Wilf is a very good boy – but possibly the same cannot be said for his owner
Andrew Livingston
Page 66
Alec’s Field: a legacy of cricket and kindness in Hazelbury Bryan where the village’s playing field is a testament to community
Page 6
Hoppy days are here again! Inspired by craft ales and Coldplay, Steve Farrell has brought commercial brewing back to Wimborne after a nearly 80-year dry spell
Page 50
Bestselling author Victoria Hislop answers the Random 19 questions
Page 64
Meet a foal named Lettuce. (fret not, it’s a galloping success story. We promise.)
Page 71
Steve Gould – farmer, sheep judge, local councillor ... and owner of a haven of local, fresh and sustainable produce
Page 56
Front cover: Little egret by Sharon Towning
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It’s easy to get caught up with how terrible things are right now. How broken the world is, how hopeless things feel, how bad people can be.
The problems around us are massive – and mostly unsolvable by you or I. And the constant battering of all that overwhelming hopelessness takes its toll. I start to avoid the news, actively switch off or turn away from terrible stories, and choose comedy over dark drama.
But that’s no answer either. As I’ve pulled together this issue, these thoughts have been percolating in my brain, even though I’m blessed with a naturally-sunny disposition (possibly annoyingly so) – I’m quick to see the good, take the positive, and let the bad stuff go. As this issue grew, page by page, the answer was right under my fingertips. Story after story you’ll read about good people. Because we human beans, despite our constant bad press, really are innately good. We will stop and wait as a slow-moving elderly person crosses the road. Pass an item down for a short stranger from the top shelf at the supermarket – and we will take our trolley back and park it neatly. We will run to pick up a hat that flew off and laugh as we hand it back. We’ll smile at the cat stretched out in the sun – and say the obligatory ‘Biii-i-ig Strrreee-e-etccchhhh’ when it gets up. We will say ‘bless you’ to a stranger when they sneeze and ‘I love your shoes!’ to a total stranger on the train station. This month, among these pages, you’ll find a village which has simply scooped up a devastated young family and provided the support they needed. Time being taken to welcome and entertain refugees. The astonishing kindness of a donation more than 80 years ago, which was a thank you for a previous kindness, and is still creating ripples. Events made possible by huge teams working together – not because they’re paid, but because they believe that it’s worth doing. Communities supporting small local businesses – which in turn are run by good people working hard to do great things. And so much money being raised by good people for good things. I don’t know anyone who simply gives up a little time occasionally for a good cause that regrets it. Anyhoo. I just found the thought comforting. I’ll finish with a little only-Laura-ism from this month. We went out to dinner – gorgeous food, and a proper date night for us, such a lovely time. Instead of dessert I chose the cheese plate – it arrived with four hunks of cheese, and I tried a bit of each in turn; camembert, Roquefort, cheddar... and a rogue one I didn’t know. I placed a neat chunk (creamy, soft, almost oily texture ... intriguing) onto a cracker, and took a bite. Butter. I had a chunk of butter in my mouth. *sigh*
Wincanton’s nine-hole golf course, located within the racetrack, is no longer viable, say the owners, who have announced it will close on 1st April. It was opened by The Jockey Club in 1994 and has been popular with golfers across the south west region.
In 2015, the Club headhunted a greenkeeper from Sherborne Golf club and the quality of the course improved appreciably, attracting considerably more members. Coaching is also offered by Andrew England, who has more than 40 years’ experience as a PGA golf professional.
Ten months ago, tractors, mowers and other machinery, valued at more than £100,000, was stolen from the racecourse. At the time, racecourse manager Jack Parkinson said: ‘Insurance will cover the majority but the biggest issue for us is the waiting time on some of these vehicles. That’s where we might struggle a bit. Things like tractors take 18 months to two years so we’re going to need to hire in a lot of
machinery to manage.’ Some members say that the quality of the greens and fairways has deteriorated. One, who did not wish to be named, commented: ’The theft didn’t help but the owners have let it slide. The greenkeeper has been told to do other jobs around the racecourse, the quality has fallen and members have left.’
Another golfer posting on the Golfshake website in January shared his view of the course: ‘I’ve played a few times over the years and up to this last year, it has always been just about OK. However, it really has fallen by the wayside … ‘There seems to be absolutely no interest in golf from the owners.
‘It is now being run by the manager of Exeter racecourse, who, quite naturally, has absolutely no idea whatsoever on running a golf course.’
Jack Parkinson became manager at Exeter in 2017, and took over at Wincanton racecourse – and the golf club in November
2020, in addition to his Exeter responsibilities.
He told The BV: ‘The decision to close the golf course has not been an easy one and we appreciate that this will not be welcome news to many.
‘A number of external economic factors have led to a huge rise in operating costs, and this, coupled with a consistent reduction in memberships over an extended period, has meant the course is no longer viable.
‘The last day of play on the course will be on Sunday 31st March 2024 – pay and play places remain available until then.
‘We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know so many members and would like to take this opportunity to thank them all for their loyal support.’
• Racing returns to Wincanton on Thursday 19th October for the start of the jump racing season, followed by the Bob Champion Charity Raceday on 29th October.
Tributes have been paid this month to a remarkable lady who died recently, aged 91. Her leadership made a significant difference to Dorset
Della Jones, who has died at the age of 91, was a dedicated servant to the community – both North Dorset and the wider county. She was first elected to North Dorset District Council in 1974, representing the Lower Winterborne Ward. She was chosen as vice-chairman of the Environmental Services committee just two years later, becoming chairman in 1979, a position she held for nine years. During this time she also championed the viability of village schools and was instrumental in founding Dunbury School. Della was delighted to be made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1987 for her services to tourism and the community. Her achievements included chairing the tourism committee of the National Association of District Councils. She naturally excelled at promoting tourism in Dorset.
In May 1999, Della was elected chairman of North Dorset District Council (NDDC) – a job she relished. She was widely known as an honourable, tenacious, intelligent and charming public servant. Eventually, in 2011 – amid concerns for her husband’s health and after 45 years service – Della retired from NDDC and was appointed an honorary alderman. Her lifetime of community service also included 21 years as a Dorset county councillor. In 2017 she attended the final meeting of members and former members of NDDC at Nordon in Blandford, when the council became part of the Dorset Councils Partnership –and then of Dorset Council. She said Nordon had been the nerve centre of her community activities for more than 45 years, and it had been ‘an enormous privilege and honour to be elected to represent local folk’.
As a breast cancer survivor, Della’s
nominated chairman’s charity was Cancer Research UK, of which she was the Dorset Patron. In 2012 she was presented with a Flame of Hope honorary fellowship award from Cancer Research UK for spearheading the fundraising of an incredible £250,000 for the charity. In addition to her council work, Della was a school governor and chairman of governors at The Blandford School for many years. She established the Della Jones Mile, a four lap race at The Blandford School. The race has been held annually for more than 45 years and Della was always at the annual sports day in person to present the trophy to the winner. Sally Wilson, Headteacher at Blandford School said: ‘Della will be fondly remembered for her generous support of young people, her energy, enthusiasm and zest. The Della Jones Mile is her legacy.’
Della was married to David for more than 65 years until his death in 2016. The couple met in 1947 on Leigh-on-Sea railway station in Essex where David literally fell into Della’s arms! They were married in Romford and lived in several locations before moving to Dorset in the 1960s. They settled in Winterborne Zelston, where they ran the Red Post Filling Station and developed their smallholding at Middle Farm. The couple had two daughters and two grandchildren. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in 2017, when they shared the success of their marriage, saying: ‘Only one of us is in charge!’
When asked which one was the boss, without giving the game away, Della responded: ‘That’s the secret of our success.’
When the Somerset and Dorset Railway closed in the 1960s, the couple worked to secure a lasting reminder by installing the bufferstop at the ‘end of the line’ in
Station Court, Blandford. They also ensured the retention of one of the 1862/63 flood arches over the Stour. Della and David spent much of their retirement travelling on some of the world’s greatest railway journeys.
After David died, Della continued to support her charities with passion and commitment, while enjoying the warmth of her family and many friends.
Fanny Charles, former editor of the BVM, who knew Della for many years, said: ‘Della loved people – and they loved her. She was a wonderful public servant.’
Councillor Val Pothecary, chairman of Dorset Council, said: ‘I feel very fortunate to have been counted among those friends. She was an inspiration to many, a warm human being, and a devoted family woman. Rest in peace dear Della ... and thank you for a job well done.’ Much of the work of councillors goes unseen. Della dedicated her life to community service and her leadership made a significant difference to Dorset.
• with thanks to Nicci Brown
The village’s playing field and allotment is a testament to community, sport – and generosity spanning generations. Rachael Rowe reports
The sound of leather on willow at Alec’s Field in Hazelbury Bryan is all part of a traditional English afternoon in late summer. But who was Alec and why did his descendants recently travel to Hazelbury Bryan with a single cricket ball?
Hazelbury beginnings
Alexander Richard Adams (Alec) was born in 1886. He lived at Hope Cottage in Hazelbury Bryan. His father, Arthur, was chief steward to Queen Mary and King George and lived mostly in London, only visiting occasionally to see his three sons. Arthur was keen to ensure his sons had a good education and learned the ways of the countryside. Queen Mary was a godmother to Alec Adams. Even as a young boy, Alec was passionate about playing cricket. He excelled in the sport and was known for his fast-bowling. Naturally, he played in the village team, which at that time was made up of the local squire, his nine sons … and Alec! He was so mad about
cricket that in 1903 he cycled from Hazelbury Bryan to Bournemouth to see his hero, the legendary WG Grace, play!
The family moved to Birmingham in the early part of the 20th century and Alec was selected to play cricket for Warwickshire. War was declared in 1914 and all competitive sports were stopped.
So, unfortunately, Alec was unable to take up his place, but he continued to play cricket for Aston Cricket Club and was presented with a cricket ball in 1926, when he was 40, for taking ten wickets against Kings Heath.
Same roots
Steve Upshall was born in 1896 and also grew up in Hazelbury Bryan – the only child to a single mother, by all accounts from those who knew them at the time, they lived in great poverty.
Alec’s Field
Steve moved away and made his fortune, but he always kept an ambition to help his home village. In 1951 he purchased a parcel of land to be used by villagers. Covenants on the land ensured that the field was accessible for everyone to enjoy in perpetuity, for both recreation and, with the allotments, for the provision of food so that no villager would ever go hungry.
It was reported in the Western Gazette at the time that he also
presented ‘a pair of ornamental gates, costing over £100 and made by the same firm responsible for the magnificent entrance gates to Buckingham Palace.’ They were wide enough to allow travelling fairs to enter the field.
For the official opening, Alec Adams and his two brothers were specifically requested to attend. Members of the management committee were entertained to lunch at the field, and Alec brought along his wife Lily and their daughters Hazel and Suzette. Afterwards, Alec Adams opened the ground, known forever after as Alec’s Field.
Several hundred people were in attendance at the festivities, and the day’s programme of entertainment was ‘numerous and varied’ as reported by the Western Gazette. ‘In addition to the 60-class flower and produce show, there was a baby show, fancy dress parade and a programme of sports.’
There was also a wild plan for an ‘aerial bran tub drop’ in which prize vouchers were to be dropped from an aircraft – first prize being an air trip to Scotland – but this had to be cancelled due to unfavourable weather conditions!
On the day, the winner of the ‘Best Model made by a boy under 11’ was one Christopher Eyres, a lifelong Hazelbury Bryan resident who remembers both Steve Upshall and Alec Adams: ‘Steve was a bright active boy, but very lonely. He made friends with the other boy in the village who also had an absent father – though Alec was older by almost ten years.
‘Arthur had provided Alec with a substantial hen house to provide for egg production, and Alec taught Steve how to grow fruit and vegetables and also how to care for the chickens. He also helped Steve with his education, ensuring he could read and write.
‘Eventually, the Adams moved to Birmingham and Steve moved initially to Briantspuddle as a dairy farm assistant, which he didn’t
enjoy, before finding work with a prosperous local builder Johnny Silverthorn. During the 1920s the work dried up, and the ambitious Steve heard that the port of Ipswich was expanding and in need of construction workers.
‘He started as a labourer before launching his own construction company. Steve never forgot his Hazelbury connection, visiting Wonston regularly to stay with his cousin Billy and his wife.
‘His arrival was always noted locally – he always drove a luxurious Humber Snipe! He would often visit my Grandparent Eyres to hear all the news.
‘He struck upon the idea of buying the field he had grown up looking out at, and gifting it as a permanent playing field to the community. A deal was done with Mr George Ross of Wonston, and the field was signed over to the Parish Council in July 1951.
‘Steve remained in contact with Alec up until Alec’s death in 1962, and he never forgot the kindness shown to him by Alec when they were younger.’
When the new cricket pavilion opened in 2021, Alec’s family were once again invited to attend. Alec’s granddaughter Kay Chidley says: ‘Unfortunately the pandemic put a stop to us coming. However, we
decided to visit Hazelbury Bryan as soon as we could, just to see the field and pavilion. While there we bumped into Jim Bettle. He is an extraordinary person, the life and soul of the cricket club, he coaches youngsters and gives his time to the place. Mum (Alec’s daughter Hazel) said she wanted to do something for the club. She’s nearly 90 now.
‘So we got the cricket ball which was presented to my grandfather for taking ten wickets and had it mounted in a trophy. Hazel and Suzette also donated £1,000 to the cricket club.
‘It was such a lovely day. Everyone we spoke to said that this place is the soul of the village and it works for everyone. When we made the presentation, all the cricket club members were there. You could see all the 10 and 11 years olds hanging on to every word that Jim said.
‘The four grandchildren want to continue to keep those connections with the village and Alec’s Field. And when you feel the world is full of people who just want to make a quick buck and then you meet someone like Jim, it’s wonderful.’
Alec Adams’ kindness all those years ago has been returned in many ways in Hazelbury Bryan and its benefits will continue for years to come.
A local couple raised £1,100 with a Macmillan coffee morning to thank their village for their support and kindness during the toughest of times
When Gemma Hampton’s husband Andy, 54, was diagnosed with a glioblastoma brain tumour this year, she wasn’t sure how she was going to manage, or where to turn for help. But she needn’t have worried - the Hinton St Mary villagers stepped up.
‘Andy had to have six weeks of daily radiotherapy and the villagers promptly made up a rota to take him to the Robert White Centre in Dorchester, which helped me so so much,’ says Gemma.
It takes a village
The couple have two young children – Isabelle is three and Henley is just a year old.
‘The villagers have also supported us in other, deeply practical ways I would never have thought to ask for. Walking our dogs, looking after our
children and even cooking meals for us as family.
‘Through the support we learned just how many other
people have needed the support of MacMillan at some point. We decided to host the coffee morning as a way to raise money for MacMillan while thanking everyone for their help, which has made such a difference to us this year.
‘Local businesses donated wonderful prizes for the raffle and it felt like everyone from the village helped – whether it was hosting at the coffee morning, selling raffle tickets or baking cakes. It was held in the Hinton St Mary village hall, and our tiny community managed to raise £1,100.10!’
Gemma says Andy has now started the next course of treatment – six cycles of chemotherapy over six months. So far he is doing well with his treatment.
New secretary and West End events pro Cat Harris is set to inject fresh energy into the show, while keeping its agricultural heart and tradition
The Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show is thrilled to announce the appointment of Cat Harris as its new show secretary and events organiser – the first female secretary in the show’s history. With an impressive background in live events, including experience working in London’s West End and corporate world, 30-year-old Cat brings a wealth of expertise and passion to her new role as she takes on the position this week.
Originally from London, Cat joined the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show team this year, inspired by her Dorset-born husband’s lifelong dedication to the event. Tom’s family are local farmers and he spent his teens volunteering at the show, embodying the deep local commitment that has made the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show a beloved tradition for local families for generations. Cat’s desire to contribute to the show’s legacy and her fresh perspective make her a perfect fit for the role of secretary.
As she steps into her new position, Cat has ambitious plans to elevate the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show to new
heights. She’s hitting the ground running, immediately starting work on the Spring Countryside Show which she’s aiming to move further away from the summer’s agricultural show theme by creating a family-focused gardening event that promises a unique experience for attendees – her vision is for Turnpike Showground to provide a diverse and engaging programme for visitors of all ages.
For 2024’s summer G&S Show, Cat Harris intends to build on the event’s strong agricultural show heart, retaining and expanding the competitive elements while introducing exciting exhibitions and new demonstrations. She plans to revitalise the main arena entertainment, ensuring that it becomes a can’t-miss event for the entire community. By slowly and thoughtfully exploring new directions, she aims to breathe new life into the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show while working to preserve its much-loved traditions. She is looking forward enthusiastically to this new chapter: ‘It’s a time for new
beginnings for the show. Obviously, in order to survive, the show must continue to modernise and be a commercial success. But the commitment and passion of so many people for the show is genuinely striking – so many people give up their time freely and work so hard to ensure its success. It’s a genuinely loved and cherished institution in North Dorset, and that’s what persuaded me to take on the job. We can’t lose that. I am honoured to be a part of what is an incredible community effort, and I look forward to working alongside the dedicated volunteer teams, as well as the exhibitors and attendees, to make the Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show an unforgettable experience for all.’ The Gillingham and Shaftesbury Show members are eagerly anticipating the positive impact of Cat Harris’s leadership and creative approach. Her commitment to the show’s legacy and her innovative ideas promise to make future editions of the event even more exciting and enjoyable for all.
• The Spring Show will be on 20th and 21st April 2024
In a journey of oddly familiar exploration, Cllr Pauline Batstone is on the other side of the world visiting old names with very new faces
One recent afternoon my Australian friend, Maureen, and I set out for a little drive round Dorset. We visited Bridport on the River Brid, Weymouth with its lovely stretch of golden sand, and Lulworth, which is a bit more rocky. We didn’t have time to go as far as Dorchester and Holwell, not least as it was getting dusk and we took very seriously the road warning signs to beware that endangered animal the Tasmanian Devil. Plus there were wallabies around ...
Dorset in Tasmania is a beautiful part of the world – it’s a pity it is so far from our Dorset! The original European settlers must have thought so too – they commemorated our Dorset in a number of the place names they chose. The area seems mainly to have been settled by our own Dorset folk, either as free settlers with an ‘assisted passage’, as deportees (we have all seen the threatening signs on our Dorset bridges), or they came as sailors. I have found a number of Roses
and Trowbridges in the phone book. Also settling here were the Scots and the Cornish – hence the town of Launceston on the River Tamar!
The original inhabitants of Tasmania – previously known as Aborigines, now referred to as the First Nation – were mercilessly slaughtered by those early settlers. I saw no one in our six days in Dorset who appeared to be a First Nation resident, apart from one lady at Launceston airport. Australians are working hard to address the wrongs committed against the First Nation, of which there are something like 60 identified tribes and 500 languages and dialects. It is not easy, with discussion raging at present over the merits or demerits of positive discrimination, and a referendum coming up shortly over whether First Nation Australians should be given an additional voice. Having said that, Australia is Weymouth beach, Tasmania
by far a more diverse nation, both culturally and racially, from when I first visited in 1971 – and it is all the richer for it.
The countryside of this Australian Dorset is beautiful, with its stunning beaches and inlets, its fields of contented cattle and sheep, its forests, mountains and waterfalls. It’s a great place for walkers, with well-marked walking trails and even its own version of our Trailway. Locals have embraced the Airbnb movement and there seems no shortage of good value accommodation.
One thing I had hoped to do was to attend the September meeting of the Dorset Council (the Tasmanian one!) to hand over the gifts sent by our Dorset Council chairman Cllr Val Pothecary – one glass paperweight with the Dorset crest on it, one book of photos of Dorset and a gift specifically from me about the six Dorset labourers otherwise known as The Tolpuddle Martyrs. All six were transported and George Loveless was actually sent to Tasmania. Unfortunately, our flight had problems and we were very late reaching the county town of Scottsdale, in spite of Maureen’s rally-driving skills in the dark on the part of the highway which up here is effectively a mountain track (in the end I dropped the gifts into the council offices the following day). The Tasman Highway is currently being upgraded but there were some very exciting white knuckle rides – it was wise not to look over the side, and to hug the other side of the road as much as possible, praying no one was coming the other way! Thankfully very few did, the roads are pretty quiet up here – although the locals do travel at speed.
My trip to Tasmania is a side quest – I planned to visit my friends and relatives in Western Australia this year, and having learned that there was an Australian Dorset council I wanted to come across and investigate. Maureen decided joining me was a good way to celebrate the anniversary of her first visit to Dorset in the UK when we became friends
– a friendship which has continued for more than six decades as we have visited each other’s homes a number of times on the opposite sides of the world. She didn’t think my grasp of the Australian language was good enough for me to tackle ‘Tassy’ on my own! I was thankful she did come in the end – her experience of driving on dirt roads was invaluable. The main routes are bituminised, but off those anything can happen ...
I thoroughly recommend this beautiful part of the world to anyone who can make the journey – the main drawbacks being the extreme distance and therefore the cost.
I should warn prospective travellers that, despite the signs, damaging Sturminster Newton Bridge no longer guarantees you free passage.
Presented with Motorsport UK’s 2023 Lifetime Achievement Award, the ‘legless marshal’ looks back at 25 years at Goodwood and calls himself lucky
“Give me Goodwood on a summer’s day and you can keep the rest” is the famous line from British racing driver Roy Salvadori. And, having just completed 25 years of visits as a race marshal, as a spectator and now as a photographer, I have to say I agree. During that time I really have experienced the highs and also the lowest of lows of motorsport – and the British weather – along the way. Back in 1998, I was present when the Goodwood circuit re-opened to historic motorsport. I watched as the pit building re-emerged from the mists of time – literally – to the sound of racing engines, the smell of Castrol R racing oil, and the excitement of competition. Coming five years after the start of the Festival of Speed, this bold attempt of showing racing life as it was during the circuit’s previous operating period (1948 to 1966) was a challenge.
Keep going back
My own life was turned upside at Goodwood two years later, when I was involved in a fatal accident at the Festival of Speed, held on the Goodwood House estate, in 2000. I was struck by the Lotus 63 travelling at 140mph. The owner and driver John Dawson Damer died at the scene and my fellow marshal Andrew Carpenter died later of his injuries. I was lucky to stay alive but I received major injuries, including the loss of my leg. And yet the place keeps on drawing me back. There I feel I experience the best of people – and of cars. I have been so lucky to have made many friends from this association; some in person, some
more long distance, but all with the same passion and desire to enjoy and share the Goodwood experience.
From world champions like nine-time Le Mans
24 Hours winner Tom Kristensen and F1 world champion Jenson Button to the current stars of rallying, circuit racing, and motorcycling, I have been able to talk with them all. One of the most special moments for me was speaking with Sir Jackie Stewart – so gracious with his time and so knowledgeable when talking about racing at the circuit during its original era.
The recent Goodwood Revival was held in glorious weather (not your average September in England), and while it was actually too hot for the de-mob suits, military uniforms and vintage frocks that many of the crowd normally wear, there were still plenty of hardy souls that stuck with it, seeking shade wherever they could, and cooling drinks on a frequent basis. While dressing in period clothing is not compulsory, so many do that you risk standing out from the crowd for the wrong reasons! I always come away from that meeting with a real feeling of how life was at Goodwood, back in its heyday.
• Read more about Steve, his work as a motorsport marshal and his award from Motorsport UK in the February 23 BV here
Last year Charlie Saunders launched a premium hedge cutting service, promising ‘your hedges and fencing, perfected’ – it was an instant success
When it comes to specialised hedge cutting services in Dorset, Charlie Saunders stands a cut above the rest. While many gardeners and tree surgeons will tackle hedge-related jobs, it’s not their primary focus.
Enter Hambledons. Born out of Charlie’s vision to fill the niche, Hambledons dedicates itself exclusively to hedge cutting – boasting not only top-tier equipment but also a passion that shines through in every trim and snip. In just a year, Hambledons has experienced exponential growth, illustrating the soaring demand for hedge expertise. This isn’t merely about cutting unruly hedges; it’s about providing the best in the business. Quick, efficient, professional, and priced just right –that’s the Hambledons promise. Beyond hedge cutting, their comprehensive range of services also extends to fencing solutions. Whether you are looking for a standard wooden garden panel, for sustainable recycled plastic fencing, or if you have specific needs in specialised agricultural and equestrian barriers, they’ve got you covered. Affiliated with the Dorset Council’s Trading Standards Approved scheme, Charlie’s commitment to excellence is evident. Your hedges and fencing are in expert hands. Ready for a transformation?
Reach out to Hambledons on 01258 721552 for a no-obligation quote and a conversation about your needs.
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Despite facing challenging weather conditions, more than 600 motorcyclists turned up to support Docbike’s annual ride-out, participating in one of three different routes of 30, 35, and 40 miles, all culminating at Henstridge Airfield on the Dorset/ Somerset border.
Local riders Dr Ian Mew and Critical Care Paramedic Mark Williams led separate convoys through Dorset’s country roads, while Sussex Regional Lead John Allsopp guided Bridgewater’s convoy through Somerset’s scenic routes.
At the finish line, the riders received a warm welcome at Henstridge Airfield despite the damp grey day. The venue featured a fantastic display of exhibitors, food, music by DJ Paul Brady, and the announcement of the grand raffle winners – featuring incredible prizes donated by local Dorset businesses.
As well as raising vital funds, the event serves as an excellent opportunity for the DocBike and
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance teams to talk to motorcyclists, spreading awareness of their life-saving work and how bikers can up-skill their ride, along with sharing how to keep other injured motorcyclists alive until the emergency services arrive by attending a free BikerDown course.
Dr. Ian Mew, co-founder and trustee of DocBike, expressed his gratitude for the remarkable support received during the event. ‘We’re blown away by the support of this year’s ride out. DocBike receives no funding from the Government and relies on the generosity of the public to continue our life-saving work, so we’re thrilled to have raised such a fantastic amount which will help towards our evergrowing operational costs.
The funds are much-needed by the charity, but Ian says the support received from the motorcycling community means even more:
‘We’re working to reduce motorcycle collisions and provide life-saving critical care to anyone who needs it (not just motorcyclists). We’re incredibly grateful to every single person and organisation for their continued support.
‘We would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who took part, to our wonderful team of volunteers and marshals, to the exhibitors and caterers, and the businesses and individuals who donated incredible raffle prizes. Also to the High Sheriffs of Somerset and Dorset, Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance, Dorset Freemasons, West Bay Snack Shack and Will Badman Photography for helping to make the day such a success.
‘Finally, special thanks go to Henstridge Airfield clubhouse and owner Geoff Jarvis, The Churchill Arms in Alderholt, Bridgwater Community Hospital, West Bay Harbourmaster, Bridport Town Council and Dorset Council for hosting the start and finish points of the event.’
DocBike receives no funding and relies on the generosity of the publicDocbike’s Dr Ian Mew (left) and Sussex Regional Lead John Allsopp
In 1811 Dr John Fisher introduced his nephew, John Fisher, to Constable. The younger Fisher became the artist’s closest friend, providing moral and financial support whenever they were needed and often purchasing works from Constable which he could ill afford.
In 1819 Fisher became Vicar of Gillingham in Dorset and Constable was invited to stay there in 1820 and again in 1823. During these visits, he made sketches around the town and completed two known works in oils. The Bridge at Gillingham, of the bridge with the village church beyond, was painted during his second visit and is now housed in the Tate Gallery, London. Parham’s Mill, the second painting, is housed at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
Fisher’s son Osmond later recalled seeing Constable ‘sitting with his easel in the meadow at the right hand corner’. Gillingham Town Council has commemorated the bicentenary of its connection with John
Constable by unveiling a new information board at Gillingham Town Meadow, close to the river and the bridge, which tells the story of the two famous paintings and Constable’s connection with Fisher and the town.
Opinions vary on how long it has been since a Newcomers’ Event has been held in Child Okeford but, on Saturday 9th September, it returned!
There were 20 stands filling the village hall advertising village activities ranging from gardening to Subbuteo, and badminton
to amateur dramatics – an impressive range of options, terrific for anyone looking to try something new this autumn. The event was to welcome new residents to the village, to show off what Child Okeford has to offer and to encourage new membership for the clubs.
Despite the name, everyone was welcome at the event – old and new residents alike – and though the event clashed with the Cheese Festival in Sturminster Newton on the same day, plenty of people came along. The organisers say they won’t leave it so long next time!
Shaftesbury CE Primary School hosted members of the Kyiv City Ballet on 3rd October as the worldrenowned international dance company started their whistle-stop tour of North Dorset. The Ukrainian students from Shaftesbury Primary were joined by their compatriots from Shaftesbury Abbey, St Andrew’s (Yetminster) and St George’s in Bourton to take part in a morning of dance and Ukrainian culture.
The Kyiv City Ballet representatives, including Ivan Kozlov (founder and director), Mykhailo Shcherbakov (rehearsal director) and a selection of dancers, lead a personal and informal session for the Ukrainian children and close friends. The children were shown some of the intricate costumes and shoes of the ballet company, before participating in a workshop where they were taught some of the basic ballet positions and moves. Afterwards the children were joined by some Ukrainian parents along with Years 4, 5 and 6
from Shaftesbury Primary for an informative and inspirational assembly. Ivan spoke to the children about how the Kyiv City Ballet had left Kyiv the day before the Russian invasion in 2022 to start a threeweek tour of France, and how they are effectively still on that tour, having been unable to get home. Their tour soon became known as the Infinity Tour! Ben Smiley, teacher at Shaftesbury Primary, said, ‘It was our pleasure to host the Kyiv City Ballet. For them to take time out of their busy schedule to spend a day with some of the Ukrainian students in the North Dorset area is a hugely generous gesture. The connection between the Ivan and his team with the children was instant, and it has undoubtedly created a sense of pride in the Ukrainian culture within our refugee children. Thanks go to Ivan, the Kyiv City Ballet and Stuart Twiss of the Shaftesbury Refugee Group for their time and energy in inspiring our children.’
The National Association of Local Councils (NALC) has announced its finalists in the prestigious Star Council Awards. After an exhaustive evaluation process, an expert panel of judges has selected a shortlist for each category - and two on the list are in Dorset!
Sherborne Town Council is a finalist Council of the Year, and Shaftesbury’s Brie Logan is a finalist as Town Clerk of the Year. Judges comments include that ‘Sherborne Town Council has showcased remarkable accomplishments, underscoring
their dedication to engaging with the community, promoting sustainable practices, and fostering collaborations with local organisations.’
NALC’s Star Council Awards are the only awards in England that recognise local (parish and town) councils’ contributions to their communities. The long-running awards celebrate local councils, councillors, young councillors and town clerks’ positive impact on their communities.
Of Brie Logan, the judges commented on her ‘transformative leadership’ and
that her time at Shaftesbury Town Council ’has been extraordinary’, stating that her ‘boundless enthusiasm and exceptional communication skills have united her team, councillors, stakeholders, residents, and unitary officers in a mission of excellence.
‘Brie’s ambitions for Shaftesbury far surpass typical small-town council objectives, igniting inspiration throughout the North Dorset community.’
The winners will be announced at a reception in the House of Lords on 29th November.
Employ My Ability offers vocational training for students with learning disabilities and special educational needs and disabilities. One of their students, Maddie Walters, spent her work experience with us, and now writes a regular column - Ed
This month I have been looking at different campsites to visit in Dorset. Many are still open in the autumn and some even open for short breaks over Christmas – it might make a lovely ‘staycation’ for half term!
Brewery Farm Campsite breweryfarmdorset.com
Family-run Brewery Farm is near the village of Ansty. It is a small site, with a few lodges and a campsite (tents and caravans) which is open all year.
West Bay Campsite parkdeanresorts.co.uk
This large campsite is near the stunning cliffs, beach and harbour of the Jurassic coast. It has an indoor pool and a playground that children will
enjoy. You can bring your own caravan or camper or rent a tent or lodge, and there are glamping options if you fancy a bit of luxury. There is a special Halloween short break, and the park is closed between November and February.
Wood Farm Holiday Park parkholidays.com
Wood Farm is in a rural setting with a fishing lake on site, and also has camping pods for a glamping alternative. There’s a wide range of activities for the whole family, including an indoor pool. Closed from the end of October.
South Lytchett Manor southlytchettmanor.co.uk
As well as your own caravan or
motorhome, at South Lytchett there’s the option to stay in a glamping pod, Shepherd’s Hut or traditional Romany caravan. They are open throughout December and into early January and have many special Christmas events like a market and carol services.
Sandford Holiday Park parkdeanresorts.co.uk
Sandford is a wonderful place to camp out during the half term break – it’s in a quiet woodland setting and has beautiful beaches near by. The camping facilities are great for the whole family to enjoy for a long weekend.
The site is closed between November and February.
The annual Open Garden event at Hatch House last month broke a new record, raising a grand total of more than £26,000 for Salisbury Hospice Charity. Visitors eagerly lined up, waiting for the garden gates to open. They explored an array of stalls offering vintage clothing, collectibles, books, hats, shoes, and more. The glorious weather complemented the garden’s bloom, providing a picturesque backdrop for attendees to enjoy the scenery, unwind in the 17th-century walled Dutch garden with Pimms, savour barbecue from Compton McRae, and delight in the music of local vocalist Charlie Greenwood. Sir Henry and Lady Rumbold expressed their absolute delight at achieving a new fundraising
record this year, with lady Rumbold admitting she was ‘..struck dumb by the generosity of everyone giving their time, the most precious of all things.’ They conveyed their heartfelt gratitude to the team at Salisbury Hospice, and the volunteers and the Tisbury Committee for their relentless efforts that contributed to the Open Garden’s resounding success. They also extended their thanks to everyone who generously donated items for sale and to the numerous visitors who attended the event. Tamsin Murley, Community Fundraiser for Salisbury Hospice, said: ‘The continued support shown by Sir Henry and Lady Rumbold is phenomenal, and they are without doubt the heart and soul of this event.’
Crossword Simply click to complete on your tablet, computer or phone - or there’s a download option if you prefer pen and paper.
Jigsaw
Just click to complete! If you get stuck, an icon at the top of the screen reveals the ‘top of the box’ picture for you to work from!
A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues. In the postbag this month:
Q:‘I need a new car for work. I’ve been looking at second-hand options, but I’ve heard horror stories about people buying cars that turn out to be faulty. How can I make sure I don’t buy a dud?’
A:A car is a major purchase , and the buying process can seem daunting. But the Citizens Advice website has lots of information on what you should do when buying a car – and also on what you can do afterwards if something does go wrong.
If you’re buying from a trader, choose one with an established name and a good reputation. Ideally, they will be part of a trade association or follow the industry’s code of practice. It’s much riskier to buy via an auction as you’ll have fewer legal protections – be sure to read the terms and conditions very carefully before you bid.
If you buy from a private seller, try to inspect the car at the owner’s home address. Make sure the car’s details are correct by using the DVLA’s free online vehicle information checker. You’ll need the registration number, MOT test number, mileage and make/model of the car. Also, check the car’s MOT history on gov.uk. Keep a copy of these results as well as the original advert or description of the car. You might also
consider getting a private history check to see if the car’s been reported stolen, still has money owing on it or has been in a serious crash. This will cost about £20.
Check if the car meets emissions standards to avoid paying extra charges when driving through clean air zones. Always inspect the car before buying, preferably during the day when it’s not raining and, if you have the appropriate insurance, take it for a test drive for at least 15 minutes. Once you’ve decided on a car, don’t be afraid to
negotiate on the price. If you take out a loan or finance, make sure you can afford the repayments over the lifetime of the contract. Note that if you pay with cash, you have fewer protections.
If, despite doing all these checks, you find something wrong with the car after you’ve bought it, you may have a legal right to a repair, the cost of a repair or some money back – but it’s on a case-by-case basis. For more information, check out the Citizens Advice website or call its consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133.
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.
Cox’s Orange anyone?
Thank you for your excellent magazine –the spread of articles introduces the broad spectrum of Dorset life and times, we love it! The September edition was particularly interesting for my wife and I because it covers some of the life and times of Alan Turing and his connection with Sherborne School. I wonder if you could help – not a matter requiring a ‘Turing’ answer, but could your readers advise where in Dorset I can find a Cox’s Orange Pippin tree that I can plant in the Garden?
Tony Penn
Alweston will miss Jo
I feel that I must record for the history of Alweston that our friend and neighbour Jo has moved to pastures new. A loyal supporter of all things connected to our village, she will be much missed
by us villagers, but will now live so much closer to her family.
Jo came to live in the village after her marriage – to live in the house that her husband’s grandparents had moved into when it was built and she has continued to live there ever since.
She was a stalwart supporter of the church, the village school, served on numerous village committees, was a parish councillor and assisted with the WI (country) market. Readers will no doubt recall meeting her at our famous car boot sales! We wish her a happy time in her warm and comfortable new flat, with lots of new adventures. Shirley
Warr, AlwestonIs Dorset’s local transport the worst?
In my personal opinion Dorset Council is the worst I have ever known. Vast cuts in public transport make it impossible for many to go anywhere on Saturdays – there is no weekend bus service any more. Non-drivers who live in Shaftesbury
are effectively stranded at weekends, unable to get to Gillingham station. Tourists cannot get to Shaftesbury. Those who wish to attend educational and recreational courses during the day are now unable to do so because the bus service to Sturminster Newton has been cut, and the times of buses that do still run have been changed. There are no buses in the evening at all.
It’s awful for pensioners and young people attending youth clubs – what youth clubs there are – for they cannot get home and have to be collected by parents. This, at a time when we should be encouraging people to use public transport. A Conservative council. May it soon be gone with its Government.
Dick Lawrence, Gillingham
Blandford’s (lack of) clinic
Why are there no Covid vaccination sites listed for Blandford Forum? I have received two invitations to have a Covid vaccination – one by email and one by post. I went online to make a booking and found that all the information was out of date and did not relate to winter vaccinations.
I then tried the online National Booking Service and was offered a booking anywhere between Colehill in Wimborne and Southampton, with no reference to Blandford Forum.
I spoke to a person at the National Booking Service and he offered me a booking in Verwood! When I asked about Blandford he said he did not know. I then went back online and found a reference to the Whitecliff Surgery – when I phoned them, a recorded message advised me to press 1 on my key pad ... which in turn referred me back to the National Booking Service ...
It would appear that Blandford Forum is being left out of the vaccination scheme?
John Draper, Blandford
• Having spoken to the Blandford Group Practice, they assure us that there are flu and Covid vaccine clinics every Saturday - please call their dedicated booking line on 01258 444526 - Ed
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This month’s news from the unofficial capital of the Blackmore Vale...
Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events
Autumn is gently creeping up on us – pop into The Boutique and browse through our seasonal preloved offerings, find some new-to-you cosy goodies! There are new opening hours from Monday 2nd October – 10-4pm, Monday to Saturday.
The Furniture Warehouse is now open every Monday from 10am to 4pm, and Fridays from 1pm to 5pm. At other times please do enquire in The Emporium. And that means our Uniform Hub is also open; please come and see what we can help you with –for free! – plus bring along your outgrown items.
Meanwhile the Emporium and the Art Gallery continue to surprise and delight with a wide range of collectables, and all the things you never knew you wanted ... till you wandered in. While you’re browsing, do your
bit to help prevent food waste by checking out what is in our Community Fridge - the contents
are free to all.
The eclectic shopping experience at 1855 continues to change and grow, with new traders joining. Recently we have welcomed Whimsical Creations who creates bespoke handmade baby clothes, and Cradle to Grave with an amazing collection of handwoven wicker baskets, trugs and more. The Curtain Man has added trinket trays & bags to its range of cushions, runners, aprons & wall hangings, and Forager Spirit has restocked its range of amazing liqueurs. 1855 is open six days a week from 10am to 5pm.
There is a food tasting pop up with our traders on the morning of Saturday 7th October - pop in and have a taste!
Meanwhile ...
• SturAction is initiating and funding the revival of a Sturminster Newton Welcome Pack for those moving to our area
• SturAction is introducing new Stur Ambassadors. It’s a project which has worked well in other local towns, ensuring that on days when events are taking place in town there will be highlyvisible ambassadors available to welcome and help visitors. Volunteers welcome!
• If you missed the opportunity to attend The Big Stur Welcome this week, why not take a stroll to the Stour Connect Community Celebration this month? It’s on Saturday 28th October (10am to 3pm) at Stour Connect on Bath Road.
• Halloween fun – there will be a window Halloween Quiz through the town this month - keep your eyes peeled!
• Working with the Vale Pantry, The Exchange, Sturminster Newton Library and 1855, SturAction hopes to have a full Halloween programme of events to attract visitors and shoppers to town on Saturday 28th October.
• The Car and Bike Enthusiasts plan to meet
(weather dependent) tomorrow, 7th October.
• Free town parking has been organised by SturAction for the following days and events:
• Saturday 25th November (Christmas Tree Switch On)
• Saturday 2nd December (Small Business Saturday)
• Saturday 9th December
• Saturday 16th December
• Saturday 23rd December
• A Make Stur Sparkle programme will list all events and activities taking place locally throughout the festive season. Printed copies (funded by SturAction) will be distributed around
Volunteers wanted! We can always use a new pair of hands to join our family of happy people. We can use your skills in different ways, it’s not just about serving in a shop. Just ask in The Emporium or the Boutique, or email Jacqui on sturbiz18@gmail.com
town for people to pick up. More information about this and other Christmas events planned will be shared nearer the time.
• And finally, the Late Night Shopping event will take place on Friday 24th November (5pm to 8pm).
This month Barry Cuff has chosen a couple of colour postcards of Sturminster Newton – and we can see the backs as well as the fronts! Both were sent by people visiting Stur while on holiday.
This postcard was sent by Elsie to her mother on Guernsey in July 1904. It reads: ‘Friday. Dear Mos. Have you got over the loss of your dutiful daughter yet? Ella & I went to Okeford Hill yesterday, there is a splendid view to be got from there. It was fine yesterday but it is raining today. Auntie & I are going to Sturminster Common if it clears up this afternoon. I saw your cousin Rebecca in Okeford yesterday. We had tea with her. She is (Tom’s?) daughter. Bye-bye. With love, Elsie.’
This one was sent by ‘A’ to a Miss Bailey in London, September 1907. It reads: ‘DW. Had a lovely drive in a trap to this place today, Sunday. Just four of us. We stayed at the Swan Hotel. Had a splendid tea. It is about 12 miles from Sherborne, country lanes all the way. I have just finished tea, and am just off for a walk. I wish you was here, I should enjoy it so much better. I will write tomorrow, yours, A. We are leaving at 8.30.’
Summer seemed to give way to autumn spectacularly quickly this year, didn’t it? It did feel like we just spent our UK summer swinging wildly from one extreme to another! But ... while the earth’s weather has been severely changeable, we can always rely on the celestial calendar – it never falters and rarely surprises ... except for the odd new comet, meteor or supernova!
The image this month is a bit of a revisit.
Longstanding readers may recall a similar image of the Bubble Nebula (NGC 7635) back in the November 2021 issue. However, my recent image is vastly improved, using a dedicated mono camera and narrowband filters and using the SHO colour palette. The Bubble Nebula really comes to life in this wide field shot, which lies in the constellation Cassiopeia. The Bubble itself (top left) is created
by the stellar wind from a massively hot, 8.7 magnitude young central star, catchily-named SAO 20575. The nebula is near a giant molecular cloud which acts as a container to the expansion of the Bubble Nebula, while itself being excited by the hot central star, causing it to glow.
Shooting wide field enables us to see all the surrounding objects in these vast nebulas, such as SH2-157 (the Lobster Claw nebula), shown towards the bottom of the image. The distinctive claw is unmistakable in shape, which is caused by stellar winds being driven by large stars giving off radiation in the region.
This month’s image was captured with my 340mm Refractor Telescope and the ZWO ASI2600MM Pro Astro camera with narrowband filters and is about 17.5 hours of data.
While September was a relatively quiet month for astronomical observations, things certainly liven up again in October – it’s a good time to start observing the Pleiades once again. We’ll also be in for a treat when Halley’s Comet produces shooting stars across our skies as bits of the comet smash into our atmosphere, and a minor lunar eclipse ends this month with a celestial crescendo!
You certainly can’t have failed to notice that the nights are drawing in, and on those (rare!) clear nights, the stars and constellations are taking on a new, brighter form. It’s as though someone peeled back the curtain liner to reveal that stunning black night sky once again.
Everyone I talk to at work or at the pub is saddened by the nights drawing in – but not us. We amateur astronomers are rolling up our sleeves and ready to go to work!
Now’s the time to grab the largest telescope you can and start observing the planets. The mighty gas giant Jupiter is dominating our night skies at the moment, and the Great Red Spot, a storm that – just by itself – is bigger than planet Earth, is visible. It looks like the storm and the Red Spot have been shrinking for at least a century, but it’s not likely to disappear any time soon.
Venus and Saturn are also visible this month, so I’d definitely recommend taking an astronomical stroll around our very own backyard.
If you’re up and about before dawn on the 10th October, Venus hangs below the Crescent
Moon with Regulus, the brightest star in the Leo constellation, in between them.
The following night on the 11th, you’ve another chance to see a repeat act.
This could be a great year for Orionid meteor shower, overnight on 21st/22nd October, as Halley’s Comet makes another pass around our planet and creates a dazzling heavenly fireworks display.
Please clouds, take the night off for this one!
At the end of the month on the 28th, there will be a partial lunar eclipse visible across Europe, Africa and Asia, and Jupiter will also be sitting on the sidelines. When looking at the Moon, 12 per cent of the surface will be obscured, starting at 20:35 and ending at 21:53.
Finally, on 29th October, we’ll wave goodbye to British Summer Time, and the real astrophotography fun can begin!
In the build up to Christmas, I’m going to open up the December image to BV readers. Send in your ideas – what celestial object would you like to see featured? Something I’m capable of imaging and can see from our hemisphere of course! Get thinking about what you’d like to see, and drop me a message via Facebook or Instagram I’ll also be sharing a post on the BV’s Facebook group in due course.
Until then, clear skies!
The BV’s astrophotographer Rob Nolan is back – and counting the days to those long winter nights
Two months into the job, the LibDems’ Sarah Dyke takes a moment in her first column to look back – and to outline her plans for the future
It has been just over two months since I was elected as the new MP for Somerton and Frome – a whirlwind experience but also the honour of a lifetime.
I would like to use my first BV column as an opportunity to reflect on my first few weeks in office, and to set out my aims. I am determined to stand up for our area and to fight to ensure my constituents get a fair deal.
Since being elected I have been active throughout the constituency. I held a village tour earlier in the summer where I met with as many people as I could and listened to their concerns, both local and national. I will be holding regular surgeries and you can also get in touch by writing to sarah.dyke.mp@parliament.uk.
On my first day in Parliament, I pressed the Secretary of State for Education on the RAAC crisis and I also raised the deep local concerns over the lack of NHS dentists and GP appointments by writing to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. I have asked for a meeting with the Secretary of State to discuss these issues and to hear about the steps his department is taking to resolve the shortage. Everyone should be able to access an NHS dentist if they need one – and no one should be forced to pay hundreds of pounds for private care.
The Liberal Democrats have called for proper workforce planning for health and social care – including provisions for dentists and dental staff – to be written into law. I believe this is crucial in order to provide the level of overall care people in Somerset (and everywhere else) deserve.
I also want to use my position to campaign on the state of our natural environment. I am seriously concerned about the health and welfare of our rivers, which have been massively polluted over recent years. Our natural environment has to be something that we can all take pride in, and I will fight for this to be the case. I have written to the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and
Communities to urge him to support Somerset Council’s bid to introduce modular water treatment units at wastewater treatment works. This project will help to unlock vital housing in Somerset while ensuring that our natural environment is protected. Finally, can I take this opportunity to say thank you to everyone who supported me at the recent by-election? I will continue to work hard for our local community and to be your voice in Parliament.
• The Somerton and Frome constituency may be a Somerset one, but it naturally overlaps with the Blackmore Vale area, stretching as it does north of Sherborne to Milborne Port and Henstridge up to the A303 and Wincanton.
We certainly live in ‘interesting’ times, and September was no exception. Thankfully there were some positive events in Dorset, of which more in a moment. On the down side, we saw yet more record-breaking weather. Remember that heatwave at the beginning of the month? As I write we see another weekend of unseasonally warm temperatures on the forecast.
In spite of all the warning signs of our changing climate, the government chose this month to begin rowing back on its previous net zero pledges. It even claimed to be fighting against a completely bogus ‘war on motorists’, which looks like a desperate effort to drag itself back up the polls by appealing to the minority of the population who still think global warming is someone else’s problem to deal with.
Putting such madness to one side for the moment, happily there were two really positive
environmental events here in Dorset. On 9th September a Conference of the Parties (COP) was held in Dorchester’s historic Corn Exchange, making Dorset the first county to hold such an event. Something to be proud of – and let’s hope others will follow us. Three of Dorset’s leading climate and environmental action groups joined forces to organise the event – Zero Carbon Dorset, Dorset Climate Action Network (Dorset CAN) and Sustainable Dorset. The conference echoed the annual international COPs, where representatives of world governments seek to address the critical issues of climate change and the environment. The objective was to inform, engage and galvanise Dorset residents into greater action to tackle the issues around climate change and the environment. The day was packed with excellent
sessions and the crowded venue buzzed with enthusiastic attendees all day. If you’re sad to have missed it, you can catch up via YouTube here as the live sessions were recorded. The other inspiring event this month was the ten-day Planet Purbeck Festival from 15th to 24th September. There was a huge range of activities, too many to list here, so see for yourself on the Planet Purbeck website. Again, the enthusiasm of presenters and attendees was heartwarming. Everyone was committed to learning from one another and eager to work together to find the solutions we so urgently need. If only our government was so inclined, instead of focusing on division and delay.
• Ken Huggins, North Dorset Green Party
In England more than 120,000 people died last year while on an NHS waiting list for treatment –double the number recorded in 2018. It’s a stark reminder of the impacts of long waits for care.
While the additional pressure of Covid and the resulting backlogs will clearly have had an impact on these figures, there’s no dodging the fact that more than 13 years of Tory underinvestment in staff, beds, equipment and the NHS’s crumbling infrastructure has played a huge role in the crisis. Sceptics will quite rightly claim that the 120,000 figure does not accurately account for variation between NHS trusts. Nor does it link deaths to cause of death, or provide any further details on the person’s age and medical conditions. It doesn’t account for
the nuance of each individual case. Indeed, it does very little in itself to illustrate the pain and agony that individuals and their families are experiencing in their final months while waiting for treatment that never comes.
As such, the 120,000 figure merely emphasises the potential scale of avoidable human tragedy when waiting lists balloon to 7.6 million – a figure that indicates that almost one in seven of us is waiting for treatment.
As waiting lists are set to increase further in the coming winter months – potentially reaching
the nine million predicted by the Tories’ own ex-health secretary, Sajid Javid – Rishi Sunak’s key election pledge to cut NHS waiting lists lies in shreds. This is a tragedy of the Prime Minister and his Chancellor’s own making, born of their failure to get to grips with the key issues affecting the NHS, and their disgraceful ideologically-driven refusal to enter into meaningful discussions with the British Medical Association over pay and conditions of those that give us care.
• Pat Osborne North Dorset Labour
In recent times, the stretch of the A30 which connects Sherborne to Yeovil has been the site of numerous road traffic accidents. In July, an 11-year old was airlifted to hospital with serious injuries following a crash; in the same month, there was a serious two-vehicle collision involving an 80-year old near to Bradford Road; and only last December, a fatal crash took place on this same stretch of dual-carriageway. This stretch of the A30 – known locally as Babylon Hill or Yeovil Road –urgently requires road safety improvements to mitigate the high number of incidents we have recently experienced and will continue to experience if nothing is done.
Anyone from North Dorset travelling on this road will recognise the hazards. The four mile long dual-carriageway has a speed limit of 70mph – the same as a motorway – but does not have the same safety features. It is peppered with junctions, not slip roads, that connect the villages of Bradford Abbas, Nether Compton, Over Compton and Trent to the A30. These junctions have been the site of many accidents. Apart from signage, the road doesn’t have static speed cameras or technology to monitor speeding offences.
Instead, the safety of road users is dependant on police mobile speed units (and the capacity to deploy them). Speeds in excess of 120 mph have been recorded on this stretch of road over the years, which can cause totally avoidable deaths. Since I was elected in 2019, I’ve met with many residents at meetings, on the doorsteps and at surgeries to hear their concerns about the A30. In particular, the parishes of Bradford Abbas, Nether Compton and Over Compton – which are either bordered or bisected by this stretch of road – have shared their wish for measures to address excessive speeding. Their demands are warranted: joining or exiting the A30 via a minor road junction is hazardous, especially at night.
Road safety in West Dorset is firmly on my agenda following fatalities on this stretch of road, the A3066 and the nearby A35. Only last year I lost one of my best friends from primary school in a fatal accident on the road from Sherborne to Dorchester – I am very aware of the impact accidents have on victims,
their friends and families. In 2021, I established my A-Roads taskforce to work closely with National Highways and Dorset Council to improve road safety across the constituency. It meets quarterly to address recent issues on our roads. In April, I raised the matter of West Dorset’s situation with the Roads Minister Richard Holden. I am now of the view that the best clear action comes in the form of average speed cameras on the A30 between Sherborne and Yeovil.
Piecemeal measures are not enough, this road has become a hotspot for avoidable accidents and an unofficial racetrack between the two towns. I will be writing to the Highways Department at Dorset Council –which is responsible for the road – to voice my concerns and to set out my justification.
Average speed cameras use Automatic Number Plate Reading (ANPR) technology to record a date and time stamp between two cameras to calculate a motorist’s average speed. In practical terms, it would mean that the A30 would have two cameras installed at least 200 metres apart, deterring speeding motorists and improving road safety in the long-term. I would be interested to hear your views on this, and if you would like to share your views with me, you can email me at: hello@ chrisloder.co.uk
Piecemeal measures are not enough –it’s an accident hotspot and an unofficial racetrack
November already? Gosh this year is whizzing by. Right now you can’t escape the important messages of living well, eating well and respecting nature – and Dorset chef, presenter and activist Julius Roberts is doing just that. We are very excited to support the launch of Julius’ excellent book. So near Christmas it takes away some head scratching regarding the perfect gift for the special someone. Making the most of simple ingredients, The Farm Table is about unfussy home cooking at its very best – a few good things on a plate, assembled with joy and ease.
Winter recipes include an elegant, fuss-free dinner of roast pumpkin, mozzarella, hazelnuts and sage, and a hearty sausage stew. For spring Julius offers baked fish with herbs and asparagus, chicken roasted over lemon, fennel and potatoes, and a lamb stew with pearl barley. Summer is covered with courgette pasta, a ratatouille galette, and a steamed apricot sponge. And right now, autumn
arrives with Cabbage, bacon and potato soup (see the video, left), smoked haddock and leek rarebit and pan-fried trout with mash and spinach sauce. If you follow Julius on social media, you probably feel as if you know him already. He is an avid Instagram and TikTok storyteller, chatting gently as he cooks in his greenhouse, giving his followers a glimpse into what life is like on a Dorset farm as he feeds the pigs, checks on the goats and walks his two lurchers.
Passionate about seasonality, Julius shows us how to make the most of what’s around us – from crisp, crunchy apples in autumn, pink rhubarb in winter, asparagus in spring and those first summer strawberries in cream.
The Farm Table : A Cookbook £27
Join us for a special event in Sherborne to celebrate the launch of ‘The Farm Table’. Julius will be cooking up a storm demonstrating recipes.
Thursday 23rd November 6.30pm for 7pm at The Butterfly House, Castle Gardens, Sherborne DT9 5NR Tickets £5, available online here
Even if you’ve not read one of her books, you’ve no doubt come across Victoria Hislop’s name on a bookshelf or heard it in a chat about good reads. Victoria wrote The Island in 2005, inspired by a visit to Spinalonga, the abandoned Greek leprosy colony – and was named Newcomer of the Year at the British Book Awards. The novel became an international bestseller, with more than five million copies sold worldwide. She is renowned for drawing the reader into the rich and diverse worlds of the Mediterranean. In her second book, The Return, she wrote about the painful secrets of Spain’s civil war. And in her third novel, The Thread, Victoria returned to Greece to tell the extraordinary and turbulent tale of Thessaloniki and its people across the 20th century.
The Sunrise, set in Cyprus, and Those Who Are Loved, which tells the story of Greece’s traumatic period of occupation and civil war during the 20th century, were both number one bestsellers in the UK and Greece.
Victoria is now an honorary Greek citizen, her books have been translated into more than 35 languages and have been bestsellers in China, Greece, France, Israel and Norway as well as in the UK.
This month Victoria headlines at the Dorchester Literary Festival with The Figurine, her latest book, inspired by the story of the Elgin marbles.
Born in Bromley, Kent, Victoria studied English Literature at Oxford, going on to work in publishing and journalism after graduation. As a journalist, she wrote on education and travel for national newspapers and magazines.
As well as studying the Greek language (it is her ultimate ambition to read everything and
anything without the presence of a dictionary by her side), Victoria spends her spare time reading, swimming, dancing – and boxing. While recovering from breast cancer surgery in 2021, Victoria agreed to be a contestant on Dancing with the Stars, Greece’s version of Strictly. She gained celebrity status in Greece following the success of The Island, when the book was made into a hugely popular television series To Nisi by Greek TV channel MEGA. This month she told the Daily Mail that the rigorous demands of the intense schedule helped enormously in her recovery:
‘It made me regain the sense of self I’d lost in those months after diagnosis. Today, I’m a showoff at any party where there’s a chance to dance, and I’ve embraced a new fitness regime which includes boxing. It demands the greater level of fitness I managed to achieve and the footwork is reminiscent of dancing.’
Victoria is known not just as a writer but as a storyteller, allowing her readers to dive into rich history from a very personal perspective, making the past feel incredibly present. And so to the 19 random questions...
1. What’s your relationship with Dorset? For a decade we (Victoria and her husband Ian Hislop) had a cottage near Sherborne and went there every weekend until our children were around four and six. The landscape was beautiful and we used to go for long walks with them in their small wellies – and we went to the Tutankhamun Museum in Dorchester so many times! They were magical years.
2. The last film you watched? Oppenheimer. I went to the cinema last Sunday with two friends – we were the only ones there! I thought it was spectacular – brilliant script and acting. And so many people thought it was too long – I thought it was too short! It was totally enthralling from beginning to end.
3. What would you like to tell 15 year-old you? Don’t worry. One day your hair will be less frizzy than it is now – a nice man called John Frieda will come to the rescue.
4. Tell us about a sound or a smell that makes you happy?
The smell of oregano – either fresh on a Cretan mountainside, or just from a packet when I bring it back to London.
5. What was the last song you sang out loud in the car?
I sang along with Lady Gaga to Always Remember Us This Way from A Star is Born. I have decided it will be my next karaoke choice, so I am learning all the words too.
6. What book did you read last year that stayed with you? What made you love it? My name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. It was so original, with such a clear voice – so true and so real. I absolutely loved it and wept at the end because the relationship it describes is
such a painful one. I haven’t stopped reading Elizabeth Strout since.
7. What’s your secret superpower?
Skipping for ages without a break. My skipping rope always travels with me.
8. Your favourite quote?
“Books give a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.” – Plato I really don’t think it needs any explanation … does it? It’s simply true!
9. It’s Friday night – you have the house to yourself, and no work is allowed. What are you going to do?
I watch Gogglebox – and if there are some repeats, then I watch those too!
I think it is a piece of genius – to watch people watching television and listen to their conversations. It’s funny and heart-warming. If I run out of Gogglebox, then I try and find some Celebrity Gogglebox!
10. What in life is frankly a mystery to you? Junk food. It’s expensive, unhealthy, doesn’t fill
you up, smelly, and uses masses of packaging – so it creates litter and mountains of rubbish, encourages obesity and diabetes. Why are people allowed to abuse their bodies like this? Everyone pays a price in the end.
11. Chip Shop Chips or Home Baked Cake?
Home baked cake, any day – especially if it is still warm. It’s a massive treat.
12. What would you most like to be remembered for?
Revealing some of the dark reality of modern Greek history.
13. What was the last gift you either gave someone, or received?
I was given a bracelet with a “mati”, the evil eye, by my publisher on publication of The Figurine.
14. Tell us about one of the best evenings you’ve had?
My 60th birthday – myself, Ian, our two children and four very close friends all went to Crete
for a few days. On the evening of my birthday we were in my favourite taverna in Plaka (opposite Spinalonga) and I sang with some local musicians.
15. What is your comfort meal?
Beans on toast, with lots of Marmite under the beans, and HP sauce squirted on the beans.
16. Cats or dogs?
Cats, all my life. I have never had a dog.
17. What shop can you not pass by?
Boots – there is always something I need.
18. What’s your most annoying trait?
Insisting on ridiculously early arrival for a flight (it’s fine when I am alone, but very annoying for a travel companion!).
19. You have the power to pass one law, uncontested. What will you do with it? I would ban smoking – everywhere, all the time, for everyone.
14th October, 2pm to 3pm
Victoria Hislop will be in conversation with Lulu Taylor at the Dorford Centre Tickets £12.00/£6.00 (students)
DorchesterLiteraryFestival.com
In her new novel, bestselling author Victoria Hislop shines a light on the questionable acquisition of cultural treasures and the price that people – and countries – will pay to cling on to them.
Of all the ancient art that captures the imagination, none is more appealing than the Cycladic figurine. An air of mystery swirls around these statuettes from the Bronze Age and they are highly sought after by collectors and looters alike.
When Helena inherits her grandparents’ apartment in Athens, she is overwhelmed with memories of the summers she spent there as a child. As she sifts through the dusty rooms, Helena discovers an array of valuable objects and antiquities. How did her grandfather amass such a trove? What human price was paid for them?
Helena’s desire to find answers about her heritage dovetails with a growing curiosity for archaeology, ignited by a summer spent with volunteers on a dig on an Aegean island.
Their finds fuel her determination to protect the precious fragments recovered – and to understand the origins of her grandfather’s collection. The Figurine was published in hardback September 2023, and available online here as well as from your favourite bookshop.
This year sees the launch of the inaugural Winter Ball at Kingston Maurward’s prestigious Georgian manor house on Friday 17th November.
The event is set to bring together Dorset businesses and residents with a glorious feast of local food, followed by a cheese course, a silent auction, a casino and of course there’ll be music. The night will be raising funds for the Dorset County Hospital Charity’s Emergency and Critical
Care Appeal.
Guests are encouraged to celebrate the winter season and dress to the nines for this lavish evening, while enjoying the elegance of Kingston Maurward’s historical building.
Steeped in history, the 300 year old house stands in a 750-acre estate with rolling lawns, formal gardens and a lake. Guests will enter through the Grand Entrance Hall, and be able to appreciate its high ceilings,
hand carved cornices, the handpainted 19th century wallpaper, the ceilings of the Pengelly Room, and the beautiful seasonallydecorated Maurward Hall.
• Tickets are £100 per guest.
• Sponsorship packages are available – from a dinner course or item in the silent auction to a premium presence on the night. To find out more email steph.addison@kmc.ac.uk or call 01305 215000
The Ridgeway Singers and Band celebrate their tenth anniversary with two concerts of music from Dorset villages and church archives
Ten years ago a project was launched to explore the heritage, archaeology and culture of the South Dorset Ridgeway – the ridge of land between Dorchester and Weymouth, from Eggardon Hill near Bridport in the west to Osmington in the east. Known by archaeologists as an internationallyimportant ‘prehistoric ceremonial landscape’ for its concentration of archaeology from the Neolithic and Bronze Age (6,000-2,300 years ago), the area is considered as important as Stonehenge and Avebury for the sheer number of monuments and what they tell us of life in the past.
One aspect of the project which has continued –and this year marks its tenth anniversary – is the Ridgeway Singers and Band, founded by Artsreach, Dorset’s rural touring arts charity in 2013. The birthday is being celebrated with two concerts,
at the Old Brewery Hall in Ansty at 7.30pm on Saturday, 21st October, right in the heart of the Blackmore Vale and on Sunday 29th October at 4pm at St Mary’s Parish Church, Bridport. The programmes will include seasonal songs, dance tunes from the collection of Benjamin Rose of Belchalwell near Ibberton, and readings from Dorset’s William Barnes and Thomas Hardy.
From the start, the Ridgeway Singers and Band were led by musical director Tim Laycock, one of Dorset’s best-known musicians, actors and oral historians, and multi-instrumentalist Phil Humphries, famed for his prowess on the historic serpent. The new group was founded to explore the musical traditions of the South Dorset Ridgeway, part of the Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and Dorset’s heritage of West Gallery songs and music (featured particularly in Thomas Hardy’s Under The Greenwood Tree). The group’s concerts of traditional – and new – Dorset songs feel like an intrinsic part of the cultural fabric of the county. Initially, the Ridgeways rehearsed at Abbotsbury village hall, drawing their repertoire from the carols and Christmas music, stories and poetry of the Ridgeway area. The first concerts were very local, at Winterborne Abbas and Abbotsbury. The following year they widened their approach to look at folk songs collected by the Hammond brothers in Dorset in the early 20th century, and the dance tunes of the Hardy and Benjamin Rose collections. The repertoire has expanded to include new songs and music on local themes composed by members of the group and their many musical friends in the county. Two of the most popular new works are Anna Eveleigh’s In Praise of Dorset Apples, and Tim Laycock’s Ridgeway Carol, One Bright Star.
• Book tickets for the Ridgeway Singers and Band concerts via ridgewaysingersandband.org or telephone 01305 262159.
SAT 11TH NOVEMBER
Celebrating the timeless masterpieces of “The Hitmaker” Burt Bacharach behind one of the greatest American songbooks of the 20th Century. Featuring breath-taking performances from a West End cast and the amazing musicianship of The Magic Moments Orchestra (£23)
SAT 18TH NOV
Paul Bacon and The Rocket Band present an uncannily accurate reproduction of the classic live shows of one of pop music’s most successful and best-loved artists (£20)
FRI 3RD NOVEMBER
SAT 4TH NOV
The FOD Band perform an exciting 2 hour tribute show featuring over 30 hit songs of these two popular bands (£22)
WEDS 11TH OCTOBER
Ludwig van Beethoven, born well, we cannot be entirely sure what day he was born on. That is the first of many surprises that John Suchet will bring you, as he presents ‘Beethoven The Man Revealed’, an intimate portrait of the man he believes to be the greatest composer of them all (£17)
15th September Meet the Music Staff
22nd September Instrumental and Vocal Soloists I
29th September Woodwind I
6th October Strings
13th October Instrumental and Vocal Soloists II
3rd November Pianists
10th November Brass
17th November Instrumental and Vocal Soloists III
24th November Woodwind II
1st December ‘Mince Pies’ Chamber Music (Tindall Recital Hall)
Sherborne resident Alec Thorne will this month offer a glimpse behind the scenes in the world of television and film production.
During his talk at the Digby Memorial Hall, he will be drawing on his experiences of working on period dramas such as Call the Midwife and Catherine the Great (2019) to illustrate how scripts are prepared for the screen – from research and set design, to costume, visual effects and lighting.
• Thursday 19th October at 2pm
Free admission for members of Sherborne Museum. Visitors: £5 on the door. Digby Memorial Church Hall, Digby Road, Sherborne, DT9 3NL
You’re under starter’s orders! The much-anticipated annual Gold Hill 10k, promoted by Dorset Doddlers, is on the 8th October, with an 11am start. Starting from Shaftesbury School, the race is a single loop 10k on scenic country lanes. The course is hilly and soon after the start runners get to ‘enjoy’ the run up the picturesque Gold Hill, made famous by the Hovis advert.
The race is limited to 250 competitors, and runners, Nordic walkers and fast walkers are all welcomed. For more information regarding the race and booking online visit goldhill10k.co.uk
All proceeds will be going to North Dorset District Explorer Scouts – those aged 14 to 18. North Dorset Explorers have two groups across the District, one in Gillingham/Milton on Stour and the other is based in Winterborne Stickland.
The organisers are always looking for volunteers to assist with marshalling the course – if you feel like helping out please email district commissioner Lionel on lionel.explorers@gmail.com, it would be great to hear from you.
Get ready for a side-splitting comedy extravaganza
as the acclaimed comedian Rhod Gilbert makes a triumphant return to the stage with his new live show, Rhod Gilbert & the Giant Grapefruit, scheduled to hit Lighthouse Poole on Friday, 4th October 2024. Widely recognised as one of the standout talents of a generation, The Book of John, Rhod’s last tour, was a resounding success that ran from 2019 to 2023, with extra dates added due to unprecedented demand, Covid-related delays, and Rhod’s own battle with cancer. This deeply personal and candid show saw Rhod perform to over 200,000 people, earning rave reviews.
Previously, Rhod was dealing with some pretty pungent life citrus, and an idiot called John. Little did he know that things were about to turn even more sour ... But Rhod’s not bitter; he’s bouncing back and feeling remarkably zesty. Hilariously dark, passionate and way too personal, this is classic Gilbert, squeezing every last drop out of life’s latest curve balls... with a little help from an old adversary.
In anticipation of his return to the spotlight, this new live show sees Rhod back on stage doing what he does best. Candid, hilarious and uplifting, it’s a show about navigating the dark bits and turning life’s giant
grapefruits into something approaching lemonade. He says: ‘After the year I’ve had it’s wonderful to be alive and going back on the road. I can’t wait to get back on stage and I’m ready to get way too personal about life’s recent ups and downs. When life gives you lemons, you have to squeeze them ‘til the comedy juice flows, so prepare for some dark but funny s***.’ Tickets are on sale now, and will soon sell out, so don’t miss your chance to witness Rhod Gilbert’s comedic genius in action.
• 4th October 2024, 8pm Tickets from £38.50 at lighthousepoole.co.uk
Concert Hall, Lighthouse
Age guidance: 16+
For SNADS’ autumn production, award-winning director Toby Greenfield has chosen the hit West End play Rabbit, written by Nina Raine. The story follows 29-year-old Bella on her birthday. Friends and former lovers meet for a drink to celebrate, but as the Bloody Marys flow, the bar becomes a battlefield ... In the uncivil war between the sexes, what happens when the females have the real fire-power – stockpiles of testosterone, lethal wit and explosive attitude? And what happens when patriarchy gets personal? When the only man you really love is dying? With its relatable, comedic characters and heartbreaking scenes, there won’t be a dry eye in the house. Get your tickets while they last – Rabbit is brought to life on 19th to 21st October. Tickets from The Exchange, Sturminster Newton (or phone 01258 475137)
• Formed in 1930, Sturminster Newton Amateur Dramatics Society’s (SNADS) first production was a locally-written pantomime of Dick Whittington; thus starting the tradition of the SNADS pantomimes being penned and directed by local writers. In 1967, SNADS moved into their then-new home, the Sturminster Hall, and for the first time had a permanent stage on which to perform two plays and a pantomime annually. Now, under chairman John Skinner, SNADS has
Monday 9th October marks 200 years since the installation of an organ at St Peter’s Church in Dorchester.
To celebrate this big birthday St Peter’s are delighted that John Challenger (assistant director of music at Salisbury Cathedral) will be giving a recital.
John’s performance will be preceded by a brief introduction from the eminent historian, Max Hebditch CBE FSA, and there will be a glass of wine to follow.
Redshark media will be relaying live images of John at the organ to screens around the church, so you will have a great view wherever you sit!
The performance begins at 7pm and tickets (£12 including wine) are now available to buy online here.
a large and enthusiastic membership, starting from 13 years and up, and aims to create hours of entertainment for all on their professional stage within The Exchange. A SNADS show is not to be missed!
Thursday 2nd November, 7.00pm Sherborne School Chapel
Thursday 9th November, 7.30pm
Tindall Recital Hall, Music School, Sherborne School
Sherborne School pupil organists are joined by the Organ Scholar, Arthur Hope Barton, performing music by J S Bach, Stanford, Howells and others on the two organs of the School Chapel.
FREE ADMISSION
ALL WELCOME
Scan the QR code to book now or email: tickets@sherborne.org
Robert Folkes, a former pupil of Sherborne School, returns to give a concert with pianist Daniel Silcock. Both in their final year at the Royal Academy of Music, they will present a mixed programme of songs and opera arias as they embark on their careers as professional musicians.
Tickets £12.50 to include a glass of wine
Scan
Inspired by craft ales and Coldplay, Steve Farrell has brought commercial brewing back to Wimborne after a nearly 80-year dry spell
‘Would you get to 40 and regret not giving it a go?’
This was the catalyst question from Ellie Farrell that inspired her husband, Steve, to move from a homebrewing hobby to starting his own commercial brewery. Forty next year, Steve Farrell needn’t have any regrets. From a small industrial unit in Wimborne, his Eight Arch brewery is a phenomenal success. In just eight years it has racked up a host of industry awards, is sold in shops and pubs across Dorset and runs pop-up tap rooms at festivals and events. Every Friday, its own Tap Room on the riverside industrial estate is the go-to place. Pints are pulled from 3 and by 4.30 there’s
barely a vacant beer-barrel seat. Local MP and Eight Arch fan Michael Tomlinson organised the beer to be sold in the Houses of Parliament’s watering holes. Named after the eight arches of Wimborne’s landmark Julian’s Bridge, the company brought brewing back after 78 years.*
The home-brew escalation
It’s a busy brew day when I interview Steve. Head brewer Mark Wainwright is canning beers on the small production line as KLF tracks boom out. When Steve’s in charge, it’s Coldplay – he’s seen them in concert 15 times!
In his small office, you can’t see his desk for paperwork and to-do lists. His children’s paintings are displayed alongside red-dotted maps of outlets, stretching from Southampton to East Dorset and throughout the Blackmore Vale. Shelves groan under the weight of awards. He’s now a Master Brewer, but he refers to himself as office admin!
‘When I started homebrewing, I got truly bitten by the brewing bug,’ Steve says. ‘I began with starter extract kits – just a plastic fermenting bucket, a tin of malting extract that looks like golden syrup, yeast and water. ‘I’d try out my concoctions on friends, who – through gritted teeth – told me it was good! ‘I did a lot of research, and escalated to homebrewing allgrain. You mash the malt, boil it at the right temperature, add the hops and ferment it. On a very
small scale, I was doing in my garage exactly what I do now!’ After an apprenticeship in mechanics, Steve worked in his parent’s haulage company. When the business closed, the road ahead for the HGV master technician was clear – to become a Master Brewer.
‘I’d been on BrewLab courses in Sunderland and I volunteered to help at other breweries in Dorset,
digging their mash out, seeing how they worked.’
Steve pulled his first pint in 2015 and says the first year was frenetic. He brewed, packed, sold, delivered and ran the Tap Room: ‘We opened the Tap Room with a makeshift pallet bar that had a few beer taps attached –we had 105 pints available and by 6.30pm we’d sold out.
‘I served and Ellie and her mum washed all the glasses by hand in a tiny sink. I was so scared to tell the queue we’d run out of beer, but actually the news was met with huge applause.’
It’s the local support that Steve never forgets. Born and raised in Wimborne, he keeps his business true to its roots.
‘At one point we were exporting to Switzerland, Norway and Italy. We had so many wholesalers and the Tap Room was getting
so busy we were overstretched. I pulled back my focus to the local market which had always bought our beer.’
It was a good call. His distribution radius has shrunk but sales have gone up. Alongside head brewer Mark, the Eight Arch family has expanded – now there’s Mike in sales, brewery assistant Joe, Nick and Kat helping run the Tap Room and Archie, the fostered cat who sleeps on the bar and features in their marketing.
The beers are named after different arches – Corbel, Parabolic, Bowstring – along with Steve’s other loves of music and football. Under The Radar was inspired by AFC Bournemouth getting promoted, and of course there’s a beer with a nod to his beloved Coldplay: Square Logic, his bestselling IPA, is a combination of two song titles. And for his 40th year the company is moving over the road to premises twice the size. ’Perhaps it will be somewhere to have my 40th birthday party!’
www.8archbrewing.co.uk
Tap Room is open Fridays 3-8pm, with a guest food van. Unit 3, Stone Lane Industrial Estate, Wimborne, BH21 1HB
Follow them on socials as 8ArchBrewing
* The last brewery was the Town Brewery, by then known as Ellis and Sons, closed in 1937. It was bought (and swiftly closed) by Hall and Woodhouse.
Dream Tap Room guest?
George Best – it would be great to have a chat with him. But maybe not a drink! I’m a massive Manchester United fan. And Duncan Edwards. I was born on the same day as the Munich air disaster in which he died, at just 21. I’m convinced he would have been England captain at the ‘66 World Cup.
The Book & Bucket Cheese Company in Cranborne, Dorset, has been working on a new limited-edition cheese for the upcoming festive season. Launching in November, Cranborne Dark Sky is a brie-style cheese made from cow’s milk, featuring a delectable layer of dark truffle running through its core. Rather than adding the truffle at the end of the cheesemaking process, the layer is incorporated into the curds during production, allowing the rich truffle flavour to permeate the entire cheese. Customer and chef requests have driven the development of this cheese, which underwent various stages of testing for over a year.
Peter Morgan, the founder of The Book & Bucket Cheese Company, turned to social media for help in naming the new cheese. In recognition of the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where the dairy is situated – as well as the area’s recent designation as an International Dark Sky Reserve – followers were asked to choose between two names: Cranborne Dark Sky and Cranborne Reserve. With more than 75 per cent of the votes, Cranborne Dark Sky won. The cheese is now ready for launch and will be
available for purchase on The Book & Bucket Cheese Company’s website and for wholesale orders starting in November 2023.
Founded in 2019, The Book & Bucket Cheese Company initially offered a small range of artisan sheep’s milk cheeses, each named after famous authors. They swiftly gained popularity among local hospitality establishments, delis and farm shops. However, when the pandemic struck in March 2020 and the hospitality sector temporarily closed, the company faced a quiet order book.
In response, The Book & Bucket Cheese Company collaborated with a local farmer grappling with excess cow’s milk and utilised the downtime to develop a new range of cow’s milk cheeses. Over the following year, despite the pandemic’s challenges the company doubled its cheese offerings.
Now, in 2023, The Book & Bucket Cheese Company is thriving, with many of its cheeses earning prestigious national and international awards. Several of their products have received accolades from the Great Taste awards, Taste of the West Awards, Artisan Cheese Awards, and three cheeses have been honoured at the international World Cheese Awards. Among them, the Shakespeare cheese earned the coveted World Cheese Awards Gold Award.
Most recently, in September Book & Bucket was recognised in the national 100 Taste Awards at Tate Modern, which celebrate the most outstanding food companies and enterprises each year.
Peter Morgan expressed his excitement in the new cheese, stating, ‘What is now called Cranborne Dark Sky has been on my to-do list for a few years. I have trialled a number of different ideas – in my head, I wanted something that hit the spot both visually and flavour-wise. The whole team are so happy and proud of Cranborne Dark Sky.
‘We’re confident this will be a cheese that will become a must on every cheeseboard!’
• thebookandbucketcheesecompany.co.uk
A couple who have developed an innovative range of handcrafted fermented chilli sauces have just moved their cafe and chilli shop to Sturminster Newton. ON the shelves there’s an eclectic range of enticing sauce names from Sichuan Naga (super hot) to
Rockfish Oyster Drizzle (medium) alongside the jars of colourful chillies and fermented vegetables. Owners David and Mikka Tamlyn met in Hong Kong: ‘I was a chef working in restaurants,’ says David. ‘I had trained under Marco Pierre White and then went on to work
under other Michelin starred chefs like David Moore at Pied a Terre and Phil Howard at The Square in London. I initially went to Hong Kong to open one restaurant – I opened 20 more!
‘Mikka and I met, I stayed and we had three children! But I injured my back and we decided to return to the UK. Physically I couldn’t do much, and I started growing chilli plants to give to friends. It was part of my recovery plan. Of course, the plants grew and my friends started to ask what they could do with all the chillies ... so we started making chilli sauces. We called the business Weymouth 51 because we were living in Weymouth and we have a list of the 51 varieties of chillies we originally used. We started selling them at farmers markets in Sherborne, Shaftesbury and across Dorset. We now have over 50 stockists – including Harrods (but you can also get them in Dikes in Stalbridge!).’
Although the company is named after Weymouth, David, Mikka and their children now live in Stalbridge. ‘We think it’s a better life for the children. Then we found these premises in Sturminster Newton which were ideal. When the opportunity came up to get this building we grabbed it! It’s a
From Michelin kitchens to chilli-fermenting ones: David and Mikka Tamlyn have a new home for award-winning Weymouth 51Inside the new Weymouth 51 cafe-kitchen-shop. All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
shop but also we’ll open as a cafe and as a kitchen. People came into the Weymouth shop asking for advice on growing chillies or how to ferment, and we could also offer them a coffee or kombucha at the same time.’
The sauces at Weymouth 51 differ from mass-produced varieties –they are naturally fermented which produces a far deeper flavour, showcasing the complex layers of the many chilli flavours. The couple use traditional methods, adding no sugar, chilli extract, colouring, flavouring or preservatives, and are proud that every bottle is 50 per cent chilli, undiluted with tomato or carrot as is common with a mass produced product. David still has the demijohn he started out with – he now uses large fermentation casks to cope with the expanded demand. In addition to chilli sauce, the couple also make kimchi and collaborate with another Dorset business on kombucha production. It may have an Asian flavour, but the business is deeply rooted in Dorset. Most of the chillies are grown here and David has sourced the finest local products to incorporate into the sauces. Even the glass bottles are Dorset-made – and the empties are collected back for recycling.
‘We have a range of chilli sauces from super hot to mild,’ says David. ‘For example, the Carolina Reaper is the hottest chilli in the world – we use it in our Smoked
Carolina 70 sauce. We also use Dorset Naga chillies, which were the world’s hottest until 2006!’ Chilli heat is measured on the Scoville Scale. A Carolina Reaper measures 2.2 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), whereas a Dorset Naga ranges from 800,000 to 1.6 million SHU. Luckily, there’s a lot of choice for those who like milder options!
‘Good chilli sauce should be fruity and aromatic. We have an Apple Crumble Ketchup that goes well in burgers,’ says David. ‘The Scorpion On The Beach has peach schnapps and vodka, and a bit of a kick. And our Moo Glaze is a Korean barbecue sauce that is really popular. It uses Korean gochugaru chillies.’ In the interests of research the BV team tried a pulled pork bao bun with Moo Glaze – it was superb. The recipes are all David’s, a collection honed from his globetrotting experiences. Mikka worked in retail marketing prior to Weymouth 51 and her expertise shines in the branding
and labels for the sauces – and inspires some of the recipes. The couple grow their own chillies and also source some from local growers.
‘Our children also get involved with planting and picking,’ says Mikka. ‘We get our Dorset Naga chillies from Joy and Michael at Sea Spring Seeds in Dorchester; they developed it, so we know we have the authentic product. We’ll also swap chillies for sauces with some growers – they give us their chillies and get sauces in return!’
When it comes to growing, David admits that Britain is not the ideal place for chilli growing, compared to their native climates such as Central America.
‘Chillies need sunlight and heat so we use polytunnels to grow them in this country. It hasn’t been a good year for chillies this year. I also use hydroponics to grow chillies so they can be grown all year round – the energy bills have made that difficult.
It’s been a long journey, but David is proud of how far they’ve come.
‘As a family, getting to where we are today has taken four or five years. But it has given me a focus after my illness. I’m really proud we got our products into a place like Harrods. Now we can take the steps to the next level.’
• Buy online at weymouth51.co.uk
• The W51 cafe-kitchen-shop is currently open by appointment only at Unit 7, Rivers Court, North Dorset Business Park, Rolls Mill Way, Sturminster Newton, DT10 2GA. Call 07942 676675
There’s something about the award-winning Steeptonbill Farm Shop that makes you want to start cooking. Whether it’s the freshly dug artichokes and beets or the vibrant display of squashes, I’m resisting the urge to reach for my cookery books and make the most of the seasonal produce.
Owner Steve Gould says: ’I’ve been here for 15 years. Previously I was in the public sector for 28 years. What I aim to do is support the small local growers so they can carry on growing high quality food. We only do seasonal here – you won’t find green beans from
Kenya. Look at these artichokes and chard! I dug them up this morning. You can’t get fresher than that.’
Or can you? He hands me a couple of fresh eggs, still warm, just collected from the farmyard next to the shop. Hens run loose in the yard – free range at its finest.
helps with their busy social media channels.
Steve delivers the fresh produce to restaurants and pubs across Dorset.
I planted the seed, I watched it grow, I’ve looked after it. I know it.
The squashes outside the small shop are eyecatching with their autumnal flashes of orange and golden yellow. Naturally, Steve has grown them. ‘I don’t use any pesticides or chemicals. I just use the ducks, they love the slugs and snails!
Can you say that about your food?
‘I go to Dorchester, Cattistock, Portesham, Weymouth and Abbotsbury. Some chefs like to come here and dig their own parsnips, artichokes and leeks to show how fresh and local they are.
‘I wish in my lifetime I could get everyone to enjoy good food.’
The shop in Milton Abbas is open seven days a week, and Steve works at the shop when it’s open. Andrea, who lives in the village,
When I’m not out delivering or needed in the shop, I’m working on the farm. ‘It’s so important to know where your food comes from. We are what we eat. Take this beet – I planted the seed. I watched it grow. I looked after it. I know the life it has had in the soil. I know its history and where this food has come from. Can you say that about what you get in supermarkets? The supermarkets
On the edge of Milton Abbas is a haven of local, fresh and sustainable produce – Rachael Rowe meets the man who grows itSteeptonbill Farm Shop in Milton Abbas All images: Rachael Rowe Raw local honey is always a best-seller
are killing us growers. When we’re gone, we’re gone.’ Steve is irate about the cost of potatoes. ‘Last year British spuds were £5 to £7 a bag. This year they are £26 to £28! It’s because potatoes need to be stored cold to stop them chitting. The growers told the supermarkets that they need to put the price up by £1 a bag to meet the costs of the energy for cold stores. The supermarkets refused to increase the price so the spuds were used as animal feed – and the price increased.’
Steeptonbill Farm Shop is packed with local produce. There’s bread from Oxford’s Bakery, unhomogenised milk from Meggy Moo’s, Purbeck ice cream and cheeses from Yeovil. What are his most popular lines?
‘This local raw honey. And more local honey from near Blandford. I sell loads of it, it’s so good. Of course, all these producers are local people. I spend most of my money in Dorset and so do they. It all helps the local economy.’ The colourful stand full of Haribo and marshmallows stands out like a sore thumb from the ethos of local food but there’s a simple reason for its presence.
‘That’s the tuck shop for Milton Abbey School just down the road. They’ll come up here and clear that out!’
There are also chillers full of tempting meat and meat products – Steve raises his own livestock on the farm. ‘I used to have 280 pigs! I have my own breed. I take a Saddleback sow and cross that with a large white pig. Then I cross with a Landrace so they get a long back. Then I use a Danish Duroc breed that gives lovely marbling to the meat.
‘My pork and marmalade sausages are really popular,’ he says. In his spare time, Steve is a judge of rare breed sheep at local shows. He is also an active member of the community
in Milton Abbas. ‘I’m a parish councillor and my portfolio includes flood awareness and footpaths. I’ve also been involved with the local play-park, where a group of us fundraised for new facilities. We all need to be community players.’
Even with such an apparently successful business model, Steve still struggles with one big factor. ‘A lack of customers. During Covid we had 600 people a day here, as everyone got out and about and enjoyed shopping locally. But that has really gone down as people have gone back to the supermarkets. It’s also the pressure that farmers are under with the price of feed and fuel. ‘I’ve known several local farming colleagues who are really affected psychologically by the stress.
‘I am most proud of my knowledge of what I grow and my expertise in helping people to eat healthily. I love helping people to enjoy food. A lady asked me recently how to cook a leg of pork – she wanted to stop eating ready meals. But all she had ever used was a microwave. I talked her through what she needed to do and she really enjoyed it.’ ‘During Covid Steve really stepped up beyond all expectations to help people,’ Social media expert Andrea says: ‘What he has achieved is truly inspirational. He is a voice for farming and high quality produce.’
• Find it: Steeptonbill Farm, Milton Abbas, DT11 0AT Mon to Sat 9am to 5pm Sundays 9am to 4pm Facebook: steeptonbillfarm
This month’s recipe is nice and easy and lovely and cosy. I am 100 per cent about the cosy right now. It may bring back early lockdown memories – remember when everyone seemed to be making banana bread? But this banana and chocolate cake is so simple to make and so delicious. As autumn draws in it’s perfect to enjoy in your snuggliest jumper with a hot cup of tea. I personally tend to leave my chocolate in big chunks – I think it works beautifully with the slightly squidgy texture of all the banana. This cake is also a great one to make with children, the recipe is quite forgiving and they can get stuck in helping break up the banana and chocolate! Heather
• 115g / 4oz butter
• 115g / 4oz soft brown sugar
• 1tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 3 bananas
• 200g / 7oz of chocolate
• 170g / 6oz self raising flour
• 60ml milk
1. Preheat the oven to gas 5/160º fan and line a 20cm x 20cm (8” x 8”) tin.
2. Beat together the butter and sugar well. Add the egg and vanilla and beat again.
3. Add in the banana by breaking it into smallish pieces using your fingers and stir in.
4. Add the flour and milk and mix gently.
5. Finally, add the chocolate once you have broken it into pieces – the chunkier the better!
6. Spoon the mix into the prepared tin and bake for about 25-30 mins (check after 20 mins) until it’s golden on top and it springs back to the touch in the middle.
7. Leave to cool in the tin.
Notes:
• The large pieces of banana and chocolate will mean that a skewer probably won’t come out clean when it is fully cooked. It will be quite a dense bake but you are looking for the cake not to ‘wobble’ if you gently shake the tin.
• You can finish this cake with a drizzle of melted chocolate on top if you wish.
• You can also make this cake in a 2lb loaf tin. I would recommend lowering the oven temperature to gas 4/140º fan and baking for 45+ minutes to make sure its cooked properly all the way through.
Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers, and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one to one help to local businesses for content and websites.
Images: Heather Brown
I can’t believe where the year has gone! It’s been a while, so a quick recap on the past year seems in order … In February we had our amazing Love Local Trust Local (LLTL) award ceremony at Kingston Maurward – Dorset’s own agricultural college. The beautiful setting of the Grade II listed Georgian country house created an amazing atmosphere to celebrate the achievements of all our entrants.
In June, we held the Open Farm Sunday event at Rawston Farm, where all hands were needed to help spread the word of what is being grown, produced, caught, reared, brewed, crafted, and cooked here in Dorset. Education is key – people need to know what is growing, how it is grown and what it is turned into for them to eat and drink. We were thrilled that so many of our Love Local Trust Local sponsors and winners came to help us and to showcase what they are producing (we could not have done it without you all, thank you!).
A lot has been going on behind the scenes since the 2022 awards finished. We have been revamping our website – due to launch this autumn – which will become our information hub for all things Love Local Trust Local, so everyone can find out what we do, who we support and who is supporting us. Our directory section will make it easy to find and connect with local producers who share our ethos and support our brand, and we are relaunching our membership and sponsorship packages so that we have something to offer every business and producer, no matter their size.
We are totally self-funded, other than the support of our sponsors for the awards, so we have been working hard to earn some grants to help us achieve our goals and mission.
We have been interviewed by Woman’s Own magazine about food labelling and its misuse – it is great that they want to hear about what we are doing with the label. It’s always heartening
to hear feedback about our articles and that our message is resonating with the public, considering everything that is going on in the world right now. We were absolutely thrilled to hear that in August, 110 MPs signed an open letter calling for supermarkets to add ‘Buy British’ tabs to their websites.
We set up our label in 2018 to fight against the corruption of food labelling – it felt as though there was no voice for UK farmers, growers and producers. This is a great step forwards for British food!
While all the planning has been going on, we have been continuing to support our 2022 and all previous winners and sponsors through our social media channels.
In March 2024 entries will open for the 2024 Love Local Trust Local Awards. We cannot wait to share with everybody what is planned and how you can get involved. Exciting times are ahead for the Love Local Trust Local brand, and we would love you to join us! We will keep you updated on our progress.
As
plan a new season, founder Barbara Cossins looks back at how far they’ve come alreadyLLTL founder Barbara Cossins LLTL judges in action
Unveiling the Portuguese port: expert Hannah Wilkins takes us on a swift journey through the Ruby and Tawny fortified wines of the Douro Valley
When it comes to wine, there’s a jewel in the Douro Valley of Portugal that never fails to dazzle the palate: Port. While the big names like Graham’s, Taylor’s, Fonseca, and Warres may be synonymous with fortified wine, we have an array of hidden gems on our shelves.
As the leaves begin to turn, I thought I’d dedicate this column to the enchanting world of Ruby and Tawny ports, a world where dark grapes reign supreme.
Ruby port is a rich ruby elixir with an intoxicating bouquet of raspberries, blackberries, hints of cinnamon and luscious chocolate. Ruby Port comes in various delightful forms:
• Ruby: a sweet and fruity blend, perfect for immediate indulgence.
• Reserve Ruby: a premium choice which is meant to be savoured young.
• LBV (Late Bottled Vintage): aged for over four years to deepen its character.
• Vintage: a rare gem, crafted from a declared year,
destined for graceful ageing.
• Single Quinta: a distinguished offering from a carefully selected vineyard estate.
As its name suggests, Tawny port has a captivating tawny or lush brown hue. This style teases the senses with aromas of dried fruits, nutty nuances, hints of caramel, and subtle whispers of coffee. Tawny ports come in a range of earthy expressions:
• Tawny: aged for two years to maintain a delightful balance.
• Tawny with an age indication 10 Year old: a blend of vintages with at least a decade of barrel ageing, graced with just a hint of cinnamon.
20 year old: a harmonious blend of vintages aged for at least two decades, where caramel meets cinnamon.
• 30 year old: a masterpiece of vintages aged for a minimum of three decades, yielding a symphony of nuttiness, butterscotch, and caramel.
• Colheita: port born from a single harvest year, it is
typically released after a decade of ageing.
A burning question often arises: how long does port stay fresh once opened? Tawny port, a warm embrace for the occasional after-dinner sipper, can linger for one to two months. Ruby port maintains its vibrancy for a maximum of a month. But a Vintage port, the jewel of the collection, demands prompt attention – enjoy the bottle within a couple of days as exposure to oxygen swiftly alters its character.
As winter approaches, we invite you to explore the magic of port with us. Warm up a chilly day with a tasting session at Vineyards and let us regale you with tales of these enchanting wines. We always have a port or two open for you to try!
• vineyardsofsherborne. co.uk
01935 815544
Tues to Thurs 12-5pm Fri 11am-9pm Sat 11am-6pm
By the end of September about 60 per cent of our plot had been cleared of the remains of the already-harvested vegetables, leaving bare soil. During October and November these areas will either be sown with green manure* or mulched with either our home-made compost or two-yearold horse manure. We don’t like leaving bare soil over the winter months!
At this time of year there is plenty of material to add to the compost heaps – with a large allotment we have four heaps. One will provide us with good compost during October. The second and third will be at different stages in the process of breaking down the ingredients, while the fourth is the one to which we are currently adding new material.
After the potatoes were dug mid-to-late summer, part of their area was planted up with leeks and sown with leaf and root vegetables for autumn and winter salads. All have put on good growth during September and we have already cut some of the Oriental mustards.
We have continued cropping both runner beans and French beans during the month, thanks to fairly warm nights. Only twice did night time temperatures drop below 10ºC. We continue to pull beetroot and carrots when required, too, as we do with celery.
The celeriac has been mulched and fed with liquid seaweed this month – the swollen stem bases will be ready in November.
The brassica area looks well. During the sunny days
cabbage white butterflies have been busy laying eggs on the plants, so we have to be on the lookout for caterpillars.
We have cut some excellent red and white cabbages for coleslaw, stir fries and salads. At the beginning of the month we cut some large heads of Ironman calabrese – and within three weeks we were cutting smaller side shoots!
The four courgette plants continued cropping, but had finally slowed down by the end of the month. The squash area gradually lost a lot of its leaves and we were able to see all of the fruits at last; these will be ready to harvest in early October. Tomato plants in the greenhouse continued providing us with a mass of fruit, though we picked the last of our outdoor tomatoes on the 22nd. Our raspberries gave us fruits all through the month, and the Kentish cob bushes gave a heavy yield of large nuts. All of these have been shelled, dried and stored in Kilner Jars.
As we cleared the ground, we allowed a few of our special ‘weeds’ to flower – either for the bees or just because they are unusual (and nice to see).
They include thornapple, borage, moth mullein and Apple-Of-Peru.
*fast-growing plants sown to cover bare soil. Often used in the vegetable garden, their foliage smothers weeds and their roots prevent soil erosion. When dug into the ground while still green, they return valuable nutrients to the soil and improve soil structure.
Don’t hibernate – light the fire, heat the chocolate and stay outside, says Thorngrove’s Kelsi-Dean Buck. And yes, there is such a thing as a free lunch!
Autumn is upon us! I think this might be my favourite time of year. I much prefer being able to wear my favourite jumpers, warm up with a hot chocolate, and feel the leaves crunching under my feet. Many of us often think of our gardens as going into hibernation now, but there’s so much to do to enhance your garden space, maintain vibrancy, and of course plan ahead so your spring garden flourishes!
Now is the time to plant spring-blooming bulbs like tulips, daffodils, and crocuses. The cooler autumn soil is perfect for their establishment. Decorate your garden with pumpkins, gourds, and squashes for a classic autumn feel. Create unique arrangements and even carve some for Halloween – maybe consider an autumn wreath for your door! Install bird feeders and bird baths to attract local wildlife. As the weather gets colder, birds will appreciate a food source in your garden. Maybe add a fire pit or outdoor fireplace to extend your garden enjoyment into the cooler evenings. Perfect for roasting marshmallows or sipping that hot chocolate … or mulled wine … (yes, it will be here before you know it).
We’ve recently added a stunning range from Smart
Garden to the shop, including the most superb plushie pumpkins – do come and have a look! For more garden inspiration and tips be sure to follow us on social media. You’ll often find deals of the week, and plant of the month too. There’s always something to help you make the most of your garden whatever the season.
We’ve been filling up the diary with events! We’re delighted to confirm Laura Jackson of Summer Lane will be bringing a Macramé Workshop to us on Saturday 7th October (11am-1pm), and a Decoupage (seasonally themed) workshop on Saturday 11th Nov. Booking for both is open now. Craft Workshops for Children return this October half term. Bring the little ones to join our craftsqueen Tracey to make some unique seasonal creations (including custom Jam Jar Lanterns!) to take home with you. Safe for little hands, and perfect for the upcoming spookiest time of the year. Booking advised to avoid disappointment. Full details for all events are on our website (or see our ad on p.8 here)
I hate to say it but Christmas is around the corner: as I write we’re just working out the final details but we hope to have ‘Breakfast with Santa’ and a GROTTO here at Thorngrove! Keep your eyes on the social media and website for dates and booking. In the Secret Garden Café our buy one lunch get one FREE offer continues every Tuesday and Thursday – and our new menu should have launched by the time you read this! OK, that just about covers it … now, where’s that hot chocolate?
See you in the Garden Centre and Café soon!
As autumn sets in, this month’s jobs are a mix of tidying up from summer and planning some spring time treats, says gardener Pete Harcom
This is a good time of year to take stock of the garden and consider what has done well – and what hasn’t! It’s the end of summer annual sort-out in the garden, and in general autumn is also the best time of year for planting trees, shrubs and hedges. Here are a few jobs for the month. ..
Clear up your borders!
Remove your annuals and plant up for spring with wallflowers, pansies and bulbs. Cut back and divide any herbaceous perennials
and protect half-hardy plants with leaf mould or compost if you are leaving them in the borders. Hardy fuchsias (despite their label) will definitely benefit from this extra protection.
Greenhouse-keeping
Remove the spent plants to the compost heap and prepare the greenhouse for winter sowing.
If you have shade paint on your greenhouse glass, now
is the time to remove it – on a dry day remove the paint carefully with a dry cloth. This will help let in more light and help grab the winter sun’s heat.
Using a warm solution of disinfectant, clean pots, trays, staging and the inside of the glass to reduce pests and fungal infection.
A good general rule is to plant bulbs double the depth of the bulb
Finally, move any tender plants (fuchsias, pelargoniums etc), into the greenhouse to overwinter.
As the borders are still full, consider planting up some pots with bulbs for an early spring display. They are some of the first flowers to emerge, and in the grey early months of next year you’ll be so glad you did it.
It’s not just for the garden either – miniature bulbs especially lend themselves to creating indoor displays on tables or plant stands, where you can really appreciate their blooms up close. There is a wide range of spring flowering bulbs, corms and tubers available now to grow in pots – and the bulbs can be layered, too. Try placing tulips at a lower level, cover with soil and then plant irises in a second layer above them. This gives a twotiered display with the irises emerging first and the tulips pushing up through them
later as the irises fade. Here a few more pot combinations to consider:
• Smaller daffodils or narcissi with daisies or pansies/violas
• Snowdrops and moss work well in a window box
• Ferns and fritillaries are great for a shady spot
• Primulas, purple sage and anemone
• Dwarf tulips, pansies and winter aconites – also iris reticulata
It is important to give bulbs in pots a well-drained soil mix, using loam-based compost and potting grit (two parts compost to one part grit). Top-dress the compost with more grit to neaten it up and to stop ‘crusting’ of the top layer of pot soil.
A good general rule is to plant bulbs double the depth of the bulb height – and in pots they can be planted closer together than they would be happy with in the ground.
‘There’s no such thing as bad dogs, only bad owners’ has been the discourse running through the media over the last month as debate raged around the belief that certain breeds of dogs should be banned. The phrase has stuck with me. And if I’m honest, it’s made me evaluate my relationships with my own two dogs. If there are no bad dogs, I have to ask myself, what kind of owner am I?
My partner Ellie and I got Winnie first. She’s a long-haired standard dachshund; if you have never seen one, imagine the cross between a Labrador and a miniature dachshund. I won’t lie, when it was just the three of us things were easy. I was probably a good owner. But, like most families considering a second child, we were lulled into a false sense of security by the calm and tranquillity of our easy ‘first-born’. And then you bring your second-born into the world ...
First thing I knew, Ellie simply came home from
work with Wilf. In fact she had brought home the devil. We just didn’t know it yet.
Before I dare to release some suppressed memories of Wilf from the last four years, I have to admit how great he was at first. He was, without doubt, the most gorgeous puppy you have ever seen. A golden cocker spaniel with gorgeous puppy eyes that could melt a stranger’s heart at a hundred paces. He was the type of puppy that turned heads as we walked down the street. He was purchased with the full intention of being used as a working dog. The only issue was that he was never treated like a working dog. He was handled more like Paris Hilton’s handbag-accessory chihuahua and he was only ever referred to as ‘Little Prince’ around the house.
Shamefully (and it’s not easy to admit this), Ellie and I did a photo shoot with our two dogs – and
‘... he’s just tried to eat a barbed fish hook and now it’s stuck in his mouth.’
ended up financing a collage picture frame of us and our dogs for our living room!
Since having two actual human children (not ‘fur-babies’) we realise just how ridiculous the £1,000 picture frame was. It is now slowly being moved from room to room – it’s currently on the downstairs bathroom floor, collecting splashes as it waits to be hung up.
Of course, in hindsight we know that the overloving and devotion we gave Wilf gave him a heightened sense of his own importance, to the point he simply stopped listening to us. Safe to say, when we are out and about, Wilf knows best. When we moved from the Midlands to Dorset and I began working back at the farm I had worked at since the age of 15, my boss foolishly said that I could bring my dogs to work. The problems quickly escalated. For a start, the vet bills went through the roof. Plus the reasons for visiting the vets became increasingly outlandish. I actually had to ring Ellie and say, ‘I’m going to have to get him to the vet again, he’s just tried to eat a barbed fish hook and now it’s stuck in his mouth.’
It was at the farm where he also found his biggest passion in life: doing a runner. Being at the top of Whitesheet Hill you can see for miles down the valley – and I could quite often see Wilf, miles away, happily chasing birds from field to field. The bottom of the valley rather annoyingly had a commercial shoot on its land, so on a work day Wilf would frequently enjoy popping down there to practise his skills for the weekend. On the first occasion, the gamekeeper threatened to do me a favour and shoot Wilf, but after the third or fourth visit I think the gamekeeper became quite fond of him – he even offered him a job! That, or he realised he was probably too quick to shoot ... It became quite the ritual in the end. I would finish work and promptly check the Beaminster Facebook
page to see who had picked him up off the street today. Often I would turn up at someone’s house and he would be sitting cushty on their sofa, pretending not to know me in the hope I may just leave him there.
I was tempted on a few occasions. I’ll admit things have become a lot harder for Wilf since we’ve had children – he’s no longer Little Prince in the house and I suspect he feels left out. I’ll never forget the birth of my first child, Martha –we were at Dorchester Hospital and I was holding my daughter for the first time. Meanwhile my parents, who were looking after the dogs, were in the midst of a three hour search for Wilf, who had done another runner at Langdon Woods. But it’s not Wilf’s fault. He really isn’t a bad dog ... he just has one really bad owner!
Farmer James Cossins reflects on a challenging harvest season, battling constant rain, drying crops and managing farm inspections – and fire
Thank goodness we managed to complete our harvest in the sunshine in early September – the end of one of the most difficult harvests I can remember. We were so spoiled by last year’s harvest, when the dry heat meant no drying of stored crops was needed and the only worry was preventing fires in fields and on machinery.
This year has been completely the opposite, with barely two dry days put together.
We started in July with our winter barley crop in reasonable condition and reasonable yields. Then we moved on to our oilseeds, where we had quite variable yields and most of them needed drying. Harvesting wet crops isn’t ideal, but if we had left them any longer, all the tiny seeds would have
been on the ground after the strong winds and heavy rain we experienced.
We then started cutting our spring malting barley, hopefully destined for the brewing market. Once again, harvesting in poor conditions, we had to dry the crop in the barns. One of the key specifications of growing malting barley is the percentage of the seeds that will germinate. Ideally you want 98 per cent germination, but quite often the maltster will accept 96 per cent.
If the barley is left out in the field for too long with constant rain showers, the amount of moisture present the seeds decide it is time to germinate, and you will lose your malting premium (which this year could be as much as £70 per ton over the feed barley price). So we decided to cut our barley and dry it in the
‘One of the most difficult harvests I can remember’
store. So far, the barley has passed the required tests, but not much has left the farm yet.
The wheat crop, which is mainly grown for feeding livestock, also had to be dried. With the standing crop getting closer to the ground with every storm, combine harvesting was a big challenge for both the operator and the combine.
We finished harvest with our beans in early September, and by this time the sun had decided to come out with some warmth so no drying was needed. In the end we had an average harvest on yields, but an expensive one in the process. During the busy harvest period we also had to fit in a 60 day TB test – with again a disappointing result of two reactors in the milking cows, with the abattoir results not showing TB lesions. So we have go through the same process in another 60 days, hoping to go clear next time.
We have had to sell some beef cattle to an isolation unit for fattening as we were becoming overstocked again, and with calving having started in August, we needed some space for our calves. Some of these beef animals were sold at a discount to the TB-free cattle price but we had very little choice.
At Rawston Farm we have also had a number of audits from Red Tractor, Food Standards Agency, Arla and the Rural Payments Agency. They all came at weekly intervals, fortunately, as they can be very time-consuming!
I always hope that shoppers appreciate what British farmers go through to make sure that their food is produced to the highest standards, especially when it comes to animal welfare. As consumers, everyone should be looking for the Red Tractor logo so that they can be assured the food they buy is produced to a high standard. I’m quite sure that many imported foods do not go through such rigorous examination.
Sadly our last load of straw for this year didn’t quite make it to the barn, as you can see from the photo below. It was targeted by an arsonist – but at least it was only one load, and no one was hurt. With this year’s barely in the barn we have already started sowing next year’s harvest – grass seeds, oil seeds and some barley are now in the ground and the cycle is starting over again.
More than 100 MPs and peers came together to celebrate Back British Farming Day 2023 on 13th September. Now in its eighth year, it is a day to celebrate our farmers and growers – and the British food that they provide. This year, the Farmer Favourability Survey polled 2,000 people in England and Wales and farmers came out ahead of teachers, engineers, police officers and lawyers in people’s perceptions – coming second only to nursing. Back British Farming Day gave us an opportunity to remind MPs why British food and farming must be at the forefront of their strategies to win votes in the upcoming general election.
NFU President Minette Batters said: ‘Britain’s farmers and growers are truly inspirational, and it is heart-warming to know the public really value the work we do in producing fantastic homegrown food. This food underpins the British food and farming sector and is worth more than £100 billion to the national economy, all while protecting and enhancing our iconic landscapes.
‘As these survey results show, the public really appreciates what Britain’s farmers and growers do day-in, day-out. The public know it’s important – 90 per cent of them say it’s essential to the UK economy while 81 per cent agreed that British farms should grow
as much food as they can to provide national food security.’
On the day the NFU hosted a breakfast reception in the House of Commons, sponsored by Siobhan Baillie MP, during which MPs learned about the important work that British farmers do all year round. MPs also had the opportunity to publicly demonstrate their support for farming by wearing the iconic wool-and-wheatsheaf badge during Prime Minister’s Questions, grabbing a photo, and sharing their support via Twitter using the hashtag #BackBritishFarmingDay
Also in attendance was CEO of City Harvest, Sarah Calcutt (see how City Harvest is helping combat food waste here).
MPs heard that, according to the Farmer Favourability Survey, 87 per cent of respondents support increasing self-sufficiency in UK food production.
Minette added: ‘This is a clear
message that the public backs our calls for government to prioritise homegrown food production and legislate to ensure the UK’s self-sufficiency does not drop below its current level of 60 per cent.
‘Fundamentally, investing in domestic food production means we can increase our productivity, create more jobs and deliver much more for the economy and for the environment.
‘We know we have huge public support – we now just need our politicians to also back British farming like never before.’
Other high profile people who got involved included Jamie Oliver, Jeremy Clarkson, Kaleb Cooper, Adam Henson and JB Gill as #BackBritishFarmingDay trended on Twitter.
Hundreds of members of the public posted on social media, joining farmers to share supportive messages – more then 6,500 people used the hashtag, and it was seen more than 92 million times!
Scrolling back through photos on my phone, I can see that September brought both warm sunshine and heavy downpours, which has meant the grass has continued to grow extremely well. The mares are receiving sufficient calories from grazing
this lush grass, so we are still just feeding the pregnant mares a daily cupful of a nutrition-rich ‘balancer’, carefully formulated by Saracen, our trusted feed company, to ensure that they are getting all the nutrients they need in the correct proportions.
As the nutrient and calorific value of the grass drops off towards winter, we will start feeding stud nuts (known as ‘hard feed’), in larger quantities, which will increase the calories the mares are consuming. As the early foaling mares enter their last three months of pregnancy, their hard feed will be increased again, to support the demands of the foal growing inside them. Our earliest foal is due in February, so we will be making this increase for some of the mares in early November.
We have been busy welcoming bloodstock agents and trainers to our yard this month, to show them our young horses. Although we regularly offer our youngstock for sale at various auctions throughout the year, we also sell ‘from the field’. The youngsters are not yet old enough to have a rider on their backs so, as well as a good pedigree, buyers want to see a big athletic walk and an
Lettuce was born with shockingly slack hind pasterns – by a long way the worst case anyone on the TGS team had ever seen, and potentially life-threatening
active trot. In order to show them at their best, we usually bring them into the stables, give them a good groom and then parade them in-hand, in walk and trot, up and down the yard. All our horses are well-handled, so this is usually a fairly straightforward process and it’s good for their ongoing education.
All our Thoroughbred foals are now weaned, and it is just the two sport-horse foals, born in June and July, that are still with their mothers. We usually wean when a foal is four to five months old, so we will wean both of these last two foals in November. The Thoroughbred foals are now in sales prep for a new National Hunt foal sale in November, so
they are all in overnight and being well fed in individual stables. Before being turned out they are walked in-hand for half an hour to help ensure they are fit enough to be led out and paraded for buyers, multiple times a day, at the sales ground. One of the sport-horse foals, Lettuce, was born with shockingly slack hind pasterns, known as digital hyperextension, which resulted in him rocking back onto his heels with toes pointing skywards. Although often not disastrous this extreme case, if not treated and rehabilitated correctly, was life threatening. It was by a long way the worst case any of us had seen but, with expert vet, farrier and physio attention and restricted turnout, there was a chance.
Lettuce was particularly worrying as the normal early intervention – gluing hoof extensions onto his feet, seen in the June issue – wasn’t producing the improvements we usually would have expected. After much consultation with our vet Paul Legerton our vet, our farrier Dom Blades and ACPAT veterinary physiotherapist Celia Cohen, we stopped his turn out altogether. Although Lettuce had only been going out for ten minutes at a time in a small paddock, he was still galloping around and it was thought that this stretching of the ligaments in his hind pasterns would be having a detrimental effect. The thinking was that we would try a period of controlled exercise, walking the foal in-hand
alongside his dam, for fifteen minutes, several times a day. This was supported by a muscle stimulation machine, which – to our team and Celia’s amazement – he not only tolerated, he was a perfect patient for. He could then start his programme of rehabilitation to activate and strengthen the tendons to support and lift his fetlocks.
Another issue that had to be addressed was that the hoof extensions, which are normally glued onto the bottom of the hoof by the farrier to help the lower leg stay in a correct posture, had been in use for a longer period of time than was ideal and were beginning to restrict the hoof growth at the heel. To prevent any long-term damage to the hooves, we had two metal plates made which we bandaged onto the hind hooves each morning before his first walk, and Lettuce was kept on rubber matting during the day. The metal plates were then removed in the afternoon so that the development of the hooves was not restricted, and he was returned to a deep straw bed overnight. Now of course ‘normal’ foals spend 24 hours a day in a field with their mothers and other foals. They gallop, they play, they sleep.
Three TGS thoroughbred foals in prep for the sales. From left:
‘Radish’ – Golden Horn colt out of Roc Royal
‘Mustard’ – Spanish Moon filly out of Mystery Drama
‘Cress’ – Brave Mansonnien filly out of Cosmic Diamond
In contrast, Lettuce was being deliberately prevented from any galloping or playing. He was restricted to his stable and only allowed to walk for 15 minutes at a time, four times a day, led from a headcollar. He was just two months old ... we anticipated that he would quickly get frustrated and become difficult to handle.
But it was quite the opposite – Lettuce was an absolute dream!
He happily stood patiently for the metal plates to be bandaged onto his hooves in the morning. He walked quietly. He stopped to peacefully graze. He stood still while we used the EMS machine for up to half an hour at a time.
In fact it was his mother who was really rather unhappy about not being turned out in a field! Slowly and gradually, we saw improvements; his hind pasterns strengthened and his hooves began landing square to the ground as he walked. After six weeks of this intensive regime, we trimmed his feet again and our vet declared that he
could turn out in the field.
The joy! Lettuce galloped. Lettuce bucked – and yes, Lettuce’s mother also galloped and bucked! – and he slowly got brave enough to start playing with the other foal.
It is a real pleasure to be able to effect such a dramatic improvement in a young horse. Now, two months later, you would never be able to tell that he had once had such a severe problem (see image above); we had feared that he may not survive, let alone ever be ridden. Job done!
We have seasonal and permanent yard positions, and both full and part-time hours available at the stud at Glanvilles Wootton. See the ad in the jobs section and phone Doug on 07974 314262 or email enquiries@theglanvillesstud.co.uk for more information. We look forward to hearing from you!
The equestrian summer season has been resoundingly normal this year –Sally Cooper spoke to competitors at the County Show to see why they do it
As the summer draws to a close and autumn commences its mellow fruitfulness it seems a good point to reflect on the equine summer that we have all once again enjoyed.
As Covid limitations become a thankfully-hazy memory, the equestrian calendar was incredibly normal this year, to the benefit of both the horse and rider. We have enjoyed the return of Pony Club camp, adult camps, dressage competitions, three day events, horse shows and, of course, that oh-so-very British agricultural show. Our own Dorset County Show was back at full throttle for 2023. The winner of the In Hand Veteran Class and Champion Veteran Cup, Teresa, has been showing successfully for years (*whispers* decades!) and after a ten year break – including the Covid seasons – was so pleased to be back among the friendly Dorset horse community this summer, feeling the buzz of the showing arena once again.
This year Teresa Elson has been showing her 19-year-old veteran (that’s an elderly horse, not a rider classification!) who is a skewbald Irish Draught crossed Thoroughbred, a pleasant chap called ‘Aussie Boy’ or just Aussie to his mates.
Teresa had been showing him under saddle (ridden), to the amusement of many; Aussie’s brakes seem unable to work in the arena. Therefore, this summer Teresa changed to inhand showing (where the rider walks, and just leads the horse) – and Aussie promptly returned to his usual impeccable manners and happy disposition.
She was delighted to win her Veteran Class at the County Show, and was even more proud to ultimately win the coveted Champion Veteran Cup for the overall three equine sections. Teresa has several tips for successful equine showing. Firstly, ensure that the horse is fully fit and healthy – watch their weight, as overweight animals are actively discouraged. Do practise in-hand work with your horse in walk, trot and standing still in a square position – this is what the judge will expect to see. In particular, she says to remember that at the end of a day it is a subjective competition
– different judges look for different things – and if it doesn’t go your way it’s still been a great experience. And of course there is always another show! It’s always easy to see happy faces in the show-ring, regardless of placings. The general consensus of the County Show group seemed to be that the buzz simply from being there and showing is what makes all the hard work and early mornings worthwhile.
‘It’s all about the partnership that you develop with your horse,’ says Teresa. ‘The benefits that you gain from that friendship are immeasurable, no matter about the rosettes.’
It’s seemingly not near anywhere and the paths appear to be forgotten or at best very little-walked. Yet this month’s route passes through typically pretty, neatly-folded countryside of West Dorset with sharp hills, hidden valleys, sudden surprise views and long shady walks in green lanes. The original plan was to follow the Jubilee Trail into Wynford Eagle itself, but from the ridge of the last hill we could see where the car was parked, and the weather was threatening (again). So we cut our losses and avoided another down-and-up climb. It’s an easy way to extend by a mile, if you’re wanting a little longer though!
Being late summer, there were the usual Dorset hedgerow ‘stile vs nettles vs walker’ battles – a sturdy stick is necessary back up, but we emerged victorious (swearing, stings and scratches notwithstanding). One part of the walk was difficult – the valley bottom approaching Broom’s Farm appeared impossible to navigate. We followed an increasingly marshy steeply-sloped field down to the stream crossing – but the stream crossing wasn’t there. After tracking back and forth, we simply jumped over and fought the undergrowth on the opposite side, clambering up the opposite hill. We may have missed it, but there seemed to be no path at all, just abandoned scrubland on exceptionally marshy ground (it’s probably impassable in winter), and the footpath seems to go directly into the private farmyard. Instead we opted for the shortest obvious route, climbing through a horse fence to cut onto the lane. Apart from this the route was easy – even where it looked like a field was a dead end a stile would magically appear among the overgrown hedge as we approached, just where it *should* be. Another bridleway seems to have been abandoned in favour of simply using the road – we did likewise!
We have always created and recently walked the routes we feature (See all previously-published routes here), so you know you can trust them. You can see all our routes (including many which are unpublished in The BV) on Outdoor Active, and all include a downloadable gpx file.
All images © Laura HitchcockIt’s always the same at this time of year with hedgerow stiles!
North Dorset is home to ancient broadleaved woodlands which are a testament to the enduring power of nature. Standing tall and proud among the towering canopies of trees are, of course, the impressive English oaks which can be found at many of Dorset Wildlife Trust’s woodland nature reserves including Bracketts Coppice and Hibbitt Woods near Yeovil. They are often the oldest trees in the wood, hundreds of years old and supporting thousands of species.
Ancient woodlands are also home to many of Dorset’s rare species. Their diverse mix of trees, shrubs and other plants support all manner of wildlife. Woodland butterflies like the white admiral and silverwashed fritillary can be seen basking in sheltered sunny areas.
Birdsong often fills the air with resident birds like song thrushes, marsh tits and great spotted woodpeckers joined by summer visitors like chiffchaffs, blackcaps and spotted flycatchers. Roe deer can often be seen as they cross the grassy rides and during the night, hazel dormice climb among the trees and brambles in search of food and nesting material.
Looking after our woodlands and ensuring wildlife continues to thrive there requires a lot of work from Dorset Wildlife Trust’s wardens. One of the most important ways in which we manage many of our woodland reserves is through coppicing, where a tree is cut down to a stump, encouraging new shoots to grow and ultimately regrowing the tree. It’s an old method of managing a woodland, and something people have been doing for thousands of years. Traditionally, coppicing provided a continuous and sustainable supply of timber and materials, used in a huge range of things from thatched roofs to charcoal making.
It takes advantage of the fact that almost every broadleaved tree native to the UK will regrow from the base if cut down when young, with several stems growing from the original stump. It’s the method by which it is hoped the tree recently felled at Sycamore Gap in Northumberland may yet be preserved.
As the warden responsible for both Ashley Wood near Blandford and Girdlers Coppice at Sturminster Newton, I spend many a winter’s day in these woods coppicing, often with the help of our
Reviving the ancient art of coppicing may just be the saving of our national woodland heritage, says DWT’s reserve warden Ben Atkinson
Listen to the birdsong, take in the earthy scent of damp moss and fallen leaves –and contemplate the centuries that have passed within the woodWorking on a coppice coupe at Ashley Wood Image: ©Adam Woolcott
fantastic team of volunteers. Each winter, when the trees are dormant and the birds have finished nesting, we coppice one or two small areas –known as coupes – in each woodland. It is always a popular task with our volunteers. Working in the woods, using age-old techniques to give the woodland a helping hand to provide an ideal place for wildlife ... what’s not to like?
Coppicing can have huge benefits for wildlife, with many species responding to the newly-created open areas within a previously-dense and dark wood. It is no coincidence that the decline of many woodland species over the last century has coincided with the decline in coppicing in the UK.
The increase in light and warmth in a newlycoppiced area stimulates new growth.
Come spring, there will be an eruption of bluebells, wood anemones, violets and many other woodland flowers. These valuable nectar sources, along with the warm sheltered conditions, attract insects –which in turn attract birds, reptiles, bats and other small mammals.
So, I urge you to get out there and visit an ancient woodland. Take a moment to listen to the birdsong, take in the earthy scent of damp moss and fallen leaves – and contemplate the centuries that have passed within that wood.
May there be many more to come.
• Explore Dorset Wildlife Trust’s nature reserves - visit dorsetwildlifetrust.org.uk
In recent years we have written extensively about the importance of hedgerows in both offsetting climate change through carbon sequestration, and improving biodiversity. I can report back that CPRE’s campaigning has had considerable success. Our campaigning started way back in the 1970s with a call for legislation to support hedgerow retention, management and protection. More recently we welcomed the government’s Committee on Climate Change Report in 2019, which called for a 40 per cent extension of the UK’s hedgerows. Sadly the government did little to implement this in its 2021 action plan. CPRE therefore set out to promote this instead, proposing a target of 40 per cent by 2050, with the campaign called #40by50.
We then worked with Farmers
Weekly last year to engage with farmers who wanted to be involved in our hedgerow management survey, receiving more than 1,100 responses. The results of the survey are found in our report “Farming and hedgerows: stretching the boundaries ” and were launched
in the House of Lords last December. Key findings were that 86 per cent of farmers say that hedgerows are important to them, while 70 per cent of respondents cited the lack of funding as the biggest obstacle to planting and maintaining hedgerows. There was overwhelming support for a new government target of 40 per cent more hedgerows by 2050. We followed this up with a hedgerow petition, which called on the government to commit to planting thousands of miles of hedges across the country, and this reached over 49,000 signatures at the end of 2022.
This January the government finally announced plans to create or restore 45,000 miles of hedgerow by 2050, and committed to almost doubling payment rates for new hedges – but these are still modest. In recognition, our hedgerow campaign was awarded first prize in the Animals and Environment category at the 2023 Charity Awards. Hurrah!
The Environmental Land Management Scheme – ELMS –sounds a mouthful and is also proving difficult to design and administer. It promises farmers public money for public goods,
and is the post-Brexit farming payments programme. But since late 2022 they have been under review – in particular farmers are looking for better guidance, as well as more generous payments, on hedgerows, which DEFRA promises soon.
Great Big Dorset Hedge Project Hedgerows have been a defining attribute of the pastoral landscape of the Blackmore Vale – remembered as the ‘Vale of the Little Dairies’ in Thomas Hardy’s books. With its irregular patchwork of small fields divided by ancient hedgerows, there is lots to do right here and elsewhere in Dorset.
More than two years ago CPRE initiated the Hedgerow Heroes Project with the aim of reinstating at least 15km of hedgerows. Dorset CPRE was also involved with CPRE Hampshire in the planting of 1.7 km of new hedgerow and 1.3 km of existing hedgerow on the Hinton Admiral estate. Our more recent focus has been on the Great Big Dorset Hedge (GBDH) project, conceived by Dorset Climate Action Network and involving CPRE volunteers, which has caught a lot of media attention.
The key driving force behind GBDH has been John Calder, a farmer near Charmouth who has designed hedgerow surveys on the major trails that traverse our county, especially the Jubilee and the Wessex Ridgeway Trails. The mission has now become the restoration and extension of hedgerows the length and breadth of Dorset.
Volunteers are trained up on the public trails and are then invited
to do ‘across farm’ surveys on individual private farms. Many farmers are unaware of the state of their hedgerows – or how best to restore them.
In the first year 150 volunteers have been involved, and of these 90 have done three or more surveys. So far 120km of public trail hedgerows have been surveyed and 80 km of ‘across farm’ ones, but mostly in West Dorset. Data collected is added to a geographic information system (GIS) to help identify hedges already surveyed and highlight opportunities for rejuvenation or planting. Impressive – but there is still a long way to go, especially elsewhere in Dorset.
The survey volunteers are there but John needs more help administering and mapping the scheme, and he is hopeful that Dorset Council will step in. Dorset CPRE has just received £5,000 from the Hedgerow Heroes Funder in recognition of the ambition and potential of the GBDH project.
• Join other GBDH volunteers on future surveys – visit www.dorsetcan.org/hedge/.
• Plant a new hedgerow in your own garden if space allows. Plant trees too, of course, but hedgerows provide higher rates of carbon sequestration and are better for biodiversity.
• Let existing hedges grow wider and taller, and restrain urges to trim them regularly! Hedges should not be cut every year, as flower buds often form on second-year growth. Think of all those small mammals and birds you will be helping.
• For advice on hedgerow management for wildlife, see this guide from The Wildlife Trusts.
• John likes George Eustace’s quote “Hedgerows are the most important ecological building block in the farmed landscape”. Perhaps above all, just remember that!
Comma butterfly enjoying a rotting apple in some autumnal sunshine.
A casual toss of an innocent apple core may be having unintended consequences, says resident wildlife columnist Jane Adams
Have you ever noticed apple trees growing at the side of the road? Weighed down by ripe fruits, these wayside trees are especially conspicuous in October and November at the side of A-roads. Until recently –and probably rather naively – I’d never really considered their origins. Then, it hit me.
Apple cores!
It’s funny how none of us would ever dream of throwing litter from our cars. But haven’t most of us lobbed an apple core from our car, saying, ‘it’s fine, it will rot down’?
I know I have.
Slack-ma-girdle
Cider apple orchards once covered more than 10,000 acres in Dorset. Sadly, they are now few and far between, along with Buttery d’Or and Slack-magirdle – just two of the many traditional Dorset cider-making apple varieties.
Gone too are some of the wild animals that in turn depended on this important habitat –birds like the lesser spotted woodpecker, that nests in old apple trees and is no bigger than a house sparrow; or the iridescent-green noble chafer beetle, whose larvae feed on decaying fruit wood. Both are now incredibly rare nationwide. Which is why our own garden
• Crab apple
fruit trees are so important. Your old apple tree might not be fruiting quite as well as it used to, but don’t cut it down. Could you donate some of its less-than-perfect fruit to wildlife or its rotten trunk to beetles?
On sunny, warm days, red admiral and peacock butterflies
Our only common wild variety of apple. Two inches in diameter or less and sour to taste. Good for making crab apple jelly, but best left to the wildlife.
• Cultivated apples
Mostly grown from a cutting from the desired apple variety, of which there are more than 7,000 worldwide (eg Granny Smith) which is then grafted (attached) to a vigorous rootstock to produce a healthy identical apple.
• Wayside apple trees
Grown from the pips of the original apple variety (eg Granny Smith) but not identical to the fruit they came from. Some make good eaters/cookers, but they are usually best left to the wildlife and admired from the car.
love to gorge on the sugars from fallen apples before they go into hibernation. Then, as the weather cools, the hungry blackcaps, song thrushes, blackbirds, redwings and fieldfares will move in to hoover up any leftovers, while tits enjoy the insects that also call the rotting fruit home. And what about that discarded apple core? Will it do any harm? Some scientists think it will. Research in Scotland shows that crab apples (our only wild apple species, and often found at the side of roads) have hybridised with apple core-thrown trees, especially in more populated areas, lessening the crab apple’s genetic purity. Here in Dorset, it might already be too late. Most of our ‘wild’ crab apples may already be hybrids. It’s a sobering thought.
Ancient craftsmanship: Edwina Baines discovers that the modern world of stained glass art is much the same as it was
Coloured glass was used for art and decoration in the ancient world by both Egyptians and Romans – and the techniques and materials used in making stained glass windows have changed little since the Middle Ages. Dorset artist Gillian McCormick’s love of the craft
was born out of an interest in medieval art. The atmosphere, mystery and otherworldliness of the stained glass she saw in the cathedrals of St Mary’s and St Giles while studying painting at Edinburgh’s College of Art encouraged her to learn more. The essential tools – a glass
cutter, grozing pliers for breaking and shaping the glass and a soldering iron – weren’t hard to collect, and Gillian started her stained glass journey by following her initial art degree with decorative glass courses in Bath and Glasgow, learning the skills of painting, staining, acid etching and fusing.
From her home in Edmondsham, Gillian walks the mile through the woods every day to her farmyard studio. The first step in making a stained glass panel is the design or ‘cartoon’. After selecting the glass, this cartoon becomes the guide for cutting the individual pieces, which are eventually assembled using specially-made lead came (or calm) which, when soldered at the joints, holds the piece together. The gaps between the lead and the glass are then filled with a black lead cement.
It’s a messy process, but once it hardens, the cement strengthens the finished panel. The glass paints themselves consist of ground metal oxides in shades of brown and black, which are mixed with water and a small amount of Gum Arabic before being painted onto the glass and fired in the kiln to approximately 600ºC, fusing
the paint to the glass. The paint modulates the light coming through the glass to create the desired effect. Matt shading can be scratched into with sticks and needles, or gently lifted with brushes till the image emerges. The process could be described as painting with light. Several layers can be built up and fired, finishing with the addition
of the silver stain, fired at a lower temperature to produce a range of yellows. This stain, made up of silver compounds that migrate into the glass and colour the glass itself, is where the term ‘stained glass’ is derived. Gillian places each segment of glass onto a lightbox to see how the image is progressing. It is necessary to paint in reverse –
and therefore to constantly turn the piece over to keep track of progress. Each piece can be fired up to four times.
After acquiring a small pottery test kiln, Gillian continued to develop her knowledge and skill in glass painting, eventually buying a glass kiln which allowed her to experiment with glass fusing. This kiln can be controlled to go up to the higher temperatures needed to fuse glass – approximately 800ºC –and even more importantly to cool down in stages, allowing the glass to anneal (cool slowly), which prevents glass cracking in the finished piece.
As well as individual pieces and commissions for stained glass panels, Gillian also produces pieces of colourful and expressive fused glass. The glass used in fusing must all be compatible, heating and cooling at the same rate.
‘Glass fusing can be a freer, more flexible way of working,’ she says. ‘With the traditional leaded glass, precision is more important.’
The process starts with a base layer, which can have glass paint applied before layers of coloured glass are carefully arranged on top. Gillian sometimes uses several layers of colour, which can produce subtle colour changes, reminiscent of watercolour painting. The panel can be refired if adjustments are necessary. Glass powders or frits (ultra-small particles of groundup glass) can also be added to create variation.
The countryside around Edmondsham and the encounters Gillian has with the local wildlife provide a constant source of inspiration.
‘A deer leaping through the woods, a badger emerging from the ferns or foxes skulking along the hedgerows, these are moments of enchantment
among the seasonal changes in the landscape.’
Gillian has also enjoyed the opportunity to experiment with acid etching – using hydrofluoric acid to remove a layer of coloured glass from a piece of flashed glass (clear glass with a thin layer of coloured glass). This produces lots of creative possibilities when combined with paint but isn’t a technique she has been able to follow up due to the hazards involved in using the acid. She also works as part of a team carrying out repairs on stained glass windows in churches, painting replacement pieces for the broken windows. Gillian participates in Dorset Art Weeks, the Wylye Valley art trail and more recently the Child Okeford art trail. She will be taking part in the Springhead Garden of Delights exhibition at the start of December and will have work in Chalks Gallery in Lymington in their Forest and Folklore winter exhibition. She also welcomes commissions.
Gillian McCormick_ Glass
• Stained glass is on the endangered list of heritage crafts. The British Society of Master Glass Painters aims to encourage the continuity of the discipline and is open to anyone interested in stained glass.
Highland calf Rob Hannam
Sleeping Ed Inman
Female Kestrel
Dave Taylor
Bertie at Sandbanks
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 usually 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
Geary shares some smart strategies for eating well and wasting less
Maintaining a nutritious diet often conjures images of expensive organic produce and speciality health foods. Many believe that eating healthily on a tight budget is simply not possible.
However, with a little planning and creativity, it is entirely possible to eat well without breaking the bank!
Check out apps such as Too Good to Go and Olio. Too Good to Go is where supermarkets sell off their unwanted items close to their sell by dates. I live near Blandford, and noted both Spar and Morrisons participate with their ‘surprise bags’, at around a third of the full shelf price. And yes, Greggs are there too, but that
defeats the healthy-eating point! Olio is a community exchange app – you can donate overstocks or produce of your own as well as seeing what others locally may have to share.
I have managed to cut my budget right back by spending half an hour a week planning meals in advance. Your plan should include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. Always check what you already have in the cupboard to avoid buying duplicate items (guilty as charged) (and me - Ed). Planning meals not only helps you stay within budget, but it also eases the ‘what’s for dinner’ daily stress, while reducing the chances of impulsive and unhealthy food choices.
Buying staple items in bulk can significantly reduce the cost of your groceries, if you can manage the single up-front cost (which I appreciate not everyone can). Look for items like rice, pasta, beans, lentils, oats and canned vegetables in larger quantities.
One item I find annoyingly expensive in supermarkets is nuts – yet go onto Amazon –or check local supplier Wilton Wholefoods – and they are much more affordable if you buy a large bag. The same applies to many dried goods such as beans, lentils and spices.
Fresh fruits and vegetables are fantastic, but they can be expensive, especially when not in season. Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables are often far more affordable and have a longer shelf life. They are just as nutritious as their fresh counterparts and can be used in a variety of dishes, from smoothies to soups and stir-fries.
Got some droopy stuff hanging about in the bottom of the veg drawer? Freeze it. Perfect for adding to soups, stews or smoothies.
If your menu plan uses half a packet, tin or fresh item, be sure your plan uses the other half, rather than leaving it to go sad and then throwing it away.
Takeaways, while convenient, will quickly deplete your budget. Instead, make cooking at home a priority. Home-cooked meals are not only more budget-
friendly but also allow you to control the ingredients, making it easier to choose healthier options. Experiment with simple recipes and gradually expand your culinary skills. Don’t dismiss making your own bread. It’s easy, cheap and if you make sourdough, you don’t even need to knead it! I wish someone had told me that years ago.
Cooking once and reheating in a microwave can save ££s on energy bills – as well as having things ready to go when you get home from work. My favourites are stews and soups in the winter, but it can also be done with salads and lunchbox items too. Invest in some good containers, ideally glass with plastic lids, to make them last longer and for ease of storage.
Buy generic and store brands
Don’t shy away from these. They are often as high in quality as name brands but come with a lower price tag.
Meat can be one of the most expensive items and often the cheapest way to buy it is your local farm shop or butcher, not the supermarket. The quality is likely to be far superior too. Consider reducing your meat consumption and
incorporating more plant-based proteins like beans, lentils, tofu, and eggs into your diet instead.
Keep an eye out for coupons, discounts and sales in your local grocery store’s flyers or online. There are also various apps and websites that offer digital coupons and cashback rewards.
Ultra-processed foods are in the news at the moment. They taste great and they are cheap (let’s face it, that’s why we buy so much of them).
However. .. they often offer little nutritional value and can be detrimental to your health in the long run.
Instead, focus on buying unprocessed whole foods that provide essential nutrients without the unnecessary added sugars, unhealthy fats and artificial additives.
If you have access to outdoor space, or even a windowsill, have a go at this.
The cost of herbs is one of my pet peeves, they can be grown so easily in pots from seed.
Wasting food is both costly and environmentally unfriendly. Be mindful of portion sizes to avoid overeating and to make your groceries last longer. Leftovers can also be repurposed into new meals, reducing food waste.
‘Frozen and canned fruit and veg are just as nutritious –but are often far more affordable and have a longer shelf life’
As a nation we seem to have mostly acclimatised to the notion that ‘mental health is a human right’ – as recently declared by the UN – and many of us are proactive about our own health. We can also recognise when our friends and family might need extra support with their mental wellbeing. Taking the power to own our mental health has become increasingly important, given the collective struggles over the past few years – the pandemic and subsequent cost-of-living crisis giving us more to worry about.
For some, this is much worse than others. As winter looms, the anxiety and stress surrounding paying the winter bills plus the approaching festive period is at an all-time high.
Mental health support from the NHS is an invaluable resource – one for which I personally am extremely grateful for. However, it took me six months to begin treatment after I’d been referred, due to the overwhelming demand across the services. For most of us, there is a big gap between initially seeking support and actually receiving it. While we wait for services to open and for some serious intervention from the government, how are we able to take back the power back into our own hands surrounding our mental health and take action?
Dorset Mind is asking you to focus on this on World Mental Health Day, 10th October. These issues can feel much larger than us, of course, but we can all start taking some regular steps to maintaining our own mental wellbeing as individuals. The biggest changes can come from starting small; if we all focused on these as a community of empowered individuals, incrementally it could lead to something huge.
Consider asking your GP what else you could do to support yourself if you’re waiting for services. For example, ask if they provide Dorset Mind’s Active Monitoring service (a programme of supportive intervention and guided self-help to improve mental health and wellbeing). This service has been successful so far in providing support to people who may be in those in-between periods, and has been some guidance to those wanting to get their lives back on track. Where possible, do budget some time for
enjoyment. This can be low cost if needed –anything from trying a new hobby such as painting or writing to taking up a new sport. Having hobbies and creative outlets can significantly reduce our collective stress and anxiety.
It is important, now more than ever, that we are all present and checking in with not only ourselves, but those around us. If you know someone who might be struggling with their mental health, give them a text or a call, and allow them to know you are there. Sometimes just knowing someone has thought of you, that there is someone on the other end of the phone, is enough to make us feel less alone – and we can all do with some compassion right now.
And keep talking yourself – try not to be afraid to open up to your friends and family if you are struggling, it’s possible they could even have experienced the same situation and you may be able to find common ground. You’re there for them, and in turn they’re your support network if you aren’t able to support yourself.
• Visit dorsetmind.uk for local mental health support and ways to keep mentally healthy
• Call Samaritans on 116 123 for free 24/7 emotional support
• Call Dorset’s mental health helpline Connection for support on NHS 111
Dorset Chamber has received a prestigious nomination for the Chamber of the Year award from the British Chambers of Commerce (BCC), confirming its exceptional contribution to the Dorset business community. Representing firms employing nearly six million people in the UK, BCC has recognised Dorset Chamber’s outstanding efforts. This month Ian Girling, Dorset Chamber’s CEO, made an online presentation to a panel of judges. The announcement of Chamber of the Year will be made during the first-ever Dorset Business Festival, a four-day event in Bournemouth that includes The Future of Business conference, a business expo, and the first Dorset Business Awards since the pandemic.
The accolade arrives as Dorset Chamber gears up to celebrate its 75th anniversary, underscoring its longstanding commitment to the region’s business landscape.
Ian Girling highlighted the significance of this nomination;
‘We are in the running against four other chambers, out of the 53 accredited chambers which make up BCC’s UK network, having submitted a detailed award entry which demonstrates how we are delivering the best experience possible for our members in these challenging and changing times.’
Dorset Chamber’s proactive approach to business support has been a hallmark of its success. The organisation has been at the forefront of advocating for various workplace matters, from raising awareness about the impact of menopause to hosting online workshops addressing environmental, social, and governance issues.
Caron Khan, the President of Dorset Chamber, emphasised the chamber’s achievements, stating, ‘To date, 360 businesses have engaged in our latest programmes, and we had a highly successful re-accreditation by BCC, with several areas of best practice and innovative
new ideas highlighted, including online networking events connecting chambers across the UK and a ‘got-your-back’ campaign for pressurised business owners.’
Dorset Chamber’s commitment to excellence is further evidenced by its excellent rating in a Net Promoter Score survey of its members. The organisation has been rated as the leading chamber nationally, boasting 113 five-star reviews. Its strong presence on social media, reaching nearly 18,000 users, and a monthly business magazine that reaches 10,000 readers have solidified its reputation.
Ian Girling underscored the chamber’s ethos, stating, ‘Our chamber is very much about what we can do for members, not what members can do for us, with regular touch points inperson and online.’
Dorset Chamber faces competition from four other chambers shortlisted for the award: Cumbria, Glasgow, NorthEast England, and Staffordshire.
Local construction firm Rose Engineering achieved remarkable success at the Rural and Industrial Design and Building Association (RIDBA) Awards in September. Held in Cambridge, the event brought together construction firms from across the UK to celebrate excellence in the industry. Despite facing fierce competition from much larger construction firms nationwide, Rose Engineering emerged victorious, clinching not only the Commercial Building category but also the prestigious Overall Winners title – an impressive achievement for any small rural business. The award-winning Commercial Building project – a new Workshop building for Chris Cox of CJ Cox Ltd, local agricultural engineers – garnered praise for its successful blend of traditional agricultural building elements and contemporary commercial design, showcasing excellent workmanship.
Tom Rose, Managing Director, says, ‘We are thrilled to have won the Commercial Award and to be named Overall Winners. Our collaboration with Chris Cox, who had a clear vision for the project, allowed us to fulfill our commitment to clients. We take immense pride in our small Dorset-based business.’
With over 37 years of experience in constructing
agricultural and industrial buildings, Rose Engineering places a strong emphasis on quality and excellence. Operating throughout the Southwest, they handle a diverse range of projects, from cattle sheds to commercial units and offices. This year has been exceptionally busy for the company, marking a period of continued growth and recognition.
Anita Beaumont, Finance and Marketing, says, ‘This national recognition was a significant achievement for us – being Overall Winners was a delightful surprise. It reflects the hard work of our entire team.’
• RIDBA is the leading trade association for the modern agriculture and industrial buildings industry in the UK.
Excellent craftsmanship and a dedication to sustainable practices have once again propelled Cradle to Grave to the top. Cath and Tosh Abbott work from their Withysmythe workshop in North Dorset, and they have just been awarded ‘Coffin Supplier of the Year’ for the third time, as announced by the prestigious Good Funeral Awards, run by the Association of Green Funeral Directors – a national non-profit organisation working to help the public find green funeral directors, and to bring the principle of an ecofriendly funeral into the mainstream.
Cradle to Grave, known for its impeccable artistry in crafting beautiful, bespoke willow products, specialise in producing coffins and caskets with willow sourced from local, sustainable resources. Cath and Tosh are skilled basket makers, and have been basket and coffin weaving for more than 20 years. They weave their willow caskets using traditional age-old methods passed down through generations of basket weavers, using traditional weaves and handcrafted tools, made by local blacksmiths, which haven’t changed in centuries. All Cradle to Grave coffins are lovingly handwoven
in Dorset. Their commitment to producing biodegradable and eco-friendly products resonates with a growing environmentally-conscious audience – even in their final rites.
Cat expressed profound gratitude, stating she is ‘very proud and honoured’ by the recognition. This win reaffirms Cradle to Grave’s position as a beacon of excellence in the UK’s funeral industry.
I c a n f a c e t h e w i n t e r w i t h
c a l m C r i s p a n d s p a r k l i n g
d a y s , l o n g p l e a s a n t e v e n i n g s ,
c h e e r y f i r e s . G o o d w o r k s h a l l
b e d o n e t h i s w i n t e r . L i f e s h a l l
b e l i v e d w e l l . T h e e n d o f t h e
s u m m e r i s n o t t h e e n d o f t h e
w o r l d . H e r e ' s t o O c t o b e r .
– A A Milne
G O T S O M E N E W S ?
G e t i n t o u c h w i t h L a u r a o n e d i t o r @ B V m a g a z i n e . c o . u k
T H I N K Y O U R B U S I N E S S W O U L D
M A K E A G O O D F E A T U R E ?
G O T A S U G G E S T I O N F O R A L O C A L
P E R S O N Y O U ' D L I K E T O S E E S H A R E
T H E I R D O R S E T I S L A N D D I S C S ?
S e n d a q u i c k e m a i l t o 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 :
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
P R O D U C T I O N
S C H E D U L E :
N e x t P u b l i c a t i o n D a t e :
0 1 2 5 8 4 7 2 5 7 2 ( d e a d l i n e 2 7 t h O c t o b e r ) 3 r d N o v e m b e r
T h e n
1 2 t h J a n u a r y 1 s t D e c e m b e r
E X C E P T J A N U A R Y , p u b l i c a t i o n a l w a y s f i r s t F r i d a y o f t h e m o n t h , b o o k i n g d e a d l i n e a l w a y s t h e F r i d a y p r i o r t o p u b l i s h i n g
October sunset from Okeford Hill