July 2018 Forum Focus

FORUM FOCUS For Blandford and surrounding villages Issue No. 76

Maths marvels: Page 16

July 2018

A fresh start for the Corn Exchange TOWN councillors have agreed to appoint new architects to progress the regeneration of Blandford's Corn Exchange following the abandonment of the major remodelling project which they hoped to finance through the Heritage Lottery.

A brief was drawn up by a working group last year and bids invited, as a result of which two companies were asked to make a presentation to the group.

Company A, which has worked with the council for several years, largely accepted the brief, but recommended working from the centre of the building to the front to avoid subsequent works impacting on those already completed.

Company B, on the other hand, challenged a number of the assumptions which had been made, and recommended rewriting the brief in detail in consultation with the council to re-examine all aspects, including proposed work on the Town Hall, Council Chamber, Shambles and lift installation.

Following presentations given by two potential candidates to the

Corn Exchange Project Board and its recommendation, they agreed at full council in May to accept what was described as a "very radical approach" which moved away from the original concept with a fresh start.

Councillor Colin Stevens said the architect from Company B had been a strong character who had been very challenging, and it would be an opportunity to "nail it this time".

Councillor Hugo Mieville agreed it was a very different approach which did not seek to change everything, but urged caution, saying that because the architect had not stuck to the brief, the approach might have looked more exciting.

He asked to remain on the working group as a "critical friend" to ensure they got value for money, and said he would like to see a recorded vote on the appointment.

Councillor Nocturin Lacey-Clarke said the recommended architect was offering a very different working relationship and wanted them to defend their decisions. • To Page 2

Mayor of Blandford Roger Carter presents a birthday bouquet

A fashionable return ONLY 12 months after his retirement as administrator at the Blandford Fashion Museum, Gordon Boutelle was invited back with his wife June to a surprise tea party in the museum's tea room and garden on Wednesday June 6 to celebrate the couple's 90th birthdays.

Mr Boutelle, a former maths teacher who taught at schools in Blandford and Sturminster Newton, is just a few days younger than his wife, both having been born in June 1928.

When he retired they both became involved in helping to set up the museum at Lime Tree House in The Plocks which originally in 1996 housed the collection of the late Mrs Betty Penny, but has since flourished to become an accredited and respected museum for study and exhibition of fashion through the centuries.

More than 30 of the museum's volunteers gathered to share the Boutelles' special anniversary with tea, sandwiches, canapes and a beautifully decorated cake, and the Mayor of Blandford Councillor Roger Carter joined them and presented a large bouquet.

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July 2018

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CONTACTS

Forum Focus welcomes the submission of articles and reports from clubs and societies but asks that they are kept to a maximum of 200 words.

If you have pictures you would like to share with us, our readers and our website visitors, please send them, with brief descriptions, by email to editor@forumfocus.co.uk. Low resolution pictures cannot be printed in the paper.

Editorial: Nicci Brown T: 01258 459346 E: editor@forumfocus.co.uk Advertising: John Stayt T: 01258 454427 E: advertising@forumfocus.co.uk Distribution: Jackie Stayt T: 01258 456999 E: distribution@forumfocus.co.uk Design: David Eidlestein T: 01258 450989 E: de@deadlines.eclipse.co.uk

ON THE WEBSITE www.forumfocus.co.uk

Forum Focus is an independent, not-forprofit, community publication produced entirely by volunteers. We are always pleased to receive offers of help.

Where to find Forum Focus IF anyone would like to join our team to deliver in their own or any other area that has no delivery, please get in touch (see contacts above).

Copies can be picked up from any of our drop points below: Blandford and Blandford St Mary: Morrisons, Greyhound Yard; M&S Langton Road; The Post Office, Library and Parish Centre in The Tabernacle, the Corn Exchange, the Spar shop in Market Place, Gorge Cafe in East Street, Blandford Museum in the Market Place, the Tourist Information Centre in West Street, Chaffers in Salisbury Street, James Newsagents in The Plocks, the Coop in Salisbury Road, the 3Cs in Damory Street, the Damory Garage and One Stop in Salisbury Road, Cherry's hairdressers in Elizabeth Road, Blandford Leisure Centre in Milldown Road, the Central Shop in Heddington Drive, the Brewery Visitor Centre, Lidl in Higher Shaftesbury Lane, and Tesco and Homebase at Stour Park.

In the villages: Charlton Marshall Church Rooms and Charlton pub, Woodpecker pub at Spetisbury, Abbott Garden Centre, Langton Long, True Lovers Knot and St Richard Close bus stop in Tarrant Keyneston, Langton Arms in Tarrant Monkton, Anvil and Farquharson pubs in Pimperne, the White Horse Inn at Stourpaine, Iwerne Minster Post Office, Child Okeford Post Office, Shillingstone Garage, Okeford Fitzpaine village shop, Londis Shop & Royal Oak at Milborne St Andrew, The Crown at Winterborne Stickland, Post Office and Surgery, Milton Abbas, and The Cricketers at Shroton.

Diary events are updated regularly on our website so it is always worth logging on to stay up to date with what’s happening in the area. The website also carries additional pictures of local events and background information on stories.

DEADLINES Adverts: Thursday July 12 Editorial: Friday July 13 Deliveries from Friday July 27 View future deadlines on our website.

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First Blandford, then elsewhere - Fly scare stories take wing IS this the silly season or are we and our Fly being misrepresented in the media?

The Cambridge News reported online early in June that it is set to invade the UK (as if Blandford wasn't already in it), and that June and July are the months when it is most likely to appear.

There was also coverage in the Manchester News, on Devonlive, the Hertfordshire Mercury and several other publications since.

Bites were reported around the River Wye in Herefordshire in May, when Somerset Live reported more accurately that the peak season was in May and June.

Due to production difficulties, we regret that a number of news items have had to be omitted from this issue.

However, they can be viewed on our website.

Dorset Councils Partnership Environmental Health Manager Roger Frost acknowledged the widespread media reports but said: "The biting season as informed by our river scientist who has studied the lifecycle of this insect is May to June. I am not aware of any shift in the biting season."

But he added that ticks had also been in the news and were something to be aware of at this time of year, especially in the countryside.

"I would suggest searching the NHS for specific advice on checking symptoms and treatment. There are straightforward actions that can be taken to reduce the risk of Lyme disease."

He said residents could still have been bitten in this area, and there were other river locations where there were significant populations of Blandford Fly insects.

"I have received enquiries for advice from a couple of other counties. The treatment carried out on the Stour reduces the larvae in the river where there are high numbers which reduces (but does not eliminate) the number of flies on the wing looking to feed."

He said there were other biting insects including other blackfly species and therefore bites from insects could be expected during July onwards.

River scientist Mike Ladle said: "Firstly, bites in July or later are extremely unlikely to be due to the Blandford Fly, which has only a single emergence period in late April to early June.

"Other blackflies will sometimes bite people and are on the wing at other times of the year. We specifically avoid killing those because of their important role in the ecology of the river."

Corn Exchange rethink • From Page 1 "It is important that everything we do we can defend as the best use of public money. Although it may cost more, I would rather have that knowledge."

Company A quoted a total of £13,700 plus VAT to prepare preliminary design work and taking the revised scheme to planning and listed building consent.

Company B quoted up to £70,000 plus VAT for redesign of the brief, design development, heritage and significance statements and schedule of works to take it to pre-application and application stages.

Councillor Peter Clark said: "The fees may be higher, but it could save a lot of money in the way he wanted to go forward."

In the vote which followed, approving the appointment at a cost of £70,000 by 11 votes to four, the four objectors were Councillors Jackie Stayt, Lee Hitchings, Steve Hitchings and Hugo Mieville.

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July 2018

Meghan no match for a display of steam THERE was a record entry of 26 full-size and 32 miniature steam engines at the Three Okefords Rally at Shillingstone.

Thousands of steam enthusiasts flocked to see them and the collection of hundreds of tractors, engines, vintage cars, motorcycles, commercial vehicles and trade stands on display.

It coincided with the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markel as well as the FA Cup Final later that day, both of which were screened in the bar, but the two major events proved no match for the attractions of the rally in the beautiful setting beneath Hambledon and Okeford hills.

Among the steam exhibits were five showman's engines, including the Burrell 1920s Princess Mary, judged best exhibit to win the Arthur Fields Cup. A particularly eye-catching but challenging exhibit was a rare 1930 Latil, recently rescued from a field in France, whose owner was open to offers.

Tractor pulling at the far edge of the field was extremely popular as usual, but unusually dusty in the heat. Arena entertainment included the Dorset Axemen. Live music in the evening featured Mustang Sally, Tom & the Clementynes, Raising Steam and Pinkman.

The Lidl bus: an asset or money down the drain?

SIX months on from its launch on January 2, the X8A town circular 'Lidl' bus continues to run for the most part on 'empty' apart from a handful of passengers, prompting operators Damory, councillors and the Blandford Town Team to ask about its future.

The service was provided with part of a £250,957 contribution from Lidl, made a condition of approval for their supermarket off Shaftesbury Lane to mitigate the store's impact on reduced shopping in the town.

Some of the contribution is paying for the very short extension of the X8 service route from Badbury Heights to the bypass and Lidl.

But the majority is going to the half-hourly X8A service, which was commissioned by North Dorset District Council as holders of the cash contribution managed by Dorset County Council as highway authority and is run by Damory Coaches with a full-size single-decker bus.

Forum Focus editor Nicci Brown, who has temporarily become a passenger for the three stops from town to Larksmead, said: "I regularly find I am doubling the passenger numbers or the only passenger."

Blandford's county councillor Byron Quayle has been seeking improvements to the service in discussion with county and district officers and Damory representatives.

And Damory general manager Adam Keen has asked people to let them know what improvements they would like to see to make the service more useful.

The Town Team, which has applied to become a Community Interest Company to promote a thriving and sustainable future for the town and local villages, has submitted a Freedom of Information request to NDDC's Chief Executive to establish what the council intends to do about the low take-up of the service. It is also asking people to let the team know their views so they can be fed to the appropriate authorities.

Chair Nic Nicol said: "Our aim is to ensure best use is made of the substantial part of the overall funding allocated to reduce the impact of the Lidl store on the town centre.

"There is a widely held view that the money should either be reallocated to other projects, or that current arrangements should be reviewed to increase passenger numbers and improve the efficiency of the service."

• See letters on page 12.

The Pride of Dorset Princess Mary was judged best exhibit.

Town’s role a century on THE 1918 exhibition of Blandford's contribution to World War One will be opened in the Museum by Councillor Roger Carter, Mayor of Blandford, at 11am on Saturday July 7.

It commemorates in three panels what was happening in 1918 in the town and Blandford Camp, and how men trained at the Camp were serving on the Western Front in France and in the campaigns in Mesopotamia and the Middle East.

Entry is free to the Museum and exhibition until the end of October.

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July 2018

Friends cash in on art THE Friends of Blandford Hospital were delighted to report that the Affordable Art exhibition held in their Blandford charity shop in Barnack Walk raised an incredible ÂŁ1,427.25.

All the pictures and greetings cards were locally painted and mainly contributed by Joan Capron, a volunteer in the shop.

Joan's work was priced from 30p to ÂŁ30 so to reach a grand total involved a huge amount of work in so many different styles.

The charity has thanked Joan, her friends and volunteer colleagues who made the exhibition such an overwhelming success.

The money raised will be used to support the valuable work done by the Friends to support the hospital and throughout the local community.

Damning report as care home fails again Joan Capron pictured among some of the pieces on offer ready to welcome customers to the exhibition at the Friends of Blandford Hospital shop.

THE company responsible for Blandford's most recently established nursing home, The Grange in Milldown Road, which opened in 2011, has responded to heavy criticism from health inspectors from the Care Quality Commission, saying they have already taken action to redress the problems.

The unannounced inspection in February, when 54 people were living at the home, was the first inspection of the service since it was registered with Healthcare Homes (LSC) Limited.

Previous inspections under different registrations by Life Style Care have repeatedly found fault, but this was the first time that all aspects were found to need improvement.

The inspectors found breaches of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014 and recommended review of staffing levels in the home.

A spokesperson for Blandford Grange said: "The health, safety, and wellbeing of everyone in our home is our main priority and we take all feedback from the CQC very seriously.

"Since the inspection we have implemented a robust action plan to directly address the regulator's concerns and many actions have already been completed.

"A significant recruitment programme has been initiated and a new manager recruited who will be joining the home imminently. A series of dementia-focused training sessions have taken place in addition to an audit of the environment to identify further improvements to support the needs of those living with dementia.

"We are working hard to ensure that improvements are achieved and reassure everyone of our commitment to provide the highest quality of care to those living at the home.

"We look forward to welcoming the CQC back in the near future to show them the positive progress."

The inspectors found improvements were needed to the home's cleanliness, and that risks associated with some people's behaviour were not effectively managed.

Staff needed more training and there were not enough to support people presenting a risk to themselves and others and no clear strategy to support people living with dementia.

Care plans lacked detail to support staff in meeting people's needs, and actions required following incidents were not always effectively identified.

THE Friends of Blandford Community Hospital AGM will start at 6.30pm in the Portman Unit, Garden Room, on Wednesday July 4.

One of the speakers will be Ken Reynolds, senior student support worker at The Blandford School, who is retiring this summer but working alongside Kirsty Radford, who will take over his role. Ken has for the past 17 years been offering support vital to the wellbeing of pupils at the school through a community project supported financially by the Friends and which they have committed to continue to support.

July 2018

Mixed reception for pavement work A LONG-awaited retexturing test of Blandford's pavement slabs was carried out on May 16 near the bus stops in East Street.

Councillor Byron Quayle, who thanked the town council for their support in securing funding for the exercise, reported initially that the test results had proved positive.

But following further meetings with highway officers, he said it was considered not to be appropriate because of the damage to the slabs and the limited time for which it would be effective.

Mr Quayle said he was lobbying the county council to change their policy of replacing unsafe slabs with tarmac and looking into the possibility of changing them back to the traditional slabs which

worked well in other towns.

One commentator on the town's Facebook Public Forum said: "I think retexturing will make an already shoddy and sub-standard rocking pavement look even more shoddy."

He hoped the cost was a small percentage of what it would cost to just "take up and replace the lot with tarmac or block paving".

But along with many others he appreciated the efforts being made to address the issue.

There were, however, those who thought it would be a waste of money which would be better spent on other projects, those concerned that the heritage benefits of the slabs should not be lost, and those who felt that safety should be the priority.

Blaze van driver dies A DRIVER whose van caught fire in a field by a country lane has died.

The red Peugeot Expert was seen ablaze on Friday June 1 near Whatcombe Lane in Winterborne Whitechurch. No-one else was in the van and no other vehicles were involved.

Police, who launched a thorough investigation into what happened, appealed for witnesses to report any information to them by email to 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 1:364.

The next of kin of the man, who had not been officially named when Forum Focus went to press, have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.

Stagecoach expands into larger premises STAGECOACH Blandford Performing Arts School has moved to a bigger venue after operating since September 2015 out of Archbishop Wake Primary School in Black Lane.

As of Saturday June 2 they have been based at The Blandford School in Milldown Road, at the same times as before, 2.15pm to 3.35pm for earlies and 2.30pm to 5.30pm for main school.

Principal Di Waterman said: "We enjoyed a happy time at Archbishop Wake and thank the school, and especially Paul Bickell for all his help during our

time there.

"But we are very excited by the move, which will be great for everyone. Our teachers couldn't wait to have more space now that we have so many older students in Stage 3 particularly, who are between 13 and 18 and need plenty of space, especially when dancing.

"We will miss Archbishop Wake, but we have been busting at the seams this year."

To contact Blandford Stagecoach go to stagecoach.co.uk/blandfordforum or call the Principal Di on 01305 777308 or 07947 104368.

Laudemus! the summer evensong choir directed by former King's Singer and renowned choral expert Jeremy Jackman, will be making a welcome return to this area on Friday July 20 at 6pm at St Peter, Pimperne, to sing cathedral-style Choral Evensong.

Savour the beauty of the music and words: they describe their week's tour and their love of singing Evensong as 'Ancient words. Prayers for today. Timeless music.'

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July 2018

Abbey cricket nets get the green light

Village fun in the sun DESPITE the organisers' fears before the event, the afternoon turned out to be glorious spring weather for the Durweston Country Fair.

From Maypoling and singing to beagles, terrier racing and ukuleles, plus craft and traditional stores galore, there was always something to keep the crowds entertained.

And with pizza, baked potatoes, cake, sandwiches, ice-cream, cream teas, barbecue and the Durwest Inn bar, there was plenty to eat and drink too.

Jointly organised by the playing fields committee and the school's PTA, all the money raised will be split between these two worthy causes.

THE Forum Frier in Salisbury Road celebrated National Fish & Chip Day with a special Grease-themed day with music of the era and from the movie. Staff in character costumes, with full make-up and hairstyles, served up special offers including discounted fish and chips for all, and special Pink Ladies and T Bird boxes to a lucky few.

As sponsors of The Red Scorpions Under-9s football team, they invited team members to collect for their nominated charity, Help for Heroes.

ANOTHER challenge to the prized Capability Brown landscape and surroundings of Milton Abbey has been heard by North Dorset District Council's planning committee, which last month rejected a Vodafone mobile phone mast which would impact on the area.

This time the application was by the school for the installation of cricket nets for training purposes to the rear of the school's existing cricket pavilion, and was brought to committee at the request of chairman Cllr Bill Batty Smith with an officer-recommended refusal on grounds of harm to the setting.

It was approved, however, after members heard that the site was on lower ground to the west of the pavilion, close to the western boundary of the school site in an area largely undeveloped apart from sports pitches and sporting paraphernalia such as rugby and football posts.

The nets will consist of a large number of cage columns and roofing frame with dense netting 33.3 metres long by 7.3 metres wide, and 4 metres high.

The officer report stated: "Views from and towards the school complex are generally unencumbered by obstacles and the open and expansive nature of the spectacular designed landscape remains of exceptional quality.

The site has wide vistas with limited visual barriers resulting in largely uninterrupted views across to Milton Abbey from the public right of way and Hilton Road."

Dorset AONB and Milton Abbas Parish Council felt that the

screening proposed would soften the impact of the nets. Historic England favoured the use of a former swimming pool site allowing the nets to be set at an even lower level, but appreciated that from the school's point of view, they should ideally be near to the cricket pitch.

A decision is awaited on a separate application for an equestrian manège on agricultural land currently used as a canter track in St Catherine's Well, a part of the Grade II* park and garden south of the Abbey and close to the former village of Middleton.

Last chance to view film BLANDFORD Corn Exchange on July 6 will be the final venue in a series of screenings of the film described by Sir David Attenborough as "one of the most important films of our time", 'A Plastic Ocean'.

It follows screenings at four venues in June by Bournemouth University and Wimborne-based Ecotainment!, whose spokesman Lee Haddaway said: "It coincides with the launch of a new website for our region waveofchange.uk which contains links to over 20 local organisations, frequently asked questions about the film and solutions.�

Tickets are available online at waveofchange.uk, on the door, from Lee on 07789 865934 or by email to info@creativedynamo.net.

July 2018

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Boogie on down TICKETS are now on sale for the hottest weekend of Boogie Woogie on offer. The UK Boogie Woogie Festival is coming to Sturminster Newton on July 6, 7 and 8.

Globally renowned headline acts are coming to play on the main stage on Friday and Saturday, as well as a less formal gig on Sunday; Ben Levin and Katerina Alber will be headlining the Friday concert, and Daniel Paterok and Ethan Leinwand with Miss Jubilee, on the Saturday.

Pianos will be strategically locat-

ed all over Sturminster Newton, to be played by a wealth of international pianists.

There will also be a variety of lessons, masterclasses and workshops over the weekend, making the UK Boogie Woogie Festival 2018 bigger, better and more boogie-filled than ever.

Full details of the weekend's events, ticketed and un-ticketed, can be found on the festival website ukboogiewoogiefestival.co.uk.

Tickets can be purchased through the website, or for more info call 07484 274 196.

English music night TWO choirs will be presenting a thoroughly English programme at Blandford Parish Church on Sunday July 8 at 7pm.

There will be music by Vaughan Williams, Parry and Stanford among others. A section will be devoted to music concerning the Great War and there will also be a performance of Blandford's own 'Fire Anthem', composed by a local musician to commemorate the disastrous fire of 1731.

The local theme continues with a Mass by Rick Birley of Dorchester and a number of folk songs collected in the Dorset countryside 100 years ago.

Both the Occasional Singers and the Dorset Rural Music School 'Sing for Pleasure' choir are under the direction of Richard Hall, DRMS Director. Admission is free but there will be a retiring collection in aid of DRMS funds.

July 2018

Jemma Barclay and Michael Hansford, Weldmar's 2016 Strictly Ballroom champions.

Strict rules BUDDING ballroom dancers have until July 3 to register their interest in the Weldmar Hospicecare 2018 Strictly Ballroom Championship, which will be staged on Friday December 7 at Weymouth Pavilion.

Competitors need to raise a minimum of ÂŁ400 in sponsorship to be paired with a partner and take part after 16 weeks' training with the Eileen Spracklen School of Dance.

To apply call 01305 261800 or see weld-hospice.org.uk/strictly

July 2018

Gardens yield their secrets THE 11th Blandford Hidden Gardens, held on a lovely and warm Sunday, was a very successful community event.

It was organised by David Rose from the Blandford Stour Rotary, with support from the Clean Up Blandford Campaign and the Blandford Town Team, and sponsorship from the Whitecliffe House Nursing and Residential Care Home (Colten Care).

Twenty gardens were opened, including the new gardens of Hazel and Garry Barker in Kings Road and Claire and Ian Lowes in Salisbury Road.

The 300 visitors had a most interesting and informative day and a chance to see the depth of character that makes up our special town.

If you would like to open your garden next year email cleanupblandford@hotmail.com.

If anyone finds a four-metre-long Hidden Gardens poster, missing from the M&S car park, please Joan Batchelor in the new garden area at Whitecliffe House residential and contact the same email address. care home.

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Athelstan’s dream at the Abbey HISTORIC Milton Abbey is staging a free summer exhibition from July 4 to August 31 that focuses on the AngloSaxons and the fulfilment of one man's dream: a united kingdom of Britain.

King Athelstan dreamed and then achieved the unification of mainland Britain. The exhibition traces his dream and the journey of this unification, showing how much of the Abbey's heritage reveals the answer to many questions surrounding the mysteries relating to Athelstan, the grandson of King Alfred the Great.

It features a range of AngloSaxon topics and themes which have inspired a variety of modern literature, including the works of Tolkien, Philip Pulman, Bernard Cornwell and George R R Martin.

For more information see timecounts.org/miltonabbey or phone 01258 881235.

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July 2018

New Mayor relishing the challenges that lie ahead THE town's new Mayor Roger Carter, who taught at the former St Leonard's Middle School and at The Blandford School, was proposed by Councillor Haydn White and seconded by outgoing Mayor Peter Clark.

Mr White said that Mr Carter, born in West Sussex, was the son of a farm labourer and had initially worked as a painter then joined the RAF where he gained the qualifications he had failed to get at school. He became a teacher, first at Midhurst, then at Swanage, and following a Masters degree at Exeter, he came to St Leonard's Middle School in Blandford in 1988, and then to The Blandford School.

"There are very many people who remember him very fondly and are grateful for the service given there," said Mr White.

His proposal was seconded by Councillor Clark, who said Mr Carter had been a great support to him during his year as Mayor.

His deputy is Councillor Noc Lacey-Clarke.

Mr Carter, whose consort is his wife Heather, said that as part of 'Team Clark' he had had a fantastic year, and thanked his predecessor for all his hard work, for his tireless and sometimes quite wicked sense of humour, and "for teaching me some very colourful Dorset expressions!"

He said he was looking forward to promoting Blandford as a "unique and beautiful town".

"We have a lot to crow about and live in a stunning setting - per-

Posthumous award for a town legend

Mayor Roger Carter haps we should remind ourselves of that sometimes," he said.

"As we face the challenges and opportunities of moving to unitary authority next year I am convinced that we have the right people - both staff and councillors - to ultimately benefit the people of Blandford," he said.

He added that as Deputy Mayor, he had been privileged to meet a few of the hundreds of local volunteers who are the lifeblood of the community. Choosing 'families and young children' as the theme, he announced his Mayoral charities as the Blandford Opportunity Group and the Food Bank, which he said supported an estimated 12 per cent of the local population caught in the seemingly unremitting strands of poverty.

He said his own personal challenge, for which he would be inviting sponsors and others to join him during his year as Mayor, was to walk as much of the new long-distance White Hart Link as he could.

COMMUNITY leader Esme Butler, who died suddenly last May, has been honoured almost exactly a year after her death with a posthumous award of the Freedom of the Blandford.

Proposing the nomination at the mayor-making ceremony in the Corn Exchange, Councillor Steve Hitchings recalled that the Freedom of the town had first been awarded to the Dorset Yeomanry for their role in the Boer War, and the first individual Freeman was Jack Counter, the Blandford-born recipient of the Victoria Cross for bravery in World War I. "It gives me great pleasure to nominate Esme 100 years on, but it is tinged with a great deal of sadness. I hope her family will see how much we honour and respect all the work she devoted to this town."

The nomination was seconded

by Councillor Roger Carter, who said: "Esme was a remarkable lady, a fantastic ambassador for the town, and the epitome of commitment. I cannot think of a more fitting tribute."

The framed scroll was presented to Esme's husband Dave Butler, who said on behalf of himself and their daughters: "I am quite sure that if she were here she would have been so proud to have been nominated and accepted in the town that was such a big part of her life."

Recalling that she loved to display the town's silver, he presented from her own collection a pewter plate made in 1710 in Blandford. "It will be nice to think that at many events a part of

Esme will be there," he said.

Mr Butler was welcomed to the ranks of town Freemen by their senior member Peter Warrington.

Mrs Butler, who died after contracting meningitis, had been a member of Blandford Town Council since 1999, serving four times as Mayor and chairman, and since 2011 as an Independent member of North Dorset District Council.

Born and brought up in the town and an ex-Army wife, she was integral to the Charter 400 celebrations in 2004, the Olympic Torch relay and Queen's Jubilee in 2012, the Queen's 90th birthday celebrations in 2016, the Corn Exchange project for the restoration of the town's premier building and the town's 14-18 group, for which she organised the Matchstick Fleet exhibition which took place the weekend after her death.

Retiring Mayor Peter Clark presents the Freeman's scroll to the late Esme Butler's husband Dave Butler.

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July 2018

Retiring Mayor Peter Clark presents a Certificate of Appreciation to solicitor Alan Horne.

Peter Clark presents a Certificate of Appreciation to Deyna Frampton to mark his website expertise.

Peter Clark with Sylvia Hixson Andrews, Town Museum director who has done much to develop education.

Peter Clark with Nicci Brown, whose community involvement includes the role of editor of Forum Focus.

Community stalwarts honoured at ceremony PRIOR to the formal election and robing of the town's new Mayor Roger Carter and Deputy Mayor Nocturin Lacey-Clarke, certificates of appreciation were presented to four members of the community for their contribution and commitment to the town and council.

Solicitor Alan Horne and another local resident Deyna Frampton have both saved the taxpayer money by giving free and low-cost services to the council, one giving legal advice, support

and guidance for over 35 years, and the other designing and supporting the council's website.

Dr Sylvia Hixson Andrews has for 20 years developed education work at the Town Museum of which she is now director, in addition to working as a member and in partnership with other local organisations, including the Blandford Town Team, Environmental Trust, the Railway Arches Trust. She is also a former town councillor, securing grant funding,

Highlights of the year RETIRING Mayor Peter Clark gave a brief account of his year in office, saying it had been a great honour and privilege to be town mayor, following in many great footsteps.

Recalling his attendance at the opening of several new businesses, he said highlights had been his own Civic Day and the final appearance in the town of the Royal Signals White Helmets display team, as well as the civic days of other mayors and chairmen across the county.

He said Blandford Carnival had been a particular favourite for him, and the Georgian Fayre, whose committee had presented ÂŁ500 for his Mayoral charities.

Giving thanks for the wonderful support of the town council staff, he said it had been fascinating to gain an insight into the work being done in the council. He presented cheques for ÂŁ2,500 to each of his Mayoral charities, the Blandford Scouts and Blandford Dementia Alliance, thanking them for their help at civic events.

and is now working to produce a town conservation area assessment and management plan.

Nicci Brown is editor and was instrumental in the foundation six years ago of the town's community magazine Forum Focus, and as an officer with the town's Civic Society, Disability Action Group and Blandford Railway Arches Trust works to assist and share information with other community organisations.

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Readers’ letters

Bus route underused RE: X8A bus service in Blandford. This service was introduced by North Dorset District Council against considerable opposition from organisations and groups in the town, and is patently underused.

The plan for this service absorbed some 75% of the monies that Lidl agreed to pay to mitigate the effect of opening the new store.

When applying for any government funding, EU, central or local, one of the first boxes that has to checked is 'evidence of need' or, more simply, how many people want this project? Did NDDC carry out any work to find out how popular this service would be? If so, what were the results? If not, why not?

There has been considerable correspondence, not least from the editor of FF, to get some idea of user numbers. Surprisingly (or perhaps not) these figures are

July 2018 Please write to Forum Focus if there is something you'd like to comment on or share with other readers.

Email your letter, which should be as brief as possible, to: editor@forumfocus.co.uk.

Alternatively, you can call 01258 459346 or deliver your letter to: Forum Focus, c/o Colin's

difficult or impossible to obtain.

Perhaps there are none?

Why is there a £2.50 charge to use the service and who decided it would encourage users?

NDDC has uplifted some £250,000 which should cover the costs.

My final point is where are our District Councillors in all of this?

Apart from Byron Quayle, our County Councillor, I have not heard of any cries of outrage from our District Councillors. In fact, I haven't heard any noises at all.

Local government wanted this scheme and it has failed. They should recognise this and sort it out. Immediately.

Steve Adamson, Blandford

What do you think?

READERS will know that the X8A bus service is invariably empty.

The Town Team would like to find

Community Club, 49 Damory Street, Blandford DT11 7HD. Please mark your letter 'for publication' and remember to include your address, which will not be used in full. Forum Focus reserves the right to shorten or edit letters in the interests of clarity, brevity and style.

out what local people think about the service so that North Dorset District Council, who own the service operated by the bus company, and Dorset County Council, who manage bus services in the county, are better informed and can act accordingly to either change the service or reallocate funding to other projects.

You may feel that the X8A service should be free to all to encourage residents to leave their cars behind to shop in the town, or that the service should extend to local villages to bring more people into town.

Let us know what you think by replying to the email address below or by writing to Forum Focus.

The Town Team is currently forming itself into a Community Interest Company (CIC) with the aim of promoting a thriving, vibrant and environmentally sustainable future for the town and local villages, for the benefit of the whole community. We need people with imagination and drive to achieve this. Please get in touch if you would like to be involved.

Nic Nicol, Chair, Town Team, Blandford Forum TownTeam4BlandfordForum@ gmail.com

Frustration over Lidl MANY of your readers will note, with significant frustration, that the X8A bus service provides a useful link for locals who would

like to shop at the new Lidl store, yet it cannot access the supermarket car park because permission has yet to be granted by the supermarket for us to enter.

Rest assured that this is just as frustrating for us as it is for the potential shoppers. We continue to attempt to get approval to take our passengers to the front door or certainly somewhere near, and Dorset County Council are assisting us in these attempts.

On a related note, if any existing or potential passengers have suggestions or feedback on the development of route X8A, I would be pleased to hear about them. You can email them to enquiries@damory.co.uk or call 01258 457100.

Adam Keen, General Manager Go South Coast (Damory)

Nordon cash plea NOW that North Dorset District Council have now closed the Nordon main premises, they are due to be sold.

I believe that most of the money realised from the sale should be spent for the benefit of Blandford and area and not lost in the coffers of the council and new unitary and just wasted away.

Local people should have a say in what the money is spent on.

As a District Councillor in Blandford I would welcome suggestions.

Barrie Cooper cllrbcooper@north-dorset. gov.uk

July 2018

Letters extra

Editorial slip-up COULD I please thank all those who have offered and come to my assistance since I fell victim to Blandford's notorious slippery pavements following rainfall on May 21.

This includes all the passing motorists who saw me sitting on the ground in the rain outside Greyhound House and asked if I was OK - with one arm broken and holding a doughnut in the other. I was unable to get up until the doughnut had been consumed!

Also neighbours, friends and colleagues who helped with transport to the Minor Injuries Unit at Blandford Community Hospital, A&E in Dorchester, and other activities, including the mayormaking ceremony in the Corn Exchange, the distribution of Forum Focus which arrived on the same day, and others since.

Blandford Town Council staff kindly arranged for me to have a table at mayor-making so I could write and report on events that day - including the totally unexpected presentation of a certificate of appreciation which I was very honoured to receive, but embarrassed to be receiving it with my arm in a sling! And on behalf of Forum Focus, I would like to thank BFTC for allowing us to use their photographs from that day.

Finally my thanks to the X8 and X8A 'Lidl' buses which have provided me, until now a confirmed motorist who had not previously used an eight-year-old bus pass, with virtually door-to-door daytime transport around the town.

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But a warning: Forum Focus attendance at events over the coming months may be a little restricted by circumstances beyond our control, so please do keep sending reports and pictures to editor@forumfocus.co.uk Nicci Brown Editor, Forum Focus 18 Tudor Gardens Blandford

Fight the plastic!

Pictured are Gail del Pinto, Claire Hough, Muriel Read and Pam Case of Simply Sew with Tricuro home manager Caroline Nicholson, activities manager Wendy Hewitson and residents with their new bench.

I WAS interested to read Henrietta Young's experiences of trying to be plastic free in the June edition of Forum Focus.

It is heartening that so many people are becoming aware of the urgent need to reduce plastic waste and, whilst it requires a change of shopping habits, I have found that reducing my plastic consumption is much easier when you do at least some shopping at independents.

Both the butcher's shops are happy to put your meat into your own containers, we are lucky enough to have the greengrocers where everything is loose, and the amazing Cariad Wholefoods, who are have been pioneering plastic-free shopping in Blandford and are a goldmine of information on ditching the pesky plastic.

Hopefully supermarkets will catch on - I believe Morrisons now also lets you use your own containers at the meat counter - but in the meantime, let's return in part to the way we used to shop before supermarkets ruled the world.

Jillian Thomas Blandford

THE ladies of the Simply Sew group, based at Blandford Parish Church and Parish Centre, have been busy raising funds to provide a bench at the entrance to Tricuro's Castleman House.

It was presented to the Fairfield Bungalow care home and means residents and visitors can now relax in the garden.

The group has also been busy creating a stained glass window quilt to raise funds for the Cupola Project, and over the past few months have made cash donations to the Margaret Green Animal Rescue and Blandford Opportunity Group as well as to the Cupola Project from funds raised through their weekly subscriptions.

"It is part of the charitable side of being a church group," said their spokesperson Gail del Pinto.

Sewing group’s benchmark

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July 2018

Ramblers keep up A prequel to a busy schedule the Dream THE Dorset Ramblers are a diverse group, including local people and those who've retired here from all parts of the county who love to walk in the glorious Dorset countryside.

Formed shortly after the Second World War, they celebrated their 70th birthday last year. Every Sunday they go out and walk for five to 10 miles in circular or figure-of-eight mode, with a pub visit at lunchtime or a picnic sometimes in the summer.

In addition to regular walks they arrange social activities throughout the year, including their one-day summer outing, latterly to Mottisfont Abbey, Bath and Lynmouth, and trips to Brownsea Island and Wells, plus the occasional quiz, walk or barbecue.

Most years they have a longer walking holiday to places such as Cornwall, the Lakes, and occasionally further afield; Crete was their last foreign trip.

Sunday walks in July are at Stourhead, East Knoyle, Burton Bradstock, Martin Down and Pimperne, together with a quiz walk and barbecue at Hinton St Mary on Saturday July 7, To find out more email jenny.newman@zen.co.uk or see the website at dorsetramblers.co.uk.

THE very popular Rude Mechanical Theatre Company returns to the Blackmore Vale this summer in their 20th year of touring.

'Oberon's Cure' is a prequel to 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' in which an old goat of a fairy is not capable of resisting a beautiful young 'ooman woman.

But the waspish Hippolyta, running amok in the forest, is more than a match for him. Love is thwarted as the human and fairy worlds collide.

A funny and at times deeply romantic and poetic play about how we deal with desire, it starts at 7.30pm on Wednesday July 11 at East Farm, Tarrant Monkton, and Saturday July 14 at Child Okeford

A scene from Oberon’s Cure.

Recreation Ground.

Members of the audience are invited to bring lowbacked chairs and warm clothes and picnic from 6pm.

Tickets are available online from the Rudes' website, therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk, and locally from The Langton Arms and The Cross Stores.

Homes win approval despite parish council’s opposition PROPOSALS for development in Pimperne behind The Long House, Yarde Farm Cottage and Yarde Farm House in Salisbury Road, which conflict with the recently submitted Pimperne Neighbourhood Plan, have been given outline approval by North Dorset District Council planners.

Up to five dwellings could be built on the grade 3 agricultural land which forms part of the rear gardens of three houses and an area accessed from Yarde Farm.

Pimperne Parish Council objected, claiming it was outside the revised settlement boundary being proposed in the Neighbourhood Plan, which seeks to allow development only west of the A354.

They raised safety concerns about the need to cross the main road to access the school and other village facilities, highlighting a history of flooding and the location in the Cranborne Chase and West Wiltshire Downs Area of Outstanding

Natural Beauty.

But the site, whose rear border is to open countryside in the AONB, is next to terraced houses to the north and a commercial estate to the south. The AONB itself requested only a number of conditions which will be relevant at the detailed application stage.

Officers, recommending approval, said the development would bring forward additional housing which would contribute to housing land supply in a sustainable location.

The landscape impacts would be confined to a small part of the AONB and would not be harmful in the wider context when viewing the landscape as a whole.

The officer report stated: "Whilst the wishes of the parish council to prevent development east of the A354 are understood, this part of the village already has jobs, pre-school and a pub that people on the other side need to cross the road to reach."

Dementia schedule AN open day charity event for dementia will be held at Blandford Constitutional Club, starting at 2pm on Saturday July 22.

It will feature the live band Loose Connections, a barbecue, bouncy castle, tombola and stalls. If anyone wishes to have a stall to sell items then a donation of £5 is required.

It is a prelude for a memory walk being held on Sunday September 2 to raise awareness and sponsorship for the Alzheimer's Society, which is hoped to become an annual event.

Memory walk T-shirts can be purchased from the Alzheimer's Society webpage for £5. The walk to the White Horse Inn at Stourpaine and back to the Constitutional Club for refreshments will start at Jubilee Bridge on the North Dorset Trailway below Jubilee Way. For more details call Ange on 07900 950928.

July 2018

Tabernacle shops put on a show IT started as an idea to raise some funds for local charities and show local people the little gem which is Tabernacle Walk between East Street and The Close in Blandford.

With Tabernacle businesses working together, it blossomed into a wonderful event, raising ÂŁ400 for the Friends of Blandford Hospital and Margaret Green Animal Rescue.

Celia Manville, of the Cambridge Weight Centre, said: "Thank you to all who helped, everyone who came along, the MP for opening the event and visiting each individual business, and the Mayor Roger Carter for his attendance and kind words. Also the town crier for bringing some colour and theatre to the event."

The Mayor said: "The small businesses in Tabernacle Walk decided to get together and hold an open day to raise awareness of not only their businesses but various charities. With the town crier in attendance, our MP and myself, I sincerely hope they fulfilled what they set out to achieve.

"Blandford has been rightly praised for its range of small businesses and variety of services and they are vital to the retail health of our town."

Abbey hosts a feast of music FOLLOWING a special concert by the Bournemouth Sinfonietta Choir celebrating the 1,000 years in the life of Milton Abbey on Sunday July 1 at 6pm, an exciting programme of summer music continues with the Bournemouth Symphony Chorus, a choir with a membership of around 150 singers, in concert on Saturday July 7 at 7pm.

The Farrant Singers, on Saturday July 21 at 6.30pm, is a great opportunity to enjoy music spanning seven centuries and seven countries from the longest-established chamber choir in Salisbury, in the wonderful acoustic setting of the historic Abbey Church. Composers whose works are being performed include Byrd, Parry, Rachmaninov and Eric Whitmore.

VOCES8 is delighted to return to the Abbey for another week of glorious music-making at the International Music Festival from Monday July 30 to Saturday August 4, which this year commemorates the centenaries of the Armistice and the birth of Leonard Bernstein. The festival celebrates the joy of singing and plays host to an exciting cast of internationally recognised artists.

More details in the Music at the Abbey Programme from 01258 881235 or at timecounts.org/miltonabbey.

The B3082 Blandford to Wimborne road was closed in both directions following a serious collision involving several vehicles between Tarrant Keyneston and Tadden near Kingston Lacy House on Bank Holiday Monday May 28.

Fire, police and ambulance services attended and a number of injuries were reported.

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Police appeal after road crash POLICE are appealing for witnesses to a collision between two vehicles on the A354 Blandford bypass at 3.25pm on Sunday June 10 that left four people injured.

The front-seat passenger of a white Land Rover, a 41-year-old woman from Faringdon in Oxfordshire, was trapped in the vehicle and had to be freed. The driver, a 42-year-old man also from Faringdon, sustained minor injuries. They were taken to Poole Hospital.

A woman, aged 53, travelling in a silver Skoda Fabia, sustained a broken foot and was taken to Dorset County Hospital, where the 61-yearold driver was taken with minor injuries. Both were from Winterborne Stickland.

The A354 was closed between the Wimborne Road and Tesco roundabouts to allow officers to examine the scene and the vehicles to be recovered.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at dorset.police.uk, via email 101@dorset.pnn.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting incident number 10:308.

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July 2018

Contest success for school maths aces TWO talented mathematicians at The Blandford School scored highly enough in the Intermediate Mathematical Challenge (IMC), organised by the United Kingdom Mathematics Trust, to qualify for the next respective rounds next February.

George Knight in Year 9 scored 71/135 in the IMC which places him in the top five per cent of his year group and qualifies him to compete in the 'Grey Kangaroo' (for up to Y9 students only).

Year 10 student Matthew Hancock scored 87/135 placing him in the top 1.5 per cent of his year group and the top 2.5 per cent of all Year 10 and Y11 students taking part, allowing him to compete in

the 'Pink Kangaroo' (open to Y10 and Y11 students only).

A score in the top 25 per cent earned a Merit in this competition, and Matthew's high score of 76/135 in the Kangaroo round saw him placed in the top 20 per cent of all students who sat the challenge, an extremely impressive achievement!

The challenge, taken mainly by UK schools, was set up to promote and inspire young mathematicians all around the world and this year five per cent of entries came from overseas schools. Schools in other countries can also sit the European Kangaroo in their own country and language.

CLAYESMORE Swimming Club, based in Iwerne Minster, have achieved fantastic results in qualifying four swimmers for the Swim England South West Regional Summer Championships 2018.

Oliver Martin (12), Freddie Beasley (10), Charlie Hodges (10) and Lottie Hodges (10) have qualified in total for 15 events between them.

They competed over two weekends during May in Bristol and Street, racing against swimmers in their age groups from Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Somerset and Wiltshire.

Prefects’ legacy

Matthew Hancock.

George Knight.

KNIGHTON House Prefects wanted to do something to support the community surrounding the school and create a lasting legacy of their final year there.

They took part in the British Heart Foundation's 'Restart a Heart' campaign, when most of the Year 8s were trained in CPR, what to do in an emergency and how to use a defibrillator. They realised there was no defibrillator locally, so saw it as an opportunity to do something.

The village hall committee agreed to allow a defibrillator to be attached externally to the hall, and a project was launched to buy one, a housing unit, and a call push rescue training kit.

Future Knighton House prefects will be trained to facilitate CPR workshops using this amazing piece of kit, and in addition to facilitating CPR training in school for their peers, Knighton will host open invitation CPR training for the local village community and the village primary school.

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July 2018

The Pimperne Primary School running team.

WHEN George Hosford, the local farmer, rang Durweston School to say his sheep were going to be sheared, it was too good an opportunity for the school to miss.

A small group of year 5s headed off up the hill to investigate and were amazed to see how quickly a sheep can be separated from its fleece when in the hands of a skilled shearer.

Although, it didn't look very comfortable for the sheep, once shorn, they skipped off happily to rejoin the flock.

Before the children went home, they were also able to meet two of the lambs that had been born just a few days earlier.

YOUNGSTERS are being urged to sign up to Blandford Library's Summer Reading Challenge to read or listen to six library books and visit the library regularly over the summer, collecting special stickers and incentives along the way. The library will be celebrating and rewarding all children who take part at the beginning of the new school year, and has lots of other events planned throughout the whole summer. For more details call 01258 452075.

Pimperne runners shine FOURTEEN pupils from Pimperne Primary School took part in the Poole Festival of Running with some outstanding results.

Pupils from Year 1 to Year 5 ran in a one-mile race around Poole Park and Emelia (Reception class) took part in the U6 fun run.

There were great achievements from Jessica (Yr4) who came second in the girls 8/9 year-old race, Finley (Yr4) was sixth boy in the 8/9 year-old race and Ryan (Yr1) who was fifth boy in 6/7 year-old race.

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The View from the Hill

by George Hosford More from George on viewfromthehill.org.uk

W

e have spent a good deal of time improving farm tracks and installing new water pipes in the last couple of weeks.

One new pipe had to negotiate six old pipes crossing its route, as well as a now-defunct electric cable and a phone wire.

Most were detected before we started digging using a clever piece of kit we hired in - one part of it connects to and creates a signal in metal pipes, which can then be detected by a handheld gadget which squeals when it detects a signal in the soil beneath.

This enabled us to carefully expose the crossing points in all

July 2018 but one case, so we had the inevitable flood in the trench, which fortunately we were able to isolate, but then spent ages in Blandford hunting out the fittings we needed to fix the break.

Those with experience in these matters will know that the law of sod never fails to operate on such occasions: no matter how many pipe fittings you have in stock, you never have the actual one you need to complete a repair, and no matter how careful you are with the digger, you will always cause at least one unintended piece of damage, which can easily double the length of time needed for the whole job.

The last few weeks have been a riot of blossom in the hedgerows and woodlands as the fine weather has encouraged terrific flowering everywhere.

This has now moved onto our field margins, which are well populated with white oxeye daisies which look lovely right now, and will soon be succeeded by purple knapweed, lilac scabius and white wild carrot, similar to yarrow, but identifiable by the red spot in the middle of the flower head.

A hawthorn bush in full flower,

Four orphan lambs with a hearty appetite. Named after beers this year, we have (from the left) Buddy, Ferrett, Otter and Tangle, from an assortment of backgrounds, and they are thriving on lamb formula milk.

They have played an important role in the last few weeks when we have welcomed visits from several different schools.

Feeding the lambs is always high up on the agenda, after we have spent some time in the fields investigating growing crops, and in the woods looking at wild flowers and trees, and learning the difference between ferns and bracken. which with luck will later be laden with red berries which the birds will devour in the colder months of the year. The birds' larder is filling for next winter.

Chewing the cud.

Bad hair day: one group of visiting children spent some time with our patient old pony Florrie, and had fun with hairstyles, which she clearly didn't think much of.

July 2018

Sara takes a music journey of her life A CHARMING evening spent listening to the biographical musical choices of Blandford's former Mayor and churchwarden, leader of the Blandford Parish Church Cupola Project, Sara Loch, was spent in the Corn Exchange.

Miss Loch, who lives in one of the town's premier listed buildings, The Old House, told the story of her life, choosing musical items of significance from each period and explaining their relevance to interviewer Dr Richard Hall, Director of the Dorset Rural Music School, based next door to her home in The Close.

It was a fundraiser for the school, a registered charity delivering music tuition and education across the county.

Miss Loch said: "I agreed to do it because I think that music and its performance should be a vital part of our lives and this is some-

thing that the DRMS provides and supports."

Beginning with a favourite of her mother, Verdi's La Traviata, sung

by Joan Sutherland, and ending with 'An early summer evening in Blandford Forum' with garden birdsong and music from the school, it included items from childhood in Scotland, from teenage years and from years nursing in London, and ranged from classical to pop, jazz to opera, and Wagner to Flanders & Swann.

It was part of a series of 'Dorset Island Discs' presented with invited guests in recent months by the Dorset Rural Music School, whose 'Sing for Pleasure' group will be joining The Occasional Singers in Blandford Parish Church on Sunday July 8 at 7pm in presenting 'Choral Music for a Summer Evening'.

Shadow council launched NORTH Dorset District Councillors have agreed a new scheme of delegation of powers to officers which will bring all three districts in the Dorset Council Partnership into line for their final year of existence before the reorganisation of local government into a new unitary authority next May. At the annual meeting, Gillingham councillor Val Pothecary was re-elected chairman, and Councillor Audrey Burch (Bulbarrow) was elected vice-chairman.

The first meeting of the Shadow Dorset Council took place on June 6 following recent parliamentary approval of the

Structural Change Order to create the new unitary council for Dorset.

Most of the 174 district and county councillors for the Dorset area (drawn from the existing Dorset area councils) attended the meeting at South Walks House, Dorchester, which was held in public.

County Council chairman Hilary Cox was appointed chairman, and the shadow council's constitution and code of conduct was agreed, together with arrangements for the 20-strong shadow executive, which includes four North Dorset Cabinet members, other committee membership and interim statutory officers.

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Dr Richard Hall of DRMS with his Dorset Island Discs guest Sara Loch (right) and new chairman of the music school Julie Newall.

Arts and crafts on show THE Dorset Arts & Crafts Summer Exhibition, an unmissable show of the summer, will be taking place from Friday to Tuesday, August 3-7, at the Purbeck School in Worgret Road, Wareham BH20 4PF. It is where you will find some of the best contemporary and heritage crafts in Dorset, featuring three main exhibitions - fine art, craft and photography, an invited guest exhibition - and a superb selection of over 40 craft stalls and demonstrations by selected local makers.

The guest exhibition this year is a retrospective of the work of Maggie Grey, internationally renowned embroiderer. There will be taster 'havea-go' craft sessions for children and there is free parking, disabled access throughout and refreshments available.

The Dorset Arts & Crafts Exhibition is organised by the Dorset Arts & Crafts Association and further details can be found at dorsetartsandcrafts.org.

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July 2018

War victims included members of the newly formed RAF THREE of those to die in July 1918 are buried in Blandford Cemetery, including two serving with the Royal Air Force, which had been formed in April that year and had an intake depot at Blandford Camp.

Allan Skene was a 17-year-old from Aberdeenshire. His elder brother John Leslie Skene had been killed when HMS Bulwark was blown up by an internal explosion off Sheerness on November 26, 1914, but his body was not recovered for burial. Allan served as a boy in the RAF but died of lobar pneumonia on July 7.

Alfred Banks, who died on July 20, was a 42-year-old hairdresser who was born in Barnsley, Yorkshire. He had started service with the RAF only nine days before he was found dead in a coppice on Blandford Camp following apparent suicide "during temporary insanity".

Arthur Loveless Cobb was a driver in the Army Service Corps No 1 Company, who served with the British Expeditionary Force from November 1914 to February 1916.

He was invalided from Mudros to England in October 1916, admitted to Myrtle Hospital Liverpool and discharged the following year as no longer fit for service due to cardiac inefficiency.

The son of brickmaker Richard George and Jane Maria Cobb, of Coombe Keynes, he died, aged 24,

on July 23, 1918, at 27 Orchard Street, Blandford, from acute influenza and hemiplegia, and is buried in a private plot at Blandford and remembered on the East Lulworth Memorial.

Allan Gordon Munden was 19 when he was killed in action in France on July 23. He was serving with the Herefordshire Regiment 1st/1st Bn, attached to the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, and is buried in Raperie British Cemetery, Villemontoire.

The battalion had been operational in the Middle East, but by this time, the priority was for troops for the Western front, and in June 1918, it was one of five from 53rd Division dispatched to France, to be replaced

by Indian Army units.

The battalion joined 102 Brigade in 34th Division with which it was involved in some of the last battles of the war, including the Marne and Ypres.

Allan was the second son of Life Assurance Co superintendent Ernest James Munden and his wife Ellen, who lived in Queens Road, then in Pimperne, and is remembered on the Blandford memorial and on the memorial of the Blandford Secondary School, where he had been a pupil until leaving to live in Ilminster.

His elder brother Ernest William

The WGC graves of Allen Munden and four of the other 21 soldiers from the Herefordshire Battalion, who died in France on July 23, 1918.

Munden was in the RAMC and awarded the Military Medal (reported in the London Gazette in January 1917).

Sidney White Rogers, who is remembered on the Shillingstone Memorial and buried in Shillingstone churchyard, was the youngest son of farm labourer Samuel White Rogers, who died in 1910, and his wife Eliza, who lived in Town Lane, Shillingstone.

Sidney was 26 when he died of pneumonia in Connaught Hospital, Aldershot, on July 22, having joined the Army Reserve of the RN Division in March 1916 and served with Hawke Bn in the BEF. He was seriously gassed in March 1918 and sent back to the UK, but deemed no longer seriously ill a month later and granted leave of absence. He is buried with his elder brother William, who had died in 1892 aged 19.

Breadmaker Frederick John Lock is remembered on the Milborne St Andrew Memorial but his connection with the village is unclear. He died of wounds in Egypt on July 7, aged 27, having been born in Wareham, the son of blacksmith Edwin John and Rose Ann Lock, the eldest of five children, living in Wyatts Lane.

A private in the Dorsetshire Regiment 2nd/4th Bn, he is remembered on the Jerusalem Memorial.

Herbert Charles Davidge was also 27 when he died on July 27, having served in the depot of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. He was born at Winterborne Zelston, the son of groom Henry Charles and Ellen Ann Davidge, who lived in Farnham, Langton Long, Chettle and Farnham, where he is buried in St Lawrence churchyard.

From the Western Gazette 24th July 1918: Young Woman's Preference for 'Nice' Soldiers A young lady who went for a walk with a soldier, ended up as a witness in court.

Olive Painter was 23 years of age and lived in Blandford. She met the soldier in Blandford on the evening of 20th July 1918 and went for a walk up Stickland Hill.

She admitted that she had gone out with soldiers before and had kissed them but "only the nice ones; she did not kiss anyone".

When the couple got to Stickland Hill they had an altercation. Olive's story was that Joseph Allen, a 30year-old soldier in the RAF at Blandford Camp, had knocked her down, hitting her, causing her eye to become swollen and black. Olive took her hat pin out and attacked Joseph with it. Joseph needed nine stitches to his face.

Joseph told the court that Olive attacked him first and when she slipped and fell, he helped her up.

Joseph had joined the RAF at Blandford, that month. Previously he had been in the Worcester Regiment where he had a bad record and had a previous conviction for stealing.

At the Dorset Quarter Sessions in Dorchester three months later he was charged with common assault, the jury found him guilty, and he was sentenced to two months' imprisonment with hard labour.

17th July 1918: Sir E Hambro fined: Sir Everard A Hambro, a director of the Bank of England, who is a justice of the peace, was on Monday at Bromley fined ÂŁ30 and six guineas costs for having at Hayes Place, Kent, more coal than he was entitled to under the Coal Distribution Order.

Anyone who would like to share with our readers pictures and details of events relating to relatives who played a part in World War One is invited to contact Forum Focus by calling 01258 459346, emailing editor@forumfocus.co.uk or writing to 18 Tudor Gardens, Blandford DT11 7PL. Forum Focus would like to thank the Blandford 14-18 Group for their help in researching this material.

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July 2018

Writer loved her family and her county BLANDFORD-based writer and journalist Rosie Eidlestein, who wrote under her maiden name of Rosie Staal, has died after a long illness. She was 67.

Born in London and raised in Cornwall, she had a varied and successful career in journalism.

She trained at the Western Morning News in Plymouth, where her duties included covering the local rugby club's activities, making her one of the country's first female rugby reporters.

She subsequently worked in Burford for The Countryman magazine and later as a reporter, feature writer or sub-editor in Portsmouth, Berkshire and, for a spell, in Singapore.

She joined the Salisbury Journal as a sub-editor in 1986, became assistant editor two years later and was promoted to deputy editor in 1990. She filled this demanding role for a decade, reinforcing her reputation as a talented, fastidious, cheerful and approachable member of the senior editorial team. She excelled,

OBITUARIES too, at mentoring young trainees.

She edited the company's Limited Edition magazine, before leaving in 2002 to focus on freelance work. This included being launch editor of Wiltshire View magazine, a role she maintained for some years, even after moving to her favourite county, Dorset.

Rosie occasionally worked as a freelance sub-editor at the Blackmore Vale Magazine but was best known to readers under her 'alter ego' Sally Hill. She began writing the column 18 years ago for the Salisbury newspapers and it was reborn as 'Sally Hill's Journal' when she moved to Dorset; she did not miss an issue from 2002 until the week of her death.

She was also an active supporter of a number of local charities, and as an experienced rider, she volunteered with Riding for the Disabled Association groups at Wilton and later Blandford.

A man of the countryside A THANKSGIVING and memorial service was held in St Mary's Church, Winterborne Zelston, on June 11 for the life of David Jones, who died on May 21 at Whitecliff Nursing Home in Blandford, where he had lived for the last years of his life.

He was the husband of long-serving district and county councillor and former North Dorset District Council chairman, Della Jones.

Born in 1930 in Enfield, Middlesex, David was evacuated to a farm in Norfolk during World War Two and it was this experience that fostered his deep love of animals and the country way of life.

At 16 he began an engineering premium apprenticeship at the LNER locomotive works in Stratford, and during this time met Della, whom he married in 1951 on the day his National Service call-up papers arrived.

Following their honeymoon, he served in the RAF, making friendships that lasted a lifetime, as did his involvement with the RAF Association and the Royal British Legion.

With the birth of their children, David and Della moved to the south coast and in the early 1960s he realised his dream of living in the countryside, settling in Winterborne Zelston, where they ran the Red Post Filling Station and developed their

David Jones smallholding.

As the farm grew so did David's involvement with community activities - organising village fundraising events such as dog shows, donkey derbies and gymkhanas.

He retained a lifelong passion for steam trains, and on retiring, he and Della travelled on many of the world's greatest train journeys. Unable to buy his own locomotive, he settled for a 1949 RT London bus, which became a familiar, if unusual, sight on the lanes of Dorset in the 1980s and 90s.

David is survived by his wife, two daughters and two grandchildren.

Rosie and her husband, former Salisbury Newspapers editor-inchief David Eidlestein, continued to work on a freelance basis, dividing their time between their Blandford home and a small cottage which they had restored in Italy. They also travelled extensively, mainly in Europe.

She was the author of three nonfiction books and had a love of the arts, literature and the great outdoors. She was deeply involved in the Blandford community, being a member of the Dorset Visual Arts board, a director of the town's tourist information centre, a member of the Forum Focus management team and an enthusiastic participant in pilates and yoga groups in the town.

Rosie is survived by her husband David, daughter Claudia, son Tom and grandchildren, Joe, Zach, Poppy and Clemmie. She died in the Joseph Weld Hospice in Dorchester, having endured three years of cancer treatment with typical fortitude and courage.

The funeral, at the Ham Down

Rosie Eidlestein Woodland Burial Ground, near Shillingstone, is a private family affair; a larger gathering to celebrate her life will be held at Stourpaine village hall on Thursday, July 5, starting at 2.30pm.

Donations in her memory may go to Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, c/o Lesley Shand Funeral Service, 28 East Street, Blandford (tel: 01258 453425) or online www.funeraldirector.co.uk/rosieeidlestein

22

July 2018

Ridgeway Relay is a winner A TOTAL of 24 teams competed in the Wessex Ridgeway Relay Race organised by the Dorset Doddlers.

Beginning in Tollard Royal at 7.30am, individual team members took turns running the 100k route along some of Dorset's most stunning countryside routes. Perfect weather throughout the day provided far-reaching views as the runners reached the peaks of many of the county's highest hills.

Spread over 12 legs, the relay relies on each team member finding the changeover point for the next leg to handover to the next runner in the team so there were some slight detours along the way!

Dilys up for the challenge OKEFORD Fitzpaine parish councillor Dilys Gartside will be attempting 100 miles of self-propulsion in under eight hours on July 29 when she takes part in RideLondon100 for Poole Hospital Charity to raise funds for children's unit Gully's Place.

The unit specialises in providing palliative and end-oflife care to Dorset children with life-limiting conditions and their families.

To support her, pick up a sponsorship form from the village shop or church or go to justgiving.com/fundraising/dilys-gartside1

All set for annual Valley event ON Sunday July 15, the peaceful village of Tarrant Monkton will again play host to the annual Tarrant Valley 10, a 10km race on roads, bridleways and farm tracks set in the beautiful Cranborne Chase.

The TV10 and a separate onemile children's fun run will start at 10.30 and 10.35 respectively, in front of the Langton Arms pub in the village.

Runners can look forward to a

challenging race, though the scenery is magnificent. The course is approximately 50 per cent in shade, passing through wooded copses and open farmland. Upon cresting the final ascent, runners enjoy a spectacular view over the countryside.

The event is open to runners of all standards so, whatever your level, you are likely to find others running alongside you. Those who are not runners can offer support

and enjoy the beautiful village.

The TV10 is staged on a non-profit making basis with all proceeds going to local charities: the Louis Ross Foundation and Bus Shelter Dorset are this year's beneficiaries.

The event is held under UK Athletics rules and full details, including online and postal entry methods, can be found on the website at tarrantvalley10.webs.com

Signals team in Yorkshire triumph 11 SIGNAL Regiment from Blandford were the winners of the 14 major units entering a dawnto-dusk relay race around North Yorkshire.

And 15 Signal Regiment from

Destroyers go undefeated THE Dorset Destroyers wheelchair rugby team were undefeated in all their matches at the wheelchair rugby 5s tournament at Stoke Mandeville Stadium.

As winners of one of the two conference leagues and the only undefeated team to win all their eight matches with the highest

The winning team was once again from South Molton Strugglers Running Club, retaining their title from 2017 with a time of 8 hours 9 minutes. Second were Yeovil Town Road Racing Club in 8 hours 59 minutes, and third the Plucky Underdogs in 9 hours 19 minutes. The first all-female team was Tutti Fruitti from Square & Compass Trail Runners.

The day ended with refreshments at the Talbot Arms in Uplyme. The Doddlers also thanked race sponsors Hall & Woodhouse, Up & Running, SturFit, Fuel 10k, Primrose's Kitchen, and Holland & Barrett.

Full details and results can be found at wessexridgeway.co.uk.

number of tries, they go into Division 1 with five other top league teams in September in a one-day special at which the Championship will be decided.

As a new sport there are no divisions, but next year the top three from each league go into Division 1 with the rest in Division 2.

Blandford were runners-up among the 16 minor units taking part.

Hundreds of soldiers in teams from across the UK competed in the 28th annual 280km Race The Sun event, which involved swimming, kayaking, cycling, running and marching over 15 relay legs.

The physically demanding event tests soldiers' physical stamina, teamwork, courage and determination. Volunteers from York Rescue Boat assisted as teams paddled the River Ouse to the

outskirts of York, before running up Sutton Bank, route marching across Rievaulx Moor with a 15kg rucksack, and completing a halfmarathon road run.

Other legs included orienteering in Dalby Forest, a 50km Sportive cycle event, an open water swim at Allerthorpe and a duathlon.

The day finished with six competitors from each team running a three-kilometre race around Imphal Barracks carrying a stretcher with a 40kg load.

Follow us on Twitter @forumfocus and online at forumfocus.co.uk

23

July 2018

A chase for trophies at Ashley Wood THE annual Buck Trophy, a mixed pairs competition, was contested by 28 members on the early May Bank Holiday at Ashley Wood Golf Club.

This year saw the return of the original format in which each of the playing pairs had to provide nine scores on the card, and decisions had to be recorded on completion of each hole.

The winning pair Robin Morris and Sue Hampton carded a nett 75.

The annual President's Texas Scramble, organised by club president David Heath, saw the return of the dodgy dice. A dry day and excellent course saw some good scores recorded. The event also raised ÂŁ803 for the President's chosen charity, Julia's House.

Winners of the Buck Trophy, Sue Hampton and Robin Morris, with Club Captain Steve Sanger (left) and Lady Captain Kay Everett (right).

Hames Cup winners Claire Ineson and Mike Clark.

Winners of the President's Texas Challenge: D. Marsh, A. Drake, M. Smith and H. Smith with (centre) President David Heath.

Winners were: D. Marsh, A. Drake, M. Smith & H. Smith (Nett 57.4 ocb), and runners-up S. Dobson, A. Dodson, S. Frost & R. Rogers (Nett 57.4).

Third were C. Woloszyn, M. Cogdell, A. Makovecz & Micheal Collings-Carter (Nett 58.5 ocb), and fourth B. Parker, J. Parker, A. Curtis & T. Coles ( Nett 58.5).

The best mixed team were C. Winter, I. Berry, T. Carter & B. Kelleway-Moore (Nett 60.9).

Other awards were for Nearest the Pin (Men) - D. Kimberley, Nearest the Pin (Lady) - P. Wyatt and Nearest the Pin in Two - J. Flower, D. Purver, R. Wakeman & R. Lewis.

The sunny May Bank Holiday saw a dozen mixed pairings go out to play for the Hames Cup, a Greensome Stableford, at Ashley Wood.

It was played on excellent course conditions, sunny, warm with a lot

of good humour flying about, and the winners with a magnificent score of 41 points were Mike Clark and Claire Ineson.

Second place went to Club Captain Steve Sanger partnered

by Caroline Payne with 37 points, and in third place were Terry Everett and Stella Briggs, returning a score of 34 points.

Nearest the pin for the ladies was Jean Kitteringham and for the gentlemen was John Cousens.

was brilliant to see so many youngsters on the green enjoying the games and skills. Well done to the organisers, coaches and helpers.

"Your county will clearly benefit from this great initiative. I look

forward to seeing some of those youngsters making a name for themselves and maybe playing for England one day."

For more information on bowling for under-18s, email sidandjoy@talktalk.net.

Aiming at a sunny future for bowling in Dorset THERE was a great turn-out for Bowls Dorset's first-ever youth development day in glorious sunshine at Poole Park.

Youngsters from the Youth Academy and Blandford Bowling Club staged exhibition matches and played against and with Nicole Rogers, an U25 England player.

More than 80 children under 18 enjoyed the fun as well as music, pizza, ice-creams, and the chance to win some great prizes.

The day was the brainchild of Bowls Dorset's President Carol

Williams, who has nominated the development of youth bowls in Dorset as her presidential charity. Some ÂŁ745 was raised from the sale of cakes, goods and the raffle of hampers containing donations from clubs across Dorset.

Guests included Bowls England Development Director Adam Tanner, who offered support to help achieve the aim of setting up junior sections at more bowling clubs throughout Dorset.

Regional Selector for Bowls England Mo Monkton said: "It

24 JULY Sundays July 1, 8, 15, 22, 29: Baffling Blandford walk, starting from the Crown every Sunday, 4pm. artoftheimpossible.com/magic or on Facebook. No pre-booking required Sunday July 1: The Art Room: Informal art session for beginners, 11am to 1pm at The Kings Arms, Blandford, full details on Blandford Art Society website Gardens Open and Art Exhibition, Iwerne Minster, maps at car park, 11am to 5pm (also June 30), details 01747 811632 Bournemouth Sinfonietta: 1000 years of Majesty, Milton Abbey, 6pm, tickets and details miltonabbey.org Monday July 2: Blandford Floral Group meets Blandford United Reformed Church Hall, 2pm. TBA Wednesday July 4: Friends of Blandford Community Hospital AGM, Portman Unit, Blandford Hospital, 6.30pm Blandford St Mary Parish Council meeting, Brewery Hall, Hall & Woodhouse, 7pm Bristol Old Vic Theatre School present The Mill on the Floss, The Exchange, Sturminster Newton, 7.30pm Wednesday July 4 to Friday August 31: 'Athelstan's Dream A Saxon Tale', a free summer exhibition at Milton Abbey and St Catherine's Chapel, open daily 10am to 5pm Friday July 6: Blandford Forum Railway Club Open Night, The Scout HQ, Eagle House Gardens, 7.30 to 9.30pm, entrance £2, refreshments, parking Wave of Change screening of documentary 'A Plastic Ocean', Blandford Corn Exchange, 7.30pm Friday to Sunday July 6 to 8: UK Boogie Woogie Festival, Sturminster Newton, details 01258 471194 or ukboogiewoogiefestival.co.uk Saturday July 7: Pimperne Coffee Morning, 10 to 11.30am, stalls and raffle, Pimperne village hall, supporting the RNLI WWI Exhibition opening, Blandford Town Museum, 10.30am Bournemouth Symphony Chorus in concert, Milton Abbey, 7pm, box office: 01258 881235 or timecounts.org/miltonabbey Sunday July 8: 'The Green and Pleasant Land' -English choral music directed by Richard Hall.

Blandford Parish Church, 7pm, admission free, collection for Dorset Rural Music School Monday July 9: Panda PreSchool open day. 9.30am to

What’s on this month Entries in this diary are free of charge. If you have an event you would like included, send details to Nicci Brown, 01258 459346 or email events@forumfocus.co.uk. This page is available and regularly updated on our website at www.forumfocus.co.uk. Readers are advised to check with event organisers before attending.

A scene from rehearsals for The Mill on the Floss with the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, which will be staged at The Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Wednesday July 4.

11.30am Wednesday July 11: The Rude Mechanicals present 'Oberon's Cure', East Farm, Tarrant Monkton, 7.30pm (picnics from 6.30pm), details The Langton Arms or therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk Friday July 13: Craft Market, Shambles, Corn Exchange, Blandford 9am to 2pm (and July 27) Blandford Historic Buildings Trust host the South West Heritage Trust Network Summer Meeting, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, 10am to 4pm, buffet lunch and guided walk, cost to DSWHTN non-members £10, details 07936 505251 Friday and Saturday July 13 and 14: BAeA Aerobatics Competition, Compton Abbas Airfield, Friday 12-5pm & Saturday, 9.30am to 5pm, details 01747 811767 or comptonabbasairfield.co.uk Saturday July 14: Khaki Kanteen, 14-18 Commemoration Exhibition, Corn Exchange, Blandford, 10am to 3pm - Role of the Royal Navy during WW1 Tarrant Keyneston village fete, from 2pm, Ann Biddlecombe Hall and field, stalls, children's races, barbecue, bar, live music Blandford Grange Care Home Summer Fete, Milldown Road, 2 to 4pm Messy Games, free fun for all the family - obstacle course, water

games, face painting, space hoppers, refreshments and more, Winterborne Stickland sports club, Winterborne Stickland, DT11 0NT, 2 to 5pm The Rude Mechanicals present 'Oberon's Cure', Child Okeford Recreation Ground, 7.30pm (picnics from 6.30pm), details therudemechanicaltheatre.co.uk or The Cross Stores Saturday and Sunday July 14 and 15: Cream teas in support of the Motor Neurone Disease Association, The Old School, Sturminster Marshall, BH21 4BU 2.30 to 5.30pm Sunday July 15: The Trailway Challenge, 10am from Station Court, fundraising for the Blandford Opportunity Group's outside play area.

Sponsorship forms from Off Camber, Salisbury Street Tarrant Valley 10k starts 10.30am and 1-mile fun run starts 10.35am from Langton Arms, Tarrant Monkton Open garden and teas in support of Julia's House, Littlebrook Farmhouse, Belchalwell Street, Blandford DT11 0EG, details 01258 863683 or springheadjackie@hotmail.com Blandford Heritage Guided Walk, 11am, meet by the chestnut tree in Marsh and Ham car park, details 01258 459346 Monday July 16: Strictly Come Tea Dancing, Corn Exchange, Market Place, Blandford Forum, with the Soggy Biscuit Dance Band, 2.30 to 4.30pm

July 2018 Tuesday July 17: Child Okeford Flower Arranging Club, Child Okeford Village Hall, 2.15pm, 'The Joy of Flowers', A demonstration by Katie Baxter, details: 01258 863775 Tuesday July 17 to Thursday July 19: The Blandford School presents Evita at The Tivoli Theatre in Wimborne Thursday July 19: Blandford Art Society: 'Taking a fresh look' with Deborah Chisman, 2pm at Pimperne Village Hall, non-members welcome - £4, details from website Thursday July 19 to Sunday July 22: Larmer Tree Festival Friday July 20: Laudemus! sing Cathedral style Choral Evensong, St Peter's Church, Pimperne, 6pm Saturday July 21: Cats Protection Coffee Morning & Stall, Woodhouse Gardens Pavilion, Blandford, 10am to 12.30pm The Farrant Singers, Milton Abbey, 6.30pm, box office: 01258 881235 or timecounts.org/miltonabbey Sunday July 22: Blandford and District Horticultural Society visit to West Dean, to be confirmed Open day charity event for Dementia, Blandford Constitutional club, live band, entertainment, refreshments, from 2pm Thursday July 26: Finds Evaluation Day, Blandford Town Museum, hosted by the Archaeology Group, 10.30am to 1pm Friday July 27: 'Last Friday Social' in the Museum Garden, from 5.30pm Refreshments. All welcome Friday to Sunday July 27 to 29: Art Exhibition, Tarrant Hinton village hall, details 01258 830032 Sunday July 29: Blandford Geology Guided Walk, 11am, meet by the Chestnut tree, Marsh & Ham car park 01258 459346 The Crystal Challenge, The Blandford School, details 01258 840306 or kay@cbaservices.co.uk Monday July 30: Summer Holiday Fun Entertainment with Jamie Jigsaw, Woodhouse Gardens, Blandford, 10am to 1pm Monthly Stroke Association Peer Support meeting at the Church Room & Village Centre, 1 The Close, Charlton Marshall, DT11 9PA, 10.30am to noon Monday July 30 to Saturday August 4: International Music Festival - Vocces 8, Milton Abbey, box office: 01258 881235 or timecounts.org/miltonabbey