Family

Jonas Guthrie, aged 12

Leweston School

Jonas has been a student at Leweston since he was in Nursery and as a result, has been one of the pioneers of boys’ sport at a school that until recently was all-girls.

He has represented the school in a variety of sports including cross country, hockey and rugby, competing at the National Cross Country Championships this March. His real passion, however, is football, with the ambition to play professionally in the Premier League.

Jonas currently plays for Shaftesbury Town Football Club REDS, a Division One, Dorset Youth Football League team. He has recently been signed by Yeovil Town’s Junior Player League and also plays for Champion Sports Academy, where he plays up a year in the U14 team. Director of Champion Football, Daniel Neville, describes Jonas as ‘blessed’ with agility, balance, coordination and speed.

Jonas has recently been invited to trial with Exeter Football Club and in addition to this, has been selected to play for the Independent Schools Football Association (ISFA). The ISFA is affiliated with The Football Association and is recognised by The FA as the body responsible for the development of the game in the independent sector and has developed players who have gone on to play for Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton and Bayern Munich. Last month, Jonas played as part of the team representing the South West Region at the ISFA U13 Regional Representative Festival scoring all of the team’s goals on the first day. This is a fantastic achievement as over 800 players competed to gain a place. There were nine regions playing at the Festival and at the end of the event 50 boys were selected to participate in the ISFA National U14 programme next season, Jonas being one of them.

Very excitingly, at the time of writing, Jonas is in Barcelona to play for Champion Academy’s U14 team in an international tournament.

leweston.co.uk

KATHARINE DAVIES

PHOTOGRAPHY

Portrait, lifestyle, PR and editorial commissions

07808 400083 info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk

Children’s Book Review Freya Dencher, aged 10, Leweston Prep

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief by A.F. Steadman,

(Simon & Schuster Children’s) £12.99 (hardcover) Sherborne Times reader offer price of £10.99 from Winstone’s Books

Skandar and the Unicorn Thief is a fiction book for kids, written by A. Steadman. It is about a boy called Skandar whose number one dream is to become a legendary unicorn rider on the island of unicorns. When his sister fails her own chance, all the pressure is on him to become a unicorn rider. When it gets to the unicorn rider exam day things get a little out of control with the weaver (the baddie!) stealing the most powerful unicorn. However, somehow Skandar manages to get to the island but not how he expected! Finally, as soon as he thinks things are behind him, his unicorn is born. Will his unicorn just bring death and more problems? Or will it help him fight evil? I especially loved Skandar’s unicorn – Scoundrel’s Luck and it was a fantastic story. I would recommend this book to anyone who loves magic and is between the age of 8 and 12. This book is magical, exciting (very!) and tense and I would give it 10/10.

Celebrating 10 Years as Sherborne’s Independent Bookseller 2012-2022 8 Cheap Street, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PX www.winstonebooks.co.uk Tel: 01935 816 128 THE GREAT OUTDOORS!

HELP US, TO HELP YOU

Liv Bowditch, aged 16, The Gryphon School

As I get older, there is a phrase that resonates more and more – ‘It takes a village’. Perhaps it’s because as I grow, I see more, I understand more and find myself more grateful to those who volunteer their time to make the towns we live in, the special places that they are.

I started the Duke of Edinburgh Award in 2019 at The Gryphon School, under the brilliant leadership of Mr Cooke - a teacher who volunteers his time to guide us, keep us on track and ensure no man gets left behind, and to whom so many are grateful. For anyone who doesn’t know what the award involves, there are four different sections that you must complete: Skills (such as sewing), Physical Skills (such as tennis), Expedition and Volunteering. Out of all of those sections, what I never anticipated was for volunteering to have the largest impact on who I am today and who I want to be.

My journey started in the months before I started DofE. My stepmum spent 2017 to 2019 in and out of hospital due to ill health. I’d visit her every day after school and she would always tell me that hearing about my day was the highlight of her day – that it kept her focused on the good things in life rather than whatever was written on the medical charts. As Dad and I would leave the hospital, arm in arm, I’d notice all the patients who didn’t have visitors, day after day. So, when it came to choosing an area to volunteer in for DofE, I knew what I wanted to do.

The charity I chose to volunteer for was ‘From Me To You Letters’. Started by the inspirational Alison Hitchcock, volunteers write (donate) letters to an anonymous ‘friend’. The recipients are all battling cancer and are in desperate need of a friendly ‘hello’ to lift their spirits and tackle the social isolation that comes

with cancer. What do you write? Anything! Anecdotes, recipes, jokes, secrets, film recommendations, or you can even doodle! Once I started, I didn’t want to stop. In fact, when Covid-19 entered stage right in 2020, one of the first things I worried about was the social isolation of the vulnerable in Sherborne. So, armed with notecards, a pen, and some dodgy watercolour skills, I started to write to residential homes. At Christmas, I did the same again. Why? Why not! For is there anything nicer than knowing that you’re thought about? All I needed to volunteer was my time.

For me, volunteering came naturally. No, I’m not holier than thou, certainly not – it’s just that the trials and tribulations of life happened to hand me a cause to support and From Me to You Letters allowed me to volunteer in a way that fitted around my life as a busy student. For many, even knowing where to start is the hardest part. If you can believe it, in 2022, even if you have every intention to do good, there’s very little information online to point you in the right direction.

I was born in 2005 – a Gen Z child. Yes, we are an insular generation - most commonly found with our heads down, staring at a screen, with noise-cancelling headphones in our ears to block out the world. We’re also a misunderstood group; what we often lack in social skills, we more than make up for with our high levels of social consciousness and empathy…you just wouldn’t know it unless you were following us on social media. Many of you will pass us in the street and wish that we would be more active in the community, to love Sherborne as you do. What if I told you that I’ve been part of umpteen conversations where we, the youth, wish to become part of the community…it’s just, we just don’t know how!

I can hear you now, wondering why we teenagers don’t just come forward and get involved if we want to be part of the community. Now, for anyone who has come into contact with a teenager recently (I include myself) you’ll understand that common sense and initiative are enigmas to us. However, in our defence, we are merely a product of the world we were born into. Most of you grew up having to do your homework by actively looking for information in a library book; we have a search engine. Most of you grew up knowing your local shopkeepers by name; we click and collect. Most of you grew up with one home phone, limited (or no) internet and played games outside to keep you entertained; we’ve got smartphones, streaming services and spent two years indoors due to Covid-19. It’s for reasons such as this, why schemes such as the Duke of Edinburgh Award are more important than ever and why we, the youth of Sherborne, need your help, your direction and mentoring.

As a student at The Gryphon School, whose foundations are set in the importance of community, I can hand on heart say that we would love to hear from you if you need volunteers. Not only will it help you, but it will enrich our lives too, making us well-rounded members of society. After all, look at you, Sherborne! Is there a town that exudes community spirit better than you? I think not. The wonderful Sherborne Community Kitchen volunteers who give their time to fill hungry tummies with nutritious food – thank you. The incredible doctors, nurses, citizens of Sherborne and surrounding villages who gave hours, days, weeks and months of their time to make sure we were vaccinated – thank you. Those kind volunteers at Sherborne Food Bank who keep spirits high and cupboards full – thank you. Thank you for showing us all what community means.

Now, Sherborne - what can we do for you?

gryphon.dorset.sch.uk

40 Exhibitors

Vintage, Artisan & Decorative Antiques Fair with local Foodie s

HOME FRONT

Jemma Dempsey

Jesadaphorn/Shutterstock

Much of the time I feel as though family life is a bit like being in a circus – if you’re not clowning around and playing the fool in a bid to amuse your kids, you’re trying to master a juggling act to keep all the balls in the air at once. And now, just to spice things up a little more, I’ve decided to have a go at being a trapeze artist and go back to work full time. I’m still not quite sure what prompted this momentary lapse of reason. Sure, the kids don’t need me as much now and while I’d like to think they would never tire of my mum jokes and witty repartee, they can get just about fend for themselves and not kill each other in the process. And now the dog’s gone - sigh - there really is nothing to keep me at home during the day anymore.

If truth be told I’ve been itching to get back to work for ages; I’ve missed the cut and thrust of a newsroom, the buzz of a breaking story and the camaraderie of colleagues. So, when the opportunity to return to the BBC came up, I grabbed it with both hands. I will say this though, for a 50-something woman, going back to work after an extended career break…the application form and interview process was terrifying. And I don’t scare easily, I’ve had cancer.

Perhaps the most worrisome thing after the initial euphoria of receiving the ‘You’ve got the job’ news, was not issues of childcare or coping with the housework or meal prep but the ‘What the hell am I going to wear?’ dilemma. After two children and 11 years out of work, my body shape and wardrobe had somewhat changed. And while there was a heavy working from home component to the job, there would be some trips to the office, especially at the start with training and meeting the team. Having just joined a secondhand clothing website, I won’t say which one but it begins with a V, I browsed merrily away and bought some pieces online. Sorted.

The husband was happy for me, though slightly anxious about how the job would impact our mildmannered and relatively relaxed existence. We sat down and came up with ‘a system’ - I would continue to be responsible for meals and washing, he would take charge of housework. Easy. At some point I will let you know how that’s going. The boys are not quite so sure about what ‘mummy going back to work’ really means for them on a practical level yet - I’ve only had to work one weekend so far and no late shifts yet. I think it will most affect them when the holidays come around and I’m not always there to drop everything and say ‘Let’s go to the beach’ or ‘How about a trip to Bristol’. But, if it means we can afford to pay the soon-to-be eyewateringly high electricity bills and that the kids can go on school skiing trips, well, those moments I’m not at home are a price worth paying.

There is one other impact too. This will be my last column for the Sherborne Times. I’ve been writing it for almost two years save for a month or so when I was having my cancer treatment. I’ve absolutely loved doing it, felt it a privilege even, but life inexorably moves on and mine is taking me in a new direction. Thank you to all those people who got in touch when I had cancer, your messages were so much appreciated. Do get in touch if you have a news story you think may be of interest. Once a newshound, always a newshound…

AT THE TABLE

Michela Chiappa

When it comes to our children, our family and their wellbeing, we are constantly hearing the words ‘mental health’, ‘stress’, ‘anxiety’, ‘obesity’ and ‘exhaustion’. We all want to give our children the best foundations in life. In my opinion, these issues can be remedied at the table ‘la tavola’.

Over the past 10 years I have been fortunate enough to have had several cookery TV series on the BBC and C4, written a couple of cookery books and am currently one of the resident chefs on ITV’s ‘This Morning’. I’m a Welsh Italian; my first language is Italian and yet I was born and raised in ‘little Italy’ in the heart of the Welsh Valleys. My uncle, aunt and grandparents lived next door to us through interconnecting doors and my father, who speaks with a broad Welsh accent but is Italian through and through, raised us preaching the importance of ‘la tavola’. He would tell us that the table was sacred – it’s where we eat good food, talk and spend a moment all together. It was like a religion; he didn’t mind what we did in the day but regardless of the circumstances, by 6pm he expected there to be food on the table and his family around it. Growing up we would often beg for permission to miss the odd meal to watch our favourite TV show or go out with friends, but it was non-negotiable.

Fast forward 30 years and with a family of my own, I can certainly vouch that I bend the rules because this ideal seems impossible nowadays. However, I now fully appreciate and understand the importance of what he was talking about and try my hardest to make sure we take time as a family where possible. It shouldn’t matter who your ‘family’ is, or what time dinner is; we don’t live in a world of 2.4 children anymore and a meal doesn’t have to last for hours. But the skills a child learns from sitting with you at the table form the building blocks for their growth and development; the importance of good food, social skills, taking a breath in an already fast paced world, manners and discipline.

What about the food – is that important? Quite simply, yes. However, it doesn’t have to be complicated. I could go on about the importance of unprocessed foods but let’s talk basics; food with more than 3-4 ingredients on the label is essentially processed. The hidden sugars and salts in processed foods are one of the most threatening factors to the health of our population – water retention, food intolerances, tooth decay, obesity, mental health and anxiety can all be linked to processed foods. Trying to eat more unprocessed food is one of the best things you can do for your family. It means you can eat cake, you can eat carbs, you can eat fat – but make the cake yourself, use good quality butter not processed margarine or spray-from-the-can oil. Italians live off pizza, pasta, wine and olive oil but it is homemade pizza and good quality cheese. That does not mean to say I don’t ever buy processed foods – let’s be realistic. I am a mum with 3 young children and sometimes they want fish fingers with chips and ketchup and I am quite happy to admit this. However, try to find a balance between the ‘faster’ foods and those home-cooked ones.

Image: Danielle Wood

If we talk about ‘fast’ foods, we need to address ‘time’ – the final hurdle. We are all time-poor; time is the new currency. The challenge of sitting down together is tricky enough and to have cooked fresh food as well? How many of you are willing to spend more money to save time? You can see it with the recipe box delivery boom. And why wouldn’t you buy a pack of 10 burgers for £2.99 when making your own costs more, takes time plus you have all the washing up to deal with!? ‘How to make cooking for your family easy’ is exactly why I entered the world of TV and I am hoping that is where I can help. All my recipes have simplicity at their core. I have taken traditional Italian recipes and found ways to simplify them, with less preparation/time but the same results. Use your freezer! Cooking can be made easy – it does require a little more commitment at first, but I can show you a plethora of pasta sauces that can be made quicker than the time it will take you to go to the shops and buy a jar from the shelf. 5-minute pasta sauces are my mantra.

Baby steps though; don’t set yourself an impossible task of trying to do this every day. Even trying to do this once or twice a week is a brilliant step in the right direction. Whilst I might cook on TV and have written the odd cookery book, I am just a parent who cooks, not a chef and I often make mistakes (ask my family about burnt broccoli)! However, I have learnt my skills from being brought up in a household that cooks simple food and spends time together in the kitchen. I get it wrong regularly but have learned when to pull out fresh pesto from the freezer and when to try something new. In the beginning, be kind to yourself; start small in order to make change.

Over the coming months I am going to be sharing tips, hacks and recipes that take minutes to prepare, with minimal washing up, but give your family a tasty, nutritious and unprocessed meal to enjoy together around la tavola.

Buona fortuna and remember you can have your cake and eat it! >

SPEEDY CHEAT'S PIZZA

Image: Danielle Wood

Our Speedy Cheat's Pizza is the perfect snack or meal to quickly throw together in under 5 mins for any hungry child or adult. This is one of our favourite recipes to get the kids involved too and they have so much fun choosing their toppings that they gobble it down.

Prep: 5 mins Cooking: 8 mins Difficulty: Easy Serves: 4

Ingredients To buy: 4 white or wholegrain bagels 100g mozzarella cheese A variety of toppings, e.g. mushrooms, onions, leftover cooked meat

Store-cupboard essentials: 1 x 400g tin tomatoes 1 teaspoon dried oregano Salt A little extra virgin olive oil

Method 1 Heat the grill to 180°C/gas 4. 2 Slice the bagels in half. 3 Place them on a baking tray, cut side up, and put them under the grill for 5 minutes. 4 Blend the tomatoes with the oregano and a splash of olive oil. 5 Spread a thin layer of the sauce over the toasted bagels. 6 Top with cheese and your toppings of choice. 7 Grill for 2–3 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown. 8 Sprinkle the top with a little salt (for toddlers and adults).

Buon appettito!

@michela.chiappa

TheChiappaSisters thechiappas.com

Baby at the Table: A 3-Step Guide to Weaning the Italian Way (Michael Joseph) £16.99. Sherborne Times reader offer price of £14.99 from Winstone’s Books

Simply Italian: Cooking at Home with the Chiappa Sisters (Michael Joseph) £22 (hardcover). Sherborne Times reader offer price of £20 from Winstone’s Books

VOLUNTEERING FOR EDCLUB

Sophie Holcroft, Sherborne Old Girl Mollie Clothier

Image: Tom Soper

Old Girl and former Head of School, Sophie Holcroft, left Sherborne Girls last summer and has since spent a year travelling. Her adventures led her to Kenya where she has recently spent time volunteering in a children’s home and at a school in the Kibagare slum in Nairobi. While there, she took the opportunity to visit the EDCLUB Movement, an initiative she had previously been involved in at Sherborne Girls.

Inspired by a TED talk by Prof. Sugata Mitra, EDCLUB was set up in 2013 by a group of students at Marlborough College to give disadvantaged children in Kenya access to computers and encourage them to learn using the internet. Mentors from over 20 schools have now joined the scheme, including Sherborne Girls, whose involvement is led by Amanda Mackintosh, Head of Outreach and Community Liaison. Amanda explains that girls first raise funds to go towards the cost of the computers and internet access, before taking part in regular mentoring sessions with the children in Kenya via Skype.

Sophie recalls fondly how the children would remember which computer they were on and sit in the same spot each week. Building a close relationship with a little girl called Lucy, Sophie would prepare informative and interactive maths games for her to do with her siblings each week, for which they would be rewarded with an episode of Tom & Jerry. This was a highlight of their day…and Sophie’s!

On visiting EDCLUB in person, Sophie describes just how amazing it was to be able to see first-hand the building where the children sit each week, as well as learn about their involvement in the design. She commented, ‘The building looks like two ship containers on different levels and the outside is decorated with flowers which have been painted by the children and other volunteers. Due to its popularity, it has expanded to include an upper-level computer room. Whilst I was there, children were peering through the gates, wanting to get involved! It has been so popular that they don’t have enough room for all the children, so are looking into expanding further.’

Speaking of the children’s willingness and love for learning, Sophie was moved by their enthusiasm to attend the sessions each week after their school day had finished. Humbled by the children’s excitement and pride when getting an answer right, Sophie says, ‘I loved how the children would want to show off what they had learnt that day and were so excited to do well. It made me reflect on how privileged I am and made me even more grateful for my education and all the opportunities that I have available to me, living in a more developed country. I was so pleased I was able to visit and see in person the impact of our fundraising and mentoring. I feel honoured to have been part of something so positive.’

Amanda adds, ‘Sherborne Girls joined EDCLUB five years ago, as a student-led initiative, and the mentoring programme has gone from strength to strength. Our girls will be introducing the EDCLUB Movement to another local school very soon, who have a further eight incredible students interested in signing up to the scheme. The mentoring is of benefit to students on both sides of the world. The Kenyan children improve their knowledge of the world and their English language, enabling them to pursue employment that they could not have ever imagined before, while our pupils improve their communication and leadership skills, develop empathy and understanding of different cultures, while also contributing to their Gold Duke of Edinburgh’s Award.’

An important part of Sherborne Girls’ ethos is to encourage the pupils to have a social conscience and to leave the school as custodians of the future with a sense of responsibility, and to be ‘an influence for good’. This ethos is lived out by the charitable initiatives that take place each term, led by the Charity Prefects, including EDCLUB. The School is delighted to be shortlisted in the 2022 AMCIS Impact Awards for Partnership/ Outreach and BSA Supporting Excellence Awards 2022 for Best Community Work.

edclubmovement.org sherborne.com

INDEPENDENCE

Dan Chiappa-Patching, Housemaster, Sherborne Prep

Showing our young people the value of independence instils a strong foundation for self-belief and bolsters an attitude that they can achieve anything they put their mind to. Children often seek independence – whether through rebellion or request – and the unique nature of a boarding school offers a real taste of this, under a kind and watchful eye. We all want to see this flourish in our children in preparation for adulthood – developing a mature attitude to self-reliance

Image: Katharine Davies

"Developing a mature attitude to freedom early on can lessen the need to take advantage of it at 18."

and freedom early on can lessen the need to take advantage of it at 18.

So how do children learn these routines and hugely valuable life skills? By exposing children to experiences and a variety of learning that includes flexibility and routine instils the benefits of a ‘learning/life’ harmony from an early age. There are big benefits to our Saturday Sleepovers – particularly in Year 3 and 4 where this may be their first night away from home. We ensure a balance between independence and sleep, ensuring every boarder has what they need to thrive. Sharing your living and sleeping space with others requires learning, and developing, a very valuable new set of skills. Children here take pride in their surroundings and show great respect for others. The more regularly a child boards the more they learn to integrate these skills naturally and happily in all areas of their life. We provide an environment that will nurture and let them grow whilst helping them to become more independent and guide them through the practical, instructional skills of self-care, laundry, and cooking. Can you make your bed, change your bedding, mix a batch of cookies, and use an oven safely?

Stepping outside the comfort zone of home life encourages a new level of confidence which in turn, builds upon well-rounded social skills. The children here learn and live within a diverse mix of likeminded peers who are going through the very same things as them; an international community where they make lifelong friends whilst being encouraged to grow as individuals forming a clear sense of self.

When your child takes their first few steps away from the family home, it feels good to know that your child is safe as you take a backseat. Our boarding is designed to allow for ‘parenting/lifestyle’ flexibility; complimentary care that facilitate early morning swimming, late evening clubs and the simple desire to want to be in the boarding house with friends outside of school lessons.

Dan Chiappa-Patching leads the Prep Boarding House team. He lives on site with his wife and children and is the first point of contact for children and parents who board.

TALKING SHOP

Agata Trotman

Zoe Sheffield, Sherborne School

Agata Trotman was born in Poland but moved to the United Kingdom almost 14 years ago to work in the busy boutiques of Notting Hill. Finding the South West breathtakingly beautiful, Agata fell in love with the countryside, easy beach access and more rural lifestyle, taking the plunge to move to Somerset 8 years ago.

Starting at Sherborne School as Manager of the School Shop just a few months before the pandemic started, Agata remembers coming to Sherborne for the first time and thinking how gorgeous and characterful the little town was and yet how impressive the School appeared, the history of both almost tangible.

Working in retail most of her life, Agata thought that managing the School Shop would be just another retail job here in Sherborne. She reflects on what a misconception that was! The shop is such a big part of the School community. It is essential for the pupils, staff, and parents – some would say a life-line as parents receive cards home from their boys which are bought just in the nick of time for a birthday, an anniversary… Agata is quick to point out that feedback from pupils and School staff is always welcomed and often seeks out views to ensure that the shop is a ‘one stop place’ for their everyday needs. Agata is always eager to explore opportunities to introduce something new that they might need or simply may just like the option to purchase; new stationery, thermal bottles or new hoodies.

Agata and her dedicated team in the shop kit out hundreds of pupils each year from Sherborne School and Sherborne Prep for the start of term. No mean feat but it is one that Agata cites as the best things about working in the School Shop - getting to know all the new pupils and their families.

The summer is the busiest time of the year as parents frantically seek to buy uniform as late as possible (after summer growth spurts) and whilst most enjoy a slightly less busy time, for Agata and her team it is an exhausting couple of months!

Agata cites organisation as the most important personal quality but is clearly very proud of the wonderful team effort amongst the shop staff who are the best team she’s ever worked with.

The preparation takes months to ensure all deliveries arrive on time, that all is in place and ready to go, to welcome new families to the shop and to kit out the new starters. New pupils can be quite nervous and shy, unsure, and worried, and Agata enjoys being able to put them at ease, explain everything, have a nice chat, and answer any questions they might have. Seeing them make friends, seeing how happy they are at School and how pupils grow and change over the years adds to the sense of purpose and value to Agata, of everything she and her team do. She also draws note to the many pupils who pop in for a chat or some advice upon what might be suitable as a birthday gift and, how quickly it can be sent!

Whilst the purpose of the School Shop is fundamentally for the pupils and parents of the Sherborne Schools, it is also open to the local community and it seems almost anything can be purchased – from pens and pencils to sport equipment and more! If they don’t have something, the staff do their level best to source it, be it dumb-bells or the newest Lamy digital pen (yes, we have it in stock if you would like one)!

So, if you need a funny-shaped eraser, or some lined post-it notes in a multitude of colours pop in and see Agata and her team. The School Shop is located next to Sherborne Sports Centre, opposite The Hub Café.