Sherborne Times May 2016

MAY 2016 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

ART COLLECTION A Dorset Art Weeks Special e Exclusoiv er ff reader s g Girlin

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk

Beetledrive Š Sarah Hough

T

WELCOME

his small town we call home never ceases to surprise me.

Moving here from London 11 years ago I was initially disconcerted by the stillness. Despite this being part of the attraction, it still took some getting used to. Now, as editor of this publication, well acclimatised and wholeheartedly ensconced, I am privileged to see first hand just how animated and engaged a community this is. It is a joy to be able to offer the Sherborne Times as a platform and share this collective vigour each month with some 10,000+ readers.

And so to May‌ A celebration of Dorset Art Weeks, we pull back the turf to reveal a vibrant, diverse and colourful movement of extraordinary local talent. This huge annual event grants us access to the work and studios of over 1,000 Dorset artists and makers (Sherborne and its villages alone, hosting at least 40). Here - amidst a wealth of articles from local contributors - writer Jo Denbury and photographer Katharine Davies, meet 6 of them.

Have a wonderful month.

Glen Cheyne, Editor editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk @sherbornetimes

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and Creative Direction Glen Cheyne

Richard Bramble @richardbramble richardbramble.com

Design Andy Gerrard

Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardeneronline.co.uk

Photography Katharine Davies Feature Writer Jo Denbury Print

Distribution Team Christine Knott Claire Pilley Geoff Wood Maggie Belly Richard & Heather Betton-Foster Roger & Mary Napper Sarah Copley Sarah Morgan Contact 01935 814803 07957 496193 @sherbornetimes editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk Sherborne 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 Sherborne 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. Sherborne 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 Sherborne Times.

Additional photography contributor's own and www.shutterstock.com 4 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Jill Cook 56 London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk @JillCookPCT jillcook.co.uk David Copp Jason More & Adam Corbin The Dining Room @Diningsherborne thediningroomsherborne.com Giles Dick-Read Reads Coffee Roasters @reads_coffee readscoffee.co.uk Alan & Sue Dodge Bailey Ridge @YourBaileyRidge baileyridge.co.uk Jimmy Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk Andrew Fort Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk Julian Halsby George Hayward Paul Gammage and Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.com Gemma Loader BVetMed MRCVS Kingston Veterinary Group @TheKingstonVets kingstonvets.co.uk Sasha Arnold & Joanna Loutsis The Sherborne Rooms @chiroactivejo chiro-active.com Andrew Maddock Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce @SherborneCOT sherbornechamber.co.uk

Sasha Matkevich The Green Restaurant @greensherborne greenrestaurant.co.uk Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkepartnership.co.uk Alison Nurton Butterfly Bright @AliNurts butterflybright.com Lisa Osman All Hallows Farmhouse School for Cooks & Makers @cooksandmakers allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk Peter Henshaw & Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles @rileyscycles rileyscycles.co.uk @DCNSherborne dcn.org.uk Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom Glencairn House Clinic glencairnhouse.co.uk doctortwrobinson.com Sue Thomas Peter Alison Tremewan Sherborne Prep School @Sherborneprep sherborneprep.org Elly Vvaller Dear to Me, Fine Stationery @DearToMeStudio deartome.co.uk Sally Wellbourn Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Natasha Williams Oxley Sports Centre @OxleySports oxleysc.com Wayne Winstone Winstone's Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk Canon Eric Woods Sherborne Abbey @SherborneAbbey sherborneabbey.com

36 6 What’s On

Your monthly events guide for Sherborne and its villages 10 Unearthed

Mia Vines Booth 12 Shopping Guide

Retail therapy with Elly Vvaller 14 Exclusive Reader Offer

Girlings

16 The Wildflowers of Dorset

with Sally Welbourn from Dorset Wildlife Trust 18 Springtime Blues

Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Group round-up with Gillian M. Constable 20 Painting Puffins

with local artist, designer and conservationist, Richard Bramble 22 Testing, Testing

Are we over-analysing our children’s performance? With Alison Tremewan, Director of Studies at Sherborne Prep School 24 Cotton Crochet Jam Jar Cover

Our monthly pattern with Butterfly Bright’s Alison Nurton 26 Hidden Gardens of Sherborne

A look ahead to this year’s open garden event with Sue Thomas Peter

MAY 2016 28 In the Garden with Mike Burks

This month: Keeping slugs and snails at bay 32 Planting your Garden

Part five of Alan Dodge’s guide to garden design and landscaping 34 Selling the Cellar

A heady month in the life of auctioneer Richard Bromell

_________________________ 36 A DORSET ART WEEKS SPECIAL SHERBORNE’S ARTISTS _________________________ 54 Inquisitive Eyes

A history of Dorset’s artist colony with Julian Halsby 56 Keeping Dog-Eye

Canine eye care with local vet Mark Newton-Clarke 58 Spring Grass The Highs and Lows

Gemma Loader of Kingston Vets shows us how the grass isn’t always greener 62 Food and Drink

With coffee roaster Giles Dick-Read, chefs Lisa Osman, Sasha Matkevich, Jason More and Adam Corbin, and wine expert David Copp 70 Cycle Sherborne

72 Body & Mind

Relationships with Jill Cook, Hayfever treatment with Dr Tim Robinson, Spin Classes with Natasha Williams and Chiro-Active with Sasha Arnold and Joanna Loutsis 82 Avoid a Void

Property advice for landlords with Anita Light and Paul Gammage 84 Carry on Droving

The continued tales of livestock auctioneer George Hayward 87 Would you Invest Now?

Positive thinking with financial planner Andrew Fort 90 Ransom-ware

IT support with Jimmy Flynn 93 The Benefits of Chamber Membership

with Sherborne Chamber of Trade and Commerce Chairman Andrew Maddock 96 Literary Review

with Wayne Winstone The House at the Edge of the World by Julia Rochester 97 Crossword 98 Faithful is He who Calls

with Canon Eric Woods

The ride to Gillingham with Peter Henshaw and Mike Riley www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

WHAT'S ON Listings _________________________

60s Rock and Roll band playing all your favourite tunes. Donations invited for St. Margaret’s Hospice.

The Church Hall, Digby Road.

07967 552637. See us on youtube: theDiamondsSherborne

London Gardens

Proceeds to Yeatman Hospital.

Sellers from 8:15am at £5 per car. Buyers from 9am at 50p per person. No need to book. Free parking for buyers. The Terraces, Sherborne DT9 5NS. 01935 873846

A talk by Dr. Rachel Davies, Conservation Science Manager of MARINElife. Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Rd. 01305 264620 (see Gillian M. Constable’s article page 18)

_________________________ Sunday 8th Friends of the Yeatman Car Boot Sale

Open studios, exhibitions and events. The UK's greatest free festival of visual art. www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk (see our feature pages 36-53)

_________________________ Tuesdays & Thursdays 10:30am Sherborne Town Walk

Tuesdays and Thursdays from Sherborne TIC, Digby Rd. 1½-2 hrs with Blue Badge Guide Cindy £5 01935 815341

_________________________ 29th April - 3rd May Sherborne Abbey Festival

For full programme and to book tickets visit www.sherborneabbeyfestival.org

_________________________ Saturday 30th April - Bank Holiday Monday 2nd May 10am to 6pm Sherborne Castle Craft and Garden Fair

Artists, woodworkers and jewellers.

Children’s entertainment. Food and refreshments. Sherborne Castle, New Road. www.craftcarnival.co.uk _________________________ Saturday 7th 8pm The Diamonds 6 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

_________________________ Wednesday 11th 7:30pm Sherborne Flicks: Brooklyn

Memorial Hall, Digby Road. £6 from Sherborne TIC. www.sherborneartslink.org.uk

_________________________ Saturday 14th 2pm - 5pm Garden Festival Open Day

Cream teas, refreshments, plant sales, crafts and clothes, raffle, games and treasure hunt, wandering minstrels, garden tour and much more. Entry £3 (under18s must be accompanied). Self Realization Meditation Healing Centre, Queen Camel BA22 7NU. 01935 850266. www.selfrealizationcentres.org

_________________________ Saturday 14th 2:30pm Be a Chorister Afternoon

Open to any boy 7 years old and upwards who enjoys singing and is interested in joining the choir.

Sherborne Abbey. 01935 812452 _________________________ Wednesday 18th 2:30pm Sherborne W.I. - Hidden

A talk presented by Bob Ayres.

Catholic Church Hall, Westbury.

New members and visitors always welcome at a cost of £3, to include refreshments. _________________________ Wednesday 18th 7:30pm ‘Cetaceans of the English Channel’

_________________________ Friday 20th May Wednesday 8th June 9:30am - 5pm, Mon - Sat Exhibition of new work

by Emma Brownjohn

Jerram Gallery, Half Moon Street, Sherborne. 01935 815261 www.jerramgallery.com

_________________________ Friday 20th 7.30pm - 9pm The Insight Programme ‘Better Alone’ – Frank Field MP

Frank Field returns to argue the case for a British exit from Europe.

Digby Church Hall, Digby Road www.insight.sherborneabbey.com _________________________ Wednesday 25th 7:30pm Star and Planet Formation in the Galaxy

Science Café Lecture by Dr Hatchell. Raleigh Hall, Digby Rd. 01935 815052

_________________________ Friday 27th 8pm Living Spit The Fabulous Bacon Boys

Living Spit are back and putting their unique spin on “The Three

MAY 2016 Little Pigs”. A grown up fairy tale you’ll never forget! Suitable 10+. Sandford Orcas Village Hall. 01963 220208. £10, £7 u18s, £30 family www.artsreach.co.uk

_________________________ Saturday 28th 9:30am - 12pm Friends of the Yeatman Hospital Plant and Cake Sale

Outside Yeatman Hospital main building, Hospital Lane, Sherborne. contact@friendsoftheyeatman.co.uk _________________________ Saturday 28th 10am - 4pm Paper-making using Silk and Paper Pulp

Day class with Clarissa Ready.

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road. £55, £45 Friends of ArtsLink. www.sherborneartslink.org.uk

_________________________ Saturday 28th - Sunday 12th June weekdays 10am - 3pm, weekends 9am - 5pm Living Landscapes Anne-Louise Bellis

An exhibition of paintings inspired by the Dorset countryside and coastline. New gallery space opening as part of Dorset Art Weeks. The Old Cow Shed Studio, Manor Farm, Glanvilles Wootton, Nr Sherborne DT9 5PZ. 07970 797748 www.theoldcowshedstudio.co.uk _________________________ Sunday 29th 10:30am - 2pm Heritage Alliance Open Day

Joint Heritage Day with Sherborne Museum, Castleton Steam and Waterwheel Centre, and Sherborne School. Free event. Family History Research Centre, Sherborne. 01935 389611 _________________________

Monday 30th 10am - 6pm Sherborne Castle Country Fair

Country activities, stands and entertainment, including one of the largest Rare Breed Shows in the country. Sherborne Castle, New Road. Discounted tickets in advance from Sherborne TIC: Children £3.40, Adults £10.20.

01749 814041 www.sherbornecountryfair.com _________________________ Monday 30th 2pm Bank Holiday Guided Town Walk

An historic stroll from Sherborne TIC with Blue Badge Guide Cindy £5 1½-2 hrs 01935 815341 _________________________ Tuesday 31st 10am – 12pm & 1:30pm – 3:30pm Family Arts Buffet

Art and craft workshop for under 12s and their families.

West End Hall, Littlefield DT9 6AU 01935 815899 www.sherborneartslink.org.uk

_________________________ Thursday 2nd June 11am - 4pm Sherborne Health and Wellbeing Fair

40+ exhibitors including health and care providers, support groups and local organisations.

Presentations on a range of health topics. Refreshments and children’s activities. Digby Hall, Hound Street. FREE ENTRY.

_________________________

Workshops _________________________ Butterfly Bright

81 Cheap Street 01935 817303 www.butterflybright.co.uk

Tuesday 3rd 10am

4 week quilt workshop

Wednesday 4th 1pm - 3pm

Patchwork cushion workshop Thursday 12th 7:30pm

Learn to use your sewing machine

Tuesday 24th 1pm - 3:30pm

Appliqué workshop

Wednesday 1st June 10am - 4pm

All day Sketchbook Club

_________________________ The Slipped Stitch

1 Cheap Street 01935 508249 www.theslippedstitch.co.uk Wednesday 4th 7pm - 9pm

3 week learn to knit course starts Saturday 7th May 10:30am - 3:30pm

Felted bag workshop

Thursday 12th May 7pm - 9pm

Crafty Get Together

Saturday 14th May 10am - 4pm

Improvers’ spinning workshop Saturdays 21st, 28th May and 4th June

FREE Drop in to help us make 1000m of bunting for the Queen’s 90th Birthday Celebrations. Donations of any red, white or blue fabric welcome!

_________________________ West Country Embroiderers Sherborne District

Meetings with optional workshops. 2nd Monday of each month. Digby Hall, Hound Street. New members welcome.

01963 34696

_________________________ Monday 9th 9:30am - 3:30pm How to Bead with Judy Joiner _________________________ www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 7

WHAT'S ON Fairs & Markets _________________________ Pannier Market Every Thursday and Saturday on the Parade _________________________ Country Market Thursday mornings, 9:15am - 11:15am

Church Hall, Digby Road

Free admission.

01749 677049

_________________________ Chasty Cottage Antiques Fair Saturday 7th 8:30am (trade) 9:30am (public) - 4pm

Digby Hall, Hound Street.

_________________________ Saturday 14th 10am - 4pm Craft Fair

_________________________ Saturday Antiques and Flea Market Every 4th Saturday, 9am - 4pm (exc. April and December)

Annual craft fair. Free admission Memorial Hall, Digby Road.

01749 677049

_________________________ Flea Market Saturday 7th 10am - 4pm

New, second-hand and antiquarian books (also magazines, prints, postcards & ephemera) Memorial Hall, Digby Road. 01803 613356

Church Hall, Digby Road

Memorial Hall, Digby Road.

_________________________ Saturday 21st 9:30am - 4pm Book Fair

colinbakerbooks@btinternet.com _________________________

Sport _________________________ Over 30s Touch Rugby Every Thursday 7:30pm - 8:30pm

Sherborne School floodlit astro turf, Horsecastles Lane. ÂŁ2 per session. First three sessions free. www.sherbornetouch.org.uk or call Jimmy on 07887 800803

_________________________ Sherborne County Cricket Club

Terrace Playing Fields www.sherborne.play-cricket.com Dorset Cricket League - Premier 1 Saturday 7th 1pm

Broadstone CC - 1st XI

A

Wimborne & Colehill CC - 1st XI

A

Dorchester CC - 1st XI

H

Saturday 14th 1pm

Saturday 21st 1pm

_________________________ Compton House Cricket Club

Exhibition of Paintings 2016 by Lesley Shell

Over Compton (behind the Fortune Palace on A30) Every Wednesday 6pm - 8pm, senior (14+) practise, nets or T20 match. 07962 663472 www.comptonhousecricketclub.org.uk Dorset Cricket League - Division 2 Saturday 7th 1:30pm

Witchampton H Saturday 14th 1:30pm

June 6th and 7th, open 10am-8pm The Manor House Moreton, Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8RG Contact 07875 060855 www.lesleyshell.com 8 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Portland RT

Saturday 21th 1:30pm

A

Marnhull A Saturday 28th 1:30pm

Blandford H _________________________

We are pleased to announce the opening of our Sherborne office to new & existing clients

We focus solely on providing face-to-face advice and offer a dedicated, personal wealth management service to build long-term, trusted relationships with our clients. Together, we would look to create a working plan, providing you with a clear direction towards meeting your financial goals. This includes clarifying your objectives and researching all of the options available to you.

We have the experience to help you successfully secure and enhance your financial future by offering specialist advice in a wide range of areas including: • Investment planning

• Retirement planning

• Tax and estate planning

For further information, or to request your complimentary guide to wealth management, contact:

PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management Established in 1993 40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8JG Tel: 01747 855554 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3PY Tel: 01935 315315 Web: www.peterhardingwm.co.uk

The Partner Practice represents only St. James’s Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the Group’s wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the Group’s website www. sjp.co.uk/products. The title ‘Partner Practice’ is the marketing term used to describe St. James’s Place representatives.

UNEARTHED

MIA VINES BOOTH The Gryphon School Lower Sixth

M

ia first discovered an interest in art like any other ordinary kid living in London – being dragged round the likes of Tate Britain and The National Gallery. The daunting prospect of walking through endless rooms of paintings and sculptures she didn’t understand was quickly eclipsed by the anticipation of seeing the latest installation at the Tate Modern or a new celebrity portrait at the National Portrait Gallery.

Pretty soon Mia was soaking up the exhibitions and began exploring the more contemporary galleries such as the Saatchi and the Serpentine. Mia’s early attempts at drawing countless portraits of family members, with arms and legs jutting brutally from heads and tummies, soon became fully fledged bodies with limbs in all the right places (much to her parents’ relief ).

Studying art her whole life has led Mia to pursue an artistic direction, choosing galleries over shopping (she describes herself as the pretentious student perched on a bench, sketchbook in hand, attempting to recreate a Tracy Emin). If all goes to plan Mia will soon be applying for a place at Saint Martin’s and then… Who knows? Perhaps it won’t be long before we see future students, perched on benches, attempting to recreate a Mia Vines Booth.

KATHARINE DAVIES PHOTOGRAPHY Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions 07808 400083 info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk

10 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Orangeries | Conservatories | Glazing Design • Planning • Installation • Construction Please give us a call to start creating your perfect space

Sherborne 01935 872640 Marlborough 01672 890606 Bath 01225 459574 www.coastandvale.com

Smith & Cult nail varnish, £19.00 Circus Ice cream bowls, £12.00 Circus

Child’s hair clips, £2.99 for two Ginger & Pickle

SCENTS AND SENSIBILITY Elly Vvaller, fashion and interiors stylist, and creative director at boutique stationery brand Dear to Me, takes to Cheap Street with a spring in her step...

12 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Liberty Print child’s tunic and bloomers, £40.00 Ginger & Pickle

Watercolour paints, ÂŁ2.95 each The Little Art Shoppe

Room diffusers, ÂŁ25.00 Circus www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 13

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Unlike other speakers, the HyperSound Clear™ 500P beams customised sound directly to you, without disturbing others - no headphones required. Simply connect to your TV, iPod or sound system, point it at your favourite seat and enjoy! This breakthrough audio solution offers a fundamentally new way to deliver sound and has the potential to dramatically improve your home listening experience.

To book your demonstration of this amazing system, please call us on

01935 815647

or visit us at Girlings, Swan Yard, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3AX sb@girlinghearingaids.co.uk 14 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

www.girlinghearingaids.co.uk

The Joinery Works, Alweston Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5HS Tel: 01963 23219 Fax: 01963 23053 Email: info@fcuffandsons.co.uk

www.fcuffandsons.co.uk

DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF BEAUTIFUL FINE BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 1897

Wild Dorset

THE WILDFLOWERS OF DORSET Sally Welbourn, Dorset Wildlife Trust

T

he presence of wildflowers indicate the start of a new season, but wildflowers have been growing in Dorset for thousands of years, despite their decline in the UK. We are lucky in Dorset that we can still enjoy the sights, smells and sounds associated with wildflower meadows.

This is not just a happy coincidence; conservation officers and volunteers for Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) have been working tirelessly to restore wildflower meadows in Dorset.

DWT West Dorset Conservation Officer, Nick Gray, tells us why wildflowers aren’t just the ‘pretty face’ of the countryside.

“Wildflowers have an intrinsic connection to the heritage of our countryside, but are also vital resources for the future of wildlife, so we’re working hard to ensure they continue to be a prominent feature of our landscape. It’s not just bees who benefit from wildflowers, but so do moths, hoverflies, butterflies, small mammals, birds and a huge food web.”

Due to their longevity, many names have been given to wildflower species over the years, explains Nick.

“It is said that Bird’s-foot trefoil has around 70 vernacular names. We can see clues to longstanding connections by exploring their different names. Knapweed for example is also known as ‘chimney sweep’ as well as ‘hurt sickle’, for its notorious toughness.”

In 2013, Lady’s Mead at Kingcombe Meadows, West Dorset was selected to be one of 60 ‘donor’ sites in a project called Coronation Meadows, aiming to overcome the decline of wildflower meadows in the UK, by planting new ones with seeds from existing sites. Dorset Wildlife Trust’s conservation project took seeds from 3 hectares of Lady’s Mead and has created 16 hectares of new wildflower rich habitat in 3 different sites in Dorset. www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

TWO OF THE BEST… Oxeye Daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare) How to identify: Appearing in large blooms, it is easy to identify with its large, round daisylike flower heads that appear on single tall stems What wildlife it supports: Abundant pollinators attracted by its large ‘landing pad’ including hoverflies, bumble bees, butterflies and moths When to see them: July to September Where to see them: Roadside verges and waste grounds, as well as traditional hay meadows at Kingcombe, or DWT’s Lorton Meadows in Weymouth Other names: ‘Moon Daisy’ and ‘Moonpenny’

16 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Lady’s Smock (Cardamine pratensis) How to identify: The lilac or white flowers are 1 to 2cm across with four petals. It has bluegreen coloured upright stems with very narrow leaves in a rosette at its base What wildlife it supports: Lady’s Smock is the food plant of the Orange tip butterfly and supports many other early season pollinators When to see them: One of the first to appear, in April & May Where to see them: Brownsea Island and Kingcombe Meadows Other names: ‘Cuckoo Flower’ as its blooms coincide with the arrival of cuckoos

Addersplot meadow at Kingcombe nature reserve. Nick Tomlinson

Kingcombe flower meadow. Nick Tomlinson www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17

Wild Dorset

SPRINGTIME BLUES

Gillian M. Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust, Sherborne Group Committee

A

walk in many of our local woods now should bring the pleasure of the sight and perfume of a carpet of bluebells, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, the English native plant.

We tend to take this wonder almost for granted but it is something special. I have heard of Continental botanists coming here to see our bluebell woods.

Locally perhaps Leweston Woods is the best site.

The Spanish bluebell, H. hispanica, introduced to English gardens in 17th Century and found in the wild about 100 years ago, is a threat to our plants.

They are bigger, more like mini-hyacinths, with flowers all around the stem unlike our version with flowers to one side, and they also have broader leaves. Unfortunately the two crossed, first recognised in the wild in 1963, and this threatens our native stock. Another plant of the season is wild garlic or ramsons, Allium ursinum, introduced by the Romans. It likes situations similar to bluebells but rarely grows with them.

In May and June there are four boat trips, departing from Poole Quay, along the coast to 18 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Dancing Edge, if conditions permit, to see birds and with luck dolphins and other cetaceans (for booking details see DWT website). An introduction to the cetaceans you might see can be gained at our May meeting. On Wednesday 18th May, 7:30pm Digby Memorial Hall, our talk ‘Cetaceans of the English Channel’ is presented by Dr Rachel Davies the Conservation Science Manager of MARINElife.

This charity monitors wildlife from ferries and last year Rachel was part of the Bottlenose Dolphin day when coastal waters from Portland Bill to Ilfracombe were surveyed intensively.

DWT is committed to the creation of Marine Conservation Zones. At Kimmeridge Bay there is the Purbeck Marine Wildlife Reserve and the Fine Foundation Marine Centre. Sadly this reserve is not currently protected. At low tide there are wonderful rock pools to investigate and explore, identification guides can be downloaded from the DWT website. There is even a snorkelling trail in the bay which guides participants through different seabed habitats.

EMMA BROWNJOHN 21st May – 8th June

WILLOW AND BIRCH

ACRYLIC

THE JERRAM GALLERY Half Moon Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3LN

UMBRELLAS

www.jerramgallery.com

ACRYLIC

01935 815261 info@jerramgallery.com Monday - Saturday

our wild Dorset

– EXPLORE ART, EXPLORE NATURE – Visit our wild art exhibitions at The Chesil Beach Centre and The Kingcombe Centre dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/dorset-art-weeks-2016

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

Wild Dorset

PAINTING PUFFINS

P

Richard Bramble, artist, designer and conservationist

uffins, sometimes called ‘parrots of the sea’, are known for their comical, playful character. Along with the noisy oyster catcher; the elegant tern, which is a long distance migrating bird (both to be found in Poole Harbour) and the majestic diving gannet (which can be spotted off Portland Bill), these four iconic British seabirds are all part of my special collection in support of the Marine Conservation Society.

I have held a life-long fascination with native seabirds, in particular the puffin, and protecting their marine environment is something I really believe in. Growing up in Bournemouth and learning to dive off Chesil Beach as a school boy gave me my first opportunity to go under water and see what was actually there. Seabirds depend on the health of our fish stocks, coasts and seas, and their numbers are a good barometer of how well we are looking after these environments, so becoming a conservationist in later life has seemed a natural thing to do. I’ve spent twenty years painting seabirds, from the Hebrides to the Scilly Isles and the Jurassic Coast, and they never fail to inspire me.

When I’ve wanted to get right amongst puffins to study them, I’ve visited Skomer Island in Pembrokeshire which has the largest Atlantic puffin colony in southern Britain, along with guillemots and razorbills a-plenty. The island is a superb location for taking close-up photographs or settling 20 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

down to sketch. Nearer to home you can see puffins off the Dorset coast, Dancing Ledge near Langton Matravers is a reliable site where there is a small colony nesting in early summer. Brownsea Island and the waters around Poole Harbour are also favourite places to spot seabirds - watching terns diving for sand eels and carrying them off to feed their young is always a wonderful sight.

As a painter I’m really a coastal person – I prefer seascapes to landscapes - and every time I head for the sea, whether it’s to fish, sail, dive or to kite surf, I feel like I’m coming home. Just like anyone who likes being on the water, or going for coastal walks, you begin to develop an interest in seabirds, you become a bird watcher. And of course you have your favourites. You come to realise that each bird has its own personality and for me the puffin is exceptionally interesting - capturing their spirit and essence in my paintings is something I love to do.

Richard Bramble is a British artist, designer and conservationist based in Sherborne and The Hebrides.

His work is highly collectible, reproduced on iconic design ceramics and textiles. To find out more visit www.richardbramble.com or call by his studio and warehouse at The Old Dairy House, Silverlake, just off the Bradford Abbas Road Marine Conservation Society www.mcsuk.org

T EN TM D R k A CE co.u EP R D NOUNeston.

O I UN E AN w.lew WJ NE AY FE at ww D re Find

mo out

LEWESTON Situated just outside Sherborne in 46 acres of beautiful Dorset parkland, Leweston School offers a challenging and inspiring education to a co-educational Nursery and Junior Department, and an all-girls Senior School and Sixth Form. Boarding packages are available for girls from age 7 and local transport links are provided for day pupils.

Open Morning Bank Holiday Monday 2 May

For more information please contact the Admissions Team on 01963 211010 or email: admissions@leweston.dorset.sch.uk

A Catholic Foundation which welcomes pupils of all denominations Leweston School Trust is a registered charity number 295175

H azlegrove P re -P reP We want your children to have the education you wish you could have had yourself...

Mornings in the classroom are all about learning core academic skills with inspiring teachers.

Afternoons are packed full of fun activities developing creativity and co-ordination, led by specialist teachers.

Join us for our Open Activity Morning and Teddy Bears’ Picnic on Saturday 7 May at 10am Good foundations are everything...

For more information call Sarah-Jane on 01963 442606

Hazlegrove, Sparkford BA22 7JA www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21

22 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

TESTING, TESTING… Alison Tremewan, Director of Studies, Sherborne Prep

“If my future were determined just by my performance on a standardised test, I wouldn’t be here. I guarantee that.“ Michelle Obama

T

he examination season is almost upon us, but in all honesty assessment and tests occur throughout the year in most schools.

Our young people undergo one form or another of testing, with increasing regularity, throughout their time at school and college; from the baseline testing on entering Reception until they enter their place of work, where yet more tests may still await them.

Some degree of assessment, tracking and testing is necessary to evaluate performance; no teacher or employer would dispute this. However, the amount of testing has intensified over the last ten years. As a nation we have become obsessed with scrutiny, measurement, analysis and testing all aspects of a child’s development. So much so, that we have been accused of “weighing the pig at the expense of feeding it” and recent articles in the Guardian and other newspapers have criticised the Government for introducing yet another round of tests for British pupils.

This is exacerbated by a society which appears to have lost a degree of confidence in the results of the public examination system, with queries over constant change; the marking procedure; its administration and the suitability of content for the pupils’ subsequent place of education and work.

Consequently, our universities are now setting their own entrance examinations in certain subjects.

Against this background thousands of children will sit in exam halls over the summer months with varying degrees of anxiety and confidence as they tackle their papers.

Teachers will have “taught for the test” and helped with study skills, and parents will have given support and encouragement. Yet it is the young person who has to face the test or examination on his or her

own. The old adage still holds true, “You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”.

The true and successful education of the child is whether he or she, when faced with a test, has not only the relevant knowledge and skills, but the independence of mind, the self-discipline, the understanding of careful preparation, the organisational skills and the self-confidence, selfbelief and self-assurance that they can do their best.

Education is far wider than the ability to take and pass an examination. A good education will ensure that a child is prepared for life. He or she will have had the opportunity to develop a love of learning, the chance to discover and develop their strengths and yet learn how to strengthen their weaknesses. Opportunities to develop creativity and the powers of the imagination will have been experienced. The chance to develop the ability to analyse, evaluate, problem-solve and take risks, will have been given and importantly, the young person will have learned to communicate, tolerate, empathise and work with individuals and within a community. These are the life skills necessary to fit them for life in society.

The examination itself is not the “be all and end all” of a young person’s education but the development of the character of the individual, in all its facets and potential, who faces the test, is!

I think Plato summed it all up when he said: “Do not train children to learn by force and harshness but direct them to it by what amuses their minds, so that you may be better able to discover with accuracy the peculiar bent of genius of each.” www.sherborneprep.org www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23

ffer Special O ore 3 or m 10% off chet ICO cro te R f o s ll a b quo hen you cotton w rticle this a

24 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

COTTON CROCHET JAM JAR COVER Alison Nurton, Butterfly Bright Supplies:

3mm crochet hook 3 balls of RICO Cotton DK Tapestry needle to sew in ends Jam Jar approx 8cm diameter and 9cm high although you could adjust the pattern to fit any size.

Abbreviations

ch - chain tr - treble crochet htr - half treble crochet sl st - slip stitch dtr - double treble Special Stitch

4 dtr Cluster - *Yarn round hook (yrh) twice, insert hook in st indicated, yrh, pull yarn through st only, (yrh, pull through 2 loops) twice; rep from * 3 more times, inserting the hook in the same st each time, yrh and draw through all 5 loops on hook.

Method

Round 1: Using colour A make a magic ring and ch 3 (counts as first tr) make 13 tr into ring, 14 total, join with a sl st.

Round 2: Chain up 3 and make a tr into base of chain, make 2 tr in each tr from Round 1, join with a sl st. (28 total) Round 3: Chain up 3 and make a tr into base of chain, *make 1 tr in next tr from round 2 and 2 tr in next tr from round 2, repeat from * to end. (42 total) Round 4: Chain up 3 and make a tr into base of chain, *make 1 tr into each of the next 2 tr from round 3 and 2 tr in next tr from round 3, repeat from * to end. (56 total) Round 5: Change to colour B, chain up 3 and make tr into each stitch from Round 4 Round 6: Change to colour C, chain up 3

and make tr into each stitch from Round 5 Round 7: Change to colour A, chain up 3 and make tr into each stitch from Round 6 Round 8: Change to colour B, chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 7 Round 9: Change to colour C, chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 8 Round 10: Change to colour A, chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 9 Round 11: Change to colour B, chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 10 Round 12: (Using Yarn B and C) Change to colour C, chain up 3, 5 tr carrying yarn B along behind the work, finish last step of 5th treble by bringing through yarn B, *now hold Yarn C along work as you make 4 dtr Cluster stitch with Yarn B into next tr, 6tr with yarn C carrying Yarn B along behind the work and bringing yarn B through final step of the 6th treble each time, repeat from * to end Round 13: Using Yarn A chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 12 Round 14: Using Yarn B chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 13 Round 15: Using Yarn C chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 14 Round 16: Using Yarn A chain up 2 and make htr into each stitch from Round 15 Round 17: Using Yarn B chain up 1 and make dc into base of chain, *2 dc then dc 2 together* repeat from * to * to end Weave in the ends with your tapestry needle.

If you are having a problems with the pattern do pop along to our free Yarn Bee every Friday morning 10am-12pm. www.butterflybright.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25

Gardening

HIDDEN GARDENS OF SHERBORNE 2016 Sue Thomas Peter

T

his is the sixth year that Sherborne Castles Rotary club have held an open gardens event in aid of charity. In the past a whole range of gardens have been available to view scattered throughout the town offering visitors a variety of different experiences. Over the years it has gained in popularity and last year thousands enjoyed not only the gardens on show but the beautiful weather. Through the generous support of gardeners and interested newcomers alike over £4000 was raised last year principally for Marie Curie and St Margaret’s Hospice but other local charities as well.

This year preparations are well advanced with nineteen gardeners willing to open. Some are generously opening for a second time while seven are completely new to the event. One of our newcomers has a garden of exciting contrasts which won the “Best of the Best “ in last years Sherborne in Bloom Competition. His front garden full of topiary and classic box hedging contrasts with a back which has a distinctly Mediterrean style of planting. Another of our intriguing gardens is set behind one of the businesses in the main street and is the epitome of a hidden garden as it is tucked away and never normally seen. When its owner first saw it there were weeds and brambles everywhere and it was totally neglected. After several years of hard work it is an oasis of colourful cottage style plants tucked into the lovely old wall and creeping over the newly uncovered beds and cobbles. It provides a sunny and restful place to switch off from the busy shop and customers only a very short distance away. Opening again this year is one of the oldest gardens in the town described as a “burgage”

26 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

garden with a wall dating from the 1300’s and that has an outlook over Sherborne Castles. Within the lovely cottage garden completely hidden away behind the house is an Art Gallery which is used to display the work of its two owners. As last year there will be original sculptures on display throughout the garden that will be for sale and add great fun to the visit. Another returning garden has also won several awards. In 2015 it was judged the “Wickedest Wildlife Garden “ in the Sherborne in Bloom event and has also won a Special Merit from the Dorset Wildlife Trust. It is a wonderful collection of beautifully planted and maintained flowers and shrubs as well encompassing a wildlife pond and the whole thing opens up onto its own allotment with a mass of vegetables.

This year also marks the 150th Anniversary of the founding of the Yeatman hospital and as part of their celebrations visitors will have a unique opportunity to see the newly refurbished courtyard garden at the centre of the Willows. Maintained by volunteers from the Friends Association, it offers patients and their visitors a chance to enjoy the scents and sights of a range of plants in this enclosed setting.

Hidden Gardens of Sherborne, Saturday 4th June - Sunday 5th June, 2pm - 5pm Tickets are available from the Tourist Information Centre in Digby Road or Castles Garden Centre.

A weekend ticket costs £8 but individual garden entry is possible with donations from a minimum of £1. Refreshments and a raffle will also be available at some of the gardens with a prize of £50 to win.

This time all the proceeds will go to Marie Curie, the Weldmar Trust and other local charities.

The Rotary Club of Sherborne Castles

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www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 27

Gardening

IN THE GARDEN with Mike Burks

HEDGEHOG FRIENDLY CONTROL OF SLUGS AND SNAILS

W

hatever happens there is one certainty in gardening life and that is that slugs and snails will be in your garden.

Many gardeners are reluctant to use chemical controls because of the potential damage to pets, children and wildlife including hedgehogs. To be fair, modern slug pellets are much safer (if used correctly) due to the pellets being made much more attractive to slugs and snails, such as Eraza the chemical is in smaller particles so that the slug consumes it more easily, which means that less chemical is required to achieve control.

However, if chemical control can be avoided then it will be very positive for wildlife including the natural predators of slugs and snails, such as rove beetles, ground beetles, frogs, toads, slow worms, grass snakes, glow worm larvae, centipedes, thrushes, blackbirds and of course, the hedgehog! I met another predator recently in the form of Blackie, an eight-month old spaniel who hunted snails and ate them whole including the lovely crunchy shells!

Sometimes a bad taste can drive away slugs and snails. Listed as people, pets and planet-friendly is a product from Grazers containing Calcium chloride. It is absorbed into the foliage of plants and the munchers don’t like the taste although we don’t notice it.

There are a number of barriers that are useful too in localised situations. One of these that is getting rave reviews is the use of wool pellets in a product called Slug Gone. The pellets swell to form a mat, which absorbs moisture from the slug making crossing the mat very difficult. It is useful for 28 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

localised control especially in tubs and pots.

Increasingly popular is the use of biological control for slugs. In this system microscopic worm like creatures (nematodes) are in packs of clay and then are mixed with water to be spread around the garden. These naturally occurring nematodes hatch out and infect the slugs. It can only be used once the soil has warmed up which usually means the middle of March onwards.

I have also heard of the use of a slug soup sprayed around the garden to help with their control. The idea is, so I’m told, that a collection of slugs are chopped up and left in a bucket of water. After a few days this evil concoction will contain a number of diseases specific to slugs and so can be used as biological warfare.

Other non-chemical controls include the beer trap. This is a plastic dish filled with beer, which acts as a lure and should be positioned near the crop that needs protecting. The slugs and snails head to the beer for a quick drink before heading for a bite to eat in your vegetable patch. However, one thing leads to another and before long they have drowned in the beer as a side effect of their binge drinking!

Some gardeners use a variation of this method by putting melon rinds near susceptible crops. The sweet melon is very attractive to slugs and snails and so they munch that rather than your precious plants.

Finally, perhaps the most effective way is physically picking up slugs and snails! This may not sound the best fun but it certainly is effective especially in the late evening or at night. I was

I met another predator recently in the form of Blackie, an eight-month old spaniel who hunted snails

told by a customer a couple of years ago that she went out every night and collected over 200 slugs at a time. She continued this the next year and the numbers had halved. A year on and they had halved again. The downside, other than the time, was that she didn’t have the heart to kill the slugs and snails and so drove them out into the countryside and released them back into the wild!

After a time she swore that she started to recognise

some of the snails and a quick use of nail varnish revealed that indeed many found their way back!

To be honest I’m not sure this will replace pigeon racing as a sport!

Which of these treatments is best? Well, actually a combination of them would be my suggestion‌ and keep at it! www.thegardeneronline.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 29

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For more information visit our website or come down to the showroom.

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Gardening

PLANTING YOUR GARDEN Alan Dodge, Bailey Ridge Plants, Landscaping & Design

W

ith your newly constructed garden’s borders crying out for plants, it is nearly time for the icing on the cake, but “hold your horses” and pick up anything they might leave on the pavement, it will come in handy! Now is the perfect time to rejuvenate and improve your soil which may be tired and exhausted from previous vegetation.

Your soil is the foundation on which your new planting scheme will be based so before planting lots of wonderful plants it is worth making sure it is in good condition. I’m not sure there is a perfect soil, let’s face it, nor do plants, some prefer clay soils, some sandy, others moist or dry, alkali or acid, even high and low levels of fertility, it all depends upon where they have evolved. All we can do as gardeners is use plants best suited to the soil and conditions we have and leave the rest to nature.

Improving the structure of the soil will help tremendously and by digging in organic matter, naturally occurring or the bagged variety, will feed soil bacteria and earthworms which in turn will provide food for our plants. A 50mm covering all over your borders is recommended, more if you wish, it will help break down clay soils and help retain moisture and nutrients in lighter soils.

Digging over, and possibly rotovating if the bed is large enough, will create a tilth, making planting a much easier, enjoyable and satisfying experience.

There is nothing more soul-destroying than planting your new border only to find it full of weed in two weeks. As Benjamin Franklin said, 32 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

“an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure” and this is the time to act. Annual weed seeds will inevitably be in your soil in their thousands, if they have germinated, a quick rake over on a dry day will uproot most and they will perish. A more sinister enemy may be lurking underground though, the perennial weed, those plants whose roots stay in the ground, die down in the autumn but come up year after year in spring, these are much more of a challenge. Removing their roots is essential, particularly those of ground elder, couch grass, buttercup and worst of all bindweed. If you happen to have any of these uninvited guests it is worth the painstaking task.

Herbicides are available but are only effective when the plants are actively growing, are not selective and difficult to apply between your new plants. I cannot emphasis enough how important it is for borders to be as weed-free as possible at the time of planting. Once planted, I strongly recommend covering the surface with a 50mm depth of composted bark mulch. It has no magical weed killing property but if laid on clean weed free soil this inert organic layer prevents weed seeds germinating saving you hours of weeding. Oh and “composted” mulches’ dark brown appearance provides a pleasing backdrop for new plants.

Next month “Choosing the Right Plants” with Susan Dodge www.baileyridge.co.uk

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SELLING THE CELLAR Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers

All businesses need to change, develop and evolve and running an auction business is no different. Over the past 30 years, 15 of which running Charterhouse, I have seen great change in the way auctions conduct their business.

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Two bottles of Margaux 1962 £200-300. Two bottles of Chateau Lafite Rothschild 1965 £300-500

T

he internet has revolutionised how we run our business. For buyers – dealers, museums and collectors - they are able to access all our lovely lots and catalogues on-line without having to leave the comfort of their office or homes. Here, they can request further images and detailed condition reports and then either book a telephone line or bid live on-line whilst the sale is in progress.

We also receive a large number of enquiries through our website with clients looking for information and valuations on items they are looking to sell. We therefore need to have a broad range of experts to help and advise clients. Whilst most regional auctioneers offer the same broad range of experts Charterhouse does, we also offer expert advice on specialised departments such as wine, port and spirits which many auctioneers do not.

David Baines is our expert here. David has over 40 years’ experience in the wine trade and is a great addition to the Charterhouse crew. David’s wine, port and spirit auctions are always popular with bidders looking to buy for a variety of reasons including laying wine down for the short or long term, giving away as presents – I know I would rather receive a bottle of something special rather than a newspaper from my birth year, and of course, just to drink!

Over the past few years, David has sold some pretty special bottles including a half bottle of Le Pin Pomerol 1982 equating to nearly £600

a glass (!!) and a bottle of Moet & Chandon champagne which was, by repute, liberated from Hitler’s bunker. With no provenance and possibly tampered with or booby trapped (the Germans often added mercury to wine as they were retreating resulting in something more serious than a hangover after drinking), it sold for £1,700.

However, recently David had been advising several clients who are looking to sell vast quantities of bottles surplus to their requirements which has created a wine mountain at Charterhouse.

First up is a client living in a large country house near Taunton. The family had been there for decades. Over time, one of the garages and a barn filled up with cases of wine and port. Some cases have been opened and the odd bottle consumed but in the main, hundreds of bottles of wine were just left in racks or in cases. With the property now sold and the wine of little interest to the family, we not only cleared the contents of the house, but also the collection of wine, port and spirits.

Next up was a collection of predominantly Italian wine from a family in Bournemouth.

The wine has been acquired by the father from an Italian Count several years ago. Again, the family members had little interest in the wine and contacted David through our website and then delivered the wine to our salerooms.

Finally, as this goes to print, the estate of a French airline pilot from Bristol has brought another large quantity of wine, port and spirits to the market. The late owner had been a bit of a wine hoarder which the family attribute to the shortage of wine he endured during the Second World War. He amassed a huge number of bottles – most of which again were stored in his garage and which we have now removed back to our salerooms.

So the end result of David’s travels has resulted in several thousands of bottles going under the hammer in our special auction dedicated to wine, port and spirits on Wednesday 18th May. It is possibly one of the largest such auctions recently held in the West Country and will give many buyers the opportunity to bid. With many lots being offered for sale without reserve, and estimates from just £30, there will certainly be plenty to choose from. www.charterhouse-auction.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35

SHERBORNE’S ARTISTS Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

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nd so the summer season of visual feasts kicks off again. We’ll be dusting off our sunhats, arming ourselves with a map and heading off into the sunshine in search of old favourites and as yet undiscovered artists. This month the great Dorset Art Weeks is upon us.

Dorset has long been a favoured county among artists. Many settling here, lured by its landscape, light and space. Over the coming pages we meet just some of the talent putting Sherborne on the map.

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Haydon Church Studio

Tucked away at the back of the Sherborne Castle Estate, something very special takes place in Haydon Church: it is now the studio of two young artists who produce furniture, homeware, paintings and models. Eleanor Goulding is a graduate in Fine Art and Russell Denman is a sculptor and cabinetmaker. Together they collaborate on handmade wardrobes designed and built to represent tall elegant houses, often with ornate hand-painted plants on their walls and intricate windows. But their passion for structures doesn’t stop there.

They have a joint interest in artistically exploring ‘dwellings’ and architectural structures and for Dorset Arts Week they have worked together to produce a series of paintings and 3D architectural models of unique homes and buildings. Anyone who is interested in architecture will find this show a treat.

There will also be series of delicate watercolour paintings of dwellings from around the world.

In addition, a selection of homeware and gifts will be on sale including bags, ranging from simple ‘Totes’ to zippered bags. All the bags will be handpainted by Eleanor. ‘I am interested in detailing minimal landscapes in black line, trees and structures that are reminiscent of the Scandinavian landscape,’ she says and the fine detailing gives testimony to that. There will also be a range of handmade wooden jewellery by Russell Denman on sale. It promises to be a unique opportunity to see inside this unusual converted church along with an exciting glimpse of a creative studio in action. > www.denmangould.com

Venue 215 Haydon Church Studio, Haydon, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5JB 38 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

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Jane Shaw

Jane Shaw studied History of Art at Manchester University but it was her move to Dorset that renewed her passion for animals, the outdoors and for sculpture. Often working from life, her work is focussed on the essence of each subject and more lately she has explored the relationship between man and beast.

‘I have a natural love for animals and did a lot of portraiture in the past but in my latest animal sculptures I feel much freer and have focussed on the movement and character,’ she explains. ‘There are many fantastic artists living in Dorset who have influenced my work and it is very exciting to put Sherborne on the map as a hub for artists.’

Last year she was awarded first prize for her ‘Racing Greyhound’ at the Bath and West show and her collection for this show will include a mixture of work in bronze and bronze resin as well as larger outdoor pieces in plaster.

Alongside her work Jane runs a weekly workshop – Art 4 All – an art class designed specifically for those who feel isolated from their community through mental illness or disability. Details of these classes will also be available during the show.

Jane Shaw will be showing at the Old School Gallery, Yetminster Venue 210 and also at Venue 218. > www.janeshawsculpture.com

Venue 210 Old School Gallery, High Street, Yetminster, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6LF www.yetminstergallery.co.uk and Venue 218 Glenwood House, Longburton, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5PG www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43

Victoria Jardine

Victoria Jardine originally trained as an architect but as her studies progressed she realised she had become obsessed with landscape and form. It was only a matter of time before she found that ceramics was where her interest would lie and, since recently moving to Longburton, has begun her own Dorset studio.

Her expertise is in hand-built, predominately coiled work that does not use a potter’s wheel in its construction. ‘This is how pots were made before the wheel was introduced,’ says Victoria.

‘It means that you can build more extreme forms,’ and what excites her most is ‘the process of gradually building and exaggerating the shapes,’ she explains. Certainly her stoneware has an architectural quality that stands testament to this.

‘Both architecture and ceramics have a form of usefulness that is similar but what is lovely about making a pot is that you get to make the whole thing from start to finish,’ she explains. To create her stoneware pieces Victoria uses a scarifying process, which gives them a textured surface.

A black glaze adds their monochrome effect.

The focus in her work is the moment when two surfaces collide and form as a whole. It is this that gives the pots the appearance of being weightless but in fact they are very sturdy and quite capable of remaining stable enough to be used as vases.

‘I am interested in giving the feeling of illusion,’ she explains. ‘The word ‘craft’ comes from the German work ‘kraft’ meaning magical powers, so for me I am trying to make a bit of that magic.’ > www.victoriajardine.com

Venue 218 Glenwood House, Longburton, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5PG 44 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

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46 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Laurence Belbin

Laurence Belbin has long been a fixture at his studio in Westbury Hall and this year promises an exciting show from this prolific local artist.

Regular visitors will notice there has been a recent shift of focus in his work. As Laurence explains, ‘up until recently I have been interested in looking at light and tone in paintings but now I am working towards focussing on line.’

In this new series of paintings, many of them based on the working fishing boats in West Bay, there is a clear shift towards the ‘architecture’ of the image with boats and fishermen being brought to the foreground. ‘My drawing is coming out and I want to keep it in the paintings and not just in my sketchbooks,’ he explains.

Other new work includes a series of handblock ink prints inspired by the murmurations of starlings on the Somerset Levels and a series of pen drawings sketched in-situ at the coast that have an illustrative quality. His passion for working outdoors continues with the Sandford Orcas studies. It is a body of work focused on the road to Sandford Orcas that has so far produced over 55 paintings. ‘It began with a study of the hedge-laying and now I have got to know the lane intimately in all seasons I have a whole series based on the trees. I even paint there at night,’ he adds.

Laurence was born in Romsey and has painted since the age of five, selling his first painting at 16. He later trained as a commercial printer but by 1989 he had made up his mind to work as a full-time artist. He cites the Newlyn School and Impressionists as his main influences. Lawrence’s show will bear testimony to a life’s work that continues to develop with each year. > www.laurencebelbin.com

Venue 214 Westbury Hall, Westbury, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3EN www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 47

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Sarah Hough

A little further afield in the Piddle Valley is Sarah Hough’s open studio. This year it will give visitors the opportunity to immerse themselves in her latest work in progress. Since last autumn Sarah has made a weekly journey to the Studland Peninsular to take the ferry across to Brownsea Island where she walks to a particular beach that faces south. It is where the Branksea pottery used to be and is where Sarah, always returning to the same spot, spends a day sketching. Armed with just a simple bag of ink, charcoal and occasionally oils, her aim is to spend the time in the elements and explore her creative responses to the weather, light, sea and landscape.

Her aim is to produce a year’s worth of drawings and paintings that will later inform four major paintings.

‘I am interested in the elemental forces and my desire to visually express the experience of the landscape,’ she explains. Her target is to fill one large sketchbook a month with her work and they will be on show for visitors to explore. She has also made a series of sound recordings to complement the paintings.

Most of her sketches use a mix of charcoal and ink wash, often applied with a decorators’ brush. This gives an exciting abstract quality which works well with her immediate responses to the weather, sea and landscape on any particular day. Sarah’s hope is that visitors will get a chance to experience her working process in a personal space that is something they might not get in an exhibition space. ‘I really hope this will give visitors a greater depth to their visit,’ she explains ‘and look forward to discussing my work.’

Some of Sarah’s past work, including her Entomology and floral illustrative work for which is she more commonly known will also be on show and for sale although she hopes that this show will be a new departure and visitors will enjoy the experience. www.sarahhough.com Venue 55 Highfield House, Church Lane, Piddletrenthide, Dorset DT2 7QY Full details of all participating studios, including directions and opening hours can be found at www.dorsetartweeks.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53

The Blue Pool 1911 by Augustus John (Aberdeen Art Gallery and Museums)

INQUISITIVE EYES Julian Halsby MA (Cantab) FRSA RBA

Residents of Dorset should not miss the current exhibition at the Royal West of England Academy in Bristol entitled ‘Inquisitive Eyes’. The exhibition is curated by local art historian Gwen Yarker who has also written a fascinating book to accompany the show – ‘Inquisitive Eyes: Slade Painters in Edwardian Wessex’ published by Sansom and Company.

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rtists’ colonies are very much a feature of late 19th century painting; places where artists gathered together to paint, discuss art and enjoy each other’s company. In France there were colonies at Pont Aven, Giverny and Grez-sur-Loing while in this country Newlyn, St Ives, Staithes and Cockburnspath are well known. Less well known is Dorset, in particular

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Corfe, Purbeck and Studland, which attracted many important artists in the years before the First World War. Dorset was known through the writings of Thomas Hardy and, despite a growth in tourism, it remained a delightfully rural area where old traditions died slowly. As a county it also boasted some magnificent and dramatic landscape, all within a few hours’ train ride from London.

One of the first artists to explore Dorset was Frederick Whitehead who had studied in Paris.

He spent six months a year in a caravan, ‘The Rambler’, with his wife who often dressed as a gypsy. Encouraged by Thomas Hardy, Whitehead roamed Dorset looking for subjects to paint.

Purbeck with its ancient clay and lime pits and old quarries especially attracted Whitehead’s attention.

The leading light of this group was John Everett, a man larger than life both physically and artistically. Born in Dorchester, the son of a vicar, he adopted an itinerant way of life, living and painting in a caravan or camping simply in abandoned cottages by Poole Harbour. He wrote ‘We led a sort of wild life down there, never saw a soul, used to sail over to Poole for provisions’.

Everett’s mother Augusta was a powerful and eccentric character who joined the Slade School of Art with her son in 1896. The Slade had been founded in 1871 and by the 1890’s had established a reputation for progressive teaching led by Fred Brown, Henry Tonks, Philip Wilson Steer and Walter Westley Russell, all of whom were to paint in Dorset. Everett met a talented group of fellow students including Augustus John, William Orpen and Charles Conder amongst a real galaxy of talented young painters. Many of these painters were invited back to his mother’s rented house at 21 Fitzroy Street where chaotic bohemian gatherings were held. Everett married a fellow student, Katherine Herbert, in 1901, and returned to live in Dorset in 1903. Their house became a centre for Slade students and tutors who came to paint the dramatic landscape around Corfe Castle.

Everett worked ceaselessly capturing the effects of waves and passing clouds often from his 9-ton cutter ‘Walrus’ which acted as a floating studio.

Many Slade tutors visited Dorset, notably Henry Tonks who used Katherine Everett and her 18-month son Tony as models in ‘Summer’ of 1908 and Philip Wilson Steer who also worked around Purbeck and Corfe painting powerful plein air landscapes which he often exhibited at the New English Art Club. Everett helped his close friend Augustus John find a house for his large family in the area, settling on a somewhat unusual bungalow

called Alderney Manor near Parkstone. Rented for £50 per annum it became an important centre for Slade students past and present and some of John’s most successful paintings were done here – in particular ‘The Blue Pond’ and ‘Lyric Fantasy’.

Derwent Lees was also a painting companion to John in Dorset as was Henry Lamb.

The English art world was turned upside down

by Roger Fry’s two major exhibitions on PostImpressionism 1910-12 which introduced artists such as Van Gogh, Seurat, Matisse and Picasso to a bemused London public. Tonks described the exhibitions as ‘a mistake’ and discouraged his students from attending, which of course had the opposite effect. Younger talents in Fry’s Bloomsbury circle including Virginia Bell, her sister Virginia and her husband Clive Bell all visited Studland between 1909 and 1913. It became a holiday retreat for ‘the Bloomsberries’ and both Roger Fry and Vanessa Bell painted progressive works there. Gwen Yarker suggests that the battle between the Slade and Bloomsbury was fought on the beach at Studland.

There are other interesting but little known artists represented in the exhibition including Charles and Evelyn Cheston, both Slade students, the American Henry van der Weyden and Helen McNicoll who was born in Canada but studied at the Slade. She painted sun filled canvases while living in Swanage and painting alongside Dorothea Sharp. Finally it’s worth noticing the work of Arthur Friedenson who arrived in Dorset from Staithes.

It is an exhibition to catch before it closes on 12th June but if you are unable to see the exhibition in Bristol, Gwen Yarker’s book is a good substitute. The text is lively and informative and the illustrations numerous and colourful.

Julian Halsby is an art historian, author, lecturer, critic, and practising artist.

Inquisitive Eyes: Slade Painters in Edwardian Wessex 1900-1914 Royal West of England Academy, Bristol until 12th June 2016

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 55

KEEPING DOG-EYE Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership

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nherited eye diseases can affect every breed of dog including cross-breeds. For this reason, all dogs (male and female) that might be used for breeding should be examined by an eye specialist for evidence of any ocular problem that could be passed on to their puppies. It is essential that both parents are examined and given an official Kennel Club/ BVA certificate, which lasts one year. Yearly renewal is necessary as some eye diseases do not show up until later on in a dog’s life, sometimes in-between litters. A current eye certificate is so important that I advise against buying a puppy born to parents without them. If a breeder tries to convince you that eye tests are not necessary, just Google inherited eye disease in dogs and look at the list of affected breeds 56 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

(i.e. all of them). Labradors, Retrievers and Spaniels are particularly at risk.

As a little background, I thought I would briefly discuss 3 eye diseases that can be inherited in dogs and are checked for in eye tests. These are glaucoma (increased pressure in the eye); cataract (opacity in the lens); and retinal degeneration. There are other eye diseases that can be inherited (e.g. Collie Eye Anomaly or CAE) and also covered by an eye test, which looks for evidence of 12 different diseases.

Glaucoma can be slow, insidious and can appear quite late in life; or it can be sudden, dramatic and incredibly painful at a young age (particularly in Cockers and Retrievers amongst others). The latter presentation is a medical emergency and although

treatment can save vision for a while, eventually blindness will result. Inherited forms of cataract can also affect young dogs, German Shepherds, Westies and Springers are particularly at risk and although surgical removal of an opaque lens restores vision, affected dogs must not be used for breeding. The original term for inherited retinal degeneration was Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA) and although described first in the Irish Setter, different forms of this disease appear in many breeds, some as early as 4 months’ old (in the Collie and Setter).

Poodles suffer a late-onset form. PRA can now be detected by DNA analysis which can differentiate between carriers and healthy or affected dogs.

This information is essential to help plan breeding

programs to prevent blindness in future generations.

However, the DNA test currently available only detects one of the many forms of the disease and so yearly eye examinations are still essential.

If your dog has a painful eye, is losing vision at twilight or has a “milky” appearance to the eye then do ask your veterinary surgeon to check it out, whether breeding is contemplated or not. Red and painful eyes are emergencies and should be treated as soon as possible, although only very few of these will be due to inherited disorders. More likely a thorn scratch but these are just as important!

Here’s the good news - getting an examination is easy! This year Nick Burden MRCVS from the Hale Veterinary Group will be on-site at the Sherborne Castle Country Fair, Bank Holiday Monday, 30th May, to examine your dogs’ eyes and issue eye certificates. The examination is performed in a darkened space and you will accompany your dog to give reassurance. Treats will be on-hand as incentive for good behaviour (for owner and pet!) although it is rare for any dog to become upset as there will be no vet surgery “vibe” and Nick is very experienced. To book your appointment, call either of our surgeries (816228 or 474415) and reserve your time, between 10am and 5pm. You will need to check-in 20 mins before your time as a pupildilating drop needs to be given before the exam.

When you call to make your appointment, we will let you know what paperwork to bring with you (kennel club registration, microchip number) and the costs of the different tests (glaucoma £44 and routine £35). Three pounds from each test will be donated to the Fair’s charity money. So dear breeders, let’s try to do our bit to improve the eyesight of the dogs we love.

The Sherborne Country Fair has been held every year for over a decade and all proceeds go to local childrens’ charities, made possible by the dedication and hard work of the volunteers who make up the organising committee.

Every year the Fair donates almost £50,000 to local charities, representing every penny of profit earned from the entrance fees and traders’ pitch fees. Please support the Fair if you can and think of the money you pay at the gate as a donation to help good causes in Dorset. www.newtonclarkevet.com www.sherbornecountryfair.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 57

58 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

SPRING GRASS THE HIGHS AND LOWS Gemma Loader BVetMed MRCVS, The Kingston Veterinary Group

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ush spring grass can cause a number of mineral disorders in cows. Milk fever, or hypocalcaemia, would be the most common of these disorders. This generally occurs shortly after calving when the demand for calcium in milk production exceeds the body’s ability to mobilise calcium, resulting in low blood levels of calcium.

When the diet contains too many positive ions (from sodium or potassium) and too few negative ions (from chloride and sulphur), mobilisation of calcium reserves becomes impeded.

Spring grass is often high in potassium but low in magnesium and calcium, resulting in clinical milk fever cases. Clinical signs of milk fever can be divided into three stages:

Stage 3: Muscles become weak and flaccid, the cow stretches out in lateral recumbency (on their side).

The animal becomes unresponsive and progresses into a coma. Heart rate becomes significantly elevated and blood supply to extremities becomes undetectable. If untreated, death will occur.

by injection. Intravenous delivery provides the quickest correction and recovery, but it must be administered slowly with care as it can be fatal if infused too quickly. Calcium can also be given by intramuscular or subcutaneous route.

Milk fever can be prevented with correct dietary management. This can often be quite complex as there are many other components that can affect absorption of calcium therefore diet should be discussed in detail with your vet. An oral bolus containing calcium given at calving may help to increase levels at the critical time.

Staggers, or hypomagnesaemia, is a deficiency of magnesium. As mentioned above the magnesium content of grass in the spring is often low. Cows need a dietary intake of magnesium as they are unable to store it in their bodies.

Symptoms of this disorder are twitchiness, muscle tremors, incoordination, aggressiveness, falling down, thrashing around and seizure activity before death. However staggers may also present as a sudden death.

Treatment needs to be rapid and is one of the true farm animal emergencies. A sedative drug may be necessary to control the cow’s seizure activity. Magnesium supplementation is necessary by injectable routes.

Cases of staggers are rare these days as most farmers know how to prevent the problem.

Sufficient magnesium in the diet is essential, this can be delivered through supplements in the food or water or via bolus. Alternatively, magnesium can be applied to the pasture.

In conclusion, mineral imbalances can be fatal therefore prevention is better than cure.

Treatment involves calcium supplementation

www.kingstonvets.co.uk

Stage 1: Cows are mobile but may be slightly wobbly when moving. They may show restlessness and twitching. If not treated, symptoms usually progress to stage 2.

Stage 2: Cows are unable to stand and they lie down on their sternum. Cows appear dull and lethargic, and often tuck their heads into their flanks. Many have a low temperature, including cold extremities such as the ears. Food and water intake is reduced, leading to secondary bloat and constipation. Heart rate is often elevated.

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59

BARBER SHOP For those who know the difference

SHERBORNE’S BARBER SINCE 1992 Three highly skilled, professional barbers with over 80 years collective experience

Cut Back & Sides Crew Cut Shampoo & Cut Concessions

£15 Beard Trim £5 £45 £14 Shave £13 Colour from £24 £29 Under 11’s £13 for over 65’s Mon - Wed

Monday 8am - 5pm Tuesday - Friday 8am - 6pm Saturday 8am - 3pm Booking recommended

01935 815501 6a Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX /jps_barber_shop

Menu of the Day

2 courses with a glass of wine or 3 for £19 Available Monday to Saturday lunch and Monday to Thursday evening

The Dining Room is a beautiful restaurant situated in the stunning surroundings of the 8th Century Sherborne Abbey and 15th Century almshouse. We cook sensational traditional British food with a respectful nod to the past and an eager fork in the fresh ideas of contemporary dining.

MONDAY to SATURDAY 12pm to 2pm • 6.30pm to 9.30pm SU NDAY 12pm to 3pm • 6.30pm to 8.30pm Westbury, Sherborne DT9 3EH

01935 815154

info@thediningroomsherborne www.thediningroomsherborne.com

Food & Drink

ENIGMA “ A person or thing that is mysterious or difficult to understand…”

Giles Dick-Read, Reads Coffee Roasters

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ome time early in 1982 I found myself tentatively turning left out of a non-descript government prefab on Wilton Avenue, Bletchley, a free man. I’d just passed my driving test - yippee!

Had I instead turned right out of the ominously named ‘Block 4’, I’d have found myself, a few metres up the road, arriving at Hut 8, Bletchley Park. Still under threat of demolition at the time, as the Park’s true role in history was still relatively fresh out of declassification, Hut 8 remains preserved to this day as the workplace of that most famous Sherborne pupil, Alan Turing. His story is well documented so I’m unlikely to be able to add anything much that will interest you in that department. Instead I’ll shamelessly use this rather tenuous link in an attempt to enlighten you as to how to overcome one of the greatest problems that faces the domestic coffee maker…the enigma that is the Italian Espresso Pot. Otherwise known as Moka, Bialetti, Stovetop Pots, all too often, I expect, prefixed with an assortment of colourful adjectives - much as the names of many a Spaniel can be on shooting days in these parts. They’re tricky things for 62 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

sure, often consigned to the back of a cupboard after too many unsuccessful attempts to produce anything drinkable. Designed in 1933 by Alfonso Bialetti and little changed to this day, these iconic aluminium pots use steam pressure to force water, itself just under boiling point, from a sealed base chamber through coffee sitting in a metal basket up into a top chamber, from which it can be poured. Fabulous when you get it right, bitter, harsh and watery when the brew goes wrong.

For those of you who read last months ‘1785’, the number to remember this time is ‘928’, or rather 9.28g water per gram of coffee in your Moka. Easy for me to remember as in 1982, one of the most exciting things I could have got my hands on that afternoon at Block 4 would have been one of Stuttgart’s finest, the 297bhp Porsche 928. Just the job for propelling an over-enthusiastic youth up Wilton Avenue and rendering Hut 8 to the annals of history. Thankfully, it wasn’t to be, and is less relevant this time as unlike cafetieres, you can’t make half a Moka. ‘Fill it or Bin it’…that’s the rule and it explains why Mr Bialetti went to the trouble of making them in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

You want just one cup, use the little pot. A couple?

Medium. More than that? Use the big ones.

Your choice of coffee will be important, basic espresso blends and good Bourbon Brazils tend to work the best. Italian ‘brick pack’ coffees are designed for the job and you can’t go far wrong with Lavazza Red for experimenting. The grind is absolutely critical as the pressure will render anything too coarse useless, as the water is forced through too quickly. Too fine, and nothing much will happen. Concentrate now, for this is the crux of the matter, be sure to fill the little basket that sits between the base and the top level full with fine, espresso ground coffee. No need to force it in, just a level fill and the right grind will do the job. Next, add water, hot or cold, to the line in the bottom section just below the little valve that very effectively saves us from blowing ourselves to smithereens if we get the coffee grind too fine.

Screw the top and bottom parts tightly together, sandwiching the coffee funnel between and put on the stove. Ideal for all types of hobs, including induction, for which special pots now exist. Leave the top open for the first few minutes – keeping an

eye out for when the thick coffee liquor starts to ‘bleed’ from the spout as the very best of the brew is forced up the column. If it rushes straight through, either your grind’s too coarse, you haven’t put in enough coffee or the metal basket’s got a dent in it, letting by the pressure. As soon as the brew starts to speed up, shut the lid, wait a few seconds, take the pot off the heat and let it sit as it’ll carry on bubbling for a few moments. Once stopped, you should be left with a powerful brew, not espresso in the strictest sense, but ideal for adding hot milk or topping up with fresh hot water to make a cup that’ll kick-start even the toughest of days.

Simple really, all you have to do is get the combination of the coffee, pot, water, grind and heat absolutely spot on and you’re in business.

Whether the occupants of Hut 8 would have completed their tasks any quicker with the help of Mr Bialetti’s pot is unknown, they may even have had one or two. Much, I suppose, depends on whether or not they’d have been able to unravel the mystery of how to use it. www.readscoffee.co.uk

COFFEE BREAK Kafe Fontana 82 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3BJ 01935 812180 kafefontana @kafefontana www.kafefontana.co.uk

Oliver’s Coffee House 19 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU 01935 815005 Olivers-Coffee-House @OliversSherbs www.oliverscoffeehouse.co.uk

Old School Gallery Boyle’s Old School, High Street, Yetminster, DT9 6LF 01935 872761 www.yetminstergallery.co.uk

The Pear Tree 4 Half Moon Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN 01935 812828 @peartreedeli www.peartreedeli.co.uk

Sabins Deli 5 Hound Street, Sherborne, DT9 3HY 01935 816037 @SabinsDeli www.sabins.co.uk

Zest Cafe 1 Abbey Road, Sherborne, DT9 3LE 01935 389192 www.fourleafcloverclub.org.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 63

Food & Drink

MAY DAYS Lisa Osman, All Hallows Farmhouse, School for Cooks & Makers

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s a cook, the change in seasons always evokes excitement. A renewed energy to create flavoursome dishes from produce that is re-appearing in the kitchen. This can be a humble vegetable that has been grown with tender care and harvested at the very beginning of its season or perhaps an artisan ingredient that has a taste so distinct it provokes a food memory so vivid and lucid you may be mistaken that it happened only yesterday. Growing up on my Grandfather’s 64 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

farm, rich Channel Island cream and golden yellow butter are two indulgent treats that instantly transport me to a place that was my sanctuary.

Nowadays learning the producer’s story behind a newly discovered artisan product or listening to fellow chefs share the delight in the flavour of a heritage fruit brings a simple yet fulfilling pleasure to every day life.

It is no surprise that May is celebrated, we are now at the height of spring and all around the

blossoms on the fruit trees are creating an abundant picture, English asparagus is plentiful and our kitchen garden has tender pickings of radish and rocket every few days or so.

Later in the month there will be elderflower in the hedgerows. Gather some now and use to flavour vinegars, cordial or make a sorbet.

Leave some behind so that they can develop into fruit for the autumn as the berries make one of the best of jellies to serve with game.

Tender broad beans sometimes known as fava beans are now just beginning to swell in their ‘heavy duty’ protective pods. Preparation takes time and more often than not you may only find a couple of fully developed beans in each. The taste is worth the effort but it is probably best to grow your own if at all possible. Picked straight from your garden along with some summer savoury you will have everything you need to create a midweek risotto.

The days are longer and we are taking every opportunity that we can to eat outside in the garden. Relaxed and informal dining with friends means long lazy, weekend lunches to make the very most of the warm weather.

Large platters allowing everyone to pass and share also lend themselves to outdoor eating.

Beetroot Hummus

Try roasting a couple of medium sized beetroots, give them a good scrub under the tap, then trim off the top and tail. Cut into equal sized wedges, place in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil. Season the beets with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Roast until tender and allow to cool. Meanwhile drain a can of chick peas reserving a little of the liquid, finely zest and juice an unwaxed lemon and crush a clove or two of garlic. Blitz everything together in a blender or food processor with a tablespoon of tahini and a teaspoon of Ras el Hanout or ground cumin if you prefer.

Add a generous glug of olive oil and some of the reserved liquid to create your preferred consistency check for seasoning and serve with radish and young carrots to dip into. www.allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk

OTHER SEASONAL TREATS

Sorrel

Not so widely used as in years gone by but we grow this forgotten herb to pair with eggs or to add to a rich sauce and serve with fish.

Rocket

Deliciously peppery and easy to grow in the garden or in a pot beside the back door. Ideal with cured hams or add to a salad with parmesan alongside a lemon and olive oil dressing. www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65

Food & Drink

BEETROOT AND BROAD BEAN RISOTTO Jason More and Adam Corbin, Head Chefs, The Dining Room

Ingredients

1 shallot 1 glass white wine 1 pint veg stock 250g arborio rice 100g broad beans

1 candied beetroot 1 large beetroot 2 cloves garlic 50g Parmesan cheese Knob of butter

Risotto

1. B oil the two types of beetroot separately with their skins on until soft.

2. Bring the veg stock to the boil and leave at a simmer.

3. Sweat the onion & garlic at a low heat in a thick bottomed pan, add the rice and cook for a further 2 minutes stirring constantly.

4. Add the white wine and cook until absorbed.

5. Start adding the stock a ladle at a time stirring constantly until the rice is al dente.

6. Add the knob of butter and half the cheese, and stir until absorbed.

66 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Beetroot

7. P eel and cube the beetroot and arrange around plate.

8. Peel and thinly slice the candied beetroot to place on top of risotto.

Broad Beans

9. D ouble pod 2/3 of the broad beans and blanch until just cooked. Then add to the risotto.

10. The remaining blend with a little of the veg stock to make a puree then dot in between cubed beetroot.

Cheese Crisp

11. Place grated the cheese in a circle on to a baking tray lined with grease proof paper and bake at 180C for 8-10 mins. Leave to cool and place on top of risotto as garnish. www.thediningroomsherborne.com

ROASTED LEG OF SPRING LAMB WITH GARLIC, TOMATO AND SORREL SALSA Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner, The Green An unusual recipe from the Russian steppe.

Best served with new potatoes and spinach.

Ingredients

1.25kg leg of lamb 300g natural yoghurt 4 spring onions finely chopped 4 cloves of garlic crushed 1tsp black peppercorns crushed 1tbsp fresh dill chopped 1tsp fresh mint chopped 3tbsp good quality olive oil 3 medium sized tomatoes diced 1tbsp fresh parsley chopped 2tbsp fresh sorrel shredded 150ml lamb stock reduced to demi glaze 30ml lemon juice

Method

1. F or the marinade mix the yogurt, crushed black pepper, mint, dill, 1/2 of the spring onions and 1 tablespoon of olive oil.

2. Put the leg of lamb into a suitably large enough glass dish and spread the marinade evenly all over. Cover loosely with clingfilm and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

3. Pre-heat the oven to 200째C/400째F. 4. Bring the leg of lamb to room temperature, transfer to a roasting tray, remove the cling film and cook for 20 minutes.

5. Reduce the oven temperature to 180째C. Add crushed garlic and salt. Continue roasting for a further 40 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and keep in a warm place for 15 minutes, before carving.

7. Use the juices from the pan, lamb stock, spring onions, diced tomatoes, lemon juice, chopped parsley, olive oil and shredded sorrel to make a wonderfully aromatic salsa.

8. Serve immediately with steamed vegetables. www.greenrestaurant.co.uk

From our table to yours

NEW DISHES: Chicken Casserole, Fish Pie, Ham, Leek & Cider Pie, Roasted Butternut Squash Lasagne and Steak & Ale Pie Available from Sabins Deli, Sherborne, Trenchermans, Compton Park, Sherborne, The Village Stores, Charlton Horethorne and Bishops Caundle Community Stores Order by phone on 01935 816037 or email info@olives-kitchen.co.uk View our product range online at www.olives-kitchen.co.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 67

Food & Drink

68 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

PINOT NOIR David Copp

Pinot Noir, the longest established of the great red grape varieties, was most decisively developed in Burgundy.

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istercian monks at Clos de Vougeot systematically studied the relationship between soil, climate and grape variety in the vineyards bequeathed to their monastery.

Their empirical research throughout the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, and their diligent and perceptive husbandry established that Pinot Noir was the variety best suited to their soils and climate, and they propagated clones from their most healthy plants. Today some of the world’s most prized wines come from the same slopes around Vougeot and Vosne Romanée.

The monks found that the best vineyards were mid slope on south east facing hillsides with well drained soils.

They noticed differences in character in the wines produced in different parts of their hillsides, so they built stone walls to separate the growths which they then named after the village or some feature of its terroir. Hence Clos de Vougeot or Beaune Les Caillerets, that is ‘Beaune from the stony field.’

The reputation of Burgundy grew and its Valois Dukes, led by Philip the Bold, were quick to proclaim as ‘the best in the world.’

Ever since many other winemakers have tried to emulate Burgundy but it was not until the latter decades of the twentieth century that a more scientific approach to matching soil and variety, helped those who persisted, find some exceptional Pinot Noir sites around the world.

Thus today we can find truly excellent Pinot Noir wines from such diverse regions as California, Oregon, Walker Bay in South Africa, Central Otago in New Zealand, Victoria and Tasmania in Australia, and

more recently in Germany’s Pfalz region, Romania’s Dealu Mare, and in Chile.

Pinot Noir has the reputation for being a difficult and demanding variety to grow well because it is thin skinned and sensitive to soil and climate. It prefers clay soils on a limestone bedrock, loves sunshine and warmth but not excessive heat, and dislikes damp and hail.

It requires careful supervision, its best wines are made from low yields and it is best matured in expensive French oak.

In short, it is not only difficult but very demanding. A famous oenologist once remarked that God made Cabernet Sauvignon and the devil made Pinot Noir.

And yet in my travels around the world I have never met a great vintner who does not aspire to produce Pinot Noir because, at its best, it is divinely scented, generously fruited, charming, elegant, fine, supple, seductive, silky textured, long lived and unforgettable.

The best examples are not cheap.

In fact the Domaine Romanee-Conti wines are the world’s most expensive, largely because so little is produced and there is a battle between wealthy men to acquire them. The 2004 is available at £8,500 per bottle.

At a rather more reasonable price level I can recommend La Catina (£7.50 Wine Society) a fresh and fruity Pinot from Romania’s best wine producing area, Baron Philippe Rothschild Pinot Noir (Vineyards £8.99), Martin Vassmer Spatburgunder 2012 (£12 Wine Society), Cono Sur 20 barrels Pinot Noir from Chile, and Karl Heinz Johner Enselberg Pinot Noir 2008 (both £19.99 from Waitrose). www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69

CYCLE SHERBORNE Peter Henshaw, Dorset Cyclists Network Mike Riley, Riley’s Cycles

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f the thought of a 40-mile cycle ride fills you with horror, then read no further. Actually, scrub that and DO read on, because if we’ve learnt anything from three years of organising cycle rides out of Sherborne, it’s that most people can pedal much further than they think.

It’s the miles that put them off. Invite some for a 40-mile ride and they’ll recoil. Say to the same people that we’ll be riding for an hour and a half, stopping for coffee, doing another 90 minutes, having lunch and then riding an hour home, and it sounds far less scary. The upshot is that even if you don’t regard yourself as super-fit, 30-40miles spread across most of a day could well be within your reach. Lycra and a whizz-bang carbon fibre racing bike are not compulsory. Snacks, drinks and photo stops certainly are.

Talking of which, it’s a good idea to bring all this with you. In the words of Winnie the Pooh, ‘little 70 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

somethings’ that will keep you going between the big breaks. A bottle of water of course, plus a few snacks. Everything they say about bananas is true – good, slow release energy that will keep you fuelled.

Anyway, four of us rode this 40-mile round trip from Sherborne to Gillingham, most of it on quiet roads. We had intended to head for Glastonbury but a quick check on the wind direction changed our minds. Riding into the wind on the way out meant we would be wind-assisted on the way home, which is always a bonus.

Now the only trouble with our lovely town is that, whichever way you cycle out of it, there’s some sort of hill involved. We fearlessly met this problem head-on by climbing straight up Sherborne Hill, which was lessened by turnpike road engineering in the 18th century but is still a stiff old climb. Left at the top, down to Alweston and left again to leave main roads behind for

as long as possible. We had far-reaching views (as the estate agents say) before dipping down through Stourton Caundle and heading up towards Stalbridge.

At the junction, we turned left (avoiding a steep climb), following the distinctive drystone wall which surrounds Stalbridge Park. Right at the top of the hill, then an easy descent down to cross the A357 for a beautifully flat ride all the way to the edge of Fifehead Magdalen. Crossing the A30 at Stour Hill needed care then it was an easy run down into Gillingham and lunch.

Heading for home, we took in the superb views above Cucklington and enjoyed a cruise along the flat from Buckhorn Weston before a final climb up through Templecombe and Bowden. Down through Milborne Wick and back into Sherborne before the rain arrived. We’d cycled 40 miles, seen early blossom, deer, pheasants and a veritable harem

of chickens at Milborne Wick. You could too.

Mike Riley has some advice on GPS for cycling:

GPS can be just as useful on a bike as it is in the car but it must be protected from weather and vibration. The cheapest form is a phone App such as Strava, the phone protected by a waterproof case. The App is excellent but the phone can overheat in its dry bag and uses a lot of power, so if it runs flat you won’t be able to phone home if you have a problem. Small GPS units can be connected to your computer post ride to show your performance but only show where you have been.

I favour Garmin units, which allow routes to be preloaded and give directions as well as recording performance. You need never get lost again. www.rileyscycles.co.uk www.dcn.org.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71

Body & Mind

MENTAL HEALTH WEEK Looking After our Relationships

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Jill Cook, Counsellor, 56 London Road Clinic

or most of us, life is full of relationships.

It may sound an obvious thing to say but recently I have been reflecting on the quality of mine and the joys and challenges that they bring. There are some which seem to tick over smoothly and others that seem to need constant work to keep them going…a bit like a car I guess.

If I put in oil, water in the windscreen washers and air in the tyres regularly and constantly refuel, my car will have a good chance of continuing to work for me. If I neglect any part of this process it will have an impact on how it runs.

So why am I writing about this now? Unlike my one car, I have many relationships of different types; for example, a relatively small number of close family and friends, a wider circle of those I know socially but not so well and my professional working relationships which are different yet again. These all need nurturing in different ways.

I have often heard it said that good relationships shouldn’t need to be worked at, they should just happen. I don’t feel like that. Anyone who has raised or is raising a young person will know just how important it is to keep the lines of communication open in order to understand what is happening in their lives. Often adolescents in particular, cease to communicate and part of our role as an adult in their lives is to work at keeping conversations going so that the relationship doesn’t break down. Similarly, in all our other relationships it is good communication that enables us to keep them growing and developing.

16th – 22nd May is National Mental Health Awareness week and this year its focus is on relationships. Healthy and supportive relationships can reduce the risk of poor mental ill-health. Recent statistics show that 1 in 4 of us will experience some form of mental ill-health. The most common being anxiety and depression alongside eating disorders, selfharm and schizophrenia amongst others. Strong social networks and good relationships improve and support 72 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

our mental health as much as good diet and exercise.

So how do I know if I have a mental health problem? Just as with a physical feeling that something is not right, so it is with our mental health. Our first port of call could be the GP or other trusted health practitioner - keeping it to yourself is not usually a good plan. Talk to someone you trust rather than bottling things up and seek help if you need it. Mental illness used to have a stigma around it but thankfully that is improving and employers are more aware and sympathetic than in the past. And if you feel that someone close to you is struggling, don’t be afraid to ask them if they are OK. You don’t need to be able to fix things for them but having a supportive listener is priceless, it can be the beginning of someone acknowledging that they may need some extra support. If you think that you could support someone in this way but are afraid that you don’t have the skills, look out for short courses on basic listening skills which will help to build your confidence.

So, looking after our relationships is really important. Some people may need more support than others but being aware of the value of them can enhance our mental health and therefore our lives.

If you are looking for counselling support, you can check out www.counsellingdirectory.co.uk and www.bacp.co.uk where you will find therapists in your area who are qualified and members of a professional body.

Other useful resources include: www.mentalhealth.org.uk/your-mental-health/ looking-after-your-mental-health www.youngminds.org.uk/about www.mentalhealth.org.uk/ www.samaritans.org/ www.mind.org.uk/information-support/ www.56londonroad.co.uk www.jillcook.co.uk

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Body & Mind

HAYFEVER – YOUR TREATMENT CHOICES Dr Tim Robinson, MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP & complementary practitioner

A

s many of you know the hayfever season is approaching and the bombardment with pollen from grass, weeds, trees and flowers is nigh. This means the return of those troublesome symptoms – itchy eyes and mouth, runny nose and sneezing plus congestion as well as wheeziness.

Successful management of hayfever is not only important for quality of life, it is also important in order to minimise its impact on our work and school performance, particularly during exam time – one study showed a 40% chance of dropping an exam grade if hayfever is poorly controlled.

Practical measures may help minimise the allergic response to the pollens – shutting the bedroom windows, mowing the lawn at the start of the day, closing car windows and wearing wraparound sunglasses. However when the pollen count is high (50 and above) nothing seems to help.

At this point you probably turn to conventional treatments, nasal sprays (Beconase), eye drops (Opticrom) and once-daily non-sedating antihistamine tablets (Cetirizine) are all very effective. These are available from the chemist or your GP. Long-acting steroid injections given at the start of the season are no longer favoured due to their adverse side effects at the site of the injection and generally.

However you may prefer to try alternative treatments. Homeopathic medicine treatment of hayfever has been shown to be effective in published research studies. It is certainly worth trying as it is safe and without side effects.

Symptoms can be relieved by taking Hayfever 30c – this contains 3 remedies that are specific

74 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

for itching eyes, nasal congestion and sneezing.

Prevention of hayfever can be achieved by taking Mixed Grass Pollen 30c twice daily throughout the hayfever season. Many patients get through the hayfever season very successfully solely on this medicine and use the Hayfever 30c if the symptoms should breakthrough on those days when the pollen count is particularly high.

Another alternative option is herbal medicine.

Eyebright and Plantain are said to strengthen the membranes that line the nose, relieve irritability and inflammation. Over the years patients have told me that eating locally sourced honey is also an effective hayfever preventative measure plus it tastes delicious! Why not give it a try or even the homeopathic or herbal alternatives.

Many of the allergic symptoms may also occur outside the hayfever season but to a lesser degree.

Trigger factors such as house dust mite, mould, dog and cat allergy, can cause the hayfever type symptoms such as sneezing and runny nose.

Often the allergic trigger factor is obvious and elimination of it may bring about relief. However sometimes it may not be possible to discover the trigger factor. At this point allergy testing can be helpful; skin prick testing is a simple and reliable method which is scientifically valid, backed up by evidence based medicine.

Hopefully the above advice will free you from itchy eyes and sneezing during the forthcoming hayfever season and allow you to enjoy the spring and summer months to their fullest. www.doctorTWRobinson.com

IN A SPIN

Natasha Williams, Oxley Sports Centre

I

ndoor Cycling is a relatively recent phenomenon. These group classes can be found in gyms and sports centres around the globe. They involve riding indoors on a static bike in a group session which is typically led by an instructor who guides the group through a session lasting anywhere between 30 and 60 minutes.

The instructor would deliver a session involving a variety of phases from a warm up through the main peak workout finishing off with a cool down.

The creator of ‘Spinning’, Johnny Goldberg, was born in South Africa in 1956. He moved to the USA in 1979 where he became a personal trainer.

In the following years he became an endurance cyclist, developing a passion for long-distance cross-country races. While night training for a 3,100 mile cross-country race, which would be from Los Angeles to New York called ‘The Race Across America’, he was almost killed. This made him decide that he did not want to do his night training outside on the road so he looked to see if he could take it inside. This led him to develop a workout that would, as close as possible, replicate the experience of outdoor training in the most efficient way. He began to do these workouts in his garage.

Goldberg then went on to open the first indoor cycling studio in Santa Monica, California.

The classes on offer were set to music, involved motivational coaching and heart rate training, very much like the classes on offer in most centres today. In partnership with John Baudhuin, Goldberg went on to develop and improve indoor bikes that became more true to their roots by

introducing further geometry and ergonomics found in road bikes. These bikes featured a weighted flywheel which simulated the effect of inertia and momentum that is experienced on a real bike.

In 1994 the partners trademarked Spinning® to further develop the indoor cycling concept.

The manufacturer Schwinn was licensed to assist with commercialising the brand by producing and distributing the bikes. In 2001 this license was transferred to Star Trac and in 2016 to Precor. As Spinning is a brand working in partnership with a manufacturer, the only classes that can truly be called “Spinning” are the classes using the branded equipment. This is why many centres name their classes Indoor Cycling.

At Oxley Sports Centre, the Spin Zone has been fully refurbished and kitted out with brand new bikes. The Matrix ic7 built in partnership with The Indoor Cycling Group is the most advanced indoor cycle ever built. The bike’s performance metrics are delivered to the user via the Coach

by Color® console that vividly displays the user’s watt rate or power to them and their coach in five coloured zones. The overwhelming response from our first customers to experience the classes has been a resounding “Fantastic!”. With new bikes, new studio and a new layout there is certainly nothing like it in the surrounding area.

The new Oxley class timetable now features six new Indoor Cycling sessions, allowing even more people to experience these amazing classes. Download the full timetable at www.oxleysc.com

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

e ry to ric rt uc r lf p ve o d e a ad tr off n h his In sio f t es y o ts p rs co Fi ith w

The Life Whisperer ...your guide on life’s journey Experienced, intuitive and clairsentient therapist teacher. Original techniques woven with ancient knowledge

HEAL: Reiki, Equine Reiki, LEARN: Experiences, courses, LINGER: Shaman’s Rest, Yeovil, crystals, shamanic healing, card workshops, Spirit of the Shaman, Somerset. Retreat accommodation readings and ceremonies Reiki and Equine Reiki courses for an hour, a day or longer www.thelifewhisperer.co.uk

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Complementary Health Clinic • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Acupuncture Pilates Shiatsu Podiatry & Chiropody Osteopathy Counselling Child and Youth Counsellor Physiotherapy EMDR Therapy Beauty Therapy Aesthetic Doctor McTimoney Chiropractor Manual Lymphatic Drainage Soft Tissue Sports & Remedial Massage

Tel: 01963 251860

www.56londonroad.co.uk Email: info@56londonroad.co.uk 56 London Road Milborne Port, Sherborne, DT9 5DW Free Parking and Wheelchair access 76 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Book now for half term holiday activities for ages 8-14 For more information please call 01935 818270 or go to our website www.oxleysc.com Bradford Road, Sherborne DT9 3DA

Body & Mind

CHIRO-ACTIVE Sasha Arnold & Joanna Loutsis, The Sherborne Rooms

C

hiro-active is a partnership between VHT Practitioner, Sasha Arnold and Joanna Loutsis, McTimoney Chiropractor. It is a gentle, effective treatment which may be helpful for a wide range of neurological and musculoskeletal conditions including: • Back, neck and shoulder pain • Pain, discomfort and stiffness in joints and bones • Migraine and tension headaches • Muscular aches and pains • Some types of Sciatica • Whiplash injury • Sports injuries • Repetitive Strain Injury • Some types of Neuropathy Vibromusclar Harmonisation Technique (VHT) is a gentle, non-invasive, non-diagnostic modality performed over clothing. The whole body is addressed using a series of ‘Moves’ that are made over the muscles, soft tissues, trigger-points and fascia. VHT was developed by Jock Ruddock, who originally trained in Bowen Technique.

Over the course of many years he integrated philosophies from TCM, Kahuna, Dynamic Ki, Kinesiology, Cranio Sacral. He used the distorted muscle recoil as a spring with which to power a vibration through the soft tissue as a foundation, very similar in principal to the toggle torque recoil adjustment in McTimoney.

McTimoney Chiropractic is typified by a whole body assessment and swift, light force adjustments, which makes it a comfortable treatment to receive. The subtlety of the adjustment demands great sensitivity and mechanical skill, and is extremely effective.

Bones in the neck, are checked to see if any have moved to the left or right and also that they all have mobility. Any bones that are “stuck” or misaligned will be adjusted where necessary.

We then go to the feet and check for leg length discrepancy. This is a common finding and usually indicates that the pelvis is tilted to one side, pulling that leg up, making it look short.

We also look for rotation of the pelvis and adjust that if indicated. Elbows, wrists, knees and ankles are also checked and corrected if needed.

Your spine is assessed and any bones requiring adjustment are identified. This form of adjustment is known as “Toggle Torque Recoil”. The toggle is the thrust, the torque is the pressure applied during the thrust and the recoil is the immediate recoil of the practitioner’s hands which facilitates the patient’s natural response. Thus the adjustment is a gentle one that avoids forcing or stressing the joint or the body and it is one for which McTimoney chiropractors are well known.

Both therapies are proven to be extremely effective on their own but patients are reporting that, when combined, the results are amazing.

Releasing the soft tissue which holds on to the bones and fights against the chiropractic adjustments reduces resistance. Pain and stiffness can be expected to reduce more per session, the number of sessions needed appear to be fewer and the results seem to last longer in many cases.

Introductory Offer Sasha and Joanna have such faith in their combined treatment that throughout May they are offering a whole body VHT muscle release session followed by a full Chiropractic Treatment for only £60 (usual price £85). They are confident to the extent of guaranteeing that you will feel and function better or they will give you your money back!

You can find Sasha and Joanna at The Sherborne Rooms, Cheap Street, on Tuesdays and Thursdays. www.chiro-active.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 77

Keeping you mobile

in style

We stock the largest range of mobility products and furniture in the area

Tel 01935 389391 www.sherbornemobility.co.uk Visit our showroom Unit 5, South Western Business Park, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PS (Access via the station car park)

Therapy rooms in the centre of Sherborne offering a range of different clinics • Medicinal Herbalist • Aromatherapist • Reflexologist • Doula • Hypnosis • Past Life Regression • McTimoney Chiropractor • EMDR Therapy

• Psychotherapist • Swedish Holistic Massage • Sports Injury Massage • Nutritionist • Shiatzu Massage • Bowen Technique and Lymph Drainage Massage

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A VERY SPECIAL VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY Become a SAMARITAN and you become part of a superb local team that offers emotional support 24/7 Find out more about our exceptional training programme and the chance to make a real difference at a Prospective Volunteer Information Session on the first Tuesday of each month at 7pm. These are held at our centre (address below) We are keen to hear from anyone over 18 with time in the evenings and weekends. Call 01935 414015 and let us know when you are coming or email recruitment@yeovilsamaritans.org.uk Yeovil Samaritans, 25 The Park, Yeovil

www.samaritans.org

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Want to know what your home is really worth?

We offer a free, no obligation valuation service. There’s no hard sell and it only takes 20 minutes.

Given the recent property price increases we have witnessed across the county, this is a perfect opportunity for you to understand the value of your home should you wish to sell, or are simply interested in what your home is worth.

01935 815 155

St Georges House, Greenhill, Sherborne, DT9 5HF • Email: sherborne@mortonnew.co.uk www.mortonnew.co.uk

For a fresh take on your accounts, speak to Hunts.

Your Life, Your Money, Your Future

Trusted, professional, fee based advice We live in a complex world. At FFP we aim to remove complexity, replacing it with simplicity and clarity so that our clients can enjoy their lives without worry

T: 01935 815008 E: info@huntsaccountants.co.uk W: huntsaccountants.co.uk @Hunts_Sherborne The Old Pump House, Oborne Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3RX 80 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Telephone: 01935 813322 Email: info@ffp.org.uk Website: www.ffp.org.uk

FFP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

We understand what makes a property unique to the area and the market.

Combine this with our global network and we’ll find you a buyer that fits perfectly, in fact 48% of our buyers in the last 12 months have been sourced from outside of the South West.

To speak to your local Knight Frank team and arrange a free market appraisal please contact us on 01935 812236 or email sherborne@knightfrank.com KnightFrank.co.uk @KFSherborne

Property

AVOID A VOID

R

Anita Light and Paul Gammage, EweMove Sherborne

ecent budgets have steadily gnawed away at the private rental landlords profit margin so maximising your yield now is even more important. By moving a tenant in as soon as possible we maximise rent return. Very important point to note here, no tenant is better than bad tenant.

invested in the home’s security. Be prepared to answer any queries, the annual cost of utility bills, Council Tax, broadband performance, local school OFSTED ratings, local transport links, why did the last tenants leave, local amenities etc.

Marketing your property

Important point again, no tenant is better than a bad tenant so ensure that your tenant vetting process is robust. Ensure that you can cherry pick the best tenant from as many applicants as possible. By not charging tenants rip off, up-front fees just to apply you will get more applications. Insist on a home owning guarantor, normally a relative, fully indemnifying you from costs your tenant may not be able to meet. Credit check both the tenant and the guarantor. References should be sought after satisfactory credit checks. At this point make the applicant aware that they have to pay half the first months rent in advance which is non refundable should the references be unsatisfactory. Ask your agent to visit the prospective tenant in their own home.

Why would you not do this to protect your most valuable asset? The way they live in their current home is a good indicator of how they will treat your home!

To get the very best tenant for your home in the desired timeframe make sure your advertisement shows your property in the best possible light to the widest possible audience. Talk to your agent about how they will make your property stand out from the crowd and give it maximum exposure.

Recent statistics show that 97% of people looking for property use Rightmove and Zoopla. To ensure your property stands out from the crowd make sure you have professional quality photography, 2D and 3D floor plans and creative marketing descriptions.

Market rent valuation

Don’t pitch the asking rent too high. Getting an extra £50 per month is nice, but if it takes an extra month to let, it might take you 2 years to make up the void period. You can always increase the rent after 12 months if you’ve initially let it at a competitive rate.

Prepare for viewing

It’s vital to make a good first impression, strive to show your home in its best possible condition, after all you do want to achieve the best possible rent. Understand tenant turn-offs and avoid - unpleasant smells, clutter, unmade beds, dirty windows, dead plants, poor lighting, signs of poor maintenance, stained or worn out carpets/flooring, mould in bathrooms, unkempt gardens etc etc. This list goes on, it’s not rocket science but make people want to live there.

Turn a viewing into a tenancy

People make their minds up about a property within minutes. Show the best features of the home first and aim to close the viewing in the best room if possible. Highlight improvements made to the property or any feature that shows you have 82 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Tenant vetting

Keeping your tenant

So now you have your perfect tenant in your prized asset, how do you keep them there? The average tenancy duration in the UK is 21 months. At EweMove we’re proud that ours exceed 5 years.

Customer service

It’s simple, a happy customer is unlikely to want to leave. Treat them as a human being, not just a rent payment vehicle. If their circumstances change in life, show some empathy and understanding and try to work with them to help them through.

People can go into arrears through all sorts of reasons - mental illness, redundancy, family crisis ... many of these are short term and can be resolved via good communication with the tenant. www.ewemove.com/sherborne

Hi we’re Anita and Paul Branch Directors of EweMove Sherborne Your Local Property Expert

8 Reasons Why Homeowners Trusted EweMove To Sell Their Home 1 We’re open 24/7, so we never miss out on a viewing or offer 2 We advertise on all major property portals: RightMove and Zoopla 3 Our award winning Ewereka! system allows buyers to book their online viewings 4 We will personally manage your sale beginning to end

£450,000 Sherborne • 4 Double beds, adapted throughout for disabled users

£450,000 Sherborne • 4 Double Beds, Lovely Quiet Location

Paul Slator

5 We take professional photographs of your home that will make it stand out and increase your click through rates 6 2D & 3D floor plans to allow people to visualise themselves in your home 7 If you’re not happy, you can walk away at any time and you won’t pay us a penny 8 Our customers have rated us 5 star on Trustpilot making us The UK’s Most Trusted Estate Agent

OIRO £195,000 Sherborne • Superior Ground Floor Retirement Apt

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Estate agency for the 21st century!

I have experience of buying & selling properties & how stressful it often is. On this occasion however, I have been lucky in discovering ‘EweMove’ who take the stress out of it by providing a brilliant service. I feel like they are working solely for me. Paul & Anita at EweMove in Sherborne are constantly in contact with us keeping us up to date with everything. They are professional in what they do, yet put me at ease so I feel confident to ask them anything that I am unsure about. From initially contacting them online I feel we have had their constant attention.

Whereas other more traditional agents are either unavailable or slow to respond. The photos, description & overall presentation of our house sale have been superb. I feel that this has been a significant factor in securing us a buyer within hours of being marketed. I can’t recommend Paul & Anita at EweMove highly enough.

Get Your FREE Online Valuation Estimate Visit: EweMove.com/Sherborne Or Call: 01935 350 350

84 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

CARRY ON DROVING George Hayward, Auctioneer

Starting a new job is always rather onerous, but for novice livestock auctioneer George Hayward, it proved to be more odorous!

M

y father was Senior Partner of our firm – Hayward Montgomery, agricultural auctioneers in Somerset. From an early age I would join him at work in the school holidays, especially at the livestock market where everyone knew me as young Mr Hayward. Being the boss’ son, I was given an easy ride by staff, clients and buyers in the market. So when the time came, I was sent north to get a proper apprenticeship from people who would be less forgiving.

I was aged 23, fresh from agricultural college, and sent for an interview at a well-established Yorkshire firm. After I was accepted, I asked when I would start selling. “Soon enough, Hayward, but let’s see how good you are at simple stuff first.”

I secured digs in the spare room of an attractive 40-year-old divorcee and started my first day at the livestock market at 6am.

Dressed in a land agent’s unofficial uniform of corduroys and a sports jacket, I was keen to make a good first impression. I found the market manager and reported for duty. He looked me up and down and said, “What have you come as?” I was puzzled and then he stroked his chin and said, “I think you can start on the goats.”

The goat section was well away from the main sale rings and if you know what a Billy smells like you will understand why! When the auctioneer started the sale with the words: “Good to see you all here today, this is our new apprentice, George Hayward, and we thought he might like to show off the goats in the ring rather than keeping them in the pens as normal” I realised I’d been conned. I was not prepared to walk away, however, but moving goats is very difficult without touching them and as they were unused to being handled they jumped and kicked. I was quicker than them, but one backheeled muck and straw that went all over my face. I felt like a clown at the circus but the crowd loved it.

After the sale, one of the partners sought me out.

“How was your first morning, George?” he asked. I told him that it was a bit different to the market at home. “Your father told me to toughen you up so there may be a few days like this. You took it well enough, though.” He then told me to familiarise myself with the other parts of the market.

When I walked into the sheep section I heard the lovely melodious lilt of the auctioneer. Every salesman has their own style but this was so tuneful.

As I drew closer I could see the auctioneer walking on boards above pens containing sheep. He never stopped walking and his clerk did the same, writing and moving in harmony. I had never seen anything so smooth, effortless or fast and it was mesmerising.

When the auctioneer came to the end of the row, he jumped down and introduced himself. “Algy Owen – you must be the new lad? You can clerk for me now. But stand downwind, you smell terrible.”

I was suddenly next to the great man treading the boards. It felt a great privilege, but writing whilst walking and learning new buyers’ names is not easy and before long I had fallen behind.

When he had finished the sale, Algy turned to me: “You can clerk again next week but I won’t be going slowly for you. Keep up or keep out.”

I mumbled an apology. “And for heaven’s sake keep away from the goats next time!”

It was quite an introduction to life in a northern market and when I arrived back at my digs my landlady ordered me out as soon as I walked into the kitchen. “What have you been rolling in?” she asked. I explained, to which she replied, “Right, everything off and I mean everything. Peg your clothes on the line and then get upstairs for a shower.” I did what I was told.

I never worked on the goat section again but my landlady’s laundry demands became something of a ritual. www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 85

Open new doors Move with Savills Wimborne Savills Wimborne Wessex House, Wimborne BH21 1PB 01202 856872 | 07812 965365 snevillejones@savills.com

savills.co.uk

WOULD YOU INVEST NOW? Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS, Certified and Chartered Financial Planner

D

o you ever listen to the news and find yourself thinking that the world has gone to the dogs?

The roll-call of depressing headlines seems endless. But look beyond what the media calls ‘news’ and there are also a lot of things going right.

It’s true the world faces challenges in maintaining stable and well-functioning social, environmental and economic systems. The legacy of the financial crisis is still with us and concerns about climate change and sustainability are widespread.

Europe is grappling with a refugee crisis; China faces a difficult transition from an export and industrial-led economy to one driven by domestic demand; and the US is preoccupied with a sometimes rancorous election campaign.

But it’s also easy to overlook significant advances made in raising the living standards of millions, increasing global cooperation on sustainability and efforts to build greater transparency and trust in financial institutions.

Many of the 10 developments cited below don’t tend to make the front pages of daily newspapers or the lead items in the TV news, but they’re worth keeping in mind on those occasions when you feel overwhelmed by all the grim headlines.

So here’s an alternative news bulletin:

1. O ver the last 25 years, two billion people globally have moved out of extreme poverty, according to the latest UN Human Development Report.

2. O ver the same period, mortality rates among children under the age of five have fallen by 53%, from 91 deaths per 1000 to 43 deaths per 1000.

3. In September 2015, all members of the UN set 17 sustainable development goals for 2030, including targets for eliminating poverty and hunger and lifting standards in health, education, water, energy and infrastructure.

4. Global trade has expanded as a proportion of GDP from 20% in 1995 to 30% by 2014, signalling greater global integration.

5. Global bank regulators recently announced that

since the financial crisis they have implemented reforms to reduce leverage, address systemic risk and build capital buffers into the banking system.

6. The world’s biggest economy, the US, has been recovering. Unemployment has halved in six years from nearly 10% to just below 5%.

7. Global oil prices have fallen by more than 70% in two years. While bad news for the oil sector, this also raises real incomes for consumers, increases profits outside energy and decreases costs of production.

8. W hile fossil fuels still play a major role in the economy, renewable energy sources—such as solar and wind—accounted for nearly 22% of global electricity generation in 2013 and are seen rising to at least 26% by 2020.

9. We live in an era of rapid innovation. One report estimates the digital economy now accounts for 22.5% of global economic output, and projects digital technologies could generate $US2 trillion of additional output by 2020.

10. The growing speed and scale of data is increasing global connectedness and transforming industries as new discoveries are made in such areas as engineering, medicine, food, energy and sustainability.

No doubt many of these advances will lead to new business and investment opportunities. Of course, not all will succeed but the important point is that science and innovation are evolving in ways that can help mankind.

The world is far from perfect, it’s true. The human race faces major challenges. But just as it is important to be realistic and aware of the downside of our condition, we must also recognise the major advances that we are making. Just as there is reason for caution, there is always room for hope and keeping those good things in mind can help when you feel overwhelmed by all the bad news. www.ffp.org.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87

Days Out Orchid Paradise

Sunday 1st May, £24 (Club £22)

Sudeley Castle & Gardens

Sunday 22nd May, £34 (Club £32)

Holidays Killarney & Ring of Kerry 26th June - 2nd July 7 Days from £655

The Grand Old City of York

RHS Garden Rosemoor

26th - 29th August 4 Days from £395

Hampton Court Palace & Lunch

2016 Day Trips & Excursions brochure available now

Saturday 28th May, £35 (Club £33) Saturday 4 June, £43 (Club £41) th

For further information, or for a 2016 brochure call the office now!

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Queen Tribute Night June 25th 2016 £35 per person including a 3 course dinner To reserve your table call

01935 483430

Don’t forget to ask about our accommodation offer George Albert Hotel Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430

www.gahotel.co.uk 88 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

The Old Vicarage Leigh, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6HL

01935 873033

info@tovic.com

We are delighted to announce that following our recent inspection by the Care Quality Commission we have been awarded a rating of Outstanding. This means we are in the top 1% of care homes in England.

The Old Vicarage CQC overall rating

28 January 2016

Set in its own secluded, beautifully landscaped gardens, woodland and meadow, and with stunning views overlooking the Dorset countryside, it’s hard to resist the charms of the Old Vicarage. As soon as you step through the front door of this charming country house, you’ll discover an oasis of comfort, warmth, calm and relaxation.

Our highly trained staff ensure that everything - from the mouth-watering food and drink and the stylishly cosy bedrooms to the wide range of activities - will make the Old Vicarage truly a home from home. We have been recognised by the Cinnamon Trust as being one of the best pet friendly care homes in the country.

To arrange a visit please call on 01935 873033 or email info@tovic.com

I

know, I know…last month I said that I would be telling you all about disks. Well, I think that recent events have made me change my mind.

Over the past month a new scam, fraud, virus (whatever you want to call it) has cropped up.

Ransom-ware is when your computer becomes infected by a piece of software that encrypts all your data (documents, pictures and music etc) and demands payment of a substantial fee to unlock your stuff. The virus also recursively scans USB storage and network drives, including Dropbox etc. The new development is that the scam email that you receive to start things off now includes your name and address, as well as being well written without the usual spelling mistakes and Americanisms.

The email says that you owe money to a variety of well known British companies and charities and invites you to download the offending invoice following the download link is what infects your computer. Within a few seconds, much of your data will have been encrypted and a ‘ransom note’ is displayed on your screen telling you to pay up or lose your data forever. The longer you leave it, the more you have to pay!

Now, I have always advocated NEVER to pay the ransom as there is no guarantee that you’ll 90 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

get your data unlocked and your money will just disappear into the ether however the choice is yours. If you do choose not to pay then removing the virus and cleaning up the computer is usually fairly straightforward but history tell us that your data is gone for good. It may be inconvenient and it may be upsetting, but is it really life changing?

On a more positive note, email is rarely affected as many of us now use webmail and on-line mailboxes that cannot be accessed by the virus.

As much of your data may be sent and received by email you are often able to recover a goodly bit.

How could you avoid this? You can’t stop the incoming email if you are unfortunate enough to get one but you can be vigilant and be savvy enough to realise that it is a scam. Just delete the email! Secondly you should have good antivirus software to block the virus if you do follow the download link. Finally you should have a good backup system on-line or on a removable drive that is not permanently connected to your computer. As always, you know where to come!

Coming Up Next Month … Let’s try disks again :-) www.computing-mp.co.uk

Elite Estates

BRYAN C. COOPER LTD

Complete Property Services

A Traditional Family Run Building Company

• New builds and period property • Renovations and extensions • Joinery and carpentry • Electrics and plumbing • Plastering and all roofing

Established over 45 years

• Interior and exterior decorating • Soft and hard landscaping • Re-pointing specialists • All grounds works covered

Covering all aspects of building work across the South West and South East.

Renovations, Extensions and Alterations ~ Patios, Boundary Walls and Fencing

For complete and bespoke project management call Elite

Purpose made Joinery ~ Internal and External Decorations ~ Bathrooms and Kitchens

Mob: 07816 151439 Tel: 01935 872278

Wall and floor Tiling ~ Repairs and Maintenance ~ Roofing and Fibreglass Systems 96 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DT Email: bccooperltd@btconnect.com Web: bryancooperbuilders.co.uk

Tel: 01935 814946

Email: eliteestatesinfo@gmail.com Tarks Hill, Melbury Rd, Yetminster, Dorset DT9 6NA

LTD

FRANKS

MAINTENANCE GROUP Building repair & maintenance | Home refurbishments | Facilities management services

Serving all your interior & exterior maintenance needs

CALL OU

2sev4en

• • • • • •

Heating & Plumbing Refurbishments Carpentry Kitchen Fitting Bathroom Fitting Wall/Floor Tiling

• • • • • •

Plastering Hard Landscaping Painting & Decorating Mobile Scaffold Tower Hire Electrical Installations Electrical Test & Inspections

T

01747 826656

info@franksgroup.co.uk www.franksgroup.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 91

Gas and oil appliance servicing, repair and installation plus All aspects of general plumbing Local, friendly, qualified and accredited professional Please call Patrick O’Loughlin on

07590 121599 or 01935 815613 phelpsgas@yahoo.com

Phelps Heating Solutions Ltd, 57 Granville Way, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4AT

92 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

THE BENEFITS OF CHAMBER MEMBERSHIP Andrew Maddock, Chairman, Sherborne Chamber

I was recently asked what the benefits of Chamber of Commerce membership are. It’s a good question and while I cannot comment on other organisations, the list of benefits associated with being a member of Sherborne Chamber are extensive and I would like to share with you some of the highlights.

F

irstly, you become a member of a group of like-minded people who are in the perfect position to help promote and support one another. We have an amazing set of members, all with the common goal of sharing this marvellous town and for their businesses to thrive. Our membership is diverse, from retailers to accountants, media and marketing experts to bankers. In turn, our collective expertise is considerable and advice and guidance is offered depending on our fields.

It’s an excellent forum for networking and developing relationships. Making yourself known to such a broad community of local professionals will help you to promote your brand, share your message and ultimately grown your business.

Equally you’ll meet good, reliable providers of products and services whilst yourself being referred to Chamber members and their contacts. There is also a good chance of meeting local retailers who may be interested in carrying your products.

You’ll have opportunities to partake in joint ventures with other local businesses, such as advertising, cross-promotional activity or events.

We also work closely with local radio station Abbey 104, with many members actively involved.

We have a dedicated member contracted to up to 5 hours a month for the purposes of promoting the chamber and its members through a newsletter.

We can share your news – so whatever is going on in your business, let us know and we can spread the

word to our database of members.

Sherborne Chamber is run by a dedicated, hardworking panel of businesspeople who care passionately about the town. We want Sherborne to thrive, and in turn, all of our businesses to be as successful as they possibly can be. We understand how special Sherborne is and, combined, we are a strong voice for its commercial centre, standing up for the things that really matter. With direct access to key organisations, we can raise your issues and share your views with the decision makers.

We meet regularly to discuss the hot topics and to organise events such as the annual Festive Day which attracts hundreds of people to the town. The executive committee is structured, with each member having a particular specialism of responsibility. All members are invited to stand for a position on the exec at the AGM. Each executive is accountable to approximately 10 general members acting as their dedicated point of contact should issues arise or support be required. We are also establishing a group of mentors with a view to offer our members focussed business support.

These are just some of the many benefits of Sherborne Chamber of Commerce membership.

To find out more please do not hesitate to get in touch or come along to one of our meetings, details of which can be found on our website www.groupspaces.com/SherborneChamber

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93

DESIGNER Specialist in outfits for the Mothers of the Bride and Groom Bespoke or Ready to Wear

Turnbulls Electrical Solutions Polite, Reliable and Trustworthy

• DOMESTIC • COMMERCIAL • AGRICULTURAL

Find us in Half Moon Street, Sherborne, opposite the Abbey

Testing, Fuse boards, Re-wires or just an extra light or socket. NICEIC Registered

01935 812 927

Tel: 01935 389984 • Mob: 07402 881415 www.turnbullselectricalsolutions.co.uk

www.perriashby.co.uk info@perriashby.co.uk

A treasure trove of beautiful designer fabrics, yarn and haberdashery Providers of craft workshops including sewing, patchwork, embroidery, knitting and crochet Open 10-4pm Mon, Thurs, Fri. Closed for workshops on Tues, Weds and some Saturdays 81 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3BA 01935 817303 www.butterflybright.com

EMDR - a supportive, effective therapy.

Eye Movement, Reprocessing and Desensitisation • Trauma • Anxiety • Low self-esteem • Phobias • Depression Tel: 01747 825288 Mobile: 07966 002927 www.fullstoptherapy.co.uk

––– of Sherborne –––

Plu m b i n g & H eati n g Ltd Local & reliable plumber. Gas Safe registered, fully insured • New build • Renovations • Boiler installations • Vented & unvented cylinder installations

• LPG • Bathroom installations • Free quotes • Competitive prices

T: 07885 420609 E: wills.plumbing@hotmail.co.uk

Yeovil rne & Sherbo ing d surroun areas

24 hour emergency callout General plumbing and heating Evening and weekends Friendly and professional service No job too small

Therapy & Addiction Services

Keeping your family and business safe Contact us on paul.pcelectricals@gmail.com or 07974 155624 for a free quote www.pcelectricals-dorset.co.uk 94 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

Wills

Tel: 01935 584 034 | Mob: 07718 476 549 info@oakleighplumbing.co.uk www.oakleighplumbing.co.uk

Home Selection Service and Budget flooring available Carpets ~ Naturals ~ Vinyls ~ Contract Flooring Proud Member of BNI ~ Yeovil

Tel: 01935 426185 Mobile: 07855 743796 glen@inspiration4floors.co.uk www.inspiration4floors.co.uk

Covering South Somerset & North Dorset Small Business Support

Networks & Cabling

New PCs & Laptops

Wireless Networks

Repairs & Upgrades

Broadband Setup

Virus Removal

Disaster Recovery

The Weighbridge • High Street • Milborne Port • DT9 5DG www.mpfix.co.uk

01963 250788

DAVE THURGOOD Painting & Decorating interior and exterior

07792 391368 NO VAT www.sherbornedecorators.com dave.thurgoodstfc@btinternet.com

PORT AND AIRPORT CAR SERVICE ANY DISTANCE, ON TIME, IN COMFORT Mercedes E Class

Greg Cook 01935 814334 07594 743748 greg.john.cook@outlook.com

CROSSROADS PET SUPPLIES LTD All Pet Accessories Retail & Wholesale

01935 411859

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

Find us at Forward Garage on the A30 between Sherborne & Yeovil

FENCING & GATES Supplied and erected by the

SHERBORNE & DISTRICT FENCING Co. Free Estimates No VAT

01935 330095

TO ADVERTISE PLEASE CONTACT

advertising@sherbornetimes.co.uk 01935 814803 | 07957 496193

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 95

LITERARY REVIEW Wayne Winstone, Winstone's Books

The House at the Edge of the World, Julia Rochester (Penguin) £9.99 LONGLISTED FOR THE BAILEYS WOMEN’S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2016 AND THE DESMOND ELLIOTT PRIZE 2016

Exclusive Sherborne Times reader price of £8.99 at Winstone’s Books.

Please bring a copy of this review to claim your discount.

P

art mystery, part psychological drama, Julia Rochester’s The House at the Edge of the World is a darkly comic, unorthodox and thrilling debut. When I was eighteen, my father fell off a cliff. It was a stupid way to die.

John Venton’s drunken fall from a Devon cliff leaves his family with an embarrassing ghost.

His twin children, Morwenna and Corwin, flee in separate directions to take up their adult lives. Their mother, enraged by years of unhappy marriage, embraces merry widowhood.

Only their grandfather finds solace in the crumbling family house, endlessly painting their story onto a large canvas map.

His brightly coloured map, with its tiny pictures of shipwrecks, forgotten houses, saints and devils, is a work of his imagination, a collection of local myths and histo-ries. But it holds a secret. As the twins are drawn grudgingly back to the house, they discover that their father’s absence is part of the map’s mysterious pull.

The House at the Edge of the World is the compellingly told story of how family and home

96 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

can be both a source of comfort and a wholly destructive force. Cutting to the undignified halftruths every family conceals, it asks the questions we all must confront: who are we responsible for and, ultimately, who do we belong to?

“A story that carries you along - clever plotting and a startling outcome. An impressive first novel.”

Penelope Lively

Wayne is proprietor of Winstone's Books, Winner of South-West Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016, 2014 and 2013.

8 Cheap Street, Sherborne winstonebooks.co.uk Events at Winstone’s Wednesday 18th May 1pm Judith Miller of Miller’s Antiques will be providing a fascinating talk followed by a signing and free valuations.

Wednesday 1st June, 7pm for 7.30pm An evening with Formula 1 racing legend, Mark Webber.

SUDOKU

Fill the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 section contain all numbers between 1 and 9 APRIL SOLUTIONS

ACROSS 1. Small (6) 7. Clearly defined (8) 8. Eg oxygen (3) 9. Body of running water (6) 10. Hero (4) 11. Gold ___ : award for coming first (5) 13. Act of getting rid of something (7) 15. Plant with starchy tuberous roots (7) 17. Savoury meat jelly (5) 21. Row or level of a structure (4) 22. Rich cake (6) 23. Adult males (3) 24. Moderately rich (4-2-2)

25. Hesitates (6) DOWN 1. Situation that appears irresolvable (6) 2. Flipped a coin (6) 3. Steer (anag) (5) 4. Johannes ___: Dutch painter (7) 5. Secret relationships (8) 6. ___ Ryder: US actress (6) 12. Ridiculously (8) 14. French city (7) 16. Comes up (6) 18. Large feathers (6) 19. Lifting devices (6) 20. Bend forwards and downwards (5) www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97

Image courtesy of Sherborne Museum

FAITHFUL IS HE WHO CALLS

A

Canon Eric Woods, Vicar of Sherborne

t Sherborne Abbey we claim to possess the heaviest peal of eight bells in the world.

The heaviest, the tenor, weighs 46 cwt 5lb, or 2339 kilos. It is said to have been the gift of Cardinal Wolsey and bears the ancient inscription By Wolsey’s gift I measure time for all. To mirth : To Grieffe : To Church : I serve to call.

Bells have been rung from church towers for centuries. At a purely functional level, they serve to call the faithful to services.

In the days before wristwatches, they also told the time – which is why every Local Authority is still bound to keep and maintain one public clock. In Sherborne, it is of course the Abbey clock, and the hours and quarters are chimed day and night.

Until recently, however, we have been without the 98 | Sherborne Times | May 2016

chimes – and many people told me how much they missed them. The motor burnt out, and it had to go back to its manufacturers in Carlisle for repair.

But the bells don’t just mark the passage of time.

They celebrate joyful occasions, such as weddings. Muffled or half-muffled, they commemorate sad or tragic events. Above all, they speak of the presence of God in the world – the God of whom St Paul wrote, ‘Faithful is He who calls’.

Our splendid Company of Ringers have recently discovered a photograph of their predecessors in the ringing chamber around 1903. This Easter they recreated it! To learn more about the ringers and their hobby, or rather, their passion, find them at www. sherborneabbeybellringers.com

Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912

Sparkford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 7LH Tel: (01963) 440414 | Email: info@sparkford.com | @sparkfordtimber www.sparkford.com

Enjoy an apĂŠritif and zakuski

Menu du Jour Offer

3 courses for ÂŁ20 or 2 with a glass of wine*

Now, that's what I call a restaurant Trip Advisor March 2016, #No.1 Restaurant in Sherborne 3 The Green, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3HY 01935 813821 @greensherborne www.greenrestaurant.co.uk *Available evenings Tuesday - Thursday and lunchtimes Tuesday - Saturday