December 2018 Forum Focus

FORUM FOCUS

A century on from the Armistice, town and villages remember the sacrifices and pay their respects

For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 81

December 2018

BLANDFORD HONOURS THE VICTIMS OF WAR: PAGES 6-12

Crown leads the way as local firms make a mark

Table 9 at the Dorset Wedding Supplier Awards: Clockwise from the left, Laura Sweetland, Vicky and Jill from Sweetpea Florists, Kev Jackson from Royal T's, Robert Gamble and Francesca Bethell from Crown Hotel, Abi Dunseith and team from Home Farm Camping. Missing is Kayleigh Hartey from Exclusively Yours, who was unable to attend the ceremony.

SOME of Blandford's independent businesses have been putting themselves on the map as winners or finalists in county and national award schemes.

No fewer than five local businesses were selected for the Dorset Wedding Supplier awards last month, resulting in an overall winner in the Crown Hotel, which was judged the best wedding planner when the winners were announced at the awards ceremony at the Hilton Hotel in Bournemouth.

The Crown was also awarded highest overall score of the night

caravan and camping site offering also bell tents and yurts for a rural glamping experience, was the winner of the 'Wedding Extra' category.

Finalists included the Royal T's, whose group frontman Kev Jackson is Blandford-born and bred and teaches guitar and drums at Pimperne School; Exclusively Yours, opened by Kayleigh Hartey last year in the Georgian Passage; and Sweetpea Florists, opened by Laura Sweetland in Salisbury Street and now expanded into Greyhound House in the Market Place.

by the judges, and in the same month was listed in the top 20 pubs with rooms by the Good Hotel Guide.

Its owners, Hall & Woodhouse, the winner of the PKF Francis Clark Family Business Award, was the only local finalist in the 13 categories of the Dorset Business Awards, organised by the Dorset Chamber, which were announced at a gala dinner at the Bournemouth International Centre.

At the wedding supplier awards, Abi Dunseith of Home Farm Camping at Tarrant Gunville, a

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Francesca Bethell, weddings and events co-ordinator at The Crown, said: "The recognition of our town in an award ceremony typically dominated by the Bournemouth and Poole region highlights our hard work and dedication to the industry.

"There is a wealth of Blandfordbased wedding businesses which cover every aspect of a couple's special day, and is not limited to just those who entered the awards. We are a small community of businesses and we support each other so well, always recommending each other and working hard to build good working relationships. It is great to have this accolade to celebrate for Blandford."

Alex Young, of Ginger Viking Cocktails, who runs an evening cocktail bar at the Forum CafÊ in • To Page 2

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December 2018

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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 to 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 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, Chaffers in Salisbury Street, James Newsagents in The Plocks, the Coop in Salisbury Road, the 3Cs in Damory Street, the Damory Garage and One Stop in Salisbury Road, Cherry's hairdressers in Elizabeth Road, Blandford Leisure Centre in Milldown Road, the Central Shop in Heddington Drive, the Brewery Visitor Centre, Lidl in Higher Shaftesbury Lane, 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, Anvil and Farquharson pubs in Pimperne, 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: Monday December 10 Editorial: Tuesday December 11 Deliveries from Friday December 28 View future deadlines on our website.

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Streets to close for Yuletide Festival

Crown heads the way in business

BUSINESSES and residents in the town centre are warned that roads will be closed for the Blandford Yuletide Festival on Wednesday December 12 from 4pm onwards.

The closure includes West Street, East Street, the Market Place, lower Salisbury Street, lower Whitecliff Mill Street, The Plocks, and junctions off The Close.

Whitecliff Mill Street will be twoway traffic from Park Road to Eagle House Gardens, enabling access for the doctors' surgeries and residences.

Free parking all day has been arranged through North Dorset District Council and Blandford Forum Town Council for the Langton Road, Church Lane and Marsh and Ham car parks, but parking time restrictions still

• From Page 1 Salisbury Street, as well as at events in the Corn Exchange, was a finalist in the UKBG Final, and although he failed to make the top six was very happy to be in the top 20.

He also finished as a runner-up in the Observer Food Monthly Awards for the best places to drink in the country. Open for only 18 months, he has represented Blandford and Dorset in ten UK finals, and his cocktail bar supports local charities including the Food Bank and Teddy 20.

Local craftsperson, Stephanie Carswell, of Hawthorn Embroidery, has been shortlisted for Embroidery Designer of the Year in the National Needlecraft Awards, an annual event celebrating needlecraft and the talented people within it. The final will take place at the Knitting & Stitching Show, Kensington Olympia, in February.

Entries and voting are open until Friday January 4, and she is seeking public votes at surveymonkey.co.uk/r/NationalNeedlecr aftsAwards • A number of local shops are extending festive late-night opening this year to the first three Wednesdays in December.

Confirmed to date are the Linen Basket, Florabunda, Bella Carousel, The Sapling, Ganesh, Naomi House, the Dorset Book Shop and Dec the Halls in East Street, Real Time, Sweetpea Florists and SuperBook in the Market Place, and Moonfleet and Aurora Gems in Salisbury Street.

apply. The Church Lane and Langton short stay car parks will be closed from 1.30 to 10pm.

The closure allows stallholders and others to set up in time to open from 5pm alongside shops remaining open for the evening.

All details are subject to amendment and availability, but the Lantern Parade of the Blandford Network Primary Schools and members of the public with lanterns is due to start at 6pm. It will be led by Father Christmas and the Blandford Stour Valley Band along East Street, up Church Lane into the Plocks and down Salisbury Street into the Market Place, where in front of the church at approximately 6.20pm there will be a formal welcome to the festival followed by communal carol singing.

During the evening, in addition to late-night opening and stalls including the Anonymous Travelling Market, Santa will be in attendance, there will be a tombola and fairground rides, dancers, choirs and other entertainment, with hot food and mulled wine.

The fireworks display by Firework Solutions from Wimborne starts at 8.30pm, and its ending will mark the closure of the festival at 9pm.

Town centre roads will not reopen until 10pm, allowing the stallholders to depart and roads to be cleared.

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December 2018

Father’s touching tale of love for a special son DORSET father Richard Matthews, whose son Will, now aged 21, was supported by the Diverse Abilities Children's Team for four years, has written a heartfelt book entitled 'No I Will' about the journey his son and family have been on since Will was diagnosed with XYY chromosome syndrome, leaving him with severe learning difficulties.

The book takes a frank and honest journey through the eyes of a special child while giving an honest account of what issues occurred within the family environment. But overall it is a story of hope and love, expressing the ultimate joy Will brought to the family.

Richard said: "I don't believe any parent, if they had the choice, would want their child to have a physical or learning disability. But despite my son's limitations, he inspires me every day.

"He is innocence personified and sees the world as the truly wonderful and magical place that it is.

He reminds me how to have fun, to find humour in everything and show kindness to everyone.

"I don't hold anything back in this book; this is our life as it is," explains Richard. "It will be of immense interest to other parents living with the daily challenges of bringing up a special needs child, and it will provide a fresh perspective on life for those who don't

know what it's like. Nobody forgets William when they meet him his love and laughter is infectious."

Will and his family live in Chettle and when Will was a child he attended the charity's fun holiday sessions during the school breaks, weekends and after school. The sessions are run for children living with disabilities providing activities with support from specialist staff, that may not otherwise be possible.

In 2014, Will also took part in a skydive and asked for donations to Diverse Abilities instead of receiving birthday presents. He raised more than £2,000 for the local Dorset charity.

‘No I Will’ is available to purchase on Amazon or on the publisher's website: shieldcrest.co.uk/no-iwill.html Diverse Abilities, the only charity supporting children and adults with profound physical and/or learning disabilities, and their families, in Dorset, are during December offering a 20 per cent discount for those seeking to manage someone's finances or care through a Lasting Power of Attorney.

To find out more, call their advice team on 0300 330 5514, or learn more about the charity by calling 01202 718266 or seeing diverseabilities.org.uk.

New home for CAB BLANDFORD's Citizens Advice service has moved to a new venue at the Parish Centre in the Tabernacle from its former premises in Bere's Yard.

Since November 27, it has been operating every Tuesday between 10am and 3.30pm at its new home, which is fully accessible and allows the team of volunteers to give advice and support on a full range of issues, including welfare benefits, debt and employment.

The service is free, independent, impartial and confidential.

Elaine Morley, advice services manager at North Dorset Citizens Advice, said: "We are delighted to be able to launch this new venue for the people of Blandford and the surrounding area. Our work is in more demand than ever and we will be able to offer a drop-in and appointment service to better meet that local need."

The new location at DT11 8YH will also be an opportunity to build on links with other support in the town, such as the Food Bank. Many clients are experiencing complex, urgent need and working with partners makes a real difference to people's lives at their most vulnerable time.

Citizens Advice is also looking to recruit volunteer advisers and receptionists to maintain and expand the service. For details or to contact North Dorset Citizens Advice, phone 01747 835016 or email contactus-nd@dsnd.org.uk.

Will Matthews with his dad Richard and the book chronicling his story.

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Pedal power pays off Following their sponsored Rotary Dorset Bike Ride, Grahame Shaw and Nic Nicol are pictured presenting a cheque to Gail Del Pinto, the Blandford Food Bank manager.

She said: "The money will help to ensure that we continue to deliver the support needed by the vulnerable within our community."

Grahame and Nic have thanked Blandford Rotarians, families and friends for their generous donations. The £500 raised was divided equally between the Food Bank and Cancer Research UK.

December 2018

Farmer’s warning after animal cruelty incidents INCIDENTS of hare coursing and sheep worrying at a local farm have prompted warnings of the penalties that could be imposed in cases of deliberate cruelty or even accidental injury to animals.

George Hosford, who farms at Travellers Rest, Durweston, said roadside gateways had been blocked to prevent unauthorised access, but hare coursers had recently cut the wire next to a gate, broken several fence posts and driven on to a field of freshly emerged wheat.

"They proceeded to drive around three fields with no regard for the farmer's work and livelihood, simply in search of innocent hares, so they can set their foul dogs upon them and bet with each other on whose dog will catch the hare.

"Hares are rare enough, and this cruel activity and the people who carry it out are cowardly and despicable, and unfortunately very hard to catch."

The sheep worrying occurred when lambs were attacked by a normally friendly spaniel cross accompanied by a cyclist on a bridleway near Okeford Hill.

"The sheep were happily grazing behind an electric fence. The cyclist's mistake was to allow his dog to run alongside without a lead. The sheep spooked and the dog leapt through the fence and,

taking no notice of his owner's calls, chased the sheep all over the place, driving some through the fence, and others deep into bramble bushes, where it tore into the faces of at least two animals."

The vet's bill for £133, more than the animals were currently worth, quoted deep punctures to nasal area, a torn ear and wound to ear base which had to be cleaned and stapled, and afterwards treated with antibiotics.

Mr Hosford said: "The cyclist was deeply shocked at what his dog had done and agreed he would pay the vet's bill, leaving us with contact details. But it is not about the money - it is the cruelty."

Livestock worrying is a criminal offence with a penalty of up to six months' imprisonment and/or a fine of up to £1,000, and anyone walking on agricultural land with a dog that worries livestock is committing the offence. Dorset Police advise all dog owners to be responsible when out enjoying the countryside and keep dogs near or in a field or enclosed with livestock on the lead, to be released only if chased by cattle.

They also advise that worrying is not only biting or attacking livestock, but also chasing in a way which could cause injury or suffering, particularly, in the case of ewes, the risk of abortion or reducing the number of offspring.

Toys appeal is a triumph MEMBERS of Blandford Rotary have been staggered by the response to its Christmas Toy Appeal. Well over 1,200 items were donated in response to the request for nearly new and pre-loved toys that could be distributed to local deprived children for Christmas.

Organiser Steve Adamson said: "We want to say a very big thank you to all the wonderful children and adults who contributed so generously to our campaign. Many of the toys were brand new and still in their original boxes. We have now distributed all the toys, books, puzzles and games to local charities who will ensure they get to the children who will benefit most."

A spokesperson for one of the charities said: "Blandford Rotarians have done a wonderful job and the public have been magnificent."

OUTLINE plans for 39 homes on land east of Franwill industrial estate in Down Road, Pimperne, have been submitted to North Dorset District Council on behalf of Edward John and Moira Thomson-Lukins. The application includes pedestrian links to the school and village hall, widening of the road, and a replacement for the village shop, which closed last year and is now the subject of plans for residential redevelopment. The examiner's report and the proposed modifications to the Pimperne Neighbourhood Plan were reported to an NDDC Cabinet meeting on October 29, when members decided that it can proceed to public referendum which will take place on January 10.

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December 2018

Green light

Ghostly goings-on in the wood THE ghosts and ghoulies excelled themselves at the annual Halloween extravaganza in Angus Wood, hosted by the Blandford Environmental Trust.

There were howls and faces appearing from behind the trees, 'spirits' descending, and storytelling from a very convincing witch.

An unfortunate clash of events with Steve Legg's 30th anniversary tour and family friendly magic evening in the Corn Exchange, hosted by Blandford Community Promotions, meant that attendance was down.

But retiring chairman Steve Adamson, at the Trust's AGM the following week, said: "It was very successful and the increased food and drinks takings made up for the reduced gate takings."

He thanked all the team for their valiant efforts, including their neighbour for the supply of electricity which saved them

DORSET County Council's innovative ecological approach to highway verge management, resulting in less frequent cutting to allow wild flowers and wildlife to thrive, has been shortlisted in the environmental services category for the national LGC Awards 2019. Presentations and interviews with a judging panel will be completed before the winners are announced on March 13.

Shop changes

the cost of hiring in a generator for the amazing display of lights and electronic wizardry decorating the trees.

Jennifer Thompson has been appointed the new chairman of the trust, which manages the wood on behalf of the Woodland Trust, and for which the Halloween event is the main fundraiser. Expenses last year totalled over ÂŁ1,000, including main costs of insurance, purchase and maintenance of tools and equipment, and purchase of trees and stakes.

CLAPCOTTS Farm in Spetisbury is seeking to vary its planning permission from North Dorset District Council for the use of a farm building as shop, cafĂŠ and undercover parking to allow an additional dining area/function room, vary the number of car boot sales and auctions held during the year on Saturdays and Sundays, and vary the opening hours of the premises for private functions.

Blood needed BLOOD donor sessions will be held at the Crown Hotel in Blandford on Tuesday December 18 from 12.55 to 3.30pm and from 4.30 to 7.15pm.

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December 2018

Town honours the victims of conflict R

EMEMBRANCE of the centenary of the Armistice began in Blandford on Friday November 2 with the opening of the final exhibition by the town's 14-18 commemoration group in the Corn Exchange, focusing on the legacy of World War One. A trench reconstruction dominated the hall throughout the fourday event, visited by more than 880 people, and was decorated with poppies made by visitors to form the centrepiece of the following weekend's activities.

Town Mayor and 14-18 group chairman Roger Carter said the poppy-making provided some closure to the four-year commemoration which had begun with poppy-making under the chairmanship of the late Esme

The parade of standards.

Butler, and the boards made then were also on display until Armistice Day. There were also displays on medical advances as a result of the conflict, the changing role of women, models, films and slides, and a plan showing where more than 100 casualties from the town had lived, created by Dave Butler, widower of Mrs Butler.

On the Friday evening, a moving Legacy concert organised by local folk band Poacher's Moon featured extracts from their own 'Poppies Red, Cornflowers Blue', together with poetry readings by Barry Tempest, contributions from local singer Julie Newall, and the premier performance of 'It Starts with You', the winning song in a young musicians' com-

Crowds gather outside the Corn Exchange for the Remembrance ceremony.

Picture by Pat Patrick. petition, by its composer, 12year-old Aisha Menon of Tarrant Keyneston, a student at The Blandford School.

On Sunday November 4, Blandford Royal British Legion members were joined in the town cemetery by representatives from Blandford Camp, including Garrison Commander Mike Morton, for a service of remembrance for those Blandford men buried in private plots and others from further afield in graves maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

The gathering in the rain of mili-

tary and town representatives, members of the public and youth groups, were told by RBL President Gyan Tamang that the service, led by Rector of Blandford the Rev Canon Jonathan Triffitt, honoured those who had died in the service of their nation who might not have been born of Blandford but were now, and for ever more, sons of Blandford.

They include 49 who served during World War One and 20 who served during World War Two, together with a number of German airmen and soldiers, one • To Page 7

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December 2018

Above: Dave Butler with his map of Blandford showing where the fallen had lived. Below: Brigadier Mike Morton, Blandford Garrison Commandant, signs the visitors' book at the 14-18 Group Legacy exhibition.

• From Page 6 of whom had died as a prisonerof-war exactly 100 years earlier.

Following the ceremony and prayers for reconciliation and peace, floral displays were placed on the graves of the Blandford servicemen by Councillor Carter, who then joined Mr Tamang at the cemetery Cross of Sacrifice to lay wreaths on behalf of the town and Legion.

On Friday November 9 a schools' remembrance service was held outside Blandford Parish Church.

Inside a presentation was made of the Gallipoli Music Memorial tapestry made by textile artist Ghislaine Peart, and the children heard from Memorial secretary Nick Peacey and Blandford town clerk Linda Scott-Giles of their relatives who had died at Gallipoli.

Remembrance services in the morning of Sunday November 11 were held at the memorials at Blandford Camp for the British, American and Canadian troops.

Hundreds gathered in Blandford Market Place in the afternoon to witness the Remembrance parade and laying of wreaths on the Corn Exchange war memorial, where 117 men from the town who died in World War One are

remembered. A wreath was also laid by Jackie Counter, on the memorial stone placed next to the town pump to the town's holder of the Victoria Cross, her uncle Jack Counter.

The ceremony was followed by a Remembrance Service in the Parish Church, where the names of the fallen were displayed, together with information about them in the church pews, where a number of almost invisible 'Silent Soldiers' could be found.

The service was led by the Rev Canon Triffitt, and the address on the varied aspects of Remembrance was given by the Bishop of Sherborne, the Rt Revd Karen Gorham, who also gave the blessing, with readings and prayers by representatives of other Blandford churches, youth and military organisations.

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December 2018

Above left: Flowers are laid on the grave of a Blandford serviceman by 14-18 group chairman and town Mayor Roger Carter. Above right: Standards lowered over the Commonwealth War Graves in Blandford Cemetery.

Above left: Civic, military and Royal British Legion representatives at the Cross of Sacrifice in Blandford Cemetery. Above right: The Blandford Masonic Lodges in the Market Place.

Bugler Geordie Thomson sounds The Last Post.

Above left: The Blandford Guides on parade. Above right: Members of the Royal British Legion march past the dais outside the Corn Exchange.

December 2018

The Mayor Roger Carter places his wreath, watched by Mayor's Scout Owen Brightman.

Jackie Counter at the display for her uncle, VC winner Jack Counter, in front of the poppy-covered trench in the Corn Exchange.

The Gallipoli Memorial banner with (from left) Nick Peacey, the Rector the Rev Canon Jonathan Triffitt, textile artist Ghislaine Peart and Mayor Roger Carter.

More remembrance pictures on our website forumfocus.co.uk

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December 2018

A century on but they will never be forgotten S

ERVICES were held on the morning of Remembrance Day at the memorials on Blandford Camp to British, American and Canadian troops, where The Last Post was preceded by the blowing of a whistle, signifying going 'over the top'.

A squadron from the Royal Corps of 11th Signals Regiment, based in Blandford, visited the village of Maresfield in Sussex, where 18 from the village who died in the two World Wars were being remembered. The Signals had a training centre there from 1920 to 1925, increasing the village population by nearly 60 per cent.

At Pimperne, a Remembrance service led by Canon Grahame Shaw was held at the memorial in the churchyard where wreaths were laid on behalf of the church

by Derek Andrews and the parish council by parish clerk Jan

Fairman. The names of the fallen of both World Wars and in Iraq were read out, and Canon Shaw also remembered more than 400 servicemen and women who had died in conflict from his former parish in London.

Inside the church, as in many other parish churches, was a flight of white paper doves following the lead of Salisbury Cathedral's Michael Pendry installation, Les Colombes.

St Andrew's Church at Okeford Fitzpaine featured a display of wooden crosses forming an avenue from the lychgate to the church door, one for each man lost in WW1. Each cross bore the victim's name, age and date of death, together with a photograph - the result of research undertaken by the Okeford Fitzpaine Local History Group • To Page 11

The bridge at The Splash in Tarrant Monkton covered in poppies.

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December 2018 • From Page 10 into the lives and deaths of each man. On November 3, History Group chairman, Andrew Vickers, gave a 'Who Do You Think You Are'-style presentation of the research which led to the creation of a book on the village war dead 'The Butterboys In Battle'.

Many other villages mounted displays of how the war had affected their communities. The Woodpecker at Spetisbury showed the film 'Journeys End', a powerful portrayal of a company awaiting a German offensive, on the large projector screen at the pub on the evening of Sunday November 11.

At Child Okeford, the bellringers carried out their first full peal of the newly installed bells to coincide with a nationwide peal at lunchtime on Armistice Day. At Tarrant Monkton, cascades of red poppies decorated the footbridge at the 'splash' thanks to members of the Tarrant Valley Quilters, led by Barbara Frampton, who had crocheted and knitted their contribution to the Armistice centenary. The splash of colour made a stunning sight at the ford across the river Tarrant, in advance of the village Remembrance activities, which also included a curry lunch in support of the Army Benevolent Fund.

Lieut-Col Markus Albrecht, his wife Heike, and WO2 Ulrich Heinicke with the restored markers of the graves of their compatriots in Tarrant Monkton churchyard.

The gathering at The Cross in Child Okeford.

One of the flights of doves to be found in many village churches, including Stourpaine.

The following day, in the presence of German officers from Army Headquarters in Andover, Royal Signals Deputy Commander Lieut-Col Paul Williams and parish representatives, there was a rededication service of the marker in Tarrant Monkton churchyard of the graves of four unidentified German POWs from Blandford Camp who died in the 'flu epidemic in November 1918.

Lieut-Col (Retd) Bob Brannigan said it was not known whether the bodies of the POWs buried there had later been removed to Cannock Chase, where the majority of German soldiers were

Above & below: remembrance observed at Pimperne.

finally laid to rest, or who they were, despite extensive research which was continuing. But he said parishioners in Tarrant Monkton had over the years continued to respect the graves of the men, who could now be said to be 'sons of Tarrant Monkton'.

With the agreement of the parish council and church, the Garrison Workshops at the Camp, under the leadership of WO AS1 John Turner, removed the marker and crosses, which were in poor condition, for refurbishment, and returned them in time for Remembrance Sunday.

Instead of The Last Post, bugler Geordie Thomson played the German equivalent 'Ich hatte eine Kamerad' (I had a comrade) followed by Reveille, and the service was conducted by the chaplain of 11 Signals Regiment, Revd (Major) P A Neiland.

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A flight of doves in Durweston church.

December 2018

Above: The children at The Ark day nursery in Child Okeford created their own poppy garden to celebrate the 100 years since the end of World War One. They invited Lieut-Col Soward, a veteran from Child Okeford, to talk to them and view their garden and on Friday November 9, the children walked to the war memorial to lay a wreath, taking part in a small service and a minute's silence.

The standards begin to be lowered as The Last Post is played at the schools’ Remembrance ceremony.

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December 2018

Award-winning law firm supports food and drink makers LAW firm Blanchards Bailey, with headquarters in Blandford, toasted the best in the county's food and drink when it partnered with the Taste of Dorset Awards for the second successive year.

The firm sponsored the soughtafter award for the best vineyard or distillery, won by Beaminster's Black Cow Vodka, which was also chosen from 13 category winners as the Food or Drink Business of the Year.

Sarah Heath, partner and head of commercial services at Blanchards Bailey, presented the category award at the prestigious dinner at Dorchester's George Albert Hotel.

She said: "As a long-established

Dorset business ourselves, we are proud to support county businesses and highlight the people that make them so special and successful.

"The Taste of Dorset Awards are a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the best of Dorset's food and drink producers, many of whom distribute to major outlets throughout the UK and export internationally, really putting our county on the map.

"I was particularly pleased to see Black Cow Vodka triumph. The business is a shining example of the diversification so necessary for farmers these days."

Other finalists in the distilleries and vineyards category were D'Urberville Vineyard of Bradford

SIXTY-FIVE runners took on the inaugural Okeford Hill Run as part of the Octoberfest, raising funds for the first phase of a project to improve the village recreation ground. The winner of the 6km race around Hambledon Hill was Ian Luke. In the evening villagers and visitors enjoyed the delights of bratwurst, local ales and ciders, and accepted the challenge of drinking prosecco from beer steins, with interactive entertainment from the Oompah band.

Sarah Heath, left, of Blanchards Bailey, with winners Rachael Goring and Jason Barber of Black Cow Vodka. Picture: James Thrift.

Peverell, near Dorchester, Langham Wine Estate, Crawthorne, near Dorchester, and Pothecary Gin of Christchurch. • Blanchards Bailey was last month recognised more than ever before by the UK's leading law sector directory, the Legal 500, with 11 individual lawyers recommended, including all five partners, across a record seven categories, putting the firm in Dorset's top three.

In the 2018 Dorset Legal Awards,

the firm won the Dispute Resolution Team and Private Client Team titles at the 2018 Dorset Legal Awards, received a special commendation for Company Commercial Team of the year and was nominated as finalist in a record seven categories, more than any other firm.

With offices in Dorchester, Shaftesbury and Weymouth, it has shown particularly strong growth over the past five years of 10 per cent a year.

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Readers’ letters

Badger cull not working I REALLY must take issue with George Hosford (November issue). His comments about bovine TB are not only misleading but inaccurate. The pilot cull areas are certainly not showing a reduction.

The veterinary profession has recently stated 'The prevalence in cattle is no lower than it was before culling, despite killing and removing 1,879 badgers in Gloucestershire and 1,777 in Somerset. A total of 3,656 badgers have been killed with no perceivable disease control benefits'.

To say that cattle must have contracted the disease because of the hot summer grass levels is perverse since the Btb bacteria is killed by UV light in a very short

December 2018 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

time, therefore the opposite effect to that claimed by him.

We really must stick to scientific fact and understand that this is a disease of cattle made worse by poor biosecurity in farming and a test that is only 80% effective at best, leaving infected cattle in the herd to pass it on.

Suzanne Aldous, Bere Regis

Roads: we can do more ONE of my main priorities as Blandford's County Councillor has been to address the state of our roads.

Over the last 16 months a lot has been done to improve the roads in town, including the main resurfacing work going up West Street, Whitecliff Mill Street and Park Road, followed by nearly 40 roads being surface-dressed

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.

all around the Central ward area.

In addition, large parts of the town's roads have been patched to bring them back up to standard.

Although this is good news, more can be done - more will be done.

Please could I ask all residents to contact me straight away if you come across any blocked gullies, potholes or any issues which you feel I need to be aware of?

I'm keen to make sure Blandford gets our fair share of the extra ÂŁ1.4 million funding for road maintenance from the County Council.

Byron Quayle Councillor for Blandford Forum Division (m) 07843 616 343 byron.quayle@dorsetcc.gov.uk

An act of kindness THANK you to the gentleman who came to my rescue, I was with my carer in Tesco on the afternoon of October 11 when I was having difficulties at the checkout.

My payment card would not work. I was about to ask the Tesco staff to put my goods back on the shelf when this kind gentleman came forward and paid for my shopping.

He did not want any fuss. Thank you once again.

Desmond Wyndsor-Cowley (disabled) Winterborne Whitechurch.

A taste of the good life DOES the price of raspberries, runner beans and rhubarb leave you reeling? Rent a quarter-size allotment plot at Lamperds Field for very little per annum (see website blandfordallotments.com for details).

Plant two rows of raspberry canes, one summer fruiting, the other autumn fruiting and you can eat raspberries every day from July to October.

A row of runner beans with their gorgeous blossoms of scarlet, salmon or white reaching for the sky, and delighting the bees, will eventually delight your palate as you eat your beans.

A couple of crowns of rhubarb will make rhubarb and custard an almost daily staple and stock your freezer for winter.

Courgettes are a winner! So easy to grow, and they can be cooked in a multitude of ways, even in cakes! Perpetual spinach is just that; it grows all year and cooks in just a few minutes.

Then to grace your home, plant a row of flowers. Sweet Williams or gladioli or dahlias.

Start NOW! Spring is a bit late to get started. Dig your plot (much better than a gym workout), apply fertilizer and plant your raspberries. Nothing to lose and instead of reeling, you will be relishing.

See you at the allotments!

A happy lady Lamperd's Field plot holder (Name & address supplied) CAN I just say a big thank you to Councillor Nocturin LaceyClarke for his help in getting the small footbridge repaired at the back of Nightingale Court?

I went to see him in his shop and mentioned how it was in a poor condition. After coming back from my holiday, lo and behold, it was a new covering, looking very safe and presentable. Thank you, Noc. Thanks also to the new owner of the site who did a very good job of fixing the bridge and to other users who sought and contributed to its repair, including the Disability Action Group.

Carol Verney East Street, Blandford

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December 2018

Letters extra

Joined-up thinking for town planning I READ with interest the article 'Town outskirts plan takes its first steps' and wonder how the current infrastructure will cope with an increase of 1,400 vehicles, two per household, with the possibility of at least 2,800 extra vehicle movements per day.

I note that the plan includes up to 700 homes, residential home, community centre and other community assets, including a surgery, shop and school. It also includes a new roundabout on the Blandford bypass and improvements to increase capacity of the A354/A350, assuming they mean the Salisbury Road roundabout, rather than the A354/A350 roundabout in Blandford St Mary.

The number of homes proposed seems excessive for the area.

While there is a definite need for new homes for the current population of Blandford and the surrounding area, it is nowhere near the figure being proposed by NDDC in their current local plan review.

The majority of people moving into these new homes will be from outside the area and will work predominantly outside the area, putting additional strain on our already overstretched infrastructures.

The proposal includes work to increase capacity on a roundabout which works perfectly well 95% of the time every working day, unless the traffic builds up from the Wimborne Road roundabout, as happens regularly, between 8 and 8.30am and between 4 and 5.30pm and on Friday evenings and Saturday mornings in the summer.

The bypass as a whole is insufficient for the increase in traffic being generated by all the housing developments planned around Blandford. All its roundabouts need to be redesigned to improve traffic flows at peak times.

Public transport in rural areas is in decline and unless bus services are well subsidised and provide services that meet local commuting needs, such as shift workers in Poole, Salisbury, Dorchester and further afield, then local residents will continue to use their vehicles.

If we want to live in a gridlocked polluted environment, then we are going the right way about it.

New developments, whether for housing, commercial, public services or industry, must be supported by appropriate infrastructure, especially roads, as well as sewage, water, electricity, shops, surgeries, schools, etc.

While this proposal is looking at providing a lot, it also depends on others building, running and supporting them. Our local surgeries are already very stretched and have difficulty recruiting new doctors to work in a rural environment, despite being very picturesque.

Schools have difficulty recruiting good teachers, local shops are closing because of low-cost supermarkets and I could go on. The planned community centre on the Badbury (Persimmon) estate, was never built because there was no interest shown in running it.

These promises look good on plans, but unless there is a guarantee that the facilities will be built, and people are available to run them, then it won't happen.

Can our planners, especially as from April 2019, get some joinedup thinking and planning covering all the requirements of a growing community so that it is not done piecemeal, and seek government money to improve the infrastructures needed for the area to grow sensibly and prosper, without polluting our atmosphere.

Martin Richley Letton Close, Blandford

Rocks idea was a winner MY congratulations to the Blandford Forum Town Council for putting forward the idea of the rocks for more people to learn about the boys from Blandford who were killed in WW1.

My uncle Charlie (Charles Robert Barnett) died in Belgium in November 1917. The family originally came from Pimperne so I left his rock on the war memorial in the churchyard just above his name. It was left at 12.30pm on Monday, November 5.

A little girl found it that afternoon: two days later it has turned up at Milldown School. How lovely is that? The scheme is obviously working. I keep looking at the Facebook page to see if there have been any more sightings.

Nina Smith, address supplied

The gift stall at the Friends of Blandford Hospital autumn fair run by (from left) Sylvia Bannister, Carol Groome, Joan Capron and Jackie Warren.

Friends in the money THE Friends of Blandford Hospital were again overwhelmed by the local support for their annual autumn fair in the Corn Exchange, which set a new record, taking over ÂŁ10,000. More than 100 people joined the queue to snap up the bargains and support the charity, helping raise money for projects at the hospital and throughout the community. Once all expenses are taken into account, there will be more than ÂŁ9,250 credited to the charity's accounts. The trustees have thanked everyone for their support and especially the team of volunteers who worked so hard to make the event a success.

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December 2018

Steam fair promise no repeat of the problems DIRECTORS of the Great Dorset Steam Fair have reassured local parishes that next year's show will revert to its usual format following criticism that this year's event resulted in traffic conditions described as 'completely unacceptable' and problems with the on-site management, particularly the toilet facilities.

They and the police asked that, to allow parish representatives to speak freely, there should be no reporting of the 'wash-up liaison' meeting held annually after the event which this year was held on November 9, having been postponed from an earlier date in the hope of resolving some of the issues.

But in a statement issued before the meeting in response to the published minutes of a special meeting of Tarrant Hinton parish council in September, they admitted those issues had not been resolved, and that GDSF was now being represented by their company solicitors.

"As part of the debrief process following the event, the GDSF board of directors have been corresponding with the contractors con-

cerned in an attempt to establish what went wrong, so that we can prevent reoccurrences at future events.

"Regrettably these matters have not been resolved as the event management, toilets and traffic contractors are intentionally distancing themselves from the GDSF event. As a result the GDSF company solicitors have now been instructed to act on our behalf.

"We had every confidence prior to the show that our infrastructure and site services would be delivered to an acceptable standard, having relied on the professional experience, expertise and recommendations of these leading specialist event contractors."

The statement continued: "We would like to assure the parishes that the 2019 show will be shrinking back to its normal size, with a similar layout to the 2017 show.

We are also already in discussions with alternative toilet and traffic contractors for the 2019 show.

"We will not be using an event management company in the future and the GDSF directors will

revert to managing all contractors internally, with additional support from existing GDSF managers who will have their roles adjusted.

We have also met with the GDSF managers who were not used in 2018 and they have already been booked by us for the 2019 event."

In their further report to Tarrant Hinton Parish Council, meeting representatives Mike Nathan and Hilary Fildes, who had met privately with the GDSF directors, said: "As we noted in our report which was circulated prior to the meeting, this was a spectacular show if you could get there, but there were huge issues. Despite all the efforts put into planning and funding the event did not have the right management to handle the issues that arose.

"We had hoped that the official wash-up meeting would look at

the issues in detail but all it served to do once again was to hear every parish effectively repeat the same story, highlighted with different personal stories. We were prevented from actually going through our detailed report.

"In our view, in its present format, this meeting has outgrown its usefulness. We asked that in future all the affected parish councils and the statutory bodies offered up the same level of feedback so the meeting could identify issues and plan effectively.

"The event planner has to put forward proposals which are complex and multidisciplinary and these are assessed by council and police and agreed on. Yet they do not take responsibility when things go wrong and the whole blame becomes lodged with the GDSF."

Front: Clive Newlin of Blandford Community Promotions, Youth Centre manager Joanne Huts, chair of trustees Andrew Kerby, and Traci Handford of Sunrise Taxis. Back row: Four youth volunteers.

Funny money handed over BLANDFORD Community Promotions presented a cheque for ÂŁ835, their highest donation yet, to the Blandford Youth & Community Centre, from the Comedy Exchange, with Tom Glover, Al Lubel, The Monks and Paul F Taylor.

They thanked sponsors Savvy Financial Planning and Sunrise Taxi and every member of their record-breaking audience of 145 for making the donation possible. The money is being used to buy two much-needed computers on which young people can do homework and complete studies.

BCP are also selling tickets for the pantomime 'Alice in Cuckooland' in the Corn Exchange on December 14 and 15, and for the next Comedy Exchange, Teddy Laughs, in support of Teddy 20 with headliner the award-winning Laura Lexx on January 29.

In last month's Forum Focus an article about the North Dorset Railway Trust which manages the Shillingstone Station Project inadvertently added a 'T', confusing it with the North Dorset Trailway Network, a different organisation which manages the trailway along the former railway line.

December 2018

Mayor’s bumpy ride around the town BLANDFORD Mayor Roger Carter experienced at first hand some of the difficulties encountered by disabled people seeking to increase their independence with the use of a mobility scooter.

He borrowed a machine from the Disability Action Group (DAG), which hires out equipment cheaply to members from its base in Nightingale Court.

Accompanied by two of its members, he took a trip around town to discover how problematic it can be.

He said: "Someone wisely said that it's impossible to understand another person until you've walked a mile in their shoes. I now have heartfelt empathy for the people who can only be mobile and gain a measure of independence because of the marvellous invention of the mobility scooter.

"The mile-and-a-half journey took us from Nightingale Court through the Langton car park, up Damory Street, through The Close, past the Tabernacle and out into Salisbury Road. We went over the traffic lights and

left into Heddington Drive (until we found a place to cross safely outside the Priory hospital entrance, then back to the junction) and up Salisbury Road to Nordon. Here we had to cross the road and use a mixture of road, pavement and cycle way to eventually arrive back in Nightingale Court.

"What began, I confess, as fun for me, quickly turned into a jolting, most uncomfortable ride, despite the soft seat and suspension. On this route, there were no drop-down pavements flush with

the road so every jolt down echoed through the spine; every road and pavement repair brought the same. Driving along The Close was a jolting experience.

"On route there were overhanging hedges and plants to duck around or under (wet on the day), and roads to cross only when the road is clear because not many motorists realise that the scooters can only do 8mph on roads and 4mph on pavements. My companions told me that on bin days, travelling along the pavements is

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nigh on impossible.

"Finally, the drive down Salisbury Road and Damory Street were quite terrifying with impatient cars zooming past, their drivers displaying the first symptoms of road rage - something my companions for the day assured me happens regularly.

"I am fortunate in that I have a generally healthy spine and did not suffer too much. My companions however, did not fare so well. Their drive to help me raise awareness brought back pain to both."

Last chance for plan comments A CONSULTATION on the new Draft Neighbourhood Plan for the Blandford+ area of the town, Bryanston and Blandford St Mary is the last chance for residents to comment on proposals for housing and infrastructure development in the area before the plan is finalised for submission to North Dorset District Council and eventual approval by referendum.

It proposes that development to the north-east of the town is delivered in two phases, the first within the Blandford boundary and the second extending into the Pimperne parish, and that developers should either provide facilities for a GP satellite

service in a multi-use community facility or contribute to improving existing facilities.

It lists a number of items to which developers might contribute through a community infrastructure levy, recognising that improving traffic flow in the town centre is not a subject for the plan but that discussions should begin once the plan project is completed.

A hard copy of the draft plan is available at the Library, in the Blandford Town Clerk's offices, the Hall & Woodhouse shop in Blandford St Mary and Bryanston Estate Club, and it can be found online at blandfordplus.org.uk.

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December 2018

Memories of a pair of diamonds THE diamond wedding anniversary of Barry and Olive Foot was celebrated on October 11 with family and friends at the Crown Hotel in Blandford.

The previous week they had celebrated in Hythe, Hampshire, with other friends and family, including a daughter, two sons, six grandchildren and six great grandchildren.

Olive, formerly Hatcher, is a Spetisbury girl, the daughter of a farm foreman and one of four siblings who attended Spetisbury Church of England School.

After one term at the then-new Secondary School she worked for Hicks, then Smiths, which was then open-fronted, and where she met Barry, who used to go and collect his mother's weekly magazines.

"I reckon she cost me a shilling and threepence," he said. "There was this young beaming maiden serving me and it wasn't until years later she admitted she

could see me coming in the shop window opposite. We met at 16, engaged at 17, and married at 18 in Poole Register Office, she having got fed up being on her own all week when I was away working."

Barry, one of five siblings and the son of a master builder, was born with a club foot requiring many operations, and went to the then Infants School in Damory Street, Blandford, which then had a huge bomb shelter in the playground.

After the Secondary Modern School in Park Road and then the Grammar School, he left with O-levels to work first in the brewery and then at Aldermaston, working on nuclear weapons.

They set up home in an annexe of an Old Mill in Bramley, near Basingstoke, later moving to an AWRE house in Tadley.

Barry left AWRE to work for ICI on Teesside, and then to Esso at Fawley as a process technician, retiring at 61 to work for charities

Olive and Barry Foot, who have celebrated their diamond wedding. and the church, as a PCC member and subsequently a reader at Fawley and Beaulieu Abbey.

The couple kept in touch with Blandford as life members of the Old Blandfordians, now the Blandfordians, attending reunions of the Class of 51 and annual dinners, and a late honeymoon in

Dorset since they were unable to afford one at the time of their marriage. They were also thrilled to receive a card from the Queen.

"I seem to be in a minority as of the Foot family from Langton Road. Four were married for 40 years, two for 50, and only we have lasted for 60!" said Barry.

Business double act champions local food CHRISTMAS is a busy time of year for most businesses, not least one of Dorset's oldest freehouse pubs and a busy local family butchery.

Together they have been winner of SME's Best Country Pub in Dorset 2018, Taste of Dorset's Food & Drink Business of the Year Award and Best Meat Producer and more in the last few years.

Both businesses are owned by Barbara Cossins, who works incredibly hard to promote Dorset's own produce and meat to as many people as possible.

She believes that the provenance and traceability of food is very important if we truly care about how our animals are raised and how we look after our countryside in the long-term.

The Langton Arms, Tarrant Monkton, has been flourishing in her care for the last 25 years, and is well regarded for its award-winning Dorset food.

About five years ago, Barbara decided to make use of a redundant dairy shed on the family farm and convert it into a family butchery, now based in neighbouring Tarrant Rawston.

These days the butchery supplies all the meat direct to the pub menu, as well as supporting seven other local farm shops and independent food retailers. The butchery was also proud to be named as a finalist last month in the Taste of Dorset Best Retail Butchery 2018, and the pub's own garden supplies seasonal vegetables, salad and fruit into its kitchen.

To support local Dorset businesses that champion the county and everything it produces, visit thelangtonarms.co.uk or thelangtonarmsbutchery.co.uk.

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December 2018

Eileen Dennis: lost four uncles in the Great War EILEEN Dennis, the niece of four men remembered on Blandford's World War One memorial, died at the age of 98, on October 23, less than three weeks before the centenary of the Armistice.

She was the daughter of William Charles Lane, the only one of five brothers to serve in the war and survive. Her uncles Henry, Frederick, Albert and Reginald all died.

William was the middle brother who had married Eileen's mother Ethel, and was wounded and demobilised in 1919, the year before Eileen was born. Her brother Ken was born 13 months later.

The family lived in Whitecliff Mill Street, and when she was six moved to Victoria Road. Eileen attended Blandford Infants School and Girls School in Park Road, leaving school at 15 to work in the ladies' drapery section of the Backways department store in Salisbury Street.

She met her husband William at around the same time when he mended her bicycle, and they became engaged on his 21st birthday four years later, only 12 days before he was sent to France as a motor mechanic in World War Two. They married during his special leave on April 6, 1940, but he returned to his unit and served with the 7th Armoured Brigade for the next five years.

On his return, they rented a house in Damory Street, then in Elizabeth Road, and had two sons, Peter and Alan. Eileen became a loving and caring homemaker and active member of the church's Mothers' Union.

OBITUARIES

When Peter went to university and Alan to work in the offices at the brewery, Bill was working in Fianders Garage in Whitecliff Mill Street, and Eileen returned to shop work at Hicks in East Street, Radio House in the Market Place, and Susan Sharps Lady's Shop in Salisbury Street.

When the sons married, she became granny to two, and great-granny to three. She also remained close to her brother, who died in 1999, and became carer to her sister-in-law's father following her death, and to her husband, who died in 2004.

By that time they were living in Ryan Court in Whitecliff Mill Street on the site of the house where she was born. She lived there until four-and-a-half years ago when she moved to Castleman House, where she was very happy, but died after suffering a broken hip in a fall.

Her funeral was held on November 7 in the Blandford Parish Church of St Peter and St Paul where she had been christened, confirmed and married.

Cliff Lindsay: wealth of traveller’s tales A CELEBRATION of the life of Cliff Lindsay (pictured right) , who died with dignity on November 6, aged 73, after a five-year battle with cancer in which he showed incredible bravery, was to take place in the Corn Exchange on Friday, November 30, at 2pm.

The ceremony was followed by a wake at the Masonic Lodge, and the family asked that those attending wear a splash of colour in his memory, his favourite colour being red. A donation box was available, and donations can also be made online through Colin Close funeral directors.

Born in Birmingham on July 12, 1945, Cliff was the husband of town councillor Lynn Lindsay, a former Blandford Mayor and chairman of the recreation and amenities committee, a local girl whom he met when he was posted to Blandford in his early 20s after joining the Royal Signals at the age of 17.

They married in 1971, and two years later completed their family with the arrival of their only daughter Victoria.

Cliff was fortunate to travel all over

the world with his work as a civilian, having left the army, and told many stories of cuddling koalas, being followed by the KGB in old Russia and the snow storms of Canada.

He had many hobbies and interests that he enjoyed with his many friends - bowling, archaeology, amateur radio and freemasonry but most of all he was a family man, described by his family as 'a kind, loving man who was and always will be adored'.

Eileen Dennis.

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The Okeford bell ringers who rang a full peal on Armistice Day on the church's new bells. From left: Trish Hitchins, Bob Crighton, David Warwick, Tim Collins, Flick Warwick and Philip Rioch.

Stagecoach expands FROM January there will be a new Stagecoach Performing Arts School in Blandford operating in the morning at The Blandford School in Milldown Road, in addition to that in the afternoon which has been running since 2015.

The school is expanding both for early stages (ages four to six years) and main school (six to 18 years) and is enrolling for both for the morning and afternoon sessions.

For details, call 01305 777308, email blandfordforum@stagecoach.co.uk or see the website at stagecoach.co.uk/blandfordforum.

December 2018

New bells ring the changes at church THE official rededication of a new set of a bells at the church of St Nicholas in Child Okeford was preceded by a quarter peal rung by officers of the Salisbury Diocesan Guild of Ringers and the Dorset County Association.

The two organisations have each contributed 10 per cent of the cost of the project to get lighter, more manageable bells for the village as part of its commemoration of the centenary of the end of WW1.

The first full peal on the new bells was on November 11, starting at 12.30pm, when the government had requested that as many towers as possible ring to coincide with other national celebrations.

The 1296 Cambridge Surprise Minor peal rung for the rededication by Judith Williamson, Timothy Collins, the Rev Christopher Renyard, Robert Wellen, Graham Duke and Bob Crighton, was dedicated to the memory of Vice-Admiral Sir Barry Wilson, a former ringer at Child Okeford and generous supporter of the project.

The bells were dedicated by the Rector, the Rev Lydia Cook, who gave an excellent, original 'bell' sermon.

Four of the 'new' bells were originally cast at Whitechapel in 1934 as part of a clock chime for the News of the World building in Bouverie Street, London, and given in 1965 to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who presented them to All Saints Murston in Kent. They were then hung there on top of the tower on scaffolding and chimed electrically until the scaffolding rotted, and were then declared unsafe and removed in 2013.

They were about to be scrapped but were bought in December 2016 by the Keltek Trust, a charity which exists to save bells and act as a broker between those wanting bells and those wanting to dispose of them, and sold to Child Okeford.

Bells 1 and 2 of the old Victorian ring at Child Okeford were retuned to form bells 3 and 4 of the new ring, and all six are now therefore being rung 'full circle' for the first time in their lives.

Billy’s a champion BILLY Hitchcock, a Year 13 student at The Blandford School, has become a national taekwondo champion after competing in the British Championships in Sheffield.

Billy, who started his taekwondo with Kim Robinson's KRMA martial arts club at the age of 12, entered the Under 59kg Under-18 category and won gold in the final, beating his opponent 2317.

Billy's current coach, Joe Brown at British Taekwondo Schools in Southampton, said: "Billy is great to coach and a great addition to our club. He listens, practises hard and puts advice into action when he competes. We're very excited for his future."

Billy's next competition will see him compete on the international stage in Belgium in January.

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December 2018

Lift-off for Labour campaign NORTH Dorset Labour Party launched their autumn and winter campaigning activities with a visit from Clive Lewis MP, Shadow Minister for the Treasury.

He supported street campaigning in Blandford's Market Square in the morning, before taking to the streets to listen to the concerns of local residents for a door knocking session with North Dorset Labour's local doorstep team in the afternoon.

In the evening Mr Lewis spoke to a capacity crowd of members and supporters in Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion.

Other speakers included Dorset County Councillor Kate Wheller, Cllr Haydn White, Dorothea Russell, and Cllr Pat Osborne, chair of North Dorset Labour Party.

On November 8, members supported a deputation to Dorset County Council requesting the local authority to pledge strong support for taking in three unaccompanied child refugees a year

Left to right: Haydn White, Dorothea Russell, Clive Lewis's partner Katie Steele, North Dorset chair Pat Osborne, county councillor Kate Wheller, MP Clive Lewis and Bournemouth East PPC Corrie Drew at the North Dorset Labour Party campaign launch in Blandford. across the whole of Dorset over the next 10 years.

Mr Osborne said: "There's a long, compassionate tradition in

Dorset for welcoming people that are fleeing the horrors of conflict that goes right the way back to the First World War."

A run of success THERE was lots to celebrate at this year's Stickler, Dorset's own 3 Peaks Challenge.

First to celebrate was Edward Rees, of Clapham Chasers, who won the race with a time of 1h 07m 16s. He also had another reason to celebrate, having been married the day before.

Ruth Barnes, of Avon Valley Runners, was the first lady to cross the finish line and second overall, but also beat her own course record with a time of 1h 07m 38s. The men's and ladies' team events were won by Poole Runners and Clapham Chasers respectively.

Dorset Doddlers also had reasons to celebrate another successful event, with the 10.1-mile event attracting a record 544 runners crossing the finish line at the Shillingstone Railway Project.

The Doddlers would like to thank all the runners, marshals and spectators and race sponsors Honeybuns, Wessex Water, Up and Running (Bournemouth) and James' Cheese.

Bad word lands councillor in trouble A CARELESS but politically unacceptable offensive remark by Blandford Town Councillor John Stayt at the council's October meeting caused major repercussions.

Vice-chairman Councillor Nocturin Lacey Clarke asked Councillor Stayt to leave the meeting after his use of the 'n' word when passing comment on the town's developing Neighbourhood Plan.

Councillor Stayt apologised for any offence caused, and in the absence of a proposal for his exclusion, chairman and Mayor, Councillor Roger Carter, allowed the meeting to continue.

The remark in question was one meaning 'a hidden snag' which, because of its racist con-

notations, is now considered offensive.

Following the meeting, Councillor Stayt emailed further apologies to all those present at the meeting, saying the remark was not addressed to anyone present or any individual.

"It was a figure of speech and represented my personal frustration at having to negotiate with an outside body that was proving particularly intractable. I proffer my sincere apologies for any disrepute, hurt, anger or embarrassment."

He repeated his apology in public at the following week's planning committee meeting, when Councillor Carter also apologised if his conduct of the meeting, for which he took ultimate responsibility, had failed to live up to the

usual standards.

"The shock of the moment combined with not hearing what was said, constrained my response. I individually, and this council, abhor racist language or any other behaviour that might bring the council into disrepute. I hope we can now move on."

The incident has been reported to North Dorset District Council's monitoring officer Stuart Caundle, who is responsible for ensuring the proper conduct of councils and councillors. He said he could not comment in advance of any complaint under the code of conduct about the behaviour of councillors which were dealt with in accordance with published procedures.

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The View from the Hill

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

At the end of the autumn sowing campaign, we have a look over our key machines, and try to get important repair jobs done before putting them away for the winter. Here is Gary trying to fit new rolls onto a shaft which seems to be three inches too short. Some clever work with a jack, a grain bucket and the stanchions of the tractor shed managed to get it put together in the end.

Springtime in the autumn.

S

OWN on August 1, this cover crop (above) has within seven weeks produced over 60 acres of flowers, seeds and roots. We sprinkled it into wheat stubble two days after a lucky rain event, disced it in then rolled it. Establishment was excellent and here we are with loads of flowers at the end of October.

Bees and butterflies were out enjoying themselves in the shortening days, topping up with grub before winter. There is phacelia, which bees love, also berseem clover, linseed and buckwheat, as well as a splash of yellow charlock.

These species are providing a good break from the regular crops we grow, which should be

good for the soil biology as well as the local insects. Root growth is good, scouring the soil for leftover nutrient from the previous crop, and providing habitat for the all- important mycorrhizal fungi which connect root to soil.

This has been an interesting experiment for us this year.

Usually we leave our wheat stubbles bare over winter, but these days the word is that this is not best for soil and environment, so we are trying a new approach, in preparation for the new world which is shaping up ahead of us in the form of the Agriculture Bill, which is the first new major legislation for agriculture since 1943.

Farmers are naturally nervous,

especially as all the talk is of public goods, with not much mention of food. Excuse me for asking but is not food a public good? Even a public right?

In the early spring we will have to demolish this thick crop in order to establish something that will actually earn us some money, barley in this field. To be serious, it may well be that the improvement to the soil by this crop will pay us back in the end, when the plants decompose and feed the growing barley next year, and maybe there will be more worms as a result, which add fertility to the soil by their burrowing activities.

We spent ÂŁ25 per hectare on seed, plus a few more pounds to sow it and roll it, wondering if this good establishment might mean we can reduce the seed rate next year, and still get a similar result.

Our autumn-sown crops of wheat and barley have shot out of the ground in the warm and moist soils and look lovely in neat rows. We have applied a weedkiller to all, and an insecticide to control aphid which can carry barley yellow dwarf virus, which every few years will decimate our winter crops if not controlled. We can't actually do anything against the virus, so we have to try to control the vector, various species of aphid (greenfly). The aphids blow into the crops on the

December 2018 wind, especially the prevailing south westerlies, from woodland and hedgerows.

We have been asked to participate in a trial being run by the Game and Wildlife Conservation trust, whereby sticky traps are placed strategically in five fields around the farm. In each field, one trap is placed five metres from the hedge, and one is 70m out into the field. Once a week for five weeks I have to collect the traps and count how many aphids are stuck to them. From this, a picture of aphid activity can be built up.

The purpose is to develop a farmer-friendly method for tracking aphid build-up, to help us with decision-making regarding insecticide applications. There is clearly no point in spraying if there are no aphids present.

Hopefully a clearly devised system using sticky traps will give us the information we need.

Currently it seems to be impossible to change the traps without getting the very sticky trap glue all over your hands.

The weather recently has given us plenty of wonderful photo opportunities: long shadows whilst spraying in the afternoon sunshine, and the hedgerows are laden with berries, and the colours are beautiful. It breaks my heart to see so many hedges around the country flailed too early in the autumn, denuded of their fruit and leaves.

The birds' larder is full to overflowing.

23

December 2018

Durweston School on the right path DURWESTON School celebrated the harvest festival with songs and dance and plenty of donations for the food bank.

Head boy Austin Nicholson and head girl Millie Swift are pictured (right) with Winston Nicholson handing a cheque for ÂŁ120 to Nicola Brooke, the head teacher, as a result of a very successful smoothie sale.

Austin said: "We are very proud of our school and happy to help raise money in any way we can. We are planning to do a car wash next when lots of children will be delighted to get involved."

The school has received a good progress report following a monitoring inspection by Ofsted in October after its previous inspections found it required improvement.

Inspector Nathan Kemp said: "Senior leaders and governors are taking effective action to

tackle the areas requiring improvement identified at the recent section 5 inspection in order for the school to become good.

"You have identified the areas of school performance that are a priority for the current academic year and developed clear plans to

Circuit training A 'Sports for Schools' sponsored circuit event with David Hill, Paralympic Triathlete, gave Knighton pupils a chance to test their skills in a circuit which included spotty dogs, leg drives, press-ups and star jumps.

David, pictured centre with those who took part, was born without the lower part of his left arm and after 12 years of international swimming decided to change sports to British Para-triathlon.

Pimperne maintains good performance A VISIT by Ofsted inspector Neil Swait to Pimperne Primary School in September found the school continued to be 'good'.

The short inspection was the first since it was judged good in November 2014. Mr Swait has reported to headteacher Fiona Waller that the leadership team had maintained the good quality of education in the school.

"You have high expectations for pupils and staff. You are ambitious for the school and work determinedly with other leaders to secure continued improvement in teaching and pupils' learning," he reported.

He said the results of the tests at the end of key stage 2 in reading and mathematics in 2018 showed that pupils made exceptionally strong progress, and their achievement was in the top 5% of schools nationally.

"You have addressed the areas for improvement in the previous inspection report successfully, while maintaining the school's strengths. For example, you have improved the quality of pupils'

writing, and are watchful for any decline in pupils' achievement and respond swiftly through the implementation of well-targeted actions."

He said she was well supported by governors in a positive and professional relationship, and had a hardworking and extremely dedicated staff team.

Pupils behave well, are welcoming and polite, and the good progress they make reflects their positive attitudes to learning.

Feedback from parents and carers is overwhelmingly positive about the efforts made by staff to ensure that children are happy, and feel safe and looked after.

He said the next steps were for leaders and governors to ensure expectations for children's attainment in writing were raised so that a greater proportion of early years children exceeded the early learning goal, and that newly introduced SEN provision led to pupils with disabilities making stronger progress.

The full report can be found online at reports.ofsted.gov.uk.

improve areas for improvement that were identified by inspectors, including strengthening the quality of leadership and management, reducing the absence rates of disadvantaged pupils and providing opportunities for pupils to develop their writing.

"There are signs that changes in teaching are having a positive impact, particularly in Years 4, 5 and 6. Pupils are quickly becoming familiar with the new approach to writing and can demonstrate in their books how this is improving their writing."

He said the school now needed to embed that approach so that pupils' outcomes in Years 1, 2 and 3 were as strong as those seen across the rest of the school, and the governors needed to ensure that the headteacher prioritised the continued pace of improvement over classroom commitments.

24

December 2018

Welcome to the Stour Valley Canoe Club

by Dorothea Russell

I

F I was a kid living in or around Blandford, I would not miss the chance to be part of the Stour Valley Canoe Club.

I am not a kid, but I joined only a few months ago - and have enjoyed every session with this vibrant club.

When I pull on my buoyancy vest on a summer's night or a

Saturday morning, I feel alive and ready to leave all worries and stresses behind and relax in the beautiful scenery of the River Stour. It is serene to paddle into a sunset.

What amazes me most of all is how much fun young people of all ages have out on the river.

They learn new skills all the time via their capable instructors or simply have a lot of fun.

One highlight this year was Halloween. If I was a kid, I would not want to miss Halloween with the SVCC. I myself was fortunate to 'lie in waiting' on the other side of the Stour at the Bryanston Boathouse. In the pitch black night four canoes with torches appeared, laden with excited kids, being paddled by adult club members under the starry sky. The scene could not have been more atmospheric.

As soon as the little ones set foot on the river bank, they took aim at the lit pumpkins as the sweets were scattered around them. The so-far so-called 'mature adults' who had been hiding behind trees tried their

best to scare the living daylight out of the younger ones - in a benign way, of course. An outdoor party round the fire was enjoyed by all after returning safely back at the boathouse.

The boathouse is beautifully situated in the woods just past Milldown Primary School/Panda Preschool. Why not come and have a look one day?

My next challenge is simply to paddle in a straight line. Some kind members are trying to teach me, but I am too busy having fun. Today a fellow member called from a neighbouring boat: "Use the J-stroke!" I nodded with a smile and paddled on. J-stroke? What is that? Will have to find out . . . next week.

Can't wait.

Halloween canoers on the River Stour. Picture by Lucy Parker.

TRICURO'S CafĂŠ Connect celebrated their one year anniversary at the Blandford Community Centre in Heddington Drive with a 'Food glorious food' day with a bacon bap breakfast, roast dinner and desert for lunch and homemade cake for tea.

Sally James has now taken over the role of centre manager, and on December 5 there will be a Christmas afternoon tea with mince pies, cakes, sandwiches, entertainment, craft stalls and raffle, for which booking is essential on 01258 480762. There will also be two-course Christmas lunches on December 13 and 19.

December 2018

Winning debut for U11 football girls

25

IT may have been Halloween, but there was nothing scary about Blandford St Mary CE Primary School girls' football team's performance in their first-ever tournament, the North Dorset U11 Girls' Championships.

they had won Pool A and were drawn in the final against the winners of Pool B, Sherborne, who had been the top scorers in the tournament so far with one of their girls being the tournament's top scorer.

Team tactics decided that Their first game was against Charlotte would forsake her norGillingham and their attacking mal defensive duties and mark play was rewarded when Kacey this girl all over the pitch. She scored their first-ever competitive had never before played in midgoal. The match finished with a field but there was not a blade of 1-0 win. grass that she did not cover. With Their second match was against two minBuckland utes to go, Newton, a Leonie put much the ball in tighter the goal to affair with make the both teams score 1-0. having Sherborne periods of had one possesmore sion, but attack and eventually goalkeeper Blandford Pippa St Mary made a were victobrilliant rious with save to Blandford St Mary CE Primary School's U11 girls' another 1-0 ensure football team. win. another 1-0 The final victory. game in the heats was against St Blandford St Mary CE Primary Nicholas, when despite having a School now go on to represent lot of possession, it was obvious North Dorset in the area finals, the girls were getting tired, but and Pippa, Alex, Shelby, they fought hard to get a credCharlotte, Leonie, Neve, Kacey, itable 0-0 draw.

Hollie-Ann and Rhianna are to be When the results were checked, congratulated.

Sporting successes STUDENTS at The Blandford School have been congratulated on sporting achievements which have included county call-ups for several footballers, boys and girls, a number of whom were involved in a 6-0 win for Dorset U14s versus Devon in which Year 9 student Jazmine Andrews scored one of the goals.

Year 10 student Connor has had trials to represent England's Ability Counts team, having just completed a season with AFC Bournemouth's Ability Counts U16s where he won the players' player award.

Another Year 10 student, Nathan, who won the Dorset U16s Bowls Championships in September, has received a call-up to the England Bowls Youth Academy.

Year 13 student Billy Hitchcock was the winner of the 59kg U18 category in the National

Taekwondo championships in October. As part of their Level 2 Sports Leader Award, sixth-form students delivered a Tag Rugby Festival to local primary school children. Budding rugby stars from Milldown, Pimperne and Durweston had an hour of coaching from the Year 12 leaders.

After this they played some friendly games against teams from the other schools. The 20 leaders were involved as referees, touch judges, time-keepers and coaches, encouraging every child to enjoy the festival and play more rugby.

The school hosted its sixth-form open evening on November 29, and auditions were held at the end of October for the forthcoming school production of 'Oliver!', the musical based on Oliver Twist, which will be taking place next July.

Left to right: Food bank manager Gail Del Pinto is presented with the Panda Pre-School donations by Inclusion deputy Donna Watling and Inclusion support Emma Atkinson.

Panda help for food bank AS part of the Panda Pre-school British Values, parents were asked to donate tins and packets of food to the food bank in Blandford.

Gail Del Pinto, the manager of the food bank, met the children and staff at the pre-school to collect the donations, for which she thanked everyone.

She said that at the moment there is a shortage of food at the food bank, based at the Methodist church near Blandford Post Office, and donations were greatly appreciated.

As a result of a number of enquiries, Panda Pre-school will, from January, be opening to children from two years and above. For further information, contact them on 01258 458151 or email Pandapreschool@hotmail.co.uk.

26

December 2018

A fair achievement for Shillingstone

Snooker Club treasurer Chris Williamson, Mayor Roger Carter and URC Minister the Rev Andy Hall blow out the candles on the 100th anniversary cake at Blandford Snooker Club.

Snooker club notches a couple of 100 breaks AN open day at Blandford Snooker Club, in an annexe of the United Reformed Church, celebrated the club's 100th anniversary and commemorated its founding at the end of World War One to provide somewhere for servicemen returning from the conflict to meet and socialise.

Among the guests was Mayor Roger Carter, who paid tribute to the foresight of the founders of the Blandford Young Men's Institute, Congregational chapel minister the Rev Gomer Evans, and lay pastoral assistant Arthur Backway, in recognising that such a facility, which spawned snooker, billiards, football and cricket teams, was needed, and that mental health was critical to physical health.

URC Minister, the Rev Andy Hall, said the club had been

born out of the ashes of war and became a real hub, at one time hosting up to 85 people every evening. "I am pleased that as a church we were able to be part of it and that today we commemorate something that finished and started 100 years ago."

Club treasurer Chris Williamson thanked him for the church's support to the club, saying that over the last two years they had been unable to make any donation to church funds, but that thanks to renewed interest this year they were able to present a small surplus.

There was free snooker all day at the club, where an anniversary cake was cut, and an exhibition game was played between the Rev Hall and Mr Carter, which resulted in a narrow win for the Mayor.

SHILLINGSTONE Cricket Club were the winners of the DACO Fair Play Award in Division One of the Dorset Funeral Plan Cricket League 2018, whose presentation evening was held at The Leaze, home of the league champions Wimborne and Colehill CC. The awards were presented by Nick Couch, of league sponsors, The Dorset Funeral Plan, who said: "It was another season of close finishes and it was good to see some new teams emerge and other teams bouncing back after lean seasons.

"Without the hard work and dedication of the committee and all the volunteers and umpires, we wouldn't have had such an enjoyable summer of cricket in Dorset.

The grounds and pitches are improving across the county and we look forward to next year's season."

John Ridout, chairman of the league and its treasurer, said: "I'd like to congratulate all the winners, especially the Premier

League champions who just happen to be from my club. We are very grateful for the continued support of our sponsors and we now start preparing for the 2019 season."

Premier League runners-up were Poole Town CC, with Division One winners Christchurch CC, Division Two Marnhull CC, Division Four Sturminster and Hinton CC and Division Five Royal Challengers Sports CC, and Divisions Three and Six Shaftesbury CC, who were also Club of the Season.

Hamworthy Recreation CC, runners-up in Division One, won the groundsman of the year award, and League Five runners-up Martinstown CC the Premier League Fair Play Award. Other division runners-up were Weymouth CC (Div 1), Puddletown CC (Div 2), Wareham CC (Div 4), and Symene CC (Div 6). Player of the Season went to Broadstone CC's Luke Carter for his haul of 876 runs.

DACO Fair Play award for Division 1, Shillingstone. Nick Douch from the sponsors (left), with Hugh Shackell and Merrick Wilkinson from DACO.

27

December 2018

Church hosts tree festival Christmas services & events A CHRISTMAS Tree Festival in Blandford Parish Church will open on Monday December 3 and be on display until Wednesday December 12, with nearly 30 trees uniquely decorated by local schools and community groups.

Last year many visitors enjoyed the festival and voted for their favourite tree, with three awards made for the school and community group with the most votes, and the Mayor's choice. The win-

ners will be announced during the Yuletide Festival on Wednesday December 12.

People are invited to come into the church at any time before 4pm when no service is in progress to enjoy the trees and marvel at the work that has gone into them.

On the right is a selection of carol and other services being held in some local churches. For further information see church noticeboards.

Opening hours over the festive period From the surgeries Whitecliff Surgery (and dispensary) and Eagle House Surgery Mon Dec 24: normal hours; Tues Dec 25: Closed Wed Dec 26: Closed; Thurs Dec 27: normal hours Fri Dec 28: normal hours; Mon Dec 31: normal hours Tues Jan 1: Closed; Wed Jan 2: normal hours When the surgery is closed: • Call 999 in an emergency - chest pains and/or shortness of breath constitute an emergency.

• If you are unwell when the surgery is closed, contact NHS 111. Calls to the NHS 111 service are free from landlines and mobiles. This service is for urgent medical situations if you or a member of your family becomes ill and you are concerned. It is not for routine enquiries.

Check your repeat medications • Will you need a repeat prescription over the holiday period, especially if you're going away? Make sure you put in a repeat request in good time.

• Make sure you have a good stock of over-the-counter medicines for coughs, colds, tummy upsets and headaches.

North Dorset District Council Nordon Office, Salisbury Road. The office will close at 4.30pm on Friday December 21 and reopen at 9.30am on Wednesday January 2. In an emergency call 01305 828 000

Blandford Forum Town Council Offices in Church Lane will close at 12.30pm on Friday December 21 and reopen at 9.30am on Wednesday January 2.

BLANDFORD Stour Rotary Club is again this year sending shoeboxes crammed with Christmas gifts to under privileged children, who have little or nothing to receive on Christmas Day. The appeal is run by Rotary worldwide but these boxes go to Albania, Montenegro, Moldova and Romania. This year the club has sent 590 boxes.

Sunday December 2: 3pm: Salvation Army Carols at Blandford Methodist Church Monday to Wednesday December 3 to 12: 10am: Christmas Tree Festival at Blandford Parish Church Friday December 7: 7pm: Civic Carol Service at Blandford Parish Church Sunday December 9: 10.30am: Joint Rushton and Keyneston Christingle Service, Tarrant Rushton 6pm: Carols on the Green at Badbury Heights, Blandford Thursday December 13: 6.30pm: Christmas Carol Service, Tarrant Gunville Sunday December 16: 10.30am: Family Communion, Tarrant Rushton 3pm: Traditional Carol Service at Langton Long 6pm: Family Carol Service at Blandford Evangelical Church 6pm: Carol Service, Tarrant Keyneston 6pm: Carol Service, Milton Abbey 7pm: Service of Lessons & Carols, St Mary's church, Sturminster Marshall Monday December 17: 7pm: Service of Lessons & Carols in St Stephen's church, Pamphill Tuesday December 18: 7pm: Candlelit Carol Service, Blandford St. Mary Church.

7pm: Service of Lessons & Carols, St Bartholomew's church, Shapwick Sunday December 23: 10.45am: Carol Service at Blandford Methodist Church 4pm: Children's Christingle Service at Blandford Methodist Church 6pm: Carols by Candlelight at Blandford Parish Church Monday December 24 (Christmas Eve) 4pm: Family Christingle Service at Blandford Evangelical Church 4.30pm: Children's Crib Service at Blandford Parish Church 5pm: Carols by Candlelight, Tarrant Rushton 6pm: Children's Christmas Mass at Blandford Catholic Church 7pm: Communion Service at Blandford Methodist Church (joint with URC) 10pm: Christmas Midnight Mass at Blandford Catholic Church 10pm: Candlelit Midnight Mass at St Nicholas Church, Durweston 11.30pm: Midnight Communion at Blandford Parish Church Tuesday December 25 (Christmas Day) 9.30am: Family Communion at Blandford Parish Church 10am: Christmas Mass at Blandford Catholic Church 10am: Christmas Day Celebration at Blandford Evangelical Church 10am: Family Communion at Langton Long 10.30am: Christmas Day Service at Blandford URC (joint with Methodist Church) Wednesday December 26 (Boxing Day): 9am: St Stephen's Day Mass at Blandford Catholic Church

28 DECEMBER Saturday December 1: Small Business Saturday, free parking in NDDC car parks (time limits apply), 'Morrisons Bag Packing' by the Blandford Opportunity Group + Blandford Food Bank Group, 10am to 1.30pm Christmas wreath making, Stourpaine Village Hall 10am to 12.30pm, bookings (£10) jpalmeruk1@gmail.com Christmas Fly-in, Compton Abbas Airfield, 0930-1700, details 01747 811767 Christmas Bazaar, Abingdon Hall, Iwerne Minster, 10.30 to 12 noon, proceeds to Alabare homeless support Durweston Choral Society and Orchestra present Handel's Messiah, Durweston Parish Church 7:30pm, tickets 01258 472253 Bryanston Choral Society's Christmas Concert, St Martin's Church, Bryanston, 7.30pm, tickets £10 on the door Wessex Acoustic Folk present seasonal show ‘Thor'd Out’, Shaftesbury Arts Centre, 7.30pm Sunday December 2: The Art Room: Informal art session 11am to 1pm, The Kings Arms, Blandford. Details blandfordartsociety.weebly.com Round Robin Ramblers meet near the church in Buckland Newton (ST 687053) for 4.5-mile walk round Buckland Newton, details 01258 880044 The Furlong Trophy Music Competition Heat 1, Paddocks Bar, Salisbury Street, from 1pm (Heat 2: Sunday December 16) Monday December 3: Blandford Floral Group open meeting, Tarrant Keyneston village hall, 2pm - Coral Gardiner Festive Highlights Panda Pre-school Christmas bingo, the Royal British Legion, Blandford, eyes down 7.30pm Child Okeford Centre for Care and Learning talk by Gordon Le Pard ‘Picking Darcy's Pocket’, The Ark's room, St Nicholas School, Child Okeford, 7.30pm, tickets 01258 860767 Tuesday December 4: Blandford Breast Cancer Support Group Christmas lunch outing to Castleman Hotel, tickets 01258 860706 Wednesday December 5: Blandford late night opening to 9pm Blandford St Mary Parish Council meeting, Brewery Hall, Hall & Woodhouse, 7pm Play Reading, Blandford Parish church, 7 to 9pm, 'Relative Values'

by Noel Coward, details 07596 959703 Blandford Forum Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm Land of Mine (Martin Zandvliet,

What’s on this month 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.

The popular Near ta Theatre are back in Winterborne Stickland on December 7 with their comic Christmas show 'Christmas Time', written by Miracle Theatre's Ciaran Clarke and directed by Kneehigh Theatre's Simon Harvey, which is full of Christmas spirt and festive cheer from a couple of inmates of a prison cell. For more details, see artsreach.co.uk.

Denmark 2015) Drama Friday December 7: Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Reception, Blandford Market Place and Corn Exchange, from 5.30pm, Civic Carol Service, Blandford Parish Church 7pm Near-ta Theatre present 'Christmas. Time', Pamela Hambro Hall Winterborne Stick-land, 7:30pm, see artsreach.co.uk Wessex Acoustic Folk Club Christmas Party, Blandford Royal British Legion, Church Lane, 8.15pm Family Christmas Ceilidh with Arish Mel, Child Okeford Community Centre, tickets £10 (children £5) to include ploughman's supper Friday and Saturday December 7 and 8: Madcap Productions present Peter Pan, Brewery Hall, Ansty, 7.30pm (Saturday matinée 4pm), tickets 07899 847261 Saturday December 8: Free parking NDDC car parks (time limits apply) Blandford Lions Christmas Fair, Corn Exchange, 9am to 3pm SSAFA Family Christmas Concert with the Bovington Wives Choir, Vocal Impact Children's Choir and The Blandford Stour Valley Band, Bryanston School concert hall, 7pm Sunday December 9: Blandford Stour Rotary Trailway Santa Fun Run from Station Court at 10am.

Registration and details at bland-

fordsantarun.btck.co.uk Monday December 10: Child Okeford WI meets 2pm The Community Centre, Station Road, Child Okeford DT11 8EL: Our Christmas Celebration Tuesday December 11: Child Okeford Flower Arranging Club 2.15pm, 'Tartan at Heart', practical workshop, Child Okeford Village Hall, details: 01258 863775 Wednesday December 12: Blandford Yuletide Festival, see facebook.com/blandfordyuletide/ Film Night: ‘The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society’, Fontmell Magna village hall, 7 for 7.30pm.

Thursday December 13: Cantamus in concert, Milton Abbey,7.30pm, artsreach.co.uk Friday December 14 to Sunday December 16: Alice in Cuckooland, Blandford Corn Exchange, Friday and Saturday 6.30pm, Sunday 2.30pm, tickets from Town Council office or b-c-p. co.uk Friday December 14: Craft Market in The Shambles in front of the Corn Exchange, Blandford 9am to 2pm Blandford WI meet, The Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, 7 to 9pm, Christmas Party - Mayhem!

Details blandfordeveningwi.com The Ridgeway Singers & Band present 'West Country Carols', St Nicholas Church, Winterborne Kingston, 7.30pm, tickets 01305

For Christmas listings, concerts and events, turn to Page 27

December 2018 262159 Saturday December 15: Free parking NDDC car parks (time limits apply) Cats Protection coffee morning & stall, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 10am to 12.30pm The Churchfitters present their 'Christmas Cracker', Child Okeford village hall, 7.30pm, details artsreach.co.uk Sunday December 16: The Ambassadors Swing Band, Crown Hotel, Blandford, 7.30 to 10pm, tickets 01929 471809 Christmas Carol Night, Nelsons Cheese & Ale House, Salisbury Street, 7pm Monday December 17: Stroke Association Peer Support meeting, Church Room & Village Centre, 1 The Close, Charlton Marshall, DT11 9PA, 10.30am to noon Tuesday December 18: Blood Donor Sessions, Crown Hotel, details 0300 123 23 23 or blood.co.uk Wednesday December 19: Blandford late night opening to 9pm Blandford Forum Film Society, The Blandford School, 7.45pm Lost in Paris (France 2016) Comedy Thursday December 20: Forum Otters Macmillan Support Group for those affected by cancer meets Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 2 to 4pm, details 01258 458280 Friday December 21 to Sunday January 6 2019: Cinderella, Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne (excludes Christmas Day Tuesday December 25 and Wednesday January 2), see tivoliwimborne.co.uk or call 01202 885566 Saturday December 22: 'Tesco's Bag Packing' and collection by and for the Blandford Food Bank Group and Blandford Opportunity Group, 10am to 2pm JANUARY 2019 January 1: New Year's Day Fly-in, Compton Abbas Airfield, 0930-1700, details 01747 811767 or comptonabbasairfield.co.uk Vintage Vehicle Rally from Station Court, Sturminster Newton, 10 for 11am Wednesday, Thursday and Friday January 2, 3 and 4: Community Kitchen, Blandford Parish Centre, The Tabernacle, from 12pm Friday January 4: New Year Concert with the Durweston Village Singers, pianist Elaine Korman and pupils of Rachel Hosford and Elaine Korman, Durweston Church, 7pm