The BV magazine, February 25

FEBRUARY

LOCAL HISTORY

Francis Custard saw our January profile on Blackmore Vale Motorcycle Club, and shared some of her large archive of the club’s events and local celebrities, from the late 1950s through to 1970, all taken by her late father, Ron Custard, and Terry Heath.

SHAFTESBURY AID WORKER

EDDY SEVERELY INJURED BY KAMIKAZE DRONE IN UKRAINE

Edward Scott has survived a drone attack while delivering humantiarian aid in Ukraine, where he has been volunteering for three years

98 FOOD & DRINK Karen Geary’s feeding you back to wellness, and Heather has FLUFFY PANCAKES!

FARMING

George Hosford on beavers, bureaucracy ... and Ronnie, the short sheep with a big reputation. Andrew’s been to LAMMA, (spoiler: he didn’t get a cap), and he’s back on the food vs climate drum again

This week I heard a news story (OK, fine, I watched a TikTok. But I promptly checked it was true!) about a beaver colony in the Czech Republic which has put us all to shame. In just two days, without a single feasibility study, planning consultation or eye-watering quote from a contractor, the eight beavers built a dam that local authorities had been trying (and failing) to construct for seven years. Bureaucracy, it turns out, is no match for a determined rodent with an architectural vision. The project – meant to restore a wetland area –had been tangled in red tape for so long that the beavers took matters into their own paws and built the thing, in exactly the right place, in two nights ... and promptly saved the administration more than a million pounds. No paperwork, no planning disputes, no hearings, no requests for a budget extension. And after inspecting it, the head of the Czech Nature and Landscape Protection Agency admitted it was better than

32

COMMUNITY

NEWS

AND WHAT’S ON

It’s all here – the news snippets, the letters, the what’s ons, the politics and the puzzles

78

WILDLIFE

Jane Adams enjoys the signal of changing seasons in some rhythmic forest hammering

the one they’d spent seven years planning. Honestly, at this point, I think we should put beavers in charge of most things. Imagine the possibilities: public transport, NHS waiting lists, pothole repairs ... government budgets ... It’s such a great story. There’s something deeply reassuring about the idea that, while the rest of us are watching world events unfold with a mix of horror and fatigue, somewhere out there, beavers are quietly (and efficiently) beavering away (badoom tish), making things better. Speaking of fatigue ... I’d like to request that, just for February, we can live in precedented times. Just once. For a few blissful weeks, could we have everything proceed exactly as expected? No surprises, no chaos, no new horrors. Just a nice, predictable, boring run of days where nothing major goes wrong, nobody has to ‘pivot,’ and no one uses the phrase ‘unprecedented challenges’ with a weary sigh. I’d like to spend just a few weeks knowing what’s coming next. Wouldn’t that be nice? Here’s to a boring February (but, you know, in a lovely way).

by Rachael Rowe

Shaftesbury aid worker Eddy severely injured by kamikaze drone in Ukraine

Edward Scott has survived a drone attack while delivering humantiarian aid in Ukraine, where he has been volunteering for three years

Sometimes, the war in Ukraine seems to be a far-away conflict, despite it featuring in frequent news bulletins and being just across the water in Europe. However, the devastating news this week that 28-year-old Edward Scott from Stour Row near Shaftesbury had been seriously injured in a drone attack suddenly brought the war a lot closer to home – to North Dorset.

The drone attack Edward, known as Eddy to friends, was just 5km from the frontline on Thursday (30th January), using a vehicle clearly marked as civilian aid. He left Kramatorsk in the Donbas region to refuel the mobile network generators in the town of Pokrovsk, to keep them operational. He was told that civilians needed to be evacuated from an area where the Russians were advancing. Naturally, Eddy and his colleagues responded to the urgent situation. Two elderly civilians were rescued: but just as the evacuation

What Eddy refers to on his social media as his ‘dream team’ - with his dog Ice and Kateryna, a fellow BASE UA aid worker Image: Instagram, by Joana Rettig

In the video posted to BASE UA’s social media, Eddy greets his friend: ‘You saved me.’

began, two Russian kamikaze drones hit the vehicle Eddy was driving, crashing just above the driver’s seat. Although most of the passengers escaped

with minor injuries, Eddy was seriously wounded, taking most of the impact from the blast. A colleague applied tourniquets and kept him alive while he was taken to a triage point. Because of the severity of Eddy’s injuries, surgeons were unable to save his left arm and left leg, both of which had to be amputated. Eddy is recovering in a hospital in Ukraine and may be transferred to the United Kingdom for ongoing care when he is better. His family has flown to Ukraine to be at his bedside. Local MP Simon Hoare is working with the Foreign Office to offer support.

Eddy attended Sherborne School, and worked in the

yachting industry before making a remarkable decision to go to Ukraine at the start of the RussiaUkraine war. He first considered joining the military, but with little experience was encouraged to work with humanitarian aid instead. Initially, Eddy set up Dorset to Donetsk, buying a truck and delivered humanitarian supplies to Ukraine. For the last three years Eddy has been volunteering with BASE UA, a non-government organisation that was founded at the start of the conflict as a response to the Russian aggression, providing humanitarian aid and support to Ukrainian civilians.

First Person View

Kamikaze drones, also known as loitering munition, are aerial weapons with a warhead. They are designed to deliberately loiter around areas until a target is detected and then crash into it. Russia first used drones in September 2022 on military targets in the Kharkiv region. However, since then Russia is known to have used FPV (First

The repaired roof of the left-hand-drive aid truck after the drone hit Image: BASE UA

Eddy and Ice. Eddy posted this image to Instagram in December with the caption: ‘Not every day goes to plan. Sometimes you just end up having a nice day out.’

Person View) drones to attack the civilian population, including infrastructure such as power stations, so the Ukrainian people are deprived of heating and electricity. When drones are used, the operator can see what they are targeting before dropping a charge. Therefore, if they are used intentionally on civilians including humanitarian aid workers, it is in blatant violation of the Geneva Convention and constitutes a war crime.

It is the second time within two months that BASE UA has been targeted by Russian drones. Drone attacks occur on a daily basis in the Kharkiv region.

Recovery

Pictures which have gone viral online show Eddy in a hospital bed in Dnipro. BASE UA said: ‘Eddy has dedicated the last three years of his life to helping others, risking his life countless times.

‘Eddy is a shining example of what being a good person is and I know we are not alone when we say he is our hero.’

Eddy’s doctor found his patient

inspirational. On a Facebook post Dr Sergei Ryzhenko wrote: ‘Edward has been evacuating women and children from towns and villages that were shelled by Russian artillery. His optimism and smile are inspiring. He shows the Ukrainian trident and vyshyvanka on his right arm and hopes to stay in Ukraine to be with those who are having the hardest time ever.’

Sherborne School’s social media posted: ‘We applaud Eddy for his compassion, bravery and resilience, and wish him all the best from the OSS and Sherborne School.’

An online fundraiser has been set up on the GoFundMe platform to help with the costs of Eddy’s care. At the time of writing, more than £94,500 has been raised. There is a long way to go on the pathway to rehabilitation and recovery but with Eddy’s positive attitude, he will continue to inspire others.

• If you would like to contribute to Eddy’s Recovery GoFundMe, you can find it here https://bit. ly/EddysRecovery

by Rachael Rowe

When the last bank leaves town

When the last bank leaves town: rural communities must adapt to the rise of online

banking and the loss of local branches

Last week I walked down a street in London and counted five banks that were open. Five. On one street. Yes, that included Coutts, but there were a further four high street banks within a three minute walk. Not something we are used to in North Dorset.

When Lloyds Bank announced 136 branches were closing across the country later this year, the list included Blandford Forum and Dorchester. By the end of 2025, of the five towns in North Dorset, only one will have a Lloyds. Two of the towns have no bank at all (apart from part time “banking hubs”).

Lloyds Bank in Sherborne will remain open until premises are finalised for the new Banking Hub, and it is operational

What does this mean?

Between 2015 and 2024, more than 6,000 bank branches have closed across the United Kingdom. Barclays led the way with 1,226 closures, while NatWest currently stands at 900 closed branches. There are no Barclays branches in North Dorset: the nearest ones are located in Dorchester and Yeovil. Shaftesbury has a NatWest, while Gillingham will be home to the only Lloyds Bank in North Dorset by the end of 2025. There’s no doubt that online banking and apps are on the rise, with more of us using them for all our banking tasks. It’s not just young people either – older people are also adapting to online banking. However, what happens to people who are unable to manage the technology, or who simply don’t want to use them but don’t have transport to get to one of the towns with a bank? Simon Hoare, MP for North Dorset said: ‘We’re at that transition stage, where banking apps are now more popular. Bank usage, and particularly the footfall –which is what banks measure to assess whether to close premises – is falling. The cost of running a bank building, with increased insurance, lighting and other overheads has also disproportionally increased. Of course, a lot of older people like to do their banking in person.’ Another reason for needing to visit a physical bank is to

deal with a complex issue that is beyond the capability of an online chatbot or a telesales employee – for example, having to sign documents in person with a witness present, or dealing with a death. That’s when you need a human being with a bit of empathy instead of an automated response.

And then it goes wrong

That’s when you need a human being with a bit of empathy instead of an automated chatbot

Having online banking readily available at the touch of an app is winning due to its sheer speed and convenience for most people. Until the system fails … the recent Barclays three-day outage happened on the January payday weekend –also the deadline for self-assessment tax payments –and thousands of people were unable to access money or pay bills, leading some people even unable to buy food. The failure raised signifiant issues about the risks inherent in a cashless society and being over-reliant on electronic banking systems. Should we all have a bit of cash stashed under the mattress, just for an emergency?

There are also businesses that won’t accept cards and as many that won’t accept cash. Even more no longer accept cheques, instead demanding an online transfer – which can be awkward for those reliant on a chequebook, especially once work is completed.

There are other issues with bank closures, as Simon pointed out:

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‘When banks close in market towns, local business is disproportionally affected. When people come into a town to bank, they often do other things such as visit a couple of shops – and that impacts wider footfall. Rural market towns are under pressure and shop businesses are increasingly fragile. Meanwhile, Dorset has a disproportionately older population. That’s not to say bank closures are limited to market towns – I can count three within minutes of the Houses of Parliament that have shut. However, the impact is felt most acutely in market towns because of their smaller size.

‘Given the strategic position of Blandford with the surrounding villages and those who depend on it, there’s a question about whether a hub would be a viable option for Blandford.’

A banking hub is a part-time facility which can be used by customers of any bank. It’s something Blandford councillors have been looking at and Simon Hoare is questioning. Hubs come to towns when the last bank standing has closed. So, how many people could be affected by the loss of a bank in a town? In 2023, Age UK surveyed

The Lloyds Bank branch in Blandford is scheduled to close permanently on 10th November, 2025

the banking needs of older people* and found that four in ten adults over 65 (equating to 4.09 million people) did not use online banking, and threequarters of over65s want to bank in person. Age UK also found that the groups least comfortable using online banking and who wanted physical facilities were the over-80s, people with

Threequarters of over-65s want to bank in person

Sturminster Newton’s Development Society has re-purposed the town’s three empty bank buildings into notfor-profit shops to benefit the town. Banking is available at the Post Office

disabilities and people on a low income ... in other words, some of the most vulnerable people in our community. When facilities are removed, it also takes away the independence of these people to manage their own finances.

One of the reasons people give for wanting a physical facility for banking is a fear of being scammed, which is an increasing menace. Age UK recommend that the number of banking hubs is increased, and, critically, are put in place before a bank closes down. Also that banks do more to support the vulnerable. That’s exactly what is happening in Sherborne: according to Sherborne Town Council, the planned banking hub has not opened, as premises are still being finalised. As a result, Lloyds Bank is staying open until the hub is in place.

Finally, the loss of another bank is a sobering reminder to use facilities that are available to us –or lose them.

* Age UK’s You Can’t Bank On It Anymore survey

by Rachael Rowe

The Stour out in November 2024 – the actual river banks can be seen in the bottom right of the image, with Durweston bridge crossing in the centre. Image: George Hosford

Where has all the water come from?

From

closed roads to poonamis, we know North Dorset’s flooding is getting worse – Rachael Rowe asks what’s causing it (apart from more rain)

The last weekend in January was a storm to remember, as winds and torrential rain reached North Dorset. Rain described as “biblical” in nature streamed down on the Blackmore Vale, with many places rapidly flooding. For a while, roads across Somerset and Dorset were closed, with cars stranded in floodwater.

North Dorset has well-known local flood spots – most people will avoid Hammoon and Caundle Marsh in very heavy rain, for example. However, what surprised many people were new areas with significant floodwater. How often does the A303 flood, for example?

The A357 between Shillingstone and Sturminster Newton was closed while investigations took place into the flooding. The amount of water caught people out, stranded several cars. A Dorset Council spokesperson responded: ‘There are no specific known issues with our drainage here: it is likely to just be volume of rain falling in a short period

of time that is overwhelming them. We operate a cyclical gully cleansing regime to clean the gullies all around the Dorset Council area and gullies are also checked during routine highways inspections. Unfortunately, some weather events mean that the gullies cannot handle the amount of rain that falls in such a short period.’

Blandford farmer (and BV columnist)

year the Stour has been out five times. It used to be just twice a year. The problem is always a large amount of rain in a short space of time.’

Since September, the Stour has been out five times. It used to be just twice a year

George Hosford had some insights into the flooding. His ‘early flood warning system‘ – his 92-year-old father John – generally looks out of the window and tells him when cattle should be moved away from the Stour. George also measures rainfall on the farm and used to see an average of 1,050 ml a year: ‘The last three years we’re seeing an average rainfall of 1,400ml which is a significant increase. It’s down to climate change. Since September last

Run-off from fields is another issue. ‘There’s a lot of maize being grown to feed cows and anaerobic digesters. While it’s good for producing carbohydrate, it has a very long growing season. As a result of using the heavy machinery, the soil can get damaged, causing an increased run off of water. With maize crops, some farmers plough up and down, whereas if they ploughed across a field it would slow down the run off. Some fields are also left with maize stubble in winter: with no other vegetation, there’s nothing to slow the run-off.’

The brown stuff

One very unpleasant aspect of the storm was the sewage

outfall. SewageMap.co.uk is an online mapping tool that shows, in real-time, which river sections are downstream of sewage discharges from storm overflows. After Storm Herminia, parts of the Blackmore Vale map appeared to have been hit with a giant poonami. It’s a very interesting website – just don’t browse while you are eating. It wasn’t just the fields drowning in sewage. Some unlucky residents with surprise bathroom floods – thanks to those overworked drains – discovered that their neighbours have been flushing wet wipes (seriously, please don’t do that).

Busy emergency services

Naturally, the emergency services were busy dealing with the adverse weather. The Environment Agency had an incredibly demanding weekend, working to protect lives and properties in Somerset. The impact was also widely felt in Dorset, where the southern communities faced a heightened risk of coastal flooding. A spokesperson said: ‘We have warned nearly 17,000 people and 9,000 properties in the past three days (Sunday 27th to Wednesday 29th) and supported local authorities and fire services with evacuating people at

Somerton and Ilford.’

A spokesperson from Dorset Council said: ‘We responded to 14 call-outs: 12 for flooding and two for fallen trees.

‘We made three road closures, all due to the amount of heavy rainfall in a short period. These were the A350 Beacon Hill, Wheatsheaf

Hill – the county boundary between Sherborne and Corton Denham –and at Knoll Lane, Corfe Mullen. We also monitored the Portland Road beach road for two consecutive nights, in case the sea came over the beach on to the road. Spring high tides and the wind direction increased the likelihood of the waves overtopping the road, but this did not happen.’

our advice of not trying to drive through flood water. Our advice for driving in adverse conditions can be found on our website –dwfire.org.uk.

Reducing flood risk

With increased adverse weather and higher rainfall, what can be done to reduce the risk of flooding?

There should be no building at all on flood plains. No car parks, no buildings and no roads

George Hosford had a couple of suggestions:

‘There should be no building at all on flood plains ... no car parks, no buildings and no roads.

Dorset Fire and Rescue were also busy, on shouts and advising people not to drive through floodwater. ‘Over those two days, we received 20 weather-related calls, three of which were in North Dorset. We attended four of those 20 calls, which were all to assist drivers who had tried to drive through flood water.

‘The biggest challenge we always face is getting the public to follow

The Upper Stour is not a naturally flowing river any more. It has been deformed by dredging and building mills and weirs. If farmers in the upper catchment, where the tributaries flow, were given incentives to allow fields to flood for a period, less water would come downstream all the way into Christchurch.’

The Environment Agency noted that with climate change, flooding will be more frequent. It encourages people to sign up for flood warnings. However, with that increased frequency comes the need for more creative solutions to protect the North Dorset infrastructure.

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by Laura Hitchcock

NORDCAT runs out of road

NORDCAT (North Dorset Community Accessible Transport), the Sturminster Newton-based charity that has provided transport services to elderly and isolated residents for more than two decades, has announced it will cease operations on 14th February, due to financial difficulties. The charity, which has struggled to secure alternative funding following the loss of key education transport contracts, has confirmed that staff will be made redundant and the office will close. Passengers have been notified of the decision.

Chairman Cllr Pauline Batstone said: “We bitterly regret the abrupt withdrawal of this service, which has been a social lifeline for so many over the years. People have become friends with our staff and other passengers.” While the closure will leave a gap in community transport provision, some support remains available through the Community Connections charity, which runs a voluntary Community Cars Scheme for lunch clubs, meal deliveries, prescription collection, visits to banks or post office and medical appointments.

Previous challenges

NORDCAT’s financial struggles follow the revocation of most of its vehicle permits in 2022, after an inquiry by the Traffic Commissioner

found serious concerns over vehicle maintenance.

The commissioner’s report highlighted a high MOT failure rate and inadequate maintenance systems, appearing to lead to the loss of key contracts, including one with Kingston Maurward College. At the time, Commissioner Kevin Rooney stated that inspections showed “not one compliant record in the entire bundle” and that vehicle safety checks had been inconsistent. Following the inquiry, NORDCAT was unable to continue operating its education transport service, which had previously subsidised its wider community transport provision.

A NORDCAT spokesperson told The BV: ‘To clarify, the Kingston Maurward College contract was awarded to a logistics company through an open tendering process, well before any complaints were raised with the Traffic Commissioner. That

company then had to source buses to fulfil the contract.

‘NORDCAT completely refuted the Traffic Commissioner’s judgement, and all our buses passed an independent inspection following the Commissioner’s report. The permits not renewed at the end of the academic year were those for the larger buses that were no longer needed after the Kingston Maurward contract ended, and those vehicles were disposed of. Our smaller vehicles continued to operate under Community Transport Association permits. ‘The education contract had provided a stable income that helped subsidise our wider community transport service. Once that ended, our reserves steadily depleted until we reached the point where closure became unavoidable.’

With no sustainable funding model in place, and amid the rising costs of operating such services, the charity has been unable to continue. Any remaining assets will, where possible, be used to support the work of Community Connections.

• For those in need of alternative transport options, the Community Cars Scheme can be contacted on 01258 473154.

The Dorset Insider is a new sporadic column dedicated to shedding light on local matters with unfiltered honesty and a critical eye. The author – a local parish councillor – will remain anonymous for the sake of candid discourse, but readers can rest assured that their identity is known and trusted by the editorial team. This anonymity allows the columnist to speak openly, challenging the status quo and addressing issues that matter most to our community.

Poo-dunnit?

If there’s one thing that every parish council gets complaints about – on a perennial basis – it’s dog fouling. Unlike most normal people, who show off pictures of kids and holidays, my Instagram is full of poo specimens, either sent to me or collected over the years. The problem appears to be even worse in the winter months, when irresponsible dog owners creep about ninja-style, allowing their pets to poo on pavements, in driveways ... and anywhere else someone might step in it. Before you know it, the village has been carpet-bombed with mess. What looks like early cherry blossom from a distance is actually a pink poo bag strung from a tree.

Sidenote: Why are dog poo bags only ever green or pink?

During the pandemic, 3.2 million households bought a dog. Suddenly, the combination of working from home and the opportunity to exercise encouraged people to get a canine companion. Following the pandemic, and unlike other European countries, the UK has continued to see increased numbers of pet owners. Dog numbers have increased by 13 per

cent and cats by four per cent – and that’s despite a cost of living crisis.

However, with this new set of dog owners (and a few of the older ones) comes an expectation that everyone else will like their pet. I love dogs, by the way. It’s just some of their owners that drive me mad. I have people requesting dedicated places to exercise their dog, there are dogs perched on chairs in the village hall and the blind confidence that the “cute” mutt can go wherever it likes. We have signs banning dogs from the playground and football pitch so those playing don’t get covered in excrement (it’s also part of the PSPO, the Public Space Protection Order).

I challenged a dog walker on the playground and was promptly told what I could do with my PSPO

Sadly, too many people think the rule doesn’t apply to them. I challenged a dog walker on the playground the other day and was promptly told what I could do with my PSPO.

Sadly, the rise in numbers of pet dogs hasn’t been matched by a rise in responsible ownership. Why are there three dogs in a local one bedroom flat? Why does one resident in particular think it’s her right to walk her dog wherever she likes (and no, of course

she doesn’t pick up any poo)? Why do many dog owners think a local farmer’s field is there for dogs to exercise in – naturally it’s one with no public right of way?

Catch them if you can

Apart from providing more bins and trying to catch these people so they can be reported to the dog warden, it’s a constant challenge to improve things. There’s a fixed penalty notice, of course, but even with the increase in doorbell cams, these ninja dog owners manage to avoid being seen in the act. It’s almost as if some have a secret cloaking device, allowing them to exercise their dog and leave poop on the pavements. Children fall in it, pram wheels pick it up and roll into carpets, and old people slip on it.

I’m keeping an eye on Scotland at the moment, where there are moves to introduce a new law affecting dog owners. Under the new Welfare of Dogs (Scotland) Bill, potential owners will have to think carefully about whether they’re ready for the responsibility of a dog before making the commitment. That means considering if they have enough space and can afford the costs of food, vet bills and care. A proposal to introduce mandatory registration for dogs from unlicensed litters was suggested, but later dropped. While all that may go a long way towards managing the irresponsible owners, the more pressing issue of dog fouling is not going away anytime soon.

Spanish vigilantes delivered it by courier through the owner’s letterbox, marked ‘Lost Property’

owners. Spanish vigilantes in one town plagued by poop started casually chatting to culprit dog owners, working out theirs and the dog’s name. By checking the registration details at the town hall they were then able to package the poo and deliver it by courier through the owner’s letterbox, marked ‘Lost Property’.

In Italy, DNA tests have been launched that can trace the deposit back to the dog and its owner, who receives a fine of more than €1,000. That might just beat my ninja offenders. We need much stricter deterrents for dog fouling.

With unitary councils looking to generate income and devolve some powers to towns and parishes, it’s a good time to look at creative ways of tackling dog mess. Increasing fines would pay for more bin emptying – if you can catch people to fine them. Some locals are wary of reporting neighbours in case something nasty ends up being thrown at their windows.

Some towns and villages around the world have been creative about tackling irresponsible dog

Would re-introducing dog licences make a difference? They would increase revenue, but of course the register would need to be maintained. However, what’s actually needed is an entire culture change in behaviours and new ways of dealing with dogs and their canine owners –because what we currently have is not working.

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The Grumbler – the open opinion column in The BV. It’s a space for anyone to share their thoughts freely. While the editor will need to know the identity of contributors, all pieces will be published anonymously. With just a few basic guidelines to ensure legality, safety and respect, this is an open forum for honest and unfiltered views. Got something you need to get off your chest? Send it to editor@bvmagazine.co.uk. The Grumbler column is here for you: go on, say it. We dare you.

Greenwashing land grabs

As a retired farmer (if that’s not an oxymoron... do we ever retire?), I’ve seen plenty of daft ideas in my time, but the latest government plans really take the biscuit. On one hand, they’re pushing ahead with a third runway at Heathrow –spewing more emissions into the atmosphere – while on the other, they’re proposing to take ten per cent of England’s farmland out of food production to plant trees and call it ‘carbon offsetting.’ If that’s not greenwashing of the highest order, I really don’t know what is.

Sense or nonsense?

Chancellor Rachel Reeves reckons we ‘badly need’ a third runway to boost investment and global trade. More flights, more business, more money in the economy – it all sounds great on paper. But what they fail to mention is that this expansion will ramp up carbon emissions, displace 700 families, and make a mockery of our so-called environmental commitments. Heathrow is already one of the busiest airports in the world. Do we really need to be increasing air traffic at a time when we’re supposed to be cutting emissions?

The government insists that aviation will ‘go green’ through technological advances, but let’s be real. Sustainable aviation fuel is nowhere near mass production, and electric planes? DECADES away, if it ever happens.

In the meantime, Heathrow’s expansion will pour more pollution into the skies while the government pats itself on the back for its net-zero pledges.

The great greenwashing con

As if Heathrow wasn’t bad enough, the government also wants to take ten per cent of England’s farmland out of production to ‘offset’ emissions. That’s 1.2 million hectares – land that should be growing food for the British people. Instead, they want to plant trees and call it carbon neutral.

It’s a ludicrous idea.

We should be focusing on producing more homegrown food, not cutting back. Imports make us reliant on volatile global markets. Have we learned nothing from the food shortages of recent years? The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has already set out a plan for British agriculture to reach carbon neutrality by 2040 –without cutting food production. Yet instead of backing our farmers, the government seems determined to sacrifice our fields for an easy PR win. This isn’t about cutting emissions

– it’s about shifting the problem somewhere else and pretending it’s solved. Carbon offsetting doesn’t cancel out pollution: it just moves it around. The government is gambling with our food security for the sake of meeting arbitrary net-zero targets – and it’s rural communities that will pay the price.

A smarter way forward

If we’re serious about cutting emissions, let’s start with real solutions. Instead of throwing money at another Heathrow runway, invest in better rail networks to reduce short-haul flights. Instead of rewilding productive farmland, support regenerative agriculture to store carbon in soils, while still feeding the nation. Britain’s farmers know how to work with the land – better than any politician or city planner ever will. It’s time we were listened to, before more irreversible damage is done in the name of ‘progress.’

Struggling with home repairs? There’s another way

Lendology are providers of low-cost council-funded loans to help you with those much-needed home improvements

“When people come to us, they’re often at the end of the road with traditional finance,” says Emma Lower, CEO of Lendology. “They’ve been told ‘no’ elsewhere, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t a way forward.”

Lendology isn’t your typical lender. Working on behalf of councils – including Dorset Council – this unique Community Interest Company (CIC) provides affordable, responsible finance to homeowners who need it most. Their mission? Simple: to make lending decisions with people, for people, and to focus on impact rather than profit.

Emma Lower spent many years working in a range of organisations as diverse as hotels,

finance and pharmaceuticals.

In 2015, she stumbled upon a job opportunity at Lendology that was just a six-minute drive from her child’s primary school: ‘It just fitted,’ she says. Within four months, she was a manager.

In 18 months, she had taken the reins as CEO.

people struggling with essential home improvements. That’s where Lendology comes in.

Fair, fixed rate loans to those often left out –pensioners, the self-employed, people on benefits ...

Since then, she has led Lendology through major growth, making a tangible difference in thousands of lives.

A

different approach Government grants to help people heat their homes are available but there are many

Emma Lower, CEO of Lendology

‘We saw an opportunity to do things differently,’ says Emma. Working solely through councils, the only challenge is ‘If people don’t know we exist, how can they access the support they need? Working on behalf of the councils Lendology started managing the funds, making independent lending decisions, and measuring their social impact. The result? A fund that has lent £25,943,210, with councils actively supporting their work.

Lendology have worked in partnership with Dorset Council since 2005, funding home repairs and improvements and home energy efficiency measures. The current challenge for councils is finding access to capital, but Emma remains determined: ‘The need is there. We just have to find a way to meet it.’

Who they help – and how Lendology’s lending model is refreshingly different from high street banks. Instead of focusing on credit scores and rigid lending criteria, they offer fair, fixed rate loans to those often left out – pensioners, self-employed workers, people on benefits, and those with poor credit histories. ‘We don’t believe in penalising people

because of their circumstances,’ Emma explains. ‘Everyone gets the same rate. What matters to us is: does this loan make their home warmer, safer, or more energy-efficient and can they afford to pay?

‘The current interest rate for homeowners in Dorset is 4%, so eligible homeowners living in Dorset receive the same interest rate, regardless of loan amount, loan term or personal circumstances”.

Green upgrades

Sustainability is a big part of Dorset Council’s mission. With private homes accounting for more than 20% of the UK’s emissions, they are keen to support eco-friendly home improvements: ‘We lend for heat pumps, triple glazing, solar panels’ says Emma. ‘If it helps reduce emissions, we want to support it.’

There’s a major obstacle currently – the supply chain. ‘We know there’s demand, but there are issues with fitters and the supply chain, so progress is slow,’ says Emma. ‘But if we can continue to prove demand by working from the top down, the supply chain will improve. Then these home changes become more affordable for everyone.

Lendology are keen to support ecofriendly home improvements like heat pumps, triple glazing and solar panels

‘Making everyone’s homes more energy-efficient is the same kind of transition as the nation’s move to gas in the 70s, or to central heating in the 80s. But back then there was a real government emphasis on guidance and public information.

Some of the biggest loans are for roof repairs – especially for older or thatched properties

More than just loans

Lendology isn’t just about providing money – it’s about making a real impact.

What matters to us is: does this loan make your home warmer, safer or more energy-efficient?

‘Lendology is working with the Green Finance Institute and DESNZ to influence government policy to provide sustainable funding models in England.’

‘Some of the biggest loans we provide are for essential repairs, like fixing roofs – especially for older or thatched properties,’ Emma explains. Often, homeowners are turned away elsewhere and Lendology is frequently able to step in. Flexibility is key – loans can be spread up to 15 years and it’s about finding solutions that actually work for people.

‘Unlike traditional banks that rely on algorithms, our lending decisions are made by real people who listen and understand individual circumstances. We work in partnership with local councils to lend to eligible homeowners, and each local council has its own policy for eligible works.’

Real impact, real change

Lendology isn’t just changing lives county by county – they’re shifting the bigger picture too. With 20 years of experience,

and partnerships with more than a quarter of UK councils, they have real lobbying power.

‘We can prove this works,’ Emma says. ‘For every £1 invested in Lendology, we deliver £2.38 in social impact. That’s a powerful argument for responsible lending. We just need the funding source to start up again.’

This year marks two decades of lending in the Southwest, and their influence is growing.

‘In 2024 we started working with Suffolk, West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Cornwall. Our model is being recognised nationally.

‘Ethical lending isn’t just possible – it’s essential.’

Despite their success, however, Lendology find that awareness remains a challenge. ‘If people don’t know about us, they can’t access our support.’

Walking the talk

As the UK’s first fully certified carbon-neutral personal lender, Lendology isn’t just talking the talk – they’re leading by example. Their B Corp status, earned for the third year running, is proof of their commitment to doing finance differently. For homeowners in Dorset and Somerset struggling to afford essential repairs, facing high interest loans, or wanting to make their homes greener, Lendology is a gamechanger.

‘Finance should be fair and responsible,’ says Emma. ‘And that’s exactly what we’re here to do.’

• If you’d like to learn more, you can see Dorset Council’s eligibility requirements on the Lendology website here.

Representative Example (4% fixed interest rate, Representative 4.2% APR). Loans are subject to status and are typically protected by a Title Restriction.

Borrow £5,000 over 60 months, £92.08 monthly repayments. Total amount repayable = £5,544.96, including £20 fee for registering the Title Restriction against your property at the Land Registry. The £20.00 fee is only payable if a loan is agreed by Lendology and you decide to proceed with a loan. Lendology do not charge interest on the fee.

A Title Restriction means that you may not be able to sell your home without our permission unless the loan is fully repaid. This is a financial promotion approved by Lendology CIC. Missing payments could affect your credit rating and ability to obtain credit in the future.

From an old leaking conservatory to comfortable warm space

Mrs W contacted Lendology as she needed a new conservatory roof as hers had collapsed, and she was having to use towels to constantly soak up water from the damp. She also needed a new kitchen as her old one was not fit for purpose. After speaking about her experience with Lendology

and the Home Improvement Loan scheme she said ‘its like a tonne off my shoulders’.

Mr L approached Lendology for a Home Improvement Loan to rethatch his roof.

Typically, thatch roofs are more expensive than traditional tiled roofs: ‘We found the team, headed up by Shannon in our

case, very easy to deal with, sympathetic and friendly. Communication was prompt and professional and we were dealt with in a thoroughly human way, unlike the robotic box-ticking automatons that one usually faces from other loan providers.

‘We are very grateful for the service the team provided, particularly for the quality of communication. Many thanks to Shannon, Philippa and the rest of the team.’

Mrs W has a final piece of advice: ‘Get in touch as fast as you can – don’t wait two minutes, do it one minute earlier! Just get in touch, even if you’re worried. Don’t be scared of that phone call.

‘I was petrified when I rang, I was shaking like a sieve!’

ARE YOU A GOOD FIT?

We are seeking two or three like-minded individuals to join the trustees to help shape the next phase of our journey.

Being a trustee is a stimulating and rewarding opportunity to build on our success - to support and help shape the strategic direction of Sturfit, making a significant difference to benefit the whole community. No experience or sportiness is necessary; rather we are looking to build a team of individuals with different skills and life experience.

If you feel this might be you, then please send an email to Courtenay@sturfit.org telling us a little about yourself.

The leisure centre in Sturminster Newton has been sucessfully run as a not-for-profit charity by Sturfit for over 15 years. It is a valuable resource for the local community, and is run almost exclusively on the strength of our volunteers and trustees.

Sturfit was formed to safeguard long term access to sports and leisure facilities for Sturminster Newton and surrounding parishes through:

Operating a leisure centre accessible to the entire community

Providing and managing sports facilities to support the local schools and community groups

Promoting inclusive health, fitness and wellbeing for the whole community

Friday Lunchtime Recitals

1.45pm, Cheap Street Church (unless otherwise stated)

17th January Strings

24th January Instrumental and Vocal Soloists I

31st January Brass

7th February Woodwind

14th February Instrumental and Vocal Soloists II

28th February Singers

7th March Wind Band (BSR, Sherborne School)

14th March Instrumental and Vocal Soloists III

21st March Pianists

Journey Back To The 1990s

Journey back to a time when there were no smartphones, reality TV or social media to distract us. Relive the decade when a whole generation Grew Up 90’s. The era of Britpop, Cool Britannia, the Spice Girls, Lara Croft, Power Rangers, Pokémon, Trainspotting and Teletubbies. Come and experience the fashion, toys and the music that shaped the decade. Don’t miss the opportunity to play classic video games on our arcade machine.

Follow the 90’s Family Trail | Dressing up box 90’s style | Toy box 90’s style

Dress up as Spice Girl Geri, Harry Potter, Cher from Clueless Playtime with Sonic the Hedgehog, My Little Pony and more...

Plus...February Half Term Fun Who’s that Pokémon?

Discover the wonderful world of Pokémon, fun activities and design your very own Pokémon.

Museum of East Dorset 23-29 High Street, Wimborne Minster, Dorset, BH21 1HR Telephone: 01202 882533 Website: museumofeastdorset.co.uk

by Fanny Charles

Single Form, the rediscovered Barbara Hepworth sculpture which will be auctioned in April. Funds raised will support bursaries for talented young people to come to Bryanston to enjoy the wide range of creative educational facilities.

Building on a creative legacy

A forgotten Hepworth and an important musical partnership –Bryanston approaches its centenary with an artistic flourish

A list of old Bryanstonians has many famous names – artists, musicians, actors, designers and film-makers, including Lucian Freud, Howard Hodgkins, Sir John Eliot Gardiner and Terence Conran. It’s a legacy that goes back to the foundation of Bryanston School at Blandford nearly a century ago, and the tradition continues, recently boosted by the rediscovery of an important work by one of Britain’s greatest sculptors. Barbara Hepworth’s Single Form (1962) has been living quietly in the study of the current head teacher, Richard Jones, enjoyed but overlooked in the way that things that are always there tend to be. It was spotted and recognised by the school’s newly-appointed archivist, Laura Sweetenham, during an update of the school’s artefact register.

The Don Potter Art School has outstanding, state-of-the-art facilities, including painting, drawing, printmaking, three dimensional and sculpture. All art teachers are practising artists, and there are specialists in painting, ceramics and photography

© Bryanston School

Art teacher, Gary Cedeira, with Bryanston Prep pupils

The polished bronze sculpture came to Bryanston in 1975 as a bequest by a former governor, to inspire future generations of creative arts students. Now it is awaiting sale at Duke’s auctioneers in Dorchester on 17th April, and the proceeds will fund bursaries so that more talented youngsters can benefit from the exceptional creative provision at the school. The exciting news about the Hepworth sculpture was followed in mid-January by the official announcement of a partnership between Bryanston’s music department and the Londonbased conservatoire, Trinity Laban. The collaboration will offer Bryanston’s existing and incoming Sixth Form pupils regular access to Trinity Laban’s world-class professors, and opportunities to visit the conservatoire, helping to prepare them for future pathways in professional music education. Through tailored mentorship, pupils will receive expert guidance on audition techniques

Much loved by students and staff, Don Potter taught sculpture, metalwork, pottery and art at Bryanston from 1940 to 1984. He is celebrated in the name of the art department building. He carved the names above the main corridor assignment rooms and created a tree of life sculpture outside the Coade Hall

and essential skills required to excel as musicians. This will be ‘an invaluable opportunity for our

music students. It allows them to connect with professional musicians and experience

Work by Jalila BM, Year 12 pupil

real-life conservatoire settings,’ says Xavier Iles, Bryanston’s director of music. ‘The partnership marks an exciting chapter for Bryanston’s music department, blending inspiration, education and opportunity for our musicians.’

Bryanston’s creative life has also been boosted by the launch of an arts advisory board, made up of former alumni who are all prominent figures in the arts and entertainment industry. They include Mark Wigglesworth, new chief conductor of the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, actress Emilia Fox, best known for her long-running role as Dr Nikki Alexander in Silent Witness, music producer Jake Gosling, known for his work with artists including Ed Sheeran and Lady Gaga, Matthew Clyde, an executive producer at RiffRaff US, Kate Rothschild, head of UK operations for Roc Nation (founded by Jay-Z), contemporary artist Nina Brooke, and writer and executive producer Francesca Gardiner, whose work includes His Dark Materials, Succession and Killing Eve and who is working on the new television adaptation of Harry Potter.

Bridging a gap

The sculpture Single Form is an important work by Barbara Hepworth, acknowledged as the leading British female sculptor of the 20th century. It was inspired by her 1937 carving of the same name, in lignum vitae. This work is part of the Hepworth Estate and is currently displayed at the Courtauld Gallery in London. The rediscovery bridges a 50-year gap in the artwork’s history. It was originally donated by Hepworth to a Save the Children charity auction in 1963, where the former Bryanston governor bid for it – and subsequently

Work by Alfie G, Year 12 pupil

Work by Gus F, Year 12 pupil

bequeathed it to the school. Until recently, the Hepworth Estate had had no trace of the sculpture since the governor’s death in 1975.

Bryanston head Richard Jones says: ‘The rediscovery of this statue means we have the exciting prospect of providing opportunities for talented students who might not otherwise be able to benefit from a Bryanston education. Auctioning this historical artwork embodies our ethos and longstanding motto ‘et nova et vetera’, the new and the old, and honours the original intention behind the donation, which was to inspire young people.’

As Bryanston approaches its centenary in 2028, Mr Jones, who has been the school’s head for three years, sees an ever-growing role for its creative contribution to the community. The arts have always been a core part of the school’s offering, he says, always supported by previous heads. ‘The school has always had a strong arts ethos. With our new arts advisory board, we can keep this growing and developing.’

He is well aware how lucky the school’s pupils are to have arts education provided by practising artists and musicians, with a breadth of experience and experience, and facilities including the world-class music department, the Coade Hall theatre and the state-of-the-art, purpose-built art department. Many of these facilities are shared with the local community for events that include Dorset Opera Festival, theatre, concerts, films and talks.

There is, he says, a difference between the cultural and creative provision possible at a school like Bryanston and the “depleted creative curriculum” in many state schools. ‘We are always looking outwards as a school. We are lucky here and we want to be a creative hub for the south west. We want our offering to be as good as it can be for our own pupils, but we also want to enrich the lives of the community. What can we be doing to help the community more widely?’

This commitment is summed up on the school’s website:

‘By actively engaging with the broader community, we aim to showcase the positive impact of our approach, ethos and stateof-the-art facilities. Beyond the school, we actively collaborate with educational, cultural and social initiatives.

‘Our involvement in the Blandford Schools’ Network and close ties with local prep schools exemplify our commitment to supporting and working with neighbouring educational institutions.

‘We take great pride in actively contributing to our local community. Through resource sharing, partnerships with other schools and support for local initiatives, we strive to make a positive impact.’

Work by Tara W, Year 12 pupil

Art teacher, Gary Cedeira with Sixth Form pupil

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

Calling all photographers – from keen amateurs to seasoned professionals! The North Dorset Photography Competition 2025 is your chance to showcase Sturminster Newton and celebrate the beauty, character and life of our town through the power of photography. We want to see Sturminster Newton through your lens – whether it’s the bustling town days, hidden corners or the community spirit that makes this town so special. A panel of judges will select the winning entries, and the winners will be displayed in a local exhibition. Entries will be judged in three categories: Under 18, Amateur and Professional. This exciting competition is part of a wider project celebrating the towns of North Dorset, promoting the area as a vibrant and picturesque destination: Blandford, Gillingham, Motcombe, Shaftesbury,

Sturminster Newton and Sherborne will all have individual competitions. Residents will then have the chance to vote for their favourites, with the top North Dorset images going forward to the ‘Winner of Winners’ exhibition at The Exchange. It’s an opportunity for local photographers to have their work showcased across the region and featured on the Visit Dorset website. Whether you capture a timeless view, a fleeting moment of daily life, or the energy of a local event, we want to see your vision of Sturminster Newton.

Key Dates:

• Submissions open – 14 February 2025

• Deadline for entries – 28 March 2025

• Exhibition opens – 9 May 2025

For full details visit northdorsetphoto.co.uk

What’s on On Sunday 23rd February

The Exchange and Artsreach are partnering with Dorset Food & Drink to host a pop-up Producers and Makers Market in The Exchange on the day of the always-popular annual Tea With William Barnes, offering the chance to try some famous local produce – or discover something brand new that has been made in Dorset. Taking place in the Atrium of The Exchange, the pop-up market is free, open to the public from 11am to 3pm: come and meet some of our county’s fantastic makers, including Black Ven Distillery, Chocolate Arthouse, Weymouth51, Farm Girl Sausages, Purbeck Ice Cream, Mrs Potter’s Brownies, Dorset Shortbread, Duck Farm Pottery, Rowan Beecham and Luna’s Locket.

And the highlight of everyone’s February ... the SturBiz Pancake Races! On the Recreation Ground the first race is at 1:15pm on Shrove Tuesday, 4th March. There’ll be flipping pancake races between William Barnes Pupils, plus competitors from Yewstock School, the High School, local businesses and, of course, parents. All welcome to come and cheer on the racers.

And finally ...

The Emporium is not just another charity shop: it has become a real destination for collectors, and we are very grateful for the advice and guidance given to SturAction by the teams at Charterhouse Auctions and Horrocks & Webb on pricing donations. When appropriate we also put goods into auctions, either with Charterhouse in Sherborne

or, depending on the advice, to specialist auctions. As a consequence we get better value from our donations, and more money to give back to the community – around £1,000 on a normal year and £7,000 for one item at a recommended specialist auction a few years ago. So thank you to Charterhouse and Horrocks & Webb for your time and help.

Letters to the Editor

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

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

Image by kind permission of Margaret Melling

What a top!

I’ve just returned from a short trip into Shaftesbury – made much longer than planned thanks to the mysterious knitter who has placed a new topper on the postbox outside the Town Hall. It’s WONDERFUL!

The detail is astonishing – the snowdrop in Piglet’s hand, the basket of carrots (presumably a gift for Eeyore). I have no idea who created it (does anyone?), but I wanted to make sure they know just how marvellous it is and how many people stopped to admire it.

I particularly loved the message behind it. In this chapter of the book, Pooh and Piglet visit a gloomy and lonely Eeyore because they’re worried about him – it’s a perfect reminder on our high street to check in with friends during the bleakest month of the year. Fitting, too, that it was bringing people together, sparking smiles and conversation. Whoever you are – thank you!

M Woods, Shaftesbury

Re: Sparkle-less Stur again

Your anonymous correspondent (Letter to the editor, Jan 25 issue) is unhappy at the quality of the little Christmas trees in Stur over Christmas, and the lack of street decorations.

The important point to remember is that it is the businesses and the charity SturAction who pay for Making Stur Sparkle, not the Council Tax payer, apart from a £500 grant towards the big Christmas tree and

the invaluable help of the Council Grounds Team –and thanks also to the Fire Service.

The little Christmas trees were even more of a battle this year because of the two major storms and also coping without our previous worker to put them up and keep them up. We use battery operated lights because for most buildings there is no source of mains electricity we can tap into – the rooms above are no longer occupied by the shop-keepers below. Having some sort of independent ring main just is not feasible. For next year we are investigating using artificial trees with integral lights as some other local towns do, but they would still be battery-operated as there is no alternative.

As far as other street decorations is concerned, the costs are beyond what SturAction could afford.

So you are just going to have to put up with me putting decorations on the bollards around the place at my own expense.

Councillor Pauline Batstone

What’s the Point of Gonkmas?

I was interested to read your article on the festive display in Sturminster and the controversial gonks. I have nothing against such characters, however using them in a manger scene was not being inclusive but being deliberately provocative to Christians. It is sad that the town Council could not display, alongside all the festive characters, the reason for the season in the first place. Perhaps in 2025 they could put Christ back into Christmas in a family friendly and less controversial way?

The Rt Revd Karen Gorham Bishop of Sherborne

On violins

I enjoyed reading a number of the articles last month but I was particularly interested in the violin maker story. I thought Courtenay’s photos brought the article to life so realistically.

I am very familiar with the inside of violin workshops and this article brought it all back – I was a violinist in the BBC Concert Orchestra for nearly 40 years. I also played with numerous orchestras and in West End shows as a freelance musician.

I played a number of violins over the years, including an Italian instrument made in 1897 by Eugenio Degani – I had to sell that one for a deposit on our house. I then bought a violin made by W. E. Hill. I bought an instrument made in 2000 (in 2000) by a British maker, Melvin Goldsmith, in order to support local makers: he is now famous worldwide.

I had many other instruments over the years, of course. Of all the many thousands of recordings and concerts, one of the most memorable was a trip to Milan in 1987, to play at La Scala with the National Philharmonic Orchestra for Rudolph Nureyev’s Nutcracker ballet. He also demonstrated a lot of the ballet moves. On a day off I was able to travel to Cremona to see the exhibition of many instruments made by Antonio Stradivari. These instruments had been brought together from all around the world to mark the occasion of 250 years of his death.

I managed to break my left wrist in my late 50s, and despite nearly a year on leave I wasn’t really able to reach the required standard.

I eventually had to retire, though I continued teaching for a couple of years. I don’t do any playing or teaching now: watching nature and taking photos has had to replace my violin playing.

Mike H, by email

James Cossins TB testing

I had the privilege of transporting a gorgeous massive bull, brought over from the Isle of Wight, to a holding pen in Dorset. He was a real character was Edward –he did not want to come out of his trailer under any circumstances! We tried sticks behind him (so every few inches he moved, the sticks were moved) ... the crafty blighter knew what we were at, and just lifted his rear legs and smirked at us!

He was enjoying the game.

One week later he was SLAUGHTERED due to an inconclusive TB test. That was more than ten years ago! Something desperately needs sorting to stop this needless waste of animals.

Carol Willment, by email

No Wessex super council

The news that Wessex has this week been excluded from the Devolution Priority Programme raises more questions than answers. While the councils have expressed understandable disappointment at missing out on potential funding, I’m left wondering whether we’ve missed the boat ... or dodged a bullet.

The Dorset Insider last month (I am a firm fan of this mystery parish councillor) rightly asked how local voices would have been safeguarded under a supercouncil. With such a vast region involved, would Dorset’s distinct rural challenges have been drowned out by urban priorities? Without clarity on checks and balances, it’s hard to see how strategic planning decisions wouldn’t have devolved into the very scenario your Insider feared – targets being shuffled around with little regard for local knowledge. At the same time, this setback could mean Dorset loses access to much-needed funds for infrastructure, housing and economic growth. I hope there’s still a path forward that balances both funding opportunities and genuine local representation.

Catherine Sinclair, Dorchester

Quick Crossword

As always, just click to complete on your tablet, computer or phoneor there’s a download ‘PDF’ option if you prefer pen and paper.

Jigsaw

The Stour in full flood – just click to complete!

7.30pm, Dining Hall, Sherborne School

Abbey104 Album of the Month:

into a pretty room lots of hands

Context is everything in music. Finding an album on the wrong day can irrevocably damage your perception of the art. Conversely, finding the right music at the right moment feels like alchemy. So it was with ‘into a pretty room’, the fourth LP from lots of hands*, the Newcastle indie band which, on my first listening, perfectly reflected the feeling of the calm after the literal storm, following a weekend of battering wind, icy rain and thunderous electrical storms.

Album opener alive (not to be confused with Alive, the glitchy opening track of the same name from their 2020 debut Mistake) sets the tone beautifully. In a style which will be familiar to fans of Big Thief, it manages to be familiar and calming while remaining freeform and loose.

The internal conflict of the lyrics (“I’m just so scared…. I wanna be alive”) is kept so low in the mix that it feels more like immersion in a hazy dream than a proclamation. There are many other familiar touchpoints throughout the 14 tracks featured. The frequent blending of acoustic guitars and retro synths is reminiscent of the early noughties production style found on albums such as Lowgold’s Just Backwards of Square and Grandaddy’s The Sophtware Slump. But enough invention and originality is on display to stop the album from ever feeling derivative. While into a pretty room is no departure for fans

of the band who have stayed largely true to their earlier work (they’ve been writing music together since the age of 16), this is undeniably a ‘level up’ moment. As evidenced by the outro of slowburner game of zeroes, lots of hands are becoming experts in crafting moments of beauty and substance.

I’m very pleased I decided to spend some time in their pretty room.

(*yes, the lack of capitaliation is deliberate by the band, and my personal kind of nightmare - Ed)

• 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

Join the Shroton Ukelele Band

During the last year the Shroton Ukelele Band performed 37 concerts – or gigs, as they call them. Usually they entertain people in care homes in nearby towns and villages, but during 2024 they performed in both Julia’s House establishments in Poole and Devizes (they charged no fee for those two).

The band donate all the money they raise, largely to local charities, and their 2024 total was £2,000 shared across nine good causes. ‘We concentrate in the main on children’s support groups and hospices,’ says band leader Mike Jones. ‘It is a “triple whammy” for us: we all enjoy playing, the audience enjoys listening and joining in and our selected charities gain the benefit too!

‘Band members come from all over North Dorset, and we meet on Mondays at 4.30pm in the Village Hall at Shroton (and

frequently afterwards in The Cricketers ...). At present we have about 15 members, but we would welcome some new faces! We are really looking forward to our 2025 season, and already have a score of bookings.’

If you would like to book Shroton Ukulele Band for any

event, please contact Judy Adams on 01258 452614 or judithtwodogs1@gmail.com

‘The standard fee is £70 per concert,’ says Mike. ‘That includes about six of us for around an hour usually, but we are very flexible – and as I said, all the money goes to charity.’

Bryanston School awarded for girls’ football

Bryanston School has been recognised by the Dorset County Football Association for its commitment to promoting girls’ football, receiving an award as part of the prestigious Equal Access Schools initiative.

The school’s football programme encourages girls of all ages and abilities to train, compete and develop their passion for the game. Mark Foster, Head of Football, said: ‘Football’s appeal lies in its inclusivity, bridging divides across gender, ethnicity, age and ability. This recognition from the Dorset County FA is a testament to the enthusiasm and dedication of our pupils, whether they play competitively or socially.’

During the spring term, Bryanston offers three training sessions a week for girls, with its 1st and 2nd XI teams competing in the South-West Girls Independent Schools (SWGIS) league, alongside house tournaments and extra-curricular matches. As part of its wider efforts to promote girls’ sport, Bryanston will be hosting the 2025 Sports

Conference on Friday 14th March, in partnership with The Powerhouse Project. Open to Year 8 and above, the event will welcome girls from across Dorset to meet industry-leading women in sports media, coaching, business and wellbeing.

The Powerhouse Project, which has worked with Nike, The FA and Right to Dream, aims to empower women and girls through sport.

Bryanston Girls’ Football Award

Young debaters shine at Shaftesbury Rotary’s biggest Youth Speaks competition

Students from Shaftesbury, Blandford and Sturminster Newton schools took to the stage for Shaftesbury Rotary’s biggest Youth Speaks competition yet, held on 22nd January at Shaftesbury School.

The event, which challenges young people to develop their public speaking skills, saw teams compete in two age categories: Intermediate (11–13 years) and Senior (14–17 years). Each team had a chairperson, who managed the debate, a proposer, who put forward the motion and an opposer, who argued against it. With a live audience, a judging panel and a time limit to contend with, the students showed impressive composure as they tackled a diverse range of topics – from religion and war to gender and Greek mythology.

Winners and Runners-up

Shaftesbury School won with their discussion on whether AI is developing too fast. Fellow Shaftesbury students Edmund Dobson, Blake Stonton and Sam Parsons were runners-up, debating whether humans should colonise Mars.

The winners will now progress to the district competition on Saturday 5th April at The Mountbatten School in Romsey.

Praise for the Students

Shaftesbury

School’s senior team won with their debate on whether AI is developing too fast

In the Intermediate category, the winning team were from Sturminster Newton High School – Tilly Westbrook, Amber Barlow and Owen Jackson – arguing for lowering the voting age to 12. The Blandford School team – Sophie Duke, Arabella Muir and Odette Miller – took second place with their debate on whether children should be told fairytales.

In the Senior category, Phoebe O’Keefe, Lucy Holdcroft and Esme Compton-Cowdrey from

The judging panel – Rachael Gale (local teacher), Matthew Billingsley (solicitor) and Virginia Edwyn-Jones (Town Councillor and Shaftesbury Chamber of Commerce Chair) – had the tough task of picking winners from a strong field of speakers.

Matthew Billingsley, now in his third year of judging, praised the students’ performances: ‘Each year, I’m blown away by the commitment of the students and the quality of the debate. This year was no exception and I was delighted to be asked to take part once again. The opportunity to develop public speaking skills is invaluable, giving each student confidence that will stand them in good stead for the future.’

The event, run by Shaftesbury Rotary Club in partnership with Shaftesbury School, will return for even more spirited debate in 2026.

Wedding stories in Sturminster Newton

For the past three years Sturminster Newton has hosted a Wedding Fair, and alongside it St Mary’s church has added to the celebrations by creating a display of wedding dresses. Each year has produced something different – from designer gowns to handmade dresses and beauties that have spent years languishing in attics, just waiting for an opportunity to relive their special moment. This year there were some truly memorable vintage dresses, two with poignant stories from both world wars. Every dress has a story somewhere in its background, like the naval wedding where the groom just made it back from overseas at the very last minute, and another where the wedding vows were interrupted by a naughty page boy. One bride tells a romantic tale of falling in love by the light of a Flower Moon, another describes being very late and literally running to the church. It’s worth noting for next year, a fascinating exhibition filled with social history told through the dresses, photographs and wedding stories the brides (or bride’s descendents) share.

Badbury Rings Point-to-Point returns this month

Get ready for a thrilling day at the annual Countryside Alliance Point-to-Point at Badbury Rings on Sunday, 23rd February.

Fun for everyone

Gates open at 10am, with the first race starting at 12 noon. But make sure you arrive early to enjoy all the entertainment, explore the trade stands offering local products and gifts, or indulge in some delicious food and drink from the on-site vendors. Feel free to bring a picnic, or, if you’re feeling lucky, visit the bookmakers for a bit of a flutter.

A crowd favourite, the family dog racing event, guarantees plenty of laughs – so bring your fourlegged friends along too!

New to point-to-pointing?

This is amateur horse racing at its best, where horses and jockeys take on steeplechase fences in a buzzing countryside setting. It’s a fantastic day out to meet friends and family, soak up the atmosphere, and enjoy an exciting sport. Grab a race card on arrival to study the horses’ form as they parade before each race (or, of course, you just use

Heading for the finish at Badbury Rings Image: Tim Holt

the entirely legitimate and timehonoured ‘the one with the best name or colour’ method). Set against the stunning backdrop of the Iron Age hillfort, Badbury Rings offers sweeping views across Dorset. The undulating, rectangular course lets spectators enjoy an unparalleled view of the four fences in the home straight –the perfect spot to cheer on the horses as they thunder past the finish line.

Patrons’ experience – race day in style! Upgrade your day with a Patrons’ ticket for £45.

This exclusive package includes entry, parking and access to a prime marquee location offering seating, a welcome aperitif, buffet lunch, and refreshments throughout the day – topped off with a complimentary race card. Patrons’ tickets must be booked by 10am on Friday, 9th February, so secure yours now!

Early bird tickets are £12.50 online, £15 on the gate (cash or card).

Tickets are available online now at pointtopoint.co.uk/ (just click on the ‘Buy Racegoers Tickets’ square)

The Paddock At Badbury Rings. Image: Tim Holt

Britten Saint Nicolas

Britten Te Deum in C Vierne Messe Solennelle

Tom Hobbs — Tenor

Alexander Eadon — Conductor

SHERBORNE ABBEY

Wednesday 12th February 2025 at 7.30pm

Tickets £15.00, £12.00, £10.00

Scan the QR code to book online or email tickets@sherborne.org

Big screen nostalgia brings the community together

A chance to see classic films on the big screen is proving to be a real lifeline for many, offering a warm and welcoming space where people can relive favourite movies, enjoy a singalong, and share the experience with others.

Held at Lighthouse on the third Thursday of every month, these special screenings bring together film lovers of all ages, from those reminiscing about seeing the classics on their first release to families introducing younger generations to timeless musicals. The relaxed format – lower volume, soft lighting, and an interval for a comfort break – makes the screenings particularly accessible for those living with dementia, as well as their families and carers.

But these events aren’t just about nostalgia –they’re about community.

‘This is such a wonderful resource for all sorts of people to get together and enjoy a film – and the tea and biscuits, of course!’ says Julie, who regularly attends with her 93-year-old mother, Joy Salt.

‘There’s a real sense of belonging here.’

Joy, a veteran of 50 years in local musical theatre, loves reliving old favourites: ‘I remember seeing

so many of these films when they first came out! They showed Calamity Jane recently – I once played Adelaide Adams, so it was great fun to watch again.’ Alongside classic musicals, the programme has featured more modern favourites like Ghostbusters, The Blues Brothers, Back to the Future and Mamma Mia – all chosen for their ability to bring joy and spark conversation long after the credits roll.

A social lifeline

Anna Shiels, who facilitates the screenings, explains: ‘We have regulars who come on their own, with grandchildren, with friends or carers – it’s a chance to enjoy a film in a setting where everyone feels comfortable. And when people start singing along, it’s magic!’

For Derek Woodruff, who attends with his wife Maureen, these afternoons are a highlight of the month: ‘We love the old musicals, and the daytime screenings make it easier to get out. We can have a bite to eat first, and it saves me cooking when we get home. They’re a bit of a lifeline.’

With a carefully curated selection of films, a welcoming atmosphere, and a loyal audience, Lighthouse’s big screen nostalgia is keeping the magic of cinema alive for everyone.

• All screenings start at 2pm, and tickets start at £5.50. For more details and to book online see: lighthousepoole.co.uk

Phipps on Bankside

Howard Phipps, the distinguished wood engraver, who lives near Salisbury, is the featured artist in the 87th annual exhibition of the Society of Wood Engravers, at Bankside Gallery, on Thames Riverside, London, on until 23rd February. Much of Howard’s work is rooted in the downs of Wiltshire and Dorset, with their deep coombes and beech clumps, around the area where he lives. He works from drawings and watercolours made on location, using light to reveal the underlying sculptural form of the landscape. Ancient trackways and striking hill forms draw his eye – timeless places on which earlier generations have left their mark. His subsequent wood engravings are profoundly imbued with a sense of place. Pictured is Catherine’s Barn.

Calling the women of Dorset

Dorchester has staged the greatest number of community plays of anywhere in the world, and now the efforts of all those involved are bearing fresh fruit. Several participants have been inspired by the stories that have been discovered, and by the experience of creating the plays. Now a new venture is taking shape, this time spreading its wings across Dorset and delving into women’s stories. Like every other project in the arts field, funding is tight, but the newly-formed collective Women of Dorset is taking the first research steps to create what is described as “a fierce new play about historical Dorset women.” On 10th March, the project will be launched at Dorchester Arts by playwright Stephanie Dale and director Penny Levick, who will be joined by Visible

Women UK’s Anya Pearson (who championed the Mary Anning statue at Lyme Regis) to talk about the plans. Acappella singing group Bread and Roses will provide the music.

A group of researchers will be working at the Dorset History Centre, learning how to make the best use of the collections to discover more about Dorset women through history.

The launch will be followed by five workshops, at Dorchester (17th March), Bridport (18th), Poole (19th), Weymouth (20th) and at Shaftesbury Arts Centre on Friday 21st March. The workshops will explore previously untold stories of women, both historical and personal.

Booking is essential. If you would like to take part, telephone 01305 261538 and leave a message.

Free wildlife events for teens in Poole Harbour

Dorset-based charity Birds of Poole Harbour has partnered with the Cameron Bespolka Trust to launch a Young Birders Club, offering free monthly events throughout 2025 to inspire teenagers with wildlife and conservation.

From boat trips and bird ringing demonstrations to ID courses and conservation talks, the programme aims to showcase Poole Harbour’s vital role in nature recovery while building a community of young conservationists. Participants will have the chance to spot species such as White-tailed Eagles, Ospreys, Spoonbills, and Dartford Warblers.

Fully funded by the Cameron Bespolka Trust, events are completely free, with binoculars, reference guides, and transport support available to ensure accessibility.

Upcoming events include a Winter Birds Cruise (Jan), Bird ID Course (Feb), a rewilding reserve tour at Wild Woodbury (March), and an Osprey Project Tour (April). Open to 13–18-year-olds in Dorset, the initiative aims to provide opportunities for young people to engage with nature and develop conservation skills. Spaces are limited – sign up now at birdsofpooleharbourbookings.co.uk

Choo-choose to go behind the scenes at Swanage Railway

Swanage Railway volunteers are once again opening the doors to one of Dorset’s most cherished heritage attractions with a two-day Community Weekend on Saturday 22nd and Sunday 23rd February 2025, from 10am to 4pm. Visitors can explore behind the scenes of the awardwinning heritage railway at Swanage, Herston, Harman’s Cross, Corfe Castle, and Norden stations.

For Dorset residents, half-price tickets are available in advance at swanagerailway.co.uk or on the day at Norden, Corfe Castle, and Swanage stations (proof of residence required).

Behind-the-Scenes Access

Visitors can drive a 1950s diesel shunter at Swanage for £20, shadow a train guard or ticket inspector for £7.50, or take a guided tour of the historic signal boxes at Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle (£7.50).

For the first time, pre-booked tours will be available at Swanage Railway’s steam locomotive engineering works,

Members of Millstream including co-directors Tam Gilbert in the centre and Tony Horitz( white hair and glasses) in the rear.

with a heritage bus service transporting visitors from Swanage and Norden stations. Alongside the ticketed experiences, a range of free activities (donations welcome) will run across the weekend:

• Explore 1960s heritage telephone exchanges at Harman’s Cross and Corfe Castle stations (subject to volunteer availability).

• Try your hand at signalling at the Corfe Castle signalling museum.

• Meet carriage restorers and sit inside a historic 1940s railway crane at Corfe Castle.

• See narrow-gauge diesel train demonstrations at the Purbeck Mining Museum (next to Norden station). At Herston Halt, visitors can also chat with volunteers about the development of the station, which only started welcoming trains in 1984.

It’s all about the volunteers Swanage Railway Trust chairman Frank Roberts has been a dedicated Swanage Railway volunteer for more than 40 years: ‘It takes more people to operate, maintain and develop the Swanage Railway than many people realise. We are delighted to give people across the Isle of Purbeck, Dorset and beyond the chance to enjoy a behind the scenes view of a very special heritage railway that has been rebuilt since 1976.’

• For full details and booking information, visit swanagerailway.co.uk.

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

Can I get carer’s allowance?

Q:‘I have had to give up work to look after my partner. Can I claim the Carer’s Allowance now?’

A: Carer’s Allowance is a benefit for people who give regular and substantial care to disabled people. Carer’s Allowance is a taxable benefit and forms part of your taxable income. You can usually get Carer’s Allowance if all of the following apply:

• you’re aged 16 or over

• you’re not in full time education

• you spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a disabled person

• you don’t earn more than £151 a week from employment or self-employment

The person you’re caring for must get a ‘qualifying benefit’. These include:

• Attendance Allowance

• the middle or highest rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance

• the daily living component of Personal Independence Payment

You’ll get less or no Carer’s Allowance if you get some other benefits including:

• state retirement pension

• contributory ESA

• contribution-based JSA

• Maternity Allowance

The rules about this are complicated so do get help from your nearest Citizens Advice. If you get any means-tested benefits (eg universal credit), Carer’s Allowance counts as income when these benefits are worked out.

If the person you’re caring for gets a benefit with a Severe Disability Premium/Addition, this premium/ addition will cease if you claim Carer’s Allowance. The other person should contact the DWP or their local council to let them know you’re getting Carer’s Allowance. Always check with the person you’re caring for before you apply for Carer’s Allowance because you might cause their income to be reduced.

To make a claim for Carer’s Allowance you can:

• Use the online Claim Carer’s Allowance service on GOV.UK

• download and print a Carer’s Allowance claim form, fill it in and send it by post

If you need help making your claim, contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit:

Telephone: 0800 731 0297

Textphone: 0800 731 0317

Your claim can be backdated for up to three months if you were eligible.

• If disability benefits stop for the person you’re caring for, you must contact the DWP to let them know that the person’s disability benefits have stopped. If you don’t let the DWP know, you may incur an overpayment, which could incur a civil penalty.

Rural resilience and the challenge ahead

A worrying societal shift in attitudes sees Simon Hoare MP fighting to protect rural communities and defend democracy when it matters most

In this edition I want to try to cover three topics. The first one was going to concern the recent announcement by Lloyds Bank of the impending closure later this year of its branch in Blandford. This story is covered elsewhere in this edition. While it is true that we are going through a period of transition when it comes to how we do our banking, the creation of ‘banking deserts’ is in nobody’s interest. But it leads to a disproportionately harder hit on my older constituents, as well as having a greater impact on the vitality and viability of a rural market town than would be felt in a large city. I am meeting representatives of Lloyds to learn more about their plans for community banking support, and will be working alongside our local councillors to explore the provision of a ‘banking hub’ to meet the needs of Blandford and the villages it serves –more as it is known.

Overnight stays

and I would urge you to make your views known to the council. From my inbox, I know that many local residents and pubs are opposed to this plan. Let us hope that Lib Dem councillors listen.

Up with dictatorship?

My final fragility point is our basic functioning of democracy. A recent poll of GenZ (those born 1997 to 2012) found that more than half are in favour of turning the UK into a dictatorship! This follows polling by the Electoral Commission, which found that younger people are more likely to find the abuse and intimidation of political candidates and their supporters acceptable. I listened with interest to two GenZ men discuss why many of their cohort would support a British dictatorship. I have some sympathy with their call for politicians to be bold and visionary, to take brave decisions. While I see their point, they neglect, I fear, to comprehend the massively negative effect social media and the rise of populism has on achieving these policymaking umbrellas.

A Parliamentary friend and colleague of mine, Alec Shelbrooke, has also commented in the media that people are likely to support a dictatorship only on the presumption that the dictator’s views align with their own. Pity them when they do not.

The reason given for GenZ’s opinion is that there is a lack of knowledge, in the historical context, of what a dictatorship is. Indeed, one interviewee did not believe that Putin is a dictator.

On the subject of fragility, I recognise the oftentimes marginal nature of our market towns as they face pressure from online sales. Car parking charges are too often used as a cash cow to be milked by councils. You may be aware that Lib Dem controlled Dorset Council is pursuing a policy of introducing night-time car parking charges. I am opposed to these and have made my views known to the council leader and in the House of Commons during a recent Business Question. Night-time charges will hit local hospitality and leisure businesses across all of our North Dorset towns, as well as impacting negatively on local residents – for example, in Blandford and Shaftesbury, where people use car parks in the evenings, when there is pressure on on-street capacity. These cars are off to work etc before the next business day starts. This is not a good policy coming from County Hall,

One interviewee did not believe that Putin is a dictator

I find this hard to believe, with the attention given in schools to the rise of Nazism. It also suggests a certain lack of intellectual curiosity, of researching the historical examples of what one is calling for before actually calling for it. But there is a serious point which we cannot duck: we need to remind this and future generations of why democracy is the best option and why participation in it makes sense. Just because we know it to be true does not mean that our successors will. The dictators of Europe, South America and Africa create an all-too-clear picture. Everyone needs to see it, understand it and learn from it.

We are doomed if they do not.

Kicking the CAN down the road. Again.

I mentioned the human superpower of imagination last time, and how it can be used positively to create solutions as well as motivate us to take action and implement them. Sadly there was precious little imagination in the Government’s response to the Climate & Nature (CAN) Bill which was debated in Parliament on 24th January. Spooked by the prospect of legally binding targets, and the involvement of a Citizens Assembly in setting those targets, the Government pushed through a motion to end the debate before it could be put to a vote. The Bill has been rescheduled for 11th July, when there will probably not be enough time for it to actually be debated. And so the CAN has been kicked down the road, yet again, in spite of the obvious fact that the climate is already changing rapidly for the worse and our wildlife continues to decline.

The Government pushed through a motion to end the debate before it could be put to a vote

That so few MPs turned up for the debate speaks volumes about the lack of urgency among our elected representatives in respect of the two most important issues of our time, climate change and the environment. Greater awareness was at least shown by those MPs who did attend, including the cross-party group of 12 MPs cosponsoring the Bill. One was our North Dorset MP Simon Hoare, who spoke eloquently about the need for the Bill.

this country”. They would do well to reflect on how badly the present way we make decisions is failing us, driving a marked decline in public trust and confidence in our parliamentary system, particularly among our younger citizens, who increasingly rely on social media, where they are fed information and motivation that threatens the future of democracy.

Regarding the Government’s aversion to Citizens Assemblies being used to guide policy making, the Tory frontbench spokesman joined in to declare that “it’s not how decisions should made in

In one recent poll of those aged between 15 and 30 (the so-called Generation Z) more than half (52%) thought we should have a strong leader “who does not have to bother with parliament and elections”. We know only too well where that path leads.

Ken Huggins North Dorset Green Party

Britain can’t afford uncertainty

The Government has a problem – and it’s of its own making. It joined in with almost all the pundits in their minute-by-minute commentary on government borrowing costs along the path to the Truss regime’s downfall.

Labour has no right, then, to expect different treatment when markets last month reacted similarly to its own approach.

even though in carrying out the madness, our mortgages rose and the PM fell.

Growth is just a slogan if you’re not creating the conditions for it

There is a significant difference though, between the Truss escapade and the current government’s issues. The former was clear about her mad plan –

Labour’s problem sits in the gap between what was said and what has been done, creating uncertainty for businesses and citizens alike. Different organisations demand different types of decision. Simple businesses need agility, taking decisions quickly on the hoof. Safety-critical organisations like nuclear energy decide slowly, with many checks and balances. Success depends on

understanding the organisation you have and acting accordingly: but governments are pulled in both directions. Their survival depends on fleetness of foot and reacting well to events, while success rests on critical thinking, deliberation and determined action.

The antidote to this conflict is a clear and consistent strategy for government that soars above the knocks and crises below. Unfortunately, we don’t have that clear or consistent strategy yet. Growth is just a slogan if you’re not creating the conditions for it. For example, NI contribution increases obviously do something different from what

the Government says it wants. They are a drag on investment and employment across the land, costing more than £2,300 per year, per staff member. Challenging for every business, and for charities providing community services – like those being faced by Riversmeet Leisure Centre in Gillingham –these costs are calamitous. So many things depend on growth: a social care solution, investment in health and stronger defence in Trumpian times. Making it easier to build through planning reform is a good start, but choosing Heathrow expansion seems more like picking a fight than a serious economic move.

Our trading position is crucial, and our relationship with the EU is back on the agenda for its importance to growth. Countries make trade deals to lower barriers and increase trade: we left the EU and raised barriers, reducing trade.

Liberal Democrats want a UK customs union with the EU to increase our trade in goods, help farmers and encourage smaller businesses to re-start exports to the EU. There are trade-offs for this, such as on youth mobility and fishing, but it would not stop us from negotiating independent deals

on services, which are among our main competitive advantages. Decisions like this are more strategic and would do more for us – but would need courage to lead. We need and expect the government to make more consistent and less contradictory decisions that will deliver muchneeded growth. Really tough decisions include questions like relationships with the EU ... and it’s time to get serious again.

Gary Jackson North Dorset Liberal Democrats

Fighting for the future of rural high streets

This week we had an important debate on the health of rural high streets. The wonderful towns across the breadth of West Dorset may be small, but they are mighty.

The resilience of our local businesses cannot be overstated. The Liberal Democrat-run town councils have done a brilliant job of working with local business groups to help our high streets recover from the ravages of COVID. In our bigger towns of Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne we have seen encouraging signs of recovery but there is still much work to be done. Amazingly, Bridport and West Bay enjoy 596,000 visits a year, and up to £49m in tourism spend –including £10m spent in the shops alone. That’s driven in no small part by a packed calendar of events in the town.

Retail unoccupancy in the town is seven per cent – significantly below the national average of 14 per cent, but still higher than the pre-pandemic levels. In Dorchester, the town’s Sunday market has drawn more than 10,000 visitors, leading some businesses to extend their opening hours. Sherborne, too, has shown its ability to attract new businesses, with cultural events like abbey concerts, the literary festival, the film festival

The towns of West Dorset may be small, but they are mighty

and the Sherborne Festive Shopping Day in December all helping to bring more people into the town.

But there are challenges too. The last remaining bank in Sherborne is set to close soon, to be replaced by a banking hub. The transition highlights the ongoing struggle to maintain essential services in rural communities. Our high streets are not just places to shop: they are spaces where communities come together. These businesses need help, not just from all of us shopping locally –even just occasionally – but from government policies that recognise the unique challenges of rural high streets.

That is why the Liberal Democrats are fighting so hard to convince the Government to reverse its decisions on National Insurance contributions and business rates.

West Dorset is home to some of the most remarkable towns in the country. They are proving that with determination, innovation and the right support, high streets can thrive.

Edward Morello MP for West Dorset

Sunset in North Dorset, looking out over the Dorsetshire Gap from the top of Rawlsbury Camp

Does Labour hate the countryside?

North Dorset CPRE’s Rupert Hardy sees a fight coming as Labour’s rural policies begin to spell trouble for Dorset’s countryside

Since Labour entered government it has brought in a multiplicity of measures, some financial but others administrative and planning-related, which suggest it is determined to bring in changes to promote its growth and clean energy agendas at the expense of the countryside.

The fact that most constituencies in the South West, outside the cities, voted for Tory or Liberal MPs is, of course, purely coincidental.

The October budget brought in inheritance tax on farmers, resulting in massive protests. It also hiked the minimum wage and employers’ National Insurance contributions, affecting small businesses particularly: there are more of these proportionally in the rural parts of the country. Labour even increased rural bus fares, hurting those who have no car.

Unrealistic targets

There is no evidence that planning constraints are the main barrier to house building in Dorset

said they are ‘unrealistic’ targets too – but we won’t know whether they defy the Government until the new draft Local Plan is published, later this year. All towns and large villages in Dorset will be earmarked for new development, but it will be worse in North Dorset, where less than half is covered by National Landscape designation, which gives some degree of protection.Those flawed housing targets will also be difficult to achieve, given the supply of available building materials and labour. Planners would be forced to approve unsustainable developments on Green Belt and greenfield sites, adversely impacting the environment and worsening climate change. There will inevitably be increased traffic congestion and more pressure on already inadequate infrastructure.

Changes to the New National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) were brought in last December. The Government is imposing ridiculously high housing targets on Dorset Council (DC), requiring the number of new homes to rise from 1,310 to 3,230 a year. This is much higher than the 1,793 homes proposed in the 2021 draft Local Plan, which was much criticised at the time. DC have

There is no evidence that planning constraints are the main barrier to house building in Dorset. Last autumn there were more than 11,000 approved building plots awaiting development. Overall, we would prefer achievable housing targets to be used – ones based on local data, detailing household growth, affordability and current house completions.

The Government may have recognised there is a crying need for more affordable housing, as well

as social rented accommodation, but there is scant funding for it.

We need a national land use framework – there could be other solutions. Why did Angela Rayner cut housebuilding targets for our cities? Why has there been no attempt to revise council tax bands or encouraging the sale of large houses in other ways, such as reducing stamp duty for ‘last time buyers’?

Local democracy threatened

The Government is now set on reducing the role of planning committees, with greater reliance on Local Plans for deciding where houses will be built. It also wants more planning to be regionalised, with local authorities being forced to link up. Dorset is talking actively to Wiltshire and Somerset. All this will result in much less local democracy.

Clean Power 2030 Action Plan

In December, Ed Miliband published his Clean Power 2030 Action Plan to switch to 95 per cent clean energy by that date. Much of his plan is based on heroically optimistic assumptions. The mountain of grid upgrades looks insuperable. The countryside will bear the brunt, of course, as more solar farms on greenfield sites are rushed through and new pylons built. Dorset may be spared the mega solar farms and pylons that East Anglia is facing, and is lucky that the only offshore wind farm being

proposed for Dorset, Portwind, can be connected relatively easily to the substation at Chickerell. However, we believe the onshore focus should be on rooftop solar, which the Government has been slow to act on. CPRE has been actively supporting a private member’s bill in Parliament, the Sunshine Bill, which seeks to make it mandatory for all new housing to be fitted with solar panels. We hope it makes faster progress than it has done so far – after its second reading in January, the bill was adjourned until July.

The next few years are going to be difficult, and it will take time for realism to permeate government thinking. A Trump presidency will put pressure on the need for more defence spending and so some of Labour’s other ambitious programmes may get diverted.

It will not be solved by concreting over our countryside

In the meantime, talk to your local Dorset councillor and protest to your local MP. Those in marginal seats with a significant rural population should be most concerned. We may have an affordable housing crisis – which we addressed in our Affordable Housing Crisis conference last year – but it will not be solved by concreting over our beautiful countryside. Dorset is worth protecting!

Fontmell Magna

This month Barry Cuff has chosen two postcards sent from Fontmell Magna, by the same person and to the same person, sent just a few weeks apart in 1958

Sent on 1st September to Mrs Hobday in Four Marks, just outside Alton, Hampshire. The tone of these cards suggests this might be a young mother writing to her newly-moved-away best friend? With no names, and a now non-existent address (‘Whareora’ is a place in New Zealand, and there’s no record of it in Four Marks now), it’s hard to narrow these down further: ‘Mon. I hope you had a good trip back to Four Marks on Fri. Saw Stephen & party on Sunday. It was nice & warm yest. and so it is today, bet E busy working. Charles & Katie have not yet left Maresfield as the car is not yet ready. We miss you very much, esp. Pauly & me. Don’t go working too hard & eat! Time to go to ‘the shop’ – Aloha nui ake ake ake, L’

Note the presence of the Gossip Tree in Fontmell Magna in 1958 – the ancient elm was a victim to the 1970s Dutch Em Disease epidemic, and was replaced by the current lime tree in 1977 (see Roger Guttridge’s story of it in The BV, Aug 2021). The above card is instantly recognisable, even today, showing the familiar Crown Inn and the A350. It was sent on 3rd October, once again to Mrs Hobday: Tuesday Some nice ‘Bright Intervals’ today, very welcome. After a heavy shower last evening there was a good rainbow arching over this Fontmell Down. The children were thrilled to see it, even Pipi & Pauly too, who is growing fast & is very active indeed! No letters from anyone today. Have you heard from Sunnywood at all? How is Mr Pateman? And how are YOU? Aloha nui from us all, especially L

Weddings: then, now and back again

From parish churches to country barns – have modern weddings come full circle to their historic roots?

Today, we think of a ‘traditional’ wedding as a bride dressed in white getting married in church. In the past, a wedding was often a simple ceremony that could take place anywhere. All that was needed for a marriage to be legal was spoken agreement between a bride and a groom. In the 1750s, a church wedding, carried out by a priest became the only lawful way to marry. The Marriage Act 1753 made the only legally recognised marriages in England and Wales those performed by the Church of England, Jews and Quakers. This meant that Roman Catholics and members of other Christian congregations, as well as atheists, Muslims, Hindus and members of any other religious body, had to be married according to rites and ceremonies they did not

1954: Wedding party on the path outside The School House. Photo commissioned by Miss Quelch of The School House, Wimborne St Giles. Spot the twins!

1960s: Bride, father and bridesmaids arriving at St Mary, St Cuthberga & All Saints in Witchampton. The bride’s father was Charles Patrick De Candole, a retired navy chaplain who was the vicar at the church from 1962 to 1982

1926: A formal group outside the Rectory, Witchampton after the wedding of Jack Parham and Barbara Baker. Mrs Hill of Rose Lea remembers overstitching the ‘handkerchiefs’ that formed the flowing chiffon skirt of the wedding dress, which was made by Mrs. Winnie White, a London dressmaker who lived in the village.

1939: Eric and Joyce Cowdry’s wedding photograph, with the wedding party sitting on a fire engine with the crew.

William Cowdry (chief fire officer) on the right, Claude Cowdry top left.

support, by a priest who they believed had no authority. Eventually, the Marriage Act 1836 allowed marriages to be legally registered in buildings belonging to other religious groups, and also without religious rites. Those campaigning for reform had largely been non-conformist religious groups seeking the right to be able to conduct marriage ceremonies – marriage in the register office was added in almost as an afterthought.

In the first year of the new Act’s operation, just over one per cent of all weddings were in a register office: even at the end of the 19th century they accounted for only 15 per cent.

It was only in the late 20th century that civil marriage overtook religious marriage as the most popular form of marriage. By 2015, civil marriages accounted for almost three-quarters of marriages in England and Wales – before the start of the 20th century it was very much a minority choice.

Given that all civil marriages had to be conducted in the

register office, and that initially there would have been only one register office per registration district, the parish church would have remained the easiest option for most couples, particularly in rural areas. Marrying in the parish church was often easier, quicker and cheaper than a civil marriage. Some vicars offered cut-price or free weddings to encourage

couples to marry. At Manchester

would routinely marry couples in batches to save time and money. The vicar at St James the Great in Bethnal Green would marry couples for free – simply to prevent them cohabiting without any religious or legal ceremony. Ceremonies are now held in places such as castles, barns or

Cathedral and St John’s Church in the East End of London, vicars

Group photograph of Florence Stone and Private Thomas Smith of the Machine Gun Corps, taken outside Uddens Lodge in 1917. Thomas Smith met Florence Stone while recuperating at a local military hospital from a wound received while fighting on the Western Front. Thomas Smith (grandfather to Susan Day, née Myhill) is in his army uniform with Florence standing to the right. It is believed that the older man and woman seated left and right are Mr and Mrs Hillier.

1921: A wonderfully modernfeeling reportage photo of a gypsy wedding at the Methodist Church in King Street, Wimborne ... it was obviously a windy day!

the middle of woods ... have we returned to the more informal weddings of our ancestors?

• Photographs supplied by Museum of East Dorset. Copies of photos from the

museum’s extensive library are available to buy.

• If you have any bygone photos, slides, negatives or film relating to East Dorset that you would like to loan for copying, or to donate to

the museum archives, they would be delighted to receive them.

• For either of the above, please email photographs@ museumofeastdorset.co.uk

1904: Cecil Norton Stickland of the Travellers Rest, Three Legged Cross and Louisa Eliza Elton who lived near the Cricketers in Park Lane, Wimborne, were married in Wimborne Minster

1898: The marriage of Emily Low to John Chissell, taken at the Low family home on Avenue Road, Wimborne

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

Spetisbury

The name of the village is Anglo-Saxon, meaning ‘the ancient earthwork frequented by the green woodpecker’ – from the Old English ‘speht’ or ‘speoht’ for woodpecker, and ‘burgh’ or ‘byrig’ for earthwork, referring to Spetisbury Rings (sometimes Crawford Castle), the Iron Age fort above the village

A fire at the village bakery demolished a row of thatched cottages in 1905. Before fire engines from Blandford and Wimborne could help, the neighbouring cottages and those across the road were also ablaze. The village still has a quirky house numbering system, thanks to its majority 19th century landowners, the Drax family, who only numbered the buildings owned by the estate

Both of the original postcards were posted in the 1940s. The Railway Inn on the right closed in 1986 – in its heyday it was a popular spot for local railway workers (the old railway line ran parallel to the road, behind and above the row of houses on the left of the image).

Following the profile of Blackmore Vale Motorcycle Club last month (Revving through history, The BV Jan 25), Francis Custard has kindly given The BV permission to share just a small sample of her archive of images taken at some of the club’s historical events:

‘I have put together a selection of photos from the late 1950’s through to 1970. The photographers are my late father, Ron Custard, and Terry Heath, who now lives in Yeovil. I scanned my Dad’s negatives, slides and cines after I retired in 2008.

Just before Christmas I linked up with Terry, who had a case of negatives in his garage, and I have now undertaken a project to scan and share his

work. The quality of the images is not comparable with the modern images by Michael Berkeley in your interesting article featuring Dean Whitty. Do bear in mind these were taken 60-odd years ago: the camera equipment was basic, and the negatives are now not always in the best condition! There is a selection of Trials, Scrambles, Grass Track and Road Racing. The Blackmore Vale Club ran many events back then: I remember taking part in Scrambles – I broke my collar bone after a big tumble at Whitesheet Hill in 1970!

Along with photos, I also have many programmes from Blackmore Vale events, the earliest is for Road Races at Blandford Camp on 1st August 1949!

No.22 is well-known local rider Lew Coffin (unkown date). Lew also raced Speedway and Long Track. He competed all over the country – and continent – in his long career, with the Blackmore Vale Club badge on his helmet.

26th May 1958 – Pauline Dale

February 1959 –Benny Crew trying not to drown the Norman

6th June 1960 – Helmut Fath and Alfred Wohlgemuth on a BMW Sidecar

27th December 1966 –Tony Davis

6th June 1960 –the start of the race

11th June 1967 –start line, Hambledon Hill

22nd December 1963 – Malcom Davis on his Greeves in a TV Scramble

10th June 1967 – Mike Hailwood – one of the most famous road racers of all time. Dad took this unassuming photo at Blandford Camp as Mike won his first race

February 1959 –Don Rickman

30th May 1966 – Brian Curtis takes the chequered flag

February 1959 –

6th June 1960 – Ron Langston on a Matchless chased by Phil Read on a Norton

30th May 1966 – Norman, No. 10, leads the pack on his

30th August 1970 – my brother Nick Custard riding on Whitesheet Hill the day I broke my collar bone!

27th

Derek Rickman on his Triumph

Mestisse

December 1966 –Don Rickman on a Bultaco

Four horses, eight tests

It had seemed like such a good plan, but somewhere between tests two and eight, Jess Rimmer started questioning her life choices …

Hello BV! January has absolutely flown by, which is quite refreshing after the seemingly never-ending darkness that was December. The horses are getting fitter all the time, meaning we’ve been able to get a little more stuck in with the training for the 2025 event season. They have all just started jumping in the arena, as well as doing their first bits of steady canter work on the gallops. My goodness, does it feel good to be back actually doing stuff again!

Now, I think it’s become quite apparent that I would pick crosscountry as my favourite discipline without a second thought. However, until the ground dries up and the horses get fit enough for their pre-season cross-country training, it’s all about the dressage and showjumping (yawn!). Showjumping shows do make for a nice day out, and I usually get my adrenaline fix in the form of a jump-off or two.

I don’t know what was going through my head. I entered not two, not three, but eight (EIGHT, Jess?) dressage tests

I’ll be honest, it also helps that our most local venue, Dorset Showground, is right opposite the absolute best service station in the West Country!

Dressage, on the other hand … When I tell you I don’t know what was going through my head when I entered not two, not three, but eight (EIGHT, Jess?) dressage tests at Moreton last weekend, I mean it. On paper it seemed like such a good idea – I just thought “hey, if I’m taking one horse, I might as well take them all, it’ll be good practice.” And although I still say that it was good practice for everyone, I did slightly rethink my choices as I gazed longingly at my fellow competitors leaving with their rosettes and cheesy chips, me having completed only my second test out of eight.

Me, me, me ... and also me Moreton does a brilliant class for us eventers as part of their unaffiliated dressage show, where we can enter and pick any British Eventing dressage test we like for each horse. This is great, as British Dressage tests run a different routine from the Eventing ones, so this class enables us to practice the exact movements we’ll be doing

Jess Rimmer warming up with Jimmy All images: Courtenay Hitchcock by Jess Rimmer

‘Jimmy must have been a Hollywood film star in a previous life. He just pricks his ears at the judge, and says “Everybody! Watch me!” ... despite being the youngest, least experienced and gangliest horse of the bunch’

A little Jimmy side-eye, just to be sure we’re still watching

throughout the coming event season. However ... it meant there were nine entries in the class – and I was eight of them! I entered Jimmy, Max, Elsa and Henry for two tests each. Not content with competing against each other, they were also going to compete against themselves!

Four tests

First up was Max, who was incredibly pleased to be out and about. He is such a smart mover and has come out so much stronger this year, so I was excited to take him down the centre line for the first time. All in all, he was a good boy – but when he gets excited, it’s a bit like he’s put a pair of Ultra-HD goggles on – he sees literally everything in super high definition. He has definitely NEVER seen his own reflection in the judges’ box before, and who on EARTH put that flower pot there? Max quickly overcame his “fears” (as he claimed they were, with a smirk on his face), and produced some quality work to get the ball rolling. Next up was Henry, who, as we know, often puts his head in the sand (like an ostrich) under pressure. I was so proud of him! He stayed much more confident throughout his test, and was rewarded with some great marks. Although if you ask him, the whole experience would have been much better if Jimmy could have accompanied him throughout.

Speaking of Jimmy ... I think this horse was a Hollywood film star in a previous life. He just turns down that centre line, pricks his ears at the judge, and says “Everybody! Watch me! This is going to be the best test anyone has ever see-e-een!” –entertaining, when you consider he is the youngest, least experienced and definitely the gangliest horse of the whole bunch. Last, but certainly not least, was Princess Elsa. She thought Christmas had come early (or late?!) and was just SO pleased to be there. I do have a sneaky feeling she’s been there for the jumping shows more frequently than the pure dressage … but she completed both her tests with a happy grin on her face nonetheless. Although I did have to remind her that, unlike jumping, dressage is not supposed to be against the clock! And so, without further ado - the final placings … drum roll please … Nah. I’ll leave that for you to decide. The results just weren’t particularly relevant on this occasion. For a first outing, I’m really pleased with all four of them: they all demonstrated improvement in their own way, and – most importantly to me – they were SO happy to be back out competing! As was I.

Or maybe I was just pleased to get my cheesy chips at the end of the day …

Jimmy turns down that centre line, pricks his ears, and says “This is going to be the best test anyone has ever see-e-en”

Grand National hopes and bargain buys

From winter floods to first past the post, Chris Wald sees perseverance paying off as the Tizzard team looks ahead to Cheltenham and Aintree

We had to wait until 16th January for our first winner of the New Year, when I Shut That D’or won a handicap chase at Hereford. This was largely down to the number of meetings that were either rained, frozen or snowed off. It felt good to get off the mark for 2025.

I Shut That D’or was a bargain buy at the start of the season for Derrick and Susan Maize and his form reads 1-2-1-1 since they bought him, proving you don’t always have to spend a fortune to get results and have some fun in horse racing.

Having been frozen off twice already, the final of the Veteran’s series was eventually run at Market Rasen. Copperhead made the long journey worthwhile, making all (leading from the front) to secure the most valuable prize of the season. He now holds an entry in the Aintree Grand National in April.

At the risk of sounding like a weather report, January ended pretty much the way it had begun – with Storm Eowyn causing havoc.

The floods made life difficult for everyone, but luckily most of the staff were able to find a way in to work. I was unable to get out of the road from my house for two days but thankfully, after a lift through the flood on a telehandler, I was able to jump in with Sophie who passes by en route to the yard. A fallen tree was also blocking the road we ride down to get to the gallops, but this was swiftly removed by Krystov who works on the farm.

Patience pays off

Luckily the rain finally relented and Wincanton passed a couple of inspections to get its meeting on at the end of the month.

Bobbi With An I won a Mares’

Novice Hurdle, only six weeks after being purchased from the Cheltenham Sales. She looks an exciting prospect. And then Pedley Wood followed up his Boxing Day win to win the Dick Hunt trophy. His part owners, the Messenger family, always have one horse in training and had gone seven years without a winner until last season, but Pedley Wood has now won four of his last eight races. Good things come to those who wait! With January finally behind us we are looking forward to what will hopefully be a really strong spring campaign. The first weekend in February we have some exciting runners, including JPR One in the Game Spirit Chase at Newbury on Saturday 8th and Alexei in a Listed Novice Hurdle at Exeter on Sunday 9th – both horses who have targets at the Cheltenham Festival.

Storm Eowyn blew a tree down, blocking the road to the gallops

The Messenger family had gone seven years without a winner until last season: Pedley Wood has now won four of his last eight races

Images of the Tizzard horses on the gallops © Courtenay Hitchcock

Take

a Hike:

Are these some of the finest views across North Dorset? | 6.2 miles

Enjoy big views with ever-wide skies as you complete our favourite circle from Lower Ansty – starting with easy parking in the village, there’s a few easy climbs to enjoy the best of Hog Hill, looking out over the new Dorset Wildlife Trust site at Lyscombe Bottom. Then it’s across the stunning ridge, with views both left and right, which leads down to the ancient track junction that is Dorsetshire Gap.

Five ancient tracks (bridleways now) meet here: the Gap was an important road crossing from the Middle Ages until the 19th century, linking the trails of the Ridgeway with the drove roads to the north. The tracks approaching the Gap junction are

almost always muddy, no matter the season – do watch your footing as you descend. You can opt to walk the footpath around the front of Nordon Hill from the Dorsetshire Gap – the views are spectacular and worth it, but the rough path runs awkwardly across a steep hill. We did it once, but now always opt for the simpler-going route around the back: sadly missing the view, but keeping the dicky knee in one piece!

Do take a flask with you – this route is filled with great lunch spots (our top two are the cross dykes on Hog Hill or just plopping down on the Dorsteshire Gap ridgeline to enjoy those spectacular views).

See all previouslypublished 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.

DO NOT carry on up the apparently clear path over Henning Hill: turn right before the barn to see this view, passing with the tree on your left. We go straight on through that gate (wrong) Every. Single. Time.

The view north from the ridge above Dorsetshire Gap

The crossroads at Dorsetshire Gap

Great spotted woodpecker, Dendrocopos major, climbing a mossy tree looking for food

Drumming through the stillness – wildlife writer Jane Adams enjoys the the signal of changing seasons in the rhythmic forest hammering

Winter walks can feel eerily quiet, with only the crunch of frost underfoot and the occasional rustle of leaves. The stillness has its own kind of beauty, but it can also feel a little bleak. That’s when the sound of rhythmic drumming, echoing through the trees, is such a welcome sound. It’s a reminder the seasons are shifting, and nature is gearing up for change. The drumming is made by a great spotted woodpecker. About the size of a blackbird, it’s a striking bird with bold black-andwhite feathers and a vivid splash of red. While both males and females hammer away for food all year –opening up cracks and holes in wood – February is different. This month, the male woodpeckers will go into overdrive, drumming to mark their territory and warning off overly pushy rivals. It’s their way of shouting, ‘HEY! This is my patch. Keep out!’

February is different. This month the male woodpeckers will go into overdrive A

If woodpeckers become engrossed in their drumming, you can often get remarkably close. They’re usually perched at the top of a favourite tree – it will be a hollowing dead or dying trunk that offers superior acoustics.

On a crisp, clear day, when the low sun is doing its best to warm the ground, take a moment to stop. Crouch down and listen.

It might not be spring just yet, but it’s definitely on its way.

Great spotted woodpecker fact file:

• With predominantly black and white plumage, male, female and juvenile great spotted woodpeckers all sport red feather ‘underpants’ under their tails.

• Juveniles also have a red ‘bonnet’, with adult males having a smaller red rectangle of feathers on the back of their head (image opposite is a male, with a red square on the back of his head. The flying woodpecker above with no red patch is a female)

It’s incredible to think that great spotted woodpeckers can hammer up to 20 times per second – without giving themselves a concussion! Their skulls are perfectly adapted, with spongy bone and special muscles that spread out the impact. Even the way their brain sits tightly inside their skull helps reduce movement during all that frantic head-banging. Interestingly, this clever adaptation inspired improvements in cycle helmet design, helping to protect cyclists against rotational brain injuries.

• Great spotted woodpeckers can drum 600 times a day, at speeds of up to 40 pecks a second.

• Their tongues can protrude up to 4 cm beyond the tip of their bill, allowing them to winkle out even the most difficult peanut or seed from a garden bird feeder, or wiggly insect from a crack in a tree.

• Look for them at the tops of trees, where their movement and distinctive colour are more likely to catch your attention as they drum, silhouetted against the sky.

Is it wildlife vs. development?

Imogen Davenport, Dorset Wildlife Trust’s director of nature-based solutions, says good planning can support both homes and nature

There has been much discussion in the news about planning and development recently, with the government pledging to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years, expand airports and curb the influence of ‘NIMBYS’ and ‘blockers.’ In our area, housing targets set by the government have doubled for Dorset Council, while Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole face a significant increase on their existing targets.

While we are not opposed to development in the right place, and recognise the need for new housing and economic growth, this must not come at the expense of the natural environment. Dorset Wildlife Trust had already expressed concerns about whether the original targets could be met alongside our local councils’ ambitions to tackle the climate and nature emergencies – let alone the newlyincreased targets. The current planning system does not consistently safeguard wildlife from the impacts of development, and, despite the introduction of ‘biodiversity net gain’ last year, much more needs to be done before it delivers meaningful progress for nature’s recovery.

Reform of the system is not unwelcome, but we must only support changes if they genuinely improve outcomes for nature. It is deeply disappointing to see recent rhetoric that blames newts, bats ... and local communities ... for delays

The meadows at KIngcombe

in development. n reality, multiple factors, including market conditions and the capacity of planning departments, affect how quickly a proposal moves from application to completion. There is often a significant lag between permission being granted and construction beginning – current estimates suggest that more than one million approved homes remain unbuilt.

Don’t block, enable

There is no need to create a false conflict between nature and housing. It is entirely possible to design developments that avoid environmental harm. However, wildlife needs the right safeguards and local communities must be able to raise valid concerns. One such safeguard is nutrient neutrality, which has become a political football – some headlines claim it blocks development, while others argue it ‘unlocks’ it. In truth, it mitigates one specific environmental impact of housebuilding.

Systems ensuring nutrient neutrality – such as those that enabled Dorset Wildlife Trust to acquire Wild Woodbury and Lyscombe for nature restoration – allow development to proceed, provided it also meets all other planning and environmental requirements. The first test must always be to avoid harm, preventing poorly located or badly designed developments from going ahead.

Reforming the planning system presents an opportunity to take a transformative approach to development – one that benefits people, the economy and the environment while addressing the climate and ecological crises.

Thoughtfully designed housing that incorporates carbon-reducing technology such as solar panels, green infrastructure and wildlife spaces can deliver significant benefits for nature, communities and the climate. By integrating nature into development, we can create resilient, vibrant places where both people and wildlife thrive.

The UK Government must be as ambitious about nature recovery as it is about housebuilding. We have legally binding targets to restore 30 per

cent of land and sea for nature by 2030. However, the latest report from the Office for Environmental Protection (OEP) highlights that, between April 2023 and March 2024, the UK government was largely off track in delivering its 2023 environmental targets, with nature continuing to decline. The report reinforces that good regulation, when effectively applied, is not a blocker but an enabler – ensuring development benefits the environment, people and the economy in the long term.

It is deeply disappointing to see recent rhetoric that blames newts, bats ... and local communities

... for delays in development

Abandoning nature protections would be disastrous, particularly as we face worsening floods, storms and record-breaking temperatures. Time and again, evidence has shown that a healthy environment underpins economic growth, providing essential services such as food, clean water and air. Restoring nature and taking bold climate action are the only ways to secure the true foundations of our economy.

We urge the government and local planning authorities to ensure that housing targets are not met at nature’s expense. Development and environmental stewardship must go hand in hand to build resilient communities that benefit both people and wildlife. We all have a role to play in protecting our local environment. Write to your MP today to voice concerns about poorly planned development and its impact on nature, people and the climate. Advocate for sustainable solutions that protect wildlife, enhance green spaces and support local councils in tackling the climate and nature emergencies. Time and again, local interventions – and the involvement of MPs – have influenced decisions and shaped better designs that allow nature to thrive.

Wild Woodbury wetland March 2023

Image: Peter Stone

Misty river fox Dave Taylor

Goldcrest Paul Dyer

Drops on the ‘drops

Tracy Whincup

Lord of the morning

Jamie Witt

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

Short-eared flypast

Hunting

Shazz Hooper

John Bishop

Durdle sunrise

Hang Ross

Durdle Door Star Trail

Brian Wareham

Splash

Helen Moore

Mirrored Julia Rosser

Greenfinch

Alexandra Pereira

Ready to dig Nicky Newman

Prickly goldfinch

Sarah Abbott

Robin Sam Nourse

Bees to borders – February’s jobs

February’s the last month to really prep the winter garden for spring, says Pete Harcom, and it’s time for some tidying up and getting ready!

February can still be quiet in the garden, but it should be used to get the garden prepared for spring. Take a long look around and evaluate what plants did well last year and also decide if any need replacing or removing. February is a good time to plant shrubs, as the soil will soon be starting to warm up. That will give the plants a good start when the sap starts to rise.

Out of the rain

If you have a greenhouse it is a real pleasure to be out of the wind and rain, so have a good tidy up and get ready for sowing your seeds. Organise the seeds into their sowing date, and bring bags of potting soil into the greenhouse to warm it up before its used for sowing. The greenhouse can also be used to start potted fuchsias back into growth: prune

overwintered fuchsias back to one or two buds on each shoot. For the next few months, if you pinch out the lead bud on every shoot, you will have lots more flowers in the summer.

Help the bees

When choosing plants and seeds for the coming year how about focussing on our pollinators, all the moths, flies, beetles, butterflies, bumble and honey bees (among others)? These pollinators need homes – the easiest option is just to leave areas of long grass or log piles and leaf letter in unused corners of the garden. The compost heap will also shelter insects.

There are a variety of ‘bee homes’ or ‘bug hotels‘ which can be purchased, but you can easily create your own using old plant pots, twigs and small bamboo sticks.

Once they move in, then these new residents, plus their visiting pollinator pals, will all need nectar to survive. We have so many nectar-rich plants common to our English gardens: hellebores, snowdrops, heathers, pulmonaria, perennial wallflowers, rosemary, crocus, cowslip, crab apple ... and, in summer, lavender, lemon balm, borage and salvias, to name just a few. Why not pick a few and add them to your garden this year?

The odd jobs

Other jobs for February include digging out perennial weeds in your beds and borders. Dig them up, roots and all, before the weather warms up and they start spreading.

Prune winter-blooming shrubs such as mahonia, winter jasmine and heathers once they’ve finished flowering. Cut back wisteria side shoots to three buds from the base, to encourage flowers this spring.

Prune Buddleia Davidii (aka a butterfly bush) hard, right back to the base, to keep these vigorous shrubs to a reasonable size.

Before the birds start nesting, trim back ivy and deciduous hedges, Virginia creeper and other climbers.

The Voice of the Allotment

January diary

Barry’s main crop of paotatoes takes up around 75 per cent of the allotment, and he grows three to four varieties, along with the first and second earlies, plus salad potatoes

All images: Barry Cuff

What happened on Barry Cuff’s Sturminster Newton plot in January

We’ve spent far less time than usual on the plot this month, due to the combination of high rainfall, cold days and overnight frosts. On good days, work included hedge trimming, emptying last year’s tomato and pepper flowerpots in the greenhouse and spreading manure on any bare ground, including that between the remaining brassicas. A first cut of the grass paths was made mid month We have continued picking leeks, cauliflower, carrots, parsnips, sprouts, winter radishes and oriental salad leaves as we wanted them. The salad leaves have survived the frosts, protected by fleece. We’ve noted more growth on the garlic than we’ve had in previous years.

From store, we still had potatoes, winter squash and onions, and peas, broad beans, French beans, sweetcorn and garlic in the freezer.

We made our first sowings of the year: seven varieties of sweet pepper in a heated propagator. More than 100 seeds of Masterpiece Green Longpod and Witkiem Manita broad beans in trays with a little heat. These will be transferred to the unheated greenhouse once they have emerged. We have also sown our sweet peas.

Potatoes

Over the last 30 years we have grown 56 different varieties of potatoes on the plot. Each year we try a few new ones alongside our tried and tested varieties. Many we have only grown once for various reasons – yield, disease resistance and ability to cope in dry years. Those destined never to return include Apache, Casablanca, Mozart, Sentanta and Vales Sovereign.

• First earlies – For many years we’ve stuck with Lady Christl and Foremost.

• Salad – We have grown Charlotte for 23 years now – it’s an excellent salad spud.

• Second earlies – Marfona has performed well for us over many years.

• Main crop – Taking up around 75 per cent of the plot, we mostly grow three to four varieties. Sante we dropped a few years ago as it was

prone to blacklegg. Picasso has been grown for 22 years – it’s a good yielder but is prone to wireworm. Rooster was another good variety which we grew every year from 2006 to 2022, but in the last two it had lower yields and smaller tubers.

• Two big changes this year are Caledonian Rose – we will grow four rows of this excellent red skinned variety, a good all rounder especially for roasting – and Desiree, a variety we grew in the past. We tried a few plants last year and it did exceptionally well, so we’ve decided to use it in place of Picasso

Every year we buy our certified seed potatoes from Mill House Nurseries at Owermoigne: this year there were more than 60 varieties to choose from. You simply walk the aisles of potatoes and help yourself to the varieties you require. They hold by far the widest range, and as far as we can see are the cheapest in the area.

Our choices this year are Maris Bard, Charlotte, Jazzy, Sagitta, Desiree, Caledonian Rose and five of each of Harmony, Harry and Java (all of which are new to us).

The Stour valley flood plain working as it should, just east of Durweston, with Manor France farm left of centre, and Blandford in the distance. The leaning oak in the field bottom right was finally blown down by Storm Darragh

Frustrations grow with flawed flood plans

George Hosford on beavers, bureaucracy ... and Ronnie, the short sheep who’s now a ram with a reputation

The Stour valley has been busy accommodating excessive rainfall this winter. We had a lovely dry period mid November – a welcome respite from the relentless downfalls of the previous two months. The drier period allowed us to return our animals to the meadows, there still being plenty of grass left to eat before winter. The 91-yearold early warning system lit up one Saturday morning, so Fred and Rosie moved the cattle up onto higher ground behind Knighton House, and Jayne and I rounded up our lambs: they had been free ranging the meadows for many weeks. We then sat and watched with Father as the water rose before our eyes. Over the next two hours the land across which we had just walked the lambs became completely submerged. A bit close for comfort – the animals can’t be trusted not to get themselves marooned on the last bit of dry land, and sheep in particular

will not voluntarily put a foot in the water. Sheep floating downstream into Blandford is not a good outcome.

Dorset beavers

Sheep floating downstream into Blandford is not a good outcome

Our cluster group was treated to a ‘Beaver special’ a few weeks ago, when Neve Bray from Dorset FWAG (Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group) took us through the history of beaver persecution, followed by extinction in the UK some 400 years ago, and then moved on to explain what beavers can bring to a river catchment. Beaver fans claim they will slow down the passage of water through a catchment by creating leaky dams and wetland areas, whereas those less convinced fear they will destroy valuable trees and cause unpredictable flooding of settlements and productive land. Both are correct: the skilled bit is in deciding where their work could be beneficial, and then steering the beavers towards it, while possessing the (legal and

practical) ability to prevent them doing the wrong thing in the wrong place.

The Dorset Stour enters the sea at Christchurch harbour, having meandered through many miles of built-up area. It has a huge catchment, from Stourhead and Wincanton in the north, and close to Sherborne in the west. With such a huge catchment it doesn’t need very many hours of heavy rain to build a flood risk. On a river like the Dorset Stour, where the principal passage of the river was deepened and widened by dredging in the past, and many mills and weirs

Beaver workmanship near Hinton St Mary

FARMING

were built, the main body is so far removed from a naturally functioning river habitat that no amount of beaver work is likely to be of much use. Whereas some of the Stour’s tributaries, which still retain their naturallyformed dimensions, might be usefully modified by beaver work to slow down the movement of water during extreme rainfall events: holding it up behind their dams and only slowly releasing it into the river over a period of time, lessening the risk of flooding further downstream. This is immediately a worry for those farmers of the land alongside these tributaries – they naturally fear their land will spend more time under water, damaging pasture or crops, or permanently reducing the productivity of the soil. However, it should not be too difficult for government to devise a scheme that would reward land owners for allowing this – likely to be considerably cheaper than building massive flood barriers in the built-up areas.

But how do you prevent the beavers working where they are not wanted? They must be controlled if they wander off and threaten areas where they may do significant damage. Legislation that accompanied their re-introduction, surprisingly rapidly, made them a protected species, so they cannot currently be touched, and their dams cannot be removed without official approval. What is making life complicated in some areas is where beavers are being introduced without licence, or (surprise surprise), they migrate to areas beyond their original release.

Freda, at 16, is the oldest cow on the farm: she has borne 14 calves, and is the last of the original suckler beef herd

who see them simply as vermin. Not helpful, and very unlikely to help with flood control or wetland development (which in the right areas is good for birds and other species), it will cause conflict and prolong the pain suffered by people who endure the consequences of flooding, with little hope for improvement.

Look upstream

The sense of frustration was acute, the sound of balls being kicked down the road was deafening.

Sitting in on a meeting of the Stour Delivery Group a few weeks ago, we were given a detailed, polished presentation on the issues of flooding in the lower Stour, from Wimborne towards Christchurch. A great deal of effort has been expended by the Environment Agency in creating a detailed report on flood risk, focussing on a strategy for reducing risk of flooding to households and other property.

the report is serious attention given to the quantity of water entering the lower section of the river from higher up in the catchment following periods of heavy rain. When I asked “Where does most of the flooding risk come from – the excessive amount of built-up area on the floodplain, or water arriving from higher in the catchment?” the answer was clear: it was the latter. Yet the report continues to discuss at great length how to reduce flood risk with the construction of earth banks, concrete walls etc, perhaps moving some of the mobile homes. It doesn’t begin to address the issue from a ‘wholecatchment’ perspective at all. The sense of frustration was acute, the sound of cans being kicked down the road was deafening. Some of the answers are there for the taking, but noone seems to want to try.

Freda

This very quickly causes conflict between the believers who enabled the release and those

But frankly it’s a load of bureaucratic waffle. It fails to address the real problem. The reason for reporting on this is to point out that nowhere in

Our oldest cow, Freda – also known as 2244, her tag number – is 16 years old, a fine age for a cow. She has borne us 14 calves in that time, worth many thousands in sales, and food put

on the table. She is the last of the original calves bought from our cousin Will when Dougal started up the suckler beef herd. We have three of her daughters and two granddaughters in the herd today, and this year’s calf (being a heifer and a pretty colour) will also be kept for breeding, continuing her line. A couple of weeks ago our vet came to examine our cows to see how many are in calf and to give us a rough idea in what order they will produce. Sheep are easy to scan for the presence of lambs: thanks to a handy wool-free zone just in front of the udder, an experienced vet with a hand-held scanner connected to a screen can tell you how many lambs are present within 10 to 15 seconds. Cows are an altogether different task, involving a long glove, a considerable amount of effort, a great deal of manure and a small hand-held scanner connected to a tiny screen embedded in a pair of special glasses. The approximate date of birth can be obtained by matching the size of the embryo to a scale on the screen. The sad news is that Freda is not in calf.

Ron and his ladder

Our sheep have been grazing a newly-established herbal ley (grass and herbs) that was

Diminutive new ram Ronnie, standing in front of Little Bear, is still getting the job done

undersown last spring, into a crop of spring barley. The barley was cleared at harvest, and bingo, there is the ley growing among the stubble! The cows grazed it briefly back in October, and now the sheep are nibbling it down to remove the annual weeds and encourage thickening up. This should mean it will be ready for the cows earlier in the spring than if we had sown it after harvest, in August. Observant walkers on the farm will have noticed clues pointing to fertile behaviour in the sheep field. The yellow raddle mark on the rear of the ewes was the age old method of telling us that young Ronnie, our new ram, has been at work.

Ronnie can be seen in the picture above, standing next to our

February quiz night

rather tall wether, Little Bear. Laughter erupted among the farm team when they first spotted Ronnie, and jokes about step ladders and telephone directories proliferated. Father was even heard to ask why one of the ewes had been left behind with its lamb in the farm paddock, when the rest had been moved to better grass. Well, the doubters can rest assured that Ronnie, in spite of his Corbett-like stature, has performed as well as we could have hoped. All the ewes have been covered, and none have returned for a second service since the first complete 17 day cycle. With luck, lambing will begin around 1st of May.

• See all George’s farm diaries on viewfromthehill.org.uk

January and February really know how to drag, but I always look forward to spring: new growth, new hope and the joy of seeing the newborn lambs. January saw us host our first quiz at The Udder Farm shop, with more than 150 people booking in!

Our next quiz is on Thursday 13th February at Symondsbury Barn, starting at 7pm. Tickets are £15, and include supper and the quiz: tables are for six but we can always accommodate anyone who can’t get a table together themselves. There will of course be a pay bar – please bring cash. Please book in on with me (Bec) on bec.fcn@gmail.com

If you need us for any reason, you can email either myself (email above) or you can reach Barrie on Barrie.fcn@gmail.com

The confidential, national helpline is open every day of the year, from 7am to 11pm. Volunteers provide free, confidential support to anyone who seeks help: call 03000 111 999

Farming’s future needs more than a freebie

Andrew Livingston says LAMMA revealed more than just the latest tech, and takes a look at government land grabs and vertical farming

If you are a farmer and you like your tractors and your tech, then you probably make a yearly pilgrimage, braving the motorways to visit LAMMA. The show – the Lincolnshire Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Association – is held in Birmingham’s NEC every year, and features all the latest farmyard equipment (all there and ready for you to buy ... if you have a big enough bank loan!) More than 40,000 people visited the show over the two days in January and this year, I was lucky enough to be one of them.

Yes, I have first-hand experience, and yes, I can confirm that the mullet is still the most popular haircut of choice among the farming fraternity. And no, Schöffels’ stock price won’t be crashing anytime soon.

shook his hand and thanked him for everything he has done to fight agriculture’s corner over the last few months.

Free hats

A lot of people walked through the halls of the NEC – but the majority weren’t dipping into their pockets. No one was buying. It just isn’t the climate to be purchasing new machinery – people simply don’t have the funds to invest back into the farm. That was always going to be the case.

But more interesting to me was that it wasn’t just the farmers that were feeling the pinch. The consensus walking around the halls was that “there weren’t as many freebies this year”.

LAMMA boasts it is the UK’s premier farm machinery show ... and after finally seeing it for myself, I can’t disagree. Anyone who is anyone either had a stand trying to sell or was browsing the market to buy. I was minding my own business when some old codger and a mullet walked past me: I only realised it was Jeremy Clarkson and Kaleb Cooper when, in their wake, along came the Amazon film crew, barrelling and barging to stick with the two famous farmers. Thankfully, I did have my senses about me when NFU President Tom Bradshaw walked past me. Always looking for a claim to fame, I stopped him,

I’d bet a decent tractor that a branded cap on the right head is worth far more

Obviously, we aren’t talking about free combine harvesters, but it seems the marketing budget for the exhibitors is starting to tighten. There were definitely not as many free hats or novelty pens to be handed around (Not to brag, but I got a free can of WD-40).

Worst of all, I saw exhibitors refusing to give freebies to the kids wandering the stalls … now this was wrong! A friend of mine told me that his son was refused a hat from a certain tractor manufacturer because they were ‘reserving them for potential buying customers.’

Seriously? How short-sighted can you get? In a fiercely competitive market, brand loyalty is everything. And where does that loyalty start? Not in a showroom, but in the fields, on the farms ... and often in the minds of the next generation. That hat wasn’t just a freebie – it was a chance to win over a future customer. The kid wearing

it today could be the farmer making six-figure machinery purchases tomorrow.

A little goodwill now could mean a lifetime of business down the road. I’d bet a decent tractor that a branded cap on the right head is worth far more than its weight in marketing gold.

Despite what Rachel Reeves and the Labour government think, farming is a family matter – and the future of farming is already dreaming of his or her first piece of kit.

I just hope he’ll still have a farm to use it on.

Food vs climate

again

I am starting to feel like a broken record. Once again, the climate/food production debate is back in the mainstream media, as a Government consultation announced last week that nearly a fifth of farming land needs to be ‘repurposed’ to meet climate requirements set for 2050. It is suggested that nine per cent of land must be removed from food production to create woodlands and other natural habitats. Considering DEFRA’s figures from 2023, which state that the UK is only 62% self-sufficient in food production, this is a worrying request.

At the moment, this is just the Government suggesting ideas for farmers to follow – think of it as ‘guidance’. But, how close will we get to 2050 before the Government suddenly gets terrified of the pending LEGAL climate requirements?

It was this time last year that the devolved powers of Wales tried to suggest mandatory tree planting on Welsh farms.

The farmers didn’t take it well.

It led to protests and the Welsh Government did the classic, “Oh it’s only an idea! We weren’t ever going to really do that!”

I suspect that the Labour government – which, if you hadn’t heard, is not the number one party with the farming community – has learned from the

Wales disaster and has decided to throw a pebble in the water to see how big the splash is.

The one positive that will come from this consultation is that it will fully deter our current government from taking away farming land to build houses ... well, you would hope it would?

Going up

If the Government wants to start giving more land back to rewilding, that’s fine. But if this country doesn’t want to start importing more of the food we eat, the Government has to put more money into the research and development of innovative farming practices.

It is possible to farm in a smaller space – maybe not your cows and pigs, we always have to consider animal welfare – but vertical indoor farming is possible, and in fact is already being utilised for the growing of flowers, vegetables and insects. The controlled environment makes it a far more sustainable, productive and efficient method – in some cases –than traditional farming. With modern technologies like hydroponics, aeroponics and aquaponics, the notion of the vertical farm appears to have a promising future, particularly in urban areas. More funding given to grow this exciting sector now could be really showing the benefits in 25 years time.

It is already being utilised for the growing of flowers, vegetables and insects

Maybe all these closed bank branches in our rural towns can be turned into productive vertical food-producing hubs. You may think I’m insane, but surely it’s a better use of space than another American café chain. I’ll have a Grande lettuce over a Grande latte any day of the week! State-of-the-art

Fluffy pancakes

I’ve always been intrigued by the super-fluffy, almost soufflé-like pancakes that grace my social media pages, and have been on a quest to try to replicate something similar in my home kitchen –albeit in a much simpler fashion. These fluffy pancakes aren’t quite as complicated to make as some, but the result is a wonderfully light, almost melt-in-your-mouth pancake, perfect for some delicious golden syrup or fresh fruit and cream.

I have used lime juice here for some acidity, but you can use lemon juice if you prefer. You also need a frying pan with a lid – if you don’t have one, just make a temporary one by using a baking tray instead! Heather

Ingredients

(makes 10 pancakes)

• 4 eggs, separated.

• 4 heaped tbsp caster sugar

• 1tsp lime juice

• 140g plain flour (I used 00 flour)

• 1 level tsp of baking powder

• 120ml milk

• 20g butter, melted

• Pinch salt

Method

1. In a large bowl, mix together egg yolks, salt, flour, baking powder, milk and butter until really well combined (no lumps).

2. With an electric mixer, beat the egg whites until they start to get really frothy. Add the lime juice and keep whisking. Gradually pour in the caster sugar while the egg whites are whisking, until all the sugar has been incorporated. Keep whisking until the meringue mixture has soft peaks and more or less holds its shape.

3. Carefully begin to fold a third of the egg white mixture into the rest of the ingredients in your bowl. Stir gently to keep as much air as possible. Repeat twice with the remaining two-thirds until all the egg white mixture has been stirred in.

4. Heat your frying pan over a medium heat. Spray a little oil on the bottom of the pan and wait for it to start to bubble on the surface. It is worth waiting here until your pan is ready – but it doesn’t want to be so hot it scorches the mixture before cooking the middle. Using a ladle or deep spoon, spoon your pancake mixture into the frying pan. I have a large frying pan, and I made three pancakes at a time: adjust that number to your size pan.

5. Add a few drops of water onto the remaining pan surface and pop a lid onto the frying pan. The water will create steam which helps to cook the top while the bottom browns. Wait for at least two minutes.

6. Carefully lift the lid and check gently with a spatula that the bottom of the pancakes are not stuck (they will naturally loosen when ready to flip). Before turning the pancakes over, pour a tablespoon of the mixture onto the top of the pancake. Flip over the pancakes, replace the lid and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until both side of the pancake are brown.

7. Repeat this process for the remaining pancake mixture. As always with pancakes you can serve straight from the pan, or keep them warm and serve in a stack

Heather Brown is a special officer for the Guild of Food Writers, and has worked in the food industry for 20 years. She is a food writer and photographer, offering one-to-one help to local businesses for content and websites.

Images: Heather Brown

by Karen Geary, Nutritional Therapist DipION,

Food to keep the colds away

Expert Karen Geary looks at how whole foods, spices and giving your gut what it loves can really boost your immune system this winter

The UK’s dietary supplements market continues to boom. Almost half of us take supplements –especially over the winter when we’re trying to fend off colds and flu.

But it is a highly unregulated industry and supplements can be wasteful or, worse, downright dangerous, depending upon your medical history and personal needs.

Supplements definitely have their place: but only when they are targeted, taken for a short period of time and only on recommendation from someone qualified.

Supplements

can be wasteful or – worse –downright dangerous

While supplements are usually everyone’s go-to for a quick immune system boost, nature really does provide a pantry full of ingredients that can help keep your defences strong. Focusing on whole, nutrient-dense foods can give your immune system the jetpack it needs during winter. Here’s how to make your plate a powerhouse of immunity:

Vitamin C

Everyone knows it’s in oranges (and all citrus fruit), but it’s also found in bell peppers, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts and kiwi. It’s an antioxidant which supports the production of white blood cells.

Vitamin C also increases the absorption of nonheme iron (plant-based iron). Pairing iron-rich plant foods like spinach with vitamin C-rich foods like bell peppers can improve your iron uptake.

Tip: Oranges are in abundance this time of year in supermarkets and are great value. Slice one into a winter salad.

• Did you know? One little-known vitamin C powerhouse is nettle tea, which is also a good source of calcium and iron. Two cups of nettle a day is great for building a consistent dose.

Zinc

Zinc is a cornerstone mineral for immune function. The richest food sources of zinc include meat, fish and seafood. While oysters are famous for their zinc content, more accessible sources include meat, shellfish, nuts and seeds, dairy, chickpeas and lentils. Bring on the hummus and sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top!

Tip: Liver has a high zinc content and is great

value for money. If it’s not your favourite to eat, make your own chicken liver pate!

• Did you know? All nutrients compete with one another, but some have mutual benefits (bioavailability). One mutually-beneficial nutrient with zinc is magnesium. Dark chocolate contains both! Just make it more than 85% cacao.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is technically a hormone and is my one exception: supplementation may be essential. Vitamin D deficiency is notably prevalent in the UK, especially during the winter months as it is very difficult to get sufficient sources from food.

The NHS recommends that all adults take a vitamin D supplement over the winter. It works best if you can dose accordingly to your current levels, but testing and dose recommendations are best done by a qualified professional. The majority of my clients are vitamin D deficient when tested. Known as the “sunshine vitamin” (we absorb it through the skin via sunlight), it’s also present in fatty fish like salmon, egg yolks and fortified foods.

Tip: Include plenty of mushrooms in your meals: they’re a rare plant-based source of vitamin D. Vitamin D is fat-soluble, so garlic mushrooms gently cooked in olive oil are a winner.

• Did you know? Vitamin D enhances calcium absorption, benefiting bone health. Consuming vitamin D-rich foods like oily fish alongside calcium-rich foods such as dairy products can be advantageous. So eat the bones from that tin of sardines for maximum benefit!

Spice up your life

Herbs and spices don’t just flavour your meals: they’re nature’s pharmacy for immune support. Garlic is rich in allicin, a compound known to enhance the body’s ability to combat colds. Ginger, with its anti-inflammatory properties, can ease congestion and throat discomfort.

Turmeric, loaded with curcumin, helps combat inflammation. If you like curries and stir-fries, this is for you.

Tip: Create a warm, immune-boosting tea by steeping ginger slices, turmeric and a touch of honey in hot water. Alternatively, turmeric chai latte is also delicious. You can take your pick from the countless recipes online.

• Did you know? Pairing turmeric with black pepper can enhance curcumin absorption (bioavailability). Add a pinch to your turmeric dishes.

Fibre and the microbiome connection

Your gut microbiome plays a significant role in immune health and fibre is its favourite food! Prebiotic-rich options like oats, bananas, artichokes and onions feed the good bacteria, fostering a thriving gut environment. Pair fibre-rich meals with fermented foods like yoghurt or kimchi to supercharge your microbiome.

• Did you know? About 70 per cent of your immune system lives in your gut. Supporting it is like fortifying your body’s headquarters. Your immune system thrives when it is nourished by whole, nutrient-dense foods. Pairing complementary nutrients and embracing seasonal, gut-friendly choices can keep you resilient during winter. Oh, and have another glass of water –hydration is essential too! With nature’s pharmacy at your fingertips, staying well has never been more delicious.

Comfort in a bowl: fighting colds with French Onion Soup

When you’re battling a streaming cold, it’s all about finding comfort while giving your body what it needs to heal. Enter French onion soup, the ultimate kitchen remedy that’s as therapeutic as it is delicious.

Onions are rich in quercetin, a natural compound known for anti-inflammatory and antihistamine properties – perfect for soothing that relentless runny nose. They also contain sulphur compounds, which help support immune function and clear mucus. Pair that with warming bone broth and garlic, and you’ve got a recipe designed to work as hard as you do at feeling better.

This soup is more than just a meal—it’s a hug in a bowl, giving you warmth and nourishment when you need it most:

Serves 4 (or 2 hungry people)

• 500g onions sliced

• 3 tbsp of olive oil

• 3 sprigs of thyme (or 1 tbsp dried)

• salt

• pepper

• 1/2 tsp soft brown sugar

• 1 garlic clove, large, peeled and crushed

• 125ml of dry white wine

• 1l bone broth

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C.

2. Add the sliced onions, olive oil and thyme sprigs to a large heavy-duty pan or roasting tray, season with salt and pepper and hand mix to combine.

3. Cover and place in the oven for 45 minutes, giving the onions a stir halfway through.

4. After 45 minutes, remove the foil and the thyme sprigs.

5. Stir, sprinkle over the sugar then roast uncovered for 15 minutes

6. Add the crushed garlic, stir well again and roast uncovered for a further 15 minutes

7. Remove the tray from the oven and transfer the onion mix to a pan over a medium heat on the hob. Add the wine, stir well and allow to bubble for 3 to 4 minutes.

8. Add the broth and simmer for 10 minutes.

9. Adjust seasoning and serve.

10. Serving with melted cheese on toast on top –entirely optional, but highly recommended!

Follow Karen on @amplifynutrionaltherapy for more recipes and advice

Wine geekery: the fun side of grapes

Sadie Wilkins from Sherborne’s award-winning indie wine merchant says its time we started to ask a little more about the story in the bottle

We’re not here to champion wine snobbery –who would be? Yet somehow, it still lingers, like a corked bottle at a dinner party, for reasons steeped in history, economics and society. But wine geekery? That’s a different story, and we’re all for it.

When it comes to trying and sourcing wines, we want the DETAILS. We want to know who’s producing it, where the grapes are grown, how they’re harvested, and what magic happens in the winery. Was the wine aged in oak or steel? How much yeast is involved? Was there malolactic fermentation? We want the full story, right down to the soil beneath the vines.

Many of these answers, after years in the business, can be teased out just by tasting the wine. I can pick up the influence of oak at first sniff, detect the soft texture of lees on my palate, and often make an educated guess about the grape varietals. But there are still surprises – like my recent encounter with David Moulton, chief winemaker at Cape Mentelle.

Vine by vine

a degree in Viticulture and Oenology, and has since gained experience across Australia and France.

We demand transparency, care and honesty in our food – it’s time we expected the same from our wines

David stopped by Sherborne recently, fresh from the annual Wines of Australia tasting in London. Born and bred in Busselton, just 30 minutes from Margaret River, he knows his vineyards like the back of his hand. He started at 18, completed

We tasted a range of Cape Mentelle wines, and David’s passion shone through. One thing that left us in awe was the level of soil analysis he and his team carry out – not as a reaction to climate change, but as part of their ongoing quest for excellence. They don’t just know their vineyard block by block; they know it vine by vine. Armed with technology that allows them to map soil types and conditions in minute detail, David and his team can make precision decisions about nurturing and harvesting. The result? Consistently brilliant wines, vintage after vintage. This, then, is the wine geekery we love. From grape to glass, every step is scrutinised, ensuring that the wine in your glass is not just a drink, but a story – a story of balance, knowledge and craftsmanship. In many ways, it’s like the food industry. Scandals like horse meat or fake organic labels have made us all more conscious about what we’re eating. We now demand transparency, care and honesty in our food, and it’s time we expected the same from our wines. So, why not make 2025 the year you fall in love with well-made wine? That’s our romantic message to you this February. Cheers!

• vineyardsofsherborne.co.uk

You can face eating disorders – or support someone struggling

January can be particularly difficult for those with disordered eating—New Year’s resolutions, Dry January, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) can all contribute. Social media ‘wellness’ trends, often disguised as health advice, can also fuel harmful behaviours, especially in younger generations.

Eating Disorder Awareness

Week runs from 24th February to 2nd March – it’s a topic many struggle to discuss, yet it affects more people than you’d think. Eating disorders aren’t just Anorexia or Bulimia: they take many forms, including excessive calorie counting, compulsive exercise and binge/purge cycles. And eating disorders don’t just affect young people, women, or thin people – they can impact anyone. I remember what it was like as a teenage girl, and sympathise with those who feel that controlling food helps them cope, whether due to body dysmorphia or feelings of inadequacy. I also understand how confusing it can be for parents, friends, and family.

Finding balance

It’s not just about being a teenager. In my early twenties, I prioritised exercise above all else – pushing my body with endless cardio and weightlifting while consuming as few calories as possible. I worried that if I didn’t look a certain way, no one would ‘see’ my effort. I didn’t enjoy it. At the time, I was struggling with anxiety and stress, and the gym became my escape. As a coping mechanism, exercise isn’t inherently bad, but finding some balance is crucial. Eating disorders aren’t always obvious, and it’s not easy to

define an eating disorder, just as it isn’t easy to understand them from the outside. Perhaps someone you know is avoiding food, overeating, or obsessively counting calories? They may withdraw from social events or seem low on energy. If you’re worried about someone, focus on their mental well-being rather than their appearance. Comments about weight can make them feel scrutinised. Be patient – let them open up when they’re ready.

If you’re struggling yourself, remember: you’re not alone. Social media and influencers can do a great job at making you feel like you’re never ‘doing enough’ to be your best self. But your best self is one free from guilt – someone who can truly love and accept themselves (and yes,

that’s easier said than done). Try unfollowing social media accounts that trigger unhealthy thoughts. Instead, surround yourself with positive influences. Most importantly, seek help when you’re ready – whether that’s confiding in a friend or speaking to your GP.

Support & resources:

• Dorset Mind: Mental health resources and support –dorsetmind.uk

• Beat Eating Disorders: Information and support for all ages –beateatingdisorders.org.uk

• Urgent help: If your mental health is making daily life difficult, see your GP.

• In a crisis, call 999 or Samaritans at 116 123.

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