History

BYGONE DAYS: Station Road in Gillingham and, right, The Commons in Shaftesbury

PASSING TIMES: High Street in Milborne Port and, right, Blandford’s Market Place. Below: Half Moon Street in Sherborne Looking back at the Vale’s evolution

Why not start the New Year by delving into the past of the beautiful Blackmore Vale? Author Philip Knott is staging a phenomenal exhibition in The Exchange at Sturminster Newton where he will showcase some 1,800 historical photographs he has collected over 22 years. And these photographs are just a teeny tiny example of what will be on display at The Blackmore Vale Now and Then exhibition. Philip and his pictures will provide a fascinating insight into life in the vale during the 20th Century and will help residents to understand, and appreciate, how the vale has evolved into the landscape that we can all enjoy today. Despite significant residential and light industrial development to accommodate an everincreasing population and to provide much needed employment, along with the changes resulting from modern farming methods, the rural landscape of the vale remains remarkably well preserved. An overview from the chalk hills or a walk along the banks of the River Stour or through the meadows

Despite significant modern farming methods, at Colber where Philip’s at Colber where Philip’s great-grandfather Tom made great-grandfather Tom made hay and grazed his cattle hay and grazed his cattle during the early part of the during the early part of the 20th Century, will reveal 20th Century, will reveal a landscape that has not a landscape that has not changed dramatically since changed dramatically since the days of Thomas Hardy the days of Thomas Hardy and William Barnes. and William Barnes. The exhibition will be The exhibition will be split into five categories, split into five categories, Evolution of the Vale. Evolution of the Vale. Along the Dorset Stour Along the Dorset Stour (from source to Blandford), (from source to Blandford), Tributaries of the Stour Tributaries of the Stour in the Blackmore Vale, in the Blackmore Vale, Peripheral Towns and Peripheral Towns and Villages and Everyday Life Villages and Everyday Life in the Vale. There will be in the Vale. There will be some 13 sub categories, covering every town and village in and around the vale. The exhibition is on for three days between January 6 and 8, between 9am and 5pm.

By Karen Bate Jane Elson, Dorset HealthCare’s Service The minor injuries unit at Director for Integrated the Yeatman Hospital in Community Services, said: Sherborne has ‘temporarily’ “This is a temporary change closed less than six months and an essential one. As we after it re-opened in the continue to respond to the summer. Dorset HealthCare pandemic these changes is temporarily closing its will help us manage the MIUs in Blandford, Portland current impacts of covid-19 and Sherborne because of while still providing good ‘existing staffing difficulties access to MIU services made considerably more across the county. challenging by covid-19 We have thought carefully related absences’. about these changes and Residents in Sherborne and they are being made in line the surrounding villages, with where we are seeing a catchment area with a the greatest and the least population of as many as demand for these services. 22,500, who need medical “It is not a decision we treatment for minor injuries, have taken lightly. At the which include head and eye forefront of this change injuries, burns and scalds and are our patients and injuries to the back, shoulder communities. We need to and chest, are being advised ensure we can provide a to ring 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk. safe, reliable and robust service for people who need urgent care and treatment. “We thank everyone for their understanding and co-operation at this challenging time.” Staff from the temporarily closed units will help support the MIUs at Shaftesbury and Wimborne hospitals, which will have extended opening hours of 8am-8pm, Monday-Sunday. Bridport and Swanage MIUs, as well as the Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) based at Weymouth Hospital, will continue operating as usual. These changes to the MIU at the Yeatman Hospital will be reviewed at the end of March 2022. The MIU at the Yeatman Hospital closed in April 2020 during the early weeks of lockdown, a decision taken by Dorset Health Care Trust to manage the impact of covid-19. A campaign was launched by The Friends of Yeatman Hospital, with resounding support from the Sherborne community, the town’s GPs, Sherborne Town Council along with the Chamber of Trade and Chris Loder MP, who stated the case to reopen the MIU. Chris sought assurance from the former Secretary of State for Health Matt Hancock in the House of Commons on November 17, 2020 that the MIU will re-open as soon as possible. Further details about the MIUs and Weymouth’s UTC, are available at dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/miu

Choir founder’s efforts recognised with a BEM

By Karen Bate

A Milborne Port musician has been recognised for his efforts and achievements in a year which has been like no other. Mark Strachan has been awarded a British Empire Medal in the New Year’s Honours List for his services to musicians after forming the Choir of the Earth in March 2020, to offer music lovers across the globe an outlet during lockdown and learn the entire Messiah online. Mark said: “We expected 20 people locally to join, but instead had 3,600 people join from over the world including USA, Canada, Thailand, New Zealand and Singapore.” With Musical Director Ben England blackmorevale.net

the choir initially worked towards a performance of Handel’s Messiah with 3,600 voices, four professional soloists, and a nine-strong baroque orchestra, who recorded their parts in isolation along with separate Soprano, Alto, Tenor and Bass rehearsals. Using broadcast streaming technology via YouTube, so thousands can join simultaneously, a live performance was broadcast on Sunday May 31, 2020. Within its first year, the Choir of the Earth ran 30 courses, covering a wide range of classical and contemporary choral works. Mark said: “At the end of a course, we ask the choir to record their own voice on their mobile phone. We combine all voices in the recording studio to create the choir and this is played back to the choir in an online concert.” Barbara from the US said: “I am an average singer who thought she had lost her voice following an extreme bout of influenza in 2017. Choir of the Earth has helped me learn to sing again. It enlarged my singing world, giving me an opportunity to sing pieces I never imagined I could, and become friends across the world I didn’t know existed before last year. Kind, loving, wonderful people. I bless you and thank you from the bottom of my heart for renewing my voice and my soul and widening my world.” The choir is now offering Mozart’s Mass in C Minor. For more information visit choiroftheearth.com