and Pat Ashworth.

July 2017

Natalie Grearson, Charlotte Matthews and assistant branch manager Louise Anderson with their cake and book sale for the Alzheimer's Society. STAFF at Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care in Blandford Market Place held a cake and book sale to raise funds and awareness for Alzheimer's Society during Dementia Awareness Week. Branch manager Sandra Way said: "It's a cause we care about because dementia affects the lives of so many people in our community." The company is supporting Alzheimer's Society as its chosen charity because of the growing evidence of a link between uncorrected hearing loss and dementia. It invited local people to submit photographs of their memorable moments for a charity calendar in aid of Alzheimer's Society. Find more details in the branch or online at scrivens.com/moments.

July 2017

SCHOOLS

Bright and breezy IT'S an ill wind that blows nobody any good, as the children of Handy Paws at Durweston discovered when they went out to enjoy the wind while the rest of the school were struggling to practise their Maypole dancing.

Handy Paws, judged outstanding by Ofsted for over ten years, will from September be opening for full days instead of mornings only. It prides itself on offering exciting learning opportunities both indoors and out. For more information call 01258 452277.

Remembering John Paulley CHILDREN at Durweston CE VA Primary School remembered John Paulley, a long-standing governor and friend of the school, on the first anniversary of his death. Each class shared a story on the bench in the playing field from which Mr Paulley used to watch the world go by. They looked at the stone he laid by the school's front door 10 years ago, and then visited his new memorial stone in the school grounds. Even the year 6s, who were away at PGL in Torquay, spent some time in the evening sharing their memories of Mr Paulley. He is much missed.

A lesson in wind power at Handy Paws Pre-School in Durweston.

A lesson in caring

TBS head for the woods AFTER the huge successes of 'Les Miserables','Fame the Musical' and 'The Phantom of the Opera', The Blandford School return to the Tivoli Theatre this year with Stephen Sondheim's 'Into the Woods'. The musical, which premiered on Broadway in 1987 and was adapted as a Disney film in 2014, intertwines the plots of several Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault fairy tales, with main characters from 'Little Red Riding Hood', 'Jack and the Beanstalk', 'Rapunzel' and 'Cinderella', tied together by a story involving a childless baker and his wife and their quest to begin a family. Tickets are now on sale for the production taking place on July 18 to 20 at 7pm, with a matinee performance at 1pm on July 19. Contact the Tivoli box office on 01202 885566.

Young meeting old at the Blandford Grange Care Home in Milldown Road YEAR 3 children from Milldown Primary School were invited to talk with the residents at the Blandford Grange Care Home and help them to decorate their zimmer frames. They used various crafting materials and spent time with the residents talking and chatting and sharing drinks and biscuits. The event was thoroughly enjoyed by all, and the care home were so impressed with the behaviour of the children that they invited them back to share in a teddy bears picnic.

A busy period at Pimperne ELEVEN pupils and several parents from Pimperne Primary School competed in the Poole Festival of Running and children from reception to Year 6 ran their fastest over the one-mile course. The Year 3 girls' team (Jessica Bemand, Marleigh Downs and Ella Barnett) came fourth and the boys' Year 6 team (Toby Bemand, Ryan Collier and Haydn Bennett) came third. Other runners included Eden Hewes, Finlay Hardiman, Thomas Hopkins, Ashton Bennett and Ryan Bemand. There were also impressive runs from the parents in the 10k race. Year 6 pupils showed remarkable resilience in their SATs. The children had been working on their 'Can Do' attitude in the build-up towards the tests. They were looking forward to the diversity of the curriculum and enjoying their term's final learning theme, before starting to plan their end-of-year production. The end of an intensive week of National Key Stage 2 tests was celebrated by an afternoon of outdoor fun, including a celebratory feast. Reception children at the school explored and recognised 'feelings' armed with 'super feeling spectacles', on a journey around the school to see how many different feelings they could recognise. They were encouraged to talk about their own feelings, recognise what helps them and others in certain situations, appreciate what makes them happy and sad, and verbalise and empathise with their peers.

SCHOOLS

July 2017

Year 6 pupils who took their SATs last month.

Pimperne School boys and girls celebrate their success in the Poole Festival of Running.

Reception pupils expressing feelings, happy and sad.

July 2017

SCHOOLS

A new â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;shipâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; drops anchor at Dunbury DUNBURY Church of England Academy, a split-site village school with bases at Winterborne Stickland and Winterborne Whitechurch, has opened a new 'learning hub' at its Whitechurch site, made possible through grant funding from the Bishop Wordsworth Education Trust. It has been designed not just as another learning space, but somewhere for imaginations to come to life, and members of the community were invited to witness the opening. Local builder, Kane Sellen of KS Property Maintenance, and Husting Electricals had helped with the work, and teachers, parents and carers helped to clear, paint and refurbish the room, which was kept a secret from the pupils. Pupil Harriet said: "When the ribbon was cut, all the children wanted to rush in but we had to go in class by class. We had no

Cutting the boat-shaped cake.

idea what to expect; everyone was so excited. Inside there was a boat!" The 'boat', with an upper and lower deck, is the school's new library. Harriet said: "There are sofas, a story reading corner and a reflection area. Through a secret bookcase, there is a dressing-up area. Behind a copy of the Fat Lady from Harry Potter, we have an outside space where we can read books, dress up or just relax." The school choir sang 'The Circle of Life' from the upper deck, and the children explored their new facility before going outside to cut a boat-shaped cake and enjoy refreshments. There was also a plant sale organised by Key Stage1, and pledges of books were taken for the learning hub. Headteacher Ben Barker said: 'Our vision at Dunbury is for the children to live and breathe the learning experiences and remember the experiences forever." The school recently achieved a 'good' rating in all areas in both Ofsted and SIAMS inspections. In their report, Ofsted recognise the school's rich curriculum, including all classes learning Japanese, a Mandarin language club and rich musical opportunities. Activities during the year have included the landing inside the school of a Tardis in which children learned about the solar system, and children working with local police and scientists in full hazard suits to investigate the smoking wreckage of a UFO which mysteriously arrived on the school field.

The new learning hub at Dunbury.

Lion set for roaring success A PRODUCTION of the Lion King will be staged by Dunbury C of E Academy in the New Barn Theatre at Milton Abbey on Thursday and Friday, July 6 and 7. The school has been rehearsing songs, scenes, lines and choregraphy since last September. Parents, carers and teachers have worked hard to make costumes, organise filming, photographs and make-up, and others have kindly offered their expertise and time to help out with the production. "Thanks to all the teachers, we have produced a show as big as a West End musical. Mr Payne and Mrs Payne have constructed an elephant that's bigger than the West End's," said pupil Erin. "The performance promises to be an enjoyable experience, with lots of colour and fun and all the well-known songs from the musical. Please come and watch us. We are fantastic!" For more information and tickets, contact the Dunbury School office on 01258 880501 or email to office@dunbury.dsat.org.uk.

Society members visit historic house MEMBERS and friends of Blandford & District Civic Society thoroughly enjoyed a visit to St Giles House at Wimborne St Giles where the Earl of Shaftesbury, Nick Ashley-Cooper, gave a guided tour. He described the history of his family and the family home which he and his wife Dinah are now in the process of restoring after years of neglect, which resulted in its being placed on the 2001 Buildings at Risk Register. He showed where one room is being developed to reveal the changing building techniques over the centuries, and how artworks in the property have been rescued and restored, as well as the transformation of the gardens to reveal the beech avenue and shell grotto which had become overgrown. Work on the house began in 2011 and since then the restoration has won several national awards, including the 2014 Georgian Group Awards for the

Restoration of a Georgian Country House, the 2015 Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Award for Building Conservation, the 2015 Historic Houses Association/Sotheby's Restoration Award and the Historic England Angel Award for the Best Rescue of a Historic Building or Site. The work has helped secure the future of the house as a family home and created a venue for a wide range of activities, including weddings, concerts and corporate events. On June 17, the Civic Society hosted a celebration of National Civic Day in the Woodhouse Gardens in Blandford. On Friday July 14 it will be supporting a War Memorials Workshop in the same venue hosted by Civic Voice, the national umbrella association for civic societies for those interested in restoring parish and town war memorials as part of ongoing World War I Centenary Commemoration. For details call 07753 708958.

July 2017

Members of Blandford & District Civic Society approach the shell grotto in the grounds of St Giles House.

News from the surgeries Have you updated your contact details with the doctorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; surgery? Did you know you can get reminders for your appointments at the doctors' surgeries by text message? Reminders are not only personally useful but help to reduce missed appointments which could have been offered to other patients. Registering your email address means you could be receiving a regular newsletter with the latest news and information from your surgery. It's very easy to update your mobile phone number, email address or any other contact details, either at the surgery or by following the links online: Eagle House Surgery: http://www.eaglehouseblandford.nhs.uk Whitecliff Surgery: http://www.whitecliffpractice.co.uk Registering online also means you can book and cancel appointments and order repeat prescriptions.

SPORT

July 2017

Football club’s plea for help with clubhouse work BLANDFORD United Football Club is appealing for help to progress stage three of its project to redevelop the clubhouse at Park Road Recreation Ground. The project got started back in 2003, and at last is hoped to be ready for the start of the new football season in August. The plan - to improve their facilities and aid their sustainability for the benefit of footballers in the Blandford area from the ages of seven upwards into adult football - began with improving match day and training facilities by moving the youth section to The Blandford School from Larksmead Playing Fields. Stage two was the improvement of training facilities in the evenings from October to March by working with The Blandford School to secure funding from the Football Foundation for the all-weather facility (Astro-Turf) now available at the school. The final stage is to build a clubhouse that the entire club can use and benefit from, both by cementing and improving their community spirit, meeting the

league requirements regarding hospitality to away team guests, match day officials and supporters, and having a facility that could help them raise funds and secure their long-term future. Thanks to developer funding through North Dorset District Council and Town Council funding, they have enough to cover the build, but need additional support to fit out the kitchen, bar, social room areas and make much-needed improvements to the existing changing rooms and showers. Any donations and sponsorship will be gratefully received, and advertised on their Partnership wall for eternity. They are also seeking club memorabilia such as newspaper cuttings or photos to go on their History of Blandford United FC wall. Contributions for donations/sponsorship or memorabilia can be sent to Mark Bellman (phone 01258 455488 or 07912 341469) at Beech House, Milldown Road, Blandford, DT11 7DD or by email to mark-bellman@outlook.com.

Players and officers of Blandford United FC at their awards presentation night at the Masonic Hall: seated (from left): Olly Morris, David Fraser, Frank Webber and Simon Hyde. Back row: Mark Fraser, Paul Ford, Dan Vater, Alison Morris, Rob Webber, Jorg Albertz and Saul Boulton.

Get set for Valley run THE peaceful village of Tarrant Monkton will, on Sunday July 16, put on its running shoes again and play host to the annual Tarrant Valley 10, a 10km race on roads, bridleways and farm tracks set in the glorious Cranborne Chase. The TV10 and a separate onemile children's fun run start, at 10.30 and 10.35 respectively, in front of The Langton Arms pub. The event is held on a nonprofit making basis with all proceeds going to good causes: Epilepsy Action and Dorset Action on Abuse are this year's

chosen charities. This year it is their 30th anniversary event, and runners of all standards are welcome to help make it a roaring success. Non-runners are just as welcome to come and cheer them on, enjoy the village, entertainment and refreshments, including lunch at the pub and cream teas in the village hall in the afternoon. The event is held under UK Athletics rules. Full details, including online and postal entry methods, are on their website tarrantvalley10.webs.com.

John’s Welsh challenge

Lodge lends a helping hand FREEMASONS from Bleckly Clarke Lodge in Blandford have donated £677 to Blandford Opportunities Group. The current Master, Adam Perkins (pictured left) presented a cheque on behalf of the Lodge to the group's chairman Colin Stevens. Mr Perkins said: "Blandford Opportunities Group was one of the Lodge's chosen charities for 2016/17 and I was delighted to meet Colin and have the chance to see some of the fantastic work the group does for local children. I am sure that the funds our members have donated will be put to excellent use."

CHILD Okeford resident, John Osborne, is planning to cycle 'Wales in a Day' on July 22 to raise funds to beat blood cancer in memory of fellow resident Don Courtney, who died from acute myeloid leukaemia within three months of diagnosis last year. Don was a classic car lover who performed in amateur dramatics, sang in a choir and was an accomplished dinner party host. John will be leaving Caernarvon at 4.30am to cycle the 190 miles to Chepstow by midnight as part of the Open Cycling challenge. He has invited people to donate via his page at mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/johnosborne or at the Cross Stores in Child Okeford with cheques payable to Bloodwise.

A trip along the Trailway BLANDFORD Opportunity Group holds its annual sponsored event along the Blandford Trailway on Sunday July 2 starting at 10am at Station Court. Walkers, runners and cyclist are invited to join them on the route to Shillingstone Station and back, or part of it, to help raise money for the group and celebrate its 25th birthday this year. Sponsor forms are available at Off Camber or from the group itself, and donations will be accepted on the day.

July 2017

Forum Focus - forthcoming meetings & events Friday June 30 and Saturday July 1: Well and Connected exhibition, Corn Exchange, Blandford, Friday 2pm to 7pm, Saturday 10am to 3pm Friday June 30 to Monday July 3: Festival of Flowers, St. Nicholas Church Child Okeford, details 01258 860653 Saturday July 1: Coffee Morning and Cake Sale and haircut for the Little Princess Trust, Methodist Church Hall, Blandford, 9.30am to 12.30pm Coffee Morning at Shillingstone Church Centre 10.30am to noon Vintage Church fete, Child Okeford, 2pm to 5pm, details 01258 861367 Forum Drama present Blackadder, Durweston village hall, 2.30pm and 7.30pm, tickets blackadder2-forumdrama.eventbrite.co.uk or Horrocks & Webb Saturday July 1 and Sunday July 2: Tarrant Monkton and Launceston open gardens for church and hall funds, cream teas in village hall, 1.30pm to 5.30pm, details 01258 830484 Sunday July 2: Macmillan Dorset Bike Ride, details 01202 601705 The Trailway Challenge. Blandford Opportunity Group's Trailway Challenge, 10am from Station Court, sponsorship forms 01258 456187 Baffling Blandford magical walk, starts Crown Hotel, 4pm (and every Sunday until September 10), details on Facebook or artoftheimpossible.com/magic Monday July 3 to Friday July 7: expected closure of Salisbury Street, Blandford Wednesday July 5: Step Ahead group for carers of people with memory problems, Blandford Community Centre, Heddington Drive, 1.30pm to 3pm Friday July 7: Summer fair, Okeford Fitzpaine primary school, 3.15pm An Evening of Musical Delights supporting SSAFA, Layard Theatre, Canford School, 7pm, tickets and details 01929 471038 Friday July 7 to Sunday July 9: UK Boogie Woogie Festival, Sturminster Newton, ukboogiewoogiefestival.co.uk or call 0800 4337167 or 01258 471194 Friday July 7 to August 30: Landscape, History and Heritage exhibition, Milton Abbey, 10am to 5pm, guided tours Thursday afternoons Saturday July 8: Pimperne Pre-School Open Day, sports pavilion, Bakery Close, Pimperne, 10am to 12 noon The Ark, Child Okeford, family tea party to celebrate 50 years Psychic Holistic and Craft Fair,

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 events@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.

Open season for gardens THE gardens open season began in Spetisbury on June 11 and continued in Tarrant Gunville & Stubhampton on June 17/18 and Blandford on June 25 with the Stour Rotary's Hidden Gardens (see next month's Forum Focus). On Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, Sue Le Provost opened her garden at The Hollow, Tower Hill, Iwerne Minster, under the National Garden Scheme for the first time, and again on Wednesday June 28, for which proceeds go to the Queen's Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer Support and Marie Curie. On Saturday and Sunday, July 1 and 2, more gardens are open in Tarrant Monkton & Launceston between 1.30 and 5.30pm; and on Saturday and Sunday, July 8 and 9, for the first time since 2013, villagers in Pimperne, the 2016 winners of the Dorset best village, previous large village winners category, are hosting an event in which 13 gardens will be open from 2 to 5pm each day. All funds raised are for the benefit of the village hall. Entry is through purchase of a programme from the village hall, where teas and home-made cakes will be available for purchase.

Portman Hall, Shillingstone, 10.30am to 4.30pm, proceeds to LEAF Leukaemia Charity, free admission, info 07756 476877 BBQ and Barn Dance, Okeford Fitzpaine Village Hall, 5 to 10pm in aid of St. Andrew's Church. Details Sue 01258 861830 Saturday July 8 and Sunday July 9: Pimperne Open Gardens, tickets from village hall, 2pm daily Monday July 10: Visually impaired readers’ group, Blandford Library, 2pm to 4pm, details 01747 811191 Blandford Forum Railway Club, talk by Colin Stone, 'Commemorating the 50 years since the end of steam', The Scout HQ, Eagle House Gardens, 7.30pm to 9.30pm Tuesday July 11: Blandford Forum & District Stamp Club monthly meeting, Woodhouse Gardens pavilion, 7.30pm, details 01258 471422 Wednesday July 12: Film Night at Charlton Marshall Village Hall - 'Viceroy's House', doors open at 7.15 pm for a 7.30pm start. Details 01258 488431. Rude Mechanicals present The Commercial Traveller, East Farm, Tarrant Monkton, 7.30pm, picnics from 6pm, tickets from Langton Arms, Tarrant Monkton, or therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk Thursday July 13: Music at St Giles House: reception and dinner with Yulianna Avdeeva (piano), playing Chopin, details 01202 644704 or bsolive.com Dorset Archives Trust Gala Event, Hinton St Mary Tithe Barn, Sturminster Newton, 7pm, introduced by Kate Adie, a talk by James Grasby, curator, National

Trust: "Thomas Hardy and Sir Edward Elgar - Curating Lives", tickets 01305 228945, enquiries@dorsetarchivetrust.org Friday July 14: Blandford Farmers Market, Market Place (every 2nd Friday) Blandford Evening WI, Alison Preston on the work of Save the Children, Parish Centre, Blandford, 7pm Saturday July 15: Blandford 14-18 Commemoration group's Khaki Canteen, Corn Exchange, 9am to 2pm Cats Protection coffee morning and stalls, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 10am to 12.30pm Tabletop Sale at Charlton Marshall Village Hall 10am to 3pm, free entry, light refreshments Tea and Tower Tours, Child Okeford Church, 3 to 5pm Rude Mechanicals present The Commercial Traveller, Child Okeford recreation ground, 6.30 for 7.30pm Sunday July 16: 30th anniversary Tarrant Valley 10k from Langton Arms, Tarrant Monkton, 10.30am, details and registration tarrantvalley10.webs.com Open garden, Springhead Trust, Fontmell Magna, 10am to 5pm, refreshments and light lunches, and talk by Edward Parker on 'Ancient Trees of the National Trust', see springheadtrust.org.uk Dorset Rural Music School's Dorset Island Discs, Briantspuddle Hall, Chris Price interviews Dr Richard Hall from DRMS, tickets £7.50 (incl tea and cake), 2.30pm Tuesday July 18: Child Okeford Flower Arranging Club, 'Floating

Flowers' Workshop with Emma Whicher of Martha and the Meadow, Child Okeford Village Hall, 2.15pm, details: 01258 863775 Wednesday July 19: Blandford Carers garden party Blandford & District Civic Society Heritage Town Centre walk from Marsh and Ham car park, 7pm, details 01258 459346 Thursday July 20: Blandford Art Society demonstration by Joan Scott, Pimperne village hall, 2pm, details blandfordartsociety.weebly.com Mindfulness Naturally with Briony Baxter, DWT community conservation officer, meet Community Orchard, New Road, Broad Oak, Sturminster Newton, 2.30pm, booking essential, 01258 880699 Kings Fat Thursday Jazz Night, Kings Arms, Blandford (every 3rd Thursday), 8pm Friday July 21: Music and Poetry for a Summer Evening, the Tithe Barn, Hinton St. Mary, Pimms and canapés 7.30. Tickets office@home-start-northdorset or 01258 473038. Proceeds to HomeStart North Dorset Saturday July 22: Hayrides and gardens open from 10.30am, proceeds to St Mary's Tarrant Rushton and air ambulance, Long Barn, Preston Farm, Tarrant Rushton, details 01258 452452 Afternoon tea, Tarrant Gunville village hall, 3pm, for donations to Breast Cancer Care Tuesday July 25: 'Litter Free Coast & Sea': Resurgence Dorset talk by Charlie Wild, Blandford Museum, Beres Yard, 7.30pm, free entry (donations), details 01258 818223 or meetup.com/Resurgence-Dorset Tuesday July 25 to Saturday July 29: Dorset Opera presents Gounod's Faust and Rossini's The Wicked Adventures of Count Ory, Bryanston School, see dorsetopera.com, box office 01202 499199 Wednesday July 26: Blandford Forum Townswomen's Guild talk by Rachel Eveleigh on Growing Sweet Peas, Blandford Community Centre, Heddington Drive, 2pm Thursday July 27: Expected opening of Lidl, Shaftesbury Lane (to be confirmed) Friday July 28: Last Friday in the Blandford Museum Garden, from 4pm Saturday July 29: Opening of Blandford Town Museum exhibition, 'Blandford's Contribution in 1917 to World War I’, Beres Yard, 10.30am Milton Abbas Street Fayre, 11am to 5pm, official opening by Kate Adie at 12 noon