Letters

I don’t want to point the finger, but stop

Fingerposts – icons of the Dorset countryside – are clearly under attack! In Ibberton we have 11 arms on the various posts in the village. So far this year we have had two destroyed by hedge-cutters and two damaged by delivery trucks. In addition, a year or two ago, a further arm was smashed by a milk tanker. In Hazelbury Bryan, where I am also parish clerk, I have two arms awaiting new brackets after damage by vandals. Sometimes we are fortunate that those doing the damage come forward and pay for the repair; other times the parish council has to meet the cost, even though it doesn’t own the fingerposts. Dorset Council Highways no longer fund any repairs. Can people please just be a little more vigilant – with other calls on parish council finances there may come a time when repairs are not considered a priority? Malcolm Wilson, Clerk, Ibberton Parish Council

n Great to see the 1903 Darracq in BVM (Sept 17). No doubt many readers have seen the 1953 film Genevieve which features a 1904 model driven by Kenneth More in the London to Brighton run. Well worth seeing again particularly in this, the 125th anniversary year of the Veteran Car Run. Geraldine Beare Queen Camel

n In a recent MPs’ round up Mr Warburton made a sniggering remark about householders being encouraged to spend ‘megabucks’ on renewable energy systems without suggesting what constituted mega bucks – £1,500? £5,000? £15,000? Since his casual comment was reported wholesale gas prices have quadrupled and wholesale electricity has risen steeply. Our ‘megabucks’ spending on renewables is not looking so ‘mega’ now… more a bargain. The more of your own energy you supply from renewables the less affected you are by what happens to fossil fuels. Many of our MPs seem not to grasp this. This also improves

Cartoon by Lyndon Wall justsocaricatures .co.uk

the environment for our children and grandchildren, although it seems many of us do not think they are worth that investment. Our political leaders make grand statements about climate change, while only doing what their paymasters will allow. Richard Foley Tarrant Hinton

n It was interesting to read MP Chris Loder’s article about the fate of the alpaca Geronimo, his criticism of Chris Packham spending too much time trying to stop the control of animals that spread the disease and campaign groups advocating a meat and dairy-free diet. Although he didn’t mention his own PM and the Government Committee for Climate Change advocating this several times in the past year. The real question though, was why did Defra order a healthy animal to be culled? Because as Mr Loder mentioned there is a real concern about the effectiveness of the tests given to Geronimo by Defra and cattle in general. Geronimo had four skin tests in New Zealand before he was exported –and all were negative. He later tested positive in two tests – two blood tests (enferplex) – administered in the UK. However, Iain McGill, a vet and TB researcher, said Geronimo was twice ‘primed’ – or microvaccinated – before being tested for TB, which caused him to have high levels of antibodies, which in turn caused false-positive results. The fight may have been for Geronimo but it was really to highlight the unsound testing and the plight of farmers and the need to improve the whole testing process. If Mr Loder has concerns about testing reliability he should be petitioning his own government for change, not criticising wildlife NGOs or a TV presenter. Stopping the badger cull would be another positive step because there are other options. For me the real sadness of the whole episode is not the death of 28,000 cattle or the pointless cull of a staggeringly inconceivable 140,830 badgers since 2013, but the fact that Defra is still continuing to use a flawed testing system. Name and address supplied

n At last, a voice of sanity in the Geronimo the alpaca saga. I refer to the piece by Chris Loder in this week’s edition (September 17). A relation of mine has lost several dairy cows due to Bovine TB, caused probably by the many badgers on his land. I have not noticed any crocodile tears being shed on their behalf by Chris Packham, and his supporters. I suppose the crux of the matter is cows are not cuddly like alpacas. I must also comment on the letter from David Woolacott in the same edition. As a member of the Church of England and a church goer I feel insulted by his letter. Not only for myself, but for the many good men and women who have devoted their lives to the church. I am surprised that he allowed his name to be printed, instead of hiding behind “Name and address supplied”. Richard Langdon Salisbury

n If David Woolacott (letters, 17 Sept 21) follows his own logic, I assume that he does not use the BBC or the NHS given both organisations’ long association with Jimmy Savile. William Cook, Blandford

n It may not be widely known, but currently there is an election taking place for the General Synod of the Church of England. Each diocese sends a number of people to the Synod in London. Their views will influence how the Church of England operates. At a time when the establishment of the church is seeking to make changes that will affect even the smallest country parish, I believe it is important to have one’s voice heard, particularly as Salisbury Diocese is seeking to create a mega-parish in our area, something many people oppose. For that reason I have put my name forward, and it is for the 680 Diocesan Synod representatives to vote for those they choose. It is imperative that people understand the importance of this election and I encourage them to talk to their representative (see salisbury.anglican.org) and encourage their representatives to vote. I would wish to stand on a platform that would include the following: The church pause in its creation of mega-parishes. Appreciate that there is a problem that the number of people coming forward to serve as priests is reducing, and the funds available for the support of the church are likely to be more limited. In the light of the above, resources should be put into training the laity (volunteers) to fulfil many of the functions at present undertaken by the local vicar/priest. This would include: Allow licenced lay ministers (formerly licenced lay readers) to take communion services, baptisms and marriages.

destroying our historic village signposts!

Ensure the care of churches and the raising of funds is primarily in the hands of the parochial church councils. Encourage the church to simplify the training of licenced lay ministers to encourage folk to take up the ministry, and not be put off by too much academia, ie undertaking training more akin to a degree course. De-centralising the Diocese by giving the Deanery a financial committee that will take part of the share to encourage them to create opportunities for the mission to children, young people and young families. The Deaneries should be handed the freeholds of the vicarages in their deanery and be responsible for repairs and any decisions concerning those vicarages. It is understood those making the decisions on our behalf believe it is for the furtherance of the Gospel and the good news of Jesus Christ in the community, but some of us believe that the steps taken are likely to destroy much of the fabric of the church community in its execution. The election nominations close on October 8. Jestyn Coke, Hazelbury Bryan

n Sent to me by an elderly friend: There has been a lot of criticism about trying to make an appointment to see your doctor. You are no longer allowed to walk in and make an appointment. I wonder if you have the same problems. This is my experience: 1. You phone and when someone EVENTUALLY answers, you tell the receptionists you want to make an appointment. 2. You are then asked why you need to see the doctor. Details are taken and you are informed the doctor will call you in a couple of days. 3. Dr phones and you have a consultation, the doctor then decides whether he/she needs to see you in a few days or weeks. 4. In the past the doctor would make the appointment. However now the receptionist will. 5. Repeat prescriptions have to be done online. If you do not have a computer, or there are any questions you can only call after 4pm. 6. Listening to a five-minute message all about covid-19. I Pressed button 2 for prescriptions. 7. You are first in the queue, it said. 8. Five minutes later you are 1st in the queue. 9. Ten minutes later you are 1st in the STOUR PROVOST. Apart from the loss of thatch this view of 1909 has changed little, partly because the village remains compact and quiet on what is essentially a no-through road. Notice the string tied round the trousers of the man on the left, and the birdcage over the door of what is now called Provost House. Keeping a canary was common at the time; even Fancy Day in Under the Greenwood Tree had one.The bay window of the now closed shop is just visible behind the man by the milk churn. The house with the railings in front, No 5, had various incarnations as an inn, forge and police station. The village owes its name to the Provost and Fellows of King’s College, Cambridge, who were given it by Edward IV in the late 15th century (sold 1925). The card was written in the morning, posted in Putney and delivered to an address in Mortlake in the afternoon.

Yesterday’s Vale: Stour Provost

queue. 10. 20 minutes later guess where I was in the queue? 11. I called again listened to the covid-19 message (again) and then pressed 1 for appointments and only had to wait five minutes before I spoke to someone. I am not surprised the NHS are busy as they are dealing with patients who are the verge of a breakdown after trying to see their doctor! Bill Sims

n In reply to Peter Redman’s letter of September 3, why not put solar pv panels on the roofs of all new buildings with battery storage? Of course, the unit cost would be greater than that for a “solar farm” and developers would need to design estates so that houses and other buildings could maximise solar gain. However, the benefits would be: (a) zero transmission losses; (b) reducing the overheating of roof spaces in the summer; (c) reducing the need to lose valuable farmland and (d) avoiding visual damage to the landscape.The government is planning to bring in legislation by the end of this year to require electric charging points on all new buildings, so why can it not act equally speedily to require solar pv panels to be installed too? It would add a minimal percentage cost to the price of a house and be far cheaper than retro-fitting by the owner. Yet instead of maximising the use of solar pv technology at the locations where it is needed, houses continue to be built under old inadequate building regulations with gas boilers that will have to be ditched within a few years. Where is the forward thinking? Colin Marsh, Gillingham

n As an incomer from London , dare I stick my head above the parapet and ask why the council that controls Sherborne is so negligent when it comes to trees in the town? First, all the trees in front of Sherborne house are felled –presumably at the insistence of an arrogant landscape gardener or architect , then one of the most beautiful trees in Sherborne, a huge and rare Wych Elm in Purlieu Meadow, is butchered and made unstable by the removal of a large branch. Winds caused another large branch to snap and the entire tree was then chopped down. I suppose trees don’t really matter in the countryside. D Marsh

n It has been gratifying to have received praise and kind comments about The Friends of Blandford Hospital’s recent Affordable Art Exhibition. There are many people behind the scenes I would like to thank: Kelly at Forum Framers, Bryan and staff at Cheap Printing, the girls at Miles of Value and the shop volunteers who donated paintings and who worked in sales. They all helped in different ways to make things go smoothly. Then there’s Alison Board (artist) and Lyn Tyler (decorator) who supplied me with much needed art materials when I was shielding. And of course all our lovely customers who came, looked and bought, helping to raise our final total to £2370.50 for our hospital charity. Thank you everyone. Joan Capron