FEBRUARY 2018 | FREE
A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR
RAISING THE ROOF with Leakers Bakery
bridporttimes.co.uk
WELCOME
W
e go into this, our sophomore release, the difficult 2nd album, with hearts full and cockles warmed. I had a sense of Bridport, of its spirit and camaraderie, but to see that brought to life in your kind words and support has been humbling. Our modest endeavour has clearly struck a chord and we have been so encouraged by your engagement and enthusiasm. This is a town brimming with character and stories. This month we hear, among many others, that of Caroline Parkins and Leakers, the bakery filling Bridport’s belly since 1914. So, thank you Bridport for your warm welcome. The fire is lit and we have coffee on the stove. Pull up a chair. Glen Cheyne, Editor editor@bridporttimes.co.uk @bridporttimes
CONTRIBUTORS Martin Ballam Xtreme Falconry xtremefalconry.co.uk
Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne
Alice Blogg @alice_blogg aliceblogg.co.uk
Design Andy Gerrard @round_studio
Molly Bruce mollybruce.co.uk
Sub editor Elaine Taylor Photography Katharine Davies @Katharine_KDP Feature writer Jo Denbury @jo_denbury Editorial assistant Paul Newman @paulnewmanart Print Pureprint Distribution Available throughout Bridport and surrounding villages. Please see bridporttimes.co.uk for stockists. Contact 01935 315556 @bridporttimes editor@bridporttimes.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk
Caroline Butler BSc (Hons) MNIMH herbalcaroline.co.uk Alice Chutter @bridportyogawithalice Neville Copperthwaite n.copperthwaite@gmail.com Megan Dunford @BridportArts bridport-arts.com May Franklin-Davis Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Kit Glaisyer @kitglaisyer kitglaisyer.com Charlie Groves Groves Nurseries @GrovesNurseries grovesnurseries.co.uk Tamara Jones Loving Healthy @lovinghealthy_ lovinghealthy.co.uk Mark Kick & Charlie Soole The Club House West Bexington @TheClubHouse217 theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk Gill Meller @GillMeller gillmeller.com
Homegrown Media Ltd 81 Cheap Street Sherborne Dorset DT9 3BA
Bridport Times is printed on Edixion Offset, an FSCÂŽ and EU Ecolabel certified paper. It goes without saying that once thoroughly well read, this magazine is easily recycled and we actively encourage you to do so. Whilst every care has been taken to ensure that the data in this publication is accurate, neither Bridport Times nor its editorial contributors can accept, and hereby disclaim, any liability to any party to loss or damage caused by errors or omissions resulting from negligence, accident or any other cause. Bridport Times does not officially endorse any advertising material included within this publication. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in any retrieval system, or transmitted in any form - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise - without prior permission from Bridport Times.
4 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Angie Porter @angiporter southstreetbridport.com Anna Powell Sladers Yard @SladersYard sladersyard.wordpress.com Adam & Ellen Simon Tamarisk Farm tamariskfarm.co.uk Antonia Squire The Bookshop @bookshopbridprt dorsetbooks.com Emma Tabor & Paul Newman @paulnewmanart paulnewmanartist.com Cass Titcombe Brassica Restaurant @brassica_food brassicarestaurant.co.uk Sue Wilson Bridport Museum @BridportMuseum bridportmuseum.co.uk
36
FEBRUARY 2018
6
What’s On
24 Wild Dorset
62 Interiors
8
Arts & Culture
30 Outdoors
66 Gardening
20 Film
36 LEAKERS BAKERY
69 Literature
22 History
44 Food & Drink
70 Crossword
52 Body & Mind
bridporttimes.co.uk | 5
WHAT'S ON Listings ____________________________ Every Tuesday &
Burton Bradstock Village Hall, DT6
essential, furleighestate.co.uk 01308 488991
fifteen roles in a show of shocks, spine-
Wednesday 21st-Saturday 24th
01308 897421 artsreach.co.uk
Thursday matinee 1.30pm,
4QS. Join three daring actors as they play
____________________________
tingling silliness & bloodcurdling terror.
(evening performances 7.30pm,
____________________________
Saturday matinee 2pm)
Starts from CAB, 45 South Street.
Saturday 3rd 7pm
Bridport Pantomime Players
Walks last approximately 30mins,
Gin Tasting Masterclass
present: Treasure Island
with trained health walk leaders. All
welcome, free of charge. 01305 252222
Martins Bar & Restaurant, Highlands
The Electric Palace, South Street,
sarahdavies@dorset.gov.uk
End Holiday Park, Eype DT6 6AR. Explore the world of gin with local
Bridport TIC. Tickets: £10 adults / £8
Thursday 10.30am Walking the Way to Health in Bridport
____________________________ Every Friday &
expert mixologist Lloyd Brown. £12pp inc. 3 gin cocktails & pizza tasters!
Bridport DT6 3NY. Tickets from
under 12’s & first night. 01308 424901
____________________________
Pre-book on 01308 426919
Thursday 22nd 7.30pm
____________________________
Flight of Fizz Sparkling
Furleigh Estate Vineyard.
Tuesday 6th 9.30am-12.30pm
Wine Tasting Evening
furleighestate.co.uk 01308 488991
Make a Cushion in a Morning
____________________________
Furleigh Estate. Mark from Morrish and
Saturday 27th January -
Unit 7b Browns Farm, Nettlecombe
DT6 3SS. Small class, expert tuition.
Saturday 11am & 2.30pm Vineyard Tours & Wine Tasting
Sunday 4th March Ways of Seeing Landscape Sladers Yard, West Bay. View the show online at sladersyard.co.uk
All abilities welcome. £40 inc materials (except face fabric). 07533 344609 hazelmasterssoftfurnishings.co.uk
____________________________
Banham Wine Merchant will lead us
through a flight of stunning sparkling wines from Dorset, France and Italy. Canapés will
also be served. Tickets £25, available online at furleighestate.co.uk or 01308 488991. Fundraising for Weldmar Hospice
____________________________
Saturday 10th 7.30pm
Thursday 1st 11am
No Petticoats Here
Monday 26th 2.30pm
Snowdrop Memorial Service
Shipton Gorge Village Hall, DT6 4LY.
My Family and Other Smugglers
musician Louise Jordan tells the stories
Talk by Roger Guttridge. Presented by the
St Mary’s Church, South St, Bridport
Contact Joseph Weld Hospice on 01305 215300 or weld-hospice.org.uk
____________________________ Friday 2nd 7.30pm Bowjangles: Excalibow
____________________________
Award-winning singer, songwriter &
United Church Hall, East Street, Bridport.
of inspirational women of the first
Golden Cap Association (West Dorset).
world war who challenged expectations. 01308 897562
____________________________
Non-members welcome. £3 inc. tea, coffee and biscuits. 01308 863577
____________________________
One Bow To Rule Them All
Sunday 18th 2.30pm for 3pm-5pm
Electric Palace
Wootton Fitzpaine Village Hall, DT6
KNIT-A-THON sponsored knit
01308 424901 electricpalace.org.uk
present a magical, theatrical, musical
Allington. Bring size 9/3.75 knitting
6ND. Intrepid string quartet Bowjangles
St Swithun’s Church Hall, North
journey through myths, folklore &
needles and double knitting wool. Tea
4th BOLSHOI: Lady of the
YARN Woolshop, South St, Bridport.
7th Jonathan Pie: Work in
Young Musicians
13th John Robins: The Darkness of
Friday 2nd 7.30pm
Wednesday 21st 10.45am
The Thing That Came
Nordic Walking
21st- Treasure Island – Bridport
From Over There
Furleigh Estate Vineyard. Prior booking
legends. £10, £5 (u18s), £25 (fam4 - max 2 adults) on door, or in advance: 01297
560948 or self-service Box Office at the Charmouth Practice Reception
____________________________
6 | Bridport Times | February 2018
included. Sponsorship forms from
All proceeds to the Richard Ely Trust for ____________________________
3rd Some People v. Reginald D Hunter – Comedy
Camelias – Screening Progress – Comedy Robin – Comedy
24th Pantomime Players (details above)
____________________________
FEBRUARY 2018 Bridport Arts Centre
Second Saturday
01308 424204 bridport-arts.com
of the month 9am–1pm
Bridport Arts Centre
Division. Bridport Leisure Centre, Skilling Hill Road DT6 5LN.
30th Jan - 3rd Mar Henrietta Paine -
Farmers’ Market
2nd Graham Fellows - Music
____________________________
Bridport v Dorset Dockers (H)
3rd - 17th Mar Drawing Down
Every Saturday, 9am–12pm
Saturday 17th
Country Market
Lytchett Minster v Bridport (A)
9th Half the World Away - Theatre
WI Hall, North Street
____________________________
10th Gaz Brookfield &
Last Saturday of the month
14th Met Opera - L’Elisir d’Amore - Film
____________________________
16th The Complete Freedom of Truth
Antique & Book Fair
17th We Are The Lions,
____________________________
Varying Perspectives - Art
the Feminine - Art
9th Jazz Cafe February - Music
The Company of Thieves - Music
16th Classic Concert February - Music
____________________________
pitchero.com/clubs/bridport Saturday 3rd
____________________________
Vintage Market First Saturday of the month, 10am
Performance Evening - Theatre
St Mary’s Church, South Street
Bridport Football Club
Mr Manager! - Theatre
Every Sunday, 9am-3pm
DT6 5LA. bridportfc.com. 3pm start
Twelfth Night - Film
St Michael’s Trading Estate
18th Royal Shakespeare,
Local Food Market
21st Comedy Cafe February - Comedy
____________________________
22nd BAC Audience Club Feb 2018 - Take Part
23rd Medea Electronica - Theatre
Sport ____________________________
24th Met Opera - La Boheme - Film
St.Mary’s Field, Skilling Hill Road Saturday 3rd
Hengrove Athletic v Bridport (A) Saturday 10th Bradford Town v Bridport (A) Saturday 17th Chard v Bridport (A) Saturday 24th
____________________________
Bridport v Melksham (H) ____________________________
Fairs and markets ____________________________
To include your event in our
Every Wednesday & Saturday
FREE listings please email details
Weekly Market South, West and East Street
____________________________
(in approx 20 words) by the Bridport Rugby Football Club
1st of each preceding month to
1st IV. Southern Counties South
gemma@bridporttimes.co.uk
bridporttimes.co.uk | 7
Arts & Culture
8 | Bridport Times | February 2018
DRAWING DOWN THE FEMININE Megan Dunford, Exhibitions & Participation Officer, Bridport Arts Centre
U
nderstanding artists’ ideas and helping to make them come to life is one of the most challenging but rewarding aspects of my role here at the Arts Centre. February sees the opening of an extremely ambitious group show in the Allsop Gallery. I spent time talking to Cornwall-based artist Kate Walters, the lead driving force behind it, to find out more‌ >
Kate Walters, Sumburgh Head, artist residency, Shetland bridporttimes.co.uk | 9
Arts & Culture
MD – “Hi Kate, it seems like so long ago now when we met in Plymouth to discuss this exhibition and suddenly it’s upon us. Can you give us something to make us excited about ‘Drawing down the feminine’?” KW – “Yes so much. The transformative power of creativity in the face of trauma, seeds, ecological awareness, the earthly power and possibilities of the female body, and feminine connectedness – these are elements people can expect to discover in our exhibition which opens on Saturday 3rd February. We want people to come with an open mind; I think it will spark interest in many unexpected ways.” MD – “That does sound like so much to discover! There are just under 20 artists taking part - how do you start to plan something of this scale and assemble practitioners who work well together?”
MD – “Tactile activity and workshops in particular are an effective and joyful way of connecting with a theme or body of work, so I know they will popular! In your drawn studies I see so many different aspects coming through and I am interested to know what you’re inspired or influenced by?” KW – “By music and poetry mainly, and my dreams and experiences when in wild places such as Shetland, the Italian National Parks and mountains.” MD – “So, with this in mind, is there anyone you particularly admire - dead or alive?” KW - “Bach, Rilke, indigenous peoples’ poetry and pictures, objects and stories. Ancient cave paintings and objects. Pictish art.”
KW – “Most of the artists in this group I met whilst teaching, many at Newlyn School of Art. A small core of the group is people I’ve known for many years who are artist friends and colleagues; we share similar interests.”
MD – “You always seem to be so full of ideas when we discuss art – how do you keep this level of enthusiasm going, and do you have any advice for those who may need some creative encouragement?”
MD – “In what ways can we find out more from the artists or perhaps get involved in this exhibition?”
KW – “Susan Daniel-McElroy, (Director of Tate St Ives from 2000-2007) told me once, ‘Nothing is wasted.’ I always try and remember this. Work hard. Read a lot. Keep your focus.”
KW – “We are planning lots of additional events. There will be a Walk & Talk on Sat 3rd February at 11am – I will be joined by some of the artists and will be opening up a discussion about what’s being shown. There are also workshops in drawing, book-binding and poetry that have been programmed for World Women’s Week in March.” 10 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Drawing Down the Feminine takes place at Bridport Arts Centre from Saturday 3rd February to Saturday 17th March. For more information about special events and workshops, visit bridport-arts.com
PREVIEW In association with
The Grahams Thursday 22nd, February Village Hall, Drimpton, DT8 3RF. 7.30pm. £9/£6 01308 867442 artsreach.co.uk
The Grahams are a dynamic Americana duo who have married
Great River Road, became their 2013 debut album, ‘Riverman’s
laid by their musical predecessors. Alyssa and Doug Graham
up recording not only a studio album, but a documentary and
their love of adventure with a desire to build on foundations
have spent nearly their entire lives exploring music together.
Friends since she was 7 and he was 9, they became a couple in their teens, then husband and wife.
Somewhere along the way, they also became The Grahams,
and their first song-crafting expedition, along the Mississippi’s
Daughter’. For its follow-up, they rode the rails - and wound
live album ‘Rattle the Hocks’ on the move and in venues from
Sun Studio to Amtrak’s famed City of New Orleans train. The Grahams are a treat for all fans of American folk music. evolver.org.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 11
Arts & Culture
SETTING THE SCENE Kit Glaisyer
B
ridport’s art scene continues to grow and evolve over the years, as each generation shares their unique influence while new faces bring fresh energy and ever-surprising variety and talent. The greatest concentration of artists is found on the St Michael’s Trading Estate where recent additions include abstract painters Rob Morgan and Peggy Cozzi, figurative painter and sculptor Russ Snedker, and imaginative painter Vanessa Cooper. stmichaelsartists.com Meanwhile, a new generation of artists continues to spring forth from within the community, often the children of local artists. Many of these younger artists feel compelled to seek experience in the wider world, leaving to study at college or university. One thing Bridport currently lacks is its own Art College. There was one for a few years in the 1980s in Symondsbury but nowadays the local options are Weymouth and Yeovil – where PJ Harvey studied art before focusing on her music. Bournemouth has an excellent university (where I did my Foundation Studies) but many artists take the opportunity to train further afield in Bath, London, Falmouth, Glasgow or Edinburgh. Young, emerging artists include Bridport-based painter Ellie Preston, who grew up in London and is a graduate of Chelsea College of Art, and also winner of the Brenda Landon Portrait Prize 2013 and the Clyde & Co Community Art Project Award 2014. ellieprestonstudio.com Then there’s musician and painter Ella Squirrell who grew up in Symondsbury and is now in her final year at Falmouth College of Art. ellasquirrell.tumblr.com Chideock-based artist Marina Renee-Cemmick is just starting her final year at Glasgow School of Art and has already exhibited in London. Growing up in a family of artists, Marina had the opportunity to explore her creativity from a young age. She quickly took to sketching every day, and also joined Bridport Youth Dance under the tutelage of Nikki Northover. At school she won the Eric Morris Award for Outstanding Artist, 2012 and Prep HE Best in Show, 2014. She also performed in music, theatre and dance across the South West and London from 2011-13. She then did her 12 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Foundation Studies at Bournemouth University in 2014 before starting a Fine Art Degree in Glasgow. In early 2017 Marina spent six months on an exchange programme in Japan, finding inspiration in the dance form Butoh. More recently, she travelled to Barcelona to study under the young Polish sculptor Grzegorz Gwiazda who, she says, “…taught me a great deal about how to look… When viewing his pieces, I find myself suspended between hope and despair.” Having trained in dance from a young age, Marina’s body remains a central focus to her work. Now working across drawing, painting, sculpture and performance, she says “When I am working on a large scale, I am forced to use my body in a very physical way, it creates a record of my action and energy, almost closer to dance.” cargocollective.com/marinareneecemmick There are also many artists who once lived in Bridport and have moved on to great accomplishments elsewhere. At the Oakhayes Residency I met several brilliant artists including figurative painter James Ursell who moved to Herefordshire, thekeepmagazine.com/james-ursell/, sculptor Dan Bendel who lives in Bristol, danbendel.com, and photographer Damian Bird who runs a Photographic Magazine in Teignmouth, lifeforcemagazine.com. Glaswegian artist Douglas McDougall was at the Oakhayes Residency from 1998-99 and then moved to London, showing at East West Gallery in Notting Hill before joining the Hans Alf Gallery in Copenhagen. Examples of his work are now in the collection of the Cantor Arts Centre, California. Douglas then spent a year in Beijing, another in Bristol, and now lives and works back in Glasgow. He currently shows with the Knightwebb Gallery in Brixton, run by Rufus Knightwebb, another artist with strong connections to Bridport. Rufus studied Fine Art at Winchester School of Art, then ran the Foundation Studies course at Symondsbury Art College from 1987-88 before moving to London. I actually shared studios with Rufus in London in the mid-90s before I made the move to Bridport. knightwebb.net Whilst in Beijing, Douglas met Ai Weiwei, >
Marina Renee-Cemmick 'Wading Through' bridporttimes.co.uk | 13
Arts & Culture
Douglas McDougall 'How the West is Won'
Douglas McDougall 'Syria'
making three powerful portraits of him which allude darkly to his political dilemmas. Working with just charcoal and paper, Douglas produces a relatively small number of works a year, each of which take months to reach completion. After sketching out the composition in charcoal, he then textures the paper with scalpel blades, sharp erasers and sandpaper. There follows a combination of improvisational actions and controlled decisions channelled from the subconscious to the 14 | Bridport Times | February 2018
drawing board. Beyond that he’ll only say, “One has to keep certain secrets. I try to hold on to as many of these secrets as possible.” Douglas has recently started on a new series of landscape pieces, some inspired by the Scottish Highlands, others, such as “How the West is Won” and “Syria”, are biting critiques of the West’s complicity in international conflicts. knightwebbgallery.com kitglaisyer.com
PRINTMAKERS OPEN 2018 9th-28th February
Open daily 10.30am-4.30pm Free entry (donations welcome!)
Town Mill Galleries
The Town Mill Mill Lane Lyme Regis DT7 3PU Artistic Director Phil Clayton T: 07809 831760
DESIGNER . CRAFTSWOMAN
. 01308 485517. 07962224249
www.aliceblogg.co.uk alice@aliceblogg.co.uk
E: phil@townmillarts.co.uk
T: 01297 444042
W: www.townmillarts.co.uk /townmillarts
@tmalymeregis
townmillarts
bridporttimes.co.uk | 15
Arts & Culture
WAYS OF SEEING LANDSCAPE Anna Powell, Director, Sladers Yard
16 | Bridport Times | February 2018
‘I
have to feel energetic and excited to paint, otherwise it just doesn’t work,’ exclaims Anthony Garratt, whose first Dartmoor paintings since he and his family moved there last year, are showing now in the ground-floor gallery at Sladers Yard. Anthony’s excited engagement with this wild landscape and its long history speaks out in these dynamic paintings. Energetic, gesturally painted rushing water and dramatic skies move above rich earth, often built up from rust and other materials to give textured weight and authentic colour. Now in his thirties, Anthony studied design at Chelsea School of Art followed by Falmouth. He worked as a designer until his painting took over after two successful solo shows. He is a member of the Royal West of England Academy and has shown at the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition and the Royal College of Arts Henry Moore Gallery, having featured on a BBC2 art series. He shows regularly at the Thackeray Gallery, London. In addition to painting for exhibitions he undertakes ambitious projects. In 2012 he was invited by BBC1 to paint the Diamond Jubilee Pageant from the Millennium Bridge and was selected to have a billboard at Regent’s Park tube station during October 2012. In 2014 he was commissioned to paint four large outdoor canvases of the landscape on Tresco in the Isles of Scilly, which were fixed in position where they were painted for a year. Four large paintings on Anglesey followed in 2015. In 2016, he was commissioned to paint two giant outdoor paintings, one floating on a lake high on the flanks of Mt Snowdon and one hung deep beneath the mountain in an abandoned slate cavern. All the materials, panel and floating apparatus for the high painting were carried by hand up the mountain on the old miners’ road in reference to the history of the place. They provided an attraction for walkers and drew a great deal of press interest. Anthony works outdoors at the mercy of the elements which are liable to wash away his paint and radically change his pictures. However, he is happiest in wild storms and regards the effects of the weather as part of the story of the work. He explores the human, both
political and emotional, within the landscapes he paints, alongside the nature of the paint itself. In Dartmoor, as on Snowdon, there is much evidence of abandoned human efforts and these draw Anthony’s fascination. These are landscapes that emphasise the vulnerability of man. ‘Perhaps I regard adversity as a form of beauty; there is beauty in the knowledge that humans are not all-powerful and in control of the planet. We are at the mercy of it. If my paintings are able to communicate that beauty, perhaps that is what I am striving for.’ Anthony Garratt’s work is part of an exhibition of four painters entitled “Ways of Seeing Landscape.” Each of the four will have roughly a quarter of the gallery space, enabling visitors to immerse themselves in one way of seeing after another. Anne Davies sees landscape as patterns of colour and texture. Memory and imagination feed into her fascinating paintings. Her small, beautifully detailed pictures draw one in to marvel at the textures and traces of underpainting that just show through, forming wonderful passages of colour and interesting marks. Martyn Brewster’s abstract paintings combine seductive combinations of colour with vigorous poetic compositions producing paintings and pen and ink drawings of the Dorset coast that are collected worldwide. Martyn has lived near the cliffs, open skies and beaches of Southbourne in Dorset for thirty years, inspired by the natural landscape, the sea and the light as well as by colour and by the paint itself. Ex-theatre designer Jo Fox, paints her intriguing sensitive pictures in her studio outside Lyme Regis. Combining collage and paint, she uses textured paper and fine plaster to create layers partly revealing and partly concealing the subject matter. Beautifully chosen colours build up fractured images, multiple impressions often of figures within urban landscapes that both express mood and create tension, adding to a narrative quality that is integral to her art. Ways of Seeing Landscape is at Sladers Yard, West Bay, until Sunday 4th March. View the show online at sladersyard.co.uk
bridporttimes.co.uk | 17
Arts & Culture
FEBRUARY’S PURPOSE Alice Blogg
“S
tudy nature, love nature, stay close to nature. It will never fail you.” Frank Lloyd Wright, an American architect, lived by this rule when designing. Returning to work and getting my life back after the Christmas break seems difficult even though I love my job. The short days, not much sunlight on my skin. I have to stand still for a moment, feel the cold weather on my face, remember to breathe and watch the bare trees sway in the wind. The light is often different at this time of year, almost magical. What keeps us alive, what spurs us on for the short month of February? In Bridport we are blessed to be nestled in among the beautiful natural world. When designing, the winter months are the perfect time to slow down. It’s a time to stay focused, draw on what is inside. Try to understand what it is you are looking to achieve. The Japanese believe their design is based on four key ingredients: harnessing the power of nature and natural materials; revelling in finish and texture; paying attention to the smallest details; and approaching design not only with a respect built upon centuries of ritual and tradition but also with a healthy irreverence that enables constant evolution. The Japanese make it sound easy; the latter element cannot be emulated outside of Japan. Staying focused and putting these ingredients in place help the road into spring and summer appear straighter to follow. When the days are short and dark nights are cold we retreat to our homes. We all need this time: to reflect on the past, to think about our future, to visualise the next steps on the journey. Whether a journey of designing or living, each needs wholeheartedness, purposefulness and enthusiasm. It can take a lifetime to figure out what your key ingredients are. I’m still pondering on mine. Is this a place we retreat to in winter for
18 | Bridport Times | February 2018
thoughtfulness and contemplation, or are we hibernating for the sun to put its hat on? I like to be the eternal optimist, seeing winter as the time to reflect and relish the pleasure of snuggling up next to the fire and pushing my creative thoughts further. One’s creative process takes complete concentration of the mind. It is not creating but discovering, isolating and concentrating. My passion is designing furniture and interiors, although this is my day job too! Design doesn’t just exist at one’s desk or sketch pad, it exists all around us, for example take the bustling Bridport high street we walk down. Have you ever thought about the width, and why it is so wide? In the past, the long gardens behind the cottages were used to spin rope which was then moved into the main street to dry, hence why we are gifted with such a wide street down the centre of our town today. Design is ubiquitous. Does the ever-changing picture of the natural world which hugs Bridport give creatives freedom of thought? The natural scene and the manmade environment, which form the setting of our lives, all too easily lose some of their aesthetic impact by becoming familiar. As humans we developed a hunger for fresh scenes. With the changing seasons and the weather there are never two days the same. Cherish February for the time it gives you to breathe and see the bare structures of the trees. Stay close to nature; watch the scenes change with the weather. Find beauty in everything and anything you look at. Be content with the place you have chosen to live. To keep me focused on my work and stay true to myself I always try to read, draw, see the sea, and walk the paths. Keep the brain stimulated on the short days and stay positive. aliceblogg.co.uk
Image: Katharine Davies bridporttimes.co.uk | 19
Film
FILM FUTURES IN BRIDPORT Angie Porter
I
t’s now easy to gain access to most films in the comfort of your own home. The arrival of video streaming brands Netflix and Amazon Prime, as well as art house film offerings from BFI Online and Curzon Home Cinema means that we no longer rely solely on cinemas to show the latest and greatest films. The average screen size at home has expanded from under 17” in the 1960’s to a whopping 40” today, and the low cost of digital projectors means that one's viewing experience at home can be closer to the “big screen” cinema experience than ever before. With the introduction of Netflix Originals and Amazon Prime Movies as key production players, many films do not even make it to the “big screen” these days. As in the US, the UK cinema audience also declined last summer - down 16% compared with 2016. This decline is most 20 | Bridport Times | February 2018
dramatic in the Hollywood blockbuster industry. The traditional Cineplex model of latest releases, sequels and remakes is no longer viable and the industry is in crisis. So where does this leave our local cinemas? A cinema experience in 2018 is not just about the size of the screen. It’s about the quality of the experience it offers. People still want the group experience. It’s part of who we are as social beings. One cannot replicate at home the enjoyment one gets from a cinema full of people laughing (or crying) at the same time. The sense of going out and participating together is a wonderful thing. Movie theatres can now offer audiences experiences that go beyond just the latest Hollywood blockbuster and Bridport's theatres are no exception. A film screening is now often part of another event held somewhere else in the world. This could be an
opera, a play, an exhibition or a concert. A selection of the blockbuster art exhibitions can now be enjoyed here on our local screen. If you missed the Hockney exhibition at the Royal Academy you could have seen it last month on the big screen at the Bridport Arts Centre as part of the ‘Exhibition on Screen’ film events. The latest Cézanne exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery exhibits work never shown in public before. However, the big screen experience of the exhibition at the Bridport Arts Centre last month offered something else - an opportunity to gain insight into an artist that just looking at his work may not give us. Interviews with Paul Cézanne’s great-grandson, Philippe Cézanne, offered further insights into the man himself. The film depicts the context in which the art was produced with voice-overs from the artist. This can change and challenge the way we view the work. Experiencing this together promotes discussion which viewing a documentary at home in your own time would not give you. Theatre show screenings can also be a wonderful way to experience some of the best live theatre which we otherwise might not be able to see. A theatrical screening may also include interviews with the actors and directors, however it’s the group experience that cannot be beaten. Watching the NT screening of Peter Pan from the Bristol Old Vic last summer was one of the highlights of my year. It began in a noisy Electric Palace full of families with young kids throwing popcorn
and wriggling in anticipation. As soon as the play began the children became transfixed and we were taken on a magical journey. Seeing the cast close-up on the big screen was fabulous but the best thing was seeing the faces of the children and the parents who were enjoying it just as much. Upcoming big screen highlights ____________________________________________
Sun 4th Feb, Electric Palace
Bolshoi Ballet: Lady of the Camellias
Tues 6th Feb, Bridport Film Society, Bridport Arts Centre The Eagle Huntress
Wed 14th Feb, Bridport Arts Centre Met Opera L’Elisir d’Amore
Thurs 15th & Fri 16th Feb, Marine Theatre Workshop + Film: Jungle Book
Sun 18th Feb, Bridport Arts Centre RSC, Twelfth Night
Tues 20th Feb, Bridport Film Society, Bridport Arts Centre Frantz
Sat 24th Feb, Bridport Arts Centre Met Opera La Bohème
Thurs 1st March, Electric Palace
NT screening: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof
southstreetbridport.com
Martin Clunes – star of Doc Martin and Men Behaving Badly – shares his top 10 films with Angie Porter. It's an eclectic mix, reflecting his love of music and animals: Rear Window Time of the Gypsies Polar Express Born Free Ring of Bright Water Happy Feet Black Beauty The Song Remains the Same Born to Boogie Image: Faye Neal
Jurassic Park
bridporttimes.co.uk | 21
History OBJECT OF THE MONTH
THE LANGDALE AXE: A WINDOW ON A DISTANT WORLD Sue Wilson, Archaeology Volunteer, Bridport Museum
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his is one of my favourite objects: a hand axe of on land but also, and probably more commonly, by sea volcanic greenstone. It is no ordinary axe – it and river. No doubt other commodities were brought has been beautifully made and then polished to in this way, but the axes’ origins can be more readily a fine finish, unlike most tools of that time. It was found identified than other goods. somewhere in South Dorset. We don’t know much about Axes came from even further afield: Jadeite axes how it found its way to Bridport Museum, but it tells its from the Western Alps (some 140 are known in own story. Britain and Ireland) were It was made in the early brought here, probably via Neolithic period, around river routes and across the 6,200 to 5,800 years ago. Channel. This demonstrates During this time new people an immense amount of arrived from the continent. cross-Channel exchange These people had a profound and communication. effect on the landscape as The axe is about 15cm long and 6cm wide These outstanding they cleared woodlands, built axes have been acquired, settlements and developed farms. They also developed exchanged or traded, and passed from traveller to more sophisticated stone-working techniques and traveller, perhaps at meeting places, or for celebration identified better raw materials. or ceremony, or as a gift, or to cement a relationship. This axe came from a very special place – Great Our Langdale hand axe tells us much about our Langdale. The ‘axe factory’ was one of several, high up on Neolithic ancestors: the mobility of people at that Pike O’Stickle, on a rocky outcrop, beside a steep drop time, their skills in making beautiful tools, and their and difficult to reach. The same stone could have been understanding and knowledge of distant places. found at the foot of the slopes and would have been far easier to mine. But this site was chosen - perhaps it was References and more information: a significant place because of its inaccessibility - and the Pryor, Francis: Britain BC, 2003, HarperCollins stone from there carried the character of the place with it. Crane, Nicholas: The Making of the British Landscape, From Many Langdale axes have been found across Britain. the Ice Age to the Present, 2016, Weidenfeld and Nicholson Most were dug up in the east of the country, particularly Pryor, Francis: The Making of the British Landscape, How Lincolnshire and North Yorkshire, the furthest from we have transformed the land from prehistory to today, the original source. There were other axe factories in 2010, Allen Lane Britain and Ireland, often in remote places away from Cunliffe, Barry: Britain Begins, 2013, OUP settlements. Axes from these too were carried far from their origin. Bridport Museum Trust is a registered charity, which runs Gabbro axes from the Lizard in Cornwall travelled an Accredited Museum and a Local History Centre right in to South East England. Porcellanite polished axes from the centre of Bridport. The Museum recently underwent a Tievebulliagh, a mountain in the Glens of Antrim major refurbishment, and re-opened in May 2017. Entry in Ireland, have been found as far flung as the Outer to the Museum is free. The Local History Centre provides Hebrides and the Channel coast. These patterns of resources for local and family history research. distribution say something about the routes people travelled and traded on. They must have moved not only bridportmuseum.co.uk 22 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Creative Clay
Sketching Owls
Photography Workshop
The Art of Enjoying Nature
Astrophotography Workshop
Needle Felting
Dawn Chorus Breakfast
Beekeeping Course
Stained Glass Workshop
Wild Learning Book a course or workshop with Dorset Wildlife Trust this year and enjoy learning something new about the natural world. Visit: www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events and www.kingcombe.org
DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST
Photos Š Dawn Blight, Deborah Clarke, Ken Dolbear, MBE Julie Herring, Sarah Morrish, Carla Taylor & Paul Williams.
Wild Dorset
KING OF THE RIVERSIDE
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May Franklin-Davis, DWT Volunteer
ew birds are as elusive as the Kingfisher, in part due to their low population numbers, their ability to fly extremely fast and their shy nature, making them difficult to spot. They are smaller than you might expect, with their average length being 16-17cm. Those with a keen eye and patience will be rewarded with flickers of vibrant orange and blue, often hovering above the water of canals, rivers and streams, hunting for prey. With populations found across Europe, Asia and Africa their numbers have slowly risen in the past few decades; this is thanks to various conservation efforts to help the species flourish. There is also a wider understanding of the impact pollution is having on rivers and how this can be prevented. Kingfishers are vulnerable to harsh winters and human changes to their habitats. A particularly cold spell of weather can be detrimental to the Kingfisher’s breeding cycle. Although they can reproduce quickly, with mating occurring two times a year on average, their chicks have a high mortality rate even in the best of circumstances. In general, only half the fledglings of each breeding season reach adulthood. The life-span of this enchanting bird is between five and seven years. However, only a quarter of the population survive more than a year which leaves little chance for individual birds to partake in successive breeding seasons. When hunting, the Kingfisher is adept at becoming streamlined for maximum speed; with a dense build, round head and long bill they are perfectly designed for diving. They are even equipped with a third, transparent, eyelid that closes over their eyes upon entry to water. Their most common targets are small fish such as Sticklebacks, which they swallow whole and head first, and water-based insects. Next time you find yourself on a country stroll near a river, take a moment to pause and you may well find yourself in the company of a king of the riverside.
FACT FILE: • The average wingspan of a Kingfisher is between 24 and 26cm. • Kingfisher chicks can eat between 12 and 18 fish a day while still in the nest. • When building their nests, rather than heading for the trees, Kingfishers will burrow into the soft soil along the riverbank, making a hole roughly 60-90cm long. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
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Wild Dorset
Image: Paul Newman
FROM SOIL TO THE SEA
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Neville Copperthwaite, Independent Marine Consultant and Project Coordinator
t has long been said that February is the border between winter and spring when those grey winter days no longer seem quite so endless. Sea temperatures are at their lowest in Lyme Bay, well below 10 degrees Celsius, and the incidence of biting easterly winds is higher than usual; if you are a fisherman, this is significant. Fishing folklore tells us that, ‘Wind from the east, fish bite the least; Wind from the west, the fish bite the best!’ My father used to tell me this when I was a child and my experience subsequently bears this out, although it completely baffles me how fish on the bottom of the ocean can tell which way the wind is 26 | Bridport Times | February 2018
blowing. And anyway, why should the wind direction matter? I have never been able to find a scientific explanation for this enigma but nevertheless it exists and it will continue to perplex me. Jamie Smith is one of the West Bay fishermen who braves the adverse conditions by working throughout the winter, although he says February is his least favourite month. Jamie has been fishing out of West Bay for thirty years; prior to this, his background was as a tenanted farmer for the National Trust, the family farm being located near Golden Cap overlooking the sea. The increasing financial hardship associated with tenant
farming drove Jamie to look for another way of life and, never one to shy away from a challenge, he chose fishing. Jamie’s boat is called Valiron and is the very clean and tidy vessel moored alongside the quay, his pride and joy! Weather permitting, he will cast-off at dawn and return to port before dusk to make the most of the short daylight hours. Dressed in four layers of clothes under oilskins, waterproof gloves and wellie boots, it will be a hard day’s slog for him. And clearing nets in a rolling boat at sea is not without its dangers; as Jamie pointed out, nets are designed to catch things and that includes wedding rings, watches and buckles so he is careful to remove these before he starts. Towed gear – trawls and dredges – is banned in much of Lyme Bay but Jamie can use static nets placed on the seabed to catch flatfish, Dover sole, skate, turbot and the less common lemon sole at this time of the year. What Jamie calls the round fish - cod, pollack, channel whiting – are in very good condition but local plaice have been in particularly poor condition for the past year. Quizzing him about what might be the cause of this, he said that the severe storms during the winter of 2014 had completely scoured the reefs and surrounding areas in Lyme Bay. It was like a ‘reset’ of the seabed of which young mussel beds were quick to take advantage, colonise and thrive. Mussels are the primary food source of plaice and the following couple of years saw an increase in the quality of the plaice Jamie was landing. However, since then he has noticed that, locally, the quality has declined proportionally with the growth of ground-seaweed. Jamie knows this because his nets are fouled more and more by the weed, a fluffy cotton wool type of weed which smothers the seabed including the mussel beds thereby denying the plaice their food source. With his farming background, Jamie feels he is qualified to give an opinion on the cause of this. As it is relatively localised, he feels it is not unreasonable to suggest that nutrient runoffs from farmland are making their way down the River Brit which discharges into West Bay Harbour and out to sea. The nutrients then promote growth of the ground-seaweed. I mentioned to him that the River has enjoyed massive water quality improvement in recent years with
the removal of most sewage discharges and Jamie agreed with this, citing the return of salmon to the river, in particular a ten-pounder that was caught in the river near Palmers Brewery. But, he says, this is only half the job and points out that re-routing sewer systems is a relatively easy solution compared to addressing the problems of nutrient runoff from fields and pollution from road runoff. ‘It is one of those big problems that we should all be thinking about.’ An interesting species that move inshore during February is the Lumpsucker. I know beauty is in the eye of the beholder but it really is an ugly looking, lumpy-shaped fish! Being mainly a deep-water fish, they are not that prolific inshore even at this time of year but some are caught in nets as bycatch. They don’t make for good eating but, unfortunately for the Lumpsucker, it is its eggs that are of interest to us. They are known as the poor man’s caviar and presented either dyed red or black. The eggs are then bottled in glass jars and can be purchased in supermarkets or delicatessens. A more recent use for Lumpsuckers has been found as cleaner fish for the salmon farming industry. Lumpsuckers caught in the wild must be kept alive in seawater and transported a few miles along the coast to Portland where a hatchery has been established. Once the young Lumpsuckers have spawned in the hatchery, the parent fish are tagged and returned to the sea, while the young Lumpsuckers are grown-on and then transported to Scottish salmon farms where they will feed on the lice that infest the gills of the salmon. West Bay Harbour news is that its infrastructure has received some TLC during the last few months by way of a newly refurbished fisherman’s wharf, including derrick cranes to make life easier for fishermen to unload their catch. Fishermen also have a swanky new chiller facility into which fish can be unloaded straight from the boats, ensuring increased quality of catch. The chiller facility was paid for in part by the European Union and in part by The Blue Marine Foundation, a marine conservation charity. It’s a fine example of the fishing industry, the local community and conservation groups pulling together. Community spirit at its best.
he will cast-off at dawn and return to port before dusk to make the most of the short daylight hours
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Wild Dorset
LIFE ON THE EDGE Adam & Ellen Simon, Tamarisk Farm
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inter is the quiet time for a mixed farm. Next year’s crops are either safely in the ground or, like our spring barley, waiting until spring to be sown, and the ewes and cows are still pregnant for another month or two. It’s the lull before the storm of late nights, early mornings and constant supervision of calving and lambing. So winter is a time to catch up on other jobs that have slipped by throughout the rest of the year: clearing gateways and footpaths, tidying the tools and workshops, repairing fences and stiles, cutting back hedges. Perhaps most excitingly, it’s the season to plant trees. This may seem confusing – why plant during the cold season? Surely it needs to be sunny and warm to help them grow? Trees go dormant during the cold months - the sap hasn’t yet “risen” - which makes this the time when working with trees is the least stressful to them. Planting trees is definitely not one of the easy jobs. You are outside in the winter weather which may be bright clear sun but is often wind, with sudden sea squalls that can come with no warning. Sometimes you are working in frozen ground, often in wet clay which sticks to your boots and your spade. Deer and rabbits like to eat the young trees and our own horses, sheep and cattle will do also given the chance, so trees we put in are therefore given tree guards and fenced away from livestock - all more work. But, like so many aspects of 28 | Bridport Times | February 2018
farming, aching muscles and wind-swept hair are part of working outdoors, which we relish, and the reward of sitting by the fire with a hot cup of tea, knowing that the fruits of our labours will stand for many years makes it all worthwhile. There is an old adage: “The best time to plant trees is twenty years ago, the second-best time is now.” We have tried to work to that adage, and are now enjoying the benefit of those who did so before us. We do this despite the fact that West Bexington is not tree-growing country. We have salt winds from the sea. They nip off fresh growth when it comes in the spring; they tear off heavy, leafy branches when they come in the summer. In autumn and winter they blast all the seaward buds or simply blow the trees down. Woods planted just over the hill in the Bride Valley will mature in half the time that ours will. But the more we plant the more shelter there is, meaning we can plant even more new trees which will then grow better. We think that’s a good thing, no matter how long it takes. Britain used to be more tree-covered and we believe that, even here, the scrub and low trees are the natural habitat. We also know that woody plants can be part of both working to counter climate change and mitigating its effects, so we are continuing the tree and hedge planting project started in the 1960s by Arthur and Josephine. We started then by growing trees which we knew
could manage the sea winds and were quick-growing. In this phase we planted things like cypresses and poplars. Through this, the vegetable and fruit areas are now all protected by mature trees. We moved on to enhancing the hedges that were here and planting new ones. We imitated the natural tree and shrub population, putting in species like wild thorn trees, wayfarer’s tree, crab apples and dog-rose, all offering berries for winter birds, a few hazels, ash and honeysuckle - not a tree but a glorious scented part of British hedges. Now most of our hedgerows are 4m-10m wide havens for wildlife and provide plenty of shelter for our sheep and cattle from the prevailing south-westerly wind. In 2000 the Dorset branch of the International Tree Federation joined us to plant some trees to acknowledge the Millennium. The small woodland planted then is beginning to feel like a real and wonderful space and we are starting to think about grazing it a little to reduce bramble growth and raise the canopy. We pruned the old orchard and increased its area with local and heritage varieties of apples and pears, with some damsons, quinces and cherries. We’d like to try more cherries but the birds eat more of them than we do! Next, we started to grow the trees we really wanted rather than the ones we needed. In this phase of our tree-planting project, we planted chestnut, hazel, holly, rowan, larch, wild pear and bullaces but
what we have taken most pleasure in is oak. We have young oaks putting their heads above the thorn trees, with exquisite golden-brown leaves in the spring. We know they will never grow good timber here where the sea-winds will stunt them, but no-one plants oak to make money for themselves, though they may hope it may provide some for their descendants. We did it for the oak’s contribution to the natural environment - they support the greatest range of invertebrates of all trees in Britain - and for their beauty. We are now, under fresh inspiration from the next generation, thinking about planting trees within the grassland as well as around it, hoping to offer more shelter for stock, protection for the grass sward and development of the soil. We are wondering about new species such as the black locust which has the added benefit of providing forage and fixing nitrogen in the soil. This year, though, our greatest pleasure will probably be in the new plum trees. These are well known varieties: Victoria, Marjorie’s Seedling and Early Rivers. We anticipate future generations finding these in years to come and reaching up in delight for the luscious fruit. Tamarisk Farm is an organic mixed farm on the coast near Bridport offering farm walks, open days, workshops and produce. tamariskfarm.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 29
Outdoors
RESCUING RAPTORS Martin Ballam
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his month we would like to give you an idea of some of the private rescue work undertaken by us here at Xtreme Falconry. Although we have a collection of birds of prey to look after, exercise, breed and generally maintain, there is also an ever-increasing number of rescue birds of both captive and wild origin. As we mentioned in last month’s article on Mia the golden eagle, we are constructing a sanctuary and visitor centre to be opened this year. From the outset however, we decided to designate an area of the site to a bird of 30 | Bridport Times | February 2018
prey hospital and rehabilitation aviary section. This has been privately funded until now, with kind donations from generous members of the public and supportive children and staff of a school, plus a grant from Wessex Watermark, which was amazing. Unfortunately, our grant application to the Dorset Leader Grant for help with our amazing project was unsuccessful, however we have the building in place and aviaries for rehab going up. Fifteen aviaries are required and we currently have funding for seven.
Regarding the wild birds, we have taken in many different species mostly from veterinary surgeries. There has been a high proportion of buzzards with various injuries, mainly from collisions with cars. Eye trauma, wing breaks and fractures, and foot injuries are most common. Most of the 15 buzzards brought to us have been released after lengthy treatment, with 9 months being the longest! One bird remains in the hospital with an ongoing foot problem. Another common patient is the wonderful tawny
owl, although rarely as an adult. We mainly have babies. So many are picked up from woodland paths as little fluffy bundles. If you see one, please don’t as mum and dad are always nearby. Those little fluffy bundles can clamber back up the trees when you are gone. Thankfully all the babies have been reared and released. Adding to the list of species are peregrine falcons, hobby, kestrels, little owl and short-eared Owl… oh, and a red kite. The hobby is one of our favourite British raptors. It’s a small falcon that visits England to breed and mainly predates on insects such as dragonflies. Resembling a peregrine in colour, apart from its red trousers, it is the same size as a kestrel but amazingly more manoeuvrable. We still have one with us under re-hab. The hobby story was a strange one. A member of the public found the bird wrapped in a towel in a box in a public nature park. The bird was collected by us from another wildlife rescue (specialising in animals) but unfortunately it was too late in the year to release after its re-hab as the migration to Africa had finished, so the bird will stay until April and then it’s back to the wild. Now for captive origin birds of prey. This is an evergrowing problem. In September 2017 alone we took in 21 birds of varying species, some of which were to be euthanised due to age, species and generally no-one willing to take them on… so we took them on! The ongoing problem is birds being lost, abandoned and sometimes confiscated. One notable bird found locally was a cross-bred peregrine x saker falcon. This was a female bird with some equipment hanging from it and attached in the most inappropriate way. It was picked up by a keeper who called me immediately. The outcome is that nobody has claimed it, even after 18 months. The bird is lucky to be alive and is now permanently with us. Other regular species are the Harris hawk and barn owl. Sadly, there are far too many people breeding and selling to other people with little or no experience. I have personally re-captured many Harris’ over the years, the last one being about a month ago. The ongoing work to look after all these birds continues and I will write an update on the Hobby when it is released. In the meantime, we have also taken in six musk turtles, a bearded dragon, a guinea pig and eight rabbits and, before you ask… no, they are not bird food! Just a few animals in need of homes and sanctuary. Watch this space for further news… xtremefalconry. co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 31
Outdoors
A husband, St Catherine A handsome one, St Catherine A rich one, St Catherine A nice one, St Catherine And soon, St Catherine (Traditional prayer used at St Catherine’s Chapel by women in search of a husband)
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On Foot
ABBOTSBURY, SWANNERY AND ST CATHERINE’S CHAPEL Emma Tabor & Paul Newman
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ach month we devise a walk for you to try with the family (including four-legged members) and point out a few interesting things along the way, be it flora, fauna, architecture, history, the unusual, and sometimes the unfamiliar. This month we take you on an invigorating circular walk around Abbotsbury and some of its surrounding hills, with views over the Swannery, home to the world’s only managed colony of nesting mute swans. The walk also allows a detour to the western end of Chesil Beach before returning via a short climb to visit St Catherine’s Chapel. Distance: 4 1/4 miles Time: Approx. 2 1/2 hours Parking: Rodden Row (fees apply) Walk Features: Good views of the Fleet and Western end of Chesil Beach, the Swannery and St Catherine’s Chapel Refreshments: The Ilchester Arms, Abbotsbury >
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Directions
1 Start – Grid Ref: SY578851, the car park at Rodden Row. It is well worth visiting the Tithe Barn and Priory remains which are a short walk from the car park, either at the beginning or end of your walk. 2 Turn right out of the car park onto the B3157 and head past the Swan Inn. Cross over the road then walk along a pavement in front of a row of cottages. When this runs out, you will need to cross back over the road and follow it for 300 metres, heading towards and then past some green cottages. This short section of road can, at times, be busy so please take care. After the cottages, look for a gateway on the right, just after a barn. Head down the track, which goes slightly right, then aim for the grove of trees on the hill ahead. Cross a brook, go through a gate and follow the footpath sign (not the bridleway to the left). Go to the right of the hedge, up the hill towards the copse. 3 Follow the copse around to the right and you will come across a stile. You can cross this to continue uphill through the copse and emerge further up the field or go around the edge of the copse via a metal gate. Please be aware that when this walk was completed, the right of way here was not clearly marked. Once you reach the other side of the copse, walk up to the brow of the hill, with a drystone wall on your left. Look back at this point to see fine views of St Catherine’s Chapel. From the brow, drop down to meet a gateway and stile in the corner of the field. Go over the stile and turn right; you will then be on the South West Coast Path. Follow the path towards the Chapel with fine views over the Swannery, Chesil Beach and the Fleet. Look out for the Decoy pond behind the Swannery. The Fleet, the name given to the lagoon, was used to test a prototype of Barnes Wallis’s Bouncing Bomb. 4 Walk along the ridge to reach a stile and then begin a steep and meandering descent through grassed-over quarry workings. This twists at the bottom to meet the corner of a drystone wall. As the wall turns away to the left, there is a stone stepped stile. Cross this into a field, turn right and keep the hedge and wall on
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your right to head downhill to a signpost by a bend in the road. Turn right onto the road, past some farm buildings and then slightly uphill to the Swannery car park. (Please note that if you want to visit the Swannery it opens mid-March). Bear left to pass the entrance to the Swannery then head up a private road and look for a signpost for the Coastal Path and Tropical Gardens. Turn left to go through some trees, over a brook and stile, emerging into a field. 5 Turn left and follow the footpath around the bottom of the hill (do not take the footpath straight ahead of you). The route now skirts the edge of the Swannery grounds. The path reaches a drystone wall; go over a stile into the next field and continue around the base of the hill, keeping the Fleet to your left. Here you can look across to the reed beds surrounding the Swannery and you will also notice ‘dragon’s teeth’, concrete tank trap defences from WWII, at the end of Chesil Beach. Look out for terns here in the summer. Continue along the footpath to reach a stile beneath another hill lined with Strip Lynchets, ancient field systems. 6 Go over this to meet a path by a brook. You have the option to turn left and take a detour to Chesil Beach here. If not taken, turn right and follow the path which continues to lead around Chapel Hill with signs back towards Abbotsbury. After a few yards the path becomes a track with red bricks embedded in its surface. Keep on this track and, as it curves around Chapel Hill, beneath trees, you will meet a gate made from blue girders and a signpost directing you right towards the village. Take this direction and follow a tree-lined track. After 1/3 mile, just past a farm building on your right, go through a kissing-gate to climb towards St Catherines’ Chapel. There are good views from here over Abbotsbury village, the Tithe Barn and Abbey remains as well as surrounding hills. Go back down to the kissing-gate and pick up the track which will take you back to the B3157. Turn right and follow this through the village centre, back to the car park. paulnewmanartist.com
Musical Instruments • CDs DVDs • New Vinyl • Accessories DAB Radios • Music Books Styli & much more 33a South Street Bridport DT6 3NY T. 01308 425707 info@bridportmusic.co.uk www.bridportmusic.co.uk Twitter: @BridportMusic
Chris Chapman
Bespoke Kitchens & Furniture 9 The Square Beaminster Dorset DT8 3AW 01308 861121 kitchens@chrischapmanltd.co.uk www.chrischapmanltd.co.uk
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LEAKERS BAKERY
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Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies
t was a sunny Friday morning when I visited Caroline Parkins at Leakers Bakery. It had been an early start and as I wandered down the pavement towards the shop I was met by the dependably delicious smell of freshly baked bread. This Georgian shop front, with its high bow windows and traditional 1950s fittings, is stacked top to bottom with an eye-popping variety of breads and cakes. On the day I arrived one of the two ovens had suffered an electrical failure the night before and Caroline, a sprightly 70-year-old, had been roused late at night to solve the problem. Luckily, they could manage with just one oven operating and the bread had been loaded as usual at 5am, destined for deliveries and markets across Devon, Dorset and Somerset. >
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Caroline bought Leakers in 2002. ‘I knew Bridport because I used to camp at Eype for holidays,’ she explains. Originally, she had put in an offer on a building in South Street but the vendors took it off the market. She said to the agent, ‘Oh what a shame, I was going to put an oven in and bake,’ and the agent had replied, ‘Bake? I know just the place for you!’ The company began in 1914 when the premises were bought by a Mr G.S. Leaker - there were at least six Leakers in the town at that time. He was a master baker and Leakers became an ‘upmarket’ bakers that provided wedding breakfasts, cakes and confectionery. In time Mr Leaker passed the bakery on to his son John, but he died young, leaving his wife to run the bakery. When Caroline took over the bakery their three daughters told her of the days when they would knead the dough by walking barefoot on it in the doughboy. ‘His eldest daughter, Jo, is amazing; she still makes our apple cake according to the original Leakers recipe to this day,’ adds Caroline. 38 | Bridport Times | February 2018
What brought Caroline to baking was her belief that ‘everyone should have a choice’ in what they eat. She firmly believes that ‘good does not have to be expensive,’ that bread is the basic staple of life, that it should be made by hand in a slow process using no additives and just a simple mix of water, salt and flour (and yeast). ‘You really don’t need sugar and fat,’ she adds. ‘But really I started because there wasn’t any choice in a supermarket and I always look for honesty in ingredients.’ ‘All our organic flour comes from Stoates Cann Mill in Shaftesbury,’ she continues, ‘the other flour comes from Heygates Flour Mills in Bristol who have supplied Leakers for over 50 years. Wherever we can, we source locally, although it’s very time-consuming because of the mileage and you have to be committed. We are very lucky because we have five delivery vans and a market van which are all over Dorset every day, so they can collect supplies.’ She adds that some of her suppliers have recently retired which makes things harder, ‘But the fact is the smaller the business you are, the harder it is to
assemble the local ingredients.’ Each night her small business produces over 1500 pieces – that’s with 6-7 bakers, 2 in the kitchen, Jo Leaker making the apple cakes and Pam Good, who has been with Leakers for over 30 years, on sandwich duty. Ably assisted at the front of the shop is the effervescent Claire West. Claire joined Leakers as a Saturday girl in her teens, left to study teaching and has since returned as shop manager. Another Jo (Dobbs) manages production and wholesale. ‘This is a team business,’ says Caroline, proudly, ‘we are really like a big family.’ The wonderful thing about Caroline is her honesty. Although they are most certainly artisan bakers there is no pretension. ‘I am not interested in bread being “important” I think everyone should make their own bread and render me useless.’ On the day Caroline and I shared a cup of tea, my father-in-law was seriously ill – the journalist Peter Preston who died the following day – and Caroline gave me a delicious flapjack to steady my nerves and
told me of when she lost her father at just 16. He had been an actor and her mother a model, and theirs was a bohemian life in London. Caroline was born at St George’s Hospital on Hyde Park Corner and grew up in bombed-out Kensington, when Notting Hill Gate was just a blackened pile of rubble. When older, she would trip down to Portobello Road to work on a stall. She worked for a while in antiques and it took her away from London, but Caroline returned to Portobello Road in her 40s and it was while there that catering caught her eye. ‘I was back working on a stall and getting rather bored, while upstairs in the arcade a couple of girls were running a café and not doing it very well. One day I cheekily asked if I could take it over, and they agreed and handed in their notice. They seemed relieved. So, there I was with a café. I would cook on Fridays and run the café on Saturdays [when the market was open]. I’d cook a ham with an orange and honey crust, scones, breakfast, and a frittata for lunch, and did very well for a year or so.’ > bridporttimes.co.uk | 39
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Next, she moved to Devizes with her then partner and began to make scones for a market stall. One day a man bought her scones and wanted her phone number (which at the time was seen as rather risqué). As it turned out it was Michael Pitts from Stones – an avant-garde vegetarian restaurant in the middle of Avebury Stone Circle that Michael ran with his partner, Hilary Howard - and he asked Caroline to come and work for him. ‘Well it was all very atmospheric,’ she adds, ‘because the electricity was affected by the stone circle, so it would flicker and sizzle.’ However, after nine months her mother became sick and Caroline gave up work to care for her. ‘After she died, I felt I wasn’t finished with baking but got fed up with waiting to find the right place, so it was after the holiday at Eype that I decided on Bridport. It was then that I found the place in South Street that fell through and the agent mentioned the bakery,’ she explains. ‘I believe in fate. I saw the ancient oven here and I knew that if I didn’t buy the bakery some developer would and then tear the whole place down, so I bought it. There has been a baker’s here since the 17th century; it is opposite what was once The Globe pub and pubs and bakeries always go together because of the yeast. I couldn’t let it go.’ A narrow alleyway runs along the side of Leakers and Caroline’s joy in its atmosphere is palpable. ‘Just the other day I heard a little girl say to her Dad, “Ooh Dad look, there’s a secret alley.” Isn’t that just wonderful?’ Clearly her neighbourhood is very important to Caroline. She is part of the Bridport Local Food Group, a committee of volunteers who are dedicated to supporting and promoting the area’s local food and drink businesses and producers. It also started the Bridport Food Festival. They run other local projects such as recently raising funds for a community cooking kit. Food Future Bridport is another endeavour close to her heart. ‘Food is a mood changer and not always good,’ she says, ‘you have to watch what you eat.’ Through these campaigns they have worked to encourage people to look at food through different eyes. ‘Baking was irresistible to someone like me,’ she explains. Caroline is a natural provider who knows her own mind and is passionate about what she does. I suspect that she is also a rock in times of need and that is why so many of her employees, particularly women, stay with her for so long. But it’s also why a morning spent breaking bread with her was such a joy; her energy is infectious. leakersbakery.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 43
st Bexington We
THE
CLUB HOUSE
Reopening 9th February Valentine's Day at The Club House Wednesday 14th February
The Bridge House - Bridport, Dorset Accommodation & Cellar Bar
Under new ownership 01308 423371 info@bridgehousebridport.co.uk 115 East Street, Bridport, Dorset DT6 3LB www.bridgehousebridport.co.uk
44 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Mothering Sunday lunch (12pm - 3pm) or high tea (3pm - 5pm) at The Club House. Complimentary glass of prosecco to all the mums on arrival Sunday 11th March An evening with John ‘Boycie’ Challis, Star of Only Fools and Horses. Book signing from 6pm. Dinner from 7pm. Thursday 26th April Book your seats now bookings@theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk www.theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk
Located on West Street in Bridport, our gelato is freshly made on the premises with the finest quality ingredients including local milk from Jersey cows in the Bride Valley. We have freshly ground illy coffee, Dorset Clipper teas and homemade cakes available too! Eat in or takeaway...we look forward to seeing you soon.
G E L AT E R I A B E P P I N O Oxford House | 33 West Street | Bridport | Dorset DT6 3QW 01308 422 856
www.gelateriabeppino.co.uk
Food & Drink
POACHED LEEK AND DORSET BLUE VINNY TART
Gill Meller, River Cottage
Image: Simon Wheeler 46 | Bridport Times | February 2018
B
efore I started working at River Cottage I had my own small business called “kitchen”. I made food for events and gatherings of one sort or another. My business was based just outside Bridport, near the sleepy village of Nettlecombe. The space had been a lambing shed but, with a few tweaks here and a bit of pipe-work there, it became a fully operational kitchen. I always made a point of sourcing my ingredients from people I knew, and in doing so I forged relationships with smaller growers, farmers and producers that I still have today. I remember driving up to Sturminster Newton to buy Dorset Blue Vinny straight from the farm. A wonderful, full-flavoured blue cows’ cheese, Dorset Blue Vinny could once be found in nearly every farmhouse in the county. Now, however, it’s only made at Woodbridge Farm. On the second Saturday of every month I’d take my wares down to the Bridport Farmers’ Market which was (and still is) held at the Arts Centre on South Street. My stall (a rickety trestle table) would comprise things I’d made back at the kitchen, and one of my top sellers was a poached leek and Dorset Blue Vinny tart: crumbly shortcrust pastry filled with leeks poached in butter, grated Blue Vinny and a rich custard made with egg yolks and double cream. I was so fond of this delicious tart that I really didn’t mind if it didn’t sell-out - it is sensational eaten cold. Serves 4–6 Ingredients
For the shortcrust pastry: 250g plain flour 125g unsalted butter A pinch of sea salt 1 medium egg yolk 25–50ml cold milk For the filling: 2 large or 3 medium leeks (about 500g), trimmed of tough green leaves, washed and sliced into 1cm rounds A knob of unsalted butter 100g Dorset Blue Vinny or other good blue cheese, grated 2 medium eggs 2 medium egg yolks 350ml double cream Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Method
1 First make the pastry. Put the flour, butter and salt in a food processor and pulse until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs. Add the egg yolk, then pour in the milk in a gradual stream. Watch carefully and stop adding the milk as soon as the dough starts to come together. Turn out and knead lightly a couple of times, then wrap in cling film. Chill for half an hour. 2 On a lightly floured surface, roll the pastry out quite thinly and use to line a 25cm loose-based tart tin, letting the excess pastry hang over the edges. Line the pastry case with greaseproof paper, fill with baking beans and place in an oven preheated to 170°C/Gas Mark 3. Bake blind for 20 minutes, then take the tart out of the oven. Remove the paper and beans, lightly prick the base all over with a fork and return to the oven for 5 minutes, until the base is dry but not too coloured. Carefully trim off the excess pastry with a small, sharp knife. 3 Turn the oven temperature up to 180°C/Gas Mark 4. 4 To make the filling, put the leeks into a saucepan with 100ml water, the butter and some salt and pepper. Bring to a low simmer, then cover and cook gently, stirring once or twice, for about 10 minutes, until just tender. Drain well, reserving the cooking liquor. Spread the cooked leeks in the tart case and cover with the grated cheese. 5 Put the eggs and egg yolks, cream and leek liquor in a bowl and beat until smooth. Season to taste, then pour this custard over the cheese and leeks. Put the tart back into the oven and bake for about 30 minutes – the custard should be just set when you gently shake the tin. Serve warm or cold. This recipe features in River Cottage Every Day published by Bloomsbury and available from rivercottage.net. Why not try a winter dining experience at River Cottage? You’ll enjoy four courses of River Cottage local and seasonal fare, planned on the day to showcase the freshest and the best. Bridport Times reader offer: Get £20 off Friday and Saturday night dining in February and March when you quote BTDINE20. For more details and to book see rivercottage.net or call Tamsyn in the Events Team on 01297 630302.
bridporttimes.co.uk | 47
Food & Drink
RHUBARB FOOL WITH PISTACHIO BISCOTTI
O
Cass Titcombe, Brassica Restaurant
ne might think the winter months can’t yield a great deal of inspiration for chefs but this is definitely not the case - from hearty root vegetables to robust greens and sweet citrus, this season offers a surprising range of flavours and possibilities. At Brassica we believe rhubarb is the most diverse and versatile of vegetables bringing a welcome and refreshing brightness to our cooking at this time of year. We have extended our love of rhubarb by using Jobs Handtryck’s vintage design from the 1960’s - ‘Rhubarber’ heavy hand-printed linen - in the décor throughout our 48 | Bridport Times | February 2018
restaurant. Like us, the Swedish believe the vegetable is not only beautiful in colour but provides certain optimism in the darker months. In winter months we are limited to Yorkshire rhubarb with its delicate pink stems which are forced and grown in sheds without light. It is famously hand-picked by candlelight to ensure that the tender fuchsia pink stems are not turned green and hard by photosynthesis. It was grown in an area known as the Yorkshire triangle, originally comprising Leeds, Wakefield and Bradford, at the height of its production in the early part
of last century. This has now shrunk and covers a much smaller area between Wakefield, Morley and Rothwell, which in 2010 was awarded a Protected Designation of Origin status to safeguard the twelve remaining farms. Yorkshire rhubarb will therefore feature on our restaurant menu for as long as it is in season - usually until early March. Rhubarb’s versatility - once cooked you can purée the stems with the cooking liquid and mix with your favourite sparkling wine for delicious Bellini – a firm favourite apéritif with our customers! You could also cook more rhubarb than you need and chill in the fridge to serve for breakfast with yoghurt or on top of a bowl of porridge. For an interesting alternative to apple sauce for roast pork, thinly slice a handful of rhubarb stalks and sprinkle with 1 tsp sea salt. Bring to the boil 250ml cider vinegar with 250ml water, 100g sugar and a teaspoon each of black mustard seeds and onion seeds. Pour the boiling liquid over the fruit and stir, cover with clingfilm and leave overnight. Store in Kilner jars in the fridge until needed. Pistachio Biscotti
100g shelled pistachio nuts 100g egg whites 100g castor sugar 100g plain flour 1/2 tsp fennel seeds Big pinch sea salt flakes 1 Whisk egg whites in a kitchen aid or similar for 1 minute until stiff, slowly pour in sugar and whisk for 10 minutes. 2 Remove bowl from machine and fold in flour and then nuts. 3 Line a baking sheet with baking parchment and pour mix onto sheet in a long, loaf-like shape, sprinkle salt and seeds on top. 4 Bake at 160c for 30 minutes. 5 Cool down on a rack. 6 These can be wrapped and stored in the fridge until ready to be baked. 7 To finish, cut into slices across 2-3mm thick and bake on a baking sheet for 10-15 mins at 160c until golden. Rhubarb
400g Yorkshire rhubarb 100g castor sugar
1 blood orange 1 small piece of fresh ginger 8 Wash rhubarb and cut into 2cm long pieces. 9 Peel 3 strips from the orange and squeeze the juice. 10 Cut the ginger into slices. 11 Toss all together and place in a shallow, oven-proof tray and cover with foil. 12 Cook in the oven at 150c until just tender (check every 10 minutes) - this will take 20-30 mins but may vary depending on the thickness of the rhubarb. 13 When it’s ready, remove from the oven, allow to cool and chill until needed. Custard
100ml double cream 50g castor sugar 300ml milk 1 vanilla pod 50g egg yolks 20g cornflour 14 Split vanilla pod and scrape out seeds, place in pan with milk and cream, bring to the boil and then remove from heat and leave to infuse for 30 minutes. 15 Whisk egg yolks with cornflour and sugar. 16 Bring infused milk back to a simmer and pour over yolk mix, pour back into pan and put on a medium heat and whisk until it simmers. Cook for a few minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat and strain. 17 Pour into a bowl, place a piece of greaseproof paper over the surface to prevent a skin from forming and cool. Assemble
300ml double cream 75ml rhubarb cooking juice 18 Strain the rhubarb and keep the fruit and juice separately (any remaining cooking liquid makes a great cordial). 19 Whisk until it’s starting to thicken but still in soft peaks, gently fold in the custard and then the chunks of rhubarb. 20 Spoon into individual glasses or one large glass bowl and chill for at least 3 hours. Serve with the biscotti. brassicarestaurant.co.uk brassicamercantile.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 49
Food & Drink
THE CLUB HOUSE
M
West Bexington
oving on from its days as a modest seaside café serving cream teas and ice-cream to local beach-goers and locals alike, The Club House has emerged triumphant after an exciting 3-month renovation which paid careful attention to preserving the historic charm of this 1930’s bungalow. With a successful spring/summer season under its belt, the restaurant will be reopening for its second season on 9th February, just in time for Valentine’s Day, and with a string of exciting events up its sleeve. ‘We’re so excited at the success we’ve had in just one summer and love knowing that the locals enjoy the experience of walking through the village to enjoy a meal and a cocktail or two before walking themselves home again afterwards.’ The ethos at The Club House has always been to provide a relaxed atmosphere with a
‘members club’ feel, where the customer can enjoy fine food and wine without having to dress to the nines. They can also enjoy a healthy portion of local, seasonal produce for a very reasonable price tag. When asked, chefs Mark Kick and Charlie Soole said that they love nothing more than working right next to the beach, with a stunning sea view right from the kitchen. This is from where they draw their inspiration. Mark, a local boy by descent, and Charlie, a globetrotter of sorts, both share a passion for foraged ingredients. Customers can look forward to an exciting season of local (foraged where possible) seasonal food, a gin tasting or two and perhaps a few masterclasses along the way. They leave us with this seasonal seafood recipe to get us excited about what 2018 has to offer!
FILLET OF COD WITH CREAMED SEA BEET AND ASPARAGUS Mark Kick and Charlie Soole Sea beet and asparagus can be found in spring at around the same time and go really well together. The sweetness of the asparagus and the slight saltiness of the sea beet really complement each other. Sea beet can be found around the coast or in salt marsh areas. If you can’t find sea beet you can substitute it with baby spinach. Serves 4 Ingredients
4 x 200g cod fillets 12-16 asparagus spears 500g sea beet washed and stalks cut off 50g butter 250ml fish stock 250ml white wine 250ml double cream sea salt Method
1 To make the creamed sea beet put the white wine and fish stock in a pan and reduce to about 100ml. Add the cream and simmer until it has reduced to about half. 50 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the sea beet for 30 seconds. You must do this otherwise your sauce will turn black. Carefully remove from the pan, squeeze out any excess water and add to the cream. Put into a liquidiser and blend until you have a smooth consistency. Put this in a clean pan and set aside. 2 Season and oil the cod fillets and place skin side down in a hot frying pan. Turn the cod fillets over and put straight into an oven set at 180 degrees Celsius. Bake for 5-6 minutes until cooked through. 3 Bring a large pan of salted water to the boil. Cut the woody ends off the asparagus and place the spears in the pan of salted water for about 2 minutes. You want the asparagus to be al dente. Drain the spears and then carefully slice in 2 on the diagonal. Warm the sauce through and add the butter while stirring. Spoon a good amount of the sauce on a plate, place a cod fillet on the sauce and dress with the asparagus. Drizzle with a little extra-virgin rapeseed oil. theclubhousewestbexington.co.uk
Images: Katherine Newman bridporttimes.co.uk | 51
Yoga classes and workshops for all 07792 056019 yogaspacebridport.com
Fermentation workshop
Saturday 24th February, 10am - 5pm ÂŁ90 (inc. vegan, gluten-free lunch)
Vinyasa Flow Yoga Tuesday 6:30-7:30 The Bull Hotel, Bridport Yoga@alicechutter.com 07528 575907
To book call 07939 648608 or email franandjudefermenting@gmail.com Council Offices, 8 Fleet Street, Beaminster DT8 3EF Long stay car park at Yarn Barton www.youarewhatyoueat.uk.com
52 | Bridport Times | February 2018
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(BSc hons, mBANT, mCNHC)
tamara@lovinghealthy.co.uk www.lovinghealthy.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 53
Body & Mind
INTENTIONS
“B
Alice Chutter
efore you begin, think about your intention and hold on to it throughout your practice” is a phrase that I regularly offer up at the start of my yoga classes. A moment of pause to consider what you need to get out of your practice and how you want to feel at the end of it. Intention can be a powerful thing. It can fire us up, keep us grounded in what really matters to us or encourage us to be more mindful of our actions instead of just running on autopilot. But on the flip side, framed in an unhelpful way, intentions can become an unnecessary pressure and leave us with a feeling of inadequacy. New Years’ resolutions are a perfect example. You might get an initial burst of motivation but how long does it last? So often resolutions are associated with denying ourselves… giving up something, losing weight, saving money etc. I advocate for making intentions that feel positive and that we are really invested in. Use the opportunity of the New Year or New Moon, the start of the next month or any milestone that works for you to do that thing you daydream about and keep putting off. Reconnect with a friend you love dearly but have lost contact with, plan a travel adventure, set aside some time for your health or study something that lights you up. Break it down into small, manageable steps and take the first one. Telling someone what you’re doing and writing it down can help reinforce it. When we come to our yoga mats we can slow down the chatter of our mind and get back into our hearts, our bodies, our intentions. By focusing on the breath (pranayama), keeping the mind one, pointed and steady (meditation) and moving the body (asanas), yoga works its magic and helps us let go of the fluctuations of the mind. But it really is a “practice” that takes time and dedication. Over the years a regular yoga practice has supported me to realise my intentions – ranging from keeping calm during exams to building stronger relationships to positive childbirth. Yoga has helped me keep close to my true self rather than be unsteadied by the external situation. “Practice and all is coming” Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of Ashtanga Yoga.
54 | Bridport Times | February 2018
Simple 5 minute yoga sequence to tune inwards:
This short sequence takes 5 minutes and works well at any point in the day: 1 Rest for a few breaths in Balasna (child’s pose). Kneel down and shift the weight of your seat back towards your heels as you fold your torso forwards and stretch out your spine. Reach your hands forwards, relax your shoulders and allow the weight of your arms and forehead to rest on the floor. Breathe deeply and focus only on the simple rhythm of your inhale and exhale. Set an intention for your practice. 2 Come up onto all fours and allow your spine to release through some Cat/Cow stretches. As you inhale lift your tail bone, lower your belly, open your chest and look upwards (cow) – as you exhale curve your spine and lower your head down (arching like a cat). Continue this fluid movement and focus particularly on the space in your chest around your heart opening and expanding with every inhale. 3 After 5 rounds of cat/cow stretch move into Adho Mukha Svanasana (downward facing dog) by planting your hands shoulder-distance apart and your feet hip-width apart. Lift your seat high and bring as much weight back into your legs as possible. Pedal your feet to release your hamstrings and then work towards straightening both legs and grounding your heels towards the earth. Take a few deep breaths inhaling through your nostrils and exhaling with a sigh through your mouth. Inhaling Prana, life energy, and exhaling any negative emotions that might be weighing you down or holding you back. 4 Finish by sitting comfortably with your spine tall and chest open. Bring your hands into Anjali mudra (prayer position) in front of your heart and bow your head gently, honouring your intention. Take 5 deep refreshing breaths. Alice is a yoga teacher living and working in Bridport. Her schedule can be found at alicechutter.com
Image: Katharine Davies bridporttimes.co.uk | 55
Body & Mind
FOODS TO BOOST YOUR MOOD Tamara Jones, Nutritional Therapist and Founder, Loving Healthy
W
e all have good days and bad days, but is there a connection between how we feel and the foods we have eaten? Do some foods make us feel worse than others? Is it possible to plan a diet for a good mood? The answer is YES! There’s more and more research indicating that what we eat may affect the way we feel. Improving your diet may help to: • improve your mood • improve concentration • give you more energy Here are some of my favourite happiness-moodboosting tips: Eating Regularly
If your blood sugar drops you might feel tired, irritable, fatigued or depressed. Eating regularly and choosing foods that release energy slowly will help to keep your 56 | Bridport Times | February 2018
blood-sugar levels steady. • Try foods that release energy slowly such as foods high in protein - nuts and seeds, oats and wholegrains. • Avoid alcohol and other stimulants as these can trigger the release of cortisol (stress hormone) and play havoc with your blood-sugar levels. • Try eating smaller portions spaced out more regularly throughout the day. • Avoid foods which make your blood sugar rise and fall rapidly, such as sweets, biscuits and sugary drinks. Vitamin D
Low levels of vitamin D are associated with low mood and depression. It is difficult to get sufficient vitamin D in the winter months as the main source is sunlight. It is found in small amounts in mushrooms, liver, egg yolks, full fat dairy and oily fish but you may need to take a supplement over the winter.
keeping your gut healthy can help to keep your brain healthy too. If you’re stressed or anxious this can make your gut slow down or speed up. For healthy digestion include Jerusalem artichokes, leeks, onions, garlic or fermented foods such as sauerkraut, kefir or yogurt. If you are not used to eating these types of food, increase them very gradually, as they may cause wind and bloating. Eat a Rainbow
These colourful super-foods come loaded with brainboosting stuff such as phytonutrients. Especially increase your consumption of dark green leafy vegetables as these contain folate; studies have found folate may reduce the symptoms of depression because it is used by the brain to produce feel-good hormones such as serotonin and dopamine. Good sources to choose from are spinach, kale, chard, broccoli and cabbage.
Image: Lara Thorpe
Oily Fish
Your brain is built from fat. And omega-3 fats are the most important building blocks for a healthy brain and cells. Research has shown a link between low levels of omega-3 fatty acids (found in oily fish and some nuts) and depression. The best oily fish are salmon, tuna, mackerel, herring and sardines. Trans-fats
Try to avoid anything which lists 'trans-fats' or ‘partially hydrogenated oils’ in the list of ingredients (such as some shop-bought cakes and biscuits). They can be tempting when you’re feeling low, but this kind of fat isn’t good for your mood or your physical health in the long run. Keep Your Gut Happy
Your gut and your brain use similar chemicals, so
Here is an example of a 1-day meal plan to boost mental health and concentration: Breakfast: Sun-soaked mushrooms with spinach Putting mushrooms in the sun can naturally multiply vitamin D levels, a nutrient essential for regulating mood. Mid-morning snack: 1-2 oatcakes with 1tbsp of nut or seed butter Nut butters are high in healthy fats, protein and fibre, ideal for longer-lasting energy and better mood. Lunch: Mackerel paté with sourdough bread Mackerel contains both EPA and DHA, omega-3 fats that do wonders to boost mood and concentration. Mid-afternoon snack: A handful of blueberries and a small pot of full fat yoghurt Natural yoghurt is filled with probiotics which help create a healthy gut environment; this is linked with a better mood. Evening meal: Roasted sweet potato and avocado salad sprinkled with pumpkin seeds Lower GI foods such as sweet potato will help keep your blood sugars, and thus mood, more stable. Drinks: 1-2 cups water or warm water with lemon (which is caffeine-free). If you think you are suffering from depression tell your GP straight away. Depression is a serious medical condition that should not go untreated. A healthy diet can improve your mood, but it can’t replace professional help. lovinghealthy.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 57
Body & Mind
KITCHEN CUPBOARD HERBAL MEDICINE
D
Caroline Butler, Medical Herbalist BSc (Hons) MNIMH
id you know that most of the herbs and spices you have in your kitchen can also be used medicinally? From coughs to infected cuts, there is an emergency treatment waiting in your cupboards. I sometimes get phone calls from people I know asking what to do until they can see me for a proper consultation for their bruise/rash/infection etc. and, after exhausting the contents of their medicine cabinets, I ask them to go to their kitchens and tell me what they have. This can result in them putting soaked chamomile teabags on inflamed eyes, spreading a paste of turmeric on infected eczema or wrapping a sprained ankle in bruised cabbage leaves. Apart from these short-term treatments, some culinary herbs can be used, in medicinal doses, as part of a long-term herbal prescription for many different conditions. Turmeric is a good example of this. If the powder is mixed with water to make a paste, this can be applied to infected wounds and is very effective. Taken internally, long-term, it has much wider benefits. It has recently become well known as an anti-inflammatory herb, and a lot of positive scientific research has been carried out to investigate its benefit in arthritic conditions. Less research has been done in other areas but, because numerous health problems involve inflammation, turmeric can be useful for many things, from painful arthritic joints to endometriosis. Celery seed is another cooking herb useful in arthritic conditions, and one of the best for gout as it aids the 58 | Bridport Times | February 2018
excretion of waste products in the body that can cause inflammation in the joints. It is also a urinary antiseptic so can be used for cystitis and other urinary tract problems, as long as the kidneys are not involved. Most of the aromatic herbs used in cooking not only add flavour but also help the digestive system. Many of them are carminatives, aiding digestion and easing bloating and wind. Fennel is a strong carminative so using the seeds to make a tea eases indigestion and, like dill, this can be very soothing for babies with colic. The tea is also drunk by nursing mothers to increase milk production and some of the benefits of fennel will be passed to the baby through this milk. Thyme is an excellent herb for treating coughs, especially where the chest feels tight. It relaxes the small airways of the lungs, relieving wheeziness, and helps expel mucus at the same time as fighting the infection. As well as this it is a carminative herb and,
due to its antimicrobial properties, can also be helpful in urinary tract infections. Sage makes a great gargle for sore throats, or mouthwash for mouth ulcers or gum infections. Taken regularly as part of a prescription, it is also a key herb for regulating the hot flushes and sweats that can be associated with the menopause. Rosemary is one of my favourite herbs. As well as being one of the many carminative culinary herbs, a cup of rosemary tea lifts the spirits and helps clear the head, making it useful for enhancing memory and easing headaches. It keeps you alert without the unpleasantly jangled feeling you get from drinking too much coffee, and promotes detoxification processes in your liver which has a knock-on, positive effect on overall health in so many ways. Nausea from travel sickness, or almost any cause, can be relieved by sipping a cup of fresh ginger tea. As a circulatory stimulant it helps warm chilled extremities
and can also ease cramping period pain with its warming, anti-inflammatory and decongestant actions. Lemon and ginger is a classic combination for heavy colds, as it also combines these actions to benefit the nasal passages and sinuses. I can’t think of a single culinary herb that has no health benefit. Cinnamon and fenugreek can both be used for digestive complaints and coughs and colds, and have a role in lowering raised blood sugar levels. The list goes on! These herbs have become part of our culinary traditions not just for flavour but for their overall benefit to our health and wellbeing. For serious medical conditions and during pregnancy, medicinal doses of herbs should not be taken without professional supervision. herbalcaroline.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 59
Wedding Fayre Sunday 18th March 2018
Canapés & Bucks Fizz on arrival. Special discount if you book us as your wedding venue on the day.
Local experts & suppliers including: • Bridal & Menswear • Photography/Videography • Photo booth • Floral Design & Decoration • D.J. • Bands & Entertainment • Jewellery & Accessories • Cakes & Confectionery • Stationery • Hair & Beauty
Visit our on site spa, the Crystal courtyard Call the spa on 01935 483435or speak to them on the day Open from 11:00am to 3:00pm FREE parking and entry. Refreshments available all day Why not book Sunday lunch as well Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430
www.gahotel.co.uk
60 | Bridport Times | February 2018
SOUTH STREET, BRIDPORT 01308 424349
www.animalhousebridport.com
bridporttimes.co.uk | 61
Interiors
IN THE BLEAK MIDWINTER Molly Bruce, Interior Designer
F
ebruary can be gloomy. The time of year when hibernation is beginning to lose its appeal and our need for sunshine starts to make us twitch. I make the most of being stuck indoors by ensuring my environment is a pleasant place to be; bringing vibrancy inside when we cannot find it outside is a healthy way to get through the last stretch of winter. A good project to immerse yourself in over the dark months is to freshen up a neglected space in your home. Introduce some positivity into a room that will bring you joy until spring comes to call. I dare you to choose something in your home and add colour and personality to it. If this idea sounds daunting, try starting small. It may be that you don’t have time to decorate an entire room, but a cluttered corner or an out-of-date, battered-but-useful piece of furniture can be given a simple makeover that you will enjoy and be proud of. Look around your home with fresh eyes and ask, “What can I transform?” What is the first thing you see when you walk into a room that you can make a feature of ? This could be anything from painting a piece of furniture to reupholstering a well-loved chair. Does a cosy corner need a little extra something? Bridport has an amazing selection of outlets selling fabric, paint, wallpapers and unusual pieces that will add spirit to your home. I love finding treasures on market day, and can often be found rummaging through goodies in St. Michael’s Art and Vintage quarter, or the independent interior shops in town. If I can find it locally all the better, and I love breathing new life into old, forgotten pieces with a new coat of paint or a cleanup, wax and polish. Consider the lighting, essential for setting a scene. Don’t settle for one overhead light - illuminate an area with an accent light such as an anglepoise or fairy lights. Chosen well, this is a very affordable way to add character and depth to a room. Colour: where do I start? Colour is magic and a great way to create huge impact. There are so many different qualities and finishes. Don’t be afraid to experiment,
62 | Bridport Times | February 2018
whether it be paint or using colourful accessories for enhancement. Play around. I suggest using sample pots before you cover a large area: paint a board and check the changing light throughout the day before making your final choice. Pattern and texture: it is important to have both when it comes to finishing touches. Use with wallpaper, fabric, lamp shades, cushions and rugs to make your space invitingly tactile and intriguing. House plants and flowers: these are a great way to bring the outside in and create an ambient atmosphere. They are also believed to provide many health benefits such as air purification, and with such a large variety to choose from there is something to suit every taste. However, if you are the sort of person who can kill a plant just by looking at it, there is a huge selection of “faux botanicals” available these days that are very realistic and the only maintenance required is an occasional dust. For further inspiration, try looking at the endless colour combinations to be found in the natural world, my own personal favourite reference library. Also ideas from interiors magazines or Pinterest, although remember to stop and consider if an idea you find will work for you as it is easy to get carried away. Pick out the elements you like and tweak them. Finally, ensure there is a balance to your design and, if it feels too much, consider what is overpowering. You may want to limit your colours if you are finding your design to be too “noisy” and are struggling to see how you can live with it. All things considered, try not to let the fear take hold. Too much doubt can drive you crazy. Trust your instincts; real homes are places that take risks, grow and evolve. Starting small but continuing to add layers is just the beginning to creating a unique space where people will long to be, so have fun and be bold. mollybruce.co.uk Instagram @mollyellenbruce
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DORSET’S LEADING LANDSCAPING COMPANY RHS Silver-Gilt award winning landscapers, covering Bridport and surrounding areas. Sister company to Sherborne Turf and experts in lawn care, garden design and landscaping. www.queenthorne.garden
01935 850848
BEAUTIFUL GARDENS | DESIGNED | BUILT | MAINTAINED 64 | Bridport Times | February 2018
CHARTERHOUSE A u c t i o n e e r s & Va l u e r s
A 1951 Jaguar XK120 Roadster, in current ownership since 1969 £80,000 - £100,000
We are now accepting entries for our forthcoming auctions: Classic & Vintage Motorcycles Sunday 4th February
Classic & Vintage Cars Sunday 11th February
Silver, Jewellery & Watches with a selection of Wine, Port & Whisky Friday 16th February
Contact Richard Bromell or Beverley Garrett for advice and to arrange a home visit The Long Street Salerooms, Sherborne DT9 3BS | 01935 812277 | www.charterhouse-auction.com
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bridporttimes.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 65
Garden
MAKE 2018 THE YEAR OF ‘GROW YOUR OWN’ Charlie Groves, Groves Nurseries
N
othing beats eating crops that you have grown yourself. If you were lucky enough to have started growing your own at an early age, guided by parents or grandparents, then you’ll know the pleasure that eating fresh crops straight from the garden can bring. If you have never grown any of your own fruit or vegetables, make 2018 the year you give it a go. I guarantee you’ll be glad you did when you enjoy sun-sweetened tomatoes straight from the vine or waxy potatoes freshly dug then cooked. If you’ve never grown anything before, the thought may seem overwhelming, but believe me it doesn’t have to be. Allotment waiting lists are growing (no pun intended) and garden sizes are shrinking, but you can easily grow a fantastic selection in containers on a balcony, courtyard or patio. Even a kitchen windowsill 66 | Bridport Times | February 2018
can produce a crop of useful herbs or salad. If you have space to put in a greenhouse or perhaps a polytunnel, this will extend your growing season, but some clever use of cloches or mini-tunnels will also provide some targeted protection. If you have an outdoor area but space is limited then climbing vegetables can be a great solution: runner beans, French beans, even climbing courgettes will all grow upwards, leaving valuable ground space for underplanting. Raised beds are also useful for a smaller garden. The concentrated growing area tends to get warmed by the early spring sun much quicker than a traditional plot and easy access all the way around means that soil isn’t damaged by trampling during the wetter months. Growing from seed is one of the most gratifying ways of growing your own and without doubt provides the
Image: Katharine Davies
most peas for your pound. You also have a far greater choice of varieties than just the usual run-of-the-mill ones. Having said that, if this is your first time and you don’t have space for loads of plants anyway, getting a few plants from the garden centre or nursery can provide you with a great start. You won’t get that heartbreaking moment when you have thirty tomato plants that you don’t know what to do with but that you can’t bear to send to the big compost heap in the sky. These are our ‘Top Ten’ suggestions for easy but rewarding crops for you to try in 2018. 1 Green beans - so easy to grow and prolific. If you get a big crop, they freeze well. Plant seeds directly into the ground for runner, climbing French and dwarf beans when the danger of frost
has gone (generally late April/May onwards) for tasty crops in summer months. 2 Potatoes - classified as either first earlies, second earlies or maincrops. Early varieties are ready to harvest much sooner than maincrops, generally June. First earlies are best for first-time growers; there are fewer pests and diseases to worry about and the new potato flavour is much better when own-grown than when bought from supermarkets. 3 Strawberries - get young plants from the nursery in spring and plant either in the ground, in pots or hanging baskets, choosing either summer-fruiting strawberries that produce a heavy flush of larger fruits in early summer and midsummer or perpetualfruiting strawberries that produce fruit in flushes from early summer all the way through to early autumn. 4 Radishes - so easy to grow from seed as they mature in around four weeks. Just keep on sowing a small patch all season long. 5 Onions and shallots - easiest to grow from sets (small immature bulbs) available at your local garden nursery. Plant them in late winter for a July harvest. Low maintenance, they don’t take up much room and can also be grown in wide containers. 6 Chilli peppers and bell peppers - get these sown as early as you can, i.e. now, in a propagator. For best results they really need to be kept indoors, either in a greenhouse or on a windowsill. 7 Peas - sow directly outdoors March to June. Provide netting or twigs for the tendrils to grow up and water regularly. They’re ready to pick in about 12 weeks so keep sowing for an ongoing harvest. 8 Raspberries - choose either summer- or autumnfruiting varieties or maybe both. If you’re looking for ease then autumn-fruiting varieties are the ones to go for. You don’t have to worry about pruning, just cut the whole bush back when it’s finished fruiting. 9 Herbs - great for beginners and ideal even if you don’t have a garden as they can be grown on your kitchen windowsill. Extremely useful for anyone who cooks to keep a selection of their favourites. 10 Salad crops - there is a wide range of leafy salads and vegetable crops that can be cut and will then sprout (come again). Harvesting the young leaves when you need them prevents plants from maturing and ensures several harvests of small, tender, mildflavoured leaves over a long period of time. grovesnurseries.co.uk bridporttimes.co.uk | 67
The Joinery Works, Alweston Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5HS Tel: 01963 23219 Fax: 01963 23053 Email: info@fcuffandsons.co.uk
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DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF BEAUTIFUL FINE BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 1897
Literature
LITERARY REVIEW Antonia Squire, The Bookshop
Women & Power: A Manifesto by Mary Beard (Profile Books) £7.99 Exclusive Bridport Times Reader Offer of £6.99 at The Book Shop
M
arking the first anniversary of the catastrophic 2016 US election whereby the most qualified woman lost the Electoral College, and thus the US presidency, to the least qualified man, Mary Beard published a manifesto tracing the silencing of women’s voices from classical times to the present day. Immediately hitting the zeitgeist during the burgeoning #metoo movement, this extraordinary treatise not only encapsulates this time and place but also shows how we got here. It is hardly surprising that the male journalists who framed the narrative surrounding Hillary Clinton in 2016 have found themselves voiceless in 2017 after decades of sexual predation. Here in the UK we have had two female occupants of Number 10, and this is where Professor Beard starts: how far we have come even in the past 100 years, and yet “When it comes to silencing women, Western culture has had thousands of years of practice.” This is a small book, but it packs a punch far above its weight. Crafted from two lectures the professor delivered in 2014 and 2017, both after receiving appalling misogynistic online abuse, which she continues to endure, she begins where she is most knowledgeable – in classical times. Part one deals with women’s voices in public. Part two, women in power. 3000 years ago Homer wrote The Odyssey - ostensibly the story of Odysseus but also of Penelope and their son Telemachus, who is the first to tell his mother her voice is not welcome in the public sphere. In fact, Penelope
spends most of The Odyssey as an observer rather than an actor to her own life. Her loyalty is celebrated but her intelligence and cunning glossed over as Homer frames her narrative. The Romans are no better than the Greeks as Ovid silences women as surely as Homer, but it is from the classical theories of rhetoric that modern politics is based; rhetoric that is strongly gender-biased. Language not only informs but frames our understanding, and when that language is biased against a full half of the population it becomes the norm to disregard what women say. But as women become more engaged in the public sphere we run into unknown territory, which can partially explain the outcome of 2016. As Professor Beard states, “we have no template for what a powerful woman looks like, except that she looks rather like a man.” The ‘uniform’ of women in politics, i.e. The Pantsuit, is ubiquitous, which we start to understand when we look at the recent headline in the Daily Mail exclaiming “Legs-it” when Theresa May and Nicola Sturgeon had the temerity to negotiate the future of Britain. The 21st Century has seen many women in both business and politics achieve at the highest level at the height of crises. What women in general still lack in public awareness though is the right to be wrong. Until women are granted the same leeway as men to occasionally make mistakes, true parity cannot be achieved. That is where true power lies. dorsetbooks.com bridporttimes.co.uk | 69
CLOCKTOWER MUSIC Records, CDs, Hi-Fi, Bought & Sold Vintage Radios, Hi-Fi Repairs, Bluetooth Specialists Open Wednesday - Saturday 10am - 5pm
01308 458077
www.clocktowermusic.co.uk
10a St Michael’s Art & Vintage Quarter, Bridport, DT6 3RR
JANUARY SOLUTIONS
ACROSS 1. Animal skin (4) 3. Mythical creature (8) 9. Item used by asthma sufferers (7) 10. Queen's favourite dog (5) 11. Dissatisfaction (5) 12. Drop sharply (7) 13. Supplied or distributed (6) 15. Finch (6) 17. Copy; mimic (7) 18. Trunk of the body (5) 20. Musical times (5) 21. Works in an amateurish way (7) 22. Not long ago (8) 23. Large group of people (4) 70 | Bridport Times | February 2018
DOWN 1. Head of the government (5,8) 2. Lindsay ___ : US actress (5) 4. Continent (6) 5. Intensely painful (12) 6. Rowers (7) 7. Teasingly (13) 8. Repetition of the same sound (12) 14. Of enormous effect (7) 16. Pertaining to the teeth (6) 19. ___ Witherspoon: actress (5)
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