Valley News March 2020

E E FR Issue 155

March 2020

for Whitechurch, Whatcombe, Clenston, Stickland, Houghton, Turnworth & Milton Abbas

THE WINTERBORNE IN FULL FLOW Picture by Richard Marchant

Helping to inform and unite the Community

been already!) to ask you to confirm the entry and its detail. We are doing this as we are conscious that there have been several changes that we haven't been made aware of officially, and we'd like to get things right!

The Valley News team

Editorial Many people will know that we have had two bereavements in February, losing two people from our community who were much loved and will be much missed. Both were on the Valley News team.

Valerie Ashford Valerie was very keen to do all she could for the Valley News when it was decided that we would start the magazine once again, back in March 2006 as we prepared for the launch in April of that year. She wanted to support the community that meant so much to her: she had already been involved with the WI and the Horticultural Society (as it was then) and the Church, and other organisations; but she recognised how helpful and important a magazine was in nurturing a sense of community spirit as well as providing information. She received the contributions from others and typed them up each month ready for Mark Steele to turn them into the magazine format we know and love; in the early days she maintained a diary of local events and tried to prevent people organising different events on days when something had already been planned. (This was perhaps the hardest thing she volunteered to do‌) She was really committed to helping wherever she could, and was a reliable and regular member at the monthly team meetings. She had a very sharp mind and was very quick-witted with her sense of humour, so it was always a pleasure to be in her company.

And despite her physical difficulties, she was invariably positive in her outlook on life - even when in Blandford hospital in her last weeks, she was grateful for her regular meals and the way she was looked after, and when speaking on the phone was so keen to hear your news.

Barbara Luke Barbara also passed away dying peacefully at home in her sleep on February 12th. She managed the great achievement of living to be over 100, and was inordinately proud of her personal greetings from the HM the Queen - you may remember that we put a photo of her card in an earlier edition of the magazine. Barbara too was a very keen attender at our meetings and was a real livewire! Her sense of enthusiasm and fun was almost larger than life, and you knew if she was there that she would enliven the meetings with her (sometimes wicked) sense of humour. She was a skilful artist and had drawn some very amusing caricatures of the team, which will remain private for obvious reasons‌ Her commitment to the community in which she lived was also very strong, and it was a feature of both these ladies that shone out. We were very pleased to know her and send her son Jim our sincere good wishes.

The funeral for Barbara will be held at 1130 on March 4th at St Mary's Church, Winterborne Whitechurch.

Often at funeral services poems are read, and one used often is by Oliver Wright. Sometimes only the first few lines are used, but in tribute to Valerie and Barbara we felt it would be appropriate to quote the whole poem: I have only slipped into the next room I am I and you are you Whatever we were to each other, that we are still.

Call me by my old familiar name, Speak to me in the easy way which you always used Put no difference in your tone, Wear no forced air of solemnity or sorrow Laugh as we always laughed at the little jokes we enjoyed together.

Play, smile, think of me, pray for me.

Let my name be ever the household word that it always was, Let it be spoken without effect, without the trace of shadow on it.

Life means all that it ever meant.

It is the same as it ever was, there is unbroken continuity.

Why should I be out of mind because I am out of sight?

I am waiting for you, for an interval, somewhere very near, Just around the corner.

All is well.

And finally a more mundane bit of business: in order to provide the most accurate information to our readers, we are undertaking a review of the organisations which are included each month in our magazine's Valley Organisations and Contacts page. Please have a read through if your organisation is listed, and make sure that the information is accurate and up-to-date. You will be contacted shortly (you may have

Winterborne Stickland Parish Council The first meeting of 2020 was held on 20th January There has been a problem this month with the defibrillator but we now have a loan unit in place whilst ours is being repaired.

The planning application for a first floor extension and rear conservatory at Millmead, West St was discussed and the PC had no objection to the application.

The PC budget for 2020/21 was discussed and agreed and the precept was held at previous year's level once again.

The Play Park was discussed and it was agreed that until a working group and volunteers were willing to push the project forward, it is not a viable proposition. The Park will be maintained and as existing equipment either fails or reaches the end of its life it will be removed.

The grass cutting contract will be put out to tender again with an advert in the March edition of the Valley News. The burial ground will be removed from the contract as this is now maintained by volunteer residents.

The PC are chasing Highways on outstanding bank repairs along Water Lane and possible drainage improvements at the Triangle. Cllr Godden will also request some "Danger - Ice" signs for West St in particular.

The River management group now have a "flood risk activity exemption" from the Environment Agency which means work can now start on repairing the damaged river bank just below the ford.

BT are planning to close Clenston Rd between the Old Malthouse and Echelon from 3rd March to 5th March for line work.

The next meeting will be Monday 24th February and then 30th March at the Pamela Hambro Hall.

Winterborne Whitechurch Parish Council The Parish Council held its second meeting of the year on Wednesday 12th February in the Old School Room with 3 members of the public in attendance.

The Parish Council had received the sad news of the death of Barbara Luke. Our condolences go to Jim Luke on his sad loss.

Victoria and Natasha attended from the Winterborne Connections Community Group. which is a local voluntary group that has run events in Whitechurch and the surrounding area such as family fun days, craft events and music sessions with any profit made being put back into the local community including providing a baby changing facilities for the Old School Room. They came to the meeting to present ÂŁ25 towards the new safety mirror provided by the PC for the Churchyard.

The Parish Council has agreed to proceed with the order for the new Monkey Bars in the Play Park having received confirmation that it will be built to required specifications The SID will be moved again this week and the Chairman is trying to get information from the Highways Safety Team which was originally promised at the installation. The site in Blandford Hill is still causing concern regarding the solar panel being shielded from the sun by a large tree.

The damaged dog bin in one corner of Fields Close (by The Village Hall) has not as yet been dealt with by DWP and the clerk is to chase this again.

The replacement notice board in Fields Close is expected to be ordered this week.

The Community Speed Watch Team has not been able to get out recently due to the weather and is still in need of more volunteers to provide just one or two hours a month. Please can anyone help to make our roads through the Village safer?

The grass in Fields Close on the top corners of the grassed area is being damaged by vehicles again The meeting closed at 8:20pm with the next set for Wednesday 11th March in the Old School Room at 7:00pm. All welcome.

For further information please see the village notice boards or alternatively contact the clerk on 01258 880600 or email to winterbornewhitechurch@dorset-aptc.gov.uk 2

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Pamela Hambro Hall

Artsreach Stickland

As most readers will already know, Valerie Ashford passed away in February. She had been a stalwart member of our committee over many years, and took a keen interest in everything that went on in our communities. She was tireless in her support for our hall and was only prevented from a more active involvement after her health deteriorated.

She had a keen sense of humour, and she was always really upbeat and positive despite her later frailties. She will be very much missed by all who knew her.

This means there is now more than one vacancy on the committee which we will hope to fill at our AGM, which is to be held on April 22nd at 7.30pm at the hall. If anyone would like to come and join our group as a member, helping to manage and oversee the running of our excellent village hall, we'd love to hear from you - or see you at the AGM. We'd also be pleased to see more members of the community at the meeting - it would help us to gauge whether we are continuing to provide a good quality hall for our users if some users would come along and chat to us about it! Do come, even if you don't want to become a committee member. All will be welcome.

Membership of our very popular 100 Club is once again due for renewal for the new year which runs from April 1st 2020. Please see the short article below for more information.

Hopefully everyone is aware that the Post Office arranged for an outreach service for our community from the Post Office and shop at Child Okeford when our own local Post Office closed. This has been running on a Monday and Friday afternoon, from 2-4pm, in the rear room of the hall. For those who use it, the service has been much appreciated. The hall has subsidised the provision of this service by agreeing a reduced rate for the hire of the premises, but following discussions with the subpostmistress, we are very pleased to let you know that the Parish Council has agreed to fund this service as part of its support for the community and will now pay this hire charge. It is important that the service is well used, so we would urge those of you who need postal services to try and use our local facility so that the service can be maintained going forward.

Graham Case Hall secretary 880740

Artsreach and Owdyado Theatre bring their latest hilarious offering to the Pamela Hambro Hall Deep in space the crew of the Fortuna are searching for extraterrestrial life but the ship is malfunctioning, a strange infection is spreading through the crew and time is running out...

As acclaimed sci-fi author Edward R Matherson lays on his deathbed, a bloody battle of wits is taking place in his kitchen over the secret of the universe...

Jamie's life is in turnaround. He's lost his job, he's desperate for love and his only companion is a malfunctioning Alexa unit. She's supposed to make his life easier. But the question is - who is serving whom?

'Owdyado Theatre return with three more surprising stories of the macabre and mysterious in Twisted Tales Vol. 2. Inspired by cult series The Twilight Zone and Inside No.9, this series of dark comedies is co-written by Daniel Richards and Charlotte Bister (A View from the Edge) as well as distinguished Cornish writers Brett Harvey (Brown Willy, Weekend Retreat) and Jon Welch (Spillikin).

Get ready for an anarchic night of hilariously dark theatre! Suitable 14+. Fri 13 Mar, 7:30pm. Winterborne Stickland Village Hall. Tickets £10, £6 u18s, £26 family available from 01258 880920 and at The Crown in Stickland

Croquet Comes to Stickland

Pamela Hambro Hall 100 Club

We are delighted to announce that Winterborne Stickland has become home to the newly formed Winterborne Valley Croquet Club (WVCC). The new club is located at the Winterborne Stickland Sports and Community Club and preparation of the new croquet courts is well underway. Weather permitting, the club plans to open up for croquet in the spring.

The whole project has been made possible by the vision, enthusiasm and support of the WSSSC committee, the Parish Council and the Solar Fund panel who have seen the advantages of working together with the croquet club to extend activity at the sports ground, thus opening up sporting and social opportunities for local people.

The croquet club is extremely grateful for the generous grant from the Solar Fund which has contributed substantially to the creation of the new courts, making the playing of Croquet in Stickland possible.

We are very excited about this collaboration and hope that we will be an asset to the Sports Club, promote even greater use of their facilities and bring a significant contribution to the life of Stickland and the Valley.

Croquet is a great game and we aim to make it accessible. Whether beginner, intermediate or experienced player, you will be welcomed. It is a game where age is not a barrier to success.

The club will belong to the South West Federation of croquet clubs and the Croquet Association so will be part of a national sporting organisation. This means that the club has access to all the advice, activities and opportunities that they provide. We are planning free taster sessions and a programme of introductions to the game; teaching and coaching sessions; fun days; in-house competitions and the opportunity to play friendly and league matches for those who like a more competitive challenge. We also intend to run additional social activities in the clubhouse.

We will keep you updated on developments and look forward to seeing you for a game of croquet a little later in the year, so dust off your sunhats!

The Pamela Hambro Hall 100 Club membership is now due for renewal - thank you for your support. This is a monthly draw that gives the hall a significant income, 50% of the income goes directly to the hall funds and 50% into the prizes.

The new year starts on April 1st. Please could you put your £12 in an envelope with your name on and put through my door - Wyvern, Legion Lane - or to Graham Case, 2 Quarleston Hamlet, Clenston Road.

Membership is £12 a year and this gives each member a chance to win each month. Prizes are: 1st prize £25, 2nd £15, 3rd £10.

If you would like a ticket there are a few spare. Please get in touch to let me know.

Hazel Lappin 880969

Winterborne Whitechurch 100 Club February 36 Mrs Furminger 65 Mr Martin Loader 99 Mrs Tiffany Brown

The Valley Gardening Club The club was saddened to hear the news that Valerie Ashford had passed away. The Gardening Club was one of the many clubs and organisations lucky enough to have her support over many years and she will be greatly missed by everyone.

This does mean that we are looking for a new committee member.

If you are able to join us, please let me know.

March is a busy month for us with our monthly talk and the Spring Show. Please see the events page for details.

It was very disappointing at our Social Evening. A buffet was put on by the committee and a quiz organised by Philippa Smith, but only 15 people turned up. If we don’t get more support and committee members, then the next Spring Show may be the last and it will be one more thing lost from the village. We do need more support to keep the Valley Gardening Club going.

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achieve your goals. They can be contacted free of charge on 0800 840 1628, Monday to Friday 9am - 6.30pm or look at their website https://www.livewelldorset.co.uk/ where you can register or contact the team by email. The website includes several success stories from people in Dorset who have been supported by 'Live Well Dorset'. Why not give it a go?

Winterborne Stickland Sports and Community Club Croquet, Tennis and Cricket Spring is not too far away and things are happening in Stickland on the sports front. The seniors' football team, whose players were largely based in Blandford, decided to move to a pitch in Blandford. We are delighted to have the Winterborne Valley Croquet Club in advanced stages of creating two courts on half of the old football pitch. Their club was previously based at Kingston Maurward but needed to relocate.

Having searched for an alternative site they approached us and found that the soil and drainage were ideal for croquet. In the autumn the area was scarified and sanded and as the grass begins to grow in spring the real work starts to prepare for the new season. The intention is for the club to hold open days and training sessions and hopefully attract new members. Croquet is not a sport that is well known but is well contested all over the country and the team here has international players.

Although played on grass it has similarities with chess and demands thought, strategies and good ball skills. When the open days are decided they will be advertised and all will be welcomed. The Croquet Club has also put an article in the Valley News together with some photos.

The tennis court is undergoing a facelift. It has been treated for moss removal and pressure washed leaving the surface to be painted with special paint in early spring. The chain link fencing has been updated with replacement posts and all in all the court will be in pristine condition ready for the new season.

There are even thoughts about reviving a cricket team as the pitch is there and we have the equipment to make a reasonable square.

Several people, including some younger players, have shown an interest and we are hoping to get more support. Any age, any standard, all welcome. If you feel that you could play a part then contact Nigel Rhodes on 880230 The football posts are still here and if anyone has ideas for any other sports then we will be pleased to hear from you.

Indoors we have had several Skittles Evenings over the last few months and wonder if there might be support to have a skittles team or indeed to use the good darts facilities to enter a league. If you are interested in joining us with any sports our secretary is Christina Rhodes on 880230.

News from the Blandford Surgeries The Blandford Group Practice Health Champions are going from strength to strength and expanding rapidly in order to help the community get out and about and keep healthy. There are a wide range of groups on offer; Health Support groups, physical activities as well as social activities.

If you have internet access check out our website: www.theblandfordgrouppractice.co.uk. On our Facebook page, you can see a weekly calendar of things going on with our amazing Health Champions or pop into the surgery to see what's on offer.

If you would like to become a Health Champion or you would like to know more about our groups please contact Sara on 01258 452501, or email sara.stringer@gp-J81019.nhs.uk

April Deadlines ADVERTS Tuesday 10th March ARTICLES Sunday 15th March Streamwatch Close scrutiny of water levels has continued to dominate February's management work. With the succession of storms passing through, the impact on already saturated land has been cause for concern. The value of flood plains in several spots along the River Winterborne has become clear and generally are working well. The river level at the north end of Clenston Road is visible from the road and flooding across the plain has been evident since November 2019. Here the bank and hedgerow holds water back from flooding the road, the river level being roughly 50cm (20 inches) higher than that of the road.

The Delcombe Wood borehole reading has dropped to 134m (15/2/20), down 1 metre on last month. At this point in February 2014 when Houghton, Stickland, Clenston, Whatcombe and Whitechurch experienced significant flooding, highest levels were recorded at 143m (470 feet).

The situation along the river in mid-February: ~ Some Houghton springs have eased up but the river continues to flow, and is well contained in the river channel. ~ Water Lane verges are disappearing - yet another large commercial vehicle has been towed out from the river after driving off the tarmac onto the verge. There is now no verge at this point and yet another plea to Highways will be made. The strength of flow is gradually washing the bank away. ~ Stickland - the upper part of West Street has much puddling with the river level remaining high. Vehicle damage to the riverbank has contributed to this. The emergency overflow measures are still in place.

The Village Green is very soggy with measures to alleviate flooding fragile but holding. ~ Clenston Road is prone to puddling near Quarleston Farm depending on river levels, and this was quite bad during storm Dennis. ~ The flooding at Whatcombe corner is largely attributed to ground water level with many springs discharging water to the west of Clenston Road. Many of the springs have ceased to flow now that ground water levels have dropped. Watch out for pot holes - many have been patched but the road surface is poor and unreliable along this stretch. ~ With grateful thanks to Piers Chichester, parts of Whatcombe House park have been allowed to flood in three or four places, holding water from causing greater flooding downstream in Whitechurch, particularly on the Kingston Road. This just demonstrates the importance of appreciating the bigger picture; what takes place on one stretch of the river can have much impact upon other stretches.

Nevertheless, it is nice to see the river flowing throughout the Valley News area and when the sun shines, to appreciate how beautiful our valley can be.

Stickland River Management Group

Wรถr It is not often that world class music comes to Winterborne Stickland but the Hall was packed for a performance by the Belgian folk band Wรถr on Friday 7th February and judging from the crowds in the Crown they brought their own following from miles around. While the word 'folk' conjures up mixed feelings, this band adapts music from Flanders in the 1700s to give it a contemporary feel and the huge variety of instruments from the accordion to the sax and bagpipes got hands clapping and feet stamping. The band has toured in Europe, Australia, Canada, the U.S.A. and now is a hit in the Valley as well! Thanks must go to the Gale family and everyone else who sells tickets, makes delicious home-made cakes and staffs the bar which all makes for an enjoyable evening out. If you want more such events locally then please support future Artsreach programmes and perhaps we can develop a reputation as the place for real folk to visit!

John Scott

News from Milton Abbas Surgery This month I thought I'd highlight the responsibility we all have to look after our own health by living well. There is so much information around telling us how we should eat and drink and how much exercise we should take, it's difficult to know what's right.

Part of the NHS choices website is focussed solely on Living Well and provides a huge amount of help and advice that is directly from the NHS. There is help to stop smoking, get running, support your mental wellbeing and eat a better diet - all things that will help you stay healthier longer and reduce the need to visit your doctor. The website is http://www.nhs.uk/livewell/Pages/Livewellhub.aspx There are over 100 topics, some of which won't apply to you, but others that are definitely worth a look at.

For the more personal touch, Dorset has its own 'Live Well Dorset' team who can help you. You can contact them via their website or by phone and work with an advisor who can help you to identify and 6

Polly 'Bs'

The Winterborne Stickland Solar Fund Committee would like to remind residents of Winterborne Stickland that funding is available for community projects.

Local lady doing: Holistic Treatments, Massage, Reflexology, Indian Head Massage and Ear Candling.

Also Beauty Treatments Facials, Waxing, Eyebrow/Lash tinting.

Manicure and Pedicure Nail cutting and Hard Skin Removal.

Appointments available during the day and evenings.

Some treatments can be done in your home.

Applications for funding should be emailed to sticklandsolarfund@yahoo.com Decisions are made every 2 months.

The basic criteria are that ideas should have benefit to the community. A committee of volunteers select successful projects.

Ring Pauline on 01258 880084 / 07760 303332 Gift Vouchers available.

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The Winterborne Valley & Milton Abbas Benefice TWO TYPES OF CHURCH I have recently come to the conclusion that there are two types of Church. (No not the buildings, which are where we usually meet).

One (which is the norm for the C of E at least in theory!) is to be community centred. We try to get involved in community life and organise things that will help our localities. Churches are involved in such things as the Food Bank, caring for the lonely, the elderly and going out of our way to welcoming those who are frequently ignored or rejected. Sometimes we organise events attempting to bring people together. e.g. Fetes, Coffee mornings, Flower Festivals etc The second type, which one tends to find in evangelical/charismatic and new churches, and some Anglo Catholic Churches, are Gospel and Jesus centred. They concentrate on getting the message of Jesus and his love through to as many people as possible. Occasionally the message can be strident, and frightens people off. I came from this second type which is centred on the message of Jesus, and encouraging 1st March 8th March 1st of Lent 2nd of Lent Purple Purple Clenston 1000 HC TS Houghton 1800 HC Celtic JS 1800 EP Celtic SL Milton Abbas 1000 MW Baptism JHB/IB 0830 HC BCP TS Stickland 0830 (BCP) sHC TS Turnworth 1000 MW JT/JHB Whitechurch 1000 HC TS

15th March 3rd of Lent Purple

1800 EP SL 1000 HC TS 1000 MW DA/PC

people to open their lives to the living Christ.

Which is right?

The correct answer is, of course, churches are called by God to do BOTH. All I can say to you is, whichever style of church you happen to prefer, invite all sorts of people to come & join us this Lent in as we try to make our communities a little more like the Kingdom of God. LENT MEETINGS - open to all - even if you are not a churchgoer.

There will be two similar sessions each week on Wednesdays at Whatcombe House at 7pm (starting on March 4) & the other at Stickland Farmhouse on West St at 2pm. These will last about 90 minutes and include refreshments. What you feel and think is important, not just for the churches, but for our villages.

For those who plan to come it is a help to sign up in advance. (There are forms in all the churches or phone me 01258 880627 or e mail jumperhb@btinternet.com) Jimmy Hamilton-Brown 22nd March 4th of Lent Mothering Sunday

29th March 5th of Lent Purple

1000 HC JHB/IB 1000 MW SL 1800 HCÂ TS 0830 (BCP) sHC NR

Abbey Service

FROM THE REGISTERS Funeral ALAN GREY 22nd Jan Stickland Memorial Service PAMELA COLEMAN 6th Feb Milton Abbas Funeral FREDERICK (Freddie) FRAMPTON 10th Feb Whitechurch

Please check the benefice website - bwvmabenefice.uk - for more information and service updates SERVICES KEY: BCP 1662 Book of Common Prayer Traditional EP Evening Prayer HC Holy Communion (Eucharist) x Communion by extension SHC Service without hymns or music MW Morning Worship, informal service for all, with old & new hymns & songs, without HC Rev'd Sue Litchfield - SL Rev'd Jimmy Hamilton-Brown - JHB Rev'd Canon Tina Stirling - TS Rev'd Helier Exon - HE Piers Chichester - PC Ian Bromilow - IB Wilma Bromilow - WB Rev'd Canon Janet Smith - JS Jenny Tory - JT Debbie Albery - DA,

WINTERBORNE STICKLAND PARISH COUNCIL

RESIDENTIAL UNIT TO LET

Parish Grass Cutting 1st May 2020 - 30th April 2023 Tenders are invited for the grass cutting contract in this Parish. Areas to be maintained are as follows: The grass at the Village Green, Triangle, War Memorial, Play Area and Jubilee Orchard.

Information packs indicating Parish Council requirements are available from the Clerk to the Council, Sam Smith.

Contact by email at: wsticklandpc@gmail.com, or by telephone on 01258 880310.

A small barn conversion at Whatcombe comprising kitchen, bathroom, living room and bedroom, with air-source heating and a wood-burning stove; very suitable for a single person and available to rent from Chichesters Land Agents 01258 881753

Completed tender documents received after the deadline of 5.30pm on March 27th 2020 will not be considered.

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1st class finish Free written quotes Fully insured No job too small or big No VAT If you require a job done hassle free, by an honest friendly tradesman, please give Gavin a call, Winterborne Kingston 01929 471704 or 07977 047314 Email g.lewis515@btinternet.com

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Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall

AUCTION SUNDAY 15th MARCH 12.00 start Items accepted on Saturday 14th March from 9am to 4pm

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COFFEE MORNING & CHARITY SHOP Mondays, 10.30am-12.00, St. Mary’s Church, Stickland WHITECHURCH YOUTH CLUB (7-14 year olds welcome) Mondays, 6.30pm, Whitechurch Village Hall COFFEE STOP Tuesdays, 10.30am-12.0, St James, Milton Abbas CUP & CAKE Wednesdays 10.30-12.0, Old School Room, Whitechurch ROUND ROBIN RAMBLERS Sun 1st Mar, 2pm, Fifehead Neville Meet near the church (approx. 4½ miles) Wed 18th Mar, 11am, Bovington Forest & Lawrence's Grave Meet near Moreton Church (6½m) Bring packed lunch Sun 5th Apr, 2pm, Wareham Forest Meet at the forest car park close to Stroud Bridge (4½m) Bingo Fri 13th Mar, 7.30pm, Whitechurch Village Hall In aid of the Air Ambulance Valley Gardening Club Talk: 12 months of Colour Wed 18th Mar, 7.30pm, Pamela Hambro Hall, Stickland A talk

by Neil Lovesey - Picket Lane Nursery. Raffle, Refreshments.

Entrance £3, VGC members Free Dorset Wildlife Trust Talk: Reptiles of Dorset Wed 18th Mar, 7.30pm, Fontmell Magna Village Hall an illustrated talk by Steve Davis, Head of DWT HR & Volunteering.

Admission £2.50, children free Milborne Movies: 'Judy' Fri 20th Mar, 7.30pm, Milborne St. Andrew Village Hall Bar open from 7pm. Tickets £3.50

Poetry Corner Wake up "Wake Up," said the Snowdrop, "Though Jack Frost's still around.

We need to make a carpet of white upon the ground. " "Wake Up," said the Primrose.

"For I need to be seen, upon this garden's borders, of yellow and of green."

"Wake Up," said the Viola, "I need to show my face in this corner of the garden, where I will bloom with grace. " "Wake Up," said the Daffodil.

"Move over, make some room. " Then he raised his golden trumpet, and proudly showed his bloom.

"Wake Up," said the Tulip, "I need to share your bed. " And soon the golden Daffodil was matched by the Tulip's red.

"Wake Up," said the Blackbird.

"It's time for me to sing."

All the flowers shook their petals, and together woke up Spring.

news@valley-news.co.uk

Jackie Grearson

April Deadlines ADVERTS Tuesday 10th March

ARTICLES Sunday 15th March

LAST CROSSWORD ANSWERS CRYPTIC Across Down CONCISE Across Down

7. Tinfoil 9. Axolotl 10. Towns 11. Balladeer 12. Toy 13. Maori 15. Affection 17. Canterbury Bells 21. Chestnuts 24. Nooks 25. Cod 26. Andalucia 28. Acute 30. Martini 31. Feasted 1. Gnaw 2. Solstice 3. Falls for 4. Mosaic 5. Love 6. Florin 7. Totemic 8. Libya 14. Ounce 16. Igloo 18. Blue Chip 19. Bandanas 20. Suspend 21. Clammy 22. Tallis 23. Scarf 27. Darn 29. Unto 7. Palmate 9. Ukelele 10. Curio 11. Off colour 12. Men 13. Fungi 15. Yearlings 17. Common Pheasants 21. Indelible 24. Nears 25. Aid 26. Fathoming 28. Bambi 30. Mascara 31. Raccoon 1. Slur 2. Palomino 3. Suffrage 4. Recoil 5. Hero 6. Beards 7. Pacific 8. Ebony 14. Named 16. Ninja 18. Publican 19. Sandbach 20. Session 21. Infamy 22. Loofah 23. Eager 27. Test 29. Mood

Valley News Information VN Team: Advertising: Distribution: Printing: Payments: Small Ads: Charity Events: Articles:

Graham Case, Claire & John Scott and …..

Anne Donnelly ads@valley-news.co.uk 01258 881261 Treasurer: Janet Snook news@valley-news.co.uk Sue Eggar and Angela D'Silva news@valley-news.co.uk Layout: Mark Steele news@valley-news.co.uk Purely Print www.purelyprint.co.uk 01258 459977 All advertising to be pre-paid. Cheques payable to ‘Valley News'. Internet Bank Transfers now accepted.

Private sellers only. Small ads will be included for a donation and confirmed for publication when the donation is received.

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11

such a mild winter many plants have come into leaf and flower much earlier than in most years. I give my roses a light prune in the autumn to help prevent root rock but my main prune is usually at the end of February into March. This year I have had to start pruning early as they are in flower, in bud or producing shoots. Daffodils have responded to the warmth coming into flower much earlier than usual and the tulips are also well up. It all feels quite wrong but increasingly we no longer have a normal when it comes to the weather and its impact on the garden. The 29th of March is the beginning of summer but we can still have winter in April and snow in May, or is that all in the past?

My potatoes are sitting on the windowsill and are beginning to chit nicely. I only grow what I can't buy, first earlies in the main, but potatoes take up a lot of ground and main crop potatoes are easy and not expensive to buy so the idea of growing what you like but can't buy easily really does apply to spuds. The same goes for radish and beetroot, the red radish are easy to get but there is a wide range of radish including white and yellow, long and round. With beetroot again there are yellow, white and striped beets, all with a slightly different flavour and are well worth growing as they are difficult to buy.

I love rhubarb, poached in fresh orange juice with diced stem ginger, for breakfast with a dollop of yoghurt, so refreshing, but it can also be used in savoury dishes, bringing its unique sweet and sharp flavour. I have planted three different varieties and this year I picked my first sticks in January, a month earlier than usual. With it shooting so early I divided my two biggest clumps in January, which doesn't seem to have slowed it down. Rhubarb does need splitting every few years as it gets very woody and is at risk of rotting. At the same time, I split my globe artichokes, they are a beautiful plant as well as having delicious globes, with lovely silver serrated leaves, well worth a go for the leaves and flowers, even if you don't like eating them.

My first sweet peas are beginning to germinate - I usually plant some in the autumn and take them through the winter but I didn't get around to it last autumn so it will be interesting to see how January planted sweet peas do. I also plant more later in the spring for later flowering.

My sweet peas last year were not a success and the plants only became strong and healthy in the autumn and still look healthy now in February, but what they will do as spring develops is anyone's guess. I enjoy eating pea shoots in salads and have bought pea shoot seeds, for the first time, which are just beginning to germinate on the windowsill, I'm looking forward to harvesting them, they are said to be easy to grow and produce two cuttings. It is always interesting to grow something new.

March is when serious seed sowing can begin. Tomatoes, aubergines, peppers and chillies need to be sown in February as they take longer to grow, especially beefsteak tomatoes which need time to get going and get to the size they need to produce big fruit. Tomatoes are not difficult to grow and there is so much choice compared with those available to buy. Some of the new varieties are striped, even yellow and orange and they do taste different. Freshly picked ripe warm tomatoes are just such a different fruit from those that are picked early and ripened off the vine, which makes them a very worthwhile crop.

There is a wide choice of seed that are tolerant against blight and can be grown outside as well as those that need to be grown in a greenhouse. The little ones can be grown in hanging baskets and look very pretty, and if you don't have room grow a couple of plants in a pot - you won't regret it when you pick your first ripe juicy sweet tomato.

Two vegetables I grow a lot of are leeks and chard. I dislike those huge leeks, I like thin sweet leeks that are delicious in salads as well as cooked, being small they cook quickly and really do not need to be boiled, steamed, roasted or used in stir fries, they are perfect and are not slimy. The French have a leek tart using whole small leeks which is very pretty as well as easy and delicious, and leeks also go well with earthy mushrooms, all of which make them a good vegetable to grow, that is apart from being easy and undemanding. Over the years I have extolled the virtues of chard, white, orange and ruby red, beautiful to look at and so versatile to eat and easy to grow. They germinate easily and are tolerant of full sun and part shade, they make a vegetable garden look beautiful which means that they can also be grown in the flower border. Once you have grown it you won't bother with spinach which can suddenly bolt and can be temperamental, chard does not sulk and produces leaves for months which means two vegetables, the stem and the leaves. Have a go.

Continued on Page 14

The Home Library Serice What could be better than getting lost in a good book?

Do you or someone you know love reading but find it difficult to get books from the library due to health or mobility issues?

The Home Library Service is here to help: books and talking books are chosen individually for each person and delivered every three weeks from your local library by Royal Voluntary Service volunteers. This service is free, and provides you not only with a regular delivery of books but also a visit by a trusted volunteer who you get to know over time.

All our volunteers are DBS checked and carry ID badges.

Interested? Please contact Royal Voluntary Service in Dorset by phoning 01305 236666 or e-mailing dorsethomelibraryservice@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk. You can also contact your library directly.

The Home Library Service in Blandford needs a local volunteer coordinator - could this be you?

Are you a keen reader? Can't bear to be without a good book? Then you'll understand how important it is to be able to carry on reading, even if you can't get to your local library.

We are looking for a volunteer to join and lead our team of volunteers at Blandford Library, coordinating the service with support from the Service Manager and Library Staff. A clean driving licence and use of a car are essential. Training and support will be given, and expenses paid.

Interested? Please contact Maria Jacobson, Royal Voluntary Service Manager Dorset Home Library Service, on 01305 236666 or e-mail maria.jacobson@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

Introducing the Tea Clipper Tea Rooms

We are a small, family run business in Milton Abbas, the Tea Clipper Tea Rooms. Two years ago Alastair and Kathy Beaven were looking for a property with holiday let potential when they came across one of the 36 almost identical thatched cottages in Milton Abbas which was for sale offering two apartments behind the cottage ideal for holiday lets.

When looking round the building they discovered the cottage also used to operate as a tea rooms and restaurant and recognised the potential to re-open the tea rooms. After spending a significant amount of time and money upgrading both the holiday lets and the tea rooms, including a new counter and upgraded kitchen, Alastair and Kathy opened the Tea Clipper on 24th November 2018. A year later they are still going strong and would like to welcome you to the tea rooms for a cup of tea, slice of cake, Dorset Cream Tea or a light snack of a toasted sandwich, baked potato or bowl of soup. They also offer regular afternoon teas, the next one on Mother's Day weekend, bookings being taken on info@teaclippertearooms.co.uk, call 01258 881337, or via our website www.teaclippertearooms.co.uk, twitter @teaclipptearoom, facebook The Tea Clipper Tea Rooms or Instagram Teaclippertearooms.

Down the Garden Path It will be interesting to see what plants have suffered from having wet roots this winter as, over the last few years, gardeners have planted more Mediterranean plants which cope with dry and hot weather. While many of the plants in our gardens cope with wet weather often they do not like having their roots sitting in water and, with the water table being so high, some may well have wet roots. The other difficulty is that with 12

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Continued from page 12 With all the rain over the last few months, much of the goodness in the soil will have been washed away. All the borders will need a good feed of garden compost and well-rotted manure, if you get your hands on some. it will also act as a mulch reducing the germination of weed seeds, and will replace lots of the nutrients which have been lost.

Knowing when it will be possible to get on the land to work it is anyone's guess, being so wet standing on it will compact the soil which is not good for it, compression will block the oxygen needed. Although we haven't had much frost the excess water will make the soil cold and wet and cold soil does not make good conditions to plant anything out which has been kept under cover. We will just have to wait and see both when it will stop raining and also when the soil starts to dry out and warm up.

Until then we can prune and tidy and wait, what a gardener does best!

Claire Scott

colour, or just whizzed in oil to keep through the winter to add to pasta, rice, potatoes, casseroles or whatever needs a light garlic flavour. Like sloes and black berries, they are free and are a very good excuse for a walk in the woods. Don't try and grow them in the garden as they are renowned for being invasive and prolific. They often appear at the end of March and the white flowers compete with the blue bells and the smell of garlic pervades the woods.

I like tarragon, the French make delicious tarragon mustard, and tarragon vinegar makes a delicious salad dressing, (I know I have used delicious twice in one sentence, but they are!). It is easy to grow but may need to be under cover for the winter. Fresh herbs always add something special to dishes and punch way above their weight in the flavour stakes as well as looking pretty. Different cultures have different herbs or spices which they use all the time. The Elizabethans used a lot of cloves and cinnamon, edible flowers, especially calendula which was used to dye food as well as decorate it. Violets were candied to decorate cakes and puddings as were rose petals, none of which we do today as no matter how many gizmos we have to make life easier and to give us more time we seem to have less and less and also less inclination to make things. It seems that no matter how many cooking programmes are made and watched by millions, the preference is to watch them with a take away. I wonder what that says about us.

Claire Scott

What's Cooking Do you ever get bored with your own cooking? The same fail-safe dishes, the same shopping, it's not that it isn't delicious it's just that sometimes our palate wants a change. I know someone who always has a roast on a Sunday and makes sure that there is enough left over to make a curry. Perhaps I am different in that I like variety and seasonality.

Samphire is in season, such a delicious plant, warm in salads, pickled lightly or combined with fennel in a tart, scrumptious. That crisp salty bite perfect with fish but also with ham, its texture just warm and still crisp, quite unctuous, so enjoy while it is in season, try it with our delicious local trout and arctic char and a dollop of aioli.

Dried pulses are a wonderful store cupboard standby; I know you have to remember to leave them to soak overnight but that is no hardship. There are a huge variety of dahls that one can make and really there is no need for a recipe, lentils, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander and cinnamon are the basic ingredients, you can then choose how wet you like it or if you want a chilli hit or a handful of chopped fresh coriander, just play with your taste buds. What you have with it is also up to you.

Have it as part of a vegan or vegetarian meal, with tandoori chicken or Rogan josh, fish or prawns - it is very versatile and delicious. Finding a source locally in Barnack Walk makes life much easier when restocking the store cupboard. Chickpeas are so useful, apart from humus, they are delicious in salads, casseroles, with tomatoes or in a vegetable casserole. You can buy them in tins or dried in which case they need soaking over night before boiling until soft - when I cook from dried, I always do more than I need and then put the excess in the freezer for next time.

At friends recently for lunch, we were talking about recycling, one of the lunch guests commented on the amount of vegetable waste they had, and it turned out that immediately any vegetable became soft she threw it out. We were all appalled and said what we did with soft vegetables - there was the bottom of the fridge soup, the tray baked roast vegetables, vegetable tart and vegetable pies, also vegetable purees, fritters and tortillas. Don't throw away, experiment. A selection of vegetables in a white sauce or cheese sauce is delicious, and can also be a sauce for pasta with some lovely herbs. A dish of roasted vegetables slathered in garlic and good olive oil and herbs is perfect with fish or meat, add fennel, cumin seeds or ras el hanout spices to ring the changes - no one will know they were soft, only that they were delicious.

I have decided that I can't survive without a freezer. January Seville oranges, February Blood oranges, both have very short seasons but they produce the most divine sorbets and desserts as well as salad dressings and sauces. There is no choice but to buy when in season and freeze for later use. So many casseroles are best when cooked in a large quantity and again are perfect for freezing in portions for those busy days when a baked potato and casserole are a perfect end to the day.

It is also such a time saver as it is often easier to make two cakes because the oven is on and then put one in the freezer, or two cheesecakes etc.

It really is one of life's time savers. It also means that when someone local says I have half a sheep available one can say yes please and put it in the freezer.

With everything in the garden being so early we need to keep an eye out for the wild garlic. Ransoms are so useful, use the leaves in salads or wilted with spinach as a vegetable, in omelettes, casseroles, tarts, quiches and pies. Made into pesto which is the most amazing

Milton Abbas Local History Group The buzz-word of today is health and wellbeing (that's two words!).

We have been looking at the NHS five steps to mental wellbeing (it's on their website), and it seems that being a member of the Milton Abbas Local History Group means that you are well on the way to ticking all their boxes. And we are making sure that we move forwards with this in mind. So please come along to our meetings to see what we are up to, and make some new friends. There is more information on our website.

We have members working in small groups of two or three, and larger groups of six to ten, and our main monthly meetings with twenty to thirty is another opportunity to meet and socialise - not to mention learning something new! There is a large number of areas where members can get involved if they wish to. We are grateful for all inputs - your life experiences, creative writing, cataloguing, reading, researching, transcribing, maps, walking, the history of your house, family history and social history.

At last month's meeting one of our members gave a presentation on her research on what our ancestors wore. This focused on the poor of rural villages and a comparison with the well to do. There were some surprising conclusions for the eighteenth century, which show that the poor of England were much better off than those of the Continent.

Travellers noted how well the English were dressed, all having shoes or boots, and little evidence of ragged clothes (although they may have been patched). Clearly the men and women of town and country took great pride in their appearance. The poor in Wales, Scotland and France were much more poorly dressed.

Our Facebook page now has ninety-four members. One of our recent members has Legg ancestors from Milton Abbas and has written a book titled 'Early Settlers of Bay St George'. Bay St George is in Newfoundland and there is information on people from Milton Abbas who emigrated there in the 19th century.

The transcription of one of our recent digital acquisitions - the Customary of Milton Abbey, 1317 - is proving a challenge! It is written in medieval Latin and uses many abbreviations (parchment was expensive). However it reveals that Milton Abbey was a feudal society at that time, with tenants paying rent and having to work on the Abbot's lands for a specified number of days, ploughing, reaping, sheaving, sowing, harrowing, carting and so on. Sounds like very hard work, and the Abbey also had slaves who held no land.

From Heather Are you all still above water over there! My! What a wet winter we've had! No danger of flooding here in Wareham Road, but my horse's field has been waterlogged for months!

How sad I was to learn of Valerie Ashford's death. I had spoken to her several times a week while she was in hospital.

Continued on Page 16 14

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Continued from Page 14 Des and I had succumbed to a really nasty cough and felt we shouldn't go and visit her so I kept in touch by phone. I shall miss her greatly' we were great friends and always looked out for each other. I'm so glad that Paul is going to be looking after dear Millie, Valerie's dog, from now on - thank you Paul.

May I through your excellent Valley News echo two items mentioned in your December/January edition Simon the village postman was always cheerful and helpful even in deep snow pouring rain or dangerous ice. I know, because we would often cross paths as I went about my daily care work. Happy retirement Simon and I was so sad to learn of your mother's death.

Also Tim And family our loyal hard-working milkman. I remember Tim would often peel back the very difficult seal on the plastic bottles of milk for some of my care customers. I once said to him "You never do that for me, Tim!" and the very next day all my milk bottles were duly peeled back!

Thank you Tim for so many years of loyal service and I hope life is not too difficult for you and your family.

Heather Sims

Book Review Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, by Olga Tokarczuk This is a highly enjoyable and quirky tale about a cranky old woman clinging to life on the edge of Poland's eastern forests.

Tokarczuk was awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize for Literature, and, on this showing (the only one of her novels that I've read), she is a worthy recipient. Each sentence is alive with creative fizz. The story is propelled forward by the vivid and original voice of the narrator - aided by a subtle humour.

Mrs Duszjeko lives alone - with her fierce vegetarianism, her astrology and the ghosts of her mother and grandmother. She is tormented by the disappearance of her adored dogs, the Little Girls.

She knows that most people think that she is a crazy old biddy, especially the local police, whom she pesters about her missing dogs.

Told from the first-person point-of-view, I was charmed by the fluid energy of the cantankerous narrator. She observes everything around her with obsessive and unexpected acuteness. For instance, 'the world is a great big net ... where no single thing exists separately; every scrap ... is bound up with the rest by a complex Cosmos of correspondences, hard for the ordinary mind to penetrate. That's how it works. Like a Japanese car.'

Her innate kindness attracts various lonely characters who are, like herself, struggling on the margins of a chaotic world which is passing them by. Nothing makes sense to Duszjeko, except from the highly ordered perspective of astrology. This somewhat haphazard life in the remote interior is brought into sharp focus by the death of Duszejko's unpleasant neighbour, whom she calls Big Feet, on account of the size of his pedal extremities. Three more deaths follow. These are identified as murders, and it seems that two of the male victims were implicated in corruption.

The old lady tells her friends and the police that the killings have been carried out by animals in revenge for the murder of non-humans by hunters. Her friend Dizzy warns her to keep this piece of weirdery to herself. Together, they continue to work at translating the difficult poetry of William Blake - but they are diverted by their efforts to piece together how and why these local men were killed.

Mark Hudson

The River Winterborne in full flow throughout the valley Pictures by Richard and Karen Marchant

16

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Valley Organisations & Contacts Abbey Swimming Club Milton Abbey Swimming Pool. Tue 1830-2030, Fri 1930-2030, Sat 1000-1200, Sun 8am-9am, Lynn 881443, Pat 880601, Stephen 881524, abbeyswimmingclub@gmail.com Aquacise and lane swimming for fitness Exercise in the water - safe and fun for all ages. Ladies and gentlemen welcome Fridays 6.30pm Maria 880895 secretary@masportsclub.org.uk Bere Regis Floral Group 2nd Tue each month, 2pm, Kingston Village Hall, Diane Edmunds 01929 472 331 British Horse Society (Dorset) County Bridleway Officer • 01258 880318 carolshoopman@btinternet.com Bus2Go Margo www.bus2godorset.org 01258 837749 / 07917 298321 Dunbury Church of England Academy www.dunbury.dsat.org.uk • 880501 Extend Exercise (to music for 60s+) Fri 10am-11am, PHH, Jilly Spencer 07971 755715 Golf Club Milton Abbey School, Laura Haim 881872 Ladies Keep Fit Wed 7.30pm WVH. Mary Fripp 880416 Milborne St. Andrew Village Hall Events Alice Harrall 01258 837371 msavillagehall@gmail.com Milton Abbas Art Group Mon 7pm-9pm, RRMA, Elizabeth Walker elizziewalker@yahoo.co.uk Milton Abbas Local History Group 1st Wed each month, 7pm RRMA Bryan or Pamela Phillips 880385 Miltonabbashistorygroup.com

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To add or update a listing on this page please email news@valley-news.co.uk 19

Tennis Club Winterborne Sports Club, Stickland Jerry Kelsey 07765 777451 Valley Ringers John Close (Tower Capt, WW) 880457 Ann Fox (Tower Capt, WS) 881156 Valley Computer Club Richard D’Silva 880118 Valley Gardening Club sites.google.com/site/vgcdorset Mark Steele 880002 Valley Players 881415, www.valleyplayers.co.uk Whist Drive 3rd Wed of month, 7pm, RRMA. Entry £1 Winterborne Arts and Crafts First Wednesday every month, PHH W. Stickland Sports & Community Club Vaughan Manners 880969 • wssc.club The Winterborne’ Scout Group - Beavers, Cubs and Scouts Friday, Beavers, 5.30-6.45pm, Milborne St Andrew Sports Pavilion, Girls & Boys 6-8 years Friday, Cubs 6.30-8.15pm, Dunbury School Gym, Girls & Boys 8-10 years Friday, Scouts, 6.30-8.30pm, Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall, Girls & Boys 10-14 years thewinterbornes@gmail.com 07873762035 Winterborne Whitechurch Village Hall See Text Ads Yoga Thu 9.30-10.30am, PHH, Louise Hull 860381 Zumba WVH, Various classes, AM & PM, Tue & Thu Tracy 07971 636437

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W CROSS R D Compiled by Nick Donnelly There are two sets of clues, Cryptic and Concise, but remember, you cannot mix the clues as the cryptic answers are different to the Concise ones.

Answers will be given in the next edition.

CRYPTIC Across 1. Well bound! (6) 4. Soup container, green, left spreading all over the place (6) 8. Type of pencil to circle regressive genetic material, total sport (8) 10. Home counties captures copy writer (6) 11. This lately was mixed so no one would notice (10) 12. Custom reversed in Mary Tudor's reign (4) 13. Chided losing head and line hidden (5) 14. Wildlife habitat from hot skirt string (8) 16. American singer loses right, obscures scientists (8) 19. Sounds like Noel's banned from watering hole (5) 21. More than half disabled without first looking dormant (4) 22. Outlandish hard effect (3, 7) 24. Southern rubbish band! (6) 25. Hoffman film loses article to divide into intervals (8) 26. Lack of second break in oblivion (6) 27. Sign of a gong on the radio (6) Down 1. Bare worker after sexy community leaders (5)

2. Poetic cake maker? (7) 3. Narrowest range of main movement in deep satin confusion (4, 5) 5. Bumptious but shrinking after up is down! (5) 6. First burger free in mellow chop (7) 7. Charity workers protecting one cricket, for example, produce liquid offerings (9) 9. Where, in Edinburgh, to be dismissed by the police? (5) 13. Firm manner journalist lived with (9) 15. Ship which needs a dry dock to be made dry or reconfigured (9) 17. A type of cake formed one of the Gershwins (7) 18. Youngster is a hotshot in Singapore (5) 20. Mashed cucumbers lose note to croak (7) 22. Shelter in paper ships (5) 23. Praise audibly duty-free (5)

CONCISE Across 1. Capital city (6) 4. Skirt (6) 8. Ornamented with raised work (8) 10. Dodges (6) 11. One who speaks two languages(10) 12. Bird (4)

13. Type of food (5) 14. Least old (8) 16. Sense (8) 19. Plum, for example(5) 21. Food regime (4) 22. Device for transmitting documents (3, 7) 24. Steering mechanism (6) 25. Tells you where's where (8) 26. Device (6) 27. Didn't go (6) Down 1. Walking dead (5) 2. Splendours (7) 3. Complaisant (4, 5) 5. Rising agent (5) 6. Loving intensely (7) 7. Not the main pont (4, 5) 9. Quotidian (5) 13. High flying sport (9) 15. Rising air (2-7) 17. Agreed (7) 18. Duties (5) 20. Sad (7) 22. Absurdity (5) 23. Moved slowly (5)

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