Sherborne Times August 2024

THE PLOT THICKENS

with Nick Ross and Tia Cusden of Wild Garden

WELCOME

Outgrown, ink-stained uniforms lie discarded on bedroom floors as children sprint to the rivers, fields and beaches. Their bone-weary teachers retreat to darkened rooms and ice cream sellers thank their lucky stars for sunshine. Bees and butterflies plunge shoulder-deep into beds of borage, housemartins, swifts and swallows trawl the skies and the bunnies of Dancing Hill take their chances below the buzzards.

And so to August… Andy Hastie looks forward to a cracking new season of world cinema, Paul Maskell remembers the Beastie Boys, Eleanor Milton invites us all to Bruton, Tom Payne starts an argument, Barbara Elsmore sets a challenge, Mark Dumbelton gets to the root of things, Giles Henschel makes it home, Mark Newton-Clarke warns of the weever fish, the Horrells take to Tuscany and Dawn Hart takes her time.

Claire and Katharine meanwhile, fill their baskets at Wild Garden, a highly principled, regenerative market garden in Galhampton growing some of the best salad, herbs and veg you’re likely to have tasted in a long while.

Have a great month.

Glen Cheyne, Editor glen@homegrown-media.co.uk @sherbornetimes

Editorial and creative direction

Glen Cheyne

Design

Andy Gerrard

Photography

Katharine Davies

Features writer

Claire Bowman

Editorial assistant

Helen Brown

Social media

Jenny Dickinson

Print

Stephens & George

Distribution team

Jan Brickell

Barbara & David Elsmore

Douglas & Heather Fuller

The Jackson Family

David & Susan Joby

Liz Lawton

Jean & John Parker

Hayley Parks

Mark & Miranda Pender

Claire Pilley

Caspar Sheffield

Joyce Sturgess

Ionas Tsetikas

Lesley Upham

Paul Whybrew

PO Box 9701 Sherborne DT9 9EU

07957 496193

@sherbornetimes info@homegrown-media.co.uk sherbornetimes.co.uk

ISSN 2755-3337

Sherborne Times is printed on 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.

CONTRIBUTORS

Laurence Belbin

Bill Bennette Sherborne Scribblers

Elisabeth Bletsoe Sherborne Museum

Richard Bromell ASFAV Charterhouse Auctioneers and Valuers

Mike Burks The Gardens Group

Paula Carnell

Lucy Cotterell Mogers Drewett

Maddie Cowan Stock Gaylard

Nathan Cracknell ReBorne Church

Rosie Cunningham

Anne Dearle

Paul Doran MA VetMB MRCVS Friars Moor Livestock Health

Mark Dumbelton Hauser & Wirth Somerset

Barbara Elsmore

James Flynn Milborne Port Computers

Simon Ford

Mark Gleed The Sherborne

Abi Guiton & Tom Payne Sherborne School

Craig Hardaker Communifit

Dawn Hart YogaSherborne

Andy Hastie Yeovil Cinematheque

Giles Henschel Olives Et Al

Sarah Hitch The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

Richard Hopton Sherborne Literary Society

Jules Horrell

Horrell & Horrell

James Hull The Story Pig

Annabelle Hunt Bridport Timber & Flooring

Lucy Lewis Dorset Mind

Charlie Macpherson Notarianni Glass

Paul Maskell The Beat and Track

Tom Matkevich The Green Restaurant

Sandra Miller BSc, MSc, BCNH Dip, FDN-P Wholistic Health

Eleanor Milton Bruton Art Society

Gillian Nash

Emily Newton Dorset Wildlife Trust

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

Hilary Phillips Hanford School

Mark Salter CFP Fort Financial Planning

Val Stones

Joanna Weinberg Teals

Ellie Wilson Ananda Emporium

ARTIST AT WORK

in association with

No 69: Ribbon by

Charlie Macpherson

Hand-blown and cast glass 49cm x 4cm, £24,000

Notarianni Glass is a collaboration between myself and fellow glass artist Amanda Notarianni. Working with hand-blown glass for over 25 years, we specialise in bespoke glass for art and design projects.

Each piece starts as molten glass in the furnace, which runs at a temperature of 1130°C. Through a variety of hand-blown, free-forming processes, we manipulate the molten glass into sculptural forms, before taking them through a series of ‘cold’ processes. This includes etched textures, carving, grinding and polishing.

Ribbon is part of a new series of work exploring the possibilities of using hot glass components and incorporating them into cast glass sculptures. Each

section has been carefully created in the blowing studio, before being laid into a kiln and fired in a plaster mould. These pieces aim to capture the movement created as the glass melts in the kiln. Once it has been fired and cooled, we cold work the surfaces to reveal a beautiful polished glass form, focussing the viewer’s eye on the detail.

Amanda and I produce elegant, timeless, collectable glass artworks, exhibiting with some of the leading glass galleries and working internationally with art consultants, interior designers and super yacht designers.

notarianniglass.co.uk

Image: Caldecott Photography

ON FILM

Andy Hastie, Yeovil Cinematheque

Well, that went well! Our last Cinematheque showing of the season at the Swan Theatre was Ken Loach’s excellent The Old Oak, which ended with the audience breaking into spontaneous applause. I’m sure it wasn’t the free drinks and snacks we’d plied them with beforehand, surely not, but more a collective response to experiencing a great film in the company of a relaxed, like-minded audience and becoming engaged. Not an easy watch, The Old Oak is an essential counter to the pernicious narrative of ‘other’ when referring to refugees. ‘We are far more united and have far more in common than that which divides us,’ to quote the tragically murdered Jo Cox. If you haven’t seen it yet, try and catch it on Amazon Prime.

We’ve watched our membership and audiences grow throughout the last season with pleasure of course - we must be doing something right - but also

with a responsibility to maintain that momentum into the next. So the Cinematheque committee have already selected the films for our 45th season, to start in September. Brochures have been printed and are now available around Sherborne, including the library. We feel that we have chosen a good cross-section of international films to appeal to most tastes, with Past Lives (2022), Anatomy of a Fall (2023) and Zone of Interest (2023) being the first three. These had all created much acclaim on their release, which happened to be just after we had chosen and announced our last season of films so fell under the radar somewhat. We have now corrected that omission, as each is too important not to show. They have all been covered in awards, especially Anatomy of a Fall which won Best Film and Best Director at both the Academy and BAFTA Awards respectively. These three are followed by Godland (2023), a

Zone of Interest (2023)

beautiful Danish/Icelandic tale of a 19th-century Danish priest travelling to Iceland in order to set up a parish. His quest, fraught with obstacles, proves far from straightforward. The Japanese Monster (2023) from Cinematheque’s favourite director Hirokazu Kore-eda, is a mystery thriller concerning a young boy starting to behave oddly and his mother confronting his school to demand answers. The truth begins to emerge...

The Holdovers (2023), Alexander Payne’s funny and thoughtful take on a disparate group who are forced to remain at school over the Christmas holidays, in 1970s New England. Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry (2023) from Georgia, follows a middleaged, independent woman’s life being disturbed by an unexpected affair, in a wry and tender understated film. Acclaimed German thriller The Teachers’ Lounge (2023) has a female teacher deciding on who is responsible for a series of thefts, but things are not as they seem..., while The Taste of Things (2023) is a sumptuous period French romance over the kitchen stove, starring the incomparable Juliette Binoche. Perfect Days (2023), a Japanese slice-of-life drama,

is Wim Wenders’ best offering for years and a rather perfect film, as is Close Your Eyes (2023), Spanish director Victor Erice’s first feature in thirty years and worth the wait, as he explores the exquisite power of cinema. Showing Up (2022) is Kelly Reichardt’s deceptively simple tale of artist Michelle Williams’ attempt to balance all life throws at her. The French Conversations with my Gardener (2009) has a middleaged painter returning to live in his boyhood country home and meeting up with a gardener he just happened to be at school with. The two men talk. Very French, and gently entertaining! Fallen Leaves (2023) is a Finnish, droll, romantic comedy from the master Aki Kaurismaki.

Finally, is Io Capitano (2023), an Italian drama following the route taken by two teenage cousins from Sudan to reach Europe. This is a powerful, heartbreaking, beautifully photographed film. A strong season then. All information will be on the websites below.

cinematheque.org.uk swan-theatre.co.uk

Past Lives (2022)

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Children go free

A Somerset Summer

The Newt in Somerset celebrates the best of our county, under the watchful eye and loving care of our farmers, gardeners, chefs, bakers, cheesemakers and cyder makers. Gold-tinged days entice you to lose yourself in the romance of the Four Seasons Garden, find your perfect picnic pitch and enjoy the rush of cooling gelato.

Our dedicated summer programme is now live online, packed with events, tours, trails and workshops from our expert team, with plenty to entertain your ‘Newtlings’ over the holidays.

Summer Suppers – 3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 August, 7 September

Forest Bathing Sundays – 4, 11 & 25 August, 1 & 8 September

Forest School Holiday Club – Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays from 6 – 29 August

Visit our website to discover more about Newt Membership. Free entry for children (0-16 yrs) when accompanied by an adult member.

Stay . Visit . Shop

thenewtinsomerset.com

@thenewtinsomerset

CONFESSIONS OF A THEATRE ADDICT

Rosie Cunningham

James Corden, Zachary Hart and Anna Maxwell Martin in The Constituent at The Old Vic

Image: Manuel Harlan

The Constituent is a new play written by Olivier Award winner Joe Penhall and is on at The Old Vic, starring James Corden and Anna Maxwell Martin. I happened to be sitting behind him before watching the play and unashamedly eavesdropped on his response to early criticism. The play has received mixed reviews from theatre critics and Corden has been given a hard time by the press following his defection to America. However, it is important to see a play rather than read about it.

Corden plays Alec, an angry ex-serviceman in crisis, whose life is in free fall as his mental health and erratic, often violent, behaviour lead to the breakdown of his marriage and court orders which prevent him from seeing his children. Maxwell Martin plays Monica, a compassionate hard-working backbench MP, whose integrity and empathy shown toward Alec, her constituent, fans his burning fires of resentment towards the system, which quickly escalate out of control.

These are two brilliant actors who work well together. I loved Maxwell Martin in Line of Duty, and she similarly imbues her role as Monica with integrity and empathy despite being faced with aggressive and abusive behaviour from a volatile constituent who cannot believe that she does not have the power to make new laws which could resolve his problems. ‘I am not your punch bag! I am a Member of Parliament,’ she states, holding her ground. Corden is, in Penhall’s words, ‘a master actor who stuck his neck out to do this play.’ In Alec, he initially seems to reprise his comic role from One Man, Two Guvnors but then shows his dark side and suddenly the audience is wrong-footed, anticipating a messy end. The play is not political but demonstrates the fine balance between public service and personal safety,

where MPs are on the frontline.

The Financial Times judged the play ‘gripping, comic and, ultimately, moving’, and Penhall himself called his script ‘dark and grim and serious’. There was humour, which the audience responded to warmly, but, as the mood darkened, I was reminded of MPs Jo Cox and David Amess whose work in their constituencies and lack of personal security, resulted in their untimely deaths. The Constituent is on until 10th August and I loved it.

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition displays rooms crammed with art for sale ranging from the wondrous to the bonkers, pieces chosen from 16,500 applicants and curated by Ann Christopher RA. In the front courtyard, the Meddling Fiend sculpture by Nicola Turner made up of tentacles filled with horsehair and sheep fleeces, interacts with the statue of Sir Joshua Reynolds. Art across the centuries meets through a shared gesture. On until 18th August.

I saw an amusing version of The Barber of Seville by Diva Opera at Yarlington House. Diva Opera was founded in 1996 and is Britain’s foremost chamber opera company, giving 40 performances annually throughout the United Kingdom, Europe and further afield. You can catch them throughout August and September at various locations in England. Many of our beautiful country houses hold live events in their gardens over the summer to raise much-needed funds for local charities. All the money raised from this event went to St Margaret’s Hospice, which provides essential help for patients, families and carers facing a life-limiting illness.

oldvictheatre.com royalacademy.org.uk divaopera.com

AN ARTIST’S VIEW

Laurence Belbin

Alittle while ago whilst driving through Sandford Orcas, a couple I know were having their roof re-thatched by a chap out Templecombe way. It is a subject I’ve worked on before and whenever I get the opportunity to either paint or draw the goings on higher than ground level, I grab it.

I called up to the thatcher and he was happy for me to shadow him awhile. I did several pencil sketches and this one in ink. Some I was stood next to him, taking down the detail of how the straws are laid and held in place with spars, which incidentally I mention in my book, My Road to Sandford Orcas when writing about hedge-laying. Years ago these old rural crafts were entwined and they relied on each other for materials etc hence nothing was wasted.

They didn’t strip all the roof in one go but did it in stages, presumably so that the roof remained watertight. The master thatcher told me he had been photographed many times but only once before had he been drawn whilst working. It was in 2011, a house in Sherborne on The Green. He couldn’t believe it was me that drew him then until I showed him the sketch pad and there he was! I thought he looked familiar.

Over the following few days, I watched and drew until he was about done, just the wire netting to put in place. The next time I drove past it was all done and looking very yellow. It soon mellows and loses its brightness but it still looks good as a topping to the local stonebuilt cottage. I believe they call it mellow yellow – there is a song there somewhere!

I had a rather busy week in the studio and come lunchtime I strolled across to the Digby Tap in Cooks Lane for a few moments away from the easel. It has always been a good watering hole and very rarely does a lunch time pass without falling into conversation with somebody, either with a familiar face or a complete stranger. It is one of many aspects I like about our traditional pubs.

The two chaps stood at the bar were, I gather, old workmates catching up over a pint. The fellow seated was the father of a young musician waiting to catch a train to London and was having a bite to eat before heading off to the station. I could hear all this going on with no intention of eavesdropping.

It was a relaxed environment. I often draw in pubs. It’s a way of studying and drawing people without having to pay a modelling fee! I did this pencil drawing with hardly anyone paying me much attention. A little later a face I recognised came and joined me and we contributed to the chatter and laughter of a proper pub. It was time to head back to the studio to do a bit more to earn a crust! For anyone interested my drink was a pint of Thatchers!

laurencebelbin.com

My Road To Sandford Orcas by Laurence Belbin is available (priced £10) from Laurence’s studio at Westbury Hall, Westbury, Sherborne DT9 3EN, The Mitre Inn, Sandford Orcas, DT9 4RU and Sherborne Antiques Market, 71 Cheap Street, Sherborne DT9 3BA. Copies can also be ordered for delivery by post. Please contact threepigeonspress@gmail.com

BRUTON ART SOCIETY

71st ANNUAL EXHIBITION

Laurel Wade

Eleanor Milton, Bruton Art Society Exhibition Committee

John Vallins

Carolyne Moran

Camilla Frederick

Bee Grant-Peterkin

Ann Fry

Bruton Art Society has just celebrated its 70th year, marking this momentous occasion with a Jubilee Garden Party for members hosted by sculptor Corinna Leigh-Turner, and with the excellent news that Anthony Connolly, renowned portrait painter and President of the Royal Society of Portrait Painters, has agreed to become our Patron.

The society was founded in 1953 by a small group of enthusiastic artists and, over the subsequent seven decades, we are delighted to have grown to over 300 members who contribute a wonderfully diverse range of material for our Annual Exhibition each August.

The exhibition is one of the highlights of our calendar. Visitors can expect to see work in a rich variety of materials which include painting, print, sculpture and mixed media, reflecting the broad spectrum of artistic expression within our society. We are very fortunate to have such a dedicated team of volunteers who work incredibly hard to pull together hundreds of entries into a cohesive exhibition. Through the continued support of our wonderful sponsors, the society is able to acknowledge the effort made by our members by offering over £1,200 in prize money.

Bruton Art Society has a long and distinguished history of promoting the visual arts within the community and has grown into a vibrant hub for local artists, providing them with a platform to showcase their talents and engage with a wider audience. We also welcome those who do not draw or paint but are interested in our programme of lectures, workshops, painting days and day trips.

We are a very friendly group and welcome new members. Membership for the year is just £20. Please go to brutonartsociety.co.uk for more information on joining us or email secretarybrutonart@gmail.co.uk

I would encourage you to come along to King’s School Memorial Hall for a visual treat - you will be surprised and delighted. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Saturday 17th - Saturday 24th August 10am-4pm daily

Bruton Art Society 71st Annual Exhibition

King’s School Memorial Hall, Bruton BA10 0ED. Free entry and the opportunity to buy affordable art from local artists.

Sally Ridout

COUNTER CULTURE

Paul Maskell, The Beat and Track

No. 32: Badge of Honour: The Beastie Boys

Two things happened during the summer term at school in 1987. I was 14 years old and already a huge music fan. My tastes had evolved from my mother’s and father’s tastes, Beatles, Scott Walker and Cream and Animals respectively to ska music, punk through to thrash metal. While going through new phases of fandom my love for my previous obsessions hadn’t left me (and never have). Although, something new was afoot for this 14-year-old and indeed the country. There was an invasion on its way and my peers and I were in the middle of it. This fateful week introduced us all to a new musical style, one which was perfect for a teenager just finding his way in the world.

Firstly I was ejected from Biology class for scribing the lyrics to a new song I’d heard onto a class workbench. While paying little attention to the VHS video being played at the front of the class I was improving my woodworking skills by carefully carving

the words: ‘You’ve got to fight for your right…’ onto the bench at which I sat, with a compass. My Biology teacher, I forget her name although I remember her tight perm and disdain for me in equal measure, didn’t agree with my point of view or indeed where I had decided to express it. Not my best move but an hour in the school library and a telling-off from the head teacher was a punishment that I could easily cope with. The library, let’s face it, was a field of potential excitement and enlightenment that was second only to the local record store.

Secondly, we had an emergency assembly called due to the fact that some thoughtless (brave) idiot (hero) had stolen the VW badge from the front of our Head of Year’s car. This signified the arrival of the phenomenon known as the Beastie Boys. Band member Mike D had been seen in press photos wearing a Volkswagen badge hanging around his neck and the craze exploded. (Things got so bad during the summer of ‘87 when the

band toured the UK that VW reported that they were getting 250 orders a day for replacement badges.) The Beastie Boys phenomenon had managed to reach the quaint Dorset town of Shaftesbury and infected its youth with a little bit of punk rock rebellion laced with New York hip-hop.

The Beastie Boys did actually originate from the punk scene and were part of the New York hardcore wave of bands. Evolving from the hardcore band ‘The Young Aborigines’, the Beastie Boys broke onto the scene in mid-1981. With members Adrock, MCA, Mike D and drummer Kate Schellenbach, the band played support to hardcore bands such as the Dead Kennedys, Bad Brains, The Misfits and Reagan Youth. They recorded one 7” EP as a hardcore band before, in 1983, starting to mix in hip-hop influences and samples into their work. They recorded their first hip-hopinspired single, Cooky Puss in 1983. It gained them some notoriety and pushed them to incorporate more rap and also a DJ into their live sets.

Just a year later, the band were approached by Def Jam Records owner Rick Rubin regarding the recording of a 12” which would be only the label’s second release. The single Rock Hard used hip-hop beats mixed with a sample of a large slab of the riff from the AC/DC song Back in Black. Due to the sample being used without permission, the single was soon withdrawn but not before introducing the world to rap rock in a big way.

The 12” led to support slots on tour with John Lydon’s Public Image Limited, Madonna and Def Jam favourites Run DMC on their ‘Raising Hell’ tour. Then came the big one. The album that, although ultimately not their best, nailed their colours to the mast, was released in November 1986. ‘Licensed to Ill’ spent 5 weeks at the number one spot on the billboard charts and was the biggest-selling rap album of the 80s. The album included guitar work by Kerry King, guitarist for thrash metal pioneers Slayer who were recording ‘Reign in Blood’ for Def Jam at the time. While touring the album, the band visited the UK and played an incredibly raucous gig in Liverpool where 10 minutes in a riot ensued which resulted in the arrest of Adrock (Adam Horovitz) and ultimately gained major kudos amongst teens. Unfortunately, after a period of time during which the band weren’t getting paid for work already performed they decided to part ways with Rubin and Def Jam and were signed by Capitol Records.

While with Capitol the band recorded what is arguably one of their finest albums in Paul’s Boutique

"I was ejected from Biology class for scribing the lyrics

‘You’ve got to fight for your right…’ onto the bench with a compass"

– an early example of experimental hip-hop produced by the infamous Dust Brothers. The album, although not received greatly at the time, now appears in Rolling Stone magazine’s top 500 albums of all time.

Subsequent album releases gained the band fans of all genres as they began to incorporate different styles of music into their own. Their notoriety increased with the song Sabotage with an accompanying video directed by Spike Jonze. The song became a hit in the rock charts and the video was a huge hit on MTV.

With an array of subsequent album releases the band hit new heights and has remained one of the most important rap acts of all time. The band ceased recording due to the untimely death of MCA (Adam Yauch) who died of cancer at the age of 47. The remaining pair of Adrock and Mike D have vowed never to make music under the Beastie Boys moniker again.

The band have left quite a legacy in their wake. Literally millions of fans across the world and numerous bands have been influenced by the Beastie’s music as well as attitude. There are also, possibly, still a few Volkswagens driving around today with no grill badges. Maybe still one or two in the Shaftesbury area, who knows?

thebeatandtrack.co.uk

Tuesdays 7pm-8pm

Under the Radar

Abbey 104. The Beat and Track’s Paul Maskell often joins presenter Matt Ambrose on his weekly radio show, bringing you the best new sounds from established underground artists and new and rising acts from across the world. Listen live on 104.7FM or online at abbey104.com

Mondays 1.30pm-3.30pm

Craft and Chat Group

Sherborne Library, Hound Street

Bring along your current project and meet others.

Mondays & Thursdays

1.30pm-4pm

Sherborne Indoor

Short Mat Bowls

West End Hall, Sherborne 01935 812329. All welcome

Mondays 2pm-5pm & Tuesdays

7pm-10pm

Sherborne Bridge Club

Sherborne FC Clubhouse, Terrace Playing Fields. 01963 210409 bridgewebs.com/sherborne

Tuesdays and Thursdays

2pm-4pm Croquet Club

Charlton Horethorne Croquet Club

Free taster sessions. charltoncroquetclub.com JillHanson123@Outlook.com

Tuesdays 10am-12pm

Fine Folk Dancing

Charlton Horethorne Village Hall £3 per session. Beginners welcome. 01963 220640.

Every Wednesday 6pm–10pm

DJ Sessions

Roth Bar, Bruton BA10 0NL

An evening of chilled tunes by local DJs. Free.

Every last Wednesday

Military History Talk via Zoom

£5, information jameskrporter@aol.com

Every 1st Thursday 9.30am

Netwalk for Business Owners & Entrepreneurs

Pageant Gardens. @Netwalksherborne

Every 1st Thursday 11am-12pm Poetry Writing Group

Sherborne Library, Hound Street

Come along to share your poetry, hear what others have been working on and have friendly discussions.

Every 2nd & 4th Thursday 10am-12.30pm

EM_ST.qxp_Layout 1 08/07/2024 15:05 Page 1

Probus Castleton

The Grange, Oborne, DT9 4LA

New members welcome. edwardhiscock6@gmail.com

Thursdays 2pm-4pm & Fridays

11am-1pm

Digital Champions Sessions

Sherborne Library, Hound Street

Bookable sessions for help with basic skills using your own device or a library computer. sherbornelibrary@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk

Thursdays 7.30pm-9.30pm

St Michael’s Scottish Country Dance Club

Davis Hall, West Camel. £2. New starters very welcome. 07972 125617 stmichaelsscdclub.org

Fridays 3.30pm-5pm

Children’s Board Games Club

Sherborne Library, Hound Street

Drop-in for children age 5 and over. Play board games, including chess, or bring one of your own.

Every Saturday 7.30pm-10pm

Whist Drive

Trinity Church, Lysander Road, Yeovil BA20 2BU. £5 including raffle. Contact Nigel 01935 862325

THE FREE WESSEX ARTS AND CULTURE GUIDE

Pick up your copy at arts venues, galleries, museums, art shops, cafés, libraries and tourist information centres (etc) throughout Dorset, Somerset, East Devon, West Wiltshire, Bristol and Bath

Or subscribe online at: evolver.org.uk Instagram: evolvermagazine

Every Sunday 4pm–6pm Sunday Sounds

Roth Bar, Bruton BA10 0NL

A chilled afternoon with live jazz or folk music. Free.

Every Sunday in August 2.30pm-4pm

Milborne Port Chapel Museum

Cemetery on Wheathill Lane. Village artefacts and historical information. Free. mphhgroup@gmail.com

Friday 2nd - Sunday 4th Opera in Oborne St Cuthberts Church, Oborne. Tragedy from La Traviata, Comedy with Cox and Box and Open Air Opera at Opera in the Park. Tickets £20-£40 available via operainoborne.org

Saturday 3rd

Yoga - Gong Bath - Meditation

Minterne Gardens . Contact Dawn 07817 624081 hello@yogasherborne.co.uk

Thursday 8th 6.30pm

Sherborne and District Gardeners Association

79th Annual Summer Show

Digby Hall, Hound Street

WHAT'S ON

Staging from 2.30pm, judging 4pm6pm, presentations 7.30pm

Visitors £3. 01935 389375

Saturday 10th 10am-4pm

National Garden Scheme

Charity Open GardensGlenholme Herbs

Sandford Orcas, Sherborne DT9 4SE. £4, children free. Home-made teas. ngs.org.uk

Saturday 10th 2.30pm

87th Leigh Flower & Craft Show

Leigh Village Hall, DT9 6HL

£1.50, under 16s free, £1 for exhibitors

Saturday 10th 7.30pm

Outdoor Concert -

Queen Tribute Band

Sherborne Girls School

Bring your own low back chairs or picnic blankets. Family tickets available. trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/50257

Saturday 10th 7.45pm-10.15pm

Ballroom, Latin and Sequence Dancing

Digby Hall, Hound Street. £5 (pay on the door). dancingduo.co.uk 01803 325905

Monday 12th 1.30pm-4.30pm

Creative Clay

Sherborne Museum, DT9 3BP

Suitable for ages 6-16. £6 per child, booking essential sherbornemuseum.com

Tuesday 13th 9pm-10.30pm

Singing Bowl Soundbath

Digby Memorial Hall, DT9 3LN

Sonic deep-tissue massage and detox. £16. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com

Wednesday 14th 10.15am-12.30pm (2pm with lunch)

Probus Sherborne – Paul

Stickler: The Porthole Murder, 18 Oct 1947

The Grange, Oborne DT9 4LA

New members welcome –please message beforehand. probus.sherborne@gmail.com probus-sherborne.org.uk

Wednesday 14th 4pm

White Tara 2:1s

Oborne Village Hall, DT9 4LA

Reiki/soundbath combined. Ihr individual sessions £80/60 concs. 01935 389655 ahiahel@live.com

Saturday 17th - Saturday 24th 10am-4pm daily

Bruton Art Society 71st Annual Exhibition

ART SOCIETY Affordable Art from the best Regional Artists 71st Anniversary Exhibition Sat 17 - Sat 24 Aug 2024

DISCOVER | EAT | SHOP | STAY | CELEBRATE

Welcome to Symondsbury Estate, set in the beautiful Dorset countryside just a stone’s throw from the Jurassic Coast. Join us for lunch. Browse our shops. Visit the gallery. Explore our fabulous walks and bike trails. Relax and unwind in our holiday accommodation. Celebrate your wedding day...

Upcoming Events & Workshops

Summer of Fun - Saturday 6th July to Sunday 1st September

Phone Photography Workshop with Gary Holpin - Tuesday 20th August

Legends of the Holloways with Martin Maudsley - Thursday 29th August

+44 (0)1308 424116 symondsburyestate.co.uk

Symondsbury Estate, Bridport, Dorset DT6 6HG

King’s School Memorial Hall, Bruton BA10 0ED. Free entry

Saturday 17th 1pm-late

Round Chimneys Farm Summer Festival

Glanvilles Wootton, Sherborne DT9 5QQ. Live music, bar and food, children's events until 4pm, fun dog show and more. Tickets £5, children under 12 free. roundchimneysfarm.co.uk

WHAT'S ON

Saturday 24th 7.45pm-10.15pm

Ballroom, Latin and Sequence Dancing

Digby Hall, Hound Street. £5 (pay on the door). dancingduo.co.uk 01803 325905

Sunday 25th 1pm-5pm

National Garden Scheme

Charity Open GardenBlack Shed Flowers

Dodds Cross, Sherborne DT9 4JX £5, children free. ngs.org.uk

Sunday 25th

Outdoor Theatre –

Midsummer’s Night Dream

Sherborne Girls School

Bring your own low back chairs or picnic blankets. Family tickets available trybooking.com/uk/events/landing/50258

Sport

Sherborne Cricket Club

The Terraces, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5NS 1st XI. 12.30pm

Saturday 3rd

Bere Regis (A)

Saturday 10th

Dorchester (A)

Saturday 17th

Broadstone (H)

Saturday 24th Poole (H)

Saturday 31st

Wimborne (A)

Sunday 18th 10am-3pm

The Sherborne Market

Local producers, suppliers, food, art & crafts. thesherbornemarket.com

Monday 19th 11am-1pm

Messy Museum Monday Sherborne Museum, DT9 3BP Free family-friendly art and crafting session. sherbornemuseum.com

Wednesday 21st 2pm-4pm

Circus Skills Workshop

Sandford Orcas Village Hall

Wear comfy clothing! Suitable for 5+. £6 booking essential. artsreach.co.uk

Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th 10am-5pm

The Oak Fair

Stock Gaylard Estate, DT10 2BG

Early bird tickets (£14 adults, £2.50 children, £10 concessions) available online from theoakfair.com

Monday 26th

7am (sellers only) 8am (buyers)

Alweston Car Boot Sale

Alweston Village Hall and Playing Field, Sherborne DT9 5HT. Sellers - Cars £6, vans £8, large vans £10, buyers - by donation. Info: granannhyland@gmail.com

Wednesday 28th 10.15am-12.30pm (2pm with lunch)

Probus Sherborne – Vic Flintham & Steve Underwood: The Bombing of Sherborne, 30 Sept 1940

The Grange, Oborne DT9 4LA New members welcome –please message beforehand. probus.sherborne@gmail.com probus-sherborne.org.uk

Friday 30th 7pm

CHAPS AGM & Fun Quiz

Village Hall, Charlton Horethorne BYOB and snacks to share

Compton House Cricket Club

The Park, Over Compton, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 4QU 1st XI. 1pm

Saturday 3rd

Witchampton (A)

Saturday 10th

Marnhull (H)

Saturday 17th

Wimborne 2nd XI (A)

Saturday 24th

Portland Red Triangle (A)

Saturday 31st

Weymouth (H)

listings@homegrown-media.co.uk

THE OAK FAIR 2024

Now in its 18th year, The Oak Fair at Stock Gaylard is a celebration of countryside, woodland, timber, traditional craft and above all, conservation. With over 200 exhibitors showing everything from handcrafted wooden furniture to working industrial machinery, The Oak Fair provides a modern platform for rural crafts and countryside conservation.

The heart of The Oak Fair has and always will be conservation, of the countryside and woodland, as well as traditional country craft skills. Conservation Row guides you into the fair and is lined with stands advocating the preservation of wildlife, countryside and crafts. Here you can also observe medieval reenactments and longbow archery demonstrations, alongside craftspeople exhibiting traditional and historical countryside skills including coppicing crafts, tool making, hedge laying and drystone walling. Find out more about local conservation charities, including the Butterfly Conservation Trust and the Dorset Wildlife Trust, and peruse the various stands selling plants, wildflower seeds and second-hand tools. Whilst you are there, join ancient tree expert Julian Hight for a walk and talk to learn about the ancient trees at Stock Gaylard, which boasts three hundred acres of predominantly oak woodland including historic trees with designated SSSI status (Sites of Special Scientific

Interest), one of three sites across the estate.

Take a stroll down Oak Avenue and discover beautifully handcrafted furniture, homeware, baskets, jewellery, art, sculpture, gifts and more, created by master craftspeople, several of whom will be demonstrating their skills throughout the weekend. Explore the Arts and Crafts Marquee, tucked between two oak trees and home to an array of stands selling products and gifts including hand-made wooden board games, lighting, paintings and jewellery.

The Oak Fair meanders gently around the estate including to the front of Stock House. This Georgian (possibly earlier) Grade II* listed country house overlooks the deer park and estate beyond. Here you can take a pause with coffee, cake or ice cream while enjoying the views of the stunning oak woodland or if you are feeling more adventurous, you can also try your hand at archery, scything and willow sculpture sessions or hop onto a tractor-trailer ride through the historic deer park. Just a stone’s throw away, near the house, is St Barnabas Church, which hosts a daily service, acapella singing and historical poetry readings of the works of local poet William Barnes throughout the fair.

Wander back to the main site to Dell Lane, where you will find falconry and heavy horse logging displays

Maddie Cowen, Stock Gaylard

in Arena One, watch live demonstrations of ancient crafts including pottery and yarn spinning and shop for handmade wooden toys, leathercraft, baskets, homeware and more. You can also get involved with pole-lathe sessions and watch a surf and skateboard maker in action.

At the Machinery & Timber Yard you will find a wide variety of wonderful vintage and modern tractors, stationary engines and machinery, alongside even more demonstrations, including raku pottery, logging and fine-art foundry. Here you can watch chainsaw carving displays and the daredevil stunts of the Adams Axemen. Amongst all this excitement don’t forget to do a bit of shopping! Find all things timber and machinery here, including timber-framed buildings, cut timber, logs, metalwork, flues and coppice work.

Children can get involved across all areas of The Oak Fair too. With a dedicated children’s area, they can try out bushcraft skills, charcoal drawing, scarecrow making and join in with the hands-on circus experience. Wander a little further to find tree climbing, archery, a zip wire and tractor-trailer rides. Let the little ones explore the site in their own carriage on the barrel train which zooms around the estate on both days or they can take themselves for a drive in the mini Land Rovers!

If you start to feel peckish head to the Market Square

where you will find something to suit all members of the family, covering a wide variety of dietary requirements. With a strong commitment to local food and drink producers this year, there will be over 40 exhibitors selling a wide range of delicious hot and cold produce, including local independent supermarket and long-time sponsors of the Market Square, Dike & Sons. They will be showcasing a variety of the store’s 150 local food brands as well as a very local food hamper filled with delicious produce from within a 10-mile radius of their Stalbridge base, specially created for The Oak Fair this year. Don’t forget to head to the bar and cider tents for a refreshing drink while you are there!

The Oak Fair is well-loved with many exhibitors and visitors returning year after year. Everyone is welcome, including well-behaved dogs on leads.

theoakfair.com

Saturday 24th - Sunday 25th August 10am-5pm

The Oak Fair

Stock Gaylard Estate, DT10 2BG

Early bird tickets (£14 adults, £2.50 children, £10 concessions) available online from theoakfair.com

30TH ANNIVERSARY CHARITY CONCERT

Anne Dearle

It was a chance invitation to attend a concert at Port Regis, organised by the Shaftesbury branch of Save the Children, which was the start of three decades of similar concerts.

On that occasion, the music was performed by choral scholars from the choir of King’s College, Cambridge. Although the audience was small in number, the standard of music was superb. I was later informed that it was a one-off occasion, unlikely to be repeated because the high costs incurred outweighed the charity gaining profit.

Impulsively, I therefore enquired about the possibility of our relatively new Blandford Branch holding a future similar concert elsewhere. Initially, though, I had to convince our committee that such a venture was feasible. Understandably, there were many concerns, not least that we, too, would run the risk of financial loss.

However, to my relief, the idea was enthusiastically

encouraged by Jerry Jopson, the inspirational Area Organiser for Save the Children. Plans were therefore made for a concert to be held the following year at Hanford School, where I worked. We then set about persuading sponsors to support our somewhat risky venture, to off-set the high costs involved. Whilst the setting in the C15 hall would be perfect, seating was limited, so we ambitiously included a fork supper within the ticket price of £12.50. Undoubtedly, the occasion was successful – we had certainly made our mark! To our great relief, the evening finally raised the modest sum of £124! Still, a profit was a profit and an exciting future lay ahead!

The following year our venue changed to Bryanston‘s chapel where, in addition to 7 choral scholars, an organ scholar from King’s was able to perform on its impressive organ. The ticket price was reduced to £7.50 but the size of the audience increased.

Gradually, we became more ambitious. Word got

around and we invited local firms to donate raffle prizes. Throughout those first few years, our programmes were modest, printed on single sheets of paper. In due course, though, a new machine was purchased by Bryanston, which produced our programme in booklet form. Here was our opportunity to gather extra income by persuading local firms to advertise. Gradually, the advertisements together with generous donations, funded the concerts and large profits were made for the charity. In addition, our venue changed from the chapel to Bryanston’s spectacular new Mark Elder Hall. The occasions became more sophisticated – the regrettable loss of an organ was compensated for by the addition of wine and canapés during the intervals! Another change was that our performers were drawn from the choir of St John’s College, Cambridge.

In 2006, I moved to Sherborne. How, I wondered, would it be possible to encourage music lovers from the town, without transport, to travel to Bryanston? Undoubtedly, the answer was a 48-seater coach – the cost of which was divided equally between the number being driven to and from the school.

In 2019, we celebrated by holding our 25th Anniversary Concert. A full house, superb setting, a professionally printed programme and record profits –it more than surpassed our expectations! Jerry Jopson returned from retirement to add his final personal touch to a particularly memorable and greatly enjoyable evening.

Then came the pandemic. By then, plans had already been made to host a concert in 2020 and a substantial number of tickets were sold. Sadly, this was followed by the lockdown and the concert had to be cancelled. However, all was not lost! Almost everyone who had purchased a ticket gladly gift-aided their donation. Even without a concert, nearly £2,000 was raised!

Once life gradually returned to normal in 2021, though, it was obvious that a change of plan was necessary. Reluctantly, therefore, we rejected the idea of commandeering a coach and enjoying the delightful and most generous hospitality of Bryanston. Instead, we decided to hold the concert here in Sherborne, at Cheap Street Church – a very different but equally suitable venue.

Although naturally, some were disappointed by this decision, the lack of a raffle, wine and canapés has been more than compensated for by the addition of Leweston’s support. Annually, since then, about 16 musical pupils enjoy a workshop with the choral scholars, during the afternoon of the concert, before opening the evening’s performance with them.

This brings me to 2024 and our 30th Anniversary Concert. Although, of course, we are all delighted that these concerts have already raised well over £125,000 for Save the Children, I will always remain most grateful to the generations of extremely talented choral and organ scholars, who have given us all the opportunity to enjoy such a wide range of highquality music.

In addition, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those who have supported us in numerous ways. 30 years ago, I had no idea that the modest £124 raised that evening would be the start of three decades of pleasure for appreciative audiences and profit to aid such a worthy charity – miracles do happen!

Friday 13th September 7pm

30th Anniversary Charity Concert

Cheap Street Church, Sherborne DT9 3BJ

Tickets £20/student £10 (cash only) available from Winstone’s, Cheap Street, Sherborne

ART COURSES AND WORKSHOPS

South

Sherborne DT9 4AG 07549357138 / 07917190309

Images: Len Copland

Seeyounextyear!x

MARKET KNOWLEDGE

ELLIE WILSON, ANANDA EMPORIUM

Welcome to The Sherborne Market!

What brings you here?

Anabel from Cafe D’Urberville told me about the Artisan Market and suggested I would be the perfect fit! The market has such a warm and friendly feel. I felt very welcomed by Jules, the stall holders and the people of Sherborne so thank you!

Where have you travelled from?

I’m from the New Forest.

Tell us about what you’re selling.

An eastern emporium full of bohemian Indian textiles and clothes which I designed and sourced. The Laxmi Cloaks seemed to be very popular last weekend –reversible and made from rare pure silk Rajasthani vintage saris on both sides, each piece is completely one of a kind.

Where and when did it all begin?

I knew I always wanted to create an Eastern emporium and slowly grow my shop to an Aladdin’s cave of Eastern oddities and opulence. I went back to Pushkar, Rajasthan and stayed for 3 months so I could create trusting connections with suppliers and be inspired to design and collaborate. I met Sachin who

works with silk and kantha. I am so excited to share with you all of my creations and finds.

What do you enjoy most about selling at markets?

I love the interactions you have with all walks of life, the connections you make with other stall holders, the smiles and laughs with passers-by and when customers actually come back when they say, ‘I’ll have a think.’ It is priceless!

If you get the chance, which fellow stallholders here at Sherborne would you like to visit?

The ladies at Pebble and Frost have the most gorgeous clothes. I’ll be getting my mum’s birthday gifts from them for the foreseeable! I couldn’t believe how talented Clarissa Ready’s knitwear designs are – so unique and quirky. I absolutely love them! I’d like to find Trifle Bazaar – I bet they have some amazing travelling tales I’d love to hear about. Also, Bakalavy has the most delicious baklava – try it if you haven’t. Sarah Bailey and her cartoons will brighten up your day – they definitely did for me!

Where can people find you on market day?

You can find me on Digby Road.

@ananda_emporium

Image: Katherine Needles

Hand picked & selected artisan market

Hand picked & selected artisan market

Flying the flag for local featuring local producers, suppliers, amazing food, arts and crafts.

Markets held between 10am - 3pm on the dates below.

Markets held between 10am - 3pm on the dates below.

April 21ST May 19th June 16th July 21st Aug 18th Sept 15th Oct 20th Nov 17th Dec 15th Flying the flag for local featuring local producers, suppliers, amazing food, arts and crafts.

10am - 3pm Nov 17th Dec 15th Aug 18th Sept 15th Oct 20th

10am - 3pm

THE VALUE OF VOLUNTEERING

Mark Gleed, Visitor Experience Manager, The Sherborne

The significance of volunteering extends far beyond passionate people dedicating their time and effort to a benevolent cause that they believe in. It triggers a profound exchange between the charitable foundation and the wider community, with volunteers acting as a bridge. Anyone can volunteer, irrespective of background, career path, education, experience or knowledge, and that is the beauty of it.

Finding the right volunteer opportunity that aligns with your passions, skills and schedule can significantly enhance your volunteering experience. Your unique skills and talents can contribute to these causes and the right opportunity should feel rewarding and align with your personal values and lifestyle. Each of our volunteers has a wonderful life story, which makes them unique in what they bring to The Sherborne and they all share a passion for learning, challenging themselves and discovering more about the arts, history and architecture. While volunteers give so much of their energy without remuneration, in return, it brings them together with like-minded people in their community to build connections, make new friendships, gain invaluable skills and educate themselves in a field they have fallen in love with.

We live in a time when social interaction can be limited and volunteering allows you to connect and interact with colleagues and visitors in beautiful, stimulating surroundings. Volunteering is a holistic endeavour that nurtures both the individual and society. At its core, it offers profound personal benefits beyond the tangible impacts on communities. Engaging in such altruistic activities fosters a deep sense of purpose and fulfilment and can lead to significant personal growth.

As a charity, volunteers play an essential part in keeping The Sherborne alive, thriving and, importantly, freely open. Their dedication and passion make The Sherborne a vibrant cultural hub; we all desire to share its vision and values and contribute to its future success. We believe that it can enrich the town’s cultural fabric and establish it as a magnet for the arts not only in Dorset and the Southwest but nationally.

thesherborne.uk

Children’s Book Review

Tilly Wilson, aged 11, Leweston Prep

Moving On Up by Rosie Jones (Wren & Rook 2024 £9.99)

Sherborne Times reader offer price of £7.99 from Winstone’s Books

Ireally enjoyed reading this book because it covers everything you need to know about growing up. When I started reading this book, I found it really funny but it also had everything to learn about being a kind friend and how to be confident. The book covers many topics including friendships, how to deal with unkind people and having a crush on someone in your class which can sometimes be awkward if you get teased. If parents find it a little awkward to talk about puberty this is definitely a book to give your child. You could always read it together and I am sure you will have a few giggles - my mum and I did! I would suggest this book is best suited to girls. I would score this book a 9/10 and highly recommend it to my friends.

UNEARTHED

Emily Bryer, aged 11

Sherborne Prep

Emily is an enthusiastic young rider following in the hoofprints of her family’s tradition of working with horses. She is currently focused on developing her dressage inspired by heroes such as Charlotte Dujardin, Lottie Fry and Carl Hester.

Emily was selected for the Somerset teams three years on the trot and has been selected for the SouthWest team for the last two years. She was nominated to represent the South-West in the Youth Squad to compete for England which culminated in competing in the Youth Home Nations in August 2023. Emily is hoping to be selected for this again later this summer and continues to improve.

Her dressage partner, for the horse dancing discipline, is ‘Beckett’ – a bay New Forest pony owned by Karen Martin. He loves showing off, enjoys cuddles and eagerly munches carrots!

Not limiting herself to elaborate circles though(!), Emily is beginning to show some promise at show jumping. She also hopes to get out hunting, which, apart from being good fun, is an invaluable and natural training for both young horses and riders in the winter months.

sherborneprep.org

07808 400083

info@katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk www.katharinedaviesphotography.co.uk

Independent boarding and day school for girls aged 7 to 13

“Offers the most magical upbringing a little girl can dream of” The Carfax Education School Index

A SUBJECT OF DEBATE

Tom Payne, Teacher of English and Classics, Sherborne School

The Sherborne Times, with its high production levels, requires articles quite a while ahead of publication. As a result, I’m writing this on 4th July, 200 yards away from the village hall in which I’ll be voting later. As I type, the nation’s collective head is ringing with claims and counterclaims: Will Labour cost taxpayers £2,000? Over what period? Claims who? Whose plan to promote growth will be more effective?

And that’s just election day. By the time you read this, there will have been other issues that no one saw coming: perhaps a rookie MP with a history of dodgy tweets or some blurred lines about what, say, ‘ceasefire’ really means.

All of these questions can sound like such small details and yet they can open up intense, often personal disagreements. Soon it becomes hard for us to see the issues clearly. This is what makes debating so vital in schools. We’ve resurrected our Debating Society – competitions between houses are back. Our boys regularly head up to the Girls’ School to vie in teams for the clearest expression of the best-understood ideas. Item number one on the agenda was to discuss the pros versus the cons of single-sex education; and if that’s not ironic enough, we sometimes tackle these issues in mixed teams.

That’s a useful example of Debating Society’s first rule: you don’t have to believe this stuff. This is not to say that we can make things up. In an age of fake news, it matters more than ever that what we say is true or at least, that we know who claims something is true. Rather, you don’t have to be voicing your personal convictions. Instead, you present a case as skilfully as possible, whether or not you happen to agree with it. If that sounds cynical and a useful training for an expensive lawyer, well, maybe it is; but it does something more important than that – it helps people to empathise. What could be better for addressing those poisonous feuds and social-media pile-ons than to try seeing a problem from someone else’s perspective?

This is the magic of debating. The best debaters are well-prepared and may well know more than their opponents but that’s not everything. The winners are the ones who listen to the other side. For sure, this is often with a view to flattening their arguments, in the short term at least. But a really confident debater can see, and even anticipate, the fundamental ideas that unite both teams and suggest ways to make the world better. For example, the boys’ school recently took on the girls’ school to sort out once and for all whether literary texts could be as useful a guide to the past as historical sources. It was close and it was tense. For a moment, it was like watching a prolonged rally at Wimbledon. But then, our judge, Rebecca de Pelet, explained why it all matters. In a world where a television documentary could do more to expedite justice for maligned postal workers than governments

had managed, and in a world where ‘news’ on the internet is hard to trust, the debate is important, she said, ‘because we’re all on the same side.’

It makes the competitions all the more exciting, not only because we want victory, but also because we want the truth. We’ve competed in the English Speaking Union’s debating competition and our teams have learnt more than they ever thought they’d need to know about the history of education or how proportional representation works. In house debates, they have come to grips with the ethics of tourism, taxation and national art collections. The final of that contest addressed the most vexed issue of the moment: Barbie v Oppenheimer.

I confess I had some complaints about that one. Students who’d flown with the question ‘Are the actions of climate change protesters justified?’ were irked that

we could be considering something so trivial. But they soon agreed that it was about two films and much more: masculinity and feminism; the security of the world; the kind of culture we want and so on.

In spite of those high production levels, the excellent photography and elegant font, it’s worth noting that the Sherborne Times could be said to have an overlap with another platform, the Facebook page Sherborne News and Views. Some of you will have seen it or maybe even contributed to its lively exchanges. I recommend it as an insight into how passionately people can believe things and how that passion can be, let’s say, divisive at times. Students at all our schools are finding ways to discuss tricky topics and to emerge with minds that are wellinformed and, better still, open.

sherborne.org

BEGINNINGS, MIDDLES AND ENDINGS

Hilary Phillips, Head, Hanford School

For many, this is the middle, more or less, of the year but for those who work in the teaching profession or for families with children starting a new school in September, next month is something of a new start. Soon we will see the signs in the shops encouraging us to restock pencil cases and buy endless stationery - which pens will be the collector’s items this academic year?

I am just coming to the end of my first year here at Hanford and so I have seen each school event over the course of that year and can appreciate the richness of the school’s traditions. All schools have their quirky practices but I have particularly enjoyed some of the more novel ideas at Hanford. The Teachers’ Tea Party, organised by Year 8 girls who are leaving Hanford to go on to senior schools, has got to be one of the highlights. For days before the event, the girls are busy planning the menu then baking and making. They lay out a long table in the gardens and decorate it with sweet peas - a Hanford favourite. On the day, the leavers wear dresses they have made in Handwork (aka textiles in other

schools) and serve the teachers – it’s rather nice to be the ones sitting down for a change. Once the teachers are all served, the girls join in the tea and the afternoon extends into the evening.

I wasn’t looking forward to the ‘Scares and Dares’ evening on the last day of the Summer Term. It sounded like a recipe for disaster. For the first element, the teachers secrete themselves around the school site after dark. The girls, again the seniors whose last night it is at Hanford, have a set circuit to follow, and we teachers all set up scary scenarios in our allocated areas. I should imagine the screams were heard in the neighbouring village! In return, the girls then sneak out later under cover of darkness and rearrange the school. This year we had the pyramids of Egypt set up in a classroom with desks and books piled high. Thoughtfully, the girls had written warning signs and provided a risk assessment for those about to enter! Another classroom was transformed into a Jurassic scene (the geography room, of course). A full set of laid-up dining tables à deux were discovered in the

playground (Teacher’s Date Night apparently) and a folders maze provided a challenge to navigate.

What was lovely about all these dares was that they were funny and creative, and no damage was done. The girls looked after their school. When Old Girls come back to visit, they all vividly recall these memories and are delighted to find that the scares remain pretty much the same. These memories are vivid and live on well after their sell-by date. It’s so important to create lasting memories for our children. Childhood is the briefest blink and our children get one shot at it so it is our responsibility to ensure that it’s absolutely the best shot they can have.

It’s not hard to create amazing memories and the simplest ones are often the best. The summer is an ideal time to build up your stock of memories and we are lucky that here in Dorset there is so much going on and so many lovely places to visit. But you don’t really need to leave home. I remember making miniature gardens on a plate when I was little. It often used to be a competition class at a local fête but there doesn’t

seem to be much of that sort of thing around nowadays. Is it because competition is seen as a negative thing? Competition isn’t negative; it’s how we win and lose that is key. I also remember the ‘turn a potato into a character’ competition, the theme park for insects, how many items can you fit into a matchbox (it must still open and close properly) and guess the weight or how many somethings (sweets/stones/marbles) in a jar. Because I am a teacher, I must add that playing around with these ideas at home can really help with maths skills, spatial awareness and much more but mainly, they are just great fun!

None of these activities cost much, if anything, in terms of money but they do cost in terms of time. But that is what our children need and it seems to be in short supply nowadays. So it is worth the investment in time to collect the materials and tidy them up afterwards. To you, it may just be a mess but to your child it’s one more piece building the memory jigsaw of their lives.

Have a great rest of the summer!

hanfordschool.co.uk

THE TURING RIDE

In 1926, Alan Turing, aged 13, travelled from his family home in France to Sherborne School.

When he reached Southampton, he discovered that the General Strike had disrupted all train services, and so, leaving his luggage at Southampton Station to be forwarded to Sherborne, he got on his bike and cycled the 65 miles to Sherborne over the course of two days, staying overnight at the Crown Hotel in Blandford Forum.

On 24th June 2012, the date of Turing’s 100th birthday, 54 boys and 15 staff from Sherborne School recreated the journey and cycled from Southampton to Sherborne in honour of Alan Turing. The ride was such a success that it soon became an annual fundraising event, evolving into a circular ride of 62 miles, the last 27 of which follow Turing’s original route, starting and finishing at Sherborne School. The event has continued to grow over the years, attracting cyclists of

all ages and backgrounds, including pupils, staff, local cycling enthusiasts and some amateur Sportive riders from further afield. This year, the event continues to be organised in conjunction with Sherborne School and in aid of the Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance, with support from the WoWsers (a local cycling group) and some generous sponsorship from Sherborne Self Storage.

Preparation for the Turing Ride begins months in advance, with a dedicated committee coordinating the logistics and promoting the event throughout the Sherborne community. All these arrangements culminate in a busy day, which starts with registration, refreshments and a speech made by the Sherborne School Head Boy in the morning before the cyclists begin their journey. The ride is non-competitive, with volunteers, feed stations and mechanical backup stationed along the route to guide and assist participants, ensuring that everyone remains safe

Abi Guiton, Events Manager, Sherborne School

throughout the ride. In addition to raising funds for the Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance, the event provides an opportunity for our boys to volunteer, with many contributing to the organisation and running of the event. The event also helps to promote health, fitness and wellbeing among pupils, staff and the wider community.

Some of the boys who completed the ride in 2023 are looking forward to participating again this year. One boy commented that he found it to be, ‘an enjoyable and inclusive experience. It is completed in your own time so anyone can participate and enjoy. I loved that it was supporting the Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance, which is a good cause for the community. It helped introduce me to cycling in a really welcoming way with the friendly support and tasty treats at the feed stations.’

Another boy said, ‘It was very nice to go around with friends…The marshals and volunteers at the halfway

point were great – they provided us with water and delicious home-baked snacks.’

This year, the Turing Ride will be taking place on Sunday 29th September 2024. The ride features two routes to accommodate different skill levels; the 30-mile ‘Enigma’ route and the more challenging 61-mile long ‘Ultra’ route. All proceeds from the event go to the Sherborne Voluntary Ambulance which is currently fundraising for a new ambulance.

sherbornevoluntaryambulance.com sherborne.org

To find out more or to register online please visit britishcycling.org.uk/events

For any queries, please contact sherbornevoluntaryambulance@gmail.com or events@sherborne.org

Images: Abi Guiton

OUR NEEDS THIS SUMMER

During the school holidays we desperately need lunchtime food items for children including:

• Small Box Drinks • Sandwich Pastes and Spreads

• Individual Packets of Crisps • Dried Fruits

• Savoury Snacks and Non-Chocolate Biscuits

Please consider adding these items to your shopping trolley. THANK YOU for your support!

Donation points can be found near the check-outs at Thank you. www.sherbornefoodbank.org 07854 163869 | help@sherbornefoodbank.org

DRAWN TO THE LIGHT

Small Elephant Hawk-moth Deilephila pocellus

Gillian Nash

The elegant Small Elephant Hawk-moth is similar in form to the closely related, larger, Elephant Hawk-moth many will be familiar with. An interesting design of gold and pink on wings edged delicately in white distinguishes it from the latter species that has all pink and olive green colour. From dusk, it may be sometimes seen visiting our gardens seeking nectar-rich flowers such as Red Valerian, honeysuckles, Viper’s Bugloss and rhododendrons. It is occasionally seen flying in daylight hours reminding us of good reason and the value of incorporating these plants in our gardens giving the opportunity to attract this jewel of a moth among many other pollinators.

Larval foodplants include various bedstraws, in particular Lady’s Bedstraw, less often willowherb and loosestrife. Favoured habitat is open areas of calcareous grass or heathland, including coastal districts and anywhere these plants are found.

Although smaller in size, the night-feeding larvae resemble that of their larger cousin and may be found from June to September, hiding away at the base of the foodplant during the day. At first, green but as it grows it becomes darker and will eventually form a pupa in leaf litter just above or below ground level where it will remain over winter.

Widespread, though never common throughout more southerly counties of England and Wales the Small Elephant Hawk-moth has in recent decades successfully maintained reasonable numbers in the scattered locations where it is found, with possible increases.

In excess of 2,500 moth species have been recorded within the British Isles and many visit both our rural and urban gardens. As mainly nocturnal visitors we may be unaware of their presence or importance as pollinators and indicators of environmental impacts that may affect us all.

Rhys Leonard/Shutterstock

THE IMPORTANCE OF HEDGEROWS

Emily Newton, Farm Liaison Officer, Dorset Wildlife Trust

According to Hedgelink, the UK has lost 50% of its hedgerows since the Second World War and sadly, they are still in decline. It could be said that the patchwork of rich and varied hedgerows forms a defining feature of the beautiful Dorset landscape. More importantly, they provide food and shelter for many species of wildlife and form vital ecological corridors for wildlife to move freely across the countryside.

The flowers of fruit-bearing hedgerow plants supply a feast for a whole host of wildlife through nectar-rich flowers, leaves, fruits, berries, seeds and nuts throughout spring, summer and autumn. Ditches and banks associated with hedgerows provide habitat for frogs, toads, newts and reptiles, not to mention barn owls, kestrels, foxes, hedgehogs and harvest mice. The biodiversity of a thick hedgerow is truly astonishing.

Flying insects such as butterflies need warm sheltered conditions to be able to gain and retain, the heat necessary to fly. When dormice emerge in spring, they feed on blackthorn and hawthorn flowers to replace body fat used in hibernation and later in the year, they rely on blackberries and hazelnuts to build fat reserves for the coming winter. As a linear landscape feature, hedgerows are important for bats and form ‘commuting routes’ between roosting sites and feeding areas. They aid navigation and provide shelter from wind during flight as well as an excellent foraging opportunity.

Hedgerows even play their part in tackling environmental issues such as river pollution by acting as a physical barrier holding water back in fields thereby slowing the flow of water which helps reduce flooding downstream. Not to mention they tackle climate change through carbon capture and storage in woody biomass.

There are multiple benefits for agriculture too. Recent studies show that strategic planting of trees and hedges can improve animal welfare and increase productivity by providing shelter from wind and shade. Hedgerows help with natural pest control for crops too. They harbour predatory carnivorous insects which can overwinter in the shelter of the hedge – in the spring they move into the farmer’s crop and will eat the herbivorous/sap-sucking insects such as aphids. They also act as barriers to wind-borne pests and provide a home for all the insects which pollinate crops.

• The best hedges for wildlife are thick and broadest at the bottom with a range of woody species such as hawthorn, blackthorn, field maple, hazel, spindle, wayfaring tree and wild service tree occasionally overtopped by oak and ash.

• Blackthorn is well known for its sloes, the blue-black fruits used in sloe gin.

• The harvest mouse is the only British mammal to have a prehensile tail: it can use it like a fifth limb, holding on to grass stems with it.

MAKING A HOME FOR WILDLIFE

Simon Ford, Ecologist

Iam writing this as I watch a group of swifts flying at full pelt around the rooftops of Sherborne, dodging the chimneys and aerials in search of food. Their high-pitched screech allows them to communicate. We estimate that there may be as many as 35 birds in the centre of Sherborne, with outliers at Newlands, St Pauls and some local villages.

Many Sherborne Times readers will have attended ‘Swifts Over Sherborne’ events at the Abbey and at Digby Hall where we heard about these wonderful birds and what we can do to safeguard their nest sites and habitat. Some of you may have sponsored the new swift boxes in the Abbey tower or bought boxes to install under your eaves. We have erected one at home, although so far, the swifts have not taken it up (but we are ever hopeful). We would love to know if you have swifts nesting in your house or if they have used your nest boxes and if possible, it would be good to add any sightings on the SwiftTracker app, to help us understand where they are found.

I expect many of you have bird nest boxes of various designs at your house or farm. These may range from sparrow and blue tit, swift or swallow to tawny and barn owl boxes, which come in various sizes and apertures. In addition, some people may have installed boxes for other species such as hedgehog shelters, frogs and toad houses, bat boxes, slow worm mats, ‘bee hotels’ and some people who are lucky enough to have a stream or river, may even have made an artificial otter holt.

Around our small garden in the middle of Sherborne, we have quite a number of mostly homemade boxes for wildlife, in various styles and positions. In previous years, we have loved watching the house sparrows tirelessly feeding their young in our boxes, until one day they pluck up courage and are able to fly the nest. This year, our various boxes have remained unused, which in some ways is disappointing, but looking on the positive side, we still have loads of house sparrows, blue, great and coal tits, robins, wrens, blackbirds, jackdaws and starlings and so perhaps they have found other places to nest in our shrubs and trees

and holes in the old stone walls. You could say that having to erect nest boxes is a sign of failure because we do not have enough lovely old and hollow trees and overgrown shrubs, where they would naturally nest.

In the allotment on Harbour Road, I have enjoyed seeing the slow worms and toads under the piece of corrugated iron I have put down as a refuge. On a sunny day, they come out and bask, although are in danger of predation from crows, herring gulls and magpies as well as cats when in the open. The corrugated iron or indeed an old strip of carpet provides safety for them.

One thing which has been working very well has been the bug hotel. Filled with hollow bamboo, wood shavings and drilled pieces of wood, there has been a real array of different solitary bees making it a home. Mason and potter bees have been plugging their nests with clay, while leafcutter bees have used small pieces of leaf glued together with saliva, to create a door. I have noticed an evergreen honeysuckle on our wall is their favourite shrub and it now has a beautifully cut edge to the leaves, as if someone has used pinking shears!

There is no need to spend a lot of money when making a home for wildlife. Some old broken flower pots or clay tiles make an excellent home for reptiles and amphibians or indeed a pile of rocks. Likewise, a pile of logs covered with some soil or turf works well and keeps the area damp. You can drill various diameter holes in a log and it will create a great place for bees and insects. Hedgehogs will be just fine with an old wooden box or draw placed under an undisturbed hedge or shady bush. At the risk of making a ‘shanty town’, some old corrugated iron, roofing felt or carpet tiles in a sunny spot will be lovely for slow worms and grass snakes. If you can’t make a pond then sink an old bucket into the ground.

Don’t forget however that if there is nothing for the animals to eat or live in, however beautiful your nesting site is, then you are not going to attract anything. Keep a little wild corner and see what a difference it will make.

swiftsoversherborne.co.uk

ZOMBEES

Paula Carnell, Beekeeping Consultant, Writer and Speaker

As I have now had almost three months living on a desert island paradise, with the unexpected challenges of no transport, cell phone, landline phone, limited food, crabs, cockroaches and rats all trying to move in and an island with NO HONEYBEES. I have a more balanced opinion on what exactly makes somewhere ‘paradise’.

There’s a well-known saying that ‘everything on an island has to be brought with you or by sea or wind’. Even in this time of advanced technology, and human ‘advancement’, the same rules apply. On a more spiritual note, I am aware that we also carry our own baggage

with us, wherever we go and so mental health is even more acutely challenged by living on a remote island.

Honeybees were brought here by humans back in the 1940s. Out of the 27 islands of this tropical coral atoll, two are now inhabited, a further two were historically inhabited and I would say that each of those would have had honeybees at some point. Humans love honey and these islands, to quote local beekeeper Jack Clunies Ross, are like a honey factory with year-round flowering coconut trees in addition to the ancient flora and fauna covering all the islands.

I was aware that ‘some time back’ queen bees

Small Carpenter Bee Ceratina sp Victoria Virgona/Shutterstock

had been imported to the islands to assist with the biodiversity and genetics of the honeybees. With current biosecurity laws and with these islands’ remoteness and governmental associations with Western Australia, they are as ‘biosecure’ as you can get. This is one of the many things that attracted me to run this bee project here. What better place to research and study the genetics and breeding patterns of honeybees than where there’s no chance of diluting or beefing up the population? I was also on the understanding that there were no other bee species here. Of the global 22,000 species of bees, none had been found here, other than the introduced apis mellifera (western honey bee).

Charles Darwin visited here in 1836 and didn’t record any bees. A multitude of entomologists, scientists and biologists from various Australian universities have also visited and no records of any bees were made. Cocos Keeling is famed for its marine life, its pristine coral, the unique endemic and transient birds, geckos, blue-tailed skinks, dragonflies, butterflies and more recently wasps. It seems unbelievable that the islands were waiting for me to arrive to reveal their bees!

I was saddened to find that the honeybees were absent now on Home Island, where we are living. Wild bees remain on the South and West Islands, as well as a couple of the tiny uninhabited islands.

During some of the low tides I have been able to walk to neighbouring small islands and, whilst looking for honeybees, was very surprised to come across other bee species! At first, I found a small dark shiny bee then on a second visit, a slightly different small bee, on the same island.

On the main West Island, where most of the managed beehives are, I was very surprised to find another bee, more stripey, even blue, as well as a couple of ‘new to me’ wasp species.

Jack the beekeeper shared my initial photos with an insect identifier mate of his and it came back as a ‘ceratina sp’. Small carpenter solitary or semi-social bee. This made my day. There are around 30 ceratina species so far identified so the next step is to spend more time observing them. If there are plenty, I need to capture one, freeze it then get it analysed under a microscope for the tiny identifying aspects to determine if it is a new species or a well-travelled type from somewhere in Indonesia or Australia. A little way off having a bee named after me!

I’m now in touch with Australian entomologists,

both lovers of bees, yet their work has led them to other insects. During all this excitement I was reminded of the specialist queen bee breeding programme on the Western Australian isolated island of Rottnest. Famed for their placid, honey-producing queens, bred over many years to produce the perfect queen for beekeepers. What are the traits beekeepers look for? Well, a nonstinging bee naturally would be good then one that chooses not to over-collect propolis, as that sticks the hive together and makes honey harvesting tricky.

I have visited such carefully bred colonies of bees and wondered why they were so disinterested in me. I am used to bees sending a scout bee to check me out, getting the measure of my facial features, my scent, my ‘vibe’. Prized bees don’t do that, like robots they come in and out of the hive, bellies laden with nectar and leg baskets bursting with pollen. Are these ‘zombees’? Has their feisty nature been bred out of them? The fire in their bellies makes them the spiritual guardians of the landscape? Old wise mother queens, culled and replaced with these prized specimen queens, have the worker bees learned to no longer care about their fate? Switching off the love for their queen so as not to feel the grief when she is culled and replaced by a new younger version.

Since arriving at Cocos Keeling, I have been working with honeybees that are wild and caught or enticed into hives. I brought a new bee suit with me and decided not to bring gloves – it’s too hot for leather gloves and I also thought it was about time I worked bare-handed. The biggest change for me is learning not to jump when a bee crawls on my hand. They do tickle and even after 14 years of beekeeping, I am wary of being stung. I realise that bare-handed beekeeping requires even more patience and presence. Careful not to squash a bee inadvertently, I am more aware of their hum – I really have to become one with the hive. Everything takes longer. A split which I am used to doing ‘quickly’ is now painstakingly slow. I have been stung, yet because I am so calm and present, the stings are not swelling up or itching. It’s a sharp initial stab then I take a breath, and go back in. This is the beekeeping I love. The bees are getting to know me – we’re building a relationship. I am not their master – I am their friend and caretaker, ever grateful for whatever gifts they have to share. I am seeing the comparisons between humans and bees – has the feisty nature also been bred out of us?

paulacarnell.com

OBJECT OF THE MONTH

THE ‘ESCAPE MAP’ SCARF

Elisabeth Bletsoe, Curator, Sherborne Museum

Our image this month shows a corner of a silk square, on one side (43/A) printed with a map of France, Belgium, Holland and the Pyrenees, and on the other (43/B) with France, Spain and the German Frontier. It has a narrow border, a machine-stitched hem and is understandably quite faded.

During the early 1940s, the British Military Intelligence Unit (MI9) issued these silk maps for use by British aircrew shot down over enemy-occupied territory in Europe. They were designed by Clayton Hutton, a former First World War pilot, who, in 1939, on being rejected for active service during the Second World War, applied to be an intelligence officer. Owing to his fascination with the career of Houdini and escapology in general, as well as the art of creating illusions, he was put in charge of developing aids and maps to assist escapees and evaders.

the enemy forces. A successful escape would also help those with valuable flying skills and experience to be returned to combat. Morale in the POW camps would be enhanced; by being given the means to escape, the men would have a sense that they remained in the fight.

After the US entry into the Second World War, the American military officers took initiatives from MI9 and created a similar unit (MIS-X), mass producing cloth escape maps for their own personnel. Initially, they were printed on balloon silk; later rayon acetate was employed as it was similar in its properties but more accessible.

Hutton secured many tourist maps from Bartholomews, a renowned map-making company in Edinburgh, from which to develop his designs. A material was required that was more robust than paper, yet thin enough to occupy minimal space; that was also lightweight, durable, crease-resistant and silent when unfolded, with no tell-tale rustle. After unsuccessfully experimenting with tissue, Hutton concluded that the only suitable material was silk. His initial attempts were disappointing since the eight different ink colours he was using were particularly fugitive, resulting in an illegible mess. Serendipitously, he happened to introduce a little pectin into the ink which led to the retention of a usefully sharp definition.

The map could then be sewn into clothing or folded into the hollow heel of a boot, and thus integrated into the military uniform, but many were distributed to POW camps hidden in Monopoly sets, cigarette packets or sewing kits. The men were obligated to attempt escape if captured, in the hope that the distraction of hunting them down would preoccupy

The British-made ‘1943’ series, to which this scarf belongs, followed the Bartholomew series and was recognisable from the vivid colouring. They depicted the European Theatre and were issued to the Allied pilots of the USAF, RAF and RCAF. Produced by John Waddington Ltd, at a scale of 1:1,000,000, they were numbered with the prefix 43 followed by one of the uppercase letters between A and H. They were usually printed on both sides. Later, they were often packed into specially sealed ‘Escape and Evasion’ money wallets consisting of a brown rubberised fabric containing relevant foreign currencies, a miniature brass compass and a small hacksaw blade.

As a result of the ‘Make Do & Mend’ initiative, many of these silk squares became repurposed into clothing such as underwear, nightclothes and even wedding dresses, some of which grace museum collections today. It is thought-provoking to consider that relics from a traumatic episode in history could produce such meaningful and symbolic items of fashion.

sherbornemuseum.com

Sherborne Museum is open from 10.30am-4.30pm on Tuesday to Saturday. Admission is free but donations are warmly appreciated.

THE BUILDING SITE

Barbara Elsmore

Irecently watched, fascinated and in awe, as two young men erected scaffolding on a neighbour’s house in order to create a secure pathway for work on a central chimney. The skills and strength of the two young men together with the modern equipment made for an efficient, speedy and safe process. Now take a look at the scaffolding in the photograph shown here, as we can see long thin tree trunks, planks of timber and rope used to bind the whole lot together.

This photograph was amongst those collected by George King (1859-1932), Sherborne Abbey Verger from 1892 until 1929. George lectured on Sherborne and Sherborne Abbey to raise funds for the restoration of the Lady Chapel which began in November 1922 when an appeal pamphlet was written and circulated resulting in many individuals, including George, stepping forward to raise the necessary funds.

The photograph of the building site is fascinating to look closely at now. There are sixteen men working and the job that some of them are undertaking can be seen in what they are wearing and holding. The two carpenters are wearing their customary white aprons and one of them is holding a plane. Every man has a hat on and most have a waistcoat of some sort over

a shirt with the sleeves rolled up. They all wear heavy trousers, some tied just below the knee, together with thick-soled footwear.

There are four stonemasons holding their hammers and mallets and one man is holding aloft a squaredoff piece of stone. There is one man with a shovel, one with a heavy-looking pole and half a dozen men with no indication of their roles on the site. The man at the front is the only one with a tie and is most likely the gaffer. He has an oil can for use on a sharpening stone and a metal rod for measuring depth etc. He also has a watch to call ‘time’ at the end of the working day.

The site is littered with pieces of stone both large and small and it looks quite hazardous to us today. There is a barrel and a tank of water likely for the making of the lime mortar and no doubt this would be the job of a couple of those present.

It is not easy to date the photograph but it seems likely that it would be somewhere between about 1910 and 1920. And of the building itself – what could be its future use and where could it be? Perhaps someone will recognise it, which would be very good indeed.

Image courtesy of Sherborne School Archives

FAMILY-OWNED FROM NEW

Richard Bromell ASFAV, Charterhouse Auctioneers

Every so often I come across a classic or vintage car which is not only in great condition but also comes with great history and coming up on Wednesday 7th August we have such a car.

The car in question is an Alvis Silver Eagle TC 19.82. Fitted with a drop head coupe coach-built body by the Mayfair Carriage Company, this car has been in the same family ownership from new, quite amazing for a 91-year-old vehicle.

However, what is more amazing is the history which comes with the car. These days, when cars are serviced, this is usually recorded in the cloud by the dealership

rather than being printed off as a paper copy.

Back in 1933 computers, as we know them today, had not been dreamt of, so paper correspondence was the only option and what a collection of paperwork there is to go with this Alvis.

The first letter of correspondence is from 1932.

Dated 15th December, this comes from Henleys in Bournemouth and is the order confirmation for an Alvis chassis costing £550 for the Reverend James Douglas Simpson. Moving forward to April 1933, the next letter is again from Henleys in Bournemouth, being another account, £413 for the Mayfair Carriage

The 1933 Alvis Silver Eagle DHC

Company drop head coupe body, delivery fees, various accessories and the final testing.

Costing nearly £1,000 in 1933, the Alvis with its coach-built body, was an expensive car, especially when compared to an Austin 7 Ruby which was £112 when launched in 1934!

The Reverend Simpson only enjoyed the car for three years as he died in 1936. Ownership passed to his son, Norman Douglas Simpson. A gentleman who did not need to work being from a wealthy family, he travelled extensively in the Alvis, including spending time in Spain. Well-known as a botanist, he owned the Alvis Silver Eagle, and an Alvis 12/50 TJ drop head coupe, until his death in 1974 when living in Bournemouth.

Moving forward 50 years to 2024 both these Alvis drop head coupe’s remain together. Having passed through the hands of two cousins of Norman Simpson, they are now being sold on instructions of executors.

Both form part of a collection of cars from a deceased estate near Bridport. We have already cleared the farmhouse and will be selling the contents in our two-day auction of Silver, Jewellery and Watches on Thursday 1st followed by Antiques & Interiors on Friday 2nd August.

There are nearly 20 vehicles in the collection and rather than moving them all to our usual auction venue at Haynes, I decided to have an auction onsite at the farm. Also included in the collection are a Bristol 401, a Triumph TR3 and a TR4, Morris Minor Traveller, Riley 9 Tourer, MGB GT, other cars, two Massey Fergusson tractors – a 165 and a 35, farming bygones and even a late Victorian shepherd’s hut.

All being sold with reserve, this will certainly have the feel of a country house auction, albeit on a farm and with classic and vintage cars along with farming bygones!

charterhouse-auction.com

01747 851881

mail@pwcr.co.uk

www.pwcr.co.uk

31st July

1st August

Unreserved

7th August

Coins,

29th August

30th August

Further

TODAY’S PAPER

Annabelle Hunt, Bridport Timber, Colour Consultant

Whilst I do appreciate a calm and considered interior, the imaginative use of colour and pattern can have the magical ability to bring light and joy to a home. The origins of decorative painting can be traced back to prehistory when drawings, patterns and designs were used on cave walls to tell stories. The Parthenon in ancient Greece, which today we think of as the epitome of classical, monochromatic white marble, was originally brightly painted in vivid colours, whilst in ancient Rome elaborate paint techniques such as marbling, mosaics and frescoes were used to impress.

The popularity of using applied decoration and pattern in the home has gone through endless style cycles. From Laura Ashley’s reworking of the overblown country house style with its plethora of festoon blinds, pelmets and passementerie, to Jocasta Innes’ passion for stencilling, stippling, ragging and marbling, depending on your point of view, the 1980s were either a visual feast or a sensory overload. Cath Kidston popularised vintage chic in the 1990s and more recently we have seen a resurgence of the more bohemian Bloomsbury style. At their home in Sussex, Vanessa Bell and Duncan Grant’s unconventional household of artists, writers and intellectuals took their inspiration from Italian frescos and Post-Impressionist painting. History has a habit of continually reinventing itself. Many designs and paint effects require a confident hand or an artisan to apply them though, and this is where wallpaper really comes into its own. Whether your preference is for a restrained palette, a harmonious contrast or something altogether bolder, a clever mix of prints and pattern creates an inviting atmosphere. There are several tried and tested tricks to pull a scheme together - pick a colour from within the wallpaper’s colour scheme and use it for piping and on woodwork, or off-set pretty florals with geometric stripes. For a bold, more decorated feel, using wallpapers and fabric

on the same design creates a clever pattern-on-pattern camouflage effect.

Unlike other wallpaper manufacturers, Farrow and Ball print their papers using their own paint and this results in a beautifully tactile, handprinted yet consistent finish. Well known for taking their cues from historical sources, they have recently added to their collection five new wallpapers inspired by centuries-old designs found during the restoration of Château de Purnon, hidden deep in the French countryside. Each wallpaper in the collection tells a story, whether it’s through cool geometric shapes or delicate florals – each is rooted in history.

The elegant Purnon with its heron motif, discovered on an 18th-century folding screen, has formal motifs of bouquets, branches and vines. In bold colours, it would make a striking statement in an entrance hall or dining room, whilst in a softer palette it would be perfect for a feminine bedroom. Adelaïde is an unusual, surprisingly modern feeling floral design discovered in the daughter Adelaïde’s bedroom, whilst Achard is a subtle geometric pattern uncovered inside a linen press. Discovered in the attic but originally used in a bedroom, a fading fragment has been reworked into the striking Baracé. Its formally structured design is printed using an overlay technique which creates unexpected texture and depth. Finally, a delicate floral found in a dressing room, Auguste is soft and delicate in style and tone.

Farrow and Ball’s traditional printing methods replicate the texture, depth and feel of the original papers but the colour and scale of the patterns have been redesigned, giving a modern twist to historical designs and making them feel as relevant to contemporary homes today as they were to the château and the family who lived there.

bridporttimber.co.uk

Parma Gray No.27 Dead Flat. Wallpaper Achard 6403

Setting Plaster No.231 Modern Eggshell. Wallpaper Adelaïde 6302

E sherbornejoinery20@outlook.com All

T 01935 726650

E bespokeinteriorssherborne23@outlook.com

The Joinery Works, Alweston

Sherborne, Dorset DT9 5HS

Tel: 01963 23219

Fax: 01963 23053

Email: info@fcuffandsons.co.uk

www.fcuffandsons.co.uk

WILD GARDEN

Words Claire Bowman

Photography Katharine Davies

It is high summer at Wild Garden in Galhampton and salad season is in full swing for partners Tia Cusden and Nick Ross. Row upon row of lettuce plants are hearting up in the sunshine and under polytunnels, ready to be harvested, washed and bagged. From there the salad leaves will make their way to local restaurants such as Horrell & Horrell and Matt's Kitchen and shops within a ten-mile radius, including Teals and Sherborne Market Store on Cheap Street, and onto the shelves of their own weekly farm shop. >

Open every Friday morning throughout the summer, it ’s a wise person who gets to the farm shop early – or, better still, orders online – because salad this good doesn’t hang around for long. Nor, indeed, do the courgettes, cucumbers, red spring onions, carrots, leafy greens and bunches of herbs and cut flowers the couple grow in their two-acre organic market garden. Judging by the cars pulling up in the car park and the veg boxes lined up for collection, their customers know it too.

‘I like the look of Mary ’s box!’ says photographer Katharine, spying a label pegged to one particularly alluring veg box with a bunch of ladies’ mantle, larkspur, cornflowers and snapdragons peeping out the top. My sights are set on the assortment of Wild Garden products laid out on the trestle table: elderflower cordial, a batch of this year’s blackcurrant jelly, spiced chutney, apple cider vinegar and a salad bag which, as I find out later at supper, has a few herby tricks up its sleeve –feathery fronds of dill and chervil to lend a bit of pep.

‘We’ve always grown food one way or another; it’s been central to what we do,’ explains Nick, as we leave the farm shop, where daughter-in-law Roisin is busy weighing broad beans and taking orders for morning coffee, for a garden tour. ‘Tia and I previously ran a

farm in West Cork in Ireland for a year, growing herbs for restaurants and edible plug plants for sale, before buying this piece of land in 2015. Growing food has been like a red thread that’s run through our lives.’

Together since meeting at Glastonbury in the early nineties, Tia and Nick both bring their own wealth of expertise to this organic, regenerative project (Tia was previously Head of Productive Growing at The Newt, while Nick was taught to grow at Tamarisk Organic Farm in West Bexington), transforming what was once a pony paddock and cider apple orchard into a thriving market garden.

‘It ’s hard to imagine but it was once just a grass field,’ says Nick. ‘During lockdown, we ran a veg box scheme for the village so when we went for planning we had the parish council on-side and lots of letters of support from the villagers. Everyone wanted a market garden in the village.’

As we move from lettuce beds to polytunnels, passing garlic bulbs laid out to dry in the sunshine, rows of clambering courgettes and all sorts of colourful herbs and edible flowers – seas of lime and burgundy basil; nasturtiums the colour of turmeric – we arrive at the ‘Wild’ woodland part of the garden. Here, witch >

hazels and cricket bat willows provide shade from the morning sun and great-crested newts lurk in the depths of a wildlife pond. Further up in the orchard, Nick and Tia have planted heritage trees – apple, hazelnut, pear, cobnut and plum, all for a reason.

‘ We have all sorts of different kinds of ecosystems here but they are all designed to work together,’ says Nick, pointing out a handsome Scots pine that was given to him as a 50th birthday present by his daughter, Hazel – just one of thousands of trees the couple have planted over the years. ‘All the hedges we’ve planted are nitrogenfixing, pulling nitrogen up from the soil, which is then distributed to the plants. We grow a lot of Italian alder up in the orchard which also feeds the apple, hazelnut and plum trees. We are one hundred per cent off-grid, including the house we’ve built to live in on-site, which is clad in local larch, and the cabin we rent out to Airbnb guests. There’s a river that flows through the land for our water and everything is run off 21 solar panels.’

It follows, then, that no pesticides or herbicides are used at the Wild Garden, organic seed is sown for 90% of the crops and the couple make their own plant food from comfrey and nettles. ‘Comfrey is one of the most important plants we grow. It gives the plants everything they need and is a totally natural feed, although it smells terrible when it ’s fermenting,’ laughs Tia, as we give the two huge water butts containing the whiffy concoction a wide berth.

Instead of using machinery, Nick and Tia garden the

old-fashioned way. ‘ We are non-mechanised so we do everything by hand. We use wheelbarrows to move the 15 tonnes of horse manure we spread every spring,’ continues Tia. ‘And we only grow seasonal crops, so we are not using lots of energy to heat polytunnels out of season.’

Our market garden tour drawing to an end, we pass a small experimental crop of Hopi sunflowers which, Nick tells me, will be harvested to make wool dye for daughter Hazel, and back to the terrace where a group of customers from Castle Cary and Galhampton are happily tucking into some of her homemade cakes over a cup of coffee. Meanwhile, Sarah from Cider Apple Trees arrives bearing trays of free-range eggs and the last of the veg boxes are scooped up one by one from the farm shop.

‘Market gardens connected to small parishes have a long tradition in this country and what has been lovely about being here is that it has really worked,’ says Nick, as he prepares to head off on a delivery. ‘ The ethos of this place is that it ’s a dance between a self-sufficiency project, a good life project and a commercial market garden – it sits right where these three strands meet. We have proven that it’s possible for people to do what we are doing. They can earn a decent living off a very small amount of land.’

wildgardenveg.co.uk

Wild Garden weekly farm shop and open garden is open Fridays 10am-2pm, late May until late September.

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

Watering is essential at this time of year, so it’s important to save this precious resource where we can. Digging in plenty of soil improver or planting compost will help the soil’s ability to hold onto water, while mulching on top will reduce evaporation and trap any moisture underneath.

Water butts may be starting to run dry, but there should be plenty of ‘grey water’ (from our baths, showers or kitchen sink) to call upon, and we can significantly improve the efficiency of our watering through seep hoses and micro-irrigation systems. Also, spare a thought for little visitors to your garden during drier spells. Birds, hedgehogs, foxes and bees will all be grateful of a drink. 01935 814633

PLANT STORIES

Mark Dumbelton, Head Gardener, Hauser & Wirth Somerset

Throughout history, gardens have been a place to display our treasures and tell our stories. Today’s gardens contain the spoils of Mesopotamian conquest, whispers of Greek from Aristotle’s botanic gardens, philosophies from the Far East, autobiographies of fanatical plant collectors and much more. Each plant has its own story, which is sometimes enshrined in its naming. I have chosen to explore two plants used in Oudolf Field, the garden at Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Understanding their naming helps chart a path through history to the garden we have here today.

The first plant, Stachys officinalis ‘Hummelo’, reclassified as Betonica officinalis ‘Hummelo’, and commonly known as ‘Betony’, is an herbaceous perennial native to Europe, and a member of the mint family. The Greek word ‘Stachys’, given by Linnaeus meaning ‘ear of grain’, describes the cluster of flowers atop a stem. The Greeks and Romans called this plant ‘Vettonica’, named after the Iberian tribe, the Vettones. In Greek, the letter ‘b’ produces a ‘v’ sound, hence why we have the word ‘Betonica’. The Vettones were revered for their use of medicines, which leads us to the species name ‘officinalis’, meaning ‘of the officina’, a room in monasteries where medicines were stored and prepared. Finally, the cultivar name ‘Hummelo’ brings us to a 21st-century village in the East Netherlands. Here, Piet Oudolf, landscape designer of the Hauser & Wirth gardens in Somerset and Menorca, has collected his treasures and written his story for 40 years. Unable to source plants that would satisfy his vision of a garden, Piet set up a ‘Hummelo’ plant nursery and gardens which would become world famous. This space has allowed him to cultivate plants collected from the wild and refine his palette renowned for its diverse forms and textures, as well as its changes throughout the seasons.

Image: Richard Bloom

The second plant in this story, also bred by Piet at his ‘Hummelo’ nursery, is Salvia x sylvestris ‘Dear Anja’. Another member of the vast mint family, this plant bears deep purple and blue flowers for weeks on end. The Romans first named it ‘Salvia’ from the Latin ‘Salvus’ meaning safe, secure and healthy. The ‘x’ denotes that this is a hybrid with parent plants from differing species or cultivars, and ‘sylvestris’ describes

the woodland habitat of one of its parent plants. The ‘Dear Anja’ is a dedication to the second character in our story, Piet’s wife. Anja is seldom mentioned outside of certain circles but, without her, we may never have had the gardens in Piet’s oeuvre. A skilled and knowledgeable plantsman in her own right, Anja managed the nursery and gardens, allowing Piet to concentrate on his design work.

We have at least another 200 hundred plant species here at Oudolf Field, all with stories to tell.

hauserwirth.com

Visit Oudolf Field, the gallery’s 1.5-acre perennial meadow, created by internationally acclaimed landscape designer Piet Oudolf, Wednesday – Sunday, 10am–5pm.

Head Gardener Mark Dumbelton in Oudolf Field, Hauser & Wirth Somerset. Courtesy Hauser & Wirth

WEDDING PLANS

MikeBurks,ManagingDirector,TheGardensGroup

As I write we are in the final few days before our son’s wedding. For some reason, we volunteered to decorate the marquee. It’s something we do quite often for customers so why wouldn’t we… but the wedding is in East Anglia in a village called Long Melford so only four hours away!

Our daughter-in-law-to-be is a delight but has meticulous plans in a perfectly put-together folder and very specific views, as is her right, on what plants will be needed. Our son Will is fairly relaxed about the whole thing verging on the ‘not bothered’ which seems exactly the right stance to me but his mum, Louise, and wife-

to-be, Amy, take a dim view of this attitude and I’m smart enough (publicly at least) to agree with them!

The theme is to be green and bluey-green foliage from ivy and eucalyptus. Some of this is from a eucalyptus tree currently growing in the garden of one of our management team and is kindly being donated and collected just before the wedding. The bluer foliage, from younger growth, has been growing in our nursery since March and is looking splendid.

Louise spoke to the Sherborne Flower Club and touched on the ‘wedding’ subject and was given some excellent advice on the vagaries of cut eucalyptus by

Viktoriia Lomtieva/Shutterstock

the experienced flower arrangers in the club, which was most appreciated.

The flower theme is white and the bride and her mother-in-law had to agree to differ on the use of marguerites with the glorious large daisy flowers and blue-green foliage. So, with marguerites not an option we have vast quantities of white foxgloves in pots instead. The first batch has just gone too far but the second batch should be in flower in time.

We also have been growing on some Hydrangea paniculata which look splendid and have been boosted by some grown on by our specialist growers. These are quite magnificent.

Cosmos and Nicotiana also look perfect in terracotta pots but my favourites are white begonias with trailing silver Helichrysum and these will steal the show.

Louise has also grown some spectacular trailing begonias in hanging baskets also with white flowers but a couple of weekends ago these failed the daughter-inlaw test although I just get the feeling that they will find their way into the marquee somehow!

To bulk up the displays and to hide tent poles there are ivies in hanging baskets, beech, hornbeam and birch trees, some additional eucalyptus just in case, garden furniture for relaxing outside the marquee, strings of lights, lamp shades, candles, vases, water jugs, trellis for the roof, all of which it seems are just not to be found in the East of England.

Instead, and here’s my role in the whole thing, it needs to be transported on the Thursday before the wedding in a fleet of vans greater in number than we actually have – or so it seems to me.

The reality will be found out when we come to load (tomorrow as I write) and so if you see me, a broken man, sobbing next to a collection of beautiful white begonias you’ll know it didn’t quite all fit in!

But we are going to enjoy ourselves buoyed by the generosity of our team in collecting rose petals for confetti, baking the wedding cake, cooking lasagne for the meal the night before, driving the plants to the venue, allowing the harvesting of eucalyptus, growing on and sourcing the plants and then friends who have offered their support in hauling things to the wedding, driving vans, making personalised sparkling cider, helping us source the wine and generally being great people. And then because we are welcoming wonderful Amy into our family, it will all be worth it.

thegardensgroup.co.uk

01963 441454

SCALLOPSTUFFED TEMPURA COURGETTE FLOWERS WITH

A COURGETTE ‘LINGUINE’

SALAD

Tom Matkevich,

The Green Restaurant

These lightly fried courgette flowers stuffed with a sweet scallop filling serve as a delicious seasonal sharing plate or starter. The marinated courgette salad adds the extra dimension of a soft bite and herby, lemony freshness. Take care when deep-frying both for your own safety and to avoid damaging the delicate courgette flowers.

Ingredients Serves 4

For the tempura courgette flowers:

12 courgette flowers

12 fresh scallops (white meat), roughly chopped

5g fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

50g cornflour

50g plain flour

100ml sparkling water, chilled

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Vegetable oil, for deep-frying

For the salad:

2 medium courgettes

Juice of 2 lemons

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

5g fresh parsley, finely chopped

5g fresh basil leaves, finely chopped

Salt and freshly cracked black pepper

Method

1 Slice the courgettes into 3-5mm thick ribbons, then again into thin, linguine-like strips. Place in a mixing bowl with the lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt. Mix well, cover and place in the fridge for around 2 hours to marinate.

2 To finish the salad before serving, drain the juices from the bowl and discard. Stir in the fresh herbs, olive oil, black pepper and salt to taste.

3 To stuff the courgette flowers, first combine the chopped scallops, basil, black pepper and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Place a heaped tablespoon of the mixture into the cavity of each flower, then twist the petals to seal. The flowers are delicate so be gentle to ensure they don’t rip.

4 Fill a large saucepan roughly halfway with vegetable oil and place on medium heat to reach 180C (or set your deep fryer to 180C). To make the tempura batter, place the plain flour, cornflour and a pinch of salt in a large mixing bowl and whisk in the chilled sparkling water.

5 When ready to fry, place the stuffed flowers in the batter, a few at a time, and coat with a spoon. Gently remove and place in hot oil for 4-5 minutes or until crisp and golden brown. Remove and place onto sheets of kitchen paper. Keep in a warm place (e.g. oven at 50C) until they are all cooked and ready to serve.

6 To serve, place the salad on the plate/plates and top with the crispy flowers. Serve immediately.

greenrestaurant.co.uk

THE CAKE WHISPERER

DATE, SULTANA AND WALNUT CAKE

Making date and walnut cake was a family favourite and was usually made on Sunday to be eaten the following week, often spread with a little butter.

Prep 15 minutes, 1 hour

Baking 1 hour

Cooling 20-30 minutes

Serves 10-12

What you will need

Large mixing bowl, electric hand mixer, a 2lb loaf tin (31/2 x 71/2 inches), either well-greased or use a loaf tin greaseproof liner

Ingredients

4oz softened butter

6oz soft brown sugar

2 eggs, lightly beaten

4oz whole grain spelt flour

(can be replaced with white self raising flour)

4oz self-raising flour

A pinch of salt

1 1/2 rounded teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste

6oz sultanas

4oz roughly chopped walnuts

4oz roughly chopped dates

4 tablespoons whole milk

1-2 tablespoons of sieved apricot jam, warmed

Method

1 Pre-heat the oven to 160Fan, 180C, 350F, gas mark 4

2 Place the butter, sugar, eggs, flours, cinnamon, salt and baking powder into the mixing bowl (sift the 2 flours, baking powder and salt) then whisk them together until fully combined.

3 Add the walnuts, sultanas and dates.

4 Stir in the milk and vanilla, mixing well.

5 Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and spread it out evenly. The mixture should be a dropping consistency so you may need to add a little more milk at this stage.

6 Bake in the oven for 1 hour or until the loaf is golden, feels springy in the centre and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Whilst still warm in the tin brush the top of the cake with warm apricot jam.

7 Let the cake cool for 3 minutes in the tin then turn out onto a cooling rack. When completely cold, store in an airtight container for up to a week. This cake freezes well for a month.

bakerval.com

Val Stones

Image:

Katharine Davies

Open lunch and dinner Wednesday to Saturday, and Sunday lunch

Greenhill, Sherborne 01935 710386 www.newell.restaurant

Ratatouille

THE KITCHEN GARDEN

AUGUST

Jules Horrell, Horrell & Horrell

Nestled beneath a sky that seems to have forgotten its summer script, the garden here is a symphony of blooms. Rain patters a gentle rhythm on the greenhouse and polytunnel but inside a kaleidoscope of colour bursts forth. Calendula, with its fiery orange petals, adds an eruption of sunshine to our overflowing salad bowls, while the delicate heartsease peeks shyly from the mixed greens, a tiny edible reminder that beauty finds a way, even in the most unexpected dishes.

Though the sun may linger behind a veil of clouds for now, the promise of August’s harvest hangs heavy in the air. Our thoughts are already turning to plump, ruby-red tomatoes still basking in the warmth of unseen sunshine, ready to burst with flavour. Aubergines, too, are starting to take shape in the polytunnel – their deep purple globes a stark contrast to the emerald green foliage. And let’s not forget the humble courgettes, a versatile friend that graces our plates all summer long in countless ways, from creamy summer soups to a family

favourite of vegetable fritti. And for those who crave a touch of spice, our vibrant red chillies will be waiting, ready to add their fiery kick.

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of sprinkling our culinary magic over in Tuscany. An estate nestled high in the Tuscan hills, dotted with olive groves, and the laughter of a family celebrating a joyous wedding. It was an honour to be a part of such a momentous occasion and the backdrop of the Tuscan countryside lent a touch of rustic elegance to the entire affair, reminding us of the fertile green hills of Somerset. We created a menu that spoke to the region’s rich culinary heritage, with fresh, seasonal ingredients taking centre stage, just as they do here for our barn suppers – locally sourced cheese and cured meats, plump tomatoes, huge bunches of basil, and hand-rolled pasta smothered with a sauce made from locally sourced wild boar. Every bite was a testament to the simple yet profound pleasure of sharing good food in good company, under a sky finally painted the clear blue of a perfect summer day.

Back in our own little haven, however, the fruit trees are the star of the show in August. Their jewel-toned skins, a mosaic of deep purple and autumnal greens, are a feast for the eyes even before we delve into their juicy, sweet flesh. We will be busy making batches of quince jelly and plum jam, sticky and sweet and capturing the essence of summer in a jar. On lazy winter mornings, there’s nothing quite like a slice of freshly baked sourdough slathered with our homemade jam and a pot of tea to complete the picture of pure contentment with a lasting memory of summer.

So, while the weather outside may not fully cooperate, fear not! Here summer is alive and well in the vibrant colours of our blooms, the promise of an abundant harvest and the lingering memories of a Tuscan adventure. We continue to share a taste of the season with you, come rain or shine.

horrellandhorrell.co.uk

‘A visit to Horrell & Horrell is like going to a friend for dinner, where you bring a bottle, relax, enjoy the food, and let conversation flow –whilst we take care of everything else’

Open Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings, and the occasional Sunday lunch

To reserve a space at a dining experience or to enquire about private hire, please visit

www.horrellandhorrell.co.uk

Sparkford, Somerset

LOCAL AND SEASONAL DO MENUS MEAN WHAT THEY SAY?

Joanna Weinberg, Teals

Whether we live in this magical part of the world by chance or by design, we might all agree on our good fortune to have access to such beautiful produce. The fields, hedgerows and farmland around us and the many thoughtfully reared herds which produce meat, milk and cheese are second to none. Strawberries are scented and still warm from the sun and cucumbers are unconstrained by plastic sheaths. Living in farming country, we are close to the seasons: we see rhubarb and asparagus in spring; berries, peas, beans and salads in the summer; squash, apples and pears in autumn. This is food as it should be: grown and produced with skill, eaten in its natural season, undiluted by travel or long storage.

It has taken several generations to emerge from the needs of WW2 when food was grown primarily for yield. Chefs, commentators and environmentalists alike have spearheaded a return to heritage ingredients over the past couple of decades. Anyone passionate about food will say the same thing: your food is only as good as the ingredients you start with. And the ingredients are only as good as the way they are farmed, grown or produced. If you are supporting sound practices in farming and food production, you are enabling a better future for our soil and environment – and better flavour on your plate.

At home, it can be challenging to know where your food has come from, unless you have grown it or bought it at the market, direct from the farmer. And when you eat out, you are in the hands of chefs and a menu.

This is something we think about a lot. We have chosen to work with as many local producers as we possibly can, from the prize-winning cheeses of Montgomery Cheddar on whose land we sit, the grazed herds of Bagnell Farm over the way to the mild and peppery salads and leaves grown at Wild Garden up the road. These ingredients take starring roles and it is a pleasure to be able to share them on our menus.

In many restaurants this summer, you are likely to find new potatoes or strawberries or broad beans somewhere on them which likely tick the ‘seasonal’ mental box. So where’s the difference? Increasingly, we have come to think that it’s now as much about ‘intent’ and the quieter corners of a menu (the ingredients and basics that underpin dishes) as it is about the stars of the show.

Alongside what’s in season, what else is being considered as each dish is created? Which local suppliers can be supported? How can the whole of the ingredient be used? How little of it can we ensure ends up in the bin? How much energy will be used to cook it? What oil is used? What flour? What are the sides

that will work with it? It means knowing that not just the bacon in a roll is from a known and best producer but the butter and roll too.

We call this ‘Positive Impact Cooking’. To us, the most important aspects to a meal will always be flavour, satisfaction and good service. But if we can serve it in a way that creates a positive impact too, it can become so much more rewarding to everyone involved along the way: suppliers, communities, fields and the team at the restaurant.

Earlier this year, for example, we switched our flour usage across the kitchen, deli and store to ‘Wildfarmed’ because we were excited to be part of this new farming community and movement. Wildfarmed enables cereal farmers to access heritage seed at affordable prices as well as sharing knowledge of how to grow and farm it regeneratively. It will then guarantee to buy the grain back at fair prices from the farmers in order to mill the flour and distribute it on their behalf. This is what winwin-win-win looks like: the environment wins because the soil is being regenerated, nature wins because the strip-farming increases wilderness which attracts in turn pollinators and birds, farmers win because they have a more secure revenue agreement and also the confidence that they are rescuing land for future generations - and we the eaters win because it is more

nutritionally rich, filling and healthy.

As we emerge from the potato hunger gap in the fields around us, our now annual chip project is resurfacing. Last year we exchanged fries for pink fir roasties, and this July we’re going to be chipping 3 different varieties from the fields around us so we can keep these everyday staples just as local as before. Slowly, ingredient by ingredient we are finding great reward in making every part of a menu reflect the local and seasonal intentions we have had since the start.

When we opened three years ago, we knew we wanted to put quality and service front and centre. Our hope has always been that from the minute you step through our doors, you experience warmth and welcome. Alongside this, we wanted to showcase the bounty around us and we set out to do that by working with as many of our neighbours as we could. Now anchored in positive impact cooking, we are joining more of the dots together to create an active hub that contributes not only to our local community but to an important conversation, too – that’s the way that the contours of the land around us are both productive and cared for, for generations to come.

teals.co.uk

Images: Ed Schofield

COMMUNICATION, NAVIGATION AND ENGINES OFF. FOR NOW

Giles Henschel, Co-Founder, Olives Et Al

75 days and a combined distance of 12,902 miles after we departed on a damp April morning, we roll back into the car park at Olives Et Al and, with a final blip of the throttle, turn the engines off and close the fuel taps.

Part one of our 3-month trip across 10 European countries to find out, first hand from those with lived experience, what is really going on with the changing weather patterns, has drawn to a close and we must now write up what we learnt.

For those who like the numbers, we consumed 1185.91 litres or 260.87 gallons of fuel between us, returning just under 50mpg on each bike and we averaged 101 miles each day that we rode. The maximum distance in a day was 228 miles. The minimum? 3.

With every passing day, our ability to communicate became ever more important as we sought answers to our questions. Most people spoke a smattering of English but sometimes they had not a word like in France with Francis and Florence – our hosts for a memorable afternoon.

Francis had heard the bikes thrumming up the road and the gates opened as we approached to see a tall, slender chap ushering us in.

‘Bonjour! Je suis Gilles and this is ma femme, Annie. Parlez Vous Anglais?’

Huge beaming smile from Francis and, ‘Non. Mais nous avons Google Translate!’

Followed by:

‘Voulez vous un verre de vin?’

‘Absolutement. Oui.’

Florence showed us around our quarters whilst Francis busied himself upstairs with clinking glasses and the happy sound of a cork being extracted.

Florence and Annie got on famously while Francis got on famously with drinking the wine and kept us topped up. We spent a lovely afternoon with Florence chatting to us in English while Francis used Google to laboriously type in what he wanted to say. Having done so, rather than show it to us or wait for a suitable moment in the rest of the conversation, he would have the Google voice read it to us.

Hearing Francis’s words spouted by an AIgenerated, young, female voice when Francis is about 60, slim, bald and very French was beyond weird.

He would go quiet and tap away for a minute or two and then, staring intently at us, press the play button and something like this would come out of his phone:

‘It is the politicians who are to blame. They are all complete idiots and I hate them all. They are corrupt and we would be better to be rid of them all. As for your lot in England, they are no better and I hate them, too.’

To which we would smile and nod while he tapped away some more.

‘Germany the same. Brexit was a catastrophe for everyone. I can’t believe you are not part of Europe anymore.’

Again, we’d smile and nod apologetically but by this time, his fingers were obviously mistyping the odd thing as it all got a bit Eric Cantona from there on:

‘Le poisson – they know, they swim against the current but the evil geniuses have netted all the big ones and we are left with shoes and epaulettes of cotton. Me, I will hide here with Florence, cut my grass and bury him.’

Not sure whether this was because he was typing too furiously or had overly imbibed. It just goes to show that a lack of fluency in someone else’s tongue does not need to hinder your ability to communicate when you have le vin and Google.

Apart from our communication issues, the other one was navigating from A to B, onto C and finally, with luck, D or E. Against our better judgement, we use a sat nav system that is, at best belligerent and at worst showing signs of malign and vicious sentience.

An example of this happened trying to leave a mountain town with only one main road when it decided to take us up a steep hill and then down an even steeper hill towards an alley that was so narrow we would’ve got wedged so both had to come to a stop on a narrow, greasy, cobbly street and try and find a way of turning around.

Now, I know that it cannot actually be a sentient being, capable of thought, and only does what I tell it to do but sometimes it really does seem to display a level of bloody-mindedness in directing us towards impossible routes that makes me have very uncharitable thoughts.

I hop off and manage to get Annie pointed the right way. She shoots up the hill and disappears from sight in total disgust at my inability to even find our way out of a town with only one street. I won’t explain the actions I had

to take but it left me very sweaty and I completely ran out of swear words – even the really good ones. Forgetting, of course, that Annie was able to hear every syllable through the intercom. When I finally managed to locate her, waiting on the road out of town, she simply said,

‘Your language is deplorable.’

With that, she rode off imperiously leading the way out of town down the only road clearly demonstrating that there was absolutely no need for a navigation system as it was plain to see the way we should have gone.

Eventually, Annie deigned to talk to me again.

‘You are such a plonker.’

Which is probably fair. Then she said,

‘Can you teach me some of those words?’

Over the next 100 miles or so, we exchanged sweary stuff to delight and engage anyone with an equally puerile, vulgar and coarse sense of humour as us.

Communication and navigation issues aside, the experience of spending 75 days travelling from one location to the next, seeking insights into climate and how folk view the future has left us thoughtful and eager to find out more. Change is definitely coming and we will all need to adapt in ways we, as a species, haven’t even begun to consider. We’re certainly going to need a highly developed sense of humour and a lot of new words – not all of them polite.

If you’d like to read more of what Giles and Annie discovered, you can look back through the diaries at olivesetal.co.uk

A MONTH ON THE FARM

Lavender, lavender everywhere, soft shades of blues, purples and pinks. Rows of full silvery foliage of a most beautiful softness covered in flowers. Bees abound, buzzing busily up and down the long rows, mostly honey bees this year – there is a noticeable lack of bumble bees. I am blaming the bad weather we have been having this spring and summer. Insects are so easily disrupted by the seasons – butterflies too are in short supply this summer. The honey bees though are here. Just sitting on the grass as close as I can to the plants on a sunny afternoon, the humming fills the air. It brings calm and peace to an

otherwise busy time of year.

Our first lavender was planted in rows in 2020, during that crazy year. Quietly and on our own, Charlotte and I marked out the rows, rotovated and covered with weed membrane. I marked out the spacings and slowly planted our 1000 tiny little plug plants. Back-breaking work on hands and knees, working from top to bottom we headed down the rows. Charlotte watered them weekly to start with, to get them going, and going they did. Fast forward 4 years and they are looking incredible this year, shining brightly in the (occasional) sunshine and demanding

James Hull, The Story Pig

Image: Katharine Davies

attention from visitors to the farm.

Our latest lavender adventure is in our more formal garden – three of four big beds are now planted with new lavender plants, again in rows, tiny to start with. I have trimmed them every few weeks to stop them from flowering this year. I want them to put their energy into rooting and growing strongly – the flowers will come next year. It’s a hard call, as they grow bigger week by week. They need trimming again, shaping into little green buns, but that means cutting off the soft young flower shoots with such promise. But tough I must be so I snip up and down the rows. Every time I do it, it takes a little longer as they thicken up, requiring our full attention as they fill out and green up. Then alongside these beds sit patiently another thousand or so lavender plants, still in pots waiting for their new home as we create three new beds. These are going to be circular beds but where is the time to plant them, I know not – I must find it soon. When I walk past them I have pangs of guilt as they sit there quietly, full of promise and begging to be planted into the fresh ground and grow away. It’s incredible - I know as soon as they are unleashed they will rocket, turn dark green and perform for us.

Why do we have the lavender? What do we use it for? Well, mostly so far it has been to bring beauty to the farm, and that, it does so well. Going forward we will start to make our own products using the lavender’s oil.

Lavender oil comes from cutting the lavender so you gather all the flowers and pack them tightly into a still –essentially a cauldron that we then heat up from below. As the water hits boiling point, steam pushes upwards through the lavender taking the most precious oils with it up and away through a little pipe and then as the steam cools it turns back into a liquid. I gather this as if it were gold. From each batch, I collect about 3 litres of lavender water and miraculously wobbling on the top is a minute layer of amber nectar, the oil – the prize. Using a pipette I carefully draw off the oil and, would you believe it, I end up with about 50ml. Oh wow, if only you could smell that – the lavender intensity – it’s so good for you. Summer right there in a pipette. We will mix it and make it into lovely potions, little tins and jars of this and that, to remind us all of the days of summer. Not this summer though! To summers past, when they were long and rain-free – maybe August will bring the sunshine!

Afternoon Tea Week 12th -18th August

Time for tea!

If you’ve yet to sample our exquisite Afternoon Tea, August’s Afternoon Tea Week is the perfect time! Choose from a tempting array of loose-leaf teas, and dip into a selection of delicate handmade sandwiches, savouries and cakes. Add a glass of something sparkling for a real treat! The Clockspire’s Afternoon Tea is served on Saturdays and Sundays from 2pm - 4pm and costs just £30 per person.

Discover Champagne & Burgundy

We’ve pushed our next wine dinner back to 10th October so that we can shine a spotlight on the Champagne and Burgundy regions. See our website and join the mailing list for full details.

Enjoy the Clockspire experience with our great value set menu ...and find out why we’ve been shortlisted for multiple awards!

2 Courses £24.00

3 Courses £29.00

Set menu now available Friday Evening & Saturday Lunch

Served Weds-Fri lunch and dinner, Saturdays lunch only

25 parking spaces

Separate dog and cat areas

5 consulting rooms

2 theatres

A dental suite CT scanner

NOPE

Mark Newton-Clarke MAVetMB PhD MRCVS, Newton Clarke Veterinary Surgeons

August and it’s holiday time for many people. So what to do with the doggies? Kennels or come along? I guess this depends on you, where you’re going and whether the holiday accommodation allows animals in many cases. Cats, being more independent (although there are some exotic pure breeds who are as much canine as feline) can often be happy at home with appropriate attention from friends or family and also seem to like cattery life, probably due to the opportunity to lie around doing nothing even more than usual. Clearly ‘Bobbo’, my sister’s beloved, enormous silver tabby cat loves his holidays at Pets’ Haven, doted on by Trevor, Leslie and the rest of the staff.

In our increasingly regulated world, I thought I would have a read-through of DEFRA’s statutory guidance for local authorities when licensing dog boarding kennels and catteries. I must say that nothing I read was unreasonable and the document itself was

written in plain English! (Wow, how refreshing.)

What’s more, animal welfare is front and centre in the guidance which, of course, it should be. How the guidance is interpreted and acted upon by the local authority is perhaps another issue.

When our children were young we spent our summer holidays in West Pembrokeshire, which is still idyllic, with amazingly beautiful and dog-friendly beaches like Marloes Sands. OK, bear with me… Dogs running on beaches, playing in the water and generally having a great time with the kids, what could possibly go wrong? Well, a sting on the foot by the lesser weever fish is profoundly painful for both human and dog and can have more widespread effects, affecting heart rate and rhythm, and blood pressure, not in a good way. Weever fish are small and difficult to see as they are camouflaged and bury themselves under the sand in warm, shallow water, waiting to eat a passing shrimp. A foot or a paw landing on a weever’s back is met with

Volodymyr Chmut/iStock

a powerful defence in the form of a spiny dorsal fin which is raised to inject a toxin cocktail into the victim. The pain is immediate, intense and gets worse, spreading up the limb with a burning sensation. Whether it’s you, your child or your dog that’s stung, this is definitely going to spoil the day on the beach. Research into fish toxins is sparse but we know that the weever fish secretes a mixture of poisons in its dorsal fin. Some are proteins which can be denatured with heat so the first aid treatment for a sting is hot water. Not something that may be readily available on a beach but if there’s a lifeguard station nearby or somebody with a camping stove, you might be lucky. The temperature of the water used to immerse the affected foot or paw should be about 40 C, like a really hot bath but not enough to scald. As well as inactivating the protein toxin, heat tends to soothe pain. Paracetamol can also be given, to dogs at 30mg/kg or 750mg for a 25kg dog. This

dose rate is higher than for humans as dogs do not efficiently absorb paracetamol given orally. There are other toxic components to the weever fish venom that induce inflammation (and hence more pain) and there is some evidence that a neurotoxin is present, directly stimulating pain nerves.

Unfortunately, heat encourages inflammation so alternating cold water with hot has been suggested. It is also important to examine the site of the weever fish sting for any fragments of fin spine that may have broken off and been left in the wound. These, of course, should be carefully removed… almost certainly easier said than done and a trip to A and E (if the victim’s human!) or to a local vet may be necessary where local anaesthetic is available and, of course, professional assessment. Any systemic effects following a sting from a weever fish (or anything else come to that) should prompt immediate medical attention as although very rare, allergic or anaphylactic reactions can happen and be serious.

The fact is, weever fish stings are pretty uncommon in the UK and around European waters but August is the peak month, due to higher water temperatures and more people in the sea. Wearing beach shoes is an obvious precaution for humans but less practical for dogs. I couldn’t find any meaningful data on incidence but there is a newspaper report from 2023 about a dog being stung by a little weever (the owner probably called it something else) on Anglesey.

So much for the lesser weever. What about jellyfish? They certainly seem to be increasing in numbers around our shores and being washed up on beaches. Some can give a minor sting, others are more potent. The mauve jellyfish (it has a purple core) is one of the nastier species but when a jelly is on the sand in a rather sad heap, it may be difficult to identify. So best to avoid them all and stop your dog from eating them. One of the most effective ways of persuading your foraging dog to give up any object of interest is to carry some dog treats with you that you offer to swap with the offending article. If you or your dog does suffer a sting, jellyfish can leave little stingy tentacles on the skin that need to be carefully removed. Like weever fish stings, use hot water to clean the area but also add vinegar which can help in this case. Again, any more widespread effects should signal immediate medical or veterinary attention.

Happy holidays, everyone!

newtonclarkevet.com

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A VET FARM ANIMAL WELL BEING FORUM

Paul Doran MA VetMB MRCVS, Vet, Friars Moor Livestock Health

Life as a farm vet can be hugely rewarding but it isn’t often particularly glamorous. As such it seemed a huge privilege that I was offered the opportunity to attend the 14th Boehringer-Ingleheim Expert Forum on Farm Animal Wellbeing in Porto, Portugal last month.

The forum hosted over 60 attendees from 16 different countries and centred on the theme of ‘Making Calving More Comfortable’. Attendees included vets, researchers and industry representatives.

The topics covered within the forum were myriad, ranging from veterinary perspectives on our role in promoting better welfare, optimal preparation of the cow for calving, maternity pen design and how this can impact cow welfare, maternal behaviour in cattle, identification of challenged calves and the options for intervention in such cases.

Talks and discussions naturally also covered the evidence base for the use of pain relief in both cow and calf around calving and where there are gaps in our current knowledge.

I was impressed by the extent to which the topics covered had relevance to real-life, on-farm scenarios and

the experience gave me a lot to think about. As with any really good learning experience, I left having gained some new knowledge and reaffirmed some things I already knew but most of all, I left with the distinct feeling that I had discovered more questions than answers.

The hospitality was also incredible and it was a lovely couple of days. Having long sympathised with the commonly held view of pharmaceutical companies as ultra-profit-driven, capitalist monstrosities, I found myself impressed that such a company would go to so much trouble and expense to organise an event like this to promote the sharing of knowledge and ideas about animal welfare.

No doubt a sceptic might suggest that the whole thing could be seen as a cynical ruse to promote drug sales, however, having attended, I cannot agree with such a view. After learning such a lot and having stimulating discussions with many of the organisers and speakers, I cannot view these events as anything other than a genuine, egalitarian initiative to promote good animal welfare in our industry.

friarsmoorlivestockhealth.co.uk

01258 472314

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farmoffice@friarsmoorlivestockhealth.co.uk

• Operating theatres • Digital x-ray

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• Separate dog and cat wards

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T: 01935 813288 (24 hours)

E: sherborne@kingstonvets.co.uk

Grove Dene Veterinary Clinic The Forum, Abbey Manor Park, Yeovil, Somerset BA21 3TL

Mon-Fri 8.30 - 18.00 Sat 08.30 - 12.30

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for

CHOOSE ANY COMBINATION OF THE FOLLOWING TREATMENTS:

SKIN DEEP

Skin is the largest organ in our bodies, comprising up to 2 square metres and weighing as much as 3.6 kg in adults. It regulates your temperature and water balance, protects you from disease and maintains a microbiome balance of healthy organisms. It is a barrier that can’t be easily penetrated and therefore some substances are too big to slip through and instead sit on top acting as emollients, sealing water in.

Skin comprises three distinct layers, although skincare products can only affect the top two. The outermost layer is the epidermis which we can see and feel and is only as thick as a piece of paper. It is made up of dead skin cells called corneocytes that act as a barrier to protect the living layers below. The dead cells act as bricks, bound together by fats such as ceramides and fatty acids.

The skin’s middle layer, the dermis, makes up 90% of the skin’s thickness and is the busiest of the three layers. It contains blood vessels, hair follicles, oil glands, collagen, elastin and connective tissues.

The deepest layer is the hypodermis and it is responsible for anchoring the skin to the muscles. It is made up of fatty adipose tissue.

For a molecule to cross the skin barrier, journey through the epidermis and enter the dermis, it must possess properties similar to the skin’s surface. It must be lipophilic (or fat-loving) with a slightly acidic pH and have a molecular weight smaller than 500 Daltons. Retinol is one of these ingredients able to pass through the melanocytes at the bottom layer of the epidermis. Water-

soluble nutrients can pass through but not as easily.

There are three pathways for nutrients in skin care products to pass through. Intercellular – the spaces between your skin cells, permeation – nutrients pass from cell to cell, and follicular absorption – products can enter the skin via hair follicles and pores as these structures act as conduits down into the dermis.

How can we help our favourite and trusted skincare products to fully engage with our skin? An easy step is to exfoliate – the skin can absorb more after exfoliation because the epidermis is not intact after the outermost dead skin layers have been sloughed away.

Oils and oil-based serums are great for conditioning the skin but if the skin is dehydrated the oils will have less impact. So to get the most from your product, mist the skin with water or a hydrating toner and then apply your oil-based product on top of the damp skin and feel the emulsified benefits instantly.

A warm skin will also draw in products and increase their permeability so apply soon after a bath or shower or massage in with warm hands.

Vitamins and minerals are much more effectively absorbed from the inside as the blood capillaries nourish the cells of the lower dermis and they in turn migrate upwards towards the surface. Maintaining a well-balanced diet with sufficient water intake is essential for healthy skin to allow blood and lymph systems to feed and clean our largest organ.

thesanctuarysherborne.co.uk

Sarah Hitch, The Sanctuary Beauty Rooms

Anna Frank/iStock

SUPPORTING SOMEONE THROUGH GRIEF

Lucy Lewis, Assistant Psychologist and Dorset Mind Ambassador

Supporting a loved one through grief is a delicate act that requires sensitivity and understanding. When someone is grieving, they are navigating a deeply personal and often painful journey. Offering the right kind of support can make a significant difference in their healing process. Many people worry about saying the wrong thing or not knowing what to say. The main thing is to be there for them, despite these worries.

What not to say

Certain phrases, though well-intentioned, can be hurtful or invalidating. Phrases that begin with ‘at least’

should be avoided. For example: ‘At least they lived a long life.’ or ‘At least you have other children.’

These statements, while attempting to find a silver lining, can belittle the griever’s pain. Another commonly used but unhelpful phrase is ‘they are in a better place now.’ Such reassurances, though comforting to some, might feel dismissive to others who are struggling with their loss.

What to say instead

A more supportive approach focuses on empathy and validation of the person’s feelings. Simple, heartfelt

seb_ra/iStock

expressions can go a long way: ‘I’m so sorry for your loss.’ or ‘I can’t imagine how hard this must be for you.’ These statements acknowledge the griever’s pain without trying to fix it or offer empty reassurances. They provide comfort by showing that you recognise their suffering.

Offering practical support

Grief often brings with it a sense of overwhelm. Offering practical help can alleviate some of the burdens the grieving person faces:

• Preparing or delivering meals can be a tremendous help. It ensures they are nourished without having to

worry about cooking.

• Offering to run errands or go grocery shopping can ease daily pressures.

• Assisting with the logistics of funeral planning can provide significant relief during a difficult time.

• Sometimes, the most valuable support is simply being present. Offer to listen, whether they need to vent, cry or share memories. Just being there, without trying to offer solutions, can be incredibly comforting.

Be patient

Grief doesn’t follow a set timeline. Be patient with your loved one as they navigate their emotions. Let them know you are there for the long haul, ready to support them whenever they need it. Regularly checking in, even after the initial shock has worn off, shows your ongoing care and concern. Many grievers find they get lots of people reaching out for the first few weeks or months, before most people draw back after, particularly following the funeral. If you can, try to keep checking in past this time.

Respect their process

Each person grieves differently. Some may want to talk about their loss, while others may prefer silence or distraction. Respect their individual process and follow their lead. Avoid imposing your own ideas of how they should grieve or when they should start to feel better. Remember, grief doesn’t always present as sadness. It can look like anger, sudden energy or apparent apathy. There is no right or wrong way to feel.

Supporting someone through grief requires a thoughtful balance of empathy, practical help and patience. By avoiding invalidating statements and offering genuine, heartfelt support, you can provide meaningful comfort during one of the most challenging times in their life. Your presence, understanding and willingness to assist with everyday tasks can significantly lighten the burden of grief and help them on their journey towards healing.

If you are struggling with your mental health, please speak to your GP. For resources, signposting and support on grief and a wide range of other mental health topics, please visit dorsetmind.uk. In a crisis, please call 999 or speak to The Samaritans on 116 123. ‘Connection’ is Dorset’s Mental Health Helpline, you can contact them on 0800 652 0190, it’s FREE and for all ages.

INNER STRENGTH

Sandra Miller BSc, MSc, BCNH Dip, FDN-P, Wholistic Health

If I mention ‘body composition’, what comes into your mind? Would you think, ‘Sandra, this is a polite way to broach the subject of how much fat someone is carrying…’?

For decades now, this is exactly what we have focussed on. Fat. The obesity crisis and the uptick in the amount of fat that many people now live with. We’ve talked about the dangers of visceral fat, or ‘fat around the middle’ and how the loss of certain quantities of overall fat can lead to better health outcomes.

It’s not that these things are untrue but it seems we have missed something much more significant and that is skeletal muscle health. I want to champion a new way of thinking that falls in line with the research. And there is a framework for approaching this that also puts the power for change firmly into people’s own hands, which I am all for. Let me explain…

Skeletal muscle does so much more than just help us move about. Muscle senses the nutrients we eat. It’s considered an endocrine organ because we now know it can produce a whole raft of proteins, called myokines, which have hormone-like effects. Myokines produced by muscle have many effects throughout the body including helping to strengthen existing connections in the brain which we all want to preserve. Above all, it is the organ of longevity. Decades before metabolic diseases (think cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and obesity) become apparent, there are negative changes that

happen in skeletal muscle. Decline will have set in long ago, right there in the muscle.

The good news is that of all the endocrine organs we have, muscle is the one over which we have very conscious control. It’s empowering to know that how we move our bodies and what we eat and when can directly impact our overall health for the better. When we combine this with the right mindset we can truly become a force to be reckoned with.

Our ability to measure the amount and health of skeletal muscle is currently poor and we don’t know how much is optimal. Indirect measures of muscle health we have include things you may be familiar with such as blood tests for triglycerides, glucose or insulin. If any of these are raised, you can be sure the health of skeletal muscle needs to be worked on. When muscle is not regularly activated by the right food and movement, we find that fat invades the muscle tissue, which impedes its function. Also, muscle cells lack efficiency in energy production. Those brain-preserving myokines don’t get produced so much. We minimise the greatest capacity we have for using up blood glucose and invite diabetes and a tendency towards weight gain. Quite simply, we age faster and not so well.

While the research may not yet be as full as we’d like, it has delivered us some insightful specifics for how we can support the health of our skeletal muscle for overall better health, both now and into the future.

So, here are my top tips. Remember I mentioned

Dorde Krstic/Shutterstock

that skeletal muscle can sense nutrients? To be healthy, muscle needs to be provided with 30-40 grams of protein in the first meal of the day, whenever you choose to eat it. This protein must contain one of the essential amino acids, leucine. In addition, you’ll need an overall intake of one gram of protein per pound of your ideal body weight with this intake spread across meals throughout the day. Perhaps unsurprisingly, muscle meats offer the right kind of composition to deliver our own muscles with what they need but some dairy products like quark are particularly high in protein and help meet this need too. There is a case here for the use of protein powders to meet protein and leucine needs. Whey (and whey isolate for more sensitive individuals) are options as are powders that contain both rice and bean proteins for those who prefer not to consume animal products.

Then we need to address activity. We often hear about the importance of resistance training and it really comes to the fore here. You cannot simply eat your way into good skeletal muscle and therefore good metabolic health. We need a mixture of movement throughout

The Old Vicarage Leigh, Sherborne, Dorset, DT9 6HL

the day plus resistance training that really stimulates muscle to be healthy. Resistance training can start with bodyweight exercises such as squats, press-ups and planks but the use of weights may become beneficial at some point. Whatever you do, focus on working such that the final movement is challenging but can still be done safely and with good form. It is imperative to safeguard against injury which inevitably results in inactivity whilst healing. Tendons need taking care of as they take longer to be built up than muscle.

Finally, there is mindset. It really helps to be honest with ourselves about the situations in which we find it difficult to put into action the things we know are best for us. Whatever your trigger points are, many others will share them; you are not alone. It will be vital to consider whether you truly believe yourself worthy of a healthier body as this can make or break a pattern of self-sabotage. Combine all this with a commitment to forming new habits rather than attaining certain goals, which come and go, for the best long-term results.

wholistichealth.co.uk

The Old Vicarage offers residential care for both permanent and respite stays. Set in tranquil landscaped gardens with stunning views, our home has a warm and friendly atmosphere. The home has won more than 30 national and regional awards for its exceptional care.

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SPACE AND TIME

When people in my classes talk about having a daily yoga practice we inevitably come back to the challenge of finding the time and staying motivated. There is so much advice on this topic, I don’t have the space and you don’t have the time to go through it all here! So I have picked some tips as a yoga teacher and previously a life coach that I have found most useful to me and to those I have helped. I have yoga practice in mind here because yoga brings together your physical, mental and emotional aspects but these tips can be applied to pretty much anything you are trying to find time to do.

Ask yourself WHY?

Look into the future for a moment and assume you are already doing it. How do you feel while practising and immediately afterwards? Has it changed how you feel or behave around other people? Has it impacted other areas of your life? Identify physical, mental and emotional differences to where you are now and create a clear picture in your mind or on paper.

Prepare

Find a space where you can easily set up and begin. Make sure your mat, blanket and any other equipment

Dawn Hart, YogaSherborne

you need are on hand. If you are sharing space, let the people around you know what you are doing and perhaps explain some of the reasons why so they know not to disturb you.

Night owl or early bird?

When do you have the most energy and focus mentally and physically? This may change during the week/month/year so make a note and respond to it.

Little and often

It’s usually easier to find 20 mins in a day than a whole hour. Once you do 20 minutes every day you will find it easier to extend or repeat that during the day if you want to. You can try ‘Habit Stacking’* – this means taking advantage of activities or behaviours already in place and connecting your new habit to it. For example, standing on one leg while brushing your teeth to improve balance, breath awareness while waiting in traffic and mindful moments while walking the dog.

Never ‘rack up a zero’ **

If you intended to do 20 mins and it did not happen when you planned, do something else – it can be small, maybe 2-3 minutes of breathing. For today that is your practice – you haven’t missed it you just adapted it.

Balance repetition with newness

Repetition builds strength physically and also mentally, for example building up a meditation routine. However, humans also crave stimulation. We get bored quickly which has helped us invent and evolve so don’t fight this. Instead, regularly refresh with a new posture or change your surroundings.

Creating a new habit isn’t a thing to tick off once complete – it is never really finished. It will need to constantly evolve to still work in your constantly evolving life. If you do lose momentum. go back to the first point - the why - and make sure it is still relevant. There will never be enough time to do everything you want so make changes where you need to. This isn’t failing, it’s choosing to make the most of the precious time you have.

*S. J. Scott Habit Stacking: 97 Small Life Changes That Take Five Minutes or Less **James Clear Atomic Zero yogasherborne.co.uk

BELINDA ROBERTS RCST

CRANIOSACRAL THERAPIST in Bruton and Pen Selwood 07702 681264 www.belinda-roberts.co.uk

Craniosacral Therapy is a deeply restorative form of treatment for the body, mind and soul. It is a heartcentred holistic approach to healing and suitable for all ages from newborn babies to the elderly.

Muntanya is an independent trekking and outdoors shop offering clothing and equipment from major suppliers. 7 Cheap St, Sherborne, Dorset DT9 3PT 01935 389484 • 07875 465218 muntanya.co.uk

david@muntanya.co.uk

Contact your local Slimming World Consultant and join a friendly and super-supportive group today! TUESDAYS 5.30pm, WEDNESDAYS 9am Sherborne

Raleigh Hall, Digby Road Call Sally on 07973 665167

Sandra Miller BSc, MSc, BCNH Dip, FDN-P Functional Medicine Practitioner

Diet and lifestyle coaching: a powerful path to healing and weight management Scan to contact me or find out more www.wholistichealth.co.uk

HOLIDAY SEASON!

Craig Hardaker BSc (Hons), Communifit

We are well and truly in holiday season!

Schools are out for summer, holidays are hopefully booked and our usual routine is temporarily disrupted. Although welcomed, this positive change can create issues. Having worked diligently all year to improve our fitness, we now struggle to find the time to attend our usual exercise classes, groups and activities. Often people feel anxious about this, sometimes even guilty, and we put added pressure on ourselves, trying to do what we can when we can.

We should however take this break of routine as a positive. Mixing up our usual routine or even reducing it for a short while, can prove hugely beneficial, giving our bodies rest and providing the opportunity to do something different. A good example of this is that the amount of swimming undertaken increases during the summer months, often stimulated by improved weather and holiday location opportunities. Similarly, many holiday destination hotels now also provide a fitness suite or at least a general area with apparatus to

use. Just check it is carefully maintained! Or how about an early-morning run on a beach before the day’s entertainment begins (or the heat increases)? Pack some training kit – there is still lots we can do when we find it more challenging to attend our favourite exercise classes! Examples include:

Walking

Such a great way to stay fit and healthy and shouldn’t be underestimated! We tend to walk more than ever during the summer holidays (weather-driven of course) and it is a great method of maintaining fitness. Walking is a brilliant way to create a positive mindset, improve fitness and free the mind.

Swimming

One of the best, if not the best ways to cross-train – a super break from your routine of weightlifting, running and any other impact exercises. Being nonweight-bearing in the water can release tightness, improve cardio fitness and relax aching joints and muscles.

Mini work-outs

Whether this is at home or on holiday, create a less time-consuming workout routine. Using bodyweight exercises or objects around the house can keep you motivated and provide focus and structure. Unsure of a routine? Ask your instructor who will help guide you.

Cycling

Enjoy the pure escapism and enjoyment that cycling can bring. Similar to swimming, cycling is a lowimpact exercise that is great for both cardio-fitness and toning. Cycling helmet on, choose a safe route and get pedalling! Take the increased opportunities to cycle on warmer days and brighter evenings. By doing what we can, when we can, our bodies will still be worked, providing both a positive mentality and a head start for when September returns and with it, our usual routine. Take the opportunity this summer to break away from this routine whilst staying active and having fun, remembering that it’s also more than ok to give your body the rest it might need.

We would like to wish everyone a happy, healthy summer holiday.

communifit.co.uk

Art of Confidence

Movement Practices and Wellness

Be your body and mind’s best by attending to posture

Pilates on the Reformer Move, and feel better

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Physiotherapist

Mobile Physiotherapy care in the comfort of your own home

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Covering North Dorset and South Somerset regions.

Please call to discuss your needs or to book an appointment T 01963 371163 M 07866 310 045 E julessanders2626@gmail.com

YogaSherborne

Sherborne, Milborne Port and Trent

• Hatha Yoga, outside when possible

• Relaxation and guided meditation

Contact Dawn for more details 07817 624081 @yogasherborne hello@yogasherborne.co.uk

Yoga Alliance qualified teacher

MCSP HCPC

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Hearing aids with proven sound quality

MARGINAL GAINS

Mark Salter CFP, Chartered FCSI, Fort Financial Planning

It’s been another great summer of sport and with the Olympics in Paris starting, it will be interesting to see who wins gold and writes their name in the record books.

Whilst watching and reading all about the successful teams or individuals this year, there is a common theme, which has been the importance of marginal gains and the impact these can have on performance.

The idea of marginal gains originated with Sir David Brailsford, the former performance director of British Cycling. Instead of focusing solely on major improvements, Brailsford emphasised the cumulative impact of small adjustments across various aspects of training.

Here’s how it works:

1. Break it Down: Imagine every factor that contributes to performance. Now, improve each of these factors by just 1%.

2. Aggregated Impact: When you combine these marginal improvements, the overall effect becomes significant.

Now, let’s draw parallels to savings and investments and think about the small changes you could make to improve your financial position:

1. Better Returns: Cash Savings – There are so many different savings accounts available but many bank and building society accounts are paying very low rates of interest, despite interest rates being at the highest level for over a decade. Check your accounts

and then compare these against the most competitive rates available. You might be able to generate an extra 1%, 2% or possibly more!

Pensions and Investments – When did you last review your pensions and investments? Incremental improvements in investment strategies and levels of contributions you make can yield substantial gains over the long term thanks to the magic of compound growth.

2. Lower Costs: Small cost-saving measures accumulate over time. Whether it’s cutting unnecessary expenses, negotiating better deals or reducing the cost of investing, these marginal adjustments add up. Too many people are paying for things they don’t need or use and many investors I meet aren’t aware of how much they pay in fees to manage their pensions and investments.

3. Tax Savings: By understanding tax-efficient investment vehicles such as ISAs and pensions, most people can improve their personal tax position and ensure their savings and investments are held as tax-efficiently as possible. A pound of tax saved is an extra pound in your pocket!

In summary, whether you’re chasing sporting excellence or financial security, remember that consistent, small gains lead to remarkable results. So, focus on those 1% improvements – they’re the real game-changers!

ffp.org.uk

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

Telephone: 01935 813322

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ARE YOU READY TO DANCE?

EMBRACING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION

Lucy Cotterell HR Consultant, Mogers Drewett

Here’s a brief article for business owners, directors, HR professionals and managers. Let’s have a chat about something incredibly important and close to our hearts – diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). These aren’t just buzzwords; they are the building blocks of a thriving, dynamic and innovative workplace.

In today’s world, it’s essential for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to embrace DEI to create a positive and productive environment for everyone.

Why DEI Matters

Imagine walking into a room where everyone looks, thinks and acts exactly like you. Sounds a bit dull, right? Diversity brings a richness of perspectives, ideas and experiences that can drive creativity and innovation.

When we talk about equity, we’re focusing on fair treatment, opportunities and advancement for all, while inclusion ensures that everyone feels valued and respected.

Vernā Myers once said, ‘Diversity is being invited to the dance. Inclusion is being invited to dance. Equity is allowing you to choose the music.’ This quote beautifully captures the essence of DEI. It’s not just about having a diverse workforce; it’s about creating an environment where everyone feels they belong and can thrive.

Creating a DEI-Friendly Workplace

So, how can we, as leaders and people managers in business, foster a workplace that truly embodies DEI?

Here are some tips to get you started: Start with Leadership: DEI initiatives should be championed from the top. As leaders, show your

commitment to these values through your actions and decisions. Lead by example and make DEI a core part of your company’s mission and values.

Educate and Train: Provide regular DEI training for all employees. This helps in raising awareness, challenging biases and fostering a more inclusive mindset. Remember, education is an ongoing process, not a one-time event.

Listen and Learn: Create open channels for feedback and listen to your employees’ experiences and concerns. Use this feedback to make informed decisions and improvements. Everyone’s voice matters.

Inclusive Hiring Practices: Ensure your recruitment process is fair and unbiased. Use diverse hiring panels, write inclusive job descriptions and reach out to underrepresented groups. A diverse team starts with a diverse hiring process.

Support Employee Resource Groups (ERGs): Encourage the formation of ERGs within your organisation. These groups can provide support, build a sense of community and offer valuable insights into different cultural perspectives.

Flexible Work Policies: Recognise that different people have different needs. Offer flexible working arrangements to accommodate those with caregiving responsibilities, disabilities or other unique circumstances.

Celebrate Diversity: Acknowledge and celebrate the diverse cultures, traditions and backgrounds of your employees. This can be through events, newsletters or social media. Celebrations foster a sense of belonging and respect.

Equitable Advancement Opportunities:

Ensure that all employees have equal access to career development and advancement opportunities. This includes mentoring, training programmes and clear pathways to promotion.

Transparent Policies: Develop and communicate clear policies on DEI, anti-discrimination and harassment. Make sure everyone knows these policies and feels safe to speak up if issues arise.

Community Engagement: Engage with and support diverse communities outside your organisation. This not only enhances your company’s reputation but also shows your commitment to DEI values in the broader society.

The Bigger Picture

Embracing DEI isn’t just the right thing to do – it’s also good for business. Diverse teams are more innovative, better at problem-solving and can relate to a broader customer base. For smaller enterprises, SMEs and charities, which often operate with limited resources, the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workforce are invaluable. By fostering a workplace culture that values diversity, equity and inclusion, we can create environments where

everyone feels welcome and empowered. It’s about building stronger, more resilient organisations that reflect the rich diversity of our society.

Sean McDonough, Mogers Drewett’s managing partner and experienced employment lawyer added, ‘DEI is a really important area for businesses. Professional services have historically lacked diversity and have not understood the concept of ‘equity ’ which has made it harder for certain groups to access careers and fulfil their potential. Whilst we have made great strides in this area, including clear career pathways, a broad range of funded training routes and access to in-house performance coaching, I am committed to continuously improving and adapting our approach to make sure we attract and retain the best people. It’s no less than our clients deserve.’

So, let’s take Vernā Myers advice to heart. Let’s not only invite everyone to the party but also ask them to dance and have their say on the playlist. Together, we can make our workplaces more inclusive, equitable and diverse – and that’s something worth celebrating.

mogersdrewett.co.uk

Random Access Memory, or RAM, is a fundamental component of any computing device, playing a crucial role in the overall performance and functionality of a computer. RAM is a type of volatile memory, which means it temporarily stores data that is actively being used or processed by the computer’s central processing unit (CPU). This allows for quick access to data and ensures that the system runs smoothly and efficiently.

So what is RAM? RAM is essentially a highspeed storage area that the CPU can access much faster than data stored on a hard drive or solid-state drive (SSD). When you open an application or file, the data is loaded from your storage drive into the RAM, allowing the CPU to process it quickly. Once the computer is turned off, the data in RAM is cleared, hence the term ‘volatile memory’.

RAM works by temporarily holding data that the CPU needs for processing tasks. It operates at incredibly high speeds, allowing the CPU to access and manipulate data without delay. The more RAM a computer has, the more data it can handle at once, which is particularly beneficial for multitasking and running memoryintensive applications such as video editing software, large databases and modern video games.

DDR4 RAM: This type of RAM has been the standard for several years, offering speeds ranging from 1600 to 3200 mega transfers per second (MT/s). DDR4 is known for its balance of speed, efficiency and cost, making it a popular choice for a wide range of computing needs.

DDR5 RAM: The latest generation of RAM, DDR5, brings significant improvements over DDR4, including higher speeds starting at 4800 MT/s,

RAM WHAT IS IT AND HOW DOES IT WORK?

James Flynn, Milborne Port Computers

increased capacity per module and better power efficiency. DDR5 is designed to handle the increasing demands of modern applications, providing a substantial performance boost.

The amount of RAM in a computer directly affects its ability to perform tasks efficiently. Insufficient RAM can lead to slow performance, as the system will rely more on the slower storage drive to swap data in and out of RAM, a process known as paging or swapping. RAM may not sometimes make your computer or laptop faster at startup but more RAM allows a computer to handle more tasks simultaneously and improves the performance of memory-intensive applications.

Determining the right amount of RAM depends on the intended use of the computer. For basic tasks such as web browsing, email and word processing, 8GB of RAM is typically sufficient. For more demanding tasks like gaming, video editing and running complex software, 16GB or more is recommended. Professionals working with large files or virtual machines may benefit from 32GB or more.

Upgrading RAM is one of the easiest and most effective ways to improve a computer’s performance. It involves adding more RAM modules to the system or replacing existing ones with higher-capacity modules.

Before upgrading, it’s essential to check the maximum RAM capacity supported by the motherboard and the compatibility of the RAM modules. As talked about in earlier articles, you also need to check that your computer’s RAM is upgradeable and not solely soldered to the motherboard like most new Apple computers.

computing-mp.co.uk

Commercial Development Management Sales

Chesters Harcourt have been managing commercial property in Sherborne for well over 30 years. If you have an interest in commercial property or land do give us a call or visit our website.

Yenstone Walling Ltd

Dry Stone Walling and Landscaping All types of stone walling undertaken

Patrick Houchen DSWA member CIS registered

01963 371123 / 07791 588141 yenstonewalling@btinternet.com www.yenstonewalling.co.uk

Situated between Sherborne and Wincanton Tel: 01963 361303 Mobile: 07855 898452

Reynaers SlimLine 68 are a high-end, outward-opening windows are known for their ultra-slim yet steady aluminium profiles. The well-balanced solution is perfect for renovation, retaining the original daylight, but increasing weather resistance and insulation.

• Ultra slim sightlines in outward opening

• High level of comfort with excellent acoustic, thermal and weather sealing performances

• Safe and secure with SBD and PAS24 rating

• Thermal insulation – Uf 2.4 W/m²K/Uw 1.1 W/m²K

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

MANY A TRUE WORD

Bill Bennette, Sherborne Scribblers

Eleanor Bassenthwaite was a woman no one would ever forget. She had excellent lineage and was tall and strikingly beautiful. She had had two immensely wealthy husbands, both of whom died a mere few years after she had married them. Naturally, they were aristocratic from fine families. From these unions, there was just one child, a daughter, by the Duke of Camberwell.

When it was rumoured that she had met a German Count who had a vast estate in the Hegau region near Lake Constance in Southern Germany, her personal maid was overheard saying:

‘How does she do it? Is she killing them off to inherit their fortunes?’

‘Hush Lily. Don’t say things like that about madam. She’d have you cleaning all the fireplaces if she heard you.’ said Cook. This was met with raucous laughter from the other assembled staff in the kitchen of Eleanor’s magnificent Scottish castle.

Soon after, at the peak of hunting season, a stylish house party was arranged. The staff were given fastidious instructions from her Ladyship by the head housekeeper. Cook was a bit perplexed since she had to prepare several German speciality dishes but did some research, read copious cookbooks and tried the dishes out on the staff who loved them all.

The four-day weekend was wonderful. The guests were all extremely grand and Count Holstein was suitably impressed by the elegance and quality of his visit. He had an interconnecting suite with Eleanor and the next morning tales of her Ladyship shrieking with delight could only lead to one conclusion. They were married a few months later.

She moved to his home in the Fatherland and in no time at all was instructing specialised contractors to update the old pile. Holstein was delighted with the progress which drew him to his new wife with an unusual intensity. She had kept the castle in Scotland which was well-used during the hunting season and at Hogmanay. Being close to Balmoral, there were many royal guests which enthralled Holstein, although Eleanor took it all in her stride.

Some years later, Holstein died unexpectedly one night in their German schloss. Eleanor was inconsolable. Family members gathered around and were utterly perplexed. How had their father succumbed to death at the young age of 62? There was excellent longevity in their family. In a totally distressed and forthright manner, Eleanor instructed her physician, Sir Hubert Strathmere, a highly renowned Harley Street specialist, to travel to Germany immediately and certify her husband’s death. The family could not doubt his qualifications, although the eldest son arranged for their German family doctor to attend. He gave the cause of death as a massive heart attack. When Sir Hubert arrived, he concurred and the grieving process began.

When she inherited the estate, it became clear that there had been a bitter divorce in the Holstein family and that all the children had sided with their mother, bringing much distrust between the father and his offspring. They were certainly hostile to Eleanor, who had spent a fortune of Holstein’s money on restoring the entire estate which was soon sold to a Japanese billionaire for a vast sum.

Once back in London, a meeting with Sir Hubert was arranged secretly, as were all her liaisons with him. They had been lovers for many years throughout all her marriages. Their affair had started during her first marriage when she had mooted the idea of marrying well for money. He would provide the untraceable means for her to kill her unsuspecting husbands. His heart attack-inducing drugs, together with copious amounts of alcohol, were easy for Eleanor to administer. He was trapped in a difficult marriage with a sick wife and was putty in the hands of this beautiful creature. When she had made enough money to last them forever, he could retire, dispose of his wife and they could live happily ever after.

However, it was not long before greed and the thrill of murder overtook Eleanor. It was compulsive, as she began searching for her fourth victim. By then, her questionable reputation with all her wealthy husbands dying so soon after she had married them, started

At the same time, Lady Strathmere had taken a bad turn and was slowly dying. Sir Hubert simply could not bring himself to end her life prematurely and began suffering huge regret for his involvement with Eleanor. This caused him great concern and he became totally focused on caring for his ailing wife until her sad but expected death. Eleanor was denied any further support from Sir Hubert, although convinced in her mind that nothing could stop her.

If Strathmere would not support her, she would do it alone. Eleanor found and married her victim, then attempted to kill him with vast amounts of alcohol and illegal recreational drugs but failed. Her new husband went into a coma and after significant medical care and examination, foul play was determined. The Duke of Camberwell had been cremated but autopsies on Eleanor’s other previous husbands were carried out, following which, she was charged with two counts of murder and one count of attempted murder. Fearing that Eleanor’s source for obtaining the potent drugs would be revealed, Strathmere shot himself. She would never be a free woman again.

‘BILL’ (Eldred) BENNETTE

It is with great sadness that we announce the untimely death of Bill on 24th June. The following tribute is by Malcolm Cockburn on behalf of all Scribblers.

Bill was born in Port Elizabeth, South Africa in 1946. When he was twenty-one he sailed by Union Castle liner to England. He soon achieved a post with the Sanderson Design Group (specialists in fabric and wallpapers). Bill then set up his own business in interior design for private clients; Bill Bennette Design Ltd. In time his was to be counted among the top five interior design companies in Britain. Beyond this country, he was responsible for interior designs in India, the Middle East, Europe and America. His work in Dorset started with a house in Corton Denham for Sir Lindsay Alexander and then for Sir Lindsay’s widow, Maud, in Sherborne. He bought a cottage in Leigh and soon found himself much appreciated in that village as well as in Sherborne where he will be sadly missed, especially as a leading light and Chair of the Sherborne Scribblers. Bill was a supporter and Friend of Dorset Opera, a generous host and a great cook.

Do you have some spare time for your local Sherborne community?

Sherborne Good Neighbours are looking for volunteers, particularly drivers, to provide occasional neighbourly assistance.

Please phone Mike Hatch on 01935 815806 or email: m.hatch1471@btinternet.com

www.sherbornegoodneighbours.org

Suppliers of both new and pre-loved vinyl, official t-shirts, merchandise and memorabilia. Come visit and “Try before you buy”.

The Beat & Track, The Old Shambles, South Street, Sherborne, DT9 3LN

07730 356719

thebeatandtrack@icloud.com www.thebeatandtrack.co.uk

Beginners Spanish course in Sherborne

Fun 10-week course starting Tuesday 17th September at 2pm

1.5 hours per week, £15 per lesson

Learn all you need to travel, eat and chat!

Group and individual Italian tuition also available at all levels

Amanda Donnelly spanishindorset@gmail.com amanda@italianindorset.co.uk 07739 972538

ACROSS

1. Uses again (8)

5. Burden (4)

9. More delicate (5)

10. Single eyeglass (7)

11. Without parallel (6,2,4)

14. Zero (3)

15. Vertical part of a step (5)

16. By way of (3)

17. Having an acrid wit (5-7)

20. Medieval cell (7)

22. Seawater (5)

23. Shallow food container (4)

DOWN

1. Repeated jazz phrase (4)

2. Hide (7)

3. Mapmaker (12)

4. Deciduous tree (3)

6. Tortilla topped with cheese (5)

7. Emaciated (8)

8. Incurably bad (12)

12. Dance club (5)

13. Unequal; biased (3-5)

16. Watching (7)

18. Female relatives (5)

19. Pose (anag) (4)

21. And not (3)

JULY SOLUTIONS

LITERARY REVIEW

Richard Hopton, Sherborne Literary Society

Nine Minds by Daniel Tammet (Profile Books, £20 hardcover)

Sherborne Times reader offer price of £18 from Winstone’s Books

Daniel Tammet describes himself as an ‘autistic savant’ and is undeniably a successful and prolific author, his nine books having been translated into thirty languages. I have to confess that I was not altogether looking forward to reading and reviewing this book - subtitled Inner Lives on the Spectrum - as it was beyond my normal range of novels, histories, travel books, diaries and books about natural history and the environment. Nor did I consider that I had much worthwhile knowledge of neurodiversity in general or autism in particular which I could bring to bear in a review.

However, despite my initial reservations, I found Nine Minds an interesting, stimulating read. This, in large part, is due to Tammet’s skill as an author and researcher: he has teased out the life stories of his nine subjects and written them up in thoughtful, approachable essays. Collectively, the nine stories make a highly readable, even enjoyable, book.

Tammet’s nine subjects are an eclectic bunch, autism being the only common denominator. The first study tells the story of Vaughan Bowen, originally from South Wales, who became an eminent handand-wrist surgeon practising in Canada. Then there is Warren Hines, a detective in the West Midlands police force. The bulk of Hines’s chapter tells of his solving a particularly vexing murder, cleverly interleaved with the history of his earlier life explaining the practical consequences of his autism. Tammet’s retelling of Hines’s solving of the murder is gripping.

Another tale is that of Naoise Dolan, a young Irish novelist, friend and contemporary of Sally Rooney.

Tammet describes in detail how Naoise writes. ‘All through the writing she’d avoided ideas of plot or character… Not once had she imagined a scene in order to write it’. ‘In this associative, cumulative, almost magical way she had composed and now revised this debut novel of hers’. It’s an authorial method far removed from the painstaking planning which underlies most novels.

The story of Amanda, a blind, autistic Australian poet and translator is remarkable for its courage, for her refusal to be daunted by problems which would defeat many less determined people. There is the remarkable story of Cedric Villani, an eminent French mathematician who decided to go into politics. He became a member of the Assemblé Nationale before running, unsuccessfully, for the mayoralty of Paris. He was notable for his brilliant mathematical mind as much as for his foppish appearance: silk cravats, pocket watches and spider broaches. The story of Ayo, a civil and coastal engineer, is equally inspiring. She and her family fled her native Nigeria after a traumatising domestic robbery arriving in England as a child. The final chapter concerns the early life of the actor Dan Aykroyd in Canada in the years before he met John Belushi in 1974.

Nine Minds is a revealing book, explaining in a refreshingly unbossy, untechnical and non-judgmental way that autism is a very varied condition, varied in how it manifests itself in different individuals and in the way they see the outside world and their fellow human beings.

sherborneliterarysociety.com

PAUSE FOR THOUGHT

Nathan Cracknell, ReBorne Church

One of the most famous stories in the Bible is the parable of the prodigal son. Jesus tells the exploits of a younger son who demanded his inheritance before his father had died. The younger son squandered the money and became destitute. Whilst destitute, he came to the realisation that he needed to return home to his father. In a display of undeserved forgiveness and love, the father ran to meet his son, welcomed him home and restored him to the family.

When I lived in Scotland, I was frequently asked, ‘Rangers or Celtic?’ In Sherborne, this question has little meaning. In Glasgow, it bears huge significance. The question refers to the two main football clubs in the city; support for one or the other is usually assumed. It was not unusual to hear people describing themselves as being born into the allegiance as if they had no greater say in the matter than they did in their own genetics. Their allegiance shaped their identity.

Rangers and Celtic may not be the groups which shape us. Nevertheless, the groups we belong to are important to us. For instance, we might feel a sense of patriotism in our country of origin. We might have a sense of pride in an organisation we represent. I suspect it is the sense of belonging that comes from our friends and family that holds the greatest value for us. They shape us. We are lost without them. This is one of the factors that makes the story of the prodigal son so poignant and timeless. The betrayal and restoration strike at the heart of what is most essential to us.

It is noteworthy that the father did not welcome the younger son home because he had turned his life around and somehow earned his way back. The father welcomed him home in his destitution because he loved him. By restoring his younger son, the father gave him a place to belong and an identity as a family member. It is this identity-shaping belonging that motivates Jesus to tell the story.

The second part of the prodigal son story is sometimes overlooked. The older brother heard that his younger brother had returned home and their father had restored him to the family. Far from sharing the father’s joy, he became angry and refused to enter the celebrations. For the second time that day, the father went out to one of his sons. The father implored him to change his perspective and join him in the celebrations. The older son responded by stating the father had treated him unfairly, as he had hardly been given fair pay for all his years of service. By speaking to his father as if he were under his employ, the older son demonstrated he too was estranged from his father; he did not identify as a son but as a worker.

Jesus ends the story without saying if the older brother entered the celebration or remained outside. The father’s offer of belonging and an identity as a family member was left for Jesus’ audience to decide for themselves.

rebornechurch.org

F I N D Y O U R

F U T U R E P A T H W A Y

The Sixth For m at Sherborne gives you the very best preparation for your future. To find out more about the variety of academic and co-curricular options on offer, join us for our:

S I X

Wednesday 25 September from 1.30-5pm.