The Purbeck Gazette - Issue 312

PHOTOS: National Trust/Pete Christie

What’s inside this issue...

n Chat show host Graham Norton (right) will be sharing tales from his star-studded sofa when he visits Lighthouse Poole this autumn

n Shaun Colvin (left) from Lychett Minster has passed away at the age of 14. His school and mother pay tribute

Puffin watch to aid iconic birds

THE lives of puffins nesting on the cliffs near Dancing Ledge in Purbeck will be monitored on newly installed cameras in a bid to help save the iconic birds.

The cliffs are the last known nesting site for puffins on mainland southern England and it is hoped the cameras will reveal why the birds are struggling to breed.

In the early 1900s, puffins were abundant in Purbeck and along the Dorset coastline, but they have declined severely over the last century or so.

The colony in Purbeck is now tiny and isolated – the nearest being Alderney on the Channel Islands and the Isles of Scilly off the Cornish coast.

Marine ornithologist, Dr Richard Caldow, noted three nesting pairs of puffins on the site last summer, but all failed to breed successfully.

He said: “Every day, the puffins seemed to be taking plenty of fish to the nests, which indicates that the food source

wasn’t a problem.

“But after three weeks, they stopped their deliveries.

“The pufflings – chicks –need to be fed for six weeks before they leave the nest, so there must have been a reason why the adults stopped taking them fish – such as the chicks having been predated by rats, gulls or crows.”

The project is being supported by Dorset Wildlife Trust, which has provided expertise and advice.

High ropes experts lowered the cameras about 20 metres down a sheer cliff face where

HOUSE sales in a Dorset town are the slowest in the UK, according to new figures.

Data from online property site Rightmove shows the average time it takes to find a buyer for a property in Swanage is 136 days, the longest of all towns and cities featured.

It is followed by St Ives, in Cornwall, which takes 129 days, and Brixham, Devon, which takes an average of 119 days.

“Some of the current slowest markets are areas that are close to the coast and were ‘race for space’ hotspots during the pandemic,” a Rightmove spokesperson said.

The three areas that are fastest for finding a buyer are all in Scotland – Carluke (24 days), Falkirk (26) and Larbert (27).

“If you’re thinking of selling your home, it’s worth looking at what’s happening in your local area, to get an idea of how the market is performing, and any local trends,” the spokesperson added.

Cameras have been installed on the cliffs near Dancing Ledge in Purbeck to monitor puffins during the breeding season

they were fixed into place.

Ben Cooke, area ranger for the National Trust in Purbeck, said: “These cameras will be key to helping us plan for the future of these special, rare seabirds.

“They’ll help collect important evidence of what’s happening with the puffin

colony, then we can assess if there is anything we can do to help.

“For example, if rats are the problem, we can look at ways to protect the nests from them.

“Along with our partner organisations, we’re committed to doing whatever we can to prevent the loss of this muchloved species.”

Dancing Ledge is a popular spot on the south Purbeck coastline, used by walkers, climbers and other activity groups.

Because of the inaccessible location of the puffin nests, the easiest way to spot them is from the sea – Durlston Country Park and Birds of Poole Harbour run guided boat trips in the summer.

Ben added: “While enjoying this spectacular landscape, we ask that people take their rubbish home with them, including left-over food.

“If rats are identified as the main problem for the puffins, then discarded food will exacerbate the issue.”

PHOTO: National Trust/ Pete Christie

Celebrity chef Lesley cooks up a storm at sixth form opening

CELEBRITY chef Lesley

Waters gave a helping hand to students at the official opening of a new professional training kitchen in Christchurch.

The star was among guests as charity Autism Unlimited unveiled its new Portfield School Sixth Form.

A professional training kitchen is among facilities on offer at the former Airfield Road warehouse, which has been redeveloped into a sixth form venue.

Other visitors at the official opening included Councillor Vivienne Charrett, Mayor of Christchurch, enjoying guided tours of the new building, the chance to meet teachers and enjoy entertainment from the Portfield School Sixth Form Band.

Chef Lesley, a regular on James Martin’s Saturday Morning and Ready Steady Cook, joined in the fun, staging healthy food masterclasses with students in the kitchen.

She has previously supported Autism Unlimited’s Big Brekkie campaign and has hosted parents and carers of students at her Dorset cookery school.

“It was wonderful to spend time with Portfield School Sixth Form students and tutors at their

amazing new building, and to share some tips on ways they can cook simply and healthily in their fabulous new kitchen,” she said.

“Autism Unlimited has been supporting autistic children, young people and their families across the region for over 50 years and I am proud to be able to show my appreciation for that work.

“It’s deeply satisfying for me to see how the new sixth form is helping young autistic people to transition so successfully into adulthood.”

Among the students cooking with Lesley was Luke, who

Josh has catch of the day

YOUNG angler Josh Roe claimed his first win of the season in Dorchester & District Angling Society’s junior section at Luckfield Lake in Broadmayne.

Josh (pictured) managed 14lb 6oz of quality roach, a catch which included a nice tench as a bonus.

Despite the muddy conditions, nine juniors turned out to fish the silverfish-only match.

One or two nice Carp were caught, which sadly did not count, and were return unrecorded.

Alec Campbell took his maiden podium with a very

Slade (Lib Dem, Broadstone), joined the guests in touring the building and meeting staff and students.

In addition to the impressive training kitchen, the building has modern tutor rooms, workshop areas, social areas and outdoor space.

The kitchen, outdoor trampoline and sensory garden, together with the recording studio have all been possible thanks to a number of grants and individual donors, including a £10,000 donation from the Talbot Village Trust.

Siún Cranny, chief executive of Autism Unlimited, said: “Portfield School Sixth Form aims to nurture talent, and foster success and fulfilment in adulthood.

“Our new building is an environment in which young people thrive and it’s been wonderful to open its doors to the public and show people what we do.

said: “Lesley is really nice and a brilliant cook. I have learned some very important tips from her today.”

Fellow student Jack added: “I’m really enjoying coming to the new sixth form building because it is so modern and has lots of great facilities.

“I especially like the gym because I want to get fitter and the recording studio where we can play, write and record our own music.”

Portfield School Sixth Form was designed in consultation with students and built with the support of BCP Council. Leader of the council, Vikki

respectable 13lb 8oz for second place. Harry Cryer took third just 2oz behind Alec with 13lb 6oz.

Anyone who would like to know more about DDAS Juniors and the events it hosts, should visit www. ddasjuniors.co.uk or contact junior secretary, Graham Howard, at juniors.sec@ d-das.com.

“We are immensely grateful to Lesley Waters for attending the launch. Her knowledge of food, cooking and nutrition is incredibly beneficial to us all, and I know her visit will prompt many of our students to become even more creative in the kitchen.”

Additional entertainment at the launch was provided The Dhol Foundation Drummers and a ceilidh band.

The Sixth Form’s ‘Brew Crew’ of trained student baristas also served hot drinks.

For more information on Portfield School Sixth Form, email Carol.Borwick@autismunlimited.org.

Autism Unlimited chief executive Siún Cranny, celebrity chef Lesley Waters, Cllr Vivienne Charrett, mayor of Christchurch, and Vikki Slade leader of BCP Council

Folk festival helps out food bank

THE Swanage Folk Festival fills people’s heads with good music each year – and this year it is also helping fill Swanage Food Bank.

The festival, a not-for-profit organisation run by volunteers which helps good causes with any surplus it makes, has presented £1,000 to the food bank from last year’s event.

Festival chair Jon Baker said: “Inflation, high heating

SWANAGE FOODBANK

and food costs make the Swanage Food Bank needed more than ever before.

“We focus on supporting the local community. As part of donating any surplus we generate, we wanted to support the great work the food bank does locally. “

Swanage Folk Festival is this year giving any surplus to Swanage Food Bank, WillDoes and supporting local children to learn how to play music.

THE food bank provides emergency food aid to those in need. It will provide three meals a day for three to seven days for each member of a household.

How it works

ANYONE in need an emergency food parcel should seek a referral and/or food bank voucher from one of the following agencies: Citizens Advice, Swanage Children’s Centre, REACH, Social Services (children’s and adult’s), youth workers, schools, church leaders/reps, Purbeck Mental Health Team, housing association officers, PDC Housing Needs.

Individuals can self-refer by calling Swanage Food Bank on 07759 230313.

Giving to the food bank

BLUE food bins for donated items can be found in Budgens, the Co-op, Costcutter and Spar.

Collection points are also available in local churches.

Swanage Food Bank is moving to the United Reformed Church, High Street, Swanage, this month.

Cheque point: Swanage Folk Festival’s treasurer Matt Piper and chair Jon Baker, along with Lucy Cocke and food bank treasurer Ian Bandy

School’s tribute to a ‘positive, thoughtful and kind’ student

LYCHETT Minster youngster Shaun Colvin has passed away suddenly at the age of 14.

Shaun died at home on Sunday, April 7, Lychett Minster School said, having lived with a brain tumour (tectal glioma) for a number of years.

“He was always positive, thoughtful and kind,” a spokesperson said. “In his short life, he achieved a great deal and gained the admiration and love of all who met him.

“He was actively involved in the Scout movement, which he loved. He achieved an impressive number of badges. He was very proud to wear his

scout uniform in school on Remembrance Day.

“In school he had a genuine curiosity for learning and developed a real love of science.

“In the 2023 prize giving ceremony Shaun won the Carol Beverley Science Trophy – an award for the most promising scientist in Key Stage 3.”

Harbouring ambitions to travel the world, the youngster was able to go to Naples with fellow pupils, visiting Mount Vesuvius, Pompeii and the Amalfi coast.

His mum, Alison, who is deputy head of Wealden House at the school, wrote on his

return: “I am so very grateful to Shaun’s teachers for giving him this opportunity, he has just been filling me in on every detail and has had the most incredible time.

“Eight years ago, we were not sure of his future, and even at that young age he set his sights on having as many experiences as he could, especially involving travel.

“When he could not run around like the other children, he would sit for hours reading books about foreign shores and planned to see as much of the world as he could.

“Although he was never in any doubt, we were unsure we

would ever reach the point of him venturing far without us so this has been an enormous milestone.”

A school spokesperson added: “It is hard to think of a young man who has endured so much but borne it with such cheerfulness and courage.

“He will be greatly missed.

“We do appreciate that the sad news of Shaun’s passing will come as a terrible shock to those who knew him.”

As a result, the school said a team of counsellors, mentors and educational psychologists would be on hand to support pupils.

“Our hearts go out to Mrs Alison Colvin, Shaun’s mother, his father Simon and his younger sister, Chloe,” the spokesperson added.

“We cannot imagine the pain they must be feeling at this time.

“We will be looking to provide a permanent memorial to Shaun at the school in the months ahead. We will discuss what form this will take with Shaun’s family.”

Ron the seal chills out on station’s slipway

THE RNLI station at Swanage has had a surprise visitor – a seal!

The pinniped – Christened Ron Seal by the charity base – was spotted on the jetty on the seafront.

“We’ve got a visitor,” the station posted on social media. Ron Seal is patrolling the end of the slipway, keeping it clear in case we need to launch on a rescue, although he now appears to be

asleep on the job…”

Dorset Wildlife Trust says two species of seal are native to UK waters and often spotted in the county – grey seals and common – or harbour – seals.

“The UK is important for both species, home to almost 40% of the global grey seal population and around 30% of the European subspecies of the common seal population,” the charity said.

Shaun Colvin has passed away at the age of just 14

PHOTO: Lytchett Minster School

Nursery’s special guest for World Book Day

TOPS Wareham Nursery hosted special guest, Councillor Ryan Holloway, as part of its World Book Day festivities.

World Book Day is celebrated annually to promote reading, storytelling and the joy of books among children and Cllr Holloway shared his favourite story, Tiger Who Came for Tea, with the eager listeners.

Nursery manager, Danielle Hewitt, said: “We were lucky enough to have a visit at the nursery from Cllr Ryan Holloway as part of our World Book Day celebrations.

“The children loved listening to the different stories and engaging with Cllr Holloway by talking about the different books and telling him what stories they enjoy reading at home.”

Cllr Holloway, a member of

the Corporate Parenting Board on Dorset Council, also discussed issues affecting nurseries with Danielle and regional manager, Stacey Nash, including the challenges the childcare sector may face with

the new funding coming in April.

They also discussed innovative solutions, such as the new project family hubs across Dorset being supported by Cllr Holloway and his fellow

councillor Beryl Ezzard aimed at supporting parents and their children.

Cllr Holloway said: “It was real pleasure again visiting the nursery, reading stories to the children and listening and talking to the staff as well.

“I very much look forward to coming back in the future.” v

Food charity seeks donations

WIMBORNE Community Food Supply is seeking donations as it helps families in food crisis.

The group would like donations of UHT milk, coffee, tinned foods, pasta and curry sauces, and packets of pasta.

The charity also welcomes toiletries and hygiene products.

Items can be dropped off at the Allendale Centre, or the Co-op stores in Wimborne and Colehill.

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.

Councillor Ryan Holloway read Tiger Who Came for Tea to children at Tops Wareham on World Book Day

David, 78, helping children’s hospice with desert trek

PENSIONER David Kemp, from Corfe Castle, will be hiking through the desert in Jordan this autumn in aid of Julia’s House children’s hospice.

David, 78, will be tackling the Petra Trek, a walk of about 48 miles over five days, with about 15 others in November to raise money for the hospice in Broadstone.

The walk finishes at the ancient city of Petra, which is carved out of rose-red sandstone rock – Petra means ‘rock’ in Greek – and featured in the film Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.

David needs to raise £2,900 by the end of August and has several fundraisers lined up.

A Rock Quiz is on sale in The Sweet Shop and the Village Stores in Corfe Castle Square, and in the Community Library in East Street.

David will also be at the village hall coffee mornings on Saturdays April 6, May 4, June 1 and July 6, the Aquarius Spring Fair on Saturday, April 20, and the May Fair in the Castle on Saturday, May 27, selling rock cakes, post cards of Purbeck’s rocks, Rock Quizzes, draw tickets for a bottle of champagne – Fizz Flutter – and inviting any other contributions towards his target.

More information on the trek will be on view.

David has also set up a Justgiving page for donations

Sunday 5th & 12th May 2024

Either 10am and 2pm

No need to pre-book. Just turn up!

Come and try this wonderful outdoor game! Members will be on hand to assist. Bowls will be provided. Please wear trainers/flat shoes/no heels.

- Fresh Air - Stay active - Challenge yourself

- Make new friends - Easy to learn, tricky to Master

For more information contact: Barrie Tatman, Club Secretary t: 01929 421162

| w: www.swanagebowlingclub.org.uk

f: facebook.com/Swanagebowlsclub

Entrances at Beach Gardens, Northbrook Road or Cauldon Ave, BH19 1PG

page/davidkemp-1694853078368.

David at the completion of St Edward’s Way, Shaftesbury

He can also accept cash or cheques at any time, and for anyone who would like to donate to him directly for Julia’s House online, he can provide

davimukem@aol.com. Julia’s House helps children with life-limiting conditions and their families throughout Dorset and Wiltshire but relies heavily on donations to provide its services.

Plan to turn barn into five family homes

A BARN in the Corfe Mullen greenbelt could be converted into five homes if plans are approved.

CL Planning, on behalf of Redbear (South) Ltd, has applied to Dorset Council for permission to convert a building at Little Manor Farm, in Waterloo Road.

The scheme would see four three-bed properties and one five-bed home created in the former agricultural barn.

Converting the barn would “enhance the immediate surrounds of the site”, the application said.

“The design of the proposal has been carefully conceived, taking account of the constraints and opportunities of the site,” it

said, and that the development would use “sympathetic materials to form five family homes”.

“New openings are proposed on the elevations of the barn and these have been sensitively designed so the legibility of the dwellings is subtle, with windows set in from the external frame of the building,” it added.

“The proposed conversion of the barn is sympathetic to its agricultural character, maintaining most of its original form and shape, while positively enhancing its appearance through the sensitive conversion, using soft and natural materials, into dwellings which will make use of a

building which is currently underutilised.”

Each home would have a private garden, as well as parking.

For more information, and to comment on the plans, log on to dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and search for application reference P/FUL/2024/01470.

Scams advice at library

DO you want to learn more about keeping safe from scams and fraud?

Then drop into Corfe Mullen Library on Friday, April 16, from 10.30am-noon.

A community development worker from Trading Standards at Dorset Council will give free guidance and advice. The event is free of charge.

More details are available from corfemullen library@ dorsetcouncil.gov.uk phone 01202 659755.

Vapes and cigarettes seized in raids on shops

SUSPECTED illegal vapes, cigarettes and tobacco have been seized from shops in Weymouth.

Members of Dorset Council’s Trading Standards team joined police and others for an operation in response to information about the alleged sale of illegal goods.

Sniffer dogs were among teams that raided premises on March 26, seizing around 1,000 vapes more than 18,000 cigarettes, and almost 7kg of hand rolling tobacco, in total.

A vehicle was also seized from each premises, as they were found to contain suspected illegal goods. No illegal goods were found at a third premises.

Vapes and e-cigarettes are regulated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which places restrictions on how much nicotine they can contain and what other chemicals can be

used. They also stipulate that child-resistant packaging is used, and health and safety warnings are clearly displayed.

However, many of the devices seized by Trading Standards teams flout these rules, and there are concerns that some may be designed specifically to appeal to children and young people.

HMRC estimates that the illicit market in tobacco duty

and related VAT was £2.8 billion in 2021 to 2022.

The proceeds of this crime are suspected to fund the smuggling of weapons, drugs and even human beings across the globe.

Neighbourhood Inspector Sam Goom, of Weymouth and Portland Police, added: “We are working closely with our partners in Trading Standards to target the illicit sale of illegal vapes and tobacco – most of

which end up being used by young people.

“We will continue to work hard to protect our community from the dangers of these illegal items. This day of action demonstrates our commitment to relentlessly pursue those who offer these items for sale within Weymouth.”

And Ben Hayes, Regional Trading Standards illegal tobacco & vapes officer, thanked members of the public for information regarding the alleged crimes.

“It’s vital that we recognise the importance of intelligence, and we thank members of the public for taking the time to report this information to us,” he said.

“Without this, these multiagency operations aren’t as successful. The sale and supply of illegal tobacco funds organised crime and harms your communities.”

The barn, at Little Manor Farm in Corfe Mullen, could become homes

Items seized during raids at premises in Weymouth IMAGE: Dorset Council

Police appeal over petrol station thefts

POLICE have released a CCTV image of a person they would like to trace in connection with thefts from a Bere Regis petrol station.

The incident happened between 1.40am and 2am on Thursday, April 4, when items were taken by two men from the Shell stop, in North Street.

After the incident, the individuals left the scene in a black Mercedes E220 in the direction of Wimborne.

PC Josh Hurwood, of Purbeck police, said: “We are carrying out enquiries into this incident and would like to hear from anyone who may have been in the area of the petrol station around the relevant time and has information to assist our investigation.

“I am issuing a CCTV image of a man I would like to identify and would ask anyone who

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recognises him to please get in touch.”

Anyone with information should contact Dorset Police via www.dorset.police.uk, or by calling 101, quoting incident number 55240049429, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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Sage and Stone is an independent gift and home furnishings shop who have recently relocated to Institute Road in Swanage. An Aladdin’s Cave for people who like nice, colourful and sometimes slightly different things.

A husband and wife team, Geoff and Polly enjoy sourcing gift and homeware items that are a little bit unusual, from the new to the preloved, from greetings cards to up-cycled nests of tables and candles to steampunk gorillas!

Prices to suit every budget you are always welcome to pop in and browse or simply say hello or if you can’t make it in to town you can always find us online www.sageandstone.co.uk

Police are keen to trace this person over thefts from the Shell shop in Bere Regis

PHOTO: Dorset Police

Police step up patrols to target ASB

POLICE patrols have been increased in Weymouth and Christchurch as part of an operation targeting anti-social behaviour (ASB).

Dorset Police officers are out and about in communities as part of the Government’s Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan, launched last year.

As part of the plan, extra resources have been given to allow uniformed police officers to spend time in problem areas.

The new funding comes with guidance about the types of crimes that should be used to identify areas to targetincluding street drinking and vehicle-related ASB.

The force used crime data from the last few years to identify places where these issues have been reported regularly to target patrols

precisely.

Chief Superintendent Heather Dixey said: “Dorset Police is committed to creating and maintaining a safe county for everyone.

“However, these dedicated patrols are just one part of the equation to reducing crime in the hotspots.

“Reports from the public help us to understand what and where crime is happening in our communities – if we don’t know about it, we can’t put a stop to it.

“Please continue to make reports to the police because your reports will directly influence the work that we do.

“Our officers will use dispersal powers to direct people away from hotspots if they act in an anti-social manner.

Extra patrols have begun in Weymouth and Christchurch after the Government launched an Anti-social Behaviour Action Plan last year PHOTO: Dorset Police

“Repeated ASB by individuals may lead to further action, including Community Protection Notices and Criminal Behaviour Orders.”

Hotspot policing patrols got underway at the start of this month in areas including Weymouth, Bournemouth and Christchurch.

Meanwhile, residents can find out more about their neighbourhood policing team and community contact events at www.dorset.police.uk/area/ your-area.

More than 7 0 0 bikes stolen

MORE than 700 bikes were stolen in Dorset last year, with people in the BH8 postcode area most likely to get theirs stolen. BH8 saw 101 thefts in 2023. The BH1 area saw 99 reported thefts over the same period and there were 45 thefts in BH2 with 42 in BH7.

Independent group’s elections candidates

THE Swanage Independent, a group of residents from Swanage who believe party politics should play no part in local councils, have released their election manifesto for the elections on Thursday, May 2.

The Swanage Independent will be fielding two candidates for Dorset Council, Philip Eades, an accountant and ex local councillor, and publican and Helen McDavid, a charity volunteer coordinator and ex-civil servant.

They will also be contesting Swanage South for the town council alongside Chris Wood, an emergency care assistant for South Western Ambulance.

Three candidates will be contesting Swanage North for the town council.

Megan Coward is a photography student who wants to be the youngest ever Swanage councillor and to speak for the young people of Swanage.

Sarah Brookes is a mental health professional, mum and campaigner for better facilities for young people.

Ian McDavid is a volunteer engine driver at the Swanage Railway with over 35 years’ service.

Mr Eades said: “We have assembled a diverse range of candidates with an incredibly positive manifesto that seeks to address the issues facing our lovely town.

“We ask that residents of Swanage vote for real change on May 2 and give us a chance to improve Swanage for everyone.”

‘Giant Sea Monster’ is back on show

FOSSIL fans can rejoice –the skull from Attenborough and the Giant Sea Monster television programme is back on display in Dorset.

The pliosaur, discovered by fabric designer and fossil hunter Philip Jacobs, can be seen at the Etches Collection in Kimmeridge.

All of his discoveries, including the pliosaur and a nearly complete ichthyosaur, are donated to the museum his friend Steve Etches runs.

The skull first went on display at the start of 2024, just days after the Attenborough programme was broadcast on the BBC.

Despite large crowds coming to Purbeck, the museum was forced to close in mid-February as refurbishment works were completed.

The makeover was made possible thanks to a £219,500

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grant from the Wolfson Foundation and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport’s Museums and Galleries Improvement Fund.

It was completed on time and the exhibition re-opened on March 25. But the fundraising effort isn’t over yet, with more money required to excavate the pliosaur’s body.

The Etches Collection told the Purbeck Gazette it will cost somewhere between £100,000 and £300,000 to do so.

To donate, visit justgiving. com/campaign/searex.

Pliosaur skull found in Kimmeridge Bay PHOTO: BBC Studios

Cheque point at animal rescue

RESIDENTS of a Dorchester care home have given Margaret Green Animal Rescue in Wareham homemade knitted blankets for the cats it looks after – and helped present £1,000 to the charity.

The residents from Maiden Castle House care were visiting the Church Knowle Rehoming and Visitor Centre to meet some of the animals on site.

They also helped hand over a cheque from Care South’s Chairman’s 2020 Fund, set up to give back to community groups, services and organisations which benefit the care provider’s residents, staff and Care at Home clients.

Penny Sargeant, board secretary for Care South, went along with Ashley Smith, home manager at Maiden Castle House, and Emma Norman, activities lead at the home, to present the cheque to Nigel Mason, chief executive of

Margaret Green Animal Rescue.

Penny said: “At Care South, the residents in our care greatly benefit from their visits to meet the animals at Margaret Green Animal Rescue, as well it bringing back happy memories of the pets they had throughout their lives.

“We are so pleased that we could give something back to support the fantastic work that the charity does to look after animals in need of re-homing.”

Joan, a Maiden Castle House resident, said: “It is a lovely place for the animals to live before they are adopted.”

Sybil, who also lives at Maiden Castle House, said she was impressed by the rabbit enclosure and the thought that had gone into making it a nice home for the animals.

Nigel Mason, chief executive of Margaret Green Animal Rescue, said: “The residents from Care South’s care homes

always arrive with huge smiles on their faces as they look forward to seeing all the animals here and making a fuss of them.

“We are thrilled to receive such a generous donation from Care South which will go towards helping all the animals in our care.”

The cheque for £1,000 for Margaret Green Animal Rescue

Regiment’s memorial bench as good as new

MEMBERS of the Purbeck branch of the Devon and Dorset Regimental Association welcomed Wareham mayor, Carol Turner, to the unveiling of a memorial bench outside St Martin’s Church.

Major Nick Speakman welcomed the mayor and said the seat had been presented 50 years ago but its condition had deteriorated.

behalf of the town council.

A brief act of Remembrance at the adjacent war memorial followed – five regimental standards flanking the memorial were paraded by Ken Chivers, Derek Burt, Ken Shipton, Bob Strickland and Steve Keane.

Branch chair Ken Chivers, who had done all the woodwork in 1973, set about renewing it – helped by vice-chair Derek Burt – and obtained a brass plaque.

Major Speakman invited the mayor to accept the bench on

Peter Metcalfe read the Dorset Regiment Collect, the mayor laid a regimental wreath and Captain Colin Parr read the Exhortation.

Thanks to the technical expertise of Robin Fraser the Last Post and Reveille were sounded in a moving way.

After a brief period of silent reflection Jasmin Metcalfe delivered the Kohima Epitaph.

Domestic abuse figures

DORSET Police recorded more than 12,000 cases of domestic abuse in 2023 –meaning that an average of 34 people every day reported the crime last year.

Recent statistics show that 24% per cent of all crime committed in the county was classed by the force as

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

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. Revocable Nature:

One of the advantages of a living trust is that it is revocable, meaning you can make changes to the trust or even revoke it entirely 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, thus maintaining control over the assets and allowing you to continue using and managing them as you did before. Should you move home the trust stays in place and protects your new residence. 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.

domestic abuse.

Men were perpetrators in 8,374 instances – more than three times as many as women – who were reported 2,596 times.

If you or someone you know is concerned about abuse visit paragonteam.org. uk/teams/dorset/

Members of the Purbeck branch of the Devon and Dorset Regimental Association and Wareham mayor, Carol Turner, at St Martin’s Church

Planet Purbeck’s top snorkelling spots

THE best snorkelling spots in south Dorset have been revealed in a new list.

Community group Planet Purbeck has put together the top spots for nature enthusiasts for a new Go Wet and Wild guide.

Members of the group’s marine and freshwater team collaborated to put the guide together, giving people the chance to savour the best of life below the waterline.

The list also gives people an insight into the creatures and plant life they might encounter.

Planet Purbeck’s Doug Skinner said: “Much of the attention about wildlife, conservation and ecology tends to be concentrated on the land, which sometimes means our coastlines and seas get a little lost and left behind, as it were.

“We want to engage people with the sea and the amazing things that are going on in it.

“Despite all the problems connected with the sea, such as pollution and over-fishing, there is still a huge amount of beauty there to be enjoyed.”

The best Dorset snorkelling

spots featured in the Planet Purbeck guide – and the experts’ notes – are:

n Man O’War Cove: A favourite. Spectacular reef and in suitable conditions you can swim around the headland and through Durdle Door. Breathtaking and unforgettable. n North Beach, Swanage, below the Grand Hotel: Numerous reefs with huge shoals of young fish, sand eels, wrasse, flatfish, crabs. Very accessible and great on a clear day but the longshore drift can be powerful and make it

Doug Skinner, of Planet Purbeck, which “wants to engage people with the sea”

challenging to follow the reefs out.

n Kimmeridge Bay: Glorious plant life and marine invertebrates, including coralline seaweeds and snakelocks anemones.

n Worbarrow Bay: Two sites here – near the Tout promontory, though watch out for spear fishermen, and Pondfield, a small rocky cove with caves.

n Redend Point, Studland Bay: Pipefish, razor shells and several varieties of crab and fish among the headland rocks.

Avoid weekends due to marine traffic.

n Boscombe: The offshore artificial reef has disappointed surfers, but has been colonised by flora and fauna.

n Stair Hole, west of Lulworth Cove: Impressive submarine environment. On a quiet day species such as dogfish and lobster may be seen. Also Mupe Bay, east of Lulworth Cove.

n Seacombe: A little known spot featuring great caves and kelp forest.

n Dancing Ledge: A kelp forest and dramatic submarine landscape.

n Ringstead: Beautiful during clear conditions though not the best for wildlife.

n Frenchman’s Ledge, Osmington: Recommended by ecologists.

n Church Ope Cove, east Portland: Busy but interesting rocky coastline.

The Planet Purbeck experts reminded people to make their own assessments of conditions at each site and be responsible for their own swimming skills.

Mr Skinner, who will be among the speakers at a Rewilding Our Seas event during Planet Purbeck’s 2024 festival in September, said: “As in all aspects of life, safety is paramount.”

Athey talks Boycott and more...

By Paul Pearson FORMER

Yorkshire, Gloucestershire, Sussex and England cricketer Bill Athey regaled tales about Geoff Boycott and other big names when he spoke at Dorset Cricket Society.

Born in Middlesbrough, Bill described his tough upbringing with considerable humour. He was also a useful footballer and was offered an apprenticeship by Jack Charlton at ‘Boro’, but he was set on joining Yorkshire CC.

Bill told some interesting and humorous tales about playing in the same team as Geoff Boycott. He related the time of his

England debut in the Centenary Test versus Australia at Lords in 1980.

Going in at number three with Boycott the not out batsman at the other end, Bill expected some words of encouragement from his county captain, but as he walked to the crease past him to face Dennis Lillee, he was totally ignored. Bill played 23 Tests and 31 ODIs with top scores of 123 and 142 respectively, but his England pinnacle was being a member of the Ashes team in the 1986/87 test series in Australia when England won the Ashes having been written off beforehand.

Bill singled out for praise his opening partner Chris Broad, batsmen Alan Lamb, David Gower and Mike Gatting, and spinners Phil Edmonds and John Emburey.

Bill was also on hand for the 1987 World Cup when, from being in total control, Mike Gatting was out attempting a risky reverse sweep and England collapsed with Australia winning by seven runs.

Athey was on the Pakistan tour and fielding at short leg when skipper Mike Gatting had the famous contretemps with umpire Shakoor Rana, which became the catalyst for neutral

umpires for International matches.

Domestically, Bill moved to Gloucestershire, tired of the in-fighting at Yorkshire.

During his eight years there he roomed with Jack Russell and Bill kept his audience amused with many interesting stories about Jack.

He then moved to Sussex and had one game for Worcestershire when he was their coach before taking up a position as a coach at Dulwich College in south-east London.

In a career spanning 21 years Bill scored more than 25,000 runs in first class cricket, a rare landmark.

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chance to vote for change.

In May, Dorset decides its next Police & Crime Commissioner As your independent candidate with no party political agenda, my priorities are clear and direct

Higher visibility of police, Safety for women & girls, and supporting our young people

Change doesn't come from party politics It comes from real understanding, being on the ground, and a relentless pursuit of what's right for our community

Election Day: 2nd May 2024 Dorset Police & Crime Commissioner Election 2024

Sport

Swans win with last kick of the game

By Ron Butler Swanage & Wareham 34

Dorchester 32

SWANAGE & Wareham welcomed Dorchester to Bestwall in their final game of the Southern Counties League season – and it turned out to be a very competitive match to the end.

In the first minute, a Dorchester fumble led to full-back Lewis Reeves running out wide to score Swans opening try, and fly-half Will Slack added the extras.

Dorchester came back at Swans from the restart and from a scrum powered over the try line under the posts. The try was converted.

Swans were up to their old tricks giving away penalties, and Dorchester were winning

the line-outs, and after 15 minutes a scrum to Dorchester saw them run the ball along the backs to score in the corner.

Then, from a loose ball, Swans winger George Crouch picked up and ran through to score in the corner.

A misplaced Dorchester pass saw winger Ollie Dillon capitalise and run in to score under the posts, Will Slack converting.

Another try in the corner by Ollie Dillon put Swans further ahead, but just before the half-time break a push-over try by Dorchester in the corner took the interval score to Swans 24 Dorchester 17.

Early in the second half, Swans attacked the Dorchester

Late drama away at league leaders

Blandford United 2

Swanage & Herston 1

SWANS suffered stoppage time heartbreak, conceding in the 90th minute and a penalty five minutes later, against table toppers Blandford United in the Dorset Premier League.

Swans soaked up early pressure then hit the Royals with a brilliant solo goal on nine minutes from the dangerous Cody Moore, who bent a superb shot in the top corner.

The league leaders enjoyed the lion’s share of the play but were unable to break down the determined Swans defence, superbly marshalled by Brad Smith, and skipper Taylor Hibbs, who produced some brilliant saves.

The second half continued in the same vein with Blandford creating chances, including when Ford hit the bar with a great header, but

RUGBY FOOTBALL

Hibbs was again the saviour with a string of great saves.

Swans nearly doubled their lead, catching Blandford on the break, but Moore delayed his shot and the chance went.

The Royals pressed for the equaliser but Swans held on – but just as a shock result looked possible, Mark Ford received a long throw in the box and swivelled and hit both posts with his shot before the ball found the net.

The drama and Swans heartbreak was complete in the 95th minute when the referee awarded the hosts a penalty which Steve Smith coolly dispatched.

Swans bleak afternoon was complete when at the final whistle their skipper and keeper Taylor Hibbs suffered a serious knee injury.

Swans: T Hibbs, J Hughes, B Smith,

line, but as the ball was passed along the Swans backs, the Dorchester winger intercepted and ran in unopposed to score a converted try under the posts.

The play settled down somewhat but Dorchester were winning the scrums with their heavier forwards.

However, from a maul, Swans wing-forward Conor Moag split the Dorchester defence and ran round to score under the posts. Will Slack converted.

A Dorchester centre made a break and went through the Swans defence and scored a try half way out, although the conversion was missed.

Swans gave away a penalty outside their 22, but Dorchester tried the kick which was converted, taking the away side

into the lead by a point. Swans were on the offensive in the Dorchester 22 for the rest of the match but could not score until close to the end when Dorchester collapsed a ruck on the line.

That could have led to a penalty try, but the referee awarded a penalty close to the posts, and Will Slack converted with the last kick of the game.

n SWANAGE & Wareham 2nd XV confirmed themselves Dorset & Wiltshire Division 3 champions with a comfortable victory at Bournemouth 3rd XV winning by 37–12.

including a penalty, and a strike from Sam Willcocks. Swans controlled most of the second-half but were unable to add to their tally.

Swans Reserves 4

Canford United 0

SWANS Reserves produced a superb first-half to gain a comprehensive win against third-placed Canford in Dorset League Division 2.

All the goals came in the first period with a hat-trick from the superb Sam Peacock,

However, it was three valuable points and a superb win for the bottom of the table side, and perhaps a kick-start to their survival.

Team: G Taylor, J Goldsack, J Crosland, R Lock, R Moss, M Dunster, S Peacock, T Parrott, C Furmage, S Willcocks, S Grygiel. Subs: N Dragon, C Brassington, J Rowley, A Burgess, Z Arp. Star man: Sam Peacock. Special mention: George Taylor and Ryan Moss.

Swans: L Reeves, G Crouch, E Dimescio, M Spencer, O Dillon, W Slack, O Peters, S Waterman, J Phillips, A Crouch, K Salina, M Seaton, T Holland, C Moag, M Roberts, G Smith, J Towers, K Jones.

Olly Smith, J Streams, D Keates (D Cavendish 75), C Lee, C Dyke, Ocean Smith (B Hughes 80), D Reeks, C Moore (M White 83). Star man: Taylor Hibbs. Special mention: Brad Smith. Subs: D Cavendish, M White, B Hughes.

Swans were ahead against Blandford until conceding a penalty in the 90th minute and then another goal five minutes later

Hard-hitting film on homelessness

I HAVE just been to see the film

Someone’s Daughter, Someone’s Son in Poole.

It should be required viewing for all politicians, national and local. It is a hard-hitting documentary about homelessness in the UK.

Unfortunately, the cinema was only a third full and all those who were there were probably already aware of and engaged in the issue.

Effectively it was preaching to the converted.

I am not ashamed to say we shed a few tears and came out at the end feeling angry and a bit helpless because although the film tried to end on a positive note, I am realistic – and old –enough to know that the issue probably won’t – even though it can – be solved or even properly addressed.

I would highly recommend the film to all your readers if it is showing in their area, especially if they want to know more about the causes of homelessness and what needs to be done to try to solve the problem.

Heather Bland

Alton Pancras Via email

D-Day events at Picnic in the Park

AS part of its annual Picnic in the Park, Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council is this year including events to coincide with the 80th anniversary of D-Day in 1944, including an exhibition about the momentous occasion.

We would like this to feature, if at all possible, the names of those people who were either born in the parish or who lived in the parish at that time and actually featured in D-Day.

We would therefore welcome any information or images that Purbeck Gazette readers could provide of such residents.

We can be contacted by email at office@lytchettminsterand upton-tc-gov.uk, phone on 01202 632070 or by post at

Lytchett Minster and Upton Town Council, 1 Moorland Parade, Moorland Way, Upton BH16 5JS.

Anyone is welcome to attend the event at Upton Recreation Ground on Saturday, June 8, from 1-5pm.

Councillor Ray Griffin

Lytchett Minster & Upton Town Council

Driven inside by the motor car

MANY of society’s problems stem from over-dependence on the motor vehicle and we must understand why this has happened to address it.

Road safety has greatly improved for vehicle occupants but at the cost of those outside of them.

Cars continue to grow in height and width to accommodate new safety features, while weight has doubled with electric.

If hit at 30mph, a person has a 50% chance of dying, rising to 98% as speeds reach 40mph.

When car use was restricted during Covid, all ages ventured out on foot and cycle.

What drove them back inside cars is fear of motor traffic, which affects young and old more through inability to judge speed or take avoidance action.

The human body is designed to withstand impacts up to 20mph and to walk away from such conflict, thus fatality reduces to 5%.

We will never eliminate human error, but we can eliminate its consequences.

Muscle inactivity is known to be linked to the big health hazards which affect us more as we age – obesity, diabetes, heart disease, osteo-arthritis, dementia and cancers, while, in younger people, lack of physical activity is connected to mental illness, lack of self-esteem and social interaction.

The cost of social care is crippling our country, while the needs of our struggling National Health Service and Accident & Emergency departments to meet ever increasing demands cannot

be ignored.

Why 20mph? Many reasons, but the health of our nation is an excellent starting point.

Dilys Gartside 20’s Plenty for Dorset campaign coordinator

Disability charity’s walk challenge

WE are inviting walkers and explorers to join Diverse Abilities, Dorset’s disability charity, and take on the Jurassic Coast Challenge over the weekend of May 18-19.

The challenge features a number of distances for participants of all experience levels.

Distances are from 10km to 100km but most of our Team DA will be participating in the 10km and 25km options, although people are welcome to take on any distance that suits them.

It’s a great way to see the beauty of the Jurassic Coast, while also making a huge difference to a charity right on your doorstep.

Entries include free food and drink at regular rest stops, plus support, including medics, marshals and massage, alongside a glass of fizz and a medal at the finish line.

Raise more than £25 and you’ll receive a free DA technical T-shirt or vest.

For more information, visit diverseabilities.org.uk/jurassic.

Francesca Potton Community fundraiser

Council needs to get a move on

REGARDING the former East Dorset District Council offices at Furzehill, can someone explain why it has taken years for this site to finally be put up for sale?

It’s the same with other sites in Wimborne, one being the old site called Pippins on the main road, now fenced off as it has been for some time.

Another is the site of the former shop in East StreetSturton & Tappers, also boarded up for a long time.

Why does it take so long for

these decisions to be made?

Meanwhile couples who have lived locally all their lives are having to wait for years to even be considered for a home.

Do get a move on Council!

Joy Elliott Wimborne

Fancy a fascinating new hobby?

LOOKING for a new, captivating and cost-effective hobby?

Then what about philately, or stamp collecting, which may only require a table, a magnifying glass, a pair of tweezers and a method of storage.

Great Britain has issued about 5,000 stamps since 1840 when it was the first country in the world to issue labels for pre-paid postage.

You can decide which of the many subjects to concentrate on from within the vast array of stamps available.

For example, collect by country, theme – cars, scientific discoveries, gardening and so on; dates – George V only; currency – such as every country with stamps denominated in pounds; shape –circular, triangular, irregular; or anything else you choose.

The cost is as little or as much as you wish to spend.

Charity shops are a good starting point where you can pick up a large bag of stamps for a pound or so.

These will be unsorted and will allow you to discover some of what is available.

Once the collecting bug has grabbed you, make a note of the Poole and Bournemouth Stamp and Postcard Club fair where dealers and collectors will be available to offer help and advice.

The fair is at St Dunstan’s Church Hall, Dorchester Road, Upton BH16 5JA on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

For more information about collecting and the fair contact davidlytch@gmail.com.

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

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.

Time for a re-think, Mr Drax

SWANAGE Labour Party has a record of actively promoting the well-being of Swanage and Purbeck. Our members, led by Swanage Labour Councillor Deb Monkhouse, were at the forefront of the successful campaign to save the Ambulance Car. We rallied behind Deb Monkhouse when she fought to save Poole A&E and Maternity Departments, and support her now as she campaigns to save valued local clinics.

Our members volunteer for Food for Thought Purbeck, which I chair. We support 100 families weekly through two mobile larders. We have supported the work of Swanage Community Housing and signposted support to households and individuals affected by the cost of living crisis through our Lifeline leaflet.

We highlighted – through a packed public meeting – the environmental mayhem fracking would unleash in Purbeck. We

added our voice to the campaign saying no to the Portland Incinerator. We handed in a petition of more than 1,000 signatures to Richard Drax in Westminster urging him to push for the proper funding of Dorset schools.

Our campaigns have been highlighted by local media, including local radio and newspapers, and have had crosscommunity support. In a town which has only ever had one Labour mayor, Avril Harris, and at the most two Labour town councillors, we have punched above our weight.

the UK fell into absolute policy in 2022-23, Lloyd assured us he would “hardwire” into his campaign the need to combat the poverty disfiguring the constituency.

We welcomed, therefore, the opportunity to quiz South Dorset’s newly selected Parliamentary candidate, Lloyd Hatton. We met with him in the Loft Swanage Community Centre one Sunday afternoon. At a time when Department for Work and Pensions figures reveal 300,000 more children in

Use of food banks is soaring across the UK – Lloyd said that malnutrition was now a “national issue”. Since 2010 it was clear the Conservatives had presided over falling living standards. South Dorset’s wealthy Conservative MP, Richard Drax, was invisible. He had done nothing to address the day to day challenges facing too many families in his constituency. What could he know of the cost of living crisis?

Lloyd said he would campaign to defend the NHS, locally and nationally. He would “hardwire” housing into his campaign – it was unacceptable that one in four properties in Swanage were

second homes or holiday lets, and that key workers could not afford to live in the town.

Responding to members’ concerns about polluted rivers and beaches – in August 2023 three South Dorset beaches were designated as sewage pollution risks – Lloyd said that action must be taken against the water companies responsible. He praised the work of Surfers Against Sewage.

Lloyd spoke warmly of the stand taken by Portland Labour mayor Carralyn Parkes against the Bibby Stockholm.

Electoral Calculus gives Lloyd a 71% chance of winning South Dorset. Perhaps after the general election Richard Drax will at last focus upon making reparations to the people of Barbados. He still owns his family’s ancestral sugar plantation, Drax Hall, on the island. Time for a change Mr Drax.

BRADEY

School’s out for lessons in politics

OVER the last week I have been hosting a group of work experience students in the constituency office. Ten students from six schools have given up a week of their Easter holiday to gain an insight into the world of local and national politics.

A few years ago, I was the chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Youth Employment, and it was clear from our research that it is important that young people can have the opportunity to see first-hand how the skills and knowledge they are developing at school can be transferred into the workplace.

My staff and I arrange a varied programme of activities, which are both interesting and reflect the types of work my staff and I do on a regular basis. This involves some of the more mundane administrative tasks, like putting hundreds of letters

into envelopes and delivering leaflets, as well as the highlights!

Over the last few days, the young people have had the chance to ask questions of a member of the House of Lords in a virtual Q & A; chat to my staff about what it is like to work in the seat of our democracy in Parliament; find out about being a local town or Dorset councillor; and chat to me about their plans for their future careers. They have asked me about being a local MP and Cabinet Minister, and we challenge them toowe ask them to imagine they are in charge. What laws would they change? What would they ban?

could be Prime Minister, who would they choose to be in the Cabinet?

Michael Tomlinson

How would they react to differing demands on their time?

What would they do to solve various national issues? If they

They also take part in a debate on an issue that might particularly affect young people. This time they chose the reintroduction of national service – a controversial topic! We have not yet had the debate – but I know it will be lively – with well-researched arguments on both sides. They will all have the chance to argue their point with two groups taking sides to hone their debating skills.

They’ve also been drafting some news items for my email newsletter and website, learning about the media side of being an MP. All this is combined with biscuits and cake, and I will be inviting them to Parliament to

see government in action later this term.

I hope to host another work experience week in the summer – if you want to know more about what the students did this week, and how they felt about it, please have a look on my website where you can find their diary entries for the week.

I continue to hold regular surgeries in the constituency, so please get in touch if there is something you need help with, or if you’d like me to visit your organisation or business. Email me on michael.tomlinson.mp@ parliament.uk or contact my office on 01202 624216. You can also follow what I’ve been doing on Facebook at www.facebook. com/michael4MDNP or on my website, www. michaeltomlinson.org.uk.

Chris Bradey

CHRIS

Chair, Swanage & Rural Purbeck Labour Party

Lib Dems’ agenda for change

LOCAL residents across Dorset are backing the Liberal Democrats to beat the Conservatives on May 2. Just a handful of extra votes for the Lib Dems in the local elections will end years of Conservative failure and neglect in our county.

Everyone knows that elections in Dorset are a clear choice between the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats. Labour and the Green Party can’t take control of the council – they’re too far behind and don’t have enough support across Dorset. Voting for Labour or the Greens will just let the Conservatives get back in.

Voting for the Lib Dems is the only way to deliver the positive change our county needs. Here is just a snippet of the plans we have. We will use Dorset Council’s

influence and our policies to improve NHS services for our residents, to support our current NHS staff and to encourage health professionals such as nurses, doctors and dentists into Dorset. We will support and invest in youth clubs, and we will improve mental health services for our young people. Concern for the environment and tackling climate change is core to Liberal Democrat beliefs. We will double the number of trees being planted in Dorset by the end of the next council. We will improve recycling by making it easier for residents to recycle such items as tetrapacs while not increasing the number of household bins. We will work to make homes cheaper to heat by improving energy efficiency

and insulation, and insist on high quality, energy efficient homes being built where legislation allows.

We will double the rate of building of new affordable homes by the end of the next council, boosting the local economy by supporting more key workers such as nurses and care staff, and young people and families to live in Dorset. We will use the powers of the council to reduce the amount of long-term empty homes in Dorset. We will look to use land Dorset Council owns to build genuine affordable housing in partnership with Registered Providers or through Homes Dorset.

We will work with bus companies to restore Saturday services on core routes as a

matter of urgency, to enable access to work, leisure and onward rail travel. We will work to improve journey times between our main towns and villages by operating more through services and ending the isolation of many villages. We will undertake a complete review of the charges for car parking to ensure that the policy supports both residents and town centre businesses.

Voting for the Lib Dems is the only way to deliver the positive change our county needs. The only way to end years of Conservative let down is to back the Liberal Democrats on a local level this May and in the general election whenever Rishi feels brave enough to call it.

CLLR MATT BELL Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate for South Dorset

Matt Bell

Robin Boultwood took this picture on a recent lovely spring day at Wareham Quay

Heritage line should think again on card only move

SWANAGE Railway has made a unilateral decision to stop taking cash. On the train, and in the shop. This is the little Swanage railway, not British Airways. It’s not a good idea at all and I genuinely believe that it will lose a considerable amount of business because not everyone has cards – many of us older patrons prefer to use cash. As a railway supporter and a longterm fan of this venture, I urge the management to think again.

But it doesn’t seem like there’s any way that a re-think will solve the problem with our national rail network – sorry, it’s too far down the line to turn around. As I mentioned last month, it’s over-priced, unreliable, strike-prone and at the mercy of unions who seem to have no interest in protecting their own jobs or indeed their very industry. An almost unintelligible pricing network with an uncertain future. European rail operators must be laughing up their sleeves at the mess the unions and successive governments have made of our national railway network.

They’re making their problems into our problems. So that’s it. Goodbye railway. Hello car. Maybe environmentally unfriendly but at least it gets me where I want to be, on time (ish), dry and a damned sight cheaper. Swanage to Gerard’s Cross. Two of us and luggage. Door to door. For four gallons of diesel. No contest.

AFTER much consideration, Linda and I have decided to

By David Hollister

postpone the meeting with the Police & Crime Commissioner (PCC) until after the forthcoming election. Two reasons – firstly, we would not wish it to be construed as a ‘hustings’ meeting to which we’d have been obliged to invite all candidates, and secondly as the purpose of the public meeting was to give you the opportunity to express your feelings to Mr Sidwick on the way that our towns are being policed – or not.

If the meeting became a formal hustings, rather than a report from the PCC, no operational comment from the force would be available, and it is those very operational issues that we wish to take up with him. We’ll shortly be meeting Marianne Storey, who’s standing against Mr Sidwick, and will explain to her the problems we’ve experienced over the past few years, so that in the event she is elected as PCC for Dorset, she can hit the ground running!

SO Dorset Council is ‘short of money’? It is OWED £47 million through non-payment of rents and taxes! Instead of apologising for more potholes, why not get some of that money into the coffers and fix them! Who from Dorset Council will put their head over the parapet and explain to Purbeck Gazette readers exactly how it has built up to such an obscene sum, what has been done so far to recover it and – more important – what are the plans to recover

it in the current financial year?

I’m told that rumours are going around Corfe Castle that the Village Shop has been taken over by the Co-Op. These are totally untrue. It is an independent store which independently buys some of its stock from the Co-Op. This is what independence means – the luxury of being able to source stock from the best and cheapest suppliers which may – or may not – include the Co-Op.

Rightmove advises that house sales in Swanage are the slowest in the UK; the average time it takes to find a buyer is 136 days, the longest of all towns and cities featured. It’s followed by St Ives (129 days) and Brixham (119 days). There was a ‘race for space’ during the covid pandemic, according to Rightmove, and what’s happening is a gradual readjustment. So don’t blame your agent – he’s doing his best. Have a little patience, it will all work out in the end.

THE ‘living wage’ has risen to £11.44 an hour for a 35-hour week. That’s £20,820 – not a lot when you consider the cost of buying and maintaining a home in Purbeck. And quite how pensioners are expected to survive on £11,492 a year is quite beyond me. Many pensioners would say – “we’ve paid our dues and we deserve better”. But too many pensioners these days feel that they have over their lifetime been paying into a ‘personal pension pot’. This is unfortunately not the case.

What their contributions have funded are the pensions of their forefathers – my dad’s contributions paid for my grandad’s and so forth. My NI contributions helped to fund my parents’ pensions. James’s NI contributions are helping to fund mine. And I’m really grateful for every penny he pays in.

No. It’s not a ‘pension pot’ – it’s called ‘socialism’, where the fortunate in this life

contribute to the upkeep of the less fortunate, and so on. So claims that “I’ve paid into this all my life and now it’s time I got it back” are not only inaccurate but can only serve to make people unhappy.

I’m grateful for all the contributions made by the next generation – my worries are that this pension gravy train we are all on is going to hit the buffers, and who will pay for the pensions of the next generation, because one thing is for certain – triple lock or no triple lock, the current government is making a right pig’s ear of the so-called security system. And I’m not ‘Tory bashing’, I’m telling it like it is. Which is my job.

IT’S now less than six weeks until our local elections (May 2), a period of heightened sensibility - so I’m prevented from making any party political comments – not that I would have anyway. We have a number of good candidates here in Purbeck, both at town and county level, along with the Police Commissioner. So all I can urge you, dear reader, is to study carefully the information that’s come through your letter boxes and see if you can work out which candidates are going to serve your needs LOCALLY. However you vote nationally, despite protestations from the local political parties, there really is no place for party politics in local government. Avoid throwing the baby out with the bathwater. And be careful what you wish for...

AND finally – your new local radio stations are progressing well. I’m with the team which will be bringing you ‘Purbeck Sounds’ – it’s not on FM, it’s online, which means you can pick us up on your computers and laptops, Alexa and similar devices. A few test shows are already being transmitted –hope you can listen in ready for the official launch at the end of May.

Nautical ‘pass the parcel’ ensures yacht safe from harm

WE’RE really lucky to have a string of lookouts along the Hampshire and Dorset coastline. Each station is based in what was a coastguard station prior to their closures in the mid 1990s. The legacy of these stations highlights the importance of the role that NCI has taken on, that being the “Eyes along the Coast”.

This was brought home to us during an incident in early March.

The weather was relatively bright but there was a strong north west wind that created fairly rough seas in Poole Bay and the Western Solent. Despite the bright weather, frequent squalls reduced visibility as they moved quickly along the coast. Around mid-morning, our colleagues at the Needles Lookout noticed a mediumsized yacht, called Coot, making its way out of the Solent. Although there was no apparent cause for concern, the sea and wind conditions were such that the watchkeepers decided they should keep a visual watch on the vessel as it made its way westward.

By Nick Reed

to keep a permanent watch on the vessel, while the other watchkeeper monitored communications and kept an eye on the waters immediately around the Point.

As the morning progressed it looked like the yacht had decided to head inshore and the Swanage watchkeepers called on the services of our lookout at Hengistbury Head. Although much lower than the Needles, their commanding position gave them a good view of the yacht and they began to support the Swanage team.

Surprisingly, Coot changed course and began heading towards Durlston Head. From the way the vessel was being sailed it was clear that the crew were experienced sailors and that our role was purely a monitoring exercise. When we talk to water users the feedback is that knowing that we are keeping watch makes them feel safer.

Despite their high vantage point above the Needles, the team began to find it difficult to track the vessel and so called through to the team at Swanage. With the aid of the range and bearing given to them by the watchkeepers on the Isle of Wight, they soon picked up the yacht and began tracking it. Conditions meant that it was necessary for one watchkeeper

With the vessel now clearly heading west, the lookout at Swanage contacted their colleagues at St Alban’s Head to prepare them to track the vessel as it rounded Anvil Point. With the Purbeck cliffs providing some protection from the strong north westerly winds, the team in the old coastguard station on the headland were perfectly placed to track the vessel into the relative haven of Weymouth Bay.

The feedback from the watchkeepers on duty was that the event was extremely useful and demonstrated the way the

stations can coordinate their actions. It may have felt a bit like nautical “pass the parcel” at times but, if anything had happened, our stations would have been on hand to provide assistance to our other colleagues in the search and rescue community.

THE value of the service we provide was further highlighted when the Swanage station received an award from the High Sheriff of Dorset. Established before the Norman conquest of 1066, the role of the High Sheriff was a royal appointment and was a powerful position responsible for collecting taxes and enforcing law and order in Dorset. Nowadays the role is largely ceremonial, presiding over public ceremonies. Appointed for a one-year term, the High Sheriff plays an active role in supporting work being done across the county, both in areas of emergency services as well as public sector bodies such as probation and prison services.

The Needles Lookout helped track the Coot PHOTO: NCI

With his background as a customs officer, and more recently as a magistrate, the High Sheriff, Colin Weston MBE JP, has been well placed to support those voluntary organisations working around law and order and the emergency services. In order to recognise the contribution made by those volunteers, Mr Weston hosted a ceremony at Dorset County Museum, in Dorchester. Under the theme “Helping One Another”, 22 recipients were given a High Sheriff Award which recognised the contributions of the individuals and groups at improving safety and lives in Dorset communities. Although the award was for the Swanage station, it was accepted by station manager, Martin Jones, as a recognition of the hard work and dedication of all the NCI volunteers in Dorset.

AS I write this article, Storm Nelson is battering the coast and threatening to make the Easter weekend a bit of a damp squib. At times during the day wind speeds of up to force 11 have been recorded at both stations. It is hoped the weather will improve before the May Bank Holiday weekend when both stations will be offering refreshments to our station visitors. The “hatch” will be open at St Alban’s on the Saturday, Sunday and Monday of the weekend, while “tea and cakes” will be served at Peveril Point on the Sunday and Monday.

Station manager, Martin Jones, with the award given by the High Sheriff of Dorset, Colin Weston PHOTO: Swanage NCI

Health & Wellbeing

Shun the ‘schmozzle’ and ask what’s important

By Alice Johnsen

WOULD you agree 2024 has felt a bit frantic so far?

Internationally, domestically and for many people it’s been unsettled personally.

With this in mind, I have been talking over on Instagram ¬– I’m @alicejohnsencoaching if you’re on ‘the gram’ – please come and follow me – about the value of contentment.

One follower sent me a wonderful poem called Simple Formula for Living which is too lovely not to share: Live beneath your means. Return everything you borrow. Stop blaming other people. Admit it when you make a mistake.

Give clothes not worn to charity.

Do something nice and try not to get caught. Listen more; talk less.

Every day, take a 30-minute walk.

Strive for excellence, not perfection. Be on time. Don’t make excuses.

Don’t argue. Get organised. Be kind to unkind people.

Let someone cut ahead of you in line.

Take time to be alone.

Cultivate good manners.

Be humble.

Realise and accept that life isn’t fair.

Know when to keep your mouth shut.

Go an entire day without criticising anyone.

Learn from the past. Plan for the future.

Live in the present. Don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s all small stuff.

I think these words bring us back to a good place. A

DORSET FOOT CLINIC

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grounding and reminder that we don’t always have to keep up with the fast pace of life today. A lot of the ‘stuff’ that’s deemed to be important just isn’t. In the same way that I help clients with the framework of their everyday life, I would suggest there is a lot of value in re-considering what your core values are.

What’s really important to you and what really matters in your life. Are those things getting enough attention and care? Or are the important things being diluted by a constant trickle of unimportant but attention grabbing “schmozzle”? Because I’m pretty sure the unimportant

“schmozzle” does not bring contentment in anything but a fleeting form.

Stripping back our lives to a simpler state and being aware of the core things, taking the pressure off ourselves to keep moving at a fast pace and taking time each day to notice the good things – these are all key but achievable steps to a more contented life. I hope these thoughts serve you well.

This is my last article for now, but my coaching is not changing, so do contact me if you would like to talk about coaching support.

n Alice Johnsen is a life coach (phone 07961 080513; visit www.alicejohnsen.co.uk).

Stripping back our lives to a simpler state and being aware of the core things is key to a more contented life

Skincare needn’t cost the earth

By Victoria Kunewyk

HAVE you ever considered making your own skincare? I have a super simple twoingredient recipe to make your own face cleanser, which will get rid of make-up, tone and moisturise your skin. I promise, you will not look back!

A few years ago, I developed an all-natural moisturising bar for my son to help manage his eczema and it’s since turned into a small business – and I love the fact I have since managed to help others with their dry skin issues, young and old, as a result.

Since then, I am always testing and trying different skincare recipes, as it is so important that we consider what we put on our skin and what packaging we are putting into our bins as a result.

All you will need is: witch hazel, sweet almond oil and a reusable leak-proof bottle.

Simply pour into a bottle at a ratio of 1:1, both the witch hazel and the sweet almond oil. The ingredients will separate in the bottle, so before applying to a cotton pad, always give the bottle a quick shake prior to use. It is that simple!

To personalise your cleanser

Nettle root: A must for men over 50

By Fiona Chapman

THIS rain is miserable, I am not sure if it is worse having had a break from winter and then coming back to continuous rain and mud, or better to stay in it and you don’t know any difference!

I, like I am sure many others, have been rushing out into the garden as soon as it begins to dry up. I have been doing lots of clearing to allow room to plant wildflowers and herbs, so have dug up huge great clumps of nettles. I feel somewhat guilty doing this as nettle is such a powerful and good herb from the leaves to the root to the seed, but I do have an awful lot of nettles and I need room for other herbs, so perhaps should not feel too bad!

As I was digging, I was thinking that I should be saving the roots, drying them and

to you and your skin type, you can add essential oils. For example, lavender and tea tree is a lovely blend for its antimicrobial properties, reducing inflammation and redness, or you can use frankincense to strengthen the skin, tone and lift the skin. Ensure you measure the essential oils, as it should not be more than 1% of the ingredient total. You don’t even have to use sweet almond oil. You can swap it for jojoba oil, coconut oil or even olive oil.

There are some great companies online for ingredients, such as The

Soapery and Naissance – some high street stores can be a bit pricey – and, don’t forget, once you have the basic ingredients, you can easily make more for yourself, as gifts, and before you know it, you’ll be making most of your skincare items, which in the long term saves you money and works wonders for your skin and the planet.

n IF you are looking for all-natural lip balms, moisturisers or even gemstone jewellery, all hand-made in Dorset by myself, look up my shop, which is on Etsy – kunewyk.etsy.com – or find me on social media.

either using them as cut dried root to decoct or to put them into a tincture.

Nettle roots are particularly good for their anti-inflammatory and decongestant action on the prostate gland. Really all men over the age of 50 should be taking nettle root! Even better is to juice the whole herb – so, leaves and roots. It is one of the western herbalist’s most powerful herbs as it contains many minerals, proteins and enzymes that are particularly good for nourishing the blood and encouraging the production of red blood cells.

The whole nettle is used for allergies such as hayfever and urticaria, the name Urtica dioica giving its use away, as it blocks histamine receptors. As it helps the liver to eliminate metabolic wastes, it is also used for arthritis and eczema.

I thought I would juice the whole nettle to see how easy it is and what the taste is like. It is quite a palaver and takes a lot of jet water to get the mud off the roots and soaking to try and clean the whole plant. You can only use the young roots, the old, yellow woody ones will not do. You need a powerful juicer and the juice that comes out is very dark green and quite thick.

The taste is a little zingy on the tongue and reminded me of a sort of earthy seaweed. Not unpleasant, but definitely an acquired taste. I prefer a nettle tea which is much less hassle and not quite so potent, and you can also use any remaining tea on your hair to soften it and promote growth.

n Fiona Chapman is a naturopathic herbalist (email

Nettle roots are particularly good for their anti-inflammatory and decongestant action on the prostate gland

Health & Wellbeing

Meditations in nature: Scaling the heights of the Langdale Pikes

By Susanna Curtin

APRIL is here, spring has sprung and the days are drawing longer. But the last few weeks have been quite trying and I have yearned to escape to the wilderness, where space, light and fresh air can cleanse away life’s stresses and strains.

So, I have ventured to the Lake District for a while. It is a soul place of mine – somewhere I can return to in order to take stock and to allow my thoughts to roam as freely as the landscape.

Today, I am venturing in the Langdale Pikes, where, in the words of Alfred Wainwright, “no mountain profile exerts and excites the attention more”. From Windermere, the Langdales hover over the landscape like knobbled giant knuckles. For a long time now, they have called me to their summits, and at last, that opportunity prevails. It is rather unpredictable weather, the showers that come and go are eventually forecast to stay as mountain rain and low cloud, but it matters not, for I am furnished with wet weather gear, food and a hot drink, and I am prepared for whatever the weather gods may bring.

My route today is 10-12 miles and a combined ascent of 850 metres. Parking at Old Dungeon Ghyll, the circular route that leads me back to my car takes me up Pike Howe, under Thorn Crag, up Harrison Stickle, past and up Pike O’Stickle, then north west to Langdale Combe to a final long descent through the perfect U-shaped valley of Mickleden where Neolithic and Norse

settlers once lived beneath the crags.

Like everywhere in this extraordinary landscape, it begins with a climb. Age and sore knees have altered the way I relate to mountains, and I no longer bound up them with the same speed, yet still I love the ascents. One foot in front of the other, slowly, and meditatively placed, eyes down to take in the myriad colours of the rocks beneath my feet – sometimes green slate or red iron oxide, but in this case

profound about the human quest to scale mountains, to gain height and look down upon our lives below. Up here, the veil between me and this beautiful planet is thinner, and somehow I feel better in myself than I did at the start.

Harrison Stickle is the highest point on the walk, and it is here where I stop for lunch and to look out over the summits I have previously scaled and intimately know. How quickly time in the mountain passes. A pair of ravens are displaying and affirming their bonds above me like aeronautical acrobats claiming these crags as their home. Just for a moment, I wonder what it might feel like to be them looking down at this strange lone human, for as much as I love it up here, I could never belong, as they do, to its wild, windy summit.

volcanic, pyroclastic shards, remnants of the hard lavas and ashes of volcanic eruptions 450 million years ago that make up the highest and craggiest mountains of the central Lake District.

Each step is a step towards the summit and a physical connection to this astonishing geology. Every now and then, when muscles and lungs determine, I stop for a few seconds to gather my strength and to see how far I have come. There is something quite

From Harrison, Pike O’Stickle lies ahead. Only a small climb to the summit of this crag from the tableland, but from its rounded top, there is an alarming sheer drop, 2,000 feet to the valley floor below. Descending Pike O’Stickle, the path becomes slippery as the clouds descend too and envelop me in a cold, foreboding grey mist. The forecast rain has arrived from the west. Time to make for Langdale Combe and begin the long downhill along a magical path that twists and turns around the terminal glacial moraines – remnants of the ice that carved out this enormous U-shaped valley.

Eventually back at base, the rain has stopped, and the golden setting sun breaks through. The remaining clouds are edged with pink and are perfectly reflected in the still water of Lake Windermere. There is a calmness in my heart and a feeling of achievement as I look back on the day and the mountain tops that have marked it.

n Dr Susie Curtin (email curtin.susanna@gmail.com).

The spectacular view from the summit of Harrison Pike

Making more of the garden

By Sally Gregson

AFTER such a very wet winter, many garden soils are heavy and waterlogged. Unless, of course, your garden is blessed with free-draining sandy soil, in which case you will be the envy of many of your friends who labour on heavy clays.

Such light soils, however, are really quite hard work. They are never satisfied. In spring they will need to be mulched with plenty of organic matter to keep all that moisture in the soil and available to the plants.

But on heavy soils, it’s the ideal time to lift and divide the herbaceous plants.

It is hoped the rains will have abated by the end of the month and any excess moisture will

drain away, allowing a little work on the garden borders.

In the case of the crowns of herbaceous plants such as Crocosmias, Helianthus and the latter-day Asters – that we now call Symphyotrichon or Callistephus – dig the crowns up with a garden fork and split them into however many pieces you need.

Discard the middle of the clump and make gardeners of your friends, and friends of fellow gardeners, by giving them each a piece or three. Otherwise, the best option is to put them on the compost heap, cleaned of weeds and passengers.

In the site of the new plantings, fork in plenty of

Captain Ingram restored symbol of diversity and peace

By Sally Gregson

ONE of the joys of our modern English gardens in spring is the glorious display of flowering cherry trees. They seem to relish the spring sunshine, and this year in particular, they are lifting our spirits after such a damp winter. In Japan, where they were originally grown and bred, flowering cherries are the symbol of the fleeting beauty of life.

Their wild forms are, for the most part, Japanese natives. But at the beginning of the 20th century they were under threat. The rulers of Japan were increasingly military men for

well-rotted garden compost to improve the soil texture, and re-plant the pieces. Give them a water just to settle the soil down around the roots and they will be ready for another season.

A more Draconian measure would be to lift all the plants in the border, barring the shrubs and trees, and treat the soil to a dressing of refreshing compost mixture. Use a tarpaulin for the excavated plants which can be

split and the divisions re-planted in improved soil. This is an exercise that is well worth the labour involved every five or six years, and after all that winter rain, now is the ideal time to work on at least a part of the border.

The plants will repay all your work by putting on a brilliant show all summer. And they will be more robust and resistant to any forthcoming drought!

whom the subtle differences of the wild forms were an anathema. Following a devastating earthquake and the pollution of the time, the Japanese rulers had decided to replant with a single, very successful named clone. It took over from the diverse species.

An Englishman, Captain Collingwod Ingram, visiting Japan in the early part of the century, had fallen in love with the different Japanese species. But when he returned in 1926, he was horrified by their loss.

So he decided to take cuttings of the increasingly rare forms and send them back to England

– to those he named the ‘cherry guardians’, the ‘Sakuramori’. Alas, most died in transit until one survived embedded in a raw potato.

There were still a few Japanese growers of the cherry who, treasonably, kept the increasingly rare forms alive, including one Toemon Sano, who also sent cuttings of the individual species to Ingram in England.

When Ingram returned cuttings from his English trees

after all conflict was over, he included Prunus ‘Tai Haku’, the great white cherry, which had been entirely lost in its native habitat.

Ingram’s cuttings succeeded and became the founding generations of today’s glorious cherry blossom displays. Once again, Japan is famous for its cherry blossom in spring.

Captain ‘Cherry’ Ingram had restored this beloved symbol of diversity and peace to post-war Japan.

It is the ideal time to lift and divide herbaceous plants like Crocosmias

Japan is famous for its cherry blossom in spring

Getting personal

By Amy Brenan, director of Heirlooms Jewellers, 21 South Street, Wareham

THERE is nothing quite like engraving a piece of jewellery to make it truly personal.

Whether it is a wedding ring, signet or seal ring, or a locket, cutting in words or a pattern makes it unique to the wearer.

Engraving was used thousands of years ago and there is evidence of its use on organic materials such as ivory tusk and bone as far back as the Stone Age.

The Romans were at the forefront of engraving precious gemstones such as agate and cornelian and, in rarer examples, sapphires and emeralds.

In the 17th and 18th centuries, engraving on precious metals like gold and silver became widespread.

Simple pieces could be adorned with meaningful patterns and fashionable designs such as acanthus leaves, scrolls and cherubs.

Important Latin family

mottos, armorials, crests and dedications were also added to personalise the item.

Signet and seal rings, usually made out of gold, are traditionally worn on the little finger by the gentleman of the family and are gifted on their 21st birthday.

These are engraved to the top of the ring with a family crest and were commonly used to seal letters so the recipient knew who the letter was from before they even opened it.

At Heirlooms, we regularly engrave single initials, or design and engrave a monogram, a family crest or even a precious symbol onto jewellery.

We are able to copy handwriting and signatures for a truly personal touch.

We recently engraved a copy of a child’s handwritten note and a small drawing she had done as a five-year old onto a silver pendant as a gift for a parent.

What a beautiful heirloom in the making!

Chinese bowl made £212,500

DUKE’S of Dorchester is inviting consignments for its upcoming Asian Art auction on Thursday, May 23.

Last year’s sales illuminated the significance of Asian art in the auction world, with triumphant results and international attention.

The May auction holds great expectations but promises to inherit the great prosperity suited to such a lineage of highly successful Asian art auctions.

With artefacts of such eternal craftmanship, it is no surprise that Asian Art continues to hold such a dedicated audience in the auction world.

Not simply figures of beauty, nor rusted relics of sentimental value, Asian art blends both splendour and historical gravity, while remaining anchored in Asian cultural pride.

The previous sales saw numerous items exceed even

A fine Chinese Coral-ground bowl, sold at Duke’s for £212,500

their highest estimates, including a Chinese blue and white Qianlong-marked bowl which sold for £18,750 and a Chinese coral-ground bowl for a colossal £212,500, inclusive of buyer’s premium.

With Asian Art’s unpredictable and wondrous nature, surprise hides behind every corner and even the most unassuming items can conjure vast fortunes.

To organise a free and confidential valuation with one of Duke’s specialists, email enquiries@dukesauctions.com or phone 01305 265080.

Engraving a piece of jewellery makes it personal

By editor@dorsetbiznews. co.uk

TWO Dorset businesses are uniting this Star Wars Day to bring a charity fundraiser to Poole.

Retrocave Gaming Cafe and The Gaming Circus will be sharing their love of Star Wars by staging a games day at the Retrocave in Ashley Road on Saturday, May 4.

Money raised will go to Julia’s House children’s hospice.

Visitors will have a variety of games to get stuck into, along with a charity raffle, all accompanied by a Star Wars-themed menu.

Everyone attending will be able to access the free to play library of games on display from The Gaming Circus.

A demonstration team will also be on hand to guide those attending through games which include Mandalorian Dobble, the co-operative game

Bid to turn care home into hotel Fun and games for Star Wars Day

A DORSET care home could be set to be converted into a hotel.

A planning application has been submitted to Dorset Council to change the use of the Lyme Regis Nursing Home.

If approved, the plans –submitted by Lone Wolf Planning on behalf of the owners – would see the Pound Road building become a hotel.

The home currently cares for up to 27 people.

“The care home no longer meets modern care needs in terms of its physical arrangement, eg width of corridors and doorways, varied floor levels, staircases etc, and is becoming unviable,” the application said.

Changing the use of the building would require “no physical changes” amounting to development, the application added, with no alternative sites for such a hotel identified.

“All means of access will remain as existing and will not be materially different in traffic volumes and nature than the existing lawful use,” it added.

The plans come after the care home was rated as “requires improvement” after a visit by Care Quality Commission inspectors in July last year.

It is operated by Farrington Care Homes Limited, based in Middlesex.

Farrington has been

Pandemic: The Clone Wars as well as the story-based game Imperial Assault.

Alongside the board games will be a Star Wars Legion Skirmish Tournament.

Players will navigate the worlds of the Star Wars universe with their collections of miniatures, telling their own Jedi or Sith stories across

tables that have terrain depicting the different planets.

Retrocave will also have a range of retro video games available on consoles such as SNEZ, Nintendo 64 and Playstation 1.

Alex Critchell, chief executive of The Gaming Circus, said: “I have always loved Star Wars and have enjoyed putting events on for the gaming community for the last few years, as I enjoy bringing smiles to people’s faces.

“I am very excited to be putting on this event in support of Julia’s House.”

Emily Critchell, CFO, added: “Supporting charities has always been something I have been passionate about and when setting up the business it was decided at the time we would do fundraisers in the future. It is great to be a year into business and being able to do our first one.”

Kieran Newson, owner of Retrocave Café and Retro Game shop, said: “We’re very excited to have our first ever large-scale event at Retrocave and, being a huge Star Wars fan, we couldn’t have picked a better one to start with!”

Lyme Regis Nursing Home, in Pound Lane, could become a hotel if plans are approved. PHOTO: Google

contacted for comment on plans for the residents should the plans be approved.

For more details, and to

comment on the proposals, log on to dorsetcouncil.gov.uk and search for application reference

The event is being staged by Retrocave Gaming Cafe and The Gaming Circus

Lighthouse winner in tourism awards

LIGHTHOUSE Poole has been named Business Events Venue of the Year at the South West England Tourism Excellence Awards, for the second year running.

The winners were announced in the Great Hall at the University of Exeter.

Lucy Funnell, corporate development executive at Lighthouse, said: “We work very hard to make sure everyone who comes to Lighthouse has a great experience, whether they come to see a show, attend a conference, take part in a course or present a trade fair.”

Lighthouse is known for presenting a high quality and

diverse arts and entertainment programme by national, international and regional artists.

And over the last year it has hosted an increasing number of commercial and non-artistic events for clients, including the Open University, Poole BID, Arts University Bournemouth and the Women’s Institute.

Lucy added: “Not only is Lighthouse able to support business users deliver their events, our clients find that hosting events in an inspirational arts space offers them a welcome change of pace from their usual business environment.”

Former charity chief is standing for PCC

By editor@dorsetbiznews. co.uk

A FORMER charity boss is to stand as an Independent candidate in May’s election for the new Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner.

Marianne Storey, who was chief executive officer of Dorset Mind from 2017-21, is backed by Martyn Underhill MBE, the Independent PCC for eight years.

Announcing her decision, she said it was important the role was kept free of party politics.

Marianne said: “At the heart of my campaign is a deep-seated belief that real change is achieved by tackling the issues that directly affect our communities today.

“As the PCC for Dorset, my task would be to ensure the voices of Dorset communities are heard when and where it matters most.”

carefully study entry submissions, websites, social media and review sites, and carry out business visits, including mystery visits.

recommendations are then submitted to an independent panel, who select the winners.

a judging process that could lead to the national VisitEngland Awards for Excellence to be announced at a special event in June in Liverpool.

Marianne said: “My mission is clear – to build a safer, more cohesive Dorset where every voice is heard and every individual has trust and confidence in our police force.”

Martyn Underhill said: “Marianne has a proven track record as an outstanding leader and someone who fights for our vulnerable and underprivileged. I am honoured to know her.”

As well as Dorset Mind she has held leadership roles across health and social care, community work, and consultations in Dorset. Her three core priorities for the local police service are: Higher visibility of police; safety for women and girls; supporting young people away from crime.

The election is on Thursday, May 2.

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Lighthouse Poole was once again successful at the South West England Tourism Excellence Awards

Marianne Storey PHOTO: Jayne Jackson Photography

Motoring

Hot spot signs seek to keep bikers safer

COLLISION hot spot signs are being placed in areas around Dorset this spring, to help reduce the number of motorcycle accidents in the county.

The road signs have been produced by DocBike and Dorset Council, with support from Dorset Police, BCP Council, Dorset & Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and Public Health Dorset.

In a bid to prevent road deaths, the partnership is placing the road signs at key locations where many motorcyclists have been injured. Studies show that spring is the most dangerous time for

motorcycle collisions, with a peak in serious injuries and fatalities being seen as motorcyclists make their way back onto the roads after the winter break.

This may be because motorcyclists are rusty after not riding much over the winter period, because other road users are not used to seeing bikes out on the roads or probably a combination of both.

Dorset saw 235 motorcycle collisions between JanuaryNovember 2023.

The first road sign, “Think bike” reminds road users to take an extra moment to look for a bike, especially at junctions,

where the brain finds it difficult to see motorcyclists travelling towards them at speed.

The second, “Have you been seen?” reminds bikers they might not have been seen by other road users and that even though they have the right of way, being able to stop if a vehicle pulls out in their path might save their life.

Dr Ian Mew, intensive care consultant and co-founder of DocBike, said: “The human brain isn’t designed to see small objects travelling towards it at speed, which puts motorcyclists at risk when other vehicles pull out unexpectedly in front of them at junctions.

“If you combine this with other road users not being used

to looking out for other motorcyclists after the winter period, we can understand why this is such a dangerous time for motorcyclists.

“A lot of time goes into reviewing data from previous motorcycle collisions to identify the areas of greatest risk.

“That is why you will only see our unique road signs placed in areas where we see repeated motorcycle collisions in Dorset.

“If you are a motorcyclist and you see one of our road signs, just back off the throttle, let your speed drop off a little and be aware that someone might be about to pull out in front of your path.

“If you drive, take some extra time to look out for motorcyclists and give them plenty of space.”

More information about the road signs and how to avoid being involved in a motorcycle collision can be found on DocBike’s website, www. docbike.org/rider-skills-hub.

Roadworkers facing regular abuse

NEW data from the south west of England has revealed the shocking rise in physical abuse against public-facing workers, including those that work on the public highway, such as road workers.

The statistics from the Think Respect campaign show that there were more than 120 cases of abuse against road workers in the region over the last year.

Of those cases, 119 were verbal abuse with a shocking number of 12 involving physical abuse including violence against the workforce and instances of spitting in the faces of those working on the public highway.

The most shocking of these involved a road marking crew who were threatened with a sawn-off shotgun by a member of the public who tried to force

their way onto a worksite. According to the campaign, and across the UK, 80% of all roadworkers and other people working on the public highway, for example, get abused on a monthly basis.

This abuse is holding up work being completed on sites and in some cases works have had to stop altogether – one of the things that the public find most annoying about roadworks.

Site foreman, Sinead Ryan, said: “It’s [abuse] almost every night, sometimes more.

“Most of the time it’s just people screaming abuse at you, but it can be worse, meaning you have to lock yourself in your van and one time I had a gun pulled on me in a petrol station by an irate member of the public.”

The negative impact of this on the mental health of the individuals subjected to the abuse concerns employers.

Steve Day, contracts manager at Go Traffic Management, said: “Obviously this has a massive impact [on the mental health of people]. Nobody likes to go to work and find themselves subjected to a constant torrent of abuse, let alone to have this every day.”

Kevin Robinson, founder and

campaign director of Think Respect, added: “The significant increase in workforce abuse in the south west against those who work on the public highway is sadly rising not only there but in every part of the country.

“This has become a societal problem that is getting worse by the day.”

The campaign launched during the recent Respect Our Workforce Week.

One roadworker had a gun pulled on her in a petrol station

Motoring Motor Show set for castle return

THE Dorset Blind Association Motor Show – a staple in the diaries of petrolheads across the south west – is returning this spring.

The free event, at the Lulworth Castle Estate, will take place on May 12, featuring hundreds of vehicles on show as well as a host of entertainment.

Live music will come from The Land Girls, The Bournemouth Carnival Band, and The Rock Choir, with visitors able to enjoy free performances and circus workshops by Jamie Jigsaw, as well as a dedicated kid’s area with bouncy castles, rides, face painting and stalls.

Elsewhere, foodies will be able to taste food and drinks from a host of producers, as well as browse stalls selling local produce and gifts.

A raffle, featuring prizes donated by local firms, will also take place, with lunch at Rick Stein restaurant, a barbecue, salon treatments, and much more up for grabs.

James Weld, owner of the Lulworth Estate and president of Dorset Blind Association, donates the use of the grounds for the motor show, which remains the only one held at the Castle.

The Dorset Blind Association (DBA), who have been supporting visually-impaired people in the county for over 100 years, are hugely thankful to all their supporters and volunteers who make the event possible.

With a fundraising goal of over £20,000 this year, the event aims to raise awareness and vital funds, with more than 5,000 attendees expected.

Gary Neild, from Blue Sky Financial Planning, headline sponsor of the event, said: “The 2023 show drew huge crowds and was an enormous success, and we are looking forward to being part of this wonderful event again next May.

“We admire the DBA team for their energy and passion, and the great work they do. They help so many people live a fulfilling life and that resonates strongly with our ethos at Blue Sky where we are focused on ‘what we cause and how we make people feel’.”

David Rogers, director at Daizun Investments, a fellow sponsor, added: “I have been a regular car exhibitor at the Dorset Blind Association Motor Show for several years, and we are thrilled to now be the official Supercar Sponsor.”

The Castle showground will be open to the public from 10.30am to 4pm. Admission is free, with donations appreciated.

For information, call 01202 712865, or email communityrelations@dorsetblind.org.uk.

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Ticket to ride with drama group

DORCHESTER Drama is urging theatre lovers to get on board with its next performance – two one-act plays sharing the theme of the great British railway system.

The first is Still Life, Noel Coward’s emotional wrecking ball that was immortalised in the film Brief Encounter.

Alec and Laura meet by chance in a station cafe and gradually fall in love. Married to other people, will their growing relationship flourish, or will it threaten to derail both their lives?

The roles of Alec and Laura, immortalised by Trevor Howard and Celia Johnson in Brief Encounter, are played by Martin Stephen and Mel Austin, with Lynn Cockerill as the redoubtable Myrtle Bagot, who runs the station buffet, and Mike Bradburn, as her suitor, Albert Godby.

Other performers are Ivana Jelinic, Jordan Wiseman, Sinead Gannon, Sam Kelly, Peter Allison, John Butler and Eve Staddon.

The second play, Train, is by Dorset playwright Sean Colledge, who is also directing both performances.

A modern thriller with a psychological twist, it focuses on six people travelling by train to different destinations. When tragedy strikes, dark secrets come to light with unnerving results.

Its cast members include Sam Kelly, John Butler, Monica Hunt, Frances Sansom, Eve and Zepg Staddon and Peter Allison.

Train includes strong language and adult themes, so is not suitable for young audiences.

Sean, who has been a member of Dorchester Drama for several years and has

HIGH Contrast Cinema in Wimborne, launched last year and dedicated to re-showing film noir on the silver screen, has revealed the next movies it will show at the Allendale Centre.

Following the classic Sunset Boulevard earlier this month, Friday, May 10, sees Marlon Brando in On The Waterfront, and Friday, June 21, Henry Fonda in the courtroom drama, 12 Angry Men.

For more details, visit mycommunitycinema.org.uk/cinemas/ high-contrast-cinema.

directed previous plays, said that directing two very different performances has been an enjoyable challenge.

“It’s been strange switching between the 1930s and the present day, but it’s been very interesting,” he said.

“It’s fascinating to analyse Still Life with the mindset we have today, how Alec is almost forcing his relationship with Laura forward, in a way that could be considered predatory today.

“At the time it was written it was seen as romantic love in the way it proceeds, but now we might think of it as bullying.”

Sean describes Train as being a thriller that asks moral questions. Ideas for the play were coming together in his mind for a year, but when it came to getting it down on paper, he says the words flowed out and it was written

Doing the 9 to 5

MILTON Musical Society is set to present

9 to 5 The Musical, based on the hit 1980 movie, at The Regent in Christchurch.

The story, set in the late 1970s, of friendship and revenge in the Rolodex era, is outrageous, thought provoking and even a little romantic.

Three female co-workers concoct a plan to get even with the sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot they call their boss.

And Violet, Judy and Doralee live out

within a week.

He added: “I have got the perfect cast for both plays, though the challenge was Still Life was casting the main characters as slightly older than they are described in the play.

“But at the end of the day, it’s about love and that can happen at any age, whatever your orientation or experience.”

Performances are at Broadmayne village hall, Cowleaze Road, Broadmayne DT2 8EW on Saturday, April 20, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm and at St Mary’s Community Hall, Alexandra Road, Dorchester

DT1 2LZ on Saturday, April 27, at 2.30pm and 7.30pm.

Tickets are £10 plus booking fee from wegottickets.com/ dorchesterdrama and further details are available on 07749 569730.

their wildest fantasy – giving him the boot!

While Hart remains “otherwise engaged”, the women give their workplace a makeover, taking control of the company that had always kept them down.

The award-winning Milton Musical Society has previously performed Kipps – The New Half a Sixpence, Chess, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and the highly acclaimed sell-out My Fair Lady.

9 to 5 The Musical runs from Thursday, April 25, to Saturday, April 27, and tickets are £21 (concessions £20) from www. theregent.co.uk and the box office.

Martin Stephen and Mel Austin as Alec and Laura in Still Life

Supporting cast’s tribute to Van the Man

ALL-STAR musicians who celebrate the music and words of Sir Van Morrison, and who are endorsed by the man himself, are playing Lighthouse Poole this autumn.

The Van Morrison Alumni Band have between them accompanied Van Morrison in more than 1,400 concerts around the world and amassed 500-plus recording credits on the singer’s albums dating back several decades.

The band includes Leo Green (sax), Matt Holland (trumpet),

Alec Dankworth (bass), Robin Aspland (piano) and Ralph Salmins (drums), and they will be joined by Al Cherry (guitar), Vanessa Haynes (vocals) and Kristin Hosein (vocals).

Their concert tour follows a London Coliseum debut earlier this year, and music fans can expect to hear hits from Van Morrison’s extensive archive of 44 studio albums, including Brown Eyed Girl, Moondance, Days Like This and Into the Mystic.

Saxophonist, broadcaster and

Van Morrison’s close friend, Leo Green – who has played on seven albums by Van Morrison and appeared on stages with him all over the world – said: “This will be a real honour and a great joy for this group of musicians to come together for a tour to celebrate the words and music of Van Morrison – I can’t wait!”

Van Morrison, who has endorsed the project, said: “These songs are meant to be sung and heard and I am really happy that Leo is carrying the torch.”

The concert is on Sunday, October 20, and tickets are available at www. lighthousepoole.co.uk or from the box office on 01202 280000.

Busy programme of events, courses

EDUCATIONAL charity the East Dorset Heritage Trust, based at Allendale House in Wimborne, has a lively programme of events and courses lined up over the summer months.

A programme of talks includes The Clubmen of Dorset, The World of the Workhouse and Dancing

Through the War Years

Coach trips are on offer to Bignor Park and Arundel town – where the new film Wicked Little Letters was filmed – and Kelmscott Manor and Faringdon town

and folly.

A spiritual evening with medium Cheyenne Webb is planned in June and an acoustic evening of song with Jo Philby and AnneLouise Richards in July.

Those who love the outdoors could enjoy a guided geology walk at Lulworth Cove or through the countryside of the Fleet, the South Wiltshire Downs or Happy Bottom.

Knitting, crochet and lino printing, willow weaving and calligraphy are also on offer, along with pottery

throwing courses and workshops, and pebble frame making.

Floristry workshops for vase arrangements will also be running.

The trust has courses in modern languages, such as Italian, French and Spanish, along with Art History, Creative Writing and Poetry Appreciation.

One-to-one IT sessions are also available for all those annoying issues on phones, tablets and laptops.

For more information, email info@edht.org.uk,

visit the trust’s website at www.edht.org.uk or call 01202 888992.

All the big tunes from stars of the 60s

THE music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons, probably best known for their hit tunes from the 1960s, is coming to the Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne later this month.

Frankie’s Guys, featuring

stars from the hit musical Jersey Boys, are renowned for their vocal harmonies and slick dance moves.

They will be singing all the hits including Big Girls Don’t Cry, December 1963 (Oh What

A Night), Sherry, Walk Like A Man, Can’t Take My Eyes Off You and Grease.

Members of the cast have also played in West End shows like Jersey Boys, We Will Rock You, Wicked, Les Miserables and Evita, Frankie’s Guys – The Music of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons is on Saturday, April 27, at 7.30pm.

For tickets visit www. tivoliwimborne.co.uk.

Leo Green on sax in the Van Morrison Alumni Band

An evening with a national favourite...

THE nation’s favourite talk show host and author, Graham Norton, is stopping off at Lighthouse Poole as he takes to the road this autumn with a new tour to celebrate the publication of his latest book, Frankie.

He will discuss the book, share tales from his starstudded sofa and answer questions from members of the audience.

Norton has won every major television award including nine BAFTAs, 10 British Comedy Awards, the NTA Special Recognition Award and an International Emmy.

As well as presenting The Graham Norton Show on BBC One, he also hosts Wheel Of Fortune for ITV, Last One Laughing Ireland for Amazon Prime and is a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK for the BBC.

book, Frankie

He is also the awardwinning author of four previous novels.

Graham Norton is at Lighthouse Poole on Tuesday, September 24, and for tickets visit www.lighthousepoole. co.uk or call the box office on 01202 280000.

Journalist in the spotlight

THE Dorchester committee of the Children’s Society is looking forward to welcoming journalist Kate Adie OBE to St George’s Hall, Fordington, to give a talk on A Correspondent’s View of TV.

Kate was chief news correspondent for BBC News between 1989 and 2003, reporting from war zones around the world.

Nowadays she is familiar as presenter of Radio 4’s From Our Own Correspondent and as a

guest on many other radio and television programmes.

Her talk, after which there will be an opportunity to ask questions, is on Wednesday, April 27, at 7.30pm.

Tickets are available from Nicoll World Travel 23 High East Street, Dorchester, Jane Culliford on 01305 264360 and Rita Kennett on 01305 265432 prices £10.

Wine, drinks and light refreshments can be purchased at the event.

Graham Norton will be talking about his new

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