Valley News October 2017

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Issue No. 129

October 2017

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

Picture by Frances Ellis

Helping to inform and unite the Community Š Valley News 2017

Content may not be reproduced without prior permission of the contributor

respond earlier in the year.

The Parish Council's agreed suppliers of the new equipment, ABC were approached only this week on behalf of the Academy without the knowledge of the PC and have confirmed that they could provide something bigger than currently being made at an increased cost. This would be subject to the school purchasing part of the equipment with their grant or donating the money to the PC play park fund. It was agreed for a meeting to be held with ABC as they would need to re-inspect the playpark to confirm the space available would be suitable later this week. It was however pointed out by the PC that the work would likely have to be delayed and would have to then go to tender thus not necessarily involve the same supplier due to the Financial regulations the PC has to follow. It may also jeopardise the Viridor grant already made. All this may need to be considered by the PC following the meeting with ABC. Amongst other matters discussed included: Following the several issues raised about the recent poor road repairs on the A354, other areas of Dorset appear to have the same issues.

The Quiz with Fish & Chip Supper at the Village Hall on 16th September has been cancelled.

Three Planning applications have been received.

2/2017/1070/LBC Proposal: Remove remains of existing greenhouse and replace, carry out external alterations in association with this. Location: Whitechurch House, Chescombe Lane, Winterborne Whitechurch, Dorset.

2/2017/1069/HOUSE Proposal: Erect greenhouse, (demolish existing). Location: Whitechurch House, Chescombe Lane, Winterborne Whitechurch, Dorset. WWPC have no objections to these applications 2/2017/1236/FUL Proposal: Erect office/store. Location: Lady Bailey Residential Park, Dorchester Hill, Winterborne Whitechurch, Dorset. WWPC have no objections to this application Local reports provided: Village Footpaths - No current issues Fields Close - The flower boxes are doing well and still in bloom after pruning was carried out by 3 members of the Parish Council last month.

Community Speed Watch Team has been out 8 times in August and is currently trialling a display screen which shows the oncoming vehicles their speed from the radar gun used.

The meeting closed at 9:10pm.

The next meeting will be on Wednesday 11th October at 7:30pm in the Old School Room. All Welcome.

For further information please see the village notice boards or go to http://winterbornewhitechurchparishcouncil.org.uk Alternatively contact the clerk on 880600 or email to winterbornewhitechurch@dorset-aptc.gov.uk

Editorial We've now reached the tenth month of 2017 - it hardly seems possible to be writing this, with only two more months to go before we're talking about THAT time of the year… There were surprised faces in one national store chain on September 14th when a display of children's toys specially released for THAT time were on display alongside the Hallowe'en toys! It's been commented on many times before so we won't labour the point any further; suffice to say that time passes quickly enough anyway that we shouldn't be wishing it away with any more speed than it seems to go on its own.

Autumn brings a special period in the year when the natural world begins to slow down. According to many scientists we are in for spectacular autumn colour this year - and with more than usual the number of berries and fruits on the trees and bushes too - so it will be interesting to see if those predictions come true. Apparently it's down to the amount of rain during the summer - so possibly it was useful for something after all.

We have been saddened to hear that the Milton Abbas Bulletin has currently ceased production as we know it was much appreciated by villagers. If anyone comes forward in response to Peter Chafer's appeal in the September edition for someone to take over the Bulletin we will be pleased to welcome them. Thanks of course must go to Peter Chafer and the team responsible for its production for the twenty years it has issued - so far, perhaps?

The Valley News team hopes that this publication may offer some way for at least part of the gap to be filled if no one does offer to produce the Bulletin - we have sometimes worried that we were duplicating efforts in that village, but we have always been based upon the geographic area of the Benefice, which of course includes Milton Abbas. We would be pleased to welcome new contributors.

VN

Dunbury Academy At Dunbury Academy we have welcomed all our new children into Reception and they are already doing very well. It's as if they have always been with us! Amazingly, it is already time for parents with children that are due to start school in September 2018 to start the registration process to sign up to the school of their choice. We would love to invite all prospective parents and children to come and have a look around our school. We will be holding an open morning on 3rd October between 9 and 11am. Come along for a cup of tea and a biscuit, meet our staff and children and even, if you like, join in with a few activities together with your child.

The open morning will start in Winterborne Kingston, where our infants are based. There will be a chance to look around the school and meet/talk to/play with some of our children and staff. You will be welcome to move on to Winterborne Whitechurch where our juniors are based - the children on both sites will be delighted to show you our lovely, well-resourced school.

We very much look forward to meeting you there. If you are unable to come on that specific date, simply contact us at school (880501) to arrange a different time: we'd be delighted to show you around.

Milton Abbas 180 Club Draw - October 1st 88 Eileen Rendell £30 2nd 171 Wilma Bromilow £15 3rd 130 Ian Bromilow £10

4th 133 Lindy Whelan £10 5th 122 Trevor Payne £5 6th 86 Dulcie House £5

Winterborne Whitechurch Parish Council

Round Robin Ramblers

The meeting was held on Wednesday 13th September in the Old School Room with 6 members of the public present.

A member of the public and representatives from the Dunbury Academy asked if the PC and the Academy could not make a joint plan for refurbishment of the play park. A Councillor of the PC pointed out that when the school was approached over a year ago they were unable to assist in any way. The current plans that the PC agreed after speaking to those who did come forward with ideas are now due to be started and completed before the end of September. A member from the school said that they had offered money from a grant they received from the Lottery but the PC pointed out that this offer came at that time with a condition of installing the Academy's chosen exercise equipment in the play park, which the PC then confirmed was not feasible due to the area being too small. The PC had to still continue with its own plans to replace the rotted slide tower and install a bird's nest swing asked for by local residents. This involved a grant application already made to Viridor which included signed support from local residents who did

Walks are normally held on the first Sunday and the third Wednesday of each month. See the events page for further info.

Please join us as we enjoy exercise, good company and the wonderful Dorset countryside. Any questions, please feel free to contact: Ian Bromilow, 01258-880044.

WHO: All welcome including well-behaved dogs and their responsible owners. No pre-booking required just turn up.

WEAR: Suitable clothing for wet conditions and location, walking boots or Wellington boots.

BRING: Waterproofs and refreshments (packed lunch on Wednesdays).

PACE: We go at the pace of the slowest.

TERRAIN: Expect mud, inclines and stiles.

AIM: Keep fit, enjoy the Dorset countryside and each other's company.

LEGAL: We look after one another but in the end you are responsible for yourself.

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A Day Trip with Bus2go

Streamwatch

We set out bright and early, picking up passengers for our day trip 'sailing around Poole harbour and islands on the Dolphin boat'. There were lots of fingers crossed for a sunny day on the water as we were headed to our destination and lots of chatter as friends caught up with any news they had. We arrived at Poole harbour in plenty of time with the sun just starting to appear. All the finger crossing had obviously worked!

Once we were all aboard we began our two hour trip. The crew were very friendly and informative regarding all the islands we were sailing around and the crew dog bought a smile to many of our passengers.

Sadly we did not see any of the seals that had made one of the pontoons their home but we did see a kingfisher sweeping across the water, which was quite an amazing sight! Even the crew said that they had not seen this spectacle before.

We were served refreshments by the crew as we were sailing and the passengers were able to buy some mementos too. It was such a lovely trip, with the sun shining on the water and folk from the other boats waiving to us as they headed out of the harbour. We were all a little sad when it was over but we did have our lunch to look forward to.

The bus was waiting for us on the quayside and we travelled onto the Lakeside restaurant, where we all had a very delicious meal of fish and chips and some passengers even managed a dessert.

We were all very happy and contented on our trip home, with 50's music playing on the bus we all had a singalong and felt there was all the time in the world to get home.

A perfectly lovely day with one of our passengers commenting that 'it was just like being on holiday'.

Perfect! For details of outings though to the End of December, please visit www.bus2go.org. We look forward to welcoming you on board very soon. Tel:01258 837749/07917298321

Usually it is possible to note at least 10 bird species on a walk along Water Lane and that is without really looking that hard. In September we said goodbye to our summer visitors, the Swallows, House Martins and Chifchaff and prepare to welcome our winter friends, Fieldfare and Redwings. The Skylark was sorely missed this year, which commonly occupies the south facing slopes of the valley in June / July, however the identification of a Whitethroat (possibly breeding this year) was really special. A real treat this year was a flypast of the Red Kite as it scoured the valley for food. As the hedge becomes more transparent a familiar friend, the Goldcrest, comes to the fore.

Here is a bird list put together of birds seen along Water Lane over the past few years. If you know of any more, we would be grateful to receive knowledge of your sightings. For the purposes of this list the species that fly south in winter and are replaced by the same species coming from more northerly regions, are not specifically identified. �WATER BIRDS � � Grey Heron Black Headed Gull Yellowhammer Little Egret Cuckoo (summer) Whitethroat (summer) Mallard Green Woodpecker Chiffchaff (summer) Coot Wood Pigeon Sedge Warbler (summer) Moorhen Collared Dove Willow Warbler (summer) Kingfisher Blackcap �BIRDS OF PREY Starling Greenfinch Tawny Owl Blackbird Goldfinch Red Kite Fieldfare (winter) Chaffinch Buzzard Redwing (winter) Linnet Sparrowhawk Mistle Thrush Robin Kestrel Song Thrush Great Tit House Martin (summer) Blue Tit �IN SIZE ORDER Swallow (summer) Long-tailed Tit Raven Pied Wagtail House Sparrow Rook Grey Wagtail Dunnock Carrion Crow Meadow Pipit Wren Jackdaw Skylark Goldcrest

Pamela Hambro Hall 100 club September 1st 167 Mrs A Donnelly 2nd 185 Mrs A Trevett 3rd 178 Mrs Rawlinson

October 1st 138 Jill Fulton 2nd 127 Mrs R Webb 3rd 122 Mrs S Shannon

Picture by Will Bown

The annual tidy-up will take place during the last two weeks in October. There may be some disruption to local traffic whilst this work takes place for which we apologise. Warning signs will be strategically placed indicating when work is to be started and when it is being done. Signs will be removed afterwards. Your understanding is appreciated, thank you. If you can help with the annual tidy-up please contact Richard Marchant on 881716.

The Valley Gardening Club

Stickland River Management Group

Bere Regis Floral Group The next meeting of Bere Regis Floral Group will be on Tuesday 10th October at 2pm in Winterborne Kingston village hall. The demonstrator will be Sally Taylor, and her title is Sallying Forth Again. Visitors and new members are always welcome. Your first visit to the club is free of charge.

Contact secretary Sue Stone on 01929 472083 for al information.

Congratulations to all of our winners at this year's Summer Show, held in August.

Sweet Pea Shield (most points) Karen Marchant Murray Simpson Trophy (Sweet Peas) Hans Hennicker Gladioli Cup (most points) Claire Scott Dahlia Cup (most points) Hans Hennicker Sid Smith Trophy (best Dahlia exhibit) Hans Hennicker General Cup (Growing section) Claire Scott Presidents Vase (best exhibit, section 1-4) Hans Hennicker Jubilee Bowl (Vegetables, most points) Hans Hennicker The RHS Banksian Medal Claire Scott Handicraft Cup (most points) Philippa Smith Beatrice Watson Cup (best exhibit) Philippa Smith Photography Cup (most points) Mark Steele W.I. Bowl (best exhibit) Graham Case

I Hear A Bright Voice Calling I hear a bright voice calling, a voice I've never heard.

But somewhere in the depths of time, a memory it stirred.

A voice of hope, and clarity, came lilting through the air, to brush aside a curtain, and reveal the person there.

No single sound was spoken, other than a whispered thought.

Which drifted through a silken mist, toward the one it sought.

It touched upon a stranger's heart, and burst into a song, and sang the sweetest melody, forgotten for so long.

Jackie Grearson

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THE DORSET SAWMILL Fence panels Posts, rails and most sawn timbers LOGS for sale Air dried / Barn stored / Kiln dried Kindling Call Kevin 01258 860053 • 07766 556010

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

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

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

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VIVIENHORDER Estate Agents See the latest properties online:

www.horderproperty.co.uk www.rightmove.co.uk www.teamprop.co.uk A local family run business Established 1984 Dealing with all types of residential property "We pride ourselves on personal service" 4 Salisbury Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7AR Email: office@horderproperty.co.uk Fax: (01258) 454459

Tel: (01258) 454419

BRYANSTON design Chartered Architects Building design work Planning and Building Reg. Applications Listed Building works Feasibility studies

Project management

NEW WORKS, EXTENSIONS and REFURBISHMENT. Richard Disbrow RIBA Blandford 01258 454879 www.bryanstondesign.co.uk e-mail bryanstondesign@btinternet.com

Conveyancing • Wills • Probate A friendly and efficient service Contact Paul Lowe, Solicitor 01258 881142 paul@lowelegal.co.uk www.lowelegal.co.uk

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pastry on an oiled or parchment lined baking sheet and then spread that half thickly with goats' cheese, leaving a 1 cm border all round. If you don't like goats' cheese, feta or a ewe's cheese will also work. Brush the border with beaten egg and lay the other rectangle on top and seal the edges. If you haven't cut the pastry, fold the empty half over the cheese and seal the edges. Brush the top with beaten egg and season well with salt and black pepper. Lay the sliced figs in overlapping lines across the top, for which you will need 8 - 12 figs depending on their size. Scatter a generous amount of thyme leaves over the top and bake in the oven, 200c / fan 180c / gas 6 for 25-30 minutes until well risen and golden.

Season again and then drizzle with warmed honey. Eat when still warm with a watercress and rocket salad and you have a light lunch or supper for two or a starter for four.

At this time of year apples are everywhere and we often run out of ideas of what to do with this glorious autumn glut. Apple jelly flavoured with mint, sage, thyme or rosemary is a classic accompaniment to meat but try adding cinnamon or cumin as an alternative. Imagine eating cinnamon jelly on hot buttered crumpets by a roaring fire on a windy autumn day after returning from walking the dog.

Christmas is eleven weeks away and chutney is always useful as a gift or to eat with cold turkey or ham and is a good way to use apples, green tomatoes and pumpkin. Chop into small pieces 1kg cooking apples after peeling and coring with any damaged bits removed, 8 oz green tomatoes, 8oz pumpkin, 8oz onion, 8oz dried dates chopped small, 8oz soft brown sugar, 568 ml (1 pint) spiced vinegar, 1 level tbsp. salt, 1 heaped tsp ground ginger, 1 heaped tsp mixed spice and ½ tsp cayenne pepper.

Put everything in a large stainless steel pan, mix well on a medium heat, slowly bringing to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the ingredients are soft, increase the heat and boil off the liquid. It is ready when you can draw a wooden spoon across the bottom of the pan and it leaves a clear line. The chutney needs to be stirred regularly to stop it from sticking and it's a good idea to protect your hands with gloves as it will spit when you stir near the end of the cooking time. Pour the chutney into warmed jars, cover the top with cling film and then add the screw tops. The cling film protects the metal lids from corroding from the vinegar.

Dorset is famous for its apple cake but for those with diabetes they have too much sugar, both from the cake and the apples. These cinnamon apple rings are low in sugar and high in fibre and are suitable for everyone and keep in a tin for a couple of days but also freeze well.

First make the dough. Dissolve 1 tsp of clear Dorset honey in 8 fl. oz warm milk and water mixed and add to 285g (10 oz) strong white bread flour, 15g (½ oz) bran and one sachet of quick acting yeast to make a soft but not sticky dough. Allow to rest while you make the filling. Peel, core and chop two cooking apples and cook with a dessert spoon of water until soft. Mix the cooked apples with 100g (4 oz) sultanas and 1 tsp ground cinnamon, beating the apples until they form a sauce-like consistency. Knead the dough, then roll it out into a rectangle about 30 x 40 cm (12 x 15"). Spread the filling evenly over the dough, then from the long edge roll it up like a Swiss roll. Cut the rolled up dough into 15 slices. Lay them on greased baking sheets and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size. Brush with milk, bake at 200c /400 f/ gas 6 for about ten minutes until golden and cooked.

Apples are versatile in savoury dishes as well as cakes and puddings and can be added to stuffings, are delicious cored and baked stuffed with mincemeat and are a lovely acidic contrast to cheese. Many store for months so enjoy nature's bounty before the icy grip of winter.

Update from Corfe Mullen Well, we've made it! After four years of deliberation, we have finally moved away from Stickland - to Corfe Mullen.

The first thing that is very evident is the amount of development that has been allowed in this little corner of Dorset. Every road you go down is awash with housing estates, but if you look carefully, there are pockets of wildlife and nature reserves - all, strangely enough, within 10 minutes' walk of our new home. Our bungalow, with two rooms up in the loft, is surrounded by garden, so every window looks out on to a different aspect of the garden. The garden itself is surrounded by trees and hedges, so we have our own peaceful haven. We also have a pleasant patio that we have made use of in hot weather, so all in all we are happy. Of course we miss the Valley and also all of you, but we are managing to keep in contact with quite a few people - so it's not so bad!

Heather and Des Sims

A year in the life of a village printmaker Every artist should have a studio assistant. Mine is hairy and tends to spread-eagle herself on the studio floor. On inking days she chooses an optimum spot between my inking table and the printing press, just so I can step over her frequently and be reminded that she is there.

After the morning walk I find the fragrant waft of damp fur, faintly reminiscent of wet woolly jumper and a base note of farmyard, surprisingly comforting.

My studio assistant is good at: getting in my way; alerting me when it's time to go for a walk by jogging my elbow quite bossily with her nose; greeting every visitor who comes for a workshop very politely by sniffing their hand or their shoes; sitting patiently nearby while I teach a workshop (unless it's 4pm, at which point she's had enough of waiting); getting me out of the house on a horrible wet day - she knows it's good for me; otherwise I would just stay in and become too "studio-bound" and hermit-like.

My studio assistant is not good at: fetching and carrying, helping me to clear up after a mammoth inking session, discussing new ideas, giving me positive feedback on what I am currently printing, letting me get on with my work after 4pm, I could go on ‌.

The best assistance she gives me is the routine of a walk twice a day. Currently the morning walk comprises some "ball action" in a field down the road (we previously used a local park) and in the afternoon I like to go into the woods. No ball allowed. The morning walk clears my head and, if I am about to go home for an inking session, I go through what ink colours I will use and how I will go about it. The afternoon walk is my general thinking time. Ideas pop into my head about what prints to aim for next, then I have a job to keep that thought in my head without losing it until I get home. My best ideas come when I am walking.

Walking in the Dorset landscape has provided an environment where inspiration occurs more easily, but it is not usually the direct source of my inspiration. Travelling abroad has provided a rich seam I can tap into for quite a while, but during September and October every year I do suddenly look around me and think: forests! So this is what will keep me busy during October - a return to a well-rehearsed technique of monoprinting inspired by the light filtering through an army of vertical trunks. Each time I do this type of printmaking, the results vary enormously. This is what makes printmaking exciting. Ink is applied to a flexible plastic plate using rollers and various other techniques, and the plate is run through the press several times to build up a series of prints which become more complex and interesting as the time progresses. Each individual print is unique and cannot be repeated. Lots of spontaneity, thinking on my feet, enjoying the moment and rejoicing in the "happy accidents" that often occur when you are prepared to experiment a little!

Hooray for October! genevieve.lavers@btinternet.com

Claire Scott

Down the Garden Path The original 200 year old cooking apple, Malus domestica 'Bramley's Seedling' tree is dying from honey fungus, an incurable fungal infection.

The tree has been infected for more than 25 years and has finally succumbed. Honey fungus travels underground and can cover enormous areas and it's yet another disease with no known cure which devastates trees and shrubs. With our warmer weather a growing number of nasties seem to pop up each year. So far Ash dieback does not seem to have arrived locally but we are told that 98% of all Ash are expected to die in the next twenty years. On the other hand the changing climate enables us to grow things that, in the past, we were told that it was too

What's Cooking?

It may seem surprising but the climate in Dorset allows us to have two pickings of figs in many summers. Figs cut with a piece of goats' cheese in the centre, baked and then drizzled with honey is a classic dish but making it into a tart moves it to a different level.

Take a ready-rolled sheet of puff pastry, 375g, and at this point you can decide either to cut it in half or mark where halfway is. Lay the 8

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Events

UNIVERSALLY CHALLENGED!

AUCTION

We invite you to a FUND RAISING evening at the Pamela Hambro Hall on Thursday November 16th at 7.30pm for a Knockout Challenge Quiz

WINTERBORNE WHITECHURCH VILLAGE HALL

There will be a prize hamper for the winning team.

Teams of 4 maximum - make up your own or come along and find new team mates. £2.50 per head. Bring a notebook/pen.

Coffee/tea included. BYOB and glasses if you want to drink anything else!

SUNDAY 22nd October 12pm D

COFFEE MORNING & CHARITY SHOP • Mondays • 10.30am-12noon • St. Mary’s Church, Stickland WHITECHURCH YOUTH CLUB (7-14 year olds welcome) Mondays • 6.30pm • Whitechurch Village Hall COFFEE STOP • Tuesdays • 10.30am-12noon • St James, Milton Abbas CUP & CAKE • Wednesdays • 10.30am-12noon • Old School Room, Whitechurch ROUND ROBIN RAMBLERS SUN 1st OCT • 2pm • Broad Oak & Sturminster Newton (4½m) Meet at Fiddleford Mill car park.

WED 25th OCT • 11am • Milton Abbas & surroundings (6m) Meet outside St James Church, Bring a packed lunch SUN 5th NOV • 2pm • Tarrant Crawford (4½m) Meet near TC Church BINGO • FRI 20th OCT • 7.30pm • Whitechurch Village Hall Raffle, Refreshments • In aid of Dorset Somerset Air Ambulance

E L Lots to be left inL the hall on E Saturday 21 COctober between N A C 9am to 4pm st

Viewing Sunday 9am to 12pm contact: Jim 01258 881204

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cold for them to thrive. You win some, and you lose some.

Autumn is always interesting as, apart from cutting back, splitting clumps of perennials, planting bare-rooted shrubs and trees it is also the time of year to buy bulbs. For some time I have been encouraging readers to take pictures of their gardens through the seasons and now is the time to look back at last Spring and decide where you need a few extra bulbs and which bulbs you want in pots. Many people plant up pots for the Spring full of bulbs and then leave the soil bare which they have to cover with wire and canes to deter the squirrels and blackbirds from digging everything up. I always plant a small evergreen or a circle of clematis to cover the top and that means I don't have the depressing sight of dark soil in winter while I am waiting for the first shoots of Spring.

When clearing the garden always remember to leave seed heads for the birds and also for you to enjoy yourself when they become frosted. As a breed, gardeners can be too tidy but we need to remember the extent to which wild life relies on what some see as an untidy mess for their food and habitat. Creating insect hotels can be a fun thing to make and can be as simple or as elaborate as the fancy takes you. At its simplest a selection of dry Alium flower stems strung from the branches of a shrub or tree provides homes for invertebrates such as ladybirds and earwigs.

The simplest way to make a wild life habitat is to take a terracotta flower pot which has a drainage hole at the base, fill it with straw and part bury it. Such residencies may be used by bumble bees or even small mammals such as voles and field mice.

If you have apple or pear trees it is time to apply barrier glue or grease bands to prevent wingless winter moth females crawling into trees to lay their eggs. The green looper caterpillars of the winter moth (Operophtera brumata) feed on the foliage of deciduous trees as the buds open in Spring. In some years extensive defoliation can occur and blossom and developing fruitlets can also be damaged. While most trees recover the fruit yields can be seriously reduced, especially on apples and pears, so it is well worth considering prevention.

Wet days are ideal for cleaning and oiling tools. Wooden handles benefit from a good clean and a wipe with a rag impregnated with linseed oil to preserve them. Sharpen blades and oil tools to keep them in good condition and it makes life so much easier when you get them out next year.

Until the first frosts dahlias will continue to provide valuable colour in borders and pots. Unless you are in a frost pocket our milder weather will enable you to leave the tubers in the ground over winter. Cut the plants down after the first frost when the foliage is blackened and mulch with a 3 to 6 inch deep layer of bark chips or garden compost to provide protection from frost and to try and stop the pheasants from digging them up. Canna, tuberous begonia and gladiolus are also of the group which have tubers, rhizomes or corms that can survive in a dormant state when lifted and stored if kept in a frost free environment. If planted in a pot which can be moved, then take the whole pot and replenish the soil in the Spring.

At the Valley Gardening Club Summer Show there was a popular new category for a foliage arrangement and it's worth starting to think about which plants might be useful for next year's entry. By early October, summer days have passed but the weather can often be mild and have almost Spring like moments. Plants without showy flowers often have strong form or shape, providing autumn and winter interest and structure to a garden. Phormiums, with their upright shape and varieties of leaf colour are a useful contrast to more rounded plant forms. Once established they produce amazing spikes of flowers several feet long. This summer seems to have suited them and now the flowers and contrasting leaf shapes add year round interest. Grasses add shape, form, colour and movement to the autumn garden and we are lucky to have Knoll Gardens so close for advice and plants.

The Hebe family provides a huge choice of foliage, shape and size to choose from and many repeat flower throughout the year. They are very tolerant and can cope with sun, dappled shade and even really quite shady spots.

Being so high up, we have a problem hanging on to our leaves once the trees drop their foliage as the wind blows them straight down the hill.

Last year we had a quiet spell in the autumn and for once we were

able to accumulate a decent amount of leaf compost which is now well rotted down. So when it comes to sweeping up those leaves, just think how lucky you are!

Claire Scott

Book Review I was told to come alone: my journey behind the lines of Jihad, by Souad Mekhennet This gripping tale of investigations across the Middle East is dramatic and authentic. It is based on 13 years of intense encounter with Jihadists and their supporters by a German-Muslim woman who is poised uneasily between worlds, working mostly for the principled Washington Post. The strength of Mekhennet's personal but neutral engagement gives great authority to her narrative-style reportage.

Though she is profoundly opposed to Jihadist murders and aims, Mekhennet writes with a sensitive insider's feeling for what it is like to be an unwanted and alienated immigrant in Germany. She is further conflicted because her father is a Turkish Sunni and her mother a Moroccan Shia - and because she is a woman working in the maledominated world of Western journalism, writing about Jihadist men who believe they are carrying out God's will.

Mekhennet set off on this investigative journalist's path because she took deeply to heart the cry from the mother of a murdered American who wanted to know, 'why do they hate us?' The whole book is essentially an enveloping answer to this question, taking us through hair-raising meetings with ISIS, al-Qaeda and other Islamists (plus the Egyptian and other security services) across Iraq, Algeria, Lebanon, Jordan, Pakistan, Egypt, Tunisia, Bahrain, Germany, France and Belgium, during 2003-2016. Along the way Mekhennet establishes an uneasy but enduring set of professional relationships with figures on the edge of the Islamist world, as well as a number of direct participants and some who direct and control the killers.

But what really sets this remarkable testimony apart is the personal history and integrity of the author herself, who gives a vivid picture of where and how she was brought up. Mekhennet's indomitable, Moroccan grand-mother stands out as her guiding lodestar, though she only knew her when, as a small child, she was sent to live with her grandmother for a few years in a poor part of Moroccan city.

The book reads like a thriller, especially in the first half, as the journalist (who idolised Woodward and Bernstein, after seeing All the President's Men) pushes herself against the odds - and at real risk to her life - into the frontline of Islamist terror reporting. She is very clear that Jihadists are led by false abusers of religion, completely unjustified in Islamic terms and also making the lot of Muslims worse, both inside their 'caliphate' and in the West. Equally, she is far from losing sight of the entrenched racism and prejudice in the West, along with the corrupt cruelty of despotic Arab regimes, which is what (she thinks) drives the Jihadists, along with their sense of powerlessness.

There is some humour, such as when an Islamist leader proposes marriage to the author, only half-jokingly, at the very moment when she fears being kidnapped in the backstreets of a desperate Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon.

In the final chapter, we learn the affecting story of how the 16-year-old son of Mekhennet's cousin (in Germany) is 'brain-washed' into joining Islamists in Syria, unfolding in real-time as Mekhennet tells it. There is a terribly fresh reality to the torment of the boy's 'normal' parents, who fear their son's death as well as his utter alienation from them, after a mere six months of becoming disaffected. 'They' are 'us'.

Mekhennet writes from a strong humanist and deeply practical viewpoint: 'The world is not facing a clash of civilisation or cultures, but a clash between those who want to build bridges and those who would rather see the world in polarities.' Her idealism is based on responding to the people caught in the middle: 'If I've learned anything, it's this: a mother's screams over the body of her murdered child sound the same, no matter if she is black, brown or white; Muslim, Jewish, or Christian; Shia or Sunni.'

Mark Hudson

Deadlines for November’s Valley News Adverts & Events TUESDAY 10th OCTOBER Articles SUNDAY 15th OCTOBER 12

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The Winterborne Valley & Milton Abbas Benefice community. I mentioned this recently in sermons in two of our churches. I suggested that it was not part of our faith to try to impose our own personal beliefs (whatever they may happen to be) on other people. (I learned this from the former leader of the Lib Dems who, although he is an evangelical Christian, voted in favour of same sex marriages as he did not feel it was right to impose his views on the population as a whole.) People spoke to me afterwards stating that they were worried their family included gay or lesbian members, and they were relieved to hear that they were not expected to try to get those family members to change their minds and way of life.

The prolocutor (chairman) of the Convocation of Canterbury, an openly gay vicar, has just posted this on the internet, "I am free to be foolishly wrong yet am still loved. As such, I can continue to reach out to those who hold to a different view of sexuality knowing that, even if they are right and I am wrong, I need not be afraid of God." It is worth emphasising that the authorities should not try to impose liberal opinions on people. Surely being liberal implies that we should be allowed the freedom to hold our own views, provided of course that these views do not harm others.

JHB

The church nowadays often gets a bad press. But when the Grenfell tower caught fire the church for a change got a good report.

Why? Because the local vicar got out of bed, unlocked the church and turned on the light. Those who fled the flames, saw the light and found a place where they could go for security, care and food.

Other churches and other faiths soon joined in and set out to assist those in desperate need of shelter.

Our churches must always have open doors for those in need, regardless of their background, beliefs or even the way they behave.

People often fear that if they turn to the Church they will find criticism and be turned away for not living up to the standards expected of them.

Jesus, when faced with a woman caught in the act of adultery, condemned, not the woman, but the religious leaders who were suggesting that she should be stoned to death as suggested in the Old Testament. The woman was welcomed, forgiven and offered a new start in life by Jesus. On the cross Jesus opened wide his arms to welcome all kinds of people - and that includes all of us!

Which leads me on to a related problem. Many Christians are known for disapproving of the Gay, Lesbian and Transgender

Clenston Houghton Milton Abbas Stickland Turnworth Whitechurch Theme Old Testament Psalm Epistle Gospel

1st October 16th after Trinity (Proper 21) Green 1000 Harvest AR 1000 Harvest DA/HR 1000 MW TS 0830 (BCP) sHC AR

8th October 17th after Trinity (Proper 22) Green 1800 HC AR 0830 HC BCP AR

15th October 18th after Trinity (Proper 23) Green

1800 EP BCP HE 1100 Harvest SL

1000 Harvest JT/AR 1100 Harvest PC/CB 1000 HC TS Who do you think you are? Are you sitting comfortably?

Ready to party Ezekiel 18: 1-4, 25-32 Isaiah 5: 1-7 Isaiah 25: 1-9 Psalm 25: 1-9 Psalm 80: 7-15 Psalm 23 Philippians 2: 1-13 Philippians 3: 4b-14 Philippians 4: 1-9 Matt 21: 23-32 Matt 21: 33-46 Matt 22: 1-14

22th October 19th after Trinity (Proper 24) Green

29th October Last after Trinity (Proper 25) Green

1000 HC AR 1800 Dual Benefice Evensong Abbey HE 1000 MW JHB/PC 1600 Service of Light SL/JHB 1800 HC AR 0830 (BCP) sHC AR 0830 sHC Benefice service AR The things that are God’s?

Getting it right Isaiah 45: 1-7 Leviticus 19: 1-2, 15-18 Psalm 96: 1-9 Psalm 1: 1 Thessalonians 1: 1-10 Thessalonians 2: 1-8 Matt 22: 15-22 Matt 22: 34-46

MIDWEEK SERVICES: Mondays & Tuesdays 0835 Morning Prayer Stickland Wednesdays 0930 HC Milton Abbas SERVICES KEY: BCP 1662 Book of Common Prayer Traditional EP Evening Prayer HC Holy Communion (Eucharist) MW Morning Worship, informal service for all, with old & new hymns & songs, without Holy Communion SHC Service without hymns or music Rev'd Alan Ryan - AR • 01258 880482 • www.winterbornevalleyandmiltonbenefice.com Rev'd Sue Litchfield - SL Rev'd Jimmy Hamilton-Brown - JHB Rev’d Tina Sterling - TS Rev'd Helier Exon - HE Emily D'Silva EdS Debbie Albery DA Harriet Ryan HR Jenny Tory JT Ian Bromilow IB Wilma Bromilow WB Piers Chichester PC

FROM THE REGISTERS

Marriage Baptism

John Worswick and Kerry Lewis Dylan Thunder Ryan

9th September St Nicholas, Clenston 23rd September St Mary's, Stickland

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

Graham Case, Valerie Ashford, Claire & John Scott, Barbara Luke, Jim Luke 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.

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Send by email to Mark Steele at news@valley-news.co.uk or to Valerie Ashford, 11 Fairmead, Stickland (DT11 OND) Please include name & contact number in case of any queries.

For Advertising : 10th of the prior month. For all other submissions (articles, pictures etc.): 15th of the prior month.

Late items may not appear until the next edition.

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Valley News COPIES AVAILABLE FROM: • Winterborne Whitechurch Church • East Farm Shop, Winterborne Whitechurch • The Milton Arms, Winterborne Whitechurch • Milton Abbas Post Office • Pamela Hambro Hall, Winterborne Stickland • Winterborne Stickland Church • The Crown, Winterborne Stickland • Blandford Tourist Information Centre And online at issuu.com/valleynewsdt11

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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 Badminton Fri 6.45, Rec Hall, Milton Abbey School Anita Handley 882118 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 2001 Women’s Group Pauline Northeast 880223 Milton Abbas Art Group Mon 7pm-9pm, RRMA, Janet Maughan 881210 Milton Abbas Cricket Club Thu, Juniors 6.45, Seniors 7.30 Rec Hall, Milton Abbey School,

OSR PHH RMA WVH

VENUE KEY Old School Room, Whitechurch Pamela Hambro Hall, Stickland Reading Rooms, Milton Abbas Whitechurch Village Hall

Milton Abbas Local History Group 1st Wed each month, 7.30pm RRMA Bryan or Pamela Phillips 880385 Milton Abbas Neighbourcar For your medical transport needs, 01258 470333 Milton Abbas Riding For The Disabled Friday 10-12, Pound Cottage Riding Centre, Sue Hodder 880229 Milton Abbas Sports Club Tennis and Squash. Based at Abbey School.

Maria 880895, secretary@masportsclub.org.uk The Middleton Players Mike Roberts 880976 Pamela Hambro Hall 880969 • pamelahambrohall.wix.com/home Patient Voice (the Patient Reference Group for Milton Abbas & Milborne St Andrew Surgery), Sec. Nigel Hodder 880229 Pilates 1 hr classes: Mon 10am; Tue 6.45pm; Wed 10am; Thu 12.00; PHH, Jilly Spencer 07971 755715 POPP Wayfinders for The Winterbornes Sue Inman 07920 650608 Sue.Inman@helpandcare.org.uk Richard Hewitt 07971 338129 Richard.Hewitt@helpandcare.org.uk Round Robin Ramblers Normally 1st Sun & 3rd Wed each month Ian Bromilow 880044 River Stickland Management Group Richard Marchant 881716 (Secretary) r.marchant@btinternet.com Running Club Sunday morning social runs with Milton Abbas Sports Club Madgits. Maria 880895 or Jonathan D: madgits@masportsclub.org.uk Short Mat Bowls Mon 1.30pm, Wed 2pm-4.30pm • PHH • Francis Dennett 880129 The Spanish Society Susana 01258 721261 / 07766 069836

Sticklebacks Parent & Toddler Group Tue (Term Time) 10am-12pm, PHH Cheryl 07795687151 cheryl_s84@hotmail.com Swimming Lessons Juniors and adults. Beginners and improvers.

Maria 880895 or Richard 837402 Table Tennis Tue 2pm-4pm & Fri 7pm-9pm, PHH Graham Case 880740 Tap Dancing (Adult) Thu: Intermediates 6.15, Advanced 7.30 RRMA. Elizabeth Goodchild 01305 268029 Tennis Club Winterborne Sports Club, Stickland Debbie Albery 451873 Valley Ringers John Close (Tower Capt, WW) 880457 Ann Fox (Tower Capt, WS) 881156 Valley Computer Club Richard D’Silva 880118 Valley Gardening Club Talks: 3rd Wed (Sept-Jun), 7.30pm, PHH WS sites.google.com/site/vgcdorset Valley Players 881415, www.valleyplayers.co.uk Whist Drive 3rd Wed of month, 7pm, RRMA. Entry £1 W. Stickland Sports & Community Club Vaughan Manners 880969 • wssc.club Winterborne Whitechurch Scout Group Fri, Cubs 6.30-8.15pm, Dunbury School Gym Girls & Boys 7½-11 years Fri, Scouts, 6.30-8.30pm, OSR Girls & Boys 10½-14 years. Alan 881164 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

To add or update a listing on this page please email

Parish Council Websites winterbornestickland.org.uk winterbornehoughton.org.uk miltonabbaspc.org.uk. winterbornewhitechurchparishcouncil.org.uk

news@valley-news.co.uk 19

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