Sherborne Times July 2017

J ULY 2017 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

TABLE FOR FIVE with The Cookbook Club

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk

WELCOME

O

ur blue skies are fizzing with the busy chatter of acrobatic tourists.

Bumblebees and butterflies blanket the fields while Sherborne buzzes with the arrival of summer. And so to July‌ We meet four of the Fifty Dorset Makers that make up an exciting new Dorset Visual Arts exhibition and accompanying book, resident film writer Alex Ballinger warms us up for Wimbledon, chef Michael Rust is on a mission, auctioneer Richard Bromell goes topless and Val Stones bakes a roulade. We also welcome back the effortlessly wonderful Michelle and Rob Comins of Comins Tea with a new regular feature on the joys of tea.

Katharine and Jo meanwhile spend an evening al fresco with The Cookbook Club – five busy working mums coming together with the uncomplicated aim to cook, eat, talk and pause.

Have a great month.

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

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard Sub-editor Julia Chadwick Photography Katharine Davies Feature writer Jo Denbury Print Pureprint Distribution team David Elsmore Christine Knott Sarah Morgan Alfie Neville-Jones Maggie Pelly Claire Pilley Geoff Wood Contact 01935 814803 07957 496193 @sherbornetimes editor@sherbornetimes.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk PO Box 9170 Sherborne DT9 9DW Sherborne Times is printed on Edixion Offset, an FSC® 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, Shutterstock and iStock 4 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Sarah Attwood Thrive Health and Wellness @thrivehw thrivehealthwellness.co.uk Alex Ballinger @lexBallinger Simon Barber Evolver Magazine @SimonEvolver evolver.org.uk

Peter Henshaw & Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles @rileyscycles rileyscycles.co.uk @DCNSherborne dcn.org.uk Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms @SanctuaryDorset thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk

David Birley

Colin Lambert colinlambert.co.uk

Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers @CharterhouseAV charterhouse-auction.com

Mark Lewis Symonds & Sampson @symsam symondsandsampson.co.uk

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

Helen Lickerish BSc(Hons) EMDR therapist Dip. Trauma Therapy CThA The London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk

Sue Cameron Sherborne Scribblers Ali Cockrean @AliCockrean alicockrean.co.uk Michelle and Rob Comins Comins Tea House @cominsteahouse cominstea.com Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk David Copp Steve Devoto The Local Boiler Company @LocalBoilerCo thelocalboilercompany.co.uk Jenny Dickinson Dear to Me Studio, Fine Stationery @DearToMeStudio deartome.co.uk Elizabeth Evensen Dorchester Arts @DorchesterArts dorchesterarts.org.uk Jimmy Flynn Milborne Port Computers @MPortComputers computing-mp.co.uk Nick Folland Sherborne Preparatory School @Sherborneprep sherborneprep.org Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.)

CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS Fort Financial Planning ffp.org.uk Andy Foster BSC(Hons) BA(Hons) BArch(Hons) CEng MIStructE RIBA Raise Architects raisearchitects.com Paul Gammage & Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.com James Gibb BVSc MRCVS Kingston Veterinary Group @TheKingstonVets kingstonvets.co.uk

Gayathri Liyanaarachchi MOst BSc (Hons) ND DO The Sherborne Rooms thesherbornerooms.com Sasha Matkevich The Green Restaurant @greensherborne greenrestaurant.co.uk Mark Newton-Clarke MA VetMB PhD MRCVS Newton Clarke Veterinary Partnership @swanhousevet newtonclarkevet.com Kitty Oakshott Upstairs Downstairs Interiors @updowninteriors updowninteriors.co.uk Lindsay Punch Lindsay Punch Styling @stylistmum lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom Glencairn House Clinic glencairnhouse.co.uk doctortwrobinson.com Jane Somper Goldhill Organics @GoldhillOrganic goldhillorganics.co.uk Val Stones bakerval.com Sally Welbourn Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Natasha Williams Oxley Sports Centre @OxleySports oxleysc.com Wayne Winstone Winstone’s Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk Rev. Dr. Rich Wyld Sherborne Abbey @SherborneAbbey sherborneabbey.com

64 8

What’s On

JULY 2017 58 Antiques

114 Tech

20 Unearthed

60 Gardening

116 Directory

22 Shopping Guide

64 THE COOKBOOK CLUB

120 Folk Tales

24 Wild Dorset

72 Food & Drink

122 Short Story

28 Family

82 Animal Care

123 Literary Review

34 Motoring

86 Cycling

124 Crossword

36 Art

88 Body & Mind

125 Pause for Thought

46 Architecture

105 Property

126 Councillor David Birley

48 Interiors

112 Finance www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

An affordable Audi.

A1. £189 per month. £999 deposit.

Mead Ave

Yeovil Audi

Av e M ea d

Lu ft on W ay

e Western Av

Houndstone Business Park

Way Stourton

Houndstone Retail Park

Rd Pr ton W Yeovil Audi.LufLook No Further. ay

eston

ASDA 6.3% APR Representative.

At the end of the agreement there are three options: i) retain the vehicle: pay the optional final payment to own the vehicle; ii) return the vehicle; or iii) replace: part exchange the vehicle, finance subject to status.

Off ers available when purchased on a Solutions Personal Contract Plan for vehicles ordered between 1st June 2017 and 30th June 2017. Further charges may be payable if vehicle is returned. Off ers are not available in conjunction with any other off er and may be varied or withdrawn at any time.

Available to 18’s and over. Subject to availability. Terms and conditions apply. Finance subject to status. Accurate at time of publication [June 2017].

Freepost Audi Finance. A1 Hatchback 1.4 TFSI SE, Duration 49 months, 48 monthly payments of £189.00, Customer Deposit £999.00, Poole Audi Deposit Contribution £900.00, Retail cash price £15,375.00, Acceptance fee £0.00, Optional final payment £6780.23, Option to purchase fee

Another affordable Audi.

TT. £299 per month. £999 deposit.

Yeovil Audi Houndstone Business Park, Mead Avenue, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 8RT 01935 574981 yeovilaudi.co.uk   £10.00, Total amount payable £17,761.23, Total amount of credit £13,476.00, Representative APR 5.9%, Rate of interest 5.84% (fi xed). TT Coupé 1.8 TFSI Sport, Duration 49 months, 48 monthly payments of £299.00, Customer Deposit £999.00, Poole Audi Deposit Contribution £4,785.26, Retail cash price £28,150.00, Acceptance fee £0.00, Optional final payment £12,326.25, Option to purchase fee £10.00, Total amount payable £32,472.51, Total amount of credit £22,365.74, Representative APR 6.2%, Rate of interest 6.20% (fi xed). Ocean Automotive Ltd (t/a Yeovil Audi) acts as a credit broker and not a lender.

Images are shown for illustration purposes only. Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Audi range: Urban 16.1-65.7 (7.5-4.3), Extra Urban 30.4-83.1 (9.3-3.4), Combined 23.0-76.3 (12.3-3.7). CO2 emissions: 287-97g/km. Standard EU Test figures for comparative purposes and may not reflect real driving results. Optional wheels may aff ect emissions and fuel consumption figures.

WHAT'S ON Listings

Wednesday 5th 2pm and 8pm

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Sherborne Decorative and Fine

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am

Arts Society - Masquerades,

Sunday 9th 11am-4pm

Sherborne Town Walk

Music Lessons and Monkeys

Sherborne Steam &

Walks start from Sherborne TIC, Digby

Digby Hall, Hound St, Sherborne. Jane

Waterwheel Centre Open Day

Badge Guide Cindy through this historic

porcelain figures and the characters

An extensive collection of Victorian

Rd. 1½-2 hrs gentle stroll with Blue

town. A thousand years of history for only £5. 01935 815341 sherbornewalks.co.uk

____________________________ Saturday 1st & Sunday 2nd 2pm-5pm Poyntington 12 Open Gardens

07790 863518 friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk/ ____________________________

Gardiner tells us about 18th century

Oborne Road, Sherborne DT9 3RX.

they depict – some from the Commedia

engineering, inc. the 26 ft waterwheel.

dell’Arte, beggars, pedlars, lovers,

shepherds and even the odd monkey!

New members are welcome. For further information visit: sherborne-dfas.org.uk

To raise money to support village

01935 816324 sswc.co.uk

____________________________ Sunday 9th 2.30pm-4pm Music in the Park Pageant Gardens, Sherborne. Sherborne Town Band & the Sherborne Youth

amenities. Teas and plants available.

Band showcasing their great music for

Weekend tickets £6 in advance from

free! Bring a picnic and enjoy a concert

Sherborne TIC, Occasions and Castle

of light entertainment.

Gardens, or £7 on the day

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Monday 10th 9.30am-3.30pm

Sunday 2nd 10am

West Country Embroiderers

‘Paws in the Park’ - sponsored dog walk for Weldmar Hospice

Saturday 8th

Grounds of Sherborne Castle. This walk

Yeovilton Air Day

through beautiful open parkland and the

hours of amazing flying displays +

is approximately five miles, taking you

RNAS Yeovilton Airbase. Over 5

deer park. To take part in the dog walk,

an extensive static display of historic

register online via the Weldmar website at weld-hospice.org.uk/paws or you can phone 01305 261800.

____________________________ Wednesday 5th 1pm-1.45pm

£15 booked in advance. New members

are welcomed. Details: Ann 01963 34696 Tuesday 11th 7.30pm

demonstrations. Tickets available from

Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne

The Lost World

your local TIC. royalnavy.mod.uk

DT9 5NR. The superb Illyria Theatre

Wellness Wednesday:

Yetminster Fair

Stress & Anti-Ageing

Main street, Yetminster. Following the

Loretta on 07545 328447

each month, with an optional workshop,

day counterparts in spectacular role

Saturday 8th 1pm-4pm

Free to attend. Please book through

We meet monthly on 2nd Monday of

naval aircraft and their modern-

& 6.45pm-7.30pm

The Sherborne Rooms, 56 Cheap Street.

Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne

opening parade, lots of stalls, dancing,

bring Conan Doyle’s tale to life in this

outdoor production. Bring a picnic and sit back and enjoy! Tickets from Castle Gardens: 01935 814633 illyria.co.uk

music, cream teas and more. 01935

Wednesday 12th &

873979 yetminsterfair@aol.com

Monday 17th 7pm-9pm

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Colour Mixing Demonstrations

Wednesday 5th 10.15am

Sunday 9th sellers from

with Ali Cockrean

Probus - ‘Sherborne Mercury

8.15am at £5 per car, buyers

Provincial Newspaper’’

from 9am at 50p per person

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford DT9

Slessor Club, Long Street, Sherborne.

Friends of the Yeatman

members welcome, for more information

Terrace Playing Fields, Sherborne. We

____________________________

field but welcome on adjacent field.

____________________________

With guest speaker George Tatham. New

Hospital Car Boot Sale

01935 851641 or david@covert-house.net

regret dogs are not allowed in car boot

8 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

6QE. An opportunity for budding artists

to learn more about colour mixing. Sit back with a cup of tea while Ali demonstrates and talks about this fascinating subject. £10 per person. Call 07742 888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com

JULY 2017 ____________________________ Wednesday 12th 10am-4pm Inspiring one day creative workshop - Light and Movement in Watercolour Digby Memorial Hall, Digby Road. A

full-day class with popular artist and tutor Jake Winkle. £55 or £45 Friends. 01935 815899, info@sherborneart slink.org.uk

south of England. 2000 cars on display

from chain driven monsters to the latest

supercars. With 30 car clubs, trade, craft & auto-jumble stands, and excellent

food outlets. Tickets from Sherborne & Dorchester TICs. 07769 114211 classicsatthecastle.co.uk

Seckou fuses the traditional forms and

Saturday 15th 7pm Wednesday 12th 7.30pm

Piddle Valley Players present

Sherborne Artslink Flicks:

‘There’s Talent in The Valley’

Hidden Figures

Buckland Newton Village Hall. An

Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne DT9 3NL. The incredible untold story

of 3 African American women working

instruments of Senegal with those of other cultures. “An unmissable

opportunity.” Artsreach 01935 873555.

evening of song, music and other

spectacular talent! Tickets £5, including

£12, £8 u18s

light buffet, £3 for performers, available

Wednesday 19th 6.30pm

cash bar operating through the evening

Wildlife Friendly Gardening

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Saturday 15th 7.30pm

Saturday 15th &

Seckou Keita - 22 Strings

Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne

Sunday 16th 10am-5pm

Chetnole Village Hall. Seckou Keita

at NASA who helped launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit. Tickets £6 from Sherborne TIC, pre-film supper £12.

from Buckland Newton Village shop,

Classic and Supercars Sherborne Castle. Regarded as one of the premier classic and supercar shows in the

author and journalist, Kate Bradbury,

inspiring kora player of his generation,

an exceptional and charismatic musician and a true master of his instrument.

Awards Ceremony DT9 5NR. RHS qualified gardener,

is arguably the most influential and

Classics at the Castle -

Kate Bradbury comes to the

will give a captivating talk on making the most out of what the natural world has to offer. £5. 01935 814633

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Box Office:

01258 475137 Old Market Hill, Sturminster Newton, Dorset DT10 1FH

Joe Swift

Saturday 29th July, 7.30pm. Tickets £14

The Chicago Blues Brothers

www.stur-exchange.co.uk

A MAN ABOUT THE GARDEN

BACK IN BLACK TOUR

Saturday 26th August, 7.30pm. Tickets £22

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON Wednesday 19th 7pm

Tuesday 25th 7.30pm

Friends of the Yeatman

New ideas for Summer Wines -

Hospital AGM

wine tasting evening

Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby

Butterfly House, Castle Gardens.

hear news about the Yeatman Hospital

the Friends of the Yeatman Hospital,

Road. Everyone welcome to come and as well as news from the Friends. friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk

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Presented by David Copp on behalf of celebrating the 30th anniversary

of Castle Gardens. Tickets £12.50

referred to as the Vicar of Baghdad,

who is an inspirational speaker. £22.50

for members (non-members £25), and a

table of eight with a member organising

it, £22.50 each. Booking is now open and seats are by necessity limited so please book early to avoid disappointment.

from Castle Gardens or by email

Saturday 29th 10am-4pm

friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk (Read David’s

Classic Car Show

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some of the best food and drink on

contact@friendsoftheyeatman.org.uk

Leigh Food Fair and

article on page 78)

Leigh Village Hall. Taste and buy

members welcome, for more information

Thursday 27th 11am-2pm

offer from local producers. A variety

Wednesday 19th 10.15am Probus - ‘The Art of the Magician’ Slessor Club, Long Street, Sherborne.

With guest speaker Tony Griffiths. New 01935 851641 or david@covert-house.net

Finds Day with

____________________________

Ciorstaidh Trevarthen

Thursday 20th 10.30am

Sherborne Museum, Church Lane DT9

Ramblers Walk Rose & Crown Pub, Longburton, nr Sherborne. To Leweston & Folke.

01935 428607

____________________________ Saturday 22nd - Saturday 29th CSSM Summer School of Music Sherborne School. A variety of music

courses for instruments and singers. See website for timetable and application

3BP. Ciorstaidh Trevarthen, the County Finds Liaison Officer, will help identify your treasures and also bring lots of

handling objects with her.. Bring any

strange or interesting objects that you’ve

of interesting veteran/classic cars &

motorbikes will be on display. Barbecued hamburgers & sausages, refreshments,

ice cream, beer and cider! Entertainment includes children’s activities. Adults £2, children under 15 Free. 01935 873846 leighfoodfair.co.uk

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found and learn all about them. A FREE fun day of activities for finders and

seekers of all ages. 01935 812 252 info@ sherbornemuseum.co.uk

form. 01286 673401 cssm.org.uk

____________________________ Saturday 22nd Sunday 30th 10am-5.30pm Sherborne Art Club

Sunday 30th 2-4pm

Open Exhibition

Divine Union Soundbath

Digby Hall, Hound Street, Sherborne.

Oborne Village Hall, Oborne, nr.

and miniatures. Works to suit all tastes,

in advance by email: ahiahel@live.

Open exhibition of paintings, sculptures

Sherborne DT9 4LA. £12. Bookings

and prices to suit all pockets. Free entry

com or telephone Dean 01935 389655

sherborneartclub.com

centreforpuresound.org

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Sunday 23rd 2.30pm-4pm

Sunday 30th - Sunday 13th August

Cream Tea & Music

Sherborne Summer

Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne. A

Friday 28th 12.30pm for 1pm

School of Music

concert of light entertainment for Garden

Literary Luncheon with the

Centre patrons. Come and enjoy a cream

‘Vicar of Baghdad’

Sherborne School. 18 courses in all

tea on a Sherborne Summer’s Day

____________________________

Leweston School. Our literary guest will be Canon Andrew White, often

10 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

musical disciplines all taught by eminent international performers and teachers.

There are two Orchestras (symphony

JULY 2017 and chamber), four Choirs (large chorus,

art with Ali Cockrean. Suitable for

colour mixing and using a limited

a no sheet music choir), Masterclasses

go, £10 per session (tuition only) or £15

including beginners. All materials

chamber choir, close harmony choir and in Piano, Piano Accompaniment and

Singing (2), Jazz Course, Composition, four Conducting Courses (two

orchestral, choral conducting and wind

beginners and all abilities. Pay as you (materials included). Limited places.

Please call 07742 888302 or email

alicockrean@gmail.com alicockrean.co.uk

palette. Suitable for all abilities

provided. £50 per student. Call 07742

888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com

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Tuesday 18th 7.30pm-10pm

conducting), Mixed Chamber Music

The Slipped Stitch

Colour Analysis Class with

and Wind Ensemble. 01342 893963

Lindsay Punch

summermusicschool@btinternet.com

The Julian, Cheap St, Sherborne.

____________________________

To book: call 01935 508249, email

info@theslippedstitch.co.uk, or online

Sherborne Venue. This class is perfect if

theslippedstitch.co.uk

you feel frustrated trying to navigate the on-line and high street stores and you

Monday 31st Saturday 12th August

Saturday 1st 10am-12pm

Concertfest

Spin Club with Jean £13

Sherborne - various venues. There will

Saturday 29th July 2pm-4pm

given by professional and student

want to know what colours will leave you feeling and looking radiant. Email info@ lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk to book

be circa thirty concerts in all disciplines

Knit and Natter Plus Knit and Natter runs every

Wednesday 26th 1pm-1.45pm

performers. These will take place from the

Tuesday and Thursday 10am-12pm

& 6.45pm-7.30pm

end of July to mid August in Sherborne

____________________________

Wellness Wednesday:

at venues including Cheap Street

Tuesday 11th 7.30pm-10pm

Summer Health Workshop

Church, Sherborne Abbey and Sherborne

Shape & Style Class

School. A full programme can be found

with Lindsay Punch

The Sherborne Rooms, Cheap Street.

on sherbornemusicsummerschool.co.uk 01342 893963 summermusicschool@btinternet.com

Sherborne Venue. This class is perfect if

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you feel frustrated trying to navigate the on-line and high street stores and want

Thursday 27th 7.30pm

info@lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk to book

Workshop “Pedestals”

Saturday 5th August 2pm-4.30pm

Friday 14th July 10.30am-12.30pm

Chetnole Fete and Flower Show

One Day Learn to

Carrie Diamond, 01935 812722 for

Field next to Village Hall DT9 6NU

Sketch On The Go!

stalls and sideshows. Fun dog show,

6QE. Ever wished you could whip out a

Fairs and markets

you are on holiday? Ali will show you

Thursdays and Saturdays

using minimal materials. All materials

The Parade

888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com

Thursday mornings 9.00am-11.15am

____________________________

Country Market

Tuesday 18th & Friday 21st &

Church Hall, Digby Road

Planning ahead… ____________________________

____________________________

Free to attend. Please book through Loretta on 07545 328447

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to spend less time in the changing room.

Sherborne Floral Group

____________________________

Catholic Church Hall, Westbury. further details.

____________________________

Traditional flower show in marquee,

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford, DT9

alpacas, children’s games, classic cars and

pad and sketch a quick landscape while

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how to do just that, while travelling light

Pannier Market

supplied. £50 per person. Call 07742

____________________________

much more. Teas, Pimms stall. £1 entry, children free. 01935 873742

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Workshops and classes ____________________________

Wednesday 26th 10.30am-3.30pm

Tuesdays and Thursdays

One Day Colour

Every third Friday in

7.30pm-9pm

Mixing Workshops

each month 9am-1pm

Summer Evening Art for Adults

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford DT9

Farmers’ Market

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford. Tutored

6QE. A chance to practice skilful

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Cheap Street www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 11

WHAT'S ON ____________________________ Every fourth Saturday (exc. April

____________________________

Saturday 29th Poole Town v Sherborne

and December), 9am-4pm

Sport

Saturday Antiques & Flea Market

____________________________

Compton House Cricket Club

Church Hall, Digby Road

Every Tuesday and Thursday

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7.30pm–8.30pm

Compton Park, Over Compton, Sherborne

Saturday 10th 10am-4pm

Mixed Touch Rugby

Antiques & Collectors’ Fair

Sherborne School Floodlit Astroturf, Ottery

Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, DT9 3NL. 1000s of collectables,

antiques and crafts. An old fashioned fair for everyone. Free entry. 01749 677049 westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk

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Dorset League Division 2 Matches start at 1.30pm

____________________________

Lane. DT9 6EE. Novices very welcome. £2

Saturday 1st

details go to sherbornetouch.org or call

____________________________

per session, first four sessions free. For more

Compton House v Portland RT

Jimmy on 07887 800803

Saturday 8th

____________________________

Compton House v Marnhull

Sherborne Cricket Club

____________________________

Terraces, Gainsborough Hill DT9 5NS.

Saturday 15th

Matches start at 1pm

Compton House

Dorset League Premier.

Sherborne 2nds v

____________________________

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Saturday 1st

Saturday 22nd

Sherborne v Stalbridge

Compton House v

____________________________

Stalbridge 2nds

Saturday 8th

____________________________

Sherborne v Broadstone

Saturday 29th

____________________________

Blandford v Compton House

Saturday 15th 9.30am-4pm

Saturday 15th

____________________________

Bookfair

Dorchester v Sherborne

Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne

____________________________

antiquarian books. 01803 613356

Sherborne v Shroton

DT9 3NL. New, second-hand and

Saturday 22nd

colinbakerbooks@btinternet.com

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To include your event in our FREE listings, please send details (in approximately 20 words) to advertising@ sherbornetimes.co.uk

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Friday 28th & Monday 31st

Mondays 2pm-2.30pm

10.30am-12.30pm

Sherborne Library Craft Session

Summer Holiday Art for Children

FREE - includes story, song and craft

Children In association with sherborneparents.com. Please share your recommendations and contacts via facebook.com/Sherborne-Parents or email mail@sherborneparents.com

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford DT9

Thursdays 1.30pm-3pm

their drawing and painting. Fun and

Sherborne Childrens’ Centre, Tinney’s

All materials provided. £15 for 1 hour or

Meet centre staff and make new friends.

passion for art who want to improve

Playing Together

informal. 8 years and upwards welcome.

Lane. Fun activities, snack and drink.

£30 for 2 hours. Call 07742 888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com

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12 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

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6QE. Aimed at youngsters with a

Children 0-5yrs. No need to book

____________________________

OAK FAIR 26th & 27th AUGUST 10am-5pm

(Situated on the A3030 nr Kings Stag)

A SPECIAL EVENT FOR THOSE INTERSTED IN WOODCRAFT, TIMBER, THE COUNTRYSIDE AND CONSERVATION This year we have 200 exhibitors and demonstrators at the Oak Fair including the Heavy Horse Logging Team, Mere Down Falconry and Adams Axemen.

We’ve got arts and crafts workshops and scarecrow making for our younger visitors in the kids area, not forgetting lots of delicious food and drink from local producers in Market Square. Visitors will also have the chance to have a go at Archery, Axe Throwing with Avalon Axes and tree climbing with The Great Big Tree Climbing Company.

We are delighted to have Dike and Son as our main sponsor again this year, you’ll be able to find them in their usual spot in Market Square with Camilla the Cow! Plus for the first time they will be bringing their Gin Lounge to the fair which will be situated by the beer marquee and Bridge Farm Cider, so make sure you pay a visit and sample some fabulous local gins!

In our Machinery and Timber Yard area, sponsored by Townsend Timber, we’ll be welcoming back Martin Richards who will be bringing his T H Robinson 1887 Double Reciprocating Planking Saw. Bill Notley will also be returning to the fair to raffle a Ferguson Tractor, there will also be £200 for the 2nd place prize and a meat hamper for the 3rd place prize ,all proceeds going to Future Roots of Rylands Farm.

For those interested in heavy machinery, Pomeroy logs will showing their logging machine, a large splitter and stump grinder - these displays are fantastic to watch and hear!

New to the fair this year will be a mini exhibition of local landscape photographer Charlie Waite’s work, this will consist of images of the beautiful English countryside. Author Julian Height will also be joining us and giving talks whilst walking around the Oak Fair site explaining the history and tales of the trees, including the Crusader Oak. For more Oak Fair information and details on how to buy advance tickets please visit www.stockgaylard.com.

PREVIEW In association with

THE WESSEX ARTS AND CULTURE GUIDE

Sheila Girling Until 29th July The Gallery, Lighthouse, Poole’s Centre for the Arts, Kingland Road, Poole BH15 1UG lighthousepoole.co.uk

Sheila Girling was an artist whose vibrant oils, watercolours,

Nicholas Serota, the director of the Tate, has observed,

papercuts and collages were infused with a Modernist

“Over a long career she developed a distinctive personal

abstract painters. She explored colourful abstraction and

reality”. Sheila Girling sought inspiration from the playful

spirit and the vivid style of the American ‘colour field’

enjoyed collaborating with her husband, the sculptor Sir

Anthony Caro, once describing their marriage as a ‘64-year conversation about art’. She died in 2014, aged 90.

14 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

language to explore the territory between abstraction and

collages and canvases of Matisse and Miró. Landscapes, still lives and interiors were captured in her vibrant palette.

evolver.org.uk

A new collaborative project from

The Spooky Men's Chorale

DORCHESTER’S SUMMER OF ARTS

T

Elizabeth Evensen, Dorchester Arts

he days are at their longest and summer is well and truly here – even if we have needed our umbrellas more often than we would like!

Dorset has a vibrant arts-and-culture scene and is wellequipped to entertain us throughout the summer period.

Now settled in its new home at the Dorchester Corn Exchange, Dorchester Arts adds to the heady local mix of festivals and outdoor events with a wonderful variety of acts that include comedy, music, festivals, workshops, outdoor theatre, art exhibitions and a fabulous fundraiser at Whitcombe Manor.

One of the great pleasures at this time of the year is the ability to step outside our usual auditoriums and invite audiences to experience the arts outdoors. This summer we are fortunate enough to be hosting three theatre performances in the impressive surroundings of Maumbury 16 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Rings. Twelfth Night went down a storm at the end of June and we will be following up on that success with comedic masterpiece The Third Policeman by Flann O’Brien in July.

In August, the world’s first cycling theatre company, The Handlebards, will come pedalling in to perform another Shakespearian favourite, As You Like It. There is an impressive line-up of music to lure audiences back indoors. Jacqui Dankworth joins Craig Ogden on stage for what promises to be a night to remember, while the legendary Swingles grace our stage in July, proving that they are still the masters of a cappella five decades on. The seven young singers that make up today’s London-based group will be performing songs from their current project Folklore, as well as old favourites from their illustrious history.

Be prepared to laugh your socks off when Mark

Summer 2017 highlights Outdoor Theatre

The Third Policeman

Miracle Theatre Thur 13 Jul at Maumbury Rings

Music

The Swingles Fri 14 Jul at the Corn Exchange

Mark Thomas

Thomas attempts to make ‘futurologists’ of us all and Kathy Lette shares her wit, warmth and full-frontal frankness on her girls’ night out.

We return to the beautiful surroundings of Whitcombe Manor at the end of July at the kind invitation of Minette and Alec Walters for our second Summer Sunday. This year we welcome the acclaimed and hilarious singing duo Kit and McConnel to perform their particular style of musical brilliance.

Delicious canapés and a complimentary glass of bubbly are all that are needed to complete an afternoon of musical fun.

The season closes with a bang when Australian singers Spooky Men’s Chorale take the stage to perform with nothing but their cavernous vocal chords, a nice line in deadpan and improbable facial hair! They wooed us last time they visited Dorchester, so prepare to be astounded again.

Full details of all the events at Dorchester Arts can be found on dorchesterarts.org.uk. Discover just how much there is to do right on your doorstep this summer by popping into your local Tourist Information Centre or checking out visitdorset.com

Music

Craig Ogden and Jacqui Dankworth Thur 20 Jul at the Corn Exchange

Outdoor Theatre

As You Like It: The HandleBards Thur 24 Aug at Maumbury Rings For full event listings, visit our website or pick up our brochure Dorchester Arts, The Corn Exchange, High East Street, Dorchester DT1 1HF Box Office 01305 266926

dorchesterarts.org.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17

Beach Boys Tribute Night

Saturday August 5th

Come and join us for a fantastic night out

£35 per person Price includes Dinner & Disco The fun starts at 7.30pm for 8.00pm Pre-booking essential Why not stay the night?

B&B £80.00 per room George Albert Hotel Wardon Hill, Evershot, Nr. Dorchester, Dorset DT2 9PW Tel: 01935 483430 www.gahotel.co.uk

Wild Summer How will you go wild this summer? www.dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk/events

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST Photos © Katharine Davies.

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

UNEARTHED CAROLINE HAWKINS, AGED 17, CALLUM HENRY, AGED 17, AND OSKAR MAITLAND, AGED 15.

The Gryphon School

A

team of students have put The Gryphon School and Sherborne firmly on the map having won second place at the national final of the Rotary Club’s prestigious ‘Youth Speaks’ competition. Caroline Hawkins, Callum Henry and Oskar Maitland, battled their way through four local and regional rounds to reach this year’s final of the annual competition, which aims to offer young people experience in public speaking. The Gryphon, which was the only state school to make the seniors final, missed first place by just one point. Bob Twiggins, president of Sherborne’s Rotary Club, said, “We are extremely proud. It is the first time ever that a team from Sherborne has been placed in the national final of the competition.”

The team chose to speak on the Shakespeareinspired topic, ‘What’s in a name?’, explaining the etymology of language and its impact on society.

They were all praised for their natural flair and wit, which stood out amongst the competitors.

Caroline, Callum and Oskar were fortunate to have mentors in the shape of english teacher Sadie George and drama teacher Mark Chutter, who helped them take on feedback from the judges and improve between rounds. Sadie remarked, “It is achievements of this kind that make teaching one of the best professions to be in. I could not be more proud of ‘Team Gryphon’ and to be crowned the second best public speaking team in the UK is overwhelming”. So ‘Team Gryphon’ has made its mark. Expect to see – and hear – great things from these three. gryphon.dorset.sch.uk rotarygbi.org

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

20 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

THE SEARCH FOR INCOME

Many of us invest to generate an income.

But in a world of lower investment returns, how do you create the right long-term plan that balances your income needs with the risks you are prepared to take?

The value of an investment with St. James’s Place will be directly linked to the performance of the funds selected and may fall as well as rise.You may get back less than you invested.

For more information about investing for income, contact:

PETER HARDING WEALTH MANAGEMENT Principal Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management Email: peterhardingwm@sjpp.co.uk Web: www.peterhardingwm.co.uk 40 High Street, Shaftesbury, Dorset, SP7 8JG 9 Cheap Street, Sherborne, DT9 3PU

Tel: 01747 855554 Tel: 01935 315315

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.

Peter Harding Wealth Management is a trading name of Peter Harding Practice Ltd. H2SJP25277 03/17

£44.95 (Mistral)

SUMMER BREEZE Jenny Dickinson, Dear To Me Studio July is dressed up and playing her tune in Sherborne’s best summer dresses. deartomestudio.com 22 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

£235, Marc Cain Additions (Diva)

£125, Toupy Paris (The Circus)

£59.95 (White Stuff ) www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 23

Wild Dorset

DORSET’S DOLPHINS Sally Welbourn, Dorset Wildlife Trust

S

eeing a dolphin in the wild is on most wildlife enthusiasts’ ‘bucket’ lists. Here in the South West, it’s not unusual to see dolphins in the water along the coastline or further out to sea – so you may be in luck this summer!

The type of dolphin mostly seen in Dorset is the bottlenose, which is famous for being playful and even acrobatic – often riding the waves in front of a boat, or jumping in and out of the water, nose first. Bottlenose dolphins are social animals, often found in pods of up to 15. It is believed that there is a population in the South West, which is the third population of dolphins identified in the UK. Recently Lyme Bay has been recognised as home to the most southerly population of white-beaked dolphins in the UK. They are easily identifiable with their very 24 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

short white ‘beak’, or nose, as well as a bright flash of white on their side (flank). Their pods can swell to 1500 plus in the core areas of their range.

Dolphins are classed as marine giants, being large and at the top of the food chain, and they need protection. Litter is a constant threat to marine wildlife and dolphins are vulnerable to getting caught in fishing nets or ingesting plastic or balloons. So next time you’re at the beach please think twice before leaving your rubbish, or help marine wildlife by picking up any litter you see.

Dorset Wildlife Trust also wants to record marine wildlife sightings this summer. If you see a dolphin, seal or any other marine giant, please let us know and send photos to kimmeridge@dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk or share on Twitter @DorsetWildlife.

Common dolphin pair © Julie Hatcher

DOLPHIN FACTS • Dolphins can live for up to 20 years, with the bottlenose dolphin living up to 50 years! This can, however, have a negative effect on populations, as they only produce a few young compared to other smaller marine creatures.

• Common dolphins are known to slap their flippers on the surface of the water, something that is known as ‘loptailing’.

• It is estimated that 1 million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and turtles are killed around the world each year as a result of marine litter.

• Dolphins are legally protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

• Dolphins only rest half of their brain at a time, whilst the other half stays alert and watches out for predators.

dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25

Wild Dorset

SHERBORNE DWT

I

Gillian M Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Committee

t is 30 years since DWT acquired the Kingcombe Meadows Nature Reserve and more recently the Kingcombe Centre. This is my favourite DWT reserve and, on a glorious day in late May, we visited the reserve to delight in the joys of early summer. Conditions could not have been more perfect, with brilliant sunshine and a breeze to keep us cool. Once a distant tractor had stopped work the only sounds were the wind in the trees and birds singing. The pre-lunch circuit took us over the river Hooke, where a number of damselflies were basking in the sun, up to Lord’s Mead and back to the centre via Lady’s Mead, which is now called Coronation Meadow.

To celebrate the Queen’s coronation jubilee in 2013 and in response to the decline in wildflower meadows, Prince Charles introduced the scheme of Coronation Meadows – and Lady’s Mead was chosen as Dorset’s first. The meadow has a wonderful display of wildflowers, which changes over the months. For our visit there were the last of the lady’s smocks, with buttercups, ragged robins and ox-eye daisies to name a few.

We had an enjoyable light lunch sitting outside at 26 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

the centre and listening to the swifts screeching as they flew by, a lovely summer sound. Probably they are nesting in the swift boxes on the centre’s walls. There are new caterers at the café and we have been told by a friend about his recent cream tea there – one of the best, he said.

After lunch we went up Mount Pleasant Lane, turning into Coarse Mead where we found an area of over 1000 heath spotted-orchids – an amazing sight. The lousewort was also just coming into flower, giving a pink haze in the short grass. In this area we saw an orange-tip butterfly. With their short season on the wing, it was possibly one of the last to be seen in Dorset in 2017.

Kingcombe provides an excellent venue for a day wandering through fields that have not known modern intensive farming methods and discovering the flora and fauna of earlier times. Various events and courses are organised at the centre, some lasting several days, so have a look at their website and perhaps choose something to suit your interests. dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

Get off to a great start in life...

For more information or to arrange a visit please contact the Registrar Aurora Mercer 01935 810911/registrar@sherborneprep.org/www.sherborneprep.org

NEVER MISS A COPY If you enjoy reading the Sherborne Times but live outside our free distribution areas you can now receive your very own copy by post 12 editions delivered to your door for just ÂŁ30.00 To subscribe, please call 01935 814803 or email subscriptions@sherbornetimes.co.uk

Sherborne Surgery Swan House Lower Acreman Street 01935 816228

Yeovil Surgery 142 Preston Road 01935 474415

www.newtonclarkevet.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 27

Family

APPLICATION, APPLICATION, APPLICATION

S

Nick Folland, Headmaster, Sherborne Preparatory School

chooling is so much more than classroom lessons and there is so much going on outside the classroom that is exciting and progressive.

Enrichment learning is all about extending the classroom to create a deeper habit of curiosity and a ‘can-do’ attitude to problem solving. It includes a range of activities that enhance and extend one’s learning, but it doesn’t have to be high-brow and it certainly shouldn’t be dull!

At Sherborne Prep we are about to launch an even more extensive after-school enrichment programme, to enhance our already busy schedule of clubs and activities. This will include such things as logic puzzles, design challenges, word games, general knowledge quiz clubs and much more.

It’s not that we are looking for ways to occupy the children for the sake of it and it’s not just about providing after-school care options for busy parents – although that is of course an added benefit!

It is one thing to ensure that a pupil assimilates facts and figures and methodologies through their education, but we can go so much further than this. What we, as educators, should strive to instil in all our pupils is an ability to approach any problem with enthusiasm and an open mind, to be able to apply their knowledge to any new situation or challenge. We aim to set every pupil up with the skills needed to be independent in their approach to learning.

So often this sort of ‘extension’ opportunity in schools is offered only to those identified as ‘gifted and talented’, but I feel strongly that this is exactly the sort of opportunity we should be making available to all our children. We should be nurturing these skills in every single child, not just those who have either shown aptitude in the traditional academic subjects, or happen to have been ‘early starters’ at school.

Enrichment is a vital part of how schools should be preparing children for adult life. After all, as Einstein famously said, “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school”. His view was that it is not the hard facts that one learns that really matters, but the ability to apply oneself and one’s skills to any new challenge.

Einstein also claimed, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” To me, that sums up the ultimate goal of education – to nurture both curiosity and passion for any subject. We should also remember that even such great people as Einstein encountered failures and setbacks, but it was their perseverance and resilience coupled with their passion and curiosity that allowed them to succeed.

We want all our children not only to have that proactive attitude and open-minded enthusiasm, but also to develop the resilience not to give up at the first hurdle, but to drive on undeterred. sherborneprep.org 28 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 29

Children’s Book Review

Family

Wayne Winstone, Winstone’s Books, Independent Bookshop of the Year 2016

Tilly and the Time Machine by Adrian Edmondson (Penguin) £6.99. Aged 7 plus Exclusive Sherborne Times reader price of £5.99 at Winstone’s Books

W

e seem to be awash with celebrities and particularly comedians writing children’s books – David Walliams, Julian Clary, David Baddiel and Sandi Toksvig to name a few. I often think, well, they have a job. Why not give genuine writers a chance to break through? But then I read Tilly and the Time Machine and I felt bad. This is a great read, with gentle and subtle humour, which the author has clearly put a great deal of love and care into. He writes wonderfully for children.

Tilly is seven and a half – and about to make history.

When Tilly’s dad builds a time machine in the shed there’s only one place she really wants to go: back to her sixth birthday party, when she ate too many cupcakes and her mummy was still here.

But then something goes wrong! Tilly’s dad gets stuck in the past and only she can save him… Will they make it

Endless ideas for storytime

back in time for tea?

Tilly is a resourceful, practical girl who navigates famous events in history like the Battle of Trafalgar and a tricky Queen Victoria to find her father and bring him home.

Edmondson has a great voice in describing how children think about death and captures a seven and a half year old’s world splendidly. The gags are not in your face like his comedy, but understated and subtle. A great summer read.

This is one of the best books that I have ever read. The main character, Tilly, is having a tricky time and it’s moving but also funny at times. I’m not quite finished, but I don’t want to put it down so it won’t be long before I am. Then I will just have to read it again!

Alex, aged 9 winstonebooks.co.uk

'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128

COLOURING PAGE

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31

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www.gingerandpickle.co.uk 32 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

www.beehivetoyfactory.co.uk 01460 241800 info@beehivetoyfactory.co.uk Lopen Business Park, Mill Lane, Lopen, Somerset TA13 5JS

robin james Salon, Salon, Spa, Spa, Shop Shop

Spotlight on Elle, the fabulous new stylist in Robin James Sherborne What excites you about hair fashion today?

In hair fashion today I am most excited about the wide range of creative cutting and colouring techniques from long bouncy hair, mid length bobs to short precision styles. Following into beautiful “untouched appearance” of balayage. I love the seamless, tousled and low maintenance shapes that can be easily created at home.

Make an appointment with Elle and get a FREE AVEDA HAIR SPA TREATMENT worth £19.95, using code ‘GLOSSY HAIR’

Why are you a hairdresser?

I am a hairdresser because I am a naturally sociable person who loves meeting people and hearing their stories. I like building a good reputation and healthy rapport with each guest. Being able to be creative and adapt a style for each individual is what makes me so passionate about my job. It’s a pleasure having the ability to give my professional opinion to guests and have them leave the salon feeling incredible and confident.

Who is your idol hairdresser and why?

My hairdressing idol is Trevor Sorbie. Trevor inspires me as he started his own charity, after his sister in laws battle with cancer, called “My New Hair” which teaches hairdressers to cut wigs in such a way they look like real hair. I thrive in helping people feel better in themselves and I feel this is such a brilliant cause to help people. Hair is such a personal thing to a person which is also their identity. Creating a charity that makes it less daunting for people to approach or enter a salon is truly inspiring.

What are the hair trends like this summer?

Summer 2017 hair trends with tousled beachy waves and big bouncy curly hair which are both low maintenance/effortless for summer holidays with the right products for seamless texture. Mid length bobs offer a universally flattering shape with a fabulous wash-and-wear quality. ‘Sombre’ hair offers a very soft and natural sun kissed effect which works with all variations of hair textures.

www.robin-james.co.uk www.robin-james.co.uk

Sherborne- -69 69Cheap CheapStreet, Street,Sherborne, Sherborne,Dorset DorsetDT9 DT93BA 3BA Sherborne Tel: 01935 812112 Tel: 01935 812112

Motoring

THE BIG 6 Glen Cheyne

Audi A6 Allroad Sport 3.0 TDI Quattro OTR Price £52,640

F

ull disclosure – Audi pays the bills. Well, some of them at least, so I’m hardly about to bite the hand that feeds with a bad review. However, it has to be said I’m a bit of fan. Things haven’t been the same since handing over the keys to my A4 Quattro back in 2015. It still smarts to think of that zesty young couple disappearing from view in my beloved car. But the demands and detritus of family life had put pay to such boyish frippery and so followed the acquisition of a perfectly practical and entirely uninteresting MPV. Unsurprisingly, then, when Audi emailed me last month with the offer of an A6 for the weekend I cordially accepted.

Having said all that, I couldn’t help secretly wishing they’d offered me a different model. I’d made up my mind about the A6 and written a review in my head before even setting eyes on it. Big and businesslike, I’d decided. One 34 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

for the city execs with their golf clubs, power meetings and reserved block-paved parking spaces. On the day of delivery I was greeted on the doorstep by a dashing young salesman with a grin. It was a grin of the knowing variety. One that somehow alluded to something other than the ordinary. My suspicions deepened as he excitedly recounted his journey from Yeovil to Sherborne. “Really?”

I thought. It was only when I glanced from doorstep to driveway that I understood. It would appear that the good people at Yeovil Audi had a point to make. More stealth bomber than automobile, lying menacingly in wait was a mythos black metallic A6 Allroad Sport 3.0 Quattro.

Cue the imagined screwing up of prewritten notes and the heady smell of humble pie.

Brand-new cars smell amazing, we know that. But there is something about a new Audi that just does it for me.

Even closing the door sets my hairs on end for goodness

"A hermetically sealed dad of two, blissfully encased, momentarily disconnected."

sake. That resonating Audi thud makes it demonstrably clear from the outset that you are in very safe hands. The cabin aesthetics are something to behold and I would happily have just sat there, a hermetically sealed dad of two, blissfully encased, momentarily disconnected.

Starting the engine I couldn’t help feel a bit like Batman as the wing mirrors unfurled and the dashboard sprang to life, revealing hidden screens and banks of controls. Driving through Sherborne I found myself back in the anxious mindset of someone who cares about his car, flinching with each nonchalant swerve and jolt of fellow road users.

Out in the villages, were it not for the threat of oncoming tractors, the permanent 4x4 of the Allroad Quattro would have devoured these winding lanes. The handling is so resolute, so confident that you feel compelled to push your luck. Having demonstrated to myself the fact that the A6 can clearly handle itself, I headed for the A roads.

Out in the open I felt more pilot than driver and the sense of disconnect returned. The A6 is assured, perhaps to the point of taking over, and it does cushion the driver somewhat from the simple pleasures of driving. But then this car isn’t about simple pleasures. The onboard tech, for instance, requires the attention of a dedicated co-pilot – or half an hour in a layby – to digest the instruction manual. I have a feeling you can actually just tell the onboard computer what you want it to do, but all this wizardry was proving too much of a distraction and I had somewhere to be – The Lego Batman Movie.

Travelling to Dorchester with our two boys in the back, something odd happened – silence. The A6, it seems, has the power to subdue. Glancing some distance back into the moody half-light, I witness two serenefaced boys respectfully admiring the quality of finish.

The A6 even has childcare covered. On that note, there is a very definite sense of solidity and safety in the A6.

A late-night motorway haul the following day is something of a luxury as I cruise effortlessly along, family fast asleep, cocooned in Teutonic engineering. These kind of long slogs are the A6’s natural environment and this particular model – the Allroad 3.0 272ps TDI Quattro with 7-speed S tronic transmission – is an absolute brute. Arriving home, passengers stirring, gadgets retracting, I am aware of just how capable this car is. Then, with cargo despatched, I lock up, look back and linger. The Allroad’s huge form hunched over those 19” alloys, engine winding down with a gentle whirr. “Point made,” I think to myself. yeovilaudi.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 35

Art

THE TRICKY ART OF COLOUR Ali Cockrean

I

suspect that the majority of us would agree that one of the most important elements of our enjoyment of visual art boils down to colour. So often it is what draws us to a piece of work and – whether we are consciously aware of the fact or not – helps us connect with the artist’s intent.

Colour is the vehicle an artist uses to create mood, atmosphere and drama. Be it the subtlest blue-greys or the most vibrant primaries, colour informs our reaction to a painting. Regardless of the artist’s style, the palette is one of the crucial choices the painter makes at the conception of each work.

Professional artists generally make their choice of colour combinations seem effortless and they tend to have a particular range of favourite hues that form the basis of their own personal colour palette. A lot of artists also have a signature colour or two that appear in every painting they create to some degree; I know I do. This attention to colour choices helps to identify an artist’s unique style and hallmark.

Colour choices can make or break a painting

Consequently, it always comes as something of a surprise to me when I tutor that so many budding artists give the importance of colour only minimal 36 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

consideration. As I travel around the South East and South West talking about and demonstrating the importance of colour, the vast majority of art society and club members will freely admit that they rarely think about the palette prior to starting a painting.

Even fewer have ever spent time understanding any more than the absolute basics of colour mixing, let alone considering the importance of using a limited palette. More shocking still, the vast majority see colour mixing as a necessary chore before they get to the really exciting bit of putting paint to canvas.

In my humble opinion, far too many enthusiastic amateur painters rely on the vast array of ready-mixed colours available to prop up their lack of knowledge, which is both costly and unnecessary. Just a day of concentrated time spent understanding the relationships between colours can revolutionise an artist’s approach to their painting and increase their confidence dramatically.

In my own classes, I always include two sessions dedicated to understanding colour at the beginning of a course, regardless of whether I am teaching adults or children. This generally amounts to about four or five hours in total. It always makes a huge difference to the quality of the work students are able to create, even as absolute beginners.

Using a limited palette is, I think, absolutely crucial to good painting practice

What do I mean by that? Essentially I mean thinking about the entire palette of colours that will make up the painting before you ever pick up a paint brush – amazingly, very few amateur artists do this at all in my experience – and then restricting your specific colour choices down to the bare minimum that will give you the range of hues you need. Less is definitely more when it comes to picking the ‘colour team’ for a work of art.

How do you make those decisions? It will essentially be based on identifying the most appropriate set of primary colours – or in other words, the right red, blue and yellow for the job. Then it is a matter of carefully supplementing these with a small selection of other colours that support those primaries, in order to fulfil the extent of the palette you’ve identified for the painting. Of course, in order to do that you really need to understand the colour wheel and how to mix primary colours together.

Does it all sound too much like hard work? It really doesn’t amount to more than a few hours of training to crack all of the above – followed, of course, by ongoing practice. As with anything, practice makes perfect and by using a limited palette, you crucially come to understand each colour and how it reacts with the others in the ‘team’. I often refer to it as understanding the colour family. Each member has its own unique character and a distinct relationship with the rest of the family. Crucially this colour family also has the same roots, or ‘bloodline’, which creates harmony and flow across the painting. Getting to know how the dynamics of this family of colours works both individually and in combination is the key to getting to grips with strong and effective colour palette choices.

My own beginner’s colour family is always the same. It contains only six colours, plus white. These are ultramarine blue, cadmium red, cadmium yellow, burnt umber, phthalo turquoise and permanent magenta. I also suggest titanium white. This small ‘dream team’ will allow you to mix a vast amount of hues and really appreciate the importance and absolute joy of colour.

Summer Fun Both adults and children are invited to enjoy the use of Leweston’s extensive grounds and facilities this summer

SUMMER CLUB

HOLIDAY ACTIVITY CLUB

10 July - 30 August

24 July - 25 August

Enjoy membership of Leweston’s Summer Club with access to the swimming pool, tennis courts and extensive grounds – perfect for family bike rides and picnics

For 5-7 and 8-11 year olds £28 (concessions available).

So many activities available including swimming, team sports and accredited Forest School

NEW Inflatable sessions running from Friday 11 August - Sunday 27 August in the school pool (booking essential)

Details and bookings via

www.leweston.co.uk

If this has whetted your appetite to understand colour mixing better, Ali is running a series of colour-mixing demonstrations and day workshops over the summer. Visit alicockrean.co.uk for all the details and to book a place www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 37

Art ALI HERBERT ALICE BLOGG ALINE JOHNSON AMANDA POPHAM ANDREW BELLIS ANDREW WHITTLE ANNABEL WILSON BONFIELD BLOCK-PRINTERS BRENDON MURLESS CAROLINE PARROTT CAROLINE SHARP CATHERINE THOMAS DAVID GRAHAM DAVID SALTMARSH DEBBY KIRBY EELES POTTERY EMSIE SHARP FRANCES POLLARD HUGH DUNFORD WOOD JACK DRAPER JACY WALL JANE ATKINSON JANE BURDEN JANE COLQUHOUN

FIFTY DORSET MAKERS JAZMIN VELASCO JEN GOODWIN JENNI CADMAN JEREMY WALSH JOHN MAKEPEACE JONATHAN GARRETT KAREN HANSEN KARINA GILL KATARINA ROSE LIZ SOMERVILLE LIZ TYLER LIZ WALSH LORRAINE BOWLEY LUCAS WESCHKE MARTIN DICKSON NESTA RENDALL DAVIES NOTARIANNI GLASS PETTER SOUTHALL ROBIN MACKENZIE RUTH DRESMAN SIAN EVANS SIMON PIRIE STONEFORM TIM HURN VICTORIA JARDINE YO THOM

T

Words Jo Denbury Photography Jack Orton

ucked away down a bouncy track is a beautiful pale stone building.

It is one of the country’s earliest surviving riding schools and dates from the sixteenth century. Riding houses, as they were called, were centres of the tradition ‘haute école’, the precision schooling of horses that was so popular at the time.

In the last year Dorset Visual Arts (DVA) has worked with the Wolfeton Riding House Trust to turn the building into an alternative arts venue and creative space. On 1-2 July it will host the work of ‘50 Dorset Makers’. As creative director Jem Main says. “It’s an opportunity to do exciting things and create Dorset’s equivalent of the Tate Modern’s Turbine Hall. The DVA has been without a permanent space and, with this initiative, it means we can grow.”

In conjunction with the exhibition will be a book of the same title. Dorset has always been well-known for its skilled craft makers and this project, as Jem says, is an “aim to create an opportunity to build a group of professional makers through their work.” Here is just a taster of what will be on show. dorsetvisualarts.org 38 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Liz Somerville Liz Somerville is a renowned printmaker, who works in her peaceful studio in Ryme Intrinseca. There is something very peaceful and calm about her method.

Each day she walks with her terrier, sketchbook in hand. “I don’t do detailed sketches,” she says. “It is the impression that I take away with me that is important.”

Her studio is an old school house with a tempting view across fields. “I could spend all day sitting out here looking at the view,” she laughs – but since the lino prints she produces are several days in the making, she has no time to be idle.

The prints, of which she makes only 15 and not

all at the same time, are impressionistic and dense in detail, with an almost iconic quality to them. Liz adds that when she still lived and worked in London it was buildings that first drew her attention and sketchbook.

Now she is in Dorset it is the “humps and bumps” of the landscape that draw her strong graphic sense. “I am more interested in constructing the picture than the actual print making,” she says. This means that the level of concentration needed for each cut of the lino is intense – and any mistake is permanent. Liz’s use of colour has grown over the years. “When I began I was quite timid with colour,” she says, “but now I am a lot bolder.” www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 39

Karina Gill Karina Gill is a contemporary silversmith based in Hazelbury Bryan. She says she “enjoys being a maker and developing her work over time” and admits that she continues to learn new skills and technique.

“When I design my silver etched bowls I begin with initial sketches, then I work in paper to plan the scale and pattern in order to cut the silver,” she explains. “I then work in copper to test the shape and size before making them in silver, but I make lots of test pieces to create a final piece of silverware.”

Her interest is in natural forms and structures and these often form the basis of the design process. “I keep drawing and working until I settle on the final design for the commission,” she says. Karina’s plan is to work towards larger pieces in the future, particularly using shells and ferns as a starting point. “I feel so lucky to have grown up in Dorset,” she smiles. “I enjoy the rural landscape and wildlife as well as the Jurassic coastline with its layers of sedimentary rock and fossils.”

Jenni Cadman Stitching is making a comeback and embroidery in particular – witness the stitched jeans and embroidered blouses that fill this summer’s fashion racks. Jenni, however, has been working in this field for some time. Her work includes ‘free machine embroidery’, a technique that, in her words, “allows you the freedom to draw with a machine” While sometimes she draws the image first, working from a sketch, and then creates a design, Jenni relishes the freedom to let the design grow itself. A recent commissioned work was on the theme of ‘The Strand’, the place where land meets sea. It features different emblems of the coast and in particular West Bay, with its striking cliffs which are transposed to create cohesive image. Largely Jenni works on calico, but she also uses pieces of silk organza and cotton organdie to create a layered effect that resembles the buildings of an urban scene.

40 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Jack Draper “It is the continuum of possibility that keeps me going,” says Jack Draper. The Dorset-born furniture maker and craftsman began his journey as a carpenter and learned his skills by working on a variety of different projects from structures to furniture.

Jack currently teaches at Hooke Park, where he leads architectural students through the making process to realise their visions. When he is not there he is in his workshop, where he likes to focus on making pieces to commission in native timbers such as oak, ash and elm. His chair, ‘3 Legs’, which is hand-sculpted in native British timber and finished in

oil or scorched ash, is a perfect example. “I believe in traditional craft and challenging the mass-produced furniture market,” he explains. “I do this by choosing materials that deserve to be transformed into beautiful functional objects.”

The furniture commissions he works on are inspired by what he calls “a two-way relationship between myself – the maker – and the person who has commissioned the piece.” Living and working in Dorset has also been an inspiration because, as Jack points out, “Dorset is full of makers, which is why it is a creative hub. I like being surrounded by like-minded people.” www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 41

Terry-Thomas, School for Scoundrels (1960) Richard Grant Archive

Film

GAME, SET AND WATCH

W

Alexander Ballinger, Film Writer

ith Wimbledon fortnight looming, what better time to explore how the great game of tennis has been treated in the cinema?

Before getting to the must-see tennis movies, it’s worth dipping into some of the on-court celluloid shenanigans that have made for some unforgettable film sequences. Surreal, gruelling, hilarious or just plain cringe-worthy, they will be instantly recognisable to fans and players.

42 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

By way of warm-up, enjoy some needle matches in which rivalries are settled in escalating degrees of violence

Local ne’er-do-well Oliver Reed – playing a Devonian – gets peppered with tennis balls by a posh nob with a forensic forehand in Michael Winner’s The System* (1964), while Richard Pryor and Gloria Gifford are so determined to beat their holiday partners in Neil Simon’s California Suite (1978) that each pair suffers

eye-watering injuries. Pryor then attempts the funniest – and least successful – leap over a tennis net in film history. Russell Crowe and Didier Bourdon exchange shots of bravado and sheer idiocy in the unforgiving Provençal sun in A Good Year* (2006), while rivals Kristen Wiig and Rose Byrne parry body blows from each other’s ball play in wincing slow motion in Bridesmaids* (2011).

These films won’t help your groundstrokes, bring on your serve or help your inner game

It’s best not to mimic Jacques Tati’s pre-serve in-out racquet lunges in Les Vacances de M. Hulot* (1953), although it clearly works for him. If you’ve also imagined the whole world is against you mid-match, then take consolation from Katharine Hepburn in Pat and Mike (1952), who gets into such a state at the National Tennis Championships that she imagines a giant, unassailable net in front of her and her racquet shrinking to a laughable size as she faces an onslaught of tennis balls. Luke Wilson, the ex-tennis champion from The Royal Tenenbaums* (2001) has a similarly harrowing experience, making 74 unforced errors while playing in the Tennis Nationals before throwing in the towel on live television.

Let’s sit this one out

Come to the Stable (1949) seems an innocent enough Hollywood film about a couple of French nuns, played by Loretta Young and Celeste Holm, whose gameplan is to build a memorial hospital in New England. This entails Holm – who also happens to be an ex French national tennis star – taking to the court in fundraising mode and thwacking the ball against her cowering opponents.

Her habit trailing in her wake, Holm's driving volleys are more Williams sisters than those of The Order of Holy Endeavour. In the Harold Pinter-scripted Accident (1967) Dirk Bogarde and Michael York take on Stanley Baker and Jacqueline Sassard in a seething atmosphere of envy, power play and middle-age meltdown. Whereas in Michelangelo Antonioni’s cult Blow-Up* (1967), David Hemmings, a photographer with a severe work-life imbalance, becomes obsessed by a murder that he thinks he’s snapped in a London park. Returning to the crime scene at the film’s close and still none the wiser, he is mesmerised by some mime artists on a court. It’s the only on-screen tennis game that happens without racquets or balls; a skill I’ve yet to master.

The Five Must-Sees

All of these are available on DVD. The French is available on YouTube – without subtitles but, as 37,000 viewers will attest, it is unmissable nonetheless.

Hard, Fast and Beautiful (1951) Claire Trevor plays a ruthless mother who will stop at nothing to ensure her daughter becomes national tennis champion. Sixty years on, Ida Lupino’s film remains a shocking exposé of sport’s corrupting influence, while Trevor’s devastating downfall leaves a sour taste long after the film’s finale.

Strangers on a Train** (1951) Farley Granger is a tennis champion desperate to prove his innocence in the case of his wife’s brutal murder. The denouement in Alfred Hitchcock’s masterful thriller, which intercuts between a crucial tennis match that doesn’t go to plan and a dropped cigarette lighter, is the stuff of nightmares.

School for Scoundrels (1960) When affable Ian Carmichael is humiliated and soundly thrashed by bounder Terry-Thomas at The Old Chippentonian Tennis Club, he enrols at The College of Lifesmanship (in Yeovil). What he learns there from the sublime Alastair Sim and how he puts it to use during his rematch with Thomas is screen magic.

The French (1981) Today, with as much spin off court as on, this warts-and-all documentary about the 1981 French Open could not get made. Directed by celebrated photographer William Klein it stars – among others – Ilie Nästase, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Chris Evert, Yannick Noah, Hana Mandlikova, Ivan Lendl and Björn Borg in their prime. It is an unflinching portrait of a grand slam tournament full of sweat, swagger and – in Borg’s case – Scandi sangfroid.

Wimbledon** (2004) Anthony Harvey’s Players (1979) offers more realistic on-court action but, for my money, Richard Loncraine’s romcom has the edge. Its storyline, about a past-his-best Brit (Paul Bettany) seeded 119 who claws his way to the Wimbledon finals while falling in love with would-be world champion (Kirsten Dunst), is a winner. @lexBallinger *sequences that can be seen on YouTube **available from Libraries West (librarieswest.org.uk)] www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 43

THE DORSET OPERA

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25, 27 July at 19:00 MatinĂŠe 29 July at 14:00 Sung in French with English surtitles

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Architecture

HIDDEN POTENTIAL

How to set up your renovation project for success

T

Andy Foster BSc(Hons) BA(Hons) BArch(Hons) CEng MIStructE RIBA, Director, Raise Architects

here is a certain romance associated with turning a derelict building into a dream project which appeals to a lot of people. Consequently, we’re often asked to look at buildings in a poor state of repair, or even in ruins.

It’s amazing how enthusiastic clients can be when considering what, to other people, might look like a pile of rubble. It takes great foresight to see the potential in projects like this.

But how exactly do you turn that tumble-down pile of bricks in the woods into a forest hideaway? Should you take the risk, buy the old water tower and convert it into your dream home? How do you make the decision to turn a ruined chapel into a truly special business opportunity?

How do you know whether it will work and whether it will be worth the investment? What does a successful project look like?

A successful project is one in which the vision for the project is compatible with the value that it creates.

Vision refers to the ‘big idea’ for the intended use and design of the existing building. The quality of this vision needs to be scrutinised – is the use right for the location? Is the building readily repairable, convertible or extendable to suit the use? Will the resulting development be appropriate, appealing, stunning?

Value refers to the benefits. How much will the property be worth on completion? What other benefits are there in bringing the building back in to use? Do these benefits overcome the cost of realising the project?

Not surprisingly, a successful project exists when the vision results in something of positive value – which is not necessarily monetary. But what can be done to limit your risks and give you the confidence to press ahead?

From potential to ‘wow’ in eight steps: 1 Work with an architect who has experience of similar projects; someone who can use their knowledge to help you answer the questions above and guide you through the process.

2 Develop your vision into a set of drawn ‘sketch’ proposals. Allow this to be ‘rough and ready’ so that it can be done quickly and help keep up the 46 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

3

4

5

6

7

8

momentum. Illustrating the overall idea early on will reap benefits when seeking advice from other people and it will also help develop your own thinking.

Create a ‘risk schedule’ for the project. Work with your architect to think through all of the potential issues that may need to be overcome such as planning, conservation, highways, structure, ecology, trees, contamination, neighbours etc.

Establish whether any of these risks can be addressed quickly and cheaply. If so, do the work now and improve your understanding. Make ‘bestcase’ and ‘worst-case’ assessments of the remainder.

Seek advice regarding project costs. Renovation projects are notoriously difficult to price, but a combination of reasonable assumptions and reference to costs from similar projects should result in a ballpark estimate.

Don’t forget to allow for contingencies.

Seek advice regarding the resulting financial value of your project. Again, this is an approximate art. Allow for variation in the ‘end value’ due to changes in market conditions over time.

Understand the other, non-financial, benefits of the project. It's easy to focus on the monetary value, but it's also important to remember that value can be added in many other ways.

Be flexible. You should be prepared to amend your proposals in order to make the vision-value equation work.

In our experience, this kind of project suits a certain type of person and requires a particular kind of approach. You need imagination to have the vision in the first place and you need great tenacity in order to see it through. But you also need to be flexible when the project demands a change of direction and pragmatic when it comes to resolving problems.

Projects of this nature can be daunting, but they can be incredibly rewarding too. Getting a handle on the likely challenges and opportunities early on is key to setting up your renovation project for success. raisearchitects.com

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 47

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Partners in Design offers everything you need • Furl interior design service • Project coordination • Hand made blinds and curtains • Furnishing and finishes

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• Bathroom and kitchen design and build • Fabrics, paint and wallpaper from Zoffany, Colefax and Fowler and many more

You'll find out more about us and what our clients have to say on www.partners-in-design.co.uk

• Bespoke sofas and chairs

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Interiors

FLORAL UPDATE

Kitty Oakshott, Upstairs Downstairs Interiors

Bukhara

M

any of us think of florals as dated and traditional. However, updating the florals in your home has never been easier. With summer well underway, bringing florals into the home can help connect us to the natural beauty we see outside.

A roman blind is the perfect picture frame for a bold modern floral. Brighten your windowsills with a mix of glass jars and vases and fill them with flowers freshly cut from the garden. With the windows open and the sun beaming through, a delicate daisy-embroidered voile draped elegantly is a perfect replacement for net curtains. A crisp white voile creates a perfect backdrop for light and airy hues of blues and greens.

Dream of exotic summer holidays by teaming Indian-inspired florals with metallic and richly coloured accessories. Light pillar candles and tea lights on those 52 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

warm summer evenings. Don’t be afraid to team a mix of florals in complementing colours. A couple of scatter cushions, a bold lampshade and a throw can really bring the room together.

For an even bolder approach, why not choose a floral wallpaper for a hallway or feature wall? If you’re not feeling quite that brave, then consider updating a simple chest of drawers with a lick of paint and some floral knobs, or select a floral wallpaper to cover the fronts of the drawers and top of the chest.

With such a huge choice on the market you are sure to find something you love. There are so many wonderful modern designs available that there is no reason why we can’t bring florals bang up to date. updowninteriors.co.uk

Ribble Valley

Bloomsbury www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53

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Antiques

1927 Morris Oxford Supersport Special, £18,000-22,000

GOING TOPLESS

M

Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

ad Dogs and Englishmen is a famous song written by Noël Coward in 1931. Most verses start and end with, “Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun” – and, one recent hot summer’s day, I found myself outside at midday cutting the grass.

I suspect I have gardening during the hottest part of the day ingrained, as the only time I remember my father working in the garden was in the summer – usually on a Sunday, and always at about 12 noon.

Sitting in my office as I pen this, my mind wanders to living on the Continent, where the weather is always perfect whatever the season. Centuries ago they also had the bright idea that working during the hottest part of the day was just too much, so brought in long lunches – washed down with copious amounts of wine or beer – followed by an afternoon siesta. That’s what I like to think, anyway, though in reality I know that everyone is out working hard and mostly it is the tourists who enjoy long and lazy lunches.

So if the weather is so good elsewhere, why is it that we have such a love affair with convertible cars, more so than our Continental friends?

I once read that, despite living in a country regarded by many as having plenty of cloud and rainfall, people who drive around in Blighty buy more convertible motorcars than France, Spain and Italy. I suppose it is one way of getting some sunshine rays without necessarily getting sunburnt abroad, but what I do know 58 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

is convertible cars in our classic car auctions are hotly contested – the roof comes down and the price goes up.

Classic car buyers are a hardy bunch. Modern convertible cars are often sold with electric roofs, heated seats, wind deflectors and satellite navigation systems. To classic car buyers this equates to a hat, scarf and a map, all of which can be found lying around in the boot of a car.

As we are now in high summer, if classic car ownership tickles your fancy you might want to pop along to our classic and vintage car auction. It will be held at the Classic & Supercars show, organised by the local Rotary club, at Sherborne Castle.

At this time of year, we always have a super selection of convertible cars entered into this sale. If your kind of thing is great style, albeit in the shape of a basic design with few driver aids, then a 70-year-old Morris might be just right. Originally a 1927 Morris Oxford saloon, it transformed years ago into a Morris Oxford Supersport Special carrying an auction estimate of £18,000-22,000.

If this is a tad too rich for your liking but you still fancy a Morris convertible, we have not one but two Moggy Minor convertibles, each estimated at £10,000.

However, should the above Morris cars not pack enough power, then maybe we could tempt you with a Ferrari 328 GTS. Although a targa top rather than a full convertible, you could enjoy some open-top motoring for £60,000-70,000! charterhouse-auction.com

CHARTERHOUSE Auctioneers & Valuers We are now accepting entries for our forthcoming auctions:

Classic & Vintage Cars Sunday 16th July at Sherborne Castle Pictures, Books, Maps & Antiques with a Selection of Automobilia Friday 28th July

Contact Richard Bromell for advice or Justine Jackson to arrange a home visit The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS | 01935 812277

Fred Yates, Fowey £4,000-6,000

www.charterhouse-auction.com

Summer Events at Castle Gardens Tuesday 11 July The Lost World Illyria Open Air Theatre.

Bring your picnics and blankets to these special open air performances, perfect for all ages.

Doors 6:30pm for 7:30pm start.

Wednesday 19 July Wildlife Friendly Gardening Awards With a talk from Kate Bradbury.

Doors open at 6:30pm for 7pm start.

Get there early for other wildlife activities.

Tickets are £5.

Castle Gardens, award-winning garden centre and restaurant Everything you need to enjoy your garden all year round

Saturday 22 - Sunday 23 July A weekend of music in the walled garden and around the garden centre Join us at the following events for choirs, buskers and dancing:

Fundraising events For more information, please see in store

Saturday 22 - Sunday 23 July Busking Weekend For more information or to book a slot email Anita at Castle@thegardensgroup.co.uk.

Base donation guaranteed.

Tuesday 25 July Friends of The Yeatman Wine Tasting in The Butterfly House

Sunday 23 July Sherborne Town Band Book a table, order a cup of tea and sit back and enjoy the music. 2:30pm-4pm

Monday 24 July Yeovil Hospital Information Stand

Thursday 27 July Julia’s House Children’s Craft Day Friday 28 July 7:30pm Yeovil Hospital Charity Quiz Night in The Butterfly House

Open Monday-Saturday 9.00am-6.00pm & Sunday 10.00am-4.30pm (tills open at 10.30am) Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NR www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 59

Gardening

OVER THE FENCE

Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

W

e have taken to cycling on a Sunday evening after work. Following an invitation to visit a garden, we broke our most recent adventure partway through to take up this kind offer.

Arriving at the long and slim garden behind a traditional terraced house, it was clear this space had been worked on for years. The soil was higher in the beds than the surrounding path and the quality looked good, which would be due to the consistent addition of homemade compost plus ashes from the fire.

60 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

The garden was split into three sections, with an ornamental plot nearest the house boasting a range of herbaceous plants, dahlias, lilies and roses. Beyond this was a fabulous vegetable garden, now tended to by the nephew of the lady of the house, both of whom I know to be knowledgeable gardeners.

Both auntie – now in her 90s, though you wouldn’t guess that – and nephew were with us on the tour and although there was a clash over some of the techniques being used, I could see that auntie generally approved

of what was being done. The vegetable garden has neat rows of potatoes, beans, brassicas, carrots, onions and much more, each properly labelled. I particularly liked the use of a variety of different natural control measures against pest and disease, with little evidence of chemical usage. These included the use of protective mesh over the cabbages to prevent cabbage white butterfly attack and also to prevent pigeon damage.

Other natural pest control measures that were evident was the use of companion planting – such as the use

of marigolds to ward off white fly on tomatoes, onions alongside carrots to reduce carrot fly problems and the interspersing of low-growing marguerites to encourage pollinating insects alongside the runner beans.

The attention to detail with weed control was impressive, too, and being under control from the start of the season means that if any rogues appear now they will be easy to spot and to get rid of.

Beyond the vegetable garden was a greenhouse surrounded by a large patch of flowers for cutting, including delphiniums, alstromeiria, penstemon and lilies. Again, there was a small amount of friendly disagreement between the two gardeners over the merits of this patch, but it was agreed that this was useful for cutting and that the church was a regular user of the produce. Beyond this was the greenhouse, with tomatoes all looking on fine form.

On the way back down the garden, I happened to look over the fence at the neighbour’s garden, which was very different. Also very well cared for and loved, the neighbour’s garden was much more modern in style with more ornamental plants, vegetables – but in raised beds – and the use of contemporary pastel shades on the summerhouse and a sunny decking area. I wasn’t trying to snoop but I’m aware that the owner of the garden is again very keen, so I was really interested to see what she had achieved. I was suitably impressed.

It was really interesting to see how two fine gardens of almost identical shape could be so different in style. As we continued on our cycle I mulled over how gardening means different things to different people.

Our own garden is very different from the two I’ve described, with much more emphasis on wildflower lawns, pots on the patio and space to relax. The busy areas tend to be filled with plants we are trialling, or demonstration pots that we have planted up for school projects or that have come back from talks at gardening clubs.

This year we have a large range of marrows, courgettes, gourds and squashes in a raised bed, as well as sweet potatoes, mini carrots, ‘cut and come again’ lettuce and cape gooseberry, all in pots. There are also a number of plants that have returned from university rooms, including an avocado grown from a stone.

The owner of this particular plant has little interest in gardening, but is happy to criticise my looking after his plant during his infrequent visits home. thegardeneronline.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 61

With dedicated and experienced staff, specialist equipment and passion, Queen Thorne can develop and maintain gardens for all to enjoy. www.queenthorne.co.uk Tel: 01935 850848

62 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

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THE COOKBOOK CLUB Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

T

ime-poor, cookbook-heavy is how these five ladies found themselves two years ago. They all shared a passion for cooking but, with young families and busy working lives, there was little time to get together – let alone produce any fare beyond the usual family fodder. The solution was to begin a cookbook club.

Kate Scorer, Lisa Sunderland, Michela Chiappa and Lucy O’Donnell were members of a book club (Michela and Lucy confessing however to never having read the novels). Along with friend Angela Clothier they discovered that they were all guilty of buying cookbooks, but didn’t often actually cook from them. With the start of Sherborne’s first cookbook club, that has all changed. Now they choose one book a month, then each of them selects a recipe from that book – comprising one starter, one main course, two side dishes and a pudding. They then prepare that dish at home and bring to the house of whoever’s turn it is to host. As Michela points out, “It is the perfect way to have a dinner party, without the expense.”>

64 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

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Today the club is being held at Angela’s house, where the five women are congregating in the kitchen putting the finishing touches to each course. This month it is the turn of Yeo Valley Family Farm’s The Great British Farmhouse Cookbook to provide the inspiration. First up is Lucy’s offering – broad bean paté on toast, partaken around the kitchen island alongside delicious malvasia wine. Discussion takes place as to whether it is really necessary to skin broad beans. The cookbook club verdict is a reluctant yes, though it is generally agreed to be a hatefully fiddly job. Meanwhile, Kate is working on her side dish – beetroot salad, with a dressing that absorbs considerable dollops of honey, but tastes gorgeous.

Michela is also putting together her pear salad. “I always end up bending our rule of sticking to the recipe,” she laughs, as she tears rather than slices the cheese.

Suddenly the air is perfumed with the scent of passion fruit – Lisa is mixing the sauce for her voluminous hazelnut meringues.

The evening is almost set. Everyone is hungry and at last comes the sizzle of the duck. As this month’s host it is Angela’s job to make the main course, which tonight is marinated duck. “I have always loved being in

the kitchen – and I come from a cooking background,” she says as we move outside. A beautifully laid table stands beneath billowing trees strung with fairy lights.

Peonies and roses spill blowsily from old marmalade jars, incongruous as supermodels in sackcloth, their scent weaving a heady welcome. “My father was a very successful chef in his day and has worked at world-class hotels,” continues Angela. “He is Italian and generally cooks Italian, French and English cuisine, so I have learnt an awful lot from him.” She adds that their club has definitely pushed her out of her comfort zone.

“By cooking things that are completely new to me, like Persian and Israeli food, I have learned new skills.

Vegetables, for example – I don’t just boil them anymore.

I have also discovered some books that I would have never looked at before.”

Lucy nods. “It’s made me a bolder cook and I have learned a lot from my friends. I had never made curry before, but we did a curry book and I now realise they are super-easy!” They all agree that the club makes them cook new things and they get to try new dishes without the angst of throwing a dinner party. “You’re not running around losing your head, trying to put the kids to bed >

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while making nibbles and a dessert as well as putting a nice dress on,” Lucy adds. “And if all goes wrong, it’s not our fault – it’s the cookbook’s author who’s to blame,” she laughs.

Kate recalls the standout curry moment when they used a recipe from The Hairy Bikers’ Great Curries.

“It warned me that it was hot but I ignored that and cracked on, adding five chillies. It was practically inedible!” But for her the best moments are trying out new recipes, especially using ingredients or styles of food she wouldn’t usually cook. “It’s also really fun – lovely people, no pressure.”

The duck has gone down a treat and next up are Lisa’s meringues – hazelnut with lemon curd and passionfruit. They are sublime. The conversation turns from food to family and life. The women discuss the pros and cons of feeding children ‘adult food’ and just how much spice their delicate palettes can take. Then come happy reminisces about the night they invited husbands and partners to the dinner. It is generally agreed that everyone’s ‘other half ’ enjoys cookbook club night, because they get to eat the leftovers as well as nibbling during the cooking while also being able to settle in front of the football undisturbed.

As dinner draws to an end the discussion returns to food. It is time to rate the cookbook they have used and to decide which dishes have worked and which haven’t.

It is agreed that Michela’s pear salad could easily work as a main meal and that the duck was delicious. Lucy prefers the book’s lighter options. At her suggestion, it is agreed that the next book will be Deliciously Ella With Friends, which will give the cookbook club some of Ella Mills’s vegan food for thought. Angela still thinks that her favourite cookbooks are Persiana: Recipes from the Middle East & Beyond by Sabrina Ghayour and Simple: Effortless Food, Big Flavours by Diana Henry. “But,” she adds, “that could change as we discover more.”

The dusky sky has become twilight and, as everyone starts to clear the plates away, it reminds me of something the food writer Jane Grigson once said – that “food, its quality, its origins, its preparation, is something to be studied and thought about in the same way as any other aspect of human existence”. What better way than through a cookbook club?

Our thanks to Waitrose and to Adrian Davies at Market Town Garden for providing the food, and to Timber Millers for the oak table centrepiece (timbermillers.co.uk)

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Food & Drink

A NEW LEAF

Michelle and Rob Comins, Comins Tea

B

y the time people walk through the doors of our Tea Houses, they have already made a decision to be open-minded about what lies ahead.

Our spaces don’t look or feel like normal cafes – and of course they are not. For a start, we only serve tea to drink – a lot of different teas, but only tea! Some of you may already be exploring the wonderful world of tea.

But for those of you who are still confined to milk with two sugars, we hope to inspire you with our tea tales and tea tips over the coming months and introduce you to a world that goes beyond the standard British cuppa.

So let’s start at the beginning. We are family-run direct-trade tea merchants working from our first Tea House in Sturminster Newton and our recently opened Tea House and Tea School in Bath. Our focus is on importing single-garden orthodox teas from around the world. We place a strong emphasis on the story of the tea, travelling to the gardens we source from to meet farmers and understand the background behind some of the best teas in the world. Back at home, we serve these fine teas alongside food and snacks from their origin, such as Sri Lankan hoppers and Japanese gyoza.

Our overall aim is to bring grower and drinker closer together and, in doing so, ensure that dedicated tea farmers and their workers around the world gain a fair price for their tea and have the resources to continue to innovate and improve standards.

I have always loved a cup of the hot stuff; I used to take tea with my mum every weekend after finishing my Saturday job. Although this is far from the ceremonies that surround many of the teas we source and serve today, this was a ritual in its own right and one that cemented a firm place for tea in my life. For Rob this interest came later, on a trip to India. A detour to Darjeeling saw us meet Rajah Banerjee of Makaibari tea and drink a smooth, light-flavoured bowl of black tea that changed Rob’s perspective on tea forever. Before that trip he had associated tea with the traditional British cup of black tea with milk and sugar. Since opening our own Tea House, we have found that many 74 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

"People have enjoyed great quality loose tea all over the world for thousands of years and in the most remote places"

people add these ingredients as they can’t bear the thought of a bitter cup – the product of over-steeping teabag tea. What Rob discovered in India is that it need not be this way. Quality leaf teas such as Darjeeling offer a spectrum of smooth infusions that just don’t need milk – give it a try and you might surprise yourself !

The first steps into any ‘specialist’ world can feel overwhelming, but with a few simple guidelines the world of fine tea need not be so. Start with a good-quality leaf, then have a close look at the packaging – do you know where it comes from? ‘Terroir’ is important in determining the profile of a tea and it is also worth noting whether the leaves are single-garden or blended, hand or machinemade, which will have an impact on the price and quality in the cup. Secondly, when it was picked – or in other words, how fresh is it? Is there advice on how to brew

it? This is where tea merchants offer an advantage; you can speak to knowledgeable staff who can advise you on which tea will suit you and how to brew it correctly. The next thing to do is respect the ingredients for a great cup of tea – leaf, water quality, temperature and time. Finally don’t be scared! People have enjoyed great quality loose tea all over the world for thousands of years and in the most remote places. Great tea is nothing new.

For now we hope we have shared enough to whet your appetite. In our next article we will look at some of the details above in more depth. Until then if you can’t wait for a great cup of tea and a plate of dumplings, call by one of our Tea Houses – we would love to see you and share tea. cominstea.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

Food & Drink

Image: Katharine Davies

THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones

CHOCOLATE SUMMER FRUITS ROULADE

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ack in the 70s I used to make black forest gâteau, which I thought very sophisticated. It always had three tiers, sandwiched together with fresh cream and cherries, and was decorated with swirls of whipped cream, each one topped with a maraschino cherry. I would then finish off the whole cake with a sprinkling of grated chocolate. This version has more chocolate and more alcohol than in my original recipe. I sometimes make it gluten-free by using gluten-free plain flour.

Ingredients

For the sponge 5 large free-range eggs, room temperature 100g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting 60g plain flour 40g good-quality cocoa powder

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1 tsp vanilla extract 1 tsp chocolate extract For the ganache 400g cooking chocolate, broken into small pieces 20g unsalted butter 560ml double cream 1 tbsp almond liqueur 150g tinned cherries, plus 1 tbsp syrup or 1 tbsp cherry liqueur For the chocolate decorations 100g dark chocolate, broken into small pieces 30g icing sugar, for dusting Around 500g strawberries, raspberries, blueberries and cherries, with stalks left on

6

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Method

1 Pre-heat the oven to 170C. 2 Line a 17-inch x 11-inch swiss roll tin with baking parchment, grease with butter and lightly flour the parchment. Also cut a piece of baking parchment slightly larger than the tin, for turning out the roulade. Place this on a cooling rack.

3 To make the roulade, start by whisking the eggs a little to break them up, add the sugar and continue whisking gently. Once the sugar has dissolved, whisk the egg mixture on high for 5 mins, until the mixture leaves a trail that stands up for a while before settling.

4 Sift the flour and the cocoa powder and fold into the egg mixture with a large plastic spatula a third at a time, adding the vanilla extract after the first third and the chocolate extract after the second third.

Spread the mixture gently onto the tin and bake for 12-14 mins on the middle shelf. Take care not to over-bake, as the sponge will dry out quickly.

5 While the sponge is baking, prepare the chocolate decorations. Melt 100g chocolate, spoon into a disposable piping bag and snip the end off to give a small hole. Pipe small heart shapes onto a silicone sheet and place in the fridge until well chilled.

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When completely set, peel off and set aside until needed. If you are using cherries to decorate, hold them by the stalks and dip into any remaining chocolate, then place on your silicon sheet to set.

When the roulade is baked, dust caster sugar over the parchment on the cooling rack and turn out the roulade, cool for 2 mins then gently peel off the baking parchment, being careful not to break the roulade. Make a shallow cut along one long side, which will allow you to begin rolling up the roulade – but do not cut right through.

Roll steadily and equally with both hands, so that the paper is rolled up with the roulade, then set aside to cool.

To make the ganache, put the chocolate and butter in a bowl, then heat 450ml double cream until it starts to simmer, remove from the heat and pour onto the chocolate and butter. Leave for 3 mins to melt, then whip the mixture with a balloon whisk until light, add the almond liqueur and 1 tbsp syrup from the cherries or the cherry liqueur. Set aside one third of the ganache in a bowl for decorating.

To make the ganache cream for the inside of the roulade, allow the rest of your ganache to cool slightly, then whip the remaining double cream and stir in gently.

Unroll the roulade and brush with the almond liqueur, then spread a quantity of the creamy ganache mixture evenly over the roulade, with slightly less at the edges to make it easier to roll up.

Chop the tinned cherries in half and spread them out evenly then roll up the roulade, using a fresh piece of parchment paper to help.

Transfer the roulade to a serving dish, ensuring that you have room for the fruit decoration. Spread the remaining ganache over the roulade then scatter the fruit on top, adding the chocolate-covered cherries if you made some. Gently place the chocolate hearts on top or, if you prefer, drizzle melted chocolate over the roulade instead; you could use both dark and white chocolate for a contrasting effect. Dust with a little icing sugar and serve with a jug of pouring cream, if you’re feeling madly indulgent.

bakerval.com

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Food & Drink

BUTTER BEAN HUMMUS, LOBIO-STYLE

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Sasha Matkevich, Head Chef and Owner, The Green with Jack Smith, Apprentice Chef

obio is a traditional Georgian bean dish that I grew up with. When we make it in the restaurant the aromas send me right back to my childhood in the Caucasus Mountains. It’s a very simple mix, but packs a punch.

Ingredients

400g butter beans Half a bunch fresh coriander 1 tbsp dried coriander 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 2 banana shallots 2 cloves garlic 100ml olive oil 100ml vegetable oil ½ chilli 78 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Method

1 First of all you will need to create your lobio paste. To do this you will need to sweat off the shallots, garlic and chilli. Next, grind the coriander, dried coriander and fenugreek seeds in a pestle and mortar, until they form a paste. Add the ground mix to the shallots, garlic and chilli and blitz together.

2 To create the hummus, blitz the butter beans with the lobio paste until smooth. Then slowly add the olive oil and vegetable oil to the mix. Keep blitzing until all the oil is in and season to taste.

3 Finish with some freshly chopped coriander and serve with deep-fried flatbreads. Enjoy. greenrestaurant.co.uk

BROAD BEAN FRITTERS

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Jane Somper, Goldhill Organics

e love young, tender broad beans as for us they mark the beginning of early summer flavours. We like to make a whole load of broad bean fritters and keep them stashed in the freezer for future use, when we fancy a vegetarian hit!

Ingredients

500g broad beans, podded 200g soft cheese – we use goats’ cheese 2-3 tbsp natural yoghurt or crème fraiche 2 eggs 120g chickpea flour, or you can use normal flour 80ml whole milk Handful mixed herbs, chopped 2 spring onions, chopped Enough rapeseed oil for cooking

Method

1 Pop the podded beans in a pan of bubbling water and boil gently for 2-3 mins. At this point you can remove the skins after the beans have cooled, if you want to.

2 Mix the flour, milk, eggs and yoghurt together to form a smooth, thick mixture. Add the beans, chopped cheese, spring onions and herbs, and stir into the mixture.

3 Heat a big frying pan to a medium heat with the rapeseed oil. Add the mix 2-3 ladles at a time, cooking each side for 3 mins or until a lovely golden colour.

4 We serve ours on a bed of lush lettuce leaves with a dressing, or we add to buns for a veggie burger – either way is delicious. goldhillorganics.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79

Food & Drink

VOLUME CONTROL David Copp

Lake Garda and River Sarca near Torbole, Northern Italy 80 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

I

never imagined that I would be writing about low-alcohol wines. Alcohol is the very thing that gives body and soul to a wine, that gives a satisfying mouth-filling feel. But two happenings have caused me to write this piece.

Firstly, global warming has helped grapes ripen more fully. More warmth means more sugar, which is converted into alcohol when the freshly picked grapes are fermented.

Secondly, as yet another birthday comes round I realise that as I get older I do not want more alcohol in my wine, but less. I seek fruit flavour, finesse and elegance – more so because my wife is a decidedly good cook who produces dishes with delicate flavours. Wines of 14.5 or 15 alcohol by volume (abv) tend to overpower fine food flavours. Besides, alcohol usually means adding even more inches to the waistline.

For most of my early years in the wine trade the problem in less good vintages was not enough alcohol; such wines were deemed ‘light’ or ‘uninteresting’.

Sixty years on, the opposite is the case. Global warming and greatly improved viticultural techniques have produced more physiologically ripe grapes, with ripe flesh, ripe skins, even ripe pips!

For some years now I have been actively seeking sources of quality white wines at 7-10 abv and red wines of 10-12 abv. I found it easier to find such white wines in the cooler climates of northern Europe, such as Mosel, which naturally produces truly fine, elegant, classical wines at around 8-9 abv.

For those of you that have not yet tasted Dr Ernie Loosen’s wines, I recommend them as a starting point.

Lovely delicate riesling flavours at around £7-£8, with even more finesse in the £10-£15 price range.

Riesling from the Mosel and Saar was a good start, but I was determined to look worldwide and found a gem in the Hunter Valley sémillon, which has a burgundian feel but at 10-11 abv rather than 12 or 13.

Vinho verde from Portugal also fitted the lower alcohol category. Mateus, of rosé fame, has extended its range to red and white lower alcohol wines, as has the immensely reliable Australian producer Jacob’s Creek.

The Prosecco sparkling wines and those of Asti also tend to be lighter in alcohol. I love the wines from the Dolomite valley regions because the diurnal difference in temperature has the effect of intensifying flavour, rather

then increasing alcohol.

Low-alcohol red wines are more difficult to find, but I can heartily recommend the grape varieties that produce fresh and fruity wines, which are certainly lighter in weight if only marginally lighter in alcohol.

Top of my list is the gamay of Beaujolais, a variety renowned for its fruitiness and freshness. BeaujolaisVillages from a good co-operative is light and easy to drink, but look beyond to one of the twelve Beaujolais growths that usually come in at or around 12 abv. I have a soft spot for Fleurie and the Wine Society’s Exhibition wine is excellent value at £9.50.

Now that the Italians have exercised better control of their appellation system and improved the quality and reliability of their wines, I can also heartily recommend Bardolino from the eastern shores of Lake Garda and Valpolicella, a bit further east.

Both wines are a blend of three Italian varieties, the most important of which is the corvina. Its bright cherry colour and lively acidity make it positively refreshing.

However, be sure to ask your preferred wine merchant to recommend a really good grower. Also ask for a true Lambrusco Sorbara. Lambrusco, a red frizzante, once derided for its sickly sweetness, has very agreeable refreshing qualities.

The great Burgundian pinots are for keeping, but there are lighter styles that come in under 12 abv and, if you are adventurous, ask about the lighter style pinot noirs from the Alto Adige and Romania. Two other European grapes distantly related to pinot noir, which offer essentially light and easy drinking, are zweigelt and st laurent, both of which can most easily be found in Austria.

I have focused my attention on wines with a naturally lower alcoholic degree, but several large producers have developed no-alcohol wines (0.5 abv qualifies as a noalcohol wine) by taking the alcohol out of a normal wine by a spinning cone method. However, most of those I have tasted have given me the impression they have been tampered with. One exception is the Torres range of natureo wines, the white from Moscato and the red and rosé from Syrah.

There is also a trend towards producing wine with fewer calories. The Skinnygirl range was first to be launched, but since I am not quite within their target market I haven’t yet got round to tasting them.

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Animal Care

A DIFFERENT BREED Mark Newton-Clarke, MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons

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ur desire to own dogs goes back a long, long way and is probably woven into our genetic make-up. We have evolved together over many millennia, from before the time we as humans started to change our lifestyle from hunter-gatherers to agrarian societies. Dogs are descendants of wolves, but not directly so. One theory suggests that dogs and wolves came from a common, now extinct, ancestor and the lines have since diverged. How is it that man has chosen a companion quite unlike our nearest cousin, the apes? The answer possibly lies in the social habits of the hominids and the canids, which are remarkably similar, including close family bonds, co-operation between group members, social hierarchy and tasks shared for the common good. Maybe we humans need to re-learn some of these today!

The ‘special relationship’ between humans and canines opened the door to a unique opportunity. Humans started to choose characteristics that they thought desirable and so selective breeding to enhance certain physical attributes began – and proved remarkably successful. This process was begun only a few hundred years ago and has produced amazing diversity among dogs in a short space of time. Not long ago I operated on a great dane and a pomeranian on the same day; one weighed 78kg and the other 1kg! Yet these two animals are the same species and share almost identical DNA, the differences down to a few genes.

Massive variation in size is the most obvious characteristic that selective breeding has produced, but differences between breeds of similar sizes is also quite remarkable. Consider a collie, a greyhound and a labrador, all with very different personalities and abilities, though we can all think of exceptions to the rules. Then throw into the mix the terrier breeds, the spaniels and the guard breeds of the dog world. Breed differences go deeper than size and temperament, they affect the structure of bones and sinew, heart and brain, eye and ear. For example, all dogs only see in two colours (they are red-green colour-blind) but their retinal structure differs in such a way that sight-hounds scan the horizon

for prey, whilst king charles spaniels and other smaller companion breeds read human facial expression with much greater accuracy.

So what’s the point of all this? Dogs are dogs and you go and get what you want, right? Your choice may be influenced by your lifestyle, the size of your home, the time you have to spend on exercise, or possibly the fashion at the time. I hope it’s not the latter, as french bulldogs seem to have captured the popular imagination and now occupy top slot for imports from overseas breeders. Why is this? There is nothing wrong with the original concept of the breed, but demand that outstrips supply means a price hike and health issues suffer.

Choosing a canine companion is an important decision. The surprisingly successful outcome of selective breeding has produced dog breeds adapted to particular lifestyles because, originally, every breed had a particular use. It is testament to the adaptability of the dog as a species that square pegs can fit into round holes – and many dogs with working genetics are able to settle down into family life without spending the day rounding up sheep or hunting rabbits. However, the settling-down process can take years and can be painful. The moral of this tail (sorry, couldn’t resist) is to choose your canine companion wisely. Consider the characteristics of the breed you are thinking of buying and talk to the breeder. Good breeders will take into consideration the future home of their puppies and so expect to be crossexamined in some depth, in order to ensure a happy relationship. The number of dogs in rescue homes speaks volumes for the lack of planning that goes into choosing the right breed. Don’t make the same mistake. Chat to anyone with a dog of the breed you are considering, breeders and your vet. All the vets and nurses at both Swan House and the newly opened Preston Road surgery in Yeovil will be happy to give advice about buying and owning a puppy that’s right for you. With spring-born puppies becoming available in the next month or so, don’t forget to do your homework! newtonclarkevet.com

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Animal Care

HOT AND BOTHERED

James Gibb BVSc MRCVS, The Kingston Veterinary Group

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e have seen the back of frozen troughs and muddy paddocks for a while, but there’s always something to think about throughout the year where horses are concerned. In this month’s editorial we talk about caring for horses in the summer and things to consider at this time of year.

Although we may be excited about the prospect of a bit of sun, we don’t look forward to the pesky flies that come with it. Flies can carry disease and an allergic reaction can result from any fly bite. All flies can cause irritancies and annoyance to both horse and the rider, so they are important to consider when working or competing your horse. Although there are lots of breeds of flies, there are a few in particular that are upsetting for horses.

Horse flies are particularly troubling for horses.

They are most active on warm, sultry days and especially around woodlands. The flies themselves are often quite large in size and their nasty bite leaves painful papules (pimples) and wheals (small lumps) that are irritating to both the horse and the rider. Horse flies rarely enter dark places, so offering your horse stabling can offer some protection.

Black flies are smaller in size and breed near rapidly moving water. Black flies commonly feed around the face and particularly in the ears, where they trigger allergic skin reactions. They are mostly active at dawn and dusk. Bites form as painful lumps, often with pinprick areas of bleeding or crusting.

Midges are just 1mm-3mm long and hover in swarms at dawn and dusk. They are mostly seen around stagnant water areas or ponds, so avoid these areas if possible. Different types of midges feed on different sites of the body. A common feeding site is the mane and tail and can be a factor to the cause of sweet itch.

Preventative measures to reduce bites use anti-

84 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

midge or fly turnout rugs and masks, apply a longlasting fly repellent – though ensure you spot-test first to test for sensitivity – spray the stable with insecticide and eliminate areas of still water where midges might breed.

Practise good hygiene around the yard, worm your horse against bot flies in the winter and stable your horse when the flies are bad.

Sweet itch in horses, also known as pruritus, describes the unpleasant sensation that leads horses to bite, scratch or rub at their skin. This can sometimes be so strong that horses will cause severe damage to themselves or their environment. Pruritus is known to result from the stimulation of special nerve endings and receptors in the skin. The three main factors to induce the itchy skin are ectoparasites or biting lice, infections and allergies. It is vital that the treatment targets the cause of the pruritus and relieves the itch itself. Speak to your vet for advice on suitable treatments.

Sun damage can be underestimated in our country, but sun can be just as harmful to animals as it is to humans. The pigmentation in hair and skin protects against the penetration of ultraviolet light, so any nonpigmented horse or a horse with white-skinned areas is prone to sunburn damage. The horse’s face and heels are commonly affected areas. Ensuring fields have shady areas is essential, although it sometimes proves difficult to make sure your horse grazes in this area. There are equine sun barrier lotions available, or another option is to use a head and muzzle mask to provide some protection. If you have a horse that is prone to sun burn, it is advised to stable the horse at high-risk times.

If you have any questions about the topics discussed please contact The Kingston Veterinary Group on 01935 813288 kingstonvets.co.uk

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Cycling

SOCIAL LIFE CYCLE

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Peter Henshaw, Dorset Cyclists Network, Mike Riley, Rileys Cycles

ichael Rust is an evangelist – not in the religious sense, but for cycling. He looks an unlikely convert. At 55, wiry and fit, you’d think he’d been a lifelong rider, out every weekend and summer evening, a veteran of sportives and long cycle tours.

He’s actually been anything but. Until fairly recently, Michael – chef and co-owner of The Rose and Crown, Trent – was one of life’s non-cyclists and hadn’t climbed aboard a bike for nearly 40 years. But now he’s about to embark on the RideLondon-Surrey 100, part of the RideLondon 2017 Olympic legacy event. It’s a timed 100-mile ride from the centre of the capital into Surrey and back and includes the notorious Box 86 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Hill. Already, his idea of a decent day ride is the round trip from Trent down to Weymouth, or 80-odd miles into Somerset and over the Mendips. How did this transformation happen?

“My wife bought me a bike as a surprise for my 50th birthday,” he tells me in the workshop of Riley’s Cycles, where Mike Riley is giving him a maintenance masterclass. “Basically I got off a bike when I was 15 and never got back on again. My only experience of cycling was watching the Tour de France on the TV, which I loved. Anyway, the birthday present was a lovely surprise – completely unexpected, but I rode it a few times then just put it away. I didn’t really have the time to ride it.”

He did have an excuse, with a career in hospitality

that hasn’t left much free time – certainly not in the evenings and at weekends, when most of us head out for a serious ride. “I left school at 16 and went straight into catering college, left that at 18 on a Friday and was in my first job the following Monday, in Berlin!”

Fast-forward 30-odd years and he was running The Green Restaurant in Sherborne, followed by The Rose and Crown. It was a busy life with little room for any sort of exercise, including cycling.

Then one day about 18 months ago he decided to drag the bike out of the garage and go for a ride. It sounds like a bit of a Damascene moment. “It felt like being a teenager again, the sheer freedom. I grew up in Essex, cycling along the quiet roads, and here in Dorset a lot of the roads are still like that. I often see deer and the other day a stoat with a rat in its mouth ran between my wheels! The hills are good, too, because you get used to them and they’re excellent for training. It’s all just great, to escape from the hurly burly of running a pub.”

“I started going for longer rides and one day in December just decided to ride to Weymouth. I got back eight-and-a-half hours later, absolutely frozen, but really enjoyed it. Then I came across the RideLondon 2017 website, applied and just happened to get through the ballot – it’s like the London Marathon, because so many people apply they have to do it like that. So it all came together.”

Despite Michael’s training rides, the London-Surrey 100 still looks like a bit of a toughie – quite apart from the distance and terrain, he’ll be riding alongside thousands of other cyclists, not something solitary rides through Dorset have prepared him for. Held on 30th July, it’s preceded by Freecycle the day before – seven miles of closed roads in the centre of London, open to everyone who registers to ride. There’s no obligation to do any of this for charity, but Michael is raising funds for ActionAid, which works to help the poorest women and girls around the world. It’s a national organisation but it started out in Chard, so it’s local-ish.

It’s time for me to go and for Michael to get on with his maintenance masterclass. “There’s one other thing I’ve noticed about cycling,” he says, as I prepare to leave. “My right hip is basically worn out and painful from working on my feet for 35 years. I also used to do a certain amount of running, which didn’t help. So in my early 50s, I was actually close to being put on the list for a hip replacement. But since I’ve been cycling, it’s really improved and definitely helped to alleviate the associated pain.” PH

I

recently watched a new race event called the Hammer Chase. Team BMC had four punctures on separate riders’ bikes in 10 minutes and they were laughing by the last one, as the mechanic handed over yet another spare bike from the roof of the team car. For the rest of us, a ‘mechanical’ can spoil our ride and the only ‘team car’ may be driven by an unfortunate partner who collects us, leaving the brownie points account severely depleted.

Here are my top tips for avoiding or recovering from mechanicals.

1 Check your bike before leaving home, inspect and inflate tyres, check wheels, brakes and gears, secure attachments, check and lube chain.

2 Clean and maintain your bike regularly – especially after rides. Wash off road muck and salt, this also helps spot problems. A service can save expensive and inconvenient problems and makes the bike run at its best.

3 Carry a basic tool kit and spares – pump, inner tube, puncture kit, tyre levers and multi-tool.

4 Don’t forget to look after the ‘engine.’ You could not drive a car far without fuel in the tank and radiator coolant, so take food and water.

5 As a back-up, carry emergency money and a mobile phone. Riley's offer Lexham's recovery scheme for cycles for a reasonable £15 per year.

Enjoy your cycling! MR

There are lots of ways you can support Michael’s London-Surrey 100 for ActionAid: • Donate at justgiving.com/fundraising/ michaelrustonabike • Text MOAB99 to 70070 with your gift amount (min £2) • Donate via Facebook facebook.com/ mikeonabike2017 • Or take part in the “Guess my finishing time” competition at the Rose & Crown Trent to win a champagne dinner for two!

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87

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Body & Mind

WHAT TO WEAR Lindsay Punch, Stylist

G

etting ready for a summer holiday is something we all look forward to. However, packing what to wear can often be a chore.

We have all made the mistake of over-packing, thinking we will be gracing the resort’s restaurants with a new look every night. In truth, it is all too easy to wear the same cool shorts over and over again – and we return with half a suitcase unworn.

However, I have some simple tips for successful packing that will leave you feeling like a seasoned jetsetter – and make the process of holiday dressing that much simpler.

Create an effortless capsule wardrobe, picking the pieces you’ll love wearing whether sunbathing or sightseeing.

Sticking to one colour palette makes dressing stress-free and you will have endless outfit combinations. Choose one or two neutral shades – navy and white, for example – and three to four other colours such as cool blue, pastel pink, silver and grey. Picking hues that complement each other is straightforward – pair either icy tones and pastels together, warm hues and earth tones, or jewel tones and brights. A refined palette that is put together well will add instant sophistication to every outfit.

My next tip is to pack like a stylist on a photo shoot.

Start by laying out your clothes or hanging them on a rail to create outfits. Write down a rough plan of your daily activities to give you an idea of how many practical pieces 90 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

you need and to help you get excited about dressing up in your favourite frock. Then place your outfits in your suitcase whilst still on the hanger – thin velvet hangers are best for space and weight. When you arrive at your hotel your clothes are already hung and can go straight into the wardrobe, leaving you more time by the pool.

So what are the holiday heroes that are essential for taking you from beach to bar?

1. Cross-body bag

A strap over the shoulder and across the body is the most comfortable and secure option, leaving your hands free to deal with any airport dramas and create ease for day trips.

2. Large scarf

A multi-tasking must-have. Lightweight to carry on and cover up against chilly aeroplane air con, or useful as a sarong for beach and pool.

3. Jersey blazer

The ideal outfit finisher. Its non-crease capability means it can be flung in an overhead locker as well as working hard every evening – just fling on a pair of strappy heels and you’re away! At the end of your holiday there is no need for dry cleaning, as this item can be thrown in the washing machine.

4. A slider

This has become the shoe of the summer. For those hot, hot days you don’t want to feel like you’re walking on fire around the pool, slip on a pair of sliders. There are plenty of options on the high street, ranging from the classic and practical to the ‘blingy’ and sparkling.

5. Panama hat

A holiday is an excellent opportunity to wear a hat.

A panama shouldn’t be intended only for the beach or as protection from the sun – worn even in the shade, it adds style to any outfit.

6. Beach tote

A neutral tote goes with everything. Purchase one with an internal pouch to keep your valuables separate, while the bucket is perfect for throwing in your swimming gear.

THERAPY ROOMS & OFFICE SPACE Our therapy rooms hold a diverse clinic of practitioners each running their own practice.

We use and sell Neal’s Yard Remedies products within our therapies. Pop into the shop to order your bathroom essentials or book a free one to one skin consultation & mini facial. Parties & workshops available.

We have rooms ready to be rented for either long or short terms or meetings. Quiet space with heating, desks, seating and wifi.

7. Shirt dress

This lightweight classic provides plenty of options – layer it over shorts, leave it open over a bikini, or pair with heels for dinner.

8. Nude sandals

Aside from matching every colour in your suitcase, nude heels make your legs look longer and slimmer.

This neutral shade is the perfect counterpoint to any bright or soft colour. Chic, yet easy on the eyes.

9. One-piece swimsuit

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01935 507290

email sherbornerooms@gmail.com or visit www.sherbornerooms.com

56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ

If you’re a big kid like me and love to partake in some gentle water sports, you’ll want to avoid the embarrassment of losing half your bikini. A cut-out swimsuit adds a modern touch to a one-piece – and you won’t lose it on a water slide or out to sea.

10. Maxi-dress

This carefree and wrinkle-proof style helps you look pulled together, without the hassle of coordinating an entire outfit.

Looking good by the pool doesn’t have to leave you feeling hot and bothered. If you feel you need a helping hand with your packing or some inspiration with a Personal Style Guide, please get in touch. lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk facebook.com/lindsaypunchstyling

OPENING HOURS: Monday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Tuesday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Wednesday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Thursday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Friday: 8.30am ~ 5pm Saturday: 7.30am ~ 4pm Walk in, relax. No appointment necessary

56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 91

Body & Mind

T

GOING FOR GOLD Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

o keep a holiday tan going, or to create a tan from a blank canvas, can be a tricky process. The active ingredient in self-tanning formulations is dihydroxyacetone (DHA), which is derived from sugar beets or sugar cane, by the fermentation of glycerine. The DHA activates the melanocytes, or pigment-producing cells, into making colour within the top layers of the skin. Sunless tanning products contain DHA in varying concentrations – usually ranging from 3% to 5%, with professional products ranging from 5% to 15%. The higher the percentage, the darker and richer the tanning effect.

However, the depth of colour you can achieve from using self-tanning products largely depends on how many melanocytes you have naturally. For example, someone who is naturally fair skinned will not have large numbers of pigment-producing cells to be stimulated into making a tan and will therefore never develop such a deep colour – no matter what strength of product they use.

Coppertone introduced the first consumer sunless tanning lotion to the marketplace in the 1960s. This

92 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

product was called ‘Quick Tan’ or ‘QT’. It was sold as an overnight tanning agent, but had a bad reputation for orange palms and streaky skin! By the 1980s, new sunless tanning formulations appeared on the market and refinements in the DHA manufacturing process gave rise to products that produced a more natural-looking colour and improved fading. Now, the newest generation of selftanners provides plenty of choice for different skin types, skin tones, lifestyles, application methods, development time and desired length of colour wear.

Lighter products are more beginner-friendly, but may require multiple coats to produce the desired depth of colour. Darker products produce a deep tan in one coat, but are also more prone to streaking, unevenness, or unnatural tones. It’s easy to make the mistake of using a product that is too dark for your natural tanning ability – which adversely affects melanocyte activity, resulting in an unnatural, ‘orangey’ tone.

Pre-tan preparation is key to ensuring that your skin has an even and ‘new’ base over which to apply any product.

Complete any hair removal at least 24 hours in advance

of application, exfoliate the skin thoroughly and then apply moisturiser to areas such as face, feet, hands, elbows and knees before applying the tanning product.

Most self-tans will fade gradually over three to 10 days, in conjunction with the skin’s normal exfoliation process. However, prolonged water submersion, tight-fitting clothes or heavy sweating all speed up the shedding of the surface skin cells and can therefore lighten your tan more quickly. So take short showers rather than baths, pat yourself dry – no rubbing – and apply a moisturiser daily to keep the top layers of the skin moist. Gentle circular buffing with a soft exfoliating mesh puff and foamy shower gel every three to four days will also help the colour to fade more evenly and reduce any patchiness caused by clothes rubbing.

But remember, self-tans give you confidence in your summer wardrobe, but they don’t give protection from the sun!

"Leave the house confident in the colours and shapes that make you, you"

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SUMMER HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES

Monday 24th July – Friday 1st September Morning and Afternoon Sessions £9.50, All Day £17 or All Week £68

8-14 years 9am-5pm Climbing, Snorkelling, Hamsterballs and Many More Activities Please ask at reception or go to www.oxleysc.com for more information www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93

Body & Mind

LAST-MINUTE SUMMER BODY Natasha Williams, Oxley Sports Centre

A

s we move from spring into summer, many of us will be getting ready to jet off to sunnier climes. For some, the thought of this will be completely terrifying as the plans for the fabulous summer body have been delayed or put off once again until next summer! However fear not, there are things that you can do to help get ready.

94 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Better late than never! Whatever your motivation, time is never too short to make the effort. It may be that you are hoping to drop those last couple of pounds ready for a holiday or seriously thinking of getting yourself started now so as to be ready for next summer! At any time you can adopt new healthier habits. Try setting yourself a challenge, maybe a last-week countdown,

where you try something different each day. Get in the gym, the pool or try a class. HIIT training is a proven way to lose fat quickly – because fat is such a great source of energy, intense training, getting puffed out and pushing yourself ‘teaches’ the muscles to make greater use of this plentiful energy source.

De-stress! Don’t worry yourself. You may be frantically preparing yourself at work, hoping they can cope without you while you’re away, panicking about the white and wobbly bits that are about to be exposed to the world, or you may just be really ready for a break after life has been a bit hectic. However, stress has many negative effects on the body. One of these is increased production of cortisol, a hormone produced as part of the body’s fight-or-flight response to stressful situations. Repeated spikes in cortisol can lead to weight gain by increasing storage of fat, elevating blood glucose levels and stimulating the appetite. Many people spend their time focusing on caring for others and getting through the day without addressing their own needs. This can lead to burn-out. So find time to stop. Slow down in your day. Try a class such as BodyBalance or yoga, which will allow you time for you and include meditation and relaxation. Adopting mindfulness techniques will allow you to reconnect with the world around you.

Cleanse or detox! There is a difference between cleansing and detoxing. In the latter, you focus on enhancing the effectiveness of the liver and kidneys, assisting them to remove harmful chemicals from the body. During a cleanse, you focus more on the digestive tract. You do this by adopting a more simple diet, therefore removing undigested food particles and ultimately stabilising blood sugar levels. Preholiday, this could be a great way to lose a couple of pounds, help control cravings for sugar or carbs and give you a revitalising glow! Try introducing more fruit and veg into your diet and increasing the amount of water you drink.

There are many things that help to revitalise and set you up for improved wellbeing and health. It’s not all about looking good on the beach – being healthy inside will benefit you more in the long term.

Oxley Sports Centre is committed to assisting its customers in finding ways to establish regular exercise habits for improved wellbeing. See oxleysc.com for more details on classes, personal training and what’s on offer at The Coffee Pod!

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www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 95

Body & Mind

STRESS AND ADRENAL FATIGUE Sarah Attwood, Cert. ASK Systematic Kinesiologist, Thrive Health and Wellness

H

ave you ever been really looking forward to a day off or a holiday, then come down with a bug on the first day? It just doesn’t seem fair. However this is our body, or more specifically our adrenals glands, waving a white flag.

Our adrenal glands sit on top of our kidneys and help the body react to stress alongside regulating cortisol, adrenaline and hormones. They are involved in the fight-or-flight response, releasing the stress management hormone cortisol and ‘action-stations’ adrenaline to flood through our bodies ready for battle.

Unfortunately, they cannot tell if it is a true emergency or just another deadline at work.

As someone who suffered with glandular fever and then M.E. for over eight years, I’ve spent a fair amount of time unconsciously using and depleting my adrenals.

I often picture them as a hamster in a wheel, desperately peddling away but not really going anywhere. When it comes to the end of the current stress, they collapse with fatigue and our true energy state is revealed.

Adrenal problems show in two ways: exhausted and burnt-out or hyper-stressed and running on adrenaline. They can even be a mixture of both, 96 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

running on adrenaline all week and then feeling burnt-out and exhausted at the weekend. Stress is a very modern word, but the symptoms are wideranging – including fatigue, lowered immune function, digestive discomfort, anxiety or depression, blood sugar problems, sleep difficulties, memory problems, hormone disruption and weight gain.

We see children and teenagers struggling with stress and can see the mental exhaustion it brings. Just witness their behaviour at the beginning of summer holidays – lots of outpouring of emotion and a great need for sleep.

Their minds and bodies are overtired and need to switch off and recuperate.

So, what can we do to help? I’m not going to suggest we all quit our jobs and live on a beach, but I am going to suggest we become aware of how we feel and allow ourselves to take charge of our thoughts and actions.

If you feel like you’re juggling too many things, find a prioritisation technique that works for you. If you find negative thoughts take over, try Bach flower remedies which are marvellous at allowing us to think our usual thoughts but stop the emotions flooding our body with hormones. Useful supplements include B vitamins,

Kinesiology

Neal’s Yard Remedies

Nutrition

Kinesiology appointments and taster sessions available Health talks | Wellness workshops | Neal’s Yard pamper evenings Food intolerance testing | Nutritional supplements

Thrive Health and Wellness, Sherborne Sarah Attwood Cert. ASK 07708 926000 www.thrivehealthwellness.co.uk sarah@thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

essential for energy production, and vitamin C for our immune system. Make time for yourself to relax.

Write down those pesky items that remain on the todo list. Curl up with a frivolous book or have a gossip with some friends. Enjoy a relaxing wind-down routine to help you enter a deep sleep and recharge.

What is the biggest challenge for most people?

Letting go of being a perfectionist. We can’t control everything – we can only control our reactions.

Changing our thought patterns and behaviour takes time, but techniques like neuro-linguistic programming, emotional freedom technique and hypnotherapy can be helpful.

Over the summer I would love you to take a moment to check in and see how you are truly feeling. Whether you are a child, stressed employee, busy parent or active retiree, take a moment to breathe and tune in to your body. Allow yourself some downtime, mix up the routine and let your mind and body recharge. We can only ever do our best and that really is good enough. thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

LONDON ROAD CLINIC Health Clinic • Acupuncture • Osteopathy • Counselling • Physiotherapy • EMDR Therapy • Shiatsu

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www.56londonroad.co.uk Email: info@56londonroad.co.uk 56 London Road, Milborne Port, Sherborne DT9 5DW Free Parking and Wheelchair access www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97

Body & Mind

OSTEOPATHY

Gayathri Liyanaarachchi, MOst, BSc (Hons), ND, DO, The Sherborne Rooms

I

am a multi-national, well-travelled mother of three.

Not only do I love healthy living, I weave my family and the people I meet into a way of living that is balanced and orientated towards nature cure. Having come from a background where meditation is practiced regularly, I was drawn to the natural corrective forces within our body. My passion to understand the deeper and more complex scientific findings of the way we heal drew me to osteopathic medicine and naturopathy.

My study of osteopathic medicine began in London, where I graduated from the British College of Osteopathic Medicine. Here I learned an integrated approach to health, with special emphasis on nutrition and how it can affect the healing mechanisms of an overworked, exhausted body and mind. Using cranial osteopathy, visceral and structural, I learnt how the innate mechanisms of our body are always striving to achieve balance. At times, certain obstructions are difficult for our bodies to overcome alone. This is when osteopathy can be used as a precise therapeutic and scientific method of analysis and treatment to find balance and aid healing, whilst working with the body’s natural corrective forces to gain health.

Osteopathy is a system of diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of medical conditions. It works with the structure and function of the body and is based on the principle that the wellbeing of an individual depends on the skeleton, muscles, ligaments and connective tissues functioning smoothly together. Osteopathy is a holistic concept of medicine, which combines the understanding

98 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

of the body with the precise knowledge of anatomy and physiology.

An osteopath can help with a range of complaints and conditions, treating people of any age. If you are pregnant, osteopaths can help with easing some of the physical discomforts of pregnancy, preparing for the demands of labour and recovering after the birth. Babies can benefit from cranial osteopathy, as its subtle approach is a very effective tool in treating various ailments such as colic, digestive problems, recurrent ear infections and sleepless nights due to pain. At the other end of the spectrum, while ageing is not an illness or an issue, thanks to osteopathy you can look beyond painkillers for relief from stiffness and less acute stages of arthritis.

Osteopaths work to restore your body to a state of balance – where possible, without the use of drugs or surgery. Osteopaths use touch, physical manipulation, stretching and massage to increase the mobility of joints, to relieve muscle tension, to enhance the blood and nerve supply to tissues and to help your body’s own healing mechanisms. They may also provide advice on posture and exercise to aid recovery, promote health and prevent symptoms recurring. Some patients may benefit from a short course of treatment without the need for ongoing sessions. Others may gain from maintenance appointments every month, as we believe that prevention is better than cure. thesherbornerooms.com gandsosteopathicpractice.com

HOW TO ACHIEVE YOUR GOALS

Helen Lickerish BSc(Hons) EMDR therapist. Dip. Trauma Therapy. CThA, 56 London Road Clinic

D

o you secretly know that you have the ability to achieve more? Perhaps you have a burning desire to set up or expand your business, get fit, design your own clothes, or increase your social networks. Wishing for something can charge us with energy and give purpose to our daily lives, yet if a strong desire remains static, it can drain us of enthusiasm and hope.

Timing is important, but often we wait indefinitely for the ‘right’ conditions before striving for what we want. Sometimes we become too good at procrastinating – after all, how can you do the next stage of your correspondence course when the oven needs cleaning, or build your shed when there is golf to be played?

I think the answer lies in what you really want – an easy life with little hassle, or something to stretch and stimulate you? A goal may cause you to lie awake at night contemplating the next step, but it should also give you a sense of direction – culminating in an achievement of which you feel proud. It is a great feeling when life marries up with what you dreamed it would be like.

Once you have a goal that you believe is realistic – and that isn’t the same thing as easy – you need to make a plan. The following simple steps may help.

but be aware this could work its way into your procrastination tactics.

2 Think about and focus on what you really want.

There may be several things. Fine-tune and write them down.

3 Now look over your list of goals and prioritise them.

Find the goal that will give you the greatest sense of satisfaction.

4 Break this down into small, clear steps.

5 Determine what resources you need to achieve each step, such as training, courage, the help of a colleague or friend.

6 Put a realistic deadline on each step.

7 Look at what might prevent you from achieving each one, then look for ways to increase your likelihood of success.

8 Tell someone what you are going to do. Sharing this increases your commitment to each goal.

9 Review how you are getting along at regular intervals, adjusting as necessary.

10 If you encounter setbacks, don’t worry. The important thing is to carry on. All journeys consist of small steps. Recognise how well you are doing and allow yourself to feel good about it.

1 Get organised. This applies both in your head and in your home – or wherever you work from. This may entail making ‘to do’ lists, so that you can give full attention to your ‘project’ without worrying that you should be doing something more important. This is important. Create time for it. You may also have to move a few piles of papers off your workspace,

If you would like coaching help for your personal or business goals, Helen can be contacted on 01747 833737, 07966 002927 or info@helenlickerishconsultancy.co.uk.

Helen also offers therapy for trauma, stress and anxiety. helenlickerishconsultancy.co.uk fullstoptherapy.co.uk

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 99

Body & Mind

STAYING HEALTHY ON HOLIDAY Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP and Complementary Practitioner, Glencairn House

W

e all look forward with great excitement to our summer break. To enjoy it fully we need to keep as well as possible while we are away. Here are a few suggestions to ensure that this will happen so that you get the most out of your holiday.

Firstly, check with a travel clinic or the nurse at your GP surgery for vaccination and malaria advice. It is quite common to have concerns about the journey itself, too.

For those who are apprehensive about flying, ask your GP to prescribe a beta blocker to reduce the adrenaline, or perhaps try the homeopathic remedy Arg Nit 30c. For travel sickness, take herbal ginger, homeopathic cocculus, antihistamine stugeron or use acupressure bands. If you are at risk of DVT blood clots remember to drink water and avoid alcohol, move around the plane, consider flight socks and mini aspirin. Arnica 30c is said to help you get over jetlag.

Although sun may be what you are after, beware its dangers. Sunburn is painful and a risk factor for skin cancer. Remember the Aussie mantra, ‘Slip Slap Slop’ – slip on a T-shirt, slap on a hat and slop on the sun cream, preferably factor 30-50. Remember the sun is strongest between 11am-3pm, when your shadow is shorter than you.

With the sun comes the heat and so beware of becoming dehydrated. Normal daily fluid intake is two to two-and-a-half litres, but in hot climates this can go up to eight litres. Make sure you drink sufficient water and soft drinks – keep an eye on your urine and make sure it is pale in colour. Remember that alcohol and caffeine tend to dehydrate. Make sure the water is safe and clean. If in doubt, drink bottled water and never ice. This is to avoid travellers’ diarrhoea, which can

100 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

wreck anyone’s holiday. Other advice to prevent this is to eat only freshly cooked food, make sure it is piping hot, avoid anything reheated and only eat fruit that you have peeled. Avoid uncooked vegetables or salad, as you never know who has handled them! If you are unlucky enough to be struck down with ‘the runs,’ take the drug loperamide (Imodium) and probiotics to restore the healthy gut bacteria. At the other end of the spectrum, many folk become constipated while away – change of routine, lack of dietary fibre and less exercise while you slob out on holiday may all contribute, so take a supply of senna just in case. Indigestion can also occur due to dietary indiscretion whilst on holiday. Don’t forget your Gaviscon, herbal ginger or homeopathic Nux Vom 30c – all ideal following those Bacchanalian excesses!

It is also wise to be prepared for cuts and grazes. Make up a simple first-aid kit with wound dressings, micropore tape, butterfly steri-strips and elastic bandage for sprains, along with antiseptic Savlon or tea tree cream. The other things I take on holiday just in case are insect repellents (mosquito bites on bronzed legs are unattractive), ear plugs (it’s illegal to shoot local barking dogs) and eye visors (if your sleep patterns are upside down).

The other medicines that I include are paracetamol painkiller, ibuprofen anti-inflammatory and cetirizine antihistamine. These can all be obtained without a prescription from your chemist. Hopefully these tips will ensure a healthy and, hence, happy and restful holiday.

Now it’s over to you – get packing! Don’t forget your iPod and Kindle. Bonnes vacances! doctorTWRobinson.com GlencairnHouse.co.uk

PACKING FOR THE HOLIDAYS? Don’t leave your hearing behind!

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When your family suffers the loss of a loved one, we are here to support, guide and reassure you – every step of the way Call Daniel on 01935 812647 100 Lenthay Road, Sherborne DT9 6AG Email: daniel@wsbrister.com www.wsbrister.com 102 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

A J Wakely& Sons Independent Family Funeral Directors and Monumental Masons - 24 Hour Service -

www.ajwakely.com

16 Newland, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3JQ Tel: 01935 816817 Please contact Clive Wakely or a member of the dedicated team for any advice or guidance

The Manual and Electric Garage Door Specialists

Replacing an existing garage door? Planning to build a new home or garage?

Founded in 1991, Dorset Garage Doors are a family business covering Dorset, Somerset and Wiltshire. All our work is guaranteed and carried out by fully trained installation engineers • 10 year warranty on selected Garador products • Spares, Repairs and Installation

01963 363782 or 01258 472830 enquiries@dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk Unit 9, Station Road Business Park, Station Road, Stalbridge, Dorset DT10 2RN

www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 103

The Old Vicarage Leigh, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 6HL

01935 873033

care@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 care@tovic.com

Nr Gillingham Country house in rural setting, kitchen/dining room with Aga, study, sitting room, rear hall/boot room, six bedrooms, three bathrooms, separate self contained annex, garages, large garden, land by negotiation. ÂŁ2,750pcm

Lettings & Property Management

Wanted A number of clients are looking for short and long term land and outbuildings.

Please call our office to arrange a valuation

Independent Letting Agent representing town and country property throughout Somerset and Dorset 5 Tilton Court, Digby Road, Sherborne DT9 3NL T: 01935 816209 E: info@stockwoodlettings.co.uk

Coming Soon Nr Castle Cary

Bridport

Nr Chetnole

Large farmhouse with stables, barns, grazing land to about five acres.

Substantial period house with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, three receptions, parking and garden

Detached thatched farmhouse, four bedrooms, three bathrooms, three receptions, outbuildings, gardens, parking

www.stockwoodlettings.co.uk

A family run Letting Agency providing all the benefits you would expect and without high street charges Landlords, compare our fees.

Are you paying too much to your agent?

Testimonials available T: 01935 389589 • M: 07436 267989 E: lettingsinsherborne@gmail.com lettingsinsherborne www.lettingsinsherborne.com

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 105

Property

31 YEARS AND COUNTING Mark Lewis FRICS FNAVA, Partner, Symonds & Sampson

I

was clearing out some cupboards recently and found a file with a list of the firm’s staff. Dating from 1947, it records start and finish dates and includes the names of people I never met, but whose names are enshrined in the firm’s folklore – either because of funny and interesting stories about their careers, or systems they introduced that are still used to this day. As a youngster I remember asking why accounts were set out in a certain way and was soundly told, “Because that is the way Mr Beale taught us”. He retired in 1970!

I found my own name in the ledger and, though I had worked every school holiday, my formal full-time engagement is noted as 16th June 1986 – almost 31 years ago. Since then I have auctioned cattle during both the BSE crisis, when it was impossible for either buyers or sellers to know what their stock was worth from one day to another, and a foot-and-mouth outbreak, when the countryside closed and we took the unique step of selling dairy cows by video. I worked through Black Wednesday in 1992, when sterling was withdrawn from the ERM and interest rates were raised to 15% and the crash of 2007, when Lehman Brothers went bust just after one of our biggest property auctions of the year, preceding a global recession. I have seen pen, paper and a good memory replaced by computers, email and mobile phones.

Some inspiring people have helped shape my career from that list, specifically Paul Lewis, Paul Dallyn, Charles Matthews, Alastair Cowen and John White Hamilton. But I feel the present Symonds & Sampson roll call is the strongest I have seen, with the company having expanded sevenfold. I am proud to see we are nurturing so much young talent who will take the business forward.

It is fascinating to witness changes in our business and during the rest of my career I will see many more. My passion for property auctions may be tempered by the advance of online eBay-style selling, but ever-growing legislation will, I hope, drive unscrupulous people out of the business. I believe that if we continue to develop talent and move forward with judicious expansion, we will become stronger and retain our position as one of the leading firms of chartered surveyors in the country.

I remember my grandmother telling me to enjoy myself because life goes by so quickly. It certainly does not seem 31 years since I ‘clocked on’, but it may be another 31 before I clock off ! symondsandsampson.co.uk

106 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

bloomin’marvellous service from Symonds & Sampson Sherborne 01935 814488 symondsandsampson.co.uk

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

T: 01935 815008 E: info@huntsaccountants.co.uk W: huntsaccountants.co.uk @Hunts_Sherborne The Old Pump House, Oborne Road, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3RX www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 107

Connecting People and Property Perfectly.

Our local experience, combined with our global network, means that you can rely on Knight Frank Sherborne to get you moving. If you’d like to know what your property could be worth, please contact us.

Luke Pender-Cudlip Office Head, Sherborne 01935 810 062 luke.pender-cudlip@knightfrank.com

Simon Barker Partner, Sherborne 01935 810 064 simon.barker@knightfrank.com

James McKillop Associate, Country Department 020 7861 1528 james.mckillop@knightfrank.com

Visit our unique, digital property tool at mypropertygenius.co.uk

KnightFrank.co.uk/Sherborne @KF_SouthWest

Live for today and plan for the future

Sherborne Office

01935 817903 James Mobile

07824 389750 Lucinda Mobile

James Oliver DipPFS CeMAP Independent Financial Advisor Pensions and Retirement Planning • Investments • Inheritance Tax Planning • Mortgage and Equity Release • Life Assurance and Protection

james.oliver@ssfs.co.uk

07791 094 551 www.ssfs.co.uk

Lucinda Warren CeMAP BSc (Hons) Independent Mortgage Advisor Mortgage • Life Assurance and Protection • Buy to Let Mortgage

lucinda@ssfs.co.uk

Strategic Solutions is a trading style of Strategic Solutions Financial Services which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, number 525733. Principals: Kevin Forbes: Jefferson Fawcett: Giles Wellington: Allan Cruse.

YOUR HOME MAY BE REPOSSESSED IF YOU DO NOT KEEP UP REPAYMENTS ON YOUR MORTGAGE

Property

THE CHANGE TO MORTGAGE INTEREST TAX RELIEF – HOW DOES IT AFFECT LANDLORDS? Paul Gammage and Anita Light, Ewemove Sherborne

A

t the time of writing, one week prior to the election, I see many different shades of board.

Not the normal estate agent boards that inevitably catch my eye, but the politicians canvassing for our votes – and I can’t help but wonder what the new government will have in store for the property sector.

As commented on in previous editions, the Chancellor’s continued attack on private-rental sector landlords has seriously affected their yield. Changes recently introduced are now starting to be more widely acknowledged, namely the phased removal over four years of mortgage interest tax relief.

Effective on 6th April this year landlords now pay tax on turnover, rather than the difference between rental income and mortgage interest. As such landlords face paying considerably more tax next year. The changes will be fully implemented by 2021 and mortgage interest relief will be withdrawn altogether.

Prior to 6th April this year, landlords could deduct the full cost of their mortgage interest payments, or any other property finance, on their rental properties before they paid tax. Several months in, mortgage, loan and overdraft interest costs can no longer be considered in calculating taxable rental income.

The National Landlords Association (NLA) calculates that around 440,000 basic-rate tax payers – 22% of approximately 2.3 million landlords in this country – will move up a tax bracket as a result of the phasing out of mortgage interest relief.

James Davis, Upad CEO and founder, says, “Despite the changes being gradually introduced over the next four years, our latest research shows how out of pocket landlords are set to be by 2018/19 alone, as they see a big rise in their

110 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

tax bills and a substantial hit to their profits. Those who are in the higher rate tax bracket of 40% will be the worst affected, but others could find themselves being tipped into the higher tax bracket despite their income not having increased – which will leave many renting at a loss and subsidising their property every month.”

It would seem the law of unintended consequences may come into effect here. The government’s ban on tenant fees looks set to be introduced some time in 2018, with the consultation having ended on 2nd June. So you could sensibly conclude that they do not want tenants to be the ones to offset landlords’ and letting agents’ losses by way of rent increases.

There are other options for landlords to consider besides rent increases, including setting up a company to buy property, or transferring an existing property to a limited company or a lower-rate tax payer if it is jointly owned. Otherwise you can simply talk to your letting agent to discuss the fees that you pay and ensure you clearly understand the extras. There are letting agents out there that offer a full management service at a very competitive rate without charging for ‘extras’– otherwise termed, things you might reasonably expect to be included in a full-management service model.

It’s not all doom and gloom though. A new report, by the Centre for Economics & Business Research for the Shawbrook Bank says buy-to-let will continue to provide good investment opportunities, but requires an increasingly professional approach. The report indicates that, while recent tax changes have had some effect on investor behaviour, the market remains a viable one. ewemove.com/sherborne

How Our Customers Felt After Choosing EweMove

All of these reviews came from the independent customer review website www.trustpilot.com

Estate Agents of the 21st Century

Total Transparency and Honesty Anita & Paul run an estate agents like none you will have ever experienced before and believe me I have tried quite a few over the years! There’s total transparency & honesty at all times combined with expert communication – I knew what was going on every single day, not when someone decided I needed a weekly update. I had more viewings in 6 weeks than I had in the previous 6 months but from people who actually were interested in my property.

Save your time, hassle and money and go to the best in the area – that’s exactly what I will be doing next time!

Julie Warren Portman Court, East Chinnock

Anita & Paul Are Incredibly Professional Don’t be put off by their lack of ‘high street presence’, how often do people nowadays buy houses by looking in estate agents windows?

They are much more flexible than a typical agent, literally offering a 24/7 approach, being contactable by phone/text/e-mail, even in evenings and at weekends which I found invaluable. Don’t waste time thinking about it, these are the guys to go for, contact them now!

Vicky Brown Highfield Road, Yeovil

Selling is a stressfull time. On this occasion however, I was lucky to discover EweMove who took the stress out of it by providing a brilliant service.

They were constantly in contact and kept us up to date with everything. They are professional in what they do, yet put me at ease so I felt confident to ask them anything. Other more traditional agents are either unavailable or slow to respond. The photos, description & presentation of our house for sale have been superb. This has been a significant factor in securing us a buyer within hours of being marketed. I can’t recommend Paul & Anita highly enough Paul Slator, Shelley Close, Yeovil

Sherborne’s Most Trusted Estate Agent Based On Hundreds of Independent Customer Reviews on We know choosing the best estate agent can be difficult.

One of the things our customers said which helped them decide was hearing real life stories from existing customers.

Anita Light & Paul Gammage, Branch Directors Call: 01935 350 350 Visit: www.EweMove.com/Sherborne

Finance

NOT ENOUGH, TOO MUCH OR JUST RIGHT?

Andrew Fort B.A. (Econ.) CFPcm Chartered MCSI APFS, Certified and Chartered Financial Planner, Fort Financial Planning

I

n my last article I asked, “What’s going to happen to your bucket?” In my experience, there are only three types of clients. Just three.

Type 1) ‘Not Enough’ clients – their bucket is going to run out.

Type 2) ‘Got Too Much’ clients – their bucket is going to overflow.

Type 3) ‘Just Rights!’ These have just the right amount – but the only trouble is, they might not realise it!

I promise you, no matter how much money you have or don’t have, you will fall into one of these three camps.

The ‘Not Enough’ clients

These are people who haven’t yet got enough money to last their whole life through and their bucket is most definitely going to run out. Most often, they are people who will never have enough unless they start accumulating wealth. They desperately need to know how much is enough – but solving the problem is not as complicated as you might think. In simple terms, they probably need to increase the inflows going into their bucket OR they need to consider reducing their outflows now or in the future.

The good news is, it’s easy to do something about it – and it needn’t be painful. It simply requires you to face up to some simple facts. Then, step-by-step, you can start doing something about it. The most powerful outcome is 112 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

that, once you know your target, you know your number and what it is you want to achieve, then your mind starts coming up with ways of doing so.

The ‘Got Too Much’ clients

These are people who have more than enough already, or are heading that way. Their bucket is definitely going to overflow.

They are likely to go to their graves with far too much money. While this may seem a nice problem to some, it is nonetheless still a problem. Again, the answer is knowing how much is enough to last your whole life through. Then if there is going to be a surplus – because you’re a Got Too Much – it opens up a whole host of possibilities.

Once you know how much is enough, you can plan your life accordingly. In particular, you can spend more.

You may not wish to spend more, in which case you could give money away – perhaps to your family or to good causes. Alternatively, you may prefer to take less risk with your investments – something that may appeal to more cautious individuals. Investing, if you will, for prudence rather than performance.

Real financial planners, like FFP, can help you to identify how much is enough and to take sensible investment decisions to ensure that you achieve your goals. Moreover, FFP can help you build an investment portfolio grounded in economic theory and backed by decades of empirical research. The Art and Science of Investing, as I like to call it.

Next time, as I’m running out of space, I’ll talk about the ‘Just Rights’. ffp.org.uk

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

FFP is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority

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

REDUCING HOT WATER BILLS THROUGH THE SUMMER

I

Steve Devoto, The Local Boiler Company

n many households across the county the radiator systems are being turned off for what we hope will be a long hot summer. Obviously hot water will still be required through the summer months, but the question to ask yourself is, ‘How can I best manage my summer gas usage and do I need the boiler on at all?’

You may well run hot water for baths or require regular hot water from the sink to wash the dishes. In these situations, a hot water supply from the boiler is essential.

If you have an existing boiler that is over 15 years of age, the chances are that the boiler will be running at between 65% to 75% efficiency. Compare this to a new condensing boiler that runs at over 90% and you will see a sizeable saving on your bills. Replacing an old cylinder with a modern lagged cylinder and having the system cleaned out will also make a difference to the bills.

As well as running an old inefficient boiler, you may well have appliances in the house that do not require hot water

from the gas boiler. New appliances such as electric showers, washing machines and dishwashers heat the water directly from the mains, which could mean that you are wasting money having the boiler running through the summer.

With this in mind, you may well decide that you can manage the household appliances without the use of the boiler, or you may decide to reduce the amount of time on the clock that the boiler is on to heat the hot water.

Both of these cost-saving actions will have a significant effect on your monthly gas bill. If you do decide to turn off the boiler for the summer, good practice is to turn the system back on for a few minutes every month to prevent the pump and valves on the system from sticking.

Finally, it’s a good idea to book your annual service in at the end of the summer, just before the systems are switched back on. This will allow your boiler and radiators to be thoroughly checked out and set up ready for the winter.

Have a great summer. www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 113

Tech

W

elcome to summer! Strawberries and cream, Wimbledon, country shows and holidays.

Ooh, and whilst I’m away I’ll want to be able to check the weather, get my emails and generally carry on my lifestyle.

So what do you get if you’re not up to a tablet with no keyboard? A netbook! This is a small laptop, usually with a 10 to 11-inch screen, no CD, no spinning hard disk and most have no fan either. A lot of them also have a touch screen that makes them more like a tablet, but with an attached or detachable keyboard. The biggest issue is that people expect them to be a replacement for their existing PC or larger laptop – but this is not the case! Your existing system has the ability to store acres of stuff including pictures, music and videos, but your netbook can’t as it has limited storage.

To overcome this you have to change the way you work. Firstly, use an email system that stores everything on the web. Google’s Gmail, Microsoft’s Outlook.com and many others provide a very workable email system that integrates into your netbook and uses no storage at all. When you get home you’ll find that everything you’ve done whilst away is neatly synchronised with your home system. Secondly, use the free online storage provided by your email account. Google gives you 15gb of storage and Microsoft Onedrive gives you 5gb of free space. Use this to upload the photos and videos you’ve taken, preferably every time you have free WiFi provided by your hotel, restaurant or airport lounge.

Listening to music requires a little more inventiveness and requires that you sign up for one of 114 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

the online services such as Spotify, Deezer, Napster, Amazon and Apple Music. With one of these you can download a playlist or album when you’ve got WiFi, play it whenever you want, delete it when finished and download some more. Simples! Of course, when you’ve got WiFi you can stream whatever you like.

Finally, if you really want to be able to do all this when you’re on the move and have no WiFi then you’ll need to have a mobile phone that can generate its own WiFi hotspot, plus a mobile phone data plan that supports this. Then when you want to browse the internet or listen to some music when you’re in the middle of a field, you just turn on your mobile hotspot and away you go.

On a completely different subject, I recently replaced an office computer for a long-suffering lady. She had struggled on with a half-broken laptop connected to two desktop screens, a wired keyboard and a cordless mouse… not ideal.

A new desktop PC later, reusing the screens but with a cordless desktop keyboard and mouse, she was in heaven.

So a message to all you employers, you need to consider how your IT systems affect the emotional happiness of your employees – happy staff are much more productive and moan less about you. It doesn’t even have to be expensive – this job was less than £450 excluding VAT. As always, if you need any help or advice you know where to come.

Coming up next month… Rubbish in, rubbish out! computing-mp.co.uk

J. Biskup

Property Maintenance Ltd

TO-DO LIST ✓ Kitchen & bathroom installation ✓ Tiling ✓ Flooring ✓ Wallpaper removal ✓ Painting and decorating ✓ Plastering

✓ Wall repairs ✓ Roof repairs ✓ Loft insulation ✓ Carpentry ✓ Window renovation ✓ PVC guttering and facia boards

BEST PRICES ON THE MARKET FREE QUOTATIONS SHERBORNE Tel: 01935 815712 • Mobile: 07912 145988 Email: jm.biskup@gmail.com www.jbiskup.com

DESIGNER

Extensive range of wool

Buttons, ribbons & crafty bits

New occasionwear fabulous hats & unique jackets for The Season in store now!

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

01935 812 927 www.perriashby.co.uk

EMDR - a supportive, effective therapy.

Eye Movement, Reprocessing and Desensitisation

Yarn, haberdashery and workshops Tel: 01935 508249

1 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 3PT www.theslippedstitch.co.uk

See website for workshops

A VERY SPECIAL VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITY Become a SAMARITAN and you become part of a superb local team that offers emotional support 24/7

• Trauma • Anxiety • Low self-esteem • Phobias • Depression

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)

Tel: 01747 825288 Mobile: 07966 002927 www.fullstoptherapy.co.uk

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

Therapy & Addiction Services

BRYAN C. COOPER LTD TRADITIONAL BUILDERS - Since 1968 -

A family run Sherborne business established for over 45 years Renovations, Extensions and Alterations, Patios, Boundary Walls and Fencing _________

Purpose-made Joinery, Internal and External Decorations, Bathrooms and Kitchens _________

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 116 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

Yeovil Samaritans, 25 The Park, Yeovil • www.samaritans.org You could change someone’s life – maybe your own

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G OOD G OOD clear C O P YC O Y P C O M N Yconcise CO PA Y T HE

Free registration appointment for new clients when accompanied by this advertisement

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plat se s 1it ame tor L fsf as t, consectetur nt t4)r ea dic o m .A m usds ad¢pising elit. Praese r t?mst.uis d e liqua h em Vivam r•guip Ut q Donec o get m fac ab i0 . m¶ttis faucibus mauris eu m%@es. ult lo ilis tie is ju um m c r le ita *sum quip tt 3d ictu olesis nu o sc sto. Int que. c ss dolor , m sma sa, inte n d din e!tor e23 se tus. e plat 1it ame !erisleo fs t9is f r lu n ntset4)r as Pro t, consectetur ibmu ea dic m A usds ad¢pising elit. Praeseull ctetu amqu ula. li:}itula. e pel t?mst. t d e liqua uipm Vivr a aes. us lig len Ut ol u Donec m¶ttis o get m fac r•g . si a axim m m%@ fis eu g ult lo faucibus mauris m m p t li ilisis ju c r nu dp us h eque o sc sto. Int t, . qui inte3du ictu in n ab e23r cib is od d t9is n se e!!eris lu u ct t se itibmu que la. Pr }itu . ll et at t pellent li: la a a si ur us ligu m a m t fisol ligu n le axim dp bus du a h et, c ab ci is , c tu o se it sa . n att t m m n se n le u dia . du a ctu lla a , c ula m sit o sa . s n u m h et, n se ib ia . ab u d ll is a a si se it ula tt m t s ha t m u h et, le ib un ab c id a is se it tt nc sa, c tus ha t m o . . n le un ma^fam n se c id a . u nc sa, c tus. ll la o . a a n gu m ma^fam n se s . u h et ll la bu a a ab gu m is s se it h et tt bu ab m t le e is se it un tt c g m t cid sa, c tus le e s un o .A c g n cid sa, 0ra in c tus. n se li3ua o A gui0 ud u cte m fac 0ras n lla lultr< licit la. i0is din n se li3ua ilis & u ct m fac e. qui sit (r ad tr<gu itunu# . la sit amet fisol @u lla e& ilisis dolor sce)erisque pe7ntesqu qui lulipis8n *bul ollic elit. .a9 pli nu#la ula sit (r adipi sit amet dolor sce)erisque pe7ntesque 3et l fis gi@ ed eu, ves P^aesent s8ng a9 dolor pl to<>tor leo, mole>ie quis leo ves*bu xi)us 3et elit. P^ae ed a ma dolor us sceleris sent to<>tor leo, mole>ie quis leo eu, sa, xi) que pellentes mas sceleris a ma que. Duis *t ult1icies que pellentesqu massa, e. Duis *t ult1icies

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clear concise compelling compelling

Kingston House Veterinary Clinic Long Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3DB Mon-Fri 9.00-10.30, 16.30-18.00 Sat 9.00-10.30 T: 01935 813288 (24 hours) E: sherborne@kingstonvets.co.uk kingstonvets.co.uk

Writing for businesses, organisations and individuals.

CROSSROADS PET SUPPLIES LTD

Paw Prints Dorset

All Pet Accessories Retail & Wholesale

www.thegoodcopycompany.co.uk

Doggie Day Care Dog Walking Home Boarding Home Visits for Cats Kathy Hodges 01963 476406 07934 652521

01935 411859 Find us at Forward Garage on the A30 between Sherborne & Yeovil

Insured and licensed

www.pawprintsdorset.co.uk

Renewable Force Ltd Energy that doesn’t cost the Earth

Air Source Heat Pumps Ground Source Heat Pumps Underfloor Heating

Tel: 01963 23291 / 03333 701568 Email: contact@renewableforce.co.uk Website: www.renewableforce.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117

SB TYPING High quality audio transcription, copy typing, proofreading and editing services • Professional, friendly and flexible service • Fast turnaround, competitive rates • Please contact Holly to discuss your needs Tel: 07502 084124 Email: hsbtyping@gmail.com

DAVE THURGOOD Painting & Decorating interior and exterior

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

118 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

• • • • • •

Lyons Gate GardeninG services

Gardening Mowing Hedge-cutting Strimming Weeding Tree work

• • • • • •

Allen Scythe work Winter Firewood Landscaping Rotavating Pond work Fencing

Colin Arnold: 07870 213417 colin@lyonsgategardening.co.uk

Local Handyman & Chimney Sweep Covering Sherborne, Yeovil and the surrounding areas

No job too small, just call Andy Tibbetts 07823 447764 or 01963 476406 hmsmilborneport@live.co.uk HMS Milborne Port My work is of the highest quality Ex-military • No call out charge • Full public liability insurance Fully trained with the National Association of Chimney Sweeps (NACS)

Free No Obligation Quote

Steve Devoto

Gas and oil appliance servicing, repair and installation Local, friendly, qualified and accredited professional Please call Patrick O’Loughlin on 07590 121599, 01935 815613 or phelpsgas@yahoo.com

M: 07551 306827 E: help@thelocalboilercompany.com www.thelocalboilercompany.com

Wills ––– of Sherborne –––

Plu m b i n g & H e at i n g Lt d 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

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

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

DOUBLE GLAZING REPAIRS Home Selection Service and Budget flooring available Carpets ~ Naturals ~ Vinyls ~ Contract Flooring Tel: 01963 441276 Mobile: 07855 743796 glen@inspiration4floors.co.uk www.inspiration4floors.co.uk

FENCING & GATES Supplied and erected by the

SHERBORNE & DISTRICT FENCING Co. Free Estimates No VAT

01935 330095

Problem with your existing windows or doors? We can fix it.

• Replacement handles, locks and hinges • Misted glass units • Repairs to seals, draughts and leaks Call today for a free estimate

01935 478455 | 07952 094119

We guarantee to beat any like-for-like quote

W.K. WINDOWS & REPAIRS 9 Court Acres, Stoford, Yeovil, Somerset BA22 9UJ

wkwindows@btinternet.com | www.wkwindowsltd.co.uk www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 119

FOLK TALES with Colin Lambert

JADE DARE LOVE + GRACE

F

or the youth of today, life is exciting (dangerous) or boring. As The Who famously said, “I hope I die before I get old”. So I get Jade’s desire for adventure, danger and her belief that “everything happens for a reason”. The universe knows exactly what it’s doing.

I’m driving my campervan. The festival season starts tomorrow. I run workshops called ‘Enlightenment for Dummies’ and 5Rhythms dance stuff. Planning all that would be fine, if only I’d done the top item on my list: Send draft of Folk Tales to Elaine.

My proof reader Elaine helps me, as I’m seriously dyslexic and am now very late in getting this article to Glen.

Synchronicity – see Folk Tales December 2016 – or what! Some sassy lass wants to market herself and would like to be featured in this magazine. She emails Glen and asks, “Can I be in your magazine?” So we meet at the Hub in front of Sherborne Sports Centre, where I’ve recently attended a six-week intensive with boot camp instructor Ellie Hall. She helped get my waist from 38” to 34”, so ‘no pain no gain’. Hey ho.

Jade glides into view, hair flowing in the breeze. We settle down for a chat. Born in Yeovil, the youngest of three girls. Huish Primary School and The Gryphon aged 11. I ask if she was naughty. Jade smiles. “I was a bit of a goody two shoes really, never in trouble, and had a wonderful tutor in Mrs Hester, who brought business studies to life.” How can business studies come to life, I wonder? But enough 120 | Sherborne Times | July 2017

GCSEs and Jade stays on for A levels.

“What about sport?” I ask ( Jade looks the sporty type). “I was never into sport, but I’ve always enjoyed watching rugby.” I smile, recalling my youth running down the wing for Harlequins.

“The gym?”, I enquire. “Oh yes,” she replies. “I occasionally go spinning and do the abs class on Wednesdays. The girl who takes it really gets you building up a sweat and doesn’t go easy on you.” Same Ellie Hall, methinks.

Goody Two Shoes meanwhile gets business studies, art and media A levels just before heading to Magaluf with 15 mates, as you do aged 18. After a short discussion, we agree that ‘what happens on tour stays on tour.’

Whilst wild, Spanish-style, the ‘tour’ was not quite dangerous enough for Jade, so she headed to Bangkok with four mates. They took the overnight train to Chiang Mai, which she says was hot and slightly smelly. The group travelled from Laos to Cambodia and were deposited on the side of a road in the middle of nowhere with nothing except water and a packet of Oreos. No Facebook here.

Survive she did and, unsurprisingly, found herself sitting in Pageant Gardens a few weeks later, very bored.

So Jade enrolled at Yeovil College University Centre and, three years later, walked away with a BA (2:1) degree in business management practice. She tells me she mostly lived on spag bol.

Having finished in January, Jade was working in retail sales. Sleepless nights, hungover mornings and decisions to be made. It was time to go it alone, take the plunge and set up her own business. Just do it!

Wanting to sell women’s clothing online she conceived Love + Grace (loveandgraceboutique.com) with a loan from her dad, a helpful bank manager, a graphic designer friend and a boyfriend who made cardboard boxes – ideal for packaging. Jade’s face brightens as she says, “Off I went, Facebook, Instagram, the lot – and loads of lists.”

“Loads of lists. What’s that about?” I mumble.

“I’ve always been a list maker, I couldn’t function without them. I make lists and then work my way down them.” Funny that. I make lists and stare at them! You? “The hardest bit was picking up the phone to make cold calls; it was really scary at first, but I soon grew in confidence.”

I ask if she’s a religious person. “I believe in fate; everything happens for a reason. I warm to everyone and believe in always being kind.”

“How do you start your day?” “Alarm 7.30am, twenty

minutes for make-up whilst listening to YouTube videos.

Banana smoothie and away I go until gym at 6pm.” Twenty minutes? I’m clearly in the dark about such things.

Kids of today are amazing. They do Magaluf, Bangkok, everywhere. They take risks. I just heard of a girl who backpacked the world, survived gun attacks, bribes and the rest, and who celebrated her homecoming in Borough Market the night of the attack.

The world is a scary place, yet to live dangerously means you’re alive. Jade Dare was certainly alive and I felt touched she shared her scary adventures with me.

I will shortly be departing on my own scary adventures, sailing my 28-year-old sloop, Frangi, across the Bay of Biscay to Lisbon and Gran Canaria, landing in St Lucia mid-December. That’s for later.

A big thank you to Jade for sharing her folk tales with me.

You can listen to Colin and Jade in conversation on Colin’s Folk Tales show, Abbey 104FM, Sunday 16th July. abbey104.com loveandgraceboutique.com www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 121

Short Story

A THANKFUL VILLAGE Sue Cameron, Sherborne Scribblers

In the 1930s Arthur Mee embarked on a series of guidebooks about each English county. As he travelled the country collecting material for The King’s England, he was struck by the fact that a tiny proportion of villages did not have a War Memorial commemorating those who had lost their lives in the Great War. This was because no one from that village had been killed: all those who had gone to fight had returned – possibly injured or traumatised, but alive. He identified thirty two and named these, ‘Thankful Villages’.

As the centenary of the outbreak of WWI approached people became interested in this phenomenon and another eleven Thankful Villages were identified.

More than nine million men and women served in the British Armed Forces during the First World War. Unfortunately more than half their service records were destroyed in September 1940, when a German bombing raid struck the War Office repository in London.

An estimated 2.8million service records survived the bombing, which means that there was roughly a 40-percent chance of finding the records of a soldier who was discharged some time between 1914 and 1920. Trying to find evidence to support a claim to be a ‘Thankful Village’ was therefore bound to be a difficult task.

Bradbourne was the only village in Derbyshire to be without the telltale War Memorial. (There is a single Great War grave in the churchyard – but it is of Private Holmes of the village of Aldwark, about four miles from Bradbourne, so not relevant to this project.)

A determined group of Bradbourne’s present inhabitants set about trying to discover as much accurate information as possible so that they could claim ‘Thankful Village’ status. They began by gathering local knowledge, but after nearly a century only four names could be verified. They then scoured the 1901 and 1911 censuses and compiled information about men who were born between 1853 and 1901, who would therefore have been between 17 and 65 in 1918. Absent Voters lists

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were also helpful, as they gave names of men who had enlisted and their home addresses and regiments. These researches yielded a possible forty-eight names and subsequent closer inspection weeded out thirty. Eighteen had set out from and returned to the village. Bradbourne could legitimately claim to be a ‘ Thankful Village’.

At the time of the outbreak of war the population of Bradbourne was about 130, so the 18 men who went to fight were a large proportion of the able-bodied men in this rural community deep in the Derbyshire Dales.

They served in a variety of regiments: Royal Engineers, West Yorkshire Regiment, Sherwood Foresters, Machine Gun Corps, Manchester Regiment, Royal Flying Corps, Royal Garrison Artillery, Royal Marines (one a bugler) and one even joined the Australian Army. People have speculated about how and why they should all have returned, but to no avail. Was it something to do with the impressive, rugged environment in which they grew up? Was it their attitude to adversity? (Nil desperandum carborundum illegitimi.) Or were they just lucky?

On 3rd August 2014 a moving service of commemoration was held in the beautiful old church next to the hall, the list of names of the servicemen was published and Bradbourne received a simple plaque designating it a Thankful Village.

Since then the researchers have extended their investigations to World War II. They have discovered that nine people from the village enlisted for service.

Again they took on a variety of roles, including Royal Navy, RAF, Air Corps, Dental Corps, Field Hospital, Tank Regiment and Ambulance Driver – this one a woman, Ester May Stafford. They all left from Bradbourne and all returned.

Bradbourne is now a ‘Doubly Thankful Village’.

The villagers today do not know what horrors those who went to war saw and suffered, but they rejoice in the beauty of their countryside and the peace they enjoy as a result of their efforts.

Literature

LITERARY REVIEW Wayne Winstone, Winstone’s Books

The Speed of Sound: Breaking the Barriers Between Music and Technology: A Memoir by Thomas Dolby (Icon Books) £14.99 Exclusive Sherborne Times reader offer of £13.99 at Winstone’s Books The memoir of electronic music and technology pioneer Thomas Dolby

T

homas Dolby is a five-time Grammy nominee, whose song ‘She Blinded Me With Science’ reached number five on the US Billboard charts in 1982, appeared in Breaking Bad and was even covered by The Muppets…

Based on his meticulous notes and journals, The Speed of Sound chronicles Dolby’s life in the music business during the 80s, in Silicon Valley through the 90s and at the forefront of the mobile phone revolution around the turn of the millennium – it was Dolby who created the synthesiser installed today on most mobile phones.

With humour and a considerable panache for storytelling, The Speed of Sound is a revealing look behind the curtain of the music industry, as well as a unique history of technology over the past thirty years. From sipping chablis with Bill Gates to visiting Michael Jackson at his mansion or viewing the Web for the first time on Netscape founder Jim Clark’s laptop, this is both the view from the ultimate insider and also that of a

technology pioneer whose groundbreaking ideas have helped shape the way we live today.

Thomas Dolby became one of the most recognisable figures of the synth pop movement of early80s new wave. He played synth on Foreigner’s 4, Def Leppard’s Pyromania and Joan Armatrading’s Walk Under Ladders as well as supporting David Bowie at Live Aid. He also wrote the score for the film Fever Pitch.

“Engaging, emotional, funny and surprising” JJ Abrams We are very excited to announce that we have the hugely talented Thomas Dolby visiting Sherborne. Thomas will be discussing his new book Speed of Sound and playing some of his much-loved music. Thursday 20th July, 7.30pm at Powell Theatre. Tickets, £5, available from Winstone’s Books, 8 Cheap St. winstonebooks.co.uk

Book launch, music, talk and signing with

'Independent Bookseller of the Year 2016’ 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128

Thomas Dolby Thursday 20th July, 7.30pm

Powell Theatre, Abbey Road, Sherborne Tickets £5, available in store

All in the Balance

THOMAS FURNITURE RESTORATION Antique & Modern Alastair Thomas Est.1995

Vintage watch repairs, restoration and sales Telephone Michael on 07926 980381 or email: info@allinthebalance.co.uk

Woodwork and Upholstery Sherborne â&#x20AC;˘ Piddlehinton 01305 749406 07989 935080 www.thomasfurniturerestoration.co.uk

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PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

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Revd. Dr. Rich Wyld, Curate, Sherborne Abbey

’m sitting down to write this reflection the morning after the One Love Manchester concert set up by Ariana Grande. To be honest much of the music is not my usual style, but I found myself completely glued to the screen – simply because the atmosphere and spirit of the event was so moving and compelling. The whole thing became a profound and unforgettable symbol of compassion, solidarity and resilience. At the moment, the whole country is coming to terms with terrorist attacks and in the next few days we will have a general election that will of course have been concluded by the time this article goes out. It means that security is very much on the agenda of the campaign and, overall, there is a sense that the world feels quite unsettled and fragile. Yet in the middle of all that people are showing heroic levels of willingness to keep going and to hold fast to our sense of community. In the midst of fear there is a stronger sense of hope, bravery and kindness.

It’s striking for Christians because yesterday was also the feast of Pentecost, which can be read about in the Bible’s Book of Acts, chapter 2.

It is quite a strange story in some ways, even to people who have read it a few times before. It tells of God’s Holy Spirit giving a large group of people from a very long list of different places the ability to speak and understand new languages, quite miraculously. That is all very remarkable, but there is a deeper thing going on – because it means that this diverse gathering of people is enabled to understand each other for the first time. On the one hand, they are not just left to their own devices, but the story makes it clear that they don’t all start speaking the same language either. Instead, they all maintain their individuality – their own language and therefore their own identity – but they listen and understand each other. They are not threatened by their differences and so they can become a truly new community. This story is a potent message in the life of the Church but, for all of us, this has the potential to be a powerful symbol.

It is a symbol of what togetherness can really mean for us – neither going our own way as individuals, nor all becoming a drab herd of identical people who all think the same way. Real togetherness involves seeing those who are different from us not as a threat, but as the potential bearers of gifts. Such a view can be hard to maintain in an uncertain world, which is why I found One Love Manchester so powerful. Both the crowd and the music were varied and diverse, but united by a sense of openness to each other, with artists playing each other’s songs and duetting with different stars. We need symbols of hope – and this one sung out beautifully.

www.sherbornetimes.co.uk | 125

OUT AND ABOUT

Councillor David Birley

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remember reading an article some time ago that said there was a move to demote history’s role in our schools’ curriculum. I was saddened by this, not only on a personal level – history was my favourite subject at school and I read it at university – but also because I believe it is important. We all like to know our family history as, besides being interesting and informative, it helps us to understand who we are today. In Sherborne, we are very lucky to have the family history library which helps answer enquiries from far and wide.

In the same way, I believe an understanding of history is important – indeed essential – if we are to understand how our town and of course our country has evolved over time. I was gratified to learn that history is a popular subject at our local schools and that we have some outstanding history teachers. An interesting question is, when does an event – or person for that matter – become history with a capital H, by which I mean have lasting relevance? I remember voices being raised when Elvis Presley was a subject at GCSE level.

To me there is no doubt that the pop music and cultural revolution that he spearheaded has had a major influence on our society. Also it should be remembered that, for today’s children, looking back to the 1950s is the same distance for those of us born in the 1940s looking back to Victorian times and the Boer War. We are very lucky in Sherborne to have an excellent museum with a dedicated staff. There you can see many objects that illustrate our illustrious town’s past and its crafts and industries. The digitalised copy of the Sherborne missal, one of the greatest English illuminated manuscripts, is an apt reminder of both the skills and

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wealth of our abbey and its monks. There you will find examples of local crafts and industries, including some fine silver items that were made in our town.

The museum has a very good collection of dresses and garments and it is interesting to imagine how they would have looked at an event in our Assembly Rooms, which is now Orvis, the fishing tackle and sportswear store. The museum also has a very interesting dolls-house, which is a mine of information about period detail.

Surrounded by so much that is very old, it is easy to forget the industrial revolution and its impact on the town. Yet of course there are many visible signs – the most obvious being the station. Railways transformed both our country and society by providing access and mobility of labour. The annual visits of steam trains are a timely reminder of the glory days of trains.

Some signs of our past are not so obvious.

Traversing the level crossing by the station brings you to Gas House Hill. The house on the right has an interesting monogram of the gas company on its side wall. This is an apt reminder of the once-large gas works and the days before electricity. You can still see gas light fittings in some of our houses.

A visit to our steam-driven watermill is an interesting and rewarding experience. The knowledgeable and dedicated staff have created a living reminder of the days not only when the mill was used to pump water to the reservoir at the top of the town, but also the golden age of British engineering. The coalfired boiler is regularly lit and there is an informative visitors’ centre. I strongly recommend a visit or, better still, become a volunteer.

Crafting quality timber buildings and gates since 1912

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

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