Leigh

from February 2021 No.332

REGULAR EVENTS

REPS: Philippa Toulson philippa.toulson@gmail.com Eddie Upton upton.eddie@gmail.com DISTRIBUTOR: Judy Tuke

Sunny Christmas Eve

Photo: Sarah Knowles

In this time of terrible news dominated by the seemingly relentless march of COVID, it is worth reminding ourselves of some of the good things that continue and of the people who make them happen.

We are thankful for our food, not just to the farmers but the people who work in the supermarkets and food shops. Locally there are the people who set our village market on Wednesday lunchtimes. They all seem to be key workers, and deserve our thanks and respect.

Don’t forget that the Leigh Life Line is still in operation on 07942 646052, and the church still opens daily as a haven of quiet, as well as hosting a village emergency box.

While sticking closely to government rules, we should continue to try and help each other in whatever ways we can, and remember how lonely and frightened people can be. Let’s hope that the vaccination programme flourishes. Stay safe!

Philippa Toulson and Eddie Upton

St Andrew’s Church, Leigh

We were uncertain as to what worship might be possible under Covid-19 restrictions but mercifully we found a way of gathering safely in Advent. First, for a service of Holy Communion taken by George Moody on 6 December and then, subsequently, two services with the limit of six people on the 13th . 23

Philippa’s Carol Service in the afternoon of 20 December attracted 50 folk. Spread out around the churchyard were “stage” productions of music, readings and playlets at different stands that told the Nativity story. Everyone brought their own mulled wine and mince pies and we conversed joyfully….at a distance.

Sadly, fewer were tempted to come to either the Christmas Eve Mass or for Christmas Day’s morning communion which our long suffering Tony Durkin conducted but, at least for those few, greetings were exchanged to maintain the long-standing tradition of being at church on Christmas Day.

On this occasion, Tony blessed our beautiful new oak gates and offered prayers that they will remain undamaged for many years to come and that the design will keep the water out of their joints. Thank you, Mark Chutter, for your team’s superb craftsmanship.

Lastly, we held a small celebration to mark the passing of 2020 in the churchyard, gathered around a small bonfire to consume all the worst of the old year and its worries, and pray for better things to come.

By the time this report reaches your doormats, January will best be forgotten as no services have been possible under the stricter restrictions. We hope and pray that we will have something more cheerful to report for March.

The church remains open for prayer daily between 10.00am and 2.00pm.

Alaistair Cumming and Eddie Upton

Churchwardens

Photo: Patrick Reason

Wriggle Valley Lunch Club

Connie Wallis has run the popular Wriggle Valley Lunch Club for the past 11 years at Leigh Village Hall but has decided she cannot do it any longer. Judy Tuke has also been bearing much of the work in recent times but cannot continue either.

This is very understandable but a great shame for those who have attended each month. For some local residents (mostly from Leigh and Chetnole) who live alone it was a welcome opportunity to chat to other people over a home-cooked meal. We also had a regular group from The Old Vicarage joining us and there were usually between 25-35 people enjoying the occasion.

My sincere thanks to Connie who has done a wonderful job for which I, and many other frequent attendees, will always be grateful and remember fondly. She worked tirelessly and achieved a 5-star hygiene food rating for the Village Hall kitchen, which has done much to help the promotion of the hall as an events venue. Thank you also

to Judy Tuke, Sandy Burton and all the volunteers who have helped to make the Lunch Club such a success.

I would very much like to ask for volunteers to take over the running of the Wriggle Valley Lunch Club.

Duncan Moore

duncancmoore@aol.com 01963 210154

Leigh Parish Council update

As many will be aware, Longbridge Drove has for some while been closed to motorised traffic due to the damage that off-roaders and the like have caused. Nonetheless, some drivers still attempt to use it; during the early hours in late November a vehicle smashed through the fence adjacent to the gate at the Batcombe Road end and further damaged what is a designated 300m SNCI: Site of Nature Conservation Interest. A byway in Yetminster was similarly abused. The police responded rapidly to a 999 call and, as the licence plate had been noted, a ‘S59 Notice’ was served on the owner/driver. This warns that if the driver engages in similar anti-social driving in any vehicle in the next 12 months, then police can seize that vehicle from them. Thank you to all involved in what hopefully will be a deterrent.

Longbridge Drove is, unfortunately, classified as a BOAT: Byway Open to all Traffic. Some years ago the parish attempted to have it downgraded, but this was defeated in court. Dorset Council will no doubt therefore one day have to make repairs; it is considering how the SNCI might be protected, while opening up a track across it that keeps vehicles to a prepared surface.

Thank you to all of those who once again responded to Paul Orchard’s annual call for volunteers in January to remove the accumulated litter from our verges. As I write, indications are that the large amount of annual detritus due to the ‘serial bottle chucker’ that we (and Batcombe) have previously suffered from has abated. Whether this is down to an individual amending their behaviour, or a move away from our immediate area, I do not know. But either way, thank you to anyone involved in helping to achieve this result. Our villages are much the better for it.

You may have noticed that late in December, the signpost at Totnell suddenly sprouted three beautifully restored fingers. Several residents

kindly responded to the call for funds in the last WVM to support this work, and it is marvellous to see this post now refurbished. Graham Fudge and his team continue to progress work on the dilapidated posts at the village cross and by Club Corner cottages – a further thank you to his team, and to all subscribers to the cause to date. Further funding is sought; if you would also like to contribute, please contact Graham Fudge (grahamfudge51@gmail.com).

The recent cold snap highlighted once again the lack of associated treatment on our local roads; around the New Year we had at least three significant accidents within the parish on account of this. The parish council has again written to the CEO of Dorset Council, drawing attention to the fact that much through traffic uses the narrow Stockwood-Chetnole-Leigh-Leweston route, and that there are no pavements within these villages. We are working with adjacent parish councils to see if we can have this route again scheduled for gritting, as it always used to be until about six years ago.

Leigh Parish Council consists of up to seven unpaid Councillors, who are subject to re-election every four years, the last being May 2019. Resignations occurring between the main election dates create casual vacancies. Councillor Graham Bugler, who has been a councillor since 1999 (and served as chairman for four years), has understandably decided it is now time to step down. A casual vacancy has therefore now occurred. Anyone interested in filling this vacancy should contact the Parish Clerk on leigh@ dorset-aptc.gov.uk for more information.

Alan Bennett

arcbennett@hotmail.co.uk

Photo: Faith Bellamy

Time for tree

You may well have seen an item on TV’s Countryfile a few weeks ago about planting trees to counter climate change. I hope many of you think, as I do, that it’s a good idea, and that we should do something about it. It may not be much in the grand scheme of things but we should try – for our sakes and our children.

So here is the deal: The LVH Committee have agreed that the ‘profit’ from the Village Lottery which is set aside for the maintenance of the Hall will be available to buy and plant trees. We normally collect approx. £2,000 per annum, half of which goes in prizes and half to the Hall.

So now, half your Lottery ticket will go towards a tree or trees and we’ll attempt to buy and plant for two years, giving us a budget of £2000. We could possibly plant 1000 saplings, but I fear that this is too many to protect and nurture until they are mature.

Why not therefore go for a young tree which will still need our nursing. On top of the cost of the trees we will need posts, ties and plastic guards to protect them from rabbits and more especially deer. We should target 250 trees this year and a similar amount in 2022.

So where do we plant? I’m sure that those with large gardens could use the length of your hedges, those with a small field that is ‘unproductive’ might consider a small cider apple orchard. The idea of a village cider press is not new, or a copse of mixed trees. The farming world has miles of hedges which were once full of elm trees and their symbiotic rooks! It would be difficult to cut into the hedge line to plant a tree but not impossible.

Any young trees in the bare fields are at the mercy of cattle, sheep and deer, so the hedge is the only safe environment apart from the farmer’s hedge cutting.

The cost to you is still £1 per month. Your lottery collector will contact you this month. It would be useful if you could indicate whether you want a tree, or trees, whether you are willing to join a team of planters or even if you would like to contribute to the project as well as your ticket.

You will have read in the magazine’s December issue that the Parish Council is planning to plant around the Village Green and have asked for sponsorship and volunteers. The Parish Council’s tree representative, Annabel Ward, and I are happy to join forces to get planting. Finally, it would be so good if we were to name each tree after a loved one or someone from Leigh who had contributed to our village life.

Your thoughts and support would be very welcome. It will be an interesting project, one that we should embrace and complete.

Julian Turnbull

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR DECEMBER WINNERS.

If you would like to take part, please contact: Julian Turnbull on 01935 873846 or Alastair Cumming on 01935 872401. It is only £1 per month

Winners for the December draw:

1st Ball No 67 Mr & Mrs Tacon £100 2nd Ball No 65 Tim Holde £80 3rd Ball No 53 Mrs Hinton £50 4th Ball No 6 Mrs Vickery £30 5th Ball No 25 Richard Taylor £20

AND TO OUR JANUARY WINNERS.

Winners for the January draw:

1st Ball No 73 Joe Barlow Poole £40 2nd Ball No 49 Michael Morrell £20 3rd Ball No 25 Richard Taylor £10 4th Ball No 77 Alan Winding £5

Please note that the Lottery Collectors will be calling over the weekend of 12–14 February to collect your subscriptions. Due to the Covid rules and restrictions it would be of great assistance if each household had their monies ready in say, an envelope. It is only £12. Collectors will have a prepared receipt so there will only be an exchange of paper.

In addition – if you have read the article on trees and are willing to volunteer, want to order a tree(s) or are prepared to add a donation, please let us know through your envelope.

Telephone Julian Turnbull 01935 873846 or Alaistair Cumming 01935 872401

Making a Difference

A new group has recently formed in Leigh. Our purpose is to support the Dorset Climate and Ecological Emergency Strategy and help it become a reality on the ground. Our interests include: gardening with wildlife in mind; self-sufficiency; birds; plastic reduction; sustainable agriculture and campaigning. We want to network with other people to reduce our carbon footprint and help mitigate climate change.

There are lots of little things that we can do that make a difference, many of them quite easy. Here are some things three of our members try and do, always asking ‘Can this be done more sustainably?’

Our choices so far include home heat without fossil fuel, good home insulation and a plug-in hybrid car; reducing the number of consumables in plastic, making own yoghurt and hummus, doorstep milk in glass, dried food in cellophane wrap, paper or own containers, solid shampoo, conditioner and soap, fresh produce from a greengrocer; for cleaning, use refills, less cleaning products and alternatives such a white vinegar or borax.

In the garden, we plant trees and shrubs, collect rainwater, re-use water, limit hose pipe use and make compost; grow flowers and foliage for bees, butterflies and insects, and fruit and veg for us; cut the grass less and let the lawn flowers grow. I don’t use insecticides or herbicides.

We use Beeswax food wrap and have a kit for making our own and where possible we re-use plastic food bags. We have currently dispensed with teabags and use loose-leaf tea and have noticed that many companies are improving their bags and packaging.

We now use a smart meter for analysing electricity consumption, have altered the boiler clock to reduce usage and are completing an online carbon audit.

Here in Leigh, we are trying to do our bit. We buy our energy from a company which supplies electricity from 100% renewable sources. We are about to plant over an acre of trees and we actively encourage biodiversity in our garden including a large swathe of wildflowers.

We have a deep desire to make sure that we repair the thoughtless damage we’ve all done to our surroundings, to leave the world a better place. If you’d like to find out more, or join us, please email cate.m.dixon@gmail.com

Cate Dixon

‘I am only one, but I am one. I cannot do everything, but I can do something.’

Pointing the finger!

In early 2020 I was asked by our Parish Council chairman, Alan Bennett, if I would be willing to organise the restoration of the directional road signs in Leigh, otherwise known as ‘Fingerposts’.

Dorset County Council had announced that they could no longer fund the upkeep of these signs; if parishes wished to retain them, they should maintain them.

In common with many perhaps, I had always taken our Dorset Fingerposts for granted, only noticing them if they were missing fingers or looked particularly unloved.

Where to begin on such a project? Contacts provided by Alan proved most helpful, as was Ned Kozowyk, who restored Chetnole’s signs. Roger Bond at Dorset Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (DAONB) also offered guidance, providing us with most of the materials needed for the work entailed.

Given its size, Leigh has a surprising number of Fingerposts, seven in all. A survey revealed that five of these posts needed work to restore them and I quickly realised the project would require more than a team of one! After a few phone calls, an able crew of four village ‘retired’s’ was formed, two with skills in working with wood and one in engineering. I was the fourth member of the team – no formal skills in this type of work but very willing!

As usual, closer inspection of the job before starting revealed that more work was required than originally expected – new wooden fingers are needed on all the posts together with replacement of most of the lettering. Over the years, councils used cheaper materials to repair fingerposts. For instance, oak was originally used for the fingers but now they are pine, and once-metal letters and numbers are now plastic, with a self-adhesive backing glue, and thus some letters are missing on posts!

As a team, we wanted to restore the posts to original specification if we could; they would be more authentic and longer lasting.

DAONB produce a guide to restoring Fingerposts using traditional materials, which they can also supply. Last year Leigh Parish Council purchased new oak fingers and metal letters from them for our first two posts, at Totnell Corner and Leigh Cross. Restoration work is like the swan swimming on water – all the frantic work is going on beneath the surface or, in our case, in someone’s garage, where we cannot see.

After some months, just before Christmas, the new fingers – complete with resplendent black metal letters – were bolted onto the post at Totnell Corner. Its new roundel, to top off the summit of the post, has been ordered and should arrive in early spring.

Much of the background work for the post at Leigh Cross has been done and, weather and Covid permitting, completion should take place shortly. The next post for restoration during 2021 is at Club Corner, at the bottom of Totnell Hill.

Restoring Fingerposts to their original specification is expensive, even when carrying out the work ourselves. The cost of the oak for the fingers is almost trifling when compared to the price of newly forged aluminium letters.

We are fortunate in Leigh that various parishioners have offered to sponsor the restoration cost of our first two posts, but we have more to restore and would be delighted to hear from anyone else who feels they could help in this respect. You don’t need to sponsor a whole post!

Contact grahamfudge51@gmail.com for more details.