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NEWS Planning issues , re-discovered 1980s Bourton and ancient floodplain
BOURTON, 1983 a rediscovered film gives a window to the past
BUCKED IN THE YARN Three Somerset villages affecting global trade
ST BASIL’S FONT THE ALLURE OF a mysterious Saxon font in Toller Fratrum
JENNIE GILBERT Fanny Charles talks to the Chalke valley potter
CHARLES CHURCH
From washing dishes in Newmarket to Royal commissions, the master of the equestrian portrait
Charles Church answers the 19 random questions
Dorset County Show Special –galloping into September with horses, fire and fun
Contact The BV Team: 01258 472572
Mon-Fri 9-5.30
Editor: Laura Hitchcock
editor@BVmagazine.co.uk
Bees at risk: can we stop the hornet invasion? Asian hornets pose a growing threat to Britain’s pollinators and to agriculture – experts call for public help to stop their rapid spread
HEAD GROOM STACEY
Jess Rimmer looks behind the scenes of a top eventing yard to talk routine, doughnuts ... and Fairy Liquid
COMMUNITY NEWS 20 pages of news, reviews, puzzles and politics
LOCAL HISTORY a look at Milborne St Andrew and Hinton St Mary
WHAT’S ON Seven pages of what’s coming up this month
Advertising: Courtenay Hitchcock
advertising@BVmagazine.co.uk
Sub-editors: Gay Pirrie-Weir Fanny Charles
WILDLIFE Baby barn owls, brilliant bryophytes ... and tap dancing mice!
TAKE A HIKE Beautiful circular walk from Win Green to Tollard Royal
READER’S PHOTOGRAPHY 12 stunning shots from August
Dinah’s Hollow decision is ‘null and void’ Councillor lodges complaint after ‘unbelievable administrative error’ – poor communications meant invitations were not sent out for C13 meeting
FOOD AND DRINK
The Real Cure’s charcuterie hobby that got out of hand, LLTL awards night, and Heather’s raspberry jam
There’s something about September that invites reflection – for me it feels far more like a ‘new year’ than January ever does. After the frantic energy whirl of summer, September always feels like a great big gulp of fresh air, a deep breath and a pause as we balance the last warm days of summer (she says as the rain continues to pelt the windows) with the early morning hints of the cool damp months ahead. For me, it’s a reminder that life is about balance – between busy and rest, work and play, sociable and solitude. August was not a month of balance at BV HQ as we ended up publishing five publications – we have been working with the G&S Show, Clayesmore Classic & Supercar Sunday, Dorset County Show ... and we’ve also been frantically
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OUT OF DOORS Garden jobs, and Barry Cuff’s allotment round up
FARMING Harvest’s done at Rawston, and Andrew’s been stung
HEALTH Social media detox, and the risks of tasty ultra processed foods
working on the soon-to-be-published Frome Cheese Show magazine too. Combine those with the normal monthly load that is the BV, and add the fact that Courtenay is still recovering but not quite well yet, and we are frankly ready for the big pause button that September will bring. Thank goodness for an amazing team, great friends ... and for coffee.
We have attended as many events around the county this month as we’ve been able –if you’re organising an event, we’re always happy to be invited! – and we are excited to be welcoming in September at the Dorset County Show this weekend. Looking at the forecast currently, I fear the posh wellies will be pulled on for the occasion. You can thank C for the rain, by the way – he bought us a new umbrella ‘just in case’...
by Fanny Charles
Dinah’s Hollow decision is ‘null and void’
Looking north up Dinah’s Hollow from the Melbury Abbas end Images: Gay Pirrie-Weir
Councillor lodges complaint after ‘unbelievable administrative error’ –poor communications meant invitations were not sent out for C13 meeting
‘Dorset Council has screwed up.’
That is the stark and critical view of Beacon ward councillor Jane Somper after she realised that consultees and objectors had not received notice of the council’s strategic planning and technical committee meeting on Monday 2nd September.
As I arrived at County Hall for the meeting, it was surprising that there were no protesters with ‘Save Dinah’s Hollow’ posters and placards outside the building. It was even more surprising that there were no members of the public or representatives of organisations including CPRE and the Cranborne Chase National Landscape (formerly the AONB) in the council chamber. And the chairman of Melbury Abbas and Cann Parish Council was not there to give a statement.
Cllr Somper, who had notified all the parish councils in her ward of the meeting, was horrified and angry when she discovered that Richard Burden, landscape officer of Cranborne Chase National Landscape, and statutory consulates (such as parish councils), and representatives of the conservation group CPRE and other objectors had received no official invitation to the meeting. The mistake means that another meeting must be
held and it will be on Monday 30th September. ‘I was told that due to an administrative error, the invitations were not sent out, so the council will have to hold the meeting again,’ says Cllr Somper. ‘It means the decision [to approve a tree felling order] is null and void.’
She has taken the serious step of making a formal complaint to Dorset Council chief executive Matt Prosser – ‘It is the right thing to do in this situation.’ And she has also written to all her parish councils to tell them about the new date.
‘Dorset
2019 and again in May this year. She says: ‘I have never made a complaint at this level and I did not do so lightly.’
Council has screwed up.’
On Thursday, she received a reply from the corporate director at Dorset Council, apologising for the administrative error that meant that people who had made written representations on the planning portal had not been informed of the date of the strategic planning committee meeting.
The text of the letter reads as follows:
‘Dorset Council has screwed up,’ she told the BV. ‘It is ridiculous. It is unbelievable. This is a basic tick-box requirement. It is vital that people have the opportunity to have their views heard.’
Cllr Somper is a Conservative, but she stresses that this is not a party political issue – it is a matter of administrative error by council officers. ‘I am so cross,’ she says.
No regard
She was first elected as a North Dorset district councillor in 2011, re-elected in 2015 and elected to the new unitary authority in
‘We have investigated the circumstances of this error, and it appears that the planning officer dealing with the case went on sick leave halfway through the process and when other colleagues picked up their work, it wasn’t realised that people who made written representations had not been informed of the meeting date. ‘Our initial questioning of the course of events suggests that the underlying issue may be one of ownership in that a team leader takes overall ownership of the agendas for Area Planning Committees but Strategic and Technical
being council-wide is shared by everyone but not led by one named manager in the same way, so this may have created the circumstances for the error to occur. However, we need to test this conclusion a bit further to ensure it is correct; when we have done so, we will put a process in place to ensure that a similar situation does not recur in the future.
‘The problem with the agenda was compounded by poor communication at the point it became known. Naively, it was treated simply as an administrative error that could be corrected at a future meeting, without any real regard to the public sensitivities and emotions that surround the Dinah’s Hollow project.
‘Fortunately, the error was identified before a formal decision notice was issued, so we do not have to go through a legal process to rescind a notice, we can bring the report back to the Strategic and Technical Planning Committee on 30th September and this time ensure that people are informed of the date of the meeting. We will do this by letter later today.’
Work
with us
intending to go and speak at the meeting, ‘but I couldn’t make it in the end.’ As it happened, that did not matter.
He was angry, but not surprised, by the administrative error. He and his council don’t believe that the planning department properly reads written submissions or values local opinions and that important organisations were not consulted (The BV has confirmed that Dorset Wildlife Trust was not consulted in this case).
‘We would like to try to work with Dorset Council to resolve the situation,’ said Mr Webber. ‘It could save millions of pounds and time. But there is a pointblank refusal to talk to us. We say talk – don’t declare war.’
‘We say talk – don’t declare war’
The meeting was called to discuss a Tree Works Application to remove trees covered by a Tree Preservation Order along the hollow. This would be the first step towards stabilisation work on the holloway. The council plans to fell a revised number of 68 trees (down from the previous 90-plus), clear undergrowth and insert bank-strengthening materials including soil nails, to prevent what is said to be a serious risk of a landslip.
longer than usual, because of potential delays with necessary compulsory purchase orders. It could be three years or more before the work on stabilisation actually happens.
Why wait, if it is so dangerous?
Objectors point out that the Holloway is environmentally and culturally important, and home to rare and endangered creatures, including dormice, bats, and 13 red or yellow-listed bird species.
The hollow, south of Shaftesbury on the C13 road to Blandford, may be a remnant of the ancient forest which once covered this area of the Blackmore Vale: ‘It isn’t just any old holloway,’ says David Webber, whose family has lived in the area for at least 200 years. ‘I find it ironic that Dorset Council has just last month declared a nature emergency.’
Both Cllr Somper and local resident Sara Jacson have raised the reasonable question, if Dinah’s Hollow is so dangerous, how can the work wait the three years or more for the compulsory purchase order process?
‘I asked this, and was told “that’s why we put up the concrete barriers”,’ says Cllr Somper.
Parish council chairman David
The approval for the tree works
Mrs Jacson, who has lived at the bottom of Dinah’s Hollow in Melbury Abbas for more than 30 years, told the BV: ‘It seems that Dorset Council is prepared to spend £8 million pounds on Dinah’s Hollow to fell trees and wreck undergrowth by aggressive nailing of metal sheeting. Why?
‘Because it is alleged that the hollow could collapse.
‘And why, if as alleged there is potential danger of a serious fall, are we still allowed to drive through? The hollow has been worn by millennia of feet, both human and animal. The trees shelter wildlife and their root structure is dense and effective in retaining soil.’
Looking south down Dinah’s Hollow from Cann Common
by Rachael Rowe
David versus Goliath
Controversy in Henstridge: Council overrides local opposition and greenlights 130-home development despite safety concerns and infrastructure challenges
When 266 residents formally write to complain about a housing proposal and more than 80 people turn up at a planning meeting to make their feelings known, it’s clear that the community is genuinely concerned about a proposed development.
Stalbridge, Henstridge and Templecombe straddle the Dorset/Somerset border, and all have experienced several large planning applications in the last few years, all of which have added pressure to the A357 corridor which winds through the villages and onwards to the A30 and A303. Now, a further large development in the Townsend Green area of Henstridge has raised questions as to how planning applications are decided and infrastructure provided.
The road through Henstridge
For more than five years, developers have been seeking permission to build 130 houses on a field in Henstridge from which traffic would flow onto an already congested A road, with an alternate route affecting a school run. The development was unanimously rejected by South Somerset District
Council in January 2018, and on appeal a directive was imposed, preventing construction until the issue of pedestrian safety on the A357 in Henstridge had been resolved.
Many homes in the centre of Henstridge are listed, built at a time before cars existed, let alone the number present today. Doors open directly onto what is now the A357. The village has no mains gas supply: deliveries such as heating oil must be done from the street, sometimes bringing traffic to a standstill. In parts there is no pavement, in others are narrow pinch points. Passing places are very limited, and two large lorries are unable to pass without stopping on an A road. Any major building development would need to carefully consider the implications of increased traffic flow and pedestrian safety.
Refused and then agreed
In April this year, Somerset Council unanimously refused the Henstridge application. The developers appealed, and a date was set for a hearing by the Planning Inspectorate for 6th October. Henstridge Parish Council engaged Counsel and began preparing for the appeal. But the process was stopped in its tracks when parish councillors discovered that a meeting had been scheduled on 29th July between the developers, Barratt David Homes, the planning inspector and Somerset Council. The meeting was to be held in private, and Henstridge Parish Council had to apply to attend.
Henstridge councillor Adrian Gaymer explained: ‘A “Statement of Common Ground” was discussed at the end of the meeting, which had been signed on 24th and 25th July by all parties. The copy requested by our representative showed that the only part of the appeal still in dispute was the condition that dealt with pedestrian safety, and how to achieve it to everyone’s satisfaction. The inspector asked everyone to focus on this condition alone.’
However, at some stage on the same day the developers proposed a scheme for the discharge of
Plans for 130 homes on Woodhayes Way in Henstridge by Roberts Limbrick Architects
conditions of condition 10iii to Somerset Council. That scheme was not disclosed to Henstridge Parish Council for eight days and is now visible on the Somerset Council Planning Portal as 24/01727/DOC1. Councillor Gaymer continued: ‘Four days later, on Friday 2nd August, we understand that this proposal was officially agreed by the planning officer and condition 10 in all three parts was discharged as acceptable, hence building could start. On Tuesday 6th August planning officer John Hammond emailed the parish council to break the news to us that condition 10 had been discharged.’
This case is one that was unanimously rejected by elected councillors in April this year – it raises questions as to how council officers can make decisions on planning. Somerset Council has to deal with hundreds of decisions each week and if each one were to go to a committee there would be countless delays. However, the council’s constitution allows decisions to be delegated to officers in specific circumstances, primarily for business continuity. As the developers submitted an application for a discharge of conditions it is automatically delegated to a planning officer to make a decision. The Highways Authority also had no objections to the application. It is unclear from the documents on the planning portal whether a site visit was carried out or whether the decision was made from a desk. Efforts by BV Magazine to speak directly to the planning department were fruitless. A spokesperson from Somerset Council said: ‘This is an extremely complex application but it comes down to a matter of process. Requests for planning permission, or varying conditions for planning permission, are eligible to be called for discussion at a planning committee. Planning matters which relate specifically to the discharge of conditions are dealt with through delegated responsibility which means that an officer has delegated authority for decision-making and they are not called into a committee.’
the Traffic Regulation Order removed and to work on alternative arrangements with Somerset Council. Naturally, local people are incensed.
How will pedestrians be kept safe?
As the A357 in the centre of Henstridge is narrow, various suggestions have been proposed over the years but assessed to be unworkable. Now, the new plan will see “pedestrians in the road” signs indicating there is no pavement for 350 yards placed in the affected area on the A357, a 20mph zone on the High Street, and traffic flow prioritisation signage.
The Henstridge case raises questions about who really decides the future of our rural villages and communities
Will that make pedestrians, horse riders and cyclists safer? Given that two large lorries cannot pass each other on the A357, the increase in building development in Henstridge and other parts of Somerset and Dorset will see some interesting encounters on the road.
A spokesperson from Barratt David Homes said: ‘We appreciate the community’s ongoing interest in the Henstridge development and are working closely with Somerset Council officers to move the project forward responsibly. The development will benefit the local area, with a strong focus on the safety and wellbeing of residents and road users.
‘By working with the council we aim to address concerns and improve local infrastructure to support the entire community.’
However, the entire case raises several issues. Firstly, while there is no doubt that additional affordable housing for local people is needed, the appropriate infrastructure is not in place. Parts of Somerset and Dorset now have roads that are no longer fit for purpose and need to be radically redesigned due to the larger volume of traffic that no green policy will resolve overnight.
The case has similarities to the Foxes Run development in Castle Cary, where planning has been refused mainly due to inadequate access to the site, and is also awaiting appeal. In this case, the developer Abri has submitted an application to have
Then there’s the decision-making process around planning developments, particularly where there have been significant and sustained objections relating to infrastructure. The Henstridge case raises questions about who really decides the future of our rural villages and communities. We should all be vigilant with the developments that impact infrastructure, and, in a democracy, local voices should be heard and heeded.
Bees at risk: can we stop the hornet invasion?
Asian hornets pose a growing threat to Britain’s pollinators and to agriculture – experts call for public help to stop their rapid spread
The UK ecosystem is under attack by invaders. It’s not a new story ... grey squirrels have almost wiped out the native reds ... signal crayfish threaten the existence of our native white-clawed crayfish ... It seems wherever man is in the world, we manage to wreck the biodiversity by meddling in what should be left alone.
‘All Asian hornets in Europe have descended from a single queen,’ says Somerset Beekeepers Association president Anne Ashford. She told the BV: ‘It’s thought she arrived in France in 2004, hidden in a consignment of pottery. From that one queen, we now have huge numbers of hornets.’
Anne says that for 20 years Asian hornets have been slowly decimating the European pollinator’s ecosystem. She says: ‘Where they have established in Europe, they are predating on pollinating insects, including honeybees. We can see they have actually reduced pollination rates.
‘To keep an Asian Hornet nest going, they need to feed protein to their larvae, and that protein comes from honey bees. For example, if the Asian hornets discover a hive, it’s like a supermarket for them … just a massive, ready-to-eat supply of honeybees, which they grab, dissect on the wing and take only the thorax back for their larvae.’
A hive is a ready-to-eat supply of honeybees which they grab, dissect on the wing, and take the thorax back for their larvae
The general perception is that this is mainland Europe’s problem, but the hornets have been spotted in East Sussex and Kent this year. ‘They’re an incredibly adaptable insect. When they originally arrived in France, the general thinking was that “Oh, they’ll never survive this far north in Europe”. Well, they have. We know they’ve gone as far north as York in the UK.
‘With favourable winds, they can travel across the channel, where there are a lot of Asian hornets. They can also travel in people’s cars, caravans, on consignments of wood, lorry loads of cauliflowers ... All these have brought Asian hornets into the UK and of course
then deposited them around the country.’
The first Asian hornet – sometimes known as yellow-legged hornets – discovered in the UK was in Tetbury, Gloucestershire, in 2016. The nest was traced and destroyed, but 23 confirmed sightings and 14 further nests were found over the next six years. Then, in 2023, the UK experienced an unprecedented number of Asian hornet incursions with 72 nests found in 56 locations.
Don’t kill them
The first week of September is Asian Hornet Week, launched by the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) as they look for more help from the public to spot and identify the pollinators’ predator. Anne, who has a background in journalism and is now the editor of the BBKA Newsletter, says that it isn’t as simple as just killing the insects when you see them. She explains: ‘What we need is to identify them, track them back to the nest, and then destroy that. So beekeepers and the public are the most fantastic resources on the ground.’
Asian Hornets are rather like large black wasps: slightly smaller than our European hornet (yellow body, brown legs), they have an orange face, yellow legs and one yellow band on their abdomen. You can use the BBKA website to help you identify what you’ve got – if you suspect it’s an Asian hornet then take a photo and report it: the easiest way is through the Asian Hornet Watch app, or via this online form.
‘That starts the triage process,’ says Anne. ‘Then the National Bee Unit decides whether or not to send its squad of bee inspectors to monitor and track and trace back to the nest.’
If the numbers of the hornets continue to rise, they will become a huge threat to all of our pollinators, not just bees. On their hunt for protein, the hornets will kill dragonflies, bumblebees, butterflies and more. Beekeepers will be able to protect their apiaries with traps, but at great cost. There is, however, an additional risk to humans. ‘There’s a lot of research going into how bad the hornet sting is by comparison with other stings. In certain parts of Europe, some people who have been stung are being hospitalised – a few have died. We’ve yet to find out whether that’s a personal
allergic reaction, or if it’s more to do with the hornet’s venom. Is it more dangerous than other venoms? I don’t know.’
Never just a hobby
In general, the Asian hornets shouldn’t be a threat to humans – unless you are directly attacking its nest – but, as with wasps, the hornets are attracted to sweet food. They could be after your picnic or your garden fruit tree.
In France, this has made the vineyards a real hive of activity for the hornets: ‘When a hornet feeds its larvae, it gets a sweet reward from the larvae,’ Anne explains. ‘When the larvae emerge as hornets the adults then begin seeking that reward from nectar and vineyards are a prime location for them to feed on the grapes. This not only spoils the fruit but is also dangerous if you’re the one picking the harvest! The same applies if you have cherry or plum trees – they would also be attractive. Anywhere a wasp would go, the Asian hornet can be there.’
Anne picked up beekeeping after her children grew up and left home. For her, beekeeping is a ‘whole magical world ready to be explored’.
Calling beekeeping ‘a hobby’ perhaps undermines how vital bees – and all pollinators – are to our ecosystem.
‘If the bee disappeared off the face of the earth, man would only have four years left to live.’ – not the words of Anne Ashford but of Albert Einstein. Pollinators affect 35 per cent of global agricultural land, and figures published by Friends of the Earth estimate that the annual value of crops produced in the UK with the assistance of pollinators is £691m. ‘There is a lot of research is going on all over Europe into Asian hornets and their impact – not just on honeybees and honey production but also more widely on pollination and horticulture, viticulture, agriculture ... There’s no easy answer for our pollinators. Sadly, I think the only solution is for everybody to be vigilant and to keep reporting.’
• For more information see the British Beekeepers Association bbka.org.uk
• Do not under any circumstances disturb or provoke an active hornets’ nest.
Wildflower planting at conservation farm
Native plants can help to boost biodiversity on the ancient floodplain meadows beside the Stour at the CRT’s Bere Marsh Farm
A team of Dorset conservation officers and volunteers has begun a project to plant native wildflowers and meadow grasses at Bere Marsh Farm near Shillingstone, aimed at enhancing biodiversity on the Stour floodplain fields.
The 92-acre Bere Marsh Farm, between the old Somerset and Dorset railway line and the river, is owned by the Countryside Regeneration Trust, a charity promoting nature-friendly farming to help reverse the biodiversity decline and combat climate change.
The team will be reseeding a total of one hectare with brush-harvested seed from floodplain meadows managed by Wiltshire Wildlife Trust. The plan is to increase coverage over the rest of the floodplain fields at Bere Marsh in future years (a total of 13.5ha).
The CRT head of conservation and land management Helena Darragh explains why the project is so important: ‘Species-rich floodplain meadow habitat in Britain has dramatically declined due to agricultural intensification, urban and industrial development of these flat, low-lying and fertile areas, as well as alterations to their hydrology through changes to river systems.
‘Due to their proximity to watercourses, speciesrich floodplain meadows were once the most productive fields on farms, receiving their nutrients each year through highly fertile silt deposited on the land during flood events. This special value has decreased with fertiliser now used more widely across farm holdings and high yielding grasses selected to grow hay or silage adding to the overall loss of this biodiverse habitat.’
An annual cycle
Floodplain meadows are characterised by diverse herb-rich swards and feature the iconic great burnet (Sanguisorba officinalis) plant with its crinkle-cut leaves, producing beautiful burgundy seed heads in summer. Other wildflowers include common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) and meadow vetchling (Lathyrus pratensis). ‘These magnificent
habitats contribute to nature-friendly farm practices through providing a valuable nutritious source of food for livestock,’ says Helena. During winter and spring months, floodplain meadows are often inundated with floodwater, providing nesting and feeding habitat for a huge array of birdlife. As the ground becomes drier, livestock can be let on to graze the early grass growth, before being shut out to allow wildflowers to come through and produce a herb-rich hay crop, and so the cycle comes full circle.
Native wildflower seeds need contact with bare soil to germinate so machinery is used to scratch the top surface of vegetation away to create perfect conditions for sowing.
‘It may not look much at first, but keep an eye out in the spring and summer next year for a boost in wildflower abundance on these fields, providing pollen and nectar for a range of pollinators,’ adds Helena. ‘With the UK now subject to more short, sharp downpours in winter months (and throughout the year) ensuring our floodplains function more effectively by storing water helps to alleviate flooding downstream and reduce soil erosion, providing benefits to local communities.’
• Established in 1993, the Countryside Regeneration Trust (CRT) takes a holistic view of why the countryside matters, viewing wildlife, food production, employment, economics and development as all essential.
lowland
Volunteers sowing wildflower seed in areas where the top layer of vegetation has been stripped Volunteers and
Dorset County Show gallops in with horses, fire and fun
It’s show week, and as we publish the Dorset County Show is officially counting down to an action-packed weekend of rural celebration on 7th and 8th of September. Get ready for fire jumping kids on motorbikes, one of the UK’s top team of Liberty horses, more alpacas than you can shake a stick at (don’t do that), giant pumpkins, the competition to find the waggiest tail in Dorset ... This is by far Dorset’s biggest rural celebration.
Headlining the show are the Atkinson Action Horses, and Dorset County Show is excited to welcome, for his first ever appearance in Dorset, internationally renowned Ben Atkinson and his Liberty horses. Their phenomenal display is set to be a highlight, and not to be missed.
The IMPs Motorcycle Display team will also be revving up the
crowds with their fire jumps, cross-over routines, and aweinspiring pyramids. They’re an inner-city charity project which has transformed into a world-renowned motorcycle display team with a reputation for breathtaking stunts and
disciplined teamwork
There’s plenty for the whole family (and kids go FREE!), with a feast of hands-on fun like Tomahawk Throwing and of course they can get up close and personal with thousands of animals. Stretching over 100
acres, visitors can browse more than 350 trade stalls, and once they’ve built up an appetite can dive into the largest ever food hall at the show. Pop up micro pubs will be dotted around the site so that tired bodies can relax and kick back up on the hill with its festival vibe. The 2024 Dorset County Show will see the very best of the
region’s cows, pigs, sheep and goats competing. There’ll be the exciting sheep shearing, giant pumpkins (weighing more than 1,000lbs!), falconry displays, the mounted Pony Club games, dog agility, steam engines, showjumping and a live blacksmith’s forge. Watch the artisans in Crafters Avenue, see prize-winning dahlias and don’t
forget to pause at the Heavy Horse Village to pet everyone’s favourite gentle giants
Sampling the delights ... With a full programme of demonstrations, stalls and displays, this is a major event for the agricultural sector and a joyful end-of-harvest celebration for the whole county.
‘It’s been amazing seeing the showground come to life over the last few weeks,’ says James Cox, the Dorset County Show organiser. ‘It’s a cliché, but it really is such a massive team effort, and everyone is working incredibly hard to put on what we’re confident will be the best show yet. Personally I can’t wait to see the Atkinson Action Horses. I’m also still a farmer at heart, so I’m a sucker for the vintage tractor displays. And I always manage to get away for a quick stroll through the Food Hall, sampling as I go...’
• dorsetcountyshow.co.uk
Watching the sheep shearing competitions – see professional shearers battle it out in a fast-paced, adrenaline-fueled showdown!
YOUR GUIDE TO FREE FUN AT THE COUNTY SHOW
The County Show team have rounded up their no-cost favourites of what to see and do away from the Main Ring and livestock classes
NEW FOR 2024 is the chance to try Tomahawk Throwing! You can find it in the Woodland Area – just turn up to have a go, courtesy of Buddens Activity Centre.
There's a whole heap of free activities in the Fabulous Food & Farming Section – It's a hands-on area tracing the journey of food from field to fork. Try milking a cow, some giant puzzles, have a go at Farming Simulator or maybe drive the remote controlled tractors!
While you're in the Countryside Area you can watch the blur that is the Dorset Axemen: be ready to be amazed at the speed and accuracy of their razor sharp axes and saws.
Opposite them in the Countryside Ring you can watch the Xtreme Falconry display team – these amazing birds of prey are superspeedy flyers who will amaze you with their daring dexterity – and the Gun Dog Display. And yes, it's so much more than a game of fetch! Watch the skill of a trained gun dog in action as these intelligent animals demonstrate their remarkable obedience and retrieval skills.
The Steam Engine Section offers the sights and smells of the past, and near the Vintage Ring every farmer's heart will be happy at the sight of the vintage tractors Everyone loves to Meet a Heavy Horse – just head to the Heavy Horse Village and you can not only see them
parading and competing but also go and say hello ... and stroke some giant velvet noses too.
The Sheep Shearing competitions are another unmissable spectacle – watch as professional shearers battle it out in a fastpaced, adrenaline-fueled showdown!
Up in the Hill Top Zone
Make your way to the Hill Top Zone, where a busy timetable of exciting entertainment is sure to keep you busy. The Mounted Pony Club Games are incredibly exciting, demanding skill, agility and split-second timing. It's so much fun to watch – think school sports day, but on a pony! There's also the thrill of the Shetland Pony Racing – cheer the junior jockeys over the jumps in a spectacular showcase of speed and short-legged spirit!
You can see Toby Hoad and his three sturdy Comtois – Ettie, Celine and Fleur – French mountain draft horses demonstrate the art of Heavy Horse Logging. Toby, who lives in Dorset, is one of only 12 UK full-time horse loggers: a 10,000 year-old skill which is enjoying new-found popularity within modern conservation work.
And of course – everyone's favourite dancing sheep can be found at The Sheep Show. No matter how many times you've watched it before, you always stop to listen, learn something new, laugh a lot ... and never fail to fall in love with Dougie, Nobby, Belinda and co.
And finally, when your feet are aching and you're in need of refreshment, head to the Food & Drink area. Wander the Food Hall and try all the samples, and then head outside for a sit down by the music tent, listen to the live bands and relax under the gentle flap of the festival flags.
• DorsetCountyShow.co.uk
ALPACALYPSE NOW
We're all set for a woolly good time at the County Show's new alpaca section
New to Dorset County Show this year is the Alpaca Section – containing around 120 alpacas! Not to be confused with llamas – their bigger, grumpier relatives with the banana-sized ears – alpacas have small, blunt faces with short ears and gentle, inquisitive temperaments. Their fleece is highly prized: it is incredibly soft, is three times warmer than sheep's wool and is the second strongest animal fibre after mohair. Alpacas have been used for fleece production for thousands of years –originally natives to South America, they are part of the camel family, Camelidae. British alpaca breeding stock is prized across Europe, where
DUBONNET AND FLYTE
the UK is seen as the number one country for quality alpaca.
‘We have breeders visiting the show from Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, Italy and Norway,’ says Tim Hey, British Alpaca Society halter and fleece judge, Dorset alpaca farmer – with a herd of more than 300 alpacas – and the man behind the Alpaca Section at the show.
‘We have around 120 alpacas being exhibited across the two days of the show, and they will all be available to meet in the alpaca section. We’d love it if visitors come along the lines to see the animals, chat to the exhibitors, meet and maybe handle the alpacas ... and perhaps learn a little about keeping them, either as pets or for business.
‘We held our fleece judging two weeks before the show, and the 100 judged fleeces will all be on display in the marquee too. In between competing in classes we’ll be running a series of free talks and demonstrations – anything from how to keep alpacas, what they’re good for, what we’re looking for when we judge them ... and what to look for when you’re buying them! We’ll make a
Fun alpaca facts:
• Alpaca babies are called crias
• Alpacas live for 20 to 25 years
• There are no wild alpacas – the alpaca is the domesticated version of the vicuña
• There are two different breeds of alpacas: the huacaya (pronounced wa-ky-ya) and the Suri. Huacaya fleece is crimpy, fluffy, and has a springy bounce while Suri fleece is long and silky, and hangs in twisted locks.
good mix of education and fun, and it’ll be entertaining for anyone to stop and watch, whether you have no intention of ever owning an alpaca, or are considering starting a herd!’
There will be an alpaca selfie booth, kids alpaca art and various alpaca products on sale too.
AN EXHIBITOR WINS A ROSETTE IN THE YOUNG HANDLERS CLASS
Forty years on: the Bourton Village Video
A window to 1983 – a time when the village suffered endless traffic jams, but there were two pubs and two shops ... and the school burned down
Forty years ago, community activists Sue and John Holman and Trevor Bailey decided to make a video about the North Dorset village of Bourton and its people. In the intervening years the film has been largely forgotten – but now the original tapes have been digitised by Windrose Media Trust, which was founded by Trevor Bailey, and this piece of social history is once again available to watch. Trevor, John and Sue, who had worked together as the Trilith charity for many years on oral history, archive and film projects, were central to
efforts to influence the local authority over Bourton’s traffic problems – including a march of protest down the main road which attracted national media attention – and to the successful campaign to get the local pub re-opened after its closure by an unsympathetic brewery. They wanted to make a record of the community as it was in 1983 and, in the process, help residents old and new to understand a little more about each other’s viewpoints. Rural life had changed massively since the 1960s and would continue to do so. There
Farmer
Geoff Miller, midharvest, talks about farm life in the 1980s ‘Conditions are better than they’ve ever been!’
was much that needed to be expressed. The video was a rather amateur effort, filmed on semi professional borrowed equipment which, by modern standards, was primitive. Made in three parts, it totals about two hours 20 minutes. It took a vast amount of work, but was eventually completed and made available to the community on VHS tapes. Part of the aim was to involve the BBC, which made and broadcast a 26-minute documentary about the creation of the Bourton Village Video. Subsequently a small booklet was published, partly to encourage other villages to use the media in a similar way. The upshot was that Bourton had an unusual moment in the public consciousness.
The old master tapes have lain unused for many years. Quite often people who remember the project have asked if the video could be restored and made available again, and now at last that has happened. The original tapes have been digitised by Windrose Rural Media Trust and, although they have developed a few faults over the years, have
survived remarkably well. When the film was made, east and west-bound traffic on the A303 all went through the middle of Bourton and the adjoining village of Zeals. The milk factory was in full swing, employing around 70 people. The first new estates, Mill Rise and New Close, had been fairly recently built, and the contentious sale of council houses was advanced. In 1983 the village had two garages and two pubs, and June and Trevor Griffin had revived the fortunes of the old shop.
Many local people feature in the film – some have died or moved away, others who were children at the time are now middle-aged. Memories captured on video stretch back to both world wars. Former soldier Ken Harcourt vividly remembers his first sight when he disembarked at Bombay Docks ... a crane made by the iron foundry, Hindleys of Bourton. “Pop” Suter talks about the introduction of navy blue PE knickers at the school. The whole community’s dear friend, the late Fran Summerfield, is glimpsed in a most uncharacteristic curly hairdo – and which she got rid of the next week!
Local forester Roger Moores appears at the age of about 12, wise beyond his years. His grandfather, Jack, happily bursts
The final episode ends with seemingly the entire village enjoying a country dance
into song, remembering an evening at the pub in his youth.
Lifelong Bourton residents Gerald Moores and Danny Lawes have a strong grain of truth in their tersley phrased opinions. Farmer Geoff Miller is filmed in the harvest field beside his tractor, telling how he thought of leaving for another life at the age of 18 – but ‘that soon passed!’.
Hopes of the 80s teenagers
Many newer residents were interviewed, too. Tom Mitchell, then clerk to the parish council, talks about how Bourton can get its needs recognised in the wider world. People who live
on the new estates give their perspective. Passers-by, stopping for petrol, are asked to guess about the nature of the village and what goes on there.
A teenaged Ruth Whitehand and a group of her contemporaries sit on the grass and contemplate the lives before them. The school features strongly, as do the children of the time. The roles of the church and the doctor’s surgery are covered and the then quite new village hall appears, as do many corners of the village as they were in 1983. And there are all the advertisements for Bourton businesses.
In the middle of shooting one of the village’s great disasters happens: the school burns down. That provokes many reflections. But at the end of the video the hall is full of Bourton people. The village dances.
• Many thanks are due to James Harrison of Windrose Rural Media Trust and James Harrison Productions who undertook all of the technical work necessary. All three parts of the Bourton Village Video are freely available to view on the Windrose Rural Media Trust website , or find them on YouTube by searching ‘ The Bourton Village Video’
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Columbia and Shamrock compete in the 1899 America’s Cup –both were equipped with Coker canvas sails, at the insistence of Sir Thomas Lipton
Bucked in the Yarn
Three small Somerset villages had a huge impact on global exploration and trade – Rachael Rowe talks to Professor Terry Stevens
“Nothing much ever happened at West Coker. No great man ever lived or died there. It was never the centre of great industry nor the source of widespreading trade.”
When Professor Terry Stevens read a book called The Annals of West Coker during lockdown, he was struck by the above opening sentences, penned by Sir Matthew Nathan in the 1930s. It inspired him to research further, to tell the story of how, for more than 300 years, the villages of East and West Coker produced the finest sailcloth in the world, used by explorers, traders, pirates and the Royal Navy. ‘I was born in East Coker. As you become older, you become more quizzical, and I realised I had grown up accepting strange names of places like Rethy Ponds and Yarn Barton, and never really
asked how they got their names. There were fields called Guinea and South Sea. I had wondered why the primary school in East Coker overlooked the Dawes Webbing factory – in fact it was the original sailcloth works.
‘I think familiarity breeds invisibility. When I read that book by Sir Matthew Nathan I thought “How wrong could he be!” TS Eliot lived in East Coker for a while – my dad buried him in 1965. And William Dampier, who set foot on Australian soil before Captain Cook, came from there. His mother was one of those who grew flax for the sail industry. ‘I have worked mainly in the tourism industry as a consultant, travelling to 55 countries. In contrast, my father and mother never had a holiday – Dad never left East Coker. This book is more of a desire
to tell a story about an industry that few people realised was actually there.’
Coker cloth was the best
‘The sailing industry in the Cokers came about because the soil in the area meant that it was particularly good for growing the two main components, flax and hemp. From the 13th and 14th centuries onwards, flax and hemp were grown here and the yarn-making industry was here in William Dampier’s time.
‘I grew up with the saying “Bucked in the yarn rather than the piece” and never knew what it meant. I know now that “bucked” means to strengthen. What the people in the Cokers realised was that if they strengthened individual pieces of yarn in the sailcloth, instead of the completed woven piece, it would be much stronger. So they used an alkali process on the yarn – and Coker canvas lasted twice as long as any of the other sails made in Europe. People tried to copy the process but Coker canvas was always the best. It was the canvas of choice of both Lord Nelson and Kaiser Wilhelm II. One of the best sailcloth producers in the area was John Giles, and he produced the sailcloth for the Sovereign of the Seas, King Charles I‘s flagship. The Royal Navy commissioned Coker canvas as their sailcloth of choice, as did the US Navy and the German Navy. At one time, people in the Cokers were trading with Russia, Lithuania and the Baltics, and it’s known that these traders all stayed in one of the local pubs. West Coker issued their own tokens as currency, so that they would be spent locally by the traders. Some of these tokens have since been found in people’s gardens.’
The America’s Cup
Without Coker canvas, there would have been no
America’s Cup
The SS Great Western with its four masts complete with Coker canvas – image: SS Great Britain Trust
worked on the book for four years. ‘My job was a bit like a traditional weaver,’ he says. ‘I’m not a historian, but I wanted to tell the story. Richard Sims in Bridport has researched Coker canvas for years, and he focuses on the industrial process.
But I wanted to weave in other angles. Did William Dampier use Coker canvas? What did TS Eliot have to say about the trade – and why did he want to be buried in East Coker? I went to all these other sources and wove them into the story.
‘There were a few surprises, such as uncovering stories of bribery and industrial espionage. One of the discoveries was that the Bullock family were known for making the best sailcloth and they lived at North Coker House. They sold their home to the Maudsley family from Coventry, who invented the marine steam engine. And it’s that very steam engine that led to the decline of sailboats.
‘A further twist in the tale is that The SS Great Western, Brunel’s wooden-hulled paddle-wheel steamship, was designed to have sails and engines. Launched in 1838, it was the first ever enginepowered ship built to cross the world’s oceans, and on its first voyage, it used Coker canvas sails and a Maudsley engine.
One of the most exciting connections to the Coker canvas story is its link to the America’s Cup – the oldest international competition still operating in any sport, not just sailing. From 1899 to 1930, when Sir Thomas Lipton of the tea trade was involved, every boat had to sail with Coker canvas. Cowesbased Ratsey and Lapthorn, the world’s oldest sail-makers, insisted on using Coker cloth for the America’s Cup. Lipton famously said: “We will use Coker canvas.”
‘Without Coker canvas there would have been no America’s Cup,’ says Terry Stevens. ‘The company that makes the sailcloth still exists as Ratsey and Lapthorn, and they still make the sails for the America’s Cup today.’
Terry, who is a professor of international tourism,
‘As a further heritage project the Coker Rope and Sail Trust is getting Coker canvas sails made by a craft sailcloth company in Bristol. We’re working with the Boatbuilding Academy in Lyme Regis and aim to have them sailing next year.
“The story of Coker canvas is worthy of a Netflix film! However, what I’d really like is for every Somerset schoolchild to know this story, and how small rural communities genuinely influenced international trade and exploration.’
• To mark the links between Coker canvas and the America’s Cup, Terry’s book, Bucked In The Yarn, was launched on 29th August at the Ratsey and Lapthorn Sail Loft in Barcelona, where the 2024 LV America’s Cup is running until late October. The book will be published on 17th September by Graffeg and all royalties will go to the Coker Rope and Sail Trust. All royalties are being donated to the Coker Rope and Sail Trust.
St Basil’s mysterious, extraordinary font
The allure of a mysterious Saxon font in Toller Fratrum’s tiny church has fascinated artists for a century, says CPRE’s Rupert Hardy
In 1934, the artist John Piper drove 112 miles through the night from Henley-on-Thames with some friends just to see an extraordinary font in the tiny church of St Basil’s at Toller Fratrum in West Dorset.
Toller Fratrum is no more than a small, atmospheric hamlet of mostly thatched cottages and a single impressive 16th-century farm house, Little Toller Farm. Located down a one-way track near Maiden Newton, it was built largely by John Samways, who acquired the estate in 1540. The hamlet is now a dead end – earlier lanes to neighbouring villages have dwindled into farm tracks. Mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, the parish is very old and was held by the Knights Hospitallers in the medieval era. The Hospitallers were founded in the 11th century, during the first Crusade, as a religious order to care for the sick or injured pilgrims at their hospital in Jerusalem.
St Basil’s is a tiny, remote chapel
The isolated farming community of Toller Fratrum has always been mostly cut off from the modern world except when the railway was built through the parish. But it never had a station and the line closed in 1975.
John Piper was right. It is worth travelling many miles to see
The name is taken from its location on the brook formerly known as the Toller, which in Celtic means ‘hollow stream in a deep valley’ but is now called the Hooke. The addition of Fratrum is Latin for “of the brothers” – the knights of the Order.
The Hospitallers dedicated the church to St Basil, an obscure 4th century cleric who became the patron saint of hospitals. Noone seems to know how old the church is, but it is possibly Saxon, given the rounded shape of the churchyard. It may have been much larger than the present tiny Grade II* listed structure that is there now. The current stone and slate building was rebuilt in the Victorian period, probably on the foundations of the Preceptory chapel in which the Hospitallers would have worshipped. The exterior may be unprepossessing but within lurks a rare treasure ... a remarkably well-carved font dating back also to Saxon times.
John Piper was right. It is worth travelling many miles to see.
Beautifully carved font
The font may be a simple tub shape, probably of Purbeck stone, but it is the carving that is so special. There are figures in high relief showing Biblical characters and scenes. Many have their arms upstretched to the heavens, or in posture of prayer. Eyes peer out from the stone, with hands gripping the plaited rim above.
One interpretation is that the principal figure represents Christ, surrounded by his apostles. St Michael is there too, carrying a cross and leading souls from Hell. There is a four-legged creature standing on columns, sharing a human face with another creature and another figure that may represent the Holy Spirit and the Lamb of God. Another possible explanation is that the carvings may show Moses saving the Israelites at the battle with the Amelekites – a story in Exodus, from the Old Testament.
The carving, shrouded in mystery, is exceptional. It fascinated John Piper, whose photograph of the font is at the Tate Gallery in London. It was featured in the first Shell Guide to Dorset, produced in 1935 by Piper’s friend, war artist Paul Nash, whose work was moving into surrealism.
John photographed the font several times, often wetting the stone and lighting it with a paraffin lamp, to achieve a more dramatic effect.
Piper was an early enthusiast for Romanesque sculpture, seen by some as primitive and unbalanced, but by others as radiating a mystical strength. He believed that contemporary artists, including Picasso, drew inspiration from this early period of sculpture.
Piper wrote: “For the primitive artist the Deity ... is above all awe-inspiring and majestic; powerful, and very unlike powerless man himself. So there is very little that is knowable, touchable or human about these associates of the primitive God on a village font.”
His visits to the South West were part of a rediscovery of the Romanesque which had been ignored by the lovers of English Gothic in the Victorian era.
Does the font show Christ surrounded by his Apostles?
Mary Magdalene
There is also a mysterious stone fragment in St Basil’s, above the altar, depicting Mary Magdalene washing the feet of Christ and drying them with her own hair. It is thought it may have been a part of the 11th century Chichester Reliefs found in the town’s cathedral.
The east wing of the farm may now appear as just another outbuilding, but was once the refectory for the Knights. There are some lovely carvings on the stringcourse (the decorative horizontal band on the exterior wall of a building), especially one of a boy playing the bagpipes. The farm has a surviving medieval carving of a poor man being given a loaf of bread, reflecting the hospitality which was one of the duties of the Knights.
I can recommend Toller Fratrum, Little Toller Books’ slim volume on the hamlet and the church. The latter may be closed for regular worship, but is still open for visitors.
We need to care for and visit our small historic churches in Dorset, including the one opposite my own house at Winterborne Tomson. St Andrew’s is one of only four English single-celled Norman churches with an apsidal east end. Its plan has not altered since its building in the early 12th century. They offer a priceless legacy of the beauties of our past. Do visit it and this corner of a historic and very unspoilt Dorset!
A four-legged creature stands on columns, sharing a human face with another creature
by Rachael Rowe
The English Hippocrates
Thomas Sydenham, one of the most prominent physicians in 17th century England, was born 400 years ago, just ten miles from Dorchester
Known as the English Hippocrates, Thomas Sydenham was one of the most famous physicians of the 17th century. He was renowned for his observations on infectious diseases including smallpox and cholera, and some of his principles remain in medical practice to this day: most notably that teaching should be done at the patient’s bedside. He was born 400 years ago this month, on 10th September 1624, in the hamlet of Wynford Eagle just outside Maiden Newton. His parents, well-known Puritans William and Mary Sydenham, lived at Manor Farm.
A Civil War cavalryman
In 1642, at the age of 18, Thomas went to Magdalen Hall in Oxford, but just four months later his studies were interrupted by the outbreak of the English Civil War. Thomas returned to Dorset, joining his three brothers fighting for the Parliamentarians (or Roundheads) as a cavalryman, in line with his family’s beliefs. Thomas’ father William was taken prisoner in Exeter when it fell to the King. In 1644, after Dorchester was defended by the Parliamentarians – including the Sydenham brothers – a platoon of Royalists turned up in Wynford Eagle. Mary Sydenham was murdered on the doorstep at Manor Farm by Major Williams because she would not allow the Royalists to pillage the property. Thomas’ brother Francis later avenged her murder by shooting Williams. The Sydenhams were involved in several actions, including the Second Battle of Weymouth in February 1645, which was won by the Parliamentarians.
If the Royalist plot for the King’s army to take over Weymouth and Melcombe, known as the Crabchurch Conspiracy, had succeeded, it could have changed the course of the Civil War, as most other ports in the area were under Royalist control. Col William Sydenham, another of Thomas’ brothers, was governor of the Weymouth garrison at the time and under his leadership 500 Royalist troops were killed in one night as they defended the town. William went on to serve as second-incommand in Cromwell’s new form of government, the Protectorate.
Thomas is thought to have been inspired to study medicine during the Civil War by Dr Thomas Coxe, a physician who treated William when he was
injured in battle. Thomas Sydenham said: “I had the good fortune to fall in with the most learned and honourable Dr Thomas Coxe, who was at that time attending my brother during an illness.”
Becoming a physician
In 1646, he returned to Oxford to take up his studies, becoming friends with fellow Dorset scientist Robert Boyle and physician and philosopher John Locke. Graduating two years later, he returned to fight in the second Civil War with his father and brothers, before moving to London to work as a doctor. He also studied at the famous medical school in Montpellier, France, before returning to London to work as a doctor. He received the licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians in 1663, and was officially confirmed as a doctor on 17th May 1676 – 28 years after graduating as a Bachelor of Medicine.
Thomas Sydenham, painted by Mary Beale in 1689
Thomas Sydenham’s legacy
Thomas lived at a time when many diseases were not understood – but it was also a time when rigorous scientific methods were being explored. He actively encouraged physicians to move away from the teachings of Hippocrates and Galen, which were aligned to religious beliefs and ‘humours’ and towards scientific methods of observation. He is perhaps best known for his work on infectious diseases, but also for believing in the fundamental principle of care and observation of patients taking place at the bedside – something that clinical teams still value and advocate today. In a letter to Sir Hans Sloan, the renowned Irish physician to the English aristocracy, Thomas said: “You must go to the bedside. It is there alone that you can learn disease.”
He had a few unusual recommendations too. He suggested that poet and royal physician Richard Blackmore should read Don Quixote to learn about the principles of medicine. In his defence, the book is full of medical knowledge, and Miguel de Cervantes’ father was a barber surgeon! When faced with a hypochondriac, Sydenham recommended he consult a Dr Robertson in Inverness. The man went off to Scotland ... to find no such person there. He returned to London, enraged – but cured of his symptoms.
Thomas Sydenham is famous for the observations he made when treating the common infectious diseases of the time. He described cholera as: “[it] comes at the close of summer and the beginning of autumn, as swallows in the beginning of spring and cuckoos towards midsummer.”
“The man went off to Scotland ... to find no such person there. He returned to London, enraged – but cured of his hypochondria”
Contrary to the theory of the four humours, Sydenham did not believe that a disease was different from person to person – he believed that each disease was different, and that doctors needed to observe the patient and identify the exact disease before recommending a cure. When bubonic plague arrived in London in 1665, Thomas, along with many other physicians at the time, initially fled the city. However, he returned shortly afterwards, observing and treating the sick at a time when mortality rates were at 50 per cent. His first book, Methodus Curandi Febres or The Method of Curing Fevers, was published in 1666 and later updated to include a section on the plague in 1668. His best known work, Observationes Mediciae or The Observations of Medicine, was published in 1676, and it remained one of the most important medical textbooks for the next 200 years.
Thomas Sydenham was the first person to describe scarlet fever, and he used case histories to build up intelligence, contributing to medical knowledge. He named Whooping Cough pertussis, meaning a violent cough. His 1685 book ‘Opera Universa’ became the most important medical text of the day and included his classic descriptions of malaria, cholera, bronchopneumonia, pleurisy and measles. It is to Thomas Sydenham we attribute the famous saying: “A man is as old as his arteries.”
Another disease he identified was St Vitus’ Dance – also named Sydenham’s Chorea. At the time, rheumatic fever was common, and the condition is a complication of the disease. In Medical Observations, Sydenham used the word chorea to reflect the involuntary movement associated with the disease and its physiology.
Thomas Sydenham died in London in 1689, aged 65. He is buried in St James Church, Piccadilly, where there is a memorial stone with his name. However his legacy lives on in the importance of making sure practical experience, diligent observation and bedside teaching are prioritised in medicine and nursing.
The Paling range – with two simple colourways, porcelain slip and a blue slip under a transparent glaze
Jennie Gilbert’s taste for great design makes for pottery that you really want to eat off. Fanny Charles talks to Chalke valley potter Jennie Gilbert
William Morris famously said: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.’
These words of the textile designer, poet, artist, writer and social activist have been an inspiration to generations of designers, makers, artists, writers and thinkers – the perfect definition of good design. One of this area’s leading makers is among those who instinctively draw on Morris’s legacy.
The Wiltshire potter Jennie Gilbert, whose studio is in converted farm buildings at Manor Farm, Fifield Bavant, in the Chalke valley, says: ‘The driving force behind everything I do is food.
‘I ask myself, what do I need at home? What would make life easier? I want things that food looks good on.’ And she wants people to share her passion:
‘I love the fact that you hold the bowl with your food. I love things that work and feel good in your hands,’ she says.
Her products include pasta bowls, platters and plates of various sizes, mugs, jugs, cups and covered jars – all of them demanding to be used and enjoyed. Ask anyone who has a Jennie Gilbert dinner plate or pasta bowl, whether in the lovely
blue chequerboard pattern or the striking tweed design. Food served on this pottery just looks inviting and delicious. The chequerboard pattern resonates with the familiar chequered stone and flint construction of many old south Wiltshire buildings, although it is Jennie’s own design and not influenced by the local vernacular.
The joy of making pots
Pottery is a very physical business – many potters have a strong physical presence, a dynamism and creative energy that is immediately appealing. Some potters even resemble their pots ... or perhaps, their pots resemble them. The great John Leach was bearded and rather round, and his tactile, round and often brown pottery seemed an organic extension of him. Jennie Gilbert has a very physical energy: tall, rangy and frequently laughing, she makes pottery that makes you smile. This year marks the tenth anniversary of her move to St Martin’s Workshops at Fifield Bavant, just a few yards from the tiny 13th century St Martin’s Church. In the light and airy pottery, Jennie makes her functional range and some decorative pieces.
She runs workshops and has occasional open weekends, but the pottery is not generally open to visitors. It doesn’t stop the opportunist caller – during the interview for this article two people arrived to ask if Jennie could mend a broken dinner plate. She explained, firmly but politely, that a potter can’t just stick somebody else’s plate or bowl back together – there would be different clays, different colours, different techniques (SuperGlue, or even a specialist china restorer, might be a better answer, she suggested).
Finding Fifield
Jennie’s introduction to pottery was not planned. In the 1980s, she was studying for an International Baccalaureate at the Hammersmith West London College, where pottery was part of the curriculum. It immediately caught her interest: ‘I used to hang out in the pottery department – I loved it,’ she recalls. ‘I knew this is what I want to do!’
She went on to do a foundation art course at Swindon College and then took a studio pottery HND at Swansea. The main effect of this course, which emphasised industrial techniques, was perhaps not quite what was intended: ‘It taught me what I didn’t want to do,’ she says.
A short apprenticeship in the Loire region of France was more to her taste – she studied with English potter Christine Pedley in La Borne, known as ’the village of potters’ and home to the Centre for Contemporary Ceramics.
‘It is an amazing place,’ she says. ‘I learned a lot about pottery and about production and running a pottery.’ Back in England she worked with another potter for a few years and in 1993 she set up her first pottery at Pankhurst Farm, Chobham. She shared the workshop with a friend and joined the Surrey Guild of Craftsmen. ‘It was joyous, working for myself and doing shows.’
A few years later she moved to Project Workshops in old farm buildings at Quarley near Grateley (off the A303) where she ran her pottery for 13 years. Then in 2014 she found the building at Fifield Bavant: ‘It was April Fool’s Day,’ she remembers –but this was a far from foolish move! She has space for all her materials and equipment, and shelves and cupboards to display the various ranges. Based in a peaceful valley with skylarks singing in the clear skies of the Cranborne Chase Natural Landscape (a noted dark skies area), the studio has beautiful light – and the off-the-beaten-track location means she can generally work in peace.
Shows and courses
Jennie likes to sell direct to customers, so you won’t find her work in craft galleries or gift shops. ‘I don’t
have an online shop – my work varies and pieces within the same range can be slightly different,’ she says. ‘I take my work around the country so that people can choose the piece they want.’
During the summer she has a stand at several Potfest shows, as far afield as Scone Palace in Perthshire, Scotland, and including the first Potfest in North Dorset – held recently at Turnpike Showground, home of the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. The event, Potfest South West, is part of a nationwide calendar of weekend shows aimed at ceramic enthusiasts, collectors and anyone interested in pottery and ceramics. The new Shaftesbury event attracted a lot of visitors and will hopefully be repeated next year.
Local fans can meet Jennie and see and buy her pottery at her open weekend in December (visit her website for the dates).
But how about trying your hand at pottery with a
skilled maker? Jennie holds two-day courses at St Martin’s Workshops and also runs courses at her sister’s property in south west France. She runs the Fifield Bavant classes with her friend, potter Emily Myers, and they cover the basics of throwing, pinch pots, coiling and slabbing. The two tutors take a maximum of six students, tailoring the lessons to beginners, improvers or students who need more focused attention.
The French courses are held at Le Mas Sarat in the Lot region, with two tutors, three wheels and up to six students – two-day beginners’ classes and four-day programmes for improvers. Jennie’s sister provides the accommodation ... and the food.
Food is fundamental to her pottery. As Jennie says: ‘It’s all about food – preparing, serving and the rituals of eating.’
Charles Church in his studio with a current work in progress
All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
Charles Church, master of the equestrian portrait
From washing dishes in Newmarket to Royal commissions, leading equestrian artist Charles Church answers the 19 random questions
Charles Church’s reputation as a quiet man was up for debate when he arrived for his interview in a throaty vintage Sunbeam Alpine with the top down, cheerfully calling out, ‘Morning! It looks like rain – can I use the garage?’
North Dorset resident Charles is an internationallyrenowned painter of horses, landscapes and country life, particularly recognised for his portraits of racehorses. He describes his childhood as a rural happy life ‘in the middle of nowhere’ on a Northumberland farm. Even as a young child Charles knew he could paint: ‘Around the age of eight or nine I really started to enjoy painting, and found that I had some sort of knack for it. But I was about 15 when I really got the bug, the same time I got hooked on racing at school. I went to a boarding school in Northamptonshire, and the school had a betting office right next to the house. I used to scoot across in the afternoons and watch the racing between lessons! At the same time, I took up painting more seriously, and horses were the first thing I wanted to paint. I’ve literally just kept on painting them!’
However, instant artistic success wasn’t a given – Charles achieved an E in his Art A-level. ‘I will blame the history of art teacher for one part! However, there were three parts to the exam, and all three seemed to go wrong. Firstly, that art history, then they gave you a random title to paint, and I ended up painting a racing scene that had absolutely nothing to do with the title. So I probably got zero for that. The third and final task was a life drawing, during which the model got up and flounced out halfway through, so that didn’t really work out either!
‘From school, I did a standard one-year art school foundation course in Newcastle, with two weeks in each different area like photography, 3D design, print etc. before they decide what you should specialise in. Unfortunately, the art department didn’t think I was conceptual enough! So I was given no choice but to specialise in graphic design and illustration, which wasn’t what I wanted to do at all. I went on to Bournemouth to do wildlife illustration, which again was not what I wanted to do. I was trying to paint horses, and this was the closest thing I could get to it. But it seemed to serve no purpose, so I dropped out after the first term. My parents probably hit an all-time low with my career at that point!’
Florence via Newmarket
Charles instead wrote to every stud and hotel in Newmarket to see if he could get a job “in horse land”. Finally, he landed washing up in a hotel for two weeks – he stayed for a year and a half. ‘I did the morning and evening shifts washing dishes, and painted in the daytime. It was brilliant. Then a local gallery started to exhibit my work.’
Charles heard of a new art school in Florence and wrote to the Charles H Cecil Studios immediately. Their response
was instant – he was invited to just turn up, there were no requirements. Looking back, he realises that he was lucky: no portfolio or exam results were required as they are today.
‘Then the Newmarket art gallery did the kindest and most amazing thing. They bought my entire collection of paintings, giving me the money to go abroad. So the Florence adventure commenced!’
The training was in the atelier tradition – in which a master painter opens his studio to a select group of dedicated students – and the work returned students to the traditional portrait painting form of sightsize, painting something direct from life in the same scale as you see it, directly onto your easel. Charles jokes that it was a style
developed by ‘quite a well-known artist called Leonardo da Vinci’. When Charles returned to England, he began painting equestrian portraits from life, which involved long stays in country houses – convenient for a poor young artist!
‘When I got a commission to paint a hunter, I’d go and stay with the people for a few weeks in their country home,’ he says.
‘I could write a book on some of the funny experiences I had. But it could be really difficult – after about four days, you’ve really outstayed your welcome. It doesn’t matter how good or how well-behaved you are, you are in someone’s private space. And then you’ve got them leaning over your shoulder the whole time, looking at what you’re doing and questioning you ...
But the biggest pain was the English weather! You could have five straight days of rain, and you are literally sitting around doing nothing all day.
‘After about three years, I decided I’d change things. I’d go and stay with people for a week tops, and paint a study from life of them and/or their horse or landscape, backed up with sketches and photographs for me to work on in my own studio.’
Slapping it down
King Charles has described Charles Church as “an artist who has a unique sensitivity and profound understanding of his subject.”
‘I was incredibly lucky to have him endorse me,’ says Charles. ‘He wrote the foreword to my first exhibition in London, which is quite something.’
Charles is no stranger to working with heads of state and famous people: ‘In some ways it’s daunting, but most of the time when you meet these people, they’re very easy and down to
earth. Not what you expect.
The first three years that I spent staying in country houses actually set me in good stead. It was difficult to begin with because I was pretty shy, but the more you relax, the more they relax, which helps everyone!’
Agreeing an initial brief with a client has caused some issues in the past.
‘I’ve learned that if you give people too much of what they want, you ‘ll get a bad result,’ he says. ‘A client will say, “I would really like my wife on a hunter in the field here with this hill behind and the Labrador to the left”... No!
‘My initial response is always to completely change every part! If someone’s got a clear idea in their head, you can never live up to their vision.
‘Luckily, most clients trust me now, and say, “I’ll leave it up to you”. They get the best result!’
Some of Charles’ more recent pieces have been enormous, and Charles explains that the size of a piece can depend on whether
it might be intended to hang in a particular place. But he looks slightly confused.
‘I couldn’t even tell you why it is,’ he admits. ‘I just know that it’s going to work at a certain size. Certain things work better at certain sizes; that is the fact of the matter!
‘I take a lot of time to really study the horse. I have the horse brought out, walk it around a lot. I just really look and take it all into my mind, so that I have totally captured it in my head. And then I am a bit haphazard – I like to just put something down on the canvas, and then alter it. I have taught, and I see some students trying to draw an outline of the back of the horse very slowly … I just say, “Come on, just slap something down!” I’m not linear. I’m more of a tonal painter.’
Charles is also a proponent of turning paintings to the wall in his studio: ‘It’s an essential part of the process of painting,’ he says. ‘If you look at it too often, you can’t see all the mistakes and areas for development. You must have fresh eyes when you’re working. If I go away for two weeks, I come back to the studio and have a brilliant day. I’ll do it two or three times during the process of one painting.’
A neighbour of Stubbs
First showing the finished work to the client was no doubt an intimidating experience, but now that he is so established, presumably it is no longer such an ordeal.
‘It’s still as nerve-wracking as ever!’ he says. ‘It doesn’t get easier. It wouldn’t matter how good I got at painting, and I’m still challenging myself all the time. But it’s always nervewracking because they’ve put an awful lot of trust in you, you’ve got to pull it out of the bag!’
Rumour has it that Charles is a very fussy framer? ‘Yes, that is true! The frame can ruin the
Her Majesty The Queen unveiled The Belvoir Huntsman, John Holliday, on ‘Edward’ in Belvoir Woods by Charles Church – it hangs in the Packard Galleries in Palace House within the National Horseracing Museum, Newmarket
piece. It all stems from a painting I did in Newmarket all those years ago. It was a painting of some mares and foals, one of my very first commissions. They framed it, and when I went round to varnish it I was absolutely horrified by the frame they’d put it in! You can paint a really wonderful painting, and then absolutely destroy it with the wrong frame. So, yes, I do select my own frames now!’
In 2023, Queen Camilla unveiled Charles’ largest piece to date (six foot by seven foot), The Belvoir Huntsman, John Holliday, on ‘Edward’ in Belvoir Woods (opposite), which hangs in the National Horseracing Museum at Newmarket beside a Stubbs.
Even the laid-back Charles admits that this is something special: ‘All those years ago, washing dishes in Newmarket, I used to walk around the collection. To have a painting there is just surreal.’
Charles lives in a tiny North Dorset village with his studio in the garden. He and his wife Alice married during the pandemic, and they have two young sons.
‘I’m no longer just thinking about myself – I’ve got a family, and they’re wonderful.’
But have they picked up a paintbrush yet? Charles smiles and nods. ‘I haven’t pushed it on them at all, but Freddie likes a bit of painting. And I think Arthur’s going to be musical – if you put
him at the piano, he plays boogie woogie, which is pretty good going for nine months old!’
And so to the 19 random questions ...
1. What’s your relationship with Dorset?
Blissful! I moved here in about 1996 and love it.
2. What was the last song you sang out loud in your car
Money by Pink Floyd.
3. The last film you watchedand would you recommend it? Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark – and of course, I love it!
4. It’s Friday night, you have the house to yourself, no work is allowed. What will you do? That’s difficult because I probably would work, but I suppose I’d have to watch a film
5. The best biscuit for dunking Choco Leibniz.
6. What shop can you not pass without going in?
Harts of Stur of course!
7. What’s a sound or smell that makes you happy?
Easy – the smell of sawdust. It reminds me of my childhood, and the smell of my father’s organ-building workshop.
8. What’s your secret superpower?
I would say thinking hard and long about paintings. The detail and memory. IF I have a superpower, and I’m not sure I do, but if I have one, it’s probably just putting the thought in.
9. What was the last gift you gave or received?
I gave my godson a basketball for his birthday.
10. What’s your comfort meal? Shepherd’s pie.
11. What would you like to tell your 15-year-old self?
Keep going. Never give up. Persevere ... it worked for me!
12. Your favourite quote? If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!
13. Tell us about a book you read and loved recently? Spitfire by John Nicol, about the history of the Spitfire, the
pilots who flew them, and their families. It’s an amazing book.
14. Cats or dogs? Both, but dogs if I had to choose.
15. If I wasn’t an artist, I would have liked to have been a ... ... bloodstock agent. I just love looking at horses. So it would have been another good option.
16. What little luxury would you buy with £10? Chocolates for my wife.
17. What would Alice say was your most annoying trait? My snoring!
18. Chip shop chips or home baked cake?
I’d go chips.
19. What in life is frankly a mystery to you?
How some of the old Master painters did some of the things that they did. Some of those enormous canvases that you see – how on earth did they do it? It’s the complexity of it, how they worked it out and how they did things at such scale. Having worked on that large painting I did for Palace House, it made me understand how incredibly difficult it is working at scale
• charleschurch.net
All images: Courtenay Hitchcock
The grit behind the glamour
This month Jess talks to head groom Stacey Blunn to find out just how she keeps Team Rimmer on track – and on time
This month has seen Team Rimmer competing at Bicton, Hartpury and Wellington. Jimmy has stepped up to Novice in great style and Max has produced some competitive results, finishing third at Wellington. Elsa jumped a superb double clear at Wellington in the OI (Open Intermediate), and Mattie and Henry learned lots in the exciting Hartpury atmosphere.
But rather than getting stuck into basic event reports, I thought we could look at life as an event groom – and who better to speak to than our very own 5* groom and long-standing head girl, Stacey Blunn? She joined Fontmell Parva in 2006, and is now part of the family here, playing a pivotal role not only in the daily care and exercise of the horses, but also in grooming at competitions up to the highest 5* level with me, mum Jo and Boy Joe (Eventer Joe Roome, who shares the yard with Team Rimmer). There is nobody more reliable, trustworthy or conscientious and, although she won’t admit it, she is an absolute font of knowledge, respected and admired by so many. Stacey’s job as head groom involves her working
closely with Jo and Joe to manage the daily running of the yard. She organises vets and farriers, orders the feed, hay and straw deliveries as well as managing the care of the horses –clipping, trimming, plaiting, medical care ... she basically does it all. We’re fairly sure she’s a secret superhuman and she pretty much runs the ship around here. The role of a groom is primarily focused on the daily care and well-being of the horses, but their work is far from limited to this. While Stacey, as head groom, oversees the overall yard management, the grooms are the very backbone of the team, the support crew that ensures every detail is attended to and that the yard runs smoothly. Grooms are SO important to us – sadly it’s a job often viewed as bottom of the pecking order, when it really shouldn’t be!
A horse schedule
So, join us as we have a cup of coffee and a chat in our famous Café Fontmell (OK, it’s the side of the yard with the plastic patio chairs). To set the scene: it’s Sunday lunchtime, and we’ve just put the kettle
Jess Rimmer (left), Stacey Blunn and Jo Rimmer take a well-earned break at ‘Cafe Fontmell’
Just a gratuitous we-love-Henry shot for your pleasure ...
on before starting the afternoon yard shift. As we take a break, Stacey lets me in on her origin story –where did the love of horses begin?
‘I started riding up north with my grandparents during the holidays,’ she says. ‘I rode a horrible pony who bucked for the duration of the ride – my mum kept promising I could dismount the next time he bucked, but then she never let me! I slowly fell in love with horses through my local riding school and produced my first pony, Snoopy, from a four-year-old. I visited Fontmell Parva when I was 17, through a friend who was doing work experience – I loved it, phoned Jo for a job, and the rest is history!’
(We pause here for a brief interruption from Hannah, who is offering us doughnuts, which we naturally accept most happily.)
While every day is different, Stacey is keen to point out the need for organisation in such a busy yard. ‘We always try to keep to the same routine,’ she says. ‘It’s really important for the horses. Obviously there are occasional longer days and earlier starts which add some nice variety, but the horses thrive on a steady, consistent routine and we work hard to stick to the same system. They have breakfast at 6.30am, and are then exercised throughout the morning. They’re always put to bed late afternoon, in time to receive their supper at 5pm.’
Being a groom is every horsey child’s dream job – and though it’s a lot of hard work, Stacey acknowledges that even after almost two decades it has its special moments that make it all worth while. ‘For me, the best part is simply playing a part in the journey of both the riders and the horses,’ she says. ‘It doesn’t matter if that’s to compete at the higher levels or just to achieve a personal goal. That’s not to say it’s not without its challenges, though. It’s commonly known that horsey people aren’t the easiest! I’ve had to learn to deal with all
types of clients – actually only half my job is about managing the horses!
‘The weather is another major challenge. British winters are tough, and the rain can feel pretty relentless. It’s not something we can control, though, so it’s just a case of sucking it up – and finding some really good waterproofs!’
Despite the long winter slogs, there have been plenty of career highlights too.
‘For me personally, finishing second (twice!) in the Riding Club Open Championships and producing my horse, Reney, up to Intermediate was a real achievement. From a grooming perspective, Pau 5* in 2018 (Jo and Newt’s first 5*) was pretty special, along with their double clear result in the 5* at Luhmülen in 2019. Joe and Auriella flew round the 3*L at Blair that same year – Auriella has been a tricky mare who is very special to me, and it was incredibly rewarding to see her perform so well.’
Not-so-secret life hacks
At this point I asked Stacey for her top groom hack, but she was a little affronted: ‘I would have said Fairy Liquid, but you stole my secret tip for last month’s column!’
Joe Roome, who has been listening in over his own doughnut, chips in here: ‘Stacey’s time management is unbelievable. She is always early, which is a huge life hack in itself. There is always so much going on in our days – punctuality is vital to make sure everything runs smoothly, which always happens when Stacey’s in charge!’
As her career has grown, Stacey tells me her role models have changed too. ‘When I was riding, it was Pippa (Funnell), William (Fox-Pitt), Ian Stark and Toddy (Australian eventer Mark Todd). But
Stacey Blunn visited the Fontmell Parva yard as a teenager 18 years ago – she immediately asked Jo for a job, and has been part of the team ever since
Stacey with Jo and Newt after their double clear in the 5* at Luhmülen in 2019
Henry thoroughly enjoying his prep team, while making sure he’s showing his good side for the photos
as soon as I focussed on grooming, Jackie Potts became a huge inspiration.’
Jackie is widely renowned to be the authority on the profession of Eventing grooming, and is the long-time groom of William Fox-Pitt at his yard near Sturminster Newton.
Inevitably in a life built around horses, there are countless times when it’s all gone horribly wrong. ‘There are so many stories!’ says Stacey. ‘I vividly remember being dragged through the flood by a young horse – we deliberately took him down there as it’s hugely beneficial for them to see water from a young age. He put his back up (as
if he was going to buck me off!), so I dismounted ... and he ran off through the flood. Now anyone who knows me knows I won’t let go of a horse – I was practically water skiing!’
Stacey has some solid advice for anyone thinking of following her footsteps. ‘Be prepared to work hard. The days are long, and 80 per cent of it is just hard graft. But for me it’s totally worth it for that 20 per cent of good!’
Speaking of hard work, the doughnuts are done and we’d better start the afternoon yard before the horses start demanding their dinners ...
• Team Rimmer Eventing
Quarter marks are purely to look smart and impress the dressage judges! Every groom has their own favourite method and pattern – Stacey likes to use Quarter Mark spray and a circular metal curry comb for best results
A whirlwind tour of all that’s coming up in Sturminster Newton this month
Pauline Batstone shares her monthly round up of what’s happening among the town’s collection of community enterprises and events
It’s a big month in Stur with the Cheese Festival fast approaching (14th and 15th of September), so there’s lots to make a note of for the town’s busiest weekend of the year:
• All SturAction’s shops – The Boutique, 1855 and The Emporium (which incorporates Dapper Chaps, the Art Gallery and the Furniture Shop) will be open 10am to 5.30pm during the two days of the festival.
• The Boutique of preloved ladies and children’s clothes is currently holding a Summer Sale. You can pick up Any Five items for £10 –including shoes and handbags! (NB there are some excluded items in the glass cabinet and upstairs)
• The Museum will be open throughout the Festival weekend, 10 til 5pm
• There will also be milling at the Mill form 11am to 5pm both days.
• Harts of Stur are open throughout the weekend, and they have set up a busy schedule of demonstrations along with instore offers and goody bags
• All our pubs will be open through the evenings so do wander up into town to continue the fun – or enjoy a saunter over the bridge to The Bull, which is also offering wild camping to anyone wanting to stay overnight and there’ll be live music from Vanilla Radio on Sat 14th from 8pm
And a note for the business diary
The Stur Business Awards are booked for Thursday 6th March 2025, and entries will opening in late October. To launch the Awards there will also be a Business Exchange with speakers in the Baxters Room of the John Roman’s Building at lunchtime on Friday 8th November – more details to follow!
Tug O’ War at the Riverside Fest
Sturminster Newton’s Riverside Fest. All images Courtenay Hitchcock
Happy Festival goers!
Laughing through the irony
Laughter is definitely the best medicine, and with humorous news often in short supply these days, the Daily Mail lightened the mood for us on 30th August when it ignored the serious issues elsewhere in the world and instead splashed across its front page OUTRAGE AS STARMER REMOVES MAGGIE’S PORTRAIT.
Hilarious. Much more of that and Private Eye will find it has serious competition when it comes to front page jokes. Using humour rather more productively, a number of popular comedians have put their talents towards helping scientists get across the message about the increasingly urgent need for us to wake up and take action about climate change and the environment. Have a look on climatesciencebreakthrough. com. Warning – contains strong language!
I imagine most people were pleased to see the law used to crack down quickly on the recent violent anti-immigrant demonstrations that were
sparked partly by lies spread on anti-social media. Police officers were injured, shops looted and attempts made to set fire to places where asylum seekers were temporarily housed. In welcome contrast, peaceful demonstrators outnumbered the rioters and demonstrated the better side of human nature. The courts responded swiftly to the violent protests. One individual, who posted online encouragement for rioters to set fire to hotels housing asylum seekers, was sentenced to three years imprisonment. That does rather contrast with an earlier case of an environmental campaigner who took part in an online meeting to plan a peaceful protest aimed at temporarily stopping road traffic. He was sentenced to four years imprisonment. It’s hard to see the balance or the fairness there.
Finally, the Olympics entertained and inspired us all, but it did have some greenwashing contradictions. While British cyclists won a clutch of medals, British Cycling (BC) accepted a sponsorship deal with Shell, claiming that it would ‘accelerate’ BC’s journey to net zero.
Meanwhile, Shell is accelerating its own journey – by planning to invest £46bn in fossil fuels in the next six years. The International Olympic Committee also agreed a sponsorship deal with Toyota, a car manufacturer notably slow to develop electric vehicles. Among the Olympians who publicly condemned the deal was Dorset’s own star sailor Laura Baldwin. Well done Laura.
Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party
We are what (politics) we eat
“We are what we eat” and “our diet defines us”. If I take that metaphor and apply it to our political consumption for the last decade and a half, it feels as though we have been surviving on an unhealthy lifestyle.
First, we had a crash diet in 2010. By 2015 there were some signs that we were recovering some fitness. But instead of knuckling down
here, we decided to go for an extreme change of lifestyle (I do, of course, mean Brexit) and soon we descended into the inevitable accompanying national nervous breakdown. At this point, with our health undermined, we got Covid and suffered even more. Instead of getting a chance to recover we were conned into some fad diets by charlatans who took us to the brink. In May we decided
to head for rehab, emerging a few weeks later on 5th July with a new direction under new leaders ... but without a new recipe.
The lack of a plan was concerning, but we knew we couldn’t keep living as we had been. We had a feeling it would be hard ... but now it seems that as well as a healthier diet, we must also pay more for the gym and, instead of those
previous short-lived New Year resolutions, this time we must keep going to the gym most days ... indefinitely.
As a nation of highly-processed chicken nugget eaters, we need some positivity if we’re actually going to convert to oily fish, nuts and beans for the foreseeable future.
In the last couple of weeks, it feels that instead of the promise of steadily improving health and wellness, our new Labour life coaches are offering thin gruel, cold showers and regular weigh-ins.
Where is the encouragement? Where is the hope?
The truth is that the new Labour dieticians want us to be absolutely clear who exactly
is to blame for our current terrible health and lousy diet –and they won’t stop ramming this message home until they are convinced we can repeat it in our sleep.
Then, sometime next year – probably around the next comprehensive spending review in the Spring –the plan will be revealed for how we will get to long-term health and renewed national vim and vigour. I am all for that but, in the meantime, please can we understand the recipe better, and what is in
the meal plan? We need to feel that the better days aren’t so far ahead that we lose heart and make us think about drifting back to the charlatans and their pot noodles. Could the Labour life coaches also listen to us rather than keep telling us how to live?
I am prepared to start the journey with salt in my porridge, but a realistic promise of there being a little honey in due course will make the experience far more palatable.
Gary Jackson North Dorset LibDems
Pay the farmers for ... farming
My background, prior to entering politics, is in small-scale commercial rooftop solar. Not the 50MW utility-scale type project being proposed for near Bradford Abbas. However many of the same fundamentals apply.
If we are to avoid the worst ravages of the impending climate crisis, we need to rapidly decarbonise energy generation. That inevitably means more renewable energy – in all its forms. For the UK to meet its solar targets we will need to convert approximately 0.3 per cent of the UK’s total land to solar. That’s roughly half the amount of land currently being used as golf courses.
However, we must ensure that the drive to generate clean energy does not come at the cost of food production. At the Wyke Solar Farm the land is predominately grades 3B and 4, theoretically less productive land. But the 430acre site also contains parcels of the highest
Grade 1 land. Taking any productive land away from food production is bad for UK food security. The reality is that making a living from food production is increasingly difficult. Farmers who agree to lease their land to renewable energy developers nearly always do so because the income represents a better future than traditional farming. An alarming state of affairs. We must address how our farmers are paid for the food they produce in order to secure both their future and that of the next generation. If we make farming viable, I’m certain we will stop seeing land given over to solar.
The Wyke Solar farm is in its “pre-app” stage. That means no application has been made yet, but that developers, RWE, have begun a consultation process with local residents ahead of making the formal planning submission. People can email RWE or attend the in-person consultation in Bradford Abbas Village Hall at 4pm on 16th September.
I will also be meeting personally with the developers to express my concerns. The Council will have their opportunity to scrutinise the plans once an application has been made.
Edward
Morello MP West Dorset
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Jigsaw Flags at the Great Dorset Chilli Festival – just
Speed, spitfires & supercars
Buckle up, Dorset – the 2024 Clayesmore Classic & Supercar Sunday was one for the record books! An estimated 5,500 people turned up to soak up the sunshine, the sounds – and, of course, the sensational 650-odd classic and supercars. From gleaming vintage classics to jaw-dropping supercars, the display was nothing short of car enthusiast heaven. The star of the show? A McLaren Speedtail prototype (left) valued at a casual £3.5 million. This futuristic beauty had everyone doing double-takes. Haynes Heritage brought along some of their magnificent restoration projects, adding a dash of nostalgia to the shining speed machines. The Rev Off – watched by what felt like all 4,000 visitors in the showground gathered together to cheer – was magnificently, ridiculously LOUD. Rev Off aside, the air was alive with toe-tapping tunes that kept spirits high and feet moving, and the smallest visitors had an absolute blast zooming around the assault course in the MINIrovers. One small boy was dragging his dad excitedly by the hand, giddily squeaking
‘Daddy! That’s the Huracan from my sticker book!’ Families picnicked, car owners compared notes and window-shopped, car fans couldn’t believe their eyes ... and Sporting Bears Dream Rides raised more than £4,500 for charity.
Clayesmore is synonymous with the famous chandelier scene from Only Fools and Horses, so it was fitting to have the iconic yellow three-wheeler on display! The owner, a ringer for 1980s Del Boy, was happy to pose in his sheepskin coat for photos.
As the day unfolded, the crowd was treated to a breathtaking aerobatic performance by a Spitfire, courtesy of AeroLegends. The show came to a quiet standstill and thousands of people stood with faces turned upwards as the lone aircraft soared, growled, looped and barrel-rolled overhead, leaving everyone in silent awe as they looked on. It was a powerful reminder of the engineering of the past – and the bravery of those who flew them. The 2024 Clayesmore Classic & Supercar Sunday was a spectacular success.
Camels, cattle and community at G&S
It was the second Wednesday in August, so everyone in the rural half of Dorset knew it must be time for the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show. The day dawned drizzly – with a forecast of more drizzle interspersed with light rain for the next few hours – so it was a damp grey start at Turnpike Showground. But the G&S Show was back and reuniting North Dorset’s rural community for another year. It may have been a slower start than a sunny show day would be, but by lunchtime the raincoats were being folded over arms, the wellies were feeling uncomfortably warm, and the crowd around the Main Ring cheering on the camel racing was standing five people deep.
And what a joy the camel racing was – the first warm up practice go had us wondering what the ‘racing’ part was all about. But then the camels got competitive. Suddenly thousands of people watched in absolute joy as four GIANT camels hilariously galumphed their way down the ring to get to the bucket of oats first, egged on by their (I suspect irrelevant) jockeys. Totally brilliant! But as always there was so much else to see and do! The cattle, sheep and equestrian classes all needed watching – never miss the opportunity to admire and learn about the different breeds. At the far end of the showground was the Turnpike Ring, where the countryside acts such as the gun dog display, the falconry, and of course the terrier and ferret racing all happened.
The poultry tent was a major distraction – so many different breeds of chicken and shouty ducks, it’s lots of fun.
There was dog agility. A funfair. Hundreds of trade stands to meander round (garden furniture to clothing, high street brands to local producers …), plus of course the honey marquee, the horticulture and homecraft classes marquee … There’s just SO MUCH to do and see, the day vanishes before you know it.
And when you’re ready for a sit down (and you’ll need it) there was plenty of choice – the live music stage had performances all day with plenty of seating, the food and drink areas were populated with lots of picnic benches which everyone was sociably sharing, and there’s lots of seating around the rings too. And of course there’s a massive choice on offer for food and drink – plentiful and varied, and though we opted to eat right at lunchtime none of the queues were terribly long. The G&S is always a special show: it’s deeply local, and never forgets that for more than 160 years it has been an agricultural show. With farming firmly at its heart, it’s a brilliant rural day out for everyone, farmer or not!
Weaving a musical web
If you are scared of spiders (and I am), the names Black Widow, Red Backed, Dancing White Lady or Tarantula are sure to send you into a nearcatatonic state. But when they are the inspiration for an exciting piece of music, composed for the harp and played by an exceptionally talented young harpist, they lose their terrors and become an exciting and enjoyable experience.
Charlotta Bommas, a 14-year-old music student, was one of two young harpists who came to North Dorset for a three-day masterclass with the international Dutch-born star of the instrument, Gwyneth Wentink. At the end of the course, Charlotte and Nora Dijk, a 16 year old from the Netherlands, joined Gwyneth for a recital in the Mill Room at Springhead, the environmental arts and education centre based in an ancient mill, set in glorious gardens at Fontmell Magna. It was a concert of delights and surprises, with a programme that ranged from music from the film Willow, arranged for harp and played by Nora, to Charlotte’s interpretation of Spiders and Gwyneth playing an extract from Canto Ostinato, a compelling work by Dutch minimalist composer Simeon ten Holt, arranged for solo harp.
Charlotte began playing the harp at the age of five – as did Gwyneth – and showed a mastery of this demanding instrument that was mature beyond her years. Spiders, composed by Paul Patterson, was first performed by Sioned Williams at the Wigmore Hall in 1985. The composer says: ‘The very sight of the harp strings always reminds me of a spider’s web and perhaps the harpist’s hands and fingers could be likened to that of the spider weaving a complicated web. The idea to write a work called Spiders came to me after a visit to Australia where a great variety of spiders are to be found in abundance, and where I was almost bitten by a Red Backed, whose favourite spot is to wait under the toilet seat!’
The four spiders
The movements are named after four of the most deadly spiders, says Patterson: ‘The Dancing White Lady is a fast 7/8 movement with lots of crossed rhythms where the sight of legs flying in all directions could be visualised. Sharp irregular motives represent the Red Backed Spider who sits patiently for its prey before it strikes with great speed. In the Black Widow movement, we enter the mysterious world of timelessness as the spider relentlessly weaves its web. The last movement, a tarantella, is a wild Neapolitan dance in triple time. It is believed to take its name from the Tarantula,
whose poisonous bite is said to cause a “hysterical impulse to dance”.’
Canto Ostinato, composed between 1974 and 1979 for the piano, is a massive work (lasting up to four hours) which has almost cult status in the Netherlands. It is an intricate piece in which ‘time bends, spirals, loops back, implodes and explodes,’ says Gwyneth, who has made a recording of part of the work*, running to a bit under one hour, which will hopefully introduce a wider British audience to this haunting, complex, beautiful work. In between the music, the three musicians answered questions and Gwyneth gave a brief description of the harp – in this case, a magnificent gilded Italian-made instrument. The ability of the harp to be mesmeric, meditative and calming is well-known, but in these pieces we also heard it as exciting, loud, dramatic, passionate, persuasive or even funny. It was a real eye-opener for many, as well as a welcome illustration of the acoustic qualities of the Mill Room.
I am, however, still utterly terrified of spiders. Just not Paul Patterson’s version!
• *Canto Ostinato for solo harp, Gwyneth Wentink
Gwyneth Wentink (left) with students Charlotte Bommas and Nora Dijk
Join the Air Ambulance 100 Miles in October Challenge
Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance is thrilled to announce the return of its 100 Miles in October Challenge! Back for a second year, this exciting event invites everyone to support the life-saving service by ‘moving’ 100 miles throughout October. Whether you prefer to walk, run, cycle, swim or hop your way through October, the 100 Miles Challenge is for everyone! You can complete your miles at your own pace, anytime and anywhere. It’s free to sign up and you will receive a complimentary t-shirt to wear once you have activated your fundraising page, so you can look great while clocking up those miles. Plus, there are exciting rewards and a special medal for those who complete the challenge and meet their fundraising goals!
Tracy Bartram, DSAA Communications Manager said: ‘Last year, we had hundreds of people join our 100 Miles in
October Facebook Challenge Group and it became a brilliant hub of engagement between everyone that was taking part. There were messages of support for each other and photos uploaded daily of people walking, running, stepping, or cycling their miles throughout the month. In total, the event raised an incredible £21,829.03 and we are hoping that this year we can build on that success. With that in mind, we’ve made
some enhancements for 2024, including other ways that people can fundraise while taking part and rewards to thank those that do. We can’t wait to see and engage with our supporters as they smile their way through the month and we will be there every step of the way.’
Ready to take on the challenge and support Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance? Visit: dsairambulance.org.uk to sign up for your 100 miles.
A call to action for the William Barnes Archive
William Barnes, the beloved Dorset dialect poet, left a rich legacy that now resides at the Dorset History Centre. The William Barnes Society has launched a fundraising campaign to ensure that his extensive archive remains accessible to all.
When he died William Barnes bequeathed his writings, poems, letters, sermons, woodcuts and engravings to the County Museum that he co-founded in the mid-19th century. Today, the collection requires the expertise of a professional archivist to be properly catalogued, and the Society aims to raise £35,000 to fund this critical work, making Barnes’ contributions available to a global audience.
As part of the campaign, a series of events will be held, including the revival of The Year Clock, a play about Barnes’ life, written by Society Vice President, Tim Laycock. Claire Dixon, Executive Director of the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery, supports the project: ‘William Barnes is an important part of our story. Cataloguing this collection will connect more
people with his work and life. We’re excited to collaborate with the Dorset History Centre and the William Barnes Society on this essential project.’
The campaign also has the backing of Sir Andrew Motion, former UK Poet Laureate and President of the William Barnes Society. Sir Andrew noted that his own published selection of poems by William Barnes (Penguin, 1984) would not have been possible without access to the Barnes collection. Details about ways of donating can be found on the Society’s website williambarnessociety.org.uk
L-R: Captain Mario Carretta, SP-CC Lauren Dyson, Co-pilot Tom Gee and Dr Tony Doyle
Dorset poet William Barnes
Abbey104 Album of the Month:
Midas Wunderhorse
Communion
The UK has gone Oasis crazy. News of their reformation (and the widespread frustration of ticket-hunters) has been huge news for weeks now, bringing with it a wave of 90s British indie nostalgia. By happy accident, Cornish guitar band Wunderhorse released their sophomore LP, Midas, the day before the fated Oasis ticket sale. Appropriately the album harks back to the heyday of Britpop supremacy, but it also provides a welcome reminder that the UK still produces plenty of great indie rock/pop groups. The glories are not all in the past. Forged in the isolation of Covid lockdowns on the Cornish coast, Wunderhorse began as the solo recording project of frontman Jacob Slater, but they have rapidly developed into one of the UK’s best guitar bands – their first LP, Cub, made many year-end lists in 2022. And Midas emphatically proves this was no fluke. The opening one-two punch of the title track and recent single Rain showcases the band in free-flowing guitar-pop mode, in harmony with the blueprint laid down with aplomb on their debut. It might have been tempting to continue to plough the same successful furrows, but from here Wunderhorse explore new (if not ground breaking) terrain. From the self-reflective Silver (“I’m just an empty promise with nothing left
to say”) to the 80s-inspired, plaintive refrain of Arizona (“where do you go to my love”), Midas satisfies more and more as it unfurls.
But the album really sparkles when it wears its influences on its sleeve. The heavy-hitting grunge of July, Pablo Honey-esque production of Cathedrals and Teenage Fanclub-influenced vocals of Girl build beautifully towards Aeroplane, a closing track presented with such poise and gracefulness that it begs the listener to press play and hear it all over again. A true oasis of sound.
• Matthew Ambrose presents Under The Radar on Tuesday evening at 7pm on Abbey104. Broadcasting on 104.7FM and online at abbey104.com.
Matthew Ambrose, DJ at Abbey104
Follow the yellow brick road ... to Shaftesbury
An upcoming Pantomime promises to take audiences to an alternative land that lays somewhere over the rainbow ... The Wonderful Wizard of Oz pantomime is coming to the main stage at the Shaftesbury Art Centre this winter.
Written by Nigel Holmes, this unique adaptation draws from L. Frank Baum’s classic tale. Audiences will follow young Dorothy, her Aunt Em (played as the Dame), and her loyal dog Toto as they are swept away from their farm by a storm, landing in the peculiar, colourful world of Oz.
This lively pantomime is brimming with charm and fun, and featuring songs that will have you singing all the way down the yellow brick road. The show promises to be an unforgettable adventure for the whole family.
Actors needed!
The Director is on the lookout for a talented cast to bring this colourful story to life.
With 15 main roles, along with opportunities for dancers and ensemble, there’s plenty of room for stars to shine—though spots for under-16s are limited. An interest evening will be held on Tuesday, 10th September at 7:30pm at the Shaftesbury Art Centre. Whether you’re interested in performing or helping behind the scenes, this
is your chance to get involved in what promises to be an exciting production. Performance dates are scheduled from 23rd-26th January and 29th January-1st February 2025. For those unable to attend the interest evening, please contact stage@shaftesburyartscentre. org.uk to learn how you can join in the fun.
DocBike and The Dorset Bike Fest Ride Out
Motorcycling enthusiasts, mark your calendars! DocBike is thrilled to announce a new partnership with The Dorset Bike Festival for this year’s annual charity ride out, set to take place on Saturday, 21st September 2024. The popular event offers motorcyclists one of the last chances to hit the road before winter, all in support of a great cause. Last year’s Ride Out saw more than 600 riders raise more than £10,000 for DocBike, a charity dedicated to preventing motorcycle injuries and fatalities. This year promises to be even bigger, with five Ride Out routes starting from Dorset, Devon, Hampshire and Somerset, all culminating at the Dorset Bike Festival at Wooders Campsite in Bere Regis. The Festival, 20th to 22nd September, is packed with live music, stalls from motorcycle dealers, bike displays, a bar, food stalls and entertainment. For those wanting to stay and enjoy into the night, camping and glamping options are available.
DocBike, which receives no direct government funding, relies on public generosity to continue its critical work, placing highly trained trauma doctors or paramedics on motorcycles to save lives. Registration for the Ride Out is now open, costing £15 per person, including festival entry and raffle participation. Visit docbike.org for more information and to sign up.
Dr Ian Mew riding the Dorset DocBike
The Stur half marathon and 5k thank yous!
The race is over, and there were 360 entries, with 319 finishers in the half marathon – a fantastic turnout! Thomas Corbin of Poole AC was the overall winner of the race, in a brilliant winning time of 1:12:12. First lady was Vicki Ingham from Poole Runners, in a time of 1:22:41.
The first local runners were Rich White of Dorset Doddlers and Emma Mogridge – who has since joined the Doddlers!
The oldest runners were Geoff Scott of Poole Runners and Patricia Seabrook of Finch Coasters. A big thank you to Ruby Else-White, our local European Youth Boxing Champion, who started both races before helping at a water station with other young boxers from Stur ABC. Unfortunately she had an important football match in the afternoon, so couldn’t help at the presentation, but her fellow boxer, National Champion Freddie Norman, stepped in.
Another huge thank you to Honeybuns, who have been providing the runners with race cakes for more than 20 years – this year an even bigger Team Honeybun took part in the race too!
Our local supporters must be mentioned – the High School, Harts of Stur and Barbers Cheese for the local prizes, and Root & Vine in town for supplying the oranges. Thank you to Race Timing Solutions, who organised the race entries and results. They also made our medals and trophies.
Richard & Tracy White, from On The Road Motorcycle Training, opened the course, followed by our lead cyclists, Shams Wahab, Sara Cross and Andrew Cross.
Following at the back were our sweepers – the two Richards, who made sure everyone came in under three hours. An exception was made for Patricia Seabrook of the Finch Coasters: at 85 she was our oldest runner. She knew she would take a bit longer, so she started an hour earlier ... and still finished in just over three and half hours! Around the course were marshals and water stations manned by The Blackmore Vale Lions, Run Blandford, Doddlers – some in fancy dress – and lots of friends and family.
Our race village provided refreshments from The Really Tiny Coffee Co: as always we were provided with excellent barista coffee. Lindsey from Big Bun, Little Bun did a very good job of refuelling the runners and helpers after the race, and Peter looked after rehydration at our own Doddler Running Bar. Massage was provided by Pete from Pete’s Functional Fitness Club, with proceeds going to help Julia’s House Hospice. While the race was in progress the children were entertained with fun races on the school field and
enjoyed a free
forces with us by collecting donations of unwanted new running kit – thank you to all who donated, this will help others get into running, a sport that we all love.
Stur 5K
The Stur 5K has gained in popularity since its relaunch three years ago with a new and improved course. We’ve received great feedback about the new route, and with the emphasis firmly putting the Fun into the Run, this year’s race attracted more than 60 runners.
The Stur 5K sees the runners start just after the Stur Half, before taking in a beautiful course along Jubilee Fields and a scenic loop of Hinton St Mary before joining the Half Marathon route to cross the finish line. First over the line was Ed Rees (18m 18s), setting set the course record for the new route. He was followed closely by Tom Andrews (18m 45s), and third place went to Finn Powell (20m 28s). First Lady was Ayla Chard (20m 35s), second was Harriet Scott (22m 52s), followed over the line by mum, Samantha (22m 53s). First Local Male and Female went to Zagarin Cosmin and Abigail Horne respectively, and First Male and Female Dorset Doddlers were Anthony Down and Charley Mack.
By Christine Willis, Race Organiser
• You can view more photos of the races from our official race photographer Charles Whitton.
• See you all next year – save the date: Sunday 3rd August 2025
• The next Doddler race is the famous Stickler on Sunday 27th October thestickler.co.uk
then
Fat Sam’s Ice-Cream. The Vale Pantry joined
The starting line of the Stur Half Marathon
Supporting Dorset’s future farmers
Fifteen students from across rural Dorset have been awarded vital grants to help them pursue rural careers through the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Agricultural Society’s Student Support Fund. The fund, set up specifically to assist students entering agricultural, horticultural, and land-based industries, is now in its fourth year and has awarded over £6,000 in grants for 2024. The fund offers financial help for university or college fees, books, equipment, and even transport costs – often a major hurdle for students living in remote areas. This year’s recipients include Georgia Angel, 21, from Margaret Marsh, who will use the grant to support her studies at Bristol Veterinary School. Gracie-Mae Barkess, 16, from Gillingham, who suffers from a mobility condition, will receive help with the cost of a laptop and transport to Kingston Maurward College in Dorchester where she studies land-based subjects. Oliver Swanton, 12, from Shaftesbury will use his grant to cover the costs of bus travel to Dorset Studio School on the Kingston Maurward Campus and Nathan Keeble, 16, from
Motcombe, will use his award to help fund the £800 annual cost of travelling to Kingston Maurward, where he studies Wildlife Conservation and Ecology. ‘I want to be a game warden,’ Nathan says. Matthew Price, chair of the Student Support Fund, praised the recipients: ‘These youngsters show a great work ethic. For some, the cost of getting to college in rural Dorset can be as much as £1,500 a year. The fund makes a real difference in enabling them to continue their education and become our county’s future farmers and countryside custodians.’ Several students received their
awards at the Gillingham & Shaftesbury Show, presented by Battens Solicitors, who donated to the fund via the Battens Charitable Trust, which has been supporting local communities for 39 years. Director Naomi Dyer says: ‘It is a fantastic way to support these aspiring students and the farming community.’
• Applications for the 2025 Student Support Fund will open in March 2025. For more information, email studentsupport@ gillinghamandshaftesburyshow. co.uk. Those interested in sponsoring or supporting the fund can contact Sue Harris on 07970 865790.
More than £25,000 raised by Hatch House Open Garden
Hatch House hosted its annual Open Garden event in support of Salisbury Hospice Charity on Saturday 31st August, raising more than £25,000 to help fund the hospice’s vital work.
Hosted by Sir Henry and Lady Rumbold and organised by the Tisbury Fundraising Committee, the event offered its usual wide range of delights. Guests browsed marquees brimming with vintage and designer pre-loved clothing, accessories and a special men’s fashion section. The sale also featured antiques, collectables, toys, books and a raffle, with something for everyone to enjoy. As visitors explored the beautiful gardens, they also indulged in a selection of cakes, teas, local bread, a barbecue from Compton McRae, Pimms, and ice cream.
Reflecting on the day, Lady Rumbold said: ‘What started as a little event with two ladies emptying their wardrobes and selling the contents has grown into a major team effort. The event not only raises crucial funds for Salisbury Hospice but it is also such an uplifting experience which draws the community together.’
Grant winners with Student Support Fund organiser Sue Harris and chair of the Student Support Fund Matthew Price
Twilight Walk raises £20,734 lighting up the prom
In May, hundreds of people from across Dorset lit up Bournemouth Pier Approach for the annual Twilight Walk, raising an impressive £20,735 in support of University Hospitals Dorset’s Breast Unit. The event saw families, friends, NHS staff and the wider community come together to make a meaningful impact.
The funds raised will go towards purchasing a specialised portable X-ray device, enhancing breast cancer diagnosis and treatment beyond NHS standard provision. Consultant breast and soft tissue surgeon Mr Mark Tatterton, the Twilight Walk’s ambassador, expressed his gratitude:
‘The amount raised is truly incredible. This new equipment will allow us to offer the highest levels of care for breast cancer patients across Dorset.’
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity public fundraising officer Amy Beauchamp says:
‘Receiving a breast cancer diagnosis is extremely challenging, and the road ahead may seem daunting. The breast cancer care team provides invaluable support to patients and their families
from the moment they step onto the ward. I am immensely grateful to everyone who contributed, it was truly a collective effort, and will help to create a brighter future for patients with breast cancer
The Twilight Walk’s success follows the community’s impressive March for Men fundraiser in March, which raised £11,290 for the Urology team’s new ureteroscopes, improving the diagnosis and treatment of bladder and kidney conditions.
Chamber CEO faces fear of heights for hospice charity skydive
Dorset Chamber’s chief executive, Ian Girling, is preparing to conquer his lifelong fear of heights ... by leaping from a plane at 10,000 feet!
As part of a charity skydive to raise funds for Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, on September 21st, Ian will join other brave participants at Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury to support the hospice, which provides crucial care for patients with lifelimiting illnesses across Dorset, Purbeck, and West Hampshire. The skydive is part of Dorset Chamber’s 75th-anniversary celebrations, and Ian sees it as the perfect challenge to give back to the local community. ‘I have been absolutely terrified of heights my whole life – including going up ladders, being near high edges and balconies ... I get weak-kneed and suffer real anxiety and panic in these situations. When I was asked to take part, I realised it would be a great opportunity to face my biggest fears, as well as raise
money for a vital local cause.
‘Jumping out of a plane at 10,000 feet is the last thing I want to be doing!’ said Ian.
The hospice is appealing for more local people to join Ian and ‘Jump for a Nurse’ by signing up and taking part in the skydive. Each jumper will be taking the plunge to raise vital funds for a specific nurse. Ian is raising money for senior staff nurse Ellie Suthers, who was among the welcome team at a ‘meet your nurse’ event at the hospice.
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care, based in Poole, provides free services such as hospice at
home, bereavement support, breathlessness clinics and creative therapies. The charity needs to raise £3.9 million this year to maintain its services, which are free to patients.
Clare Gallie, chief executive of Lewis-Manning, said, ‘We’re super proud of all our amazing team of skydivers signed up so far and incredibly grateful to have Ian on board too. We would love more people to join in with this exciting challenge!’
• Click here to sign up for the Jump For A Nurse skydive or to sponsor Ian visit his JustGiving page here
University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity raised £20,700 by lighting up the prom for breast cancer
Ian Girling, centre, with the Lewis Manning Hospice Care nurses
A local expert from Citizen’s Advice provides timely tips on consumer issues. In the postbag this month:
Will I lose my Winter Fuel Payment?
Q:‘Every winter I get the Winter Fuel Payment – but my daughter has told me I might not get it this year. That’s a bit worrying. How can I find out?
A: Winter Fuel Payment is an annual payment of up to £300 to help with heating costs. In July, the Government announced that, from this year onwards, to be eligible you must have been born on or before 22 September 1958 and receive one of the following means-tested benefits:
• Pension Credit
• Universal Credit
• Income Support
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance. You also need to be living in the UK during the qualifying week in September. You’re not entitled to Winter Fuel Payment if you live in a care home or nursing home.
How to claim Winter Fuel Payment
If you or your partner claims one of the benefits listed above, the payment should go to the main claimant of the benefit automatically, and you should receive your payment between mid-November and Christmas. Call the Winter Fuel Payment helpline on 0800 731 0160 if you have any enquiries or you do not receive your payment.
What if I don’t claim a qualifying benefit?
If you are over state pension age, living on a low income and you don’t currently claim one of the listed qualifying benefits, you should check to see if you are entitled to make a claim. You can do a benefit check online at www.entitledto. co.uk or use the government’s online Pension Credit Calculator: www.gov.uk/pension-creditcalculator. If you are struggling to do this yourself, you can either ask a friend or family member to help you or get help from your local Citizens Advice or AgeUK. Pension credit is aimed at people of state
pension age on low incomes. It ensures that single people have an income of at least £218.15 a week, and that pensioner couples have at least £332. Those who have caring responsibilities or a disability may qualify for more. Receiving Pension Credit also unlocks a number of other benefits, including cold weather payments, free TV licences for the over 75s and, in some areas, discounts on utilities such as water bills. You can claim Pension Credit online or by phoning 0800 99 1234.
Jackie Upton King, 1944-2024
When friends and family gathered to celebrate Jackie Upton-King’s 80th birthday on a weekend in Lyme Regis recently, they had no idea that it would be the last time they saw her. Later that evening she was suddenly taken ill with a serious stroke and sadly died, leaving those who knew her with a wealth of wonderful memories and achievements.
Jackie’s legacy is all over North Dorset. From The Exchange in Sturminster Newton to the establishment of the annual Civic Award in Shaftesbury, Jackie Upton-King touched many lives. Determined, driven and incredible are just a few words frequently used to describe her passion for community involvement. ‘She was amazing,’ says Jacqui Wragg from Sturminster Newton Community Benefit Society.
Sturminster Newton councillor Pauline Batstone recalls how hard Jackie worked in the town: ‘Jackie was Practice Manager for the Stur Medical Centre before her retirement. She was one of the team involved in the early days of SturQuest, the community partnership initiated by North Dorset District Council. Stur was going through a bad patch as far as its economy was concerned, with low wages and a loss of job opportunities. Jackie was involved in the building of The Exchange on the former Market site and also the re-establishment of the medical centre there.’
When Jackie got involved in Sturminster Newton, the town was in a difficult place having just lost its famous cattle market. Robert Cowley was one of the driving forces behind the development of old site into what is now The Exchange: ‘The process that led to The Exchange took a full five years. It involved the bringing together of a wildly diverse group of organisations, represented by an equally diverse mix of individuals. A shared objective brought together many different strengths,
at times in the face of some very significant opposition. Jackie and I worked together through some of the most difficult local politics. ‘No one person ever dominated the collective effort, and Jackie was notable for her ability to work with people and to make it possible for others to work together. She was always at the centre of the core team, calm under pressure, enthusiastic, well organised and determined.
‘Jackie would have agreed that if there was a key ingredient to the remarkable achievement that made The Exchange possible it was partnership. That can be very difficult to achieve and harder to maintain, especially between those who don’t agree in the first place. She was absolutely key in keeping the steering group together and focused on what became The Exchange, a major contribution to the history of Sturminster Newton.’ Jackie won an MBE for her work in the town, and when she got the letter from Downing Street she was moved to tears. Sturminster Newton had a major new development that was unique in a small country town, helping the community to move forward in a positive way.
When Jackie and her husband Norman moved to Shaftesbury, her drive and determination to improve things in her community continued. She became involved with Shaftesbury Arts Society, where she supported concerts with her love of music. She was also chair of the Shaftesbury Civic Society, where she soon got her teeth into several projects to improve the town. One was Project Belle, aimed at regenerating the old supermarket on Bell Street. Jackie scrutinised every proposal, from pedestrianising the area to attracting new businesses. Another was the Lidl development which she wanted to be a site in keeping with the town. Prior to the Civic Society being disbanded, Jackie established the Rachel Caldwell
Annual Civic Award, an annual prize that recognises volunteer and community activity that makes a real difference in Shaftesbury. The award is now administered by the Rotary Club, celebrating unsung heroes in the town. Jackie was also involved with Shaftesbury Abbey, cataloguing artefacts and working with others to maintain the historic site. Even when she became less mobile she took the computer home to work there. The Abbey plans to commemorate her contribution to the town with a memorial, a project which is to be confirmed. Pauline Batstone summed up Jackie’s character: ‘She was a gentle but strong person, with a lovely sense of humour. I happened to bump into her and her husband Norman when I was delivering leaflets in Shaftesbury in the run-up to the election and we promised to have a coffee together after it was over. Sadly that was not to be.’
When you next visit Sturminster Newton or Shaftesbury and see the events and buildings that are created and cared for by volunteers, a physical reminder of a vibrant community spirit, remember Jackie Upton King and the difference she made across the Blackmore Vale.
Notes to a sister
This month Barry Cuff has chosen a pair of postcards sent from Milborne St Andrew – quite by chance he has two cards sent by the same person, to the same person – G Everett to his or her sister in Lyndhurst:
Mrs Macey’s address is at Cyclist’s Rest, High Street Lyndhurst – the 1890s are often referred to as the golden age of bicycles, and the first Tour de France was held in 1903, just a year before this postcard was sent. Perhaps cycling holidays in the New Forest were already a thing? It would appear that the sender, Mrs Macey’s sibling, is featured on the postcard - but we have no clues as to which figure it is, or even if they are man or woman ...
‘Dear Sister. A line wishing you Many Happy Returns of the day. If you have a magnifying glass you will be able to find me. Will send J one next week.
A year later, and Mrs E Macey’s address is no longer Cyclist’s Rest, but she’s still on Lyndhurst High Street. Barry notes that Milborne Fair was held on the 30th November each year, but the card was not posted until 1st December. A quick search doesn’t show any Everetts in the 1901 or 1911 census records for Milborne St Andrew:
‘Dear Sister just a line to let you know that Milborne Fair is on. Jack arrived at 11.15pm Tuesday, all well. Hoping you are all well, write later on. Love to all G. Everett & Maria
Step back in time with our ‘Then and Now’ feature, where vintage postcards from the Barry Cuff Collection meet modern-day reality. Explore the past and present on the same page, and see the evolution of familiar local places. ‘Now’ images by Courtenay Hitchcock
Hinton St Mary
The White Horse Inn has barely changed , though the large barn between it and No.40 Stearts Lane, behind, has long since vanished
The biggest change here is not in the buildings but in the B3092 itself
The sign over the White Hart door, opposite above, declares the landlord as Sidney Guy. A large family from Marnhull, Sidney Guy is listed as a carpenter and joiner, aged 44, in the 1901 census (he’s 15 in the 1871 census, the oldest of seven children all living at 11 Salisbury Street). He died in 1928, before this photograph was taken. Sidney named one of his sons William Sydney, born in 1881 – we don’t know the exact date of the postcard, but it’s probably early 20th century, making Sydney junior in his 50s or 60s: too old to be the man pictured. William Sydney doesn’t appear in the 1921 census.
Above, the B3092 dwellings are also remarkably recognisable, despite the loss of a chimney stack and the vanishing of the two gabled semi-detached cottages behind the first swoopingly-thatched cottage.
Sturminster Cheese Festival set to be a West Country feast
The Sturminster Cheese Festival is back on the 14th and 15th of September, offering a celebration of the best food and drink the West Country has to offer. Taking place at Sturminster Newton Recreation Ground, the festival brings together cheese lovers and local food enthusiasts for a weekend of delicious flavours and family fun. This year, 18 artisan cheesemakers will be on hand to tempt your taste buds. Sample a threeyear-old vintage cheddar from Keen’s Cheddar in Wincanton, White Lake Cheese’s sheep feta, Fetish, or Feltham’s Farm’s award-winning Gert Lush. And don’t miss the chance to taste The Book and Bucket Cheese Company’s Cranborne Blue, recently awarded three Great Taste Award stars. But cheese isn’t the only attraction! You’ll find almost 40 local artisan food producers selling everything from Dorsetshire Sauce to chilli jams, doughnuts, fudge and even local trout. Stock up
absolutely perfect Christmas gifts – just try not to drink them between now and then!) and plenty of locally brewed cider and beer too. Or perhaps a freshly brewed coffee and some delicious street food is more your thing? Take your pick – from French raclette to Greek or Thai.
The festival also features local artisans offering hand-forged ironworks, metal sculptures, and fused glass. Children can enjoy free entertainment from the brilliant Betty Boffin, Strawberry Jam and a traditional Punch & Judy show. There will be live music all day, making the Real Ale & Cider Tent the perfect place to relax with friends and family.
• cheesefestival.co.uk
• 14th and 15th September
• £8 Adult (£9 on the gate), children FREE (15 and under)
• Sturminster Newton Recreation Ground
• Parking via Durrant at DT10 1AX
A night with eventing legend William Fox-Pitt at The Exchange
On Wednesday, 25th September, The Exchange in Sturminster Newton will host a special event featuring one of Britain’s most successful event riders, William Fox-Pitt, in conversation with his wife, BAFTA-winning racing presenter Alice Plunkett. William was the first British rider to become eventing’s World No 1 – a distinction he achieved four times. He has represented his country consistently over the last 24 years, including at five Olympic games, and is the only rider to have won five of the six CCI**** worldwide titles.
The fortunate audience will hear him speaking about his stellar 40 year career in eventing and his experiences at the Olympics – the winner of three Olympic medals himself, William has been involved as both trainer and coach at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He will also talk about his recent decision to retire from 5 star events while continuing to train at his state of the art stables in North Dorset.
Both William and Alice are kindly giving their time to help raise funds for The Exchange.
A new autumn diary
The success of this year’s fundraising campaign has enabled The Exchange to broaden its event offerings throughout the autumn, complementing the impressive lineup of bands already featured in the regular programme. Additionally, collaborative partnerships with other organisations are helping to extend the centre’s reach within the community. In October, working with both Dorchester Arts and Artsreach, there is A Little Bit of The Script’s the Thing, showcasing original work by local writers as part of the build-up to next years scriptwriting festival in Dorchester.
In November, Poppy Plowman, a contemporary circus artist, will be performing Turk(ish), an
autobiographical show involving tightwire, live music, humour and intimate storytelling. This Artsreach event will also offer a tightwire workshop for brave participants!
In December, in partnership with Artsreach, an ensemble from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra will be performing Curious Creatures, a Sunday afternoon family concert suitable for all ages. The BSO will be working with the Dorset Music Education Hub in local North Dorset schools in advance of this concert. Tickets are available now from The Exchange, at family-friendly prices made possible by the generous support of the PittRivers Charitable Trust.
A new brochure covering The Exchange programme for the rest of the year will be available at the Cheese Festival – find The Exchange stand and find out more about what the community-run venue offers to North Dorset.
• An Evening with William Fox-Pitt 25th Sep 2024, 7:30pm, £15 tickets from stur-exchange.co.uk
Royal guest to attend Drakensberg Boys Choir at Wells Cathedral
HRH The Duchess of Edinburgh will visit Wells Cathedral on 25th September in support of the Drakensberg Boys Choir, who
will be performing a fundraising concert alongside the Wells Cathedral Schools choir and musicians. Their diverse repertoire blends classical masterpieces with infectious pop hits. The performance will range from the timeless compositions of Carl Orff and Mozart to the vibrant rhythms of Afro-pop and traditional African contemporary works, promising to
enchant audiences. The Drakies, as they are affectionately known, will be joined for this special performance by the choristers of Wells Cathedral Choir and the musicians and singers of Wells Cathedral School.
• Drakensberg Boys Choir at Wells Cathedral, 25th Sep, 7pm – £20 tickets here
Wimborne is set to celebrate ‘food, glorious food’ with a brand-new food festival on Saturday, 14th September: events, tastings, demos and talks will be taking place all around the town from 11am until 4pm. Meet Maggie Richardson, Great British Bake-Off contestant, discover the secrets of Indonesian cooking with Yayu Slocock – author, chef and owner of A Taste of Rasa Sayang – and hear from Kingston Lacy head gardener Andrew Hunt and café manager Phil Anderson. Get top tips from Michael Russell, head pastry chef of Le Petit Prince Patisserie and cake maker to royalty, and wash this down with a guided beer tasting by Laura Green, co-owner of independent craft beer bar The Butcher’s Dog.
In addition to the festivities, there will be a selfguided food walk, organised by award-winning Salamander Cookshop, taking visitors around Wimborne to meet local food retailers and discover some of the town’s specialist offerings. You can join in too – put on your pinny and bake a Dorset Apple Cake for the Dacombes of Wimborne Cake Competition. Bakers of all ages are encouraged to create their most delicious and
visually stunning Dorset Apple Cake and bring it to the marquee on Willow Walk at 2:30pm, where BBC Repair Shop star Sonnaz Nooranvary will be the celebrity judge!
Keep an eye out for more details, including a Food Walk map, available at pick-up points around town. • wimborne.info
Railways on the Air at Shillingstone
On the weekend of 28th and 29th September, Shillingstone Station will host the Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society of Wimborne (FRARS) for the Railways on the Air (ROTA) event. Marking the anniversary of the first steam-powered passenger railway – on 27th September 1825, from Darlington to Stockton – FRARS will be on hand in the signal box, tuning into the airwaves to contact other heritage railways, including Somerset & Dorset
lines. There’s also the exciting possibility of reaching out to railways across the UK and even further afield!
Visitors to the station can explore many of North Dorset Railway’s projects, including a steam engine undergoing restoration by Project 62, while enjoying the café and shop. Volunteers have been hard at work extending the railway line north toward Sturminster Newton, with significant progress made on restoring the track bed. Once complete, nearly 800 metres of track will be ready for future passenger rides.
However, with material costs rising, North Dorset Railway has launched an appeal for funds to support the purchase of the ballast, sleepers and track chairs needed to complete the project. The entirely volunteer-run railway is seeking donations to help bring these plans to life.
Donations can be made in person at the station via cheque, card or through their website northdorsetrailway.co.uk. Every contribution helps support this vital heritage site and its role in serving the local community.
• Shillingstone Station is open Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 10am to 4pm, and entrance is free. Visitors are invited to enjoy the charm and history of this North Dorset gem.
Comedy night at The Gugg, Stalbridge
Get ready for a night of top-tier comedy on Saturday, 21st September, as The Gugg in Stalbridge hosts an unforgettable line-up of professional comedians, all in aid of two fantastic
causes – The Gugg (CIC) and The Vale Pantry. The evening promises non-stop laughter, featuring four comedians from the national comedy circuit: Geoff Whiting, Alan Francis, Leslie Gold and Trev Tokabi, and the night will be compered by Patrick Carmody. Between them, these comedic talents have supported big names like Michael McIntyre, Harry Hill, and Lee Mack, making this a must-see event for comedy lovers.
Taking place at The Gugg on Station Road, doors open at 7:30pm with the show starting at 8pm. Tickets are just £15 and can be purchased in advance direct from The Gugg (01963 363456), The Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton, or online here. Tickets will also be available on the door, so don’t miss out!
Freshly made pizzas and cakes will be available for purchase, and it’s a bring-your-own drinks event – perfect for a relaxed, fun-filled evening. Please note, this show contains adult material and is not suitable for anyone under 18. Come with friends, or come alone – everyone is welcome at this friendly venue. Support two great causes and enjoy a night of laughter you won’t forget!
Wellies and writing in Wimborne with Tamsin Westhorpe
Dorset gardeners are in for a treat – renowned horticulturist and RHS Chelsea Flower Show Judge, Tamsin Westhorpe, comes to Wimborne for a special fundraising talk on Friday, 4th October. After her sell-out event last year, which raised over £900 for Wimborne Community Garden, Tamsin will once again share her experiences as a top garden writer, podcaster, and former editor of The English Garden magazine.
Titled “Life as a Garden Writer”, Tamsin’s talk promises to give attendees a fascinating behindthe-scenes look at the world of garden journalism. ‘You’ll discover how the best gardens are found, what garden techniques are trending, and how to feel confident you’re reading the right magazine,’ says Tamsin. Known for her hands-on approach, Tamsin started her working life at 17-years-old, as one of the first female gardeners for Bournemouth Parks Department. She has since been listed among The Telegraph’s top 100 most influential female gardeners.
The talk will be held at Beaucroft College Hall, School Lane, Wimborne, from 7:30pm to 9:30pm. Tickets are £12 and include mulled apple juice and Dorset Apple Cake. There will also be a raffle to raise funds for Wimborne Community Garden. Wimborne Community Garden, supported by Faithworks and founded in 2022, has transformed
a piece of land into a thriving space with raised beds, fruit trees and vegetable patches. It provides fresh produce for local initiatives and offers a place for people to connect and develop gardening skills. • For tickets, visit https://bit.ly/WCGEvening
TENORS UNLIMITED
SAT 12TH OCTOBER
20 years of performing, the UK’s original classical crossover ‘man band’ repertoire includes popular classics with crooner and pop favourites. Featuring the Gillingham Singers (£23/£24)
COMMITMENTS/BLUES BROTHERS
SAT 28TH SEPTEMBER
Plenty of laughs, crazy dance moves and loads of great Soul, Blues and Country and Western music in a full live-band show of two halves where Dublin Soul meets Chicago Blues (£22.50)
T.REX - THE MUSIC OF MARC & MICKEY
SAT 5TH OCTOBER
Featuring ex Marc Bolan and T Rex drummer Paul Fenton, performing an explosion of 70s Glam rock hits including Metal Guru, Ride a White Swan, Telegram Sam, Children of the Revolution, I Love to Boogie and more.... (£23)
IT’S NEVER TOO LATE SAT 2ND NOVEMBER
Brenton West – The Repair Shop & Raj Bisram - Antiques Roadshow with A fabulously entertaining show full of stories from the worlds of antiques, repairs and television (£19)
SAT 21ST SEPT (18+)
A wood mouse – similar to the house mouse, it has larger ears and eyes relative to its size
Tap dancing in the attic
Wildlife writer Jane Adams’ nocturnal visitors lead her on a quest to outsmart a quartet of attic mice in a whimsical tale of persistence
As summer fades and an autumn chill sets in, I lie in bed, listening to the steady rain against the window as I fall asleep. But there is something else ... I can hear a faint but unmistakable noise. Somethingis tap-dancing in the attic.
The following morning I investigate, half expecting to find a troupe of tiny Fred Astaires. Instead, I find a mound of chewed-up paper and, to confirm the identity of my new visitors, a scattering of mouse droppings.
In all the time we’ve lived here, we’ve never had mice in the attic. There’s no food stored up there, and it would be a significant climb for such small creatures. So, why are they there?
I’ve frequently seen mouse burrows under the flowerbeds in the garden –I can only assume all the recent rain flooded their nests, pushing them to find refuge in our nice, dry attic.
The next morning, the traps are full. Four small wood mice with large, doleful eyes stare up at me. I gently release them behind the garden shed, hoping that’s the end of the night-time dance routines.
It isn’t.
That night, the tap-tapping is even louder, and by morning, the traps are full again.
Four days later, despite my persistence, I have now relocated thirteenmice . I wonder if our attic is overrun with rodents.
I hope that’s the end of the night-time dance routines. It isn’t.
Sadly, they couldn’t stay. I set six Longworth small mammal traps. These lure mice with sunflower seeds, and once they trip a small door, it closes behind them, keeping them safe and unharmed with food and a safe place to spend the night.
Wood mice facts
• Defensive tails: wood mice can shed the end of their tail if threatened by predators. Unfortunately, the tail doesn’t grow back.
• Super-sperm: Male wood mice produce sperm in chains, creating a “sperm train” that swims faster, improving their chances of successful reproduction.
• Signposts: To help with navigation, wood mice place small objects like leaves and twigs around their environment. Humans are the only other animal that does this.
• Varied diet: Wood mice eat a wide range of foods, from fungi and berries to seeds and insects.
• Night life: Mainly nocturnal, wood mice may come out during the day in the summer months. They are skilled climbers, and
(Yes, I know. It took me a while to catch on)
Finally, I mark each captured mouse on the neck with a dab of animalfriendly marker. In the morning, each cheerful captive bears a purple mark – we’re not overrun, we’ve just been playing hide and seek with the same persistent quartet.
This time I drive the four mice to a small, sheltered wood three miles away from my nice warm dry house, and carefully release them. At last, the final curtain has fallen on their nocturnal performances ... until the next encore, anyway.
build complex burrows and nests either underground or in tree stumps.
• Distribution: European wood mice (Apodemussylvaticus)inhabit Britain, Ireland, Europe and northern Africa. In southern England, we also have its close relative, the yellow-necked mouse (Apodemusflavicollis) , which is larger and has a yellow collar.
• Home: The wood mouse is happy in a variety of habitats, from woodland and gardens and to fields and even sand dunes.
• Short life: Typically, wood mice live for just three to four months. It’s quite rare for them to survive from one summer to the next.
• Garden helpers: Wood mice can be beneficial to gardens by eating pests. Their forgotten food stores also help trees and shrubs spread naturally.
Local wildlife photographer Ian Nelson sent this wonderful set of barn owl images to us, despite knowing they couldn’t be entered into the reader’s photography pages this month. We have just one rule for the monthly photography pages – the images included must have been taken in the preceding month (the images featured in this September issue will all have been taken in August). However, Ian took these images earlier in the summer and then deliberately withheld sharing them for a couple of months.
‘I didn’t submit them because the barn is possibly identifiable,’ he says. ‘Sadly not everyone understands how to observe wildlife responsibly, and I didn’t want the owls to be disturbed by an influx of visitors. Four chicks were being raised, and I didn’t want to risk them being stressed to the point that they abandoned the young.’
All four chicks have now fledged, and although they break the rules for the reader’s photography section, we couldn’t resist sharing such stunning images of one of the nation’s most beloved birds for everyone to enjoy.
Did you know ...
• The barn owl is not only the world’s most widely distributed species of owl, but is also one of the most widespread of all birds – it is found on every continent except Antarctica
• Though they reside throughout the tropics, they avoid areas with cold winters. Scotland has the most northern breeding barn owls in the Northern Hemisphere
• In eastern England barn owls are far more likely to nest in trees than in barns.
• Barn owls don’t hoot! The male has a long, harsh scream that lasts about two seconds
• The chicks make their first flights when they are around 50 days old, but they won’t be independent of their parents for another month
• British barn owls have distinctive white breasts, but in central and eastern Europe they are a shade of dark yellow-orange
• Barn Owls do not build a nest: they lay their eggs directly onto the previous years’ nest debris, a compacted layer of old owl pellets!
Moss has been used by humans throughout history for a variety of purposes, thanks to its absorption and antiseptic properties
Image: Steve Masters
Brilliant bryophytes
Steve Masters, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s ecologist, shines a light on the oftenforgotten miniature realm of the important bryophyte
Have you ever perched on an old log in the wood, only to find yourself enveloped within a sumptuous rug of moss? Or, paddling in a river, wondered at the creeping green sheets adorning the exposed rocks?
Around 1,000 species of bryophytes are found in the UK – representing 58 per cent of the total European species. As such, they contribute significantly to our biodiversity: they are in fact the second most diverse of the world’s plant groups
(angiosperms–floweringplants–arethemost diversegroup) . Bryophytes include mosses, liverworts and hornworts. They are the ancient organisms likely to have first arisen from green algae around 450 million years ago in the Ordovician period, a time of expansion for multi-cellular organisms. To identify and understand bryophytes, we need to get up close and personal with them, in some cases microscopically. The leaf structures of mosses and liverworts are often only one cell thick, with a whole host of structures which aid them in photosynthesis and water conservation. Some liverworts take the form of sheets of green fingers creeping across rocks, or miniature necklaces hung about trees.
Mossy romance
The life-cycle of bryophytes sets them apart from other plants. It is two-staged: the leafy part (gametophyte) produces male and female structures which then combine to make a sporophyte. The sporophyte produces spores in a distinctive capsule, which are then dispersed and develop into a new leafy part. Another amazing ability is that of reproducing asexually, which many species do either by simply shedding part of their
Sphagnum moss. Image: Vaughn Matthews
leaf structure or via specific structures which are shed. Both these and the capsules are beautiful structures, rivalling those of any flowering plant. Bryophytes play a key role in ecosystems across the UK, in many different habitats from grasslands to wetlands to woodlands. In each of these habitats, they often create favourable micro-habitats for other species – for example, conserving water for young seedlings in arid environments, thereby helping vegetation to establish. They help shelter invertebrates, the recyclers of our ecosystems, and create the perfect terrestrial habitats for amphibians. Mosses also provide the ideal cosy nest material for birds and small mammals to hunker down.
They are integral components of some of our most precious habitats, such as peat bogs, in our fight to combat climate change. Among the main components of peat bogs are sphagnum mosses, and they perform three essential functions. Firstly, along with other plants, they form the storage vessel in which the carbon is locked. Secondly, they help to hold water within the bog, and thirdly, due to their chemical interactions with the nutrients around them, they create an acidic environment which reduces the decomposition of the plant material, ensuring the locked-in carbon is not released. Without the sphagnum moss component of these communities, the function of peat bogs to store the 500 billion tonnes of carbon they do worldwide would be severely impacted.
Moss hunting
Dorset Wildlife Trust nature reserves offer the opportunity to discover an amazing array of bryophytes: whether during an autumnal woodland walk, a bright winter wander across a grassland or a damp dabble in a heathland mire. Why not try finding big shaggy-moss at Bracketts Coppice, cowhorn bog-moss at Winfrith Heath or swan’s-neck thyme-moss at Kingcombe Meadows, and wonder at the mysterious world of bryophytes. If you’re lucky, maybe you’ll find the moss cushion at the bottom of The Faraway Tree’s slippery slip!
Did you know?
Sphagnum mosses have been used by humans for centuries. Native Americans used them to line their children’s cots and carriers, where it acted as a natural nappy due to its absorption abilities – twice that of cotton wool. The moss also played a key role in medicine, particularly during the First World War. Its chemistry creates a mild acidity with antiseptic properties which, combined with its abilities to absorb, made it useful as a wound dressing.
Take
a Hike:
Win Green round to Tollard Royal | 8.5
Win Green Down, the highest point of the Cranborne Chase, is just outside Shaftesbury and always worth a visit – on a clear day you can see The Needles. There are many walks from the top –the easiest being straight along the Ox Drove itself for constantly spectacular views, it is one of the longest and most ancient routes in the country, going all the way to Salisbury.
Our favourite route is below: drop off the Drove to walk a circular route through the Rushmore Park to come in the back of Tollard Royal and then a stiff climb up from beautifully peaceful Ashcombe Bottom on the Wessex Ridgeway. The route is a straightforward loop on well-
miles
maintained paths, taking in ancient tracks and the Wessex Ridgeway. Parking is easy on Win Green, but you could also start at Tollard Royal (finishing with a pint in the King John!), which would mean a downhill finish rather than the sharpest climb at the end. We often like to stop for beer mid-route, the King John is around mile six!
Please note that the waymarkers on Rushmore Golf Course are not easily spotted – check your map, stick to the path and be confident. Do follow the fence line!
• CLICK HERE for more images, an interactive map and a downloadable .gpx
See all previously-published Dorset Walks on the website here. You can also find every route we’ve walked (including many which are unpublished in The BV) on OutdoorActive here (just zoom in/out on the map) – all include a downloadable gpx file.
Roe deer
Andrew Burge
Sunset Stroll
Ian Nelson
Vixen
Alexandra Pereira
Pensive Heron
Rebecca Cooke
Ole red eyes
Annette Gregory
Posing peacock
Mark Parris
Balancing act
Broad-bodied chaser Warren port
Nicky Newman
Harvest snail
Caz Robins
Sweet dreams
Roy Wilson
I’ll land where I want, thanks Tina Dawkins
We welcome photography submissions from readers – the only rule is that they must have been taken locally in the last month. Our cover shot is always selected from our submissions pile. If you’d like to join in, please share it in The BV community Facebook Group or simply email it to us on photos@bvmagazine.co.uk
I think a homemade jam makes any cake or scone taste incredible – I will often go that extra mile when making a cake for a friend or loved one. This is my own go-to recipe and one that I repeat often. It’s so simple but does inevitably include Very Hot Sugary Liquid so I’ve included lots of tips to make the process as easy as possible! I often use frozen raspberries from the supermarket (especially off-season) and they work just as well as fresh – you don’t even need to defrost them first – Heather.
Ingredients
• 1kg raspberries
• 1kg jam sugar (this has pectin added already)
Notes before you start:
Equipment you’ll need:
• Large saucepan
• Large wooden spoon
• Oven gloves
• Small plate
• Sieve
• Medium sized bowl/jam jars
If you are giving this jam away or you expect to keep it for a while, then put your jars through a hot dishwasher to disinfect them before you start. My jam never stays around that long so I just use a big glass bowl! This recipe requires you to stand at the stove for 15 to 20 minutes and stir constantly, so I would get everything ready before you start. Also – boiling jam mixture is VERY hot, so please be careful!
Method
1. Put your raspberries and sugar into the large saucepan and mix thoroughly. Turn the heat up to high and keep gently stirring as the raspberry mixture heats up. You’ll notice as the jam comes to boiling, that a foamy texture forms on the surface – this is normal.
2. Keep gently stirring as the mixture starts rapidly boiling (this could take ten minutes if you are using frozen raspberries). Once the mixture begins rapidly boiling and bubbling, it may spit little bits of boiling hot jam from the saucepan – at this point I begin to use oven gloves to hold the spoon so that I don’t burn my hand!
3. If you stop stirring, the bottom of the mixture is likely to burn ... so just keep stirring!
4. Once the mixture reaches rapid boiling, it will take about five minutes until the jam is done – as you are stirring, keep a close eye on the foamy texture on the top of the jam: you will notice this begin to disappear. Once the foam has gone and the bubbling sound becomes louder, dribble a little of the jam mixture onto the small plate and let it cool for 30 seconds. Then, using your finger or a spoon, move the jam on the plate and see if it is set. If it is still runny, keep boiling for one more minute. If it has set, take the jam off the heat.
5. I tend to use jam for cakes so I like to sieve some of the seeds out. To do this, carefully tip half the mixture through the sieve into a bowl and, using the wooden spoon, push the jam through the sieve. Then stir the remaining “seeded” jam into the seed-free portion and mix together. Ignore this step if you want all the seeds in the jam!
6. If you’re using jam jars, pour the warm jam into the jars (beware pouring very hot jam into cold glass jars) and seal.
The Real Cure produces a range of 15 charcuterie items
The hobby that got out of control
Fanny Charles talks to James and Lucy Smart, who are celebrating ten years of running one of this country’s finest charcuterie businesses
‘It is easy to make good charcuterie once,’ says James Smart, founder of The Real Cure. ‘It is much more difficult to do it week after week. Consistency is the key.’
And consistency – with creativity and rigorous sourcing of ingredients – has been key to the success of the North Dorset-based charcuterie business, which celebrates its tenth anniversary this September.
From the smallest beginnings – as a hobby for a country-loving ecologist returning from London to his family farm at weekends – to a national award-winning artisan producer, The Real Cure’s story is one of slow, organic development and
‘Home’ is a converted outbuilding on the family farm at Hatrtgrove, near Shaftesbury
steady growth, helped by a few grants. ‘We received LEADER [EU] grant funding for part of our expansion project, but apart from that we have never had any outside investment,’ says James. Now he and his wife Lucy have a team of 12 –quite a significant number in a rural area like Hartgrove near Shaftesbury – producing a range of 15 charcuterie items. Venison is the core of the business but the range now also includes pork and beef products. ‘People are more familiar with pork salamis,’ says Lucy.
One of their best-sellers is still the sloe and garlic venison salami which was their first product, using sloes they foraged from their local Blackmore Vale hedges. More recent successes and customer favourites include the chefs’ favourite, nduja (a spicy spreadable pork sausage), Italian black truffle salami, which has two Great Taste stars, and the coppa (cured pig’s collar) which has won a coveted three stars.
As the business has grown, James and Lucy have had to source some of their ingredients from further afield – the wild venison (previously solely from Dorset) now includes wild sika, roe and fallow deer from across Britain. But local products and producers are still important. They include Dorset’s famous historic cheese for Dorset Blue Vinny Salami, and Purbeck Cider.
A passion for venison
James was studying ecology at university when he met Lucy. His first job was with Scottish Natural Heritage (now NatureScot) surveying and recording wildlife on a Site of Special Scientific Interest in Sutherland. Here, he learned about the environmental damage that can be caused by deer – and understood the necessity of managing the population of wild deer, which have no natural predators, to maintain the fragile balance on this ecologically-important and beautiful SSSI.
After a few years working in ski resorts in Austria and Switzerland, the couple moved to London, where Lucy worked for a big PR firm on food and drink brands like Bottlegreen, Magimix and Burts Potato Chips. James kept as close as possible to his rural roots, working at outdoor pursuits shop Farlows in Pall Mall.
During his time in the Highlands, James had developed a passion for venison and began experimenting with curing using a double-door fridge in the small garden of their Camberwell flat.
‘We used to come down at the weekend and make salami and other charcuterie and later we would sell it at the farmers market in Shaftesbury. I always wanted to come back to Dorset. What started as a hobby went out of control. Something had to give. We had to make a choice!’ City life was not what either of them wanted, and the idea that they could make a business of the charcuterie kept growing. ‘So we gave up the London jobs.’
They set to work with a tiny smoker, a table-top sausage stuffer, converted double-door fridge ... and plenty of trial and error
After a rudimentary renovation of a farm workshop, they set to work with a tiny smoker, a table-top sausage stuffer, converted double door fridge ... and plenty of trial and error. Initially, the fledgling business was just James, Lucy and a friend, Amy. Lucy kept the family afloat by working for Osprey, the upmarket backpack company in Poole, and slowly the word spread that their charcuterie was exceptionally good. Demand grew. ‘The growth has been very organic,’ says Lucy.
Salt and time
Venison – particularly wild venison – is now more widely recognised for its health benefits (it is a very low-fat meat) and sustainability, in terms of managing herd numbers and the environmental balance across Britain, from the Scottish Highlands to the Purbecks.
The pork for the charcuterie is all free-range – ‘We pay massively over the odds to get proper free range pork,’ says James. They also insist on using high-quality natural bovine collagen casing and grind their own spices.
‘We don’t buy any pre-mixed spices. Everything is done from scratch. We genuinely don’t cut any corners. The quality of our products has to justify our prices. We are proud of what we make.’
Sustainability and animal welfare are very important to the Smarts, as they are to many artisan producers and family farmers. They are concerned by the impact of recent reports criticising the environmental damage of meat production and the claimed benefits of moving to a plant-based diet. They take great care in the selection of their meat, only using the cuts they
James holding a Hartgrove coppa ham: free range air dried pork, dry cured in a gentle mix of herbs and spices and aged for a minimum of four months
Lucy and James were happy to give up their London jobs to embrace rural life in Dorset
FOOD AND DRINK
need, and outsourcing the butchery to ensure that the whole animal is used.
‘If you choose wisely, the UK probably has the best animal husbandry in the world,’ says James, who believes that there is an increasing push-back among consumers against including good Britishproduced meat within the global meat context. There is a lot of science in the production of top quality charcuterie, and it has a long history ... part of food culture for centuries, if not longer. It would have started as an essential way of preserving meat, long before refrigeration existed and ensuring every part of the animal was used. James explains: ‘The magic ingredient in charcuterie is salt, which binds with water molecules, limiting the amount of available water for bacteria to reproduce. This, in conjunction with air-drying, preserves the meat.’
The other essential ingredient is time. A cured ham can be hung for many months, even years, while its flavour improves. The famous Spanish Iberico ham is hung for up to three years. The Hartgrove Coppa is air-dried for four months, which gives it a deep and mature flavour.
The products, none of which include milk powder (milk is a common allergen), are all ambient and therefore don’t need refrigeration. There is a rigorous routine of testing to ensure product safety. ‘We spend a lot of money testing,’ says James. ‘We do monthly swabbing and there is stringent quarterly testing. We have to be doubly, triply, careful with ready-to-eat products.’
The Real Cure is SALSA-accredited – Safe And
Local Supplier Approval is a robust food safety certification scheme for smaller food producers and suppliers. A recent development has also been a move to recyclable packaging – expensive, but one which fits well with James and Lucy’s commitment to sustainability.
Where to find The Real Cure products
From the early days at farmers markets and events like Screen Bites Food Film Festival, Shaftesbury Food Festival or the Dorset Food and Arts Festival at Poundbury, James and Lucy have steadily built up a wide range of retail outlets.
They used to attend a lot of events, which helped with cash flow in the early days, and you will still sometimes find them at a food festival, but their products are now widely available in the area – locally at Compton McRae in Semley, the Shaftesbury Deli, Udder Farm Shop on the A30 near East Stour and Gold Hill Organic Farm Shop at Child Okeford. Further afield you will find The Real Cure at the Dunning family’s famous Gloucester Services on the M5 and Tebay in Westmorland on the M6, and as far north as farm shops in Scotland, the Koze wine bar at Signals in Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire.
The Real Cure products are also served on cruise ships, sold at Fortnum & Mason and used both in recipes and served in cafes by the National Trust. Covid, predictably, had a huge impact, and highlighted the importance of farm shops and online ordering from the website: ‘We don’t keep all our eggs in one basket,’ says James.
• therealcure.co.uk
Hartgrove Coppa in one of the maturing rooms
Dorset’s finest at the Love Local Trust Local Awards
On 3rd September, more than 150 people gathered in the splendid Members Pavilion at The Dorset County Show to celebrate the 4th annual Love Local Trust Local (LLTL) Awards.
The event was the result of months of preparation, culminating in a night that showcased the remarkable stories and achievements of local producers and businesses.
The busy drinks reception was followed by a delicious array of dishes crafted from the finest local produce – many from LLTL members and award entrants. It was an evening of connection for the Dorset businesses, and familiar faces and newcomers alike shared stories, celebrated their accomplishments and took pride in their contributions to the local economy and community.
Barbara Cossins, founder of LLTL, delivered a speech highlighting the impressive efforts of both the youngest emerging startups and the long-established businesses. She praised their dedication to supporting local communities and maintaining sustainable practices in a perennially difficult market.
Paul Dunlop of Blanchards Bailey introduced the judges, before the winners and the highly commended entrants across 16 categories were announced. The pride in the room was palpableboth of those winning recognition, and the wider room celebrated their collective success in being part of such a thriving community.
The evening concluded with a special Lifetime Achievement Award, honouring long-standing dedication to the local community. Then Barbara closed the night with the first ever live performance of the new Love Local Trust Local song, My Story (see video, left). Written and performed by LLTL members, the song was written to raise funds to support the organisation’s mission of promoting and protecting local produce and practices.
Peter Morgan of Book & Bucket Cheese, and Lizzie Baking Bird
Best Artisan Producers
The Little House
Parkstone Fisheries
The August diary
Barry Cuff takes a look at what happened on the plot in August, the height of harvest
season
The weather during the month was very variable: despite many dull days, most crops were ready to harvest around the same time as they were last year, and by the end of the month around half the plot had been cleared of crop and bio-matter. These areas will be sown with green manure during September and October. Little watering was needed through the month, except for the thirsty vegetables such as runner beans, celery and celeriac.
Autumn salad and stir fry veg – Going in after potatoes. Sown/planted so far: Chinese cabbage, radicchio, leaf mixes, mizuna and golden streaks mustard. More will be sown in September.
Beetroot – We’re now lifting regularly as required from successional sowings.
Brassicas – All growing under a net to protect from pigeons! There was an explosion of caterpillars, both large and small white butterflies, around the middle of August. Normally we just pick these off the plants, but under a net this is difficult so they were sprayed with Deltamethrin – avoiding any plants which were near to harvesting.
Broccoli – Both early and late varieties doing well Brussels Sprouts four and five foot tall, and all looking well.
Calabrese - (Ironman) We picked some excellent heads mid month, and now these will produce side shoots.
Cabbage – Red Drumhead: good plants, we’re harvesting as required for stir-fries, salads etc.
Savoy: winter/spring varieties Vertus and Wintessa were planted out on 9th.
Cauliflower – We’re cutting nice heads of the cheesy and white step varieties this month. Spring varieties Snow March and Medallion were planted out on 6th.
Carrot – (Early Nantes) Last sowing made on 4th: these will only be any good if the weather is favourable. Earlier sowings are doing well, and we’re already using early ones as required.
Celeriac – Looking good and ready for mulching.
‘We are now picking Purple Magnolia, a snap pea.’ All images: Barry Cuff
Celery – (Golden Self Blanching) We have harvested two plants early, and will harvest the rest over the autumn as required.
Chicory – Witloof for chicons. Looking well, with nice strong plants.
Courgette – Currently cutting every other day.
Dwarf French bean – Good yields from Safari and nearly finished cropping. Nautica is our later variety and is still cropping well.
Flowers (for the bees and for cutting) – All looking good: tithonia, echinops, echium, zinnia and coreopsis
Fruit – We’ve had good yields from both varieties of raspberry (Joan J and Autumn Treasure)
Leek – Planted out after the broad beans and potatoes, but seeing fairly slow growth. They probably need rain.
Lettuce – (Little Gem) We are never short of lettuces as we sow every month.
Mangetout – The Carouby De Massaune have finished and we are now picking Purple Magnolia, a snap pea.
Onion – (Bonus) All harvested with lower yields this year due to White Rot. Each year we lose up to 20 per cent to this disease. We live with this, expecting the losses despite a six year rotation. The experts reckon that an eight-to-ten year gap is required to clear it.
Parsnip – Two rows looking well for the winter.
Potatoes – We dug our last row on the 8th: we had excellent yields this year.
Runner beans – Picking every other day.
‘We’re picking tomatoes every day, with some good yields’
‘We harvested our first cobs on 22nd August – a good size and delicious!’
Squash – The bed is like a jungle, many fruits forming and most plants stopped.
Sweetcorn – (Swift) We harvested our first cobs on 22nd – a good size and delicious!
Sweet pepper and tomatoes (in the greenhouse) – Good yields from the greenhouse. We’re picking tomatoes every day, with good yields, and no more blossom-end rot which we experienced earlier in the season.
To deadhead dahlias and extend their flowering season, pinch off the stem about an inch from the dead flower, removing the entire head. While you’re deadheading, you can also trim any dead or damaged leaves
Essential jobs in the garden this September
This month’s jobs for the garden – prolong blooming while you start sorting for next season, says gardener Pete Harcom
It’s time to get back out there! There are lots of jobs to do in the garden this month. As well as general garden-keeping, re-assessing and preparing for next year is also on the cards – it’s time to think about what worked and what didn’t!
As you have a general tidy-up of any potting sheds, greenhouses and the garden itself, you’ll inevitably find yourself planning for next year. When you plan your jobs for September, be sure to include:
In the greenhouse
Clean out cold frames and greenhouses ahead of autumn sowing and growing. Bring potting compost and seed compost into the greenhouse in preparation. Remove shading from your greenhouse towards the end of the month so that plants get the maximum light available.
Odd jobs
• Netting your pond can reduce autumn leaf-fall entering the water.
• Continue to feed and deadhead hanging baskets and container plants – they will often keep going until the first frosts.
• Keep deadheading perennials and annuals to extend their flowering, too.
• Raise pots off the ground for the winter by using bricks or ‘pot feet’, to prevent waterlogging.
• Prune climbing roses and rambling roses once they’ve finished flowering (unless they are repeat-flowering varieties, in which case leave them until later in the year).
Planting
Now is the time to plant your spring-flowering bulbs, such as daffodils, hyacinths and crocus –the garden centres are now stocking them. While you’re there, add some wallflowers and pansies as plug plants: they’re welcome early-flowering support for insects after the winter months. Divide any herbaceous perennials such as achillea, ajuga, campanula, centaurea, chrysanthemum, geranium, phlox, salvias, verbascum and verbena. They can all be dug up this month once they’ve finished flowering and split to increase your stock. Make sure they are watered well after re-planting.
Garden recycling tips
Create or purchase a compost bin in preparation for all the fallen leaves and dead plant material which you’ll be collecting over the coming months. Autumn leaves make a great addition to compost bins and are ideal for making leaf mould.
If you don’t have one, install a water butt to collect rain this autumn and winter – rain water is great for watering ericaceous plants such as blueberries, rhododendrons and camellias.
Retain water wherever possible – old washing up water can also be used for watering (when cool). And don’t throw away the hot water when you boil vegetables for meals – pop outside and pour it over the weeds that are appearing on the patio. Scalding hot water is guaranteed to damage even the toughest of weeds!
And if I’m not too late, remember that lolly sticks can be re-used as brilliant plant labels!
Thorngrove on tour
Kelsi-Dean Buck takes us through Thorngrove’s last summer hurrah: join them at the Dorset County Show for plants, bugs, and more!
Well, there we have it – the nights are rolling in and we are bidding farewell to summer ... but not without one last hurrah before autumn!
“Thorngrove on tour” continues – this weekend we are joining many other amazing Dorset businesses and entertainment at Dorset County Show. Do come and find us on Saturday 7th or Sunday 8th September, where we will be pitched up with Employ My Ability, and staff from our site in Moreton, The Walled Garden.
Regular visitors to our sites – and readers of this column – will know we are more than just a garden centre and café. The work that takes place at Thorngrove, and The Walled Garden, is all in partnership with Employ My Ability as we look to continue developing our amazing environments for young people with special educational needs and disabilities. Our students learn and gain valuable work experience which allows them to find their future within the local communities and beyond. (find out more at employmyability.org.uk)
Our stand at the county show will be stocked with beautiful plants and garden items, along with staff from Thorngrove and EMA to talk about what we do – and this time we’re even bringing some of our amazing exotic bugs with us. Yes, you read that right! Visitors to the Walled Garden may have already braved our ‘bug experiences’, but if not,
now you can get a little peek yourself at the show. The bugs are part of our wider animal family at Moreton, along with goats, guinea pigs, rabbits and reptiles – all of which help our students develop new skills, and learn about animal care as they pursue careers in related industries.
So please do stop by and see us – we’ll be giving out vouchers too! If you’re reading this after the show, don’t fret, I’m sure we’ll have a few left over ... pop into Thorngrove in Gillingham during September and ask us.
In the garden
With our new stock of spring bulbs at the ready, planting season will soon be underway and we’re on hand to offer inspiration and advice to those of you looking to plan ahead and grow your own. The cyclamen have also already arrived – they always signal the end of summer, and ... yes … dare we say it … the looming *whispers* festive season!
We are deep in the midst of our Christmas planning and will have lots of exciting news very soon on what you can expect from us here in Gillingham. Stay tuned to our social media for up to the minute details, plus all the latest insight from the garden centre, and the café. We look forward to seeing you this season!
• ThorngroveGardenCentre.co.uk
A sting operation bee-hind enemy lines
The challenges facing pollinators are very real – but Andrew Livingston, the son of beekeepers, has a jaundiced view of the little stingy guys
I appear to have a bit of a bee in my bonnet this month. Speaking with beekeeper Anne Ashford about the horrors of the Asian hornet inspired me – not only has it been a hard year for the little lads (and queens), but I was reminded of a bee-related incident from my childhood. Plus I’m never one to pass up the opportunity for squeezing in the odd un-bee-lievably bad pun ... I cannot stress enough how important bees are for agriculture. We have around 270 species in the UK – and only one, the honeybee, is kept by those fanatics in the big white suits also known as beekeepers. I’ll come back to them. Studies have shown that crop yields for farmers are increased by the presence of bees – even the shelf life and nutritional values have been shown to improve. The Red Mason Bee is used by commercial apple growers to pollinate orchards: they are 120 times more efficient at pollinating than the honeybee. It’s not been an easy year for the bee. Many of the UK species are now endangered – and that’s before we consider the new threat of the Asian hornet flying over from France. The weather has been particularly poor: bees are not wet weather fans, and we had a mild, wet winter, followed by a wet spring and then a cold wet summer ... Basically, it’s been wet all year!
The British Beekeeper Association and the National Bee Unit (yes, that’s a real thing. I’m not pollen your leg) sent starvation alerts out to beekeepers, encouraging them to check and feed their bees with syrup if required.
My parents have kept bees for years – they also told me it’s been hard year. They have four hives, but only one is active and they have been finding it hard to locate swarms to replace the colonies due to the low bee activity. I genuinely love pollinators – but as the son of beekeepers, I secretly found this good news. I don’t wish ill on the bees, but growing up with hobby beekeeper parents isn’t easy … especially when they rope you in to help.
Don’t anger the bees
I clearly remember stepping off the school bus at our home in the village of Hooke when my stepmother, wearing her full bee regalia, stopped me in the garden with a firm ‘Andrew!’. She had another bee mask in her hand and it was clear she either wanted me to help her in the vegetable patch apiary or she was about to scream ‘EN GARDE!’ and have a quick fence on the front lawn. Unfortunately, it was the former. So, out we went –stepmother in full regalia, me in just a half-suit, the big bee hat and top thrown on over my school uniform. It was as if the beekeeping budget promptly ran out when it came to the second suit.
She either wanted me to help in the apiary or she was going to scream ‘EN GARDE’ and have a quick fence on the front lawn
We got to the hive and I was told the plan: ‘We give them a bit of smoke to keep them calm. You hold the lid and I’ll inspect the bees.’
Sounded easy enough. But you know when you get that feeling that something’s about to go very wrong? Yes. That.
The plan raced through at a rate of knots: the lid was lifted and bees were suddenly flying everywhere through the smoke. They didn’t seem calm. In fact, they seemed pretty mad. I knew something was very wrong when I saw one inside my mask. And then, I felt it. At first, it was just one … then more and more sharp stabbing stings, all over my legs. My black school trousers were no defence from the bee attack. I started to hop and skip on the spot, still dutifully
holding the lid, pleading with my stepmother for more smoke. It was futile. I was too late. The bees were angry.
I screamed, ‘I’M DONE!’, dropped the lid and began running back to the house, stripping clothes as I went till I was naked doing a couple of laps of the front lawn as I desperately tried to outrun the bees that had chased me.
My stepmother followed the trail of school clothes to eventually find me cowering in my bedroom, still thinking I could hear the buzzing of bees around me. ‘I’m never helping you again. I’ve been stung all over my legs!’
She looked a little guilty. ‘In hindsight, you should probably have changed out of your school uniform … bees don’t like the colour black.’
Me and beekeeping was never meant to bee.
Walk and talk with the FCN
This Summer seems to have been a long one, with very erratic weather. Having said that, most of us are now drawing to the end of harvest and already looking ahead to next year’s crops.
Show season is once again upon us – the Farming Community Network has had a stand at both the Melplash and the Gillingham & Shaftesbury shows. We will of course also be at Dorset County Show –all of the agricultural shows are an excellent way to promote and exhibit farming and rural life, as well as a perfect get-together!
Come join us!
On 28th September, Tom Hunt is hosting a charity evening at the Udder Farm Shop from 6.30pm to raise funds for FCN. There will be a buffet, live music, guest speakers and a bar. Tickets are £20 per person, available direct from Tom on 07581 434901
FCN is here for you
The confidential, national helpline is open every day of the year from 7am to 11pm and volunteers provide free, confidential support to anyone who seeks help: call 03000 111 999
Harvest complete, but TB lingers
James Cossins reflects on navigating a challenging harvest, balancing the crop quality against the costs of drying grain during the erratic summer weather
As I write this (1st September) our cereal harvest is finally complete. We started in mid-July, and it has been a rather stop-start harvest operation due to the on-and-off showery weather since. Only on one or two occasions have we had heavy rain, but light showers do slow up the harvest. We try not to have to dry the grains too much, due to the cost of the drying process and the use of fossil fuels. So we have to balance out the cost of potentially leaving the crop to deteriorate and lose quality in the field or to get the combine out and dry the crop. Generally, with a reasonable combine capacity on the farm, we tend to wait a little and harvest the crop dry. In some cases, if bad weather is forecast, we will cut the crop and take a small amount of moisture out. Experience has taught me that if you wait for all your crops to be dry enough, the weather will catch up with you and lead to the loss of yield and quality. Luckily we do have drying facilities to take moisture out of the grains. The harvest results have been a pleasant surprise after the wet autumn and winter and the wet spring meaning a late sowing of our spring crops. The spring barley, even though it was sown a month late, gave us an above average yield for the farm and it has also made the grade for malting –therefore gaining a premium over feed barley. The wheat yields have also generally been good, with the later-sown crops performing better than the earlier ones. This may be partly due to less fungal disease pressure in the later crops.
Tuberculosis at Rawston
At the beginning of July we had the dreaded TB test. After nearly four days injecting and reading results we ended up with just the one reactor cow – the same result as the last test two months ago. The animal was close to calving, so with the agreement of AHPA we decided to let the cow calve, and then
send her to off the abattoir. The final test results came back negative ... SO frustrating as it means we needlessly lost the cow, and we are still unable to sell animals on the open market. There has been a lot of publicity recently, following the BBC documentary featuring a certain rock star claiming that wildlife are not a cause of the spread of TB, and that we should look into the current testing regime. I agree that we do need a more accurate testing programme put in place so that we are not needlessly culling cattle. For a long time we have been told a cattle vaccine is ‘only a few years away’ but we still don’t know when it will happen. There are trials being carried out vaccinating the wildlife to see if there will be a reduction in the prevalence of the disease in the wildlife.
Recent results indicate that the current strategies for controlling badger populations have resulted in a 56 per cent decrease in the number of cattle affected by tuberculosis. This suggests to me that the measures implemented – encompassing wildlife management, regular cattle testing, and enhanced farm biosecurity – are effectively reducing the spread of the disease. Let’s hope our next test at the end of the month ends up clear. As we move into the autumn our thoughts are already focusing on planting next year’s crops: our oilseeds, forage and cover crops are already sown. Here’s hoping for a rather more average weather pattern than the last 12 months.
Rawston Farm harvesting, 1970s style
The 2024 Rawston Farm harvest team in action
Try a social media detox
Dorset Mind volunteer Annabel Goddard suggests breaking the social media cycle to rediscover passions and boost your mental well-being
Today’s young people navigate a world vastly different from that of just 20 years ago. In an era where social media plays a pivotal role, lacking an interest in it could unintentionally close off opportunities across various industries – not just in digital media. Building an online presence has become an essential step in launching a career, increasingly affecting the way future employers will assess potential candidates. Careers aside, social media influencers effectively rule your feed and your For You page –whether you follow them or not. They dominate advertising space, receiving an array of exciting things to try for “free” (in exchange for a few favourable words to their thousands of followers). It’s increasingly challenging not to envy their curated lives – and to resist the temptation to aspire to be like them. What we consume has become intertwined with relentless advertising on platforms such as TikTok, which suggests new influencers to follow and new things to buy every day. It can become overwhelming – I found it so much so that I deleted the app. And from what I’ve learned now I’m outside the endless scrolling, it might not be a bad idea for others to do the same.
Disconnect the doomscroll
If you begin to feel overwhelmed or anxious due to the addictive nature of scrolling, it might be a good idea to take a big, deep breath and disconnect from the online world for a little while. It’s really not much fun watching people get paid to make videos on the internet while you intermittently browse the situations vacant pages.
Cutting out a huge amount of digital media – and all that comparing yourself with people online – can help to put things into perspective ... especially when you realise social media only shows one side of the story, especially from influencers. Instead, use your time to find hobbies and things you love. You might be an avid reader, walker, runner or plant parent – and you just don’t know it yet! Break the social media cycle. It’s so easy to become glued to the screen, but you won’t remember any of the TikToks you watch in a week’s time. You will remember a book you read, or a walk you had. Time is the most valuable asset you have – use it to nurture yourself and enjoy experiences, rather than wasting hours with endless doom-scrolling. Eventually you’ll gain some confidence, your happiness will increase and hopefully you’ll find where you really want to go in life. It can also be a good way into your chosen industry – interviewers will love that you know who you are and have active interests. You’ll have something positive to show for the time you might have
spent scrolling. And even if you really do want to be an influencer, you’ll have worked on your own personal brand enough to start growing a platform.
Social media isn’t inherently evil; but the digitalscape has turned into a slew of adverts, paid partnerships and brand deals. It’s no wonder so many of us feel inadequate! It’s important to remember to follow people you love and to celebrate things you love before comparing yourself with anyone else. You have control over what you consume in your feed. And do try taking a break – I promise you won’t regret it!
Support for you:
• First steps towards support should be to speak to someone - a trusted friend, family member, professional or your GP
• Visit Dorset Mind for local mental health support and helpful advice
• The Samaritans are there to listen 24/7, call them free on 116 123
• Call Dorset’s mental health helpline Connection for support on 0800 652 0190
by Karen Geary, Nutritional
Ultra-processed foods ... and how to avoid them
Karen Geary looks at why ultra-processed foods may be harming your health, and how to make better food choices with a few switches
Ultra-processed foods (UPFs) have become a hot topic of discussion recently, due to growing concerns about their impact on our health. These foods are defined as those that have undergone extensive industrial processing and contain multiple ingredients, including additives, preservatives, sweeteners and artificial colours. UPFs are often low in essential nutrients but high in sugar, unhealthy fats and salt – potentially contributing to various health issues such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes.
What are ultra-processed foods?
UPFs are typically ready-to-eat or heat-andeat products designed for convenience with extended shelf lives. Examples include sugary cereals, soda, instant noodles, packaged snacks, fast food and many types of bread. These foods often contain ingredients that are not commonly used in home kitchens –hydrogenated oils, high-fructose corn syrup and flavour enhancers, for example. The concern with UPFs is that they are nutritionally imbalanced and can lead to overconsumption of calories without providing essential nutrients. They are engineered to be “hyper-palatable” – literally designed to be irresistible, which can lead to overeating and cravings. They can also affect the microbial balance of the gut if eaten regularly.
What to look for when shopping
Read your food’s labels carefully. Ingredients are listed in descending order of quantity, so if sugar, salt or unfamiliar additives are among the first few ingredients, it’s a good indicator that the product is highly processed. Additionally, beware of products that contain an unexpectedly long list of ingredients ... especially those that include names you don’t recognise or can’t pronounce!
• Bread – It’s sad, but this kitchen staple is often made with emulsifiers and stabilisers to keep it fresh for longer on the shelf. The best bread is genuine sourdough, made with only flour, salt and water. Some supermarkets do sell genuine sourdough but check labels carefully. Your local baker may be a better bet (better still, make your own). Unfortunately, some gluten-free breads are the worst for additives, so do try and make your own if you
Some common UPFs
Even the “good” bread in the supermarket can have a long ingredient list filled with emulsifiers and stabilisers
are gluten-free so you know what you are eating. There are lots of recipes on my website for gluten-free breads.
• Plant milks – These often contain emulsifiers, stabilisers, gums and cheap oils, especially the barista versions, as these ingredients make them frothy. If you can’t tolerate dairy, again check labels carefully. Plenish and Rude Health both do additive-free versions, but check carefully, as it is not always the case.
• Spreads – If you follow my Instagram, you will see regular spread vs. butter wars going on at home. Despite the clever marketing, the industrial process to create spreads is done with chemicals, and the spread itself contains emulsifiers. Butter is a better bet: if you want it to be spreadable, gently warm together 50:50 ratio of butter to olive oil and store in the fridge. Butter only contains very small amounts of lactose, so it’s likely fine for those with lactose intolerance. However, be aware it does contain casein.
Eating well without UPFs
Avoiding UPFs doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are some tips for eating well on a budget:
1. Buy whole foods – focus on whole,
unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, nuts and seeds. These foods are often less expensive when bought in bulk and they are packed with nutrients.
2. Cook at home – preparing meals at home allows you to control what goes into your food. Simple recipes made from scratch can be both affordable and nutritious.
3. Plan your meals – this helps you make better food choices and avoid impulse purchases. Create a shopping list based on your meal plan and your budget.
4. Seasonal and local – in-season produce is often cheaper and fresher. Visit local markets and farm shops for deals on fruits and vegetables.
5. Limit convenience foods – yes, they’re handy, but pre-packaged meals and snacks are often more expensive and less healthy than homemade alternatives. After a while, your tastes change and those “treats” won’t taste like a treat at all.
By prioritising whole foods and making a few lifestyle adjustments, it’s possible to eat well without relying on ultra-processed foods, all while sticking to a budget. Your body – and your wallet – will thank you.
I t w a s a l o v e l y a f t e r n o o n
- s u c h a n a f t e r n o o n a s
o n l y S e p t e m b e r c a n
p r o d u c e , w h e n s u m m e r
h a s s t o l e n b a c k f o r o n e
m o r e d a y o f d r e a m a n d
g l a m o u r .
– L M Montgomery
G O T S O M E N E W S ?
D o y o u t h i n k a l o c a l ( o r y o u r
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g o o d p r o f i l e f e a t u r e ?
K n o w s o m e o n e d o i n g g o o d
t h i n g s t h a t w e s h o u l d t a l k a b o u t ?
S e n d a q u i c k e m a i l t o L a u r a :
e d i t o r @ B V m a g a z i n e . c o . u k
W A N T T O A D V E R T I S E ?
G e t i n t o u c h w i t h C o u r t e n a y t o c h a t
a b o u t w h a t y o u ' r e l o o k i n g f o r - w e ’ r e
a l w a y s k e e n t o t a l k t o l o c a l b u s i n e s s e s
l o o k i n g f o r n e w w a y s t o b u i l d t h e i r
p r o f i l e a n d r e a c h :
a d v e r t i s i n g @ B V m a g a z i n e . c o . u k
0 1 2 5 8 4 7 2 5 7 2
N e x t P u b l i c a t i o n D a t e :
4 t h O c t o b e r
( d e a d l i n e 2 7 t h S e p t e m b e r )
T h e B V p u b l i s h e s o n t h e f i r s t F r i d a y
o f t h e m o n t h , a n d t h e a d v e r t i s i n g
b o o k i n g d e a d l i n e i s a l w a y s t h e
