The Blackmore Vale April 21

ISSN 2634-8810

POLITICS

NEVER PRINTED April ‘21

POLITICS

Good People in this issue

SARAH J. Naughton Only a bestselling author, that's ALL Just don't offer her Wotsits.

Brigit STRAWBRIDGE Slow worms can't really live for thirty years, can they?

ANDY PALMER

He's been quiet. Not sure whether to be worried or thrilled.

RACHAEL ROWE

Last month coffee, this month chocolate. Next month it'll be 'best place for naps'

ANDREW

Diprose

Always a brilliant head in a crisis. Or just to email when everyone else is asleep.

Tracie BEARDSLEY Must remember to give her a word count.

KERI JONES

Possibly the busiest man in the county

Heather BROWN

She talks about 'leftover' hot cross buns. Didn't know that was a thing.

FANNY

Charles

Ask politely, and you'll receive it with bells on.

Front cover: Hares near Fontmell Magna, 29th March 2021 by Jayne Harris Always free - subscribe here

Animals

Art

Barry Cuff | Voice of the Allotment

Beauty

Book Corner

Brigit Strawbridge

Business News

Charity pages

113

Community News

108

Deaths & In Memoriam

Designed in Dorset

Education

Equestrian

Farming

Food & Drink

Garden Jobs

Health

106

Legal Notices

Looking Back | Roger Guttridge

Meet Your Local

News

Night Sky

Oonagh's flowers

Paul Birbeck

Photography

Police news

109

Professional Services

114

Property

Puzzles

Random 20 - Sarah J. Naughton

Reader's Letters

Rural Matters - CPRE

Simon Hoare MP

110

Situations Vacant

Take a Hike

Tales from the Vale | Andy Palmer

Then & Now | Roger Guttridge

WIN Luxury Dog Drying coats

Half way through the month I was thinking what a remarkably light news month it was. And then one thing led to another (as it This month you get us both inevitably does) Happy Easter! and before I knew it I had more big stories than I could handle, along with a wonderful bestselling author who loves Cut Mill, but really doesn’t like Wotsits. And I’ve just realised I never asked if the Teenage Murtant Ninja Turtle watch was worth it. There are some big features this month - because sometimes, the story simply won’t fit neatly on to one page. As Fanny said to me ‘you never can do Dinah’s Hollow properly if you try to cut it’. Or Nordon, the scourge that is Fly Tipping, or even The Alfred Daily, it seems. And then there was the HUGE learning curve with the wonderfully patient Doug Procter from Glanvilles Stud the Honeysuckle story is terrific, but I did have to explain my entire racing knowledge comes from a Jilly Cooper novel. And so lockdown eases and we find ourselves with a long weekend of actually being allowed to see real people again, I hope the rain stays away and you all get to enjoy the company of your loved ones. Our oldest son is in America but never feels too distant, and he’s still part of the family Whatsapp ‘Cat X’ naming group (even if he does keep suggesting ‘cabbage’). Oh, did I mention? We’re getting a cat! TODAY! She’s a rescue, and much excitement abounds - along with a fear for the curtains, and dull stupidity at cat tree choosing. The naming game is fierce; I’m sure there’ll be plenty of updates on social media over the coming weeks I hope you all manage to sit back and enjoy a long weekend filled with good drinks, kind people, fresh air - and the bright hope that it all might be starting to work out.

by Tracie Beardsley

OPINION

Why Demolishing Nordon Is More Than An Architectural Disaster A decision to finally demolish Nordon House - an Edwardian building in the centre of a conservation area in Blandford - has met with huge outcry from the local community as well as two outraged local councillors. Dorset Council Councillors Byron Quayle and Noc LaceyClarke, who fought to keep Nordon and have plans recognised to create a visionary community hub, are determined to fight on for the town and have their vision realised. In a joint opinion piece, they share their views to the digital Blackmore Vale:

The demolition of Nordon is an absolute travesty for Blandford. We could have used the site to do great things in the town. Some people just weren’t prepared to listen. It speaks volumes when a crossparty committee in charge of making the decision whether to keep Nordon or demolish it, calls itself ‘The Nordon Disposal Board’. With a title like that, you can’t help but feel this was a done deal long before it came to a vote. We would’ve had a lot more faith in the ‘Committee who may use this fantastic facility to do something good in Blandford!’ When a venture with a developer is involved, commercial sensitivity means elements of reports can legally be kept confidential from councillors not on the committee.

Nordon when it was the thriving head of NDDC. Image © Mike Faherty

The reality is we are two councillors who’ve spent years fighting to protect Nordon, along with so many others in our community including the Town Council, Civic society and many residents. Determined to get the voices of Blandford people heard, we knocked on numerous doors to harvest opinions. Thanks to the tireless efforts of Nicci Brown, secretary of the Blandford Civic and District Society, we rallied a 2000-strong petition in favour of keeping the building.

grounds of historic architectural value. But what about the conservation area in which this building sat? An area that purposefully put Nordon at its heart to protect it. Look at the map and you’ll see there’s a square protecting Nordon. Again our argument on conservation grounds was rebuffed – apparently it made no sense for an Edwardian building to be protected in this way! With the help of our campaigning allies like Councillor Roger Carter, then Chairman of Blandford Forum Town Council, Blandford fought on.

There were numerous discussions with Historic England. Three times Blandford appealed for them to list the building to protect it. However, being Edwardian, Nordon House apparently didn’t deserve the listed protection that a Georgian building enjoys. The advice from Historic England was that Nordon wouldn’t win a costly legal challenge on the Councillor Byron Quayle (left) and

Councillor Nocturin Lacey-Clarke (right) Always free - subscribe here

OPINION Ignored by our District Council, the matter was escalated to central government, writing a letter to the Secretary of State. In this, the town defended the reasons why Nordon should stay at the heart of Blandford. Reasons so much more than architectural value alone.

Our vision, which we’ve been lobbying for since 2017, was to create a community hub at Nordon. With the council vacating the building, the fact local surgeries in the town were contemplating moving and Nordon still in public ownership, this was the perfect opportunity to merge crucial services in the town together under one roof. Even better - to a building that was at the geographical centre of the town and easier to get to for many in the community. This community hub could incorporate adult and children services, the local library, surgeries and even the town council could have moved there. Co-ordinated facilities brought together in an existing building at the geographical heart of the town – such a workable idea. And a win-win when you consider the large capital receipt gained by freeing up other buildings.

Inside Nordon before it was cleared

Inside Nordon just after it was closed.

Blandford struggles with space for pop-up businesses due to high street rents. So why not use Nordon to allow budding entrepreneurs to promote themselves in a free space?

have transformed lives; but time and again our very raised voices were ignored. No amount of different opinion would sway, including the 2000 names on the petition.

Knocking down one house that has a lot of history is sad - but missing out on the opportunity to bring so many services together with a joined-up, new way of thinking is a tragedy. The possibilities were endless.

In the North Dorset Planning meeting on 26th February 2019, the fate of Nordon was sealed, with a vote of seven in favour to demolish and two against. Twenty members of the public attended - significantly less than the 2000 on the petition but that’s in fact a large turn-out for a planning meeting; especially when you consider it was held way out in Durweston Village Hall and half way through the day.

We even had plans for better transport infrastructure to offer more parking in that area. Joined-up thinking that could

We’d like to thank all those people for their support in campaigning and those that attended the meeting. The reason the planning permission was accepted was a finely balanced argument with the negatives for knocking down the building outweighed by the positive appeal of 40 affordable houses being built. But what is affordable housing? It’s a legal term defining houses 20% below market value. That’s still not affordable for many of us living in Blandford. We’d like to see more truly affordable housing for the

by Tracie Beardsley

OPINION people of Blandford, many already struggling with some of the highest taxes in the country.

Inside Nordon before it was cleared

We need to be looking at how we can protect and help the most vulnerable in our community – low income, young families, single people trying to work and live in Blandford. We see more people needing support of foodbank services. Many in our community are only just getting by.

The new accommodation has been hailed as a “legacy for the town.” This is not a legacy. It’s an absolute disaster for Blandford.

In fact, none of the councillors that voted for the planning permission were re-elected in 2019.

It will be hard for the Council to look back and say this was a good decision. It’s not. It’s a huge missed opportunity for the people of Blandford.

As councillors, we get a lot of anger from people disenfranchised by the whole situation. Sadly, that is often stoked by people who care more about point scoring rather than about doing good for Blandford. As to the comments on social media with repeated suggestions of ‘bribes in brown envelopes’,

We believe the decision to demolish Nordon, which was taken just before the LGR (Local Government Reorganisation) of Dorset’s Councils, would not have gone through today with the new “big picture” council structure.

It’s difficult being a politician - people want to take their frustrations out on the bigger picture and you are that emblem of that bigger picture locally.

the only pleasure one of us had to receive was dog faeces through our letterbox!

People on social media are quick to criticise without knowing the full background. Blandford is our boss and we want to do the best for the town. Yes, it needs to expand and grow and of course not all decisions are liked by everyone. But now our town has lost a potential shining jewel and we’re left with an angry community and need to pick up the pieces Nordon is an outrage. We got into politics to make a change and help Blandford. We’re just as frustrated as everyone else at this missed opportunity. We cannot do anything to overturn it. Sadly. So now, we move forward. We make sure Blandford is safeguarded and look to the future. Nordon may have been a good option but won’t have been the only option. We will find a way to win and make our vision a reality. This Nordon debacle is one of the reasons we both get up in the morning - to do battle for Blandford. Once more into the breach dear friends! Noc and Byron

Inside Nordon before it was cleared

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by Fanny Charles

Dinah’s Hollow Plans - “A Misuse” of Public Money

NEWS

A PROPOSAL by Dorset Council to spend £4.3 million “to stabilise a dangerous slope” on Dinah’s Hollow, on the C13 road at Melbury Abbas, is “not just a misuse of public funds but a total waste,” says local resident Paul Champagne. Melbury Abbas and Cann Parish Council chairman William Kenealy agrees: “It seems they are now going to cobble something together to save face after many poor decisions that have adversely affected Melbury Abbas. They don’t want to own the mess they have created and are happy to waste another £4 million plus (on top of £3 million already down the drain) to cover up their failures.” In the years since the then Dorset County Council began “improving” safety on the C13, there has been a so-called one-way system for heavy goods vehicles, with big vehicles going south on the C13 and north on the A350. Melbury Abbas villagers have suffered endless traffic jams and chaos as southbound HGVs have met other large vehicles going north. One notorious incident involved an ambulance on an emergency call. Now members of Dorset Council’s cabinet are being asked to consider agreeing to spend £4.3 million on Dinah’s Hollow as part of the capital programme of “major new projects’ for 2021-22, which

How nature takes over. This is Dinah’s Hollow the last time it was closed to all traffic in 2015. Seen without traffic, it’s difficult to envision how articulated lorries pass through.

will be discussed at a meeting on Tuesday 6th April. The proposed work on Dinah’s Hollow would mean the closure of the north-south route. Previous estimates have suggested that the works could take up to seven months to finish. During this period the residents would be cut off from Shaftesbury, while many drivers would seek alternative routes around the even narrower lanes each side of the C13.

Local resident Sara Jacson, one of those most directly affected by any closure of Dinah’s Hollow, is angry that Dorset Council is “once again raking over an issue which in the end does nothing to enhance our beautiful AONB or make the little village of Melbury Abbas any safer.” She says: “The C13 is totally unsuitable for the heavy goods traffic which uses it daily. The council has allowed the road to be open since works were done in 2014 presumably with appropriate insurance and with

NEWS no landslips of any significance. Now the proposal is to remove trees and vegetation which hold the soil and provide good habitat for both flora and fauna and for what purpose? We are told that the trees on the skyline will be retained – why not the others further down the slopes? Commercial gain should not be at the expense of wrecking historic deep ways or village life.”

Concern about the safety of Dinah’s Hollow arose after a tragic fatal accident in the tunnel near Beaminster in July 2012. Sara Jacson recognises the significance of that disaster, but it led the then county council to check all tunnels and hollow ways, “in apparent ignorance of the difference between the two. Railway tunnels and embankments were built in Victorian times: Holloways are ancient paths worn and created by man’s feet day after day.” Dinah’s Hollow is one of those ancient ways, which is once again being threatened by the “new” Dorset Council. She says: “All the tinkering in the world cannot disguise the fact that the C13 (C road, not an A road, you note) is totally unsuitable for the volume and weight of traffic it has to carry today. “HGVs are getting longer and heavier so even if they successfully negotiate Dinah’s Hollow, going south as recommended, there are still four right angle bends to navigate before facing a steep climb up Spreadeagle Hill. There is a 20mph limit through the village which asks a great deal of any HGV to then cope with the hill.

“Better surely to save the funds until a properly thought out, practical by-pass can be built not just for Melbury Abbas, but also for Shaftesbury – we would all benefit.” William Kenealy is similarly disappointed with the council’s proposal: “Having read the latest political propaganda from Dorset Council, I find it a rehash of a lot of the old statements that no longer hold water. Seven years ago, the engineers actually provided alternatives, which officers dismissed to choose the soil nail model that they wanted to try even though the estimated life was only 120 years. The road was re-opened to all traffic five years ago, so clearly there was no danger to life, and since then more trees have grown back, making the slopes even more stable than before the closure.” The plan as it stands was designed when the council was going to widen the road, says Mr Kenealy. “This is just another of example of the council ‘passing the buck’ to future generations and keeping their pensions, having destroyed thousands of years of history. The alternative of a retaining wall structure with the road now narrower would enable the environment and character of the Hollow to remain largely intact.”

communities,” which are “essential for economic growth.” Cllr Ray Bryan (St Leonards and St Ives), Dorset Council portfolio holder for highways, travel and environment, is pleased “that plans are under way to commence this important work to ensure Dinah’s Hollow is safe for road users in the future.” Referring to the council’s duty under the Highways Act to maintain safe passage as far as is reasonably practical, he claims the proposed work at Dinah’s Hollow “is prompted by the safety concerns that were raised regarding bank instability and the risk of injury, possibly death, it poses to users of the highway.” Cllr Bryan concludes: “The elected members of Dorset Council have difficult decisions to make balancing conflicting demands of social health and well-being, the climate emergency, highway safety and ensuring a sustainable business economy. Whatever the outcome the decision will not be taken lightly and will be made in the best interests of Dorset as a whole.”

A statement from Dorset Council claims that “geotechnical engineers have assessed Dinah’s Hollow to be at risk of landslips with the potential to cause death to more than one person and closure of one of the main northsouth routes through Dorset.” The council stresses the importance of keeping the hollow open to maintain “connections and transport links supporting strong, healthy

The planned work to the banks will not change the road - it will remain one lane with traffic lights - so will not change the present issues with HGVs.

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PREP • SENIOR • SIXTH FORM

by Tracie Beardsley

NEWS

DUMPING GROUND DORSET Beauty spots across Dorset are blighted by the scourge of flytipping as cases across the UK spiral out of control. We’ve all seen the sorry sights. Sofas, mattresses, fridges and car tyres dumped in laybys, woods and in farmers’ fields. These eyesores are left for local councils to clear away, at taxpayers expense, or the cost falls on private landowners, who have to pay out of their own pocket. According to Countryside Alliance, a farmer foots a bill in the region of £800 each time someone thinks it’s fine to leave a cooker with his cows. David George, a spokesperson for The National Farmers Union (South West) told the digital Blackmore Vale: “This is a source of great irritation to farmers and the fact they have to pay to get rid of it just adds insult to injury. Mainly, it’s people getting rid of waste they may be charged for at the local tip, or that they can’t be bothered to take. We urge people to please dispose of their waste responsibly, especially if they are having a spring clean over the Easter holidays.” The issue of fly-tipping falls on the shoulders of local councils. Some have reported a 50% increase in fly-tipping since Covid, with official rubbish and recycling centres shut during the first lockdown. Litter campaign charity, Keep

Britain Tidy, estimates fly-tipping is costing this country over £58 million a year in clean-up costs. Putting that into local context, Dorset Council had to pick up the tab for clearance and disposal costs to the tune of about £112,000 in 2019/20 with 1,870 incidents of fly-tipping reported. For April to December 2020, the council received 1,356 reported incidences of fly-tipping, costing just over £80,000 to clear away properly. And bear in mind that thousands of cases go unreported so the picture is even more rubbish – quite literally. Sadly, it would seem that in many cases people are just too lazy to dispose of their rubbish correctly. James Potten from Dorset Council told us that, frustratingly, a lot of fly-tipping in this county is rubbish that could easily be disposed of for free. “Whilst trade waste, especially building materials is consistently dumped illegally, the majority of fly-tips consist of black bag household waste and other materials that can be taken to a household recycling centre and dropped off free of charge, such as furniture, white goods and garden waste.” In a recent report by BBC’s Panorama, ’Rubbish Dump Britain’ it was revealed that there is only one prosecution for every 300 fly-tipping incidents. Staggeringly, local authorities dealt with close to one million

cases in 2019 and 2020. With council resources already under intense pressure due to cuts, their chances of catching perpetrators, let alone bringing them to justice, are slim. Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: The fact is that this environmental crime is being driven by ‘man with a van’ operators – responsible for a third of all fly-tips - who are conning the public with what appears to be a cheap way of getting rid of their rubbish, but one that leads to illegal disposal and environmental devastation.” Keep Britain Tidy is calling on the government to make tackling fly-tipping an urgent priority. It wants immediate reform of the waste carrier licensing system very few checks are carried out at present - and dedicated use of income from the landfill tax. It’s also demanding tougher sentencing in magistrates courts for those found dumping waste Always free - subscribe here

POLITICS illegally. Though this serious crime can warrant jail sentences and huge fines, this rarely happens. Dorset Council’s James Potten said: “Our Enforcement Team are out every day investigating incidents, and have set up proactive partnerships with Dorset Police, the DVLA and Litter Free Dorset, as well as working with private landowners, the Environment Agency, Keep Britain Tidy, and various housing associations.

“In 2019/20, we took around 300 enforcement actions related to fly-tipping, including fixed penalty notices and prosecutions. We also have a high profile case going through the courts right now that we hope to be able to report on soon.” But one man has taken it upon himself to fight fly-tippers. Business man, Martin Montague, is a self-styled waste warrior. He’s founder of the ClearWaste. com app and website. ClearWaste created the first, fully national system for reporting fly-tipping. Using a brilliant free app, people can easily report fly-tipping anywhere in the UK as it actually happens. Minute by minute, you can see how quickly the UK is becoming a huge skip. This link from ClearWaste shows reports of rubbish dumped across Dorset – it makes disturbing viewing. ‘’The rate of increase in reports of fly-tipping is shocking,” says Martin Montague. “Britain is drowning under a sea of illegally dumped rubbish which blights our town, cities and

countryside. Clearwaste.com came about because I was absolutely sick to death of seeing fly-tipping everywhere. I really hate the damage it does to our environment and wildlife, not to mention the cost to taxpayers of cleaning it up.” The app and website links to every local authority in the country, giving councils the location of the rubbish along with details and photographs. Tackling the problem before it gets to the countryside, ClearWaste.com also helps people get rid of rubbish properly, giving alternatives to dodgy, unlicensed traders on social media. “When people have DIY leftovers, garden waste or rubbish from a clear-out, they often ask for recommendations on social media but they shouldn’t just hand their unwanted stuff to someone with a van who offers to remove it for a bit of cash,” said Mr Montague. Their website features responsible waste removal companies with a new price comparison scheme that protects and saves the public money. So confident are they of their trusted traders, ClearWaste.com guarantees to strike the trader off as well as to cover any additional costs or fines up to value of £1000 if waste is illegally disposed.

All these images were taken by Courtenay Hitchcock on local walks in the last six months.

Martin Montague explained: “There is clearly an increasing demand for legal waste removal so we’re now helping to link consumers with trustworthy, government-registered waste removal businesses to avoid fly-tippers. Our website makes it simple to find honest, reliable, skip-hire and grab bag firms – all backed by our £1000 no flytipping guarantee. It’s all about making it easier for people to do the right thing.” This real-life womble also goes up and down the country

What appeared to be an enture shed - in pieces -plus a large amount of garden waste were dumped on the Ox Drove image: Courtenay Hitchcock

investigating fly-tipping incidents for clues of the perpetrators. He uses drones and night-vision equipment in his quest to make them answer for their actions. He names and shames them across social media. ClearWaste.com is also lobbying the government to increase fines and custodial sentences for those who continue to flout the law. The ClearWaste.com app is available free from Apple and Google Play app stores. The good news is councils have new and greater powers to tackle fly-tipping - but whether they have the resources to make this happen is another matter. It can cost around £2k to gather

FLY-TIPPING how to report it If you report fly-tipping, the rubbish can be removed and the crime can be investigated. If you see someone fly-tipping, or you want to report an area where fly-tipping has taken place, take note of the following: • Date, time and place of the incident • What the waste looks like and how much there is • Descriptions of any person and/or vehicles involved along with the registration number

evidence and bring someone to court, who can receive a fine under £200. James Potten advised: “Everyone needs to understand their personal liability when it comes to their waste, which is their legal responsibility until it is correctly disposed of in the right place. “If you cannot get to a recycling centre and you hand your waste to someone – such as an unlicensed ‘man in a van’ found on social media – who then flytips it, you also risk prosecution and a criminal record. Please make sure you only use a reputable waste carrier when handing rubbish to someone else. As fly-tippers are doing something illegal, they don’t want to be caught. Don’t approach them or put your own safety at risk. Report fly-tipping or illegal waste dumping here If the rubbish is on your own land, it is your responsibility to report it and to dispose of it correctly. Report the incident to your local authority or the Environment Agency. Although they have no obligation to remove the waste, they may be able to provide guidance on

‘’Dorset is a beautiful place to live but fly-tipping is a blight on our county, a drain on taxpayers’ money and we all need to work together to tackle it. We will always pursue all avenues to hold offenders to account, so please keep reporting fly-tips to us when you spot them and check out www. dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/tip-off for more information on how to make sure you are covered when handing waste to someone else.” Dorset Police’s Inspector Darren Stanton, part of the Dorset police Rural Crime Team, also advised: “Whilst fly-tipping is not a police matter, a fly tip in progress can be called in on 999 so that we can catch the offenders in the act.” the best way to deal with it. Uncontrolled illegal waste disposal can be hazardous to the public, especially if it contains toxic material or asbestos. There could be risk of damage to watercourses and soil quality from the waste. Reports to the Environment Agency can be made using their national hotline number 0800 807 060.

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by Tracie Beardsley POLITICS image: Adrian Newton

The Rivers of Dorset – What Do They Mean an ToYou? As a Dorset girl, born and bred, I’ve been surrounded by rivers all my life.

an annual worldwide event held every September to encourage greater stewardship and to highlight the valuable resource that rivers provide.

Little did I know then, the same bridge I jumped off every summer as a child, spanning the Stour, where Roman emperor Julius Caesar reputedly crossed, would be the very place my husband proposed to me. Would he have jumped if I’d said no?

Gill Horitz, co-founder of Wimborne Community Theatre, said: “We’d like to invite Dorset people, of all ages, to contribute stories about their visits to the rivers. Perhaps it’s a favourite place or time spent fishing, swimming, bird watching, picnicking, reflecting or just walking by the river. We’d also love to see photographs too.

In the lockdowns of the last year, rivers have been the go-to for many seeking solace and space. One glorious summer evening, we actually walked along the middle of the river, low from lack of rain, for about two miles, cooling off as our dog doggiepaddled alongside. Seeing the beauty of the river from between the banks, with kingfishers darting amongst the bulrushes, reed warblers spying on us from their camouflaged homes and iridescent dragonflies darting close, we found ourselves discovering a remarkable perspective on a familiar place. Now, a Dorset theatre group are asking people across the county to share their own river experiences for a new community venture, ‘The Rivers Project’. The aim is to incorporate this production into celebrations surrounding ‘World Rivers Day’,

Wimborne Community Theatre (WCT) has been performing sitespecific productions in unusual venues for over 25 years. The backdrop for ‘The Rivers Project’ will be the River Allen, one of the purest chalk streams in the UK. The River Stour, one of the county’s most significant rivers, beginning life at Stourhead and flowing from north Dorset past Blandford, Wimborne and Bournemouth to meet the English Channel at Hengistbury Head, will also take a starring role. The plan is to involve local people, local schools, to work with artists and to create a choir. ‘The Rivers Project’ is also being supported by local ecologist and sound artist, Adrian Newton. “‘Sound fishing’ recordings have revealed a surprisingly rich soundscape. Most of the noise is from aquatic invertebrates such as caddis fly larvae and

different species of water beetle, which produce a wide variety of clicks, pops and churring sounds. It’s also possible to hear the unearthly noises made by water plants as they photosynthesize.” He added: “Many people who live in Dorset don’t realise that our chalk rivers are globally unique. They’re really important. It’s great to have an opportunity to celebrate our local rivers through the work that WCT is doing”. WCT’s website has begun to share some of the contributions by its members and local people. Moving memories and reflections, including anonymous love stories, musings on the restorative power of rivers felt by a cancer sufferer, and stories of loss and drowning. You can also hear a song written by Dorset performer Peter Ferrett about stonemasons who used the river to haul their raw materials across the county. If you’d like to get involved and perhaps see your river memory come to life in ‘The Rivers Project’ performance, leave your memories or ideas on the website form, at https://www. wimbornecommunitytheatre. co.uk/river-memories/ More information about WCT can be found on its website. New members are welcome and the group is open to all.

by Laura Hitchcock

NEWS

Hanky Blanky on the Town Meadow! The brightly coloured arrangement warmly glowed even on the dullest of March days – casting a glance from the ring road, I could already see the vibrant colours shouting out from the Town Meadow. On approach, the scale of the project was astonishing. The final ‘blanket’ included four thousand knitted squares, along with 710 pom-poms - and when laid out on the Meadow it measured 70 square metres. The Gillingham Community Kindness Group organised the project for Comic Relief’s Red Nose Day. But it really was a community effort by the whole of Gillingham – something it seems the whole town supported and got involved with. Nurseries, pre-schools, care home residents, dozens of volunteers, families, and individuals all came together to do their small part. And what an amazing thing they achieved together. “We were simply overwhelmed by the response” Liz Rose told me, a Social Prescriber with Gillingham Medical Practice, where she’s worked as a community mental health nurse for almost 40 years

“We raised £136 through selling red noses and donations, which will be distributed to local groups. But this really wasn’t about the money – it was a recognition of the loneliness that so many have faced through the pandemic, and we hoped it might be a way to connect people and bring the community together.” It certainly achieved that. Four nurseries and pre-schools in Gillingham produced banners, residents of nursing homes made squares and pompoms and 145 individuals and families gave their time to knitting. Liz admits she will not be sorry to see the Hanky Blanky disappear from her house “I never want to see another knitted square!” she laughs. “It will be sewn together and displayed at The Slade Centre, along with names of all contributors. It will then be divided into smaller blankets to be distributed to Comic Relief projects – some local people have offered to buy them, and so all monies raised will also be donated back to Comic Relief. And the pom poms we hope will be used by the town, maybe in the Christmas display. We’re open to suggestions!” You can hear Liz’s moving nterview with Steve Harris on Radio Solent here.

The entire Hanky Blanky; spot the human for scale! image © Dan Pitman

Gillingham Community Kindness Group would like to say a special thank you to: • Gillingham Medical Practice • Esther Hussey for her tireless list keeping and patience • Inner Wheel ladies • Mr & Mrs Tinsley for loan of gazebo • Gillingham Health Champions • Hidden Pizza • Barry Von Clemens for being Mayor and jolly good bloke • Dan Pitman for great photos with his drone

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by Roger Guttridge

NEWS

Eco hub plan for Winterborne Whitechurch Rapid or ultra-rapid chargers for up to twelve electric vehicles (EVs) would be provided as part of a proposed ‘eco hub’ at Winterborne Whitechurch. The facility on farmland beside the A354 between Blandford and Puddletown would also include a small shop, café, lounge, toilets and outdoor seating. It would also feature a 60-acre solar farm generating enough electricity to power 4,000 homes. Details of the proposed Blandford Hill Eco Hub were unveiled at a public Zoom meeting of Winterborne Whitechurch Parish Council by Naturalis’s Matt Partridge. He told the meeting that Naturalis was a joint venture between REG Power Management and Falck Renewables to roll out green energy projects across the UK. Mr Partridge said the Blandford Hill project would: • boost local, clean, renewable energy generation • help to reduce greenhouse gases • plug a gap in local EV charging facilities • reduce local air pollution • provide new and sustainable opportunities at the shop and café • support local initiatives such as the solar panels on the

Dunbury Academy roof and a speed camera. He said the project would include a new access off the existing layby south of the A354, landscaping, battery storage area and a covered walkway between the charging area and the shop and café. There would also be noncharging parking spaces to replace the layby. An underground grid connection would link the site to the electricity sub-station in West Street, Winterborne Kingston, a mile to the south.

And achieving the aim of the government’s committee on climate change for a ‘balanced net zero pathway’ would mean four projects equivalent to the Blandford Hill Eco Hub every week for the next 29 years, he said. Mr Partridge said batteryelectric cars offered considerably lower ‘lifecycle emissions’ than conventional vehicles and the cost of both batteries and EVs had fallen dramatically in the last decade.

Naturalis have already held pre-planning talks with Dorset Council and launched a public consultation exercise, which includes a leaflet sent to more than 1,500 homes and commercial properties within a 5km radius of the site. The consultation leaflet can also be seen at www. blandfordhillecohub.co.uk.

According to Scottish and Southern Electricity, the uptake of EVs is expected to accelerate significantly in the mid-2020s, rising from just 1 per cent of all cars today to 9 per cent by 2025. The take-up will continue to accelerate as government policies kick in. In November, Boris Johnson announced plans to invest more than £2.8 billion in electric vehicles and to ‘lace the land’ with charging points.

Mr Partridge told the Zoom meeting that between them electricity and transport were responsible for 40 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in 2018. To meet the government’s climate change target of ‘net zero’ by 2050, emissions in all sectors needed to fall faster than they had over the last 30 years.

‘This will allow us to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in 2030,’ the prime minister said. But reports suggest that both the take up of EVs and the installation of charging points in rural areas are lagging behind rates in the UK’s bigger towns and cities.

NEWS

‘It’s Been 376 Days Since I Had A Day Off’. The Astonishing Story of Shaftesbury’s Alfred Daily. The Alfred Daily podcast may only just be celebrating its first birthday – but the notfor-profit community radio project is already a Shaftesbury institution. The town council even distributed the podcast details on their Covid leaflets, with instructions that residents should listen in to stay connected. The Alfred community radio project volunteers have just been awarded Shaftesbury Civic Society’s Rachel Caldwell award - the annual prize recognises community and civic activity. Keri Jones, Managing Editor and Owner, was quick to declaim the personal credit for the success over the last year – despite not having had a single day off since 22nd March 2020.

no fixed studio. No one isolation and decided to start the daily podcast: had ever done that before – pre-covid, “...just for lockdown, the idea of recording to get the local content without a community through. studio was radical!” We all thought it He may be modest, but the team would be six weeks or of volunteers are in excellent so, didn’t we?!”. hands - Keri set up Britain’s most successful local radio station, Radio Pembrokeshire, named ‘Station of the Year’ in 2005 and 2006. Then he moved to the Isles of Scilly to launch another award winning radio station, and a panel of radio industry judges awarded Radio Scilly the South West Station of the Year title in 2010. Keri started a weekly Alfred podcast for Shaftesbury in 2018, and then in early in 2020, foreseeing the approaching pandemic and an inevitable period of lockdown, Keri anticipated the local worry and

I can hear Keri’s wry grin down the phone. But the Alfred Daily podcast rapidly took on a life of its own, and now the 30-40 minute podcast has around 4,500 listens a week. Just in case you’re wondering, a ‘podcast’ is just like a radio show – there’s no real difference, it’s simply recorded in advance, and placed online so that you can listen to it any time you choose, on any smart device you have; your computer, laptop or tablet, your phone or a smart speaker.

“It’s genuinely a massive team accomplishment” he corrected when I congratulated him on the success. He went on to explain “I had the weekly podcast going, and we had just been granted a groundbreaking FM licence by Ofcom in December 2019.

Ours was the first ever licence granted for a talk-only community radio, staffed entirely by volunteers and with 16

Image: Alfred Directors Kevin Harrison, Amber Harrison, Keri Jones, Karen Brazier and Andy Hargreaves.

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NEWS

Keri’s presentation for the Radio Academy last November (do watch the video above) caught the eye of Danish audio editing software company Hindenburg, who got in touch with Keri, and offered 100 licences in return for using the Alfred Daily podcast as a case study, showcasing their software being used by a community enterprise. “I was thrilled. Most of our team has never worked in radio, podcasts or audio editing.” Explains Keri “They love using Hindenburg – though it’s professional software it’s really simple to use, even for first timers; it’s just made all our lives so much easier” At 6am each day, seven days a week, the new show goes live – of course it’s on the website, but you can also find it on Spotify, and smart speakers will play it with a short command. Keri told me of a number of elderly and visually impaired listeners have been bought smart speakers by their relatives purely so they can easily command it with a few words, and play their Alfred Daily! In fact, talking to Keri is like talking to a who’s who of Shaftesbury. He seemingly

knows everyone – and not only their name, but probably how old they are, who they live near, and doubtless whether they keep chickens! Keri’s strict about the geographical coverage for the show; the daily podcast is purely for the 7,500 residents of Shaftesbury and the villages within a five-mile radius, and he will not stretch his borders. He does sadly receive occasional angry emails and complaints from people outside the area who are refused airtime, but it’s a strict rule he will not break. Listeners, though, come from far and wide – just this week Keri had an email from a Tom Stanier whose dad lives in Shaftesbury “I live in Exeter and am not allowed to visit. But your show keeps me up to date, and I love it. I listen every day - the pace and content are just perfect escapism for me”.

One of my favourite recent episodes has featured the three random turkeys that arrived in a garden in Semley – it transpired after their hilarious ‘interview’ they’d found their way to Hilary’s garden from three miles away, and had to be walked home!

It’s a radio show which simply feels like a stroll through Shaftesbury. The people talking are the people you see day to day. The news is relevant, the voices are familiar – and the two minute ‘soundscape’ that closes each show is a deep breath of rural Dorset for every listener, no matter where they may be listening from. The Alfred Daily Radio Show has aired over 1,900 interviews in its first year, and there are two new weekly ‘spin off’ shows with their own niches in local Hilltop History and North Dorset Nature, with others planned later this year. The FM radio station will still go live at some point, but Keri has found the podcast has been so successful that rather than being a new venture it will simply be an extension to the podcast, and another platform to share the content. The initial small team of 15 volunteers has now grown to more than 80, and the warm sense of community is palpable in every episode. So what next? Does Keri have plans for the near future? He laughs “Probably to take a weekend off!”

NEWS

Farm Vending Is Making Local Produce An Udder Success

It’s a popular misconception that if you have the cows and the milk, then it’s a pretty simple thing to just pop in a vending machine. In fact, Emily Davies of Woodbridge Farm in Stock Gaylard, home of Dorset Blue Vinny cheese, acknowledged it’s a huge investment that can be upwards of £50,000. “We were fortunate to already have some of the equipment necessary thanks to our existing cheese-making process.” she acknowledged

In early 2020 the Davies family (which includes Emily’s Dad Michael, who resurrected Dorset Blue Vinny using a 300 year old recipe in the early 1980s, is 81 but still very much part of the business, Emily’s brother Richard who runs the farm and Emily herself who is known as the ‘Chief Cheese’) were planning on taking the plunge – right up until it became apparent that a national lockdown was in our near futures.

“It did make us hesitate” remembers Richard “But when we thought about it we realised that actually it could be more necessary than ever” “Sometimes you just have to go for it” agreed Emily “We believed in it – it’s SO important to us for people to understand where their food comes from. And when you can literally see the cows from where you’re filling your milk bottle, you can’t get any better can you?” So has it been a success? “Oh it’s been brilliant!” Emily enthuses “and on so many levels that we never imagined. During lockdown it’s been terrific – we have whole families cycling to us, excitedly announcing “we brought the kids!”. The machine became a family outing! “And for Richard, farming is a solitary job; getting up at 4.30 in the morning seven days a week is relentless and exhausting. But now he gets chatting to so many people during the day – there’s always someone popping in, he loves it. And just having someone say ‘thank you’ really

makes it worthwhile.” Mind you, it’s not been without its teething problems. “The vending machines gave us an ‘interesting’ time to begin with. It was a bit of a battle of wills. One morning I saw a chap walking away from the machine with a bottle only half full. I hurried out, presuming the machine had another problem – but when I called out he turned guiltily towards me, hastily wiping away a milky moustache before assuring me that everything was just fine!” As well as the milk machine, there are plenty of products in the second vending machine – Woodbridge Farm butter, cream, soup and rice pudding, as well as some Dorset Blue Vinny of course. Even the eggs are a family business – Emily’s son Tom has his own label. On the menu shortly will be milkshakes too, and apparently a new top secret development which we’re not allowed to know about yet! You can find your own nearest milk vending machine on Dorset Foodie Feed here.

The Woodbridge Farm team: Richard Davies, Claudia Foot, Michael Davies (inside the van), Emily Davies Then back row Shirley Warr, Les Steele, Front row Tom Wolfe, Sue Ross

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OBITUARY

Death of much-loved Stalbridge ex-teacher Pam Roberts Many ex-pupils of St Mary’s Primary School will be saddened by the death of ex-head teacher Pam Roxburgh (née Roberts) who died early last month in Blandford Hospital. As ‘Miss Roberts,’ Pam taught at Stalbridge in the 1970s before being appointed head of a primary school in Cornwall. She returned to Stalbridge as head of St Mary’s, as Stalbridge Primary School was then known. She married Edwin Roxburgh, an antiques dealer and land owner, and went on to run a successful

chinaware shop in Sherborne’s Long Street, before moving with Edwin to the Dordogne in SW France. On Edwin’s death she returned to Dorset to live in Fitzoak Cottage in Higher St, Okeford Fitzpaine, where she was diagnosed with cancer and Parkinson’s disease.

was always a pleasure. She was full of fun and still behaved as if she was in her twenties, when she became friends with my mother, Audrey Palmer, who also taught at St Mary’s”.

“Pam, 81, was a striking, warmhearted lady with a keen sense of fun” says Andy Palmer, who was a 10 year-old pupil at the school when she first taught at Stalbridge. “When I moved back to Dorset I used to call on her several times a week and take her out, and it

IN MEMORIAM

“Goodbye, My Friend” Steve Tarrant remembers Murray Walker

You often hear the phrase “a little piece of my childhood died” with the passing of a person, entertainer or presenter that you watched at a young age. What do you say when the person that has just passed has been image: Kelvin Fagan with you at every riding, the style they employed step of you life, from across the bumps and jumps. childhood to mature or In short, you suddenly learned senior aged adult? a lot about the sport and that knowledge all came from one Such was the length of his man – Murray. television career that Graham Murray Walker OBE had in my That voice then went across to life that he was always there, a rallycross, especially when it was friendly face and a recognisable held as a winter sport at Lydden voice, a constant in an ever and was another staple part of changing world. the Grandstand repertoire. My first recollections start in the This was also, for me, the start of 1960s when as a young boy, I picking up the Murray trademark would sit in front of the family’s of the Murrayism, his saying small black and white television despite a windscreen being with my father on a Saturday covered in mud and with the afternoon, watching Grandstand wiper system not functioning for when the scrambling (now how well the driver was coping renamed moto-cross) was on. with the conditions, only to see Along with the grainy picture the competitor slither off, totally would come this enthusiastic blind to the direction of the voice, proclaiming the names course, and Murray having to of the stars of the time – Vic backtrack on his words. Eastwood, Dave Bickers and And all done on live TV. But you Bryan Goss amongst them. You loved him for being there and learned where they lived, what doing that. type of motorcycle they were

And then regular Formula One Grand Prix coverage started in the mid 1970s, and he was considered the natural voice from the BBC to cover this. As most races were not covered live, it was the 30 minute highlight programmes you waited for during Sunday evenings, and his was the voice you listened to, balancing teaching those with less knowledge of the sport while not appearing to belittle those who had avidly followed the sport for years. It was a natural fix that when the BBC were taking the highlights of the British Touring Car meetings that Murray once again would provide the soundtrack to the onscreen action. Whilst the footage was recorded and the voiceover done later, it still carried the same level of interest and enthusiasm as if it had been recorded live. Always free - subscribe here

IN MEMORIAM We shared hospital time together; on the same weekend that this writer was hospitalised after the major accident in 2000, Murray also spent a night at the same St Richards hospital in Chichester, having fallen and hurt his hip and was kept in overnight for observation.

He added a note “From your fellow hospital bedmate” to my autograph book when I met him subsequently. From then on we would meet up from time to time in pitlanes and paddocks; he checking how my health was, me asking questions about his past, which he always answered fully and methodically.

In 2005, I was at Kyalami, working with friends from the Kyalami Marshals Association at the inaugural GP Masters meeting, and while sat inside race control, Murray suddenly appeared, was delighted to see me there. He went on to exclaim his joy about being with all his old Grand Prix friends again, including Nigel Mansell. The commentary he provided that weekend was just as fresh and lively as it had been twenty years earlier - time making him wiser, but never taking away the “kid in a sweet shop” style. From that time until a couple of years ago, the meetings were less frequent but still remained just as enjoyable as ever, getting him to recount some of his wartime and advertising stories, watching him still preparing some small item as a contribution to a production at Goodwood.

The last time we met up was four years ago, at Silverstone on a media press day, and Murray had come along for a visit. Sadly, I could see that age was catching up with him, needing helpers to get around, but this still had not affected his mind, as he was as sharp and perceptive as ever. The world of sports fans from around the entire world owe him a huge debt of thanks for everything he did during the whole of his life, something not many people can say they have achieved. Social media went into meltdown from as soon as the announcement was made, showing how he had touched so many lives, either in person, or just as the mate on TV. Few people earn that amount of recognition from the public, showing the measure of the man, and I just feel so lucky to have actually been a tiny piece of his circle of life. Goodbye my friend, Thank You for the times we shared. You were one of a kind.

image: Kelvin Fagan

RURAL MATTERS

PUBS AND VILLAGE SHOPS: THE BEATING HEARTS OF OUR RURAL COMMUNITIES Dorset rural communities are lucky to have a pub or a village shop, but many have neither. With the Lockdown expected to end soon it is time to take stock. Village shops have universally boomed in the last year thanks to fear of contracting the virus from supermarkets, but pubs have suffered badly. We support both as they are the beating hearts of our rural communities. With climate change an ever increasing concern, we also support them as their success can reduce car dependency. Dorset Council claims that reducing car dependency is a key objective in their draft Local Plan, not that their fine words were matched by much actionable strategy. Our current concern is for pubs. The number has shrunk, falling by about 2% p.a. nationally since 2010, hit particularly by fierce supermarket price-cutting, tighter drink-driving laws and reduced alcohol consumption. Pubs have had to adapt, with wet-led pubs having to become food-led. The declining trend had been worst in the towns, such as Weymouth, but less severe in rural Dorset.

However Covid-19 hit all pubs drastically, so that nationally the number fell by about 5% in 2020. Many have been surviving by offering take-aways, which may pay some of the staff but no more, as the profits are made on drink sales. Most pubs were praying for help in the Budget, which offered some support.

However most UK pub bosses were “disappointed”. They question the restarting of business rates from the end of June, and only a six month extension of the full reduction of the VAT rate to 5%. Many rural pubs do not have the large gardens needed to erect the marquees that were a feature last summer, so cannot fully benefit from the resumption of outdoor service from 12th April. Even so the majority will probably open from this date.

Steve Dunk from the Milton Arms in Winterborne Whitechurch, which serves delicious simple pub grub, says “we have been just hanging on.”

“we have been just hanging on.” Steve Dunk, Landlord of the Milton Arms in Winterborne Whitechurch

He hopes to reopen from the 12th, even though he cannot protect clients fully from the elements outside. Indoor service will only resume from the 17th May. One trend we fully approve has been the opening of village shops by pubs during Lockdown, although a number tried initially but found them unviable. The Greyhound in Winterborne Kingston opened an attractive one, as did the Rose & Crown in Longburton. Both intend keeping them going. If any pubs do not reopen this spring, we hope that communities will take advantage of the £150m provision in the Budget for Community Ownership. Please revisit our pubs as soon as possible after the 12th, but do not desert village shops once Lockdown is over. Remember both are the beating hearts of our rural communities. Rupert Hardy, Always free - subscribe here

POLITICS

Tiptoeing to a resumption of services by Simon Hoare MP Covid has had impacts on so many elements of our lives. They have been in place for so long that sometimes it is quite hard to remember how things were before this killer hit our shores. wI don’t know about you but when I see a TV programme showing people in a bar or a big family reunion I look at them as if of something from a bygone era. But that’s pessimistic and a new normal will resume, incrementally and step by step. It’s been great to see our schools open to all of our young people. A Herculean Task has been delivered in all of our high schools with the lateral flow testing of all of their consenting pupils on three occasions over two weeks. Having had the immense good fortune to be able to help out in both Gillingham and Blandford High Schools I have seen at first hand the school and volunteer effort to get this job done. We all did so in the knowledge that we were helping our communities to stay safe and to get people back into the actual classroom. Delivery of non Covid healthcare has, by force of circumstance, interrupted the flow of wider healthcare needs. As the NHS has been Always free - subscribe here

saved from being overwhelmed, managers and clinicians have been turning their attention to tackling the backlog. Orthopaedics is one area where too many people have been left in pain. I realise how fortunate I was to have a hip replacement just 10 days before Lockdown One. I know the debilitating pain of arthritis, so there’s much to be done to address those still waiting. The same is true, but to a lower volume, with oncology services. We were making such good progress with early diagnosis and survival rates, we cannot afford to slip back. The other week I chaired a meeting with Health Minister Ed Argar and the chairs of a number of All Party Parliamentary Groups (I chair Multiple Sclerosis and I was joined by the chairs of Parkinsons, Acquired Brain Injury and Motor Neurone Disease) to make the case for a neurological services roadmap post Covid. We were really encouraged not only with the seriousness with which the Minister took the issue but the work in hand to ensure effective catch-up can be delivered. There are significant personal health and longer term financial costs in not doing so and these need to be avoided. At an earlier Round Table of the same APPGS we heard from patients with the various conditions. They were at pains to urge that the lessons learned during Covid of how to deliver

healthcare should not be lost. The lead example was the use of technology.

Many patients have been receiving therapies and support digitally, removing the need for travel to a healthcare setting, journeys which can often be painful and arduous depending upon the condition. The Minister took the point, and while none of us are advocating that IT can replace every one-toone with a doctor or nurse, it can play a part. It’s often easier for the patient, and more patients can be seen due to efficiencies. With greater emphasis on ending the digital ‘not-spots’ in our rural areas, and where distance to hospital and the shortage of public transport presents difficulties to some of our most vulnerable, we can and should embrace new ways of ensuring getting the care to those who need it. In closing may I wish you and your family a very happy, safe and peaceful Easter. The cycle of new Spring life and the Resurrection story should give us all the hope and optimism we need following these more than challenging months. Simon Hoare MP

POLICE

Voice of the Blue Light: Sturminster Newton Rural Neighbourhood Team Monthly news from the North Dorset Police Team. This month Sturminster Newton’s PCSO 5352 Mandy Robinson

The area we work in is predominantly rural, with a number of villages plus the towns of Sturminster Newton and Stalbridge. Patrols can take place on foot or by car dependent where we need to be or work load. As a member of the NPT my role, as PCSO, is to be the eyes and ears of the community, to be a visible presence, to deal with low level crime and antisocial behaviour, community engagements and events (when Covid allows), social media posts, attending meetings (this is done virtually at present) which may involve vulnerable victims, multiagency working ie housing associations and social services, follow up visits to victim of crime, - to name a few.

RURAL POLICING Working in a rural community comes with its own challenges due to the demographics. Crimes that occur in rural communities are often under-reported. However, if crimes or suspicious incidents go unreported this doesn’t give the bigger picture of what is occurring. What is a suspicious vehicle? For example; a vehicle has driven down a long-isolated farm track. It could be a delivery driver or someone who’s lost. However, this could also

be someone looking for an opportunity to commit a crime; a theft, break in to a shed, garage or vehicle or a burglary. Quad bikes, power tools, insecure buildings, scrap metal and agricultural vehicles can all be targeted. If you see a vehicle in suspicious circumstances this can be reported to Dorset Police via 101; use 999 if something is happening now or a life is in danger. When reporting vehicles, the more information you can give the better; registration number, make, model and colour, where it is, what it was doing, how many people are in the vehicle and direction of travel if it has left the scene. Farms and countryside are targeted by poachers who will go out to poach deer, often using dogs and vehicles; they also target hares. Some poachers go after pheasants by using catapults and lead shot. These are offences and should be reported. Beauty spots are also targeted due to visitors leaving valuables

in their vehicles when they go for a walk, despite notices being in place and social media posts warning of thefts, as thieves operate in these areas.

BADGERS Protection of Badgers Act 1992 Badgers are a protected species, as is their home, referred to as a sett. We have recently received a report of a pet dog entering a sett whilst being walked. The dog did not re-emerge of its own volition, subsequently the owner started to dig at the sett. This is not permitted. No person has the authority to dig a dog out, as this would be contrary to section 3 of the Act. Whilst this type of report is rare please be mindful when around an active sett, the dog will remerge if given the opportunity. A few months ago, police received a report of tablets being left around the entrances to a sett; this is also an offence under the Act, also an offence under the Wildlife Protection Act 2006. Mandy Robinson PCSO 5352 (assisted by Phil Sugrue PC 2146)

Gratuitous badger pic. Because badger. Always free - subscribe here

EDUCATION

A few months ago, Jo McNorton approached her fellow member of the Friends of Archbishop Wake Group, musician Dan Baker, and asked his opinion on an idea she’d had – getting the entire Blandford primary school to sing a song at home, and collecting it into a ‘choir’ of videos. Dan loved the idea – and after getting the enthusiastic backing of headteacher Mr LasburyCarter he set to work creating the backing track and getting it distributed to the staff and pupils – who were mostly still homeschooling at the time, of course. Those in school were video-ed with the staff, whilst those at home had the help of parents to record their parts. “Everyone just threw themselves into it, it was so much fun to be part of something together again’ The song Jo had suggested was Bruno Mars’ ‘Count On Me’ – “it’s just such a great song to bring us together” explained Mr

Lasbury-Carter “it really shows our sense of togetherness; we’ve never needed it so much, but we have felt that genuine community spirit so strongly over this last year.” Dan Baker was equally excited by the project. “Creating the backing track didn’t take long – maybe 40 minutes – but of course stitching together the individual videos, and getting them all in time with each other… it took more than a few hours!” Dan’s a professional musician, who has filled his year with projects such as ‘a tune a day’ (started in the first lockdown, Dan wrote and recorded a tune a day for 74 days!) and also regular live ‘gigs’ at Salisbury and Sherborne hospitals, providing music for staff and patients alike from the outdoor areas. “This project was so much fun to be involved with – and seeing and hearing how much joy it brought to the parents and kids alike made it truly extra special” commented Dan. “it’s been a pretty lonely time for a lot of parents without the sociable community of the school dropoff and pick-up: this really made everyone Mya Cornick was particularly

commended by both Mr LasburyCarter and Dan Baker – her older sister, a previous Archbishop Wake pupil, taught her the entire song in British Sign Language, and she signs the whole thing (bottom right in the video). Mr Lasbury-Carter (dressed as Freddie Mercury and at one point to be spotted dancing magnificently with a vacuum cleaner) was so proud of the joint effort that he sent it to the Minister for Education – but he couldn’t believe it when it appeared on their social media channels to their 700,000 followers:

Mr Lasbury-Carter finished with a repeat of his praise for the whole school; staff, pupils and their parents “I’m just so incredibly proud of the whole thing. The way it brought everyone together, it’s been phenomenal. I just can’t praise everyone involved highly enough.”

EDUCATION

Local Artist’s Optimism and Hope Inspired ‘Bright Future’

A new art installation has appeared at Wincanton Primary School, made from over a 1000 found clear plastic bottles, by Zac Greening, a local artist. Last year, Children from the school worked with Zac on an S.O.S (Save Our Seas) light installation. Pupils visited Zac in his gallery and worked on creating the melted plastic bottles which were used as a large component for the art work which was then installed on the front fence of the school. Zac is an environmental artist, and part of his professional practice is to go into schools and create installations with an environmental narrative. “There were hundreds of bottles left over from ‘Message in a bottle – Save our seas’” explained Zac “Rather than send

these bottles back to landfill I decided I wanted to use them in some way.” “The onset of the pandemic highlighted to me the fragile nature of our social and economic fabric and I saw first hand how the mental well being of my own children was being compromised in the process of lockdown and home schooling. Despite these perceived negatives I also saw the resilience and adaptability they had to new regimes. And it was these traits that made me feel optimistic about the environmental legacy we were passing onto our children.”

This feeling of optimism and hope, heightened by the children’s excited return to school, compelled Zac to make ‘Bright Future’. “I was intent on creating a welcoming, optimistic first day back to school for

children and parents alike.” Graeme Wilson, headteacher of Wincanton Primary said “We are thrilled with the new light installation and the message it portrays. After eight weeks of remote learning the children were welcomed back with the Bright Future message shining out. “Having worked closely with Zac previously on our Save Our Seas project, the children were quick to recognise the strong environmental message with the upcycling of the plastic bottles they had so carefully collected. “It sparked conversations with children and adults alike about the positive changes that we can make and how small changes in our life style and mindset can really have large impacts on our own wellbeing and as well as our environment. “We are very grateful to Zac for his generous contribution to the school and the insightful message that greeted us, and has been shared by so many.”

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EDUCATION

Getting Creative for the Community Back in the darkest months of lockdown, Molly W-S, a Year 12 pupil at Clayesmore pitched a wonderful idea to Jo Thomson, Head at Clayesmore; to organise and run a Charity Art Sale in aid of The Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton. Molly’s family are business owners in Sturminster Newton, and having seen first hand how much of a positive impact the new Vale Pantry has been having on the community, she felt compelled to help. Her request to get the school involved was met with a resounding YES from Mrs Thomson, Head of Art Kirsty Mareau-Jones, and Molly’s houseparent Ruth Readman, who were all delighted to support her in the Charity Art Sale. ‘Molly is an accomplished art student and was determined to

be able to use art and creativity as a means of giving back to the wider community.’ explained Mrs Mareau Jones The Vale Pantry feeds around 200 families each week in the local community, and has become a much needed resource during this troubled year. ‘It’s a constant juggle in terms of funds and food, and we are extremely grateful for the wonderful and creative idea with an art sale’ said Carole Jones, Vale Pantry. Molly made an appeal via Instagram (@clayesmore) and what a response it received! Over 50 pieces of art have been donated from current students, Old Clayesmorians and other family, friends and community connections. All items are being prepared to be sold to raise vital funds for the Pantry.

everyone for their contributions’ Mrs Mareau-Jones, Head of Art at Clayesmore

You can view all of the art work here; the exciting sale launching on Friday 26th March. You may be able to secure yourself a beautiful piece of artwork. Vale Pantry said ‘We loved the creative idea for an art sale run by Molly & the team at Clayesmore - so a BIG thank you – we hope it will be well supported and the Vale Pantry and our lovely 200 families we are working with each week thank Clayesmore enormously!’

‘We are delighted by the donations of artwork that we have received from across the school community, as well as from many individuals beyond it. Participants have donated a fantastic range of work, including,drawings, paintings, prints, ceramics, photography and digital art. Thank You to

EDUCATION

Shaftesbury School Leading The World With Its Future Classroom The HundreED forum is an international website highlighting innovation by educators around the globe.

Shaftesbury School is literally leading the world with its use of the Future classroom – first reported in the Blackmore Vale in December, the school has now created two projects which have become HundrED forum spotlight projects. Alex More, Lead Teacher of Innovation in Teaching & Learning Shaftesbury School explained that since the first Future Classroom project went live he has had enquiries and contacts from teachers all over the world. And with this second project, the WISE: Parent Engagement project has opened an exciting opportunity with a school in Ghana. The WISE ‘social emotional learning‘ software uses Virtual

Reality headsets, and encourages both parents and pupils to take part collaboratively. “A trial has been running in school already, and the feedback has been terrific. So far eleven staff and forty children have completed ‘journeys’ of mindfulness, and every single one reports that at the end they feel calmer and more positive. It’s especially effective with our more challenged students, who really engage with the process and benefit so much from it.”

this project to really work” At first glance it’s not a cheap investment – Alex has managed to gain funding to cover the initial cost of the school’s own VR Headsets (they’ve had five headsets provided on a short term rental, but to be really effective the school needed their own), but still needs more. “when you consider 400 kids will go through WISE, with 5-9 lessons each, it works out between £5 and £10 a head, which is great value” says Alex.

Alex continued “one effect we have noticed through the pandemic and the enforced home schooling is that parents are more engaged than they’ve ever been with their child’s learning. We’ve discovered they’ve been sitting in (and enjoying!) their child’s Zoom lessons, and actively trying to understand what and how their child is learning, rather than simply leaving it to the school. So it felt like the perfect time for

Shaftesbury School is the first in Europe to demo the new programme; interest has been instant and global. One school leader in Ghana has been so impressed with the future classroom potential that he and Alex have set up a collaboration, where local students will start working with their African counterparts on STEM projects live via Zoom after Easter, whilst Alex gets to work with the Ghanaian teaching staff too.

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EDUCATION

A Community Spirit Delivers Mutual Benefits

by Hannah Fearnley, Head of Charities & Community Engagement at Bryanston Bryanston pupils with recipe bags for Blandford Food Bank

Having and feeling a sense of community and ‘belonging’ is vital for an effective and rounded education. Such a mindset does not just happen by chance.

It needs to be nurtured and developed among staff and pupils within any school. However, the mutual benefits of true engagement, collaboration and interaction do not end at the school gates. Encouraging children to extend their horizons and to develop the attitudes, skills and knowledge to become caring and considerate members of the wider community is just as important – if not, even more so. Within the local education community itself, there is also so much to be gained from developing and sharing new experiences and ideas. The collaborative successes and supportive principles of the Blandford Schools’ Network continue to demonstrate the advantages of such a collective resolve and have proved particularly beneficial during such a disruptive period for all centres of education. Prior to the onset of a global pandemic, pupils from Bryanston and The Blandford School joined forces to deliver a spectacular performance of Les Misérables. It really was an inspirational and fulfilling exercise for all of the pupils involved – not to mention the enjoyment of packed local audiences – and was followed with a successful literacy project

in the town library. On a smaller scale, staff and pupils of schools across the Blandford Schools’ Network have worked hard to develop and sustain similar connections, including live art workshops and the recent distribution of short films to provide art lessons for local primary schools. Delivering tangible support for local charities is also a great way to raise awareness of issues and priorities within the local community while also providing a very fulfilling experience for pupils. Recent initiatives here at Bryanston, for example, have seen money raised for the Mosaic, Julia’s House and Teddy 20 charities as well as Treads – an informal advice and information and drop-in centre for young people in Blandford – where the funds raised will be used to pay for laptops and school supplies for local children. For many years, Bryanston’s pupils have had weekly meetings with local care home residents to share stories and discuss experiences. This has proved really beneficial for both generations and, by writing cards and letters, this close community engagement proved to be of particular

value throughout the national lockdowns. Senior pupils have also led an initiative to provide ‘recipe bags’ for people using the Blandford Food Bank that include recipe cards and all the ingredients for popular dishes like spaghetti Bolognese. The next batch will be further enhanced with additional educational and craft packs. Of course, community engagement is not just a case of creating dialogue and supportive initiatives on your doorstep. In today’s digitally connected world, it’s also important to ensure pupils have an awareness and understanding of the challenges facing local communities in more deprived corners of the world and have the opportunity to make a difference. That’s precisely what our lower sixth form pupils achieved by creating a knitting club to encourage fellow pupils, staff and parents to knit-a-square for a charity in support of orphaned children in South Africa. This follows other recent initiatives to fund the development and staffing of new schools in remote rural areas of Myanmar and Cambodia as well as support for a kindergarten in Sri Lanka.

LOOKING BACK

The Ghost in Room 9 Pub manager Jamie Clark didn’t believe in ghosts – until the day he moved into the historic King’s Arms Hotel at Blandford in January last year. By the following morning he not only believed but had accepted the town’s most famous spook ‘into the family’, as he puts it. ‘I’d been telling the builders that I didn’t mind ghosts – that they didn’t bother me,’ said Jamie. ‘That night the wind was howling, the bedroom window burst open and I couldn’t get it to close. ‘It was a bit windy outside but not overly so. This was completely different to wind. It was like a vortex in the room.’

by Roger Guttridge

The disturbance continued throughout the night and the ghost even strayed into Jamie’s dreams.

that flourished until 1938. The ghost is said to be that of Amelia – known as Emily – who died in the 1731 fire.

‘I think she has some sort of power where she can enter your dreams,’ he said. ‘There are definitely some eerie things around the pub. I’ve never again said that ghosts don’t bother me. I don’t want to upset her.’

‘Nobody knows exactly where she died but the ghost lives in room 9,’ said Jamie.

The King’s Arms stands at the corner of Bryanston Street and Whitecliff Mill Street on the site of the tallow chandler’s shop where the Great Fire of Blandford began in 1731. The present pub was built in 1790 and from 1874 was run by John Lewis Marsh, who took over from relative John Lewis and developed a brewery next door

‘It doesn’t put off our guests. The previous landlord told me that many actually asked to stay in room 9. ‘One of my customers, who worked here for many years, said she saw the figure of a young girl in the middle of the room.’ The Great Fire of June 4, 1731, was vividly described by the Rev Malachi Blake, a dissenting minister, who lost his home and his church’s meeting house in a

The King’s Arms today

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LOOKING BACK A typical fire appliance of the mid-18th century

disaster that destroyed most of pre-Georgian Blandford. ‘About two of the clock in the afternoon a dismal cry of fire was heard in our streets,’ he wrote. ‘The inhabitants of the place were all soon alarmed; some were called from their business; some, possibly, from their pleasures; some, perhaps, from their cups. ‘The fire first kindled on the outside of a soap-boiler’s house, occasioned (as he conjectures) by sparks that fell from a chimney upon the thatch. ‘Some think differently, but all agree [that] it was entirely accidental.’ Blandford’s fire appliances went to work but proved hopelessly inadequate and within half-anhour were themselves ‘all burnt or rendered unfit for service’. The changeable north-westerly wind carried the flames in all directions and soon all the adjoining streets were ablaze.

‘The fire spread itself with such speed and fury that everything was soon devoured before it,’ wrote Blake. ‘Not a piece of timber but what was burnt to a coal. The pewter in many houses was not only melted but reduced to ashes by the fervent heat.’ Blandford’s parish registers were lost in the fire but the replacement register lists 12 people as having been ‘burnt and interred’ on June 4.

A later memorial puts the number who perished at 14 but there may have been many more who died as an indirect result of the fire. Another 37 burials are listed between June 5 and July 13, significantly more than usual for this length of time. Some may have died of smallpox, which was also raging at the time. Public buildings lost in the fire included the parish church, the town hall, the schoolhouse, the fire engine house and market house, and the old church almshouses. All but a dozen of Blandford’s houses and businesses were also engulfed along with parts of nearby Bryanston and Blandford St Mary. Damage was estimated at £90,000. More than 520 financial ‘sufferers’ are listed with losses ranging from 1 guinea for Mary Flewell to £4,000 for the church. Donations towards the rebuilding costs flooded in including £1,000 from King George II, £200 from Queen Caroline and £100 from the Prince of Wales. The rebuild was planned and largely carried out by the

Bastard family, already a reputable firm of architects, builders and joiners and themselves the greatest private losers to the fire. The work included 60 temporary homes at the top of Damory Street to accommodate the homeless. But the main rebuild created the model Georgian town centre that we know today. In 1760 John Bastard erected a monument and water pump in the Market Place to commemorate the fire and the raising of the town ‘like the Phoenix from its ashes to its present beautiful and flourishing state’. Jamie Clark manages the King’s Arms for his brother, Matt, who also runs the White Hart at Sturminster Newton. They plan to reopen after the latest lockdown on April 12, initially serving drinks in the beer garden. get in touch with Roger: roger.guttridge@btinternet.com

Manager Jamie Clark (left) and his partner Blake Fox with the board recalling the site’s eventful history

TALES FROM THE VALE

Tales From The Vale (of tiers) with Andy Palmer

This is a true story. It is the late 1970s, or early 80s, on a farm in Dorset. The hunt is close by. But something’s afoot. There are far more mounts than usual, and far more followers. And the followers aren’t dressed in the usual well-worn tweeds and wellies. They’re in their Sunday Best. ‘What the hell’s goin’ on’, says the farmer, ‘all they buggers wha’s never been out before, all done up to the nines, looking like they’m the bees’ knees, wha’s goin’ on’. ‘Damned if I know, dad,’ the son says, who’s surprised to spot the local baker, a keen anti-hunt campaigner, happily among the followers. ‘Well, it must be sum’it, I’m tellin’ ee. It gotta be sum’it,’ the farmer paused as a new group of riders appeared, and added, ‘I ‘spect these daft buggers comin’ now are lost. Reckon I’ll have to tell ‘em where to go. Load o’ they buggers from town, I ‘spect, won’t ‘ave a clue’. The first rider reined to a halt. ‘Good morning, gentlemen,’ he said, in a very posh voice. ‘Mornin,’ farmer tersely replied, heaving a bale. ‘I wonder, by any chance, could you possibly tell me which way the red coats have gone’. Pausing, to relish his centre-stage position, farmer said, ‘Well,

I’m gonna tell’ee, zun, which way they red coats go. The silly buggers ‘ave gone down thic lane, and all they other silly buggers followin’ on like sheep, have gone down thic lane, too. Now, I can’t make out why they’ve done that, ‘cos they ought to know by now they can’t cross old railway line’. Pausing for breath, farmer continued, ‘the only way to get out of they grounds is to come back up the way they came. So, your best bet, me zun, is to trot up to the top of the road and wait, ‘cos, I’ll tell’ee, as sure as pigs’ ass is pork, they’ll all be tearing back up thic lane any minute now.’ The rider’s companions did not look pleased. There was great unease among all but the farmer and the rider. The latter gave farmer a genuinely warm smile, almost seeming to try not to break into laughter. As opposed to his companions, he seemed delighted with this exchange. ‘Thank you very much, indeed, Sir, I am much indebted to you, for your vital information,’ and touching his cap with his whip,

the rider added,

‘I shall await they silly buggers’ return,’ and with a friendly nod, the rider, and companions, trotted back up the hill. ‘Well, ‘ee seemed a nice young fella,’ said farmer. ‘Yes,’ said the son, ‘but then again, he ought to be.’ ‘Oh, why’s that’un, zun’. ‘Because that, father… was… Prince Charles’. *** There are, I am knowledgeably told, life-altering Dorset sayings. ‘Love many, trust few, always paddle your own canoe.’ Well, I get that: be loving, but cautious, and tread your own path. And here’s another. ‘When ‘ee d’ go shoppin’, always buy two’. With some things, that’s reasonable. Socks, a pint at The Antelope in Hazlebury Bryan, a Fender Stratocaster guitar. Always free - subscribe here

TALES FROM THE VALE It makes a little less sense with the example given by the farmer keen on the ‘buy two’ quote. He said, ‘I went to buy a Land Rover, I beat ‘em down in price as much as I could, then when they agreed, I said, how much each if I do’ave two’. The other farmer asked, ‘Yeah, but trouble is, you’ve now got two Land Rovers, and do ‘ee need two?’

The philosopher answered, ‘no, but t’were worth it to get so much off’. My wife Kae was born in Dorset. She’s instinctively grasped this logic – and has improved on it. She’d returned from ‘a little look around the shops’, before I’d got home. She proudly appeared in a stunning dress. She looked awesome. After a few days, I discovered on the back of a door in a spare room, two other new dresses, different colours, same style. ‘I’ve got 28 days to return the ones I don’t want,’ she said. Three months later, they were still there. ‘So they are,’ Kae said, with unconvincing surprise, when I pointed this out. ***

I’ve been given the manuscript of a book of reminiscences of a local farmer, my dear friend Brian Trevis. He is the son in the previous anecdote with Prince Charles. Another of his chapters begin ‘I was just easing myself into a luxurious deep bath of soothing hot water, fizzed and frothed to perfection by my usual, half a cup of Surf and a squirt of Fairy Liquid….’. Well, we all take personal hygiene seriously, but this was rather an industrial approach. But, I did point out to my wife, who’s seen it as her duty during lockdown to keep Amazon couriers busy, that maybe we’d have a bit more spending money (and room in the bathroom) if she didn’t keep buying shampoos, bath oils and body lotions. ‘We could probably afford a country mansion, with a deer park and helicopter landing pad,’ I suggested.

‘We haven’t got a helicopter,’ she replied, not even looking up from her laptop. ***

As I write this an American craft has landed on Mars (I can imagine the farmer above saying, ‘what be they doin’ there then, they silly buggers should sort out this planet first’), so I was going to cover that, but Mars isn’t in our planned readership area. In fact, it’s further than Wimborne; about 40 million miles further, in fact (turn left at Marnhull). Won’t get there just yet in your electric car – no charging stations on the way. Or when you get there. Need a diesel for that trip. After lockdown, obviously, as going to Mars isn’t really an essential journey. *** I had a chat with a mate who lives in France. He’s received his vaccine appointment. It’s March, 2022. I told him I’m having mine a year before him. At a time when even Germany’s biggest newspaper (Bild) carried the front page headline, ‘England, we envy you’, we’ve got to applaud those who are making Britain’s vaccine roll-out the envy of the world. *** I mentioned to a friend that I’m editing a book for a literary agent and it’s agonisingly exacting work, and takes forever. My friend said, ‘Oscar Wilde was asked, ‘done much writing, lately?’ to which Oscar replied, ‘I spent the entire morning putting a comma in, and I spent the entire afternoon taking it out again’. It’s a bit like that. I can picture our farmer, saying, ‘call that a day’s work? He b’aint done a day’s work in ‘is life. Not a bead o’ sweat be on ‘is brow. Sittin’ at a desk wi’ his spectacles. That b’aint work. Farming be work.’ To be fair, he’d have a point.

Great News from Shaftesbury Rotary - North Dorset Cycle Ride 2021 is ON! Following a period of uncertainty, Shaftesbury Rotary Club are delighted to announce that their charitable fundraiser, the North Dorset Cycle Ride, has received the green light to go ahead as planned on Sunday 16th May, 2021. This popular ride, that takes in the amazing natural beauty of the towns and villages around the Blackmore Vale, is Shaftesbury Rotary’s biggest fundraising event of the year. With many charities suffering financial hardship, due to COVID-19, this event will be even more important than ever. The Rotary committee have set themselves an ambitious fundraising target of £20k that will go to Prostate Cancer UK, as well as to other local charities.

Jim Highnam, Managing Director of BV Dairy, comments; “We are proud that our local family business is supporting the North Dorset Cycle Ride. We have some keen cyclists at BV Dairy, including myself, that will be taking part and many employees will be volunteering as marshals too. The stunning route, that takes riders to the South and West of Shaftesbury, will actually pass many of the local dairies that we buy milk from, so it’s a perfect fit for us.”

The entry numbers will be capped to allow for staggered start times and social distancing. However all the usual event day charm will be there; including the iconic Gold Hill “finish” line that will involve cycling (or attempting to!) ride up the famous Hovis hill.

There are three routes to choose from, all starting on Castle Hill and finishing on Gold Hill. The easiest is a family friendly 12 mile route, the second a tougher 25 mile route and lastly a 50 mile ride for the more serious biker! Registration is now open online for a modest £25 per adult for the 25 mile and 50 mile rides, and £20 per adult for the 12 mile ride, unfortunately due to COVID restrictions entries will not be accepted on the day. Young people aged 10-16 years are half price, and children under 10 years are welcome join in for free. Riders can sign-up by going to the website www.cycleride. shaftesburyrotaryclub.org or can contact Martin on 07341 866941 We hope our readers will come together and support this fantastic event!

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THEN AND NOW

Then and Now

A new Sturminster Newton High School in 1960 Image: Connie Guttridge

with Roger Guttridge

It’s a sobering thought that the kids in these old pictures of Sturminster Newton High School will be in their 70s now. The photos were taken soon after the school opened in 1960 – although it was the ‘County Secondary Modern School’ until comprehensive education came along in 1968. I inherited the pictures from my mother, Connie Guttridge, who was the last secretary at the old Secondary Modern in Penny Street and the first at the ‘new’ school in Bath Road. Much to her relief, I was never a pupil there but I do have a vivid memory of 1960, as she made use of my ten-year-old muscles during the summer holiday. I remember unwrapping and

Sturminster Newton High School today Image: Roger Guttridge

stacking a zillion pristine exercise books and text books in the walkin stationery cupboard. The school was originally designed for 350 pupils but opened with 497 so it probably wasn’t too far short of a zillion books. The school was formally opened in September 1960 by the Bishop of Sherborne. Stan Tozer was the first headmaster and I think Harry Dawes was deputy head.

What is now the courtyard was an open playground in 1960. image: Connie Guttridge

As we can see from these pictures, the school’s facade has changed remarkably little in 60 years. One obvious difference is the disappearance of the factory chimney, which I presume reflects a change in heating arrangements. The windows on the three-storey teaching block also appear to have grown. The school had an early problem with ground floor windows, some of which opened onto a footpath and caused minor injuries to pupils who walked into them. A barrier had to be erected to prevent mishaps. On the rear side of the school, there have been far more changes including extensions to accommodate science labs, art and textile rooms and sixth-form students. Steps, paving stones and railings have contributed to a transformation of the Courtyard area in particular.

MEET YOUR LOCAL

by Laura Hitchcock

Meet Your Local: The Trooper Inn, Stourton Caundle Our regular column in which you discover the faces and stories behind the pub sign. This month we’ve been chatting to John & Debbie who run The Trooper Inn at Stourton Caundle.

The Trooper Inn in Stourton Caundle once used to enlist young men for battle, hence the name The Trooper!

The Trooper Inn is run by husband and wife team Debbie & John. How did you end up at The Trooper?

To cut a long story short, we were looking for a normal house in an entirely different area! The Trooper Inn popped up on the internet and John jokingly said, ‘Deb do you fancy having a look?’ Surprisingly, I said yes and we popped over on a sunny Saturday afternoon. The pub was shut and no one was in sight. We decided to have a look around Stourton Caundle village and just fell in love with it, it’s a magical place. As we strolled around everyone said hello to us no matter what age they were. Very unexpected - we lived in Poole and people tended to

only say hello if you had a dog! We then did some research and turned up for the special Friday Fish & Chips, and again the people in the pub sold the lifestyle to us, they were so friendly and everyone spoke to us. We then viewed the property and we haven’t looked back; we moved in on 1st November 2019, opened on 19th December and closed for the first lockdown on 23rd March... blimey what a journey we’ve had!

Tell us about your 2020/21 It has been an extraordinary period for us. There are 6 of us living at the pub - our two sons with their partners, me and John along with the pub pup Trooper (aka Fluffball.)

What’s your favourite local place to visit on an afternoon off?

We love walking round the surrounding countryside and visiting other local pubs such as The White Hart and The Olde Ox, it’s always good to chat with other landlords and compare notes, especially as we have never run a pub before!!

Bentley showing off his John with Trooper favourite Hambledon Hill route (aka Fluffball!) Always free - subscribe here

MEET YOUR LOCAL Long ago the pub was used to enlist young men for battle, hence the name The Trooper Inn. We’ve also just had a lovely wood burner installed so the winter evenings are extremely cosy to enjoy your pint with.

Which dish is your most popular?

All welcome to stop for a break at the Trooper!

We have offered takeaways while we have been shut, and we have also kept ourselves busy working on and improving the pub. Last year we received a small grant so we set to task to clear out the old, unused car park to the rear of the pub and transform it into a sunny courtyard; we are really pleased with the result, and everyone says how relaxing the area is, making them feel like they are on holiday. It is also a great space for get-togethers like weddings and birthday parties - we’ve also held some wakes there too because it is such a peaceful, private spot and can be separated from the pub area at the front. This year we are putting a lot of energy into setting up the tiny campsite at the bottom of the pub garden area. It takes 5 motorhomes and 10 tents and is a pure piece of the countryside.

whilst the pub has been closed or open. Stourton Caundle is a wonderful place to live in and the local farmer Alban Harris of Brunsell Farm is always on hand to help with the campsite, bless his cotton socks!

What part of the pub is your absolute favourite?

The pub is just so charming with loads of history, you can feel that when you sit out front in the sunshine by the little bubbling brook, opposite Manor Farm that used to belong to Enid Blyton. Here you can watch the tractors, horses and the occasionally sheep go by!

Friday Fish & Chips is the winner, followed by our Wednesday hot pots and Sunday lunches. What’s better in life than sat outside a tiny pub in the middle of nowhere with a freshly cooked meal and a delicious cool pint of ale, cider or a delicious glass of wine?

What’s next - do you have big plans on the horizon?

We always have big plans - watch this space! Subject to the Covid guidelines we will be open, we have plenty of outdoor space and the campsite will hopefully be up and running from late April subject to weather. If you are looking for a small piece of escapism in the Dorset countryside, give us a call and book your space, we’d love to see you! John, Debbie, James, Jo, Joe, Tracy & Trooper the Fluffball

What are you most prioud of?

I am very proud of the Trooper family team and their sheer determination to keep going no matter what Covid has thrown at us - and its goes without saying the continued support and interest from some amazing villagers who have never stopped using our takeaway service and offered such friendly enthusiasm

John & Debbie in the Trooper courtyard garden

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Oh, how we love a UK holiday... It’s looking very likely that most of us will be scrambling for one again this year. Whether it’s Cornwall (with over 300 miles of coastline it’s got to be the ultimate in UK beach holidays) or the wild emptiness of Northumberland, there’s something to suit everyone (except perhaps guaranteed sunshine, obviously). We’ve amazing beaches (from the busy hustle of a kitsch Victorian seaside resort to the vast sandy emptiness of our wilder

coastlines), wild moorland and empty peaks. We’ve more stately homes and castles than you can throw a stick at, and we’ve not even started on the fabulous food & drink scene. It’s easy to understand why so many families don’t only choose the UK when foced by a glocal pandemic, but choose a UK break year after year. And now restrictions are easing it’s all opening up for us this summer. I think the most perfect

option right now is our own personal favourite; a cottage holiday – a home-from-home that is all yours for your stay. But you have to be quick they’re booking up so fast. We’ve scoured the listings to find our absolute top favourite cottages for your UK Family Adventure this year; just click a cottage for more details... all had availability at time of press during the summer holidays for a family of four, I promise!

Dove Hot Tub Cottage Northumberland

Honeysuckle Cottage Pembrokeshire

The Stone Byre Barnard Castle

Pretty garden and an adjacent meadow for summer evenings, with outdoor seating to enjoy the striking country views. Close to a fabulous beach and excellent canoeing and surfing Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms, all ground floor.

Set down a quiet lane with stunning views from both sides, and walks from the door, and close to the wide beaches of the Welsh coast.

The pretty cottage is full of character inside, and outside has a small pretty private patio, ideal for summer evenings enjoying panoramic views of beautiful unspoilt countryside.

7nts Aug £1527

7nts Aug £818

Character cottagesleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms, both en suite.

Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms 7nts Aug £808

Calcot Peak Barn, Gloucs.

Pond Cottage, Devon.

North Lodge, Herefordshire.

A wonderful barn conversion remotely located with stunning views across the Cotswold countryside Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms

A beautiful reverse-level barn conversion in the heart of Dartmoor with ground floor bedrooms and open plan first floor living area. Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms

A Regency cottage orné with rustic charm by the bucket. A large garden has wonderful views and direct access to the Malvern Hills. Sleeps 4 in 2 bedrooms

7nts Aug £1543

7nts Aug £1297

Lavender Cottage, Peak District.

Bracken Beck, Cumbria

Old Vicarage Cottage, Hay on Wye.

A homely detached cottage with separte living and dining rooms, a pretty garden, and the Peaks yours for exploring. Sleeps 5 in 3 bedrooms

Stunning cottage in Garsdale, with reverse level living, open plan first floor living and entry on both floors. Sleeps 5 in 2 bedrooms

Grade II listed, 17th century semi-detached cottage which is a comfy home-from home with a pretty garden Sleeps 5 in 2 bedrooms

7nts Aug £1043

7nts Aug £910

7nts Aug £872

7nts Aug £1152

WILDLIFE

A Prickle of Hedgehogs in Hazelbury Bryan By Jeanette Hampstead Lockdown has had a surprising effect on people here in Dorset, with most finding a new found interest and delight in the wildlife living in their garden. Hedgehogs have become a firm favourite with more people trying to attract these prickly friends into their gardens; there is nothing like the sight of a hedgehog bumbling around the garden at night. It is worth remembering that they are mainly nocturnal, so if you see a hedgehog sitting sunbathing, or huddled under a bush not moving much - or even running around in a frenzy - it is probably in need of help. This month we may see the first pregnant females out and about during the day foraging for food before they give birth; the difference being that the female

will be looking for food whereas the poorly hog will be hunched and not moving, or else madly running around. That is the time to call a rescue for help. The gestation period is around 30 days, and hedgehogs give birth to between 1 and 5 babies. Having ready food in your garden will encourage hedgehogs to stay for a while. Leaving fresh water and feeding dry cat biscuits or wet cat food in jelly is always a welcome treat, especially when natural food is scarce, in dry or freezing weather. We have released 47 hedgehogs so far this spring, and have a few more to leave us yet. It is such a wonderful sight to see a hedgehog that has been sick or injured being released back into the wild. A heart sing moment.

Giving timely and appropriate intervention can be life saving, so please do not be tempted to pick up a hedgehog and keep it in your shed or garage to let it get better on its own - it will not. They will need fluids for dehydration, and possibly treatment and warmth to assist recovery. Your local vet or rescue are always there to give advice or assistance. The use of Strimmers in our gardens are such a hazard for hedgehogs. Their nests can, to the casual observer, look just like a lump of grasses. But the wounds inflicted can be devastating and life changing for the unsuspecting hedgehog, who is sleeping the day away. Please check those wild areas of your garden before using heavy gardening equipment. It could save a life. Do go and follow the Rescue’s Facebook page - where you are not only kept up to date with news, but upon which there is also a gratuitous supply of cute hedgehog videos. And you can donate direct to the Hedghog Rescue here.

Many hedgehogs are presented to rescue centres with ticks. Healthy hedgehogs (those arriving following an injury perhaps) will have a few whilst those hedgehogs that are sick will often have large numbers of ticks.

“Without your help we would not be able to continue our valuable care of these beautiful, grumpy, smelly and endearing little creatures.”

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POLITICS

Slow Worms

The mating season for slow worms kicks off in May. During courtship, the male takes hold of the female by biting her head or neck, and they intertwine their bodies. Courtship may last for as long as 10 hours! Females incubate the eggs internally, ‘giving birth’ to an average of eight young in summer.

Our local wildlife columnist is north Dorset resident Brigit Strawbridge Naturalist, wildlife gardener, well-known British environmentalist and bee advocate.

On the top edge of our allotment, between a grassy path and a sprawling patch of Russian Comfrey, lies a sheet of old corrugated iron. The corrugated iron was already there when we took on the allotment some years ago. It was half buried under a mound of rubble, just waiting to be pulled out and relocated to a new sunny position. We wasted no time in doing this. If there were Slow Worms anywhere on our plot, they’d soon find it. Slow-worms (Anguis fragilis) - sometimes known as blindworms - are neither slow, nor are they worms. They look like small snakes, but are in fact lizards with no legs.

Like all reptiles, slow worms are cold blooded, which means they can only regulate their body temperature by lying in the sun to heat up, or crawling into the shade to cool down. Although completely harmless to humans, slow-worms are wonderful predators of slugs and other garden pests, so it is well worth providing a refugium (a piece of material which catches the sun to heat up, and retains warmth even when it clouds over) somewhere on your plot. This doesn’t have to be a sheet of corrugated iron; a piece of old carpet would do just as well, as would slate, stone, or a plank of old wood. So long as it is placed in a position where the sun can easily warm it up, and with dense vegetation nearby to give the slow-worms cover, pretty much any of these materials will do. Compost heaps are also key habitats; providing both warmth, in the form of decaying vegetation, as well as a plentiful supply of slugs,

earthworms, and other invertebrates. Six years on, a thriving population now enjoys the benefits of our refugium, and last year we found baby slow worms beneath it. Slow worms are ovoviviparous, meaning the eggs hatch out as the female lays them, or just moments later. The young are delightful - around 6cm in length and perfect miniature versions of the adults which can, apparently, live for up to 30 years in the wild, and even longer in captivity where there are of course no predators. The record for longevity is held by a male that lived at Copenhagen Zoo from 1892 until 1946. Slow worms are a protected species in Britain (they are absent from Ireland) under the 1981 Wildlife and Countryside Act.

Brigit’s baby slow worm

POLITICS

Win 1 of 2 Dog Drying Coats with

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COMPETITION

Win 1 of 2 Luxury Ruff and Tumble Dog Drying Coats with Dogs Dogs Dogs We are always excited to be working with the canine team at Dogs Dogs Dogs – and this a giveaway of TWO Ruff and Tumble drying coats is pretty excitement-making – depending on the size, they’re worth up to almost £70 each! If you win you get to choose the size you need, obviously: if you have a terrier we suggest you don’t need the GSD version. And if you order a Mountain Dog version, we demand images of the winner wearing it! Actually - send us a pic of the winner anyway, we’d LOVE to share it! Dogs Dogs Dogs are a local company with a national reputation, with a website which is quite strict on its product range. No, they don’t do cat stuff. And we’re thrilled to be giving away TWO of these amazing dogs drying coats by Ruff and Tumble – one in Beach (the yellow stripe on the right up there), and one in Harbour (the blue stripe one on the terrier to the left). With one of these drying towels in the car, you can head to the beach or the river without fearing for the car on the way home. Or simply keep it by the back door in the winter – hose them off in the garden when you get home from a long walk, and then wrap them in their own hooded towel just like you would a toddler. The effect is the same – warm, dry and zero mess! It’s even designed so that your dog isn’t sitting in a chilly damp towel, the

dog actually dries before the coat does. It’s magic I tell you.

And we’re thrilled to be giving away TWO - one to two lucky winners! To be in with a chance to win, just click the image above to head over to the website and answer the first four questions in the widget box. There are more

chances to win by completing the other entry options if you so wish – they’re entirely up to you! The closing date for this competition is 5th May 2021 and only entries received on or before that date can be included. The prizes will go to the first two randomly chosen entries. Good luck!

ANIMALS

The Easter Bunny & The Chocolate Egg By Mandy Walters RVN Head Nurse at Damory Vets, Blandford

It’s Easter, and it might seem like a great time to buy an ‘Easter Bunny’. While rabbits make lovely pets it is always important to do your research before getting a new animal to care for. Your main considerations when deciding whether to take on a pet rabbit should be whether you can provide enough space and suitable housing, the right kind of company (rabbits are very social animals and should be kept in pairs/small groups), the correct diet and suitable healthcare. It is always an exciting time to get a new pet but it is important that you can commit to being able to care for them lifelong; the current estimate from the PDSA on the cost of owning a rabbit ranges from £6,500 up to as much as £30,000 for their lifetime; they can live up to 10 years. Choosing the right rabbit for you should be well thought through, and ideally we would always recommend rehoming from a reputable rescue centre. Try Margaret Green Animal Rescue based in Church Knowle here in Dorset. If you are thinking about getting a rabbit check out the PDSA website for more information on caring for them and recommended suitable housing.

Over Easter the amount of chocolate in your home will most likely be on the rise. This is great for you... but not so great for your dogs! Chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine; this is hard for dogs to digest, allowing it to build up to toxic levels in their system very quickly. Different chocolate has different levels of theobromine. Cocoa, cooking chocolate and dark chocolate have the highest levels of theobromine, whereas white and milk chocolate have the lowest. This is why it is very important to know what type of chocolate your pet has eaten so the vet can assess the toxicity correctly. The amount that is fatal to your pet depends on its size. For example a St Bernard

could eat more chocolate than a small dog before it would become ill. A Chihuahua wouldn’t need much at all to make it poorly.

In large doses chocolate can be fatal to dogs. It can cause seizures, irregular heartbeat, internal bleeding and heart attacks. To try and reduce the risk of your pet getting hold of any chocolate try and keep any chocolate out of reach of your dog, securely stored away from them and sealed. If your pet has ingested chocolate we advise you to wcall your vet immediately. The usual protocol is to induce vomiting within two hours of the consumption to ensure there is no chocolate left in the dogs system.

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RESCUE ANIMALS

Rabbits: no cuddles, more space, never alone... they’re not the pet you probably thought they were. Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK - and probably the most misunderstood. As prey animals they do not like to be picked up and cuddled, which means they are not a good starter pet for young children. A great deal of consideration should be given to getting rabbits. In contrast to popular perception, they are time consuming and costly to keep in a proper, happy & healthy manner. They need yearly vaccinating against Myxomatosis, vhd1 and vhd2. They need Spaying or neutering, and regular check ups by a rabbit savvy vet (as not all are). Two unneutered boys will fight when they reach maturity, and unspayed girls are highly susceptible to uterine cancers.

Once you have got your rabbits - plural, as they should never live alone - you have to give them a great deal of space to run and binkie about. The rabbit welfare society suggests a minimum 6ft hutch, I find a shed is often far better, as it gives more space and better value for money, and is usually better made as well.

Our fluffy friends are bundles of poop (about 300 a day!). Hutch hygiene is very important; they need cleaning more than once a week, sometimes everyday, especially in summer when flystrike can be a killer. However it is possible to litter train some rabbits! The rabbits will also need access to a safe exercise area with lots of enrichment - rabbits are highly intelligent and inquisitive animals, you and your pets will both benefit as the joy they will give you as you watch them is

rescue, there are thousands of unwanted rabbits in rescues all over the country which will give you advice and support. Rabbits will have been health checked, vaccinated, neutered and sometimes even bonding offered. So don’t support the pet trade... rescue. Angel Rabbit Rescue is a self funding, non profit rabbit & guinea pig rescue. You can support them by buying items from their Amazon wishlist here, or click the logo to follow them them on Facebook (cue many many adorable rabbit pictures in your daily feed!)

priceless. There are many places to get rabbits - breeders, pet shops, even free on the internet! However the best place is a

RESCUE ANIMALS

Charity shops update Registered charity number: 1167990

Great news! Our charity shops will be opening their doors on 12th April* and we can’t wait! We currently have shops in Kinson, Winton, Wimborne and Weymouth and they all play a vital part in raising money to help care for the rescue animals at our centres. There are always bargains to found and a friendly welcome too. If you would like to volunteer or have items to donate please get in touch. *subject to Government guidelines

Find out more about our shops at - www.mgar.org.uk/charity_shops

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EQUESTRIAN

by Laura Hitchcock Honeysuckle and Rachel Blackmore at Cheltenham in March. Image © GBRI/Racingfotos.com

Honeysuckle; born in the Blackmore Vale, and then ridden by Blackmore to win the Gold Cup “I sold her for just over 8,000 sterling – and then she won her first time out, and was sold again for £110,000!” Rachael Blackmore made racing history last month when she became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at Cheltenham with her victory on Honeysuckle. But the connection to our little area of north Dorset is far closer than the jockey’s name – Seven-year-old Honeysuckle is from Glanvilles Wootton, just outside Sherborne, bred by Dr Geoffrey Guy and Guy’s co-owners and managers of The

Glanvilles Stud, Doug and Lucy Procter “It’s funny” laughed Doug Procter, when I caught up with him last week “I tried to sell her as a foal at Doncaster, and didn’t get a single bid. She wasn’t by a fashionable stallion, y’see. Then as a three year old I took her to the Derby sale in Ireland, and got €9,500 for her.” He held a polite few second’s silence when I innocently enquired if that was far below what he would have hoped for, and then couldn’t hold back.

“It was a thumping great loss! And to

make it worse, the following Spring she won the first time out by 15 lengths, and literally four days later Mark O’Hare sold her on again at the Punchestown sale to Peter Maloney, who bought her for owner Kenny Alexander for £110,000!” (In case, like me, you’re wondering, if she’d been by a fashionable stallion Doug would have expected to get £20£30,000 for her himself as an untried 3yr old).

EQUESTRIAN Honeysuckle has stayed in Ireland, trained by Henry de Bromhead – and she’s never been beaten. She’s won 11 races under rules, including the Mare’s Hurdle at Cheltenham last year.

“It was the way she did it!” said Doug after the Champion Hurdle race at Cheltenham two weeks ago “The way she jumped and pulled clear at the second last and then just kept on going, that’s quite a way to win a Champion Hurdle.

“I always remember people saying of Desert Orchid, ‘he’s a marvellous horse, but he hasn’t won a Gold Cup’. But as soon as he ticked that box, it cemented him up there at the top. “What else can you say about the mare? She’s never been beaten. 11 races on the trot, six Grade 1s on the trot and seven in total. She is just fantastic. I was clearly having a good day when I planned that mating!”

At first glance, one might think Glanvilles Wootton (“population not-a-lot” Doug

Honeysuckle as a 3year old at home on the Stud with youngstock manager, Vicki. Image ©Glanvilles Stud

“What it’s like to see Honeysuckle cross the line at Cheltenham!“ Doug, Freddie and Lucy Procter at Cheltenham in 2020 - this year they had to be content to watch Honeysuckle on the television. image: Andrew Matthews/PA Archive/PA Images

quipped) is an unlikely Doug & Lucy Procter have produced two Grade 1 winners: spot for a Champion (“the horseracing Hurdle winner. equivalent of a And yet there appears to be football team winning something in the grass that the European racehorses like: where the Championship.” Blackmore Vale meets the chalk downs seems to be perfect land explained Doug) for rearing Thoroughbreds.

Glanvilles Stud was originally an organic dairy farm, and the land with its beautiful mature hedges and trees has created 60 acres of safe paddocks.

Sam Spinner won the Long Walk at Ascot in 2017, and of course now Honeysuckle. Believe it or not, the 1959 Grand National winner Oxo was also bred in the tiny village. And just over the hill, Rooster Booster, who won the Champion Hurdle in 2003, was bred in the Piddle Valley. Another random chance connects the Honeysuckle story to her Dorset roots – Henry De Bromhead came to visit his aunt in Sherborne, and whilst there he visited Robert Alner (himself a Dorset dairy farmer who turned his hobby of point-to-pointing into a successful training career) because his aunt owned a horse being trained at Lockets Farm in Droop, nr Hazelbury Bryan. He came for a couple of weeks, stayed for the whole season and has been training horses himself ever since. Always free - subscribe here

EQUESTRIAN From our Equestrian columnist Sara Greenwood

(BHS Assistant Bridleways Officer, BHS AI, UKCC L2, PC Area 14 Centre Co-ordinator, PC Assessor E-AH test & RDA Coach)

Many of us have been in lockdown for some time, so let’s get out in the fresh air! The Easter Holidays are nearly here. Is it Time to join The Pony Club? Pony Club teaches children togetherness, empathy, respect, learning and more importantly it gives them a whole lot of FUN. If your child is besotted by ponies and is lucky enough to have access to a pony, whether it be own, loan or at a Riding School, then why not join The Pony Club? www.pcuk.org The Pony Club is a youth organisation for people interested in ponies and riding. It is a registered charity, and its aims are to promote learning of how to ride and care for a pony, how to develop sportsmanship, loyalty and self-discipline.

What would my child gain by joining a local Branch or riding school linked Centre I hear you ask? Lots of lessons, called rallies, and camps, some ridden and some non-ridden activities, with Coaches that are fully accredited and hold DBS, safeguarding and first aid qualifications. They will get the chance to compete at local, regional and a national level in ridden sports, dressage, show jumping, eventing, mounted games, endurance, polo, polocrosse, tetrathlon and pony racing and non-ridden such as quizzes, triathlon and horse and pony care as well as online learning and competitions. There is the chance to pass tests and receive certificates as their abilities improve. The later tests can lead to equestrian

qualifications. To help to get to the Test level there are Progressive Awards. There are many Achievement badges for which they will receive sew-on badges as they develop their skills. An example is a grooming badge when they can show that they know how to groom a pony. Membership is annual from the day of joining for anyone up to the age of 25. There are different types of membership - Branch membership, Centre membership, Centre Plus membership, Family membership and Non-riding membership. To join please use online membership by going to https:// pcuk.org/join-us/

FARMING

Voice Of A Farmer

Fred Fudge the Rawston Farm herdsman in the 1950’s with a twin of Friesian calves

James Cossins is a 5th generation farmer in the Tarrant Valley.

The month of March has been very productive at Rawston, with most of the spring planting completed. Spring beans have been sown, providing home grown protein for our cattle and hopefully some to sell. Also spring barley has been sown, using varieties suitable for beer making. Let’s hope there will be good demand in the summer when we can go to the Pub again! March is also a busy month for us spreading our organic manure produced from cows and calves during the winter months. The manure is mainly straw-based, and is spread on the land and incorporated into the soil before sowing, providing nutrients for the crop and maintaining soil organic matter. We have also started grazing our dairy cows who seem to be enjoying the freedom of grass again. Hopefully as we move into April more cattle will be able to go out into the fields again, saving a considerable amount of feed, straw and time in looking after them inside. With the large numbers of walkers currently enjoying the countryside at the moment let’s hope that we can all work together using the countryside code to prevent any issues involving livestock.

We have an Aberdeen Angus bull on the farm so I must make sure he is in an appropriate field with other cattle, to minimise any risk to the public.

Within the farming community there has been much debate regarding the Red Tractor consultation. Hopefully most consumers understand what the Red Tractor Logo stands for on food produced for sale. This produce would have had to meet certain standards on animal welfare, the growing and storing of the food products in order to be Red Tractor Assured. In order to become ‘assured’, an assessor will inspect the farm and any associated records on an annual basis. There is currently a consultation to review the standards which many growers feel are adequate - any increase in standards will increase the cost to the producer without necessarily getting an increased return. Perhaps more emphasis should be put on increasing the awareness amongst consumers as to what the Red Tractor stands for?

Hopefully consumers will understand the importance of buying Red Tractor Assured food, as it would have been produced to a high standard and produced in this country.

Currently many food products that are imported are not produced to the same standard. Here at Rawston Farm we are promoting the Love Local Trust Local logo to highlight that food with this logo has been produced locally to a high standard and is fully traceable.

On the farm 100yrs ago: Interestingly looking at my family’s 1921 diary there is no mention of food assurance! Looking in the diary I see one hundred years ago one of the highlights of April was a fancy dress ball in Blandford Corn Exchange. Let’s hope that when the current lockdown is over we can look forward to similar events!

James

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Chooks in Lockdown

After three and a half months of their own lockdown, poultry birds across the country on the 1st of April were allowed to finally leave their sheds, houses and coops.

Their own lockdown, known as a ‘housing order’, has many more draconian measures than we humans experience. Birds across the United Kingdom have been shut up with no access to the outside; let alone a trip to the pub! However stringent they were, the measures were in place to protect them from the everspreading Avian Influenza (AI), more commonly known as bird flu. Whereas COVID-19 shielding means keeping distance from your neighbours and the local shopkeeper, the bird flu superspreaders are your every day, roaming wild bird.

You need to think of that beautiful wild duck tearing freely around the British countryside as an anti-masker; flaunting lockdown laws, licking lampposts and heading to your local supermarket to study variations of kissing on numerous fruit and veg perishables. In the UK so far, it has been reported that over 250,000 birds have been culled due to contracting the disease and as

FARMING by Andrew Livingston An empty chicken range at Westleaze Andrew Livingston

a keeper of a large number of hens, we keep a close eye on how close to home reports of AI cases are coming up. For example, in November and December, there have been reported outbreaks in the Abbotsbury Swannery and Gillingham respectively. With the unfeasible cost of insuring one shed of our birds against AI at around £3500, we have to be doubly careful with our biosecurity when going on to our farm. Admittance into sheds is prohibited from any unnecessary visitors. Anyone that does enter the living space of the birds - known as the ‘specific bio-secure area’ - has to wear overalls, disinfect shoes and wash hands. Most modern farms built today have a shower built by reception so visitors ‘must shower on and shower off’ site to ensure the tightest biosecurity. Imagine the queues outside your Tesco if you had have a quick full-body scrub before doing your shopping! Thankfully, however, there are a few signs that lockdown measures won’t be necessary for the future. A recent study

completed by Wageningen University, Netherlands, showed that the use of lasers around chicken houses and ranges sees a reduction in wild bird activity by 99.7%. The lasers fire beams of light into the sky, which oncoming birds deem as an obstacle so they disperse from the area for protection. Admittedly, it is a drastic form of social distancing, but it is a possible method that would greatly deter potentially infected birds and protect farmer’s livelihoods. In a facsimile of our own pandemic, birds are being granted protection through the use of a syringe. In the Bergen aquarium in Norway, the penguins in the enclosure are having their second jabs against the disease. So expect to see a penguin in your local with their vaccine card soon, enjoying a cold one.

Andrew Livingston on Westleaze Farm

POLITICS Win Green Circular - 8.5 miles.

Take a Hike...

Win Green Down, the highest point of the Cranborne Chase, is just outside Shaftesbury and always worth a visit; on a clear day you can see The Needles. There are many walks from the top; or simply stick to the Ox Drove itself for constantly spectacular views, it is one of the longest and most ancient routes in the country. But our favourite is to drop off the Drove to create a circular route through the Rushmore Park to come in the back of Tollard Royal and then a stiff climb up from beautifully peaceful Ashcombe Bottom on the Wessex Ridgeway. Get in touch - editor@ theblackmorevale.co.uk - if you’d like to request routes in certain areas, or of particular lengths.

The routes we feature have always been created and walked recently by ourselves, so you know you can trust them - we aim for unpopulated routes with as little road and as many views as possible! You can always see the route and follow it yourself via the free Outdoor Active app see all our routes here.

Following the ancient track down into Tollard Royal (you can just make out the church ahead). There were a lot of Yew trees on this track - am I the only person to greet them with “Hello Yew!” and a gentle pat as I pass? - Ed

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CLICK THE MAP TO SEE THE INTERACTIVE ROUTE ON OUTDOOR ACTIVE The quiet airy valleys of the Rushmore Estate are always a pleasure to stroll through, even on a flat grey March day

The waymarkers on Rushmore Golf Course are not easily spotted (far right of picture) - check your map and be confident. And simply follow the fence line!

The view of Rotherley Bottom from the Ox drove

The route is a straightforward loop on well-maintained paths, taking in ancient tracks and the Wessex Ridgeway. Parking is easy on Win Green, but also available at points along the Ox Drove: you could also start at Tollard Royal (finishing with a pint in the King John post-lockdown!), which would mean a downhill finish rather than the sharpest climb at the end. The photos are from a dull March day - it’s still a pretty route, but in summer this walk is utterly glorious.

The last climb up from Under Win Green. Yes, C is often that far ahead on the uphill stretches!

OUT OF DOORS

‘The Vale of Little Dairies’ Local readers are only too familiar with our winter flooding - the productive pastureland on the River Stour floodplain is often waterlogged, which explains the criss-crossed pattern of treelined small streams and ditches. Ponds are also common within the vale and many are important for protected species especially great crested newts.

The vale has a long tradition of dairy farming which caused Thomas Hardy to call the area ‘The Vale of Little Dairies’. For several hundred years the landscape has been characterised by hedged fields, boasting a variety of tree species. The field pattern creates a dense network of twisting narrow lanes lined by the carefully managed thick hedgerows. From the surrounding hills these look like a chess-board, a patchwork of small to medium sized fields.

By Paul Birbeck, Blue Badge Tour Guide with Sherborne Walks packhorses loaded with sidebars’ or panniers transporting corn, dairy products, cloth, handmade tools and artifacts across the many water courses. As carts and waggons became wider and larger, multi-arched brick or stone bridges were built. There are many examples found across the Vale, sometimes having triangular cutwaters that are extended upward to form pedestrian refuges – Cornford Bridge, near Bishop’s Caundle and Holwell bridge being classic examples. These ‘packhorse routes’ built on the medieval trade routes still form the basic transport and pathway network across the vale. From 1863, the opening of the Somerset and Dorset Railway transformed the vale’s economy, creating a potentially fast northsouth route through the vale that connected to the growing market for fresh dairy products in Bath, Bristol, Bournemouth and beyond. Dairy processing plants became widely established around the stations, with Sturminster Newton becoming a major centre. In 1913 a group of farmers in

‘Stur’ formed a co-operative which could distribute their milk more efficiently and a creamery was built alongside the railway line from where their milk could be easily sent up to London. In 1937 the creamery was taken over by the Milk Marketing Board. (MMB) The 1950’s saw local creameries come into their own. The MMB decided that each of its creameries would specialise in a restricted number of regional cheeses and production concentrated on Double Gloucester, Caerphilly and Cheddar. The ‘Slow & Dirty’ milk train continued until 1969 and the milk factory closed. Today, small independent farmers have adapted to changing and challenging economic trends, becoming far more innovative. The emergence of enterprises like the Dorset Dairy Co in Stalbridge and Woodbridge Farm in Stock Gaylard illustrate a new type of entrepreneurial spirit which builds upon the centuries of dairying expertise, ensuring that the area maintains its special character and sense of place. www.sherbornewalks.co.uk.

The production of milk, cream and cheese has long been the main economic activity. Prior to the First World War, agriculture was very different to the way we see it today. Milk production was generally on a small scale and farms used much of the dairy produce for their own consumption, selling any surplus locally. Pack-horse bridges consisting of one or more narrow (one horse wide) stone arches & low parapets, were designed to carry

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OUT OF DOORS

ADVERTORIAL

Spring is Here! Spring is officially upon us, and with restrictions due to ease in the coming weeks and months, we may now be able to safely share our gardens with friends and family as they visit for a cuppa and a catch-up. For those of us lucky to have garden spaces, the past 12 months may have been a little easier to cope with. Being able to spend time outdoors has benefits which are well documented, and now we can welcome loved ones back over for the afternoon, we are more grateful than ever to have that space in which we can spend time together safely as we move towards a return to normality.

Spring bedding plants are always a soul-cheering win.

Oh the joy of tea in the garden with our loved ones.

It really does feel like we’re on the right path, and with Spring comes new beginnings – we can start to leave behind the bad memories of this past year as we slowly move towards a postlockdown period. Never again we will take our garden chin-wags for granted! Even though we get spots of sunshine and brief moments of warmth, this time of year can often be a little wet and grey, so seasonal spring bedding is essential in keep your gardens feeling welcoming, vibrant and full of life. When your loved ones visit, being surrounded by such vibrancy is guaranteed to evoke more feelings of positivity, and that realisation that better times are coming. As the Spring breeze whistles through the blossom on

the trees, now’s the time to spruce up that garden space as we all open our gates and welcome back those we hold dear. Thorngrove is proud to be on hand for any advice you need, and we wish everyone a prosperous Spring – and cross our fingers for more sun than showers! See you soon. Visit www. thorngrovegardencentre.co.uk today, or find us on Facebook for info on our latest products and help keeping your garden looking its best!

In association with OUT OF DOORS

The Voice of The Allotment By the fourth week of March, and after a good spell of dry weather, all of our plot has been cleared of weeds and old crop debris. The paths mowed and edged, and all has been manured except for the area allocated for parsnips and carrots. We practice a six year rotation, and only dig one third of the total area each year. Digging has provided plenty of worms for an attendant blackbird. The only crops left in the ground are a few leeks, two or three celeriac and a line of purple sprouting broccoli. After covering with net the broccoli made a good recovery from a bad pigeon attack, and we are cutting large numbers of delicious tender shoots twice a week. Hopefully

with Barry Cuff

it will keep producing well into April. Our last carrots were dug mid month. The first sowings of the new crop will be made next month when the soil is a little warmer; the dry spell has been accompanied by cold winds from the North. From store we still have potatoes and onions. From the freezer we have broad beans, French beans, peas and sweetcorn. We have now planted four rows of potatoes. One each of Foremost and Charlotte and two of Elfe. We started growing Elfe two years ago. This variety is marketed by Albert Bartlett. They yield well and have an excellent taste especially when baked or mashed. Also in the ground we have a row of garlic and a double row of broad beans.

Next month is the main sowing month for a lot of vegetables. Already in the greenhouse we have seedlings of cabbage, onions, peppers, chillies and tomatoes. Most weekends now there is a hive of activity down on the allotment, mostly soil preparation and some planting. Our neighbours have erected a small greenhouse which is starting to fill. Thanks to Bob who has discovered the water leak and repaired the damaged pipe ready for when water is needed.

Barry’s pigeon-attacked broccoli has recoived nicely

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Garden Jobs for April with Pete Harcom Head Gardener at Sherton Abbas Gardening

If you’re thinking about even a small wildlife patch in your garden, there are easy ways to start. Media gardener Monty Don has recently said cutting grass “...is about the most injurious thing you can do to wildlife... letting grass grow which is, after all, a pretty passive thing to do, is probably the single most effective thing you can do in any garden of any size to encourage particularly insect life, but also small mammals, invertebrates, reptiles.”

Hello All, Let’s not call it ‘Jobs’ for April... this time of year is the best! Things really get going in the garden in April; the days are getting longer and temperatures rise, flowering trees are starting to bloom. There is lots to do, including sowing, planting and weeding. There will be April showers, but with sunny days too, it’s an exciting month! • Indoor-sown seeds will be well into growth, and it’s also time to start sowing outdoors. Even if the days are warm, watch out for frosts at night - resist the temptation to sow and plant out too early. Keep an eye on the weather forecast and wait a few days if necessary. Protect early outdoor sowings with fleece. • The growing lawn will need attention. • The pruning of roses should be finished now - check that branches of climbing and rambling roses are tied in. • Prune Hydrangeas - cut back the old stems to a healthy bud lower down.

• Divide and re-plant herbaceous perennials such as Hostas and Delphiniums. • Sow sweet peas at the base of supports, and transplant those sown in autumn into their final positions • Wildflowers - why not create a wildflower meadow? Even in a small garden this will attract our native insects and animals. Native wildflowers are a food source, which will attract bees, butterflies and birds to your garden. The Wildlife Trust have good instructions here. • Put garden mulch in your borders. The depth of mulch should be 3 inches if possible. Use leaf-mould, or municipal green waste compost - this will suppress weeds and help retain moisture levels right throughout the summer months. Hoe weeds, before they can set seed. Watch out for problem weeds such as Brambles and Nettles.

• Aphids will be active this month. Continue to wipe off and squash wherever and whenever possible. Check all containers for pupating vine weevils, especially fuchsias in pots. Squash any that you find. • Pinch out the shoot tips of fuchsias to develop bushier plants Feed houseplants from now until autumn. Large leafy plants will need a high nitrogen feed, while flowering plants need something like a tomato feed, high in potash. Transplant tomato plants into growing bags and tie in supports. Sow quick-growing microgreens, such as kale and mustard, for nutrient-rich salads in just a few weeks. Pete pete@shertonabbas.co.uk

POLITICS

Flowers in April April for me would usually mean wedding season has or is just about to start. But the strange times we find ourselves in have meant that bookings for wedding flowers have either been cancelled or postponed. Fingers crossed that brides-tobe will get their ‘big day’ after restrictions are lifted in June, but we’ll just have to wait and see. Wedding floristry is very different to shop work; it’s more creative, allowing me to design bespoke floral decorations to the couples specification, and it’s great working in different venues across the south west. One of my favourite moments is setting-up very early on the morning of the wedding, when I often find myself alone in an abbey or ancient historic house.

It’s in these moments of calm and silence that the weight of the properties age and history can be keenly felt. ••• Woodland walks have been a saving grace during lock-down and I’m looking forward to seeing the woodland floor gradually change colour as bluebells push up through the leaf litter and flower.

image: Oonagh Langrishe

Our elegant English bluebells are unfortunately being swamped by the Spanish variety, an interloper introduced into the UK by the Victorians as a garden plant.

The English bluebell can be told apart from the Spanish by it’s delicate curved stem supporting graceful hanging bells down one side - the Spanish bluebell stem has bells attached to all sides so is more upright. Late flowering bulbs, early perennials and spring flowering shrubs are now available to bring into the home, including the likes of large headed Parrott tulips, fluffy Ranunculus, scented lilac, lily-of-the-valley and beautiful blossom. Unfortunately blossom doesn’t have a good vase life, but it’s so glorious I can’t resist bringing a couple of sprigs in to enjoy. Oonagh The English Florist oonagh@theenglishflorist.co.uk

THE RANDOM 20

by Laura Hitchcock - and Sarah J Naughton

The Random 20 - with Bestselling Author Sarah J. Naughton.

I’ll be honest - even though I’ve read two of her books, I had no idea that Sarah Naughton was a local until her Mum emailed me and told me so (*waves to Sarah’s Mum*). Thank goodness she did, because not only was Sarah brave enough to be the first subject of The Random 20, but it also gave me the excuse to buy her latest book The Festival... Sarah Naughton’s first book was shortlisted for the Costa Children’s Award. She also writes bestselling psychological thrillers for adults and is published in eleven territories. Married with two teenage sons, Sarah divides her time between London and Dorset. She has yet to win a Nobel Prize, but did get a Highly Commended for her herb display in the Whitchurch Canonicorum produce show.

The Random 20 1. What’s your relationship with the Blackmore Vale (the area, not us!)? I grew up in a tiny village on the Somerset/Dorset border, with a school, a post office and, latterly and excitingly, a video shop. Our house used to back onto fields and a pig farm. The whole estate smelled of it. My mum would get me up at night to see the badgers and hedgehogs who had wandered into our garden. There was only one other single parent family in the village so we would hang out a lot. The other mum had an open fire and we used to wheel a shopping trolley to the local wood at night to pilfer firewood. Cut Mill was my favourite place in the world and even now, after it sadly burnt down, it’s my sons’ favourite too. They’re as afraid as I was of the legendary pike that lurks in the mill pond, who must be drawing his pension by now. As a non-sporty teenager there wasn’t much to do, so I would go on endless tramps around the lanes, dreaming of what my life would be like when I moved to the big city, which I did aged seventeen. I scoffed at people who said I

would miss the countryside. And then of course I did. A few years ago we bought a place an hour from my parents and I’ve missed it so much during lockdown. 2. What was the last song you sang out loud in your car? The car playlist is strictly controlled by my teenage sons, so I tend only to sing in the kitchen when I’ve had a few ciders. The last one was I Need A Hero by Bonnie Tyler. 3. Last movie you watched? Would you recommend it? It’s very hard for us all to agree on films. My eldest likes grossout comedies, me and

my youngest like supernatural horror, and my husband likes classic gangster movies. The compromise is never successful but I’m not going to slag the most recent one off as I admire all these indie filmmakers who are getting such a great platform on Amazon and Netflix. 4. It’s Friday night - you have the house to yourself. What will you do? That doesn’t fill me with any excitement. Writing is a solitary occupation and I get more than enough time on my own.

Last time I had an evening to myself I sugar-soaped the kitchen. Always free - subscribe here

THE RANDOM 20 5. If you were sent to an island for a year and could only bring three things, what would you bring (the island is already equipped with a magical power source, a phone and a laptop)? A massive inflatable in the shape of a flamingo, a bottle of rum to go with the abundant supply of pineapples and coconuts, and Maggie O’Farrell’s entire back catalogue, as I realised, when I heard her on Desert Island Discs the other day, that I’ve never read anything by her. 6. What would you like to tell 15yr old you?

Everything will be alright. 7. Most embarrassing moment of your teen years? Uh uh. No way. I’ve spent years trying to forget that stuff and reinvent myself as Successful Writer. You’ll have to ask the people I went to school with. 8. Who’s your celebrity crush? It gets harder as you age, not to feel ashamed of yourself for fancying the same type you fancied as a teenager, ie men in their twenties, so I’ll just pretend to like Daniel Craig, like every other forty-something woman (actually it’s Iwan Rheon). 9. What book did you read last year that stayed with you? Three Women by Lisa Taddeo. It uses the experiences of three different women to explore female desire and sexuality: which sounds really worthy, but isn’t. I recommend it for women of any age – I guarantee you will relate to it – and to men

who want to understand women better. 10. What was the last gift you gave someone? As a Father’s Day present for my dad I’ve just bought a framed woodcut of a Dore etching from The Ancient Mariner. It is loaded with meaning that he and I will get. Hopefully he’ll laugh. 11. What shop can you not pass without going in? Peter Jones in Sloane Square. I’m with John Betjemen: nothing unpleasant could possibly happen there. I’ve written all my books in the café on the 6th floor. In fact I went into labour there too, which I think should entitle my son to free scones for life. 12. Favourite quote? Movie, book or inspirational - we won’t judge.

Day might not be as replete with thoughtful gifts and pampering as everyone else’s on social media (#blessed), sent me a bottle of gin. Best Mothers Day ever. 15. A penguin just walked in the door wearing a panama hat. Why is he here? To give me my Nobel prize and my million pound cheque. 16. Your top three mostvisited favourite websites (excluding social media!)? Like most writers my internet history is both random and sinister.

The last thing I Googled was How to Destroy Bones and the one before that was about autoerotic asphyxiation.

I had a boyfriend who used to say this to me if I was sad: ‘All shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.’ It’s by the English mystic, Julian of Norwich, and I used to think it was a bit earnest, but it has stayed with me over the years. I also like ‘Suck my fat one’ from Stand By Me.

The only website I visit with any regularity is BBC Sounds, as sometimes it’s the only thing that will quieten my racing thoughts enough to sleep. My favourite section is Horror and Supernatural, but I do love a good In Our Time, especially about science. That sends me off in a nanosecond.

13. Write the review for your latest book that you wish someone would leave on Amazon for you.

17. What in life is frankly a mystery to you?

Sarah Naughton’s recent Nobel Prize for literature was highly deserved, as was the seven figure advance this book received. Five stars. 14. What was the last gift you received? A friend with her own teenage boys, predicting my Mothers

How people feel very strongly about trivial things (eg. Megan and Harry) and ignore huge issues like political corruption and cronyism. We laugh along when they joke about it on Have I Got News for You and then promptly forget about it, so those in power get away scot free. You don’t beat the system by laughing at it, you just make life easier for the political elite.

BOOK CORNER 18. Chip Shop Chips or Homebaked Cake? It would be sadistic to make me choose. 19. Favourite crisp flavour? My relationship with crisps has been a troubled one. I used

to love Smoky Bacon flavour, but after I got chicken pox they never tasted the same again. After that it was Wotsits, but I had to eat forty packets of them to save up for a Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles watch. I can’t even look at someone eating them now.

20. The best biscuit? Biscuits are a scandalous waste of calories that you could spend on cake.

The Festival is out now on eBook, and out in paperback on the 29th April. Four Women Orly, Lenny, Mel and Thea have been best friends since school. But now it is 20 years later and inevitably they have drifted apart. One Weekend It is Lenny’s 40th birthday, plus Orly and Mel need cheering up, so Thea suggests a weekend away at a festival in their hometown. It’s a chance for them all to reconnect. Not all of them will survive. But their holiday soon takes a sinister turn, and not all of the friends will leave the festival alive... Dazzlingly inventive’ - Sunday Times ‘A meticulously plotted exploration of friendship, foe-ship and the lies that bind, which builds to a gripping and powerful conclusion’ - Cara Hunter ‘The perfect dose of thrills and suspense, this will keep you engrossed to the very end’ Heat ‘Tautly thrilling . . . This has hit thriller written all over it’ - Evening Telegraph

I started reading The Festival in publication week, just to get ahead of interviewing Sarah. This was a bad idea - I do not have time to read for fun in publication week. And yet... it just kept luring me back, and in bite-sized chunks and ever more frequent teabreaks I find myself writing this having almost-but-not-

quite-finished. And I’m on tenterhooks. By the time you’re reading this I’ll know the ending. The story moves between the four women - and yet it never feels awkward. You spend enough time with each to know them, to understand their lives, see their flaws, and want to go for a drink with them anyway. And the friendships are as complicated and imperfect as any we all know from our teenage years. The view of motherhood is so

recognisable, and yet different for them all. The faint dark whispers of tension start early, and the echoes of it building with ever increasing speed until a pumpingly noisy, tired, oh-sofamilar festival fairground feels physically assaulting to your brain... and that’s all I can tell you, because that’s where I’m up to. Even now, without knowing the ending, I’m strongly suggesting you call Wayne at Winstones and pre-order this one. Always free - subscribe here

Voice of the Books

BOOK CORNER

We are eagerly awaiting 12th April, when we can welcome customers back in to the shop to browse physical books and catch up on all your news. Can’t wait.

What’s Left of Me is Yours by Stephanie Scott £8.99 In the meantime, this fascinating debut from Stephanie Scott is well worth a read and will be a book you want to press into other readers hands. A gripping debut set in modernday Tokyo and inspired by a true crime, What’s Left of Me Is Yours follows a young woman’s search for the truth about her mother’s life – and her murder. In Japan, a covert industry has grown up around the wakaresaseya (literally “breakerupper”) - a person hired by one spouse to seduce the other, in order to gain the advantage in divorce proceedings. When Sato hires Kaitaro, a wakaresaseya agent, to have an affair with his wife, Rina, he assumes it will be an easy case. But Sato has never truly understood Rina or her desires, and Kaitaro’s job is to do exactly that – until he does it too well. While Rina remains ignorant of the circumstances that brought them together, she and Kaitaro fall in a desperate, singular love, setting in motion a series of violent acts that will forever haunt her daughter Sumiko’s life. Told from alternating points of view and across the breathtaking landscapes of Japan, What’s Left of Me Is Yours explores the thorny psychological and moral grounds of the actions we take in the name

of love, asking where we draw the line between passion and possession. Beautifully written, atmospheric, and immersive, Stephanie Scott’s What’s Left of Me Is Yours tells a propulsive story about heartbreak and loss and the greatest mystery of all, family. A stunning debut: tragically beautiful, sensuous and haunting. Wow, just wow.

Wayne 63

In association with

CHARITY PAGES

This month’s charity:

Keeping The Days Of Steam Alive The Swanage Railway

The 80104 Corfe Castle on Thursday 25 March 2021 Image: © Andrew PM Wright

The Coronavirus pandemic has had a major impact on the Swanage Railway and, like many businesses, it was forced to suspend all of its services a year ago when the first lockdown came into effect. Following Government requirements to keep the public safe, we were subsequently able to operate some services during the peak of last summer and in to the autumn, although social distancing regulations significantly reduced capacity on trains. December 2020 saw the

introduction of a new attraction to the Swanage Railway and the Isle of Purbeck - a Covid-safe train of steam and lights which was extremely popular. So popular that it is planned to offer these festive trains again in December 2021. Following Government guidelines to keep the public safe, the fund-raising gift shop at Swanage station remained open while the steam trains were running but, sadly, it has been closed since the end of December. Income was very badly affected by the Covid pandemic and had it not been for a successful Save Our Service appeal for donations, support arising from the Government’s Job Retention Scheme and a fund-raising team that successfully bid for a

number of grants, the picture could have been very different. It had been hoped to resume services between Swanage and Wareham in 2020 but this was not possible and, indeed, this is unlikely to be possible until 2022. Despite the on-going difficulties of living with coronavirus – and following Government requirements and guidelines to keep people safe – volunteers and other staff have not been idle during the winter and have been carrying out essential maintenance work; work that can’t be carried out when trains are running. Major repairs were undertaken at the New Barn bridge – two miles from Swanage – which involved repairs to the structure and the track. The Swanage

Ward Goodman specialises in the charity, community and not for profit sector. Ward Goodman has a dedicated team of accounting and auditing professionals delivering a comprehensive range of services to registered charities, community groups and not for profit organisations. The team are trained specifically to carry out charity accounting, auditing and reporting and to communicate effectively with Trustees, management and volunteers. Contact the team today for a free consultation.

Railway is responsible for a number of bridges that pass over roads and safety is of paramount importance. Essential work has also been undertaken to maintain the signalling systems but one of the largest pieces of work undertaken was to replace a boiler on 1920s Southern Railway U Class locomotive 31806 with a refurbished boiler.

The work took three months, in sometimes inclement weather conditions, and the quality of the work produced is a credit to the team of skilled locomotive fitters. With spring in the air, our dedicated staff and volunteers are now preparing for the Swanage Railway to re-open, in a Covid-safe manner with assigned socially distanced seating on the trains, on Monday 12 April.

The 80104 at Corfe Castle on Thursday 25 March 2021. Image © Andrew PM Wright

Steam locomotives have been cleaned, fuelled and lubricated prior to being tested. In order to ensure the competency of operational staff after long break, test trains – carrying no passengers - are now operating daily. It is not just locomotive crews that need to be refreshed but also signalmen, guards and those who staff in the booking offices, the shop and hopefully catering facilities – including the Wessex Belle train.

The optimism is tangible.

We hope that passengers will return this summer and allow us to return to normality, reminding people of what steam locomotives were really like while also helping to enhance the local economy. More details of train services can be found by visiting our website at www.swanagerailway.co.uk. We look forward to welcoming you to the Swanage Railway. Andrew Moore, Finance Director. 29 March 2021.

Ward Goodman would like to invite you to the annual Dorset Charities Conference which this year is being held on Wednesday 12th May 2021. The event, now in its ninth year, will continue to connect charities with leading sector suppliers and a wealth of expert speakers, who will be conducting informative presentations, providing an opportunity for delegates to earn CPD credits where applicable.

Regular attendees look forward to meeting up each year for charity related updates. Current COVID-19 restrictions mean that the 2021 conference will take

place online. Further information is available at www.wardgoodman.co.uk/dcc Or you can email charities@ wardgoodman.co.uk

READER’S LETTERS

Reader’s Letters Thank you so much for sending the pdf files of the Magazine. We have printed them off and will put them in her Mothers Day card. I’m sure it will give her a thrill to see herself in print. Kind regards Peter and Cathy Valteris We are grateful to Simon Hoare MP for support after the very distressing experience of having found ourselves erroneously thinking we had sold our property, and therefore committing ourselves to an offer elsewhere, with our buyers then “pulling out”. This has left us with not only a tremendous amount of heartache and anxiety but also with the fact that we have let others down through no fault of our own. The buying and selling of houses here in England is fraught with peril - with which Simon Hoare agreed stating “the system is not fit for purpose”. Seemingly would-be buyers (and perhaps vendors too) can, and often do, pull out on the flimsiest of pretexts without any thought to the expense or any compensation already paid out to solicitors etc. The estate agents are equally frustrated and upset on our behalf - they are doing their best under very difficult circumstances. We have lived all over the world: in other countries, an offer is legally binding and a deposit paid, whereafter if either party defaults, quite rightly the deposit is forfeited. We have been told “everyone complains about the system, but nobody does anything about it”. Well people, it is time to change this nefarious practice and have

Than that of those who risk their life

the law changed, which would benefit everyone concerned. Distressed of Shaftesbury. (name supplied)

To save another or comfort give To those about to say goodbye – Who may not have that long to live But will not, alone, be left to die

The digital BV is a triumph – many congratulations on this much needed innovation and the current issue in particular which is packed with useful and interesting articles. I especially liked the inclusion on NHS and other care workers. On this point I thought you might like to see my own tribute entitled ‘Bravest of the Brave’ (below). I think this poem echoes the thoughts of the whole nation and as I would like as many doctors, nurses and others serving in the care and allied sectors to see this tribute. Do ask readers to show or forward the poem to anyone they know who may be working or volunteering in those sectors or in similar family situations – that would be wonderful.

Let those who follow not forget The selfless love each carer gave For we will, forever, be in debt To the bravest of the brave

Paul Hooley Bravest of the Brave The greatest of courageous acts Are shown by those with clearest eye of the grimmest of all certain facts – The knowledge that they themselves could die Yet who, undaunted, still proceed – Own lives at risk and so aware – To nurse those in the greatest need Whom fate’s entrusted to their care Each time they don a mask or glove They too confront the terror rife Exists therefore no greater love

I just wanted to say My Mother in Law was very happy to see [her Mother’s Day message], she lives in Gloucester and we haven’t been able to see her since March last year as I’m a shielder. It reduced her to tears - in a good way! - so thank you for including our message, it was greatly received and appreciated. The Chaters. Thank you so much for the features this issue [March 21]on local Town & Parish Councils – it’s easy to laugh at the national drama that places like Handforth have created, but it’s no laughing matter when such matters occur within our own local councils. I don’t live in Shaftesbury, but were it my own council I’d certainly be following the progress of this story; one hopes our elected officials can disagree with kindness and respect, and manage to all work together. A divided council is never an effective one, which can only harm the whole town. The fact that you followed this rather sad story up with a feature on how important local councils are, and just why we should all get involved, was timely and very well-placed. It was an excellent read, and I certainly enjoyed Cllr Craven’s Always free - subscribe here

READER’S LETTERS perspective. I for one was rather inspired to be a little less vocal in my complaining, and a little more proactive in my approach in the future. Margaret Green, Wincanton. In response to your article on the closure of the last three Tourist Information Centres; I have thought for some time that these are a dying resource. Like so many of our habits, our method of travel has changed so much in recent years. Where once one had to wait to be in a town to collect leaflets about what was available, now we have a wealth of information literally at our fingertips in the weeks before we travel, and most of us arrive fully equipped with armfuls of knowledge – and the ability to instantly find out anything else we need. Surely if they were still a much-needed resource, they would be far busier and no one would consider closing them? It’s the old adage - Use It or Lose It. Rather fascinating that the coun cil’s report shows the biggest users of TICs are the local residents themselves! To me it’s budget spent on an archaic system which can be better spent elsewhere - unless there is more investment to change the way they operate in high-traffic areas, offering more to a visitor and local than simply ‘tourist information’. David Seaton, Sherborne I just wanted to write and thank Barry Cuff and Pete Harcom for their excellent gardening columns. I don’t ever grow veg except a few tomatoes in a pot and some salad leaves, and yet I never miss Barry’s column – much like I never miss Gardener’s World. I enjoy the gentle, calm tone

and the obvious experience and passion that comes through his words. Who knows, maybe I’ll plant some carrots this year, just to join in. And Pete’s column always has a couple of jobs for me to get on with - despite not having a huge garden, I do love to keep on top if it. His timely reminders on a Friday always give me a task for the weekend ahead. Could you thank them both for me, and tell them they are much appreciated? Iris Bell, nr Blandford. Andy Palmer’s column did make me laugh last month – probably my favourite one yet (I also rather enjoy how he and Roger Guttridge seem to be having a conversation in print, month by month!). Please let me know where to sign up for CARDA? I b’aint seen no address, zee? Harry P, Stalbridge.

Did Andy Palmer really have to descend into toilet humour in the latest issue? I usually find his column entertaining, but his Shillingstone sewer jokes stink, and made my wife flush. Bill Whitchall, Blandford. (Don’t you start, you’ll just encourage him. Ed)

Rupert Hardy’s excellent discussion of Local Plan failings was timely and made for alarming reading. I always enjoy Rupert’s column, finding them a balanced insight into local issues. But his scathing criticism of the Local Plan was rather less subtle than usual and so it needed to be. What a mess of a plan - the fact that there were 2,000 pages of it might sugggest that it was a work

of scope, depth and considered research. However it felt more like a rushed jumble of random documentation that had been haphazardly scooped together from previous surveys and plans. We clearly need more homes locally - especially truly affordable ones for those trying to get on the housing ladder. I have seen a number of excellent eco-housing schemes mentioned over the last couple of years - light footprint pod housing, community developments, simple build starter homes, all with the young and first time buyers in mind. And yet there didn’t seem to be any mention of such specific developments in the plan at all - and so I suspect we will be left to individually battle the profittargeted planning applications of the developers eyeing our expanding villages with a confidence emboldened by that ‘30,000 new homes’ requirement baldly stated by the Local Plan. Martin Palmer, Gillingham.

I know it has been said so often that everyone’s rather bored of hearing it, but I felt compelled to write after experience for myself the wonder that is the vaccine clinics. I had mine in Blandford, and not only was the system a welloiled wheel (I’ll admit my heart sank when I sawe the queue snaking across the car park, but the speed we all swept through was a marvel) but every single volunteer and member of staff was kind, cheerful, patient and lovely. It must be exhausting, and repetitive and probably a bit tedious - and yet they seem to leave every patient feeling nurtured and smiling. What a wonder they are. Amanda B, Blandford.

image: Heather Brown

Heather Brown is a member of the Guild of Food Writers and a home economist with a passion for Dorset’s brilliant foodie scene. Heather runs Dorset Foodie Feed which helps to champion Dorset’s food and drink businesses, as well as working with clients to recipe test, write food based copy, help foodie businesses with their online presence and make food for digital content. IG: @HeatherBrownUK 68

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Hot Cross Bun Bread & Butter Pudding

by Heather Brown

There is a risk that we are all so giddy that we now have the chance to meet a whole 5 other people outside that we over ordered our treats this Easter weekend. Should that be the case, I have rustled up a delicious bread and butter pudding using up all your leftover hot cross buns.

The basis of a good bread and butter pudding is simply some kind of bread, sugar, butter and a custard mixture. You can use all kinds of bread (from your homemade sourdough to an enriched brioche or Panettone) - the secret to a delicious pudding is the custard, and giving the pudding a chance to soak in all that custardy goodness before baking.

I recommend indulging in some good quality milk and cream, and you can’t get better than direct from your local farmer from one of the many milk vending machines across Dorset. You can find your local milk vending machine using Dorset Foodie Feed’s Directory - just pop in your postcode, and select ‘milk vending machine’. If you have dairy intolerances then I recommend substituting the milk with a good quality oat milk and cream. Oatly also offer an excellent vegan friendly vanilla custard if you are trying to remove the eggs too (most supermarket hot cross buns are now vegan friendly). I haven’t added any extra dried fruits or spices to this recipe as my hot cross buns were fruity enough. To make this recipe with other types of leftover bread, then simply add some dried fruit in amongst the layers and sprinkle 1tsp of cinnamon across the top.

Ingredients • • • •

300ml full fat milk 100ml double cream 4 egg yolks 75g golden caster sugar

• • • •

50g to 100g butter 1tsp vanilla extract zest from a lemon 6-8 hot cross buns

Method 1. In a large jug, whisk together the milk, cream, egg yolks, half of the sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract until combined. 2. Cut the hot cross buns in half as if you were going to toast them, then cut the hot cross buns in half again, top to bottom (through the cross). Butter each side of the hot cross bun pieces. 3. Place them all into an ovenproof dish, squished up against each other. You want to choose a dish that doesn’t leave much space (the dish I used was about 25cm square). 4. Pour over the custard mixture. Make sure the mixture gets in all the spaces in the dish, wiggling the pieces to make sure the custard is underneath too. 5. Leave the pudding to soak up the custard for at least 30 minutes. 6. Preheat the oven to 180 fan/gas 5. 7. Sprinkle over the pudding the remaining sugar and add some more little pieces of butter. 8. Half fill a roasting tin with boiling water and place your pudding dish into the water (make sure the water doesn’t go over the top of the pudding dish). Place them both into the oven and bake for about 40 minutes until the top of the pudding is golden and puffed up (the layers will shrink down a little when it cools). 9. NB. The hot water gently and evenly cooks the custard but you can leave out this step if you wish 10. You can serve this hot from the oven with more fresh cream or leave to cool and cut into pieces like a cake.

FOOD & DRINK

Celebrating North Dorset’s Chocolate Industry.

A box of 12 individually hand painted luxury chocolates from Chocolate Arthouse

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FOOD & DRINK

by Rachael Rowe

The art of making chocolate from cacao is a delicate one as I discover when arranging to speak with Sherborne based Solkiki. Owner Bob is working wet chocolate which sounds like a chocoholic’s dream, but he cannot be interrupted. Liquid chocolate is not always predictable and needs attention as the chocolate makers get creative with cacao. Bob and Iris Solkiki are awardwinning Dorset chocolate makers and one of the few microbusinesses that craft a product from bean to bar. Since 2016 they have won over 120 national and international awards. They first got into chocolate when Iris was pregnant and wanted a dairy-free bar. She was unable to find anything in the shops and when Bob brought some bars back from the USA she was blown away by the quality. That moment inspired them to start making their own chocolate, sourcing the finest ingredients possible and Solkiki was born. All the chocolate is organic, vegan and dairy-free. Iris says:

“You don’t need milk to make a really good bar of chocolate.” I’d second that as I sample their award-winning Costas Esmeraldas 64 made with cacao from one of the world’s best producers in Ecuador. Their white non dairy chocolate has won awards when competing with dairy products. Bob and Iris deal direct with cocoa bean farmers across the

Bob and Iris Solkiki with their range of award-winning bean-to-bar chocolate. They have won over 120 national and international awards in the last five years.

world. The couple explains: “A lot of our beans come from Peru but we also buy from Mexico, the Philippines and India. Although we look for the best producers in the world, they frequently find us.” I was fascinated to learn that in India cacao beans are traditionally grown alongside other spices such as cardamom and black pepper. Bob and Iris emphasize the importance of ethical working and traceability. “So many plantations use child labour and we look out for that. We also price our chocolate so the farmer gets a fair price.” It can take anything from three to seven days to make chocolate from the beans. The production from roasting to tempering and making bars is done at the workshop just outside Sherborne. Solkiki sells its chocolate online globally with a customer base including Michelin star restaurants and specialist food shops. “We sell to Seattle and Singapore, but not so much to Sherborne,” laughs Bob. Perhaps that will change. A chocolatier is different from a chocolate maker in that they create chocolates. When it comes to Chocolate Arthouse in Sturminster Newton, the artistry is eye-catching. Claudia Foot has run the business since 2019 and loves to put her own touch

on the chocolate flavours and designs. The chocolate stilettos (yes - you read that correctly) look startlingly realistic in a range of colours and far too elegant to start nibbling a heel. I wondered how she gets such interesting fillings like banoffee or apple crumble and discover her family have a lot of influence.

“They bully me and say - make one like this,” laughs Claudia. She uses two types of chocolate. Belgian chocolate is used for its smoothness and is then blended with Colombian to get the flavour. She’s hoping to develop a vegan range later this year. Claudia’s chocolates are a three-day process to make from painting the shells to making the ganache and finally packaging. She sells online and at retailers in North Dorset including at the Woodbridge Farm Pop Up Shop where she works. Having discovered this high quality local chocolate and the passion behind local businesses in the Blackmore Vale, there’s one thing for sure. Chocolate is not just for Easter but should be enjoyed year-round. Rachael Rowe www.rachaelrowe.com

FOOD & DRINK

Wine, Wind & Wet Stone This month, we delve into the conditions of a vineyard plot and how the context of a winery can be expressed in the glass. The word terroir is used a lot in the wine world, but what does it actually mean? Historically, the term was associated with the flavour from certain wines in ‘Old World’ regions – particularly ‘earthy’ notes. Nowadays, we use the term more specifically to refer to the elements that contribute to the ‘terroir’ of a wine, and consider them collectively as being the ‘context of the vines’. The dominant elements being: climate, soil type and aspect (terrain) – all of which impart something into the ‘end product’. It’s this ‘expression’ of the vineyard that’s exciting for those of us who like a glass of vino; not only can a glass of wine transport Weinhof Waldschütz Grüner Veltliner, Kamptal, Austria, £14. This Grüner Veltliner is produced in the Kamptal wine region in Austria, whose name is derived from the River Kamp. Weinhof Waldshütz say ‘the soil carries its history into the wine cellar… the mineral spice of the primary rock, with the fine fruit and fragrant nuances of the loess soil’. For me, it’s a fresh, crisp, mineral Grüner, that feels like I’m drinking from a natural spring – of wine! Delicious.

us to a region within seconds of its aroma hitting our nostrils, but it’s also quite fun to take a grape variety and compare how is behaves in different contexts and what that means for your palate. Although you can only work with what nature has given you, some vineyards spend a lot of time, and money, in fully exploring the terroir of their vineyard, and the plots they have access to within their region, in order to maximise the quality of their viticulture and inform their winemaking. More and more have scientific teams on hand, including geologists and experts, who use a variety of methods – both traditional and top spec modern tech – in order to study the soil, climate and aspect with a view to producing interesting and quality wines. Just last week, I was fortunate enough to be part of an online Agustín Lanús Sunal Ilógico Malbec, Calchaqui Valley, Argentina, £22 In 2006, Agustín Lanus travelled to the extreme heights of the Calchaqui Valley to learn about the micro-terroir found at extreme altitudes (16503100 meters above sea level). In his words, ‘many say that riding 9 hours into the mountains on dangerous dirt roads to check on grapes is crazy, but then they try the wine and they understand’. I could not agree more. This is Malbec on a whole new level - literally!

www.vineyardsofsherborne.co.uk

by Sadie Wilkins, Indie Wine Merchant, Vineyards of Sherborne

tasting with Bouchon Family Wines, who are one of the most innovative and forward-thinking vineyards in Maule, Chile; they have undergone an extensive scientific soil study to produce some of the most thrilling wines you will find from Chile – a wine country that has always been known for great value, but is now shaking up the equilibrium and producing some absolutely exquisite wines. For Bouchon, the focus is in the unique granite soil, which has evolved with volcanic influence over the years. The tasting was an education and involved diagrams, heat maps, talk of magma chambers and intrusive rocks, but, most importantly, delicious wine that oozed minerality from this granite-fuelled location. It’s inspired me to pick out a handful of wines that I really feel showcase the effect of terroir in the glass: Bouchon Family Wines Granito Semillon, Block 1 Batuco, Maule Valley, Chile, £32 I had to include the standout wine from their fascinating tasting last week. We immediately ordered stock and it arrives this week. This wine is simply exquisite. Tim Atkin MW has dubbed it the best white wine to have come out of Chile. The elegant, clean-drinking, smooth mouth-feel that you get from this often underrated grape variety is phenomenal, and a true reflection of its granite-influenced terroir. Always free - subscribe here

FOOD & DRINK

Notes From An Epicurean Spring is here at last, the clocks have changed, lighter nights and warmer weather are on their way and less restrictions as we head to the end of lockdown. Spring is also the time when the cattle are let back out into the fields after being kept in during the winter. This is to protect the land when it is wet, and it is easier to feed the stock inside with winter rations and sileage while waiting for the new growing season. When I was farming it was a wonderful sight each spring to see large cows leaping and gambolling around a field like lambs when first let out; sadly ever larger numbers of cows are now kept inside all year round as herd sizes increase with the economies of scale demanded of modern farming.

The spring flush of milk, as it is known, occurs when the cows go back out on grass. The increased production changes the composition of the milk, generally les butterfat and protein, and this has a knockon effect for anything produced from the milk. If one compares a cheese produced at different times of the year it is possible to detect a slight change in flavour, unless, of course, if the cows are kept in away from grass where it is possible to manage their diet to keep a level profile all through the year.

Smaller, artisan producers like the challenges of the changes in milk through the year, whereas the massproduced cheeses will be trying to replicate

the same flavour all through the year. The supermarket buyers will want to know the product is consistent. The soft cheeses made from the spring milk take less time to mature. They will be reaching the shops in about 3 months, the hard cheeses, like cheddar, can mature for 12 months and more and so one needs to know the age to aid the taste profile one might expect. Generally, the best cheese comes from the summer milk after the first flush is over and the cows have settled onto the diet of grass. Hope everyone has a wonderful Easter, hope the egg hunting goes well! Simon Vernon Food consultant & Great Taste Awards Judge

In association with Blanchards Bailey are a Dorset based law firm specialising in commercial and private law. Recognised by the Legal 500 as one of the top firms in the south west they are renowned for their personal expertise, excellent client service and active role in local communities.

He Sells Seashells from the Seashore... Portland Shellfish Greetings from sunny Portland! As I write this we are just preparing to exit our third lockdown - coupled with the aftermath of Brexit I think it’s fair to say that it’s been an interesting few months to say the least. Our family Shellfish business will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee next year, by then we hope to have fully reopened, adapted and fine-tuned our offering. A year ago, as far as I was concerned Zoom was a song by Fat Larrys Band and lockdown was something that only the naughty boys at HMP Verne enjoyed on the island, what a difference a year makes! What we have seen is that once “time poor” people who always shopped at supermarkets have either chosen or had to perhaps look to source their food both more locally and from smaller retailers. This has been an amazing year in that respect as we Brits are very resourceful people. A lot of our wholesale customers around the country have altered their businesses to offer both takeaway menus and in many cases ‘home meal kits’ which can be either prepared or finished off by following a simple menu card.

Did you know that brown crabs this big are caught off the Dorset Jurassic Coast?!

The Shellfish that we source in Dorset is not only top quality, but it is responsibly fished and from a sustainable source. The problem in the past is that sadly as an island nation our appetite for both wet fish and Shellfish just does not match that of our European friends - consequently a lot of our catch goes abroad. I hope that the quest for more knowledge and questions about provenance and sustainability will arise regarding the vast diversity of fish and shellfish on offer, and will become the building blocks for a greater appreciation and understanding of the bountiful catch on our doorstep.

We are proudly supporting the Love Local Trust Local movement as we believe that Dorset is a truly wonderful - and in many cases undiscovered - larder. Over the next few weeks we expect there to be a very strong and rapid return to trading as the Hospitality sector reopens. There will be many people eager to catch up with not only friends

and family, but the cancelled birthdays, weddings and other missed celebrations of the last year. We know that the local Hotels, Pubs and Guest Houses are going to experience a Summer like probably never before. What a wonderful opportunity to showcase our amazing Shellfish! There’s Dorset Blue Lobster, Fresh Hand Picked White and Brown Crab Meat, Cockles, Oysters and Clams from Poole Harbour to name but a few. We have also for the first time opened an online shop in the hope that the interest generated by trying our products will lead to a greater appreciation and enjoyment of Dorset Shellfish all year round and UK wide. I’ll sign off now as there’s a Crab boat needs unloading! Tim Assirati Portland Shellfish Ltd

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Do You Remember Elizabeth Frink?

In 2019, Messums Wiltshire rescued Frink’s studio from Woolland, Dorset and in 2020 the studio was rebuilt as part of an exhibition in the historic Tithe Barn at Tisbury.

Many of her other possessions are now being catalogued by the Dorset History Centre to form part of their archive. Elisabeth Frink was a sculptor who worked predominantly in

three her work was purchased

bronze at the age of only twentyby the Tate gallery. Her work focuses on men, dogs, horses, and birds as her primary subject matter, she rarely worked with the female form. An exemption to this Walking Madonna, which resides outside of Salisbury Cathedral. Other public work in South West includes the Dorchester Martyrs, in Dorchester and Horse and Rider in Winchester. Since the purchase of the Woolland studio, Messums has begun amassing an online archive of objects, photographs and stories related to Elisabeth Frink. So far we have had photographs by the fashion photographer Norman Parkinson of Frink in her London studio which were featured in Life Magazine.

We have also spoken to a family who recall finding a dead badger and then keeping it in their freezer until Frink next visited so that she could draw it.

Each addition to the archive gives us insight into what a wonderful and bizarre woman Frink was. At Messums we are continually looking for more articles and stories to add to our archive. If you have an association with Elisabeth Frink and you would like to get in touch please email: info@messumswiltshire.com

DORSET ARTISANS

In association with

Designed in Dorset is an online marketplace that showcases some of the best local artisan businesses. Featuring over 70 vendors, you can buy anything from a kitchen table to handmade jewellery, safe in the knowledge that you are helping a small local business owner.

This Month - Jewellery.

(just click the images opposite to go straight to the item on the website) 1. Silver Swift pendant by Kathryn Arbon Jewellery £65 2. Silver Delft Pottery Cabochon Pendant Kathryn Arbon Jewellery £65

3. Paisley Fine Silver Charm Bracelet by Happy GoJo £33

7. Circle Of Life Bracelet by Piece Designs £40

4. Silver Hawthorn Leaf Necklace with freshwater pearl by Yvette Cannon £280 5. Molten Pebble initial pendant by Dorset Hill Jewellery £30

8. Snowdrop porcelain pendant by Deborah Clarke Ceramics £18

6. Sterling Silver Beaten Kalahari Discs by Yvette Cannon £265

9. Three Little Stars Fine Silver Charm Bracelet by Happy GoJo £43 Open Heart Ring this page - £22 Always free - subscribe here

DORSET ARTISANS

by Edwina Baines edwina@theblackmorevale.co.uk

ART

A corner of the Charlie Baird exhibition at The Art Stable in Child Okeford

Unlocking Charlie Baird

A squeeze from one of his grandmother’s old tubes of oil paint; a dusting of Sahara sand; moss scraped from a Hebridean Standing Stone. These are some of the textural talismans which might be added to the surface pigment of a Charlie Baird painting. Initially reticent when it comes to discussing his work (or disclosing techniques such as these!) we sat outside in the sunshine in front of The Art Stable in Child Okeford, where he was hanging his latest exhibition “Unlocked.” On entry to The Gallery, there are the instantly recognisable prominent ramparts of Hambledon Hill against a backdrop of a gloomy teal

coloured sky. In contrast, the blues and turquoises of “Village” give us a hint of what is perhaps a Child Okeford winter on a frosty morning, with pleasing

jumbles of cottages etched into the landscape. Whereas “Below The Hills” shows a more abstracted glow in a patchwork of summer colours, as if nature has been rearranged. Vaguely sinister and mysterious glider-like birds swoop between the blue and grey trunks of a forest in “Small Flock in the Wood.”

“It is easier to paint a gloomy picture than a cheerful one. Where would I be without anxiety?”

‘Hambledon Hill’

remarked Charlie, in his typically self-effacing manner. But there is nothing gloomy in the warmth of the Naples Yellow light that emanates from many of the canvases. His colour palette, though often muted, glows with Always free - subscribe here

POLITICS

Charlie Baird outside the Art Stable as the hanging of his work for the Unlocked Clare Shepherd with her painting ’Sheep on the Hill at Brendan Two Gates’ exhibition begins to take shape. image by Edwina Baines

ART shades of Terra Rosa, Phthalo Turquoise and Burnt Sienna. There is an earthiness to the mainly abstract work and a use of different media to convey atmosphere: inspired by the local landscape of The Blackmore Vale, these compositions emerged almost entirely from his imagination. Charlie explained: “Painting can be like groping around in the dark. Sometimes I know what I’ve got in mind. Sometimes it’s making a mess on the canvas; applying the paint and then scratching it off and scraping back; waiting for it to evolve. It’s a process of exploration. What I like about Britain is its history and archaeology and the traces of human influence left by the past - fields, hedges, walls, buildings. There are so many layers. Real and metaphorical. It’s like stripping back the layers of consciousness. Painting is a mixture of inspiration, skill and conjuring tricks to hopefully reveal a kind of magic of its own. It’s using the skills to do the conjuring trick, trying to catch light or atmosphere, to summon the mood.” A sensitive painter, in previous exhibitions he certainly has done this as well: in his Moroccan, Indian, Spanish and Caribbean paintings the moods and atmospheres were summoned as echoes of the past - for he never uses a memory board: all images are conjured up in his mind. He is most certainly skillful. Charlie is reticent to talk of his talent which, inherited from his grandmother and an uncle, was honed from an early age. Indeed he has said: “Many paintings begin with evoking a memory from childhood.” His first solo exhibition was held at the prestigious Crane Kalman

Charlie Baird’s ‘Hidden Valley’ Mixed media on linen, 76 x 102cm £2700

Gallery, London in 1977 and placed him firmly on the map. Kalman, a Hungarian refugee, was influential in his early career and “a lovely man” according to Charlie. Then a period of study of lithography and screen printing in San Miguel, Mexico and the Wimbledon School of Art, London. Although, he adds with a twinkle in his eye, that his time in Mexico was partly about drinking tequila! From 1983-85 he attended the Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris and since then there have been solo exhibitions in London, Europe and America. His paintings have been selected for the Royal Academy’s Summer Show on a number of occasions and in recent years he has had one-man exhibitions in the gallery of Cadogan Contemporary in London.

“Paintings can sometimes form immediately, and sometimes they are a kind of battleground of winning and losing territory”

he admitted. It can evolve with a ground of quickly drying acrylic applied to the blank canvas before adding the layers of oil and then scratching back to reveal hidden surfaces. The works in this current exhibition come from the last year of lockdown without the possibility for travel, so Charlie has dug more deeply into his memories, combining abstract and more figurative images. Local walks have provided the initial inspiration but he will often leave a piece and then come back some time later; thus each work can evolve, perhaps moved by inspiration or chance. As for the future after lockdown, Charlie is looking forward to the resumption of his weekly Artslink art classes in Sherborne. At “Transformation of Landscape” participants bring in photos or sketches to develop the use of colour and tone, whilst Charlie sets exercises and provides tips. He is also longing for his old haunts in the Hebrides and Andalucia.

Charlie’s new Exhibition “Unlocked” is at The Art Stable, Child Okeford and runs until April 17th. All the work can be viewed on The Art Stable Gallery website Always free - subscribe here

POLITICS

FORM Sculpture Exhibition

1st April - 16th May

An inspirational exhibition of indoor and outdoor sculpture by over 30 of the UK’s top sculptors at Sculpture by the Lakes, a beautiful oasis for art lovers and gardeners alike nestled in 26 acres of Dorset’s glorious countryside www.sculpturebythelakes.co.uk gallery@sculpturebythelakes.co.uk

Sponsored by

Sculpture by the Lakes, Dorset DT2 8QU

ART

Sculpture by the Lakes – The Art of Tranquillity

Nestled in the Dorset countryside just six miles east of Dorchester is one of the county’s hidden gems - Sculpture by the Lakes. This 26-acre sculpture park is a glorious gallery under the skies, where visitors can escape from daily worries surrounded by woodland, water, gardens and inspiring works of art.

Sculpture by the Lakes is owned by Simon Gudgeon, an internationally recognised sculptor favoured by royalty and rock stars alike, with more than 30 of his pieces installed in the grounds. Considered to be one of Britain’s leading contemporary sculptors, despite never having sculpted anything until the age of 40, Simon has become known for his signature, smooth-style and his minimalist, semi-abstract

large-scale sculptures. Search for Enlightenment, Simon’s iconic bronze sculpture of two backward-tilted heads, is a firm favourite with visitors to Sculpture by the Lakes, along with another of Simon’s most famous pieces Isis, aka Serenity. Its elegant pared-back form typifies much of Simon’s tone and style as an artist. His works also feature in highprofile public locations, including Kew Gardens and Hyde Park in the UK, as well as internationally, and form part of many important private collections – three generations of the Royal Family own a Simon Gudgeon sculpture. Over the past decade Simon has turned Sculpture by the Lakes into a piece of art in its own right, not only creating sculptures, but designing and making every element, from benches and hanging seats to fencing and plant supports, while his wife Monique and a small team of gardeners have created

the gardens, walkways, wildlife havens, and planted hundreds of trees. Together the couple have transformed this space from the working fishery it once was, into a stunning and unique visitor attraction, over time opening up galleries, an award-winning café, developing the landscape and every year adding more art works. This creative hub also plays host to events throughout the year, from art exhibitions and workshops, to large scale events such as last summer’s hugely successful Dorset Arts Festival, which safely welcomed some 2,000 people. To experience this magical haven of peace, nature, and art book online here https://www. sculpturebythelakes.co.uk/. Tickets must be pre-booked and visitor numbers are capped to ensure social distancing is maintained.

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PHOTOGRAPHY

Wincanton Camera Club Has More Success - And Invites You To Join ‘Lyme Regis Storm’ by Meyrick Griffith-Jones

Two members of Wincanton Camera Club are excited to have had images accepted for the Western Counties Photographic Federation annual members exhibition, and one - ‘Lyme Regis Storm’ by Meyrick Griffith-Jones, below - has been selected to go forward to the inter-Regional competition stage. Meyrick, who had six images accepted,w is quick to enthuse about the support of the camera club “For clubs, Covid has not been all doom and gloom. Zoom has been a means of getting top quality speakers to deliver talks, without attracting travel costs, and Wincanton has really used that facility. Zoom has also reduced members costs of travelling to, and hiring, halls, and has helped the less mobile ‘attend’ meetings. So there have actually been benefits!”

Brian Stubbs, who had three images slected (Meyrick was quick to point out that “...he should have done better, but entered the “Creative Section” which is really for the weird and wonderful, montages etc. His weren’t creative enough so he lost out. Really a case of the wrong class, which is a pity, because he had some very good shots; but wisdom costs!”) was equally happy:

“I was very pleased to have these images accepted into the exhibition in a very competitive section - and Meyrick did incredibly well. Not bad for a small club like ours!” Both Meyrick and Brian are keen to invite anyone who is

interested in photography to join the club. “We are a small and friendly club and are always pleased to welcome all - beginners or more experienced photographers alike - who share our enthusiasm for picture making. “On the programme page are details of our next two talks. One is by Will Goodlet, who is both amusing and a fabulous photographer of South African Wildlife. And the other is by Paul Mitchell FRPS, whose woodland photography is quite outstanding. He is one of the panel judging Fellowship awards for the RPS, in the landscape section, and he produces photos to die for.” If you are interested in becoming a member please get in touch via our contact page - we’d love to hear from you.

Alex Hua Tian at Nunney Castle - Brian Stubbs

Lulworth Winter Sunset - Meyrick Griffith-Jones

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READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY Sunset over the River Stour, 21st March - Mark at Skyfast Media

Kingfisher near Blandford 29th March - Jasmine Shiner

We welcome photography submissions from readers - the only rules are that they must have been taken in the last month. From our submissions pile, each month an image is chosen as our cover shot. If you’d like to join in and have your work featured, please either tag us on Instagram (@theblackmorevale), share it on our Facebook Group, or simply email it to editor@theblackmorevale.co.uk.

READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY

The Blackmore Vale on the 30th March - David Thompson

Bournemouth on a calm dusk, taken 15th March - Olympia Freiin von Woellwarth-Lauterburg

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PHOTOGRAPHY

March with Blandford Forum Camera Club In March, Blandford Forum Camera Club, started with the Points Cup Competition Round No 6, Norman Marsh from Weymouth was our judge. The top score of 10 marks were awarded to Graham Hutton – Golden Glow, Debbie Davies – Blood Orange Still Life, and closely followed with 9.5 marks by Pat Catley – Early Morning on the River. Our first guest speaker of the month was Polina Plotnikova, her second virtual visit to the club. This time we were shown the versatility of the ‘Lens Baby’ set of lenses, with some very creative examples of what can be done in camera, to some more subtle and

dreamy effects. As a stark contrast our second guest speaker was Andrew Moss, an accomplished sports photographer based in South London. Disappointed that photography had been somewhat curtailed in the last year Andrew had found developing his talk was a positive. It was a comprehensive presentation, with many images of many sports. Andrew gave advice on capturing the decisive moment, with many tips and ideas for us to try. Huw Morgan joined us from Canada, with a presentation ‘Conceptual Photography’. With a nod to the artists and photographers that had influenced him, Huw gave an inspirational talk on developing ideas and producing his fine art photography. In addition Huw

did a spot on post-production which I am sure some of the members will be trying themselves. Still to come this season, Bob Johnson with his talk ‘Kingdom of the Ice Bear’, and Tracey Lund with ‘Images of Wildlife’. Guests and new members are always welcome - there is no expectation of ability or photographic equipment (mobile phone to DSLR) and our members photograph anything from wildlife, street photography, landscapes to still life & portraits. The shared interest is in creating the images you like and helping each other improve, learning how to edit as sympathetically or creatively as you choose, and then how to present any photographs for viewing. Please visit our website http://www.bfcclub.co.uk/

Golden Glow by Graham Hutton

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HEALTH

Sleeping Your Way To Good Health

by Karen Geary, a Registered Nutritional Therapist DipION, mBANT, CNHC at Amplify

How many hours of sleep did you get last night? Was it uninterrupted? Did you struggle getting off to sleep? These are the questions I ask clients when they see me. You may ask – what has this got to do with nutrition?

Sleep is the first step towards great health. What we eat and drink, how much we exercise, how much exposure to natural daylight we have, all have an impact on our sleep. Poor sleep makes us vulnerable to infections and illnesses, increases inflammation, lowers our immunity and stops us from losing weight. Prolonged sleep deficiency or disturbance can lead to chronic, systemic

low-grade inflammation and is associated with various diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and neuro degeneration. How much sleep do we need? We still don’t really know how much sleep is ideal for our specific bodies. The recommended time I read about is 7-8 hours sleep a night but studies vary.

How to improve your sleep Preparation: • • • • •

No clutter in the bedroom. Get the room as dark as you can. No unnecessary electrical equipment in the bedroom. Bedroom temperature ideally needs to be below 20 deg C. If you sleep with someone who is always cold and you are always hot, buy two single duvets with different tog ratings.

•

During the day: •

•

• • • • •

Exercise. If you didn’t sleep well the night before, choose something to stress your body, eg. go for a run instead of yoga. Get high quality light by spending time outside before noon to increase the production of serotonin. Serotonin is a precursor to melatonin which is needed for deep sleep. Stop caffeine by noon Practice mindfulness or some form of meditation Reduce high sugar foods Before bed time – remember the two hour rule: Try to adopt a ritual to wind down the mind before bed.

• •

•

It might be a soothing bath, music, reading, family chat time, chamomile tea. Stop eating and drinking alcohol at least two hours before bedtime. Have cherry juice with dinner. It has the highest food source of melatonin (our sleep hormone). Cherry Active Concentrate is available in health stores or on Amazon. No devices two hours before, or if that is not possible, reduce ‘blue’ light from TV’s, computers, tablets, smartphones, energy efficient light bulbs. Wear blue blocking glasses, switch to ‘night mode’ or red screen on devices, use dimmer switches.

At bed time:

• • • •

• •

•

Go to bed at the same time. Unplug all unnecessary electricals. Ban devices from the bedroom. If you have noise, deploy earplugs or a white noise machine. If you do allow a device into your room, use an app that has a background noise such as lapping waves. If you can’t get the room dark, try an eye mask. If you wake up in the night, try belling breathing or box breathing and counting until you drift off again. Get up at the same time every day.

HEALTH Mel Mitchell is an experienced Personal Trainer, Kettlercise and group exercise instructor and sports massage therapist based in Sturminster Newton.

The key to keeping motivated!

With a year of restrictions and lockdowns it seemed fitting to talk about ways to keep yourself motivated to do exercise. Trust me, even as fitness professionals we have days where we struggle with motivation. We are only human at the end of the day! Peoples attitude towards exercise can have a massive impact on motivation. If you dread something then the likelihood is that you won’t enjoy it and motivation suffers as a result.

It is all about finding the thing that you love doing. Changing your attitude towards exercise can be as simple as trying something different. Even in lockdown we could exercise outside with another person - it’s a great way to maintain a connection as well as keeping each other motivated.

For example, if running isn’t your thing then give swimming or cycling a go. You don’t know you like something until you try it! I for one am always trying new forms of exercise just to keep life interesting. As personal trainers we are taught that setting goals is one of the fundamental ways of keeping clients motivated. But it is important not to become overwhelmed by the larger longterm goal. Instead, cut it down into small manageable chunks, concentrating on achieving the smaller goals one at a time. Remember ‘a little progress each day adds up to big results’. Scheduling in exercise during your week can be another great way to keep you motivated. It certainly is for me! My work commitments can sometimes mean it’s difficult for me to set up a consistent exercise routine. Sitting down and writing it in the

Mel Mitchell

diary can help keep you accountable. If you have a friend that you can recruit as a fitness buddy, then even better! Organising exercise with a partner in crime means you are accountable to others and will help keep both parties motivated. Joining clubs, fitness classes or even having sessions with a personal trainer is another great way of keeping on track. Remembering your ‘why’ is important. There might be many reasons why you exercise, whether it’s to keep fit or for mental health reasons. It is important to not lose sight of why you started your exercise journey in the first place. Always happy to answer your questions - send them to me on melmitchellmassage@gmail.com

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BEAUTY Caroline, a multi-award winning Dorset makeup artist, who runs ‘Amazing Face’, shares professional secrets from inside her beauty box.

How to improve naturally tired faces a spring pick-me-up BB cream is a wonderful pick me up for faces that look and feel tired. A BB cream is generally a foundation, moisturizer, and sunscreen all at once. So if you have no time, a BB is an all-in-one skin perfecter. It primes, brightens and evens out the skin, projecting a more youthful younger-looking you. It gets applied before your sunscreen .

The eyes are one of the first areas to show signs of aging.

So start by brightening the upper and under eye using the ‘Triangle of Light’ technique: create an upside-down triangle under each eye, gently pressing product into the skin. It makes the area look dramatically lifted.

Exfoliate.

(I always think this is one of the most important parts of great skin and a fab makeup) Do this at least once a week. It lifts off dead skin, stimulates the circulation and brightens the skin. If you don’t, even a light application of base will stick, clog and look dry - and ages you like nothing else! Do the same on your lips too, then pop some serum on them before your lipstick. This makes the lips also look plump and more youthful. Also outline lips, and always use a moisturising lipstick, never matte.

Sheen but don’t Shine.

A little sheen on your skin will automatically make your skin look younger. I don’t mean oil slick - just the gentle dust of highlighter on the cheekbones works wonders. Adding a cream blush that make the skin glow, and can also be used on the lips to co ordinate a quick look.

Bronzer.

Yes, we can all use it to bring back that radiant and youthful glow. Apply bronzer using a big fluffy brush to the high points of the face. A touch of blush on the apple of the cheek will imitates the fresh look of a brisk walk.

Say Noooo to sparkly eyeshadow.

Most people will want to stay away from sparkle and shimmer from a certain age, but a little bit of shimmer can be nice on the lid. Just avoid the brow bone.

Broken capillaries and age marks

If you have discoloration and broken capillaries, the right type of concealer coverage, just where needed, will help not only in

lasting throughout the day but also will prevent you from having to apply a heavy foundation. It’s a great quick fix if someone comes to the door !

Foundation

A little trick I picked up on my travels to make foundation softer on natural skins is to mix a little serum (1-2 drops of Estée Lauder Advanced Night repair Serum) with your foundation. It smooths, brightens and softens skin and just gives it a softer glow... try it, you’ll thank me! Have a great month, questions always answered on Caro1@ me.com and if you know anyone getting married pop them my way for their hair and makeup !

BUSINESS NEWS

Sherborne Business Awards Announces a Date - and A Real Venue! The Sherborne Business Awards have announced the date and venue for their awards ceremony. “We have looked at all possibilities regarding the date.” said Nigel Reeve, of the organisers Marketing West “The level and quality of entries just show the range of local businesses, while the support we have received has been fantastic. “The awards website has already had just short of 1,000 viewings since its launch” continued Nigel “and that’s before the awards ceremony. The number of entries were at least twice what we expected.

With 100 entries to read through the judges have had quite a challenge picking the winners in the first Sherborne Business Awards, with judging apprently remarkably close in all twelve categories.

“We initially wanted to run the awards ceremony in February, but lockdown restrictions made that impossible. We also looked at just streaming the awards, but after the level of support we have had, felt we wanted to give as many as possible to chance to attend.

The entries were spread across a wide range of business sectors, and highlighted just how many fantastic independent traders, unique shops, and services there are in Sherborne.

“I’m pleased to announce that, subject to the easing of restrictions, the awards will be held at lunchtime on Thursday, 3rd June at the Oborne Grange Hotel, close to Sherborne.”

According to Nigel, the current plan - covid-willing - is to have sponsors and entrants attend the event in person, and if possible to invite local businesses and the public to attend too.

“We want to help get business moving again and hopefully, the awards contribute in some small way.” Nigel explained. Further details will be sent out as the date gets closer. Thank you again to all the entrants, supporters, and sponsors. Without your support, this would not have been possible.”.

The awards will also be streamed live to give everyone the chance to watch the awards. The awards are organised to promote the range and quality of local businesses. A quiet Sherborne during lockdown

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BUSINESS NEWS - with Andrew Diprose of DORSETBIZNEWS

Dress sustainably, save elephants: the fashion brand taking a stand against the ivory crisis

A local sustainable fashion brand is taking a stand against the ivory crisis, habitat loss and climate change. North Dorset’s Jolly Elephant hand-prints and sells sustainable and ethically-made clothing. The range includes 100 per cent organic vegan cotton and recycled polyester hoodies and t-shirts.

Aside from sustainable materials, Jolly Elephant: • Uses ethical Fair Wear Foundation member factories • Donates ten per cent of its profits to the David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation • Plants trees for each order • Uses no plastic packaging • Uses only solar power from an on-site solar installation. The company says that it is disrupting fashion and aims to be

“one of the most sustainable clothing brands on this planet”.

Founder and Managing Director Kacper Jednorowicz took more than a year to find the highest quality, most ethical garment suppliers, and form the most environmentally friendly processes in the industry. The brand has offices at Shaftesbury but Jolly Elephant’s base is near Sturminster Newton. All of the clothing is hand-printed and prepared-to-order, so waste is reduced by preventing overproduction. The company also has a unique way of dealing with returns and exchanges:

Kacper said: “With no compromise on ethics or the environment, we’re a small team, fuelled by our passion for wildlife, that design and print clothing at our very own solarpowered facility and warehouse in a small rural village. “Through our work, we hope to educate why elephants matter while having a direct impact on endangered wildlife and redefining the fashion industry by taking fast fashion out of the picture.

They’re all donated to homeless shelters and charity shops, giving their clothing an extended life.

When customers’ clothing reaches the end of its life, Jolly Elephant says that the cotton content – 100 % in t-shirts and 85% in hoodies – is recyclable and biodegradable. It is, therefore, safe to put into home recycling and compost bins.

10% of all Jolly Elephant profit directly supports Wildlife Conservation efforts.

BUSINESS NEWS - with Andrew Diprose of DORSETBIZNEWS

Major initiatives announced to help promote local businesses Marketing West, the West Dorset events and marketing company, has announced a major initiative to help get business moving again.

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It is holding the first of a series of business bounceback seminars starting on Friday, May 7. The seminar will be free to view through live streaming to reach the maximum audience. It has lined up high-profile speakers, each briefed to help businesses expand after the recent lockdown. They include: • TV business news journalist, Declan Curry • Tej Parikh, Chief Economist at the Institute of Directors • Chris Loder, West Dorset MP

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Nick Gregory of the Dorest Growth Hub • Susannah Brade-Waring, business adviser and coach • Sarah Ali Choudhury, entrepreneur and Small Business Britain champion Anyone wishing to receive the login details for the seminar can register here.

Nigel Reeve, of Marketing West, said: “The idea of the bounceback seminar is to help and focus on getting business moving again. “The first bounceback online seminar will have advice for businesses, designed to motivate and help.”

Making the right decisions can be stressful at the best of times, but we are here to help. Whatever’s on your mind, just ask.

WALKER WEALTH MANAGEMENT LTD Partner Practice of St. James’s Place Wealth Management

Lee Walker

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Director Tel: 01202 087499 Email: lee.walker@sjpp.co.uk www.walkerwm.co.uk The Partner Practice is an Appointed Representative of and represents only St. James's Place Wealth Management plc (which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority) for the purpose of advising solely on the group's wealth management products and services, more details of which are set out on the group's website www.sjp.co.uk/products. The 'St. James's Place Partnership' and the titles 'Partner' and 'Partner Practice' are marketing terms used to describe St. James's Place representatives.

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Advertorial

A garden room for all seasons Have you found yourself looking out of the window, wishing you had just a bit more space?

A place to work in peace and quiet, perhaps; or maybe the space to open your own small business; a music studio; or your personal gym; or simply a space for quiet contemplation…? Then a garden room might be just what you’re looking for.

A home from home

A garden room provides a dedicated space that is ‘at home’,

but also ‘not home’. Away from the demands and distractions of family life - but only a short step away, and amongst the green space, light, and birdsong of your own garden.

Handcrafted garden rooms “The way we see it, our responsibility is to create the space for you to spread your wings,” says Sally Travers who, with her husband Nick, a qualified engineer with 25 years’ experience in construction, this month launches Blandford-based Fairfield Outdoor Living, their family enterprise dedicated to building great outdoor spaces. All Fairfield Outdoor Living garden rooms are built on site by Nick and the team, who see each project right through

from beginning to end, and are responsible for every aspect of the build. The individually styled and crafted buildings use traditional timber-frame construction on solid, piled foundations, and finished externally in beautiful and durable Western Red Cedar. The garden rooms are highly insulated, and fitted with electric sockets and lighting to provide a stylish, contemporary, energyefficient space that can be enjoyed throughout the year, whatever the weather.

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Nick is happy to visit you in your garden to talk through ideas and to survey the site (in compliance with Covid guidelines). For more information, visit https://www. fairfieldoutdoorliving.co.uk or call Sally directly 07799 086400.

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Night Sky April 2021 What you can see this month This month it's all about Venus as it returns to the evening skies in April, making it a planet to keep an eye on for the rest of the year. Venus will slowly re-emerge into the evening twilight as an ‘Evening Star’, just as it did for much of 2019 and 2020. Perhaps tricky to see in the early part of April due to it's positioning with the sun. But as the month moves on things will improve as Venus’s brightness will help the planet stand out so that it can confidently be seen against the evening twilight. Later in the month Venus has a close encounter with Mercury. On 25 April, Venus and Mercury appear extreemly close (in astrological terms) just after the sun has set, and the remain together in the Northwest horizon for about 45 minutes after sunset. Best to see Venus after the sun has set using a pair of binoculars. More planets to spot in April: It shouldn’t be long before Mercury too pops out of the bright twilight sky. While Venus takes a while to crawl away from the Sun, Mercury appears to move much faster and over the following nights the Solar System’s innermost planet zips away from Venus, climbing higher in the sky. It retains a pretty decent brightness too for the rest of the month. It’s a great opportunity to try and spot Mercury if you’ve never seen it before. Mars is now well past its best for its current viewing, with its brightness dropping over the month and its apparent size dropping as well as it moves away. It’s also getting lower as darkness falls. Its rapid apparent eastward motion will keep it visible for a while longer but with such a small viewable disc size it’ will be tricky to get any serious detail from the planet even with a telescope. Jupiter is a morning planet, rising 70 minutes before the Sun at the month’s start, but this month it doesn't rise very high in the sky at all. Saturn is the last planet that you can observe this month and again it is a morning object, making only the briefest of appearances quite low before sunrise and then soon lost to the early morning light.

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JIGSAW

Simply click to complete on your tablet, computer or phone - or there’s a download option if you prefer pen and paper.

This month’s jigsaw is courtesy of the adorable Alpacas at East Stour. Simply click the image and the interactive jigsaw will pop up.

POLITICS

Caring for Monkey World’s Primates Through Covid-19 Although the gates to Monkey World have been closed for the majority of this past year, the centre has still been bustling with activity! The animals have given us routine and we have directed all our energies into keeping them fit, well and stimulated in their rehabilitated family groups.

All 260 rescued primates enjoyed natural enrichment, as the gardening team cleared bamboo from the public areas of the park. A-mei, one of our female orangutans, enjoyed making a nest out of it, while Bart’s chimps chewed on this rarely had snack! The chimps enjoyed Christmas stockings; football socks stuffed with walnuts, oranges and other treats, which

provided hours of fun, as the chimps had to balance up high and un-tie the socks from the hoses. Rescues have also been ongoing, but this year, limited to monkeys trapped in the legal UK pet trade. Through lockdown, humans have realised how hard it is for social beings to be taken from their families, restricted access to the outside and had their natural behaviours curbed - and yet we still find monkeys being bought as pets and kept alone, in small birdcages in living rooms right here in Britain. Thankfully the team have also been busy working with the government on banning the keeping of primates as pets in England - so we’re hopeful this is coming to an end.

Now spring is upon us and we are looking forward to welcoming in a fresh start - as well as visitors again on the 12th April, government restrictions allowing. To ensure that visitors, staff and primates are safe, we’ve installed many hand sanitiser stations, limited entry numbers and introduced a pre-booking system online. All visitors aged 3+ will be required to wear a face mask, covering or visor. These steps are necessary to protect our vulnerable rescued and endangered primates, who our dedicated staff have worked so hard to protect over the past year and keep healthy and happy! To book a visit, please visit www.monkeyworld.org/ book-tickets/ Follow the park on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for daily updates of monkey business.

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WHAT’S ON

The Fringe Is On! Organisers of Shaftesbury Fringe says they’re excited by their decision to go ahead with the event this summer.

Fringe will be held over four days on 27th, 28th, 29th and 30th August 2021. Shaftesbury Fringe was last held in 2019 when it was England’s third-largest performance event. Co-Chairman James Thrift says the festival may not be as large this year due to Covid-19 uncertainties and because

Discover Wimborne … Virtually Discover Wimborne this April with a host of virtual events, videos and activities for all the family. Every April, Wimborne’s businesses and other venues have opened their doors, offering events, workshops, special promotions, competitions and activities as part of a festival of discovery. Last year Discover Wimborne was cancelled, and this year, to comply with Covid 19 regulations, the festival is going digital. Wimborne BID organise the event, and BID Manager,

organisers expect some social distancing measures will be in place. “I think we can all accept now that this is going to be a different Fringe,” said James. Fringe committee members are currently talking with Shaftesbury businesses that have expressed an interest in acting as venues. The organisers say they understand their important role in hosting a celebration to bring our community back together. They are committed to playing a part in helping Shaftesbury Tammy Sleet, said it’s all about connection; “we wanted to provide something that connected people to the town, and Discover Wimborne is a great way to do that. There’ll be a dedicated website, and people will be able to view videos, download activities and see special offers.” And this will only be the start of something special. “we’ve never thought of doing a virtual festival before the pandemic,” said Tammy, “but in future, even when we are allowed to get together again, I am sure an element of online will stay with Discover Wimborne.”

‘bounce back’, supporting businesses and local performers and artists in a safe, responsible way. “If you’re a band or individual, no matter where you are, if you can get here to perform and you want to do something, get in touch. We will find somewhere for you to do something,” said co-Chairman Rob Neeley. Event information will be added to the website https://www. shaftesburyfringe.co.uk/ as it becomes available. As well as the website www. discoverwimborne.com, the events will be supported by Wimborne’s digital shop window, ShopAppy. ShopAppy, supported by Wimborne BID and Dorset LEP, gives an opportunity for every business in Wimborne to sell online. It has been a lifeline to some businesses in Wimborne and allows customers passionate about shopping local to support their favourite businesses, even if they are closed. The platform will play host to the Handmade Wimborne market. Visit www.shopappy.com/ wimborne to see who’s there.

Some of the events on offer include a virtual version of the well-loved craft market, Handmade Wimborne, a virtual food tour, and some top tips from specialist businesses.

WHAT’S ON

THREE Local Food Festivals are a Go! eat:Festivals are hosting 3 markets in our area this spring including a new one in Lyme Regis. eat:Lyme Regis on Saturday 24 April joins eat:Castle Cary on 1 May and eat:Yeovil on 22 May as one day celebrations of local and regional food and drink, organised by multi-award winning eat:Festivals. We caught up with them to find out more. eat:Festivals are led by Bev and Sarah Milner Simonds – two women on a mission to reconnect residents with the productive landscape that surrounds them. The social enterprise started in 2012 in their hometown of Burnham-onSea and has grown steadily now hosting 23 events in Somerset, Devon, South Gloucestershire and Dorset each year. “We know that weekend shindigs, days out and socialising have all been turned on their heads over the past year with plans disrupted and many regular events cancelled. In 2021 we are hoping for the best, but ensuring our plans include a worst-case scenario. We managed to deliver 6 socially distanced and covid-secure events between lockdowns in 2020 and we are thrilled with the support from local council officers and support services in planning a fresh series of adapted markets in 2021. The three towns we are working

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ADVERTORIAL eat:Festivals presents

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in are so 10AM - 4PM different: Castle Cary TOWN CENTRE with its CASTLE CARY honey coloured market house, the churchyard of St John’s in Yeovil and the seafront at Lyme Regis are all magnificent backdrops to showcase the micro and small OUTDOORS producers from across FREE ENTRY the region – many of LOCAL PRODUCERS whom have WWW.EATFESTIVALS.ORG not been to a live market for over a year. New towns, like Lyme Regis, Covid restrictions meant many are really important to our event organisers weren’t able to aims. We focus on producers adapt who are based within 30miles their model to enable them to of our host towns, so when we continue trading and this cut see applications coming in from off a vital revenue stream for small businesses based outside these family businesses. We have our area, we want to create changed how we work and are routes to market for them close thrilled to be back curating great to where they are. food & drink markets. Traders who had only just started out when the pandemic Each event is free to attend restrictions hit were some of and will have approximately the hardest hit by the lack of 60 regional food and drink events, so we are launching a producers well-spaced, with new support initiative, Start Out some socially distanced Strong [SOS], to help them.” entertainment. They are all open air and will have measures in place to minimise the risk of COVID-19 transmission. We are asking visitors to keep local, plan their visit and abide by the latest Sarah & Bev Milner Simonds government advice.

FOOD & DRINK SUPERMARKET

image: Tom Campbell Photography

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WHAT’S ON

Dorset Opera’s first MozartFest

Lovers of Mozart’s operas get a treat this summer when the Dorset Opera Festival stages its first ever productions of two of the Austrian composer’s greatest works, Don Giovanni and Cosi Fan Tutte. Returning after last year’s enforced Covid-cancellation, the

Ralph Fiennes in TS Eliot premiere THE Nobel laureate TS Eliot lived for some time at East Coker, near Yeovil, and is buried in the churchyard. He also used the name for one of the Four Quartets, generally acknowledged as his poetic masterpiece. The multi-award-winning theatre and film star Ralph Fiennes will direct and star in the world premiere stage adaptation of this great work,

opera festival will run from July 19-24, at the usual venue, Coade Hall, at Bryanston School. But while it will be the first time in its 47 year history that Dorset Opera will stage Mozart, it will also be without one of its most important features, the chorus.

“So, for the first time ever, we are presenting a MozartFest featuring operas that, as they have little or no chorus, we would never normally be able to consider,” says Dorset Opera Festival artistic director Rod Kennedy. As well as the two great da Ponte operas, there will also be a semi-staged version of Händel’s Acis and Galatea, using the Mozart orchestration.

A key aspect of Dorset Opera Festival has always been the summer school for singers and technical theatre students from across the world who sing and work alongside the professionals. This year, sadly, the festival management feels it would be unwise to run the summer school.

There are options to go outdoors if social distancing is reintroduced. For this reason, tickets will be sold for a 50 per cents capacity audience. If the government lifts all restrictions on theatrical performance on 21st June, the remaining seats will then be released. Visit the website, dorsetopera.com, for more information.

reopening Bath Theatre Royal after lockdown, from Tuesday May 25 to Saturday June 5. Most recently seen starring with Carey Mulligan in The Dig on Netflix, Fiennes’ many film roles have included Schindler’s List, The English Patient and The Grand Budapest Hotel, while recent stage appearances have included Antony and Cleopatra, Richard III and The Master Builder on stage. Fiennes went to Bishop Wordsworth’s School in Salisbury. Four Quartets was the culminating achievement of Eliot’s career. In four powerful sections, Burnt Norton, East

Coker, The Dry Salvages and Little Gidding, it offers interwoven meditations on the nature of time, faith, and the quest for spiritual enlightenment, with reflections upon surviving periods of national crisis.

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WHAT’S ON

The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival Set to Return

Image: Tim Abell

The largest celebration of history in the UK, The Daily Mail Chalke Valley History Festival is set to return from the afternoon of Wednesday 23rd to the evening of Sunday 27th June. Taking place at its spectacular venue in Broad Chalke, it will be one of the first big ‘live’ events of the summer, starting just two days after the proposed lifting of Covid restrictions on 21st June. The five-day event - made possible after receiving a generous grant from the Arts Council Culture Recovery Fund - will take place in accordance with Government guidelines, with strict health and safety regulations in place where necessary. As an outdoor festival, many of the planned activities will be centred around two big marquees and two new stages

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that will host talks as well as the large tents. The festival will offer its usual amazing line-up of talks, topical debates, living history and activities for children, with eminent historians and household names all bringing history to life. James Holland, Festival Chair, said: “We are incredibly excited about the festival’s return. It will be the first big family event to take place in nearly 18 months, and will be a fabulous chance for families to go out, have fun, meet friends across the spacious layout of the site, to soak up some culture in a safe environment. The programme is going to be wide-ranging with lots to see and do, and we really can’t wait to welcome everyone back!” There will not be a physical Festival for Schools this year. Instead, the festival will be creating a wealth of specifically generated content ready for the start of the academic year in September. This will include filming curriculum-based talks

from leading academics and historians relevant for students in Years 10 and 12, and also delivering a mass of filmed material for Years 6, 7, and 8. In this way the festival will provide a long-term, free digital resource in line with the aims of the Chalke Valley History Trust. The full programme, and more detailed information about what’s in store this year, will be unveiled very soon. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on Wednesday 19th May. For more details about the Festival, please visit www. cvhf.org.uk . Follow all the news on Twitter at @ CVHISTORYFEST and on Facebook and Instagram. Talks given by incredible historians, taken from the past ten years of the festival, can now be heard on the Chalke Valley History Festival podcast. Entitled #ChalkeTalk, the podcasts are released three times a week. Always free - subscribe here

Promotions at Blanchards Bailey

Award-winning local law firm Blanchards Bailey LLP has announced a raft of promotions, including two new Partners, as the business continues to grow, bucked the trend driven by the pandemic. The firm worked hard to implement the latest technological developments, embrace innovative working methods and invest heavily in staff to ensure clients were offered an unbroken service during such troubled and challenging times. The two new partners at the Legal 500 ranked firm are Laura Martin, Head of Family Law, and Ben Jones, Litigation & Disputes.

Laura, with Blanchards Bailey since 2004, deals with all aspects

of family law, is a Law Society Accredited Family Mediator and mentioned by the Legal 500, meaning she is one of the most outstanding solicitors in her field. She said: “Although I am thrilled to have been made Partner my work in helping people through some of the most difficult times of their lives will continue unabated.” Ben, with the firm since 2017, specialises in all aspects of property and company commercial disputes as well as over-seeing the firm’s marketing initiatives. He said: “It is an honour to have been made Partner. Blanchards Bailey is very much an outwardlooking firm and my intention is to help drive business forward.”

FAMILY LAW

Laura Martin and Ben Jones, the new Partners at Blanchards Bailey LLP

Also promoted and taking up their new roles from 1 April are: Lucy Mignot, Senior Associate; Catherine Roberts, Senior Associate and Matt Collis, Associate. Managing Partner Paul Dunlop said: “All five colleagues thoroughly deserve their promotions. They went through our arduous new selection process to ensure their excellence, understanding and commitment to our cause.” Blanchards Bailey, which also has offices in Poundbury, Shaftesbury and Weymouth, was extensively recognised in the UK’s leading law sector directory, the Legal 500 2020/21.

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Battens Solicitors

FAMILY LAW

Landlord and Tenant Update 2021

There is currently a ban on Bailiffs and High Court Enforcement Officers (HCEOs) enforcing Possession Orders at residential properties except in the most serious of cases such as for extreme antisocial behaviour and where there are more than 6 months of rent arrears. However Landlords are not prevented from serving Notices on Tenants and bringing possession claims in the County Court if the Tenants do not leave. The courts are granting Possession Orders ordering Tenants to leave. The difficulty in getting your property back arises if the Tenant refuses to leave the property on the date ordered by the court. The ban on enforcement is currently in place until 31 May 2021 which means that eviction appointments cannot take place earlier than 14 June 2021 as Bailiffs and HCEOs need to give the Tenants at least 14 days’ notice of their eviction date. The starting point to getting your property back is by serving a Notice on the Tenant. The current notice periods are: Section 21 – 6 months. Section 8 for rent arrears of under 6 months – 6 months. Section 8 for rent arrears of over 6 months – 4 weeks. Section 8 Notices for antisocial behaviour – a claim may be brought the same day. If the Tenants do not vacate the property after the Notice expires then a claim must be brought in the County Court to obtain a Possession Order. Electrical Safety in Residential Properties - For all new tenancies created from 1 July 2020 it has been a legal requirement to have an electrical safety inspection carried out by a qualified person and a copy of the report given to the Tenant before they move in. For tenancies that existed before 1 July 2020, Landlords must now ensure that an electrical safety inspection is carried out and the report given to the Tenant no later than 1 April 2021. The inspection must comply with the safety standards set out in the 2018 edition of the

enquiries@battens.co.uk www.battens.co.uk Offices in: Yeovil, Sherborne, Castle Cary, Dorchester, Wareham, Bath and London

IET Wiring Regulations. This must be repeated every 5 years and the reports provided to the Tenant each time. A new tenancy should not begin until this has been complied with. There are hefty penalties that may be imposed on Landlords by their Council for failing to do this. Breathing Space - On 4 May 2021 the Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space) will come into force. If they qualify, this puts a hold on all debt chasing and will be open to people in debt who want to try and come up with a payment plan without the pressure of creditors chasing them. This will include landlords pursuing Tenants in a Breathing Space. Landlords will not be allowed to contact Tenants direct to discuss or demand rent arrears or take any enforcement action to recover the debt, including possession. The Breathing Space will provide the debtor with a 2 month moratorium in order to try and resolve their debt issues. They are being encouraged to pay rent in this time. There will also be a mental health crisis breathing space which will be only available to people who are receiving mental health crisis treatment and who are in debt. This Breathing Space has some stronger protections than the standard one and it lasts for as long as the debtor’s mental health crisis treatment does, plus 30 days. Where there is a joint tenancy, if one of the Tenants enters into a Breathing Space, then that will place a moratorium on the debts for all of the tenants. Section 21 Notices may continue to be served on someone in a Breathing Space and Section 8 Notices may continue to be served as long as they are not in relation to rent arrears. Where there is a Guarantor on a tenancy, you are not prevented from contacting them while a Tenant is in a Breathing Space. For more information contact Jacqui Swann on 01935 846254 or jacqui.swann@battens.co.uk

0800 652 8373

Solicitors

Specialist Legal Advice and Solutions for whatever life brings - at home or at work

Agricultural Matters • Business Services • Commercial Property Construction • Debt Recovery • Dispute Resolution Employment • Family Matters • Immigration • Landlord & Tenant Lasting Powers of Attorney • Matrimonial • Moving Home Medical Negligence • Personal Injury • Planning • Probate • Tax Planning Wills, Trusts, Estates

www.battens.co.uk Offices in Yeovil, Sherborne, Castle Cary, Dorchester, Wareham, Bath and London

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Pre-paid funeral plans

If you want your ashes sent into space, Holst’s The Planets played on your departure and your service broadcast on the web, have them. It’s your funeral.

Our pre-paid, inflation-proof funeral plans guarantee the way you want to be remembered and protect your loved ones from unnecessary burden and costs.

Drop in to see us today, visit us at funeralcare.co.uk or call us on 0800 243 380 Funeral homes in: Frome l Gillingham l Shaftesbury l Sturminster Newton l Warminster

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Enter BLACKMOREVALE21 at: funeralcare.co.uk/funeralplans or take this coupon along to your local funeralcare home. *Terms & Conditions: The voucher may only be redeemed against eligible Southern Co-op funeral plans costing £3,000 or more and will be deducted off the cost at time of sale. The voucher has no cash value and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount, offer or promotion. For full terms and conditions visit: funeralcare.co.uk/ funeralplanterms, request a copy from any Southern Co-op funeralcare home or by calling 0800 008 6878. This voucher is valid until 31/12/2021.

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PROPERTY

Thinking of Selling your House? If you’re thinking about selling your home but have been waiting to see what will happen in the housing market,Rightmove’s latest insights and our recent sales record, reveal there is no need to worry when it comes to selling your house at the moment! In fact, demand levels are a whopping 34% higher than this time last year when the UK was still experiencing a strong prelockdown market. This is the greatest excess of demand over supply our team

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have seen for almost a decade, pushing up the average price of property coming to market in the South West by 1.5%. There’s been so much interest that properties really aren’t staying on the market for long. Over the last few weeks, a number of properties have gone “under offer” in a matter of days. At Lodestone, we pride ourselves on working innovatively to market your property. We employ a team of marketing experts to ensure we do not operate a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach. Instead, our marketing reflects the way we run the rest of our business: we are proactive and treat every property individually.

We identify the most suitable target market for your house, and then tailor a creative strategy to fit. We now have just over 3000 social media followers making us the most-followed Independent Estate Agency in Somerset & Dorset. This means we are able to talk to engaged and interested buyers directly. Over the last 3 months since Christmas, we have reached over 500,000 people online. Our website sees an average of 4,000 unique visitors a week with users spending an average of 4+ minutes browsing our featured properties and original editorial written about the industry, community and the homes we sell. You can find more info about our innovative property sales and advice at www. lodestoneproperty.co.uk or contact Lodestone Shaftesbury Office on: 01747 442577

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PROPERTY

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PROPERTY

Voice of An Estate Agent: April

Regular monthly commentary on the local property market from Susie & Brad, the north Dorset team at Meyers.

Anyone who is currently looking to purchase a property will know all too well they are few and far between, and when you do find one you would like to view, by the time you have made your enquiry it either has 5 others lined up to view it or it has already sold. Rightmove statistics show that as of this month, the number of potential buyers enquiring about properties is 34% higher than this time last year, yet the supply of properties remains low which is resulting in a serious shortage of homes available for sale. This increase in demand has been fuelled by several lockdowns, leading to homeowners reassessing what their home has to offer and of course the government’s stamp duty holiday extension which was first announced in July last year.

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So why has it been such a slow start to the year in terms of new properties coming to market? The start of a new year is often slow in this respect and while the property market has remained open, we have been in a national lockdown for the whole of 2021 so far and many potential sellers have still been wary at the prospect of marketing their home in these uncertain times. Another significant factor is of course that at the start of the year, homeowners felt they were too late to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday. If you are one of the 7 million people visiting Rightmove’s website each day in the desperate search for a property, we have some good news for you! Easter is traditionally an extremely busy time of the year for the property market anyway, and with the government’s

announcement of the stamp duty holiday extension and mortgage guarantee scheme, together with the easing of lockdown restrictions, your dream home could be getting ready to come on the market as we speak! Our friends at Rightmove sum this up perfectly: “Blossoming buyer demand coinciding with blossoming gardens should put a spring in the steps of sellers, and more of them coming to market will provide a much–needed increase in the choice of property for the many who are looking to buy.” Here at Meyers, we are passionate about providing the best possible experience for all our sellers and buyers and we are always delighted to hear from you with any property queries you may have. For further information on how we work, please contact a member of your North Dorset team:

Brad Hansford – Shaftesbury on 07814 962 161 Susie Palin – Blandford Forum on 07570 357 553

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PROPERTY Play the videos for an inside tour - or click the image to go straight to the property.

Milborne St Andrew - 3-4 Bedroom Link Detached Family Home: £329,950

Shaftesbury - Wonderful 4 Bed Detached Home In Fantastic Location - £525,000

Shaftesbury - Beautifully Appointed Three Bedroom Chalet Bungalow: £375,000

Coming Soon - 3 bedroom Terraced Cottage, Albert Street, Blandford Forum £228,950

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POLITICS

3 bed detached house Horton, Wimborne £565,000

4 bedroom detached house Stourton Caundle £495,000

4 bedroom link detached house Sherborne £325,000

2 bedroom apartment Dorchester £260,000

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POLITICS 2 bedroom terraced house Blandford £230,000

2 bedroom apartment Motcombe Shaftesbury £240,000

3 bedroom semidetached house Templecombe £225,000

2 bedroom terraced house Castle Cary £200,000

2 bedroom terraced house Sturminster Newton £170,000

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POLITICS

PRODUCTION SCHEDULE:

Next Publication Date:

7th of May

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The Blackmore Vale April 21

Articles inside

Property

Beauty

Night Sky

Health

Photography

Art

Food & Drink

Reader's Letters

Charity pages

Random 20 - Sarah J. Naughton

Book Corner

Oonagh's flowers

Garden Jobs

Barry Cuff | Voice of the Allotment

Paul Birbeck

Take a Hike

Farming

Animals

Equestrian

Brigit Strawbridge

Meet Your Local

Simon Hoare MP

Then & Now | Roger Guttridge

Looking Back | Roger Guttridge