May 2020 Forum Focus

Forum Focus The free monthly news magazine for the Blandford area

May 2020 Issue No. 98 Est: 2012

Lockdown keeps us safe T

ODAY Forum Focus pays tribute to the thousands of people whose lives have been turned upside-down or put on hold by Covid-19, the worst pandemic to hit the world in a century.

There has been much comparison with the conditions and the response of the population during the two world wars, and it is ironic that this month we should have been commemorating the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II. We have therefore dedicated our four centre pages in this issue to remembering those who served our country at that time.

But, of course, we also devote many more pages recording the ongoing efforts of those in the Blandford area to manage the dramatic changes that have overwhelmed us all in just a few short weeks - developments which have seen NHS, healthcare and other key workers recognised as heroes, businesses and schools closed, and Easter celebrated in lockdown.

Hundreds have stepped up to help the elderly and vulnerable in self-isolation, either individually or

through hurriedly established helplines.

A whole new range of activities has developed at home and online to keep people, particularly young people, occupied during restrictions designed with the mantra to 'Stay Home, Protect the NHS and Save Lives'.

Businesses have adapted their working practices and in some cases their products to keep going and support the community effort. But many, particularly small local businesses, are in danger of failing to survive a prolonged closure despite the support offered to some by national and local government.

As we go to press, the picture across the region, the country and the world is changing by the day; the future is uncertain. All we know for sure is that we shall emerge from this nightmare at some stage.

As your local community magazine, we shall endeavour to keep you updated with developments via our website forumfocus.co.uk. For now, we thank you, the community, for observing the rules and keeping us all as safe as possible.

INSIDE

Keep up to date with the news at forumfocus.co.uk

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May 2020

FORUM FOCUS CONTRIBUTING

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 FOR the duration of the Covid19 emergency the number of Forum Focus pick-up points has reduced due to the closure of many premises.

However, copies may also be found at other points in the town and villages, on our website, and will also be distributed through social media and email.

Currently confirmed pickup points are: Blandford and Blandford St Mary: Brewery Visitor Centre, Blandford St Mary; Lidl and Bartletts in Shaftesbury Lane; Morrisons, Greyhound Yard; M&S, Langton Road; the Spar Shop in the Market Place; Chaffers and Iceland in Salisbury Street; Whitecliff Surgery in Whitecliff Mill Street; James Newsagents in The Plocks; The Post Office in the Tabernacle; The 3Cs in Damory Street; The Co-op, Damory Garage and One Stop in Salisbury Road; Blandford Hospital in Milldown Road; Blandford Connect Day Centre and the Central Shop in Heddington Drive.

In the villages: Bryanston Bryanston Club; Child Okeford The Cross Stores; Iwerne Minster - the Post Office; Langfton Long Abbots Nursery; Pimperne Village Hall and church, Shillingstone - Garage and Coop; Spetisbury - Village Hall and Clapcotts Farm; Stourpaine - The White Horse Inn; Tarrant Keyneston - St Richard Close bus stop; Tarrant Launceston and Gunville Farm Shops.

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: Tuesday May 12 Editorial: Wednesday May 13 Deliveries from Thursday May 28 View future deadlines on our website.

OUR ADVERTISERS Please support our advertisers who have given us their support. All material published in Forum Focus (either in the magazine or the website), including adverts, editorials, articles and all other content is published in good faith. However, Forum Focus accepts no liability for any errors or omissions and does not endorse any companies, products or services that appear in the publication or on the website.

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Food Bank comes Helplines under pressure BLANDFORD Food Bank quickly saw a threefold increase in people needing their help with up to 175 requests weekly and numbers increasing daily.

They said their stock was becoming low and they were worried they would not be able to continue to supply food to all the vulnerable people in the Blandford area needing their help.

Since the food bank was no longer able to open to the public on Tuesday and Thursday mornings to take in food donations, people were urged to support the trolleys still in operation at Lidl, Tesco and Morrisons, and appealed for financial donations

to their CAF bank account or Paypal account.

Some assistance came in the form of a grant from the Dorset Community Foundation to all five Faithworks associated food banks in the county, and the supermarkets also helped by making food donations direct.

A combined donation of ÂŁ1,500 has been made by the Blandford and Blandford Stour Rotary and Blandford Lions clubs.

A 'remote' system was put into operation whereby referrers emailed vouchers to them so that volunteers could deliver food parcels. Anyone offering help can email at blandfordfood@faithworkswessex.org.uk.

Services changed Blandford Post Office, from March 28, were open only until 12 noon on Saturdays and from 8am to 2pm Monday to Friday.

Boots pharmacies' extended opening times from the beginning of April covered 8.30am to 6pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm on Saturday with staggered lunch-hours.

South West Coaches and Morebus introduced revised timetables for the X3, X8, X8a and X10 and 20 services to ensure key workers could get to and from work, with most being similar to a Sunday service, but subject to regular review. Morebus also suspended wi-fi on their buses to save costs.

Dorset Waste Partnership announced the closure of the household recycling centre and suspension of street cleaning and garden waste kerbside collections so they could focus on maintaining kerbside rubbish and recycling collections.

Dorset Fire & Rescue asked people not to light bonfires which might go out of control or be reported as false alarms.

NHS Dorset suspended visits to inpatient units in their hospitals and closed the Blandford Urgent Treatment Centre and Minor Injuries Unit so they could continue providing face-to-face appointments at Wimborne and Shaftesbury.

The Blandford - Covid19 Community Helpline (01258 452 361) open 10am to 4pm Monday to Saturday Age UK helpline: enquiries@ ageuknswd.org.uk or call 01305 269444 Blandford Parish Church help@bfpc.org.uk Blandford-Covid19 Community Help on Facebook Blandford Forum Town Council Coronavirus information - see Page 4 Blandford Business Support Group on Facebook HMRC Helpline for the selfemployed : 0300 456356 Dorset Council Coronavirus Helpline: 01305 221022. 01305 221022, open from 8am to 8pm, 7 days a week.

Citizens Advice Centre Dorset on 03444 111 444 or advice-nd@centralca.org.uk or from CAB nationally on the website at citizensadvice.org.uk/ County councillor Byron Quayle 07843 61634 or by email to cllrbyron.quayle@dorsetcouncil.gov.uk Volunteers to support the NHS locally can sign up at goodsamapp.org/NHSvolunteerrespond ers And volunteers to help with Dorset Council dorsetcouncil.gov.uk/emergencies-severe-weather/emergencies/coronavirus/co-ordinated-community-response.aspx Request for and offers of help from Blandford, Pimperne, Stourpaine and Durweston through NextDoor In Your Neighbourhood: nextdoor.co.uk/ Dorset Community Action helpline for any charity, community group or social enterprise on 01202 847509 between 11am and 4pm MP Simon Hoare's webpage dedicated to Covid-19 at simonhoare. org.uk/covid-19-latest-advice

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Traders rise to the challenge PRODUCTION at one of Blandford's biggest companies, Hospital Metalcraft, was ramped up to supply much needed medical equipment, and the firm appealed for more production staff to meet demand.

A large number of activities, including food shops and supermarkets, postal and delivery services, were recognised as essential.

But in response to comments that others were failing to observe the lockdown, Dean Teversham Roofing and Home Solutions and Dorset Wet Rooms were among a number of businesses posting on Facebook to let people know they were still providing essential services, carrying out emergency repairs and putting in washing facilities for paramedics.

For the majority of local businesses, however, the lockdown led to sometimes innovative remodelling of their usual industry.

Dr Matthew Ford models PPE made

by Clayesmore School.

Several, including schools design and technology departments, turned their 3D printers to good use making personal protective equipment for pharmacy and health services staff.

Oldfields Embroidery & Print made notices for Blandford Town Council, ID badges for community helpers and stickers in return for a charitable donation to support local frontline NHS hospital staff.

Cheap Printing Dorset offered discounted rates for promotional materials for local businesses changing their business models.

A team of enthusiastic sewing and cutting women and fabric donors joined Mandy Ford of 4Ever Vintage in making hundreds of facemasks, headbands and wash bags to hospitals, care homes, funeral directors and other care providers.

Others were able to continue their usual business in a limited way, and James of Blandford thanked their news boys and girls for their dedication and loyalty to customers who relied on their newspaper as a lifeline, and their parents who had allowed them to carry on.

Nikki Edwards (The Cambridge Lady) offered encouragement on her Facebook page and weekly Facetime/WhatsApp weigh-in calls and free home deliveries to her clients, enabling them to continue losing weight and managing health conditions.

Restaurants offered takeaways and home deliveries, and Kris at Cariad Wholefoods self-isolated from his family so he could continue giving a service to his customers.

He said: "Please support local independent businesses - the big firms can take this hit but the smaller self-employed can't, it's so important to band together in uncertain times."

Many who initially hoped to continue operating had to abandon their plans with the onset of the full lockdown.

Lucy Galpin at the No 8 CafĂŠ managed to make home deliveries for Mother's Day, but then had to close completely.

Laura Sweetland at Sweetpea Florists was hoping to offer a delivery scheme but after a similarly successful Mother's Day week had no access to flowers other than those in her own garden, of which she posted pictures on Facebook along with advice and pictures of past floral creations.

Lucy Galpin makes a Mother's Day home delivery.

Jason Mather in Stourpaine was one small retailer who opened his shop M&M Stores and became self-employed too recently to receive government support or benefits, having a military pen-

sion, which only covers his mortgage. "My landlord needs the rent to pay his own employees, and my worst fear is that I'll lose the shop," he told a national newspaper.

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Queues at the chemist shops LONG queues for prescriptions and medications outside Boots' three pharmacies and conditions for staff working there, particularly at the largest in Salisbury Street, caused widespread concern even before the full lockdown came into effect (see letters: Page 12).

There were also difficulties for volunteers trying to collect for those self-isolating at home.

But the problems reduced considerably after the extension of opening hours from four to seven hours a day at the beginning of April, and the deployment of staff from the Blandford Group Practice in Whitecliff Mill Street to help meet demand.

A Boots spokesperson confirmed: "We would like to thank all our patients and customers for their patience and support at this difficult time. All pharmacies are facing unprecedented challenges and our teams are working tirelessly to be there for their community.

"Our teams in Blandford have been working with the local GP practice to help manage the unprecedented demand."

The spokesperson also confirmed that opening hours had been doubled Mondays to Fridays and lengthened on Saturdays.

"Further social distancing measures have been put in place and this includes PPE for colleagues and Perspex screens in all three stores.

"We have been very grateful to be working in partnership with the Blandford Volunteer Helpline as they have been supporting with picking up prescriptions on behalf of others and answering the phone to patients.

"We have increased our own delivery drivers and delivering free of charge to patients over 70, those who are in a shielded group or those who are in selfisolation."

Blandford Group Practice managing partner Carol Tilley said they had sent a team of five staff to help Boots as they believed in collaborative working.

"Many commercial pharmacies across the country are also struggling to adapt to the current crisis with higher than usual demand for medication as people all put

The start of the queue at Boots' premises at 10 Salisbury Street which reached back into The Plocks. their repeat requests in promptly or early and some try to order extra items inappropriately."

She said the Blandford Group Practice dispensaries, serving around 50 per cent of the wider local population, had managed to keep on top of things because they had much earlier indication 'at the coal face' what was coming, and could make decisions quickly without waiting for 'directives from head office'.

Prompt action to implement staff /

patient safety measures and change how they worked included dispensing out of a window so people did not have to enter the building.

She said NHS England was not allowing practices to dispense three months' medication at a time to prevent stockpiling of medication which might not get used and so waste resources, and to avoid disrupting the supply chain which was geared around monthly deliveries.

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May 2020

Schools use their expertise to help fight the virus WITH many schools closed due to the coronavirus outbreak, some, including Bryanston and Clayesmore, have pooled their resources and kit to help keyworkers operating at the forefront of the coronavirus pandemic, using their 3D printers and laser cutter to make supplies for hospital and healthcare employees.

At Clayesmore in Iwerne Minster they made PPE visors for the Blackmore Vale Partnership and then for Silton Surgery in Gillingham and the Blandford Group Practice, and were overwhelmed by messages of gratitude and delighted to hear that the build quality was 'fantastic'.

Sara Stringer at the Blandford Group Practice said: "A huge thanks to Clayesmore School for the amazing visors they have made for our clinical staff at the surgery."

An appeal on Facebook from Dave Luxon, head of design and technology at the Blandford School, resulted in scores of responses from people offering materials and highlighting the need for face shields and face masks among local healthcare workers.

Mr Luxon said: "My team and I are wanting to produce face shields and face masks for local surgeries, hospitals and others in need. However, we are in need of 0.8mm Polypropylene sheet, and elastic to be able to make these items.

"If any locals or local businesses have these materials and would like to kindly donate them to us, we would be very appreciative."

He can be contacted at dluxon@blandfordschool.org.uk

Bryanston's head of design and technology Chris Mills said: "It became apparent quite early on that there was a shortage of PPE equipment in Dorset and across the country. Members of staff took them home and we have been churning them out as quickly as possible. Every 48 hours or so, we take the parts up to the school to be completed and dispatched."

The school also sent their PPE to the Blackmore Vale Surgery in Shaftesbury for distribution to doctors, nurses and others including frontline NHS staff who are going into homes where patients have positively tested for Covid-19 but aren't eligible for ventilator care and need home support to keep them comfortable.

They initially produced 60 visors from scratch and hope to step up their manufacturing with the help of students.

Chris added: "I urge any school, company or family with a 3D printer must use it to make this much-needed equipment."

As one of the biggest employers in the Blandford area, Bryanston also has around 100 volunteers driving minibuses to help deliver food packages and medication, and the catering department have been making meals for vulnerable individuals in the area.

The school's long tradition of hosting the Tuesday Club, a small gathering every other Tuesday for the older generation, had to cancel its annual Easter tea party in the school grounds, but instead a team of staff delivered cakes, sandwiches and flowers to members by minibus.

Bryanston School design and technology teacher Martin Bolton and his daughter assemble face visors.

Weekly show of love for front-line workers APPLAUSE for the NHS on Thursday evenings has become a regular event, including the blowing of horns, banging of saucepans and singing, and has expanded to include thanks to all other key workers and those helping the community.

The Blandford Covid-19 Community Help group which launched on Facebook on March 12 has a useful index separating enquiries into categories such as shopping, self-isolating activities, help and advice for businesses, volunteering and pharmacy and GP advice.

The Blandford Community Volunteers launched on April 4 and, based at the Blandford Youth and Community Centre, on the first day were able to action over two dozen requests for assistance with prescriptions

Council meetings to go ‘virtual’ FOLLOWING emergency regulations allowing local authorities to hold virtual meetings up to May 2021, an agenda was prepared for the scheduled Blandford Town Council meeting on April 27 to approve delegated authorities and standing orders, and retrospective approval of decisions of the finance and staffing committee of March 16.

They included grants which have already been awarded to Dorset Police for bike marking kits, Blandford St John Ambulance for digital radios and the Blandford Scout Group for work at their HQ in Eagle House Gardens.

The council's lengthy annual meeting for the making of appointments and confirmation of other policies was scheduled for May 4.

The legislation relaxed the requirement for the meeting to be held in May and offered the alternative of postponement until it could be held in person or until May 2021 with current appointments continuing until it is held.

Councillors have been asked whether they want to hold the meeting virtually on May 4 as scheduled, postpone it until restrictions are relaxed, or postpone it until May next year.

deliveries through Age UK.

By April 12 there had been more than 130 hours of community help given and 300 deliveries arranged or achieved by Boots and volunteer couriers.

NHS staff shopping at Tesco during the special priority hour allocated to them on Mother's Day were handed bouquets.

Blandford Hospital, the surgery, sheltered housing schemes and care homes received multiple donations of Easter eggs from Morrisons and others, including Tamaly Andrews. She donated eggs given for her planned raffle for the Brain Tumour Charity at the end of March which has been postponed to be held once restrictions are over.

Iceland handed out bottles of water to people queuing for prescriptions at Boots in Salisbury Street.

Some taxi services offered a set rate for collection and delivery services for those in self-isolation.

Thankfully early reports of young people coughing and spitting outside shops came to an end, but people were urged not to fly-tip following the closure of the household waste recycling centre in Shaftesbury Lane.

There were also warnings to beware of scammers and unscrupulous businesses taking advantage of the situation by offering fake services and overpricing their goods.

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Beating the boredom of lockdown IMAGINATIVE activities and suggestions to keep people occupied in self-isolation and at the same time help others were manifold.

Charities whose vital fundraising events have been cancelled, including Diverse Abilities and Weldmar Hospicecare, launched fundraising appeals. Dorset County Hospital launched the Charity Lockdown Challenge, encouraging people to fundraise at home for their DCH COVID-19 Appeal at Justgiving by holding an online Danceathon, virtual pub quiz, garden marathon or sponsoring the children to do some chores.

The Royal Voluntary Service invited those stuck at home and in need of something to keep

them busy to help create a big Teddy Bear's Picnic by knitting, crocheting or sewing bears in any way, shape, form or colour.

"They could also make food for them to eat, or a blanket for them to sit on, for a display later this year followed by the sale of the items to raise funds for the charity. Once we are able to we will either pick them up, or they can be posted to our office in Dorchester," said Maria Jacobson, service manager, who can be contacted on 07786 635154 or by e-mail to maria.jacobson@royalvoluntaryservice.org.uk.

Blandford Art Society's programme manager Wendy Jump, in the absence of their monthly meetings, challenged members and others to embark on a home project taking inspiration from a subject in their home or garden, researching how others had painted, drawn or modelled the same thing, and then doing their own drawings in various styles before painting or creating their own work so that pictures could

be shared with other members.

Local musicians took to online resources to continue to offer live entertainment.

Dan Baker produced daily broadcasts of a wide variety of styles ranging from classical to pop on the Blandford Forum Gig Guide which were then shared to other Facebook pages.

Sam Ryall went live on Zoom playing his piano for a musical theatre singalong in which he invited others to join and make requests.

Teddy bears and rainbows appeared in countless windows and even on pavements for children to hunt on their daily exercise walks, and those taking daily exercise or dog-walking were invited to help themselves to plants offered for collection.

A table full of pre-loved books, games and toys appeared in the

Church Lane car park with an invitation to passers-by to help themselves and put them to good use.

And jigsaws, board games and other familiar pastimes began to make a strong recovery from cupboards in which they had been stored.

Bunches of flowers with a label urging people to 'Keep Smiling' appeared on the doorsteps of every house in one street.

Churches go tech CHURCH leaders turned to Facebook and Zoom to spread their message of remembering the death and resurrection of Christ at the same time as praying for all those impacted by Covid-19.

Blandford Evangelical Church communicated on Facebook and held Zoom services, and the Blandford Catholic Community, in a newsletter circulated to all members by email, were invited to join daily online streaming of masses from Plymouth Cathedral, Tyburn and Walsingham.

Blandford Parish Church also worshipped on Facebook with regular 'broadcasts' from the Rector, the Rev Canon Jonathan Triffitt, and curate, the Rev Neil Robertson, whose move to Plymouth has been postponed, of readings, prayers and occasional cartoons, and broadcast services from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday when there was an early morning Sunrise Service.

Bags containing a palm cross, candle and readings were also delivered to those on church electoral roles.

The Rev Dr Michael Foster, Rector of the Chase Benefice, is due to retire on May 12 after 20 years as its first incumbent. A farewell gathering has been postponed, but he and his wife hope to attend a formal farewell celebration when corporate worship resumes.

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The stirring words of Winston Churchill T

his is your victory! It is the victory of the cause of freedom in every land. In all our long history we have never seen a greater day than this.

Everyone, man or woman, has done their best. Everyone has tried. Neither the long years, nor the dangers, nor the fierce attacks of the enemy, have in any way weakened the independent resolve of the British nation. God bless you all. . . . .and later . . .

My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not victory of a party or of any class. It's a victory of the great British nation as a whole. We were the first, in this ancient island, to draw the sword against tyranny. After a while we were left all alone against the most tremendous military power that has been seen. We were all alone for a whole year. There we stood, alone. Did anyone want to give in? Were we downhearted? The lights went out and the bombs came down. But every man, woman and child in the country had no thought of quitting the struggle. London can take it. So we came back after long months from the jaws of death, out of the mouth of hell, while all the world wondered. When shall the reputation and faith of this generation of English men and women fail? I say that in the long years to come not only will the people of this island but of the world, wherever the bird of freedom chirps in human hearts, look back to what we've done and they will say "do not despair, do not yield to violence and tyranny, march straightforward and die if need be-unconquered."

Dorset’s front line role in the conflict D ORSET, through its location on the south coast, was part of the country's front line for the whole six years of conflict.

There were heavy and light anti-aircraft batteries positioned around the strategic ports of Portland and Poole, at Hengistbury Head and Mudeford, with the gun operation rooms at Notting House, Weymouth (covering western Dorset) and at South Lytchett Manor (covering eastern Dorset).

Home Chain radar stations operated along the Dorset coast at RAF Brandy Bay (Tyneham), Southbourne (Hengistbury Head), Westcliffe (Bournemouth) and Worth Matravers.

An Oboe radio navigation station at what is now the Durlston Country Park visitor centre went under the code name of 'Tilly Whim'. It operated as one of a pair to help bomber aircraft pinpoint targets on the continent and played an important role for the D-Day landings in 1944.

There were RAF airfields at Warmwell and Tarrant Rushton.

Hamworthy was a seaplane base and Chickerell was the service base for the bombing ranges on Chesil Bank (where the famous bouncing bomb

was tested) while Christchurch aerodrome was a base for the Air Ministry Research Establishment's special duties flight.

As in the Great War, women replaced men in factories, transport and the service industries, but also in the military.

Industry and manufacturing needed a workforce as the men left to fight, and women made the munitions, engineered the guns and built the ships.

At Bolton's and Newman's shipyards in Poole they worked around the clock producing the largest number of landing craft in Britain.

Women were also initially asked to volunteer for the Women's Land Army (WLA) but from December 1941, when the National Service Act allowed the conscription of women into the armed forces or for vital war work, they could also be conscripted into land work.

Dorset, being a rural county, had a high number of land girls billeted in private homes or accommodated in hostels. A hostel in Sturminster Newton housed 30 land girls. Irene Johnson from Leeds remembers • To Page 8

Blandford Town Council has approved a design for a new VE Day / VJ Day 75 bench, which is currently being fabricated, and will be installed in the Tabernacle in due course. It was created by a local designer and is therefore exclusive to Blandford. Pictured is a mock-up of the design. It features the Prime Minister Winston Churchill and King George VI, people cheering, the Union flags and a couple kissing, all images associated with the period.

The Blandford cry for peace On VE Day this Cry for Peace comes deeply from our hearts As we remember old and young who bravely played their parts In the tragedy of the Second World War, that caused such devastation To the lives and hopes and happiness of an earlier generation.

Wives and mothers, sisters too, did not sit idly by and grieve But took on all the essential jobs their menfolk had to leave, Working hard and tirelessly to keep the home fires burning Praying all the while that their men would be returning.

The joy in May of '45 isn't hard to comprehend As six long years of wretchedness came finally to an end.

May the suffering and deprivation never be in vain . . .

They gave their all so our generation could freely live again.

We celebrate VE Day as a reason to remember Beyond the solemn wreaths of the eleventh of November.

Don't put away those poppies, don't let the memories fade, But think of ALL the sacrifices that EVERYBODY made Acknowledging the debt we owe - may their colours fly unfurled As we join together in our cry. . . 'PEACE TO THE WORLD!'

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May 2020

Dorset’s vital wartime role in the front line • From Page 7 cycling into Blandford on her day off and going to the Tea Rooms.

The Women's Timber Corps (WTC) was a separate branch of the WLA which started again in 1942 when the German occupation of Norway caused a shortage of imported timber. Wareham forest had their own team of 'Lumber Jills' who cut timber, working alongside the men and living in huts in the forest where they worked.

Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS) personnel were attached to all the Army units, and members of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) were employed at radar and relay stations, one of which was behind the creamery in Sturminster Marshall. A number of WAAF were billeted in Bailey Gate House.

Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) were at HMS Attack in Portland, HMS Turtle in Poole, where the first Royal Marine Commandos trained and many other specialist units, including the Royal

Navy Cordite Factory at Holton Heath and a military petrol depot at West Moors.

The Women's Institute, founded on pacifist principles, helped with food supply and distribution, collecting rosehips to provide vitamin C and other plants for medical use, including poppies grown at Charborough Park, and preventing fruit from rotting by making their trademark jam.

The Women's Voluntary Service (WVS) mobilised to provide mobile canteens, first-aid, care for evacuees, help for civilians during and after air raids, as well as collecting salvage, knitting for servicemen and weaving camouflage nets.

After victory was declared, many returned to domesticity, facing the challenges of their men returning home scarred physically or mentally, housing in short supply, rationing of fuel, food and commodities which carried on well into the Fifties and high unemployment as industry readjusted from war work to normal trade.

The 'Lumber Jills'.

Jam making by the WI.

Service women in the victory parade through Blandford in June 1945.

• Within minutes of the announcement that the war had ended, boats on the Thames honked their horns and people flooded into the streets in London.

• At the end of Churchill's speech on the balcony of the Ministry of Health, the crowd sang For He's A Jolly Good Fellow.

• Buckingham Palace was lit up by floodlights for the first time since 1939.

• Fireworks, which had been banned during the war, were let off.

• The bonfires that were lit in the streets in celebration often left big black holes in the road where the tarmac had melted.

• The weather forecast was no longer top secret and it featured in newspapers and on the BBC Home Service.

Blandford’s roll of honour ON the memorial outside the Corn Exchange are listed 43 local men who died during World War II, but details of all of them have not yet been found.

Five are buried in Blandford Cemetery, together with another 22 from further afield, including seven Germans and four Canadians. Their graves, and the Commonwealth War Graves casualty information board, are now overlooked by two silent soldier silhouettes from the Blandford WWI commemorations.

Seven are associated with Blandford Secondary School, of whom more details can be found on the board recently erected at the entrance to the former school site in Damory Street by Blandford & District Civic Society, and online at blandfordschoolsmemorial.co.uk.

The first whose details have been found was Leading Signalman W Pead with the Royal Navy when HMS Exmouth was sunk by a German submarine while escorting a merchant ship north of Scotland on January 21, 1940.

Leading Aircraftman Cyril James Goddard died on May 6 when his Fairey Battle L5243

crashed during a training exercise in the final days of the 'Phoney War' before Germany attacked France.

Major Oliver George Woodhouse, of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment, killed at the evacuation of Dunkirk on May 29, was the first to die of two sons of brewer George Edward Woodhouse and Susan Henrietta Sealy Woodhouse (nee Fisher) of Nordon, Blandford.

His brother Colonel Harold Sealy Woodhouse collapsed and died, aged 49, during an air raid at Blandford Camp on February 10, 1943, while serving as Camp Commandant.

Deaths in October 1940 included Sgt Leonard George Goldie, 26, on October 1, flying from RAF Marham in a Wellington IC T22549 with RAF VR 115 Sqn. Second Lieutenant with the Royal Engineers 2 Bomb Disposal Unit, Lionel George William Carter, was one of Blandford's first King's Scouts and a chorister at Langton Long, where he is buried. He and his colleagues lost their lives in London on October 10 while transporting a bomb which exploded.

Private Walter George Brown, 22, was lost when SS Anselm was torpedoed with 1,200 troops on board on January 5, 1941.

Lance Bombardier Frederick Leslie Bunce was 20 when he died on March 3, 1941, after being badly injured in a bomb strike. The son of Salisbury Street boot and shoemaker Louis Leslie Bunce and Ethel Mary, daughter of Salisbury Street draper Arthur Backway, he served with 72 (Hampshire) Heavy AA Regt Royal Artillery.

Pilot Officer Stanley Brown died on May 30, 1942, aged 29, with RAF VR 128 (Gold Coast) Squadron. His Stirling 1 W7535 HA-C was one of 39 that did not return from the first '1,000 bomber raid' of the war - the target was Cologne. Married and living in Oxford with his wife and daughter, his mother lived in Alexandra Street, but his father Mr F Brown had died during World War I. His half-brother Captain Graham White was reported missing in the Middle East six weeks later.

Richard Stafford Candy, 24, was on the SS Abosso en route from Cape Town to Liverpool when she was torpedoed by U-575 on October

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May 2020

This composite image is believed to show the entire Home Guard company during World War II - three Blandford platoons and one Spetisbury platoon.

Tales from Blandford’s war Payne née Steele, WW2 People's War My family came to live in Blandford in 1940 from the Wimborne area. We lived above the New Inn pub in East Street, which my father ran.

I was 17 years old when World War II broke out.

I worked for Blandford Forum Borough Council finding billets for evacuees.

I was very busy as I was also a volunteer at the British Restaurant in West Street, which provided cheap meals - breakfast and lunch- for local people. Workmen from the Tarrant Rushton airfield stayed at the restaurant as well. I walked to work and always carried a gas mask.

In the evenings, I worked behind the bar at the New Inn. I remember soldiers coming in as they passed through the town after Dunkirk. I heard many stories about their experiences. Sometimes when there were shortages, we had to ration cigarettes and beer from the local brewer, Hall & Woodhouse. Customers were very good and accepted this. German planes often passed over the town and a bomb hit the Crown Hotel.

WW2 People's War is an online archive of wartime memories contributed by members of the public and gathered by the BBC. The archive can be found at bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar had one night off every week. There were also two cinemas in the town at that time.

Families were evacuated to Blandford from London. I remember one woman who tried to cook a rasher of bacon on an iron as they had no access to a cooker. Some families stayed on in the town after the war.

I married a soldier from Shropshire during the war. He was based at Langton House and I met him over the bar, whilst serving at the New Inn. I chose to have a cornflower blue rather than a white dress so I could wear it again afterwards. I saved coupons and cash to buy it. We honeymooned at my husband's sister’s house in Lancaster.

and two elder sisters.

When the war broke out I was living in Bournemouth with my sister and working in Marks & Spencer, only coming back to Blandford to visit my parents from time to time.

Eventually though I had to return home as my mother had fallen ill and needed looking after, not to mention the fact that she was also desperately worried about me living so far away. When I returned I took a job on the camp working in the kitchens. It was my duty to prepare the meals for the soldiers.

There were very popular dances in the Corn Exchange, but I could not go very often as I only

I have lived in Blandford all my life - I grew up in East Street in a three-storey house. It was a lovely little place down a passageway between the shops, I lived here with my mother and father

Life was tough for some people in Blandford during the war but I always remember a sense of people sticking together. If you were struggling someone would help you along. We did the best we could to help each other, sometimes just putting on a show of being brave to make someone feel better. I think this sense of togetherness pulled many people through.

29, 1942, killing 362 of the 393 people aboard.

Sergeant Joseph Henry Miller of the RAF VR was in one of four aircraft from 44 (Rhodesia) Sqn among 19 lost during a raid on the Heinkel factory at Warnemunde on May 8, 1942.

The first of three to die in May 1943 was Flight Sergeant Jack Greenfield, aged 20, whose Wellington X-HE398 failed to return from a raid on Duisburg on May 13.

Victor Henry Moors, aged 24 of the Dorsetshire Regiment 4th Bn, died the following day, the son of Arthur Henry and Anne Eliza Moors and husband of Betty Grace, all of Blandford.

Signalman Henry Lloyd Fletcher died on May 18 when HMT (His Majesty's Tug) Barwick was sunk after an explosion during a salvage operation in Alexandria harbour.

Sgt Robert Leonard Perry, killed on July 25, had won a place at Poole Art College before the war. His father was the head of the National School in Park Road, Blandford, and his brother worked on radar in the RAF and survived the war.

Chief Petty Officer Francis Douglas Tom

Hodges, who served with HMS Spartiate and died on November 6, is buried in Blandford Cemetery, as is Sergeant Charles Henry Hubert McShane, who died on January 15, 1944, serving with 4th Bn Dorsetshire Regiment. He was the son of Charles Henry and Dora McShane and husband of Winifred Florence Louise, who died nine months later and is buried with him.

John Henry Dunn was 20 when he flew on April 24, 1944, as part of a mixed Australian/British crew in a Wellington believed to have been intercepted by German fighters and crashed into the North Sea. Sergeant Kenneth Robert James Warren, aged 21, was wireless operator on a Lancaster ME673 shot down on May 4, 1944, after taking off from RAF Elsam Wolds with the target of the German installation at Mailly-le-Camp, France.

Flying Officer Albert Stanley Cole, aged 21, was flying as Air Bomber on July 29, 1944, returning from a raid in a Lancaster JB701, when the pilot had to ditch the plane, avoiding civilian buildings at St Martin-Sur-Oreuse but killed the

entire crew. The French village has a memorial JB701 unveiled in 2004.

Alfred John Ellis, son of William and Louisa Ellis of Blandford, died on August 7, 1944, aged 27, serving with the 141 Field Regt, Royal Artillery.

Private Samuel James Ridout died, aged 24, on October 27, 1944, when he was part of the ground effort of Operation 'Market Garden' to force a bridge over the Rhine. His grave in the Arnhem Oosterbeek War Cemetery is laid with flowers by the children of Arnhem every year.

Rifleman Edward James Burden, son of Isaac and Agnes Caroline Burden and husband of Freda Mary Maude, all of Blandford, died on November 2, 1946, aged 34, serving with the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

The final name added to the list is that of Flying Officer David Hugh Alexander, 21, who had evacuated from London, aged 13, with his brother Patrick to live with his aunt and uncle, Margery and Louis Gill, in Blandford. He died on September 19, 1947, flying a Spitfire Mk XIV E with RAF 17 Squadron while part of the Commonwealth Occupation Forces in Japan.

Elsie Hart, WW2 People's War

10

May 2020

These pictures show the Victory Parade held in June 1945 in Blandford. Above left, the Mayor Denis Samuel Cuff takes the salute from the gardens of the Crown Hotel alongside town clerk William Henry Wilson, who lived in Albert

Street and had been in post since 1915 so was actively involved in the town's government during both World Wars and became an honorary freeman of the town in July 1949. The parade approaching over the Blandford roadbridge

(above right) - past the house in which the detonator was stored so that the bridge could be blown up in the event of German invasion shows Bryanston woods in the background, and the Crown & Anchor pub on the left.

Memories of life on Camaraderie in the the hospital wards toughest of times AMERICAN Army nurse at Blandford Camp, Maryann Munroe (nĂŠe Haucke), worked 12-hour shifts assigned to medical and surgical units in one of five major hospitals.

The wounded arrived daily and the nurses did double duty, living in wooden barracks with mice, a sitting room, one phone and sleeping four to a room on mattresses that were 'shrouds' stuffed with straw.

She recalled that during the Battle of the Bulge there were lots of soldiers with trench foot, and one wouldn't let her take his boots off. When they were finally removed, he had rings on all his toes. The jewellery had been 'liberated' from a store somewhere his unit had gone through. It was turned over to the captain and the soldier given a receipt. "Don't know if he ever got it back," she said.

Preparing for Christmas 1944, every patient who could walk worked, making decorations from toilet paper, putting homemade items on a tree, and enjoyed turkey with all the trimmings for Christmas Day dinner.

In January 1945, Second Lieutenant Alex Munroe, whom she had dated in the States and was now stationed in Stow-on-the-Wold, called to say he was coming to see her. His final visit before leaving for Germany on April 11 was on a snowy March 13.

He asked her to marry him, she agreed, and he gave her his Virginia Military Institute ring to wear.

"The big battles were fought continuously. When we went outside and looked up toward the sky, all we could see were B17s, B24s and Lancasters. No sky, just bombers heading for Germany."

When news flashed over the ward

Maryann Haucke, who nursed in the American hospital at Blandford Camp speakers of VE Day on May 8 1945, all hell broke loose. "Beds turned over, windows smashed, things thrown in air, patients running outside, you just can't describe the excitement. Orders came to give each patient a shot glass of bourbon.

I had 43 men on my ward and not many slept that night."

Then came PoWs captured at Dunkirk and liberated in Germany, with orders to make the British comfortable until English ambulances could pick them up, and give emergency care to Americans to be sent for transfer to the US. "The British soldiers were skin and bones. We gave them milk shakes to sip on, milk and bourbon. They could tolerate very little food, having been starved for so long."

When the hospital officially closed on June 8, 1945, it had seen a total of 4,647 patients. Maryann returned to the US in July 1945, and married Alex Munroe in San Antonio on August 24, 1946.

MOLLY Clarke, who was 99 last December, felt in 1941 that she had to do something to help and joined the Auxiliary Territorial Service.

After training in Reading, she served in the 495 and 129 Mixed Heavy Batteries Air Defence Regiment Royal Artillery until her demob in 1945.

It was the first-ever mixed regiment, and after a spell in Wales, she was stationed in Oswestry, Greystone in Scotland and finally Kent to counter the German V-1 flying bombs.

"There was a great camaraderie. We were just accepted. It was about discipline," Molly said. "Four-and-ahalf years I was there - and it was fantastic."

Her regiment saw the most action in Lydd, Kent, just opposite Dunkirk, where they could see France. She herself saw plenty, including a Spitfire physically tipping a doodlebug (V-1 flying bomb) off course.

The Germans fired their 1,870lb doodlebugs from across the English Channel.

Times were tough and for some, it was too much. "I was on guard duty and saw a girl running out of camp trying to desert. I caught up with her and pulled her back: I was very fit back then!

"After the war, I couldn't settle for a long time. I loved the Army and would have gone back into it if I hadn't married."

She married former bombardier and Mayor of Wilton, James Clarke, in 1945, who had been a prisoner-ofwar in Poland for six years, and then stationed at Bulford Camp. Both were very involved with the Royal British Legion and the poppy appeal in Wilton.

Above: Molly Clarke in her service days, and (below) in recent times proudly wearing her medals.

Molly's two brothers, Jim and Bob Spencer, also served during the war, and Jim, the father of Blandford town councillor and former Mayor Rosemary Holmes, was stationed at Aldershot and London before finishing his Army career in 1952.

May 2020

Law team experts offer help for landlords and tenants SPECIALISTS at Blanchards Bailey law firm can offer guidance to businesses, landlords, tenants and employers in response to the Covid-19 emergency and have advised anyone with questions or concerns to contact a member of the team.

Ben Jones welcomed Government action for private tenants by protecting UK residential tenants missing payments from eviction for at least three months, and stopping new evictions from social or rented accommodation, and halting new possession proceedings.

Landlords will also be protected with the three-month mortgage payment holiday and are strongly advised not to serve new notices seeking possession without a very good reason.

But tenants should continue to pay rent and abide by all other terms of their tenancy agreement to the best of their ability and any tenant in difficulty should have an early conversation with their landlord, since rent payments in tenancy agreements remain legally due.

Mortgage arrears must ultimately be repaid to lenders and so landlords are unlikely therefore to overlook non-payment of rent by tenants in the long term, so negotiation of a

Ben Jones

David Ashplant

Edward O’Brien

revised payment plan is recommended.

David Ashplant said: "Coronavirus looks set to be the biggest challenge businesses have faced in living memory. The law takes the view that there are very limited circumstances in which contractual obligations can be avoided, and there could be difficulties in performing contracts you have entered into or contracted with another party."

Get-out clauses needed to be examined to discover whether they cover a pandemic or limit the extent of disruption. "The current situation is changing daily, as will the impact on businesses, but the fact that businesses will be impacted is certain."

Edward O'Brien's advice to employers is to be aware of the distinction between laying off workers and giving them short-time contracts, and the risk of breach of contract in changing contractual terms.

He said the Government had announced that it would be putting several measures in place to help businesses, but professional advice should be sought to ensure the correct processes were followed. He warned that it could be some time before any reimbursement payments were made.

11 DORSET Business Mentors have launched a new service to help small businesses, charities and social enterprises with immediate and ongoing support through a period of unprecedented uncertainty.

They are offering one-to-one advice free of charge for up to three months, saying: "For many, the immediate shock is passing and financial support now filtering through is helping.

"While many will also potentially fall through the gap, there is much that can be done by all owners to protect their business and there may be opportunities for repositioning.

"For some this is an ideal time to be supported to review and improve their strategy and operations for resilience, sustainability and growth.

"This service is positioned to help. Whatever your challenges we can match you with a mentor with the experience to benefit and help you through this time.

"It could be the difference between collapse and survival, and coming out of this period weak or in a strong position to benefit from regrowth."

For further details or to apply: dorsetbusinessmentors.co.uk.

May 2020

12

Readers’ letters

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

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.

Boots problems stem from the top THERE has been much discussion recently about the prescription service offered by Boots to the town of Blandford. Firstly let me come clean: I am an ex-pharmacist and Boots manager with 32 years of service and therefore am perhaps better placed than many to make comment.

Quite rightly the consensus of those that have passed comment is that the fault does not lie with the local staff who have to face the wrath of the Blandford public, but it lies with senior management who should be ashamed at the service they have provided, not only during the current crisis but well before.

As usual with large organisations the problem has arisen over several years as successive senior management regimes attempt to cut costs.

When I first joined the company as a newly qualified pharmacist 50 years ago, there was a clear career path. Young, newly qualified graduate pharmacists joined the company, were given excellent pharmaceutical training, followed by management training.

The result was that all managers were pharmacists and the dispensing service was at the centre of their daily routines.

Nowadays many of the pharmacists are locums and the store managers do not have pharmaceutical qualifications. Lack of knowledgeable management input into the dispensing operation, I believe, is at the heart of Boots' current problems.

I would like to also make comment about the growing trend towards remote dispensing using the postal service for delivery.

This is all well and good at the current time and may well be a solution to some but long term the problem will be that pharmacies will vanish from the local high street.

What happens then when there is a query about your drugs or they don't arrive on time? What happens when you want to speak to someone about a simple ailment?

Would you rather speak to someone on the telephone or face to face in your local high street? It's a no-brainer to me. Out of the frying pan into the fire!

John Harding, Blandford • • • CLEARLY the continued provision of the prescription service is crucial. Queueing for three hours to collect prescriptions at the Boots chemist in Salisbury Street, Blandford, at the end of March was tedious, but the staff were efficient and friendly.

Of much greater concern is the serious risk that staff will be unable to continue the delivery of this essential service. The cramped conditions in the pharmacy place the health of staff at considerable risk - they are unable to implement safe social distancing. Staff are constantly leaning over each other without apparent concern for their health.

Boots should implement safe working conditions as an urgent priority and have fallback plans in

place should pharmacies be forced to close through staff contracting the virus. I've no doubt this situation is repeated across the country.

Martin (Nic) Nicol, Address supplied • • • STAFF cannot cope with dispensing prescriptions in three shops since two-monthly prescriptions have been stopped to increase NHS revenues, so how are they going to cope with only two shops?

Name & address supplied • • • (Copy of letter to Simon Hoare MP)

THE problem with Boots in Blandford has been a problem for over a year with them not providing enough staff to produce the prescriptions. I have spoken to them about the wait times in 1014 Salisbury Street and they have been promised more staff but it never arrived.

Because of this, I used to get my prescriptions from the pharmacy at 3 Salisbury Street that is due to close because they are efficient, friendly and their knowledge was brilliant.

I was transferred to the other chemist at 10-14 Salisbury Street and went in to collect my regular prescription after ordering at the local doctors. I was told that I had to allow 10 days for my prescription to go through. I had to wait half-an-hour for it to be made up and there were already 10 other people waiting in the queue.

This was not due to the coronavirus but an everyday occurrence. I spoke to the staff and said it was not right for them to be put under pressure and to take over all the prescriptions from 3 Salisbury Street and for Boots to only provide one extra member of staff.

People in America working on computers send communications to the staff and do not have any real knowledge of the branches or needs and just work on spreadsheets. I have spoken to people who work for Boots pharmacies and this has always been the case since they took over all the UK branches.

Alaina Thornton, Blandford

Praise for Lidl staff ON March 10 my wife and I were at the local Lidl store at Blandford Heights. We had completed our shopping list and proceeded to the one open checkout waiting patiently to be processed.

At the time there were several people queueing, as is the norm at Lidl. When the announcement came that another checkout was opening, a mad panic ensued with several people rushing to join the new position. In the process my dear wife Marianne was sent flying and as a result suffered a broken hip.

To add to our dilemma the ambulance took three hours to respond, meaning that my wife was left in a lot of pain throughout the proceedings.

My reason for posting this message is to thank those people who waited with Marianne and gave her comfort and care through the long wait to both her and a very stressed husband.

I would especially like to thank both Michelle and Lisa, and Phillip, the manager, who stayed with us through the whole process.

Marianne has returned home from hospital after her terrible ordeal and is making steady progress with her recovery.

Grateful Thanks Glynne Stevens, Blandford

May 2020

13

Letters extra

Virus crisis brings out the best DURING the hard times and the good, Blandford shines. Amidst the national emergency we now find ourselves in, I was deeply grateful and impressed to see how our community has yet again risen to the challenge.

A local volunteer army has mobilised to support those in need. From standing in queues for prescriptions or essential supplies, to staff of our businesses, cafés, pharmacies, stores, surgeries and charities working extra hours, away from loved ones, to keep Blandford going.

Not to mention our fantastic posties, deliverers, carers, firefighters, police officers and NHS staff battling daily to keep us safe and well.

It is often those at the head of organisations or groups who we praise and not those quietly working in the background.

Volunteers packing food parcels, manning phone lines or just doing anything they can to support people in need. To you all, thank you.

Cllr Byron Quayle • • • CHARITIES, especially hospices, are really feeling the pain at the moment.

Their crucial work goes on and their workload increases, but the closure of all their charity shops and cancellation of their fundraising activities has deprived them of the bulk of their income.

Weldmar Hospicecare, based in Dorchester, will forever hold a special place in my heart for the loving care they showed my wife and later my sister in their final days.

The hospice needs to raise £18,000 a day - a day! - to maintain their range of services free of charge. Their current income is

just a tenth of that.

I know things are tough for everyone at these extraordinary times, but if you feel able to help, I beg you to make a contribution, no matter how modest, to this wonderful cause.

You can post to Weldmar Hospicecare at Herrington Road, Dorchester DT1 2SL; pay by phone on 01305 261800; or online at weld-hospice.org.uk.

You never know when you might be thankful for the amazing care they offer.

David Eidlestein, Blandford • • • I HAVE listened over the past few days to people moaning because they can't buy this, can't buy that.

Well if they had not gone and emptied the supermarkets shelves they would be able to.

I am disgusted that some of the people here can be so greedy and selfish.

The supermarkets all said: "If you all do your normal weekly shop there is enough for everyone."

But no, all these greedy selfish people who do not care about others bought up everything and now are moaning. Do not be so selfish.

I watched a very old lady the other day in Morrison's and I felt so sorry for her. She only had a basket, not a trolley. She wanted a loaf of bread, a pint of milk and some eggs and she could not get any. She was very upset. How would you feel if that was your mum or your grandmother?

There are so many old and vulnerable who can get nothing.

When do you see an old person with a full trolley? Never.

I am ashamed to say I am British.

I am a Scot and we would never do that. The supermarkets in Scotland have not had to have

security guards. What does that tell you? I am glad I am not English and do not live their way.

I share what I have or can get with all. If you have a conscience you will take note. If not I feel very sorry for you.

This is worse than in the war.

Yes, we were rationed but we all got the same. No-one was left out. Next time you go shopping think of others before you buy.

Name & address supplied • • • I DON'T have to say that life in the last few weeks has been so different to anything the vast majority of the population have ever seen.

I am of the age group that remembers how things were at the end of the last war.

I consider that this country is very fortunate to have a leader that I consider has turned politics around so that plain speaking and common sense have pre-

vailed.

I compare Boris Johnson to Sir Winston Churchill in as much as they have both got us through a war of survival.

I like many others have never voted Conservative before but at the last election there was only one person that we could trust to lead this country; thank God the majority of us did.

Little did we know when we voted what a challenge Boris Johnson would face. He got us out of Europe, which was one hell of an achievement, but then he faced an even bigger challenge, the virus that threatened us all.

At the time of writing this letter, Boris is in hospital. I hope and pray, like we all do, that he makes a full recovery. I will be clapping for him at 8pm as he did for our wonderful NHS, although he had the virus himself.

Colin Young, Blandford

May 2020

14

The View from the Hill

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

F

ROM flood to near drought in only a month, via pestilence.

After record rainfall for the whole winter, it finally stopped on March 19 and within not too many days we were able to get on at last with spring sowing.

Firstly three small fields of spring beans, followed by a sizeable area of spring barley, and finally 60 hectares of poppies. Two varieties of barley this year: one, Planet, which is tried and tested for malting for beer, and a second newer one, Laureate, with supposedly better disease resistance and better yield. One hopes that the newer one will be as acceptable to the maltsters as the older.

After a great deal of fuss in recent months over whether we will be able to sell our malting barley into Europe after we leave the EU, we are suddenly hit with a problem far worse, which has closed the pubs, slowed the flow of beer to a trickle and reduced the future price of malt barley even further.

Not to mention the fact that it has made a great many people ill and caused heartache and death on a frightening scale.

The Vaderstad seed drill wended its satellite-guided way across a field sowing barley seed shortly before being followed by the rollers, which firmed the soil around the seed, helping to keep the moisture in the soil where the

seedling will need it, and to push in any stones so they don't damage the combine at harvest time.

The time between the seedbed being too wet to do anything with and having dried out so much that we worry the seed will not germinate due to lack of moisture can be as little as ten days in some soils. We were turning round the fields from stubble to rolled seedbed as quickly as possible.

The tiny poppy seeds are only sown into the very surface of the soil and without moisture will not germinate. By the time we finished sowing them, the sunshine and bitter north wind were drying the soils very quickly.

In spite of the relentless rain all winter, a weatherproof hurdle maker has been hard at work in Norton wood coppice. The mature hazel is just at the right stage for hurdles, usually seven years after the previous cutting.

In a very orderly fashion, the wood has been cut and sorted into different sizes to suit the different jobs required of it in the making of a hurdle. The stouter ones are used for the end posts, others are split longways to be woven back and forth between the uprights, and thinner round branches can be woven in to provide a decorative contrast in the finished article.

In our experimental field lab with Innovative Farmers, two-thirds of a field was grazed by sheep in

Poles ready for hurdle making

Before we were able to start sowing there was a chance to get some grassland rolled. Here is the result on the new herbal ley in Wynchard field behind Durweston. We roll it to make sure there are no stones which will cause problems for the mower if we need to cut any of the grass for silage.

One of our next jobs is to divide the field up into eight paddocks, with a water supply to each, to enable us to try the mob grazing which we are planning for this new pasture. Short sharp grazing sessions over a small area, followed by a long recovery period for the pasture, should encourage more top growth, more photosynthesis and better rooting.

January. One plot was left ungrazed and is flowering sooner (see aerial pictures at Viewfromthehill.org.uk). Larval counts in the different plots showed six and nine larvae per plant in the grazed plots respectively, whereas the ungrazed plot was found to be carrying 26 larvae per plant.

Although flowering much earlier than the grazed plots, the ungrazed still contains many larvae, and shows a great deal of damage by cabbage stem flea beetle larvae which have contin-

ued to burrow through the leaf stem. They haven't broken through into the main stem and hopefully will shortly drop out of the plant to pupate in the soil.

If we can encourage beetles, spiders and parasitic wasps, by creating more habitat for them and not applying insecticides, we hope to get some natural control of this pest in the future.

The first week of May sees lambing time begin on this farm. Many other farmers' sheep lambed in February, March and April, generally indoors. For many years we have gone for a different approach here, shearing before lambing, then settling the ewes into small groups in small paddocks where they can get on with it uninterrupted when the time comes.

For this reason we ask that people please take extra special care when walking the footpaths around the farm and keep dogs on leads at all times. It takes very little to spook sheep - they are very stupid at times and a loose dog can do untold damage because they often over-react.

15

May 2020

Details revealed of Tributes after death Dorset’s virus victims OBITUARIES

of well-known local businessman TRIBUTE has been paid to Tony Vincent, owner of MVS Blandford, who died on April 9 only a few weeks after returning from a holiday in Tenerife.

Blandford Town Clerk Linda Scott Giles said: "The council was saddened to learn of the death of such a popular local businessman. Staff will miss engaging with him at MVS Blandford where our vehicles are serviced as part of a sponsorship agreement.

Tony was always approachable, reliable and professional."

Blandford United FC said on their Facebook page: "It is with deep regret that our club's main sponsor, MVS owner Tony Vincent, has sadly passed away. He believed in what we were doing and was excited to be a part of this club moving forward. His and Dan's generosity helped keep this club afloat at the beginning of the season and we will always be grateful. Thoughts are with his family from everyone at the club."

• A memorial service will be held at a later date for John Jones, who passed away peacefully at Yeatman Hospital, Sherborne, on April 4, aged 78.

John was the husband of the late Lil Jones, and together they helped to revive Blandford Carnival in the 1970s and ran it for many years - John as chairman until his involvement was restricted by a stroke, and Lil, who succeeded him as chairman until handing over to their son Barrie five years before her death in December 2016.

They lived in Newman Close for 50 years, but after Lil's death John moved into a care home.

His daughter-in-law Sara said on her Facebook page: "He was a brilliant father-in-law and a grandad to be proud of, a very strong man who will be missed by a lot of people. He was in hospital for a week, but we couldn't see him because we are in selfisolation."

Lesley Shand Funeral Service in East Street can be contacted for further information.

DAVISON Dawn passed away peacefully at the Joseph Weld

Hospice after a long illness on March 28, aged 43. Private family funeral. Donations for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust and Fortuneswell Cancer Trust.

Enquiries Colin J Close Funeral Service.

RHODES Mary of Sturminster Newton passed away aged 87 on March 15 at Larks Leas Rest Home in Blandford Forum. A celebration of her life will follow a private family funeral. Donations to the British Heart Foundation and/or Larks Leas Rest Home's appeal for an interactive dementia table. Enquiries Colin J Close Funeral Service.

WAREHAM Denis passed away peacefully at Blandford Hospital on March 21, aged 84. A thanksgiving service will follow the private funeral service. Enquiries Lesley Shand Funeral Service, Blandford.

TRAVERS George, formerly of Charlton Marshall, passed away suddenly and peacefully on February 29, aged 79. Donations for Dorset & Somerset Air Ambulance. Enquiries Colin J Close Funeral Service YEATMAN Margaret, formerly of Blandford, passed away peacefully on March 1, aged 89. A funeral Service was held at Poole Crematorium on Tuesday March 24. Donations for the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital.

Enquiries Colin J Close Funeral Service HURST John, passed away peacefully at Dorset County Hospital on February 27, aged 74. A funeral service was held at Blandford St Mary Parish Church on Tuesday March 24. Donations for Blandford St Mary PCC. Enquiries Colin J Close Funeral Service.

RICHARDS Kath, formerly Lucas, née Pike, passed away peacefully at Blandford Grange Care Home on March 2, aged 92.

A funeral service was held at St Peter and St Paul's Church, Blandford, on Thursday March 19. Donations to Kidney Research UK. Enquiries Lesley Shand Funeral Service, Blandford.

Keep up to date at forumfocus.co.uk

THE precise number of Covid-19 cases in the Blandford area was not known when Public Health England reported on April 14 that in Dorset, there were 203.

At that time there had been four deaths at Dorset Healthcare University NHS Foundation Trust settings, 24 at Poole Hospital, 33 at the Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals and 18 at Dorset County Hospital.

Figures revealed by the Office for National Statistics on the same day revealed the number of deaths being registered at hospices, care and nursing homes and in the community.

In the week ending April 3, one in ten of the total 1,520 deaths in the south-west were Covid-19

related, and of those, a similar percentage were occurring outside hospitals in the region.

The overall picture showed that the region had the third lowest number of deaths in the country, with only around ten per cent of the total nationwide.

Reports of outbreaks of Covid-19 at 2,000 care homes nationwide prompted calls for their staff and health and social care workers to have adequate protective equipment and the promise from central government of more testing.

Dorset Council said that home care and social workers and carers for residents in extremely vulnerable groups wore PPE, and face masks if a resident had coronavirus or showed symptoms.

NOT-for-profit cultural, sporting and community organisations have until May 15 to apply for funding from Dorset Council's leisure development fund to help finance one-off or capital projects that benefit people living or working in Dorset.

Organisations can apply for up to 20% of the total project cost to a maximum of £5,000 and will have up to two years to deliver their project. Details can be found by searching for leisure development fund on the Dorset for You website.

16

May 2020

Nordon demolition MORE than 12 months after North Dorset District Council's planning committee agreed to approve outline plans for the demolition of the council's former headquarters at Nordon in Salisbury Road to build 40 affordable homes, outline approval has been issued by Dorset Council.

Aster have three years to submit further applications covering the detail of the proposal which need

to be approved by the local planning authority before development can begin.

No demolition can take place until further plans have been approved and a contract has been let for the redevelopment, "to avoid any temporary and/or long-term effects of an active construction site being located in the conservation area for an extended period of time".

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NEWS in BRIEF

All in a good cause BLANDFORD'S service clubs have again joined forces to support a deserving cause in providing funding for a special medical procedure for a seven-year-old Charlton Marshall boy.

Rotary President Jim Atkins, Lions President Tony Ives, and Stour Rotary President Graham Colls are pictured (left to right) presenting their joint donation of £750 to Alice, the boy's mum, outside the Blandford brewery where she works.

It was the third time in three months that the clubs have worked together to support deserving causes, having donated meat vouchers to the Food Bank just before Christmas and funds for Blandford St Mary School's play park in February.

DORSET'S touring arts charity Artsreach has launched an online 'Digital Diary' on its website artsreach.co.uk where podcasts, performances and shows by artists and theatre companies can be seen online.

Performances and activities to come this month include Ninebarrow in concert on May 2, past productions by Pentabus on Friday afternoons including 'Crossings' which toured in Dorset in 2018, a podcast from Living Spit, a journalist challenge for children from Paddleboat Theatre and home-schooling with artist and maker Darrell Wakeland.

A FEW days before volunteers at Shillingstone station closed it to the public to comply with Government regulations, they hosted a visit by the Flight Refuelling Amateur Radio Society (FRARS) to their signalbox to reach out to other radio hams across the UK, EU and in the USA. In celebration of Science Week, they continued broadcasting to reach as afar as Egypt, Spain, USA, Bosnia, Poland and Hungary.

ANOTHER accident on the A354 at Pimperne has prompted calls for action to make the road safer. A car approaching from Blandford hit the bridge over the Pimperne brook opposite the Farquharson Arms Pimperne just after midnight on March 21.

Railings on both sides of the road have now been demolished after a lorry turned over into a ditch in February.

THE Fashion Show organised by the Friends of Blandford Community Hospital at the Exchange in Sturminster Newton on Friday March 13 was one of the final events to take place before the Covid-19 restrictions kicked in and the last to be held by the charity.

Despite a low turnout, they raised around £1,250 at the show and the sale of modelled clothing the following day.

THE Cursus Festival scheduled for the bank holiday weekend at the end of the month is likely to be postponed, and organisers have asked people to keep an eye on the website cursusfestival.com for news of the rescheduled date, which will be with the same line-up.