Sherborne Times August 2017

AUGUST 2017 | FREE

A MONTHLY CELEBR ATION OF PEOPLE, PLACE AND PURVEYOR

SWEETNESS AND LIGHT with Amy, Robin & Iris Sellick &

The Sherborne Beekeeping Association

sherbornetimes.co.uk

"I don't feel very much like Pooh today," said Pooh.

"There, there," said Piglet.

"I'll bring you tea and honey until you do."

A.A. Milne

CONTRIBUTORS Editorial and creative direction Glen Cheyne Design Andy Gerrard Sub-editor Julia Chadwick

Suzie Abbott The London Road Clinic @56londonroad 56londonroad.co.uk

Kit Glaisyer Bridport Open Arts Studios @BridportOS bridportopenstudios.co.uk

Sarah Attwood Thrive Health and Wellness @thrivehw thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

Peter Henshaw & Mike Riley Riley’s Cycles @rileyscycles rileyscycles.co.uk @DCNSherborne dcn.org.uk

Alex Ballinger @lexBallinger

Photography Katharine Davies

Simon Barber Evolver Magazine @SimonEvolver evolver.org.uk

Feature writer Jo Denbury

Laurence Belbin laurencebelbin.com

Editorial assistant Helen Brown 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 | August 2017

David Birley Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers @CharterhouseAV charterhouse-auction.com Mike Burks The Gardens Group @TheGardensGroup thegardeneronline.co.uk Michelle and Rob Comins Comins Tea House @cominsteahouse cominstea.com Gillian M Constable DWT Sherborne Group @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk David Copp Heather Crewe Oxley Sports Centre @OxleySports oxleysc.com Lloyd Davies 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 Paul Gammage & Anita Light EweMove Sherborne @ewemoveyeovil ewemove.com John Gaye Sherborne Literary Society sherborneliterarysociety.com

Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms @SanctuaryDorset thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk Nicky King The Eastbury Hotel & The Three Wishes @eastbury_hotel theeastburyhotel.co.uk thethreewishes.co.uk Colin Lambert colinlambert.co.uk Loretta Lupi-Lawrence 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 Lisa Osman All Hallows AGA Approved Cookery School @cooksandmakers allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk Luke Pender-Cudlip Knight Frank @KF_SouthWest knightfrank.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 Val Stones bakerval.com Reverend Jono Tregale St Pauls Church stpauls-sherborne.org.uk Sally Welbourn Dorset Wildlife Trust @DorsetWildlife dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk Eleanor Wilson Garden Angels @GardenAngels_ sherbornegardenangels.co.uk Wayne Winstone Winstone’s Books @winstonebooks winstonebooks.co.uk

58 8

What’s On

AUGUST 2017 52 Gardening

103 Finance

22 Unearthed

58 Sherborne Beekeeping Association

106 Tech

24 Shopping Guide

66 Bee Spotting Guide

108 Directory

26 Wild Dorset

68 Food & Drink

112 Folk Tales

29 Family

78 Animal Care

114 Sherborne Literary Festival Preview

38 Art

80 On Foot

116 Crossword

40 Film

82 Cycling

117 Pause for Thought

42 Interiors

84 Body & Mind

118 Councillor David Birley

50 Antiques

97 Property sherbornetimes.co.uk | 5

Your new Audi is closer than you think

Whether you are looking for a new, approved used or demonstrator Audi, you won’t have to look far. As the only Audi approved Centre in the Somerset and Dorchester area, we are proud to represent the Audi brand right on your doorstep. To experience any car in our range from the A1 hatchback to the Q7 SUV and the all-new Q2 compact SUV just give us a call or come in and book a test drive.

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WHAT'S ON Listings

Wednesday 16th

____________________________

The RAF Today and in the Future

Tuesdays & Thursdays 10.30am

With guest speaker Tony Davis

Saturday 5th 10am-4pm

Walks start from Sherborne TIC,

Wednesday 30th

Memorial Hall, Digby Rd, Sherborne. A

Blue Badge Guide Cindy through

With guest speaker Joe Puszet

of history for only £5. 01935 815341

Wednesday 2nd 7.30pm

Sherborne Town Walk Digby Rd. 1½-2 hrs gentle stroll with this historic town. A thousand years

Taste of Poland

and easy disabled access. 01935 429628

____________________________ Art as Prayer day long exploration of art as prayer and

meditation with Cecily Dodwell. Details

from the Parish Office in the Abbey Close.

01935 812452 insight.sherborneabbey.com

sherbornewalks.co.uk

The Mikado

Tuesday 1st 10am-3pm

The superb Illyria Theatre bring Gilbert

Sherborne District Gardeners’

their inimitable style in this outdoor

Digby Hall, Hound Street,

and enjoy! 01935 814633

____________________________

Insight Summer School Memorial Hall, Digby Rd, Sherborne.

Painting and prayer with Cecily Dodwell

& Yolanda White. £40 tickets are available from the Parish Office. 01935 812452

____________________________

Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne.

Thursday 10th 7.30pm

& Sullivan’s wry comic opera to you in

Assoc. Summer Show

production. Bring a picnic & sit back

Sherborne. 01935 389375

____________________________

Saturday 12th 2.30pm

____________________________

Friday 4th 7.30pm

Annual Flower & Craft Show

Tuesday 1st August 10am - 4pm

Miracle Theatre -

Dear To Me Studio Sample Sale

The Third Policeman

Trent Village Hall. Entrance £1

Popping up at the Old Shambles, South

Higher Orchard, Sandford Orcas. A

Saturday 12th 2.30pm

stationery and notecards from Dear To

in love with bicycles and you can visit

Leigh Village Hall. Admission £1.50

the heart of rural Ireland. £12, £8 u18s,

and old: Flowers, Fruit, Photography,

Street, for one day only. A selection of Me Studio. deartomestudio.com

____________________________ Tuesday 1st - Thursday 10th 6pm Sherborne’s Vanished Pub Walkabouts Meet at Sherborne Museum. Barry

Brock leads you on a walk around some

____________________________

world where eccentric policemen fall

81st Leigh Flower Show

eternity via a rickety lift, beside a lane in

Children free, lots of classes for young

£32 family. Open-air performances.

Bring a cushion or rug to sit on, pack a picnic. 01963 220208 artsreach.co.uk

Cookery and Crafts...even Curliest

Carrots! For more details, contact Julia Jepson 07977 903862

Saturday 5th 2pm-4.30pm

Saturday 12th 7.30pm

of Sherborne’s vanished pubs, ending

Chetnole Fete and Flower Show

The Comedy of Errors

with a pint in one that’s still open. Lasts

approx 1-1½hrs. Weather dependent. £5.

Field next to Village Hall DT9 6NU.

Castle Gardens, New Road, Sherborne.

Pre-booking via the Museum essential.

Traditional flower show in marquee, stalls and sideshows. Fun dog show,

Shakespeare’s comedy of two sets of

01935 812252 sherbornemuseum.co.uk

____________________________ Every Other Wednesday 10.15am Probus Club

alpacas, children’s games, classic cars and much more. Teas, Pimms stall. £1 entry, children free. 01935 873742

____________________________

The superb Illyria Theatre relocate

identical twins, separated at birth to the

town of Ephesus, Mexico, performed by

a 5-piece Mariachi band, in this outdoor production. Bring a picnic and sit back

Slessor Club, Long St. New members

Saturday 5th 10.30am-3.30pm

851641 or david@covert-house.net

Guild Open Day

Sunday 13th 11am-4pm Sherborne Steam &

Wednesday 2nd

Bishops Caundle Village Hall DT9 5NB. Demonstrations of hand and machine

Waterwheel Centre Open Day

stitching, techniques to try, displays of work by members and the Young Embroiderers’

Oborne Road, Sherborne DT9 3RX

Group, sales tables. Tea/coffee. Parking

An extensive collection of Victorian engineering, inc. the massive, 26ft

welcome, for more information 01935

Reminiscences of the 3rd Cod War With guest speaker Tim Lee

8 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Blackmore Vale Embroiderer’s

and enjoy! 01935 814633 illyria.co.uk

AUGUST 2017 diameter waterwheel built in 1869.

musical disciplines all taught by eminent

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

____________________________

01342 893963 summermusicschool@

Please call 07742 888302 or email

01935 816324 sswc.co.uk

Monday 14th 2.30pm-4pm Music In the Park

international performers and teachers. btinternet.com

____________________________

(materials included). Limited places.

alicockrean@gmail.com alicockrean.co.uk

____________________________

Pageant Gardens, Sherborne.

Monday 31st July -

Artslink’s Youth & Children’s

Sherborne Town Band bringing music

Saturday 12th August

Summer Theatre Schools with

to your ears. Free.

Concertfest

Action Track Performance Co.

____________________________ Saturday 19th 10am-1pm

Sherborne - various venues. There will be

circa thirty concerts in all disciplines given

12-18 year olds, 14th-18th August - £50.

by professional and student performers.

Plus Youth Theatre Leader training for

Coffee and Open Morning Church of the Assumption, Holnest, Sherborne DT9 5PU. The church

will be open to visitors for coffee and

refreshments.There will also be a small display promoting the work of the

A full programme can be found on

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

Planning ahead…

Grade I listed building. 01963 210562

Saturday 2nd September 1pm-4pm

of how to help preserve this unique

____________________________

____________________________

Church of the Sacred

Sunday 27th

Heart & St Alhelm Fete

Historic Vehicle Rally

Pageant Gardens, Sherborne.

Vintage and Classic Pre-1970 Cars &

14/15 year olds. Booking is with Artslink: 01935 815899 sherborneartslink.org.uk

____________________________ The Slipped Stitch The Julian, Cheap St, Sherborne.

Friends of Holnest Church, with details

Sherborne School Courts. Veteran,

8-11 year olds, 30th-31st August - £10.

To book: call 01935 508249, email

info@theslippedstitch.co.uk, or online theslippedstitch.co.uk

Knit and Natter - every Tuesday &

Thursday 10am-12pm and Saturday

____________________________

26th 2-4pm

____________________________

Workshops and classes

Fairs and Markets

____________________________

Pannier Market

Sunday 30th July -

Thursdays 7.30pm-9.30pm

Sunday 13th August

Summer Evening Art for Adults

The Parade

Sherborne Summer

Wheelwright Studio, Thornford. Tutored

Thursday mornings 9.00am-11.15am

beginners and all abilities. Pay as you

Church Hall, Digby Road

Light Commercial Vehicles. Plus Pre 1980 Motorcycles and three wheelers. Spectator

entry fee £4. More info: sherbornehvr.org.uk

School of Music Sherborne School. 18 courses in all

art with Ali Cockrean. Suitable for

____________________________ Thursdays and Saturdays

____________________________ Country Market

Box Office:

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

The Three Degrees

Friday 1st September, 7:30pm. Tickets £19.50

Heaven 17

www.stur-exchange.co.uk

Celebrating over 50 years in the music industry!

80’s synth pioneers. This is not a tribute!

Saturday 23rd September, 8pm. Tickets £26

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 9

WHAT'S ON ____________________________

Sport

Saturday 26th

Every third Friday in

____________________________

Martinstown v Sherborne

each month 9am-1pm

Every Tuesday and Thursday

____________________________

Farmers’ Market

7.30pm–8.30pm

Compton House Cricket Club

Cheap Street

Mixed Touch Rugby

Compton Park, Over Compton, Sherborne

Every fourth Saturday (exc. April

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

____________________________ and December), 9am-4pm Saturday Antiques & Flea Market Church Hall, Digby Road

Sherborne School Floodlit Astroturf, Ottery per session, first four sessions free. For more

Dorset League Division 2 Matches start at 1.30pm

____________________________

details go to sherbornetouch.org or call

Saturday 5th

Jimmy on 07887 800803

Ferndown Wayfarers v

____________________________

Compton House

Saturday 10th 10am-4pm

Sherborne Cricket Club

____________________________

Antiques & Collectors’ Fair

Terraces, Gainsborough Hill DT9 5NS.

Saturday 12th

Matches start at 1pm

____________________________

____________________________

Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne,

Dorset League Premier.

Compton House v Cranborne

____________________________

Saturday 19th

for everyone. Free entry. 01749 677049

Saturday 5th

Witchampton v Compton House

westcountrycraftfairs.co.uk

Sherborne v

____________________________

____________________________

Wimborne & Colehill

Saturday 26th

Saturday 15th 9.30am-4pm

____________________________

Compton House v

Bookfair

Saturday 12th

Shillingstone 2nds

Memorial Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne

Shillingstone v Sherborne

____________________________

DT9 3NL. New, second-hand and

____________________________

To include your event in our

antiquarian books. 01803 613356

Saturday 19th

FREE listings, please send details

colinbakerbooks@btinternet.com

Sherborne v Swanage

(in approximately 20 words) to

____________________________

____________________________

advertising@sherbornetimes.co.uk

DT9 3NL. 1000s of collectables,

antiques and crafts. An old fashioned fair

Children ____________________________

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

____________________________

Wednesday 2nd, Friday 4th,

Monday 7th, 14th & 28th 11am-1pm

Milborne Port Community

Monday 7th, Wednesday 9th &

Messy Museum Mondays

Swimming Pool

Friday 11th 10.30am-12.30pm

Sherborne Museum. Each morning will

Milborne Port Primary School. Available

and also other activities such as treasure

during term time, & all through the

Summer Holiday Art for Children Wheelwright Studio, Thornford DT9

6QE Aimed at youngsters with a passion for art who want to improve their

drawing and painting. Fun and informal.

8 years and upwards welcome. All

materials provided. £15 for 1 hour or £30 for 2 hours. Call 07742 888302 or email alicockrean@gmail.com

____________________________ 10 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

have themed messy and creative play

trails inside and outside the building or browsing the exhibitions and finding

out more about the town’s history while treading glitter into the carpet. Free

and suitable for toddlers as well as older children and adults.

____________________________

to hire at weekends & after school,

school holidays. The pool is heated and undercover, 12m long, with a depth of

0.7-1m, so ideal for families & children.

To check availability & to book the

pool, go to: milborneportpool.co.uk We are also on Facebook as: Milborne Port Community Swimming Pool.

____________________________

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

'6 Birds'

PERCY LIZZARD 30 August-5 September SAC Gallery, Bell Street, Shaftesbury SP7 8AR. 10.30am-4.30pm.

01747 854321 shaftesburyartscentre.org.co.uk

Percy Lizzard paintings vary in scale from very large to very small and often feature

extravagant gilded frames or up-cycled antique frames. The paintings are influenced heavily by travels to exotic destinations such as India, China and the Far East and

commonly feature brightly coloured birds, fish, plants and animals. Matisse, Picasso, de Kooning and John Bellany are also strong influences on his development as a painter. He paints every day and describes his approach to painting as a process

of experimentation and continuous learning, constantly searching for creative and innovative means of depiction. evolver.org.uk

12 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

A series of talks, lectures, live performances and screenings

FRIDAY 8TH SEPTEMBER 6PM - 10PM English multi-instrumentalist duo

DIAMOND FAMILY ARCHIVE

“The natural world is at the heart of The Diamond Family sound and their songs shift like the seasons.”

Zero Tolerance Tastings and dumplings with COMINS TEA

Open studio and selected works from DENMAN&GOULD

Herb infused cocktails from THE RAMBLING ROSE

SATURDAY 30TH SEPTEMBER 6PM - 10PM Artist and experimental filmmaker

BEN RIVERS

Ben’s work has been shown in many film festivals and galleries around the world and has won numerous awards. His work ranges from themes about exploring unknown wilderness territories to candid and intimate portrayals of real-life subjects.

Suggested donation £7

CHURCH STUDIO HAYDON DORSET DT9 5JB

In support of

A TREAT FOR CLASSICAL MUSIC LOVERS

D

Elizabeth Evensen, Dorchester Arts

orset has a wealth of venues throughout the county, where you can hear the most talented of musicians performing a wide range of classical music and opera.

Dorchester Arts is no exception in this respect and over the past few years has been quietly gaining a reputation for putting on high-calibre classical music acts.

Previous events include performances by Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s new music ensemble, Kokoro, Swansea City Opera and a wonderfully intimate performance by Dowland Works with the UK’s foremost early-music soprano, Emma Kirkby.

The coming months look likely to cement Dorchester Arts’s place on the classical circuit with an exciting 14 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

line-up ranging from Gilbert and Sullivan’s high-energy The Mikado, a joyful production of Così Fan Tutte set in World War II, through a brand-new musical adaptation of Kenneth Grahame’s classic The Wind In The Willows, Lucy Parham’s chornicles of the life of Frédéric Chopin, an innovative interpretation of Prokofiev’s Peter and the Wolf, to Joglaresa exploring the roots of Iberian music.

The astonishingly talented cast of Opera Holloway kick off the season with a reinvention of Mozart’s Così Fan Tutte, set to the theme of two WWII land girls forced to watch their boyfriends go off to war earlier than expected. Through trickery and plenty of comical disguises, their sweethearts seek to find out how faithful the two girls really are.

Touring company Opera Anywhere follows hot on their heels with a production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Mikado, full of high jinx, lots of energy and clever wordplay as a tangled web of love unravels.

The opera theme continues with Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind In The Willows, using traditional English folk melodies set to new lyrics. The musicians paint a vivid picture of Grahame’s world, from the humble comfort of Mole End to the grandeur of Toad Hall.

Pianist Lucy Parham provides a change in tone with Nocturne. Scripted by Lucy herself and narrated by Dame Harriet Walter – who has most recently appeared as Clementine Churchill in Netflix series The Crown – and Guy Paul – known for his role in Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them – Nocturne chronicles the romantic life of one of the greatest and most popular composers for solo piano, Frédéric Chopin.

Later in the season, Dorchester Arts hosts a fundraising concert as it works towards the aim of creating a dedicated arts and music venue in The Maltings, at Dorchester’s Brewery Square. Violinist Marieke Blankestijn and clarinettist Richard Hosford and their friends and colleagues from the Chamber Orchestra of Europe will perform a programme of chamber music masterpieces, including Dvořák’s glorious G major Quintet for String Quartet and Double Bass and Mozart’s sublime Clarinet Quintet.

There is plenty to inspire younger audiences, too.

With new music lovingly inspired by Prokofiev’s classic, Goblin Theatre Company present Peter and the Wolf as you’ve never seen it before. Created live with a variety of instruments and objects – including real musical vegetables – the show will have children from as young as four jumping for joy.

The season draws to a close with two outstanding events. Joglaresa perform songs kept alive through centuries of tradition – a colourful and timeless kaleidoscope connecting the Occident to the Orient as well as the eleventh to the twenty-first century, followed by a festive musical treat from one of the UK’s leading contemporary string groups, The Ligeti Quartet. A Child’s Christmas in Wales chronicles Dylan Thomas’s own childhood memories. It remains one of his most-loved works and is narrated by Dorchester Arts’s very own Mark Tattersall.

Full details of all these events and more at Dorchester Arts can be found on dorchesterarts.org.uk

September 2017 highlights Workshop

Where the Wild Things Are With Arts2Educate Thur 31 Aug at the Corn Exchange

Jazz

A Sophisticated Lady: The Songs of Ella Fitzgerald The Frank Griffith Quartet feat. Tina May Thur 7 Sep at the Corn Exchange Opera

Cosi Fan Tutte Opera Holloway Fri 8 Sep at the Corn Exchange

Opera

The Mikado (Gilbert and Sullivan Festival On Tour) Opera Anywhere Sat 30 Sep / Sun 1 Oct at the Corn Exchange 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

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 15

Saturday 23rd September

£35 per person. Price includes dinner & disco The fun starts at 7.30pm for 8.00pm. Pre-booking essential Come and join us for a fantastic night out

Why not stay the night? B&B £80 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 16 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

DORSET WILDLIFE TRUST Photos © Katharine Davies.

Bridport & West Dorset Open Studios

9 - 17 September 2017 Celebrating Bridport's Vibrant Art Scene

76 Artists 53 Venues

www.bos2017.website

NEWTON HOUSE HANDCRAFTED

LONDON DRY

GIN MDCXII

AT THE BESPOKE GIN HOUSE, NEWTON SURMAVILLE, YEOVIL

28TH JULY • 1ST SEPTEMBER 29TH SEPTEMBER 3RD NOVEMBER • 1ST DECEMBER ENTRY BY TICKET ONLY cost £40 per person, TO INCLUDE 3 COURSE MEAL AND LIVE MUSIC. FOR FURTHER DETAILS, DATES AND TICKET SALES PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE

www.newtonhousegin.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 17

EXPLORING BRIDPORT'S ART STUDIOS Words Kit Glaisyer Photography George Wright

Peter Hitchin 18 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Gerry Dudgeon

B

ridport & West Dorset Open Studios celebrates one of the most vibrant and distinctive arts communities in the West Country. The event, which was started in 1999 by artist Caroline Ireland, offers visitors the unique opportunity to meet artists working in the region, to experience how they work, to discover more about their creative process and to view their most recent pieces.

This year, Bridport Open Studios (BOS) moves from August to new dates in September, running for nine days from 9th-17th September 2017. The event features over 70 artists across 50 venues with studios, galleries and the artist’s homes open to the public. You can also enjoy a ‘taster’ exhibition entitled ‘Exploring Bridport’s Artist Studios’ at Bridport Arts Centre from 8th August to 2nd September.

The Open Studios event complements a number of renowned local festivals including ‘From Stage to Screen’ in April, the Bridport Food Festival in June, Jurassic Fields music festival in July, the new Bridport Folk Festival 11th-13th August, the Melplash Show on Thursday 24th August, the Hat Festival over the first weekend of September and the Bridport Literary Festival in November.

In recent years Bridport has become increasingly popular, gaining a national reputation for its unique character and vibrant artistic community. The local art scene includes everyone from nationally recognised names to emerging artists and keen newcomers. In fact, Bridport has a rich artistic heritage. As far back as 1865, Bridport boasted the first government-funded art school in Dorset.

Its most famous student was Francis (Fra) Newbery, who went on to become one of the most distinguished directors of The Glasgow School of Art between 1885 and 1900. He donated paintings and murals to the town, which can still be seen in the town hall.

Throughout the twentieth century, artists came to visit or live and work in the area. Both the landscape and the proximity of the sea are important factors here, though no stylistic school of painting – such as happened in Newlyn or St Ives in Cornwall – occurred here. Instead, the area seems to have attracted individuals working on their own ideas. In the 1930s, landscape painter Paul Nash and painter and sculptor Eileen Agar, two British artists who came to be known as the ‘seaside surrealists’, were frequent visitors to the harbour of West Bay while based in Swanage.

By the 1960s and 70s, artists who had already sherbornetimes.co.uk | 19

Adam Beales

Veronica Hudson 20 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Kit Glaisyer

established their own style of working took up residence.

These included the American-born abstract expressionist painter John Hubbard, the figurative painter Robin Rae, who studied under Francis Bacon and John Nash at the Royal College of Art, and the experimental photographer John Miles.

The seeds of the current artistic revival were probably planted in the 1980s, when both John Miles and Robin Rae taught at Symondsbury Art College, just outside Bridport. The Art College was followed by the Oakhayes Art Residency, run by Ann Barnes in the Symondsbury Old Rectory during the 1990s, which attracted dozens of artists from across the country.

My own introduction to Bridport came in 1998, when I had a year-long residency at Oakhayes. Sadly, the residency closed in 1999 and most of the artists moved into accommodation in Bridport. Under pressure to complete a couple of commissions, I went looking for a new studio and soon found a space in an old factory on the St Michael’s Trading Estate, where I have been working ever since.

This year, a quarter of the participating BOS artists are based at St Michael’s Studios, in the heart of the town’s former historic rope and net-making estate. The studios have also been at the forefront of a cultural

regeneration of the St Michael’s Trading Estate, now known as the Art & Vintage Quarter. The area offers a wealth of creative industries in addition to artists’ studios, including carpenters, masons, upholsterers, sign writers, designers, architects and antique shops.

Artists are still attracted to the Bridport area because this is a place where individuality is actively encouraged.

This makes it the perfect home for idealists, nonconformists, dreamers and all those who are inspired to follow their own paths. The presence of many artists in the area was always the draw for other artists to follow and this process has continued to grow and expand the artistic community ever since.

The taster exhibition Exploring Bridport’s Art Studios is in the Café & Foyer Galleries at the Bridport Arts Centre from Tuesday 8th August to Saturday 2nd September, with a private view on Friday 11th August, 5.30pm-7.30pm.

The main Bridport & West Dorset Open Studios event runs from 9th-17th September 2017.

Pick up your free guide and visit bos2017.website for more information. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 21

UNEARTHED VALERIE TSOI, AGED 18 Sherborne Girls, Upper Sixth

O

riginally from Hong Kong, Valerie Tsoi has been a student at Sherborne Girls since 2012.

There, she has been making great success under the tuition of head of keyboard Ana Laura Manero.

With the DipABRSM qualification under her belt, she has also been a prize-winner in many competitions and festivals around the South West. In 2016, Valerie made her orchestral debut with Sherborne-based orchestra Wessex Strings, performing Mozart’s Piano Concerto No. 12 in A major, K.414, and was consequently invited to perform Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto no. 2 with the Dorset County Orchestra in June this year. But most importantly, Valerie enjoys practising, learning and playing the piano whenever she has an opportunity. She has the wonderful quality of captivating her audience with her powerful presence and beautiful sound. At her young age she has already learnt a great amount of repertoire and particularly enjoys playing Beethoven and Schubert. At school, she is also a percussionist and has been a valuable member of the school orchestras for many years. Where next for Valerie? I’d imagine the world is her oyster… sherborne.com

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

22 | Sherborne Times | August 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

Sunglasses, £46, The Circus

Colouring postcards, £5, Ginger & Pickle

Art activity book, £6.99, Ginger & Pickle

After Sun, £18, The Sherborne Rooms

ALWAYS THE SUN Jenny Dickinson, Dear To Me Studio

With versatile clothes and essential accessories, I’ve found the perfect buys to pack for your summer getaway. Don’t forget to throw in a couple of treats to keep the children busy! deartomestudio.com 24 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Toy tea set, £18, Ginger & Pickle

Reversible jacket, £169, White Feather

Reversible dress, £165, White Feather

Sarong, £69, The Circus

Bikini, £105, The Circus

Basket, £90, The Circus Reversible skirt, £39.99, Mistral sherbornetimes.co.uk | 25

Wild Dorset

26 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

MARVELLOUS MOTHS

I

Sally Welbourn, Dorset Wildlife Trust

t is a sad fact that the moth has acquired a reputation for being drab in colour and lacking in beauty when compared to its familiar counterpart, the butterfly.

However, the two can often be confused from a distance, as some moths have spectacular colours. These include the pink and olive-green elephant hawk-moth and the cinnabar moth, which has bright red lines and spots on its wings.

Moths also play a very important part in our ecosystem, as they are essential to the food chain for birds and bats and they are also pollinators. The widespread decline of moths is worrying for both wildlife and humans. In the last 150 years, 65 UK moth species have become extinct as a result of a variety of factors, including climate change, habitat loss, light pollution and the use of pesticides.

However, in addition to the decline of moths, there are also some moth species that have colonised Britain for the first time in recent decades. Since the year 2000, 27 moth species have become resident in Britain and over 100 have been recorded here for the first time. We also have the humming-bird hawk-moth (pictured), which comes from Africa and is an increasingly regular visitor to the UK due to our warmer winters.

The beauty of moths isn’t always appreciated or seen, mainly because of their nocturnal activity. The best way to see them close-up is to create your own ‘moth trap’, which attracts them overnight to be released without harm in the morning. These are easily created using a light and a plastic tub, ideally with empty egg boxes inside. You’ll be amazed at the different sizes, colours and varieties on your patch. You may even record the first sighting of a new species! Please submit your moth sightings to the national moth recording scheme run by Butterfly Conservation at mothscount.org to help with conservation planning.

MOTH FACTS • In contrast to approximately 60 varieties of butterfly species in the British Isles, there are up to 2,500 species of moth in the UK. • Up to 100 species of moth fly during the day.

• Moths have interesting names, including the ‘snout’, and ‘July highflyer’ – these English names are largely unchanged for 200 years.

• Hawk-moths can have wingspans of up to four inches.

• Contrary to popular belief, only about six species of moth are known to be clothes-eaters.

dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 27

Wild Dorset

SHERBORNE DWT

Gillian M Constable, Dorset Wildlife Trust Sherborne Committee

H

ave you followed DWT’s barn owl nest box webcam on their website? The nest is at the Lorton Meadows DWT reserve, just north of Weymouth. In April, eight eggs were laid and between 5th and 25th May, all hatched. Now there are five almost-fully fledged young barn owls. It has been amazing to follow the progress of the balls of fluff into such fine birds. There is a Facebook commentary with over 2000 contributions from observers, often expressing concern about the wellbeing of the owlets – pondering whether mum and dad have been able to hunt, who stole Tiny’s vole and, as they started taking to the wing, counting them in and out. What has surprised me is the huge number of voles collected by the parents; the Lorton area must be excellent for their breeding. Some webcam observers are locally based and often they have provided more distant observers, those for example in California and Dubai, with local weather information.

Looking at the recent records submitted to the Dorset branch of Butterfly Conservation (BC) indicates that vast numbers of meadow browns, and many gatekeepers and marbled whites are on the wing in the county. Locally, The Terrace Meadow – a Site of Nature Conservation Interest, or SNCI, owned by the council – is excellent for butterflies, as is the slightly more distant 28 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

BC reserve at Alners Gorse, between King’s Stag and Hazelbury Bryan. It is always worthwhile keeping an eye open for much rarer species seen in recent years in Dorset, that might make a comeback and breed. Two in particular, seen nearer to the coast than we are, are the European swallowtail, slightly different from the one found in Norfolk, and the long-tailed blue.

Butterfly Conservation organises a series of butterfly walks during the summer months; look at the website for details. One destination is the Weymouth relief road. At the time of its planning, attention was given to making the banks of the road into a herb-rich downland. Already this has proved to be a success and 23 butterfly species have been recorded. In May, a tally of 31 small blues was made and, in June, 362 six-spot burnet moths were found primarily on the viper’s bugloss plants. Day-flying moths are also a fascination to butterfly recorders. The Big Butterfly Count, which finishes on 6th August, includes some moths.

After visiting the relief road and Lorton Meadows, then, if there is any time left, there are the DWT reserves on Portland to visit and complete a full day of wildlife. Alternatively, stop at the DWT Chesil Beach Centre for some refreshments. 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 Do you have a spare room in your home?

Are you caring, nurturing and supportive?

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www.pippasguardians.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 29

Family

LEISURE Nick Folland, Headmaster, Sherborne Prep

30 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

A

s educators, we spend our time urging children to work hard and reminding them that the more effort they put into anything they tackle in life, the more they are likely to gain from the experience. Now that all families are embarking on a long school holiday – and for some it can be eight or nine weeks off school – I am occasionally quizzed on the need or even the wisdom of such a long break away from the books. Traditionally, of course this was a season of harvests, when the summer crops were gathered in and children were needed to help on the farms. However, that excuse is not so relevant these days, with changing crop cycles and increased automation.

I am rather pleased that in the UK we afford children the luxury of a long summer holiday, in which they can be free simply to be children and revel in the joys of childhood; to climb trees, make sandcastles, explore the countryside and visit new places. Switching off from strict routines and the relentless pace of a working week or a school week can be enormously energising and restorative for both children and adults. After a proper break we find ourselves ready, sometimes even chomping at the bit, to re-engage with school or work. For the first week after the end of term, you may notice that children are fidgety or wondering what to do, as they have almost forgotten how to occupy themselves. But as they relax into the holiday they then become creative with their time or indeed content to just be. I thought for August that I would share with you a poem, which our head girl read out at our Commemoration Service.

LEISURE

by W.H Davies What is this life if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

No time to stand beneath the boughs And stare as long as sheep or cows.

No time to see, when woods we pass, Where squirrels hide their nuts in grass.

No time to see, in broad daylight, Streams full of stars, like skies at night.

No time to turn at Beauty’s glance, And watch her feet, how they can dance.

No time to wait till her mouth can Enrich that smile her eyes began.

A poor life this if, full of care, We have no time to stand and stare.

Wishing you all a very happy summer holiday. Whatever you may be doing, I hope you will find a little time to stand and stare. sherborneprep.org sherbornetimes.co.uk | 31

Children’s Book Review

Family

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

The Tale of the Castle Mice by Michael Bond, £6.99 (Penguin). Ages 4+ Exclusive Sherborne Times reader offer of £5.99 at Winstone’s Books

T

his month I thought I would pay tribute to the recently passed Michael Bond, creator of Paddington and many other great children’s books. The Tale of the Castle Mice was his last publication.

This riches-to-rags-toriches-again story is utterly charming. Mr and Mrs Mice and their thirteen children live happily in a dolls’ house in a grand castle. Apart from having one wall missing, their house is rather grand, too, with plenty of room for them all. In Emily Sutton’s gorgeous illustrations their home is full of little details that will fascinate young readers. Not since Beatrix Potter have

For short tales, long tails and happily ever afters

mice looked so fine, and yet so very mouse-like, in smart hats and coats.

The adventure unfolds perfectly over the length of the book as the mice lose their home, but happily regain it. There is also a lovely rhythm to the story, told with such apparent ease and so much skill.

Full of humour and warmth, this nostalgic tale by Michael Bond is brought to life in exquisite detail by illustrator Emily Sutton.

A fabulous picture book to round off a brilliant career. 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

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 33

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LEWESTON SCHOOL . SHERBORNE www.leweston.co.uk . T: 01963 211 010 34 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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Advertisement

Problematic Executors and Estates In theory, once a person has made a valid and properly constructed Will, the administration of their estate should be straightforward.

However, in practice, this does not always happen.

Andrew Carswell specialises in Contentious Probate, Wills and Inheritance claims and explains about a growing demand for advice in respect of Problematic Executors and Estates.

“Executorship is a serious undertaking, which clearly carries a heavy responsibility and importance to creditors and beneficiaries. Unfortunately there are cases where executors are unwilling or unable to deal with matters properly.”

“It may be because because they were appointed in a Will and do not have the required expertise, but more commonly we are seeing problems arising from hostility or differences between executors and beneficiaries.”

There used to be a term called the “executor’s year” meaning executors were expected to deal with an estate and distribution to beneficiaries within one year, but it can take longer and creditors and beneficiaries must be patient while matters are resolved.

However, action can be taken if an executor is not doing their job properly.

Occasionally the problem is too deep rooted and, as a last resort, an application to the court may be required.

Section 50 of the Administration of Justice Act 1985 and related provision allow beneficiaries to seek directions or, in exceptional cases, to apply to remove or replace the executors. This is not an easy application and as a sensitive issue it requires specialist advice and handling.

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Andrew has been helping beneficiaries for over 20 years and says that careful planning and asking the right questions is the key to success. “It is a problem that people often overlook, because they feel they have no rights or means of redress. This is not the case and beneficiaries can and should expect proper administration of estates and trusts from their executors and trustees.”

If you have an issue surrounding the Will or estate of a loved one, Andrew can be contacted at Trethowans Solicitors Poole office on 01202 673071.

A solicitor can provide advice behind the scenes.

They can also write to executors directly or suggest mediation to try and resolve any issues between executors and beneficiaries quickly and outside of making any applications to a court.

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DESIGNERS AND MAKERS OF BEAUTIFUL FINE BESPOKE JOINERY SINCE 1897

Art

I have had a studio in Sherborne for over 30 years, of which 22 have been away from home. Nine years were spent in the former parcels office at the railway station. From there I moved in 2004 to my present studio at Westbury Hall, a stone’s throw from the Abbey. I paint mainly in oil, situated in front of the subject ‘en plein air’, or outside. I draw most days.

I can’t put enough importance on drawing. It is the practice of looking and linking that with the hand, which improves not only your drawing skills, but also your visual memory. To put pencil to paper and create what you see in front of you can only be done by real observation.

By doing this, in time, your drawing from memory will improve too.

I have just returned from a trip to Cornwall. Along with a collection of paintings, I filled half a sketchpad. The two drawings I’ve included here were produced either in pen or pencil and took anywhere between 10 and 45 minutes each.

In an attractive harbour village it can be overwhelming and quite difficult sometimes to know where to start. I find the first few days are spent wandering around doing a bit here and there. Once I have settled in, I begin to notice the tucked-away corners or views that don’t at first strike one as worthy of a drawing. Rooftops I find interesting. I love all the angles and the way they interlock like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Working with pen and ink concentrates the mind in getting the line as you want it first time; it’s a good discipline. There are, however, some practical difficulties in working outside

38 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

in such a location. One of these is people! I do like to chat, but sometimes that does interrupt the flow. Another is seagulls. I have only once had a contribution from a seagull on my sketchpad, but I have had many near misses!

I like the drawings produced on these pages. The ink drawing is very much about the line and I have avoided shading, but the little pencil sketch of an old fishing boat works as a tonal study.

I don’t always write notes on the sketch but sometimes when I have taken particular interest in the colours for a possible painting later in the studio, it is useful. I do find, however, that my memory for the colours I have seen is better than my note-making.

If something notable happens when I am drawing, I might jot it down. It then becomes a diary of that moment. However, I don’t often continue on a drawing once I have left the subject. There is something that can easily be lost in working on it afterwards – you have to be careful not to fiddle and lose the immediacy of the first lines made on site.

Laurence holds drawing classes for anyone who would like to learn to draw or improve on existing skills. Please feel free to contact him. info@laurencebelbin.com Studio 01935 816618 laurencebelbin.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 39

Film

A transformed Abbey Close for the filming of Far from the Madding Crowd (2015) Image: © Terry Fisher

THOMAS HARDY, SHERTON ABBAS AND THE SILVER SCREEN: Or will the real Sherborne step forward…

A

Alexander Ballinger, Film Writer

few weeks ago I was leafing through the stacks of Sherborne’s excellent library on Hound Street (dorsetforyou.gov.uk/sherbornelibrary) when I found a battered DVD of Thomas Hardy’s Wessex Tales. Knowing the series only by its high repute, I grabbed the chance to watch this 1973 BBC adaptation of six Hardy short stories. Over the next two evenings – and with the help of first-rate adapters like Dennis Potter and William Trevor and actors the ilk of Ben Kingsley, Claire Bloom, John Hurt, Cedric Hardwicke and Jane Asher – I was transported into Thomas Hardy’s Wessex, or as close as any television adaptation has ever dared go.

40 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Wessex Tales is celebrated for its use of real, mostly south-west locations, so I was keen to discover whether Sherborne featured in the adaptations. Maddeningly, the closest the productions got to the town was the village of Bettiscombe, doubling up for East Holme in the chilling Withered Arm segment. Determined to delve further into Sherborne’s place in the Hardy filmography, I returned to the library’s extensive Hardy reference section.

Soon I had my starting point: a list of novels and short stories that featured Sherborne – or, as Hardy named it, Sherton Abbas. The town is mentioned in The Mayor of Casterbridge, Tess of the d’Urbervilles and Interlopers at the Knap, while its old castle gets a look-in in the short story

collection, A Group of Noble Dames. However, Sherborne and A3030) down which Bathsheba Everdene hurtles comes into its own in The Woodlanders. en route to Bath and an assignation with the roguish A quick trawl through the various film and television Sergeant Troy. The production team did a masterful versions of Casterbridge and Tess brought no hint of job transforming Sherborne’s Abbey Close into the Sherborne or even reference to Sherton Abbas. Research centre of Casterbridge (in Hardy’s mind, Dorchester) into The Woodlanders unearthed two versions: the where Gabriel Oak, played by the mighty Matthias first was John Davies’s missing, believed wiped 1970 Schoenaerts, looks for work and where the imploding BBC four-parter starring Felicity Kendal and David passions of Bathsheba (Carey Mulligan), Troy (Tom Burke, which was apparently Sturridge) and Fanny Robin a studio-bound production in ( Juno Temple) are played out.

Television Centre.* So it was The magnificent interior of with trepidation that I hunted Sherborne Abbey replaces down Phil Agland’s little-seen that of All Saints’ church in but well-worth-seeking-out 1997 Salisbury (or in Hardy’s words, film version of The Woodlanders.

Melchester), where Troy gets Alarm bells started ringing jilted at the altar in a much when Little Hintock, where a more public manner when chunk of The Woodlanders’ action his fiancée Fanny shows up at is played out, looked more New the wrong church (actually St Forest than Blackmore Vale. (It Mary Magdalene, Castleton was actually filmed in Breamore on Sherborne’s outskirts, Woods in Hampshire.) Cheap masquerading as All Souls in Street – or Sheep Street, in Melchester).

Hardy-speak – was nowhere Alex Gladstone, the film’s to be seen; Giles Winterborne location manager, explained (a brooding Rufus Sewell), the choice of location to me sadly without his 10-foot apple in a recent e-mail exchange. tree in hand, does not meet “Sherborne was selected due to Grace Melbury (Emily Woof ) the layout of the green: the scene on Cheap Street; instead the set here specifically called for intense rendezvous occurs in a Our very own Laurence Belbin 'en plein air' enough space to establish a fair, grubby backstreet in what looks with boxing stalls and a (live) like Salisbury. Also, a nondescript aisle in Winchester bear, and the Abbey and surrounding buildings gave a Cathedral makes a poor substitute for Sherborne Abbey, unique setting with period buildings on all sides,” he where Grace and Giles express their clandestine love adds. “We were asked to dress props into the façades for each another; and as for Sherborne Old Castle, of perhaps twenty separate homes and businesses and there’s not a stone in sight. On reflection, I shouldn’t Sherborne helped meet these requests with equanimity have been surprised at this fast-and-loose approach to and great good grace. I absolutely believe that we did locations, as film-makers have set Hardy’s novels in all justice to Hardy.” manner of places: Brittany in Roman Polanski’s sublime Perhaps one day the real Sherton Abbas will reach Tess (1979); the snowy wilds of Alberta in Michael our screens. Until then, Vinterberg’s Far From the Winterbottom’s rugged The Claim (2000) and Jersey for Madding Crowd has put Sherborne triumphantly on the cosy 2005 television Christmas special, Under The the Hardy cinematic map.

Greenwood Tree.

Thankfully, director Thomas Vinterberg and team *If any eagle-eyed Sherbornite saw this elusive television didn’t take Hardy at his letter when adapting Far From serial in 1970 and can vouch for its locations, please the Madding Crowd in 2013. If they had, all that would contact the editor. have been seen of Sherborne and its environs would be the Sherton turnpike (the junction between the A352 @lexBallinger sherbornetimes.co.uk | 41

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Interiors

Sofa fabric: Colony

EXOTIC HOLIDAYS

T

Kitty Oakshott, Upstairs Downstairs Interiors

he sun shining on a late summer’s evening makes us dream of exotic holidays. It takes us back to relaxing in tropical beach bars and drinking fruity cocktails with palm trees swaying in the breeze. We say, bring those memories home in your suitcase!

One idea is to decorate plain walls with palm-print wallpaper, enhanced by metallic accessories. Why not go bold and introduce a retro drinks cabinet or bar?

Scatter the room with decorative lamps to create that warm summer glow. Have you tried styling with ontrend pineapples? Wallpapers and fabrics with metallic pineapple prints are very current and are a fantastic way to add to those tropical vibes.

Complement your bold botanical prints with light green hues and classic neutrals or vibrant teals and acid yellows. Reinvent your existing furniture by introducing 44 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

sumptuous velvets or textured linens, either with upholstery or in the form of cushions. Mix textures and prints and don’t be afraid to go bold with this trend.

Reclaimed wood flooring introduces a mix of colour from beach blues to sandy neutrals, an ideal foil for your botanic leafy prints and pineapple fabrics. This flooring is easy to fit and can be laid in many different ways, whether in straight or alternating panels for a wonderful bohemian feel. Best of all, as it is already weathered, it won’t shrink if it gets wet. Reclaimed teak floors in particular are almost indestructible and won’t get damaged by stilettos.

Accessorise the room with foliage in the form of cacti or leafy plants in decadent pots. The holiday feeling doesn’t have to end when you come home! updowninteriors.co.uk

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SILVER SURFER Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

A

s an auctioneer and valuer, I see a broad crosssection of society. There is also an element of ‘the good, the bad and the ugly’ – though I hasten to add those are the items I see, not the clients!

I spent a day recently seeing clients in Bradford-onAvon, Bath and Bristol. It looked to be an interesting day of appointments. The sun was shining, the skies were blue and the roads were great – that is, until I arrived at Bradford–on-Avon.

It’s a lovely town, but on this particular day it had turned into a car park. Sadly I missed my turning to the client’s house and this small, rare driver error (cough, cough) cost me another 20 minutes of queuing.

My blood pressure went up a few points, but the clients were lovely and made the appointment well worthwhile.

Next up was the Roman Spa town of Bath. Having spent a lot of time in and around Bath, I made up time with a few cheeky shortcuts.

Sadly the owner had spent more time in Ikea than in an auction room and we were unable to help.

Final call of the run was in Bristol. As a company we try to give an approximate time of arrival and if it looks like a valuer is running over 30 minutes late, we endeavour to let you know; we don’t just say, “We’ll be there on Thursday”.

So I meandered, slowly, through the Bristol traffic.

At an average speed of 10mph, at least I didn’t have to worry about speeding tickets. Having been delayed at the Bradford-on-Avon visit, I made up time in Bath as it was a quick in-and-out with a thanks-but-no-thanks and was right on time for the Bristol appointment.

50 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

The doorbell went, “Bing bong, bing bongg, bing bongggg, bing bonggggg,” and the chap opened his door.

It soon transpired it was a good job I was on time.

The strict calendar of the lady of the house meant that the gentleman I was meeting had but a brief window of opportunity for me to value his wares. Everyone has a reason for instructing us to sell their items through our auction and we do not ask – it’s simply not our business.

The gentleman of the house had retired several years ago. He had always had a passion for collecting, having amassed a large collection of Moorcroft many years ago. More recently he had been indulging – or, according to his wife, over-indulging – in small items of silver and, in particular, silver caddy spoons and decanter labels.

It was a delightful collection of silver. Most of the caddy spoons are of a similar size but the shapes vary – not only in the handle but in the bowls, where you can have a shovel or a shell. The decanter labels are also similar in size but, again, the shapes vary quite a lot, as do the spellings – there is a label for ‘Champaign’ and not ‘Champagne’.

Being a dutiful husband, he instructed me to sell his collection. Entered into our two-day auction of silver, jewellery and watches on Thursday 24th August followed on Friday 25th with ceramics, collector’s items and furniture, the collection of silver is estimated to sell for thousands of pounds. However, I do wonder whether he will be allowed to keep the proceeds of sale! charterhouse-auction.com

CHARTERHOUSE Auctioneers & Valuers We are now accepting entries for our forthcoming auctions: Silver, Jewellery, Watches with Wine, Antiques & Furniture 24th & 25th August Classic & Vintage Motorcycles Friday 1st September Classic & Vintage Cars Wednesday 13th September Contact Richard Bromell for advice or Justine Jackson to arrange a home visit The Long Street Salerooms Sherborne DT9 3BS | 01935 812277

Velocette Works 500 ÂŁ28,000-32,000

www.charterhouse-auction.com

Summer Events at Castle Gardens

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

Illyria Open Air Theatre present Wednesday 2 August The Mikado Saturday 12 August Comedy of Errors Bring your picnics and blankets to these special open air performances, perfect for all ages. Doors 6:30pm for 7:30pm start

Thursday 17 August 10am - 5pm Children’s Summer Gardening Day Join us for a day of free gardening fun with bulbs to plant and pots to fill.

Monday 14 - Saturday 19 August Bays, Birds and Birches Art Exhibition Coastal paintings by Sue Durant. Birds and birch tree paintings by Lin Hawkins

Tickets available from www.illyria.uk.com, in store, or by phone on 01935 814633

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 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 51

Gardening

GARDENING FOR WILDLIFE Mike Burks, Managing Director, The Gardens Group

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ne of my most enjoyable days of the year is the now-annual tour of gardens that have entered the Dorset Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife Friendly Gardening Competition. It has been a tradition of the last 10 years for a number of teams, made up of a member of staff from Castle Gardens along with a colleague from Dorset Wildlife Trust, to head out looking at the entries in the competition from across Dorset. This year there was a record number of entries – reflecting perhaps that gardening with wildlife in mind is now a mainstream trend. A few years ago, it felt like such gardeners would have to meet in secret, perhaps even hide their tendencies from family members and neighbours for fear of the shame of exposure, but now it’s celebrated as a good and interesting way to garden.

Some of this has been driven by a general increasing awareness of our environmental responsibilities and a growing interest in wildlife generated by television programmes such as Countryfile and Springwatch. This transition has also coincided with concerns around what chemicals are used in the production of our food, worries about bee populations and the reduction in the availability of pesticides in amateur gardening. The latter means that we need to find alternative pest and disease control methods; a balanced environment with diverse planting encourages beneficial insects and also larger predators such as frogs, toads, slow worms, hedgehogs and birds.

I set off yesterday in my usual pairing with Tony Bates MBE, president of Dorset Wildlife Trust, who is not only hugely knowledgeable, but good fun to spend a day with and so the time flies. We headed to the area south of Dorchester and onto Portland.

The quality of the gardens we saw was quite something and all of them were very different. One was dominated by an extraordinary mini wildflower meadow, created by a lady in her retirement. She had purchased a piece of land to expand her garden on the edge of a village and had decided to dedicate it to wildlife. A meadow had been created full of wildflowers including ox-eye daisy, yarrow, foxes, cubs and knapweed. Neat pathways were mown 52 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

through for access and also gave it a nice setting. Filled with stunning flowers, which gave an instant wow-factor, the real value could be seen by the insect activity in the meadow, including huge numbers of butterflies and moths and, when it was all quiet, an incredible buzz of various bees on the lavender plants. On closer inspection, we also noticed a large green cricket.

The gardener showed us a bowlful of hazelnuts, all of which had been neatly nibbled by dormice. In the hedges, dormouse nesting boxes had been installed and there was evidence of these being used, although no actual sightings of these furry friends. What impressed me was the lady’s dedication to the dormice and her enjoyment in the knowledge that they were there, even though she never sees them!

Next up was a wildlife oasis and an absolute gardener’s dream, created by an artist who had beautifully positioned everything with exciting finds in amongst the plants.

Some were necklaces of stones found on beaches over many years, others were items of pottery, one a collection of rubbish found on a trip to the coast as a reminder that we could ruin nature all too easily.

The garden was created on a thin layer of topsoil over solid chalk, which is challenging to say the least. However, in the garden were some acid-loving plants, such as exochorda and parrotia, looking in very good condition as a result of regular mulching with pine needles and composted bark.

In all of the gardens that we visited, I was really pleased to see the use of non-chemical methods of pest control, such as copper bands for slug control, bug hotels to encourage beneficial insects and humidity in greenhouses to reduce red spider mite. We even came across someone who had chickens to control slugs and also to give the vegetable garden a really good clean-up at the end of the season.

Elsewhere we saw plenty of slow worms, toads, newts, frogs and fieldmice, all happily sharing gardens with the humans who hold the legal deeds to the property. thegardeneronline.co.uk

"the real value could be seen by the insect activity in the meadow, including huge numbers of butterflies and moths and, when it was all quiet, an incredible buzz of various bees on the lavender plants" sherbornetimes.co.uk | 53

Gardening

CREATING A BUZZ

Eleanor Wilson, Garden Designer, Garden Angels

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lot has been written about the type of plants you should fill your garden with in order to develop a bee-friendly haven. In general, you need to ensure that you have plants in flower for as much of the year as possible so that early risers and late bees have nectar and pollen on which to feed. The type of flowering plants you select are also important, as some are more attractive to bees than others due to larger nectar reserves. A good rule of thumb is the more ‘simple’ and single a flower is, the more likely it is that the nectar is physically accessible to bees; avoid ‘double’, highly bred flowers whose tight clusters of petals hinder access. This still leaves a huge array of plants from which to choose.

If you ask most people what a bee-friendly garden should look like, they will describe a wild, messy space with a myriad of different types of plants and colours.

However, if you prefer a more structured or formal garden design, perhaps with a select colour scheme, there are many options for you.

The first thing to consider is the size of your plot. The general consensus is that you should provide flowers all year round in order to attract bees, but if you have a very small space you might want to consider growing a few select bee-friendly flowers and grow them in bulk. This 54 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

will produce a mass of flowers at a set time in the year, which will attract bees only at that time. The nature of honeybees is that once they find a good supply of nectar, they will return time and again to the site and let their fellow workers know of the location by ‘dancing’. With this approach, you won’t attract bees all year round, but you will attract more bees at the times when your carefully selected plants are in flower.

If you own a small plot and want something easily manageable, you may want to grow bee-friendly flowers in pots and ‘stage’ them for show. The Italians and the French always seem very good at this. You can then change the variety of plant with the seasons, always having some in flower.

White, yellow, blue and purple flowers seem to be more attractive to our apiary-loving friends than red, pink and orange. If you happen to love one of the colours that is less attractive bees, why not team it up with a colour that is opposite on the colour wheel and which is more attractive to them? Alternatively, you could use your favourite colour in your hard landscaping as opposed to selecting flower types. See the photo below for a dazzling purple and orange scheme. Another option is the relaxing simplicity of a monochrome

scheme, as favoured by Vita Sackville-West when she created the ‘white garden’ at Sissinghurst Castle.

So what about hard landscaping for bees? You can create a very distinctive modern garden with hard landscaping materials but, as long as you select beefriendly plants, it will still encourage an environment that is good for honeybees. With this method you can contain a bee-friendly planting scheme within a formal, structured design. However, if you want to broaden the appeal of your garden to all types of bees, very clean, flat surfaces on hard landscaping is unlikely to hit the mark. Instead, you may want to consider a modern take on a dry-stone wall – where the stones are well-dressed but, as there is no mortar between stones, solitary and masonry bees can find a home.

A few other factors need to be taken into consideration when making your garden a go-to snack bar for our stripy friends. Bees don’t seem to like flying in windy conditions, so if you can provide or grow a windbreak around your plot, this will encourage them in. It’s also worth noting that honeybees can get a bit aggressive on windy days, so if you intend to keep bees or already have hives near your garden, creating a tranquil haven is a sensible approach.

When I was a little girl I reacted very badly to a sting so, although I love seeing bees around, I’ve grown up with a healthy dose of caution around them. I’ve never been confronted by an angry swarm, though I do know of one incident where such a thing occurred, after much provocation from the individual in question. As a result, I’m keen to keep the bees that visit my garden calm.

In writing this article, it amused me to discover that worker bees are all female and that they are the ones who can get a bit bad-tempered. So, gents, provide that windbreak and keep the ladies happy!

A natural windbreak can be produced by growing a hedge, or series of hedges. Traditionally, an evergreen hedge and a deciduous hedge would be planted side by side, as the latter would grow more quickly and break the wind that allowed the evergreen hedging to get going. However, most of us don’t have gardens large enough for a multi-layered wind break hedge. Walls and fences are popular as they use less space than a hedge, can create a warmer micro-climate and usually require less maintenance. But if you live on a windy site and are thinking of providing a windbreak by adding a solid wall or fence, beware! The wind flows over the top of a solid structure and picks up speed in the same way that it would flow over a wing, creating vortices on the other side that will rip your carefully nurtured plants to shreds on a windy day. The Victorians knew this well, which is why they designed their kitchen gardens with wide paths at a set distance within the walls – in this way, the wind hits the paths and not the crops.

Bees need to drink, so incorporate a shallow water supply in your design. This can be anything from a grand pond with a running stream to a shallow bowl. One of the most attractive small designs I’ve seen is a tiny pool, chiselled out of a stone within a wall.

The golden rule is… don’t use pesticides. You just don’t need them. A new garden may take a year or two to find its natural balance – plants will get munched by slugs, snails and greenfly. But I would wager that if you still feel the need to use pesticides in your established garden, it is you upsetting the natural balance, not the pests.

Ultimately, there are few things in life that are more relaxing than sitting in a well-designed garden on a summer’s evening, a glass of something cold in your hand and the gentle hum of busy bees in the background. Let them do their work – you’ve done yours by creating your bee haven. sherbornegardenangels.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 55

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

56 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

WINDOWS

&

DOORS

Bill Butters Windows are now installing the UltraRoof 380, a lightweight tiled roof which allows the installation of multiple glass panels or Velux Windows. UltraRoof 380 is ideal for those who want a solid roof but wish to retain an element of light within the room.

UltraRoof380 overcomes the twin issues of your conservatory being too hot in summer and too cold in winter. Moreover, it provides a beautiful vaulted plastered ceiling interior and a stunning lightweight tile finish.

For more information, please get in touch, or visit our showroom and factory where we manufacture all of our windows, doors & conservatories.

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

Unit 1a > South Western Business Pk > Sherborne > Dorset > DT9 3PS billbutterswindows.co.uk 01935 816 168

MINDING HIVES Words Jo Denbury Photography Katharine Davies

S

ince time began we have kept bees and taken a share of their hard-earned gold. But there is more to bees than honey – their colonies and their hives still hold great secrets for us to unlock. As secretary of the Sherborne Beekeeping Association Judy Easdale says, “It is the satisfaction of seeing the bees flying about my garden with bags of pollen on their legs that makes it worthwhile.”

The Sherborne Beekeeping Association began in the 1930s when John Scammell, a farmer in Trent, kept bees to pollinate his apple trees. It was revived again in the 1970s for the good of local beekeepers and to forward the education of future beekeepers. Today the club has an apiary of four hives in Trent, which collects over 100lb of honey per annum. This year, in an attempt to shake off the rather grandfatherly image of the beekeeper, it has introduced a number of courses for interested members of the public. “The great benefit,” says Judy, “is that because we have our own ‘club hives’ we are able to offer practical courses.” There are in fact three practical beekeeping sessions, plus three dedicated to the theory of the practice. >

58 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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Amy Sellick recently took the course and joined the association. Her husband Neil, of Sellick & Saxton builders, had inherited his late father's bees and she wanted to make honey for her young family. She laughs about her first meeting at the association. “I turned up in shorts without really thinking, then put my kit over the top. But I left a tiny gap and a bee got in and stung me.

I literally had to keep a straight face throughout, with a bee inside my protective gear.” The incident didn’t put her off and she went on to have a pair of hives that she looks after with her two daughters, Iris, eight, and Robin, seven.

"Our first colony died but we were given another by the Sherborne Beekeepers Association,” explains Amy. “Then two years ago we found one hanging on a tree.

Neil whacked the branch and caught the swarm in a skep [a straw or wicker beehive]. We used our spare hive which we sprayed with sugar syrup and over they went!

The queen literally ran over the top of the other bees to get in first.” Amy smiles at the memory. “It was so wonderful to see them do that.”

“We take honey once a year.” she continues. “It’s quite a lot of work during the summer and I check on them once a week, for brood [eggs or young] and to ensure there is a laying queen. We do eat a lot of honey, but for us it is also having a healthy colony of bees that is so satisfying. I find them fascinating.”

Like Amy, Judy has had a few calamities. “I was given my first swarm in 2011, in July,” she says. “But there is an old adage that says, ‘Swarm in May is worth a load of hay; swarm in June worth a silver spoon; swarm in July is not worth a fly’. Well, my swarm came in July and it was too late for it to build enough reserves to over-winter, so they died.”

She had another catastrophe in 2012, when the wet summer made it too wet for the queen to mate, as they mate on the wing. Fortunately, she now has happy, thriving colonies.

“Since I moved to Sherborne I have wanted a ‘natural’ life,” says Judy. “Beekeeping had to be part of that. Honey is also a very important product for our wellbeing.” The association recently received a note from a local buyer who remarked that, since buying and eating their honey, her allergies have disappeared. It is possible that eating a locally produced honey can help to build up a resistance to eczema and hay fever, because it allows the body to ingest a small amount of pollen through the honey and therefore build up a resistance to it.

“Bees are an endangered species,” adds Judy. “I practise permaculture in my garden, as pesticides are killing our bees.” The truth is that the health of bees is not just a popular campaigning issue – it is also crucial > 60 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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to the global food supply. More than three quarters of the world’s food crops, including fruit, vegetables, coffee and chocolate, rely at least in part on natural pollination.

Research suggests that a group of pesticides called neonicotinoids may have cut the presence of wild bees in the British countryside by up to 30% since they became widely used on oilseed rape crops.

Keeping bees can provide a joy and satisfaction that fulfils all the family. While Amy’s daughter Iris collects the honey with her mother, I chat to her other daughter Robin, who points out the flowers that her bees visit. The children have learned about the life cycle of the bee and the plants and habitat that feed it. With that comes a satisfaction that draws on life creating life, as well as the laws of nature.

For a bee’s life is never easy. A ‘worker’ bee flies up to three miles to collect nectar, while a single flight produces a mere pinhead of honey. But that is not the extent of its tasks. A worker bee is a female that lacks the full reproductive capacity of a queen bee and has a life cycle of only five or six weeks. Once she has worked her way up through the hive from cell cleaning, nurse bee and wax production, she moves on to honey sealing, drone feeding – the drones being male bees whose prime function is to mate with a queen – and queen’s attendant, plus other tasks including mortuary bee, honeycomb building and pollen packing, before becoming a guard. She finally gets out as a foraging bee for the last 20 weeks of her life.

There is a moment towards August when the “massacre of the males”, as Maurice Maeterlinck calls it in The Life of the Bee, takes place. This is the day when it is decided that the lazy, corpulent drones have served their purpose. The word of command goes through the hive and the peaceful workers will renounce their foraging duties and turn into judges and executioners. Going systematically through the hive, they tear off the wings and legs of the drones. Those who perish are dragged off to the mortuary, while others die of starvation.

Then it is time to bed down. Everything slows and the hive quietens for winter. A hive of around 60,000 bees will drop to 3,000. The work has been done and now they must keep the queen alive. The bees cluster around her, flapping their wings to create heat. Let’s hope the humans have left them enough honey to eat.

Future courses will take place in 2018. Please contact the association for further information. sherbornebees.org The Life of the Bee by Maurice Maeterlinck (currently out of print, but often available at Chapter House Books, Sherborne). sherbornetimes.co.uk | 65

BEE SPOTTING GUIDE Lloyd Davies

T

here are many different types of bees found around Sherborne and many visit the flowers in local parks and gardens. The appearance of these different types can vary so much that they hardly seem to be related, but they all have a diet of pollen and nectar and they provide for their offspring.

Bees probably evolved from hunting wasps.

Hunting wasps catch prey – usually insects – and carry them to a nest where they lay eggs, thus providing food for their grubs. Bees evolved with a similar lifestyle, but a different diet. They developed different ways of carrying pollen, typically in hairy brushes, which are charged with static as they fly and loaded with pollen at the flower. Some became social bees, like honeybees and bumblebees; others are solitary and do not cooperate with one another, although they may live close together. Finally some bees have evolved as ‘cuckoo bees’, living off the hard work of their neighbours.

66 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

1. Buff-tailed bumblebee, Bombus terrestris

The year starts in February for this bee when the large (20mm) queen bumblebee comes out of hibernation, often in the corner of a cool shed or outhouse.

She feeds and collects pollen on the shiny ‘pollen basket’ on the outside of her hind leg and builds a nest frequently in a mouse’s burrow, attracted by the smell of mice and the collected mossy material – like the buff-tailed bumblebee in Beatrix Potter’s Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse. She lays fertilised eggs that hatch into workers and these help extend the nest and tend the young. Unlike queen honeybees, she helps in the building and food collection. Later in the year – around May – some of the fertilised eggs are reared as queens and she lays unfertilised eggs, which are male. These mate and the new fertilised queens each start a new nest. Early in the winter any recently fertilised queens hibernate, ready to start again next year.

2. Vestal cuckoo bee, Bombus vestalis

This queen-like vestal cuckoo bee has a very similar look to the buff-tailed bumblebee, but has no ‘pollen basket’ as she never collects pollen for anyone else. She is also thick-skinned and aggressive. In spring she enters a buff-tailed bumblebee nest, kills or subdues the resident queen and from them on all the resident bees are caring for the offspring from the eggs she lays.

These offspring are males or females, but not workers that collect food or nest-build. They leave, forage for themselves and mate, then the mated females look for another nest to take over.

3. Early mining bee, Andrena haemorrhoa

These are solitary bees. Both male and female adults emerge in March and mate. Nests are made by mining into soil, usually on warm south-facing banks. Many mining bees prefer light or loose soils, but this one can cope with heavier clays. The nest chambers are constructed, waterproofed and provisioned with nectar and pollen, which is collected via the adapted hairy hind legs and sides of the body. The eggs are laid and the cells sealed. When the eggs hatch, the grubs feed on the food and eventually pupate, ready to hatch as adults the following March.

4. F ork-jawed nomad bee, Nomada ruficornis

These wasp lookalikes emerge in April, mate, then the females begin to search for a victim. This species uses the early mining bee as a host, locating one that has made a tunnel and is filling the nest chamber with food. When no one is looking, she nips in and lays an egg, then the host returns and seals the chamber.

When the nomad egg hatches, it eats first the host’s egg and the food store, then finally pupates ready to emerge as an adult next spring.

5. Patchwork leaf cutter bee, Megachile centuncularis

Another solitary bee, the adults emerge in June and are one of the prettiest bees in the Sherborne area. They mate and make their nests above ground in holes in wood, bramble stems or

the bamboo poles in ‘bee hotels’. First they cut pieces of leaf and carry them to line the tube of the nest site. Then they fill the first cell with nectar and pollen – carried on the orange brush on their tummies – lay an egg and seal the cell. After all that, they start filling the next section with leaves and so on, eventually filling the tube. The first eggs will become females and the latter males, such that next June the males hatch first.

6. Ivy bee, Colletes hederae

Most of the bees mentioned here arrived in mainland Britain soon after the last Ice Age. This bee, however, was first spotted on the mainland in Langton Matravers, Dorset, in 2001, having been described as a new species to science in 1993. It has been slowly spreading north and west and has been common in the Sherborne area for several years. These solitary bees often nest very close to one another. They have a similar year cycle to the mining bees; mating, nest excavation, stocking up with pollen and nectar and the next generation developing underground to emerge the next year. The difference with ivy bees is that the main source of pollen and nectar is ivy, for which peak flowering is in October. As a result they miss a spring and summer of flowers, waiting to emerge in September and make the most of the ivy before the weather deteriorates.

7. Asian hornet, Vespa velutina

The Asian hornet is a large black-and-yellow wasp, darker and slightly smaller than our own native yellow-and-red hornet, vespa crabro. It first arrived in France in 2005, probably accidentally transported in horticultural material from China, and has since spread to much of Western Europe where, as a predator, it is a major threat to honeybees and other pollinators. Plans have been in place for some time to watch likely points of entry into the U.K. and the first Asian hornets were found in Gloucestershire last September. These were destroyed, but the public are being asked to keep watch for other arrivals.

Groups such as BWARS, DEFRA, BBKA, NNSS, MRA, NBU, FERA & CEH provide information, posters and help with identifying bees. There are also a number of mobile phone apps available. ceh.ac.uk, bwars.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 67

Food & Drink

WHAT TO EAT NOW

LATE SUMMER Lisa Osman, All Hallows, AGA-approved School for Cooks & Makers

B

lessed with such a glorious summer this year, harvest has come early. The drivers of the tractors and combine are all working hard in the fields surrounding the village. Whilst in the garden, the plum and damson trees that survived the harsh frost in April have now rewarded us with a bounty of fruit to gather. It is a busy time in the kitchen, preserving as much as we can now so that it can be enjoyed in the months ahead.

sieved fruit to a gin-infused syrup and transform into a decadent dinner-party sorbet.

Damsons

Autumn Raspberries

Definitely one of our favourite fruit. We have planted several young whips in the orchard since we moved to the farmhouse and are fortunate that there is a mature tree within easy view of the kitchen window. Every year I delight in watching it burst into flower each spring.

Now I shall soon be climbing the wall beside it so that I reach to gather every last one.

We love to make damson cheese and have shared the recipe with you this month. This is equally delicious with plums, if they are more easily available to you.

Alternatively, if you have a good supply, try making a damson purée and combining it with rich custard.

Freeze for a seasonal ice cream or, instead, add the

This really is the season of plenty. When you are planning your garden for next year, try to include a few raspberry canes as they will reward you handsomely. They make an ideal conserve for filling cakes and serving with cream teas. If you cannot bear the fuss of removing stones from the larger fruit, there really is no excuse not to pick a few berries and make jam. If you have no aversion to the pips – and I always think it rather a waste to sieve the purée before adding the sugar – then it is possible to pick your own from the garden and for it to be in the pot within 30 minutes. A neat row of scarlet filled jars, labelled and looking tempting on the kitchen table, will no doubt make you feel smug – and deservedly so!

68 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Greengages

Spherical moss-green plums that make fabulous jam.

Admittedly it is a labour of love to remove the stones, but a little time spent quietly in the kitchen will reward you with some store-cupboard treats that will make a great gift, too.

DAMSON CHEESE Seek out culinary plums for this recipe.

Gorgeous, richly flavoured fruit with names such as marjorie’s seedling, laxton’s cropper and monarch plum are best. Alternatively, forage for wild damsons, known as bullace, in the Dorset hedgerows.

Before you dismiss the labour-intensive method this month, I guarantee an hour put aside in the kitchen will be rewarded.

The end result will be two or three jars of a luxurious accompaniment for cheese and charcuterie that is worth the effort.

Ingredients

1.35kg (3lb) cooking plums or damsons 300ml (1/2 pint) water Approx 25g (1oz) butter Approx 450 g (1lb) granulated sugar Method

1 Wash the fruit and cut plums in half, but do not remove stones; damsons can be left whole. Put in a pan with a tight-fitting lid and add the water.

Place on the boiling plate of your AGA and watch carefully as the temperature increases rapidly. Then, when fruit is starting to cook and soften, replace lid and transfer pan into simmering oven for 20-30 minutes, checking half-way through.

2 If using a conventional hob, start cooking over gentle heat and continue slowly with lid on. Take care, as recipe only requires a small amount of water, and

check that pan does not catch. If necessary add a little more water, but keep fruit pulp as dry as possible.

3 Pass fruit through a nylon sieve; this will take time, but is well worth the effort! Discard stones and skin.

Measure pulp and allow 25g (1oz) butter and 450g (1lb) sugar to every 600ml (1 pint) of fruit.

4 Put fruit pulp in a clean pan and place on simmering plate or over a low heat on conventional hob. Stir well and then add sugar and butter, continuing to stir until these ingredients have dissolved. Then increase heat or transfer to AGA boiling plate and boil steadily until setting point (104C-105C with a jam thermometer) has been reached.

5 Spoon into sterilised preserve jars and seal immediately.

For more information about preserves, testing setting points and sterilising jars, visit Lisa’s recipe link at allhallowsfarmhouse.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 69

Food & Drink

FROM DARLING BUDS AND WITHERED LEAVES

I

Michelle and Rob Comins, Comins Tea

n our last article we introduced our business and offered a glimpse into the world of fine tea. A natural next step is to delve a little deeper. There are six categories of tea: black, oolong or wulong, green, white, yellow and pu’er, and in this article we will focus on the four that are most familiar. Before we dive in, it is important to note that true teas are made from the evergreen shrub camellia sinensis. Different types of tea arise from the varying processes that occur once the leaf is picked. To be clear, when others plants such as chamomile, rooibos, verbena or mint are used, with no camellia sinensis present they are classed as tisanes or herbal infusions.

Because many of us drink tea in teabags and rarely see the leaf. When we lay the leaves out at demonstrations or in the shop many people tend to think they are herbal teas due to the vibrant colours and appearance. It is always a great moment to say to people, “No, this is tea; and if you think it looks great, just wait until you taste it!”

With this background now in place, let’s look at four tea categories in a little more detail.

White tea is made of either just buds [silver needle] or buds and leaves [bai mu dan, gong mei, shou mei] that undergo a long withering process, followed by drying. During the withering step there will be some minimal oxidation in the leaf.

Green tea is made from tea leaves that have been ‘withered’ – where their moisture content is reduced, been ‘fixed’ or had the oxidation halted by the application of heat – and then dried.

Oolong or wulong teas are considered semi-oxidised.

As for the other tea types, the leaf undergoes withering and thereafter the tea goes through a stage of rolling or bruising. These can be achieved by different methods, such as shaking or wrapping – ask your tea merchant for guidance. This initiates oxidation, which is halted by fixing and the tea is then dried. The approaches to and methods used for the initiation and stopping of the oxidation are highly variable.

Black tea is, mostly simply, considered fully oxidised.

70 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Leaves undergo withering, rolling, oxidation to a level desired by the tea maker and drying.

It is not just the appearance and flavour of the leaf and the liquor that is different in each type; the way that you enjoy the tea also varies. Different countries and tea cultures have different tea wares and associated tea ceremonies – a topic that requires its own article. these preparations reveal something to us which is that, when enjoying high-quality leaf teas, multiple steepings are generally the norm for green, oolong, white and pu'er teas. In simple terms, this means that per one serving of dry leaf, you can often get upwards of six infusions – and sometimes up to 15, though every tea varies. This is in contrast to teabags which contain very small particles.

Here the flavours come out more quickly due to the large surface area. This is is why we generally tend to use them only once. When people understand this they start to see that, while quality whole-leaf teas cost more per pack, you get a higher number of ‘cups of tea’. Most importantly, you also get more in terms of flavour and experience.

When looking at high-quality leaf teas you need to look at each tea as an individual and treat it as such.

Re-steeping takes the tea drinker on a journey, one of changing flavour and thoughtful appreciation – far from the ‘quick consumer’ approach that has accompanied the commoditisation of tea. Each infusion reveals something subtly different about the tea, which you can either choose to contemplate and enjoy alone or discuss with fellow tea drinkers. Understanding that good-quality tea can cost more but that, on multiple levels, it also delivers more is an area of tea that people are not too familiar with. But with more cafés serving good tea and more UK tea merchants offering advice on how to brew quality tea, we hope it is an area that consumers will embrace. Interested to experience more? Why not call by for a cup of tea? But be careful – once you acquire a taste for great tea, it is hard to turn back! cominstea.com

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 71

Food & Drink

THE CAKE WHISPERER Val Stones

SUMMER FRUIT TARTS

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buy strawberries and raspberries all year round – but when our homegrown summer ones are ready, there is nothing better. There are not many things that can top eating the fresh fruit with cream, ice cream or yoghurt, but a tart is something very special. This recipe gives a crisp buttery case that is just right for filling with either whipped double cream or crème pâtissière, topped with the summer fruits of your choice.

Makes 10 x 10cm tart tins, 6 x 10cm round tartlet tins or a 30cm x 10cm rectangular tart tin

72 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Ingredients

250g plain flour 100g unsalted butter, cubed and slightly softened 100g icing sugar, sifted Pinch of fine sea salt 2 eggs, at room temperature 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 2 punnets of strawberries 2 punnets of raspberries Mint leaves, to garnish Icing sugar, for dusting Fresh cream filling OR 250ml double cream 1/2 tsp vanilla extract 1/2 tsp icing sugar

Crème pâtissière 6 egg yolks, lightly beaten 125g caster sugar 500ml whole milk 1 level tsp vanilla bean paste 50ml double cream

Method

1 First make the pastry. Put the flour on the work surface or in a bowl, and make a well in the centre. Put the butter in the well with the icing sugar and salt, then mix with your fingertips. Begin drawing the flour into the centre until it becomes a rough dough. Make another well in the centre of the flour mixture and add the eggs and the vanilla bean extract. Keep working the mixture lightly until it forms a dough that holds together, then knead until smooth. Roll into a ball and flatten slightly before wrapping in cling film and resting in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

2 While the dough is resting, make your crème pâtissière. Whisk the egg yolks and one-third of the sugar until the mixture thickens and reaches the light ribbon stage, then whisk in the flour until fully combined. Place the milk in a saucepan with the rest of the sugar and the vanilla bean paste and, when the milk mixture comes to the boil, pour it onto the egg yolks, stirring briskly. When fully combined, return the mixture to the pan. Bring it to the boil on a medium heat, stirring continuously with a whisk for two minutes while allowing the mixture to bubble and thicken, then pour it into a bowl.

TIP Crème pâtissière can be made up to three days in advance. To ensure it doesn’t develop a skin, dust with icing sugar then cover with cling film, pressing it on to the surface of the mixture so that the air is pushed out. Allow to cool and then place in the fridge.

3 To make the tarts, roll out the pastry to 2-3mm thick, cut circles from the pastry and place in pastry cases that have been lightly greased with butter, using a rolling pin across the top to remove surplus pastry. For the round tartlets, cut circles using a 3 7/8in, 98mm pastry cutter or use a saucer. Prick the bases with a fork and place in the fridge to rest for 20 minutes before baking. Set the oven to 180C and bake the cases blind for 10-12 mins, then remove the foil and baking beans and bake for a further 5 mins until firm and lightly coloured.

4 If you are going to use the fresh cream filling, whip the cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a bowl until standing in soft peaks. Spoon about 3 tbsp cream into each tart case and arrange the fruit on top so that each tart has about 10 raspberries or 5 strawberries. Add 2-3 mint leaves to garnish.

5 If you are using the crème pâtissière, as begun above, whisk in 50ml double cream to lighten the mixture, as it may have become a little stiff.

Decorate with fruit as above.

TIP Use a piping bag to pipe the cream or creme patisserie into the pastry cases so as not to break the delicate pastry.

6 If you choose to make a large tart, either topping can be spooned in and gently spread to the depth of the tart case, before decorating with fruit and mint leaves. For a variation and additional colour, blueberries can also be added. bakerval.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 73

Food & Drink

LAMB BITOCHKI

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

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amb bitochki is a spiced lamb dish from the Caucasus where I grew up and is a firm favourite with our customers at The Green. It has a lovely spiced flavour which always reminds me of home.

Ingredients (serves 6)

For the minted yoghurt 250g natural yoghurt 1 tsp mint, freshly chopped Salt and pepper

Ingredients

1 Mix the lamb mince thoroughly with the spices, salt and breadcrumbs.

2 Beat the garlic, lemon juice and egg together and add to the lamb mixture.

3 Once combined, weigh out 100g portions and shape them into diamonds, the traditional bitochki shape.

4 Cook them in a large frying pan on both sides, then place in an oven at 180C for around 6 or 7 mins.

5 Let them rest for a few minutes and serve with minted yoghurt.

500g lean minced lamb 100g sourdough breadcrumbs 1 tbsp ground cumin seeds 1 tbsp ground coriander seeds 1 tbsp fennel seeds 1 tsp smoked paprika ½ tsp cayenne pepper 1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 tbsp banana shallots, finely chopped 1 egg Juice from 1 lemon 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 74 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Method

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 75

Food & Drink

Leading grower Istvan Sepsy (L) shows David Copp his dry wine vineyard

TOKAJ David Copp

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he timeless little town of Tokaj has a thoroughly with benefits that contribute to making delicate unpretentious air. Its narrow cobbled streets and wonderfully elegant sweet wines that have been and faded yellow baroque buildings give it a appreciated down the ages. modest appearance – and yet it is the capital of one of The region was formed some 15 million years ago the world’s very greatest wine regions. when erupting volcanoes deposited lava, forming hard, It may not compare in size and grandeur with igneous rock. The whole region was then submerged by Bordeaux or Oporto; it is not quite as smart as Beaune the Mediterranean which, when it receded, left valuable or Jerez, but it shares with those cities a long and clay deposits. Later, volcanic action added wind-borne rich history. Also like them, it has been recognised by deposits of loamy loess. Clay soils produce full-bodied UNESCO for its significant contribution to European wines, while nyirok, or clay mixed with broken rock, wine culture and is a recognised World Heritage Site. produces wines with fine acidity; refined and elegant Great wine evolves from landscape. The combination wines with an attractive honeyed aroma. of volcanic soils, extraordinary climatic conditions, longLocated at global coordinates 48 N 21 E, Tokaj has established cultivars and deep, cool cellars all contribute well-defined seasons. Winters are short and sharp, while to producing great Aszú (pronounced ossu) wines. spring comes early and is followed by warm summers.

Aszú is best translated as ‘shrivelled grapes’. In However, it is the long, sunny autumns – which allow autumn, before the harvest, Tokaj’s unique microclimate the grapes to go on ripening well into October – that causes noble rot to attack the grapes, making them really make the difference. shrivel. Instead of being harmed, the Lake fruit Garda is endowed and River Sarca near InTorbole, the autumn Northern the summer Italy heat generated by the 76 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Great Hungarian Plain hovers over the cooler waters the more remarkable. of the region’s rivers, causing heavy morning mists.

István Szepsy, widely regarded as the father of When these mists are dispersed by the mid-morning modern Tokaj, has dedicated his life to producing grapes sunshine, the combination of humidity and warm air to make fine wine. He has acquired prime sites in all the causes the thin skin of the grapes to split. This allows the great vineyards around Mád and certainly knows how to moisture in them to seep away, leaving the grapes full get the best results from them. His wines are expensive, of concentrated sugar but if you really want to and fine organic acids. taste the finest Tokaji The miracle of Tokaj dry, late-harvest and is that noble rot forms Aszú, then persist in on the skins and seals finding his wine through the grapes, closing the agent Top Selection. You fruit to any harmful will not be disappointed. microorganisms.

The other producer I When these rotten must mention is Royal berries are carefully Tokaji, because their handpicked and gently wines are relatively pressed under their own well distributed in weight, the grape juice England and available is four or five times through Waitrose and as sweet as normal.

Majestic. Royal Tokaji However, the sweetness also produce some of is balanced by very fine their Aszú wines in 25 acids. It is this balance cl bottles, which make of sugars and acids it possible to try them that makes the wine so without enormous exceptional to taste. outlay. Hugh Johnson, Tokaj was the first the doyen of wine of the world’s great writers and a great sweet wines and was admirer of Tokaj, was the ultimate gift from a founder member of monarch to monarch. It the company and chose was also recognised by Szepsy as their first Madame de Pompadour winemaker before Istvan as a great aphrodisiac started his own business. and by many in the Royal Tokaji also own medical profession as a Aszú ‘shrivelled grapes’. a prime site in the Mád lifesaver. When a famous Basin and on Tokaj Hill old gentleman was near death, his son brought him and were the first to produce single vineyard wines from some Tokaji Aszú. Within days he was up and about their first-class vineyards. and writing to Berry Bros & Rudd, the London Wine If you are starting your appreciation of Tokaj I Merchants who supplied the wine, for more of the Tokaj suggest their late-harvest wine, which is generally which “loosed the nails from the coffin lid”. available at around £12 at Majestic. The Aszú 5p is The main growing areas – the Mád Basin, Tokaj available at the Wine Society at £24 a 50cl bottle, but Hill and around Erdőbénye – are plated with furmint, 25cl bottles can be had for around £13. Late-harvest hárslevelű and muscat. Because of the excellence of its wines are fresh and rich and support acidic foods such wines, Tokaj attracts the very best winemakers, including as goose and duck liver, preferably without garlic and several brilliant young women. I wish I had space to tell onion. These are also good with Aszú wines, but I prefer you about all of them, but I must limit myself to two of creamy Roquefort to match the richness. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 77

Animal Care

SUMMER’S HIDDEN HAZARDS

Mark Newton-Clarke, MA VetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons

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lthough the weather has been hot and dry, slugs and snails are still a plague in many of our gardens. With the dangers of lungworm ever in our minds, the temptation to use metaldehydecontaining products is always there, despite the dangers to wildlife and our own domestic pets.

We have seen several cases of slug bait poisoning recently, happily all with successful outcomes. The most recent was a naughty young terrier, who was spotted shivering and shaking. The owner quickly put two and two together and rushed in to see us even though it was late. Just as well, because the time between ingestion and getting medical treatment is just as critical as the amount of toxin ingested. Minutes count, as the moment poisons leave the stomach and enter the small intestine, absorption is hard to stop – and there is no antidote for metaldehyde. Our first action is to make the patient sick and, in this case, bright blue crystals were swiftly produced. Kate and I were still not happy, as we had no accurate estimate of how much had been eaten. Result: gastric lavage, or stomach pump. In dogs and cats this requires general anaesthesia if the patient is conscious, as they cannot tolerate a stomach tube being passed orally.

In horses, where use of a stomach tube is commonplace, a wide enough tube can be passed through the nose. The whole episode reminded both of us of our past lives as equine vets and we both agreed that such matters were now best left to our large animal colleagues.

I am happy to say that the patient made a full 78 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

recovery, but still needed a night of constant monitoring and regular treatment to stop tremors and the potential for seizures. So a successful outcome this time, but a timely reminder about the dangers of slug bait.

Warm summer nights encourage our feline companions outside to enjoy their nocturnal activities.

Unfortunately this can be risky, as most cats are hit by cars at night and fight wounds can be hidden by the morning, allowing them to fester over the following days. Although we have seen a reduction in road traffic accidents in the last few years, the last few weeks has bucked the trend. The moral of this is to keep wandering pussy cats indoors at night, if at all possible.

High summer also brings with it a regular flow of canine cases, with grass seeds embedded in almost every part of the body. Usually between the toes, in the ears, the eyes or just burrowing into armpit or groin, the spikey little awns can cause devastation if allowed to reach deeper tissues. Even worse than grass seeds are ears of corn, dislodged when ripe by a dog running through the crop with its mouth open. These foreign bodies go straight down the windpipe and into the deeper part of the lung, making their retrieval a specialist job, if possible at all. My advice is to avoid cereal crops and go for the field that has been recently cut and baled for silage, providing it is a footpath and there is no stock, as this is much safer. newtonclarkevet.com

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www.newtonclarkevet.com sherbornetimes.co.uk | 79

On Foot

SHERBORNE TO TEMPLECOMBE

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Nicky King, The Eastbury Hotel and The Three Wishes

alking can be a little bit more difficult to fit in at this time of year; the changes in the restaurant have meant that I’ve had less time to research new walks. Luckily there is an army of walkers in Sherborne with a great list of walks that they are happy to recommend to me. Friends recently suggested a fantastic walk which leaves from Sherborne and you end up catching the train back from Templecombe. As always, I am tempted by any walk that rewards you with a pub at the end or part-way round and this walk certainly does that. At approximately 12 miles long it is not for the faint-hearted, but it is certainly rewarding with beautiful views, interesting and quaint villages and lots of variety.

From Sherborne set off to Oborne, over the ridge to Milborne Wick and then head north towards Charlton Horethorne. Just before you get to Charlton Horethorne you head north west on the bridleway and eventually find yourself in Horsington, where refreshments can be found at the Half Moon Inn. A short walk to Templecombe station will allow you to catch the train and alight at the next stop, which is Sherborne.

Recent walks have been quite a challenge for our border terrier. The warm weather does not seem to suit him at all and the long grass that he insists upon bouncing across – as a springer spaniel might do – results in an exhausted dog! Add to the mix the hares and deer we seem to have encountered recently and he is probably covering three times the distance I do. No wonder we don’t hear another peep from him when we get home, as he lies exhausted on top of someone’s feet.

Thanks to all who took part in our wordsearch in June and huge congratulations to Michaela Franchini, who won dinner for two and a bottle of house wine! theeastburyhotel.co.uk thethreewishes.co.uk

80 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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Cycling

ROUTE IT OUT Mike Riley, Riley’s Cycles

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his month we will miss Peter Henshaw’s entertaining style. The unfortunate reason is that Peter is recovering from a road accident in hospital. I am sure readers will join me and the editorial team in wishing Peter a speedy recovery. Although Peter was not on a bicycle, it prompts me to ponder how we can share our roads safely by showing consideration for others.

Before I heard of Peter’s accident, on Sunday I took the scenic route home via Batcombe Down, providing time to reflect. On Wednesday evening’s Digby Etape club ride and heading out of town, a pedestrian walking a pack of dogs chided us that motorists could not pass our group. We were about to turn off the main road to avoid traffic, so I did not pay much heed. I reflected on the dog walker’s attitude as follows: 1. Why does doggy person 82 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

think it is her business? 2. Doggy person was an animal fan; if we rode horses would her reaction change? 3. Does doggy person know what it is like riding a bicycle? I realise I had built a mental image of the dog walker as an animal loving 4x4 driver who thought cyclists a nuisance, but I resent people who do not appreciate cycling or show consideration. 4. Does it matter who is right? The essential point is that if a cyclist, pedestrian or animal has an argument with a car, everyone loses. The non-motorist may be injured and a motorist with any compassion would have a burden on their conscience. Even if they didn’t care, they would still face prosecution.

I then contrasted this with experiences abroad.

Recently, while cycling in Greece among olive groves and vineyards, Greek drivers were considerate and

patient; they gave a toot to let you know they were passing with a wide berth and even stopped to let cyclists pull out. Years ago, I worked and cycled in Holland, where Dutch law says a motorist is automatically at fault when in a collision with a cyclist.

This makes safety a clear priority.

I may seem to have an ‘us and them’ attitude and admit I am no saint. To present a less biased view, I observe that stupidity is shared. Cyclists, pedestrians and motorists are all at it, stepping off the pavement without looking, driving a car holding a phone to their ear or cycling the wrong way up a one-way street. I was reminded that ‘to assume makes an ass of u and me’ when I passed the scene of a cyclist and car collision one evening at Acreman Street junction. After

assessing the situation was controlled, I fumed about reckless car drivers. The next day, when the bicycle I saw in the road was brought in for repair, I discovered that the cyclist rode the wrong way down Trendle Street and was knocked off. Then I saw it was the shaken car driver who I should have felt aggrieved for!

Continuing my ride in Leigh, I came across a horse rider with her hands full, escorting a second horse. She saw me stop at the junction and considerately gestured me to go ahead.

This brrrings me onto bell etiquette – on shared routes a cyclist should warn of their approach with a bell ring. The bell’s tone and proximity may elicit different responses, so ring early to give plenty of warning. Our shop bells and horns are tested by visiting children, so I have become a connoisseur. The Leslie Philips ‘ding-dong’ bell has a mellow tone, a horn is the comedy option, the ‘ting-a-ling’ bell is friendly, but the ‘ping’ bell is strident.

Climbing the last hill into Sherborne, I was passed by a car who left very little room because another car was coming the other way as they overtook. A few seconds or metres on they turned left into a farmhouse drive, so why the haste? This reminded me of Darren’s recent experience when he set off cycle touring. He had only reached Bishop’s Caundle before he was forced off the road by a truck. As my ride concluded I also drew my conclusions. Humans are fragile compared to a vehicle, we have to share routes, so let us all be considerate. Motorists, please give cyclists a wide space and have the patience to wait for a safe passing opportunity. Cyclists, respect pedestrians and animals and try not to frustrate drivers. Pedestrians - be more alert.

One way to avoid frustrating motorists and make cycling safer is separate cycle routes. Oxfordshire Cycling Network has launched a Strategic Cycle Network plan. This draws upon Bristol’s experience, where campaigners invested in a costed and clear plan showing economic benefits in a well-presented form, which the council adopted outright in 2013. These plans identified benefits from cycling including health service savings, improved journey times, less pressure on roads and parking and reduced congestion. Sherborne council have made cycle-friendly improvements in town, but could we develop a cohesive strategy for linking Sherborne with safe routes to popular destinations? dcn.org.uk rileyscycles.co.uk GC - Wishing you a full and speedy recovery Peter. sherbornetimes.co.uk | 83

Body & Mind

WHAT TO WEAR Linsday Punch, Stylist

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f all the questions I receive from new clients, the one I seem to get the most is a variation on the theme of age-appropriate dressing.

“Can I wear miniskirts?”, “Can I go sleeveless?”, “How do I wear leather?”, “Am I trying to look too young?” Many women believe in age-related fashion statements, but age is just a number and doesn’t define who you are.

Dressing your age means feeling comfortable in your own skin and embracing what you have. What does ‘age-appropriate’ actually mean? What is appropriate for one person can be very different for another. I have the pleasure of working with women every week who are in their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond. My advice to them is individual, as we all have our own ideas of what ‘style’ is.

An important aspect of dressing your age is refining and relying on a go-to look, or ‘uniform’. Your uniform develops with a sense of what is flattering for your figure, your personality and your lifestyle. A classic look with a little edge, style and polish can be as simple as dark indigo jeans paired with a lightweight cashmere from The Circus or a beautiful silk blouse from White Feather; both boutiques are in Sherborne. Alternatively, if someone has a more romantic style personality this can be showcased with floral, feminine dresses, which work whether you’re 35 or 75. A floral dress doesn’t have to come from the reliable Phase Eight or Mistral; try River Island, Topshop and Zara, stores you may find off-putting because of the crop tops and bomber jackets they place in the windows.

There is always something for everyone, but if you feel overwhelmed by the endless rails you can guarantee any personal shopper or stylist will know the shop floor and can pinpoint perfect pieces just for you.

When it comes to adding interest, this can be achieved by layering. The simplest of silhouettes can be layered with a tuxedo blazer or a classic leather biker 84 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

jacket – a big trend for the last few seasons and a piece that can be worn both today and in years to come. Take Helen Mirren (in her 70s) and Alexa Chung (in her 30s) for example. Both favour this style and embody casual style and sophistication.

Classics like the much loved Chanel-inspired bouclé jacket are beautiful, but if paired with a little black dress and round-toe ballet flats the look can be a little twee.

This is fine if you want a sweet and pretty look, but if you would like something more modern, pair it with jeans or, dare I say it, leather trousers. A sharp intake of breath is often heard when I suggest that and the declaration, “I couldn’t possibly wear leather trousers at my age!” But take Angela Rippon as an example, who recently stated that leather trousers are “really quite practical”. Her opinion caused a huge debate on whether a woman in her 70s should be wearing leather, to which Angela quite rightly responded that “a woman in her 70s should wear whatever she feels like wearing.”

What about shorter skirts? Legs will elongate the shorter you dare to go. If you feel uncomfortable at the thought of baring your knees, the autumn is the perfect time to experiment with skirts as you can wear a 100/120-denier tight with an above-the-knee A-line.

There is no sheerness to them, so it is a bit like wearing a legging but with a little more finesse. Add a blockheeled boot and you have an effortlessly stylish look. I see plenty of 40- and 50-something women wearing shorter skirts and they look fabulous.

It takes maturity and confidence to define your style.

Looking age-appropriate and stylish is all about what feels right, so dress for you and don’t worry about what everyone else thinks. lindsaypunchstyling.co.uk facebook.com/lindsaypunchstyling

BUSTING THE BREAKOUTS Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

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imultaneously battling breakouts and wrinkles doesn’t seem fair. After all, isn’t acne something teenagers deal with? Unfortunately for millions of adults, acne is not always outgrown.

Acne arising in adulthood is more likely to be inflammatory, with fewer comedones (blackheads) than teenage skin and with breakouts predominantly located around the mouth, chin and jawline. Likewise adults often have sensitised skin, or a combination of skin conditions, which makes it more challenging to treat than a more resilient oily teenage skin. Adult cases of acne are typically deeper, more painful and more persistent than teenage acne, which can be particularly frustrating for those who were spared outbreaks as teenagers.

The primary catalyst of adult acne is chronic stress: the constant, continued and heightened level of stress that throws our adrenal glands into overdrive. Balancing personal and professional responsibilities makes this generation of adults the most time-compressed generation in history.

While stress creates the trigger for acne, there are four main factors that contribute to its development on your skin. Overactive sebaceous glands create enlarged pores and increased oil production, especially on the T-zone, while cell accumulation causes skin cells to become oilier and stickier at the opening of the follicle, forming a blockage. Bacteria trapped inside leads to the formation of a pustule (spot) and infection, then finally we have inflammation, or redness and tenderness, which occurs from the blockage and infection present in the skin.

In order to control acne it is important to prevent the blockages happening at the opening of the skin follicle.

Thoroughly cleansing the face and neck twice a day with suitable products will remove the surface oils that stick the skin cells together at the follicle opening, helping to release blockages. Do not use products that overstrip the skin, as this in turn will encourage your skin to produce more oil and be counterproductive. Removal of dead surface-skin cells through regular exfoliation will also improve texture and remove impactions in the skin before they lead to pustules. Always be careful to exfoliate around active and healing breakouts, so that they may heal and not be aggravated further. Whilst a breakout can be frustrating, it is important not to pick and squeeze a spot as it can force bacteria back down the follicle, resulting in dermal inflammation and scarring.

Cleansing and exfoliating products that contain anti-bacterial ingredients to help control bacteria formation in the breakout are also recommended.

Look for ingredients such as salicylic acid, tea tree oil, rosemary extract and benzoyl peroxide. Breakouts on the mend need the application of anti-inflammatory repairing agents to soothe and promote healing. Green tea, oat extract and camphor are beneficial examples of ingredients that can help to lessen the scarring often associated with acne.

Living with adult acne can be distressing and frustrating, but in most cases it can be improved. Support following consultation and skin analysis can provide skin solutions using advanced professional skin treatments and products. These, alongside the right products used at home, can help to expedite results and win the battle. thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 85

Body & Mind

ADULT SWIMMING a teacher’s perspective

Heather Crewe, Swim School & Aquatics Manager, Oxley Sports Centre

T

here are more adults that can’t swim than we think. There could be several reasons for this: perhaps they never had the opportunity when younger, were frightened of the water, had a bad experience as a child which has carried through into adulthood or had too much pride and felt stupid trying to learn, especially as an adult. Do any of the above apply to you?

I have heard many of the above when adults come to join my lesson. When adults do eventually pluck up the courage to come along they suddenly realise that, for all the reasons they never came before, there are others who feel exactly the same. It’s knowing that you are not alone and, believe me, you really aren’t.

The main thing to have is confidence, to take that initial leap to just do it – and I can 99% guarantee that you won’t regret it. Finding the right sports centre and teacher is of paramount importance. There are a lot of great teachers out there, but there are also teachers who you won’t gel with. If you’ve had a bad experience with one centre or one teacher, don’t give up. The right one is out there for you, so keep looking.

So why swim? What will you get out of it? Where do you start? Swimming is beneficial for so many reasons. It can provide an aerobic workout and also builds muscle because of the resistance provided by the water, which 86 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

helps with blood sugar control. It’s a low-impact exercise, but will work nearly all the muscles in your body without putting your joints under stress. Research has shown that swimming and water exercise programs can help lower blood pressure. You also burn calories, so it helps you lose weight. Swimming for weight loss has been regularly praised for its cardiovascular health benefits, especially for older people. Doctors and many medical practitioners will suggest swimming for rehabilitation of both your body and your mind. Swimming can act as an amazing de-stresser after a long day at work or a bad day at home, it will boost your mood, release feel-good chemicals in your body and rejuvenate you on all levels. You also get to meet other likeminded adults, so there’s a great social element there too.

So what do you need to do it? Well, obviously a swimsuit or trunks are essential. Investing in a pair of goggles, a hat and/or ear plugs are also important, but not essential.

Still need convincing? Here are some quotes from a few of the adults I have had the pleasure of teaching.

“I came to swimming lessons afraid to put my face into the water. Not only did I manage that in my first lesson, I have been known to stand on the bottom of the deep end. This is obviously due to a massive increase in confidence brought

ANOTHER LITTLE WORLD

about by the huge support and encouragement of Heather and others in the class.” JB “I was inspired to learn to swim while watching my partner’s granddaughters swimming so easily during their lessons. I doubt I will ever reach their standard, but I have managed to become quite confident in the water, even at the deep end. My aim now is to be able to swim a length with ease. It might take a little more time, but with Heather’s help and instruction, I believe I can do it.” DC “Having had some very bad experiences of trying to learn to swim as a child, I was determined to overcome my fears and give adult swimming lessons a try. As a hardened non-swimmer, the most difficult part was plucking up the courage to go to my first lesson. It actually took me several months before I could cross the threshold and take my first nervous steps into the water. I needn’t have worried, though, as the staff were so helpful and supportive. After just a few lessons I was able to put my head under the water and take my feet off the bottom in the shallow end without fear of being out of my depth. After a few more sessions I had the confidence to swim half a length on my front and my back. I couldn’t believe I was actually swimming.

I would now class myself as an adult improver and I’m gradually mastering my breathing and stroke techniques.

I’ve even managed to float in the deep end and completed my first ever length of a pool unaided. It is so empowering being able to swim and I would encourage all you nonswimmers out there to give adult lessons a try. Not only is it a great way to keep fit, it’s also very sociable and great fun. It’s been one of the most positive experiences of my life and I would thoroughly recommend it.” RS “This gives me an opportunity to thank you so much for helping me to overcome my 49-and-a-half-year-long fear of water. You were so patient, kind and good-humoured.

Everything you said was proved right, so my trust in you quickly grew. It’s easy to forget that less than a year ago I wouldn’t put my face in the water or go out of my depth. Now I’m regularly swimming 30-40 lengths properly. I’m especially grateful as it’s helped my shoulder issues. Mostly, though, you’ve helped me see that what I thought was impossible was possible. I now swim three to four times a week and it’s relaxing, stress-relieving and helps with fitness.” JD Come on, have a go, what have you got to lose? oxleysc.com

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 87

Body & Mind

SUMMER SUN AND ANTIOXIDANTS Loretta Lupi-Lawrence, The Sherborne Rooms

T

he carefree days of summer are finally here and, as we don swimsuits and head for the beaches, are we looking after our skin as well as we should be?

In mid-June the UK had a mini heatwave and our family drove to a local lido, seeking fun in the sun and splashing in the pools. We put sun cream on as soon as we arrived, then went off to the splash park. Only thinking of the children, as parents often do, I had forgotten about myself in all the toddler excitement of getting to the water to play. Later that day my back started to feel very sore, especially when the little ones, worn out after a day of fun, began to cling onto me like monkeys! My red, painful sunburn smarted for at least a week and it got me pondering, what lasting effect does sun damage have on our skin?

Cut an apple in half and leave it to the air and the flesh will start to go brown. This is the work of free radicals and it is part of the oxidisation process; the skin would normally provide protection from this process. In essence, this is what we need to protect our skin – a ‘layer’ between ourselves and the free radicals. Since no one can prescribe that, we need to learn how to fight them before any changes happen. In the case of the browning apple, if you put lemon juice on it you will see that browning process is halted. The vitamin C in the lemon is the antioxidant.

Other stressors that can affect our body and create oxidised cells are pollution, stress and a poor diet, but clever antioxidants will repair some of that damage.

88 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Our younger selves can create more antioxidants in our body to try and deal with the damage, but this declines as we get older. So where can we find these antioxidants? Our first ports of call are food, such as turmeric and blackberries, as well as skincare and supplements. Being a Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic consultant, I would turn to Wild Rose Beauty Balm, the Frankincense Intense range, our Super Antioxidant Boost supplement to provide protection from within and Rebalance Superfood, which contains adaptogens to help relieve stress.

Skin cells are damaged in the sun, causing the ageing process to speed up. This is in addition to the free radicals in the air as a result of pollution and the stress our bodies go through in our day-to-day lives.

Thankfully my own sunburn was eased considerably using Chamomile & Aloe Vera After Sun, Wild Rose Body Elixir and Frankincense Facial Oil, all from Neal’s Yard Remedies Organic.

Staying out of the sun is our best option, but if you decide to go out and enjoy the weather, protect yourself.

Use sunscreen, take on antioxidants in whichever form suits you and, if you are a parent, don’t forget to protect yourself too! thesherbornerooms.com You can visit Loretta at her Wellness Wednesday free Summer Skin workshop, 9th August, 45 mins at 1pm and 7pm. Booking essential.

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

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

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56 Cheap St, Sherborne DT9 3BJ

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

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 sherbornetimes.co.uk | 89

Body & Mind

SUMMER, SALADS AND SUPPLEMENTS

Sarah Attwood, Cert. ASK Kinesiologist, Thrive Health and Wellness

O

ne question I get asked a lot is, “I’m eating lots of salads at the moment, do I need to take additional vitamins?”

Eating a healthy, rainbow diet – meaning lots of different-coloured fruit and vegetables – is a great start.

However, the short answer is that even with a ‘perfect’ diet, many things — including depleted soils and the storage and transportation of food— make it impossible for you to get the nutrients you need solely from the foods you eat. While getting a high vitamin content of one type, you may still find yourself deficient in other areas, so incorporating nutritional supplements can help lead to optimal health.

As with many things in life, less is more. Whilst I am a big supporter of supplements, don’t go overboard with the amount you take as your body can only cope with so many. Supplements do exactly that – they supplement your lifestyle. Use them as a top-up to help maintain optimum vitamin and mineral levels. Do bear in mind that any pre-existing medical conditions and medication you may be taking may have an effect on these, so do check with your practitioner.

90 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

Let’s start at the very beginning

There are always times when our body needs a helping hand, when we are tired and stressed, feeling run down and when our diet is not as balanced as we’d like it to be.

Start with the most beneficial nutritional support of all: water. About 60% of our body is water and it is essential for our maintaining and protecting our cells and organs, as well as maintaining electrolyte and pH balance.

Keep well hydrated by increasing water, squash and herbal teas, whilst being mindful of caffeine intake.

Consider following the French style of drinking a glass of water alongside caffeinated drinks to replace the moisture.

What to take

Beneficial for all: • Multimineral and vitamin – ensures sufficient top-up across the board • Essential fatty acids, including omega 3,6,9 – protects cell membranes, aid hydration and support joints For specific areas: • Vitamin B – energy production, immune function and iron absorption. Essential during periods of

fatigue and stress • Vitamin C – supports immune system and provides antioxidants • Vitamin D – essential for healthy bones in adults and children, particularly during October to March, plus supports the immune system and mind • Magnesium – supports muscle function, bone growth and energy production. Essential for sporty types • Zinc – this important mineral supports a healthy immune system and the growth of hair, skin and nails For children, I recommend a multi supplement containing vitamins A, C and D. It is hard to ensure children eat a balanced diet as many go through stages of being fussy eaters, so a broad-spectrum supplement will support this.

Are all vitamins the same?

Unfortunately not, that would make life too easy!

To ensure you get the maximum benefit and cost efficiency, try to look for the purest form available – ideally in a food-soluble variety to allow maximum absorption. This may mean a change from your traditional high-street brands, but I am confident you will see a difference. My top picks for reasonable pricing include Neal’s Yard Remedies, Cytoplan, Nutri Advanced, Metabolics and BioCare.

Kinesiology

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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

Things to watch out for:

There are some ‘fillers’ that are best to avoid: • Bulking agents – which top up the content of the pills or capsules • Binders – used to stick ingredients together in a tablet • Anti-caking agents – to stop the ingredients clogging up machines • Carriers – to maintain a powder consistency • Preservatives – to save ingredients from spoiling • Sweeteners – to add flavour; look for words ending in -’ose‘ This can be confusing so, as said before, always seek advice. I’d be delighted to help identify your nutritional needs and muscle test to find out which supplements you really need to take. If in doubt, start with a good multimineral and vitamin and try adding even more colour into your salads. thrivehealthwellness.co.uk

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

• Podiatry and Chiropody • Manual Lymphatic Drainage • Soft Tissue Therapy, Sports & Remedial Massage Therapy • Hopi Ear Candle Therapy

Tel: 01963 251860

www.56londonroad.co.uk Email: info@56londonroad.co.uk 56 London Road, Milborne Port, Sherborne DT9 5DW Free Parking and Wheelchair access sherbornetimes.co.uk | 91

Body & Mind

HERE’S HOPING Suzie Abbott, The London Road Clinic

T

he Hopi ear candle, also known as thermal auricular therapy, is a pleasant and non-invasive treatment of the ears, used to treat a variety of conditions. It is believed that the Ancient Greeks used the candles initially for cleansing, purifying and healing on a spiritual basis, but much later a purely physical basis. However, it was via the Native American Hopi Indians of North Arizona (‘Hopi’ means peaceful people) that the practice reached the modern world.

The candles are still made today, based on the traditional formula originating from Hopi Indians. The candles are made of natural ingredients which include beeswax, honey extract and originally grown flax. These are combined with powdered Indian medicinal herbs such as sage, St John’s Wort and chamomile, well known for their healing powers. I use Biosun Hopi candles, which are the only ear candle registered as a Class IIa medical device.

The candles have a purely physical function and work on a chimney principle, drawing impurities to the surface where they can gently be removed. The movement of the flame creates a vibration of air in the candle, generating a massage effect on the eardrum. This induces a soothing feeling of warmth and a balance of pressure in the ears, forehead and sinuses.

Hopi is an alternative method of treating irritation in the ears, build-up of ear wax, migraines, headaches, sinusitis, rhinitis, glue ear, colds and flu. It is an excellent form of relaxation or stress relief and can be an 92 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

alternative to ear syringing.

Hopi ear candling is suitable for men, women and children of all ages. It is safe and enjoyable therapy, but there are some medical conditions where it may not be advisable to carry out treatment, which is why it is important to have a full consultation before commencing. Hopi candles should not be used if you have grommets in the ear, or if there is inflammation or infection present. You should not undergo treatment if you have a perforated ear drum, have had recent ear surgery or if you are allergic to any of the ingredients in the candle.

If you are under medical supervision for any earrelated conditions, you should seek approval from your doctor or consultant first.

A typical treatment entails lying comfortably on your side. A lit candle will then be placed gently – but not fully – inside the ear canal and held vertically in place.

You will experience a pleasant crackling sound as the candle burns and a warm, comfortable feeling. When complete, the candle is gently removed while you lie for a few moments before turning over to treat the other ear.

Treatment lasts approximately 45 minutes and includes a mini facial, which helps to improve removal of impurities that may have been released during treatment.

To book an appointment or find out more, contact Suzie Abbott at The London Road Clinic.

56londonroad.co.uk

SHINGLES – PREVENTION AND TREATMENT Dr Tim Robinson MB BS MSc MRCGP DRCOG MFHom, GP and Complementary Practitioner, Glencairn House

S

hingles is a blistering skin rash overlying a nerve anywhere on the body surface. It is due to chicken pox virus – also known as varicella-zoster virus or herpes zoster – which is normally dormant in an individual nerve, but becomes active and erupts along the line of that specific nerve. Shingles is common – about one person in four will get shingles in their lifetime.

This may happen if there is impaired immunity due to stress, another illness or old age – it is more common in over-50s – but often no cause is identified. The rash only occurs on one side of the body and appears as a red band of small chicken pox blisters, anywhere from head to toe. It can affect the face, forehead and around the eye. It is burning hot and extremely sensitive to touch. It takes about two weeks for the rash to clear and the blisters to scab over. When the scabs have formed, it is no longer infectious. Shingles is only infectious to people who have not had chicken pox; you cannot catch shingles if you have had chicken pox. If you have not had chicken pox and are in contact with someone with shingles you may develop chicken pox, not shingles – I hope that is not too confusing!

Conventional treatment for shingles is an anti-viral drug called Aciclovir, prescribed by your GP. The sooner this is started the better, both to limit the extent and severity of the rash and minimise the chance of developing the main complication of shingles – namely post-herpetic neuralgia. This is a persistent severe knife-like pain that can last for three to six months but sometimes years after the rash has cleared. It is treated with neuralgia-killing medication such as amitriptyline, gabapentin or pregabalin. Studies have shown that a TENS machine can also be effective.

Prevention against shingles is achieved through immunisation. This is now offered on the NHS by your GP, a national programme for the immunisation of patients turning 70 and a catch-up programme for those older patients started in 2013. Although it does not guarantee protection, it is effective in reducing the chance of developing shingles in about 40% of patients who have been immunised. If shingles does develop, the symptom severity is greatly reduced and the incidence of neuralgia pain drops by 67%. Each injection costs the NHS £99 and the health service obviously considers this to be a worthwhile spend.

Complementary treatment for shingles is with homeopathy. Rhus tox derived from poison ivy is the main medicine, particularly if the rash makes the patient very restless.

Ranunculus bulbosus, from the buttercup, is also effective if the rash occurs on the chest and the pain is shooting in nature. These are remedies that I have found effective in dampening down the pain of post-herpetic neuralgia when the conventional medicines listed above have failed. Herbal cream called Capsaicin, made from chilli pepper and bought from health food stores, can also help relieve post-herpetic neuralgia. doctortwrobinson.com glencairnhouse.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 93

Brister&Son Independent Family Funeral Directors

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

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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 94 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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01935 873033

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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

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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

Lettings & Property Management

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 97

Property

FRANKLY SPEAKING Luke Pender-Cudlip, Office Head, Knight Frank Sherborne

T

hey say you shouldn’t talk about religion or politics in polite company. In reality, though, as a summer evening draws in, people will often share their views on a whole host of topics. Second only to discussions about the weather, I’ve found that property is often one of the easiest ways to break the conversational ice and, fortunately for me, I have 30 years’ experience to draw on!

So this month, I thought I would share two of the common questions I’ve been asked when people discover that, for my sins, I am an estate agent.

What is the market like right now and what effect have recent political events had on property?

Despite a number of the recent global events including the General Election, Brexit, the American election and Stamp Duty changes, our office in Sherborne has had its best financial year since 2006. In fact, year on year, sales are up 50%. Following the UK election the phones have certainly been quieter, but the quality and number of buyers is greater. We have recently had a raft of offers across the market at all price ranges, with two £5m+ sales concluded in the last couple of months, though 81% of our sales have been between £500,000 and £1.5m. So the market is definitely still buoyant across the board.

98 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

What is the market going to be like for the rest of the year?

The above successes are cold comfort if your house is not selling and has been on the market for some time.

Selling can be a lengthy process but usually, when you have made the decision to make a move, you want to get on with it. There are positives at the moment – sterling is attractively positioned, unemployment and interest rates remain low and equities are buoyant. These are all conditions that are conducive for investment in property and, indeed, properties are generally spending less time on the market at the moment than this time last year. For most people, the mantra seems to be, ‘business as usual’.

When thinking about your own property I would always signal the three ‘P’s: patience, persistence and price. Patience, that in time someone will fall for the house in the same way you did. Persistence – which must come from your agent – in never giving up and in having complete faith in your property. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, price – ensuring it is correct, to stimulate interest.

For a more in-depth insight on the property market, both locally and globally, visit Knight Frank’s new blog knightfrank.co.uk/blog

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 Partner, 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

Property

IS YOUR TENANCY AGREEMENT FIT FOR PURPOSE? Paul Gammage and Anita Light, Ewemove Sherborne

W

ith so much political upheaval over the last couple of years and so many changes to legislation, it is easy to lose track of what affects you. It is more important than ever before to protect your position as well as ensure you are legally compliant, by having in place a correctly prepared tenancy agreement.

Safety Certificate, the Energy Performance Certificate and the latest update of the Government’s How to Rent Guide. If you don’t provide these, then you cannot issue a Section 21. You will, therefore, need to be able to prove that you complied with these requirements – and making them part of your tenancy agreement is a sensible way to do this.

Does the following sound familiar?

2 Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms Since 1st October 2015, private landlords in England have had to ensure that there is a smoke alarm on each floor of the property and a carbon monoxide alarm fitted in every room with a solid fuel burning appliance. The alarms must be tested and working at the start of each tenancy. Again, it is a good idea to include this in your tenancy agreement.

Worryingly, a recent survey by Direct Line found that 58% of ‘go it alone’ landlords were using adapted tenancy agreements, sourced either from online templates or from old agency contracts. These landlords had no idea how accurate or not these may have been.

The survey also found that 13% of landlords had experienced disputes in the past two years specifically arising from a tenant’s rental contract. Worse still, an astonishing 10% of landlords had no formal tenancy agreement in place at all!

Let’s get one thing straight

An up-to-date tenancy agreement is absolutely essential.

It sets out the rights and responsibilities of both you and your tenant as well as the terms of occupation (or eviction). It has to be fair and legally compliant. It may make the difference between being able to evict your tenant or not, or whether you can offset a deposit against damage to your property.

Recent changes to the legislation that may need to be incorporated in your tenancy agreement

1 Section 21 of the Housing Act 1988 A Section 21 Notice is used when a landlord requires the tenant to vacate a rented property by a specified date.

Since 1st October 2015, as a landlord you have been required to provide your tenant with a copy of the Gas

100 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

3 Right to Rent Effective from 1st February 2016, landlords have to conduct the appropriate checks to ensure that their prospective tenants have the right to rent property in the UK. Failure to do so carries considerable penalties.

4 Energy Performance From 1st April 2016, private rental sector landlords may receive energy improvement requests from their tenants if the property in question has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G. In this case, you the landlord will be legally bound to improve the rating to E. Typical improvement measures include increasing the insulation, upgrading the boiler or installing double glazing.

If you need advice with a tenancy agreement, don’t leave things to chance – get in touch today. ewemove.com/sherborne

How Our Customers Felt After Choosing EweMove

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

A Really Good Customer Journey 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

I used Paul and Anita from Ewe Move Yeovil after a rather unfruitful attempt via the traditional estate agent route.

From the point of initial meeting it was clear to see the professionalism of Paul and Anita. After just two days they had over twenty interested parties and viewings started on the Monday after I signed the paperwork on Saturday, yes they moved quick. Every day I had reports as to what was happening and within the first week we had three positive offers on the table. Completion was swift. From a vendors point of view the whole experience was very satisfying, attention to detail, information on progress, communication, a really good customer journey was had.

Mark Parsons, Lower Chilton, Chilton Cantelo

Estate Agents of the 21st Century 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

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Employment law is complex and coping on your own brings significant risk. Employers don't want to break the law or face expensive tribunals but few small businessesc an afford a full time HR professional or an HR department. Even so, all companies need access to reliable advice to help them take these important decisions. Outsourcing, rather than employing an in-house HR department, could provide the answer.

Based here in Sherborne, The HR Dept offers personal and professional outsourced advice and support to local business owners. We offer all the knowledge and experience of a large corporate HR team at an affordable cost, together with up-to-date expertise whenever you require it.

The HR Dept offer you tailored services that are designed to help you achieve the result you want. We pride ourselves on providing practical and pragmatic advice and support, leaving you free to focus on running and growing your business.

We are currently offering a free HR health check on all your current contracts of employment and employee handbooks, offering you advice on whether your documentation is appropriately updated and legally compliant.

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Case Study “I just wanted to contact you to say how extremely impressed we have been with Nick Taylor and the HR Dept.

Nick sold the service to us on the basis that he would be on hand just as if he was employed by us and we only have to pick up the phone or email to get a response.

From the initial meeting he provided us with easy to use template letters and good general advice, these have become part of our company operating manual.

Nick is the first point of contact no matter how small or trivial the matter may be, this leaves us free to concentrate on running our business knowing that HR matters are being dealt with by a professional.

It is extremely reassuring to have Nick on board and he is a great asset to your company.

We would always recommend him to others.�

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

Finance

JUST RIGHT

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

I

n last month’s article, I talked about the ‘Not Enough’ clients and the ‘Got Too Much’ clients.

Today I’d like to talk about the ‘Just Rights’.

Many people do have just the right amount of money for the rest of their life. The trouble is, they just don’t know it! They have no idea what’s going to happen to their finances, because no one has ever shown them. So they still stress and worry about money. They invest in all the wrong places. They take too much risk, which of course ruins their peace of mind and possibly erodes their capital. Does this sound familiar?

Have you ever considered that you might not be enjoying life as much as you could? That you might be going without? That you are saying, “No,” when you could be saying, “Yes”? You might have the heating on low in the winter and feel cold, when you could easily turn up the thermostat and be comfortable. You might buy cheap plonk instead of good wine. You might be taking one holiday a year when you could easily afford three. You might be missing out big time.

Maybe you are still working when you could be playing.

Or maybe you’re saving when you should be spending!

You might already have ENOUGH. You might already have the right amount of money to see you through.

104 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

There are millions of people in this situation.

Newspapers, money pages and ‘financial porn’ prey on folk like this. They want you to feel insecure, to feel like you don’t know enough, so you keep reading their scaremongering articles – all the time helping them make money out of advertising stuff.

At FFP, we focus on what works, not on what sells.

Perhaps it’s time to find out whether you have ENOUGH. If, on prudent assumptions, you knew you were going to be okay, you could relax. You could simplify things. You could build a sensible investment strategy.

(Incidentally, very few people have an investment strategy.) You could, perhaps, de-risk. You might even be able to enjoy your money without feeling guilty. You could do more, you could live more.

What a shame it might be – for some people, anyway – if you worked five years more than you needed to.

This is where a real financial planner, one who understands your finances, can truly help to show you your future and to build a portfolio based on sound, academic, Nobel prize-winning principles. The Art and Science of Investing, as we call it. 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

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sherbornetimes.co.uk | 105

Tech

M

y thanks to Wikipedia for the following…

“Garbage in, garbage out (GIGO) in the field of communications technology refers to the fact that computers, since they operate by logical processes, will unquestioningly process flawed, even nonsensical, input data (‘garbage in’) and produce undesired, often nonsensical, output (‘garbage out’).”

“What’s that got to do with us?” I hear you cry.

Well, in a way, everything. Last month I sent out a group email to 109 recipients offering rugby tickets for sale. Just after the closing date, I had a couple of bitter complaints that they never received the email – I had their old email address and they hadn’t thought to let me know it had changed.

Similarly, a business client told me he had a subscription to a well-known suite of office applications. When I set up his new computer I tried to install it but failed, as the account had long since expired. I installed a new license and delivered the computer… but he was furious! He got out his credit card statement to prove the purchase. I asked what account he registered it to and he said he couldn’t find his account details, so he had registered it to his wife’s email address. “Wouldn’t the computer have worked that out for itself ?” he asked. Sadly not!

Then there is the evil autocorrect, nowadays so common on mobiles and email programs. Many years ago when I worked in a big hotel in London, we got a computer for the food and beverage office to type our menus. On the first day the restaurant dinner menu 106 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

included soup with crispy croutons – but thankfully that version never made it onto the tables, as the spellchecker didn’t understand the Franglais and offered the diners ‘crispy scrotums’ instead.

The hot topic of the year is, of course, ‘fake news’. How many conversations have I overheard or become involved in that discuss the latest garbage touted on social media, which people really believe? So how do you make sense of it all, or at least avoid the inevitable? Care, scepticism and a bit of good old-fashioned intuition is the answer.

If a story seems far-fetched it is probably garbage.

Likewise, if an offer is too good to be true, then it probably is. If nobody is sending you emails after changing your email address, try telling them that you have changed it. The world we live in tries to filter out the garbage, but consider this: if a website asks for your date of birth, it usually checks to see that you have correctly entered a date in the format ‘dd/mm/yyyy’ – or ‘did/mum/yyyy’, as my autocorrect would have it. How many, however, check the year of birth to make sure you are not dead, or yet to be born?

Be careful what you type, or you may be sprinkling more than just cubes of fried bread in your soup!

As always, if you need any help or advice you know where to come.

Coming up next month… cables and wires everywhere and the paperless office. computing-mp.co.uk

J. Biskup

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Tel: 01935 814946 108 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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T HE

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

M PA N

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www.dorsetgaragedoors.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk | 109

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110 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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FOLK TALES with Colin Lambert

LUKE MOULAND

Genealogist, Researcher and Writer

H

ow do chromosomes make love? Be patient.

I’ll tell you shortly.

I have a fascination with Carl Jung, the psychologist. He introduced the ‘collective unconscious’ – the stuff you’re born with, the stuff you’ve inherited.

It’s all in your genes.

I’m at Gaunts House, Dorset, a neo-something building from the mid-1800s, when the rich industrialists and traders built big. I’m in the ballroom, sitting on the floor in a group of 30 men, holding hands. I have to close my eyes and imagine being a boy. We separate into small groups and I have to talk about my dad for three minutes.

Could you talk about your dad for three minutes?

It was hard, but it sparked an interest to know more about my ancestors. Born in Yorkshire, but where did it all begin? Am I Viking or, worse, from Lancashire, our dreaded rivals? I wanted to know more and wondered where to start. What better place than Sherborne Museum? It’s a rabbit warren of rooms, a treasure trove which smells of history. Luke Mouland, now in his fifth year there, greets me with a smile.

Born in Dorchester, Luke has always lived in Holnest, attending St Andrew’s CE Primary School, Yetminster from age five. Even at that age he loved reading books on history and steam trains; his reception teacher called him the star reader.

He was, he says, “Cheerful, but very bad at sport – 112 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

hopeless. I just had no love for it.” His time was spent discovering the joys of history which, by the age of 11 and now at The Gryphon School, expanded into the First World War. (He tells me he cried – so did I – on reading Sebastian Faulks’s Birdsong). He loved the industrial revolution and became passionate about social history. A levels beckoned: modern history, ancient history and theatre studies.

Although under pressure to go to university (apparently the ‘done’ thing and expected of him) Luke had other ideas. “I wanted to do family history professionally,” he says.

“Tell me more,” I request.

Luke’s great-grandmother died when he was 15, leaving family portraits and a small volume of memoirs.

He started researching these, looking up births, deaths and marriages on the internet. He discovered from census records that he had roots in Hull – the family were tanners. His great-great-gran, Gertrude Arnett, joined the Salvation Army in Hull, eventually becoming a captain. She moved all over the country, met another captain and went to live in Malta, running a home for wounded soldiers. Her first husband died but she stayed in Malta and met a Royal Navy Petty Officer, Luke’s great-great-grandfather Jim. Following the branches of the tree and discovering more and more about his ancestors fuelled his passion for family history.

So Luke said no to university and instead formed

Image: Katharine Davies

Kith & Kin Research with the help of family, friends and support from The Gryphon School. People were soon approaching him, asking him to research their backgrounds and he has discovered some interesting stories along the way; a relative who was in the Metropolitan Police at the time of the Jack the Ripper case and a Sherborne lady whose ancestor, Inspector Sandercock, served as Winston Churchill’s bodyguard and ended up as a spy hunter during the war. Luke loves it.

“What about you personally, Luke?” I enquire.

“I don’t like to be part of the crowd, but I’m all for things like social media. I love teasing out a story, going on history treasure hunts. Did you know in the 1850s raw sewage ran down Cheap Street? Or that Sherborne used to be famous for silk and gloves?”

“Breakfast?” I ask.

Up at 7.30am for granola before hitting the emails, or maybe off to the Dorset History Centre to look at original records. “I love the smell of old books,” he enthuses. “Just think, someone 300 years ago sat and wrote this with pen and ink.” Luke grins, holding up a large, leather-bound book.

“So what are you up to these days?” is my next question.

“Apart from undertaking probate research and working on both house and business histories, I write for various magazines and speak to local groups on topics of local and social history. I’ve also taken on a new role as chair of The Friends of Holnest Church, a grade I-listed building, in much need of restoration.”

“Are you religious?”

“Not at all; it’s the smell of the place, its history, what’s happened to it over the years that interests me.”

“Evenings are spent with my girlfriend, chilling out over a good meal. I’m not a big drinker but can always be tempted by a real ale.” “Music?” I enquire. “Grizzly Bear, a sort of a rock folk psychedelic band. I love the Beatles, the Kinks, '60s music.”

I thank Luke and wonder even more about my own heritage and where it all began.

How do chromosomes make love? They take their genes off, of course. kithandkinresearch.co.uk To hear Colin and Luke in conversation, tune into Folk Tales on abbey104.com on Sunday 6th August 11am -12pm sherbornetimes.co.uk | 113

Literature

SHERBORNE LITERARY FESTIVAL PREVIEW John Gaye, Sherborne Literary Society

Dunkirk, by Joshua Levine (William Collins) £8.99 Exclusive Sherborne Times Reader Offer of £7.99 from Winstone’s Books

A

s a nation, we are very fortunate in having so many historians who can tell a story well and thus bring history alive. Joshua Levine is very much in that mould.

Surprisingly, given its significance to our history, the evacuation of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) through the beaches and port of Dunkirk – otherwise known as Operation Dynamo – has not been recorded for posterity so prolifically as many of our more famous battles of World War II, particularly those in which the Americans participated.

But as Levine reminds us, “Had Britain surrendered we would all be living in a very different world today. My family would not be alive because all Jews would have disappeared from Britain many years ago. And without Britain to preserve freedom and the rule of law, the totalitarian norms of Nazi Germany would have bled throughout Europe.

Barbarism, intolerance and coercion would be the natural order of things.”

Not only did the success of Dunkirk ensure that Britain remained un-invaded, but it ensured that there was a European nation that could provide the essential resistance to the tyranny of Nazism until other larger nations – the USA and Russia – became involved. It also spawned a new phrase, ‘The Dunkirk Spirit’, that is still used today whenever the British show resolve in times of danger or threat. The phrase, like the actual operation of 1940, embraces that resilience that we like to think is part of the DNA of being British.

114 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

A major new film Dunkirk has just been launched and this book reflects the fact that Levine was the historical advisor to the film.

Consequently he has brought together many vignettes of real-life experiences that will be reflected by the various characters within the screenplay. This includes people whose experiences of the operation varied enormously and brings out facts that sometimes have not been aired before.

The narrative includes the politics that infected the actions of the BEF, the fighting that took place as the German Army advanced through Belgium and tried to encircle and annihilate the British and French Armies and the decision-making process that brought about the plan of the evacuation. It then brings alive the stories of those waiting to be evacuated, the heroism of those both in the Royal Navy and in the small-boat flotillas and, not least, the less well-acknowledged actions of the inexperienced but brave RAF. This is a fascinating book which has been brilliantly researched, both through journals of those on the ground and personal interviews with the few who still survive. The final chapter tells us much about the making of the film and the efforts that have gone into achieving authenticity with everything that is depicted on screen.

After his excellent talk last year, Joshua Levine will be making a welcome return to the Literary Festival on Friday 13th October to talk about this book and the making of the film.

AUTHOR PROFILE Ben Freeth MBE

B

en Freeth spent much of his early life exploring the world. Son of a British Army officer, his youthful adventures took him up Mont Blanc and the Eiger, on sailing trips to Dunkirk and along the Moroccan coast in a Laser, working around New Zealand and Australia, on overland trips around Africa, over to Berlin to witness the wall coming down and across eastern Europe through Russia and Siberia to Mongolia. During this time he worked on many farms, with heroin addicts in Hong Kong, in a reconciliation centre in the Cape, worked his passage on container ships, trained for the Olympic ski-jumping team for three seasons in Norway and spent six weeks canoeing the Rufiji river through the Selous National Park in Tanzania, amongst many other exploits.

He graduated from the Royal Agricultural University at Cirencester and, after many more trips to Africa, in 1994 he married Laura Campbell, the daughter of Mike and Angela Campbell of Mount Carmel farm in the Chegutu district of Zimbabwe. After two more years of African adventures, he and Laura moved back to live in a house on her parents’ farm and he was appointed the first regional executive officer for the Commercial Farmers’ Union (CFU).

The violent, government-sponsored land invasions started in 2000. Ben was suspended from the CFU in 2002 for standing against the unlawful actions of the Zimbabwe government at a time when the hierarchy of the CFU had embarked on an appeasement route.

In 2007, after some years of fighting in the Zimbabwe law courts, Ben and his father-in-law took President Mugabe’s government to the Southern African Development Community’s regional court, the SADC

Tribunal. Charges were that the government attempted to unlawfully seize their farm, violated the SADC Treaty by denying access to the courts and engaged in racial discrimination and violence against white commercial farmers and their farm workers. In December 2008, the Tribunal ruled in their favour.

This resulted in the abduction and brutal torture of Ben, Mike and Mike’s wife Angela, to force their withdrawal from the landmark court case. In 2009, both of their homes on Mount Carmel farm, as well as those of their staff and their linen factory, were destroyed by arson. The injuries Mike sustained during this ordeal sadly led to his death in April 2011.

The Mike Campbell Foundation (MCF) was formed shortly afterwards and was registered as a charity in the UK for the restoration of human rights, justice and the rule of law in Zimbabwe. The MCF is also deeply concerned about the plight of farm workers, many of whom are now destitute or living in extreme poverty as a result of the violent farm invasions over the past 17 years and the horrific post-election violence in 2008. Ben Freeth now heads up the foundation as its executive director.

The lawsuit was chronicled in the award-winning 2009 documentary film, Mugabe and the White African.

Ben has authored two books, Mugabe and the White African and When Governments Stumble: Lessons from Zimbabwe’s Past, Hope in Africa’s Future.

Ben Freeth will be speaking at the festival on Saturday 14th October. For the full line-up of speakers go to sherborneliterarysociety.com//festival

The Sherborne Literary Festival 2017 11th - 15th October

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

Giles Milton • Ysenda Maxtone Graham • Sir Jeremy Greenstock • Rory MacLean Jonathan Aitken • Rory Stewart • Joshua Levine • Rosamund Young • Charles Spencer Simon Weston • Gulwali Passarlay • Ben Freeth • Natalie Haynes • Michael Pennington Roger McGough and LiTTLe MACHiNe Tickets available from Sherborne Tourist Information Centre and www.sherborneliterarysociety.com

All in the Balance

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ACROSS 1. Contact by phone (4) 3. Scholarly (8) 9. Separated; remote (7) 10. Capital of Bulgaria (5) 11. Style of playing blues (6-6) 13. Take away (6) 15. Agreement (6) 17. Process of enlarging one's muscles (12) 20. The Hunter (constellation) (5) 21. Kneecap (7) 22. Remittances (8) 23. Inflammation of an eyelid (4) 116 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

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G A R R

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S O N

T A X

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N

M

F

K

N

A E S O P

F L E M I

S H

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23

DOWN 1. Mountaineers (8) 2. Rope with a running noose (5) 4. Propels through the air (6) 5. Very sad (12) 6. Illegally in advance of the ball (football) (7) 7. Skin mark from a wound (4) 8. Ability to see the future (12) 12. Stop progressing (8) 14. Stroppily (7) 16. Marionette (6) 18. Small arm of the sea (5) 19. Liquid food (4)

E A

A

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S L U M B E R

P L E N

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I

E

T

22

3

JULY SOLUTIONS

16

20

1 6

I A

B

S H

N

E

O

E

A

N

N E R T

M

N

B A B Y S I

A

A M

A

Q

S

U

I

T H

B A T H T U B

H E A V E

L

E

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7 4 3 2 6 9 5 8 1

9 6 5 7 8 1 2 3 4

8 1 2 3 4 5 7 6 9

R

M

C O R D L E S S

6 8 1 4 5 7 9 2 3

3 2 4 8 9 6 1 5 7

5 9 7 1 3 2 6 4 8

4 5 9 6 1 3 8 7 2

1 7 8 5 2 4 3 9 6

2 3 6 9 7 8 4 1 5

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT Reverend Jono Tregale, St Paul’s Church

A

s a local vicar, I get to meet all sorts of different people at all sorts of different occasions.

Baptisms, weddings and funerals are obvious examples, where I have the privilege of being with people at key moments of their lives, sharing in their joys and in their sorrows.

Over the past few years I have been involved with the Sherborne Food Bank, a local charity that provides food to those who are struggling to feed themselves or their families and who are referred by professional agencies such as Citizens Advice, The Rendezvous, The Children’s Centre, Magna Housing and The Health Service, to name just a few. It has been hugely rewarding to be one of those who has delivered food parcels to local homes and to be greeted at the door by such gratitude and appreciation. “Thank you for enabling me to feed by family this week,” is a common phrase I hear. “Thank you for being here for us when we needed you – when this crisis is over we’d like to help others in return.”

The Food Bank makes no decisions as to who receives help – the agencies do that on behalf of their clients, being aware of the true need there is in so many local families. Chatting to people on their doorsteps, I hear stories of unexpected illness or redundancy, family breakdown and benefit delays and, for many, a whole catalogue of unfortunate circumstances. On behalf of all those who have been helped by the Food Bank, I’d like to say thank you to the people of Sherborne for the generosity of donations, which enable families in our local community to be fed.

But I am aware of challenges ahead. I also frequently visit local schools, where I learn of many children in receipt of free school meals because of low family incomes. This is a wonderful provision, but what support is there for such families during school holidays – especially now as we begin six weeks of the summer break? This is where the Food Bank could and should step in, but such increased demand for help is often not matched by donations over this period. As a vicar, I speak much about faith in God, but the Bible is clear that real faith is not just an inner belief but something that is expressed in tangible care for others.

Whether of any faith or of none, may I encourage you to show generosity this summer in caring for those in need by donating non-perishable items of food at collection points, which can be found at The Co-operative, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose supermarkets and at The Abbey? Others may wish instead to make cash donations – especially helpful for topping up essential supplies and buying baby-care items. Details can be found on the website, or please email for more information. Let’s show love in action and play our part in supporting those in our own community who will otherwise struggle to feed their families over the summer season. help@sherbornefoodbank.org sherbornefoodbank.org

sherbornetimes.co.uk | 117

OUT AND ABOUT

David Birley, Sherborne Town Councillor

I

am writing this shortly after our Summer Festival, which I hope you enjoyed. We were very lucky to have such a lovely sunny day for it – which was particularly good for the sale of ice cream and drinks!

At our party for the Queen’s 90th birthday last year, I asked our audience if they would like another party this year. The answer was a resounding “yes”, so the idea of expanding the event and calling it the Summer Festival was born. I am told this year’s event attracted around 5,000 people and we have had so many requests for another one next year that we have already started planning it. My hope is that it will become a regular annual event.

There are so many people to thank, starting of course with all those who came and supported the event and the bands who played for free. We are very grateful to the Castle Estate for kindly letting us use the meadow – and mowing it! – and for their financial support. I would also like to thank Sherborne Town Council, the Simon Digby Memorial Trust and all our kind donors and advertisers for their support. It was great to have so many stallholders and we hope to expand this aspect next year.

The idea behind the festival was to create an event that would involve as many sections of our community as possible. I was particularly glad to be able to get the schools involved. This started with The Gryphon pupils designing posters for our Easter Fun Day event. For our June event, the cover of the programme was designed by

118 | Sherborne Times | August 2017

a pupil from Sherborne Girls, the Cheap Street banner was done by a Leweston School girl and the shop posters were created by a Sherborne School boy. The home posters were designed by pupils from our primary schools. On the day, it was great to have performances

by Sherborne Abbey Primary, the Sherborne Primary and the Prep. I would also like to thank the ArtsLink team for their help with the very young, and Rachel Goodfellow for her amazing Hidden Needs run.

So much work went into the planning of the event and the day itself. I am very grateful to all those who contributed articles to our programme, especially to Cindy Chant our Blue Badge guide, Katherine Barker and Eric Woods. I would also like to thank Eric for allowing me to go up the Abbey tower to take photos and Patrick Caruth who took me flying to get more photos. Taff Martin, Ken Horswell and the Abbey 104 team did a great job with the music. My special thanks go to Millie Furby, who did such a great job organising both the event and the committee.

We have not yet finalised the accounts but it is our intention to help and support local charities and organisations, so if you feel we could contribute please get in touch with Millie Furby of the Slipped Stitch in Cheap Street.

Finally, a request for your help. We urgently need people who can spare a few hours to help with next year’s event. Our work will start in October, so please do get in touch with Millie. I hope you will join our team.

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