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FOR LYME REGIS, UPLYME, CHARMOUTH & AXMINSTER ● FORTNIGHTLY ● FEBRUARY 5 2021
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The latest local COVID figures IN Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale, there were six confirmed COVID19 cases in the seven-day period up until January 29. This is an increase of four on the previous week but still much lower than the peak of 35 cases seen after the New Year period. However, in the neighbouring Kilmington, Colyton and Uplyme area, cases have been rising more dramatically and stood at 22 as of January 29, an increase of 20 on the previous week. REPORT, PAGE 3
Sweeping up after the storm STAFF at the popular Kiosk on Marine Parade in Lyme Regis were faced with a clean-up operation when they opened up on Sunday morning. Stormy weather the night before had thrown up shingle and debris from the beach onto the Cart Road but staff were quick to clean up the mess. We take a look at some of the greatest storms Lyme Regis has seen in a special photo feature on pages 10 & 11. Photo by Richard Austin
We’re backing business
Safety concerns on seafront roof
COUNCILLORS are split on the best way to ensure public safety, after a panel of new glass balustrade on Lyme Regis seafront smashed, with shattered glass falling onto a family below. The glass was smashed by a stone thrown up while grass in Lister Gardens was being mowed, and suggestions have included planting a hedge or installing a short fence at the bottom of the bank. REPORT, PAGE 7
New T20 tournament
EAST Devon cricketers, including Uplyme & Lyme Regis, will be competing this summer in the very first local T20 tournament this summer. Games will be played on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the early summer. REPORT, PAGE 18
AWARDS TO RECOGNISE SUCCESSFUL LYME BUSINESSES LYME’S vibrant trading community is to be celebrated with the announcement this week of the first ever Lyme Regis Business Awards. LymeOnline is joining forces with Marketing West, the West Dorset marketing and events company, to organise the awards which will be presented at a special gathering in June. The awards are to be officially launched by
FRANCESCA EVANS
francesca@lyme-online.co.uk
the Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, on Friday, February 12 in a video recording which can be viewed on the LymeOnline website. Marketing West has great experience in organising business awards, having hosted similar successful events in Bridport, Dorchester and Sherborne.
Managing director Nigel Reeve, said: “We are committed to helping business to start to thrive again. The Lyme Regis Business Awards will focus on promoting the range and quality of local businesses operating within a three-mile radius of the town which will include Uplyme and Charmouth.” Businesses will be able to enter 14 different categories and readers of LymeOnline will be CONTINUED ON PAGE 2
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LymeOnline
Published by Lyme Regis Media Limited Hyper-local website and fortnightly newspaper serving the communities of Lyme Regis, Uplyme & Charmouth. Unit 5 Uplyme Business Park, Uplyme Road, Lyme Regis, Dorset DT7 3LS www.lyme-online.co.uk edit@lyme-online.co.uk Facebook: facebook.com/LymeOnlineUK Twitter: twitter.com/LymeOnlineUK Instagram: instagram.com/lymeonline Editor: Francesca Evans francesca@lyme-online.co.uk 07810 221 420 Managing Director: Philip Evans philip@lyme-online.co.uk Contributors Richard Austin edit@lyme-online.co.uk Production: Jackie Evans jackie@lyme-online.co.uk
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LymeOnline recognises climate change and environmental concerns as one of the most important current issues faced by our local community and across the globe. We are committed to continued, fair and accurate reporting of environmental news and events, as well as taking action to reduce our own impact on the environment. Print and paper is used by news media publishers to produce their print titles. Newsprint is uncoated paper, made out of mechanical pulp or waste paper, which is used to produce newspapers. Newspapers are not responsible for rainforest depletion; the hardwoods from tropical rainforests are simply not suitable for newsprint production. Newsprint is an environmentally sound, renewable resource which comes from managed softwood coniferous forests, mainly in North America and Europe. For every tree cut down, two or three more are planted. Between 2005 and 2015 European forests grew by 44,160 sqkm. The newspaper industry has a voluntary agreement with the government on the recycled content of UK newspapers, which is supported by our printers Newsquest, which is committed to purchasing newsprint responsibly to help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and conserve resources In 1991, the UK publishers set a target of achieving 40 per cent recycled content in newspapers by the year 2000. The industry met this target four years ahead of schedule. In 2018, the recycled paper content of UK newspapers was 69.2 per cent.
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Celebrating the businesses of Lyme CONTINUED FROM FRONT PAGE able to nominate them as well.
The winners of each category will receive a trophy and framed certificate and an overall winner from the category winners will be chosen as Lyme’s Business of The Year. Philip Evans MBE, managing director of Lyme Regis Media Ltd, publishers of the LymeOnline community newspaper and website, said: “I am delighted that we are supporting the first ever Lyme Regis Business Awards. “The last year has been one of the most difficult ever for traders, especially in small towns like Lyme, but with renewed hope that it won’t be long before our shop doors will open again, there isn’t a better time to celebrate Lyme’s vibrant business community. “Lyme is fortunate for a small town to have such a wide range of unique businesses and these awards provide the ideal opportunity to highlight and celebrate their successes.” The Mayor, Cllr Brian Larcombe MBE, said: “I am delighted as mayor, to support the Lyme Regis Business Awards. Lyme is a town of small independent traders, interspersed with a few national chain outlets. There has rarely been a more demanding time to run a business and whether new or established, the challenges COVID restrictions has placed on them tests even the most robust organisation and enterprise. “The nature of seaside seasonal business and the changing trend towards online trading has also added to the pressures, all of which has called upon raised adaptability and changes to the more traditional ways of working. “I am pleased that the initiative and ingenuity, commitment and hard work is captured and recognised in this award scheme, and hope it all helps towards the sustainability of our local businesses and the employment they provide.” Business owners will be able to enter the awards free of charge and the public will also be
LYME REGIS BUSINESS AWARDS CATEGORIES
encouraged put forward nominees in certain categories. A panel of independent judges will be selected to choose the winners of each category and the overall Business of The Year which, as well as a trophy and certificate, will receive a free fullpage advertisement (value £125) in LymeOnline for their own business or preferred charity. The awards ceremony will take place in June at a date and venue to be announced, subject to COVID-19 restrictions at that time with winners and sponsors, in attendance. The ceremony will also be broadcast online and on the LymeOnline website. Each of the categories (see right) will be sponsored and a number of sponsorship packages are available. Each sponsor receives two places at
the awards and between signing up and June they will receive 30 social media posts and a 30 second video saying why they are supporting the awards. All sponsors will also have their logo on the awards website (www.lymeregisbusinessawards.co.uk) plus a link to their own website. The presentations will be streamed live on the awards website with sponsors included in a compilation video.
● Best Community Support ● Best Customer/Client Service ● Arts, Crafts & Artisans ● Mental Wellbeing & Awareness ● Best Use of Digital ● Green Business of The Year ● New Business of The Year ● Health, Beauty & Fitness ● Independent Business of The Year ● Retail Business of The Year ● Service Provider of The Year ● Cafe/Pub of The Year ● Restaurant of The Year ● Rising Star of The Year ● Overall Lyme Regis Business of The Year If you would like to be one of the sponsors contact NIGEL REEVE on 07872 019 522
In print and online, the best of Lyme ● Breaking news 24/7 ● Videos and podcasts ● Digital edition pages ● Entertainment news & listings ● All your local sport ● Community news ● Eating out news, reviews and directory ● Blogs on everything from history to environment ● Colourful Photo galleries
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COVID-19: The latest on local figures and vaccines Latest crime figures
Case numbers drop across Dorset but infection rates still remain high
COVID infection rates across Dorset are falling but still remain at high levels. Data released on January 29 showed that the Dorset Council area had an infection rate of 264.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 310.4 on January 22, and the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council area had a rate of 592.4, compared to 793.8. These were both higher than the average South West infection rate of 247.9 and BCP’s had the 15th highest infection rate of all local authorities in the UK. Confirmed cases for the seven day period up until January 29 stood at 1,001 in the Dorset Council area, a decrease from 1,175 the previous week, and 2,342 in the BCP area, a decrease from 3,138. Hospital admissions have levelled off, with 537 COVID patients in hospital beds in Dorset as of January 29, compared to 552 the previous week, but local NHS services are still under significant pressure and there have also been outbreaks in care settings across Dorset. These factors mean COVID-related deaths across Dorset were continuing to rise. NHS England publish weekly data on the number of COVID-19 vaccinations given by local area. Up to January 24, 110,737 doses had been administered to people in Dorset. More than 83 per cent of over 80s across the county had received their first dose. More than 7,000 people have been vaccinated by the team at Bridport Medical Centre. This includes those attending the centre
as well as teams visiting care homes and administering vaccines there. The surgery is the main vaccination clinic hub for the Jurassic Coast Primary Care Network, which includes practices in Lyme Regis, Charmouth and Beaminster. Along with the NHS team with staff from all practices working hard to vaccinate as many as possible, an army of volunteers has helped the clinics run smoothly by marshalling and helping patients. Another clinic will be held tomorrow (Saturday) and residents are reminded to avoid the area as it will be busy with people attending for vaccinations. Car parking has been made available at West Street car park for those getting vaccines and marshals will be on hand to help and direct. A spokesman for Bridport Medical Centre said: “The only issue we faced was patients requesting a particular vaccine – usually AstraZeneca/Oxford. “We receive stock of both vaccines and may be vaccinating using either vaccine during any session. The clinicians will check suitability for both vaccines as part of the consent process. “Please do not request, or indeed get angry with our staff, when the vaccine you are being offered is not your preferred choice. This only serves to cause confusion and delay in our incredibly busy clinic. “Refusing a suitable vaccine also results in potential wastage and an appointment lost
for someone still waiting to be invited. “The most important thing here is to receive a vaccine.” In Lyme Regis, Charmouth and the Marshwood Vale, there were six confirmed COVID cases in the seven-day period up until January 29. This is an increase of four on the previous week but still much lower than the peak of 35 cases seen after the New Year period. However, in the neighbouring Kilmington, Colyton and Uplyme area, cases have been rising more dramatically and stood at 22 as of January 29, an increase of 20 on the previous week. As of January 29, Axminster had six cases, a decrease of five; Seaton had six, an increase of two; Burton Bradstock and Chideock had fewer than three cases; Bridport North had fewer than three cases; and Bridport South and West Bay had four, an increase of one. A spokesperson from Dorset Council said: “It remains critically important that everyone stays at home as much as possible and only goes out for essential reasons. “The more we stay at home, the fewer chances the virus has to spread, meaning we can bring infection rates down further, reduce the pressure on our health and care system and save lives. “Anyone who develops any symptoms of COVID-19, even if they are mild, should book a test straight away. You must stay at home with your household until you get your results; only leave home to get tested.”
for Lyme Regis area
THE latest crime figures released by police show there were 25 crimes in the Lyme Regis area during December 2020. These figures compare to 27 crimes the previous month and 34 in December 2019. From the 25 recorded incidents, 16 took place in Lyme Regis, eight in the Charmouth area, one in Wootton Fitzpaine and none in Uplyme. In Lyme Regis, crimes included nine incidents of anti-social behaviour, three of violence or sexual offences, two thefts, and two listed as ‘other crime’. In Charmouth, reported crimes included five incidents of anti-social behaviour, one of criminal damage and arson, one theft, and one ‘other crime’. There was also one public order offence Wootton Fitzpaine. Crime figures for January 2021 have not yet been released. For more details on the latest figures, visit www.police.uk and use the Crime Map tool to search incidents by individual towns and streets.
Circus may be coming to town
LYME Regis may be visited by the circus this summer. The town council has received a request from Circus Ginnett to bring their show to Lyme Regis some time towards the summer holidays. The company originally requested use of the Anning Road playing field but councillors felt this was not appropriate due to the field being used as a sports pitch for children and lack of car parking nearby. Instead, they have suggested the circus could use Strawberry Field on the outskirts of town with parking available in the park and ride site opposite. The circus last came to town in 2010 when it was set up on the park and ride field.
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Cemetery burials to be restricted to those with proven link to Lyme Regis
THOSE wanting to be buried in Lyme Regis cemetery will have to prove they have previously lived in the area or have a genuine family link to the town in future. In the past, the cemetery has been open to burials of anyone - whether they were from Lyme Regis or not - although double fees apply for non-residents. But when councillors were recently asked to review charges for burials, Cllr Cheryl Reynolds expressed concerns that the cemetery should be for parishioners of Lyme Regis only due to limited space. The matter was brought to this week’s virtual meeting for further discussion. Council officer Adrianne Mullins explained that it was common practice to allow nonparishioners to be buried in cemeteries, and most that requested this did have some kind of connection to the town. Of the 16 burials in 2020, four were nonparishioners - two of these lived in Charmouth and two had previously lived in Lyme Regis. While space is limited in the cemetery, it is estimated that new grave spaces will be available for the next 25 to 30 years, in addition to graves already purchased and re-opening of existing graves. Cllr Belinda Bawden said that she felt it was unnecessary to restrict burials to those with a proven link to the town, as there was not an extreme shortage of space and the council was not overrun with requests from non-residents. “It sends a really hostile message,” she said. However, councillors agreed they would restrict burials to those with a proven link to the town in future and burial fees would be reviewed again at a future date.
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Uplyme Stores hands over £1,000 to two good causes
PAULA Thirlwell of Uplyme Stores & Filling Station presents a cheque to Daniel Buckley of the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion (left) and to Bridport Community Hospital nurse Jo Fowler (right)
UPLYME Stores & Filling Station has handed over a total of £1,000 to two good causes after holding fundraising activities and collections last year. The Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion and the NHS each received donations of £500. This followed a cake-baking competition hosted by the village shop to mark VE Day back in May 2020, as well as the sale of face masks and collections in store. A cheque for the NHS was collected by
local nurse Jo Fowler and will go towards the Colmers Ward at Bridport Community Hospital, caring predominantly for patients over 65 for rehabilitation, as well as end for palliative and end of life care. Ian Marshal, chairman of the Lyme Regis branch of the Royal British Legion, said: “The Royal British Legion, in common with so many worthy charities, has been under considerable financial pressure during 2020 due to COVID-19. “Please be assured that every penny does
count and that the monies collected will be spent on running our six care homes, most of which now have specialist dementia wings, beneficiary welfare projects and the Battle Back Centre, among many other support initiatives. “The Lyme Regis branch is here to assist any ex-servicemen living in the area, whether Legion members or not.” If you would like to join the Legion, contact Mr Marshall by calling 07584 993 955 or emailing lymeregis.chairman@rbl.community.
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Rotary Club donates £700 towards defibrillators THE Rotary Club of Lyme Regis has made a donation of £700 towards the upkeep of life-saving defibrillators in the town. The money was raised during a street collection over the Christmas period, and was donated to Lyme Heartbeat – a group of volunteers who are creating a network of publicly-accessible defibrillators across Lyme Regis. The group evolved from an organisation originally formed in memory of fisherman Brian Marks, who died in 2015 following a heart attack. The organisation raises funds for lifesaving equipment, with previous events including boat jumble sales, raffles and crowdfunding enabling 24-hour access automated external defibrillators (AEDs) to be installed in several loca-
tions in and around the town. The group also holds defibrillator awareness sessions for members of the community to become confident in using the life saving devices and performing CPR. On behalf of Lyme Heartbeat, Rob James commented: “We are incredibly grateful to Lyme Regis Rotary Club for their generous donation which will help significantly towards the ongoing cost of maintaining our existing 10 units. “Ongoing costs include the need to replace the battery pack within each device every few years, renewing the pads after every use or if they reach their expiry date plus in the past couple of years we’ve needed to replace some of the cabinets due to corrosion”. Lyme Heartbeat work closely with
South Western Ambulance Service and their data reveals more than 3,600 people are resuscitated in the South West area each year using a defibrillator after suffering cardiac arrest out of hospital. For every minute that passes once in cardiac arrest, a person loses a further 10% chance of survival, and with this dramatic loss in chance of survival, there is a need for a defibrillator every 4-5 minutes’ walk. Increased availability of defibrillators significantly improves cardiac arrest survival rates. Each of the 10 units managed by Lyme Heartbeat is registered with South Western Ambulance Service which means a caller to 999 will be directed to their nearest device if one is required.
Increased lead levels found in allotments LYME Regis Town Council is further investigating levels of lead found in soil at the Charmouth Road allotments site. Last year, Dorset Council commissioned WPA Environmental to undertake an investigation to establish whether there was any contamination link between the former landfill site at Spittles Lane and the neighbouring Charmouth Road allotments. They found that there was no contamination links with the landfill site, but did report on elevated levels of lead in land surface soils along the northern and eastern boundaries. WPA’s report states there is no evidence to suggest the allotment site
could be determined as contaminated under Part 2A of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 but suggested this discovery should be further investigated. The town council has now commissioned the company to look into this issue further with a report expected at the end of February. Steve Horsler from Dorset Council’s environmental protection department joined the town council for a virtual meeting this week, saying that by undertaking this further study the town council was ensuring it was doing the right thing whilst also taking the most cost effective, rational and reasonable
approach. He added: “Allotments are notorious in the contaminated land community for having elevated levels of various species, like lead, because people bring in fertiliser, ash, structures, all sorts of things which leak off contaminants into the ground. “You can often have elevated species in soil, but what’s critical is not whether they’re sitting there but whether they find their way to a receptor, for example someone eating vegetables. That pathway question is a critical one. “Just because there’s substances like lead in the soil doesn’t mean they’ll be taken up, and that’s the kind of thing we wanted to explore to some extent.”
Museum receives £10,000 from Culture Recovery Fund LYME Regis Museum has received a financial boost from the £1.57 billion Culture Recovery Fund to help fund repairs during the coronavirus pandemic. Lifeline grants from the Culture Recovery Fund are designed to protect heritage sites and ensure that jobs and access to culture and heritage in local communities are protected during the months ahead. The grant of £10,000 for Lyme Regis Museum will be used to repair the ground floor stone window frames which have eroded significantly since the museum was built in 1902. Grants of up to £25,000 are being allocated to cherished heritage sites, the museum, across the country to cover urgently needed maintenance and repairs. This vital funding comes from a part of the Culture Recovery Fund called the Heritage Stimulus Fund and is administered by Historic England. As well as rescuing precious heritage buildings in need, the injection of cash will protect livelihoods for some of the most vulnerable heritage specialists and contractors working in the sector. Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “These grants will help the places that have shaped our skylines for hundreds of years and that continue to define culture in our towns and cities. We’re protecting heritage and culture in every corner of the country to save jobs and ensure it’s there for future generations to enjoy.” Museum director David Tucker said: “We are delighted to receive this funding from the Culture Recovery Fund. It will make a significant difference to the work we need to carry out to
ensure our building remains sound and is able to continue to face the challenges of our wonderful coastal location.” Duncan Wilson, Historic England Chief Executive added: “Historic places across the country are being supported by the grants awarded under the Culture Recovery Fund. This funding is a lifeline which is kick-starting essential repairs and maintenance at many of our most precious historic sites, so they can begin to recover from the damaging effects of COVID-19. “It is also providing employment for skilled craft workers who help keep historic places alive and the wheels of the heritage sector turning. Our shared heritage is an anchor for us all in these challenging times and this funding will help to ensure it remains part of our collective future.” Lyme Regis Museum has played an important role in the community since it opened its doors for the first time as a museum in 1921. The Grade II listed building is an architectural delight, combining a traditional ‘northern renaissance’ style alongside the ultra-modern Mary Anning Wing. The museum received £60,000 in Arts Council funding from the first round of the Culture Recovery Fund back in October, and recently received £20,000 from Dorset Council’s new Organisations Revenue Support Fund. Other local cultural organisations have also received support through this new fund from Dorset Council, including £10,000 for the Marine Theatre, £5,000 for Lyme Regis-based music charity B Sharp, and £5,000 for Charmouth Heritage Coast Centre.
ROB James of Lyme Heartbeat with one of the defibrillators installed at Monmouth Beach
6 Friday, February 5 2021
LYME MATTERS with Philip Evans Essential reading for all those with Lyme at heart
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philip@lyme-online.co.uk
Is some summer fun on the way? D
ARE we hope for some semblance of a Lyme Regis summer we so missed last year?
I pose this question because, following the tremendous success of inoculating more than ten million people to fight off this terrible virus, we are starting to hear reactions such as “the beginning of the end”. Even the much-maligned Health Minister, Matt Hancock, who has delivered daily doses of doom and gloom for months, predicted this week that we could look forward to “a lovely summer”. As the news gets more positive on a daily bases that the number of cases is starting to come down, it has become clear that the only way out of this terrible pandemic will be through vaccination. Locally, we are extremely lucky to have a
Receiving the jab at Bridport was fantastic ■ LIKE dozens of others of my age group (70 plus) I had my first COVID-19 jab at Bridport Medical Centre last Friday. Actually, it could well have been a school reunion with Stuart Broom, Peter Fortnam and Brian Deem also being vaccinated, and several other school pals no doubt, as well. The invitation to have the Pfizer injection came sooner than expected and the manner in which it was delivered at the Bridport Medical Centre was fantastic. In and out within half an hour, it was brilliantly organised with all the volunteers making it a stress-free experience. The doctors and nurses were a credit to the NHS. Britain at its best.
vaccination centre on our doorstep (see below left). Bridport Medical Centre is administering the vaccine two days a week to between 1,500 and 2,000 people a day. The organisation of these vaccination days have been superb and we should be forever grateful to the doctors and nurses at Bridport, and a small army of willing volunteers, for the kind and sympathetic manner they have carried out their duties, especially to the elderly and infirm who find such procedures stressful. After so much political in-fighting over how the government has performed, which I believed has harmed the mental health of this country, it’s refreshing to see that the success of the vaccination programme has lifted the spirit of the nation to a degree. We have been cautioned not to get carried away. The number of daily deaths is still tragically high and our hospitals, including Dorset County in Dorchester, are still under great pressure. Last year Lyme’s summer events were wiped out completely but there is now some hope that this summer we may be able to return to somewhere near normality. Jazz Jurassica, which organises the early summer jazz festival, has already announced they are planning to reveal their line-up later this month for their May event and with some modest support from the Arts Council they should be able to proceed whilst adhering to all COVID restrictions. This would kick the summer off in footstomping fashion and whilst there is no news yet about Lyme’s two big summer attractions - Lifeboat Week and the Regatta and Carnival - there is renewed hope that both these big crowd pullers will return in some form. How does the song go? “Summertime and the livin’ is easy”. Let’s hope so.
WILL we see such fun activities as the bathtub race entertaining the crowds in Lyme this summer?
Water still pooling on £600,000 Marine Parade roof A BIT of an argument broke out in the Lyme Regis Town Council chamber this week over the newly-surfaced flat roof above Marine Parade. Following an incident when a grass cutting machine sent a stone flying into the smart balustrade, causing the glass to shatter and fall onto a family outside the Amusement Arcade, councillors were discussing how to prevent such an accident happening again.
Mayor Brian Larcombe suggested planting a metre-high hedge along the bottom of the Lister Gardens. Another suggestion was a low-level fencing to stop skateboarders careering down over the bank. I think the biggest disappointment of this £600,000 investment is that pools of water still sit on the surface after heavy rain, which surely was one of the reasons why it was decided to resurface the roof.
Dave’s Letter from America advantage digital print
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AS a child growing up our entertainment came mostly via the wireless. And one broadcast we never missed was Alistair Cooke’s 15-minute Letter from America. Alistair Cooke was a British-born journalist who lived most of his life in the United States. His weekly recordings, which were broadcast for 58 years from 1946, had a cult following and were essential listening for my family. Cooke’s colourful descriptions of life in America seemed so glamorous and exciting for someone growing up in little-ole Lyme. Last week, the LymeOnline website introduced our own three-part Letter From America. My old mate David Hercock (pictured), formerly of the parish but now a long-time citizen of the USA, saw a post I put on the football club’s ex-players’ Facebook page, appealing for donations to help keep the Seasiders solvent
during this difficult period with no football being played. Dave responded immediately with a donation. It was the week that Joe Biden was installed as President and after watching his inauguration, which I found hugely moving, I suggested that Dave, a music teacher, might like to record his views and feelings about the momentous events going on across the pond. Originally, I asked for 600 words but there was no way this was going to do justice to Dave’s strong feelings of what was happening to his adopted country. So we turned it into a three-part series which prompted a big response on social media. Music is David’s bag, not writing, he was quick to point out. But he did a fabulous job, using the most splendid prose to empty his heart over the traumatic four years of the Trump presidency. Great stuff Herky.
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Lyme sailor flies the flag for hometown as he competes in the America’s Cup SAILOR Jim Turner has been flying the flag for his hometown Lyme Regis as he competed for the oldest international sporting trophy, the America’s Cup. Having grown up in Lyme Regis and learnt to sail with brother Chris at Lyme Regis Sailing Club, Jim was selected for the American Magic team for the America’s Cup and moved to the US for four years of preparatory training, visiting his parents and brother in Lyme in August 2019 during a break. He took a Lyme Regis Sailing Club burgee back with him to hang at the American Magic team base. Always keenly competitive, both Jim and Chris have achieved international success and carry the name of their hometown all over the sailing world. Unfortunately, the American Magic team’s bid to win the America’s Cup came to and end last weekend, after suffering losses in the qualifying Prada Cup semi-finals. The team was eliminated from the Prada
Cup in New Zealand following a loss in the fourth race of the series against the Challenger of Record, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli of Italy. The winner of the Prada Cup goes on to sail against the defender ‘Te Rehutai’, sailed by Emirates Team New Zealand on behalf of the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, for the 36th America’s Cup. American Magic’s participation in the events associated with the 36th America’s Cup marked the 30th time in the 170-year history of the event that a New York Yacht Clubbacked team had competed as either the Defender or as a Challenger. The campaign for Auckland 2021 was also the club’s first attempt in 18 years to reclaim the oldest trophy in international sport. The team suffered a dramatic capsize during a high-speed race earlier in January, which nearly sank their yacht ‘Patriot’, but they worked around the clock to get the boat ready for the semi-finals last week.
£600,000 spent on seafront roof - but is it safe? COUNCILLORS are split on the best way to ensure public safety, after a panel of new glass balustrade on Lyme Regis seafront smashed, with shattered glass falling onto a family below. The flat roof area above SWIM, the Antiques & Craft Centre and the Amusement Arcade was completely resurfaced last year costing £600,000 - the council’s most expensive capital project since the renovation of the seafront shelters. The work was considered essential to prevent water from leaking into the council-owned commercial buildings below. The project also included the installation of balustrade made from strengthened glass along the edge of the wall, but it was only in place for a few months before one of the panels was smashed. The incident occurred in October when a member of the town council’s gardening staff was mowing grass in Lister Gardens and a small stone was thrown up by the mower and hit the glass, with a small amount of shattered glass falling onto a family outside the Amusement Arcade below. An investigation into the specification of the glass balustrade was launched and the council was told that the toughened glass panels were of a suitable specification for the location, but in this instance the panel had not behaved as expected. No remedial action for the glass balustrade was recommended by the contractor or architect. In addition, the council staff member was found to be operating in line with the risk assessment for lawn mowing. However, it was suggested that a barrier netting could be used to cover the glass balustrade when mowing in future. At their virtual meeting this week, councillors started discussing ways in which they could ensure this incident was not repeated. The Mayor of Lyme Regis, Cllr Brian Larcombe, suggested a beech hedge or fence no higher than a metre could be introduced at the bottom of the Lister Gardens bank to prevent objects such as stones being thrown up again while mowing. He also suggested that this would deter cyclists, skatebaorders and those playing ball games from using the flat roof area, which he said was a safety concern as they could cause further damage to the balustrade or result in items falling from the roof onto the seafront below. However, his suggestions were met with strong objections from some members of the council. Cllr Michaela Ellis said it was always intended for the area to act as an amphitheatre for events and that planting or a fence would ruin the open nature of the area. She suggested that signs could be installed to deter the public from using the area for activities
FRANCESCA EVANS
francesca@lyme-online.co.uk such as cycling and skateboarding. The council’s operations manager Matt Adamson Drage said the outside workforce were also opposed to the idea, as it would require additional maintenance. Cllr Cheryl Reynolds said that the roots of the hedging may also cause issues with the new roof surface. However, Cllr Larcombe argued that a fence or beech hedge would be low maintenance and would not affect events, as it would be at a low height. “I have seen kids on BMX bikes coming down that slope onto the roof, skateboards coming down there, all sorts. We need to de-mark the boundary between the gardens and the roof to make it much safer,” he said. “It’s open to abuse and no amount of signage is going to make a blind bit of difference.” Cllr Larcombe’s initial proposal for a beech hedge split the vote five to five, with Town Management & Highways Committee chairman John Broom giving the casting vote against. However, a vote to leave the area as it is also then split the council five to five, with Cllr Broom saying he did agree that something should be installed but he did not think a hedge was the answer, as this would not necessarily stop stones from being thrown up and would require maintenance. Instead he suggested Cllr Larcombe’s idea of a small fence be put to the vote, but this sparked further argument. Cllr Ellis said: “You are absolutely going against what the gardens are there for. People sit on the bank and we’ve put glass all along there, all they are going to be looking at is a wooden fence and it will look absolutely awful. “I think we will have loads of complaints if we put a fence up there.” Cllr Belinda Bawden said installing the fence would “change the character of the gardens” and it was its open nature which made the area so special. Cllrs Broom and Larcombe argued that the fence would be less than a metre in height and would not obscure any view or event. Cllr Larcombe added: “It’s not just about the stones, it’s about the fact we’re seeing skateboards being ridden down the slope onto the roof. If a skateboard hits those glass panels wrong I don’t want to risk having more problems like we’ve just experienced with one stone. “I don’t want to see skateboards on that roof, I don’t want to see BMX bikes on that roof, I’ve
seen football played on there. We cannot afford to let that happen. We have to show the public it’s no-go area for these types of things.” Cllr Reynolds pointed out that skateboarders, cyclists or footballers were not banned from the flat roof area, with council officer Adrianne Mullins confirming there were no by-laws preventing these activities from taking place. Cllr Ellis accused Cllr Larcombe of not wanting
“any children in this area doing anything they might enjoy”. The mayor strongly refuted her claims, saying he had been a supporter of many projects for young people in the town. He asked Cllr Ellis to retract her comments but she refused. It was eventually agreed not to take a vote on the proposed fence, but instead to ask officers to produce a full management plan on how best to use, manage and protect the flat roof area.
newsfromwestminster
A monthly column by West Dorset MP Chris Loder
SINCE we left the European Union, I know that some fishermen, especially in Lyme Regis and West Bay, have been experiencing difficulties with exports at the border into France, Belgium and other European countries. I’ve been working closely with Anthony Mangnall, the MP for Brixham, on this and together we have been supporting fish merchants and exporters, intervening on their behalf with Defra, to help them overcome these issues. Last month, with the help of the harbourmaster for Lyme Regis and Bridport and the Blue Marine Foundation, I have reached out to all fishermen, with a letter offering my support and inviting them to get in touch with me, and I’m pleased many have already done so. The Local Plan for Dorset is open for consultation until March 15 and I have a strong view on it. I believe the plan needs to support our local economies and we should not be planning for large-scale housing developments such as some areas of West Dorset, for example in Dorchester, have experienced. New housing should go to support our local town and village economies by protecting the future of our community services, schools, small shops, pubs and churches – rather than enabling urban sprawl. If you feel strongly about it, you must ensure your view is taken into account. Please support the virtual Planning Committee meeting being held by Lyme Regis Town Council on February 16 at 7pm, as it will be an opportunity to influence the council’s response. It is also important to respond to the consultation personally. You will find more details on my website at www.chrisloder.co.uk/localplan In news from Westminster this week, we are
now one step closer to tougher sentencing for those who commit the worst kinds of cruelty against innocent animals, as my Animal Welfare (Sentencing) Bill passed the committee stage in the House of Commons on Wednesday. The UK has some of the highest animal welfare standards in the world, but in terms of penalties we are currently amongst the lowest. My bill makes provision for the maximum penalty for certain offences under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 to be increased from six months to up to five years. It will now progress through parliament and hopefully on to the statute book. To find out more about this important Bill, including the inspiration behind it and the story of my own Springer Spaniel Poppy, visit: www.chrisloder.co.uk/animalwelfare Finally, if you would like to receive my latest news and updates, please sign up to my newsletter at: www.chrisloder.co.uk
Visit www.chrisloder.co.uk for links to my social media channels and news, or email hello@chrisloder.co.uk if you are interested in a face-to-face meeting at one of my surgeries
axminsternews
8 Friday, February 5 2021
■ THE latest crime figures released by police show there were 48 crimes in the wider Axminster area during December 2020. These figures compares to 50 crimes the previous month and 48 - the same figure - in December 2019. From the 48 recorded incidents in December 2020, 37 took place in Axminster Town and 11 in Axminster Rural, which also covers Uplyme, Kilmington, Hawkchurch, Dalwood, Stockland, Chardstock and surrounding areas. In Axminster Town, crimes included 17 incidents of violence and sexual offences, 13 of antisocial behaviour, three drugs-related incidents, and four listed as ‘other crime’. In Axminster Rural, crimes included four incidents of anti-social behaviour, three of criminal damage and arson, two of violence and sexual offences, and two listed as ‘other crime’. Of these, four took place in the Kilmington and Shute area, four in the Membury area, two in Wilmington and one around Blackpool Corner, near Raymond’s Hill. Crime figures for January 2021 have not yet been released.
■ A 70-year-old man from Axminster is due to appear in court in connection with a serious injury crash near Bridport in November. The crash happened at about 9.40am on Sunday, November 15 on the B3157 Coast Road, near to the junction of Cogden Beach car park. It involved a Citroen Berlingo and a Ford Focus. A passenger in the Citroen, a woman aged in her 70s, and the two occupants of the Ford both Weymouth women aged in their 20s - were taken to hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the Citroen was also treated for minor injuries. Following enquiries, a 70-year-old man from Axminster has been issued with a postal requisition to appear at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, February 16 for an offence of driving without due care and attention.
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Project Food moves to new premises at hospital LOCAL charity Project Food has moved into new premises at Axminster Hospital. Formerly known as Health and Local Food for Families or HALFF, the Axminster-based Project Food provides food education to local people. During the coronavirus pandemic, the charity has been providing a crucial free meal delivery services to more than 40 families and individuals struggling to obtain healthy meals. More than 50 children on Free School Meals benefited from Project Food’s delivery services whilst schools were closed, with the charity not just delivering in Axminster, but to all the surrounding villages as well as Bridport, Chard, Seaton, and Honiton. Project Food has also supported about 100 households with deliveries of nutritious ready meals and vegetable boxes, mostly to elderly people living alone who have been shielding or self-isolating. In addition to food delivery services, Project Food has been reaching local people with online cooking sessions, aimed at bringing them together and demonstrating how they can cook and eat a healthier diet, even if they are unable to get out. When lockdown restrictions are
eased, the charity intends to run community cooking courses at its new site at Axminster Hospital to teach vulnerable local people to prepare nutritious food in their own homes. The move to the comes after recent reconfiguration works undertaken at the hospital by the landlord, NHS Property Services (NHSPS) and the Royal Devon and Exeter Foundation Trust, highlighted disused space in a kitchen area in the main building. NHSPS has invested in the work to create a modern and fit-for-purpose space for Project Food’s use. This investment comes as part of NHSPS’ social prescribing programme, which has seen the organisation develop its estate to provide space for community and wellbeing programmes. The new kitchen will enable Project Food to expand its important meal delivery operations in a COVID-safe and socially distanced manner, with increased floor space. The improved facilities will also allow them to take larger groups for the cookery classes that they run for local people to promote nutritional awareness. James Page, Regional Partnership Director at NHS Property Services, said: “We are delighted to be able to provide space for Project Food to
KERRY Morgan welcomes Laura Newman, one of Project Food's first clients to visit the new premises at Axminster Hospital deliver their important services lo- lutely delighted with the kitchen cally. space in Axminster Hospital and “We are committed to utilising are very grateful to NHS Property our estate to promote community Services and the RD&E for giving wellbeing through our social pre- Project Food the opportunity to use scribing programme, and hope that this space for the benefit of the local our partnership with this charity community. will be of real benefit to vulnerable “It will help us to help many more people in the Axminster area.” people to have better physical and Tiggy Parry, director at Project mental health through a healthier Food, commented: “We are abso- diet."
Axminster earmarked for rapid testing site
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AXMINSTER has been earmarked for a new community testing site to identify asymptomatic carriers of the coronavirus. Axminster has been listed as one of 20 locations for new testing sites across Devon, with others including Seaton, Honiton, Sidmouth and Ottery St Mary. The new community testing programme to identify those with COVID-19 who are not showing symptoms recently launched at County Hall in Exeter. About one in three people who have coronavirus do not show symptoms, so these tests are to identify non-symptomatic carriers of the virus, who are then required to self-isolate immediately to prevent them from transmitting it to others. The tests are specifically for critical workers and those in high-risk occupations who still have to go to work, such as taxi and bus drivers or essential retail workers. They are also for people who are in contact with others who are vulnerable, such as carers, who are not displaying symptoms. The rapid lateral flow tests give results in about 30 minutes. The first site has opened at County Hall in Exeter with a capacity to process up to 300 tests per day, and potential to scale up to twice that number of tests each day if required. There are now plans to open more community testing sites planned across Devon this month and next, with Axminster earmarked as one of the locations. Steve Brown, Director of Public Health Devon, said: “Community testing is a quick way of identifying people who are likely to have the virus in order to prevent them from transmitting it to others. “We’ve initially piloted the County Hall site in order to make sure staff are fully trained and that the testing process itself works smoothly. “Individuals can choose to walk-through, or drive-through, two testing areas and the tests are being turned around quickly, with results back to the individual within the hour, via text and email. “We’re now calling on people to take the test to
help protect others and to stop the spread of coronavirus. “We have opened up our booking system to larger numbers and are inviting critical workers whose jobs require them to work face to face with others, and people who care for others who are vulnerable. “A negative test result will mean they’re able to carry on their essential business or caring role, however a positive test result in around half an hour will require them to self-isolate at home. “It is important to stress that taking the test, even if the result is negative, does not discount the need to continue following national guidance around social distancing, wearing a face covering, and washing your hands properly and regularly. These simple steps are still vital in preventing the transmission of the virus. “The national advice is front line workers and people who have regular contact with the public during their working week, to be tested twice weekly. If you visit or see the public less frequently, you may wish to test on the day of the visit or the day before.” Commenting on the new testing sites to be set up over the coming weeks, he added: “Most of those will be fixed facilities, while some will be mobile units in order that we can reach rural communities and businesses. Some will be by appointment only, and we will be inviting people to book appointments at their closest venue.” The exact locations for the sites are yet to be announced, however they will be in the following areas: Barnstaple, Honiton, Newton Abbot, Tiverton, Exmouth, Tavistock, Sidmouth, Seaton, Axminster, Ottery St Mary, Okehampton, Ivybridge, Bideford, Cullompton, Kingsbridge, Exeter (x2), Woolacombe, Ilfracombe, Lynmouth. People with symptoms of coronavirus – high temperature; new and continuous cough; change in their usual sense of taste or smell – should self-isolate and arrange a test via the national NHS testing programme, using the GOV.UK website or by calling 119.
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10 Friday, February 5 2021
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PHOTOFILE: Looking back at the greatest
Photo by Richard Austin RECENT stormy weather has given Lyme Regis seafront a bit of a battering, with pebbles and debris thrown over the Cobb and onto the Cart Road. But Lyme Regis is never likely to see the storms of days gone by again, and that’s thanks to the coastal protection works carried out during the 1990s and 2000s, giving our seafront a whole new look. Love it or hate it, the extended Cart Road, raised shingle beach, our imported French sand (is there any of that actually left?) and rock armouring is all there to protect our homes, businesses and infrastructure for years to come. Before the works were completed on the main beach in 2007 - officially opened by The Princess Royal - stormy weather would see Lyme’s seafront engulfed by the sea, with huge waves crashing over the upper level of
Marine Parade. Local photographer Richard Austin would regularly see his storm photos in the national press, with The Daily Express headlining one from 2000 ‘The storm of the decade’ (inset). But even that was nothing compared to 1974, when rough seas ripped a large section of the seafront wall apart. The recent stormy weather has left many Lyme Regis residents reminiscing and sharing photos of these dramatic scenes, one saying they remember “Keith Wiscombe’s ice cream kiosk floating in the sea”, and another saying staff from Woolworths in Broad Street, then managed by Mr Rowlands, were allowed out two at a time to take a look at the damage.
RECENT stormy weather has seen pebbles and debris thrown up on to the Cobb and seafront, but nothing like the storms scene prior to the mid-2000s Photo by Philip Evans
LYME Regis seafront before the coastal protection works of the early 2000s (photo courtesy of Gregory Wellman)
JANE’S Cafe on Marine Parade took a regular beating from the sea before the beach was re-profiled and Cart Road extended in the 2000s Photo courtesy of Simon Gollop
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storms to hit Lyme Regis seafront
PICTURED above and below, stormy weather in 1974 was so severe that it breached Marine Parade and ripped down a chunk of the seafront wall Photos courtesy of Joanne Stocker and Simon Gollop HUGE waves fail to deter walkers on Marine Parade, pictured before the coastal protection works and revamp of the seafront shelters Photo by Richard Austin
And in sunnier times...
THIS retro-looking photo of Lyme Regis seafront in sunnier weather (above), provided by Joanne Stocker, shows the old Lyme Remnant Shop - now a private house - and adjoining beachside shops, along with a promotional poster for ‘Doctor Zhivago’ at The Regent, which came out in 1965. Below, the beach as it was before the coastal protection works, photographed by Richard Austin
WAVES batter Lyme Regis seafront in 1974
Photo by Mike Oldfield
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Community sends 100th birthday wishes to Fran FRAN Cassidy, a resident of Bymead House in Charmouth, was overwhelmed with good wishes from the local community as she celebrated her 100th birthday. With the care home still under lockdown restrictions, staff wanted to make Fran’s birthday as special as possible so they put out a request on Facebook asking people to send cards. The birthday girl was overwhelmed with more than 150 cards arriving from the local community and all across the country. In particular, Fran loved the handwritten birthday wishes from young children near and far, as well as a card from Her Majesty The Queen, who Fran said was her “favourite Queen”. A spokesperson from Bymead House said: “We were all delighted and very touched at the involvement from our local community and particularly wanted to thank the West Bay Tea Rooms for their very generous donation of cream teas, and Sarah Causley of Causley Cabs for her delicious cakes. “Fran celebrated the day with her fellow residents who all received an invitation to the afternoon party. “Due to lockdown, Fran’s family were unable to visit in person, but they joined in the party through Skype. Fran was also able to FaceTime her great nephew, James Jordan, of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ fame!” Bymead House always celebrates the birthdays of its residents in style but manager Amy Blacklock and activities co-ordinator Amy Vernon always go the extra mile for those reaching their centenary year. To make the day that extra bit special for Fran and everyone involved, the sitting room at Bymead was filled with pink and gold balloons, streamers, and banners. The care home’s cook, Lorna Gould, made a very 100th birthday cake in addition to an individual birthday cake so Fran could blow out the many candles safely. All enjoyed the decorations, food, drink, and music and the day was topped off by toasting Fran with a glass of bubbly.
BIRTHDAY girl Fran Cassidy was treated to a party at Bymead House for her 100th and received more than 150 cards from the local community and across the country (pictured below)
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Residents get walking for favourite charities
WITH the third national lockdown now underway, it seems the simple pleasure of going out for a walk has never been more popular. But as well as getting their daily steps up, some residents are raising funds for their favourite charities as they pound the pavements. ■ Charmouth youngster Billy walked three kilometres everyday during January to raise funds £735 for The Fire Fighters Charity. Four-year-old Billy has four generations of firefighters in his family and is the nephew of a current member of the Charmouth fire crew. He walked three kilometres a day during January with mum Torie, who has also gave up all her favourite chocolate treats and sweets for the month to boost funds. They set a target of raising £150 but supporters quickly helped them surpass this and they have now made a total of £735 for the Fire Fighters LYME Regis resident Annette Denning will be taking part in the Walk for Autism in a tribute to Charity, which supports the mental, her son Joshua physical and social needs of all serving at www.walkforautism.co.uk/fundraisers/annettedenand retired members of the UK’s fire family. ning/walk-for-autism You can still sponsor Billy and mum Torie at www.just- ■ Local footballer Alex Rowe and his brother-in-law Mike giving.com/fundraising/torie-perry, or you can find out Milburn will be challenging themselves to a 100-mile trek more about the Fire Fighters Charity at www.firefighter- of the south coast to raise funds for the Motor Neurone scharity.org.uk/ Disease Association (MNDA). ■ Lyme Regis mum Annette Denning will be challenging The pair will be walking from Mike’s home in herself to raise funds for children and adults with autism Bournemouth to Alex’s in Seaton, covering 100 miles in a in a tribute to her son. single stint – no stop over and carrying everything they Annette is taking part in the Walk for Autism at the end need for the trek. of March for her son Joshua, who has autism. They have chosen to take on this challenge for MNDA as Joshua, his brother Jacob and mum Annette are wellAlex’s father and Mike’s father-in-law, Martin Rowe, also known in the town for their fundraising efforts, with Joshua always keen to help with collections at Lyme’s from Seaton, was diagnosed with the disease in 2011. Both Alex and Martin are integral members of Lyme major events and festivals. FOUR year old Billy, from Charmouth, walked three kilometres everyday during JanNow Annette will be challenging herself to walk 10,000 Regis Football Club; Martin was one of the Seasiders’ most creative midfielders during the 1970s and 80s and curuary to raise funds for The Fire Fighters Charity steps a day for eight consecutive days to raise funds for the Autism Initiatives Group, a rently sits on the committee alongside son Alex, who is national charity providing ser- also the Reserves team captain. Motor Neurone Disease is a life-shortening, rapidly-provices for autistic children and adults of all ages and complexi- gressing neurological disease that attacks the nerves that control movement. It can affect the way you walk, talk, eat, ties. Annette said: “I thought it was drink and breathe. There is currently no cure but the association are fighting about time I did something to support others who have autism to find breakthroughs and to help improve the lives of people living with MND. like Joshua. HAPPY New Year! Did you make any NY res- and shiny, the sort that tends not to last, the Fundraising is crucial to the charity as they are not gov“Joshua has shown me that olutions? Can you sense my bubbly excite- core staff have been there several years and nothing is impossible. He makes ernment funded. ment and enthusiasm? No? Thought not. know the regulars on a first name basis, their Alex said: “This is an amazing charity doing superb work me laugh and smile everyday and Anyone who was daft enough to come up choice of drink and where they like to sit. also does the same to everyone to help find a cure for this horrible disease. MND is exwith NYRs needs their bumps testing. I’ve There’s a process you have to follow when tremely close to the hearts of our family.” around him.” taken to making a daily list, breaking it into ordering food from the kitchen that you Alex and Mike were hoping to raise £1,000 in sponsorAnnette will take part in the segments: get up, have shower, get dressed, quickly learn with the help of the Greek head Walk for Autism from March 26 ship but have already more than doubled their target, with make cup of tea. If I try hard enough, some- chef Akis whose menu is legendary. Although to April 2 and she had already sur- donations currently standing at £2,241. times I can make that last until lunchtime. I frequently had a mental block on what the OK, perhaps a slight exaggeration, but the dumbwaiter was called, I would say anything You can sponsor them at www.justgiving.com/fundraispassed her target of raising £200. way things are at the moment it’s impossible from shelf to wotsit that they kindly underYou can sponsor Annette online ing/alex-mike100mwalk
Working Lyme to Five
A new regular column by Sophia Moseley
to plan beyond one day. However, you know me, never one to rest on my laurels and following my redundancy last September, I scouted around for something to feed my insatiable appetite for work and I was lucky enough to find some at The Royal Standard just on the seafront there. Now, contrary to the popular belief of some, not everyone can pull a pint and the last time I pulled was when I was 19 living in Bedford, when smoking complemented a pint and blokes complimented women without fear of reprisal, also when you kind of guessed how much a single shot was; but no more… of any of that. It was great to get stuck in, and The Royal Standard has that feeling about it that we all crave at the moment, somewhere with a bit of permanence that has been around for a while and intends to stay put. Of course, it helps that it is 400 years old and some of its customers have been going there since Adam was a boy, but there is something else that appeals. There’s nothing artificial or bright
stood and would send down to me. It’s actually ‘lift’ for those of a curious nature. There’s also a pool table that according to Maizie is the only one for miles around and was extremely popular pre-Covid. I was pretty good with a cue back in the day, maybe it’s one of those life skills you don’t forget, I guess we’ll have to wait and see because right now the RS, along with everywhere else, is closed for business awaiting the next government diktat. I’m looking forward to getting back to pulling pints and pouring shots, there are only so many times I can put ‘make a cup of tea’ on my daily to-do list before it becomes a bit monotonous and predictable. But then that’s life at the moment isn’t it. Whoa! Hold the front page. I have just had an idea. I could replace every third and fifth cup of tea with a cup of coffee and to maintain my measuring skills, add 25ml of Tia Maria and in the absence of a measure, I’ll do what we used to do back in the day… take a guess. Sophia Moseley
Boat Building Academy launches £20k appeal LIKE thousands of charities in the UK, Lyme Regis world-renowned Boat Building Academy has been seriously affected by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In March 2020, the academy was forced to close its doors for almost four months before eventually re-opening in July. It is now closed again for the current lockdown restriction and, overall, the pandemic has cost the academy more than £300,000 in lost income. After reopening in July, the academy was unable to run at full capacity due to the limits of a socially-distanced learning environment. To help return to full capacity when it is allowed to reopen again, it is planning to convert part of its student accommodation block into additional classroom/workshop space, as well as to expand the upper mezzanine level in the main workshop. The cost of the conversion has had a pro-
fessional estimate of £76,000 and the Academy has already raised £21,000 towards that goal through various charitable trusts. Encouraged by its supporters, the academy has now launched a Crowdfunding campaign to help raise the remaining funds for the project. This has already raised more than £6,000 of its £20,000 target. All donations will directly contribute to the teaching of the next generation of boat builders and furniture makers at the academy. For further information about the campaign and to donate, visit the website www.crowdfunder.co.uk/lrbba---meeting-the-challengeof-covid-19 You can also find out more about the Boat Building Academy and its courses at www.boatbuildingacademy.com
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The amazing fractal patterns of nature
WHY IS IT SO DIFFICULT TO MEASURE THE DORSET COASTLINE?
F
OR those of us living in Lyme Regis, the ever-present sea provides a mesmerising backdrop as we observe its fluctuating rhythms, shifting light and changing moods.
I am sure we have all stood on the shoreline thinking about distant lands and marvelling at the sheer beauty and power of the ocean. Just over 70 per cent of the planet is covered by water and the average depth of the oceans is about 4,000 metres. Although we talk of the deep blue sea, this is only 0.06 per cent of the radius of the Earth. On this grand scale, the seas are comparatively shallow, but any changes in sea level can have profound and complex consequences on the shoreline. For example, a recent study led by the University of Exeter reconstructed past sea-level rises and revealed that less than a thousand years ago the Isles of Scilly emerged from a single island to form the current arrangement of 140 islands, islets and rocks. Each winter, we are used to stormy weather constantly rearranging the Dorset coast through cliff falls, eroded beaches and landslips. It is important that we monitor the shifting features of our coastline so that we can better understand the processes at play, especially with accelerating climate change. You can play a personal role in this monitoring whenever you visit West Bay. Here, you will find that the Plymouth Coastal Observatory has installed photo points next to the East and West Beaches where you can place your smartphone and upload images of the coast. This is part of a programme called ‘Coastsnap SouthWest’, which is researching the dynamic nature of the south west coast. In Lyme Regis, we are lucky that hard engineering solutions have been deployed to build sea walls, rock armour and shingle beaches to hold a firm line against the sea. Other places are not so lucky in the constant battle fought along the entire British coastline to protect the land from the erosive forces of the sea. Strangely, there is no agreed measurement of the total length of Britain’s coastline let alone the Dorset coast. Using Google, you
FLOWERS often exhibit fractal patterns
SCIENCE FEATURE by Professor Glenn Patrick
Professor Glenn Patrick is a particle physicist and science communicator who explores the quantum world of sub-atomic particles (including at the Large Hadron Collider) and now lives in Lyme Regis will find various figures quoted between 12,000 and 31,000 km, but which one is correct? The answer is none of them – there is no definitive number! There are, of course, obvious problems like whether you take the high water or low water mark and how far you go up estuaries for your measurement. There is though something more profound called the ‘Coastline Paradox’ or the ‘Richardson Effect’, named after the English mathematician Lewis Fry Richardson who first observed it. Simply put, this paradox states that the coastline of a landmass does not have a well-defined length. Imagine measuring the coastline with a ruler; you would intuitively think by using a shorter and shorter ruler to go round all the bays, inlets, rocky crags, etc. you would eventually converge on the true length of the coastline. In fact, the length just keeps on increasing as the unit of measurement is made smaller and smaller. This problem was investigated by the famous mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot in a 1967 paper called ‘How Long is the Coast of Britain?’. He concluded that the coastline just gets wigglier and wigglier as you zoom in and your ruler gets shorter and shorter. This is an example of what Mandelbrot eventually called a ‘fractal’ – an object that appears similar and looks roughly the same at different sizes or scales. This means that the length of a coast only makes sense if you also quote the length of your ruler. You do not need to be a mathematician to appreciate the beauty of fractals. Nature is full of fractal patterns wherever you have a simple process that repeats itself at different scales. For example, a tree grows from a sapling by repetitively branching from the trunk with the larger branches then splitting into smaller and smaller branches until we arrive at twigs. The ammonites found along our shores build their spiral shells by adding similar pieces that grow and twist at a constant rate. A fern is a classic example of a fractal – if you look at the branches coming from the main stem you will see that they look very similar to the entire frond. Study your garden plants and notice how many of them, like sunflowers, are made up of repeating
A PHOTO point for monitoring the changing Dorset coastline at East Beach in West Bay. Below, zoom in on the cliffs at West Bay and the fractal structure is revealed – the source of the ‘Coastline Paradox’
patterns formed by growing new pieces that look the same shape, but smaller. In 1820, The Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai created the ‘The Great Wave Off Kanagawa’. This is widely considered the most famous image in Japanese art and is one of most reproduced artworks in the world. It depicts a huge wave threatening three boats beneath it with Mount Fuji in the distant background. Look closer though and you realise that the smaller fingers and dripping droplets of water also have the same basic shape as the big wave. Hokusai clearly appreciated the fractal structure of breaking waves long before the mathematics had even been invented. Watch waves breaking on the Cobb or on the beach and you will see the same effect. The concept of fractals has spread through many fields including cosmology, medicine, meteorology, financial markets, and image analysis. Even our cell phones contain an-
tennae that are made from fractals. Fractal patterns often appear in arty magazines and music videos when colourful psychedelic graphics are required or deployed to make CGI animations in movies. Perhaps most intriguing of all, our own bodies contain fractal patterns. Our lungs are full of tree-like structures, which keep on branching from our bronchial airways down to millions of small sacs called alveoli. Our amazing brains are basically fractal networks comprising billions of neurons connected by trillions of dendrites and axons in a complex tree-like structure. Next time you take your daily exercise by the coast, observe how nature is not smooth, but made up from patterns of irregular recurring shapes of different sizes– for example in billowing clouds, rocky cliffs, stormy waves and even layers of tree bark. Remember, if the walk seemed longer than the last time, it probably was - due to fractals!
Friday, February 5 2021 15
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FLASHBACKS with Richard Austin
Tales from behind the lens of our award-winning photographer
20-years-ago this month‌ Foot and Mouth Disease in 2001 was the biggest on-going story to hit the countryside for many years. Slaughtered animals were left in fields, as giant pyres were built with the bodies of cattle, sheep and pigs. I was in the city of Bath for the weekend when I heard the news on the television. The word Devon caught my ear; the outbreak was at Burden Farm, Highampton, near Holsworthy, on a farm owned by Willie Cleave. On Monday morning the village was full of press and all sorts of media making the local pub the unofficial press centre and was even used by the police for meals and tea. The one picture we were all waiting for was the building of the
pyre and the dead carcasses being loaded on to it; it sounds callous but this was the picture that would inform the public that it had started and Foot and Mouth Disease had arrived in Devon. The disease was breaking out all over the country, people were banned from walking in the countryside and moorland, risking huge fines if they didn’t stick to the new emergency laws. For most of the next two months every assignment from the Western Morning News was Foot and Mouth Disease related. Western Morning News editor Barrie Williams was in his element; a massive story and Devon was at the heart of it. He was asking questions of DEFRA that the farming community wanted to know the answer to - it boiled down to the farming
community gleaning more information from the Western Morning News than they were from government sources. Agriculture minister Nick Brown was a frequent visitor to Devon and so was Prime Minister Tony Blair. There were numerous meetings with every department, from the slaughter men, vets, scientists, farmers and the police. People really were stuck on their farms not knowing what was going on. One farmer had half his perfectly healthy dairy herd slaughtered for no apparent reason, he was shocked and angry when I photographed him with his dead cows.
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February 5 2021
Friday, February 5 2021 18
NOW IN THE DEVON & EXETER LEAGUE
The Davey Fort clubhouse is closed until further notice
New T20 Bash for East Devon cricket teams E
AST Devon cricketers will be competing this summer in the very first local T20 tournament, commencing in June.
With recreational sport still in lockdown, it is not yet known whether the Devon Cricket League will be operating a full programme or mini-leagues as last season. But there will be plenty of cricket for the seven clubs which have signed up to the new East Devon Bash T20 tournament, to be played on Wednesday and Thursday evenings in the early summer. They are: Uplyme, Honiton, Ottery St Mary, Seaton, Kilmington, Upottery and Sidbury. The matches will commence at 6.15pm on June 2 and will run to July 22 with the finals to take place on August 1 at a venue to be decided. All games will be played with strict observance to any COVID-19 regulations at the time. Steve Batey, chairman of Uplyme Cricket Club, spoke to LymeOnline Sport about how the idea of a T20 tournament was conceived. He said: “The tournament came about after the COVID season last year. Considerable shorter dis-
tances and more local derbies enticed more interest both on and off the field. “It also came about that more members in some clubs wanted a shorter format cricket which could be accommodated on week nights during the longer lighter months. Some Saturdays, if you were away to Barnstaple or Bideford for example, it could easily be a 12hour day and some could not commit. “I also thought it was a good opportunity to give more game time and competitive cricket to youngsters who just want to play more cricket and more often than once a week. “We hope it wil generate more income for local clubs which has been lost over recent times for the obvious reasons. “Hopefully, it will continue yearon-year and gain more interest as time goes by.” Mr Batey thanked Lyme Regis Media Ltd, publishers of LymeOnline, and Nub News with websites in Axminster, Seaton and Honiton, for sponsoring the tournament which will allow cash prizes to be awarded. The prize-money will be as follows: winners - £250; runners-up £100; top run scorer - £75; top
LAST season’s Uplyme side which won their Devon tier 5 mini-league. Back row (from left): Neil Price (umpire), Sam Farrow, Dave Matthews, Joe Elsworth, Harvey Brimicombe, Tyler Wellman, Sam Wooster, Jon Hunt (scorer). Front row (from left): Alfie. Jacques, Charlie Moss, Steve Batey Batey (captain), Mark Batey and Bruce Maltby wicket-taker - £75. A set of rules has been drawn up for the tournament, including: 10 players per side; power play in the first five overs with only two players inside the circle; league points - 4 for a win, 2 each for draw or no result; the final will be between the
top two league teams at a neutral venue. Last season the Devon Cricket League was forced to abaddoned their league programme and ran a series of mini-leagues. Uplyme, led by Steve Batey, enjoyed a brilliant season, winning
their tier 5 mini-league, and marked by a triple consecutive century by Tyler Wellman, the first time this had been achieved in local cricket. Steve Batey also had a good season, winning the Nub News top batsmen competition.
‘Brilliant’ appeal response to keep Seasiders solvent PLAYERS - past and present - have rallied round to ensure that Lyme Regis Football Club is able to remain solvent during the current COVID-19 lockdown. Like many other local clubs, the Seasiders rely heavily on revenue from their clubhouse to finance their day-today running costs. Football has been put on hold during lockdown and social facilities closed
down with little hope of being able to start again before Easter. Although no decisions have been made by the local leagues, there are fears that it will not be possible to finish the current season due to the backlog of fixtures. The position has been exacerbated for Lyme FC because they have completed 90 per cent of a four-year £150,000 development programme which has reduced funds for the running of the club. Club president and acting-treasurer
Philip Evans MBE challenged players to help bridge the gap until the cub opens by raising money through donations sponsorship and also appealed to former players to support the initiative. Mr Evans said: “The response has been brilliant. To date the players have raised more than £600, which is being matchfunded by a former player who wishes to remain anonymous, and ex-players from all over the world have been remarkably generous.
“To date we have raised more than £3,000 with more promises to come in and this will cover our expenses until the end of March when we are hoping we will be able to start playing again and re-open the clubhouse.” The development programme at the Davey Fort, backed by a £100,000 grant from Lyme Regis Town Council, is near completion with just the extended car park to be resurfaced and the provision of a new groundsman’s hut and main gate.
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