Purbeck Gazette - Issue 318 by The Blackmore Vale Limited

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Carmela’s a real-life superhero!

YOUNG Carmela ChilleryWatson, from Wareham, has been chalking up the miles on foot and in her wheelchair to raise money for Julia’s House children’s hospice.

The 10-year-old, dressed as Spiderwoman, one of her favourite superheroes, covered 100 miles over two weeks with her mum, Lucy, and her dog, Tinker, and raised just over £5,000 for the hospice that supports her.

Carmella has an aggressive form of muscular dystrophy which affects just one child in a million.

Lucy said: “Carmela faces so many challenges in her life, but she’s never let them hold her back.

“She’s raised thousands of pounds for charity, met several high-profile celebrities, including the Prince of Wales, and received lots of awards for her bravery and fundraising efforts.

“This year, we both felt we really wanted to do something for Julia’s House as we know how little government funding they receive and how they rely on public donations, so we wanted to help and fundraise for them as times are tough.”

Carmela walked along coastal and inland paths and tracks, visiting Studland Bay, Old Harry Rocks, The Blue Pool, Arne RSPB, Durlston Country Park, Swanage, Weymouth beach, Corfe Castle and Durlston Country Park. She finished with a walk from Wareham Quay to the Julia’s House hospice in Corfe Mullen.

Carmela’s daily miles were added to those of a virtual

Superhero Series team she is part of which is racing against other teams to travel the world and get to this year’s Paris Paralympics.

Carmela, speaking before her fundraiser, said: “I’m really excited. I’ve only just moved to Dorset, and I haven’t been to the Jurassic Coast yet, so I’m looking forward to seeing what it’s like, enjoying the sea views and maybe even collecting some fossils.”

Her condition is progressive and life-threatening and no cure exists.

It has also caused her muscles to waste away. She has lost all her shoulder muscles, so it is hard for her to lift her arms or hold her knife and fork, and her hips have become weaker, which affects her stability.

Julia’s House has supported Carmela and her family since she was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at three years old.

Lucy said: “Julia’s House is like our second family. I don’t get help from anywhere apart from Julia’s House, and I would feel very lost without them.

“Carmela’s daddy works away during the week, so it’s just me and Carmela 24/7 and it can be full-on.

“With everything I go through and see with Carmela and her condition, it’s an emotional rollercoaster.

“Like any mum, I need time-out for myself, even if it’s just for two or three hours.”

Lucy added: “We don’t think or talk too much about what might lie ahead for Carmela.

“She says I’m her best friend and she wants to have babies

and live down the road from me when she’s older.

“And if Carmela wants to talk about having babies and getting married, then that’s what we’ll do.

“You hear about children all over the world dying suddenly, so I think we’re lucky, really.

“I believe in just taking each day as it comes and if that moment comes, it’s just how it’s going to be.”

Laura Maidment, Julia’s House public fundraising

Carmela ChilleryWatson covered 100 miles over two weeks in aid of Juia’s House children’s hospice

manager, who joined Carmela part of the way on her walk, said: “You couldn’t get a bigger superhero than Carmela. She’s amazing!

“Everyone at Julia’s House is 100% behind her and super grateful for her – and Lucy’s –amazing support. Go Carmela!” To donate to Carmela’s Superhero Jurassic Journey, visit her Just Giving page, Carmela Chillery-Watson is fundraising for Julia’s House (justgiving.com).

Scouts dive deep into Purbeck’s mining heritage

PURBECK Mining Museum

welcomed more than 200 cub scouts, scouts and explorers from Bournemouth District Scouts Association on a trip to the heritage and educational attraction.

It was part of a special camping weekend in the Purbecks that also included a visit to Durlston Country Park and National Nature Reserve.

The museum was also busy over school half-term when it welcomed more than 500 visitors.

“Our aim was to provide a fun and enjoyable environment for the youngsters to learn about Pur-beck’s industrial heritage and to see for themselves what it was like down a clay mine in years gone by,” said Paola Hobson, a museum volunteer.

“A series of activities was organised as part of the visit, including time in the engine shed to see historic narrowgauge locomotives, hands-on experiences using old mining tools, a clay mining quiz and a visit to the underground clay

tunnel.

“Judging by their smiles and enthusiasm they certainly enjoyed their visit and were clearly fascinated with the mining equipment and yesteryear’s pull-cord bell communication used by the miners as they extracted clay from the mine.”

Matt Spendley, from the 10th Bournemouth Scout Group and one of the District Leaders responsible for organising the visit, said: “The visit to the Purbeck Mining Museum was a great success.

“Much credit must go to the effort and enthusiasm of the volunteers at the Purbeck Mining Museum.

“From the pre-planning meeting earlier in the year to the day itself, they excelled in every way.

“It’s always challenging to keep an energetic bunch of eight-10-year-olds entertained, but we split the large group into 20 smaller groups for the three-hour session in and around the museum and everyone

thoroughly enjoyed the day.

“And many of them said how surprised they were to find something new on the doorstep!”

The museum is dedicated to the history and heritage of Purbeck Ball Clay mining and its narrow gauge railways, and provides an insight into life in a former clay mine.

It is housed in a relocated mine building that sits alongside Norden station on the Swanage Railway, next to Purbeck Park.

The museum features a timber-lined and iron-arched mineshaft and provides a showcase for artefacts, displays and special events.

A large section of one of the narrow-gauge railways that served the mines for well over 100 years has also been restored, and demonstrations of engine and wagon movements bring yesterday’s clay mining industry

back to life.

The museum is set to welcome many school groups, a large group of Brownies and local history and industrial heritage groups later this summer.

It is entirely run by volunteers and is looking for more visitor reception guides and marshals. Anyone interested in joining the friendly team should visit www.purbeckminingmuseum. org/contact-us/ to find out more. The museum is open 11am to 4pm, Tuesday to Sunday, from May 1 to September 29, as well as weekends during October and the August Bank Holiday. Entry is free but visitors are invited to make a donation to the charity to help it continue its work.

For more information, visit www.purbeckminingmuseum. org or follow the museum on Facebook

Focus on fun at the village show

THE focus will be on fun when Owermoigne & District Horticultural Society holds its annual show at the village hall next month.

But cups and trophies will be awarded to the winners in the adult horticultural floral classes and a £25 garden voucher to the under-16s winner.

The show will also include cookery and baking classes, art and craft classes and a scarecrow family entry.

The Show Garden classes – flora, edible and under 16s –have no themes – entrants

should just express their own ideas and show their creativity.

Horticultural classes are floral display in a teacup and saucer, three stems in a vase, five individual vegetables.

Cookery and baking classes are Dorset apple cake, chocolate and beetroot tray bake, chutney, summer berry jam, elderflower cordial, and under 16s mud pie worm cake.

All cookery recipes are available to download from the BBC Food website, except for the chutney and the under 16s mud pie worm cake.

The type of chutney can be

the entrant’s choice, to their own recipe, and the mud pie worm cake recipe is available from show organisers.

Recipes can be sent out to anyone unable to access the BBC Food website.

The Art & Show classes are an A4 horticultural themes artwork or an A4 portrait or landscape artwork, sized using a medium of the entrant’s choice.

For the scarecrow, it is advised to think big and fun.

All entries will be displayed at the front of the village hall and a public vote will decide

the winner.

To enter any of these classes and for rules and further information, email patricia. hook125@gmail.com.

The show is on Saturday, August 31, and is free to enter for exhibitors and visitors, with set up from 8am.

Judging takes place from 10.30am-12.30pm and the show opens at 12.30pm and closes at 3.30pm.

Awards will be presented throughout the show and a raffle will be held.

Exhibitors can remove their exhibits at the end of the show.

Purbeck Mining Museum hosted a party of more than 200 youngsters

Teen falls from Old Harry Rocks

A TEENAGER who tumbled 60ft from Old Harry Rocks has survived almost unscathed.

The 15-year-old was atop the cliffs during a school visit when he fell after posing for a photograph near the edge.

Amazingly, the teen suffered only “a few cuts and grazes” and was soon back with his school friends – after some stern words of warning.

The RNLI’s high-speed Inshore Lifeboat (ILB) attended the incident.

A spokesperson said: “The casualty was located at the base of the cliff on the Studland side of Handfast Point close to Old Harry Rocks.

“A casualty care trained crew

member was put ashore to assess the casualty and work out the best way to get them to safety.

“After an initial assessment, the casualty was found to be virtually uninjured with just a few cuts and grazes.

“They were taken aboard the ILB, transferred to the allweather lifeboat (ALB) for a more thorough examination on the way to Knoll Beach.

“Once at Knoll Beach the casualty was handed over to the volunteers from Swanage Coastguard and a team from South West ambulance.

“With the situation resolved the lifeboats were free to return to Swanage.”

Wareham Masonic Hall, Howard Lane

Tuesday 5 30pm & 7pm, Wednesday 9am & 10 30am

Jackie 07715 438 810

Wool The D’Urberville Centre

Wednesdays 5.30pm & 7.30pm, Fridays 9.30am & 11.30am

Jane 07887 866 730

Swanage United Reformed Church, 112 High St

Thursdays 9am, 5.30pm & 7.30pm

Trudy 07486 454 046

Poole Canford Heath Community Centre, Mondays 6pm & 7:30pm, Wednesdays 7:30am

Sadie 07545 379 045

Amazingly, the teen suffered only minor injuries after the 60ft fall

PHOTO: RNLI

Advice Bus proves worth

CITIZENS Advice East Dorset & Purbeck is celebrating the first anniversary of its Advice Bus, after helping more than 1,000 residents with free advice and support.

Some 300-plus of those were new to the service, which is provided five days a week by two advisers.

Common issues include debt, benefits and housing.

Katrina Ford, business development manager, Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck, said: “In these challenging times, local communities are really welcoming of the bus service.

“It has given much needed support to those who live in

rurally isolated communities and who may not necessarily have been able to access existing services.

“In some cases, it’s been a lifeline to people.”

Katrina added: “As an independent charity, we rely upon grants and donations to fund our service.

“It costs £40,000 to run the Advice Bus for a year.

“We would love to hear from any business, organisation or individuals who would be willing to support us.”

The Advice Bus stops at locations across East Dorset & Purbeck including:

Purbeck – Bovington, Corfe Castle, Lytchett Matravers, Swanage, Winfrith and Wool.

East Dorset – Colehill, Corfe Mullen, Sixpenny Handley, St Leonards & St Ives, Sturminster Marshall, Three Legged Cross, Verwood and West Moors.

For more information on Advice Bus days, times and addresses, visit www. edpcitizensadvice.org.uk/ get-advice/advice-bus

Staff and volunteers from Citizens Advice East Dorset & Purbeck celebrate the Advice Bus’s first birthday

Harry cooks up a storm!

ASPIRING young chef Harry Mason, a student at Lytchett Minster School, has won the title of Dorset Junior Chef of the Year 2024.

Harry, 12, was the youngest competitor in the county final of the South West Chef of the Year competition at Weymouth College.

He was competing against three other aspiring chefs, all aged 14 and 15.

His dish of Dorset fillet of beef with Blue Vinny sauce, pommes Anna, burnt Roscoff onions and asparagus was a winner with the judges.

Harry will now go forward to compete in the final against the winners of the five other county competitions at Exeter College in the autumn.

He will be mentored by Sam Hughes, head chef at Rick Steins Sandbanks, as he prepares for the final.

The judges for the Dorset

final were Jamie Jones, chef proprietor from Yalbury Cottage, Lower Bockhampton, and Alan Kelly, chef lecturer at Weymouth College.

The South West Chef of the Year competition, which this year is celebrating its 20th anniversary, has categories for junior chefs, home cooks, professional, young professional and student/apprentice chefs.

It invites entries from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

Competition co-founder, chef Michael Caines MBE DL, chef/ patron at Lympstone Manor in Devon, said the standard of cooking in the junior finals continued to improve year-onyear.

He said: “I’m constantly impressed by the standard of cooking demonstrated by these young chefs.

“They have taken the

Studland’s future: Have your say

VILLAGERS will be able to have their say on the long-term future of the Studland area at drop-in events at the village hall this week.

The National Trust and Dorset Coast Forum aim to produce a “Future Studland” plan, looking ahead to the next 20 to 50 years, in 2025.

One key element will be striking a balance between the needs of visitors and the area’s status as a nationally important wildlife habitat.

It will also cover travel and transport options, accessibility and infrastructure in the area.

“Future Studland” will cover the peninsula from Shell Bay to Old Harry Rocks, and include the beaches, roads, services and habitats, as well as the village.

Tracey Churcher, general manager for the National Trust

competition brief and skilfully created some excellent and flavoursome dishes.

“It is a very well-deserved win for Harry, whose use of regional ingredients was excellent.

“Developing new talent remains one of our key drivers with this competition and it’s gratifying to see many of our previous young winners go on to have successful careers in the catering industry.”

He added: “We are committed to promoting culinary excellence, nurturing talent and championing the vibrant food culture of the south west.”

The overall winner of South West Junior Chef of the Year will be offered the opportunity of work experience with Michelin-starred chef, David Everitt-Matthias, at his Le Champignon Sauvage restaurant in Cheltenham.

in Purbeck, said: “With the coast at Studland changing so rapidly, we need to consider how we can continue to provide great visitor infrastructure and manage nature conservation on the precious heathlands over the next 50 years.

“It is undoubtedly complex, as while some issues relate entirely to relocating our facilities in the face of their imminent loss through coastal erosion, others such as transport and access are wider issues which will need agencies across the area working together to bring about change.

“For the engagement, we are working closely with statutory organisations, partners, tenants and other stakeholders to shape our plans.

“We would also very much like members of the public to

share their views and ideas.”

Dorset Coast Forum will be seeking the views of residents, visitors and local businesses over the summer months.

There will be face to face events, drop-ins, posters around the local area and a dedicated website.

Elaine Snow, project officer for Dorset Coast Forum, said: “Studland has been well loved for hundreds of years by visitors and locals alike, so we really want to hear from everyone who cares about the area.

“This is a real chance to shape the Studland Peninsula for the future.

“We want to know how people are using the spaces now and what they would like to see in Studland for years to come.

“We’ll be hoping to speak to as many people as possible about the project and gather their ideas and opinions.

“So do please take part, whether by meeting us face-toface or doing the survey online.”

The engagement events at Studland Village Hall are on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 9 and 10, and a team will be on the beach in August.

For more information, visit www.dorsetcoasthaveyoursay. co.uk/future-studland.

Dorset Junior Chef of the Year, Harry Mason, with judges Alan Kelly and Jamie Jones

Studland Bay becomes busy in summer PHOTO: Steve Wallis

Blind Amar has a taste for adventure

BLIND television presenter Amar Latif OBE has completed a charity abseiling and rockclimbing challenge near Swanage.

“The Blind Adventurer”, who has appeared on numerous travel documentaries, BBC’s Celebrity Masterchef and as a regular guest presenter on The One Show, aimed to show that adventure can be accessible to all and to raise money for the Dorset Blind Association.

He had planned to do a coasteering challenge with Swanage-based adventure company Land & Wave, but that idea had to be dropped because of conditions on the coast.

Instead, he abseiled down the sea cliffs at Dancing Ledge after a steep, undulating 40-minute hike, then completed his first ever outdoor rock climb on the limestone cliffs, using sound and touch to feel his way up the

route, with the help of instructions from the support team.

Amar was joined by outdoor instructor, Verity Church, from Land & Wave, who wore black-out goggles during the challenge to gain an insight into what it is like to experience adventure as a blind person.

Verity also had a sighted guide to assist them and remained blindfolded for over four hours for the hike, climb and abseil.

Verity said: “It was a surreal experience that left me feeling more in tune with the landscape.

“Amar and I exchanged our experiences all afternoon, bridging the gap between sighted and non-sighted.”

Amar was accompanied by sighted guide, Sophia Reed, from insurance company Activities Industry Mutual.

She said: “What a brilliant

day seeing one of our members in action and having the chance to guide Amar through their exciting activities!

“Loved it – and so pleased to have been a part of it all.”

Alex Mortimer, Land & Wave company director, said: “Amar was a keynote speaker at a recent event our insurers, AIM, hosted.

“He was so inspirational and fearless, I just had to ask him to join us for an adventure in Dorset.

“It’s been fascinating to learn how we can do better as an industry at making adventure accessible for all.”

The challenge has raised more than £600 so far for Dorset Blind Association and helped highlight the challenges faced by those living with visual impairments.

Sam Baker, community relations officer for the association, who joined the challenge, said: “Being involved in this incredible climbing challenge has been an unforgettable experience for all of us at Dorset Blind Association.

“Verity’s bravery and can-do attitude were truly inspirational, and Amar’s positive approach to life was infectious and motivating for everyone involved.

“We are immensely grateful to the entire Land & Wave team for their fantastic guidance and support throughout the event.

“This event has highlighted the power of adventure and teamwork in raising awareness and support.”

To make a donation to the association, visit https://www. justgiving.com/page/land-andwave.

Looking after dogs: A ‘how to’ for kids

CHILDREN will learn how to stay safe around dogs and how to keep their pets healthy and happy with a little help from the Dogs Trust and Swanage company Cumulus Outdoors.

Cumulus has invited the dog welfare charity to run workshops featuring a variety of games, crafts, and role-playing activities to ensure plenty of fun

and interaction.

Cumulus is also working with the National Trust to help young people with transport and financial challenges get access to the Purbecks and other beautiful areas.

And it is inviting The Friendly Food Club to create a fun and tasty lunch for its children and young people, making healthy eating enjoyable

and informative.

Cumulus Outdoors managing director, Sam Thompson, said: “We have worked hard to expand the quality of the facilities and range of activities available at our centre in Swanage, and we take great pride in being able to make these facilities available to both local children and various organisations.

“We were also recently delighted to be able to support the MyTime charity by providing a day of adventure activities and a barbecue at our site.

“40 children attended ranging in age from five to 16, all of whom care for family members, providing the opportunity to escape their caring roles for a short while.”

Verity Church wore black-out goggles to help understand Amir’s experience

WI’s seafront fundraiser

MEMBERS of Swanage WI will be setting out their stall for a weekend of fundraising later this month, following a similar event last year.

The current group was formed at the end of 2018 and opened its doors to members and visitors for its first meeting in January 2019 at Herston Village Hall.

However, after only three meetings, it had to shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members stayed in touch over Zoom but once they were back meeting in person membership quickly grew.

They hold monthly meetings and have set up several interest groups ranging from cookery and books to Nordic walking and sea swimming.

They have also been involved with several community events, from helping Herston Village

Hall with its fundraising to participating in Planet Purbeck.

The group held it first fundraiser in July last year to help with a change of venue to The Centre, to accommodate more members.

It set up stalls on Shore Place selling donated items, cakes and crafts, plants and bric-a-brac, tombola and hook-a-duck.

Local musicians provided music and the town crier and the deputy mayor opened the event.

The day went very well, with lots of visitors, and raised funds for Swanage WI and a donation to Herston Village Hall.

This year’s event, on a slightly different format, is on Saturday and Sunday, July 20-21, on Shore Place, and everyone is welcome.

n A NEW Purbeck WI has recently been formed which meets every third Thursday of

the month at 7.30pm at Herston Village Hall, Jubilee Road, Swanage BH19 2 SF. New members are welcome.

The next meeting is on Thursday, July 18 – doors open at 7pm for a 7.30pm start.

A spokesperson said: “The WI is a place for fun, friendship, learning, trying new activities and for socialising.

“The WI has been a force for good for over 100 years.

“You are invited to come along to see if you would like to join this unique organisation that is a trusted place for women of all ages.”

For more information, email purbeckwi@dorsetwi.org or visit the National Federation website – the wi.org.uk.

Members of Swanage WI will set up stalls in Shore Road

Clift has been jailed for six years after admitting a raft of thefts – including in the Purbeck, Weymouth and Dorchester areas.

The 47-year-old, of no fixed abode, admitted more than 30 burglaries when he appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court for a sentencing hearing.

After pleading guilty to nine burglary offences, as well as a charge of assaulting an emergency worker and a fraud offence, Clift also asked for a further 23 burglaries to be taken into consideration when he was sentenced.

He was charged with nine commercial burglaries that occurred in Swanage, Weymouth and Dorchester

between December 13 last year and February 27, 2024.

Premises targeted included cafes, churches and a hair salon.

Officers from the local neighbourhood policing team worked with investigators from the Volume Crime Team to compile evidence of Clift’s offending, which included CCTV and forensic evidence, and he was arrested on February 28.

While he was in custody, Clift spat at and kicked out at an officer.

Clift was subsequently charged and at court admitted a further 23 burglary offences – 15 in Weymouth, four in Dorchester, two in Wareham, one in Swanage and one in

PC Dave Williams, of the Volume Crime Team, said:

by Julie Bradshaw

THE annual town meeting gives Wareham residents the opportunity to question the council and to hear the council’s report on the past year. The play parks were re-opened with new equipment and once the transfer of the Middle School playing field to Wareham Town Council is complete, facilities for older users can be planned.

The council and Wareham Community Growers nurture the floral displays. The council provides small grants which support volunteers in running events and services such as the carnival and the Rex cinema. D-day was commemorated, as will be Remembrance Sunday.

Wareham and Dorset councillor Holloway has responsibility for Corporate Development, Transformation, Digital and Change in Dorset Council (DC) Cabinet. Dorset councillor Ezzard is chair of

DC’s People and Health Overview Committee. DC Cabinet committed £2 million from reserves to continue to support the most vulnerable Dorset residents in facing the cost-of-living challenge.

Our Dorset councillors have been told that the Lidl planning application will come before the Eastern Area Planning committee on July 31. The 2RN bus is running between Wareham and Arne on Wednesday and Sunday until the end of August.

Swanage and Wareham Rugby Club will be requesting permission to allow the construction of a Men’s Shed on the land they lease from

Crewkerne in Somerset – which were taken into account when he was sentenced.

“David Clift is a prolific offender who repeatedly targeted commercial premises in the Weymouth, Dorchester and Purbeck areas.

“We fully recognise the impact offending of this nature has on businesses, with many of those targeted by Clift being smaller independent retailers.

“With local officers from the neighbourhood policing team, we are committed to taking action against offenders such as Clift so they can be held accountable for their crimes.”

Neighbourhood Inspector

Jail for man dubbed a ‘one-man crime wave’ News from Wareham Town Council – June report

Wareham Town Council.

Wareham Museum is welcoming visitors with new and revamped displays staffed by trained volunteers and since July 1 the new museum manager. The council is recruiting a deputy town clerk and a grounds person.

Bollards will be installed outside a house in West Street which was damaged by a vehicle and in North Street where the telephone boxes have been bumped.

Councillor Critchley reminisced about a time when the level crossing served vehicles only until a path was made accessed by wicker gates. This in response to the explanation by Hillary Evans of Wareham Town Trust as to how Dorset County Council had accidently lost the public right of way across the railway. The lease, which was signed 36 years ago, will expire in 14

Sam Goom, of Weymouth and Portland police, said:

“Weymouth and Portland has low numbers of burglaries, but we recognise the impact these offences have on victims when they happen.

“David Clift was a one-man crime wave. Officers from across Weymouth and West Dorset worked diligently and quickly to identify and apprehend him. Our relentless approach has ensured he has faced justice in the courts.”

years and the Town Trust is calling for urgent action to retain the level crossing with automated gates linked to the signals. Its petition has amassed more than 3,300 signatures.

The town council resolved to ask for a meeting between councillors, Network Rail and the relevant DC Cabinet Member, Councillor Andrews. The sticking point could be the Office of Rail Regulation’s view that automated crossings are unsafe.

The public is welcome to attend the next council meetings on Tuesdays July 23 and August 27 at 7.30pm in the council chamber. Further information is available on the council’s website, www.wareham-tc.gov. uk, or by phoning the town council office on 01929 553006.

PHOTO: Simon Barnes

DAVID

David Clift has been jailed for six years. PHOTO: Dorset Police

Leap of Faith: Jump for a Nurse!

Registrations have opened for the Lewis-Manning Hospice Care Skydive, which takes place on Saturday 21st September at Old Sarum Airfield in Salisbury.

Participants will be taking an adrenaline-pumping 10,000ft leap into the skies to raise essential funds and awareness of the hospice nurses and the vital services they provide in our community at Lewis-Manning.

This unique event not only promises an unforgettable experience but also offers participants a chance to learn more about the incredible work that the hospice nurses do supporting patients and their families impacted by life limiting illnesses across Poole, East Dorset, Purbeck and West Hampshire. Skydivers will be paired up with a hospice nurse and will support the vital work they do in our communities every day in hospice hubs and in patient’s homes.

A ’Meet the Nurses’ event will be held at the hospice in Poole on the Thursday 4th of July, from 12.30 – 2pm, where skydivers can visit the hospice and hear about the vital work first hand from the clinical team.

The nurses are proudly supporting the campaign, and many have signed up to skydive themselves. Staff Nurse Hannah

Quick said “I have seen first-hand the amazing people this money will support. My patients show me every day how brave and courageous they are, so I feel it’s only right for me to do something out of my comfort zone!”

Among the brave individuals taking part is Ian Girling, CEO of Dorset Chamber of Commerce. With a life-long fear of heights, Ian is facing the challenge head-on.

Ian advised, “I cannot wait to skydive for Lewis-Manning! I have been absolutely terrified of heights my whole life and even experience vertigo when looking up at the sky. When I was asked to take part, I realised it would be a great opportunity to face my biggest fears, as well as raise money for a vital cause. The nurses at Lewis-Manning need our help, and I am proud to support them as much as I can, to allow them to continue delivering extraordinary hospice care.”

Area fundraiser India Turner said, “We are super proud of our amazing team of skydivers signed up so far. Their bravery will have such a positive impact for our nurses and allow them to continue delivering extraordinary hospice care. We would urge anyone interested in joining in, to register on our web site. It’s going to be a fun day!”

https://lewis-manning.org.uk/skydive/

Saturday 21st September 2024

Old Sarum Airfield, Salisbury

To register, please visit: www.lewis-manning.org.uk/challenges

Big show all set to attract thousands

THE Dorset County Show is promising new attractions when it is held at The Showground outside Dorchester in September.

The event is one of the UK’s premier county shows, celebrating rural life in Dorset since 1841 and attracting more than 55,000 visitors each year.

Atkinsons Action Horses, appearing for the first time in Dorset, promise a stunt show showcasing the skill of rider and horse.

Visitors to the Woodland Area will be able to have a go – free of charge – at tomahawk throwing with Rockley Buddens Activity Centre.

And the IMPs motorcycle

display team will perform a fire jump, multiple motorcycle combination “cross-over” routine and other stunts.

James Cox, show organiser, said: “At last year’s show, we introduced new attractions and areas, this year we have built on these positive changes with even more brilliant new acts that not only celebrate Dorset agriculture and countryside but bring fantastic unmissable displays to the county.”

But the show is still Dorset’s end of harvest celebration and a major networking event for the county’s agricultural sector.

Annual traditions remain at its heart with livestock, crafts, food and drink, heavy horses and more.

The Dorset County Show is on Saturday and Sunday, September 7 and 8, from 8.30am-6pm at The Showground a mile outside Dorchester just off the A35. For more information and to book show tickets, visit www.dorsetcountyshow.co.uk.

M argaret Green Animal Rescue

ARE you looking for a fun-filled event to attend with your four-legged friends this summer?

If so, come to our Country Dog Show on Sunday, August 4!

Returning to our Church Knowle centre, near Wareham, Dorset (BH20 5NQ), this is always a fantastic day out for all the family.

There will be plenty of

fabulous dog show classes to enter, including Waggiest Tail, Best Rescue and Most Appealing Eyes, as well as the chance to try the Have-a-goAgility and Doggy Dash courses.

The fun doesn’t stop there, as you will also have the opportunity to explore a range of wonderful stalls from local traders, enjoy a selection of hot food and refreshments, visit

our very special Rescue Dog Reunion and enter our tombola, raffle and grand draw – for the chance to win many exciting prizes!

To avoid missing out on this “pawsome” event, make sure you save the date and join us from 11am to help us raise vital funds for vulnerable

animals in need.

Entry will be £5 per adult and £2 for children up to 12 years, with the dog show classes priced at just £2 each.

For further details, please visit our website, www.mgar. org.uk/CountryDogShow2024, or email comms@mgar.org.uk to find out more.

Atkinsons Action Horses and IMPs Motorcycle Display Team are set to appear at the Dorset County Show in September

For mum and baby

THE Families and Babies (FAB) charity has opened a new store in West Street, Wareham. FAB offers face to face and virtual breastfeeding support across Dorset at nine locations and through an online support

group with 2,500 members. The premises in Wareham also has reusable nappies and slings, FAB merchandise and preloved adult, child and maternity clothes, plus toys and other items.

Shield your home from Care Costs & Inheritance Tax with a Living Trust.

A Living Trust, is a legal arrangement that allows you to protect your assets, including your home, from care costs along with potential inheritance tax implications. Here are a few key points to consider:

1. Asset Protection: By transferring ownership of your home and other assets to a living trust, can help protect them from certain creditors and potential claims, including care costs.

2. Care Costs: Placing your main home into a living trust can ring fence the property from any potential future care costs. Thus, protecting your inheritance

3. Inheritance Tax Planning: A living trust can be part of an estate planning strategy to minimize inheritance tax liability. By placing assets into a trust, they can be excluded from your taxable estate upon your passing, potentially reducing the amount of inheritance tax your beneficiaries would owe.

4. Reversable Nature:

One of the advantages of a living trust is that it is reversable, meaning you can make changes to the trust or remove your home from the trust during your lifetime. This flexibility allows you to adapt to changing circumstances or wishes.

5. Trust Administration: When you establish a living trust, you typically designate yourself as the trustee alongside one to three other trustees. Thus, maintaining control over the assets and allowing you to continue using and managing them as you did before. Surviving trustees take over the administration of the trust upon your incapacity or death. The effectiveness of a living trust in achieving your specific goals will depend on your individual circumstances. Oakwood Wills offer a free consultation in the privacy of our own home. Tel 07832 331594 email: info@oakwoodwills. co.uk

Your Health Matters Dorset HealthCare’s monthly round-up

Move more to boost your mental health

WE are encouraging people to get moving more and find moments for movement in their daily routines to benefit their mental health and wellbeing.

Every extra bit of movement we make can boost our mood and increase our energy. It can also help reduce stress and anxiety and help us to sleep better.

Going for short walk in your neighbourhood, putting on your favourite music and dancing around the living room, chair exercises when you’re watching television or walking up stairs rather than getting a lift – it all counts.

Dorchester resident and community mental health patient Iona Jehu, 24, was supported by our Support, Transition and Recovery Team (START) to go swimming in

preparation for a challenge to raise money for a local church. Iona lost some weight, and her mental health has improved.

After recently being diagnosed with diabetes, swimming had a massive impact physically on her. It helped her reach her goal of

Salmon ‘smokes’ the opposition

SWANAGE CC 1st XI have won two of their five matches in the second tier of Dorset’s Premier Division to occupy third place.

Mike Salmon’s century against Blandford has been the batting highlight of the season so far, although Charlie Dyke, Ben Hodder (two) and Craig and Tom Wells have posted half centuries.

Hodder also had an eightwicket-haul against Martinstown, including four wickets in four balls.

Steve Ramsay has been the most consistent bowler, ably

CRICKET

supported by Dyke, James Harding, Sid Nash and Freddie Long.

The 1st XI have also been competing in the South West Division of the T20 Cup and are currently second in the minileague.

In Mike Salmon, the club have the leading run scorer in the competition after his sensational 139 not out against Dorchester – which included 13 sixes – and a half century. Ramsay has been the leading contributor with the ball.

not being diabetic and losing weight. And mentally, it stablised her mood. Watch this short clip to hear more from Iona: https://bit.ly/Ionaclip.

START is a secondary mental health community service for adults and older people. We offer one-to-one sessions for people being supported by a community mental health team (CMHT), as well as group sessions open to everyone – patients and the wider public – in Bridport and Dorchester. Our work focuses on connecting people with their communities, through attending groups or activities, or helping them access education, improve their fitness and find work or volunteering opportunities.

Taking part in activities to improve fitness and increase movement is important

The 2nd XI have won four of their seven games in Division 4 to sit in third place.

Principal contributions with the bat have come from Matt Beard, John Lewis, Mike Nash and Mark Stacey, who have all registered half centuries. Sam Wells has also batted well at the top of the order.

The leading wicket taker in the side is Max Nicholson but he has received invaluable support from Beard, Sam Marks and Ethan Stacey.

The 3rd XI have a 50% strike rate from their six matches in Division 5 to lie fifth. Skipper David Alcock and Simon Goldsack have both recorded half centuries and have enjoyed regular support from the Barry Brothers, Jernimain and Michael.

physically but it’s crucial for mental health – in fact, it’s everything. It’s empowering, fun, brings people together and helps them find routine, plus it’s a way someone can control their body to benefit their mental health and not be defined by their diagnosis.

Our groups are varied and include sports groups like boxing and circuit training to coffee groups and art groups, plus online social groups. People attend as often as they like. Nearly everyone who attends says they feel better for going and that they enjoy connecting with people and making friends.

For more information on the mental health services and support provided by Dorset HealthCare, visit www. dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/ takeastep.

SARAH JONES

Support time recovery worker for START at Dorset HealthCare

The bowling highlight has been Michael Barry’s incredible spell against Wimborne, in which he claimed six wickets, including a hat-trick. Jernimain, Josh and Mike Gould, Andrew Hancock and Sam Willcocks have also made useful contributions.

The other main highlight of the first half of the season was Harry Long’s maiden century against Cerne Valley.

The Women and Girls Team have won two of their three games with useful contributions from Kirsty with the bat and Amelia, Faye and Sophie with the ball.

All the club’s youth teams, from the Under-7s through to the Under-15s have performed impressively.

Iona Jehu with Sarah Jones, support time recovery worker for Dorset HealthCare’s START service

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DURLSTON in July is a beautiful time to visit the park. As summer starts, outdoor work becomes much more enjoyable for the rangers, with all of us hoping that office work can wait until the winter – or the rainy days! Having had the last of our boat trips on July 5 and seeing the seabirds return to the sea, it feels too soon for them to leave after their arrival on the breeding ledges. Although guillemots, razorbills and puffins will be departing, our trusty gulls will still be seen throughout the year around the cliffs.

In the Fine Foundation Gallery from Wednesday, July 3, until Thursday, July 18, local artist Josh Hollingshead

will be showcasing his exhibition Hierarchy and Other Stories, with colourful narrative paintings showing a socio-political and environmental feel. His unique style and large paintings will be a fantastic addition to the gallery. Then from Tuesday, July 23, to Tuesday, August 6, artist Sally Baldwin will be in the gallery with her exhibition Fragile Earth. The exhibition

presents ephemeral white sculptures and wall pieces capturing trees, flowers, sea life and nature. Both exhibitions will be open daily from 10.30am–5pm and are free to enter.

If guided walks are what you’re interested in, there are plenty in July to enjoy. Whether it’s a wildflower walk, a “park to pier” or “meet a moth!”, we have plenty on offer. Take a look at the Durlston website for more information on all guided walks and events. July is also the time for a glow-worm walk, with one on Friday, July 19, and another on Thursday, July 25, at 9pm. Join a ranger to look for these beautiful

creatures of the night.

The end of July also brings the beginning of the summer holidays and with that plenty of events and trails to keep the kidws entertained over their school break. Take a look at the Durlston website to find out what we have on offer.

Whether you come up for a coffee, an hour-long walk or an all-day explore, Durlston is a beautiful location for everyone to enjoy, so we hope you enjoy July here as much as we do.

The Durlston Rangers n For more information on events and more visit our Durlston website, www. durlston.co.uk. Visit the Seventhwave café website at seventhwaverestaurant.co.uk.

Parent and Child Fostering –The Facts

When deciding on a new chapter of life and a new direction, it is nice to know the ‘ins and outs’ to help us make informed decisions, in this month’s article we will be giving you all the information you need. However, should you have more questions we are just a phone call away! To be a parent and child foster carer, you will need to be confident in looking after newborn babies and have some experience, tips, and tricks that you can pass on to the new parent. It is also vital that there is always a carer available for support and guidance. In your home, you will be inviting in a parent and their newborn baby, therefore need a big enough spare room to accommodate their needs, such as a bed, changing area, and cot for the baby. The placement is normally short-term and lasts up to 12 weeks, this can vary depending on the requirements of the placement. You may be thinking, how about the rewards that come with being a carer? Well, many rewards can be acquired, the satisfaction of passing on your knowledge to new parents, enabling them to integrate into a community, and promoting the nurture of a newborn. On top of that pay can start in the region of £850 per week. To become a carer, the approval process takes 4-6 months, and a social worker will guide you through your journey. Once completed Footprints offer you the continued guidance, support, and training to ensure you have full confidence in your role. Not every child comes into this world with well-equipped and prepared parents, therefore need some help to get them on their way. In your role as a Parent and Child Foster Carer, not only will you help with the care, but you also will help develop the parent in the areas of money management, and household skills helping them build the confidence they need to live independently.

The need and demand for carers in the field of Parent and Child is rapidly growing and to ensure that we as a nation provide the best support possible, we need more carers. If you think that you can provide a safe and supportive home for such placement, Footprints would like to hear from you.

Durlston Country Park has a lot going on this month

A blot on the landscape?

YESTERDAY morning – June 24 – two pantechnicons arrived from Istanbul to deliver a new addition to the Santa-Fe Fun Park in Swanage.

It was erected during the day and now dominates the beach scene and skyline along the sea front and sea view.

At nearly double the height of the existing Santa Fe attractions, this new Pirate ride is massively out of scale with the rest of the site.

While it may be fine for an out-of-town fun park, it looks totally inappropriate for Swanage.

It looks like a relic from a mining town or some kind of drilling enterprise.

People I have spoken to are shocked at the sudden arrival of such an ugly landmark.

The large inflatable bouncy castle in this corner of the

Santa-Fe site was deflated at night.

This construction is clearly permanent and is covered in lights. It threatens to be an eyesore both day and night. Is this really what Swanage wants? It should be dismantled as soon as possible.

Nick Kavanagh Mowlem Court director

School pupils want lower speed limit

WE go to Stoborough Primary School and lots of pupils want to walk to our school from Wareham, but they do not feel safe.

The pavement we use to walk on from Wareham to our school is on a road which gets very busy, particularly in the summer months because lots of people like to come on holiday here.

The road has a speed limit of

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40mph, which we think is too high, especially as Wareham has a speed limit of 30mph and Stoborough has a speed limit of 30mph.

Cars coming out of Wareham speed up to 40mph along the road, just to then slow down to 30mph in Stoborough.

We would like to get the speed limit of this road reduced to 30mph.

We have asked our families and many have said they would walk more if the road had a lower speed limit.

At the moment lots of us feel too unsafe to walk and we feel there could be a very dangerous accident one day.

Next week, we will be writing to our local MP and councillors as part of a Spirituality Week entitled Think Global, Act Local, asking them to look into this.

We will also be holding a protest outside our school to encourage the public to support our campaign.

Pupils at Stoborough Primary School

Solar & Tidal Predictions July/August

The new Pirate ride at the Santa-Fe Fun Park in Swanage

Sudoku 3D puzzle

Cryptic crossword

Place 1 to 9 once into every black-bordered 3x3 area as well as each of the 54 rows indicated by the coloured lines. Rows don’t cross the thick black lines.

Killer Sudoku Pro

Across

1 Explain source of poetry in competition (5,2)

5 Parking behind river in settlement (4)

9 In theory how one might describe print journalist’s work? (2,5)

10 Jog in an unclad state around front of ground (5)

11 Shot outer case (5)

Down

2 Some Scandinavians in hearing make a mistake (5)

3 A friend in place lying injured in a shocking way (11)

4 Loosen a French dance (6)

6 Like proper pasta lad with teen cooked (2,5)

7 Sly look in summit, it’s said (4)

12 Part of car needing to be dismantled with day gone (6)

14 Mercenary type nearly performed (6)

16 Division of pupils? It has little currency (6)

18 Gun repaired by fighter in this country backed for martial art (4,2)

19 A second group proving an advantage (5)

22 Flower is planted in period of light (5)

23 Fellow with trouble on river is a loser (7)

24 Partly predictable verdict always (4)

25 Hold spellbound husband in rental after renovation (7)

Killer Sudoku Pro Place numbers 1 to 9 once each into every row, column and bold-lined 3x3 box. No digit may be repeated in any dash-lined cage, and all the digits in any cage must add up to the value shown in that cage.

8 Be formed by Conservative regarding society? It’s crazy (7)

10 Harm in sight being reviewed is horrifying

13 English politician with rank is less substantial (7)

15 By the sound of it, regret adolescent comedian’s act (7)

17 Miss at home round cake (6)

20 Sources of steam and usually nudity appear here? (5)

21 Advantage in shelf left out (4)

They tied a yellow ribbon...

HUNDREDS of people braved the elements and gathered in Poole Park to write a dedication in memory of a loved one at Forest Holme Hospice’s Tie a Yellow Ribbon event.

The free event, sponsored by MSP Capital, gave the local community across Poole, Wimborne and the Isle of Purbeck the opportunity to come together to remember their loved ones and write a dedication and tie a yellow ribbon.

The event was open to everyone, not just those with a connection to Forest Holme, and featured local craft stalls, special performances by the Citrus Singers choir, the Academy Singers from Poole Academy of Dance and free craft activities for children.

Claire Cooper, from the charity team at Forest Holme, said: “Despite the unpredictable weather, it was fantastic to

welcome so many people from our community in the lovely surroundings of Poole Park who came to reflect and celebrate the lives of their

loved ones.

“Last year was the first time we had taken Tie a Yellow Ribbon out of the hospice to the park and this year’s event has proved to be another huge success.”

For those unable to attend

but who would still like to make a dedication, the hospice can make one on their behalf, which will then be displayed the garden at Forest Holme over the summer. Visit https:// forestholmehospice.enthuse. com/tayr24.

Forest Holme charity staff with event sponsors MSP Capital

Ribbons attached to decorative metal gazebo made and donated by Elite Fabrication and Welding

Citrus Singers choir performing at Tie a Yellow Ribbon

Family-friendly things to do at Corfe Castle

Climb up through the Castle ruins to discover one thousand years of Corfe Castle’s history as a royal palace, fortress and family home. Spot the ‘murder holes’, count the arrow loops and feel history come to life as you explore the ruins. Once at the top of the mound, you can enjoy panoramic views of Purbeck and if you time it right, you can see the heritage steam train winding through the countryside.

Watch birds soar overhead and spot the wildlife that has now set up home here – from bees and butterflies to lizards and grazing cattle. Don’t forget to look out for the ravens as you go. An old legend claims that if the ravens ever leave Corfe Castle, something terrible will happen. It’s said that they disappeared for a time shortly before the castle was captured during the English Civil War, but since then they’ve been nesting here quite happily for hundreds of years. Their nest is high up in the stonework – you might see them come and go.

Bring your little monkeys along to meet their primate cousins at Monkey World- Ape Rescue Centre this summer!

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The sanctuary in Dorset is home to over 260 rescued and endangered monkeys and apes. Combining fun with conservation, half-hourly keeper talks explain all about man’s closest living relative. After visitors have seen the stars of TV’s ‘Monkey Life’, they can monkey around in the large playgrounds! Come and meet the new arrivals; Marcel, who was found in a conservatory in Wolverhampton, saki monkey Neevah, and little Lloyd- a baby woolly monkey who was only born in February!

Monkey World is open every day from 10am to 5pm. Book online to save up to 10% off gate prices.

Planning your family visit

• There are baby changing facilities in Castle View Welcome Centre and next to the Ticket Office.

• Buggies are welcome across the site but please note the paths are uneven and there are multiple step areas. We recommend you using the buggy park in the Outer Gatehouse and bringing a baby carrier.

• High chairs are available in Castle View Welcome Centre and the Tea-room.

• The Tea-room offers a children’s menu for food and drinks, and can provide gluten or dairy free alternatives on request.

• There are outdoor picnic areas by Castle View Welcome Centre and at Old Mill picnic area.

• From the car park to the castle entrance it is about a 15 minute walk on a step free path.

Ulwell Holiday Park offers a delightful escape for both residents

*Advertising Feature

and visitors.

One of the standout features of the Park is it’s fantastic indoor swimming pool, which is open daily to non-residents. This facility provides a perfect spot for families to relax and have fun. Every Friday evening through the Summer, the pool hosts an inflatable fun night for children aged 6-10(booking required) promising an evening of laughter and excitement.

Monkey World Ape Rescue Centre is challenging your little monkeys to learn about primate rescue & rehabilitation this summer! With a huge list of fun challenges and activities to complete, there’s plenty to keep little mind’s busy!

Monkey World is home to over 250 primates of more than 25 different species. Many of the park’s residents have been neglected, kept in unnatural conditions, or experienced unbelievable cruelty. At Monkey World, they can enjoy company of their own kind in a safe and natural environment.

Combining fun with conservation, self-guided audio tours and free keeper Q&As explain all about man’s closest living relative. Visitors can see the stars of TV’s ‘Monkey Life’, then ‘monkey around’ in the south’s largest adventure playground!

Adjacent to the holiday park, The Village Inn is a beloved local gem known for it’s exceptional food and drink. This cozy establishment boasts a charming outdoor beer garden, complete with a large screen TV showing all the major summer sporting events, including the Euros, Wimbledon, and the Olympics. It’s an ideal spot to enjoy a refreshing beverage while cheering on your favourite athletes. For families, the extensive children’s play area ensures that the little ones are entertained, allowing parents to unwind and savour the ambiance.

Book online to save up to 10% off gate prices at www.monkeyworld.org/book-tickets

The Village Inn also hosts regular outdoor events, such as BBQ and Paella evenings, creating a vibrant community atmosphere. These events are perfect for mingling with locals and visitors alike while enjoying delicious food in the beautiful outdoor setting, it’s also a great chance to sample our guest ales and seasonal specials.

For the latest updates and event information, be sure to follow Ulwell Holiday Park and The Village Inn on social media or visit their websites. Whether you’re a local or just passing through, these two spots offer a warm welcome and a memorable experience.

BBQ Saturdays are back at Knoll House this summer!

During the school holidays from mid-July and throughout August, you can come and enjoy our delicious chargrill menu served from 12-3pm on our front lawn. With a selection of meats as well as salads and sweet treats - we of course cater for vegan/vegetarians and any other dietary requirements. There will be live entertainment on occasion and you can sip on a cocktail or two whilst watching the sunset over Studland Bay. We are family and dog friendly and there’s plenty of things to entertain the children, from our outdoor pirate ship and play area, to croquet on the lawn, our newly refurbished games room or the whole family might fancy a spot of golf on our nine-acre pitch and putt*

No booking necessary, just come along and enjoy the experience - we can’t wait to see you!

*Additional charges apply.

Making the livin’ easy...

The Sturminster Newton Cheese Festival was set up in 1999 with the intention of putting the town “back on the map” after the closure of the calf market in 1997 and the subsequent closure of the Cheese factory. It has grown to be a major event, attracting thousands of visitors.

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We distribute as much of the proceeds of the event as we can to local charities and good causes. Since 2012 over £400,000 has been raised and given to local charities and organisations, the vast majority of which are local to the Sturminster Newton area.

As with many organisations we are always lookign out for more volunteers. If you are interested, or if you belond to a group or club which would be able to help over the weekend, we would love to hear from you! Please email us with your details to: enquiries@cheesefestival.co.uk

Book online to save up to 10% off gate prices at www.monkeyworld.org/book-tickets

10am to 5pm

OUR TICKET PRICES HAVE REMAINED THE SAME SINCE 2022!* 2024

cheesefestival.co.uk

*When booking earlybird tickets through the QR code

Wooders Wild Weekend is a family friendly festival located on the edge of the Wareham Forest that is all about celebrating Here at Wooders Campsite we strive to make sure that everyone

We welcome a whole range of stallholders and musicians for our festival goers to enjoy and having started as a small one off little

this up into a wonderful relaxed event and so we still try to make

catching up with friends, eventually getting your tent up, having activities will be open and taking place throughout the day from Black Sheep, Bow River, Mother Ukkers - A relaxing morning to clear the head - why not try out some yoga or massage on site or just a big old Bacon Sarnie or a

PVFF is a festival that’s loved by everyone because there’s loads for kids to do, loads for parents and loads for the old folkies!

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As well as four evenings and three full days of outstanding, original young folk, roots and world music across five stages, Purbeck Valley Folk Festival brings music workshops, sessions, comedy, a massive craft area, a healing area, fire shows and loads for kids - it’s so much more than just great music!

Purbeck Valley Folk Festival has an amazing line-up again this year: This year’s highlights include TikTok shanty sensation The Longest Johns, African kora player Seckou Keita with his 8-piece Senegalese band, BBC 6Music favourite John Smith, and Gentleman Jack theme tune writers/singers O’Hooley & Tidow. There is absolutely loads for kids (all included in the ticket price!): storytelling, rock-climbing, archery, dinosaurs, crafts, circus skills, bouncy castles, fancy

dress, maypole dancing and much more! The craft area is fantastic with workshops in cyanotype printing, tie-dye, blacksmithing, pottery, origami, and more.

A brilliant musical line-up, loads of stuff for kids, a huge craft area for adults, perfect location, and a great selection of real ales and ciders…

Purbeck Valley Folk Festival is so much more than just a great music festival.

Tickets have been selling fast already with record numbers of festival-goers buying tickets for this year’s festival before they even left the site last year!

Great value at £175 (£85/£40) for 4 nights, including camping.

For more informationwww.purbeckvalleyfolkfestival.co.uk

15-18 AUGUST 2024

LONGEST JOHNS

JOHN SMITH

(USA)

SECKOU KEITA

LE VENT DU NORD

WEEKEND TICKETS FROM £125 INCL. CAMPING

DIRK POWELL - SAM KELLY TRIO - MICHAEL MCGOLDRICK & TIM EDEY - THE HENRY GIRLS 3 DAFT MONKEYS - O’HOOLEY & TIDOW - MEGSON - N’FAMADY KOUYATE

MARTHA TILSTON - RORY MCLEOD - THE BOOKSHOP BAND KÍLA

SQUARE DANCE WITH DIRK POWELL & JOCK TYLDESLEY- FILKINS ENSEMBLE - JAEJA - MOSCOW DRUG CLUB - GOOD HABITS

ARTHUR COATES & KERRAN COTTERELL - STOMPIN’ DAVE - THE GREAT MALARKEY - DUEA - THE TROUBLE NOTES

TASHKEZAR - MARVARA - SUTHERING - HANNAH SANDERS & BEN SAVAGE - AMICA - THREEPENNY BIT - TWO MAN TING

GABRIEL MORENO AND THE QUIVERING POETS - THE ASHEN KEYS - DANGER GOAT - AAYUSHI - 14 WOLVES - THE BOMO SWING

HONEY KICK - ANNA RENAE - PISKEY LED - DEN MILLER - ARQUEBUS TRIO - RHOLBEN - DIRTY BIG CANAL DANCE BAND

IGLOO HEARTS - LAURA LOH - DEVON YOUTH FOLK ENSEMBLE - MEGAN LINFORD - MUSTARD ALLEGRO - RACHEL HILL

ELI GREENEYES - OWL IN THE SUN - MURPHY’S LORE TRIO - KELP! - RAPSQUILLION - HIGH SHELF REMEDY +

OBSTACLE COURSE - CLIMBING WALL

CIRCUS AREA: JUGGLING - UNICYCYLING - DIABLOS - DEVILSTICKS - STILT WALKING ACROBATICS WITH INFLATABLE TUMBLE MAT

The Dorset Opera Festival

is undergoing a double celebration this year.

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2024 marks their 50th Anniversary and in November 2023 they were finalists at the prestigious International Opera Awards.

For their Golden Jubilee, they have commissioned an opera linking their anniversary to the county whose name they bear via one of our greatest authors, Thomas Hardy. His Majesty, King Charles III, (then His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales) attended the company’s first performance at Sherborne School in 1974 – a production of Smetana’s The Bartered Bride.

Popular composer, Paul Carr, who has been directing operas for the Dorset Opera Festival since 2012 and whose works are regularly featured on Classic FM, has created a new work based on Hardy’s poignant and heart-warming second novel, Under the Greenwood Tree, to a libretto by Euan Tait.

Book online to save up to 10% off gate prices at www.monkeyworld.org/book-tickets

Alongside the commission, the company will be performing Madama Butterfly to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Puccini’s death. The sets for both operas are designed by Dorset sculptor, Rufus Martin and, for the Hardy, he will create a whole Dorset village on stage! There’s time to celebrate properly at the Opera Gala concert with the chorus of 60 and emerging artists at its heart. It will involve some of the great singers from across the world who have appeared in Dorset Opera over the years!

The cast for Greenwood is led by Canadian soprano, Jamie Groote with Felix Kemp, Ossian Huskinson and Dorset’s, Thomas Humphreys. Paul Carr will direct his opera and it’s conducted by music director, Jeremy Carnall. Madama Butterfly will feature Japanese soprano Eri Nakamura, Argentinian tenor José Simerilla Romero, well-known baritone David Kempster and (Dorset singers) Amber Reeves and Tim Bagley. José Miguel Esandi conducts: returning to the Dorset Opera podium for the seventh time in as many years.

World Première

in four seasons

opera

Composer: Paul Carr

The home of Country House opera in South West England featuring renowned soloists, a full orchestra and a large chorus of emerging young artists

Swanage Carnival 2024

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The 2024 Swanage carnival is just around the corner, with over 100 exciting events lined up for the 8 day celebration from July 27th to August 3rd. Every day is packed with fun filled events and entertainment for all ages, with BRAND NEW events including: An Interactive Dinosaur show, Dinosaur Derby, BMX Stunt Show, Acrobats, live entertainers and silent disco alongside some classic crowd favorite’s including live music (with over 30 bands), fireworks, sporting competitions and not forgetting the headline event: the Carnival procession. This year’s theme of ‘Jurassic Rocks’ is sure to get the crowds roaring with a special appearance from “Rexy”

the Dinosaur from the film “Night at the Museum 2” Full details of all our events and more are available in our Carnival Programme which is on sale now as well as our Swanage Carnival App (which can be downloaded free from the App store), it also contains all the entry forms to get yourself registered for your favorite events as well as other useful information.

Swanage Carnival is the premier Carnival on the south coast and is a self-funded organisation, run solely by volunteers.

In 2023 the volunteers of Swanage Carnival helped raise over £27,000 which was distributed to 20 charities and good causes. So, please make sure you join us this year to help us raise as much as we can for our 2024 benefiting organisations.

Intensive Swimming Lessons

Inflatable Fun

Laser Tag

Nerf Wars

Football Fun Day Jump and Dance

*Holiday programme running 29th July - 1st September

The Purbeck Rally

50 years ago, a group of Purbeck men decided to hold a get together of vintage cars, lorries, buses, and tractors behind the New Inn at Church Knowle.

Book online to save up to 10% off gate prices at www.monkeyworld.org/book-tickets

Visit The Blue Pool Nature Reserve & Tearooms this Summer

Discover The Blue Pool Nature Reserve and Tearooms, a hidden gem for all ages. Enjoy scenic walks under shady trees, spot local wildlife, and traverse the UK’s longest rope bridge, spanning 50 meters, for breathtaking views. Children will love seeking out gnomes and fairy doors on our trail, which leads to a fun-filled play area.

After your walk, treat yourself to a delicious breakfast, a leisurely lunch, or a quintessential afternoon tea in our Art Deco Tearooms.

The Blue Pool offers something for everyone, making it an ideal destination for families, couples, and solo explorers.

Visit us

Address: The Blue Pool, Furzebrook Rd, Wareham, BH20 5AR www.bluepooltearooms.co.uk

Out of this was born The Purbeck Rally and Auto Jumble ably led by Ken Ford, Fred Simson, Fred Fancy and others. The rally grew in size and moved about the Purbecks, Corfe castle, East Holme and Ridge before setting at Manor Farm Worgret courtesy of The Baggs Family.

So please come along on the 9th10th -11th of August and help in celebrating 50 years of the show.

Our Patron Pete Lovell one of the original group has been a great help over the years.

We have a great selection of arena

events this year. The Tiger’s motorcycle display team, the one and only Dog & Duck display seen across many county shows, Dorset horse logging. Displays from Extreme falconry. Something for all the family to enjoy.

Not forgetting all of our trade stalls, fantastic displays in our craft tent. Some fantastic food vendors and to wash it all down a fantastic beet tent. We have evening entertainment Friday and Saturday, tickets for Saturday evening will need to be purchased separately.

Don’t forget our car boot sale held on Sunday 11th starting at 9am. So come on everybody dig out all your old bits and pieces and turn them into cash!

For more information on opening times check our website www.purbeckrally.com or our Facebook page.

Are you looking for a secure job based in Swanage?

Drive for more! And join our friendly team.

Trainee bus drivers earn - £13.75 per hour (usually first 7 weeks of employment whilst you are passing your test and learning the routes)

• Bus Drivers Monday to Friday rate £15 per hour

• Bus Drivers Saturday & Sunday rate £16 per hour

• Monday to Friday overtime rate £20 per hour

•Saturday and Sunday overtime rate £21.33 per hour

Trainee drivers start on £13.75 per hour from the first day, increasing to £15 per hour Monday to Friday with higher rates at weekends and if you do overtime. We’ve got vacancies at our Swanage depot, which is ideal if

you are looking for a secure job close to home.

Our Purbeck Breezer bus services are very popular with tourists as well as residents. All you need is a smile and a UK driving licence, and our friendly training team will support you through the rest of your journey.

Local knowledge to help tourists with their enquiries is desirable. We’re looking for full and parttime drivers to join us. The first 5-6 weeks of your training will take

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place in Poole then after that you will be based at Swanage with your local mentor whilst learning the routes.

There are lots of other benefits, including free bus travel for you and one other, plus many discounts at high street retailers, including the main supermarkets, helping your money go that little bit further.

APPLY AT

Feast of summer entertainment

by David Hollister

WELL, it’s over. For a few more years at least. I hope. Did you use your valuable vote or let it slip away? Are you convinced that your little contribution is going to make a vast difference to the way we are governed either nationally or locally? Neither am I…

Just to warm you up and welcome the summer, there’s Wareham Carnival over the weekend of Friday to Sunday, July 19-21, at the recreation ground. Watch the Gazette, stay tuned to Purbeck Sounds.com to keep yourself up to date with all the many things going on in Purbeck in July and August. Keep your diaries free and never let me hear you say that nothing ever happens in Purbeck!

From July 27 to August 3, we have Swanage Carnival, a whole week of fun and games for locals and holidaymakers alike. Don’t forget to buy a programme well before the first date, as they are bound to be in short supply during the week itself. All the information you will need at a very modest price of £5. A real souvenir and a keepsake for years to come. The famous Red Arrows are scheduled to display but you’ll have to get a carnival programme to find out the exact dates and times.

So good to see that the organisers of the Swanage Food and Fish Festival, cancelled recently due to inclement weather, have had the courage to reinstate it on August 24-25. Let’s hope that better weather prevails and that the event proves to be a stand-out success. And indeed, that the same good weather carries forward into Harmans Cross for its annual fete on August Bank Holiday Monday. Always a great time to be had, lots to see and do, lots to eat and drink and, of course, free parking!

UNFORTUNATELY,

however, the summer months also offer easy pickings to the criminal fraternity. From shoplifting to pocket-picking, from car thefts to thefts from cars. Fortunately, robbery with violence is uncommon, which is a good thing because Police presence in Purbeck is nowhere near what the residents and shopkeepers need to protect a thriving holiday area. We have all had our 10-pennorth of comments and yet still police presence is woefully low. Once again, I say “don’t tell me to do it online” because online crime reporting is ineffective while you’re watching someone being beaten up, a car being vandalised or drugs being openly peddled on the streets of our “safe little town”. Online crime reporting seems to me to be the PCC’s sop to the public to make out that something can actually be done. We need police on the streets of Purbeck to prevent or at least discourage crime, rather than cars full of police tearing around with their lights and sirens arriving too late to be effective.

It’s okay to be suspicious of someone you don’t know knocking on your door. Distraction burglars pretend to be someone they are not, to gain entry to your home. Yes, Purbeck is a safe place to live but here are some top tips to avoid doorstep crime: If unsure, don’t open the door. Use a door chain or video doorbell. Ask for proof of identity. Beware of common tricks such as being asked to make a phone call, wanting to retrieve a lost ball, or being asked to check water, gas or electric. Be suspicious of people looking for work or offering services even if the service they’re offering is something you urgently want or need. Don’t rush to agree to work or sign any documents –tell them you want to get a

second opinion. If in doubt, keep them out!

OVER the past few weeks we’ve had the misfortune to be away from our Humax Personal Video recorder boxes and to have watched television from hotels or other people’s houses. Consequently, I have once again become aware of the quantity and quality of advertising on most commercial channels. There are often 10 ads in a break, three ad breaks in a show – if each ad is 30 seconds long this equates to about 15 minutes of ads. Not to mention “in house” commercials promoting shows to be broadcast later.

As someone who made a very good living out of selling advertising space in the old “Purbeck Mail” and later the “Purbeck Independent” I feel somewhat hypocritical but at least readers had the choice rather than having them stuffed down their throats four times an hour. I am proud to be a part of the Purbeck Gazette and Purbeck Sounds which, unlike many other local publications and radio stations, maintain a healthy ratio of content to advertising.

And the television ads themselves? Have you noticed that you can “channel flick” from commercial channel to commercial channel and find the very same ad running at the same time? A conspiracy to discourage “channel flicking”, perhaps? And am I the only one to find that much of the content appears to be aimed at people to whom “erudite” is a glue? Problem is, my wife and I often turn to each other and say “what the hell was that about” – no, our PVR devices are an integral part

of our household electronic devices!

AND as if it could get no worse, from July 7, 2024, all new cars will legally have to be fitted with a speed limiter. The UK will be adopting the new EU speed limiting rules, even though Brexit has happened. The driver will still be responsible for adhering to the speed limits. All new cars that are launching or have been launched in the European market need to be fitted with an Intelligent Speed Assist (ISA) by July 7, 2024, according to the 2019/2044 regulation by the European Commission. This means any existing unregistered cars on forecourts will have to be retrofitted with a speed limiter before they can be sold. So which part of “out” did they not understand? Or are the “powers that be” still picking and choosing which EU regulations they want to keep in British law? If you’re hoping to buy something worth driving, do it now!

AND finally. So sad to read on Facebook that Swanage’s own “Mr Music”, Steve Darrington, has passed away after a short stay in hospital. After a long career “gigging”, he settled in Swanage and organised our popular blues festivals for many years. I did not know him sufficiently well to write an obituary that would do this fascinating man credit, but I have asked the editor to make some space in the next edition for a full biography. Which I, as an admirer of the great Steve Darrington, look forward to reading as much as you will.

Health & Wellbeing

Meditations in nature: A lesson in the Lakes

by Susanna Curtin

PRIMED for a June adventure, I am once again enjoying the fells of the Lake District in an attempt to scale more of England’s rocky summits. Pouring over the ordnance survey map of the Western Lakes last night with my eldest son, we have planned an exciting but demanding route for today. Starting at Buttermere, we are to head through the Scarth Gap, across the river and then up Black Sail Pass to Kirk Fell via a steep scree path in the gully below Kirk fell Crags. Then down to Beck Head and straight up Great Gable. From here we climb up Green Gable via the Windy Gap, up Brandreath, and down and up to Grey Knotts, then up again to Fleetwith Pike. Finally we will head back down to Buttermere via Fleetwith Edge. A total of 1,450m of ascent, higher than climbing Ben Nevis.

No matter how often I venture here, there is no getting accustomed to these mountains. As the famous hill walker and writer Nan Shepherd explains: “One never quite knows a mountain, nor oneself in relation to it.” Each ascent and descent is different depending on the conditions, the time of year and your own feelings on the day. I

do know, however, that despite the challenging terrain, I will never have enough of being on them and experiencing these remote and wild summits.

But last night, as I tried to fall asleep, I lay fretting about the route. In the darkness of my room, I began to question my ability to do the ascents and descents, to cross the river or navigate the exposed climbs and scrambles. Sleep completely deserted me as I second guessed the difficulties that may lay ahead. It was a relief to see the morning sun and to get up and get on with it.

The weather today is unexpectedly hot and sunny as we leave the car and start our first climb. It is a busy Saturday, and there are people everywhere. Worry and tiredness make my legs feel weary and heavy already. I stop and start, and wonder if I am going to make it. All the concerns of the night before come flooding back.

I nevertheless press on, and by the time I get away from the crowds at Buttermere and up through the Scarth Gap, the magic of the Ennerdale Valley greets me. I cannot wait to take off my boots to cross the river, where the soft, cool mountain water immediately lifts my spirits. We stop here for a snack,

and to fill up our water bottles, and then set off to ascend Kirk Fell beside its towering crags.

The gully and the scramble beside it is clearly visible now. The closer we get, the less precarious it looks. And like so often in life, the thought of doing something is far worse than actually doing it. Our feet and hands lock onto the red rocks, one in front of the other, eyes only a foot away from the mountainside. Being mindful, and careful of each move, the difficult ridge is soon behind us, and within a short time, we are lunching on top of Kirk Fell, looking out at the magnificent dome-shaped Great Gable.

The Wasdale valley is to our far right and the Scafell range is ahead of us, peaks and paths we have already acquainted. Under a blue sky, adorned with fine white clouds, the worries and the pain of the tricky ascent are completely wiped away by the sheer magnificence of the landscape before me.

Scaling Great Gable from the Windy Gap is the last challenge

of the day. Another steep scree path followed by a long, rocky climb to the summit. From here, it is plain sailing all the way to Fleetwith Edge. On our last descent, we sit in silence watching the evening sun cast long shadows over Buttermere. I have always revered nature rather than wanting to conquer it. But from this lofty viewpoint, I cannot deny that bound up in my admiration for the scale and beauty of this land, there also lies a sense of achievement. I have learned a lot about myself today, particularly this recent inner voice that instils fear and negativity. How self-sabotaging and pointless it is to worry. The sticking points I spent the night fretting about ended up being relatively straightforward. Life demands a strong body and a strong mind. I am not sure what or where my next challenge will be, but I do know that I will do everything possible to remain positive about it.

n Dr Susie Curtin, email curtin. susanna@gmail.com.

Great Gable viewed from the summit of Kirkfell

Head in the clouds? There’s a remedy for that

by Fiona Chapman

WITH all this rain we have been having the canopy of leaves on the trees is quite astonishing. Walking on Okeford Hill in among the Beach woods you almost need a torch to see where you are going it is so dark underneath. No wonder very few other trees grow.

This has made me think of the Bach Flower Remedies which I will often use for people who are stuck emotionally, and Beach is one of the remedies. There is a wonderful website about the Bach Flower remedies, www.healingherbs.

co.uk, which takes you through all the remedies Edward Bach came up with, a film clip done by Julian Barnard about the individual remedies and why they are used for different stuck emotions.

Beach is used for intolerance. When you meet someone who is over critical and impatient with everyone and everything, a few drops of Beach should restore their tolerance and make them easier to live with. You can see why Edward Bach used beach because the canopy is so dense it just does not let any light in, which is what you feel when stuck in an emotion that is

Beard, is another remedy that is for those who have their head in the clouds and are unable to live in the present. Again, you can see why Bach came up with this as clematis goes up into the trees and climbs anything to get to the sky. A few drops will be grounding and bring you gently back down to earth to be able to cope with life going on around you.

exacerbated by everything that others do. I think the Bach Flower Remedies can be extremely effective. You only need a couple of drops, as they are used energetically, and after taking them in half an hour or so you suddenly realise you are feeling brighter or less tired or happier, depending on what you have taken.

Wild Clematis, or Old Man’s

I love these remedies and really enjoyed the little films that tell you why the plants were used. It is then such fun spotting the plants as they grow in the wild. I suspect that my husband, if he reads this article, will be giving me industrial amounts of Beach and possibly Impatiens, another remedy for being irritated and impatient, although, of course, I don’t think I need them!

n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email Pellyfiona@gmail.com).

What if there are no mistakes?

by Daisy Campbell

WHAT if where we are is exactly where we are meant to be? What if there are no mistakes, no wrong turns, no wrong decisions? What if even the most painful moments are precious lessons, lessons that help us to become who we are here to be. Wouldn’t that be a relief?

I find a common theme that comes up with my clients, is that they feel they should have done things differently. When I look at them and really hear them, I see that they are exactly where they need to be – easy, I know, from a distance! This is not to say that we shouldn’t want and desire to change things going forward, but that we should resist the urge to beat ourselves up about where we have been and what we have done. It has actually been there to serve us perfectly, although hard to see at the time. Could it be that we have all come here with very personal things to learn and go through? This might help us to make

sense as to why some people have such hard lives compared to us, or we feel we have such a tough time compared to others. Sometimes it can feel like it just doesn’t make sense or that life isn’t fair, when, in fact, we are all just experiencing our own specific and very meaningful set of lessons.

Life is an ever-changing journey, a journey that brings joy and a journey that brings pain. If we can begin to see the more challenging moments as ones we can grow and learn from, this can help to shed a new light on sometimes very difficult situations. It certainly doesn’t take the pain away, but perhaps it can help to soothe us a bit, knowing that through it we are learning something important, an unknown lesson that will mould and shape who we are becoming, for the better. I find when I attempt to adopt this thought process, it helps to remind me to surrender to what is – and no, this doesn’t mean giving up on your dreams and what you want, or suppressing

your feelings, but that it helps us to not fight the situation we are in, rather see it in a new way.

We are all on a unique path filled with our own precious moments, some rich with laughter and smiles and some filled with tears and gripping pain, pain that we feel we may never recover from. But when we look back, although the pain is never really gone, is it now wrapped in a soft layer of

empathy and love and wisdom that we didn’t have before? We are all exactly where we need to be, right now. Trust all is working out perfectly, although a bit bumpy and sometimes uncomfortable, your beautiful story is unravelling just as it should. Is there not great peace in that?

n Daisy Campbell is a certified health coach. For gentle guidance and help to make changes, phone 07740 864616.

Wild Clematis, or Old Man’s Beard, is a remedy for those who have their head in the clouds and unable to live in the present

Field & Stream

‘As the month of July rolls on, so the combines will roll out’

by AJ Selby

“WAS a hot afternoon, the last day of June, and the sun was a demon.” Bobby Goldsboro –Summer the First Time

JULY is the turning point of the year with the peak summer days just passed and a very slow descent to autumn in the offing. Of course, we still have all of July and August to enjoy warm weather and very often this continues into the first half of September, so summer is long from over. However, the observant nature watcher will notice the gradual changes as there is less energy in the plants, less urgency in nesting birds and life for man and beast moves at a more languid pace.

During April and May our feathered friends are non-stop in getting their young hatched and fledged so that they are big enough and strong enough to fend for themselves and prepare for either a home stay winter or a long trip to warmer, southern climes until next spring.

Many plants are controlled by daylight hours, so their flowering and seeding coincides with the most propitious time to shed seeds and start the next generation. Their energy now switches from luxuriant growth to flowering and reproduction.

Our native mammals too have a chance to enjoy the warmer weather where smaller species, such as harvest mice, voles and shrews, need less food for keeping themselves warm than in the winter – supplies are of course, more plentiful now. Come September they will start to feast in earnest on autumn’s bounty to pile on the ounces for winter.

Likewise, the ubiquitous grey squirrels, who I can tolerate, but I would rather see more of our native reds. I have seen them in south west Ireland and in

A combine harvester hard at work on a hot summer’s day

Scotland, and on Brownsea here but not on the English mainland.

Learning about what plants flower and when to expect them is a good skill and if you have your favourite walks you will know when and where to find the rarer ones. I went looking for the orchids in Frog Hollow again a few weeks ago and there they were. Beautiful.

It’s also great fun to watch a television drama and be quite smug about the continuity or time – often I have pointed out that the village fete can’t be in August on the screen as the bluebells are in flower in the hedge banks or the ox-eye daisies are out. Once I saw may blossom in a scene and then the caption said “one month earlier” and the later flowering elder was out! I get more pedantic about this as I get older, but all in good fun.

The last 10 days or so of June saw perfect haymaking weather and the mowers, turners, tedders and balers were out in force. After a wet year when it never seemed to stop raining and the clouds rarely parted to give us any more than a teasing glimpse of blue, a settled week with

sunshine was a call to arms for the haymakers. Crops look fairly decent from what I have seen and with reasonable quality in the grass – this starts to wane after the solstice – so to cut a decent amount before the end of June gave the farmers both bulk and bales of a decent standard.

As the month of July rolls on, so the combines will roll out. I do love watching the big machines eat up the acres of golden corn and spew the straw out the back with the grain safely in the tank and thence to a waiting trailer.

Having driven them back in the day when I had more hair and all my own teeth, I envy the drivers who have the satisfying job bringing the harvest home – I will allow for difficult days of damp ears and lodged stalks. To sit high above the acres of burnished gold watching all around as the reel guides the stalks and ears into the header is a great pleasure.

There is still that primeval urge of storing for the coming winter and the grain harvest perfectly reflects this.

There is a pair of ravens up in the village and I was

watching them in the farmyard being both very noisy and very cautious. These big, black birds have always been associated with myths, legends and foreboding. Edgar Allan Poe wrote the poem The Raven nearly 180 years ago and it tells the story of a distraught lover visited by a talking raven. The first verse makes the reader keen to continue:

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore — While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping, As of someone gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.

“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door— Only this and nothing more.”

In Greek mythology, the raven, which was white, was the messenger of Apollo and informed him that his lover was unfaithful. In his anger, he burnt the messenger bird, which is why ravens are now black. They are fascinating birds to observe, and the myths and legends associated with them are certainly worth a further read.

Home & Garden

Hydrangeas big in Japan

by Sally Gregson

WE gardeners are quite used to growing hydrangeas –mopheads, lacecaps and those bearing panicles of cream flowers that fade pink. But then, when I first started getting involved with them, I began to realise that there were other, less commonly grown species. Many come from the islands of Japan, and when my nursery started to specialise in hydrangeas, I decided to concentrate on the lesser-known Japanese Hydrangea serrata, which western growers seem to ignore.

They are native to the cool, mountainous central region of Honshu, the main island of Japan, and are one of the traditional plants of “old” Japan, where they are grown widely. There are several special forms of H. serrata with the epithet “Amacha”, and it is these that are made into a “tea” that is drunk to celebrate the birthday of the Buddha.

It is important to emphasize that only those with that name can be made into tea and drunk. The remainder contain a form of cyanide. Hydrangea serrata and H. macrophylla are particularly

Beth Chatto’s mantra: ‘The right plant in the right place’

by Sally Gregson

AFTER such a wet winter, it can be tempting to assume that we all have plenty of water to spare for irrigation. But these days watering a garden can, or should, seem a little unnecessary. If plenty of garden compost was incorporated into the planting holes, and a thick mulch of organic, fibrous compost is put down around the plants, it most certainly is.

But. Despite planting correctly with drought-lovers on sandy, well-drained soil, often the plants don’t read the books. And we lose plants to drought. But perhaps another surface would survive better –composted bark or even gravel.

Famously, the legendary Beth Chatto converted the gravel car park by her nursery into a dry garden. She planted everything with plenty of garden compost, mulched it all and refused to water anything after the first winter. Anything that did not survive, died, and was not replanted. The result is an exercise in correct planting.

H.serrata “Shojo”

poisonous. It’s quite a useful fact for gardeners who are plagued by rabbits and deer, which can’t read labels. There are many other forms, among them the dwarf H. serrata “Diadem”, with flowers the translucent blue of a summer sky in a large pot of ericaceous compost. Or H. serrata “Beni Yama” with white florets like the painted face of a geisha, splashed lipstick-red as they age, and H.serrata “Shojo” whose flowers are pastel pink in alkaline soils and fade to a rich red that tones with the

LOCAL HANDYMAN

“The right plant in the right place”, was her mantra, and she stood by it.

Conversely, in the damp shade around the lakes beneath mature trees and bamboos, Beth Chatto planted those luxuriant plants that love wet, heavy soils. Here she grew, and her successors still do, plenty of hydrangeas that love damp shade. Alongside them she grew lots of ferns, hostas and oriental primulas.

In the really wet areas, she planted rodgersias, rheums and Iris laevigata, and they thrived. Even during a drought, the ground remained damp enough.

So, if your hydrangeas, oriental primulas and astilbes are wilting in the sun, it might be judicious to replant them in a cool, shady position, well out of the sunshine, and preferably with plenty of fibrous material in the soil. And if the sun is shining mercilessly, keep them watered with that precious resource, and move them in the autumn when there is more rain around.

reddening leaves in late summer.

There are very many more named varieties of H. serrata in Japan than there are in the West. The reason for their popularity is not at first clear. The market for pot plants is huge in a country with so little land to spare, where most people live in tiny apartments with small balconies and are yet very prosperous. The appetite for different plants is as voracious as it is here – a testament to a “plantaholic” population and one that does not suffer from vandalism.

The diminutive H. serrata has long been a winner for potculture and is grown extensively. So, try a pretty H. serrata in a container in the shady part of the terrace. It will flower from July and many repeat or have reddening flowers all summer.

AVAILABLE for both Indoor and Outdoor jobs. All jobs considered big or small. Mobile 07388 932670

Business

BUSINESSES in the service and hospitality sectors in Purbeck are being urged to be ready for long-awaited legislation on tipping.

Swanage law firm Ellis Jones Solicitors – with town centre offices in High Street – is advising business owners and employers to ensure their policies and procedures are compliant with the new rules. Its call comes after the Government announced that its Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023’s code of practice is to take effect on October 1.

The much-anticipated legal changes mean that business owners and employers will be required to manage staff tips in

Key measures include:

by editor@dorsetbiznews. co.uk

BOURNEMOUTH University (BU) has been ranked among the best universities worldwide for its sustainability. It is placed joint 39th – out of nearly 2,000 universities –in the global Times Higher Education Impact Rankings 2024.

The Impact Rankings measure the work of universities against the UN Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

a fair and transparent way –with the Government intending for the full amount to be passed on to employees.

n Tips to be distributed fairly among workers, including those on zero-hours contracts.

n Employers to have a written policy on display about allocation of tips.

n Employees have a right to request information about tipping records.

n A statutory code of practice which will have legal force.

Kate Brooks, partner and head of employment/HR services at Ellis Jones, said: “There is currently no legal obligation for employers to pass

Lawyers warn of tipping point for hospitality and leisure University rates highly for sustainability

Each university receives a score against criteria for each UNSDG to create an overall score, which is then ranked against other participating universities.

As well as an overall ranking, universities are awarded rankings by goal.

on tips and service charges to employees.

“This long-awaited legislation will be welcomed in many quarters for the clarity and structure it brings to a grey area for employers, employees and consumers.

“Although the majority of businesses are responsible employers, those which fail to comply run the risk of credible employment tribunal claims.

“It is important that employers in leisure, hospitality and the service industry understand the new criteria and are ready to meet its requirements.”

us to make sure we’re doing all we can to make the world a better place, and to act sustainably in the work we do.

“I’m continually proud of our performance in this ranking as it shows that our efforts are working – we will continue to strive to ensure that we make progress in protecting and preserving a sustainable environment now and in the future.”

Professor John Vinney, vice-chancellor of Bournemouth University, said: “The UN Sustainable Development Goals are a useful driver for us in helping

Lois Betts, sustainability manager at BU, said: “Our annual report shows the progress we continue to make across all the UN Sustainable Development Goals.

“Everyone at BU contributes through their teaching, research and actions on campus and beyond.

The Tipping Act was granted Royal Assent on May 2, 2023, amending the Employment Rights Act 1996.

The Government published its draft code of practice in late April with the intention for it to take effect on October 1. The code and implementation date were approved by Parliament on May 14, 2024.

It said the new rules would protect the tips of two million workers in England, Wales and Scotland in the hospitality, leisure and services sectors, resulting in an estimated extra £200 million going into their pockets.

“I am particularly pleased to see our world-leading performance in SDG 12 Responsible Production and Consumption.

“This is due to our careful management of waste on campus to avoid landfill and achieve high recycling rates.

“We work closely with our supply chain partners, and the behaviour of our staff and students makes a big difference in reducing the amount of waste we produce by reusing and avoiding unnecessary purchases where possible.”

BU is in the top 10 for UK universities included in the rankings.

It shares 39th place worldwide with Kyungpook National University in South Korea and the University of Newcastle in Australia.

Kate Brooks – partner and head of Employment at Ellis Jones Solicitors, which has offices in Swanage

Brewery team’s litter pick for Founder’s Day

by editor@dorsetbiznews. co.uk

TEAM members from Hall & Woodhouse (H&W) held a litter pick across Dorset as part of the family brewer’s annual Founder’s Day celebrations.

Participants came from the H&W Brewery and also The Duchess of Cornwall, St Peter’s Finger, Lulworth Cove Inn, The Old Granary and other pubs in its estate across the south of England.

The traditional initiative involves collecting as much rubbish and litter as possible to help encourage cleaner communities.

H&W’s Founder’s Day is held to commemorate the anniversary of the business’s founding in 1777.

Anthony Woodhouse (right), chair of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “At Hall & Woodhouse, community is at the centre of our purpose, and we continually look for ways to give back.

a team and the event always delivers a real sense of reward and pride.

“We started the annual litter pick 12 years ago and have contributed to keeping streets, beaches and residential areas clean ever since.

“The team’s playfully competitive nature to dispose of the most litter is a great addition to the tradition.”

Each Founder’s Day, the Badger Brewery team releases a special edition beer to celebrate.

“Our annual Founder’s Day celebration is a great opportunity to come together as

This year, the Teamwork Stingo ale commemorates two figures from the Woodhouse family, Edward and John Woodhouse.

Teamwork Stingo is the second beer in a series of five

that celebrate the five-year countdown until the business’s 250th anniversary in 2027.

Anthony said: “John and Edward Woodhouse were brothers who brought distinct yet complementary skills to the important business of brewing characterful ales.

“My uncle John was head brewer and a director from 1952 until 1986 and grew the brewing output from 50,000 to over 300,000 barrels in that time.

Litter pickers in action at The Duchess of Cornwall in Poundbury

“My father, Edward, was chair for 26 years. His futurefocused mindset modernised the business and set it on a solid foundation for generations to come.It’s special to acknowledge their role in the H&W business with this year’s Founder’s Day ale.”

ARMISHAWS SMALL MOVES

Its not the size that matters it’s the way you move it!

Armishaws operate a fleet of small removal vans throughout Dorset,

and Wilshire catering for those clients who only

With

Motoring

AA calls for graduated licence for new drivers

THE AA is calling for the introduction of a Graduated Driver Licence (GDL), which would help address teenage deaths on the roads by limiting same-age passengers for newly qualified drivers for six months once they have passed their test.

An average of five people a day are killed on UK roads and 82 are seriously injured, but one in five young drivers crash within a year of passing their test and 1,500-plus young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year.

Edmund King, AA president, said: “One of the major issues that needs to be addressed is the needless deaths of young drivers, their passengers and others caught up in these crashes.

“Each year nearly 5,000 people are killed or seriously injured in crashes involving at least one young driver.

“One in five young drivers crash within a year of passing their test.

“The AA believes we need a system of graduated learning with a logbook whereby all learners need to demonstrate their skills on all types of roads, and crucially on rural roads where 71% of new driver fatal crashes occur, and in different weather conditions and different times of day or night.

“Once they have passed their test, the driver shouldn’t be allowed to carry same age passengers for at least six

months as research shows that with every same age passenger, they are four times more likely to crash.

“Most people don’t realise, until it is too late, that road traffic injuries are the leading cause of death for children and young adults aged five-29 years according to the World Health Organisation.

“We owe it to the next generation to introduce positive measures that will help give them healthy and prosperous lives.”

Sharron Huddleston, who has formed the Forget-me-not Families Uniting group for those like herself who have lost loved ones in crashes, said: “Graduated licences are a crucial issue.

“How many more young people need to die before action is taken?

“We can’t sit back any longer and just watch as more and more young people are killed or seriously injured in road collisions.

“Our message to all political parties is simple – listen to us, listen to the experts, listen to The AA and learn from other countries, who have seen a huge reduction in young driver and passenger deaths after introducing graduated driving licensing for young novice drivers.

“My daughter, Caitlin, would be alive today if action had been taken when the concept of graduated licences was floated years ago.”

Motorists can’t see signs for foliage

THREE-QUARTERS

(74%) of drivers say speed limit signs are the most likely type of sign to be covered up by overgrown foliage, with 30mph signs –which are widely used to control speeds in villages and street-lit areas – the most commonly obscured, according to new analysis from the RAC.

Over half (53%) of motorists say obscured signs are a frequent occurrence on their journeys, with a further 39%

saying signs are occasionally harder to see in the warmer months.

Only one-in-10 drivers (8%) say obscured signs are not a

A partly obscured warning triangle sign on a low railway bridge

problem on roads near them.

The RAC’s findings reveal that out-of-control foliage can have a detrimental effect on safety behind the wheel.

More than four-in-10 (42%) motorists who noticed signage obscured by foliage said it led to them accidentally breaking the speed limit, and a quarter (26%) said they missed

important information that compromised theirs or someone else’s safety.

Some 28% claimed to have missed a turn and nearly one-in-10 (8%) said they ended up driving in the wrong direction.

“Red circle” signs that tell drivers what they must do, seem to be the ones most often hidden by untrimmed trees and bushes.

Over half (52%) of drivers said 30mph signs were the most obscured by foliage, where a further four-in-10 (39%) said 40mph signs were hardest to see and 16% said 20mph signs were overgrown.

1,500-plus young drivers are killed or seriously injured each year

Anyone for tennis?

by Amy Brenan,

director of Heirlooms Jewellers, 21 South Street, Wareham

IT’S the middle of Wimbledon fortnight, so it seemed like a good opportunity to talk about tennis bracelets!

Before it was known as the tennis bracelet, this style of jewellery was commonly referred to as a “diamond line bracelet” or an “eternity bracelet.”

These bracelets featured a symmetrical pattern of diamonds or gemstones, set in a precious metal chain.

The simple design meant that the stones took pride of place and it became a popular choice for elegant, everyday wear.

The name “tennis bracelet” was introduced after an unusual event during the 1978 US Open Tennis Championship.

Chris Evert, a renowned and respected professional tennis player, was in the middle of a match when her diamond bracelet snapped, sending diamonds scattering across the court.

Evert asked for a pause in the match to retrieve the precious gemstones.

As you can imagine, this caused a media frenzy and the term “tennis bracelet” was born!

Evert’s bracelet was a classic diamond line bracelet, traditionally worn on the left wrist, known for its secure but flexible design.

The incident highlighted the bracelet’s practicality and elegance, and it became very popular with both athletes and fashion followers.

Following the Evert incident, the tennis bracelet surged in popularity.

Jewellery designers began to innovate, creating variations that featured different types of gemstones, metals and settings.

In fact, Evert herself collaborated with Monica Rich Kosann, the New York-based jeweller, to craft a line of thoughtfully designed bracelets with details that referenced that fateful match.

The classic diamond tennis bracelet remained a staple, but jewellery lovers can now choose from sapphires, emeralds, rubies and more, set in gold, platinum or silver.

Treasure trove of curiosities in Summer Auction

UPCOMING at Duke’s on Thursday, July 11, is the annual Summer Auction, showcasing a trove of curiosities and wonders of exceptional variety.

From furniture to fine art, the Summer Auction promises to be one of Duke’s most diverse.

The sale features magnificent collections curated from the property of several renowned estates including The Old Rectory (Ickham), The Egerton Place Collection, The Old Vicarage (Chideock), Great Hayes (Surrey), and The Digby Family.

A highlight of the collection is an oil on canvas (pictured) after Antonio da Correggio (1489-1534) titled Holy Family with Saint Jerome, estimated at £2,000-

£4,000.

The complete online catalogue will be available to view at dukes-auctions.com, before the auction.

The physical catalogue can be ordered now at £20 plus shipping.

For more information on the auction, or purchasing a catalogue, email enquiries@dukes-auctions. com.

The term “tennis bracelet” came into being following a tennis match in which star women’s player Chris Evert’s bracelet snapped, scattering diamonds across the court

Close encounters on the Congo

THIS year we commemorate the 50th anniversary of one of the largest expeditions Britain and the Scientific Exploration Society has organised in Africa.

In 1974 our task was to research the terrible eye disease “River Blindness” that infects 20 million. At the same time, we were to take teams of scientists to study the botany, geology and zoology of the vast Congo basin, then known as Zaire.

To do this, we navigated the great 2,700-mile, rapid-strewn river in a variety of craft supported by an Army Air Corps Beaver plane. It was also the centenary of Sir Henry Morton Stanley's three-year legendary expedition across Africa to finalise the source of the Nile and our multi-national team, 160 strong, had some challenging moments.

One inflatable boat, commanded by the late Captain Mike Gambier, Royal Marines of Taunton, encountered a giant hippo that objected to its presence and bit the boat in half. The Army chaplain on board was in touch with his head office and the crew was picked up by a Royal Engineers craft, leaving the hippo, having eaten the inflatable, suffering from an attack of wind!

A few nights later I was woken on our flag boat by a huge hippo whose exit from the river we blocked. Local soldiers were reaching for their rifles, but remembering that large mammals detest highpitched sound, I blasted him with our loud hailer and he fled.

In the dense Ituri rainforest we met tiny pygmies who led us to find the strange Okapi, or forest giraffe. Seeking this rare creature, I met a screaming Pygmy racing towards me,

by John BlashfordSnell,

a former British Army officer, explorer and author, who founded Operation Raleigh and the Scientific Exploration Society

pursued by four angry forest elephants, bellowing in rage. They recognise pygmies as their natural enemy and will charge them on sight. Diving behind a tree, I let them thunder past, scattering foliage.

Back on the river, my assistant, Pam Baker – later Lady Coleridge, from Devon – had adopted a bush baby. Being nocturnal, Tiddlypush, as she called the small furry animal, was a useless pet, preferring at night to climb into one's sleeping bag and do something unspeakable. To keep him out of trouble, Pam kept him in her shirt. Later, an angry chief demanded payment

to cross his territory, and Pam, who spoke Lingala, tried to pacify him. Suddenly the man's eyes bulged. Tiddlypush, asleep in Pam's shirt, had woken and was peering at him from her neckline. The chief fled in terror!

Stopping at riverside towns, we were generously entertained. After each party I was presented with some local beauties for my amusement! I tried all excuses to escape the ladies, but they would have been insulted, so I asked a Zaire Sergeant to act as my representative and care for them. He seemed very happy with this arrangement, but

eventually had to be evacuated with a somewhat anti-social disease.

In three months, our boats managed to navigate some terrifying rapids and one small inflatable was sucked into a massive whirlpool. The three-man crew was hurled into the vortex and rescued at the last minute by Corporal Neil Rickards, Royal Marines, who took his own craft into the whirlpool. He later received the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

On completion of our voyage the Zairois gave us a great party at a smart hotel in Kinshasa. It was livened up by the late arrival of an Irish Guards officer, covered in mud from a frantic drive through the bush. To smarten up, he rushed in with a large packet of soap powder and plunged into the swimming pool, turning it into a massive bubble bath.

Understandably it added to our reputation as a bunch of maniacs!

n TO raise funds to assist future generations of explorers, a lecture by John BlashfordSnell and some members of the Zaire-Congo River Expedition is being given at the Royal Geographical Society, London SW7 2AR on Thursday, November 12. Tickets are £22, available from Eventbrite.

John Blashford-Snell (above), Pam Baker and Tiddlypush (below left), an okapi and David Gestetner in Kinsuka Rapids

A world of etiquette, scandal and matchmaking

LOVE Riot, a classic rom-com with a wild new heart, is being staged in an open air performance at Kimmeridge Bay next month.

The production is a reimagining of Hannah Cowley’s classic play, The Belle’s Stratagem, with audiences invited to step into a world of etiquette, scandal and matchmaking.

Promised by her father to the dashing Doricourt from a young age, Letty has worked for years to corset up her wild heart, to

ready herself for a dream marriage. But now the much longed-for day has arrived, Doricourt sees her only as a business transaction.

Faced with a loveless future, Letty’s heart starts beating again – can she defy convention, shape her own destiny and be free to find love her own way?

Love Riot is being staged by Miracle Theatre, from Cornwall, which is celebrating its 45th anniversary this year, in association with Artsreach,

YOU HAVE A STORY?

Will up close and personal

MULTI-AWARD-WINNING

pop superstar Will Young is set to play Lighthouse Poole as part of a 50-date UK tour this autumn.

Young (pictured) is promising an up close and personal evening of acoustic performances, stories and conversation, as he showcases his new album.

Light it Up promises a

return to joyous pop in a 10-track collection.

Will said: “I think for me it was about finally feeling more content and being able to go back to embracing joyous unashamed pop music.

“I really hope this is the go-to pop album for a dance, for a cry and for a celebration. I know I do all three with it.”

The concert is on Sunday, November 10, and tickets are available from the box office on 01202 280000 and at www. lighthousepoole.co.uk.

Dorset’s touring arts charity. The show is presented at Kimmeridge Bay (07879 473693) on Friday, August 2.

New tours of Roman house

FIND out what the Romans did for Dorchester in a tour of a fine building from the era.

Dates for a new and improved tour of Dorchester’s Roman townhouse are available to book on the Dorset Museum & Art Gallery website.

Tours begin at the museum and gallery, where trained guides will talk about the history of Roman Dorchester (Durnovaria) and what life was like at that time.

Visitors can then enjoy a guided viewing of the Roman artefacts on display in the People’s Dorset gallery.

They will also be able to enter the townhouse structure to see the mosaics up close, and explore the grounds.

To book, visit dorsetmuseum. org/romantownhouse/ or visit the museum shop.

Full details of gate opening times, barbecues and refreshments are available online at artsreach.co.uk.

THE Dorset Chamber Choir has announced details of its 2024 summer concert, Summer Serenade.

It will be singing a selection of music perfect for a summer evening.

The programme includes madrigals and folk songs, items by Byrd, Elgar, Monteverdi and others, as well as settings of the Te Deum by Vaughan-Williams and Charpentier.

The choir will be conducted by its musical director, John Watkins, and piano accompaniment is by Chris Dowie.

The concert is on Friday, July 12, starting at 7pm, at Merley House, Merley House Lane, Wimborne (BH21 3AA).

Tickets cost £15, reduced to £5 for students and children. They are available from choir members and at the door –subject to availability.

For further details, visit the choir’s website, www. dorsetchamberchoir.com.

Miracle Theatre, from Cornwall, will be performing Love Riot, a reimagining of The Belle’s Stratagem, at Kimmeridge Bay

20 years of Blue

ONE of Britain’s biggest ever pop acts, Blue, will play Lighthouse Poole later this year as part of a greatest hits tour to celebrate their 20th anniversary.

Blue have sold 15 million records worldwide and in the UK have had three number one albums and 10 top 10 singles, including three number ones.

The band, made up of Antony Costa, Duncan James, Lee Ryan and Simon Webbe, formed in London in 2000 and had their first hit, All Rise, in 2001.

Their debut album, also called All Rise, spawned four top 10 singles, including the number ones Too Close and If You Come Back.

They followed up their successful debut with two more popular albums, One Love, number one in 2002, featuring the number one lead track, also called One Love, and follow up singles U Make Me Wanna and Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word with Elton John.

The third album, Guilty, in 2003, was their third to debut at number one and featured another star duet, with Stevie Wonder and Angie Stone on the track Signed, Sealed, Delivered, I’m Yours, which reached number 11.

In November 2004, they released the Best of Blue, which would signal the start of an extended break for the band

Ben picks up panto prize

THE star of last year’s Lighthouse Poole panto production, Aladdin, was named Best Newcomer at the annual Pantomime Awards.

Benjamin Armstrong held off stellar competition from the likes of acting legend David Suchet and Strictly Come Dancing star Kevin Clifton, among others.

He received his award, at Guildford’s G Live venue, from presenters Ore Oduba, Angellica Bell and Myra DuBois.

“What a fantastic achievement, we are so proud of Ben,” said delighted Lighthouse chief executive Elspeth McBain.

“Aladdin was a fantastic production from beginning to end, and from the moment we saw Ben in the auditions we knew he was perfect for the title

members to pursue solo interests in music and acting, before singing I Can in Eurovision in 2011.

The big reunion happened in 2013 with a documentary series and live tour.

Blue joined the likes of 5ive, Atomic Kitten, 911, Liberty X, Bewitched and the Honeyz, performing at venues across the country.

Albums Roulette and Colours followed in 2013 and 2015, and a tour in 2015.

Their latest album, Heart and Soul, was released in 2022 with an arena tour to promote it.

Blue announced their

role.

“His singing, his dancing, his all-round performance, everything was so assured – it’s hard to believe it was his first ever panto.

“And now the judges agree he’s the best in the land.”

The success of Aladdin at the Pantomime Awards – the “Oscars” of the panto industry – follows last year’s success for Lighthouse when Andrew Pollard and Alim Jadavji won Best Sisters for playing Nadine and Doris in Cinderella, which was also nominated as Best Panto, losing out only to Sir Ian McKellen in Mother Goose.

Both shows were written and directed by Chris Jarvis with the Lighthouse creative team including production designer James Smith, choreographer

Greatest Hits tour towards the end of last year and began it this spring.

They said: “As this is a theatre tour, we wanted it to have a different kind of feel –welcoming, more intimate with the chance to sing our biggest hits and share stories with our fans who have been with us for so many years now.

“We can’t wait to put this show together and get it out there!”

They are playing Lighthouse Poole on Sunday, September 29 – for tickets, phone the box office on 01202 280000 or visit www.lighthousepoole.co.uk.

Daniel Donaldson Todd and musical director Adam Tuffrey.

The awards were taking place for the third year and the UK Pantomime Association’s 70 judges collectively visited 259 venues, seeing more than 728 performances.

“It’s such a privilege and a massive thrill for Lighthouse to be recognised by our peers in this way,” added Elspeth.

“Huge congratulations to

Ben, of course, but also to our dear friend Chris Jarvis – a panto genius – and the creative team of James, Daniel and Adam who are already working hard on Sleeping Beauty for this year.”

Tickets are on sale now for Sleeping Beauty, which runs from Thursday, December 12, 2024, to Sunday, January 5, 2025, at www.lighthousepoole. co.uk.

All rise: Blue are stopping off at Lighthouse Poole on the Greatest Hits tour

In the picture (from left) Elspeth McBain, Lighthouse chief executive; Benjamin Armstrong, Best Newcomer to Pantomime; Tim Colegate, Lighthouse head of programming; Ashton Corbin, Lighthouse programming executive

Theatre, song and dance in store...

A SEASON of performing arts is under way this summer at Kingston Lacy, the National Trust property near Wimborne.

There are two opportunities to catch the Lord Chamberlain’s Men, performing Hamlet on Friday, July 12, and Thursday, July 25.

Audiences will be able to see Shakespeare’s greatest play as Shakespeare himself would have seen it, in the open air, with an all-male cast and Elizabethan costumes, music and dance.

The ever-popular Illyria Outdoor Theatre company are presenting the family-friendly Dr Dolittle on Thursday, August 29.

Tickets for evening theatre performances start from £18 for adults and £11 for children. Audience members should remember to take a picnic and rug.

All things food with Jay

by Lorraine Gibson

CALLING all foodies!

Journalist and MasterChef judge, Jay Rayner, will be on stage in Christchurch for the first time ever with an intimate show full of stories and laughs.

He also hosts The Kitchen Cabinet on Radio 4, in which a panel of culinary experts come up with titbits and recipes aimed at changing how listeners regard, source and cook food.

Rayner, as much an authority on food as his guests, certainly knows his Colman’s from his Dijon and his Alba white from a porcini, and has been The Observer’s restaurant critic for 25 years, reviewing the very best and the very worst eating experiences in the UK and beyond.

Son of the much-loved

journalist, Claire Rayner, his flowing locks, impeccable taste and rapier wit have earned him a huge following.

In this exclusive evening, he shares tales from his career in journalism, of what he has learned from a life in restaurants and speaks candidly of his pet peeves at the table.

The evening will conclude with an audience question and answer session.

Jay Rayner is at The Regent on Friday, August 16, at 7.30pm.

Spotlight Diary

Visitors to Kingston Lacy on Saturday, August 3, can enjoy a modern take on the traditional Morris folk dance, with the all-female troupe Boss Morris, who performed at the Brit Awards in 2023.

There is no charge to see their performances – see the website for timings – but normal property admission applies.

Bournemouth-based Funky Little Beach Choir will be bringing their dynamic, upbeat harmonies to Kingston Lacy on Wednesday, August 28.

The choir, who recently performed with choirmaster Gareth Malone, can be heard at 12.30pm and 2.30pm –performances are free but normal property admission applies.

For more information, visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ kingston-lacy.

entries are £6 plus VAT per entry, per month. The deadline for the July 22 issue is NOON on July 15. Call on 01963 400186 or email adverts@blackmorevale.net

JULY 2024

MONDAY

CHORAL SOCIETY. Lady St.Mary Church, Wm. Till 9.30. New singers always welcome. 01202 632678. warehamchoral@gmail.com

SATURDAY

DRIVE AT ST MARY’S CHURCH, Rectory Classroom, Swanage. Every Saturday. Tea and coffee provided. Very friendly group. Contact Richard: 01929 553516

MasterChef judge, Jay Rayner

Dr Dolittle will be talking to the animals at Kingston Lacy

PHOTO: Illyria Outdoor Theatre

Arts & Entertainment

Grass roots and cowboy boots at foot-stomping music festival

by Lorraine Gibson

GIT yer banjo and mosey on down to that ultimate of hoedowns, the Rustic Stomp, to welcome back last year’s headliners, Moonshine Wagon, newcomers Angry Zeta and a barn-full of other acts.

“If there’s a fiddle, banjo, guitar, accordion, double-bass or mandolin playing in Dorset this July, it’ll be here,” said organiser, Ski Daddle.

“You won’t find a greater collection of gifted musicians in a field for a weekend anywhere else in the county.”

Moonshine Wagon are a heavy-bluegrass band from the Basque Country.

They have been touring Europe and US in their motorhome, “The Wagon”, and doing what they love mostbringing the “yeehah”.

Angry Zeta cut their teeth on the distracted audiences of the streets of Buenos Aires.

“They learned early how to get a crowd’s attention,” said Ski.

“Once they have it, you won’t be able to look away.

“Fast is their tempo of

choice, and loud is how they make themselves known with their iconic bluegrass-countrypunk sound.”

It’s all about authenticity.

“It’s the perfect place to see local country, hoedown and skiffle bands, and be introduced to new music from the international scene,” said Ski.

“Many bands performed in the UK for the first time here, garnered a national following and now return year after year.”

Other big hitters from the Roots-Americana scene include Frank from Blue Velvet, The Boot Heel Playboys, Jayke Orvis & The Band of Brothers and the Joli Blon Cajun Band.

They are joined by local favourites like the Trav Cats, Ribble, The Jimmy Hillbillies,

Dead Horse Bay, 16 String Jack and Burg & The Vagabond Choir.

Stomp began 10 years ago when Hawkeye Houlihan and friends hosted the Wonky Donk festival at the Donkey Sanctuary in Lytchett Matravers.

Following the pandemic, they wrapped that and other events into one and the Rustic Stomp was born.

Hawkeye said: “We aim to increase the accessibility of this type of music to a wider audience and promote the local artists that provide the backbone to the scene, as well as bring in top-ranking national and international stars.”

Running over three days, the Rustic Stomp festival attracts a loyal following and welcomes

newcomers with open arms.

And with more than 60 “rootsy” acts, an Elvis tribute artist, vegan food and a weatherproof barn, it has the shindig shenanigans covered.

The Rustic Stomp festival is at Pikes Farm, Organford, from Thursday, July 11, to Sunday, July 15.

In the picture (clockwise, from above) Angry Zeta; Elvis, aka Garry Foley, meets banjo master Flatfoot Johnny; The Jimmy Hillbillies; Jayke Orvis and his Band of Brothers; and Millie Watson

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