The BV magazine, June 2024

IN THIS ISSUE:

Spring Countryside Show is on 8th and 9th June - we’ve got everything you need | Page 30

Think you know your Dorset cheese? You will now | Page 96

William Fox-Pitt says goodbye to 5 Star Eventing – Sally Cooper talks to him about his plans ... and he answers 19 Random Questions | Page 14

Can wildlife at Lyscombe aid the housing crisis? Andrew Livingston looks how the Nutrient Neutrality Scheme bought the farm in a strategic approach to saving Poole Harbour | Page 4

Yeovil’s Stroke Unit controversy – amid the public debate, Rachael Rowe looks at the pros and cons of NHS Somerset’s plans to centralise services | Page 8

Psssst!! WE WON!! The BV is named the UK’s Regional Publication of the Year | Page 12

Front cover: Sleepy cygnet by Linda Martin

INDEX

We know, it’s a HUGE magazine, and the page order changes month to month. So we make it easy for you – exactly like grabbing the sections you like best from the Sunday papers, just click the number below to jump straight to the section you want. Or you can just go make yourself a mug of tea and start from the beginning...

Right. I’m not going to mention The Win. Because to be honest I’m actually starting to bore myself. I recently stumbled upon a TikTok that resonated a little too much. In the video, an email draft was being edited: phrases like “Thank you so much for replying” were deleted, and “I’m afraid I seem to have a slight issue with ...” was changed into “There’s a problem with...” The original (familiar) language was steeped in apology, and a reluctance to assert. This hit home, if I’m honest.

As a lifelong people-pleaser, I’m inclined to say yes to everything, to be perpetually accommodating. This month, in particular, I’ve felt the strain as I tried to juggle too many commitments, sometimes at the expense of my own well-being.

Saying no is challenging – there’s a financial hit if it’s work, but perhaps even more than that because we all want to be seen as capable and dependable. We aim to be the hero that’s needed. To be all-conquering. Especially in the month you’re told that you have, indeed, conquered (did I mention we won a major national award?)

This drive to please, to not inconvenience others, isn’t unique to women – though I do see a stark difference even in my own family, where my sons seem to have no qualms about asserting themselves, about taking up space. They don’t shy away from being direct. It’s something I’m actively trying to teach my daughter – that her voice matters, her opinion counts, that she doesn’t have to shrink to accommodate others.

Contact The BV Team: 01258 472572

Editor: Laura Hitchcock

editor@BVmagazine.co.uk

Advertising: Courtenay Hitchcock

advertising@BVmagazine.co.uk

Sub-editors:

Gay Pirrie-Weir

Fanny Charles

Everything else:

Try Courtenay, he’s the organised one...

Singer Halsey gave an excellent speech a few years ago. It finishes with “I’m here to say that I’m not sorry for being… inconvenient. You were not put on this earth to make everybody else’s life easier. So please, be inconvenient.”

As I proudly watch my almost-adult children mature with confidence, I’m striving to follow their lead. To stop apologising. To be a little more inconvenient.

Can wildlife at Lyscombe aid the housing crisis?

How the Nutrient Neutrality Scheme bought Lyscombe: Andrew Livingston looks at the strategic approach to saving Poole Harbour

Take a walk alongside Poole Harbour: you only have to peer into the water to see the effects of water pollution on our waterways and coastline. It’s undeniable that nitrates in our water courses are an issue.

Green algae, which feeds off nitrates, is in the harbour bed, the mudflats and the wetlands that make up Poole’s natural harbour, and is slowly killing the ecology and biodiversity of the harbour – which is designated a Special Protection Area (SPA), Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Ramsar (international wetlands) site. Seagrass and salt marshes, which feed the wetland birds, have been smothered, and the water is increasingly becoming more and more poisonous for the fish and molluscs that live there. It is a big problem.

Natural regeneration

But both Natural England and Dorset Wildlife Trust (DWT) believe that their acquisition of farmland north of Dorchester,

15 miles as the crow flies from the harbour, may help.

DWT celebrated its purchase of Lyscombe Farm, a Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI) between Piddletrenthide and Cheselbourne, at a launch event last month. Dignitaries from Natural England and DWT spoke to guests about the opportunities open to them now that the farmland has been taken out of traditional agricultural use.

The farm – 827 acres of chalk downland, grassland, woodland and wildflower meadows –was farmed organically by the previous owner, with half the

acreage to grow cereal and the rest to run herds of livestock.

‘We aim to showcase sustainable land management here, natural regeneration, and we want to engage people in the rich heritage that is here,’ said DWT chief executive Brian Bleese at the event. ‘Our aim is to establish Lyscombe as an exemplar nature reservation. Ultimately, our ambition is for it to become a national nature reserve.

‘We are facing a global ecological crisis that threatens thousands of species and their habitats. Dorset is not immune to this – there are horrific

DWT’s George McGavin, president (centre), and CEO Brian Bleese (right), speak to the guests at Lyscombe

statistics in Dorset when you delve into them; one in 40 species previously recorded in Dorset is no longer present. They’re locally extinct. That’s a pretty poor statistic, and one that we have to do better in correcting. Places like this can give us an opportunity to make that space for nature. It’s vital that we make space for nature in our landscapes.’

Returning the farm to nature will inevitably allow for the biodiversity on the land to grow and improve. But not everyone agrees that this is the right use of public money. George Hosford farms near Blandford, and is deeply passionate about environmentally friendly, sustainable food production methods. He is sceptical about the effectiveness of the scheme, and suggests the money would be better spent educating local farmers on the responsible use of nitrogens.

House building with nature

However, the question is how does land near Dorchester save Poole Harbour? Natural England’s answer... The Nutrient Neutrality Scheme. There are two main causes of nitrates

in our water; agriculture and sewage discharge. Natural England has set up the scheme to allow funding of new nature recovery projects which offset additional pollution from new houses. They then sell these benefits as credits to developers so they can offset the pollution from new homes, quickly get planning permission and enable the building of muchneeded new homes.

At the event, Natural England chief executive Marian Spain explained how the scheme is designed to save our waterways and coastline. She said: ‘I came down for a visit about five years ago to look at some of the issues on the coast path, and I couldn’t ignore the green algae. It has stayed with me ever since. When we talk about pollution, it is not an abstract thing, it is something that the people living and working on Poole Harbour are seeing and feeling and smelling on a day-to-day basis. It really struck home to me, what a big thing this was.

They then sell these benefits as credits to developers so they can offset the pollution from new homes

‘We clearly couldn’t just stop house building. We didn’t want to and we couldn’t. Contrary to what you might read in some parts of the press, it is not our job to stop house building. It is our job to enable house building that works with nature.

‘The other thing that I and Natural England are increasingly becoming aware of is that this is going to be how conservation happens going forward. It is no longer enough just to look after protected sites or to designate national parks. When I started this job, more than 30 years ago, conservation was pretty easy – we just looked after the stuff we owned or the stuff we controlled. The job now is about looking after the whole ecosystem, reducing pressures where we can – because those ecosystems are going to have to absorb new pressures.’ Natural England has calculated that the acquisition of Lyscombe Farm will enable 3,700 new homes to be built around the

The green algae is clearly visible in Poole Harbour

waterways that feed into Poole Harbour across Dorset. Figures released by Dorset councils in 2016 suggested that 100 new homes (60 houses and 40 flats) in the catchment area of Poole Harbour would produce 0.185 tonnes of nitrogen per year –suggesting that 3,700 homes would produce 684.5 tonnes of nitrogen a year. Building developers will now be able to purchase nitrogen credits from Natural England to be able to build new homes.

Value for our money

The removal of farmland from high nitrogen input to low nitrogen input to allow for an offset to build houses is called indirect mitigation. Direct mitigation would be the improvement of nitrogen stripping at the Wessex Water sewage treatment works, or introducing natural means of nitrogen stripping in the water, such as reed beds and wetlands.

George Hosford believes that the removal of Lyscombe Farm as farmland will make no difference to the nitrate level in Poole Harbour. He told the BV: ‘There won’t be any impact from this farm on what actually pitches up in Poole harbour and causes any pollution in the years to come.’

The Blandford farmer suggested that the money spent acquiring the farm could have been better spent on local farmers in the Poole Harbour catchment area, helping to educate them further in the responsible use of nitrogens on their land.

‘I would like to have seen some of the public money that went on this farm go into helping the 500 farmers in the Poole Harbour catchment to learn how to farm more efficiently with their fertilisers and their manures.

I would like to have seen some of the public money that went on this farm go into helping the 500 farmers in the Poole Harbour catchment to learn how to farm more efficiently

‘Because, as well-educated as an awful lot of them are, the technology and the science needs to understand from how much nitrate is applied to your crop, how much of it is used by the crop and how much gets washed through below the rooting zone where the plant can’t reach it. There’s still an awful lot to be understood – should we be applying a little at a time rather than a big slug all at once?

Should we only apply it just after rainfall, or just before it starts to rain?

‘Many farmers I’ve spoken

The yellow shaded area is the Poole Harbour catchment area. There are 500 farmers within this zone affected by the Nutrient Neutrality regulations

to actually want an effective nitrate-leaching tool, so they can better understand what happens to the manures and the artificial nitrogen that they apply to their fields. And also just how much of it is leaching, ending up in the water, the rivers and eventually into Poole Harbour – which is what we’re all concerned about.’

Farmers are aware that nitrates are running off from their farms, but George doesn’t believe that they are all to blame. He said: ‘Some of those nitrates are coming from farms. I think we’re all happy to acknowledge that. But an awful lot, we don’t know exactly how much, are coming from the sewage treatment works. There are 28 in the catchment. And there has been no monitoring of this, or very, very limited monitoring of the amount of sewage outflow that has been treated or untreated.’

Members of Dorset Wildlife Trust and Natural England wanted to make it clear during the event that the acquisition of Lyscombe Farm will help to

put pressure on the sewage companies to work harder to minimise the number of nitrates that are leaking from their treatment plants.

‘Now, the Natural England chap tried to persuade me that the water companies are going to be forced to clean up their act,’ continued George. ‘And he sounded rather confident about that. But I have serious misgivings. A lot of the coverage we’ve seen recently leads me to feel sceptical about that. But he says he feels confident that once we’ve got the water companies cleaning up their act, and there’s no more crap going in the water from them, then we’ll just have the farmers to deal with.’

Reverse the decline

There is no doubt that we have an issue with pollution in our waterways, and there is also no doubt that there is a housing crisis across the United Kingdom. But, it shouldn’t be forgotten that there is also an issue with food security. As a nation we are not self-sufficient when it comes to the production of food – latest figures suggest that only just over half of the food we eat in this country is grown here.

Wildlife Trust chief executive Craig Bennet said that in 2022 the UK government signed up to ambitious biodiversity

framework targets at the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal: ‘That global biodiversity framework requires all those countries to try and get 30 per cent of land and inland waters and sea in recovery for nature, by 2030, just six or eight years away now. And in the UK, in England, we’re at less than five per cent. So we’ve got a long way to go to get to 30 per cent in the next six years.

Some of those nitrates are coming from farms. I think we’re all happy to acknowledge that. But an awful lot are coming from sewage treatment works

‘So, seeing this acquisition today, through this partnership between Natural England and

Dorset Wildlife Trust, it’s a brilliant example of how we can do this, how we can start to turn things around. I don’t know about you, but I’ve been fed up for decades. I’ve seen all these graphs of nature going downwards ... well, we don’t want to just slow the decline, we want to reverse the decline and bring nature back! That’s absolutely crucial. We want to do it fast. As fast as we possibly can.’

Wildlife Trust chief executive Craig Bennet addressing the guests at Lyscombe

Dorset Wildlife Trust’s launch event at Lyscombe farm

How changing Stroke Pathways is known to save lives

Yeovil’s Stroke Unit controversy – amid the public debate, Rachael Rowe looks at the pros and cons of NHS Somerset’s plans to centralise services

The NHS in Somerset is recommending centralising its stroke service. In January NHS Somerset’s Integrated Care Board (ICB) voted for a single emergency stroke unit for the county at Musgrove Park Hospital in Taunton, and the closure of the hyper-acute unit at Yeovil Hospital, which provides an acute stroke ward with specialist services for people who have had a new suspected stroke. Centralising services is recommending nationally – it saves lives.

But the threatened closure of the Yeovil unit has raised concerns from local people and politicians. Under the ICB plans, Yeovil District Hospital will keep 12 acute stroke beds – where people can be cared for, from 72 hours after a stroke. But it will lose its four hyper acute beds.

Strokes in Somerset

A stroke is a medical emergency, and for each minute treatment is delayed, four million neurons and 12 million brain cells die.

Swiftly getting the very best treatment is critical, as is access to stroke rehabilitation. The way that stroke is treated today is radically different to that of even 20 years ago, when people were simply given some rehabilitation. Today, people with a suspected stroke can expect a CT scan, access to clot-busting drugs, rehabilitation and, where appropriate, specialist procedures. In London, centralising the stroke pathway saves almost 100 lives each year. Nationally, the chance of a stroke affects 1.8 per cent of the population, but Somerset has an older age profile, so it is higher at 2.3 per cent and Dorset is higher still at 2.55 per cent.

Some parts of Somerset would be unable to get to a hyper acute stroke centre within an hour.

Those higher figures are a vital reason for prioritising stroke care in the South West.

The public can also play a critical role. Nine out of ten strokes are

preventable, according to the Stroke Association. Smoking, obesity, atrial fibrillation and drinking excess alcohol all increase your risk of a stroke. Around 5.5 million people in the UK have no idea they have high blood pressure –getting it detected and treated can significantly reduce the risk of a stroke. Preventing strokes in up to 90 per cent of sufferers would result in massive savings in resources. A national review (GIRFT) of stroke services in 2019 found care in Somerset was good. However, stroke medical teams were not always able to perform rapid assessments, CT scans could not always be provided within an hour, clot-busting drugs were not always given within the critical time frame, and it was challenging to get an MDT (MultiDisciplinary Team) assessment

for therapy. Clearly, something had to change.

Proposals to centralise stroke services in Somerset are not new. Since 2013, there have been at least three commissioned reports by the health organisations, visits by experts, and recommendations to centralise the hyper-acute stroke service so that stroke patients will go to Taunton or Dorchester. Locals know that the stroke unit at Yeovil Hospital is not solely for the people of South Somerset – a quarter of users come from North Dorset. If it is safe to close, as claimed, why has it taken so long?

Distance and Staff

When centralised services were recommended back in 2014, a major analysis of travel times was also commissioned. The review showed that from some parts of Somerset, patients would be unable to get to a hyper-acute stroke centre within an hour. A further review of times in Somerset for the latest report shows that there would be an increase in journey times in some areas. Is it better to travel for slightly longer to get the best and most appropriate treatment, given that all the research supports centralised services? Concerns have also been raised by local politicians about transferring the sickest patients to Bristol or Southampton. West

Dorset MP Chris Loder says: ‘It is a fantasy to believe that stroke patients from Yeovil will stay in Somerset. They will not go to Taunton for their treatment; they will go to Dorchester, and if necessary on to Southampton.’ Transfers to Southampton give certain people a fighting chance of receiving a thrombectomy – a revolutionary new treatment to remove a clot from the brain. Somerset and Dorset have never had neurosurgical centres, and residents have always had to travel to be treated by a brain surgeon. Given the choice of surviving a stroke and reducing the effects of long-term disability, or choosing to not travel to Southampton, few would refuse to travel. In the past year, 17 people from Somerset received this life-saving treatment.

Everyone should get the best possible care – not just pockets of the population

that currently there is unequal care for people experiencing a stroke in Somerset. A spokesman for NHS Somerset said: ‘There is currently variation and inequitable provision of hyperacute and acute stroke care across the county, especially over weekends and out of hours, where it takes significantly longer for patients to receive treatments such as thrombolysis. Patients admitted to Yeovil District Hospital at weekends are unlikely to see a consultant stroke specialist until after the weekend. There is no weekend outpatient service for patients suffering a TIA (transient ischaemic attack, or ‘mini stroke’) in the Yeovil area.

There is a national shortage of stroke consultants and specialists in England, which means it is increasingly difficult to find new staff. Although Yeovil has recently recruited new stroke consultants, there remain challenges in covering on-call rotas at both Taunton and Yeovil, which means the target of a seven day service is more difficult to achieve.

Postcode lottery

Perhaps more concerning is

‘We are failing to meet several national performance targets in relation to hyper-acute and acute stroke care, which has a negative impact on clinical outcomes, including rates of thrombolysis and thrombectomy, time taken to receive thrombolysis, TIA assessments falling outside of 24 hours and access to MDT assessments.’

Underpinning the decision to centralise services is the need to provide a service that enables everyone to get the best possible care – not just pockets of the general population. It’s a difficult decision to make, but the research consistently shows that, when specialist services like hyper-acute stroke are centralised, more lives are saved.

• Dorset County Hospital NHS Trust was approached for a response but was unable to comment due to the pre election period.

• The Stroke Association was approached for comment and did not respond by the publication deadline.

by Rachael Rowe

73-year-old Marilyn is terminally illbut it was her little legs that defeated her. All images: Rachael Rowe

Winging it (on little legs)

In spite of her terminal illness, 73-year-old Marilyn McDonald planned a daring wing walk to raise funds for Dorset charity Countrymen UK

Marilyn McDonald has cared for people all her life. As a mental health nurse and manager, she has experienced people at their most vulnerable and challenging. This year, she is focused on raising funds for Dorset-based charity Countrymen UK. What makes the challenge particularly special is that 73-year-old Marilyn is terminally ill – but still determined to do something most of us would run a mile from ... a wing walk.

‘It’s not about me, it’s about the Countrymen club. As a nurse, I’ve always been interested in people rather than illnesses. I am very appreciative that Weldmar and other cancer charities have helped me recently, but some of the smaller ones that look after people with Parkinson’s Disease and dementia don’t get very much money. I don’t have a lot myself, but I thought that if I could do something to raise £500, I could leave something that would help.’

Stupid adventures

Why would anyone want to do a wing walk? Marilyn says: ‘Because it’s so stupid! Why would anyone my age want

to stand on the outside of a perfectly good plane? It also had to be something I could still physically do.

‘I don’t have a bucket list, but people keep finding me ridiculous things to do. Thanks to Weldmar, I’ve ridden a Harley Davidson motorbike in Dorchester. I loved that!’ Naturally, Marilyn had to do some essential preparation for her wing walk: ’My doctor had to

sign me off, and I had an extra blood transfusion to help me.

But it’s strightforward: once you’re on, I think you basically just have to hang on tight! You’re supported by a perching stool ... but I don’t even like roller coasters!’

It sounds as thought Marilyn does love an adventure.

‘Well, I once got trapped by a bear ... I was with my husband in the Canadian Rockies and we

Marilyn, centre, got to the cockpit, but could go no further

stopped to photograph some dragonflies.,’ says Marilyn. ‘As we were near a swamp, we were on boardwalks when we heard a noise. We looked up, and saw a bear between our car and us. Then we saw she had three cubs with her. We were literally stuck. So, we did nothing. We just sat there and watched her feed the cubs until she slowly moved away. It was the highlight of our holiday! My husband was wearing a baseball cap with the words ‘support bears’ on it, so I’ve always said that’s why she left us alone!’

The Wing Walk

On Friday 31st May, Marilyn, accompanied by friends and family, went to Henstridge Airfield, which had supported her fundraising by donating the wing walk experience.

Anyone who does a wing walk has to get onto the top platform – and off it – unaided: it’s part of the safety regulations.

Marilyn, guided by the airfield staff, climbed onto the first level of the bi-plane’s lower wing. Then she got to the cockpit – halfway there and clearly determined.

But there was a final, more challenging stage to go – getting onto the upper wing itself, which required grabbing the poles and levering herself into position. The next moment will resonate with everyone who has short legs. Marilyn was unable to get to the top wing, or pull herself further: the distance was further than she anticipated – and her legs wouldn’t reach!

She had given it her all, but it was a step too far:

‘It’s designed for Tiller Girls – and I’m no Tiller Girl!’

To a loud round of applause, she returned to the observation area ... but all was not lost. Like all nurses, Marilyn had a plan B. A few days before the flight she had said: ‘If I pop my clogs before the wing walk, my daughter-in-law said she’ll do it.’

That pragmatism meant that Danielle could take Marilyn’s place. She gave Marilyn a hug and was strapped to the plane in moments. Up she went, twirling in the sky, diving downwards and flying in a spiral as the pilot put on quite a show for the small crowd.

‘I asked them to give me the full works,’ said a smiling Danielle when she landed. ‘There was so much wind up there! The Henstridge staff have been absolutely fantastic – their safety procedures are second to none.’

Although Marilyn could not do the wing-walk, she still motivated and inspired others so that

Daughter-in-law Dannielle Kottnauer, standing in for Marilyn

the essential fundraising could continue. Countrymen UK chief executive Julie Plumley praised her mentor Marilyn’s generous spirit: ’She motivated me when I started out in my career. It was Marilyn who inspired me to become a social worker when I didn’t know what to do. She is such a positive person. She has a wonderful calming manner, and she thinks of others all the time.’ Marilyn set out to raise £500. At the time of writing, she has raised more than £2,600 … and counting.

Click to donate to Marilyn’s Wing Walk in support of Countrymen UK

About the Countrymen

Countrymen UK’s farms and countryside environments help to meet the challenges faced by men who find themselves isolated – perhaps because of deteriorating physical or mental health, or changing social circumstances.

The organisation started when Julie Plumley couldn’t find an appropriate place for her father, who had worked on the land all his life: ‘He was 80, but thought he was 50. He simply didn’t want to be indoors all day.’

By developing Rylands Farm at Holnest as a care and support facility, men can spend time outdoors – caring for animals, perhaps doing woodcraft or a bit of gardening. There is now a Countrymen UK network nationwide, providing support for men. countrymenuk.org

The BV magazine wins prestigious NMA’s Regional Publication of the Year 2024

We are thrilled to announce that The BV has been awarded the prestigious NMA’s Regional Publication of the Year 2024! It’s an amazing accolade, and a testament to the hard work, talent and passion of our entire team.

The competition for a 2024 Newspaper and Magazine award was fierce – 27 industry judges had assessed the 18 categories, which were hotly contested by some of the biggest names in the UK’s publishing industry. The Regional Publication of the Year shortlist was a who’s who of local media, with The BV up against major publications like Brighton’s local paper, Newsquest-owned The Argus, one of Ireland’s oldest newspapers, The Impartial Reporter, and Wales’ largest newspaper,

The Western Mail. Being listed among such company is incredible. Being named as the best of them is still difficult to believe.

The judges commented that The BV demonstrated very clear objectives which were delivered in full, providing incredibly strong results. They noted our exceptionally high standard of social media engagement, and made particular note of the level of our achievement with such a tiny team. More than 300 attended the awards ceremony, held in the ballroom of the London Marriott Grosvenor Square in Mayfair on Wednesday, 23rd May (see all winners on the ACE website here).

Just us

Most people are aware that at its heart, The BV is just a team of two – but we are supported tirelessly by the collective effort of our talented writers every month (who were all carefully chosen initially for their excellence, but definitely kept around for their sense of humour). Each member of our team has contributed to making The BV a standout publication, and this honour belongs to every one of us. Also, a big thank you to our readers and supporters for believing in us and inspiring us to strive for excellence every day. We are committed to continuing our tradition of delivering high-quality journalism and engaging content to you, our community. Here’s to celebrating this incredible milestone and looking forward to many more successes in the future! Laura & Courtenay.

The end of an Eventing era

All images: Courtenay Hitchcock

William Fox-Pitt bids a quiet farewell to 5 Star Eventing – Sally Cooper talks to him about his plans for training and breeding ... and some family time

No fuss, no pomp ... just a casual announcement on Sunday 12th May at the end of the BBC Badminton Eventing coverage, surrounded by his children. ‘Yes, that’s it ...’

And so, with no fanfare and in his own typically quiet, unassuming style William FoxPitt – the Great Equestrian from our own county has retired from 5* Eventing in his 40th year of competing, aged 55.

At the May 2024 Badminton, as he rode the most amazing Cross Country on the mare Grafennacht, the question on everyone’s lips was if, as had quietly been rumoured, it really was to be the end, was he to get his dream swan-song?

A parent, not a trainer

William’s career started in the 1980s – he has been so successful that it is hard to provide a snapshot without writing a book. William has been British number one many times, and was the first British rider to become World No.1. He has won 20 major Championship medals and represented GB at five Olympic Games, winning two team silver medals and one team bronze. He is the only rider to have achieved five of the six 5 Star three-day events worldwide. William was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s 2019 birthday honours for services to the equestrian world.

I met William to have a chat about his plans for the next stage of his career. He has a state-of-the-art eventing training yard near Sturminster Newton, where he lives with his wife Alice Plunkett, one of ITV’s BAFTAwinning racing team, and their four children, Oliver, Thomas, Chloe and Emily. The family is happily ensconced in Dorset life. William can often be seen

driving his children and their ponies around and supporting Portman Pony Club and school Show Jumping events. How many Pony Clubs and schools can say that their children are coached and encouraged by a 5 Star Olympian?

And yet he accepts no formality or ceremony, and teaches with his trademark quiet persuasion and enthusiasm. ‘I enjoy my involvement with the young people – but as a parent, not a trainer. Retirement from 5 Star allows me to attend their events more. Next weekend we are off to Goodwood, pony racing!’ Many moons ago, when my own children were members, I remember the Pony Club being invited to the Fox-Pitt eventing yard to have a look around.

As you’d expect, it was all very impressive and chic, but there were certain things which we can all still recall today.

On the yard tour, William showed us a horse literally wrapped up in many red ribbons. ‘That one’s a secret,’ he said. ‘Its Alice’s new horse for her birthday today. No telling!’ William was asked by the wideeyed young riders if they could look in the enormous eventing horse lorry. Not a problem. They were all examining the travelling horse and human facilities when William realised that he had a visitor – a horse owner had unexpectedly turned up to see him ride her horse. It was spectacularly windy, and William said: ‘You can all stay and watch me ride in the outside arena if

William Fox-Pitt riding Grafennacht at Mars Badminton Horse Trials 2024 © Badminton Horse Trials Ltd. Photography by Kit Houghton Photography

you stay out of sight and are very quiet.’ We watched in silence as he calmly mounted a beautiful, skittish animal in the high winds. The horse immediately went crazy – but the long legs, calm seat and Velcro bottom just went with the flow. He simply stayed put and rode on. Young and old alike, we were all in awe of what we saw – a true equestrian, doing his thing to

perfection. Calm, confident horsemanship with total respect for the animal.

I’m certainly not buying them in outside yaks –they can jolly well ride things that I produce at home!’

The swan-song that wasn’t William survived a major riding accident in France in 2015, when he suffered a lifethreatening head injury during a cross country fall at the 2015FEI World Breeding Eventing

Championships for Young Horses. He was placed in a medically induced coma for two weeks, and had to learn to walk and talk again. The fall threatened to end his career – but, despite lingering vision problems and memory issues, he miraculouslyreturned to competing and even went on to ride in the 2016 Rio Olympics. Unfortunately, this year’s Badminton dream finale was not to be. While the pair were in second place after that fabulous Cross Country, they had six down in the Showjumping

and dropped to 13th position. William was typically selfeffacing. ‘The mare will definitely return – but with younger bones on her back ...’

William’s plan is to have more time to develop his business model for the Dorset estate. Naturally he is keen to spend more time with his children, family and friends and, he admits, his chickens. ‘Yes! I love my chickens!

Perfection is no longer essential –‘pretty good’ is now perfectly fine!

Thanks to Mr Fox we have some gaps, and one of my daughters and I are having fun with the incubator, producing some new fancy breeds.’

William is the first to accept that he is very lucky to still be in one piece after a long career in a dangerous sport. He also recognises that he has been extremely lucky to choose to retire in his own time – and

he admits that Alice is absolutely delighted that he is hanging up his 5 Star boots! ‘Particularly since my 2015 accident. It’s been very hard on Alice and my family to watch me competing – they do it with great fear and trepidation. But equally, it’s very nice that they care!’

But why was 2024 the year? ‘The decision

hinged on many factors: horsepower, financial issues like sponsorship making the business model less appealing and, inevitably, my age,’ he says.

In the month that saw the sad death of Georgie Campbell at Bicton, it was inevitable that the conversation turned to Health and Safety.

‘Standards have improved enormously in my time,’ William

says. ‘There is a huge degree of assessment and safety in Cross Country. We try to make it as safe as possible, but at the end of the day it is a very risky sport involving huge animals and vast jumps. It is no different from skiing or driving – sometimes we are in the lap of the gods. And we know that. Sadly, accidents do happen, and lives can be lost.’

New plans

This summer William will be at the Paris Olympics as both trainer of the Brazilian event team and coach of the Japanese rider Kazuma Tomoto. He sees training and teaching as a natural and enjoyable progression from his own career – and it’s one for which he is increasingly liked and respected. ‘I enjoy the international teaching, and inspiring the next generation of professional riders,’ he says. ‘But I also enjoy the more “normal” local teaching. In many respects I wish that I had done more of that earlier.’

Breeding and producing will also take centre stage, he says: ‘I am looking forward to breeding, producing, training and selling on horses from the yard. I am keen to produce from lines that have brought me success in the past. Currently, we have a new trendy initiative and we have bred three cracking Connie X Thoroughbred youngsters. Hopefully my girls will ride them and other homebred horses in the future. I’m certainly not buying them in outside yaks – they can jolly well ride things that I produce at home!’

The overall aim is very much to have more time to develop his business plans for the Dorset estate. With so many new plans, will he miss the 5 Star competitions?

‘That’s an easy answer. I’ll miss the adrenalin. It’s an addictive

drug. Eventing provides a target and drive, with a fantastic adrenalin crescendo.

‘However ... I will not miss the morning of Cross Country, waking up and thinking: “What on earth am I doing here?”

To be honest, the biggest difference in lifestyle will be accepting that perfection is no longer essential ... That “pretty good” is now perfectly fine!

‘The other thing I’m looking forward to is being able to say “Yes” to friends’ invitations. Saying “No” has been my stock answer for so long. That feels quite exciting!’

And so to the 19 random questions...

1. What’s your relationship with Dorset?

My father was born here, in Caundle Marsh. He lived here for a long time so we came back a lot of times to see my grandparents in Caundle Marsh and part of our family is Pitt-Rivers, we are cousins. It was family which drew me to move back in 2001. They created a base for me, and supported me – and now my involvement with Hinton St Mary Farms is increasing all the time. So

I do have long-time Dorset connections, and now it’s where the Fox-Pitts are at home.

2. What was the last song you sang out loud in your car

My god, I don’t do singing out loud, I don’t subject anyone to that. Even myself!

3. It’s Friday night, you have the house to yourself, no work is allowed. What will you do?

Oh my goodness. I would enjoy no noise. I have a bit of a passion for gardening, so I think I would get out in the garden. I would probably not even turn the telly on …

But by the time I’ve done the dogs and the garden and shut up the chickens, that’s probably my evening gone!

4. What little luxury would you buy with £10?

*Very long, serious and thoughtful pause* Probably … several bags of Haribo jelly babies

5. The last film you watched? I saw Guy Ritchie’s The Gentlemen. I’d wholly recommend it. I don’t think it was anything extraordinary, but it’s defintely enjoyable.

6. What would you like to tell 15 year old you? Always always have a go.

7. Who’s your celebrity crush?

Oh, goodness me … *more serious contemplation* I’m showing my age, but probably Gwyneth Paltrow!

8. What’s your comfort meal?

Oh I’m very greedy, I eat a LOT … Shepherd’s pie.

9. The best biscuit for dunking.

I’m not a dunker! I mean, I do very occasionally, and then it’s got to be a Digestive, but no … I’m definitely a biscuits man, but I’m not a dunking man. I do dunk toast in soup. But I wouldn’t dunk a biscuit in my tea.

10. What’s your secret superpower?

I haven’t got any superpowers! Erm ... I’m quite reliable? Quite consistent. Predictable. Actually I’m quite … boring!

11. What was the last gift you gave or recieved?

I haven’t had anything since Christmas! Oh, I gave my family – including myself – a trip to Kenya for Christmas. That was pretty amazing. We’d always said we’d do a horse riding safari when the girls were old enough to go and the boys were young enough to still be around. So we finally went – it

was very special. It was money that I’d put aside, just to put into a specific adventure.

12. What’s your favorite quote?

I’ve got several – but they’re not terribly printable! I got a school report once that was very bad, but very complimentary in other ways, and my father said ‘nice guys come last’.

That has always stuck with me. I would probably say ‘Never say no’ or ‘never give up’ .. I should ask my poor sons this question, I’m always banging on to them “Remember, when I’m dead, remember I always said …” I think Always Have A Go has to be the best.

13. Your most annoying trait?

God you should ask my wife that question. I think … *ponders* I’m quite lazy. I think that annoys her sometimes, that I’m not urgent enough.

15. What shop can you not pass without going in?

None! I don’t go into any shops if I can help it! Though I suppose I’m a bit of a sucker for The Buck services at Andover, I tend to stop there for a cup of coffee too often. Does that count?

16. Tell us about one of the best evenings you’ve ever had Probably my wedding. It was very special. My wife’s family were home, nearly all of our best mates were there … It was just such a special night.

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

That’s a good question … a mystery to me … Ice baths! I absolutely don’t get that. I’m a hot bath man. I would never. No.

18. Chip shop chips or home baked cake?

*swift and unblinking, the first answer to cause no hesitation* Home baked cake!

14. Cats or dogs Dogs!

19. You have the power to pass one law uncontested – what would you do?

A suicide button. I put my dog down rather than let it suffer, and yet you have to watch your grandmother lie in bed for five years? It’s a contentious issue, but I suspect it’ll happen in my lifetime. I wouldn’t want to leave anyone in any pain. As in, by relieving myself of pain, I wouldn’t want to leave somebody else in pain behind. But if my family were looking after a vegetable in bed, I would

like them to be able to just press a button.

There’s got to be a way of protecting yourself, so no one’s going to murder you because you’ve got money or because you’ve got a garden or because they don’t like you. There has to be a way to work around that. I just know if I had an accident –like I did have, I was a vegetable – I say to all of them, if it should happen again ... for God’s sake. Just unplug me. Please do not keep me going. There might be a hope of something one day, but honestly – look at the big picture and just think, what have you got?

by Laura Hitchcock

Wimborne Minster through time

A final tribute: Roger Guttridge’s last literary journey as his words and Barry Cuff’s images take us on a stroll through the town’s past

My latest read is a somewhat bittersweet one – it’s the final book written by the late Roger Guttridge, completed in partnership with his friend Barry Cuff. Although Roger sadly didn’t live to see its publication, he and Barry finished it last year. Now, Wimborne Minster Through Time is available for all to enjoy. And enjoy it I have. Wimborne is not my home town, nor do I have any strong connection to it – yet I couldn’t resist reading the entire thing, despite only intending to dip in for a chapter or two. As you’d expect, the book is filled with historical images from the last century – and it’s not all corsets and horse-drawn carriages (though there’s plenty of those, of course). Roger and Barry have carefully drawn the timeline of Wimborne’s changes over the 20th century, sometimes coming as far as the 1970s, before the the most modern ‘now’ shots are provided to compare them with. Wimborne gets a swift potted history: it first appears in 718 as Winburnan and in 871 as Winburnan Mynster – literally ‘the monastery by the River Win’ (the old name for the Allen).

And in 871, King Alfred the Great attended the funeral of his brother King Ethelred (not the Unready one) following his death in battle near Cranborne. Then the book moves on to individual streets in the town, and every page of Barry’s fascinating images is littered with Roger’s trademark little gossippy stories and snippets of the everyday lives of the people and places in them. The 17th-century poet Matthew Prior, a Wimborne native, allegedly nodded off while reading the first edition of Sir Walter Raleigh’s History of the World in the chained library in Wimborne Minster, allowing candle wax to drip on to at least 100 pages.In 1930s pictures of West tBorough we see the three storey buildings which had belonged to the wealthy Fryer family, bankers and merchant

suppliers to the Newfoundland cod trade. Apparently, their bank made high-interest, short-term loans to smugglers! East Street is shown following the great fire of 21st July 1900, which started in Hawker’s drapery shop when an assistant was asked to light a newly-installed gas burner in the window. Standing on a chair to reach the mantle and striking a match, she accidentally knocked it over, setting light to material in the window. The girl panicked, leaping back into the shop, and set the whole place ablaze. I could go on – but you’ll just have to go and buy the book. Whether you know and love Wimborne, or are simply fascinated by Dorset’s social history, it’s a great read –and makes a perfect gift.

• Wimborne Minster Through Time by Amberley Publishing

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In jolly good company

Tracie Beardsley catches up with Dorset charity founder Sarah Rampton, who is taking an innovative approach to community wellbeing

Sarah Rampton describes herself as ‘like a terrier’ in her determination. Her tenacity stood her in good stead when she was made redundant from the Alzheimer’s Society. The society stopped running face-top-face groups in Dorset. I could see just how many people were going to miss out on vital support across the county, especially in the rural areas,’ she said.

So she set up her own charity, In Jolly Good Company, from her home at Wimborne St

Giles, and now supports more than 200 people across groups in Wimborne St Giles, Wimborne, Blandford, Shaftesbury, West Moors and, through Step Outside, a gardening group at Kingston Lacy. She has 30 volunteers and her staff include a bookkeeper who’s a talented piano player and singer, a former nurse turned professional gardener and a dementia specialist. They all help run Jolly Days. The patron is Wimborne St Giles’ most famous resident, Nicholas Ashley-Cooper, the 12th Earl of Shaftesbury.

Sarah’s background includes work in the arts as a performer with local theatre group Word And Action, before she entered the charity sector. Her mix of creative skills and care knowledge combine to create an effective recipe to alleviate loneliness and build stronger communities.

A lifeline to the lonely

A typical Jolly Day might include music, dancing, singing, poetry, craft activities, a home-cooked lunch and even yoga – the free sessions are tailored to suit those attending, and voluntary donations from guests help to keep the jolly show on the road.

‘In Wimborne our guests are a literary bunch, so we do creative writing,’ Sarah says. ‘One of our guests is a playwright now living with dementia. He

can’t remember seeing the play he wrote, but it was very successful. Using local actors, we recreated it for him. It was so emotional.

‘A Jolly Good Day feels a bit like a party happening several times a week. Guests range in age from 50 to their late 90s. We welcome anyone who, for whatever reason, may be isolated. That might be folk living with dementia or it might be those recently widowed. There are no conditions.

‘Here in Wimborne St Giles, if it weren’t for Jolly Days there would be nothing for people to go to during the week. There’s about 400 people living in the surrounding area, and our Days are a lifeline to many of the lonely in the community.’

homes. Some people may not leave their chair when they do our yoga sessions, but it still makes a huge difference to them physically and mentally. People go home feeling calmer.’

Sarah oozes positivity and passion. The numerous thank you cards she receives reveal the difference her charity makes.

It’s quality of life in the years when they may not expect to be meeting new friends, starting new hobbies or enjoying new experiences

The Step Outside allotment gardening group started at Kingston Lacy in 2016, and is a collaborative project involving Wimborne Dementia Friendly Community, National Trust, Dorset Council and In Jolly Good Company. Guests don’t need any experience of gardening to join in. Some like to sit and chat, others harvest vegetables and pick flowers. As well as gardening, there might be art, crafts, live music, storytelling and gentle yoga ... and always tea and posh biscuits.

A new sense of purpose

In Jolly Good Company is now recognised by the NHS as a valuable support, because of the way it entwines wellbeing activities into its sessions. To Sarah’s delight, Dorset Community Foundation recently presented her with £15,000 from the NHS Health and Well Being Trust fund.

‘It is all about early intervention. Our activities help people stay better, and stay longer in their own

‘A daughter of one of our guests thanked me for giving her mum’s life a sense of purpose again. It’s such a privilege to give people something to look forward to, to help give the best quality of life in the years when they may not expect to be meeting new friends, starting new hobbies or enjoying new experiences.

‘I came to our Wimborne St Giles session yesterday. They didn’t need me, the whole team was here – I could have gone home, but I stayed because I was having such a ‘jolly good time’! I never want to be in the position where I’m only at my desk organising things. I go to the groups at least once a month. That’s what feeds me – seeing people, who might otherwise be stuck at home in really difficult situations, have a good time. That’s my motivation.’ And her terrier attitude continues. Sarah hopes to start another group in West Dorset. ‘I want to grow the charity – but the quality of what we offer is far more important than size.’

As Sarah gets ready to cycle through the village to check on a Jolly Day guest who hasn’t attended for a while, I wonder if she ever gets time off to take care of herself?

‘I do make sure I take time out for me, or it can be overwhelming. I feel very responsible for all of my Jolly people.’

• injollygoodcompany.com

The insider’s guide on what not to miss at the Spring Countryside Show!

We spoke to the G&S show team to get the inside track on the Spring Countryside Show – here’s their top tips on what not to miss this year:

Dingle Fingle in the Rural Ring

Dingle Fingle is an undercover policeman, and he’s on the relentless pursuit of Slippery Sid the classic car thief. Slippery Sid has been selling classic cars, having rigged them up to break down so he can steal them from underneath their owner’s noses.

YOU are the Clown Town Crime Watch – and Dingle Fingle needs your help…

The Heavy Horse Village

Meet the shire horses, talk with their owners, discover the details of show preparation, ask any questions you might have, and then watch them plait and harness the horses ready for competition time.

Have a go at archery with Purbeck Archers – next door to the Farmyard Area

In the Potting Shed

BBC Gardener’s World presenter Jane Moore will be in The Potting Shed talking about Planting for Wildlife on Sunday at 2pm. Renowned landscape photographer Charlie Waite will be inspiring audiences with his ‘just try it’ philosophy on outdoors photography at 10am on Saturday.

David Usher, Head Gardener of the worldrenowned Lutyens and Jekyll formal garden at Hestercombe for almost 20 years, will be talking ‘Something Old, Something New’ at 2pm on Saturday.

Meet the animals

Head to the Farmyard Area, where you’ll find rare breed goats, smallest naturally-occurring breed of sheep in the world and you can even handle the floofy chicks.

The Spring Countryside Show has something for everyone – with amazing acts to watch, animals to meet, live entertainment, plenty of activities for the kids plus trade stands and food stalls, the whole family is guaranteed to have a blast.

RURAL RING

10:00 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

10:30 Terrier Racing

11:15

Dingle Fingle’s Clown Town Crime Watch

12:00 Racing Pigs

12:45 Heavy Horse Display

13:30 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

14:00 Terrier Racing

14:45 Dingle Fingle’s Clown Town Crime Watch

15:30 Racing Pigs

16:15 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

AXEMEN’S RING

10:30 Timber Demonstration

14:30 Timber Demonstration

HEAVY HORSE VILLAGE

10:00 Meet the Horses

10:30 Plaiting

11:00 Leg & Body washing

11:30 Show Preparation Demonstration

12:00 Harnessing

13:30 Open Village - your chance to get up close to the horses

14:00 Plaiting

14:30 Harnessing

15:00 Question Time

16:00 Feeding & Open Village

DAY 1 8th June

MUSIC STAGE

10:00 Charlie Greenwood 11:10 Set Ready

12:40 Belle Street Duo 14:00 Monkey Touch

15:40 D’Ska Assassins

POTTING SHED

10:00 Charlie Waite - Having a Go 11:30 Geoff Hobson - Bonsai Basics

13:00 TBC 14:00 David Usher - ‘Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue’

DOGWISE AGILITY RING

11:00 Gun Dog Demo 11:45 Fitpaws Demo 12:30 Agility Demo & Races

12:00 Racing Pigs

13:00 Scentwork Demo

13:15 Obedience to Music Display Team

13:30 FUN DOG SHOW! The Loveliest Lady The Handsome Fella Best Rescue Dog

14:30 Obedience to Music Display Team

15:00 Beginners Agility Sessions (Pre Booking on the day)

Don’t Miss Demonstations in our Working Steam area, trying your hand at Crafts in the Have a Go Marquee, or Tractor & Trailer rides!

RURAL RING

10:00 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

10:30 Terrier Racing

11:15

Dingle Fingle’s Clown Town Crime Watch

12:00 Racing Pigs

12:45 Heavy Horse Display

13:30 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

14:00 Terrier Racing

14:45 Dingle Fingle’s Clown Town Crime Watch

15:30 Racing Pigs

16:15 Amanda Sandow’s Spotted Ponies

AXEMEN’S RING

10:30 Timber Demonstration

14:30 Timber Demonstration

HEAVY HORSE VILLAGE

10:00 Meet the Horses

10:30 Plaiting

11:00 Leg & Body washing

11:30 Show Preparation Demonstration

12:00 Harnessing

13:30 Open Village - your chance to get up close to the horses

14:00 Plaiting

14:30 Harnessing

15:00 Question Time

16:00 Feeding & Open Village

DAY 2 9th June

MUSIC STAGE

10:00 The 2 Hats Busking Band 11:10 Lizzie

12:30 Mustang Sally 15:00 Loose Connections

POTTING SHED

10:00 TBC 11:30 Sally Nex - Plastic Free Gardening

13:00 Paul Williams - Big Yellow Garden Project

14:00 Jane Moore - Planting for Wildlife

DOGWISE AGILITY RING

11:00 Gun Dog Demo 11:45 Fitpaws Demo 12:30 Agility Demo & Races

12:00 Racing Pigs

13:00 Scentwork Demo

13:15 Obedience to Music Display Team

13:30 FUN DOG SHOW! The Loveliest Lady The Handsome Fella Best Rescue Dog

14:30 Obedience to Music Display Team

15:00 Beginners Agility Sessions (Pre Booking on the day)

Don’t Miss Demonstations in our Working Steam area, trying your hand at Crafts in the Have a Go Marquee, or Tractor & Trailer rides!

PUBLIC CAR PARK

RURALRING

TRADERS & MEMBER’S

CAR PARK

PUBLIC CAR PARK

An open air summer of theatrical fun

From Shakespeare to new scripts, Gay Pirrie-Weir takes us through the 15 companies bringing Dorset its summer feast of drama under the stars

Fifteen alfresco theatre companies will be touring our region in the coming months, and their actors as much as their eager audiences will be keeping their fingers tightly crossed that the rain finally stays away and everyone can look forward to balmy evenings in the open air. It’s a bumper crop for 2024, and as always there’s a selection of plays from Shakespearean favourites to original creations, from comedy to dark mystery, musicals to children’s shows. Venues range from the grounds of stately homes to atmospheric seaside settings. Audiences are usually asked to bring low-backed chairs, and to arrive in time to set up their picnics and sit back to enjoy the performances. Best position rage is, lamentably, a growing practice, so be sure to put on a smile and remember there are other people wanting to see the stage!

There is also some competition to bring the best picnic – not quite at the Glyndebourne silver candelabra and Krug level, but you might get a few snide giggles

at a bag of stuff snatched from the petrol station en route to the venue. What a piece of work is man, as the Prince of Denmark might have said. And you can hear him saying it when the Lord Chamberlain’s Men come to a venue near you. Other Shakespearean plays are prominent, predictably that open air Midsummer Night’s Dream favourite, chosen by Chapterhouse and Troubadour Stageworks. You can also see Dukes Theatre in As You Like It, The Festival Players in The Tempest, Handlebards and Three Inch Fools in A Comedy of Errors and Illyria in Romeo and Juliet. Editor Laura and I have been discussing how people decide on going to open air plays – is it because you choose your favourite company and go to whatever play they produce, or because you always go to the nearest venue to your home? Do you choose the plays you know and like, or those that you have never seen before? Or do you wait until the last minute to see what the weather forecasters have to say?

This year there are four new companies, and several well established summer tourers. The choice is yours ...

• Calf2Cow Theatre touring Sherlock and Watson: A Murder in the Garden comes to Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 7th June, Winterborne Stickland on 16th June and Arundells in Salisbury Cathedral Close on 27th June.

• The multi-production Chapterhouse, touring Beauty and the Beast at Stourhead on 23rd August, Little Women at Stourhead on 30th August and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Sherborne School for Girls on 25th August.

• Newcomers Dukes Theatre touring As You Like It to Kingston Lacy on 26th June and Kingston Maurward, Dorchester on 23rd August

Illyria, will be staging The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle at Castle Gardens in Sherborne on 21st June, Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 9th August and Kingston Lacy near Wimborne on 29th August.

• Long-established Festival Players touring The Tempest, at Shaftesbury Abbey Garden on 22nd June and Abbotsbury Subtropical Gardens on 24th June.

• The Handlebards, the troupe that travels between venues on bicycles, towing their props behind them, have chosen A Comedy of Errors, and you can see it at the Larmer Tree Gardens on 23rd June, Castle Court School at Corfe Mullen on 25th June and Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 26th June.

• Another long-established and always multi-production company, Illyria, will be

staging The Adventures of Doctor Dolittle at Castle Gardens in Sherborne on 21st June, Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 9th August and Kingston Lacy near Wimborne on 29th August. Their second show, Romeo and Juliet, is at Castle Gardens on 4th July (just in time for the election!) and at Corfe Castle on 15th August. The Illyria production of The Gondoliers is at Castle Gardens on 16th July and their final show of the year, The Hound of the Baskervilles, is at Castle Gardens on 6th August and Corfe Castle on 8th August

• Newcomers Immersion Theatre have chosen Peter Pan, and you can see it at Athelhampton House on 22nd June or Arundells in Salisbury Cathedral Close on 11th August.

• The all-male company The Lord Chamberlain’s Men celebrate their 20th anniversary with a production of Hamlet, coming to the lawns of Rack Close at Salisbury Cathedral on 7th and 8th June, Kingston Lacy on 12th and 25th July, Athelhampton House on 19th July and Breamore House on 24th August.

• It’s a welcome return for Cornwall-based Miracle

Theatre, who took a break last year and return with an original show, Love Riot, coming to Ibberton on 1st August, and at Kimmeridge Bay the following day. Both these stops are promoted by Artsreach.

• New company Plandits Theatre will perform The Secret Garden in the grounds of Athelhampton House on 3rd August.

• Quantum Theatre has two shows – Great Expectations coming to the Rifles Museum in Salisbury on 19th and 20th June, and The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck at Corfe Castle on 1st August and the Rifles Museum on 30th August.

• The best named company for an English summer,

Rain or Shine, has Oscar Wilde’s enduring comedy The Importance of Being Earnest, coming to the Roman Villa at Rockbourne on 6th June, Bishop Wordsworth School in Salisbury on 28th June, Maumbury Rings in Dorchester on 25th July and Upper Leigh Farm in East Knoyle on 26th July.

• My own favourites, The Rude Mechanicals, bring their commedia dell’arte style to an original story, The Dressing Book. See them at Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens on 8th June, Bradford Abbas on 27th June, The White Horse at Stourpaine on 28th June, Tarrant Monkton on 18th July or Child Okeford on 20th July.

• The multi-instrumentalist actors of Three Inch Fools will tour The Comedy of Errors, coming to Higher Orchard in Sandford Orcas on 16th August and a new show, The Secret Diary of Henry VIII at Corfe Castle on 22nd August.

• The locally based Troubadour Stageworks have chosen A Midsummer Night’s Dream and their tour includes Kingsettle Stud at Cholderton on 29th June and Hatch House near Tisbury on 20th July.

The Lord Chamberlain’s Men celebrate their 20th anniversary with a production of Hamlet

Miracle Theatre return with an original show, Love Riot, coming to Ibberton on 1st August, and at Kimmeridge Bay the following day

Here comes the cheese

Savour an array of local delicacies from more than 20 cheesemakers, family fun and live music at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival

Are you a turophile (that’s a lover of cheese, in case you’re wondering)? Then you might want to pop 14th and 15th September in your diary, and set the satnav for the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival.

Always a much-anticipated event in the local foodie calendar, this year the festival boasts more than 20 cheese makers, alongside a wide variety of other local West Country food and drinks traders. From cheddar to blue cheese, olives to pasties and cakes to chocolates, there is surely something to tempt every taste bud at the festival. And let’s not forget the locally-produced gin and vodka that is also on offer.

Sit back and enjoy

The two food marquees buzz with activity from the moment the Cheese Festival opens its gate, as visitors sample the delicious offerings from the various vendors. Crafters also showcase their talents at the festival, and you’ll be able to browse a range of handmade goods such as candles, leatherwork, art and jewellery. Visitors can watch demonstrations by the Dorset Lacemakers and the woodworking skills of the Coppice Group, as well as support the local charities and organisations that are present at the event. One of the major highlights of the festival is the Real Ale & Cider Tent, where visitors can sample a variety of locally-brewed

beverages. Everyone’s favourite is to sit on a straw bale and enjoy a pint while listening to some live music – or, if you prefer, there is of course plenty of tea, coffee and a variety of other drinks available while you sit and soak up the atmosphere.

For the younger visitors – and the young at heart – there is plenty of entertainment, including a FREE Punch & Judy show. When you’re finished working your way through the samples in the food tents, there will naturally be plenty of outside food choices, be it a cheese toasty or an ice cream! The combination of delicious food, live music, and a buzzing, vibrant atmosphere make the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival a must-visit event for foodies and families alike.

For tickets, more information and updates, visit cheesefestival.co.uk and follow the festival on Facebook or Instagram.

Come and join us for a day of delicious food and live music at the Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival – we can’t wait to see you!

• The Cheese Festival will take place on 14th and 15th September from 10am to 5pm at the Recreation Ground, Ricketts Lane, Sturminster Newton.

Early Bird tickets are available at a discount until midnight on 31 July.

• Weekend tickets are also available and must be purchased in advance from the festival website.

Immerse yourselves in the magic of Opera in a Box!

Award-winning ensemble Opera in a Box is returning to the South West this June with the mischievous fairytale opera, Hansel & Gretel. Performing in Dorset for one night only, this production is part of the summer programme by the touring arts charity Artsreach. Say goodbye to your preconceptions about opera and join this exciting ensemble for an unforgettable evening that will leave you spellbound.

First performed in 1893, Humperdinck’s Hansel & Gretel retells the timeless fairy-tale of two siblings lost in the forest. Follow Hansel and Gretel as they discover a house made of gingerbread and fall into the clutches of a wicked witch.

As a touring company, Opera in a Box aims to bring opera to as wide an audience as possible, breaking down preconceptions about the genre with fresh and exciting productions. The company brings together young and talented individuals to create innovative and gripping theatre. This production features singers who have also performed with Bath Opera, Bristol Opera, and Welsh National Youth Opera, in venues from The Theatre Royal, Bath to Glyndebourne.

‘Opera in a Box have clearly succeeded in their mission to bring the opera genre to as wide an audience as possible,’ says The Bristol Magazine

about their 2022 production of “Carmen.”

Performing in English, eight singers and musicians will create an immersive experience for all the family, full of music, magic, and of course, gingerbread!

• Follow the adventures of Hansel & Gretel at Lytchett Matravers Village Hall at 7pm on Sunday, 30 June.

• Further information and tickets are available from 07795 467666 or online at artsreach.co.uk.

The return of Semley Music Festival

Semley’s third community music festival will take place in early July on Church Green, with it’s usual ambitious plan to bring outstanding musicians who represent a broad range of musical influences to a tiny rural community. The festival starts on Friday 5th July with music from 7pm to 11.30pm, and then continues from noon until midnight on Saturday 6th July with a packed programme of musicians, reflecting a wide variety of genres from jazz and Brazilian salsa to R&B.

Semley Music Festival is a not-for-profit community event. and the organiser’s aim is to involve all ages and backgrounds, whether as volunteers, audience or participants, to offer

a rich variety of cultural experiences and the opportunity to develop creative skills. Several local village schools will host samba drumming workshops run by the Brazilian band for a performance to launch the festival. Local charity Seeds4Success will be hosting stalls selling items they have made, running art activities for children and helping with hospitality for guests.

Proceeds from the festival will be donated to the charity, which helps young people to access programmes that develop practical skills, enhance education, improve employability, conserve the natural environment and strengthen the local community.

SPRING COUNTRYSIDE SHOW

Bigger, better, faster, LOUDER!

It can only be... the return of the Clayesmore Classic & Supercar Sunday!

This relative newcomer to the Dorset summer event calendar is already a firm favourite and not one to be missed. Now in its third year, this summer’s show will include 450 of the finest, classiest, fastest and brightest cars ever made. It is a brilliant day out for all the family; wall to wall cars that will blow your mind... plus so much more. Back by popular demand, there will again be TWO Rev Offs – last year’s did not disappoint. Set against the backdrop of Clayesmore house, it’s an amazing spectacle when the competing cars line up for the showdown of noise and muscle!

There is plenty for the children to see and do too, including the FREE electric Land Rovers on a brilliant assault course, all courtesy of Harwoods, the headline sponsor.

An exciting new addition for 2024 is the 80th Anniversary D-Day celebration feature: the display will include an interesting array of military vehicles, along with the 1940’s sounds of the Land Girls Singers! Keep your eyes and ears peeled for a fantastic spitfire flyover too!

As always, we’ll be rocking out to live music, and as you’d expect there’ll be no shortage of delicious food, with gourmet burgers, wood-fired pizza, gelato and crepes.

• clayesmore.com Sunday 18 August 10am to 4:30pm Clayesmore School

A350 Iwerne Minster DT11 8LL

THE

CORY BAND

Ranked as one of the world’s best brass bands, The Cory Band return to our stage after a sell out concert in 2023 (£23)

BREATHLESS - MUSIC OF THE CORRS SAT 10TH AUGUST

A NIGHT OF BLUES ‘N’ BOOGIE SAT 20TH JULY SAT 6TH JULY

Three great acts - Julian Phillips Boogie-Woogie solo piano, American roots & blues duo Adam Sweet & Paddy Blight, and Zoe Schwarz Blue Commotion (£18)

Recreating the beautiful harmonies and look, they are said to be the No 1 tribute to The Corrs, as they entertain audiences with the amazing songs of this iconic band (£20)

CELINE - MY HEART WILL GO ON FRI 19TH JULY SAT 13TH JULY

A stunning celebration of the music of one of the greatest singers of our timeCeline Dion. Starring Alexandra Darby with her live band (£24)

Rare chance to explore private gardens, open in aid of Julia’s House

Garden lovers will have the opportunity to explore two private gardens, as part of the new Open Gardens event by the local children’s hospice, Julia’s House. Lady Tania Compton’s Spilsbury Farm in Tisbury and Littlebrook Farmhouse in Blandford Forum will open to the public this June.

New for 2024, the Julia’s House Open Gardens scheme aims to raise vital funds for the Wiltshire and Dorset children’s hospice charity, which provides critical and compassionate care for the most seriously ill children and their families. Guests can enjoy exploring these delightful gardens, savour homemade cakes and refreshments, and gain gardening tips from the owners.

Visits must be booked in advance at the Julia’s House website, where more entry information can be found: juliashouse.org/open-gardens-2024.

Littlebrook Farmhouse, Blandford Forum

Wednesday 12th June

Visitors will enjoy breathtaking views of the Blackmore Vale from the gardens at Littlebrook Farmhouse which will be open from 2.30pm to 5pm. These charming gardens feature a large landscaped pond area, as well as fruit trees, formal terracing and a thriving vegetable patch – all with those spectacular views!

Entry £6 per person.

Lady Tania Compton’s Spilsbury Farm, Tisbury

Saturday 15th June

Explore the idyllic farmhouse gardens of Spilsbury Farm from 10am to 5.30pm. Home to esteemed garden designer Lady Tania Compton and botanist Dr James Compton, the six-acre gardens are a sweeping mixture of formality and wilderness. Each 1.5 hour bookable visit will begin with a talk from Tania Compton herself, and the opportunity to gain valuable gardening insights and advice. Guests can explore the romantic naturalist gardens at their leisure, taking in the ancient oak trees, an orchard with long meadow grass peppered with perennials, and borders billowing with eryngiums, delphiniums, cardoons and roses.

Entry £15 per person

Do you, could you, would you write a script?

The Script’s The Thing was the title of the first Dorset Festival of Scriptwriting, held in Dorchester in October 2023. A second festival is planned for 2025, but smaller events are planned for 2024. The Exchange is hoping to stage a taster event later this year to increase awareness of opportunities for writers based locally who write scripts for performance. The event would be open to anyone at whatever level of experience – even those just curious about the writing process for their favourite stage play, TV or film script.

It would showcase some script in-hand performances, and hope to inspire and motivate writers at all levels to consider submitting for the Festival in 2025.

If you write scripts – or would like to do so – or if you are simply curious about the process, please do get in touch with Robert Cowley to express your interest. You can reach him through The Exchange, by email info@stur-exchange.co.uk or 01258 475137. If we have enough interest we will make something happen!

The Lost Songs of Scilly

Poole Lighthouse hosts the final date of Lost Songs of Scilly, a new project that explores the stories and songs of the Isles of Scilly. The national tour ends in Poole on 20th June, giving a Dorset audience the opportunity to hear the new music and songs created by Piers Lewin and John Patrick Elliott to celebrate these very special islands off the south west coast.

Poet, musician, wood-turner and cook Piers Lewis has lived on the tiny Scilly island of St Agnes for 25 years. Following the disappointing realisation that his island home (unusually for a Celtic outpost) has no surviving indigenous music, he has made it his personal mission to compose and perform music that reaches the very heart of the place. Early in this quest, he began collaborating with composer and producer John Patrick Elliott, a regular visitor to the islands. The concert and album evoke that Celtic heritage, the isolation of the islands, their traditions, their dramatic coastlines and weather and their history, entangled with but separate from the mainland.

There are foot-stomping reels, songs that sound as if they have always been sung and ambient immersive instrumentals. It is music infused with an unshakeable sense of place – evocative island

soundscapes, field recordings woven through songs of the sea, celebrating the resilience of a creative, independent island community and transporting audiences to this truly beautiful place.

Much of the music is created and recorded outside in the landscape – the ambience of wind and wave reflecting Scilly’s unspoilt soundscape. Many of the dance tunes draw inspiration from the powerful traditional Celtic music of neighbouring Cornwall, while the songs distill the rich stories and complex traditions of a remarkable, resilient maritime community.

• lostsongsofscilly.com

Battle of the Organs

featuring the Chamber Choir

Wednesday 26th June

7.30pm, Sherborne School Chapel

The Chamber Choir is joined by pupil organists in a “Battle of the Organs” featuring the school’s two instruments. Repertoire to include music by J S Bach, Bruckner, Parry, Lili Boulanger, Stanford and Howells.

Scan the QR code or email tickets@sherborne.org FREE ADMISSION BOOKING ADVISABLE

Friday Lunchtime Recitals

1.45pm Cheap Street Church (unless otherwise stated) FREE ADMISSION ALL WELCOME

19th April Brass 26th April Singers 3rd May Chamber Ensembles (1.30pm, Sherborne Abbey)

10th May Strings 17th May Woodwind 24th May Instrumental and Vocal Soloists

7th June Pianists

14th June The Choral Scholars

New play looks at a family torn apart by sudden death

‘Grief is love that has nowhere to go’ – anon

What happens to an ordinary happy family when one member dies suddenly? How do they – how does anyone – deal with the grief, but carry on with life, particularly if there are children who need care and attention? This is the poignant and powerful theme of Sue Ashby’s new play, Sweet Sorrow, which will be staged by SNADS – Sturminster Newton Dramatic Society – at the Exchange on Friday and Saturday 21st and 22nd June.

The play, a bittersweet contemporary drama of love, loss and hope, follows the paths of Gemma, her husband Jo, daughter Sky and son Josh. It explores with humour and insight what happens to a happy, loving family, when cancer – in remission for four years – reemerges, and the household is tragically reduced from four members to three.

The impact of an untimely death on a young family is a challenging subject to dramatise. But can we afford to ignore it when unspent grief is a recognised cause of poor mental health?

This production follows a recent Sue Ryder Foundation study that found that 86 per cent of bereaved people feel alone in their grief, while 81 per cent of people reported that they didn’t know what to say or do when someone close to them was grieving. Sue says: ‘Pair the two together and it’s obvious we have a societal issue on our hands.’

The play, set in Sturminster Newton, is the most recent work by Dorset-based playwright Sue Ashby (Coronation Street, Families, BBC Radio 4 Afternoon Theatre), directed by Nicole Forbes, who trained at East 15, and whose credits include Vera Drake (Mike Leigh), Vanity Fair (Focus Features), and work for BBC Radio 4. With her late partner, Tony Benge, Sue has written plays for various local

groups and organisations, including community plays for Bourton and Sturminster Newton. SNADS recently attended the NODA South West Awards Ceremony to collect the District Achievement Award for its production of Rabbit. Described as ‘a theatre company that does not shy away from challenging subjects’, Sweet Sorrow is another SNADS production that deals with important and difficult events.

• Book tickets at stur-exchange.co.uk

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Pride’s coming out

porterdodson.co.uk

Get your vocal cords warmed up and get ready to turn up the volume! It’s finally summer – and that means festival season is upon us. In this month’s article I will be talking about some of the summer music festivals coming this year.

First, a few tips. When you’re attending a music festival or concert it’s really important that you book tickets in advance. It saves you time and possible disappointment if the event sells out. Some events offer camping, which might be good if the festival is not right in your local area – but I know we have been disappointed when the camping spots filled up before we got our tickets, so again, book early!

A neat new Spotify feature you might not know about is Bandsintown. When you listen to a song or artist, you will also see their upcoming gigs local to you.

Here are some music festivals you can go in Dorset this summer:

1. Gillingham Live 2024

Gillingham Live is a charity-based festival on 21st-22nd June that brings live music and a small festival vibe over two days. The music is of all genres and it’s a great family day out. fienta.com/gillingham-live-2024

2. Semley Music Festival 2024

A two day community festival with a wide range of stalls offering food and drink as well as crafts and other free activities for kids. The festival starts at 7pm on the 5th of July and runs from noon to midnight on the 6th of July. The Swedish banjo-punk sisters sound like fun to me!

semleymusicfestival.org

3. DorsetFest

A popular family-friendly festival on 21st-22nd June, with possibly the most stunning setting of all – at Warren Farm, on Bulbarrow. Entirely not-for-profit, and run by volunteers, this year, DorsetFest supports Julia’s House Children’s Hospice . dorsetfest.org

4. Jurassic Fields

Bringing together big music and comedy acts from around the UK, on 12th to 14th July in Bridport (there’s camping and glamping available). It’s a well-established festival with something for everyone. jurassicfields.com

There are many more festivals in Dorset this year –search online and watch out for posters in your area, and go enjoy the music!

This month’s news from the unofficial capital of the Blackmore Vale...

A whirlwind tour of all that’s coming up in Sturminster Newton this month

Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events

We’re just in time for the Sturminster Newton Literary Festival 2004 – see the poster opposite! There’s something for everyone ... and the everpopular Ghost Walk event looks like it will be repeated beyond next week, as we have a waiting list (or is it the local poltergeists booking the places?). In addition to the broad range of literary walks, talks and workshops, the UK commemorates 80 years since D Day on the 6th June. As part of this commemoration, Sturminster LitFest is devoting the 9th of June to military history, with a special day ticket covering all events on the day. This will include the Story of the Hampshires, Dorsets and Devons on 6th June 1944 by James Porter, the official opening of the special D-Day testimony exhibition and The Army that Never Was – D Day and the Great Deception by Taylor Downing. Saturday 15th June is the LitFest’s first Crime Writer’s Day, with another day pass available for the three crime writing talks – come be on a jury and solve a real crime!

Dorset Arts Week is happening right now around the county, but Sturminster will be holding its own Arts Fortnight next month, the 13th to 28th July, with a pop up exhibition soread around the town’s shops. A big thank you goes to all who have offered window space – and there is still room for more artists, whatever your type of work.

Elsewhere in Stur...

SturAction’s four shops continue to flourish and benefit the town by bringing shoppers in as well as putting money towards projects. Amazingly we now have almost 100 traders in 1855 – but we can always find space for more!

SturAction does not give grants to individuals, but

does consider applications for funding from groups and organisations, as well as initiating projects itself. The key qualifier is that the money must go to support the economy of the town and to the benefit its residents. In addition, SturAction’s volunteers are a lively social group, and we are always pleased to welcome more people into our family! In particular we are currently looking for folk to help staff our Furniture Warehouse – do speak to our shop manager Cheryl Basten (usually found at either 1855 or The Emporium) email her on comcheststur1@gmail.com or phone 07733 430105. Cheryl will also point you in the right direction to apply for funding.

Wolf wine stock the old bank vault in 1855

EOVER20 VENTSINANDAROUND STUR

Letters to the Editor

Want to reply? Read something you feel needs commenting on? Our postbag is open! Please send emails to letters@BVmagazine.co.uk.

When writing, please include your full name and address; we will not print this, but do require it.

On our new council

I am concerned about the notable lack of North Dorset councillors in the new Dorset Council, with only one representative from Sherborne. North Dorset’s issues are not the same as those in Weymouth, Chickerell, and Dorchester – and Councillor Nick Ireland’s focus on these places potentially sidelines North Dorset’s issues. It’s vital for the council to ensure all regions, including ours, have a voice that’s heard and influential in decisionmaking. How will the council address this underrepresentation and guarantee that North Dorset’s interests are recognised?

Gavin P, Blandford

On the tourist’s view

The recent letter from a visitor highlighting their concerns about sheep worrying in Dorset captured an outsider’s perspective that many of us might overlook.

The tourist’s suggestion for a culture of accountability is a good one – can more stringent measures to enforce dog control, such as mandatory leashing in rural areas or near livestock be enforced on a local level, much like dogs on beaches are?

Bryan Green, Verwood

No singing from the tower? It was so very sad to see that yet again The Choir of Sherborne Abbey did not sing from The Abbey Tower on Ascension Day morning. For the past few years this ancient tradition has just been dropped, with seemingly no concern. I wonder what the reasoning for this is? I presume it can’t be health and safety

as it would apply to the other churches. Magdalen Oxford and St Johns Cambridge, together with many other churches, manage it ... so what has happened to Sherborne Abbey? Soon all these ancient traditions will be gone forever, as those of us who witness and remember, will pass on and incomers will have no idea just how much of Sherborne has been discarded, cancelled or changed at a whim. Bring in the new but please do not destroy our ancient heritage. There is room for all.

Shirley Fooks, Sherborne

Thank you

We would like to extend our sincere thanks to the gentleman who came to our rescue on Bank Holiday Monday at the Sherborne County Show. We had followed instructions to park on the field opposite Castle Gardens, and we ended up on a steep incline. Upon our return we were unable to move the car due to the wet slippery conditions.

A gentleman with his Land Rover and winch managed to get us moving – all we know is his wife was showing sheep at the show. The young lady parked next to us with her family was also in the same position requiring help. There was yet another family who, having pushed their car out of a difficult situation, offered to push our car.

Surely the organisers of the SCS car parking should factor in their risk assessment contingencies, such as having a vehicle on standby to help tow cars stuck in the field, rather than rely on the kindness of strangers?

Carol Porter, Leigh

When passing horses

Ah, it’s that blissful time of year again when our serene lanes are suddenly bustling with tourists*, who, bless their hearts, seem to treat passing horses as some kind of advanced driving test they weren’t prepared for. Yes, we all share the road, but that doesn’t mean our equine friends are ready to dodge cars like they’re in a game of Frogger.

Most drivers know the mantra: pass wide and slow. Of course, knowing isn’t the same as doing –I know I should eat broccoli, but here we are.

And here’s a bonus fun tip: please don’t start slowing down when you’re so far back that my horse starts wondering if you’re bringing the post. The longer you take creeping up, the more my horse ponders his life choices and the twitchier he gets.

Also, remember a startled horse doesn’t just stop; it bolts sideways faster than you can say, ‘Was that a squirrel?’ They’re more likely to take a fear-induced leap towards the road than away from it.

So, while you might think giving us a friendly honk to say hello is a nice gesture, it’s actually more like announcing the apocalypse to my horse. Fret not, we already know you’re there, thanks to our lack of a metal fortress around us.

And for those feeling extra generous, why not add ‘no revving your engine to impress us’ to the list of no thank you’s?

Frankly, my horse is unimpressed by your horsepower.

Let’s keep the roads safe and the local wildlife (and yes that includes horses) calm.

S D, Shaftesbury

*I lied. It’s not just the tourists that are the problem.

Crossword

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

Jigsaw Sunset on the Stour – just click to complete!

Honey Farm Award for Lionel Horner

Castle Cary beekeeper Lionel Horner has been awarded this year’s West Country Honey Farm Award, which is presented annually to a beekeeper who has made an outstanding contribution to beekeeping in Somerset. The award was announced at the annual meeting of the Somerset Beekeepers Association.

Speaking (SBKA) at the presentation, Ken Jeanes, chairman of the South East Somerset branch of the British Beekeepers Association, said: ‘Lionel has inspired many newbies to start their beekeeping journey and has always been there to help and offer advice.’

Originally from Devon, Lionel has been keeping bees for nearly 50 years and has been running beginners courses in Somerset since 2014. He was the driving force in establishing a bee keeping club at Ansford School in Castle Cary and is constantly in demand as a speaker. He appeared on television as a mentor for Sarah Beeny in Sarah Beeny’s New Life in the Country – he was seen in the television series collecting a swarm to introduce into her hive. He plays an active role in swarm collection locally, and he always uses the time spent with the person who has called him, teaching them about bees and their habitats.

For many years he has had a major role in organising the SBKA stand at the Bath and West Show and is, said Mr Jeanes, ‘an excellent ambassador for the association with his incredible depth of knowledge and understanding of bees, and his quiet engaging manner.’

Apiary on the solar farm

Lionel’s most recent contribution to the area’s bee-keeping community has been the formation of the divisional apiary at Hook Valley Solar Park on the outskirts of Wincanton. He led the team who worked with energy firms and contractors ‘to turn a muddy disused corner of the site into the thriving apiary today, with 12 colonies and a storage shed with enough room for people to meet inside.’

Ken Jeanes continued: ‘Thanks to Lionel’s unstinting support, hard work and encouragement, the apiary now provides the perfect opportunity for all members, at all levels of experience, to learn and experiment with different methods of beekeeping, types of hives, queen rearing, etc.’

Dr Bob Jones, a much-loved former Wincanton GP and one of the south east Somerset group’s longest standing members, says: ‘I have known Lionel since he first came to this area, and I have always found him unfailingly helpful, especially with those new to beekeeping – patient and always ready to give freely of his time whenever there is a cry for help from anyone in our beekeeping fraternity.’

Ken Jeanes (left) presents the West Country Honey Farm Award to Lionel Horner (right)

Abbey104 Album of the Month: Chandler Wyatt C. Louis Royal Mountain Records

On my weekly radio show I try to focus primarily on new and underground artists, bringing them to a wider audience and dispelling the myth that “there’s no good music anymore”. As a result, it has been a point of some consternation to me that 2024 has been conspicuously lacking in high quality debut albums. In fact, two of my recent Album Of The Month submissions have featured artists with careers spanning well in excess of 20 years. I was therefore delighted to hear the debut L.P. from Canadian singer-songwriter Wyatt C. Louis.

The album’s title, Chandler, is taken from the C. in the artists name, and reflects the deeply personal nature of this record, produced close to home in Calgary. But what immediately catches the attention is the sure-footedness of both the writing and the arrangements on display here. While on its surface this is a Canadian take on Americana-Folk, a la Dallas Green (City & Colour) and Spencer Burton (Grey Kingdom), Wyatt never shies away from adding the kinds of flourishes and unexpected musical touchpoints necessary to set their music apart from their contemporaries.

The album opens in a wash of acoustic guitar accompanied by piano and wind instruments before settling into Wild, where beautiful but subtle violin and pedal steel flourishes ebb and flow as Louis implores “Take me as I am, take me”. The standout track and centrepiece of the album, In Emerald, is where the self-confidence

and aplomb of this album really reaches its peak. The mastery of melody and lyrics on show as Louis sings “Rainy day, headed to a guitar shop ... didn’t have the money anyway” is a perfect set-up for the tail of the song, where country vies with soul in a vocal style simultaneously fresh and comfortingly familiar in its delivery. This is a superb, accomplished debut from an artist to watch.

• Matthew Ambrose presents Under The Radar on Tuesday evening at 7pm on Abbey104. Broadcasting on 104.7FM and online at abbey104.com.

Matthew Ambrose, DJ at Abbey104

South Molton Stallions dominate the Doddler’s Wessex Ridgeway Relay again

If you happened to be out walking on Sunday 19th May you may have noticed lots of runners about in the sunshine: if so, you probbaly stumbled across a section of the Wessex Ridgeway Relay Race, organised by the Dorset Doddlers running club. Starting in Tollard Royal, 14 teams took part in the 100km race, with the teams aiming to be first to cross the line in Uplyme. The route closely follows the ancient Wessex Ridgeway trail,

and the teams knew they would be running through some of the county’s most stunning scenery (with a hill or two along the way).

Over the past few years, South Molton Stallions have made the race their own – they have won the title every year since 2017. This year proved no different, with the team of four crossing the line in 8h 35m. In a very close second, just 11 minutes behind them were the Wimborne AC Wacers with a time of 8h

46m, hotly pursued by third place in the men’s teams, Egdon Heath Harriors in 8h 50m. There were three lady’s teams competing, and the ladies title went to Disoriented Divas, crossing the line in 11h 34m. Second place went to the Blue Tits (13h 23m), and third were Gillingham Trotters Dolls.

The three Dorset Doddlers team also compete for the club’s own Chris Cussen Challenge Shield, in memory of the longtime Ridgeway Race director and Dorset Doddler. The first Doddlers team to cross the line, adding their name to the shield, were the Growlers.

The Doddlers would like to thank Hall & Woodhouse and Tesco for their generous and continued sponsorship of the race.

• Full results and further information on the Wessex Ridgeway Relay Race wessexridgeway.co.uk

Shaftesbury mayor chooses BAD Co.

On 14th May, Councillor Alex Chase was elected as Mayor of Shaftesbury for 2024/2025. Alex is planning a range of fundraising events, the proceeds of which will be gifted to the mayor’s chosen charity.

Alex says: ‘I’m thrilled to

announce that the mayor’s charity will be the Brave and Determined Company. BAD Co is an incredible charity, dedicated to funding counselling for those struggling with mental health challenges, helping those who can’t afford counselling

otherwise. BAD Co have a great vision for their work that is incredibly exciting and deserves our support. We are looking forward to working with them over the next year to raise money and awareness for their fantastic work.’

The South Molton Stallions won the race for the eighth consecutive year

The Growlers won the Chris Cussen Challenge Shield

Hall & Woodhouse’s Community Chest launches for 2024

Independent family brewer Hall & Woodhouse’s 2024 Community Chest Awards are now open for applications. Charitable organisations across Dorset can seek support from H&W’s largest-ever fund of £60,000, marking the highest pledge in the initiative’s 22-year history.

The Community Chest is available to a wide range of community initiatives and small volunteerled charities with a total income of less than £200,000. H&W aims to provide essential funds to enhance local areas within its trading region across southern England.

Grants can support youth activities, arts and culture initiatives, sports and social clubs, health and social care, the elderly and disabled, and environmental conservation.

Applications for grants between £300 and £3,000 are open until Sunday, July 14. Funding can cover operational costs, essential equipment, and essential training.

Mark Woodhouse, Family Director of H&W, said: ‘Each year, we are inspired by the remarkable efforts of local people who go above and beyond

to help others, that work tirelessly to make a difference in our local communities.’

Since its inception in 2002, the Community Chest has donated over £800,000 to more than 950 good causes across southern England.

Application forms are available at hall-woodhouse.co.uk/community-chest and can be emailed to communitychest@hall-woodhouse.co.uk for consideration.

Sign up today for Air Ambulance 5K Twilight Shift

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is hosting their annual 5K Twilight Shift on Saturday, 6th July 2024 at Henstridge Airfield, the charity’s operational base. With only 500 spots available, participants can register now to secure their place.

This event welcomes runners, joggers, and walkers of all abilities, whether participating individually, with family, or in groups. It’s a perfect opportunity for team building or just a fun afternoon of exercise. Participants can run, jog, or walk the 5K and enter as an individual, as a family, or a group. You can take part as a serious runner, or simply use it to have fun and exercise on what will hopefully be a beautiful late afternoon in July. Businesses or groups might like to use the event as an opportunity for team building, or in-house competitions with friends and colleagues; it really is an event that is open to all. You can wear fancy dress for a bit of fun, or if you are a more experienced 5K runner, why not carry a bit of extra weight, just like the air ambulance team need to do when they are attending an incident. Our events aren’t competitive, so you can go at whatever pace you want. Whether you walk, run or jog, you will be raising money for a life-saving service that is needed every day.

The first 100 adults who enter, will receive a free t-shirt and the charity hopes that anyone who is fortunate to gain a place, will use the opportunity to raise a minimum of £50 in sponsorship.

Alana Hardy, Fundraising Events Officer, says: ‘Our 5K Twilight Shift is always an inspiring event and we are hoping to make this one better than ever. It’s really special – people get to meet members of our crew and often see the aircraft depart. The atmosphere is really fun, but the cause is so very important. People who jraise money in sponsorship will be helping us to continue saving lives. No matter your age or ability, register and take part. We can’t wait to see you there!” Register here now. Entrance fees are £15 for adults and £10 for under 16s (children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult).

Wimborne transforms (back) into thrilling 17th century English Civil War

Wimborne’s summer of history kicked off with a thrilling reenactment of The Battle for Wimborne over the May bank holiday weekend, as hundreds of members of the English Civil War Society (ECWS) descended on the town. Wimborne was transported back to the 17th century with two large, exciting re-enactment battles on Sunday and Monday. With the Minster’s towers in the background, the sounds of live cannons and musket fire filled the air as foot soldiers and cavalry clashed in realistic battle scenes. The re-enactment told the story of the Wimbornites’ plot – a Roundhead Officer in Poole was bribed to open the town gates. On the night the Wimbornites set off, the main gates were opened as promised ... but not the inner ones. They came under heavy

attack before being forced to flee with many casualties – they had been betrayed!

Throughout the weekend, Wimborne hosted parades, demonstrations of military manoeuvres, and war drum performances.

The re-enactment included a recreation of The Riot in The Minster, where Lord Shaftesbury, whose family still resides in Wimborne St Giles, ordered musketeers to shoot at the citizens in the Minster Church. Fortunately, the riot was quelled. Shoppers and visitors also encountered characters from 17th-century civilian life around the town, showcasing ancient skills such as hurdle making, leather working, apothecary, candle-making, and playing traditional instruments.

Wimborne’s Stephen Burden, member of the ECWS for 50 years, and the ECWS Royalist Colonel General of Dorset, said, ‘This immersive type of event, where the whole town is transported back to the 17th century, has never been staged in Dorset before. We couldn’t wish for a better backdrop than beautiful, historic Wimborne Minster. The whole town has been captivated by the exciting and spectacular displays. Everyone seems to have enjoyed it – lots of people have asked when we will be back!’

Fiona Harwood, Chair of Wimborne BID, added, ‘This has been such a successful event, drawing new visitors to Wimborne and bringing the town to life over the weekend. More than 3,000 people turned out to witness the battles. It’s been tremendous fun!’

All images © Wimborne BID

Artists wanted: design for The Great Tail Trail 2025

Calling all artists! Julia’s House is seeking creative designs for the mermaid tail-themed sculpture trail that will be installed across Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole next year. The Great Tail Trail will be a free, family-friendly walking trail through the towns, parks and coastline of South Dorset, encouraging residents to re-discover the places they love. The public art spectacle is also expected to attract thousands of visitors from outside the area. Artists are now invited to submit mermaid tail designs that resonate personally or take inspiration from local heritage, landmarks, natural beauty, or the impactful work of Julia’s House. There will be approximately 40 sculptures displayed at key locations across BCP from 5th April to 1st June 2025. Each mermaid tail will be 1.8m high and must stand out in a crowd. Each sculpture will be sponsored by a local business or organisation, offering a fantastic opportunity for artists

Ellie’s

to showcase their work. Laura Maidment, Public Fundraising Manager for Julia’s House, says: ‘Artists can let their imagination run wild and celebrate what’s important and meaningful for them. We hope to have a real variety of different designs, themes, creations and colours that will stand out on the trail next year. It’s going to be an amazing spectacle – each artist’s design is going to be seen by thousands of people!’

The closing date for design submissions is 1st July 2024. After submission, the designs will be shortlisted for sponsors to choose their preferred artwork for the mermaid tail sculptures. Artists can paint their sculptures in their own studios or in a shared painting space, allowing them to meet other artists involved. All sculptures must be completed by 16th December 2024. Visit greattailtrail.co.uk to download an Artists’ Pack.

officially Somerset’s Young Person of the Year!

Ellie Bealing, a Year 11 student at King Arthur’s School in Wincanton, has been named ‘Young Person of the Year’ at the Pride of Somerset Youth Awards. Ellie faced tough competition from other outstanding young individuals across the county, including athletes, volunteers, artists and leaders. The awards celebrated the significant impact these young people have made through their dedication, leadership, and inspiring achievements. Sponsored by Bridgwater & Taunton College, the Young Person of the Year category awards a young person who demonstrates exceptional dedication and achievement, serves as an inspiration to others, and exemplifies the best qualities of Somerset’s youth.

Philippa Huggins, a teacher at King Arthur’s, nominated Ellie for the award. ‘Ellie is quite simply an outstanding young woman. She is a very proactive member of King Arthur’s School, she’s Head of School and sits on the school council, representing the student body both formally and informally. She represents the school and

Ellie Bealing, being presented with her award by Ted Allen, Vice LordLieutenant of Somerset

Somerset as an elected member of the Youth Parliament. She’s a member of the British Youth Council and has campaigned to highlight the disparity of experience between young people in Somerset vs other, less rural areas linked to available opportunities and transport links.’

A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues. In the postbag this month:

Being moved to Universal Credit

Q: ‘I have been claiming housing benefit for several years but I recently received a letter from the government telling me that I have to make a claim for Universal Credit. What should I do?’

A: The following means-tested benefits are ending and are being replaced by a single means-tested benefit called Universal Credit:

• Tax credits: Working Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit

• Housing Benefit

• Income Support

• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)

• Income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) Benefits such as PIP and Attendance Allowance are not affected by this change.

The process is known as ‘managed migration’ and the letter you have received is called a ‘migration notice’. You’re not alone, most households claiming tax credits and no other means-tested benefit have already been contacted.

The government says that, over the coming year, it plans to issue migration notices as follows:

• From April: Income Support claims and Tax Credits with Housing Benefit claims

• From June: Housing Benefit only claims

• From July: income-based Employment and Support Allowance with Child Tax Credit claims attached

• From September: Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance claims

The government has also said that, from August onwards, it plans to contact people who are claiming tax credits but who are over state pension age to ask them to apply for either UC or Pension Credit (depending on the make-up of their household).

To continue receiving financial support you must claim Universal Credit by the deadline date given in your letter.

This is three months from the date the letter was sent out. You should make a claim online via the government website – you need to create an account to make a claim. You must complete your claim within 28 days of creating your account or you’ll have to start again.

If you cannot claim Universal Credit by the deadline date, you should contact the Universal Credit Migration Notice helpline on 0800 169 0328 as soon as possible. You may be able to get more time to make a claim if you have a good reason, but you must request this before the deadline date on your letter. There is lots more information about this process on the government website www.gov.uk.

If you need help to make a UC claim, contact the Citizens Advice Help to Claim Service either online here or by phone on 0800 144 8 444.

Take a Hike: Folly Round | 9.3

miles

One of our all time favourite walks, this is a day hike we return to again and again. There are probably better titles for a walk with such great views and varied landscapes, but when we’re deciding where to go, the conversation will usually go: ‘Folly Round?’ *questioningly raised eyebrow* ‘Sure. I’ll pack some sandwiches.’

And Folly Round it has remained for all the years we’ve been walking it – it’s a circular walk that starts at Folly, so I dont think there’s a need to overthink it! There’s easy parking in a small roadside layby at the start point, then it’s almost all Dorset National Landscape out to Mappowder and back up and over the always-magnificent Dorsetshire Gap. There’s wide chalk downland, old dark forest, broad meadows, excitingly steep winding paths, wide green lanes, a few farm tracks, and every now and then you earn yourself a stroll alongside some of the best views in Dorset. Despite using some of North Dorset’s best paths, it’s rare to meet many people en route. And the views are worth the stiff huff up the hills, we promise. On an early summer’s day? I defy anyone to find a more beautiful walk in Dorset.

(we’re trying something new this month – click play on the video opposite to enjoy a glimpse of the walk as we did it)

NB – Do follow the route outlined, not the actual footpath: in a couple of places the path has been moved, or is impassable and we had to find a workaround. Most notably, the bridleway through the copse at Noake Farm (just over half way) simply doesn’t exist anymore, as far as we can tell – instead you need to enter the field to the right of the copse, walk up the hill in front of you to the gate at the top, and then back down the other side to rejoin the route. From there you enter a green lane which in summer is usually shoulder high in nettles – instead of whacking your way through sting alley, simply use the handy gateway to enter the field on your left, and continue on the outside of the hedge to rejoin the path further along.

• CLICK HERE for more images and an interactive map (plus downloadable gpx file)

See all previously-published Dorset Walks on the website here. You can also find every route we’ve walked (including many which are unpublished in The BV) on OutdoorActive here (just zoom in/out on the map) – all include a downloadable gpx file.

The Northern Lights dazzle over Dorset!

Unsurprisingly, astrophotographer Rob Nolan talks about the surreal experience of watching an aurora borealis from our back gardens

In case you didn’t know, something quite spectacular happened on the night of 10th May, and I really hope you had the chance to witness it with your own eyes.

Most of Northern Europe was treated to the most powerful Northern Lights display in more than 20 years! To put that into context, the last time this happened, most of us were using film cameras! This time was very different, and thousands of photographers headed to famous landmarks to photograph this extremely rare KP8 to KP9 event. The KP-Index is derived from the German Planetarische Kennziffer, meaning planetary index, which is a measurement of geomagnetic activity in the Earth’s atmosphere. It ranges from 0 (quiet) to 9 – an Extreme Storm. May’s event teetered on the edge of a KP9 event. The last time there was an official KP9 was the Carrington event, the most intense geomagnetic storm ever recorded, which happened in 1859.

For May’s amazing display I chose to stay local, and spent hours walking around my local village and the surrounding hills, admiring the views of the spectacular pillars of lights in solitude, which made it all the more special. The image I’ve shared is a particular tree known locally as The Spooky Tree which caught my eye as I was wondering down the lane in our village. This particular geomagnetic storm was the direct result of three CMEs that surged out of the sun’s outer atmosphere and headed toward Earth. A Coronal Mass Ejection, or CME, is a collection of magnetized plasma ejected

from the sun’s (exceptionally hot) outer atmospheric layer – the corona – as a result of a disruption in the sun’s magnetic field. I was fortunate enough to capture this CME using my telescope and solar film, to safely observe and photograph the sun’s surface. To have captured the sun spots that then caused the Aurora in the photographs that followed was extremely special.

More to come

For me, seeing the huge output from the Sun and its direct effect on the Earth reinforced the huge cosmological forces at work and made it all the more interesting to observe.

I spent hours walking my village and surrounding hills, admiring the spectacular pillars of lights in solitude

By pure fluke, I’ve now witnessed the Aurora in March in Finland, in April in Dorset (albeit a much less powerful display) and now in May. I do hope to keep this going into June and beyond, but with night-time hours diminishing, and the more northerly countries already enduring never-ending days, this seems an unlikely trend to keep going. Theres a very good chance we could see more huge Aurora storms this far south, though. With the peak of our Sun’s solar cycle reaching its maximum this year, the Northern Lights could put on some more incredible displays during the middle of our summer nights and on into winter – let’s keep our fingers crossed!

This image was taken with the Nikon Z8 Mirrorless Camera and Nikon Z 14-24 f2.8 lens. The settings used were 14mm at f2.8 exposing for 6 seconds at ISO 1600 and processed in Adobe Lightroom.

The night sky, June 2024 – Rob’s guide for your stargazing this month:

I’ve already talked a lot above about the Northern Lights (it’s so exciting!), so I’ll just pick out a few key celestial events to watch out for during June. As we enter the summer months, it’s time to keep your eyes peeled for those rare noctilucent clouds often seen in the twilight hours after the sun has set. These eerie-looking clouds occur high up in the sky some 50 miles up, on the edge of space and lit up by the Sun.

On 20th June, at exactly 9.51pm, we reach this

year’s Summer Solstice and Midsummer’s Day –the longest day and shortest night of the year. There’s also an occultation of the Moon across Saturn on the 27th June in the early hours. This is when the Moon will appear close to Saturn and will briefly pass in front of the planet and Earth to obscure her from our view for about an hour, visible from Latin America and the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. Until next time, clear skies!

A quiet think Phil Cutler

Watching Shazz Hooper

Wispy bits

Sophie Matthews

Secret valley

Rob Hannam

Busy

Annette Gregory

Skylark singing

Ian Nelson

‘Nearly all spiders are good looking’ Monika malkowska

Terns in flight

Rebecca Cooke

Don’t. Move. Nicky Newman

Glanville fritillary Calvin Carpenter

We welcome photography submissions from readers – the only rule is that they must have been taken locally in the last month. Our cover shot is always selected from our submissions pile. If you’d like to join in, please share it in The BV community Facebook Group or simply email it to us on photos@bvmagazine.co.uk

Hover

John Palmer Snellin

Crowded

Kerrie Anne Hillebrandt

Grief and gratitude

As the eventing community reels from the death of one of their own, Jess Rimmer reflects on the special solidarity found in the sport

As I am sure many of you will know, a dark shadow fell over the entire eventing community this month following the tragic loss of Georgie Campbell at

Bicton International Horse Trials. A ripple of grief has spread across the equestrian world – but we will continue to put one foot in front of the other with a smile on our faces for Georgie, for her family and for each other.

Losing one of our own creates difficult emotions. Eventing folk are a family, regardless of role –I’m not sure if it’s the long, hard winters, the constant set-backs we all experience, or the sheer commitment and dedication we put into our sport, but there’s such a sense of unity. We fight each other’s corners, celebrate the successes of our fellow competitors and come together

to pick up the pieces whenever things fall apart. The strength of that community was very much felt when we arrived at Little Downham Horse Trials on Friday. Although sharing our usual greetings with a smile, the whole atmosphere was different. A feeling of solidarity spread across the event that day, and an abundance of purple and white ribbons – sported by both riders and volunteers – demonstrated not only our respect, but also served as a stark reminder of how we are all in this together. We will wear our purple ribbons and move forwards with a smile, remembering Georgie.

Jess Rimmer (left) on Sir Henry Hall and Jo Rimmer on Mattie (The Real McKay) All images: Courtenay Hitchcock

Jess Rimmer enjoying Henry kisses

Little Downham was an event from which Team Rimmer was glad to move on.

Both Mattie and Henry did great dressage tests, but the miserable weather and consequent mud meant they did not show jump to the best of their ability. It was by no means a disaster, but I decided

not to run them cross country. Not only were the conditions less than ideal, but mum and I were both still very shaken from Georgie’s accident, and having sat my finals earlier in the week I was, to be honest, feeling totally wiped out. So we withdrew and drove home. We didn’t compete,

but both horses and people came home safe and sound: as always, it’s our main priority.

Looking ahead

On a more positive note, the younger horses have been on super form recently. Max and Jimmy picked up rosettes at both Barbury and Pontispool –

Henry’s ready for his close up ...

they are learning and improving all the time. It is so rewarding working with the younger ones and being involved right at the start of their journeys –especially when it’s with horses as lovely as these two! We are now looking forward to our June competitions. Nunney

International, one of our most local events, near Frome, will be a highlight.

I’m really enjoying being able to finaly focus fully on training the horses without juggling my uni exams. We have some exciting plans for the rest of the 2024 event season, and beyond!

Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

Calmer days on the stud

Holidays for racehorses, the quiet season at the stud ... but Lucy Procter is juggling the complexities of artificial insemination delivery

Summer holidays are here for two of our racehorses, who are enjoying a six-week break from racing before coming back into work for an autumn racing campaign. The Swede and Spinnova have had their shoes removed to avoid injury to themselves or to each other – the photographs below show that they certainly relished their first morning’s turnout together: they were high jinxing around the field like a pair of youngsters!

Initially they will come in overnight, with their

turnout time gradually increased until in a week or so, they will be able to stay out all the time, and properly relax.

The rest of the stud farm is quiet, with most of the mares and foals living out now. There is just one mare to foal, and all except two of the Thoroughbreds are back in foal, with the last two due to be covered imminently.

Our mares have plenty of grass and are topped up with ‘hard feed’ – concentrated pellets of feed, specially formulated for broodmares by our

Image: Courtenay Hitchcock

chosen feed company, Saracen Horse Feeds. Wellfed mares are relaxed mares and, blessed finally with good weather, the foals are also relaxed and able to spend a lot of time sleeping during the warmth of the day, playing during the evening when it gets cooler.

We still have a couple of the non-Thoroughbred mares to cover using artificial insemination (AI) – where semen is collected from the chosen stallion and delivered to the stud either frozen in a nitrogen tank, or chilled. The stallions our client is using this year are in studs in Belgium, however, and it is very tricky to time a request for delivery of chilled semen when it takes more than 24hrs to be couriered from their stud farm to ours. Demand for this chilled semen is high, so there is no guarantee of getting any at the right time, either.

As a back-up, we have a supply of the stallions’ frozen semen. However, the difficulty with using frozen semen is that, once defrosted, it has a short life span and must be inseminated into the mare within six hours of her ovulating in order to have a chance of her getting pregnant. This requires more frequent visits from the vet to scan the mare, often at unsocial hours.

Fun in quarantine

A couple of weeks ago, Doug had a rare night away in Doncaster for the TBA National Hunt Awards. Although not collecting an award (for the first time since 2019!), he did make it into the Racing Post Sales Diary column – he was spotted at various times through the evening, drinking champagne, white wine, cider and lager. The fact that he was still standing at the end of the evening was apparently worthy of an award in itself! A couple of days later, Doug was in the horsebox at 4am, driving back to Doncaster for the Goffs HIT Sale (Horses in Training), where he was joined by a racing enthusiast that Doug had met when racing at Cheltenham only a few weeks ago. He was keen to get into breeding, and they successfully purchased a lovely broodmare prospect, Aubis Walk, who coincidentally raced in the same colours as our superstar, Honeysuckle. Having brought the mare straight back from the sales, she needs to be isolated from the rest of the broodmare band for 14 days, but we have put her in a field with one or our youngsters for company during her quarantine period. It was great fun to have the new owner visit the stud the following weekend and enjoy a long lunch in the garden. His dreams of breeding winners grew more ambitious with each bottle opened. Thank goodness he came by train!

Why is wildife so stupid?

After a roadside rescue of a bunch of toddler ducks, wildlife writer Jane Adams suggests that maybe it’s not the wildlife that’s the issue ...

The phone rings. It’s a friend, Mike, but I can hardly hear him: ‘Ducklings … A31 … down by the Coventry Arms… what do I do?” he asks.

I can hear traffic thundering past and I swiftly tell him I’m coming. I grab a cat carrier – the only thing I can think of that might be useful for holding ducklings. Positioned between the River Stour and the A31, The Coventry Arms pub is on one of our busiest A-roads leading to the West Country. Mother duck must have nested in the fields opposite the pub, and when her brood hatched and she needed to get to the river – the road was in the way. As she quacked from the field edge, desperately trying to keep her family close, her 13 scared, fluffy toddlers must have bolted for the road. Luckily, that was the moment Mike spotted them. He pulled over in his car, and rounded them up. When I arrive, the ducklings are in a laundry basket (borrowed from a nearby house). Ten minutes later, mum flies off and never returns.

‘Why is wildlife so stupid?’ a friend says, when I tell her about the mallard and her brood. ‘Why did she nest on the opposite side of a busy road?’

Her question makes me think about other wildlife I’ve rescued in the past ... the baby hedgehog – or hoglet – found wandering alone in the daylight; the jackdaw chick that got stuck behind our gas fire after falling down the chimney; the adult barn owl killed by a car while hunting for voles, leaving behind three orphaned chicks.

Were these animals stupid? Or was there something else at play? Were their struggles perhaps caused not by stupidity, but by excessive traffic, loss of natural habitats and the relentlessly expanding urban development? I know what I think.

But how we address these problems, and ensure we protect

the wildlife we do still have left, though – that’s a harder question to answer.

I ended up taking the ducklings to a wildlife rescue centre in Hampshire, 20 miles away, as all the local centres were full. They fed and watered them, and popped them into an incubator.

They’re safe for the time being, but it’s an ongoing problem. Local rescue centres are overflowing with young goslings, ducks and swans, as well as every conceivable species of garden bird, hedgehogs, foxes and badger cubs. It’s a problem, I’m told, that is only getting worse.

What to do if you find wildlife in need of help

• Check the Help Wildlife website

• Search online for ‘Wildlife Rescue Centre Dorset’ (Please note, Dorset Wildlife Trust does not rehabilitate or rescue wild animals. It is a conservation organisation).

• Go to your local village or town Facebook group and ask if residents know of a local wildlife rescue or rehabilitator. Stick their number on the fridge for future use and put it in your contacts on your mobile.

• Phone your local vets. If all else fails, they should have the number for a local wildlife centre but are unlikely to take injured wildlife themselves (although you can ask).

The rescued ducklings, waiting for a new home that doesn’t include an A road

In Dorset, we see two different seal species – the common or harbour seal and this, the larger grey seal. Image: Julie Hatcher

Seals – what to do if you spot one

Encountering seals on the Dorset shore is increasingly common; DWT’s Julie Hatcher shares the proper behaviour to ensure their ongoing safety

Seals have been in the Dorset press this year, with one hauling out to rest on a busy beach at Durdle Door over Easter. Unfortunately, many people don’t know how they should behave around these large wild animals, and this led to the police cordoning off the beach to keep people away. Seals are often seen along the coast and in our harbours, so what should you do if you spot one?

It’s probably not Ron

Here in Dorset, we are fortunate to find two different seal species – the common or harbour seal and the larger grey seal. Since 2014, Dorset Wildlife Trust has been recording these animals and has compiled a comprehensive photo ID catalogue. We have found that the same seals recorded in Dorset have also been spotted in Cornwall, Hampshire and even France! They are great travellers, and while a few stay in a local area for most of their time, others are just passing through and may only ever be spotted once. When people mention Sammy or Ron the seal, they often don’t realise that in fact it’s a number of different individuals visiting the same area – they are not necessarily the same seal hanging around!

Back away – you’re the problem

Seals need to haul out on land to digest their food, rest, warm up, and when they are feeding their young – they feel vulnerable when people are around. If you spot a seal on land, you should keep your distance, watching through binoculars or with a long zoom lens if necessary. If a seal looks directly at you, it is already aware of your presence and its fight-or-flight response has been activated. Remain quiet and back off. Panicking seals fleeing for the sea are likely to get injured. Seals in the sea, close to shore, may want to haul out and your presence could prevent this.

Young seals can be inquisitive and actively seek out human encounters. However, seals that become used to interacting with humans tend to have a shorter life, so it’s kinder to avoid them. Remember, even the friendliest of dogs can attack young seals so keep them on a lead.

Inquisitive seals also play with litter they find in the sea: flying rings are a particular hazard (they can get stuck around a seal’s neck, causing horrific injuries as the seal grows). Solid rings or frisbees are a good alternative toy when at the beach. And lastly, please do report your seal sightings, whether with or without a photo.

Nabbing the farming vote

Andrew Livingston found some unexpected optimism in May, but the General Election introduces new complexities and decisions for farmers

May was a slightly odd month – I actually felt like things were starting to turn around. Was it just me, or could you see the light at the end of the tunnel? News broke that inflation rates dropped to their lowest point in three years and then Rishi Sunak, at his UK Farm to Fork summit, declared a raft of announcements to bolster the farming sector, including funding for research on environmentally resilient farming, reviews into the pig, poultry and dairy sectors, and a five-year extension to the seasonal workers visa scheme. ‘Wow’, I thought. ‘The Tories are on the right side of the news for once.’

And then they announced the General Election. I think farmers will be glad for any handouts at the moment – even if they have to sell their souls, let alone their political vote.

Potato skills camp

encourage the UK’s unemployed population to join ‘skilled boot camps’ to fill the gap left by foreign workers. It’s a grand idea ... that unfortunately won’t ever amount to anything. Former Tory and now Reform UK MP, Lee Anderson, took it one step further and stated in an interview with GB News: ‘Let’s be clear, boneidle dole scroungers should be made to go to work, and if they do not go to work, they should have their benefits stopped.

I like his commitment to the cause, however fascist it may seem. But to make out that picking potatoes out of a field isn’t a skilled job is laughable

In Dorset, seasonal workers aren’t such a big deal, but for the larger horticultural counties such as Yorkshire, Norfolk, Kent and Herefordshire, there is a huge reliance on workers from abroad flying in to help with the harvest of vegetables, fruits and flowers. So the news of the extension of the seasonal workers scheme will be a big shot in the arm for farm managers over the coming years. With the announcement of the extension, DEFRA also pledged to ‘turbo-charge’ investment into automation, with £50 million of funding for new technology such as improving robotic pickers and automating pack houses. The hope is that in five years we can replace the need for foreign workers with automation and technology.

Ideally, the British workers would be out there getting their hands dirty, of course. But frankly, as a nation, we aren’t skilled or resilient enough to do the hard work – a point I have laboured many times before (excuse the pun).

In the same week, Mel Stride, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, announced a rollout to

‘Let’s stop being ridiculous. We need fruit picking in the fields, we need vegetables picking. We need stuff packing in factories. You don’t need a skills boot camp to teach people how to pick potatoes out of the field.’

I like his commitment to the cause, however fascist it may seem. But to make out that picking potatoes out of a field isn’t a skilled job is laughable. I would love to see Mr Anderson go out picking for a day – could he keep up to target yield to make his day’s pay worth it?

I’m unsure how I am going to vote in the upcoming election on 4th July. If I’m honest I don’t think any of the options are entirely inspiring, but I know for a fact that my vote will sway to whoever backs British farming the best. The tunnel is starting to look a little brighter. I may be naive. I may be stupid.

And with the current political and economic landscape I may be proved completely wrong in just a few weeks.

Dorset FCN & Dorset NFU

Invite you to a

Mental Health awareness and lookout workshop

Kindly facilitated by Ellie Sturrock & Hester Viney Friday 14th June 10am – 1pm

Frampton Village Hall, DT2 9NG refreshments and lunch provided

This will be an interactive morning aimed at:

 Spotting the signs of poor mental health

 How best to support clients, colleagues, neighbours, friends

 Where to signpost for help

Please book by calling 02476 939404 or emailing nfu_south@nfu.org.uk

Mr Red enjoying the company of 11 heifers, replacements for the herd for next year, and the cowslips. All images: George Hosford

Flats, bats and gaps

Tractor troubles during critical sowing – George Hosford gets a flat during spring planting ... handily while he was outside the brewery!

The scene below is not really what you need when towing a 10 ton load of seed through town – right outside the Hall & Woodhouse brewery in fact – during a short break in the weather. The load was sufficient to sow around 60ha of our 220ha spring sowing programme. Pat from Blandford Tyres was on the

Flat tractor tyres in the centre of Blandford are not a fun way to spend afternoon

scene very quickly and we managed to get the tyre blown up, the trailer unhitched and the tractor into the brewery car park for a proper repair to be made (an old factory repair on the previously tubeless tyre had given out, so Pat had to put in a £150 tube).

Brendan came to the rescue with another tractor and took the seed trailer on to the drill, and we got the barley sown by the skin of our teeth before it rained ... again. But the soil was too wet to roll, like every other field this spring – and half the autumn-sown crops too. Before I wallow too indulgently in self-pity, I’d better put in a word for the farmers who farm land a good deal wetter than ours. Our chalk-based soils drain quite quickly compared with the heavier clays on which much of the country depends for its food. Countless thousands of hectares of winter crops were under water for many months in some parts of the country, and of course, the crops will have been destroyed,

with precious little chance of the soil drying out in time to sow a viable crop in the spring, as the rain continued almost without relief until late April. A great many of those fields will need more than a year to recover their productivity. One option would be to plant a summer fallow of mixed flowering species, and hope for an opportunity to sow a crop in the autumn. Otherwise, it’s leave well alone until spring next year – but who knows how much it will rain next winter? The financial consequences of all this are eye-watering.

Going bats

Last month, Claire, our cluster group leader, organised a bat walk, led by Jim Mulholland of the Vincent Wildlife Trust. He gave us a fascinating talk with slides, focussing on the greater horseshoe bat, which has a colony of around 500 very local to the farm. We learnt that many years ago our land was highly likely to have provided foraging habitat for

this endangered species, and we, as well as neighbouring farms, were encouraged by the Vincent Trust to both manage our hedges to benefit the bats, and also to refrain from using Ivermectin wormers on our cattle. This family of medicines kill the flies and beetles that feed on – and live in – cowpats, and which simultaneously provide an essential food source for bats, as well as many other species.

From a low of just 2,200 individuals 30 years ago, the UK greater horseshoe bat population is now said to number around 10,000 – thanks not in small part to the Vincent Trust, which has spent huge amounts of money purchasing buildings already in use as roosts, and then adapting them to suit bat requirements as closely as possible. Jim took us to the roost, gave us bat detectors and encouraged us to stand quietly, watching the sky and listening for the bat’s unmistakeable sonar-like noise. Normally undetectable by the human ear, through the detectors they sound a bit like the Clangers, with a rising pitch phrase of 5 or 6 blips. The sound of approaching bats on the detectors made us look upwards to be treated to swoops of individuals leaving or provide plenty of wildlife

Lessons with a Kiwi shearing gang meant the shearing can be done in-house

shelterreturning to the roost. The bats were silhouetted against the dusky sky, and the combination of sound and vision was captivating. This link takes you to a leaflet about the greater horseshoe bat, and it has some great pictures.

Drastic

action

We have done a bit more hedge coppicing this winter – admittedly it looks pretty radical when work is complete, but once we have filled in the gaps, and the stumps have sprouted new growth, we will end up with a much healthier hedge, with a thick bottom and lots of growth which will provide shelter for nests and fledglings. We hired a man and

machine for the day to chip up all the brush wood – the chipper is huge and can munch it up faster than the operator can feed it with his long armed grab! We will use the resulting wood chip in the cow shed next winter to give the straw bedding a good base, and also to mulch new hedging and trees around the farm. Fencing it in then immediately moved up high on the to-do list of ongoing work, to prevent deer and our livestock eating the new growth! Lastly, you can see above it was time to get the wool off the ewes, a couple of weeks before they lambed. Newly-learned lessons with a Kiwi shearing gang meant the shearing can be done in-house once again.

Hedge coppicing looks brutal when it’s fresh – but these hedges will swiftly grow back with thick bottoms which not only keep livestock contained but also provide plenty of wildlife shelter

A new line for a new liner

Peter Morgan of Cranborne’s Book and Bucket Cheese Company has just announced the launch of a new cheese, Stowaway – you might say it was literally launched, as the new product has been created specifically for the Queen Anne cruise ship, the latest addition to the Cunard fleet.

Stowaway is the first of two new cheeses, both the results of a collaboration between Peter and Cunard’s development chefs – a second bespoke cheese will join the ship later in the year.

Stowaway is a sheep’s milk cheese, made using a special blend of cultures to create a unique flavour profile fit for this state-of-the-art ship. It was important to have a connection with Cunard’s long history at sea, so Peter has combined this modern blend of cultures with a traditional cheddarmaking process. It is finished with the remarkable Blackthorn salt, made by the ancient tower method which is unique to Ayrshire. Finally, the cheese is aged in the Book and Bucket cheese cellars.

The Dorset provenance gives the cheese a terroir that only Cranborne Chase can provide, producing a natural rind that changes through the seasons. The combination of new cultures, natural rind and traditional cheesemaking methods fits perfectly with Queen Anne, who made her inaugural voyage

in May, with her naming ceremony scheduled in Liverpool in early June. Stowaway was on board for that maiden voyage, along with two others from the Book and Bucket range, Cranborne Blue and Smoked Blyton.

Peter Morgan founded the Book and Bucket Cheese Company five years ago. When he began making cheese, he sought the advice of people who had more than 120 years experience in the industry between them. Each said the starting point was to “buy some books and read as much as possible. After that it is just bucket science – keep playing until you make something you like!”

And so, in January 2019, with a bucket full of recipes, many ideas and the help of friends, Peter launched The Book and Bucket Cheese Company. He has developed an extensive knowledge of each type of milk, how to perfectly age a cheese, how the right salt can enhance and change a flavour profile, an understanding of the distinctive notes of traditional Cheddar and how to create modern flavours from the cultures.

Peter Morgan is justifiably proud of the Cunard collaboration. He says: ‘Everyone involved in developing this cheese has fallen in love with it.’

Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Co

by Fanny Charles

We make the best cheese

It’s not jingoism or an idle boast – these days British cheese-makers are doing brilliant and exciting things (and we still have the best Cheddar)

The French used to make the finest cheeses in the world, but they have largely stood still in recent years. The Swiss consistently hit top marks with their ancient Gruyere, the Spanish manchego at its best is world-class, the Italians make sumptuous, runny, smelly cheeses and arguably the world’s finest aged hard cheese (Parmesan). But for a combination of tradition, innovation and outstanding quality, Britain is now in the vanguard of cheese. Many years ago, when my daughter had recently moved to California, we all went to Napa Valley and dropped in at the Dean and DeLuca delicatessen. The first thing that caught our eyes was a lavish display, in the glass-fronted cheese section, of farmhouse Cheddars – centre stage, Montgomery’s and Keen’s. We laughed and explained to the baffled cheesemonger that we lived about three miles from one and two from the other, in the middle of what was the “Cheddar triangle” which also included Westcombe. Twenty years on, it’s a magic circle that has extended to include many new and brilliant cheese-makers around our region. Within about an hour’s drive of Sturminster Newton – itself once home to a important cheese factory –you can find the famous unpasteurised traditional Farmhouse Cheddars made by James Montgomery at North Cadbury, the Keen family near Wincanton and Tom Calver at Westcombe, and the ancient Dorset Blue Vinny revived near Lydlinch.

Some makers would drag mouldy horse harnesses through the milk, or store the maturing cheeses next to the farmer’s dirty boots

washed-rind Renegade Monk and other cheeses made at Feltham’s Farm near Wincanton, Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Co at Cranborne, producing exceptional cheeses, including the Great Taste-starred Shakespeare and Hardy’s, and James McCall, who makes the delicious washed-rind Francis and other cheeses at Child Okeford. Further into Somerset, you find Jonathan Corpe of Somerset Water Buffalo with his exceptional mozzarella, made on the farm at Chilthorne Domer near Yeovil.

Roger Longman at Bagborough, close to the Bath and West showground near Shepton Mallet, produces a string of top cheeses – from the milk of cows, sheep and goats – under the White Lake Cheese brand he launched in 2004 at his family farm. He recently won the Best English Cheese prize at the British Cheese Awards for his gorgeous, ashcovered, pyramidal Tor goat’s cheese.

Something old ... something blue

But there are also new cheesemakers producing exciting and successful cheeses. These include Marcus Fergusson’s award-winning,

Mike Davies revived the almost-extinct Dorset Blue Vinny more than 35 years ago at Woodbridge Farm near Stock Gaylard. The ancient cheese is mentioned in some of Thomas Hardy’s books and there are some rather disreputable stories attached – it is said that to achieve the distinctive blueing, some makers would drag mouldy horse harnesses through the milk, or store the maturing cheeses next to the farmer’s dirty boots to encourage the mould to grow! More seriously, it was usually made by the farmers’ wife, using milk left over after the

A wedge of Dorset Blue Vinny –perfect for every picnic Image: John Grindle

LOCAL FLAVOURS

cream had been skimmed off for butter.

After the Second World War, Blue Vinny (and no, it doesn’t have an e) became increasingly difficult to source and opportunists even sold other blue cheeses under the Dorset name. In the early 1980s, Michael Davies resurrected the cheese, using a 300 year old recipe. He started in the farmhouse garage and used the kitchen pantry as a maturing room, apparently turning the walls, floor – and even the cornflakes – blue with mould. He was soon given an ultimatum by his wife: move out to the old cow byre or else! In 1998, he was the first food producer to be awarded PGI (Protected Geographical Indication) status, and the Davies family are the only producers of Dorset Blue Vinny. Today, Mike, his daughter Emily and the team continue to make the cheese in the same old cow byre.

From early on, Emily wanted to work on the farm, but she had to find a way to create an income for herself. Returning one cold, wet, winter’s day from Frome Farmers Market with a lot of unsold Blue Vinny and feeling understandably miserable, she went to see her god-mother, a professional cook. Together they came up with an idea to use the unwrapped, partially cut and therefore unsaleable cheese. The result of their experiments was the first

Dorset Blue Soup – pear and Blue Vinny. Trialled at subsequent farmers markets, it proved a hit with customers. Other flavours were developed and Dorset Blue Soup became an additional Woodbridge Farm product. Interestingly, in addition to the farm’s own self-service shop and local delis and farm shops, it is stocked in the Waitrose store at Gillingham.

But Dorset Blue Vinny is still at the heart of the Davies family farm – a cheese with a long heritage, that can stand comparison with other traditional blue cheeses (and that some of us think is better!).

Meet Pepé, the baby truckle

Carolyn Hopkins learned her trade as a cheesemonger with Charlie Turnbull at the still-missed Turnbulls Delicatessen and Cafe in Shaftesbury. Now she takes her travelling cheeseshop the Truckle Truck – a bright turquoise converted Citroen van – to Shaftesbury and Wincanton, and to food fairs, festivals and events, where she sells outstanding local and regional cheeses, as well as chutneys and savoury biscuits. From this month, you can also meet the Truckle Truck’s trailer-

drawn baby, Pepé Le Pew (named after Disney’s famous skunk). He’s clearly a rather stroppy offspring with the official name Filthy Cheese, and if you think you recognise the style of the baby truckle’s logo, you are right. Its designer also created the award-winning labels for Marcus Fergusson’s Feltham’s Farm cheeses.

Carolyn will be taking Pepé to events around the area, serving two of the great Alpine cheese dishes – raclette and tartiflette.

Swiss in origin, raclette is both an ancient cheese from the canton of Valais, and a dish created by heating cheese and scraping off the melted part, typically serving it with boiled potatoes or bread. Carolyn will be using raclette with wild garlic and and Ogleshield, a similar cheese made by Jamie Montgomery at North Cadbury. Tartiflette comes from Savoy in the French Alps and from the Aosta valley, and is made with potatoes, reblochon cheese, lardons and onions, often with a splash of white wine. Dating back to the 14th century, reblochon has an interesting history, created by farmers to avoid paying duty to their landlords. They only declared part of their first milking, and used the undeclared remaining – and much richer – milk to make the small cheeses.

Baby Pepe, a miniature Citroen H van, was made specially for Carolyn by London-based Yannick Read, who is known for his miniature Citroen “Prosecco bars”.

The Best English Cheese – the ash-covered, pyramidal Tor goat’s cheese by White Lake Cheese

Baby Pepé – a miniature Citroen H van – has been made specially for Carolyn Hopkins. Image: Tom Crockford

Love Local Trust Local champions teamed up for the Dorset Spring Show

Love Local Trust Local was fortunate enough to help showcase some of the best Dorset produce on offer at the Dorset Spring Show a few weeks ago.

We worked alongside Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Cheese Company and Rachael Perrett from Meggy Moo’s Dairy. Both of these Dorset food champions are much-loved members of the Love Local Trust Local family, and have been since we set up in 2018.

The three of us were a great team; cooking and talking about our local Dorset produce and ingredients while we explained to the audience the importance of supporting our British food producers and farmers. Why we should all be using as much local and in-season produce as possible, to keep our carbon footprints to a minimum. It was great to see so many people enjoying their day out despite the challenging British weather. We’re a nation of real troupers! On both show days we had a big audience listening and watching our food demos – it was fabulous

to see so many people enjoying a taste of what we had produced and genuinely interested in what we had to say. We all came away buzzing with energy and excitement ... and sore feet!

The local directory

Dorset is a beautiful place with an abundance of food producers and it’s so important to keep spreading the good word about

&

what we are doing for food and farming. We will shortly be launching a handy directory of Dorset food producers on the new Love Local Trust Local website. This will help people to discover where they can buy local produce in their villages and towns; which of the shops will be stocking local Dorset produce, as well as where the county’s milk vending machines are located. It will include lots of farm shops and butchers for sourcing local meat and cheeses, plus some of our local Dorset bakeries with their delicious homemade bread and cakes.

Now more than ever it is so important that we all work together and help support each other in these costly and challenging times. We must not rely on imported foods and we must not forget that supermarkets do not grow the food; our farmers do. Remember folks. No farmers, no food. It’s the real people in the food chain that matter

• lovelocaltrustlocal.co.uk

From left: Rachael Perrett of Meggy Moo’s Dairy, Peter Morgan of The Book & Bucket Cheese Co, and Barbara Cossins, founder of Love Local Trust Local

Selection of The Book

Bucket cheeses, with Meggy Moo’s butter and cream

Feeding the 500

Behind the scenes with Victoria O’Brien: from food science to a thriving catering business amid the rolling hills of Somerset. By Rachael Rowe

There’s an aromatic smell of lemons and freshly-baked cakes in Victoria O’Brien’s catering unit on a working farm near Wincanton – colleague Lauren is preparing for one of the many orders this week. The unit, based on a working farm, is the nerve centre for multiple catering events in the South West. From weddings to agricultural shows, there’s an incredible amount of behind-the-scenes planning that the customer never sees.

Owner Victoria O’Brien started the business just after having her first child. ‘I grew up on a dairy farm and I’ve always loved cooking. I got my degree in food science, and I worked for ten years in food factories, monitoring the quality and safety of the production. However, when I had my first child I quickly realised things had to change. At the time, my mum worked with Southfield Caterers, and knew the owner was looking to retire. My husband and mum thought it would be a good idea for me to buy the business ... so I did! I worked alongside them for a year, and then took over.’

A love of cooking

‘I took over the business in 2018 and ran it for a year before COVID came along. But we adapted by providing afternoon teas by home delivery. We did 550 afternoon teas for the 2021 Mother’s Day!

‘There are two distinct sides to the business. We provide event catering for anything from funeral teas to agricultural shows. My first agri show was Frome Cheese Show where

we served 500 lunches in two hours. Then I did the catering at Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show, and at Bath & West I look after the sponsors. We also have a wholesale business, producing cakes for cafes and shops including Dike & Son in Stalbridge. And we make meat pies and pasties – 48kg of pasties a week. We have blast freezers that reduce temperatures from 97º to -5º in two hours, so nothing is hanging around. We work four days a week in the unit, but it’s a seven (eight!) day a week business.

‘I was inspired to go into event catering by my own wedding. We found it really hard to find exactly the catering we wanted –what was obvious to us seemed extremely hard to find. My husband is interested in the money side of the business, while I just want people to have a good time!’

Keeping things local

‘We use local suppliers wherever we can. Our meat comes from Andrew Barclay in Wincanton. We use 300 local eggs every week. Whenever we have a

Victoria O’Brien catered the sponsors lunch at the Royal Bath & West Show

cheeseboard, we’ll use Dorset Blue Vinny, a Somerset cheddar like Westcombe and a West Country brie.’

What are her best-selling favourites among the huge range of cakes and canapés?

‘Brownies! Dikes took 450 brownies from us just this week. And our Biscoff flapjack comes up a lot in requests. All our items are hand made in small batches and then hand decorated. We also have a lot of equipment here – 800 plates and sets of cutlery – and we take catering ovens on site.

‘I learned, running the business, that every wedding or event is different. Nothing is ever the same. I’ve also learned a lot about logistics – we have a lot of cables on site, for example, and I have to ensure that everything reaches a plug, and that a marquee has connections. We’ve seen places where there’s no water supply.

will have already taken place. ‘The guests won’t have seen that all the glasses and cutlery will have been polished beforehand, and that their plate is handled four times before they see it. It’s also all the ordering and shopping we have to do. Once we’re on site, we have to have everything there. We’ll be on site as soon as the marquee is up and we’ll be there clearing things the next day.

‘A big issue for us now is allergies – and also getting the host or bride and groom to understand their importance. One in eight people has a serious allergy now, and if we get it wrong, there’s no going back.

My first show was Frome Agricultural and Cheese Show – we served 500 lunches in two hours!

‘We haven’t had any big disasters ourselves, but I have seen a few leaning wedding cakes on a hot day and had to swiftly hint to the bride and groom that they might like to cut the cake ... like NOW!

‘I’ve also learned not to give up. When my son was six months old and I was in my second month of being in business I broke my back. But I just keep going.’

Behind the scenes

When guests sit down at a wedding or an agricultural show lunch, there’s an enormous amount of invisible logistics that

‘It is a real privilege to cater for a wedding. It’s stressful –but we want to get things right. We’ve had a few unusual situations, such as catering for someone with specific sensory needs. We also got handed a (full) nappy in the middle of service once! But we take everything in our stride – in this job you also have to expect the unexpected.’

The Shows

‘I’m most proud of my work with the agricultural shows. The first time I did Gillingham and Shaftesbury I had no idea what to expect. I had spoken to the previous caterer, but until you do it you don’t realise how hard it is. And then suddenly people were sending emails congratulating

us and my best friend turned up while I was scraping plates into a bucket. We did it!

‘The team is just me and Lauren – when we have events, friends and family come to help. We’re also bringing in some younger workers. We run the business around our families, taking the school run into account.

‘We’re focused on growing the business – I’m learning new skills with a Pru Leith course. We take the food we prepare so personally. We want to make sure everything is perfect, and we strive to make things work.’

• victoriaobrien.co.uk

Desserts and the cheese board featuring Dorset Blue Vinny at the Royal Bath & West sponsors lunch

Churros!

A much-loved sister to the doughnut, Churros seem as though they’re probably just as fiddly to make. But in reality, Churros are a breeze! It’s a simple dough that doesn’t need to be kneaded or proved: ingredients-to-tummy can be just 30 minutes. Total dream! Churros originated in Spain and Portugal, but variations on the recipe are common in Mexico too. Some versions of the Churros recipe are very similar to a choux dough, including egg for the rise. I have chosen to create my version from a dough risen with baking powder instead, to make the recipe even easier.

Many Churros are served hand-in-hand with a bowl of something delicious to dip into (chocolate sauce, salted caramel etc) but here, cinnamon is king! It’s present both in the dough and in that sugar liberally coating the outside.

Ingredients

• 50g butter

• 1tbsp caster sugar

• 1tsp baking powder

• 1tsp cinnamon

• 300g plain flour

• 250ml boiling water

Plus you will need:

• caster sugar and cinnamon for coating

• flavourless oil for frying

Method

1. Pour the boiling water and the butter into a jug and stir until the butter has melted.

2. Add the flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon to a large bowl, and mix well.

3. Pour the water and butter mixture into the flour mixture and stir well to combine. The resulting dough should be quite sticky, but still a little firm. If it is too wet, it will struggle to hold its shape when piped. If it is too firm, you will struggle to squeeze the dough through the piping nozzle! To rectify, add a little extra flour to the former and water to the latter.

4. Leave the mixture to rest for 10 to 15 minutes.

5. IPour oil into a saucepan to a depth of 6cm. Heat the oil to around 180ºC (please be careful - hot oil causes nasty burns. Do not leave oil on a hot stove unattended).

6. While it’s heating, get a wire rack ready with some paper towels underneath to catch excess oil drips. In a bowl, mix some caster sugar and cinnamon to dredge the cooked churros.

7. Spoon the dough into a piping bag fitted with a wide star piping tip.

8. Once the oil is hot, pipe the dough direct into the pan in strips. Fry the churros for a few minutes until brown and crispy.

9. Once cooked, remove them carefully from the pan with tongs and place on the wire rack to cool. You might need to fry the churros in stages, so as not to overcrowd the oil.

10. Once all the churros have been cooked, coat liberally with the sugar and cinnamon mixture … and swiftly devour!

The Voice of the Allotment

The May diary

Barry Cuff says a warm, damp spring means slugs and weeds –but also strawberries!

May was a very busy month, both on the plot and in the greenhouses. With more than four inches of rain and fairly warm conditions, good growth was ensured, and flushes of weed seedlings kept the hoe busy! One of our ‘special’ weeds is thornapple, which has quite distinctive seedlings. When these started to appear on the 8th it was a good sign that the soil was warm enough for the more tender vegetables to go out.

So far, 2024 has been the year of the slug! Together with snails they have been active since February, and unusually they have even attacked plants like rhubarb, which they usually avoid. Pigeons have been another major pest this spring.

On the allotment in May:

1st – Plant up 20 tomatoes in large pots. Sown in individual small pots: six Crown Prince squash, six Butterfly squash, five Defender courgette and two Astia courgette, all in the greenhouse.

2nd – Cut paths, put straw under strawberries and cover with a net. Greenhouse – sow ten seeds of Cornichon de Paris gherkins.

4th – A cutworm has attacked a few lettuce. Harvest the tub-grown Jazzy potato: 19 tubers of varying sizes. Most of these were eaten with our evening meal – absolutely delicious with butter!

5th – Hand weeding, and prepare the ground for the first two lines of peas.

6th – Plant out second batch of Little Gem lettuce, and sow a patch of Scarlet Globe radish. Plant out the last of the onion seedlings – these will be used as spring onions. Sow Moonshine and Scarlet Emperor runner beans in the greenhouse.

7th – Put twine around broad beans for support.

8th – Sow 20 seeds of White Step cauliflower and 30 seeds of Safari dwarf French bean in the greenhouse.

9th – Pump water from the well (mainly being used in the greenhouses on the site)

10th – Sow 20 seeds Cheesy cauliflower and 36 seeds of Swift sweetcorn. This is a second batch, as those sown in April are a little slow.

The lettuce has enjoyed the warm damp spring. All images: Barry Cuff

12th – Prepare the ground for two lines of peas, more weeding, and feed the garlic and onions.

13th – Put net cloches over first two rows of peas.

14th – MORE THAN AN INCH OF RAIN!

15th – Sow 20 seeds of Cendis cauliflower and 15 seeds of Rudolph purple sprouting broccoli in the greenhouse. Tie and remove tomato side shoots. Hand weed the parsnip.

16th – Thin celery and celeriac seedlings in plugs. Another plot holder gave us two Butterfly squash plants as we had poor germination. Runner beans into the cold frame. Pull some spring onions.

17th – Sow 20 seeds of Ironman and 15 seeds of Atlantis calabrese in the greenhouse.

18th – Pump water for site. Weed raspberry canes. See we have lost two potatoes due to ant damage –we lose a few each year as ants nest on the roots.

19th – Harden celery and celeriac.

21st – Sow about 30 seeds of Nautica dwarf French beans (as Safari had poor emergence). Cut the hedgebank. Put more twine around broad beans.

22nd – Harden sweetcorn. Cut lettuce. Cut chicons for their fourth cut.

23rd – Erect canes for runner beans. Dug skulkers* from the next area to be planted.

24th – Patch first three rows of peas. Sow a line of Johan pea and half line of Carouby de Massaune mangetout pea. Pick first bunch of Sweet William and the first strawberries! Hand weed and thin parsnips.

At the end of the month most crops are looking exceptionally well

26th – Plant out 30 Moonshine and 20 Scarlet Emperor runner beans.

27th – Pull spring onions, cut lettuce. Delicious skulkers for dinner.

28th – Plant out about 70 Swift sweetcorn, weeding. Pick strawberries.

29th – Plant out Astia and Defender courgettes. Plant out Crown Prince and Butterfly winter squash. 30th – Pinch out tops of broad beans to aid pod production. Very little blackfly, but large numbers of Ladybirds. Taking side shoots from tomatoes

At the end of the month most crops are looking exceptionally well.

* Dorset term for potatoes accidentally left in the ground from the previous year.

Strawberry picking began on 24th May

Daisies are great for pollinators – the flowers are full of pollen and nectar. The common daisy, (Bellis perennis) is also known as bruisewort, used for centuries to help heal bruises

Save the bruisewort?

If you didn’t mow in May, you will have a few jobs to be getting on with now – but think twice before you hit the weedkiller, says Pete Harcom

If you followed the No-Mow-May idea last month, the weeds in the lawn and borders will now be needing your attention!

Daisies in a lawn can look very attractive – they are also a great plant for pollinators and the flowers are full of pollen and nectar. The common daisy, (Bellis perennis) is also known as Bruisewort, used for centuries to treat bruises and relieve the discomfort of rheumatism and aching joints. Other weeds, such as dandelions, you may wish to remove by hand, rather than using a spray herbicide. There are various weed-pulling tools on the market that can make that task much easier –and there are lots of reviews on the internet and YouTube that can help you decide which one!

How’s your H2O?

June is a good time to evaluate water use, and the need for water in the garden. Rather than using mains water (possibly a limited resource nowadays), try to save and use rainwater where possible. This has the added benefit of reducing your water bill!

Water butts are a must, and can be easily attached to downpipes on houses, outbuildings, sheds – or any sizeable surface area with a slope! Coming in all shapes and sizes, there are many options to choose from. Be sure to secure water butts with lids to deter mosquitos in the summer. Spot watering at the base of plants is much more efficient than spraying large areas. During the summer, water early or late in the day to prevent the water evaporating in the daytime heat – but be mindful that slugs and snails will also thank you for the evening moisture!

Lawn grass is well-suited to weathering droughts,

so don’t worry too much about watering the lawn in extended dry periods.

Mulching plays a key role in retaining moisture in the soil and providing nutrients. Mulch will also introduce organic matter to the soil, enhancing its structure and therefore its capacity to hold water.

June jobs

Other things to do this month include planting out summer bedding, and potting up hanging baskets. Trim back trailing or spreading plants (eg aubretia), as this will encourage fresh growth.

Also, pinch out the tips of fuchsias to encourage bushy growth and more flowers.

Take softwood cuttings of many shrubs, including lavender, rosemary, fuchsia, philadelphus and forsythia. Collect healthy shoots from the tips of plants and make 5-10cm long cuttings – slice through the stem below a pair of leaves and remove the lower set of leaves. Push the cut stem into a small pot filled with gritty cutting compost, cover with a plastic bag and place in a shady spot until rooted.

Create an endless supply of free shrubs by potting up softwaood cuttings this month

Here comes summer (already?)

It’s June - which means roses! But also that the Thorngrove glasshouses are awash with summer colour. Kelsi-Dean Buck shares some EMA news

June is here – and to be six months into 2024 just doesn’t feel possible! Spring appears to have passed us by in the blink of an eye, and now we’re about to welcome summer. Is your garden summer ready? As always, we’re on hand to provide some inspiration to help you make the most of your outside space. Recent visitors to Thorngrove will have seen our glasshouse has been transformed, and it’s bursting with late spring and early summer colour. Come and lose yourself among the bedding choices – maybe build your own hanging basket or find a new addition (there’s always room for one more).

Of course, with June comes Rose Season. For the next month or so they will be stealing all the attention at Thorngrove. They are among our most popular plants, so if you’re looking to fill some gaps in your garden, don’t delay! Our huge and diverse range of roses mean there’s something for all themes and garden sizes – come and pick up yours today!

Shaftesbury in Bloom

On a community project note, we are absolutely delighted to share insight to the amazing work our Employ My Ability (EMA) students and Adult Social Care day service users did in our continued collaboration with Shaftesbury in Bloom. Together they created 130 troughs, 14 planters, three towers and they also assisted in the installation of these plants around Shaftesbury.

‘We began involving EMA education students and the Adult Social Care team in Shaftesbury in Bloom in 2023, and they did an outstanding job. We received wonderful feedback from the community last year, so we’re back for a second year planting with them. It’s been fantastic to see all the students engaged, both on-site and out in the community,’ says Charlotte from Thorngrove.

When you’re next out and about in Shaftesbury, keep your eyes peeled for our plants and the amazing work by EMA students. They all demonstrated amazing planning,

teamwork, communication and gardening skills and we couldn’t be happier with the results!

This ongoing collaboration with Shaftesbury allows our students and service users to really see their hard work flourish in the community. It brings immense pride to all involved. Amazing work, everyone!

Moreton Dog Show

If you’re reading this in early June, I’d like to flag up that our sister site, The Walled Garden in Moreton, is hosting a Dog Show on Sunday 9th June. Plants from Thorngrove will be available at the garden shop, and we’ll be raising funds for both Employ My Ability and Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. It’s set to be a huge day of family fun and entertainment where your pooches will be the stars of the show. Visit the website for more details.

Have a brilliant month everyone, and we look forward to seeing you in the garden centre and café here in Gillingham!

EMA students demonstrated amazing planning, teamwork, communication and gardening skills while working on Shaftesbury in Bloom

by Fanny Charles ART

When painting meets paleontology

Brian Graham explores deep time in his mesmerising abstract paintings –from prehistoric music-making to Thomas Hardy’s Great Heath

We dig for the gods that leave no bones*

There is a line in a song by Johnny Flynn and Robert Macfarlane that comes to mind when you look into Brian Graham’s deep and mysterious paintings. Often inspired by archaeological discoveries, palaeontology, burial sites and the marks that our Neolithic forebears made on the cliffs and caves where they lived, the Purbeck artist finds his source material not only in visits to ancient sites, but in his reading and in conversations with archaeologists, palaeontologists, historians and philosophers. In the introduction to Starting

from Scratch, a 2011 exhibition at the Hart Gallery in London, he writes about the impact of Homo Britannicus, a 2006 book by Chris Stringer who outlined what was then known about our earliest ancestors.

The latest research indicated that Britain was occupied by ancient beings, possibly as far back as 950,000 years.

Contemplate these nearly one millionyear-old pioneering peoples and their unrelenting struggle for survival

‘It taxes the imagination to contemplate these nearly one

million-year-old pioneering peoples and their unrelenting struggle for survival,’ says Brian. ‘In order to acknowledge their tenacity, bravery and ambition, I felt compelled to pay homage to the vestiges of their achievements, in a series of representations that look at the evolutionary marks they have tantalisingly left behind.’

His researches and visits to many locations including chalk and gravel pits, beautiful landscapes,

During the Covid pandemic, and between the lockdowns, Brian concentrated on Dorset in his paintings, occasionally revisiting standing stones and ancient sites. But it was also ‘my time,’ he says, describing his recent paintings as ‘exploring my interior world.’ He has painted a series of homage to sculptors he particularly admires – Hepworth, Caro and Frink, who lived in Dorset for many years until her death. The pictures shown here are all recent work in his studio, and give some idea of his techniques and use of textures – and his impish sense of humour! All images: Gay Pirrie-Weir

contemporary business parks, railway stations, eroding cliff faces and even an adventure park, were ‘profoundly moving.’ The sort of challenges these early peoples encountered is shown in the powerful Starting from Scratch series of paintings, such as Stoneham’s Pit, Crayford, Kent. Brian says: ‘A period of severe cold was looming, signalled by the skeletal remains of mammals large and small: muskox, lemmings and ground squirrels. Early Neanderthals stood their ground for a while – beautiful prepared core flint flakes were found in close proximity to woolly rhinoceros jaws.’

Making music

A few years later, Brian’s everinquiring artist’s imagination drew him to music – and to the way our ancient forebears may have made it. The result of these researches, journeys and

explorations was Towards Music, a memorable exhibition at the gallery of The Salisbury Museum in the Cathedral Close in 2018. Brian loves music and his wide tastes and knowledge are evident in the sources, titles and themes of these 40 equally-sized, painted reliefs – Miles Davis, Shostakovich, Evelyn Glennie, Ravel, Satie, Bach, the dancer Sylvie Guillem ... names that for a music lover instantly evoke passion, discipline, rhythm and music-making. In even the earliest peoples, the drive to create seems to have been irresistibly strong. Cave paintings in France, often hundreds of yards into caverns or deep underground, show the efforts that people made to paint things they knew, in places

Thomas Hardy described the heath to Gustav Holst as “a vague stretch of remoteness”

where they had to make some form of light by which to work, as well as making the materials with which they painted or carved their subjects. Some of the oldest – the lions and rhinos of the Chauvet Cave in south eastern France – are thought to be around

30,000 to 32,000 years old. In Ireland, the detailed carvings on the kerbstones around the massive Knowth burial mound and its neighbour, the even more spectacular Newgrange, with its winter solstice sunrise light path 25 yards into the centre, were made around 5,000 years ago and are older than Stonehenge.

Music making, singing and instruments are frequently

shown in paintings from medieval times – they have helped to inform much of the early music movement, which has sought to recreate both the vocal and instrumental sounds of past centuries.

The themes and textures in Brian’s paintings reflect this evidence of our prehistoric ancestors’ drive to create.

The Great Heath

It is not just ancient people and their music, art and struggle for life that inspire Brian Graham. Living in Dorset all his life, he is also deeply engaged with its dramatic geology and coastline, and the landscapes that are such an integral part of Thomas Hardy’s writing, particularly the Great Heath – Hardy’s Egdon Heath, which is almost a character in its own right in The Return of the Native.

This was the theme of Brian’s 2019 exhibition at Sladers Yard, West Bay, which drew particularly on his own childhood memories of time spent on the heath, which once covered so much of East Dorset. This particular landscape was mostly created during the Bronze Age, he says, citing the large number of tumuli across the area, but the story goes back much further – the former river Solent meandered across the sandy heath and material found indicates human occupation for perhaps 500,000 years. Music and landscape meet here with literature and art – Thomas Hardy described the heath to Gustav Holst as “a vague stretch of remoteness” and the composer responded with a melancholy tone poem, Egdon Heath, which he considered his masterpiece (though it is lessknown than the much-loved Planets suite).

As well as this vast back story and his own childhood

memories, Brian was able to draw on a memorable and rare personal experience – driving back across Wareham Heath his headlights picked up “a spectral aerial ballet of whirring intensity” ... it was a nightjar, that most elusive of all the UK’s nocturnal birds.

Major collections

Brian was born in Poole in 1945 and, throughout his life, has lived and worked in Dorset, where the ancient geology and dramatic coastline have long been an inspiration.

He had his first exhibition in 1979 and soon became known for his powerful and heavily textured paintings. In 1992, he won first prize at the Royal West of England Academy annual autumn exhibition, and he was chosen as the first Bournemouth International Festival Artist. Until it closed, he was for many years represented by London’s Hart Gallery, who brought his work to international attention at major art fairs including Glasgow, Nimes and Geneva. He has work in many national and private collections, including the Natural History Museum, which has his large portfolio project, The Book of Boxgrove.

He has worked across genres with archeologists, writers, Dorset poet Paul Hyland, and in 2013, the North Dorset composer Sadie Harrison wrote Hidden Ceremonies 1: 9 Fragments after paintings by Brian Graham, for solo piano.

I first encountered Brian Graham’s paintings more than 40 years ago at an exhibition in Bournemouth – I am often drawn to abstract landscapes. I find the artist’s response to that indefinable sense of place can often be better conveyed in texture, layers and shades of natural forms and colours, rather than a figurative representation. You respond differently to the abstract landscape because it is porous to your own memories and imagination – FC

* The quote is a line from Coins for the Eyes, which is used as the theme music for Professor Alice Roberts’ television series, Digging for Britain. The song is included on the 2023 album The Moon Also Rises, with music by Johnny Flynn and lyrics by writer, poet and naturalist Robert Macfarlane.

Badbury Rings in Dorset. Image: Rupert Hardy

Badbury Rings: King Arthur’s greatest victory?

North

Dorset CPRE’s Rupert Hardy travels through the enigmatic past of

the

Iron Age fort

and its

mythical connection to King Arthur

Badbury Rings, the multivalliate Iron Age hill fort close to Wimborne, is one of the greatest ancient monuments in Dorset, and a favourite for family walks around its ramparts. However, not everyone is familiar with its fascinating history. There is evidence of both Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements nearby, with bronze weapons found in close proximity. An intriguing find was the Badbury Stone, a large block of sandstone capping a barrow, excavated by 19th century antiquarians. Part of this sandstone was cut off as it had some strange markings, believed to be carvings of Bronze Age axes. The stone became known as the ‘Badbury Stone’ and was moved to the British Museum. The only other example of these carvings within the UK is at Stonehenge.

around 600-500BC.

The Roman conquest of Britain began in 43 AD and Badbury Rings was likely occupied by a legion under the command of the future emperor Vespasian. There is little evidence of a battle between the Romans and the Durotriges – a few ballista bolts were found at the site of the temple the Romans built there, but that is all. Probably the Durotriges did not see the merit of fighting a well-disciplined legion!

Arthur lives on as a raven in the woods covering the ancient citadel, and a golden coffin is buried somewhere in the area

However, the hill fort was built by the Iron Age Durotriges tribe, who inhabited most of Dorset

A mile from Badbury Rings, just outside Shapwick, the Romans built the town of Vindocladia, which became the second largest in the county after Dorchester. It was only discovered during the dry summer of 1976, when the outline of the Roman fort became apparent during the extended heatwave. Vindocladia was excavated in 2013, but has now been returned to farmland.

Badbury is reported to be haunted – in the 1970s, archaeological students fled their camp when they were disturbed by ‘the clash of metal, foreign voices and the sound of marching men’.

Battle of Mount Badon

The Rings were abandoned under the Romans, but reoccupied in the post-Roman period, as security declined with the departure of the last legions in 407 AD. The battle of Mount Badon was believed to have occurred around 500 AD between Celtic Britons and Anglo-Saxons, and it was first mentioned in a book by the 6th century monk, Gildas, who chronicled the agonies of the Britons after the Romans left.

It is very difficult to confirm anything during the Dark Ages, when so little was recorded, but Gildas credited the battle as a major and rare victory for the Britons, stopping the encroachment of the AngloSaxon kingdoms for at least a generation, possibly two. Later, King Arthur became a legendary figure, aided by Sir Thomas

Malory and his book Le Morte d’Arthur, and then again in the 20th Century, thanks to Lerner and Loewe’s musical Camelot. The identification of Badbury Rings with the Battle of Mount Badon was more recently reported in the 19th century by the eminent Dorset historian John Hutchins. Another historian, Roy Carr, suggested that the Saxons were held off from crossing Bokerley Dyke, further east, by the threat of an army in the west, perhaps stationed at Badbury Rings. Badbury is, however, one of three sites regularly suggested as the location of this battle, with sites near Bath, and another Badbury in Wiltshire, also recognised as contenders.

Who was Arthur?

The earliest text linking the Arthurian legend with Badon comes from the 9th century Nennius’s Historia Brittonum, which identifies Arthur as the British leader. Who was this Arthur in real life? Was he a Roman soldier – it is a Roman name – who stayed on to fight the Saxons after the Legions left? Gildas does not mention Arthur, but he concludes that Ambrosius Aurelianus, a late Roman leader who was the second son of the Emperor Constantine, was the key figure. Some historians suggest Arthur may have been Aurelianus’ son.

The legend

One legend suggests that the Saxons had been defeated further north and pledged to return home. Instead they broke their promise and landed at Torbay. They terrorised their way eastwards until they arrived at Mount Badon and built a fortified position. Arthur hurried south to give battle. Nennius says that Arthur killed 940 Saxons “by his hand alone” – some exaggeration surely. Malory’s Le Morte D’Arthur was a reworking

Arthur Leading the Charge at Mount Badon by George Wooliscroft Rhead and Louis Rhead. From Tennyson’s Idylls of the King: Vivien, Elaine, Enid, Guinevere, 1898

of existing legends into tales about the legendary King Arthur, Guinevere and the Knights of the Round Table. It is highly probable there is a strong link between the historical and fictional figures. There is a legend that Arthur lives on as a raven in the woods covering the ancient citadel, and that a golden coffin is buried somewhere in the area.

On the mount

Of Badon I myself beheld the King Charge at the head of all his Table Round, And all his legions crying Christ and him, And break them.

In his epic poem, Lancelot and Elaine, (above), Tennyson wrote

about King Arthur and Badon, where Lancelot recounts how he fought with Arthur. Did the battle occur here? Frankly none of the three main contenders have exceptional claims, although it was clearly somewhere in south west England. In 2013 an archaeological dig was organised at Badbury Rings and late Roman artefacts were found, dating from AD 480-520, so the Rings were occupied at the right time: making it a plausible claim.

If you are proud to hail from Dorset, then take heart in the legend, take it as true and let your imagination take hold as you stroll across the ramparts!

A century ago in Hinton Martell

This month Barry Cuff has chosen a couple of postcards of Hinton Martell. Lying four miles north of Wimborne, it is curiously the only Dorset village with a Mediterranean-style fountain at its centre, which was inaugurated by Anne Sidney of Poole – who was crowned Miss World 1964.

Sent in 1910 to Mrs Moberly, in Upper Norwood, in the Crystal Palace area of London: ‘I thought you would like to know I am here. I found my friend 2 months ago. It is so pretty here, better than card. I should like a line from you. I hope you are all well, much love Beca Hinton Martell nr Wimborne Dorset’

In the image, the grocer’s horses have paused for a lunch snack at Hinton Martell Post Office and Shop – the 1855 Kelly’s Directory for Ringwood lists a ‘Kingsbury, John Biles & Sons, grocers, cheese factors, tallow chandlers & provision merchants, High Street’. By the 1911 directory they have become ‘Kingsbury & Co. wholesale grocers’, and have moved address to Friday’s Cross. The card was sent in 1916 to Miss D Batchelor, to a four storey London townhouse in the Camberwell area: ‘Dear Dolly. What do you think of the other side – I think the house is lovely. I will write a letter after Aunt Mag is gone. We have had nice weather so far, a bit showery today. P & M & children are going to Bth tmorrow. Have written to ask Amy to meet them at Parkstone [sta]tion to go down with them. I hope [it] will be a nice day – I hope Willie is all right & not much trouble. Lots of love from all to all. From Auntie (we had Mrs Dynott & went for a drive yesterday afternoon.)

THEN AND NOW

Step back in time with our ‘Then and Now’ feature, where vintage postcards from the Barry Cuff Collection meet modern-day reality. Explore the past and present on the same page, and see the evolution of familiar local places. ‘Now’ images by Courtenay Hitchcock

Buckland Newton

Duntish Court, and sitting just a mile from Buckland Newton village church, was a large Palladian-style country residence designed c. 1760 by Sir William Chambers for Fitzwalter Foy. Supposedly it had been on the short-list when the Royal Family were looking for an estate for the Prince of Wales in 1862, being overlooked for Sandringham instead. Following the death of the head of the family, John Holford, in a road accident in 1940 – shortly after his escape from France via Dunkirk – the estate had been underused. It was used during WWII as training headquarters for the Auxiliary Units in Dorset, and the house was demolished in 1965. The 18th century landscape and pleasure ground survives, including a lake, cascade and a grotto. The original ha-ha survives, as does a garden house, and significant late 18th and 19th century tree planting remains.

by Karen Geary,

Summer weight loss the easy way

Some topics come up again and again – nutritionist Karen Geary tackles the perennial summer weight loss question

After a soggy spring, the early summer sun is out as I write. Every year this means my inbox starts filling up with queries from people looking for help with weight loss. It’s really easy to get confused by current ‘healthy eating guidelines’. Do we count calories? Too triggering for many. Should we follow the NHS Eatwell Guide plate? Please don’t! It is just SO out of date, and doesn’t use the latest research.

Let me show you how.

My professional governing body, the British Association for Nutrition and Lifestyle Medicine (BANT), works on the basis that no one single diet is right for everyone. However, they have two infographics which provide a great basis for when it is not possible to get detailed, personalised advice. The infographic shown below is for weight loss. On their website is their general wellbeing plate. What is great about the weightloss plate is that half of it is made up with vegetables – half leafy veg and the other half ‘other’ veg, such as cauliflower, onions and squashes. These are all high in fibre, which is the cornerstone of our diet, supporting both metabolic health and gut function.

HEALTH & WELLBEING

Sleeping and feeding times are important determinants of overall health. Sleep 7-9 hours ideally starting before midnight. Eat regular meals and avoid snacking.

SALADS & VEGETABLES

Unlimited salads, leafy greens and vegetables, excluding root vegetables.

EXERCISE

Keep moving and stay active. Use the stairs, walk whenever you can. Walk an extra stop. Park further away. Stand rather than sit at your desk.

OILS

Use olive oil as your everyday fat for both cooking and seasoning, and butter in moderation. Avoid margarines and trans fats. Eat raw nuts, seeds and avocados.

DRINKS

(6 veg and 1 fruit)

FRUIT

Maximum of one palm-sized fruit portion per day. Berries in abundance and local and seasonal fruit.

Drink water, tea (black, green, fruit and herbal infusions), avoid drinks that are high in sugar or artificial sweeteners, including fruit juice.

Limit whole grains to their natural forms (e.g. wild and brown rice, quinoa, millet, etc)

AVOID...

Artificial sweeteners

Fizzy/sugary drinks

Alcohol

Pasta, bread, sweets, cakes & biscuits

Dried fruits and fruit juices

Eating between meals

Ready and processed meals

TRY TO...

Be mindful of emotional eating

Reduce portion sizes

Eat sitting down, rest and digest

Go for wholefoods

Establish adverse reactions to food

Prepare your own meals

Eat right for your genes

support, as advised by nutrition

Make fish, poultry and eggs your principal sources of protein. Eat lean red meat, bacon and other processed meats only occasionally. Eat pulses (lentils, beans, chickpeas) and nuts and seeds as vegetable protein. Limit dairy to a small matchbox of cheese, half a cup of live unsweetened yoghurt or a small glass of milk a day

Aim for five to seven cups of veg a day.

Fruit isn’t included in the plate – you will see it separately on the infographic – no more than one piece a day when losing weight, and ideally low sugar fruits such as berries and apples. Protein features strongly – more than a third of the plate. We should be eating protein with every meal. It helps to keep us fuller for longer, which is especially helpful when trying to lose weight! There is a lower proportion of carbs and grains – this taking up less than a quarter of the plate, and combined with root vegetables. It focuses on grains in their natural forms, like millet and quinoa.

Do we

count calories?

Too triggering for many. Should we follow the NHS

Eatwell Plate?

Please don’t!

Olive oil is recommended as the best to use as an everyday fat in moderation. Up to two tablespoons of olive oil is good for both heart and gut health. Butter is also an option. I’d also add ghee or avocado oil if you’re looking to cook with it at high temperatures.

And yes, I know this all sounds fine in theory, but how does it all look in practice?

• Breakfast:

180g Greek yogurt (high protein), with 90g

berries (frozen is fine). Add your choice of seeds, and maybe some flax.

Two poached eggs with half an avocado, maybe some kimchi or tomatoes. Or poach the eggs in a shakshuka (spicy tomato sauce).

Small piece of genuine sourdough or rye bread. Note the BANT plate is not big on food made with flour while losing weight, but a small portion a day often makes it much easier to be consistent with your food choices.

• Lunch:

Tinned mackerel or salmon with a rice or chickpea salad (mostly salad). Take a look at the Can’t Be Arsed salad recipe here (it’s editor Laura’s favourite, and has my wholehearted stamp of approval!) for a time-saving way to load up on salad all week. Try a simple dressing made with olive oil and cider vinegar.

Or a veg omelette or frittata made with two eggs (add some liquid egg whites if you want more protein).

• Dinner:

An easy traybake – Chicken portions roasted on mixed veggies all cooked in the oven with some olive oil.

Or perhaps some salmon baked in parchment, served with broccoli and sweet potato fries.

• Karen welcomes questions and queries via Amplify Nutrition for personal advice

Celebrating Pride with pride

Finding your space: Dorset Mind volunteer Annabel Goddard looks at how to participate in Pride when you’re still questioning your identity

The 7th of July 2024 sees the Sherborne Pride coming out for the very first time, celebrating equality and diversity for the LGBTQIA+ community. Pride festivals occur up and down the country, with parades and fun for the whole family. We love celebrating the positive parts of sexuality and gender, but what do you do when you’re not feeling like celebrating yet?

Feeling pressure

If you’re questioning your sexuality or gender, it can be disheartening to not know if you can join in with Pride celebrations comfortably. It can feel like something additional to navigate, on top of questioning your identity, and can even pressure you to label yourself prematurely. It’s important to remember that your identity is yours, and nobody else’s: you don’t need a label. You don’t have to put yourself into a box to become accepted, and even if you’re not sure, everyone is welcome to join Pride celebrations regardless of their gender identity or sexuality! If you’re really not ready to come out or accept yourself, you should feel no pressure to. Pride will be there waiting for you another time.

Feeling left out

You may already be secure in your identity, but you might not have a support network you can talk to who will understand. LGBTQIA+ issues can include depression and low self-esteem. Make sure, if you can, to find a reliable, trustworthy family member or friend who you can talk to about these issues.

For more specific LGBTQIA+ support, there is information on the Dorset Mind website which can help you to build more specific support, such as the MindOut LGBTQIA+ Wellbeing Group. These issues can often intersect with cultural and religious problems which can make it tougher to be you. If you find yourself struggling with your mental health, it’s important that you take care of yourself. If you’re able to, speak to your GP who will provide you with directions to support.

How to support loved ones

It can be tricky to navigate LGBTQIA+ issues as someone who doesn’t identify that way. While nobody expects you to become an expert overnight, it is important to remember that gender and sexuality are two extremely different and diverse concepts. To make a person questioning their identity feel accepted, you just need to listen to them and do your best to understand. There is detailed information about LGBTQIA+ identities on dorsetmind.uk, which could help you to begin. At the core of it all, however,

we’re all still human, and everyone, especially those struggling with their identity, deserves love and kindness. A wonderful way to show support as an ally would be, if you can, to go to Pride with that person and join in the celebration. The community is overwhelmingly accepting and kind, and open to everyone, as long as they’re respectful.

Support for you:

• Visit dorsetmind.uk for local mental health support and for advice on ways to keep mentally healthy

• MindOut LGBTQIA+ Wellbeing Group 6pm to 8pm every Wednesday online https://bit.ly/DM_ MindOut

• Call Samaritans for free 24/7 emotional support on 116 123

• Call Dorset’s mental health helpline Connection for support on NHS 0800 652 0190

• Switchboard LGBT+ Helpline call 0300 330 0630 10am to 10pm daily

• Call 999 if someone is in immediate danger or harm

The Rise of the EOT

Dorset Chamber CEO Ian Girling encourages local enterprises to shine at the 2024 Dorset Business Awards, and it as a platform for success

Over the last couple of years, I have become aware of an increasing number of businesses that have become EOT’s – Employee Ownership Trusts. While there are still a relatively low number of businesses that have embraced this model, it’s definitely becoming more popular.

An EOT is a trust that enables the company to be owned by its employees. It’s an attractive proposition for many business owners who are perhaps looking to sell their business as part of their exit strategy, but are reluctant to see their current business swallowed up by a larger firm, effectively ending it. Understandably, business owners often have concerns about what may happen to their clients, employees and brand when their business is sold. An EOT can provide a managed exit strategy for the business owners and, in creating ownership by the employees, enables the company to continue trading.

An EOT can deliver huge benefits to the business in

Employee Ownership Trusts enable the company to be owned by its employees

many ways. Most notably, it can result in increased engagement from employees: as part owners they help create a strong culture of shared responsibility. It can also help attract and retain good quality staff – it’s an appealing addition to your job benefits. It’s also attractive from a customer perspective. The customers you have built up relationships with over many years will be glad to remain as customers and not transferred to a new business that may have a different approach in terms of their business culture

and customer care.

Business owners also enjoy the security of knowing that the business they have worked so hard in for many years will continue after their exit. However, as with all things there are pros and cons –becoming an EOT is not the right option for every business or every industry, and it’s an area that must be considered very carefully.

The transition can be expensive, and it is absolutely vital any business considering this takes professional advice before making such a commitment.

Rubicon Executive: leadership recruitment redefined

Rubicon, an employee-owned company, has relaunched Rubicon Executive to enhance its recruitment of top executives across the UK. In a rapidly changing business environment, finding the right leaders is crucial. Jessica Comolly-Jones, Rubicon’s Commercial Director, emphasises that executive hiring involves more than evaluating resumes; it’s about cultural fit and understanding individual industry nuances.

Rubicon uses advanced methods like psychometric testing to better assess candidates, ensuring they align with company values and are effective in their roles.

The importance of correct hiring is underscored by a REC report, revealing that 95% of HR decision-makers admitted their business made significant hiring mistakes last year, costing an average of £132,000.

The company also prioritises diversity and maintaining a strong talent pipeline, preparing businesses for future challenges with the necessary leadership. The relaunch of Rubicon Executive marks a strategic move to differentiate their executive recruitment services from the

broader Rubicon Recruitment portfolio, offering specialised, high-quality solutions. Jessica explains, ‘Rubicon Executive’s mission isn’t just to fill vacant positions; it’s to influence business success across the UK by identifying topperforming leaders.’

The power of win-win partnerships

In a modern business environment, partnerships between businesses can enhance reach, brand recognition, and community presence. Thorngrove Garden Centre, the retail arm of Employ My Ability who provide unique opportunities for young people with special educational needs, approached Abbey 104, Sherborne’s community radio station, to sponsor BV Magazine’s new radio show. It’s a partnership that has significant benefits for local businesses working together.

For Abbey 104, repurposing The BV podcast provided an opportunity to expand content offerings and engage a broader audience, but funding was crucial. Thorngrove, already The BV’s Out Of Doors partner, were looking to explore local radio as a marketing avenue.

By sponsoring the podcast, Thorngrove gains exposure to Abbey 104’s listeners, many of whom are likely gardening enthusiasts, connecting with potential customers. In return, Abbey 104 receives the financial support needed to produce highquality content.

For The BV, the partnership ensures a wider audience reach, enhancing the magazine’s brand

and community influence. The podcast serves as a platform to discuss relevant topics, share local news, and promote businesses.

Local business partnerships create a ripple effect, strengthening the local economy and fostering community. When businesses support each other, they boost their success and contribute to the market’s vibrancy.

The partnership shows the benefits of local business collaborations. By leveraging each other’s strengths and working towards common goals, businesses achieve greater success and make a positive community impact.

From left: Oliver Wootten: Recruitment Consultant, Amber Marshall: Senior Recruitment Coordinator, Charlie Crotty: Technical Manager, Jessica ComollyJones: Commercial Director, Dominika Bogacka: Executive Manager, Ellie Taylor: Specialist Sectors Manager, Josh Hill: Recruitment Consultant

From left: Crisit Dumitrescu (Thorngrove) John Shearing (Abbey 104), Courtenay Hitchcock (The BV), Jay (EMA Service user) Charlotte White (Thorngrove MD)

Apprentices take centre stage

Dorset’s brightest business talents shone at the Dorset Apprenticeship Awards in May, where a trio of outstanding apprentices received top honours amid a gathering of local dignitaries, including the Lord-Lieutenant of Dorset Angus Campbell and BBC’s The Repair Shop star Sonnaz Nooranvary. The event was held at sponsor Superior Ltd’s Academy in Ferndown, and was organised by Dorset Chamber in collaboration with the Dorset and Somerset Training Provider Network.

Ian Girling, chief executive of the Dorset Chamber, praised the pivotal role of apprentices: ‘Apprentices are the lifeblood of our businesses, forming the next generation of leaders. The talent and dedication displayed by our winners and finalists assure us that the future of business is in capable hands.’

Sonnaz Nooranvary, delivering the keynote address, told the room that this year’s awards saw a record number of entries. Sonnaz moved to Dorset as a teenager when she was offered an apprenticeship with Sunseeker International Ltd. She’s a well-known advocate of apprenticeships – she told The BV: ‘I think that it should be law

that everyone must have an apprentice – my apprenticeship really changed my life.’

She’s the resident upholstery expert on The Repair Shop, and runs her own interiors brand, ‘House of Sonnaz’.

The Apprenticeship Awards ceremony recognised talents across several categories. Sergejs Murnikovs won Intermediate Apprentice of the Year for his exceptional skills and professional approach in the automotive field with the Hendy Group, and was described by his manager as someone who will be ‘top of the tree in his field of expertise’ in a few years. Ellie Hubble clinched the Advanced Apprentice of the Year title for her impactful

contributions to the Redtale Group in Dorchester, where she is pursuing a Level 3 Business Administration Apprenticeship. Elliott Smith, an aerospace engineering apprentice with Draken, was awarded Higher and Degree Apprentice of the Year for consistently exceeding expectations and demonstrating outstanding diligence.

The Dorset Apprenticeship Awards celebrate the vital role apprentices play in the local economy. Ian Girling said, ’Judging was incredibly difficult and richly deserved congratulations go to all of our winners for their success as well as to all of the finalists for showing just how valuable and important apprenticeships are.’

Feltham’s Farm is sweeping the (cheese) board

Feltham’s Farm Organic Cheeses has clinched the title for Best Organic Cheese at the Artisan

Cheese Awards 2024 with its renowned La Fresca Margarita, also securing a Gold in the Fresh Class. The competition saw an impressive turnout with over 600 entries from across the UK and Ireland, setting the stage for a fiercely contested event.

La Fresca Margarita stood out among stiff competition, surpassing well-known hard cheeses such as Caws Teifi Heritage and Holden Cheese’s Hafod Cheddar in the Organic category. La Fresca Margarita is

crafted as a soft Organic Queso Fresco, and is made from the finest single-source organic milk provided by neighbouring Somerset farm Godminster’s herd. Owner and cheesemaker Marcus Fergusson says: ‘People are really coming back to these young, fresh, un-aged cheeses, and we are delighted that judges are also recognising how simple cheese is often the hardest to make really well - this win is tribute to Michael Leech and the cheesemaking team.’

From left: Rod Davis (Dorset and Somerset Training Provider Network), guest speaker Sonnaz Nooranvary, Superior Ltd MD Tim Brown, Dorset Chamber CEO Ian Girling, Advanced Apprentice of the Year winner Ellie Hubble (Redtale Group), Intermediate Apprentice of the Year Sergejs Murnikovs (Hendy Group), Higher and Degree Apprentice of the Year Elliott Smith (Draken) and HM Lord Lieutenant of Dorset Angus Campbell.

J u n e h a s n e v e r l o o k e d

m o r e b e a u t i f u l t h a n

s h e d o e s n o w ,

u n a d o r n e d a n d

h o n e s t , v u l n e r a b l e

y e t i n v i n c i b l e . – Marie Lu

G O T

S O M E N E W S ?

D o y o u t h i n k a l o c a l ( o r y o u r

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K n o w s o m e o n e d o i n g g o o d

t h i n g s t h a t w e s h o u l d t a l k a b o u t ?

S e n d a q u i c k e m a i l t o L a u r a :

e d i t o r @ B V m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

W A N T T O A D V E R T I S E ?

G e t i n t o u c h w i t h C o u r t e n a y t o c h a t

a b o u t w h a t y o u ' r e l o o k i n g f o r - w e ’ r e

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p r o f i l e a n d r e a c h :

a d v e r t i s i n g @ B V m a g a z i n e . c o . u k

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N e x t P u b l i c a t i o n D a t e :

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( d e a d l i n e 2 8 t h J u n e )

T h e B V p u b l i s h e s o n t h e f i r s t F r i d a y

o f t h e m o n t h , a n d t h e a d v e r t i s i n g

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F r i d a y p r i o r t o p u b l i s h i n g